Won't Talk? Then Kneel Down!

1912 passed, and in the blink of an eye it was 1913. Over the past half year or more, apart from coming to the martial arts hall to practice as usual every day, Liu Ren had nothing left but work and going out to hone his skills. Under Head Coach Han's instruction, Liu Ren realized something: even though his physical fitness far surpassed that of ordinary people, he had not pushed his body's potential to the limit. In the past, he had used nothing but sheer brute force, and his technique was a mess. Clenching his fists and tucking them at his waist, Liu Ren threw a punch forward. A whistling sound rang out instantly. But just as his fists flew, Head Coach Han—old and feeble-looking—stood beside him with his hands behind his back, a look of approval on his face. "Not bad, Ah Ren. To learn power-generation techniques in half a year—you kid were born in the wrong era. If it had been a few decades earlier, you might have become a grandmaster of a generation!" Hearing Head Coach Han's words, Liu Ren did not feel glad. Instead, he smiled and said, "Then when do you plan to pass down your family's secret technique to me?" "What secret technique? Don't I treat everyone the same?" Smiling at Liu Ren, Head Coach Han narrowed his eyes. Looking at Head Coach Han, Liu Ren said nothing. Instead, he took out a cigarette from his pocket, stepped forward, and lit it for him. As Head Coach Han smoked, he couldn't help but exhale a turbid breath. "Back when I followed Hall Master Zhang to fight the foreigners, what were we fighting for? Do you know?" "A breath of pride?" Looking curiously at Head Coach Han, Liu Ren asked. "That's right—it was for a breath of pride. Back then, the foreign devils didn't treat us as human beings. A child that big was just shot dead! Who could put up with that...?" His eyes filled with blood hatred for those years, Head Coach Han turned his head. "The things being passed around lately—were you the one who did them?" "Heh heh heh, what are you saying, old man? I'm such an upright person. How could I kill indiscriminately!" Hearing Head Coach Han's words, Liu Ren immediately made excuses—pfft, and set about explaining. Head Coach Han sized up Liu Ren, said nothing, and stared at him. "You kid, your heart is too ruthless! If I teach you the fist, it will harm you!" Without forcibly arguing with Head Coach Han, Liu Ren spoke up. "In this day and age, if a man isn't ruthless, how can he stand firm? My fists are not clenched for myself alone!" Head Coach Han clicked his tongue, said nothing, but turned and walked into the small room, throwing out a boxing manual from inside. "This is the last bit of valuables I own. Since you want it, take it!" Looking at the somewhat aged boxing manual, Liu Ren did not open it right away. Instead, he held it, clasped his hands toward Head Coach Han, and said, "Thank you, Master!" Hearing Liu Ren's words, Head Coach Han said nothing. He turned, walked to a chair, and sat down. "Back then, my master asked me what my purpose was in learning the fist. I was young then and didn't understand. Now I ask you: what is your purpose?" "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!" Looking at Head Coach Han, Liu Ren spoke slowly. "My fists are like my master's—I won't stand by and watch my compatriots be bullied!" "Hahahaha, hahahaha..." Laughing as he looked at Liu Ren, Head Coach Han stretched out a finger and pointed at him. "Tai Chi is deft, Bagua is slippery, Xinyi Ba is the cruelest and most vicious! This Ancient Wheel Fist has finally found its heir! Remember this: once you strike, do not hold..." Liu Ren clasped his hands in gesture and immediately bowed. "I understand, Master!" "The heart unites with intent, intent unites with qi, qi unites with power—the three internal unities. Shoulder unites with hip, elbow unites with knee, hand unites with foot—the three external unities!" Fists flashing like shadows struck out, and Liu Ren's figure kept shifting. But just as he finished a set of fist forms, wisps of heat rose from his forehead. And just then, A Chao, standing in the distance, silently watched all of this, even forgetting that the cigarette in his hand had burned down to the end. "Hiss!" Scalded by the cigarette butt, he threw it to the ground, then came to his senses. He hurriedly asked, "Ah Ren? How did your skills suddenly get so good?" "I just learned a bit of power-generation technique." Looking at A Chao with a beaming face, Liu Ren narrowed his eyes. Because now, even without an axe, he could break six or seven people's necks in a short time! Xinyi Ba truly lived up to its name as the cruelest and most vicious. His strikes never left a trace of mercy, fully proving that saying: it determines superiority and decides life and death. Because if one wanted to hold back, one could never bring out the true ruthlessness of Xinyi Ba! "All right, Brother Chao, what did you want me for?" Looking curiously at A Chao, Liu Ren asked, somewhat puzzled. "It's like this. Uncle Qing said the Japanese recently brought opium into Chinatown, and he wants you and me to find someone to talk to!" A Chao spoke to Liu Ren with a serious expression—after all, this was serious business. After hearing A Chao's words, Liu Ren's expression turned serious. "Fuck me? They still have the guts?" The moment he heard this, Liu Ren was so furious he was dazed. What was there to talk about? Just swing the axe and be done with it! Otherwise, if they dared to come "pave the road" today, tomorrow they'd dare to strut openly into Chinatown. Did they really think the Japanese were something good? That thing now served the so-called "Emperor"—they were nothing but a bunch of lunatics! For money, forget wives—they'd even blow the marrow out of the few bones of their parents buried in the earth! Otherwise, with such narrow territory and population, how could they dare to have ambitions toward the Far East? Facing such mad dogs, you couldn't talk to them. You had to break their spine and press their head into the mud until they couldn't get up! Liu Ren put on a black short jacket, casually tidied his clothes, and said, "Let's roll!" Seeing Liu Ren put on his clothes in an instant, A Chao quickly reacted. "All right!" But just as the two walked out of the apartment, more and more people appeared around them. When about a dozen people headed straight for the street not far away, the people around knew what was about to happen. They crossed the street and came to the entrance of a Japanese merchants' association. A Chao turned his head, looking at the people surrounding them, and said, "Ah Ren, come upstairs with me!" He turned and lifted his clothes. The others drew the weapons at their waists and confronted the Japanese downstairs. After going upstairs, A Chao looked at the man in a suit and leather shoes and immediately said, "Mr. Shimura, regarding your men bringing opium into Chinatown without authorization, An and I are very angry and hope you can give us an explanation!" "You idiots!" Hearing A Chao's words, Shimura looked angry. "You sick men of East Asia are publicly slandering..." But before he could finish, Liu Ren had already rushed forward, raising his hand to smash a punch into his Adam's apple. "Crack!" With the sound of the Adam's apple shattering, Shimura clutched his neck in pain, knelt on both knees, and coughed up blood, making a "hoh hoh hoh" sound. Staring blankly at Liu Ren, A Chao apparently hadn't expected this kid to actually strike. Stunned by the scene, the other Japanese immediately roared in anger. But in the next second, Liu Ren clenched both fists and turned to smash into them. "Thud!" With one man's head smashing straight through the wooden sliding door, his face covered in blood hanging on it, Liu Ren grinned savagely. "You won't talk nicely? Fine, I'll beat you to your knees and then talk!" "Bang bang bang!" With Xinyi Ba fully unleashed, A Chao watched with wide eyes as Liu Ren slaughtered like a madman. "Can we still talk after this?" A Chao stared at all this in disbelief and instantly fell silent.