Chapter 56: Clean Up

At the foot of West Mountain.

Trees on both banks were reflected in the water, and a thick mist drifted about, creating a hazy, ethereal atmosphere.

Under normal circumstances, a picnic here would provide a sense of peace and a feeling of being detached from the world.

Unfortunately, the current situation was not so pleasant.

A sudden downpour had turned the sandy road into a muddy mess.

A black sedan approached slowly from a distance, crushed through the yellow mud, and came to a halt by the roadside after the engine cut out.

A figure wearing a military-green raincoat stepped quickly out of the car.

Opening the trunk, he dragged out a heavy-looking black woven bag that seemed to be filled with stones.

He then hugged the bag tightly with both arms, pushed through a large patch of rustling weeds, and walked toward the nearby riverbank.

This location was upstream of the Black Water River, a branch of the Tai River.

The river was not turbulent; instead, it appeared exceptionally calm and deep.

At a glance, it looked as if a mass of black ink were pressing down beneath the center of the river.

*Splash!*

The woven bag was tossed high from the bank.

Its weight, totaling several hundred pounds, slammed into the water, sending up a massive spray.

It then sank rapidly until it vanished completely from sight.

Fang Cheng stood by the bank, staring quietly at the water's surface.

His eyes, visible beneath the hood of his raincoat, appeared slightly vacant.

Raindrops tapped lightly on the water, creating small, delicate ripples.

These ripples then merged into larger, more turbulent waves.

"Phew—"

Fang Cheng exhaled easily, and his eyes regained their brightness.

Two hours ago, an unexpected skirmish had occurred at Goro Shimada's villa.

After a life-and-death struggle, he had successfully killed the enemy and finished cleaning the scene.

Fang Cheng had gone through the trouble of driving to this remote location to deal with the final loose ends.

Now, he could finally soothe his tense nerves.

*Chirp—*

The cry of an unknown bird drifted from the mountain forest, echoing through the silent river valley.

Fang Cheng looked up.

The West Mountain in the rain seemed to be lightly covered by a thin veil, its profound features faintly visible, making it appear exceptionally mysterious.

He suddenly remembered that the lockdown zone mentioned in the news reports seemed to be not far from here.

Thinking of this, he decided not to delay any longer and leave as quickly as possible to avoid running into any passersby.

He sat back in the car and turned the key to start the engine.

He looked at the status panel appearing before his eyes.

【Driving Lv0 (9/100)】

Fang Cheng muttered to himself

"Let's set off and say goodbye. I hope I never have to come back here again..."

The engine hummed, and the black sedan crushed through the yellow mud, driving along the mountain road toward a distant village.

From his memories of his past life, Fang Cheng had retained some knowledge regarding driving.

Among the keys he had searched from the man in black, there were the car keys Goro Shimada had left at home.

After a brief attempt in the garage, Fang Cheng had successfully driven the car out.

He then simply learned on the fly, boldly taking it out onto the road.

He gradually became more proficient, unlocking this skill mid-journey.

Based on the actual situation, it seemed that experience points were calculated according to driving mileage and specific road conditions.

Driving along this rugged mountain road had caused his experience to rise quite quickly.

As for what to do with this car?

Fang Cheng gripped the steering wheel with both hands, his gaze fixed on the approaching village ahead.

Driving it back would be inappropriate, as there would be too many eyes watching.

He remembered seeing an abandoned bamboo factory while out on a picnic here during his school days.

Perhaps he could hide the car there temporarily and notify him once there was news regarding Goro Shimada's whereabouts.

However.

West Mountain was over an hour's drive from the city center.

It looked like he would have to find a passing vehicle to hitch a ride back.

As Fang Cheng thought, he slowly drove the car through the small village, which consisted of only a few dozen households.

Although his mood had calmed, many doubts still lingered in his mind.

What exactly was the background of the man in black?

What did he mean by "the Organization" and "the Hunters"?

Did they have a direct connection to Goro Shimada's disappearance?

Thoughts flashed through his mind one after another.

Fang Cheng shook his head, temporarily brushing the distractions aside.

Since he had already accidentally killed this so-called "Hunter," the wisest course of action now was to act as if nothing had happened.

"Once I become stronger!"

"Sooner or later, I will make you all stand before me, one by one..."

Looking toward the bamboo factory hidden in the mist of the mountain hollow ahead, Fang Cheng silently vowed in his heart.

The most important thing right now was to return to the city as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, he might miss the precious opportunity to face Zheng Haokang.

………………………………

Jiangdong District.

Wantong Shopping Center, Gate 3.

A massive poster was pasted on the brightly lit glass exterior wall, looking exceptionally striking.

The life-sized image of the massive combat superstar on the poster constantly drew the attention of passing citizens under their umbrellas in this bustling central area.

Inside the Global Elite Combat Club, it was even more lively today.

*Click-click-click-click—*

Cameras and long lenses were lined up everywhere, and magnesium flashes blinked continuously like machine guns, accompanied by rapid shutter sounds.

The entire training hall was almost packed to capacity.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on two figures in combat shorts performing offensive and defensive drills on the ring.

One of the men, possessing a robust physique, moved with light footwork and a slight sway of his shoulders, appearing exceptionally relaxed and effortless.

He first waited for his opponent to throw a punch.

Then, seizing an opening, his body suddenly lunged forward like a hunting leopard.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

A continuous combination of punches, followed by a whip kick.

The lightning-fast assault left the sparring partner with no choice but to raise both arms to protect his head.

In the end, he was still struck by the whip kick and fell to the ring floor.

The man stepped forward and reached out to pull the sparring partner up.

Then, facing the crowd below the ring, he said loudly

"A fighter must learn to establish their own sense of rhythm to execute varied combinations, forcing the opponent into a defensive position where they cannot effectively counterattack."

"My favorite move is the backstep. By retreating out of striking range, you both weaken the opponent's punch and turn defense into offense—a double insurance that perfectly controls the flow of the match..."

He was none other than the newly crowned world champion and combat superstar, Zheng Haokang.

He had been invited to the Global Elite Combat Club today to conduct a demonstration lesson for the media.

"Keep working hard."

Zheng Haokang smiled kindly and patted the student who had been chosen to spar on stage.

The aspiring professional was instantly filled with excitement, walking off the stage with slightly unsteady legs.

Despite wearing a full set of protective gear, it was still evident how much pain the previous attack had caused.

Zheng Haokang continued his lecture

"In real combat, you don't need to pursue excessive power with every punch or kick, because the human body is actually quite fragile and has many vital points. What you need to do is hit the target faster and more accurately than your opponent..."

A student suddenly had a sudden thought and raised a hand to ask

"What if the opponent isn't an ordinary person, but something like a monster from a movie?"

Zheng Haokang was slightly taken aback, then couldn't help but laugh.

"If you truly encounter a monster like that, the best way is to run."

The crowd around them immediately erupted into laughter.

Zheng Haokang straightened his expression and then said

"Of course, as a combatant and a martial artist, even if your strength is inferior to your opponent's, you can compensate for the gap through the physical techniques you diligently hone every day..."

His voice echoed through the venue amidst the continuous flashing of magnesium lights.

All the students below the ring, regardless of gender, looked upon this renowned champion as if he were an idol.

Zheng Haokang stood tall, his gaze confident, calmly enjoying the intense, focused stares being cast upon him.

(End of Chapter)