Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 278 Muscular Tyrant Brother Jie and Bald Guy Fang Cheng

Jiangdong District, Global Elite Fighting Club.

After entering March, the Dongdu City experienced alternating cold and warm air currents, resulting in a significant rise in average temperature.

Today was even more unusual, with temperatures soaring to nearly 30 degrees Celsius.

The central air conditioning had been turned off long ago, but the heat in the training hall had not diminished at all.

The ventilation fan was whirring, and the air was filled with a mixture of sweat, disinfectant, and leather smells, making it feel as stuffy as a steamer.

The sounds of equipment clashing, students shouting, and instructors giving instructions echoed all around, creating a noisy scene.

The sandbag area was particularly lively, with a row of black sandbags arranged in order from 50KG, 90KG, 150KG... all the way up to 400KG.

A dozen or so burly young men, dressed in combat shorts and shirtless, were practicing their punches and kicks here.

Some people were panting heavily, using "hey" and "ha" sounds to regulate their breathing rhythm as they threw punches.

Some people brought their Walkmans, letting the deafening rock music drown out the pounding.

Sweat soaked everyone's clothes, giving them a taste of the passion of summer exercise.

One of the trainees, with a shiny bald head, was training with exceptional enthusiasm and dedication, standing alone in front of the largest 400KG sandbag.

With his hands wrapped in bandages, he threw punches that were both fast and accurate, each punch causing the sandbag to shake violently back and forth.

boom!
A feint with the lead hand followed by a solid straight punch that landed squarely on the center line of the sandbag.

Before the sandbag could bounce back, he twisted his waist and lashed out with his right leg like a steel whip, immediately followed by a fierce side kick.

Pong!
The sandbag instantly swung in an arc nearly as tall as a person, and the whistling wind made the nearby trainees instinctively turn their heads to avoid it.

Looking to the side, one could see that the powerful kick had almost brought the largest sandbag, weighing 400 kilograms, to parallel with the ground.

squeak-

The chains and supports emitted a teeth-grinding, grating scraping sound.

It then swung back at an astonishing speed, carrying a tremendous impact force capable of sending a person flying, and slammed into the trainee.

What's even more surprising is that the bald man didn't retreat an inch when faced with the sandbags crashing down like battering rams.

Instead, he lowered his center of gravity, stretched out his fists forward, and assumed a classic boxing stance.

Bang, bang, bang—

Three consecutive straight punches, as loud as thunder, were thrown out quickly, each hitting the center line of the sandbag precisely, forcefully stopping the beast's momentum.

Immediately afterwards, he slightly turned his body, and with a "bang," a powerful swing punch was thrown out like a cannonball.

The 400-kilogram heavy sandbag was sent flying high into the air by this blow, with an arc almost as high as when the leg technique was used earlier.

He stood there steadily, like an unshakeable wall of bronze and iron.

With light, quick steps, he changed his rhythm, and his fists fell like a storm.

A sharp straight punch, a tricky hook, a vicious swing punch...

Having abandoned leg techniques, he now displays his boxing skills to the fullest, with every movement as standard and precise as a textbook example.

The enormous object hanging in mid-air was like a toy stuffed with cotton, being manipulated at will under his fist, swaying helplessly back and forth.

Each heavy blow caused the sandbag to groan in pain, and the iron frame creaked and groaned incessantly, as if begging for mercy.

Several students watching nearby unconsciously swallowed, their Adam's apples bobbing up and down.

This isn't hitting a sandbag; it's clearly treating this 400-kilogram behemoth as an irreconcilable enemy.

It's hard to imagine that if the person facing this bald guy were a real person, his entire skeleton would have been disassembled into parts.

"Who's that guy? He's really good. Did he play in amateur competitions before?"

A trainee who looked like a high school student was stunned and stopped what he was doing, lowering his voice to ask his resting companion next to him.

"amateur?!"

His companion chuckled, draped a towel over his sweaty neck, and pointed:

"Dude, are you talking in your sleep? Putting aside your technique, you couldn't even kick an 800-pound sandbag properly with your legs."

"His kick that sent the sandbag flying must have had at least 2 or 3 tons of force. Even if his punch was a little weaker, it would still have been close to 1 ton. He would be qualified to fight in the world heavyweight boxing competition and compete for the world championship belt."

The young trainee gasped upon hearing this, and clicked his tongue.
"If you're so good, why don't you go pro? Could it be some famous player disguised as someone who's playing dumb to fool us?"

As she spoke, she unconsciously rubbed her slightly sore wrist, muttering with envy:
"This guy's wrists must be made of iron..."

Several professional boxers who had just finished training also gathered around, drinking mineral water and joining in the discussion.

"Judging by his bald appearance, he might be a martial monk from Shanglin Temple."

"I guess so. Perhaps there are some strict rules for monks that prevent them from leaving the monastic life to play professional games."

"No, how could a monk possess such murderous intent?"

The group whispered among themselves, pointing and whispering amongst themselves.

"Holy crap, are you guys stupid? That's Fang Cheng!"

An older student nearby couldn't help but interject with a comment.

"Ah, Fang Cheng?!"

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped in surprise, their eyes widening in astonishment.
The mineral water bottle in my hand fell onto the plastic floor with a "plop" and a "plop".

In the corner, a new student, clumsily adjusting his boxing gloves, looked up blankly:
"Fang Cheng? Who is Fang Cheng?"

Several eager students then started talking all at once, giving their own introductions.

This man is the undisputed gold medal sparring partner of the entire club, all the professional players and coaches, and an invincible, durable king of physical strength.

He once beat an arrogant boxer who came to challenge him so badly that he was left half-paralyzed and almost lost his balance, to the point that he dared not step into the arena again.

Everyone then looked closely.

The muscular figure with a bald head gleamed dazzlingly under the overhead lights of the training hall.

Without careful observation, it would indeed be difficult to connect this man, who exudes a menacing aura, with the Fang Cheng of one's memory.

No wonder they didn't recognize him at first.

Fang Cheng is usually elusive, only showing up every few days, and sometimes he can't be seen for a whole month.

Not to mention that he has now shaved his head, completely destroying the image of a gentle and handsome young man in everyone's mind.

boom!
With another dull thud, the sandbag swung violently once more.

The bald man simply stretched out his hands and caught the incoming sandbag steadily.

His feet were rooted to the ground, and he managed to keep the 400-kilogram weight firmly in front of him.

Then, the sandbags came to a complete stop, and the iron frame finally ceased its painful groans.

Fang Cheng, focused on his training, didn't notice the stares he was getting.

I just try to control the power and speed of my punches to avoid appearing too shocking and frightening the other students.

After all, a serious punch from him would weigh at least twenty tons, and would probably burst the sandbag.

After training, Fang Cheng walked to the sidelines and, like a normal person, picked up a towel and wiped the sweat from his face and chest.

At the same time, a faint light flashed before my eyes, and a prompt message appeared on the panel.

Boxing Experience +2

In addition, I gained 3 experience points from practicing shadow boxing during my morning training this day.

The current skill progress bar displays as follows:
Boxing lv2 (483/500)

Seeing that he was only 17 experience points away from breaking through and advancing from Master to Grandmaster level, he realized he was just 17 experience points away from achieving his breakthrough.

Fang Cheng pondered to himself, a sense of anticipation welling up within him.

More than a week has passed since the treasure hunt in Misty Mountain ended.

I practice my skills diligently every day, rain or shine, and I am about to reap the rewards. How can I not be overjoyed?

As for gaining only this much experience after hitting the sandbag for nearly an hour, it's to be expected.

Unfortunately, my skill level is too high, making leveling up increasingly difficult.

I usually gain very little experience from sparring, let alone basic training like hitting a sandbag.

Even though I deliberately increased the difficulty and used boxing techniques to control the swing trajectory of the sandbag, the progress was still slow.

After all, sandbags are inanimate objects and cannot compare to the effect of actual combat and sparring with people.

"Every little bit helps, let's take it slow."

Fang Cheng picked up the mineral water bottle, tilted his head back, and took a few gulps of water, silently calculating in his mind:

"Anyway, I have the panel to support me. As long as I keep going, I will eventually reach my goal, even if I only have 10,000 experience points."

Just as he was pondering this, a familiar greeting came from the entrance of the training hall:

"Acheng, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Fang Cheng immediately collected his thoughts and looked up.

A muscular, tall man wearing red boxing shorts strode towards them. Seeing that his employer for today's sparring session had arrived, Fang Cheng put down his water bottle and greeted him with a smile.

"Brother Jie, I heard you won another match last week. It seems like you have a chance to make it into this year's annual finals and compete for the championship."

"Haha, just lucky."

Brother Jie laughed heartily, a hint of pride on his face.

Then, noticing Fang Cheng covered in sweat, he pointed to the sandbag and asked, "Were you warming up just now?"

Fang Cheng nodded:
"Yeah, I practiced a little while I was waiting for you."

Upon hearing this, Brother Jie couldn't help but give a thumbs up and praise him:
"You're even more hardworking than me, a professional gamer!"

The two skillfully put on their boxing gloves and stood facing each other in the center of the ring.

Brother Jie assumed a boxing stance, a look of admiration flashing in his eyes:

“Acheng, you are slightly stronger than me, and your skill level is about the same as mine. Every time I finish practicing with you, I feel much more relaxed when I go to the ring to beat those opponents.”

"Brother Jie, you flatter me."

Fang Cheng humbly said, "I gain a lot of experience every time I spar with you."

This is not just polite talk; it is the truth.

Within the club, there are very few opponents that Fang Cheng can truly look forward to, and Brother Jie is one of them.

Fang Cheng stretched his neck, then began to jump lightly, assuming a stance with his fists in front of and behind him, quickly getting into the zone.

The two sparring attracted the attention of those around them.

One is a well-known national free fighting competition contestant, and the other is a club's recognized top sparring partner.

Opportunities to witness such masters sparring up close are rare.

"Look, muscular bastard Jie Ge and bald guy Fang Cheng are sparring!"

"Let's go over and have a look."

Several trainees shouted excitedly.

Soon, a large group of people gathered below the boxing ring, either to watch the excitement or to learn something.

Some shouted encouragement, cheering on their respective sides.

Some, however, earnestly offered their opinions on the actions on the field, frequently making comments:

"That punch was powerful, but the angle wasn't tricky enough." "When that kick was thrown, the center of gravity was too far forward, making it easy to be caught and blocked."

With a clear objective in mind, Fang Cheng mostly used standard boxing techniques, striking once and then disengaging, without getting too entangled.

Jay is more versatile, occasionally incorporating kicking techniques and grappling skills from free fighting.

Two agile figures moved quickly on the ring, their fists and feet clashing with crisp "snap" sounds.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the blue plastic floor and making the entire arena even brighter.

Sweat splattered amidst shouts and cheers, glistening in the sunlight.

"Pretty!"

A burst of cheers suddenly erupted from the audience.

Fang Cheng deftly dodged Jie Ge's high kick with a sidestep, then retaliated with a precise straight punch, causing his opponent to stagger back several steps and nearly fall.

As the clock in the training hall ticked, the hands slowly pointed to 11:30.

This training session has come to an end.

"call--"

Brother Jie let out a long breath, his whole body drenched in sweat, but his eyes gleamed with excitement.

The two men simultaneously finished their stances and touched their boxing gloves together as a sign of respect.

"happy!"

Brother Jie wiped the sweat from his face, panting, and laughed:

"Acheng, sparring with you is really fun. Now I'm more confident about the competition this weekend."

The students watching from below the stage were still discussing the topic with great interest, and then dispersed in twos and threes.

Some people were still imitating the amazing moves they had just seen, while others were enthusiastically discussing the technical details.

Fang Cheng also deliberately acted as if his face was flushed and he was panting heavily.

But in reality, his breathing remained steady as he glanced at the displayed notification message without making a sound:
Boxing Experience +4

Boxing lv2 (487/500)

He has taken another step closer to becoming a Grandmaster.

congratulations!

Upon seeing this, Fang Cheng's lips curled up slightly.

He quickly wiped a few drops of sweat from his forehead and looked sincerely at the "experienced baby" standing in front of him:
"Brother Jie looks to be in great shape, and he will definitely achieve good results in this competition."

Upon hearing this, Brother Jie burst into laughter and patted him hard on the shoulder:

"Thank you for your kind words! Come on, let's take a shower together, and then we can have a good chat, brother."

"Um... I have something to do. Brother Jie, you go wash up. We'll add it next time."

Fang Cheng glanced at the other person's trembling, full chest muscles, and then gently declined.

After saying that, he grabbed his coat and jumped off the boxing ring.

A hearty laugh came from behind me:

"Okay, next time I'll show you my special move!"

Fang Cheng quickly put on his sports jacket and bent down to pick up the scattered towels, water bottles, and protective gear.

He then quickly returned to the locker room, took his phone from the locker, and made a call.

"Beep...beep..."

After several rings, a sweet and pleasant female voice finally came from the other end of the phone:

"Brother Cheng?"

The voice was like a warm spring breeze, carrying a hint of joy and intimacy.

"is get out of class over?"

Fang Cheng held the phone between his neck and shoulder, asking as he tidied his belongings.

"Not yet, wait for me a little longer, I'll call you back secretly from outside."

Zhou Xiumei replied in a low voice.

"Okay, I'll wait for you at your classroom door."

Fang Cheng gave a brief reply and hung up the phone.

Zhou Xiumei's music training camp is located on the third floor of Wantong Shopping Center.

Fang Cheng had seen the enrollment advertisement by chance, which is why he enrolled her and paid the tuition in advance as a New Year's gift for her.

Lately, whenever Zhou Xiumei has classes or I have sparring work, the two of us usually take a taxi to work together and then have lunch together.

Fang Cheng continued tidying up his personal belongings in the cabinet, planning his itinerary for the day.

"I need to find some time this afternoon to go to Guanlan District to check on the progress of the house renovation..."

According to the contractor, it would take at most half a month to complete, and now more than a week has passed, so it should be taking shape.

This renovation mainly focused on the kitchen and bathroom to ensure basic living conditions.

As for the living room, he specifically requested that it be transformed into an industrial style like the club's training hall, with various pipes and iron frames laid out to install training equipment such as sandbags and wooden dummy poles.

After tidying up his equipment and clothes in the closet, Fang Cheng then took his bag and headed to the shower room.

The warm water washed away the fatigue from the morning's training, and he closed his eyes, enjoying this moment of relaxation.

A few minutes later, after showering, I changed into a clean T-shirt and sweatpants.

Then she stuffed the clothes she had changed out of into her handbag and temporarily put them in the closet.

Fang Cheng glanced at the sports watch on his wrist.

It's almost noon, time is about right.

So he stepped out of the venue, looked up at the escalator leading to the third floor of the shopping mall, and prepared to go up to find Zhou Xiumei.

"Fang Cheng!"

Suddenly, a shout came and made him stop in his tracks.

Fang Cheng turned around and raised his eyebrows slightly, somewhat surprised to recognize the person.

(End of this chapter)