Fighting Guidance from His Old Man

Because he had stayed up late having fun, Link got up later than usual the next morning. Lisa, who had also just gotten up and was preparing breakfast, saw him and couldn't help smiling as she pointed at his face.

"I really want to know which girl you hooked up with last night."

Link was somewhat baffled. With the values he had developed in his previous life, plus Robert and Lisa being nearby and his age still being insufficient, he hadn't done anything out of line. But when he went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, he discovered a bright red mark on his cheek.

He examined it carefully and realized it was a vivid lipstick print. He was instantly speechless.

Not in a hurry to wipe it off, Link studied the lipstick mark for a while longer and replayed his memories from yesterday to today. There had been quite a few adults present, so he had not drunk at that gathering. His memory was still very clear.

After Link cleaned himself up and went downstairs, Lisa, busy in the kitchen, asked with a smile, "So, did you remember which girl it was?"

Link shrugged. "I think I saw Bianca playing with your lipstick along with a few girls yesterday!"

"Oh my God!" Lisa instantly understood what Link meant. "That crazy girl!"

Link shrugged again and did not mention that Peggy seemed to have been involved too. At that moment, Robert got out of bed as well, and Lisa brought out a serving of Ham and Lettuce Toast for breakfast.

There was a saying in Texas: everything was bigger in Texas. That included the toast in front of him.

The two slices of toast were twice as thick as ordinary toast, with cross-sections half again as large. The one-centimeter-thick slices of ham inside were substantial, accompanied by two lettuce leaves and sliced pickles Lisa had made herself. The fragrance of the bread, the savory meat, and the sweet-and-sour refreshing vegetables all suited Link's taste perfectly.

Even in his previous life, Link had loved things like hamburgers and toast. It was not because they were convenient; he genuinely liked that texture.

So after all these years in Texas, aside from occasionally cooking for himself whenever he missed Chinese food, he had not found anything difficult to adjust to.

There were quite a few Chinese people living in Texas, especially in Houston and Fort Worth. It was not troublesome to occasionally have someone bring back some Chinese seasonings from there.

After finishing the toast, meat and vegetables included, and draining the warm milk oatmeal as well, he patted his stomach in satisfaction. "Very nice. I feel full of energy!"

By then, Robert had heard about the lipstick from Lisa and could not help laughing too. Link continued, "Robert, what do you think about that thing I mentioned before?"

"You mean learning how to shoot? No. You have to wait until you're sixteen." Robert decisively shook his head. When Link looked a little disappointed, he continued:

"But I can teach you some fighting techniques. I remember you've been learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, right? I happen to know some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Techniques that can be used to subdue opponents stronger than yourself are suitable for a kid your age.

"You'll be starting high school soon. The guys there aren't like those sissies in middle school. Among the students close to graduation, there are some big guys too. Learning a little can keep you from getting bullied."

Lisa could not help rolling her eyes at Robert's words. "Bullied? Ever since he was little, it's always been the parents of other kids or their schoolteachers coming to our door.

"And yesterday, you said Link might not be the biggest, but he was very strong and had great stamina. He wouldn't have any trouble playing football. You're worried about him getting bullied?"

"What's wrong with that, babe? This is Texas!" Robert said righteously.

Link added, "That's great. When do we start?"

Although he had temporarily decided his goal was to become a rising tech tycoon, the Space-Time Mission Function in the system had kept him on guard. He had therefore decided to train himself as well.

Besides, if he got his body in shape, then when he wandered through mountain streams in the future, he would be able to last longer, deliver fiercer and more sustained output, and perhaps even have a few more tricks up his sleeve.

As a form of insurance with so many benefits, Link had no reason to refuse.

Most American families had their own garages, and aside from parking cars, garages had many other uses. Robert had converted theirs into a gym. He often worked out there, and over the past year, Link had become a frequent visitor as well.

After breakfast, Robert deliberately waited a while before taking Link to the gym. In his words, if he did not let the food digest first, whatever Link threw up would dirty the practice mats.

The two changed into training clothes. Link could see that although Robert was already forty, his physique was still excellent. His muscle definition was obvious, and there were several scars on his body as well.

Link had heard that Robert had served in the United States Marine Corps. After becoming sheriff, he had continued training regularly. The training room he had set up was not large, but it had a basic full set of equipment: a punching bag, dumbbells, barbells, resistance machines, and all kinds of exercise gear.

Speaking of which, once American police officers passed thirty, most of them put on some weight. The tall, handsome types from movies were actually quite rare.

Robert could only maintain his current physique thanks to his long-term fitness habits. Otherwise, with all the driving and fast food, it would have been impossible.

The two did some warm-up exercises, then took off their shoes and stood on the training mats. Robert said, "Let's spar first. I want to see what your practical level is like."

Link was still young, and his build was obviously more than a size smaller than Robert's. Yet after moving around a little, he said eagerly, "Here I come!"

With that, Link quickly closed in on Robert and threw the first punch. Robert smiled, his lowered hands not even rising to block. Just as Link threw his punch, Robert suddenly bent forward and lunged.

Link's fist brushed past the top of his head, but Robert had already wrapped his arms around Link's waist. A tremendous force instantly slammed him stiffly onto the floor.

Before Link could recover, Robert twisted his body, seized the fist Link had extended, and yanked hard. His legs pinned Link's chest, making him feel suffocated.

Robert said, "Young man, you lost."

There was teasing in his voice, and Link immediately said, "...I haven't surrendered yet."

"Then try and see if you can move."

Link struggled with all his strength, only to discover he had no room to struggle at all. Robert had pulled his right arm straight, pinned his body flat against the floor with his legs, and his left hand could not brace against the floor to generate any force.

After struggling for half a minute, Link could only say helplessly, "All right, let me go."

Robert released Link and got to his feet with a smile.

"Looks like our young man still needs training. Come to think of it, I should have taught you the Armbar when you were little. I didn't expect you to be this rusty. It seems I'll need to help you spar more often. Besides Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I'll also teach you some mixed martial arts. We'll have to start from the basics!"

"Of course!" Link said directly. That instant takedown had made him realize that his little bit of skill was nowhere near enough to fight Robert head-on.

"Then bring that dummy over first and show me what you've learned!"

After a series of slapping and thudding impacts, Robert signaled for him to stop, then said to Link:

"As an amateur, you've already gotten started. Of course, learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu first was the right choice. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lets you use technique to subdue your opponent. But your coach was obviously a sissy too. He never taught you its essence. I need to teach you real fighting from the beginning."

Link did not argue. He simply nodded and asked, "Then when can I reach your level?"

Robert smiled. "Purely in terms of technique, if you practice diligently, reaching my level within five years won't be a problem. But surpassing me? I'm afraid you'll have a hard time gaining that kind of experience."

"That's a bit long."

Robert shrugged. "You think this is children playing house? I was an elite in the Marine Corps. I even fought in the Vietnam War!"

"I know, just like Rambo, right? But why can't I surpass you?" Link asked casually. He knew Robert had gone through quite a lot in the Vietnam War. The medals at home made that clear enough.

"Isn't it obvious? You're just a little brat who's never seen blood. Even if you learn the techniques, at most you'll just know some moves. In a real fight, you still wouldn't be my match.

"Your mental fortitude and experience are far too lacking. Those aren't things you can gain through mere study and training. If you want the same experience I have, I'm afraid it'll be impossible in this lifetime.

"And in that spar just now, your size and weight put you at a disadvantage. Otherwise, maybe you could have made me use a little more strength."

Link nodded, understanding the situation. He still had several months before turning fifteen. He was only 1.76 meters tall and weighed a little over seventy kilograms, far smaller than Robert.

Although, thanks to the system, his strength far exceeded that of an ordinary teenager and was close to an adult's level, he clearly could not compare to Robert, who had trained for years. Getting taken down instantly was only to be expected.

After that, there was no more sparring. Robert began teaching Link Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques that ordinary coaches would not teach, little by little.

There was no rushing this. He needed to become familiar with them gradually before he could use them in actual combat. Once he had mastered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he could begin learning mixed martial arts.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was absolutely a combat style where technique outweighed strength, and it was not so easy to learn. After just an hour of training, Robert called a stop on his own.

"Don't rush when you're starting out, and don't hurt yourself. I'll make you a list. From now on, follow it every day for basic physical training. We'll continue tomorrow."

"No problem. I've been training according to your requirements for years," Link said casually.

"Believe me, compared to what comes next, everything you did before was nothing."