Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 279 Divine Skill Manual, or the Path to Becoming Stronger
"Xu Hao?"

Fang Cheng frowned slightly, his gaze falling on a somewhat familiar figure on a lounge chair in the mall across the street.

The man with a striking yellow styling on his forehead was none other than Xu Hao, who had come to challenge the club a month ago.

At the time, he defeated several professional boxers and claimed to be invincible throughout the club, displaying extreme arrogance.

Finally, Fang Cheng, who had returned to work after the Chinese New Year holiday, politely persuaded him to resign by "tying the score".

Although it appears to be a draw, it's clear to everyone that Xu Hao actually lost.

At this moment, Xu Hao seemed to have been waiting for Fang Cheng to come out. When he saw that Fang Cheng had noticed him, he immediately jumped up from his chair.

"Dude, long time no see. Last time... hehe, we became friends after a fight."

He stepped forward, making small talk while a strange smile appeared on his face.

As Fang Cheng watched Xu Hao approach, he noticed that Xu Hao's attitude had become much more restrained this time, no longer as arrogant as before.

So he asked, "Is something the matter?"

"It's nothing, it's just... after we fought last time, I went back and thought about it for a long time."

Xu Hao rubbed his hands together, his gaze sweeping over Fang Cheng, and lowered his voice:

"Dude, tell me honestly, are you really just a sparring partner? I don't believe it."

He paused, then leaned closer, his eyes filled with a tentative look:

"Your skills are definitely not something an ordinary person can have. You must have held back when you fought me last time, right? And you held back quite a bit!"

Fang Cheng's heart stirred slightly, but his face remained expressionless:

"You're overthinking it. I'm just an ordinary person who makes a living by boxing and sparring. Last time I was able to draw with you, it was mostly luck."

"Luck? Luck my ass!"

Xu Hao couldn't help but swear, but quickly stopped himself, glanced at the customers passing by, and then continued:

"Dude, let's be frank, I know you definitely have real skills."

"Do you have some secret technique? Or... have you studied under a particular school of martial arts and learned some special style? Could you teach me a few moves? Or tell me how you train? Don't worry, the price is negotiable!"

Looking at the undisguised longing and curiosity in Xu Hao's eyes, Fang Cheng secretly speculated.

This guy doesn't seem like someone who went back and practiced hard for days, figuring out his techniques, and wanted to get revenge.

Perhaps he's been watching too many martial arts movies and suddenly had a wild idea that he has some kind of reclusive master behind him who wants to dig up his "secret martial arts manual"?

"The secret..."

After carefully considering his words, Fang Cheng shook his head and replied calmly:
"I don't have any secrets, I just practice boxing every day. The more I practice, the more skilled I become."

"As for guidance, I wouldn't call it that. We have plenty of good coaches in our club. If you really want to learn, you can sign up. I'm just a sparring partner; I'm not qualified to teach anyone."

Seeing that Fang Cheng was unmoved, Xu Hao's smile gradually faded.

He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then lowered his voice again, his tone tinged with mystery:
"Dude, don't rush to refuse. I know you might want to keep a low profile, but some things can't be kept quiet just because you want to..."

Fang Cheng frowned slightly and looked at him: "What do you mean?"

Xu Hao's eyes flickered as he glanced at Fang Cheng:
"Things are getting a bit tense in the underworld lately. I heard something that someone is secretly investigating a very skilled person, and the description of his features is somewhat similar to yours..."

Fang Cheng's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, but quickly returned to normal.

Then, at just the right moment, a hint of bewilderment and surprise appeared on his face:
"Huh, investigating me? Why? I'm just a hardworking sparring partner at the club, trying to earn a living. What's there to investigate?"

Xu Hao stared intently into Fang Cheng's eyes, as if trying to discern something from them:
"Really? Maybe I misheard."

He abruptly changed the subject, a meaningful smile playing on his lips:
"But, buddy, I have connections and I'm well-informed. If you want to know who's pulling these tricks behind the scenes, or how far they've gotten in their investigation..."

He paused, looking at Fang Cheng meaningfully:

"Just agree to my previous conditions. I don't need you to teach me any extraordinary martial arts. Just give me a few pointers now and then and tell me some ways to become stronger. The information I have will definitely be useful to you."

Fang Cheng shook his head, still looking blank, and politely declined:
"I appreciate your kindness, but I'm just an ordinary person. I'm not interested in what you're saying, and I can't help you with that."

"Of course, if you want me to be your sparring partner, to hone your skills and improve your training results, I'd be happy to take the job."

Xu Hao's face showed obvious disappointment, but he did not insist any further.

He then took out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Fang Cheng:

"Alright, buddy, I took it as me being nosy. But you'd better take what I just said to heart. Here's my business card, my phone number is on it."

"In case... I mean in case, if you change your mind someday, or if you really run into some trouble and want to ask someone for help, you can call me, just to make friends."

Fang Cheng glanced at the somewhat fancy business card and quickly scanned the string of identification marks on it:
"Security Manager, Midnight Forest Bar" and "Gold Medal Coach, Fierce Tiger Fighting Club".

He then accepted it without refusing, put it in his pocket, and nodded.

"Ok."

Just then, a clear, cheerful voice came from the escalator not far away.

"Brother Cheng!"

Zhou Xiumei jogged over, carrying two cups of milk tea she had just bought.

She ran up to him, stopped, and looked curiously at Xu Hao, who stood next to Fang Cheng and had a striking tuft of blond hair, and asked:
"Who is this……"

“Former club members.”

Fang Cheng said casually, his tone natural, as if he were just introducing an ordinary acquaintance.

Seeing this, Xu Hao tactfully nodded to Zhou Xiumei as a greeting, then immediately took his leave of Fang Cheng.
"Then I won't bother you any longer. Let's talk another day."

After saying that, he turned and left decisively, easily blending into the crowd in the mall.
It was as if it had just been a chance encounter, and nothing strange had been said.

Fang Cheng withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Zhou Xiumei beside him:
"Let's go and eat."

Zhou Xiumei blinked her beautiful big eyes. She vaguely sensed that the atmosphere between Fang Cheng and that blond-haired youth had been somewhat subtle.

But seeing that Fang Cheng didn't intend to elaborate, he sensibly refrained from pressing for details.

She flashed a bright smile and handed one of the milk teas to Fang Cheng:

"Here, I bought this for you, half sugar and no ice, your favorite flavor."

Fang Cheng reached out and took it, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Thanks."

Then, quite naturally, the topic was changed, and the gaze was directed towards the elevator leading upstairs:
"Are you hungry? It's getting late, let's go upstairs and see what you want to eat."

As soon as food was mentioned, Zhou Xiumei's attention was immediately and successfully diverted, and her eyes lit up:
"Great idea! I saw an ad on my way here. I heard there's a new buffet on the third floor with really good reviews, and a classmate recommended it too! Shall we go try it?"

"Okay, I'll follow your arrangements."

Fang Cheng smiled and nodded, his tone relaxed and cheerful.

As they talked, the two walked side by side toward the slowly ascending escalator, their figures blending into the bustling midday atmosphere of the mall.

....................................

After lunch, Zhou Xiumei went back to class to focus on her vocal studies.

Fang Cheng, carrying his bag and wearing a baseball cap, left the club, hailed a taxi outside the shopping center, and headed to Guanlan District.

The city scenery outside the car window flashed by, and sunlight shone through the glass, casting a pale golden halo.

Gazing at the shimmering glass curtain walls, Fang Cheng leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the windowsill, his eyes slightly narrowed, as if he were pondering something important.

A moment later, as if making up his mind, he took out his phone from his bag and dialed the number he had memorized.

As the call connected, a surprised voice came through the receiver:

"Hey, boss!" Fang Cheng asked.
"Old Xu, how are you doing now?"

"My family and I are on vacation in Tiannan Province. The climate and scenery here are great, much more comfortable than Dongdu."

A warm voice came from the other end of the phone; it was Xu Sanduo, who had run away to avoid trouble because of the Jin Benba bottle.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Fang Cheng's voice gradually lowered:

"There's something I need your help looking into."

"no problem!"

Xu Sanduo immediately understood, and his tone became solemn and respectful:

"Although I'm not in Dongdu, my men are still here. Tell me what you need to investigate, sir, and I guarantee I'll complete the task."

Fang Cheng then whispered a few words of instruction.

The sound of a pen scratching across paper came from the other end of the phone, as if someone was taking notes diligently.

A few minutes later, Fang Cheng put down his phone, looking slightly more relaxed.

Before we knew it, the car had entered the coastal highway.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, drifted in through the half-open car window. In the distance, the sea shimmered, and several seagulls circled low overhead.

When the familiar high-rise residential buildings came into view, Fang Cheng snapped out of his reverie and immediately said:

"Driver, stop at the north gate of Haitian Garden ahead."

When I got off the bus, the sunlight was a little too bright.

Fang Cheng stood at the entrance of the residential area, looking at the newly planted ginkgo saplings, then slung his bag over his shoulder and stepped inside.

afternoon.

The buzzing of the electric drill echoed in the empty room.

The renovation workers are busy drilling holes in the walls to install various pipes and training equipment.

Fine cement dust fell in a flurry, forming a hazy mist in the sunlight.

Fang Cheng held his breath and stood in the house under construction, carefully inspecting the renovation.

The kitchen tiles and cabinets have been laid, and the waterproofing work in the bathroom is mostly complete.

He crouched down to check the flatness of the floor and tried filling the newly installed bathtub with water.

After getting up, focus on observing the structure of the living room, which serves as the training venue.

"These two support beams must be strong enough."

Fang Cheng pointed to the ceiling and gave instructions to the renovation worker, his voice particularly loud amidst the construction noise.

"The iron frame below is used to hang sandbags. The load-bearing capacity needs to be strengthened. Money is not a problem. Safety and reliability are the most important things."

After all, the weight of the sandbags he used for boxing training was extraordinary, and ordinary ceilings and hanging frames certainly could not withstand the long-term ravages of training.

"Sure, no problem."

The foreman nodded and made a note of it, then explained a few words to Fang Cheng.

For dynamic loads such as suspended sandbags, adding support beams can directly distribute the force, which is a traditional and effective reinforcement method.

If a steel structure hanger is added, along with fixed steel plates, it can easily withstand an extra-large sandbag weighing 500KG.

Fang Cheng nodded upon hearing this.

The reason I chose this renovation company was because they had experience decorating fight clubs.

The head instructor wasn't surprised; he'd seen plenty of these kinds of fervent kung fu fans who converted their homes into boxing gyms throughout his career.

The two then discussed several details, including soundproofing measures and safety precautions.

As the sun began to set, the renovation workers packed up their tools and left, leaving Fang Cheng alone inside.

Orange-red light slanted in through the floor-to-ceiling windows without curtains, casting long shadows on the rough concrete floor.

As time passed with the sunlight, the sky gradually darkened.

The lights of the buildings in the distance lit up one by one, like scattered stars.

Jingle Bell--

In the darkness, a dull ringing sound accompanied the vibration.

Fang Cheng took his phone out of his bag and saw the number displayed.

His eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately pressed the answer button.

"Hey."

Fang Cheng's voice echoed through the empty, unfinished room.

"Boss, we've made some progress on what you're investigating."

Xu Sanduo's deliberately lowered voice came from the other end of the phone.

Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng walked to the window and gave the order in a deep voice:
"explain."

"The underworld has been quite turbulent lately, with a lot of incidents, mainly concerning the batch of antiques that flowed out of Xishan."

Xu Sanduo's voice carried a hint of caution as he recounted some of the disputes between various factions and the conflicts that had occurred, based on what he knew about them.

Then, we turned to the Lu family and the Red Tiger Gang, which Fang Cheng had instructed us to pay close attention to.

"The Lu family just changed their head of the family the day before yesterday. The person who took over is a man named Lu Yongquan. He is not old, but he is quite shrewd and has a deep mind."

"This person is said to be the illegitimate son of the previous family head, Lu Shirong. Because of this identity, he has never been well received in the Lu family. His success in taking over this position must have been complicated, and some disputes must have occurred during the process. It is difficult for outsiders to find out the specific details."

"However, what is certain is that several senior executives of Jinlu Group, as well as the heads of several branch companies, have been swiftly replaced. Judging from this situation, the Lu family is definitely not very stable right now and is undergoing a major reshuffle."

"As for the Red Tiger Gang... they've been unusually low-key lately, with almost no major moves, which is completely different from their previous arrogant and domineering behavior."

"The brothers in the underworld are guessing that their gang leader might be in trouble, or that he's brewing some big move, but there's no definite news yet."

Fang Cheng listened quietly, letting out a soft "hmm" through his nose, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Xu Sanduo seemed to sense some dissatisfaction from this simple response, and immediately added confidently:
"Don't worry, boss. I'll have people keeping a close eye on both sides. I'll report to you immediately if there's any sign of trouble!"

After making that assurance, he shifted his focus to the second key point:

"I've actually dug up some information about Xu Hao, the one you asked me to keep a close eye on."

Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng's spirits lifted slightly:
"go on."

"This Xu Hao, his background is indeed not clean."

Xu Sanduo began to narrate in detail:
“My parents divorced a long time ago, and my family relationships were terrible. I was a troublemaker and a brawler since I was a child. I dropped out of school in my teens and went into the underworld. I joined a gang called the ‘Black Hawk Gang’ in the west of the city in my early years, but I never made a name for myself in it and was just a low-level nobody.”

"Last June, the Black Hawk Gang's territory was targeted by the Red Tiger Gang, and they were eventually swallowed up by the latter. Most of the gang members were incorporated, except for this Xu Hao..."

Xu Sanduo paused here, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

"what happened?"

Fang Cheng pressed for an answer.

"He disappeared."

(End of this chapter)