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

"Hello, Section Chief Chen!"

Old Tangyuan slowly extended his greasy hand, touching Chen Feng only briefly before letting go, his expression one of nonchalance, neither flattery nor weakness, indifference as if it were none of his business.

But a glint of cunning flashed deep in his eyes as he secretly calculated, "This young man isn't just a relative; his fighting skills are terrifyingly solid... In this ruthless Suzhou River, it looks like we're in for a tough fight!"

Finally, it was the vulture's turn.

"Section Chief Chen! I've heard so much about you! I've been looking forward to meeting you for ages!"

His face was plastered with an overly enthusiastic smile, as friendly as if they were old friends, but the outstretched hand was icy cold, like the hand of a dead man just pulled from the bottom of an icy river, the chill penetrating to the bone, making one's fingertips numb.

"Section Chief Chen is young and promising! Now it's your era, the young people's era! I'm old! It's time for me to retire!"

He offered polite welcomes, but his eyes gleamed with a vulture-like, sinister greed as he stared at Chen Feng, as if he were eyeing a piece of meat about to be devoured.

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone took their seats in turn.

After several rounds of drinks...

The clash of swords and the shadows of battle erupted once more.

The smiling tiger, holding a wine glass, wore a forced smile, first flattering then belittling: "I've long heard of Section Chief Chen's achievements in Songjiang; he's a true role model for us all!"

His tone abruptly shifted, his smile turning cold: "But the Suzhou River is different from the Songjiang River; the rules are deeply ingrained, and old customs and regulations cannot be changed in the slightest. Everything must be done the old way. Section Chief Chen, please don't break the rules here!"

Before he could finish speaking...

He deliberately slammed his wine glass against the edge of the table, making a soft "clang" sound, clearly intending to exert pressure.

Old Tangyuan, standing nearby, immediately stepped in to smooth things over, a slick, obsequious smile plastered on his greasy face. He echoed repeatedly, "Of course, of course! I'll follow Chief Gu's orders and Section Chief Xiao's arrangements! I, Old Tangyuan, have no other desires; guarding my territory and doing my duty is enough!"

They are worldly-wise and tactful, trying not to offend either side, clearly intending to stay out of the fray and watch from the sidelines.

next moment.

All eyes turned to Chen Feng.

He sat motionless, not even lifting his eyelids, his fingertips lightly tracing the rim of his cup. His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority: "Rules are established for the safety of the waterway, not to harbor filth! Whoever can safeguard the Suzhou Creek and ensure the well-being of the people, their word is the rule!"

The voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and resonated deeply with everyone.

The smiling tiger's face darkened, and he was about to retort.

Chen Feng suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze like a cold blade drawn from its sheath, piercing straight at the smiling tiger.

In just a moment.

Smiling Tiger felt as if the air around him had been instantly sucked away, and a chilling aura from a life-or-death struggle rushed towards him, making his chest feel tight and even his breathing pause for a beat.

That was the aura of someone who had seen blood, killed people, and emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Chen Feng slowly raised his hand, his fingertips lightly tapping the table. His tone was calm, yet sharp: "If Section Chief Xiao thinks this is too literary, I also know a bit of martial arts!"

"you--"

The smiling tiger swallowed back the harsh words that were on the tip of his tongue. His lips twitched, and he didn't dare to meet Chen Feng's gaze.

The room was deathly silent.

Old Tangyuan quickly tried to smooth things over: "Section Chief Chen is right! Right! Everything we do is for the safety of the river! Let's drink! Let's drink!"

Gu Beiwang remained calm and slowly raised his glass: "Old Tangyuan is right, let's drink!"

These words were spoken.

The smiling tiger's face turned ashen, both shocked and furious, yet he dared not openly challenge the authority of the chief river chief.

He stiffly picked up his wine glass, gulped down a large mouthful of wine, and a wicked plan resurfaced in his mind.

In the blink of an eye, the wine glass was set down.

The smiling tiger once again put on a fake smile, bringing up old matters with a tone that seemed to praise but was actually barbed: "By the way, a few days ago, Section Chief Chen fought a fierce battle against the Green Gang boat captain at Garbage Bridge. His skills were swift and decisive; he was truly admirable!"

These words sound like a compliment, but they are actually a public reprimand—the garbage bridge is not in your jurisdiction. You have overstepped your bounds and broken the rules of the underworld. Don't act recklessly again!

At last.

Smiling Tiger raised his glass and laughed loudly, "I heard that Section Chief Chen will soon be fighting Qian Hu? With your skills, you're sure to win big! I'll toast you in advance and wish you a resounding victory!"

But a chilling sneer flashed across the depths of his eyes.

In his view, the battle between Chen Feng and Qian Hu was a dead end with no chance of survival—this praise was just putting Chen Feng on the spot, waiting for him to die!

Chen Feng sat upright at the table, his expression calm, taking in the other party's expressions, thoughts, and schemes.

"Oh! Section Chief Xiao has so much confidence in me!"

He accepted the retort lightly, then crushed it back with another remark: "Since that's the case, then I'll have to kill another tiger right in front of you!"

The banquet ended.

The night wind carried the fishy, ​​cold scent of the river, but Gu Beiwang didn't rush to speak. He simply escorted Chen Feng to the bottom of the stone steps outside the tavern.

He gazed at the churning, dark river in the distance, his expression heavy, and slowly began to speak.

"In official business, I'll address you as Section Chief Chen!"

"But in private, you are still my junior apprentice, Gu Beiwang!"

Gu Beiwang took a deep breath, a helpless desolation flashing across his brows. His words were clear, yet heavy as a thousand pounds.

"At most... I will retire before Qingming Festival!"

The words fell.

He patted Chen Feng's shoulder heavily, his warm, large hand trembling slightly, concealing a thousand words of entrustment and worry.

"I never intended for you to come to this banquet; I wanted to protect you! But now that you're here, there's no turning back!"

"The Suzhou Creek is deeper than you can imagine; countless filth and corpses lie buried beneath its surface!"

"From now on, never let your master down!"

"But we must proceed with extreme caution, neither too forceful nor too hasty..."

Chen Feng stood on the stone steps, watching Gu Beiwang's figure being quickly swallowed by the night until it became a blurry dot and completely disappeared into the depths of the night.

He slowly turned his gaze to the surging Suzhou River at his feet.

The night wind howled past, carrying the fishy, ​​cold scent of the river, swirling withered leaves and foam, and crashing wildly against the dock in the darkness.

The river surged and roared in the abyss, its black waves towering, like a giant beast that had been lurking for a long time, its blood-red maw wide open, ready to devour any intruders at any moment.

Chen Feng knew that from the moment he stepped into this banquet, he was no longer an outsider, but was trapped in a vast, all-encompassing black net.

Once you step in, there's no turning back.

He looked down at his palm, where the warmth and entrustment of Gu Beiwang's palm remained.

Looking up again, his gaze was like a cold blade drawn from its sheath, piercing straight through the mist over the Suzhou River.

Since we've already stumbled into this hell!

I have no intention of backing down!