Chapter 5

The commission is complete!

Wu Xiaode felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders as he let out a long breath.

At that moment, the boy opposite him spoke up.

"What do you really want? What does it mean to offer these flowers to me?" he said coldly.

Wu Xiaode glanced at him and saw that the boy had already clenched his fists, as if ready to strike at any moment.

The boy was over 1.9 meters tall, and not only that, his waist, neck, and legs were all thick.

Wu Xiaode couldn't help but become wary.

Generally speaking, those who truly know how to fight aren't intimidated by muscle-bound guys.

First of all,

Weight itself is a significant advantage; fat brings strength and endurance, while a muscular body often means low body fat, which is less advantageous. At least fat can provide some cushioning.

Moreover, this is a fight.

Real fights have no rules. If there must be one, it's only one—

Do whatever it takes to kill your opponent.

In this most primitive and brutal struggle, anything goes.

Of course, when the opponent is too strong, the rule becomes "do whatever it takes to escape."

Wu Xiaode had once seen an old thug, when surrounded by a group, gouge out and eat an opponent's eyeball.

Using the shock to his advantage, the old thug cut down a few people and, relying on his tough skin, successfully escaped the encirclement.

This is what a fight is.

The boy in front of him exuded a killing aura, and his broad-shouldered and muscular appearance made it hard to predict the outcome of a real fight.

However, at this moment, Wu Xiaode suddenly felt a warm sensation throughout his body.

This warmth came from the depths of his soul, like a never-before-felt power growing stronger.

Warm currents surged through his limbs and bones.

A line of icy small text appeared on the Book of the Dead:

"You are now a professional with 3 points of soul power."

"Your personal strength will continuously increase over the next minute, reaching three times the level of an ordinary person, and your soul strength will also be enhanced accordingly."

"Please continue to wait. When your soul strength stabilizes, the ancestral spirit will complete his gift."

Three times...

What great news.

However, Wu Xiaode still didn't plan to act immediately.

After all, it's best to avoid a fight if possible.

Whenever things escalate to the point of a fight, it's never a good thing.

The best strategy now is to wait for the ancestral spirit's gift to see if it can provide a way to handle the current situation.

Wu Xiaode cleared his throat and said with a sincere expression:

"Classmate, the moment to test you has arrived."

Everyone fell silent, waiting for him to continue.

The tall boy's face grew even colder, and a hint of killing intent appeared.

Wu Xiaode sensed it.

Perhaps it was because he had become a professional, or perhaps because he had once felt the overwhelming aura of a giant.

At this moment, he could sense the killing intent from the other side.

He continued:

"Classmate, we are now going to throw these flowers into the trash can. Please answer the question—"

"In waste classification, what type of waste are fresh flowers?"

The tall boy was taken aback.

The onlookers were also stunned.

"Is that all you want to say to him?" Sun Mingyue couldn't help but ask.

"Classmates, it's like this—today we are conducting a campus civility knowledge promotion, specifically about waste classification—these flowers are props," Wu Xiaode said with a serious expression.

Sun Mingyue was speechless.

A confession?

It was clearly a confession, and his reputation would have been enhanced.

But how did it turn into waste classification?

The tall boy was also speechless, unsure of how to react.

The onlookers burst into disappointed murmurs.

After all this, it turned out to be just a public service announcement and knowledge promotion. They had thought they would get some drama.

Many people lost interest and started to disperse, heading towards the cafeteria.

A line of icy small text appeared:

"Combat Tip: You have killed the entire confession ceremony."

Wu Xiaode shook his head slightly.

What's the point of this reminder? Instead of reminding me of this, it would be better to let me quickly receive the ancestral spirit's gift.

However, there was no new prompt in the air.

The boy spoke up: "I am Li Zheng, the president of the Free Fighting Club. What's your name, and which department are you from?"

"Zhao Ziyang, a freshman in the Chinese Department," Wu Xiaode said seriously, "Li Zheng, I've seen you speak at the conference—wow, that was really impressive."

As he spoke, he gave the other a thumbs up.

The president must speak often.

I'll praise you now.

—Since I've praised you, do you still want to fight me?

That wouldn't be right.

After all, I wasn't your original target.

"Zhao Ziyang, is it? Is it fun to play with me in public? Come, let's have a go."

Li Zheng laughed and started walking towards Wu Xiaode, his bones cracking.

Wu Xiaode suddenly had a clear understanding—

The other was serious.

Was it because I ruined their plan? Or something else?

There's not enough information.

I have no idea what his intentions are.

It seems I have indeed taken Zhao Junyu's place and am now in this dangerous situation.

In a flash, a line of icy small text appeared:

"Your soul has stabilized, and its strength has reached three times that of an ordinary person."

"The gift is about to arrive."

As the small text appeared, a low, aged voice echoed in Wu Xiaode's mind:

"Kid, I'll give you something."

As the voice faded,

Wu Xiaode suddenly lost control of his body.

—It was as if something had possessed him. He could only watch helplessly as his body made various movements.

He stood alone in the center of the playground, his hands behind his back, exuding a completely different aura.

"I haven't personally fought for many years. To face me is a great fortune, and you should kneel and thank me."

His voice was different from usual, carrying a sense of沧桑 (cang桑) and arrogance.

Li Zheng was taken aback, then burst into laughter: "Good! Good! Good! Arrogant kid, what do you think you are? Watch me beat you into the ground!"

With that, he darted forward, his entire body accelerating towards Wu Xiaode.

With his body mass, he could probably knock Wu Xiaode flying!

Wu Xiaode's eyes suddenly became as sharp as a blade, and he said softly, "Too slow."

He shifted his body slightly and threw a punch like lightning.

Thud!

A dull sound.

Li Zheng was hit in the waist and flew out, rolling dozens of meters on the grass.

The entire scene fell silent.

Wu Xiaode maintained his punching stance, a look of regret on his face: "You are the worst generation I've ever fought."

Li Zheng gritted his teeth, got up from the grass, and shouted, "Again!"

He pushed off the ground and charged at Wu Xiaode, his body flashing.

Wu Xiaode took a horse stance, his hands forming fists.

"Ha!"

Wu Xiaode spun his body, avoiding Li Zheng's charge, and slapped him hard on the back.

Li Zheng was thrown out, crashing to the ground and rolling dozens of meters again.

"Too weak, I could kill you when I was five," Wu Xiaode sighed.

Li Zheng, lying on the ground, was stunned by this. He then let out a roar, his face contorted: "I'll kill you! Zhao Ziyang, I'll shoot you!"

He reached into his jacket.

A strange atmosphere quietly enveloped the scene.

He had just said—

Gun?

Some quick-witted students shouted, "Run!"

More people reacted, bursting into screams and fleeing in all directions.

Time slowly passed.

Li Zheng found nothing.

"What are you looking for?" Wu Xiaode asked calmly.

Li Zheng's face turned from rage to pallor, his lips trembling, and he was drenched in cold sweat.

"It's you, it must be you, give it back!" he said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Wu Xiaode said coolly.

Li Zheng suddenly whistled and shouted, "Brothers, help me take him down!"

From the back of the crowd, twenty or so tall boys responded.

They laughed and charged towards Wu Xiaode.

"So many people, are you going to show yourself? You're so arrogant, now you'll die!" Li Zheng shouted, his face bloody.

Wu Xiaode narrowed his eyes at the group of boys, a look of disdain on his face.

At the same time, the aged voice echoed in his mind again:

"Kid, the gun is in your hand. Do you want to use the gun or your fists? Choose one."

Wu Xiaode said without hesitation, "Senior, we'll use our fists."

"Why?" the aged voice asked.

"These people have no grudge against me. The purpose of fighting is not to kill but to uphold justice and resolve conflicts," Wu Xiaode said.

—Fighting to resolve conflicts? I've never heard of that before.

The aged voice paused, then asked with a smile:

"But what if the other side is too aggressive?"

"Call the police," Wu Xiaode said.

"What if the other side wants to kill your whole family and you can't call the police in time?" the aged voice insisted.

"Use a gun if I have one, a knife if I don't, and my fists if I have neither. Keep fighting until they're dead," Wu Xiaode said.

"Tsk, with a steady mind, knowing the limits, and full of martial virtue, kid, if you were given a clear path, wouldn't you soar to the sky?" the aged voice praised sincerely.

As they spoke, the twenty or so boys had already covered most of the distance and were about to surround Wu Xiaode in less than ten seconds.

"Watch carefully," the aged voice said.

As the voice faded, Wu Xiaode felt his knees bend slightly, and he took a stance.

Countless images flashed through Wu Xiaode's mind.

These images were all scenes of martial professionals fighting enemies, deeply imprinted in his memory, never to be forgotten.

As the twenty or so tall boys charged at him—

Wu Xiaode saw himself raise his hands, his eyes slightly lowered, and his breath held.

The first boy approached, kicking with his foot.

Wu Xiaode's hands moved like a blur, stacked in front of his chest, and slammed forward like a cannon—

An incredible scene unfolded on the playground.

The air distorted for a moment, like a turbulent stream, blasting out from his hands.

It was like an illusion—

Two golden lines flashed on his arms, and a faint sound of piercing metal and breaking stone echoed in the air.

The boy was thrown back, colliding with three or four others, and they all fell to the ground, screaming like pigs.

Wu Xiaode walked forward step by step, and every attacker he passed was slapped away.

When he broke through the charge of over twenty people, he reformed his hands into a fist, stacked them in front of his chest, and stood still.

Behind him, over twenty boys lay on the ground, without exception.

The aged voice spoke again: "Kid, this move, Iron Hand Blocking the River, is the essence of the Iron Wire Fist. I used less than half my strength and directed all the force into the air, not injuring anyone—do you want to learn this?"

"Learn! Learn! Learn! Senior, please teach me, I will be forever grateful," Wu Xiaode said repeatedly.

"Good, I'll teach you today. I hope you will take care of my descendants in the future."

The aged voice slowly faded away.

In the air, the black-covered Book of the Dead opened automatically, and lines of icy small text quickly refreshed:

"Your body has completed the final synchronization."

"The ancestral spirit has left your body and returned to the spirit world."

"You have received the final teaching from the ancient ancestral spirit."

"You have begun to master the ancient martial arts, the essence of the Iron Wire Fist—"

"Iron Hand Blocking the River."

All the small text disappeared in a flash.

In the next instant,

Wu Xiaode felt himself regain control of his body.

He looked back.

He saw Li Zheng's face completely stunned, mumbling in a daze:

"That's twenty-five people... How is that possible... Who can stop him..."

His eyes met Wu Xiaode's, and he shuddered, let out a shout, and ran out of the playground.