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墨書 Inktalez
"Soaring Dragon" smiled mysteriously, as if he could see into my heart. "Did you not fully understand? It's fine if you don't. Just remember this: once a seed is planted, it will eventually take root, bloom, and bear fruit."
"Uh, okay. But, senior, our foundations are quite different. Do you think I should learn a new martial art to refine my basics? If I were to choose, which one would be best?"
"Soaring Dragon" did not answer directly but said thoughtfully, "Martial arts are one family. In this sense, Muay Thai, Judo, Jeet Kune Do, Taekwondo, Karate, Free Fighting, and Chinese Martial Arts are fundamentally no different. We should seek common ground while respecting differences, all striving for the highest realm of martial arts. If you remain trapped in the disputes of sects like Shaolin or Wudang or styles like Muay Thai or Jeet Kune Do, you will inevitably struggle to find your own path and understand your true potential."
"That's quite cryptic!" I muttered.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing. Uh, you must be the top expert in the military district, right? How many people do you think in the country could defeat you? Also, which school do you belong to?" I asked curiously.
"Hehe, why do you ask so many questions like my junior brother? I don't have much time left; I can only answer one more question," "Soaring Dragon" replied with a smile. He mentioned not having much time again—what did that mean? Was he leaving? Not participating in the competition anymore?
"For my last question, why are you telling me all this?" I thought for a moment and asked what I most wanted to know.
"Those who seek the way will be guided; those destined will find their path."
Suddenly, "Old Wang! Old Wang!" came the voice of "Old Bi" from the restaurant, loud enough to be heard from quite a distance.
I turned back and shouted, "Coming! By the way, what do you mean by not having much time?" When I turned back again, "Soaring Dragon" had already vanished. A mysterious person indeed.
Back upstairs, I didn't mention this to anyone; only "Old Ma" glanced outside intentionally. However, moments later we were all engrossed in drinking and chatting. That night ended with everyone having a great time.
On the day of the finals.
Everyone woke up early and gradually made their way to the Venue after breakfast.
Since it was the final morning of the competition, excitement filled the air as everyone discussed and speculated about who would be crowned champion.
There was little debate; everyone believed that "Soaring Dragon" would win. I had thought so too until I suddenly recalled what "Old Ma" had said yesterday about how he had called Shen Han up and claimed that if he defeated Ming, he would be number one.
I was so excited yesterday that I didn't pay much attention, but today a thought suddenly crossed my mind. Could there be an unexpected turn in today's match?
As more and more people gathered, the start time of the competition drew closer. I looked around and, for some reason, I noticed something strange today. First, there were fewer leaders from the Stage than usual; almost none of the officials who usually sit in the front row were present. It seemed unlikely that they would miss the finals. Additionally, I realized I hadn't seen Old Ma. He had always been active on the sidelines before, serving as a coordinator and organizer.
Thinking about today's match: Soaring Dragon versus Shen Han, this was definitely going to be exciting. Just then, Old Bi asked me, "Old Wang, do you think Shen Han will use his Nine Section Whip against Soaring Dragon? But since Soaring Dragon has already seen Shen Han's special technique, it seems like it won't have much of an impact."
I shook my head. "It's difficult; Shen Han is resilient and might have some hidden tricks up his sleeve."
"Even if he does, can he really beat Soaring Dragon? If he loses, you guys will have to face off again! At least you should be a Runner-up!” Old Bi had clearly become a die-hard fan of Soaring Dragon.
"Shen Han might not lose again," I said as I glanced at Shen Han, who had just stepped into the arena. That night when Soaring Dragon spoke to us had left a significant impact on both me and Shen Han. Although his words lacked specific guidance, they resonated deeply with us and enhanced our understanding of combat. Perhaps Shen Han had also found his own enlightenment?
At that moment, the referee stood in the center of the arena, checked his watch, and shouted, "Soaring Dragon versus Shen Han, please enter the arena!"
Around us, people whispered excitedly, eagerly anticipating what promised to be an exhilarating showdown. However, it was strange that while Shen Han was already waiting in the arena with his Fine Tube Gun, there was still no sign of Soaring Dragon.
The referee called out again, but still no response from Soaring Dragon.
Was he showing off? That didn't seem likely.
According to the competition rules, if a contestant did not appear after three calls, they would be considered to have forfeited. Where could Soaring Dragon have gone? The crowd outside began to murmur restlessly, their whispers growing louder.
Just then, I spotted Old Ma hurriedly entering through the entrance. He rushed down the Stairs, approached the referee, and exchanged a few words.
After Old Ma stepped away, the referee announced directly, "Contestant Soaring Dragon has withdrawn from the competition! Striking Group Zhu Wu takes first place, while Equipment Group Shen Han and loser group Wang Wei will compete for first place in the Equipment Group!"
What?! Soaring Dragon withdrew?! Why?
I could hardly believe my ears. This morning I had suspected there might be some arrangement in place, but I never imagined that Soaring Dragon would actually withdraw from the match.
This couldn't be true! I saw Old Ma coming this way and quickly approached him. "Old Ma, what's going on?"
"Hey, Brother, congratulations! At least you're second place now!"
I released Old Ma and stood there in a daze. Seeing my blank expression, Old Ma couldn't help but laugh, "Are you so happy that you've lost your mind? You defeated Qin Sihu, and even though you lost to Shen Han, you're still second! Haha, it seems I made the right choice betting on you!"
When Soaring Dragon was around, I always felt pressured and somewhat helpless. But now that I heard Soaring Dragon had withdrawn, I suddenly felt that this competition had lost its meaning and value. I looked at Old Ma in confusion and instinctively asked, "Why did Soaring Dragon withdraw?"
Old Ma glanced around before replying, "Do you know why this competition was organized?"
I shook my head.
"It was designated by the Military District Commander! According to our leader, there's a foreign Special Forces exchange group coming to the military district. Besides the usual training, observation, and sparring among Special Forces, one of the purposes is to have martial arts exchanges. So the Leader of All Military Regions selected Soaring Dragon for this exchange because this group is quite special; it consists of top experts from foreign militaries."
"Is Soaring Dragon going alone?" I felt a flicker of hope; maybe there would be more spots available, and I could join in to compete against foreign experts. Just thinking about it excited me.
"I don't know; all I heard is that he was chosen alone."
"Oh, I see." Disappointment washed over me. I wasn't sure if it was because I hadn't been selected or if it was because the competition had political motives.
Old Ma hesitated for a moment before adding, "By the way, Soaring Dragon left you a message. He said that although your martial arts foundation is weak, you've gained insight through observation, and your level has improved another notch. If you meet again in the future, he might spar with you."
I was initially stunned but then smiled. It seemed there was still a significant gap between me and Soaring Dragon. Not facing him in battle didn't feel like much of a loss after all. However, I felt satisfied; after all, compared to myself, I had made progress.
I remembered that night with Soaring Dragon; I found it hard to advance even a little further. It appeared that many things depended on personal effort.
After some thought, I asked Old Ma, "Which unit does Soaring Dragon come from?" The reason for my question was to find out if there would be a chance to encounter him again in the future.
Old Ma hesitated for a long time before stammering out, "Well, I'm not very clear on that either. I only know the unit's code name; everything else is classified and wasn't filled out on the registration form."
A mysterious expert from a secret department—my imagination began to run wild.
As I pondered this for a while, my gaze shifted to Shen Han standing at the edge of the arena. Confusion washed over me again. Was it really all up to personal effort? Just moments ago we were together; my fate was in my own hands. But who would have thought that Soaring Dragon's sudden withdrawal would allow Shen Han to advance directly to the finals? This must have been orchestrated somehow. Shen Han achieving such a ranking would certainly bring glory to his unit; after returning, he might not need to change jobs at all—perhaps even a transfer wouldn't be out of the question. After so many years of feeling dead inside, this time he might finally have a chance to thrive.
I am not a fatalist, but for the first time, I felt the power of destiny at work. I began to wonder, who truly controls a person's fate? Is it oneself or that higher power? If it is oneself, then with me and Soaring Dragon around, Shen Han winning the championship would be nearly impossible. But once Soaring Dragon withdrew, all Shen Han needed to do was defeat me to claim first place. The odds were now fifty-fifty; I bet even Shen Han didn't expect this situation.
At that moment, Shen Han stood outside the arena. Perhaps he had gone too high and too far; although everyone looked at him with admiration and envy, no one dared to approach him. Alone, Shen Han appeared somewhat desolate as he searched through the crowd. After a while, his gaze landed on me. He raised his Fine Tube Gun and waved it in my direction. I understood his intention—he hoped we could have another good match soon.
Having faced him earlier, I knew my chances against Shen Han were slightly better this time. Ah, Shen Han, I let you win once, but I didn't expect to meet you again. This time, I won't let you off!
As I thought about this, an uncontrollable idea surged within me: Could it be that this first place is meant for me in the end? My heart raced wildly at the thought. Could it be that I had struck lucky and stumbled upon a victory? I felt a rush of excitement; it seemed I still had some growing up to do.
Just as I was lost in my thoughts, my phone suddenly rang. Who could it be at this time? Hadn't I already settled everything with the team? I casually picked it up and was surprised to see Old Tang's name on the screen.
I pressed the call button and held the phone to my ear, jokingly saying, "Old Tang, what's up? Missing me?"
Old Tang's anxious voice interrupted my lazy banter. "Hurry back! There's an urgent mission!"
What! An urgent mission?! I was taken aback!
(To be continued; more exciting developments tomorrow!)
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