Mr. Wen gave a soft sigh and said, "Captain Nian, to be frank, your nephew is a bit on the older side." Nian Fuli frowned in confusion. "Too old? He's only sixteen—seventeen by nominal count. That's barely old enough to join the military. How is that too old?" Mr. Wen said, "Captain Nian, it's clear your nephew has never undergone specialized combat training. Many of the students admitted to Wuyi College have been training since childhood. Their bodies were conditioned from an early age, giving them solid foundations and preparing them for high-intensity training and technical absorption. Their ceiling is far higher than that of someone unprepared; with just a little guidance, they can command formidable fighting capability. The entire purpose of Wuyi College's entrance retest is to screen for such students to groom them further." He added with a tinge of regret, "Your nephew, however, never went through that phase. Even if he manages to pass the retest and joins those students, his progress might not seem very different at first, but over time, the gap between them will steadily widen. It will grow so large that catching up will be all but impossible. Furthermore, the intensity and severity there are not something an ordinary student without childhood training can endure. Forcing himself to keep up could easily leave him crippled or maimed. Rather than that, I would advise against forcing the issue. It might be better for your nephew in the long run." Mr. Wen's tone was earnest, carrying genuine counsel, and hearing this, Nian Fuli felt his heart sink halfway into ice. If things were truly like that, he thought it might be better not to push their luck and just let Chen Chuan finish his studies at Wuyi properly. After all, graduating even under those conditions wasn't a dead end—he would still be an alumnus of Wuyi College. But Nian Fuli couldn't make this choice on Chen Chuan's behalf, so he remained silent for a moment. Just then, a booming voice echoed from within the warehouse. "Big-head Nian, is this your nephew? Heard he tested into Wuyi?" Nian Fuli's cheek twitched. Chen Chuan turned his head to look, only to see a burly patrolman wearing his peaked cap at an angle, apparently a captain as well, walking toward them. He looked Chen Chuan up and down a few times. "Heh, you can tell just by looking at this kid's frame that he's never trained. And he expects to make a name for himself at Wuyi like that? Dreaming, isn't he?" Nian Fuli's face darkened. "Wei Laohu! Don't think you're hot stuff just because your son is at Wuyi! If your son can make something of himself, my nephew can carve out a name just as well!" "Oho, like hell I'll believe that!" Seeing him push back, Wei Laohu grew even more fired up. Pointing at a nearby mop, he said, "If your nephew makes a name for himself at Wuyi, I'll eat that mop!" Nian Fuli sneered. "Then just you wait. Xiao Chuan, let's go." With that, he strode toward the exit, and Chen Chuan promptly followed. Wei Laohu bellowed after them, "Leaving already? Not taking the mop with you? I'm waiting for you to feed it to me..." Stepping outside into the cool night breeze, Nian Fuli's head cleared a little, yet a stubborn knot of indignation still lodged in his chest. He turned around and asked, "Xiao Chuan, Mr. Wen is a combat instructor retained by our headquarters. You heard everything he said. What do you think?" Chen Chuan smiled faintly. "Uncle, we left too fast just now. We should have taken the mop with us. What if someone tries to back out later?" He knew the issue Mr. Wen pointed out was very real, but he possessed the "Second Self." What was impossible for others could become possible for him. Nian Fuli was taken aback, then burst into laughter. Clapping Chen Chuan heavily on the shoulder, he said, "Good lad! How come I never noticed this side of you before?" He understood what Chen Chuan wanted. He fumbled in his pocket, pulled out a cigarette pack, tapped it, and drew out a cigarette to light. The spark flickered and dimmed in the dark as he seemed to turn something over in his mind. Chen Chuan said nothing. After waiting for a while, Nian Fuli dropped the remaining half of the cigarette onto the ground, ground it out with his foot, and said in a low voice, "When we get back, I'll give you an address. Go find a certain person. He has a criminal record, but he's got real skill. Learn from him, don't pry into other matters, and don't get too close to him. But when pleasantries are called for, speak politely. Don't put on airs." Chen Chuan said, "Alright, Uncle. I'll remember." Nian Fuli glanced outside. "It's getting late, and the roads aren't safe after dark. Let's head back." He brought Chen Chuan along to retrieve their bicycles. This time they didn't leave through the main entrance, but exited via the narrow alley along the rear wall, turning out onto the main street before riding all the way home. With two rings of bicycle bells, the two entered the front courtyard one after the other. Yu Wan had been waiting for them all along. Hearing their arrival, she came out to ask how things went. Once Chen Chuan had walked off, Nian Fuli returned to the inner room and explained the situation. Worried upon hearing it, Yu Wan complained, "You just gave in to Xiao Chan like that? What if he ruins his body? And you didn't even try to stop him, dear? A child living safe and sound is better than anything." Nian Fuli shook his head. "That boy has a mind of his own. There's no stopping him. If I could help him with this and refused, he might resent me for the rest of his life." Yu Wan sighed. "Chan'er's temperament is just like Second Sister's." After washing up, Chen Chuan returned to his room. After some thought, he sat on the edge of the bed and closed his eyes, attempting to observe the outside world through the Second Self. At first, he felt nothing, but as his concentration deepened, he caught a vague, indistinct sensation. It was difficult to maintain; the moment his focus wavered, the sensation vanished. Even so, he felt there was promise in this. After all, a combat practitioner would not face only one-on-one fights; one could face multiple opponents, or even suffer various underhanded ambushes. Having an additional vantage point to observe the surroundings could avert countless dangers. Perhaps he couldn't accomplish it just yet, but once his bond with the Second Self grew tighter in the future, it might very well become a reality. Knowing the time was not yet ripe, he did not press further. He stood up, grabbed a book to leaf through, and didn't pull the light cord to go to sleep until his usual bedtime. The night passed, and he woke up on schedule the next day. After washing up and entering the living room, he saw a slip of paper weighed down by an ashtray on the dining table. Moving the ashtray aside, he picked it up and found an address left by Nian Fuli, with a person's name noted below. He went back to his room and checked the map, roughly confirming the location. After finishing breakfast, he grabbed his usual satchel, changed into a well-worn greenish-gray jacket, and rode out on his bicycle. The address Nian Fuli had given him was located in the western district of the city, about half an hour away by bicycle. Judging from the map, continuing a few li further would bring him near the outskirts, where abandoned factory zones sprawled. Locals in Yangzhi City all knew that was the territory of the Iron Chain Gang, though members of the Iron Chain Gang generally did not come out during the day. The buildings here were decrepit and chaotic, cluttered with all manner of makeshift shanties that spilled out onto the road. Clothes hung drying from crooked utility poles everywhere, severely obstructing the view. The road was rutted and uneven, and people tossed dirty wastewater outside at will—sometimes even dumping it down from above—forcing him to pedal with great caution. House numbers in this area were either nonexistent or barely legible, so he had to ask for directions as he went. Only after searching for quite a while did he spot a crude wooden sign reading "House of Fists" nailed to a wooden utility pole at an alley entrance, bearing an arrow pointing inward. Checking it against the address, this had to be the place. Because the passageway was narrow and winding, he was forced to dismount and push his bicycle forward slowly. Emerging from the alleyway, he found a sizable open space resembling a sports field before him. To the right were two battered sheet-metal gates, directly ahead stood a two-story reinforced concrete building, and in the distance, an old water tower was faintly visible. The complex looked like an abandoned primary school. Just then, he heard the rhythmic, heavy thudding of blows striking a punching bag, full of force and tempo. He called out in a loud voice, "Excuse me, is Mr. Yu here?" The thudding stopped. Running out of the building came a bare-chested young man of eighteen or nineteen with wrapped hands, his muscle definition sharp though quite lean. Upon seeing Chen Chuan, he asked, "You here to learn boxing?" Chen Chuan said, "I'm looking for Mr. Yu Gang. Is he here? My uncle, Nian Fuli, sent me to find him." Upon hearing this, the young man smiled ingratiatingly. "Oh, Young Master Chen!" Turning around, he shouted toward the building, "Master, it's Captain Nian's nephew!" A deep, resonant voice drifted down from the second floor: "Send him up." The young man stepped aside and said, "Young Master Chen, this way." He added, "Young Master Chen, you can just leave your bike right here. No need to lock it; nobody dares steal anything here." Chen Chuan said, "I'm no young master, just call me Chen Chuan. How should I address you?" The youth replied, "I'm Lu Ke, Master Yu's apprentice." He emphasized, "An apprentice, not a student." Chen Chuan understood. An apprentice did not merely inherit techniques; he was also expected to attend to his master's affairs, even to his passing and burial. The intimacy was incomparable to that of an ordinary student. After parking his bike, he followed Lu Ke up to the second floor. Exchanging a few words on the way, he learned that Lu Ke had already been studying combat under Yu Gang for five years. Following him to the second floor, Chen Chuan walked to the end of a long balcony, pushed open a double wooden door, and stepped inside. In the spacious room, a tall, burly middle-aged man sat cross-legged on a cushioned mat. He appeared to be around forty, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and a prominent nose. The muscles bulging across his frame looked like solid chunks of stone. Chen Chuan said, "Are you Mr. Yu Gang? My name is Chen Chuan. My uncle, Nian Fuli, sent me to find you." The burly man said in a deep voice, "I'm Yu Gang. What does Captain Nian want me to do?" Chen Chuan said, "I just passed the entrance exam for Wuyi College this year..." "Wuyi College..." Beside him, deep envy showed in Lu Ke's eyes. Understanding dawned on Yu Gang. "You want to pass the retest, so Captain Nian sent you to me?" Chen Chuan said, "Yes." Yu Gang answered straightforwardly, "Fine, I'll teach you. Pay up first." Chen Chuan probed, "Do you mean tuition, Mr. Yu?" Yu Gang said, "I owe Captain Nian a favor, so I won't charge you tuition. But if you want to train well, you have to eat properly to replenish nutrition. Then there's wear and tear on equipment, hiring sparring partners, and renting space. All of that costs money, and I'm not paying it for you." Chen Chuan asked, "How much do you need?" Yu Gang said, "Pay fifty first. If you feel the training is going well, you can renew. If you think it's not working out, you can leave anytime. If there's anything left over, I'll refund you." Chen Chuan nodded. "Very fair." Fifty yuan was no small sum, but combat training had always been an exorbitant money drain; otherwise, boxing clubs and arenas wouldn't be scattered all across Yangzhi City. As far as he knew, ordinary boxing clubs charged around a hundred and fifty to two hundred yuan just for enrollment, without any guarantee you'd actually learn anything. He had heard that even pricier private trainers charged hundreds of yuan per session—completely out of reach for ordinary folk. Yu Gang extended a large palm. "Hand over the money, then." To be safe, Chen Chuan had brought cash with him. He counted out fifty yuan from his satchel and handed it to Yu Gang, who shoved it straight into his trouser pocket upon receiving it. Chen Chuan asked, "Mr. Yu, when would it be convenient to begin training?" Yu Gang said, "If you have nothing holding you back, we can start right now. But before we begin, let me ask you one thing: what is your goal in testing into Wuyi College?" Chen Chuan was puzzled. "Does that have anything to do with training?" Yu Gang answered affirmatively, "It does. Knowing your goal will let me properly structure your upcoming training." Chen Chuan gave it some thought and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Isn't the goal of martial combat to be unfettered and to continually surpass oneself?" His ambition to enter Wuyi College stemmed not only from his deep-seated yearning and pursuit of the martial path, but also from the unknown cause of his predecessor's death. He did not know whether that murder had targeted him specifically or had been mere coincidence; thus, he harbored an urgent desire to grow strong enough to face whatever external perils might come. Now that he possessed the "Second Self," he held firm faith that he could achieve it. Perhaps because of this, an unshakeable confidence and resolve resonated naturally in his voice, touching even Lu Ke standing beside him. "Unfettered in body, unbound in will..." Yu Gang was silent for a moment before saying, "That goal of yours won't be easy." As he spoke, he slowly rose from the floor.
Chapter 5