Night Cat flew into a rage, leapt up to kick Chen Ge, but Chen Ge caught his foot and easily tossed him aside.
Thump — Night Cat rolled twice on the ground, nimbly jumped back to his feet, and stared at Chen Ge with a bewildered expression, his eyes wide as brass bells, stammering as he spoke.
"You… you… how did your strength get so much greater?"
Chen Ge set down the magazine, stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked forward a few steps, saying smugly, "Do you know why I've been working out like crazy since February?"
Everyone was puzzled. Wasn't working out just to improve your physical fitness? Could there be another purpose?
Big Bear blinked his clear, innocent eyes, recalling the Huaxia novels he'd read, and exclaimed, "Hammer Brother, you're not practicing martial arts, are you? Huaxia martial arts?"
"Exactly!"
Chen Ge nodded and began spouting nonsense with a perfectly straight face.
"I met a reclusive Huaxia grandmaster online in February — the kind of otherworldly expert who lives in seclusion in the mountains. He saw I had talent, took me as his disciple, and taught me a technique called Tianxing Baji Quan. Following his instructions, I started practicing martial arts: first the body, then the qi. Externally you train the tendons, bones, and skin; internally you train a single breath — qi sinks to the dantian, power rises from the earth, the fist issues from the heart. For months I've been tempering my strength every day, just to cultivate this breath."
Night Cat: ???
Manhole Cover: ???
Lightbulb: ???
Big Bear: ???
Everyone: ???
They didn't understand, but felt it sounded impressive, and subconsciously searched the Huaxia xianxia and wuxia dramas and novels they'd seen or heard of online for similar plots, automatically filling in the blanks.
Since February this year, Chen Ge had become a different person. When they drank and chatted, Chen Ge worked out; when they played on their phones, Chen Ge did bench presses, weighted squats, and pummeled heavy bags; when they slept in, Chen Ge ran laps around the camp, sweating buckets.
They had all seen Chen Ge's efforts with their own eyes, and not for a moment did they suspect he was conning them.
So he was practicing martial arts! That explained why he was working so hard.
Chen Ge walked back and forth with his hands behind his back, his tone turning low and mysterious.
"Baji Quan is one of the fiercest fist styles of Huaxia. It emphasizes shaking the shoulders to overturn the sky, stamping the earth to shake the nine provinces. At its peak, one punch carries a thousand jin of force. What I've practiced these months is just the basics — opening the breath within my body."
He stopped, clenched his right fist, and made a gesture in the air toward Night Cat.
"Earlier I didn't use any force; I just went with your momentum and sent you flying. That's called dissolving force — four taels deflecting a thousand jin. If I really put my strength into it…"
Chen Ge looked around at everyone, pointing at the opposite wall.
"By now you'd be lying by the wall coughing up blood, unable to even crawl."
Night Cat, half-believing and half-doubting, walked up to Chen Ge and reached out to touch his arm. Chen Ge didn't stop him and let him squeeze it a couple of times.
"Your muscles… they're hard as iron."
Night Cat drew his hand back, saying in amazement, "And why does your frame feel thicker?"
Chen Ge smiled faintly. After the mutation, his body had been remolded — his frame thicker and harder, the strength of his muscles, skin, and organs comprehensively enhanced.
His features had also been subtly adjusted, becoming more three-dimensional and sharp, though it wasn't very noticeable.
"The Baji Quan school has a secret art called Yi Jin Forging Bones. Once mastered, the tendons and bones are remolded, and strength becomes boundless."
"How strong?"
Nut of Assault Team Two asked.
"I haven't mastered it yet, so I don't know. I'll tell you once I have."
"Can I learn it?"
"Uh… 5,000 dollars! I'll teach you."
Nut rolled his eyes and kept eating.
"Do I look like someone with 5,000 dollars? Even if I had it, I wouldn't spend that much on kung fu, brother. Times have changed. No matter how strong your kung fu is, it can't stop bullets and shells!"
Chen Ge was speechless. Everyone burst out laughing, and the oppressive atmosphere in the factory became lively.
Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was midnight.
In the open area of the workshop, the battery-powered bulb wasn't very bright, and the light was dim.
All 75 mercenaries of the Falcon Hunting Team assembled. After all personal communication devices were handed in, Trench began explaining the precautions for the mission and laying out tactics.
Upon learning the mission was to seize a building on Klishchiivka Heights to provide laser designation for the Aerospace Forces, everyone except Chen Ge and the team leaders knit their brows, swallowed hard, and their scalps went numb again and again.
The difficulty of the mission was high enough to inspire despair and suffocation.
After explaining tactics and assigning tasks to each team, Trench swept his calm, steady gaze over everyone. He said nothing to boost morale and went straight to the mission bonus.
"Mission accomplished: $28,000 per person. Even those killed in action get it — double the death benefit!"
No sooner had he spoken than morale skyrocketed. The previously nervous mercenaries were flooded with adrenaline, their fighting spirit high.
Chen Ge sighed inwardly. Indeed, the old saying held true: under a great reward, there is always a brave man.
Trench raised his hand to check the time and said in a deep voice, "Twenty minutes to prepare!"
Everyone dispersed, whispering as they took off their weapons and gear, put on Ukrainian military combat uniforms, and wrapped yellow tape around their arms and helmets.
Trench walked up to Chen Ge, smiled and nodded at Big Bear, Lightbulb, Manhole Cover, and Night Cat standing behind Chen Ge, and asked softly, "Sledgehammer, are you ready?"
"Yeah, my last will and testament are written. If I die, give the death benefit to my brother Oleg. But I'll do my best to complete the mission and try to survive."
Chen Ge took a slip of paper with a bank account written on it from his trouser pocket and handed it to Trench, then pointed at Big Bear.
"Big Bear's build isn't suited for covert infiltration. He'll follow the main force."
Big Bear: ???
The stubborn Big Bear immediately grew anxious. Although he didn't know what mission Chen Ge and the others were undertaking, he only wanted to follow them — to die together if necessary.
He grabbed Chen Ge's arm, eyes red, and demanded, "Why? I want to go with you!"
Chen Ge glared at him, shook off his hand, and said with distaste, "Don't you know what you look like? You can't even hide in short grass. Obey orders. If you don't listen to me, get out of the fire team from now on!"
Big Bear fell silent, unable to retort. Heaving, he turned away in a huff.
Chen Ge ignored him. After testing the encrypted radio with Trench, he took Lightbulb, Manhole Cover, and Night Cat aside and told them the mission objective.
All three went stiff — stiff and numb, their heads about to explode.
They had thought seizing the Khrushchyovka on Klishchiivka Heights was dangerous enough, but their mission was hell-level.
Lightbulb said with a bitter face, "Sledgehammer, this is a suicide attack! Even if we complete the mission, we basically won't…"
Chen Ge waved a hand, telling him to shut up.
"Afraid of dying and still a mercenary? Isn't farming back home safer? Since you chose to be a mercenary, that means you've already prepared yourself for death."
"Besides, the bigger the waves, the more valuable the fish — the greater the risk, the greater the return. This mission is certainly nine deaths to one life, but the bonus and death benefit are high too. If you die, it's no loss. If you luck out and survive, it's a windfall."
"Go get the Ukrainian military combat uniforms. We're leaving first."
The three said nothing more and turned to get their gear.
Just as Chen Ge said: die and it's no loss, survive and it's a windfall. Let's get it done!"},
Chapter 13