'Spirit' Achieved

At the same time.

At the top floor of the Patrol Bureau.

Inside a deputy director's office, Hu Guangzhong sat behind a broad desk with his feet propped up on it, leisurely smoking a cigarette.

Suddenly, the phone in front of him rang.

Ring, ring, ring.

Hu Guangzhong casually picked it up.

"Who is this?"

"It's me."

A voice came from the other end of the line.

The moment Hu Guangzhong heard that voice, he immediately lowered his feet from the desk and held the receiver in a respectful posture.

"Yes?"

"Any progress?" the voice on the other end asked.

"Not yet. But could you be overthinking this? Security in the outer city can't compare to the inner city. Patrol Bureau personnel being killed isn't exactly common, but it isn't rare either. After all, our Patrol Bureau has offended quite a few people."

"I don't care whether Patrol Bureau personnel die or not. I only care whether his death is connected to what happened eight years ago."

"Yes, yes, yes. I'm investigating it, but there's currently no direct evidence linking it to that incident."

"Didn't you say two children survived back then?"

"Yes, but it's been too long. The orphanage from back then no longer exists, and you know how chaotic population records in the outer city are. Finding them will be very difficult."

"Do you think you were made deputy director so you could sit around doing nothing? Whether those two children are connected to the deaths or not, find them as soon as possible. Don't leave behind any future trouble. And don't forget—if they are connected, their next target could be you."

Hu Guangzhong's eyes flickered as a cold gleam flashed through them.

"They're only two children. How much trouble can they possibly cause? Still, no matter what, I'll find them as soon as possible."

With that, the other party ended the call.

Hu Guangzhong then dialed another number. A moment later, the call connected.

"How is the investigation I assigned you going?"

"R-Report... Director, there's no progress yet. We're looking for people who stayed at the orphanage back then."

"Any leads on A-Dong's killer?"

"Not for now."

"Find them, now."

"Yes."

Xiao Wang collected the reward money and walked out through the gates of the Patrol Bureau.

Standing at the entrance, he turned back to look at the building.

"I wonder which office Hu Guangzhong is in."

Xiao Wang thought.

"Finished your business?"

Seeing Xiao Wang standing there without moving, the guard at the entrance asked, his gun still trained on him.

"I'm done."

"Then get moving. Is this a place for you to stand around daydreaming?"

Xiao Wang nodded slightly, then left the Patrol Bureau and headed toward the martial arts school.

By the time he returned, it was already evening, and Cheng Hu was nearly done preparing dinner.

"You're back? Wash your hands. We'll eat right away."

"Okay."

After washing his hands, he entered the main hall. The four of them sat around the table and began eating.

There were three dishes and a soup, including one meat dish.

The quality of their meals had been passable lately.

As they ate, a news broadcast came over the radio.

"Recently, the Federal Council held a meeting emphasizing the need to strengthen defenses against rebel spy infiltration and protect federal secrets. All federal citizens are urged to cooperate actively."

"The rebels recently launched a surprise attack on a small town along the southern border, attempting to seize a key federal transportation hub. After three days of hard fighting by the federal army, the rebels were ultimately repelled, and the strategic town was held."

"A bloody incident occurred in Mount Yuan City's outer district last night, resulting in six deaths. The number of injured is unknown. According to the Patrol Bureau's preliminary investigation, it was a gang conflict. Identity checks confirmed that all six dead were members of the Red Dragon Gang, including two core members."

They were all news reports about the Federation and Mount Yuan City.

Upon hearing the last report, Xiao Wang and Linghu Ke exchanged a glance.

"Do you think Sister Hua did it?" Xiao Wang asked.

"It's possible, that's all. Gang conflicts happen too, so there's no way to be sure. Besides, even if it was Sister Hua, it has nothing to do with us. We just need to deliver the goods."

"Understood."

After dinner, the four of them once again sat side by side outside the main hall to digest their food.

Half an hour later, Xiao Wang got up and went into the courtyard, where he began practicing Tiger Guard Fist.

Ever since he had previously sensed a trace of its 'spirit,' he seized every spare moment to practice.

Whenever he had questions, he immediately asked Wei Zhongxing.

If he wanted to be selected for Mount Yuan Martial Arts Academy's Elite Talent Program, he had to work hard to improve his martial cultivation.

At the same time, if he wanted to earn more money, he also had to raise his cultivation and combat strength.

That way, when he fought in underground boxing matches, not only could he improve his chances of winning, but he could also try the higher-tier bouts with greater payouts.

Time flew by.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

During those ten days, Xiao Wang still went to school every morning to check in, then returned straight to the martial arts school after lunch to train.

That evening, after dinner, Xiao Wang rested for half an hour as usual before beginning his practice in the courtyard.

His punches were swift as the wind, his footwork smooth and flowing. Every punch he threw seemed to have changed from its original 'form,' yet upon closer inspection, the form was still present within his fist technique.

The strength, angle, and breathing behind every punch appeared casual, yet each was perfectly timed.

After Xiao Wang completed a full sequence according to the form, he discovered that nearly every movement had changed shape, but the force contained within them had not changed.

At that moment, he understood. The outward form of the fist technique had changed, but its core had not. In other words, the fist technique had completely merged with his own traits.

"Tiger Guard Fist's spirit... I've achieved it!"

Xiao Wang was somewhat excited.

"Not bad. You mastered the 'spirit' of Tiger Guard Fist in less than a month. That's much faster than I did."

Watching from the side, Wei Zhongxing revealed a gratified expression.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother."

"Congratulations, Junior Brother."

Linghu Ke and Cheng Hu also offered their congratulations.

"Second Senior Brother, how about a match?"

Xiao Wang was brimming with excitement and wanted to immediately test the combat power of Tiger Guard Fist's 'spirit.'

"Sure."

As soon as Linghu Ke spoke, he rose and quickly entered the courtyard, stopping opposite Xiao Wang.

"Junior Brother, please."

"Then I won't hold back."

With that, Xiao Wang lunged toward Linghu Ke in a single stride.

Linghu Ke did not dare underestimate him either and immediately charged forward to meet him.

Xiao Wang watched Linghu Ke's footwork. When they were three meters apart, he pushed off the ground and exploded forward. His entire body shot into the air, both legs slightly bent as his knees drove straight toward Linghu Ke's chest.

Seeing this, Linghu Ke abruptly stopped, lowered his body slightly, and steadied himself. Crossing his arms before his chest, he faced the attack head-on.

A moment later, Xiao Wang's knees slammed into Linghu Ke's arms.

The two collided.

Boom!

The tremendous force and momentum drove Linghu Ke back three steps. His brows furrowed slightly as he realized Xiao Wang's strength was no longer what it had been before. But he quickly regained his footing and swept out with one leg, striking directly at Xiao Wang's lower body.

Xiao Wang did not dare let his guard down. He planted one hand on the ground and launched both feet in a flying kick straight toward Linghu Ke's face.

Linghu Ke twisted aside to evade, then swung his right arm in a wide arc and sent a right hook hurtling toward Xiao Wang's left cheek.

Seeing this, Xiao Wang immediately sprang to his feet and threw a punch directly at Linghu Ke's fist.

Their fists collided.

Boom!

A tremendous force surged through both their bodies.

Pain shot through Linghu Ke's fist, and he instinctively pulled it back.

But Xiao Wang's pain was absorbed by the bead, and he felt nothing at all. The instant that punch landed, he launched another fierce attack.

Linghu Ke's expression tightened. He knew Xiao Wang was about to start using that reckless, life-risking fighting style again.

"Stop, stop, stop. We'll leave it at that, we'll leave it at that."

Before Xiao Wang's fist could finish its path, Linghu Ke immediately raised his hands in surrender.

Xiao Wang had no choice but to stop.

"Second Senior Brother, I haven't had enough yet."

"If you get enough, I'll probably be lying on the ground. That's enough for today."

Although he had not gotten to enjoy a truly satisfying fight, Xiao Wang could clearly feel his improvement.

He no longer needed to deliberately preserve the 'form' when throwing punches. He could now make his power arrive wherever his heart willed.

Moreover, when he had fought Linghu Ke before, it had been absolutely impossible for him to exchange this many moves.

Yet now, not only could he trade this many moves, he even held a faint advantage.

It was clear that after mastering the 'spirit,' his combat strength had risen enormously.

Over the next two days, Xiao Wang stepped up his training to consolidate his progress, and he had basically grasped the essence of Tiger Guard Fist's 'spirit.'

That afternoon, Xiao Wang finished a full set of punches in the courtyard. Just as he was about to rest and drink some water, knocking came from the martial arts school's entrance.

Knock, knock, knock!

Xiao Wang looked around. His master and senior brothers were all in the courtyard.

"Who is it?"

He called out as he walked toward the gate.

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking sounded again.

Xiao Wang stepped forward and opened the gate. The instant he and the visitor looked at each other, both were startled, and they nearly spoke in unison.

"Why are you here?"