Chapter 1

**Pound, pound, pound...**

Wang Lei's fists continuously struck the punching bag in front of him, each blow landing heavily and causing the 150-pound bag to tremble, emitting a sound that made one shudder.

"Four hundred ninety-one, four hundred ninety-two, four hundred ninety-three... five hundred!"

After striking the bag five hundred times, Wang Lei finally stopped, panting heavily and sweating profusely.

"Kid, you're not hitting the bag correctly!" Saddler, the owner of the boxing gym, walked over with a smile and pointed out Wang Lei's mistakes: "Your body is too stiff, especially your shoulders. You need to relax before you hit. Your stance and footwork are also wrong; your center of gravity is too far forward. You need to bend your knees and slightly lift your heels... Also, your breathing rhythm is off. If you keep boxing like this, you won't last a single round before you're exhausted!"

Wang Lei took the towel hanging next to the punching bag, wiped the sweat from his face, and replied, "Saddler, I'm just exercising, not really training in boxing."

Saddler said, "Is that so? Your physical condition is excellent, and your explosive power is strong. Very few people of your ethnicity have such a physique and explosive power. If you seriously practice boxing, you might have a chance to become a professional boxer and even a champion. Of course, you need a good coach to guide you. If you're willing, I can be your coach, teach you boxing, and lead you into the world of professional boxing. Wang, are you willing?"

"Professional boxing?"

Wang Lei stared at Saddler for a while, then shook his head and said, "Sorry, Saddler, I appreciate your kindness, but I don't want to box. My dream is to enter Hollywood and become an actor or director!"

"Oh, you want to be like Bruce Lee?" Saddler shook his head and said, "Wang, I'm not belittling you, but your dream is unrealistic. There is only one Bruce Lee, and there won't be a second. Although the United States talks about racial equality and freedom, discrimination is everywhere. Especially in Hollywood, one of the most racially discriminatory places. Even Bruce Lee couldn't survive in Hollywood back then; he only achieved great success after going to Hong Kong and then connected with Hollywood. But that wasn't because of his acting or connections; it was because of his martial arts. Wang, do you know martial arts?"

"I do know martial arts, but I haven't seriously practiced," Wang Lei replied.

Indeed, he had learned martial arts, including Xingyi Quan, Bagua Zhang, and Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do. Unfortunately, he hadn't practiced them seriously, so he was not proficient and couldn't fight.

Saddler was taken aback for a moment before asking, "Do you practice martial arts now?"

Wang Lei said, "I only practice in the morning after running and before going to bed at night. I know I can't achieve what Bruce Lee did, but I'm only sixteen, and I'm still young. I can take it slowly. If I persist for three to five years, I will eventually be accepted by Hollywood."

Wang Lei thought to himself: As a reborn person, he had seen so many movies and American TV shows in his previous life. He was confident that he could conquer Hollywood by learning scriptwriting and acting in three to five years!

Saddler was speechless for a moment, then said, "Why don't you start with boxing? With your talent and my guidance, you can become a professional boxer in less than three years and a world champion in five. Then, with the status of a world champion, you can enter Hollywood, and they will definitely see you as the next Bruce Lee, eagerly welcoming you!"

Wang Lei was stunned for a moment and said, "That sounds reasonable, but Saddler, can you really make me a professional boxer in three years and a world champion in five?"

Saddler said solemnly, "I once trained a world heavyweight champion. Why would I lie to you?"

"You trained a world champion?" Wang Lei looked at the old, dilapidated boxing gym, which was almost like a junkyard, and doubted Saddler.

Saddler's face turned red, and he argued, "I'm not lying. George Foreman was trained by me. Don't believe me? Go ask around!"

George Foreman?

Wang Lei was shocked.

This was a famous figure, perhaps second only to Muhammad Ali in the boxing world, and at one point even more famous than Ali.

More importantly, Muhammad Ali had already retired. Although George Foreman had also retired, he would return a few years later and win the world championship again at the age of forty-five, becoming a legend. For a time, he even overshadowed Mike Tyson.

If this old man named Saddler was really George Foreman's coach and helped him become a world champion, he must have been a renowned coach. How could he be so down and out, running a dilapidated boxing gym in San Francisco with few students?

Seeing the doubt in Wang Lei's eyes, Saddler sighed and explained, "I was indeed George Foreman's coach, his first coach. I brought Foreman into the boxing world and helped him defeat Joe Frazier to become the world champion. But we had a falling out and went our separate ways... If I had been with him, he might not have been defeated by Ali in the 'Rumble in the Jungle' in eight rounds! Losing to Ali wasn't the end; with his outstanding boxing talent and physique, he could have bounced back and reclaimed the world championship. Unfortunately, his fighting spirit was broken, and after unexpectedly losing to a minor player named Jimmy Young, he never recovered and chose to retire..."

Seeing Saddler's disappointed expression and pained look, Wang Lei believed him.

This old man was indeed George Foreman's coach.

A world champion's coach being so down and out was truly lamentable.

Although Wang Lei believed that Saddler was George Foreman's coach, he was still hesitant about Saddler's proposal.

He had never thought about becoming a professional boxer.

Moreover, he knew that the professional boxing world in the coming years would be dominated by Mike Tyson. From the time Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history next year until his imprisonment in 1991, all the news in professional boxing revolved around Tyson. Other boxers, no matter how successful, were mere supporting characters, overshadowed by Tyson, even James Douglas, who upset Tyson in 1990.

During this period, even if he could successfully become a world champion as an Asian, Wang Lei wasn't sure if his popularity and fame could surpass Mike Tyson's.

He didn't want to be a supporting character or a perpetual second place!

If he was going to do something, he wanted to be the best!

This was Wang Lei's belief since his rebirth!

Yes, Wang Lei was a reborn person.

In his previous life, he lived under the red flag in the 21st century, a rather unsuccessful otaku who spent his days chatting online, playing games, watching videos, and reading novels on起点 (Qidian). For the last ten years of his life, he rarely left his house.

After ten years of a sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise, his health deteriorated. Combined with frequent all-nighters, his body couldn't take it and he died suddenly.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself reborn.

In a parallel world that was 99.999% identical to his previous one.

Wang Lei thought this because, although the geographical location had changed from under the red flag to San Francisco, USA, and his birth time was eleven years earlier, his parents were still the same as in his previous life.

Wang Lei had investigated and found that the historical background of this world was the same as his previous one, with the only difference being his great-grandfather.

In his previous life, his great-grandfather had planned to go to San Francisco during the Gold Rush but didn't make it due to an accident. In this life, the accident didn't happen, and his great-grandfather successfully reached San Francisco and survived. His grandfather, father, and Wang Lei himself were born in San Francisco, becoming Chinese Americans.

The only difference was that in his previous life, Wang Lei was born when his father was nearly forty, but in this life, he was born ten years earlier.

As for how his mother came to San Francisco and met his father, Wang Lei was unclear.

He could only say that fate had brought them together in both worlds.

The current date was July 10, 1985, and Wang Lei had just turned sixteen two months ago.

After discovering he was reborn in 1980s America, Wang Lei, who had read many entertainment and sports novels on Qidian, was initially very excited.

After all, he was a movie and American TV show enthusiast. In his previous life, he had watched so many Hollywood movies and American TV shows that he couldn't even count them. He had even rewatched some classics multiple times, memorizing their content and even some famous lines.

This was a significant achievement for someone whose English was terrible in his previous life.

Wang Lei's first thought after being reborn was to write scripts for Hollywood studios. If his first script became a hit, or even won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, he could establish himself in Hollywood, and wealth would follow. In five to six years, he could live the good life like the protagonists in the American entertainment novels on Qidian.

However, he soon realized he was overthinking it.

He didn't know how to write a script.

Although he had inherited the memories of his previous life and spoke English as fluently as his native language, he had never seen a script before and didn't know how to start writing one.

He didn't understand the format or how to break down scenes.

In the 1980s, without computers or the internet, Wang Lei couldn't find a script to reference.

There were none in school or in the Chinatown bookstore.

If he wrote a script like a novel or directly copied the content of a movie, he was worried that Hollywood studios would throw it in the trash without even reading it.

Writing a script was out of the question, and acting was even more impossible.

Not only was he only sixteen and not yet an adult, but his Chinese American identity made it nearly impossible to enter the predominantly white Hollywood.

Even Bruce Lee couldn't make it in Hollywood and had to go to Hong Kong. Wang Lei was far from being as talented as Bruce Lee.

After considering these factors, Wang Lei decided to take it slow and not rush.

The best plan was to focus on his studies and aim to get into a prestigious film school like USC after high school.

If he could get into USC's film school and study seriously for two years, it would be much easier to break into Hollywood.

Wang Lei didn't doubt his ability to get into USC. With the life experience and memories of his previous thirty years, he was confident he could get in.

USC wasn't like Harvard or MIT, and the American college entrance exam was different from China's.

Wang Lei felt he should at least get a full scholarship to USC to live up to his rebirth.

His parents in this life ran a restaurant in Chinatown, and their life was comfortable, so he didn't need to rush to make money. Building a solid foundation was the most important thing.

With this decision, Wang Lei made a plan for himself.

Studying hard was essential, but physical exercise was also important.

Learning from his previous life's sudden death, Wang Lei paid great attention to his health. He ran at least five kilometers every morning, stretched his legs and back, and practiced flexibility. In the evening, he did push-ups and leg exercises to build strength.

When he discovered that his body in this life was in good shape and that he had learned Xingyi Quan, he decided to focus on practicing Xingyi Quan in the evenings.

From his memories, he knew that his grandfather had taught him Xingyi Quan when he was ten.

In this world, his grandfather, though the same person as in his previous life, had a different fate. Born in Chinatown, he had apprenticed to a martial arts master and not only learned Xingyi Quan but also became proficient in traditional Chinese medicine. He opened a clinic in Chinatown and took on a few disciples.

Concerned that his grandson might be bullied by classmates, his grandfather insisted that Wang Lei learn martial arts when he was ten. Wang Lei learned the San Ti Shi and the Five Element Fists, but he didn't practice them seriously and didn't develop the necessary power. However, he had enough self-defense skills to hold his own against peers, and his grandfather was satisfied.

Unfortunately, Wang Lei was naturally lazy and, without his grandfather's supervision, gave up practicing Xingyi Quan. Over four years, his skills had deteriorated.

Fortunately, the memories of practicing remained, and with the knowledge he had gained from watching Xingyi Quan videos and reading materials online in his previous life, he could resume his practice.

Wang Lei didn't aim to become as skilled as Bruce Lee but wanted to develop enough martial arts skills to become a stunt actor in Hollywood and perform in action movies.

Every morning, Wang Lei passed by Saddler's boxing gym. One day, he couldn't resist going in. Although the gym was old and dilapidated, it was well-equipped with a boxing ring, weightlifting equipment, and several punching bags and speed bags.

After learning that he could use the equipment for just ten dollars a month, Wang Lei was intrigued.

He thought running every morning was boring and decided that hitting the punching bag at the gym would be more enjoyable.

After paying the ten dollars, Wang Lei became a regular at the gym, usually visiting every morning and focusing on hitting the punching bag or speed bag.

Over time, he became familiar with Saddler, the gym owner, leading to their earlier conversation.

Saddler's proposal was tempting.

If he could become a professional boxer and a world champion, it would be much easier to break into Hollywood.

More importantly, as a Chinese American, becoming a world champion would bring honor to the Chinese people. The news would spread back to China, and he would gain at least a billion fans, just like Yao Ming in the NBA.

Thinking of Yao Ming's popularity, Wang Lei was tempted.

He didn't know how to play basketball and wasn't interested, but boxing was a better option.

What did he have to fear from Tyson? At his current weight, he was in the lightweight category. By the time he gained enough weight to compete in the heavyweight category, Tyson would likely be in prison.

In that case, the future of professional boxing would be his!

After a night of consideration, Wang Lei made his decision.

The next day, he went to Saddler's gym and approached Saddler, saying seriously, "Saddler, I've made my decision. I will learn boxing from you. I want to become a professional boxer and a world champion. Please guide me!"

"Good!" Saddler nodded with satisfaction. "Kid, trust me, I won't let you down!"