Chinese martial arts: From human punching bags to martial arts mastery

The next day, the first light of dawn appeared.

Tang Zhen did not return home all night at the Tang family mansion.

Tangtang sat at the dining table, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the edge of the porcelain cup. Her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her eyes were full of unconcealed worry. She would occasionally look up towards the door, and she didn't even touch her favorite snacks.

Seeing this, Niu Ma quickly stepped forward and gently comforted her, "Miss, don't worry. Master may have been held up by some urgent matter. He'll be back as soon as he's done. Everything will be alright!"

Hearing this, Tangtang felt a little calmer.

After breakfast, Niu Ma led Chen Feng, Hu Tao, Hu Mingxuan, and Tang Tang to the Tang family's private shooting range.

Today, Tang Tang is dressed in a beige dress with the hem falling to her knees, which makes her skin look as white as snow. Her eyebrows and eyes are full of the charming and lively spirit of a rich girl, and every move she makes exudes the nobleness of being carefully protected.

Hu Tao wore a light gray suit skirt from Tangtang. The tailoring was neat and sharp. Even though it didn't fit her clothes as well as her own, her inherent competence and decisiveness were not diminished at all. Her eyes were cool and aloof, and she exuded the aura of a strong woman who could stand on her own, which was in stark contrast to Tangtang's gentleness.

"This way, everyone!"

The cow mother led everyone into the shooting range, explaining as they went:

"Although this shooting range was built with funds from the Tang family, it was registered under the name of the municipal government, which allowed them to avoid interference from the Japanese."

"Furthermore, it's right next to the city government club, where many municipal officials come to relax. I've always been in charge of managing it!"

He paused for a moment.

Cow Mom added, her voice becoming much deeper:

"If you're talking about the largest firing range in Shanghai, it's actually on Jiangwan Road in Hongkou District. That was a military firing range used by the Japanese army!"

"According to their 'Infantry Drill Manual,' new recruits alone consume over 400 rounds of ammunition during target practice, and the total number of rounds used in annual training is no less than 1,800, demonstrating the rigor of their military equipment!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts sank.

Tang Tang, observing this, chuckled and chimed in, "My family's shooting range isn't just a place for fun; it's also a social hub in Shanghai. Several powerful families have become members, paying hefty annual fees every year!" A sly glint flashed in her eyes as she added, "We'll have to fleece them handsomely!"

These words were spoken.

Everyone laughed.

Tang Tang then looked at Chen Feng and reminded him, "By the way, that Nie Huanxi you injured last time, their Nie family is also a member!"

As they spoke, the group arrived at the firing range.

"Let's check it out first!"

At Niu Ma's command, the accompanying guards immediately dispersed and carefully patrolled the perimeter of the shooting range. Only after confirming that the surrounding area was safe did they return to their original positions to await further orders.

Just then.

The sound of a car engine grew louder as Tang Zhen's car drove straight to the entrance of the shooting range.

The car door opened.

Tang Zhen stepped down, his eyes bloodshot from a sleepless night, looking utterly exhausted.

But the moment both feet touch the ground.

He straightened his back abruptly, his gaze suddenly became focused, all his weariness vanished, and he once again transformed into the composed and dignified Tang family head.

"morning--!"

He walked towards the crowd with a smile, waving and greeting them warmly.

"dad!"

Tangtang's eyes lit up, and all her worries vanished instantly.

She hurried to meet him, looked him up and down, and after confirming that he was safe and sound, a sweet smile appeared on her lips. The light in her eyes was impossible to hide, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense all night, finally settled down completely.

After a short rest, everything at the firing range was ready!

"I'll go first!"

Seeing that her father was alright, Tang Tang suddenly became interested and eager to show off her skills, so she took the lead and walked to the counter full of guns.

She picked out a small, mild-recoiled Smith & Nephew: "I'll use this!"

Fearing something might happen to her, the mother stayed by her side closely, constantly reminding her, "Miss! Slow down—it's loaded, don't point the gun anywhere..."

"breathe--"

She took a deep breath nervously and pulled the trigger.

With a "bang," the bullet grazed the edge of the target and flew away, the recoil making her wrist numb and her face slightly pale.

But when she caught a glimpse of Chen Feng behind her, she bit her lip and forced herself to fire the remaining five bullets one by one.

Final result – 50-meter fixed target… Two shots missed the target, and four barely grazed the very edge of the target paper.

Tang Tang's cheeks were flushed, and she shook her numb wrists repeatedly in embarrassment. She looked both cute and embarrassed, and there was no trace of her usual poise. She looked exactly like a little girl who had made a fool of herself.

Followed by.

Hu Tao also stepped forward.

Her gaze swept over Chen Feng, and a thought flickered in her mind. She then also chose a Mauser pistol.

With a firm grip on the heavy gun, she steadily raised her arm, aimed at the bullseye, and pulled the trigger.

"Bang! Bang! Bang—"

The recoil from the first few shots made her hands go numb, and the bullet trajectory was slightly off.

But after firing only half a magazine, the violent recoil made his hand go numb, and his fingertips trembled slightly.

But Hu Tao didn't even flinch. He gritted his teeth and fired the remaining five bullets with sheer tenacity. Surprisingly, three of them hit the target. Although they didn't hit the bullseye, it was enough to show his extraordinary willpower.

Next up was Hu Mingxuan.

He picked up a powerful Colt Python revolver with tremendous recoil.

"Bang--!"

When the first bullet was fired, he accidentally missed the target because he was not controlling the force for the first time.

He remained calm and composed, adjusting his breathing and grip. The next five shots hit the target every time.

The last shot barely grazed the bullseye, demonstrating astonishing accuracy.

"Wow—!"

"That's amazing!"

Upon seeing this, Tangtang and Hutao immediately clapped and cheered.

Tang Zhen watched this scene with admiration in his eyes, and exclaimed with a smile, "As expected of a martial artist, you have a solid foundation, steady hands and accurate eyes, and you get started quickly!" His words revealed his envy of this talent for martial arts.

Praise be to that.

Tang Zhen also became interested, stretched his muscles, and then joined in.

He also picked up a Smith revolver, raised his hand, aimed, and fired with fluid movements. All six bullets hit the target, with two of them hitting the bullseye precisely, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Tang Zhen smiled and said a few words of modesty, then handed the pistol to Chen Feng, his eyes eager: "I'm just throwing out an idea to get the ball rolling. Section Chief Chen and Aunt Niu are both sharpshooters; you'll have to show us what you're capable of!"

Before he could finish speaking...

A series of footsteps broke the cheerful atmosphere.

Everyone looked up and saw Nie Huanxi walking over with a group of Jewish youths. His right arm was still in a thick cast, hanging down at his side, and he looked somewhat cautious.

They were far away.

Nie Huanxi's gaze locked onto Chen Feng, her body trembled violently, and she subconsciously shrank her injured arm. A trace of undisguised fear flashed in her eyes, clearly the shadow of being overwhelmed by Chen Feng's marksmanship and having her arm broken last time had not yet dissipated.

The young Jewish man at the head of the group was dressed in a sharp suit with a dark jacket over it. He had a cold and stern face, deep-set eyes, and a deep gaze that swept over the people on the shooting range. His eyes held a cunning and ruthlessness that was beyond his years, and he exuded a chilling sense of oppression.

He immediately noticed Nie Huanxi's unusual behavior and turned to ask, "What's wrong?"

Nie Huanxi quickly stepped forward, lowered her voice, and recounted in detail how she had suffered a crushing defeat in her previous marksmanship contest with Chen Feng, and how Chen Feng had broken her arm. She also embellished the story by mentioning Chen Feng's identity as the section chief of the Suzhou River section and the rumors of the Dragon Head Raising Grand Duel.

Nie Huanxi grew increasingly resentful as she spoke, adding through gritted teeth, "Young Master Nassau, that Chen Feng is extremely close to the Tang family, their relationship is far from over. In my opinion, he might be detrimental to the Sassoon family's next plan!"

at the same time.

Tang Tang quickly moved closer to Chen Feng and whispered a reminder:

"That Nie Huanxi is the county magistrate's grandson. The Nie family's influence is mainly in the southern part of the city, and they are closely connected with Huang Jinrong!"

"Those Jewish youths next to him are all members of the Sassoon family. The one in the lead is called Nassau Sassoon, the future heir to the Sassoon Group. He's no ordinary man!"

The old woman spoke with a grave expression, her voice extremely low: "This Nassau man is only in his early twenties, yet he has mastered a ruthless skill in assassination, especially his marksmanship, which is first-rate. Even I, an old woman, am only slightly better than him in terms of cultivation!"

Hu Mingxuan added from the side, his tone somewhat grave: "The Sassoon family is incredibly wealthy, with influence spanning the Middle East, Mumbai, and even China. Their connections in both the legal and illegal worlds are deeply entrenched, and they have the backing of Britain!"

Hu Tao nodded and said in a deep voice, "Sassoon & Co.'s overall strength is still superior to Jardine Matheson's, but in the small territory of Shanghai, Jardine Matheson currently has a stronger presence!"

Tang Zhen remained silent, simply watching the approaching group from Nassau. A barely perceptible shadow crossed his eyes, and his aura subtly darkened.

Not long after.

The group from Nassau then approached.

He first looked at Tang Zhen, forcing a polite smile, and greeted him, "Uncle Tang, what brings you to the shooting range today? It's rare to see you here for leisure!"

Afraid that the other party would spoil the fun, Tang Tang quickly stepped forward to block her father, her tone carrying a hint of coquettish aloofness: "My dad is here with guests today. If you want to play, why don't you come back this afternoon!"

Upon hearing this, Nassau casually swept his gaze across the crowd. When his eyes landed on Hu Tao, his deep eyes darkened slightly, and a fleeting greed and possessiveness flashed by so quickly that it was impossible to catch them, leaving only a superficial polite indifference.

At that very moment.

Chen Feng took a step forward and stood directly in front of Hu Tao. His aura suddenly turned cold, and a chilling killing intent locked onto Nassau without reservation.

Nassau felt a chill run through his body, as if he were being stared at by some ferocious beast. A cold sweat instantly broke out on his back, and his heart tightened.

He suppressed his apprehension, gritted his teeth, and forced a fake smile back onto his face: "Oh! Isn't this Section Chief Chen? Nice to meet you!"

As he spoke, he extended his hand, wanting to shake hands with Chen Feng.

Chen Feng, with a cold expression, slowly raised his hand.

But in his palm, he was holding the Smith revolver that Tang Zhen had just handed him, its cold barrel exuding a chilling aura.

Nassau's gaze fell on the pistol, his pupils contracting slightly. He then forced a nonchalant grin, his tone laced with provocation and amusement: "Playing with guns is great! Since everyone's in such high spirits today, how about... we have a little sparring session?"

The words fell.

The air on the firing range froze instantly, the previous cheerful atmosphere vanished, and a tense undercurrent quietly surged among the crowd.

A fierce contest seems imminent!