Two men stopped in front of a door in a Chinatown alley. It was late at night, but a small crowd had gathered outside the building, with several cars parked along the narrow passage. Two guards in black suits stood by the entrance, holding the door open for arriving guests.
The newcomers were East Asian, like most of the crowd, yet they stood out enough to draw curious glances. They wore traditional Chinese robes of deep grey, featuring wide sleeves and a simple, flowing design. Both wore round black glasses and dark grey bamboo hats. A long bundle wrapped in aged white cloth, vaguely resembling a coffin, was strapped across their backs. The shared weight forced them to move in perfect step.
They ignored the line and went straight to a guard.
"Chan Mingfai expects us," one of the men said evenly.
The guard was about to berate the duo for cutting the line, but he froze when the man mentioned Chan Mingfai. He had been informed earlier that special guests would be arriving. Even so, he didn't let them enter immediately; he nodded to the other guard, who slipped inside to confirm.
The two men waited patiently in silence.
A minute later, two men emerged from the entrance. One was the guard; the other was a middle-aged man in a grey suit. He was Chan Mingfai, better known as Advisor Chan of the Axe Gang.
As soon as he confirmed their identities, Advisor Chan rounded on the guards.
"How dare you useless assholes make our esteemed guests wait outside?!"
The two guards hurriedly apologized.
"Please forgive our lapse in hospitality," Advisor Chan said with an oily smile.
The two men waved dismissively, seemingly unbothered.
"Please, come inside," Advisor Chan said, his smile never wavering.
Advisor Chan led the two men toward the VIP area. A man in a black three-piece suit and bow tie sat on a couch waiting for them, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. He was Sum Weilong, better known as Brother Sum, leader of the Axe Gang. Behind him stood Li Qiang and Jun Kai, two of his strongest enforcers.
"Please sit," Advisor Chan offered.
The two men sat on the couch opposite Sum Weilong, while Chan Mingfai sat beside his leader. A gang member approached and set two cups of tea before the guests.
"Please, have some tea," Advisor Chan said with the same oily smile.
One of the men, oval-faced and slightly bent forward, reached for the table. His nails were very long and looked unnaturally sharp. He felt around for the teacup but couldn't find it. The other man, with a square face, extended his hand toward the table. His nails were likewise long and sharp. He gently pushed the teacup toward his companion's hand. When the cup brushed the man's fingers, he felt it and picked it up.
"We're grateful for some professional help," Sum Weilong, who had remained silent until now, said in a low voice.
"We understand your problem," the square-faced man said. "Tantui Twelve Kicks of the Tam School, Hung Ga Iron Wire Fist, and the Eight Trigram Staff." He paused for a moment, then continued, "Those guys are good. All of them are first-rate warriors."
"Their days are long over," the oval-faced man chimed in, "but they remain formidable opponents."
"However," the square-faced man added matter-of-factly, "we brothers are invincible among first-rate warriors. Since we have taken the contract, their defeat is a foregone conclusion."
The square-faced man took a sip of tea, then said, "You mentioned a fourth person."
A vein twitched on Sum Weilong's forehead when he heard that. The first three had humiliated him once. The fourth had already done it twice. But he didn't lose his cool.
"He may be a bit tricky," Sum Weilong said grudgingly.
The brothers clearly interpreted that statement differently.
"Sum Weilong," the square-faced man said, his voice cuttingly sharp as he used the boss's full name. "Are you looking down on us brothers?"
"It's not that," Jun Kai said hurriedly. "Boss didn't mean to look down upon you."
"Then what, exactly, did he mean?" the oval-faced man demanded.
"That brat is tricky, not because he is strong," Jun Kai explained. "He is but a mere third-rate warrior. The only thing special about him is that he may have been born with minor divine strength, but that's it."
The two brothers didn't speak; instead, they looked at Jun Kai, waiting for him to finish his explanation. A bead of sweat slid down Jun Kai's forehead. As a second-rate warrior, he could clearly feel the pressure radiating from the two first-rate warriors before him—both famous killers.
"The tricky part is his teacher," Jun Kai said. "She is a master martial artist."
The pressure vanished the moment they heard the term "master martial artist".
"Will she be present in the Pigsty Alley when we attack?" the square-faced man asked, his tone suddenly serious. His brother also looked solemn. They might call themselves invincible among the first-rate warriors, but they weren't delusional enough to believe they could defeat a master martial artist.
"She normally stays at her dojo," Sum Weilong answered. "We will make sure she stays there until you are done with your job."
The brothers nodded.
"Speaking of troublesome opponents," the square-faced man said, "there is also one among the three who deserves special attention."
The Axe Gang members looked at him, confused and curious.
"The martial artist with the Eight Trigram Staff technique has some connection to the House of the Deadly Staff," the square-faced man explained. "That martial art is one of their signature styles."
It was the Axe Gang members' turn to be shocked.
"You mean," Li Qiang said hesitantly, "one of the Houses of the Five Weapons Society?"
The square-faced man nodded. "However, you don't need to worry."
The Axe Gang members were confused again.
"He was most likely a fringe member and definitely not a core member. Moreover, that was years ago. He no longer has any connection to the House. So you don't have to worry about retaliation," the square-faced man explained. "But because of his past affiliation, he can be considered the strongest of them all."
"This job is challenging for us," the oval-faced man said. "But as long as you keep the master away, we will complete the job and bring you the heads of those three martial artists."
"Now, that's professionalism," Sum Weilong said to Advisor Chan, looking impressed.
"Killers from the Continental," Advisor Chan said. "Expensive, yes. But worth every penny!"
He turned to the brothers and flashed his signature oily smile. "I am sure our esteemed guests must rank among the very best assassins in the organization."
"We are far from it," the square-faced man said, shaking his head. "We are only first-rate warriors. There are many above us."
"You mean there are master martial artists among the Continental's assassins?" Li Qiang asked, disbelieving.
"Yes, and not just a few," the square-faced man answered. "Among them, the strongest one is Beast, said to be invincible among master martial artists. However, he was too obsessed with kung fu and eventually went crazy and is now admitted to an asylum."
"Are there grandmasters, too?" Jun Kai asked, stammering.
"We haven't met one," the oval-faced man said. "But we have heard rumors."
"I heard that the Continental hotels are all owned by a single organization," Sum Weilong said with interest.
"Yes, they are governed by the High Table," the oval-faced man answered. There was a touch of reverence in his voice. "It has twelve seats, each representing one of the strongest crime lords and crime families of the world."
"Then," Sum Weilong said, greed gleaming in his eyes, "is it possible to acquire a seat at the High Table?"
"You want a seat at the High Table?" the square-faced man asked.
Sum Weilong nodded.
The oval-faced man shook his head. "Truly a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger."
Sum Weilong's jaw tightened.
"Not to mention you," the square-faced man said with disdain. "Even Wilson Fisk, the strongest local crime lord in New York City, is not worthy of a seat at the High Table."
"What?!" Advisor Chan exclaimed.
Sum Weilong's mouth opened, but no words came out. Disbelief was written across his face.
The brothers smirked, internally disdaining the Axe Gang members as frogs in a well.
"Who are the members of the High Table?" Sum Weilong asked, an unwilling expression on his face.
The oval-faced man took a sip of tea. "We don't know about all of them. But we can tell you about one."
Sum Weilong and Advisor Chan leaned closer. Their faces filled with curiosity.
The square-faced man smirked at their reaction. "You know about them. We just talked about them," he said mysteriously.
For a moment, the Axe Gang members looked blank, but then suddenly something clicked in Sum Weilong's head. His eyes widened. "You mean the Five Weapons Society?"
"Exactly." The square-faced man's smirk widened. "One of the seats belongs to the Five Weapons Society, with Lord Zheng Zu occupying it."
— Kevin —
Tuesday passed uneventfully as I made my way to the Chikara Dojo in the evening. As usual, our private training lasted an hour longer than the regular classes.
I sat cross-legged, regulating my breathing and replaying my last spar with Colleen. I opened my eyes once my breathing had steadied. Colleen was standing beside me.
"Here," Colleen said and handed me a towel.
I gave her a nod of thanks and took the towel as I got to my feet.
"Remember to replenish your electrolytes when you get home," Colleen said. "And stick to a proper diet."
"Why don't you come to my home and make sure I don't miss anything?" I teased with a smirk.
Colleen smiled. "Looks like you still have some energy left if you can still joke. Why don't we have another round of sparring then?"
"Yeah, no, not happening," I refused without hesitation.
Colleen chuckled softly.
A month ago, banter like this would have been a stretch, but now it had become normal between us. Saving the residents of Pigsty Alley had turned out to be surprisingly beneficial.
At that time, I didn't mention to Colleen what I did. It might seem counterproductive, but it wasn't. If I had told her that I had put my life on the line for her neighbors, I might've gotten a thanks, some lingering gratitude, and some brownie points. But it would've also made me look like I was showing off, that all of that was just a performance to get in her good books.
Instead, I let her find out for herself from the other residents. Hearing it directly from the residents about what I did had a much deeper impact. Now, I looked like someone who wasn't interested in fame and was content to do good deeds anonymously. That massively improved my reputation in her eyes. And that was why her attitude toward me had changed so much over the last month. Outside of training, we were already becoming close friends, even if she remained a strict instructor during lessons.
Just as I was about to leave, we heard a flurry of footsteps approaching from the entrance. We exchanged a look, then turned toward the entrance in unison.
More than twenty men entered the dojo. Each wore a black two-piece suit, black tie, and polished formal shoes. They were the Axe Gang members.
Leading them were two men. I knew one of them. He was Li Qiang, an elite enforcer of the Axe Gang, with whom I lost in the sparring match a month ago.
I wasn't familiar with the other one. But seeing him walking side by side with Li Qiang, he shouldn't be weaker.
Name: Jin San
Codename: Swift Saber Jin
Rank: E1
As expected, Jin San was an elite enforcer of the Axe Gang, just like Li Qiang.
"What are you doing here?" Colleen asked with a clipped voice. "How many times do I have to tell you that you people aren't welcome here?"
I stepped aside to pick up my bag. Colleen could handle them all by herself.
"Master Wing." Li Qiang and Jin San bowed slightly with respect. Li Qiang said with an apologetic smile that didn't reach his eyes, "We're just following Brother Sum's orders."
"What do you want?" Colleen snapped.
"Master Wing, the thing is," Li Qiang said with a slightly remorseful face that once again didn't reach his eyes, "Brother Sum was very angry with me for using my full power while sparring with junior Kevin. He berated me, saying that I shouldn't have bullied a weaker martial artist. Master Wing, I am here to apologize for my earlier conduct. I simply assumed that, as your student, he would be capable of competing against stronger martial artists. Clearly, I was mistaken." He shook his head in regret.
I was checking the notifications I'd received during training when I heard that. I looked up from my phone and met Li Qiang's gaze. He gave me an apologetic smile, but the disdain was clear in his eyes.
At the same time in Pigsty Alley—
A square-faced man in a dark Chinese robe entered Tailor's shop. He picked up a bolt of fabric from a table and ran his hand over it.
Cai Jin was packing up for the night when he heard the man enter. He turned around and, with a smile, said, "Sorry, we're closed."
"We heard you can make a suit in no time," the square-faced man said. He rubbed the fabric with his fingers. "This is good material."
Cai Jin smiled proudly and walked up to the man. "You know your stuff."
He took the bolt, unrolled a few layers, and looked at it. "This has high artistic value."
The partially unrolled bolt was raised in front of his face, blocking his view.
"How high?" the square-faced man asked.
"At least a few stories," Cai Jin replied with a smile.
For a moment, no one said anything. Then, suddenly, the square-faced man's hand tore through the fabric. His long nails flashed under the shop lights as they shot toward Cai Jin's head.
Cai Jin was startled and immediately tilted his head, barely avoiding the strike. He punched the man in the chest, but the man crossed his arms and blocked the blow. Cai Jin didn't let that stop him and pushed with even higher force. The man was forced to take two steps back.
Cai Jin slapped at the table on which two stacks of thick iron rings sat. The force made the iron rings jump in the air. Cai Jin thrust both arms beneath the falling rings. One after another, they slid perfectly into place. Both his arms, from the wrists to the elbows, were covered by the rings.
Despite the iron rings reinforcing Cai Jin's arms, the square-faced man matched him blow for blow. The square-faced man parried Cai Jin's next punches and then scratched his chest with his long nails. Four bloody claw marks appeared across Cai Jin's chest, as though a wild animal had mauled him.
The square-faced man didn't give Cai Jin a moment to rest and attacked again. Cai Jin hurriedly dodged a claw strike that hit the wall and left deep gashes on it.
Cai Jin dodged the next strike and hit the square-faced man in the chest with a palm strike. The man was pushed back but held Cai Jin's hand at the last moment. The force carried both men backward, and they crashed through the shop window together.
The two fighters ended up in the open area in Pigsty Alley.
Just as Cai Jin was about to attack the square-faced man again, he heard a sound as if someone were playing a stringed instrument.
He looked left and saw an oval-faced man wearing clothes similar to the square-faced man's. He was squatting in a chair position, as if he were sitting on a real chair. One leg was casually crossed over the other. A guzheng rested across his raised leg. He plucked its strings leisurely, as though he didn't have a care in the world.
The square-faced man stepped back and moved to his companion's side.
Outside the Pigsty Alley, a car stood overlooking the entrance. The fight inside was visible from there.
"Let's kill all the men and turn this place into a brothel," Advisor Chan, sitting in the backseat of the car on the side of the alley entrance, said indignantly. He leaned forward to get a better view through the window.
Sum Weilong, who sat beside him on the backseat, slapped his head. "Don't block my view!"
The oval-faced man played a small tune on the guzheng. When he plucked the final string, an invisible shockwave shot forward. Cai Jin jumped to the right and barely avoided it. The shockwave struck the wall behind him, leaving a deep cut. Even so, the edge of the attack sliced across his ear.
The oval-faced man wasn't discouraged that his attack failed. He continued plucking the strings in rapid succession. Cai Jin could only rely on his instincts and senses to estimate the shockwaves' trajectory. What he failed to realize was that those weren't shockwaves but swords. Each plucked string released a spectral sword that tore through the air toward Cai Jin.
One such sword reached too close to Cai Jin, and he had no time to dodge, so he could only cross his arms to block the attack. He flew back on impact, and the thick iron rings on his arms all broke apart.
The oval-faced man changed the tune, and this time, spectral fists came out of the guzheng.
The previous attack had already rattled Cai Jin. Before he could dodge or block, two invisible fists slammed into his chest and stomach. He vomited a mouthful of blood.
"Good!" Sum Weilong and Advisor Chan cheered from inside the car.
"Don't block my view!" Sum Weilong slapped Advisor Chan across the face again when the advisor leaned forward in excitement.
By now, all the residents had closed their doors and were hiding inside.
Suddenly, a window slammed open with a loud crash, and everyone looked towards it.
"What the hell is all this fighting?" the Landlady screamed from her window in a shrill voice. "Who will pay for the damages?"
"Sorry, sorry," the Landlord said hurriedly, putting a hand on the Landlady's mouth. "It's nothing." He closed the window.
Everyone turned their attention back to the fight.
This time, both brothers sat before the guzheng and played it together. One created spectral swords, and the other created spectral fists.
Cai Jin braced himself as he felt the invisible attacks closing in. But suddenly, two men jumped in front of him.
Liu Hongbin kicked the spectral fists away. He also couldn't see them, but could still feel them like Cai Jin. He grimaced as he shook his aching leg.
On the other hand, Zhou Lin parried each spectral sword with his spear. Unlike the others, he could partially see the spectral weapons.
Back at the Chikara Dojo—
I twisted to the left and easily dodged another of Li Qiang's palm strikes. Faint beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.
After the fake apology earlier, he had so "graciously" suggested that we spar again and that he would give me actual pointers this time.
Something about his offer felt strange, but I couldn't pinpoint what. Even so, I accepted. Fighting with him would show me how much I had improved since the last time we sparred.
The fight started with some simple probing strikes before gradually evolving into a proper spar. He actually gave some really good advice. We didn't use our full strength and were holding back.
A few minutes into the fight, I got serious and increased my strike frequency. He matched my intensity.
That was when I started incorporating both Danger Sense and Kami-e into the spar. The apprentice-level Danger Sense skill was more than enough against him. Once I started using that with Kami-e, Li Qiang couldn't land another hit on me.
I smirked at his frustrated expression as I bent backward to dodge another palm strike.
That's when my phone started ringing. It was the second time it had rung during that spar. I normally kept my phone on silent during training, but after checking my notifications earlier, I'd forgotten to silence it again before the spar.
I frowned. Did something happen?
I also noticed Li Qiang's expression. When my phone rang earlier, his face had shown a hint of panic, but then it returned to normal. However, the second time, the panic increased. It was as if he thought that the first time might be a coincidence, but the second time clearly wasn't.
The phone stopped ringing as the spar continued. But this time there was no delay. The phone started ringing again almost immediately after the previous call ended.
"Kevin," Colleen said. Even she realized something had happened. "Check it; it might be something important."
As I was about to leave, Li Qiang said in a forceful voice, trying hard to suppress the panic in his voice. "You can't leave our sparring match midway. It is disrespectful to a fellow martial artist."
If I had merely been suspicious before, I was now sure that something had happened and that the Axe Gang was involved.
"I don't give a fuck," I said and stepped away from the spar.
"Master Wing!" Li Qiang protested loudly. "Is this how you teach your students? This boy shows no respect for his seniors!"
Colleen's expression turned ice-cold. "What did you just say?"
Li Qiang's face drained of all color as he realized exactly who he had just insulted.
The irony was almost funny. He'd just accused me of disrespecting my seniors while doing exactly the same thing himself.
Li Qiang bowed his head low and stammered, "This junior has committed a grave offense. I spoke disrespectfully to Senior Wing and dishonored Senior's name. I have no excuse—only the deepest regret. This lowly one submits himself to whatever punishment Senior deems fit."
Jin San immediately stepped forward as well, trying to mediate. He cupped his fists before his chest and bowed.
"Senior Wing, please stay your anger. This unworthy brother of mine is hot-headed but means no true disrespect. He knew who you were—he simply lost himself in a moment of rashness. His words were disrespectful, and he deeply regrets them. This humble one dares to beg Senior's mercy on his behalf and asks that you generously forgive my foolish brother."
I ignored the wuxia drama and checked who was calling me. I looked at the number and immediately turned serious. I answered the call. No voice came from the other end. It was expected.
"I am coming as soon as possible," I said, then hung up.
I also checked my messages; there were several. They all basically said one thing. I put the phone into my pocket and turned to Colleen.
Colleen ignored their apologies. Her focus was entirely on me. She said, looking worried, "Is everything alright?"
"No, it isn't," I said, shaking my head. Before Colleen could say anything, I continued, "Something happened at the Pigsty Alley."
Colleen turned serious. I looked at the Axe Gang members, who seemed ready for war. "And I think the Axe Gang had something to do with it."
"Watch your tongue, junior," Jin San berated, "lest someone remove it for you."
I ignored him and looked back at Colleen. "Let's go."
She nodded, but the Axe Gang members blocked our path.
"Master Wing," Li Qiang said in a placating tone, forcing a smile, "why believe the ravings of this ignorant junior? He's just flinging mud, trying to tarnish our reputation."
I didn't have time to waste on them. Activating Brutal Strike, I lunged forward.
Li Qiang's eyes widened. He instinctively raised both arms to block, but the punch smashed through his guard and struck his face.
He crashed onto the wooden floor and didn't get back up.
Beside me, Jin San had barely taken a step before Colleen grabbed his arm and hurled him over her shoulder. He landed headfirst and stopped moving immediately.
The remaining gang members hesitated.
That hesitation was all we needed.
"Let me drive," I said as she was about to sit on her bike. She paused for a moment, then handed me the keys. I started the bike, and she climbed on behind me. We left, and within a few minutes, we reached the Pigsty Alley entrance.
As expected, several cars were parked outside the alley entrance. Brother Sum and Advisor Chan sat in the vehicle closest to the entrance.
I ignored his hateful gaze directed at me, and we entered the Pigsty Alley. He had probably already been informed by his minions what happened at the dojo, hence his reaction.
One look at the fight was enough for me to recognize which canon event it was. However, it wasn't unfolding exactly like canon. Because of Granny Mei's earlier interference, Liu Hongbin, Cai Jin, and Zhou Lin had never been driven out of the alley. Originally, Liu Hongbin should've died first, but an altered chain of events had changed his fate; he survived and was now fighting the assassins with the other two.
That also proved that I shouldn't fully trust that the canon events would unfold exactly as they did in the original.
Of course, despite a three-versus-two fight, the fight was skewed in the assassins' favor. They had barely a scratch on them, whereas the three martial artists of the Pigsty Alley looked battered and covered in blood from various wounds. It looked like if no one helped, they would all die.
I looked at the assassins' status. Both were First-Rate Warriors, ranked E2, just like the three they were fighting. They weren't much better than the three, but even then, they rubbed the three's faces on the ground without giving them any chance to retaliate.
All five fighters were using qi. Liu Hongbin coated his legs with qi. Cai Jin and the two assassins coated their arms. Finally, Zhou Lin coated both his arms and his torso. He should have the highest mastery in internal cultivation among them all. Because of their use of qi, their ranks were temporarily pushed to E3.
In terms of internal cultivation alone, Zhou Lin appeared to be the most accomplished among them. Yet even he was losing badly.
The reason was the instrument the assassins were playing.
Phantom Melody Guzheng
Rank: D1
Just that single artifact was enough to turn the tide.
As I assessed the chaotic scene, Colleen calmly stepped between the combatants. She stood with quiet confidence, bokken held steadily before her, shielding her three neighbors.
The fight stopped dead.
Her neighbors' faces drained of color. Cai Jin's eyes widened in horror.
"Miss Colleen!" he cried weakly, voice trembling. "Please hide! Don't come any closer—they're vicious killers!"
Judging by their panic, they had no idea how strong she truly was.
The square-faced assassin let out a mocking laugh. "This isn't a fight for a little doll like you."
Colleen glanced back with a small smile. "Don't worry. You three rest. Leave this to me."
Is she the protagonist? I wondered. That was definitely the kind of line the main character would say.
Before anyone could react, their eyes widened at the sight unfolding before them.
Colleen's entire body was covered with pale yellow qi. I didn't know much about qi, but since none of their qi covered their entire bodies, covering the entire body with qi must be a big deal for them.
I checked her status, and like the others, when she actively used her qi, her rank jumped from E3 to D2.
The assassins became serious. They plucked the guzheng's strings harshly. I couldn't see them properly, but from the faint outlines, they looked like translucent swords originating from the instrument.
Colleen coated her bokken with the yellow qi and effortlessly parried each sword with grace and elegance. Not a single sword passed by her and reached the three martial artists behind her.
The assassins became angry. The oval-faced assassin changed the tune and then plucked the strings.
This time, it wasn't swords that emerged from the instrument. Multiple skeletons surged forth instead. Like the swords before them, the skeletons weren't truly visible. I could only make out faint silhouettes. They resembled ancient soldiers, covered in tattered armor, with swords in hand. They flew toward Colleen, letting out a loud wail.
Colleen remained utterly calm. She planted her feet, drew her bokken back, and slashed once through the empty air. A crescent-shaped shockwave of qi erupted forward with a sharp crack.
The skeletons were the first to disappear. The qi shockwave tore through them as though they had never existed. It continued onward without losing momentum. The guzheng exploded into splinters. Only then did it strike the assassins, who flew back and hit the alley wall. She had held back enough to spare their lives, but both were left covered in cuts and wounds.
"Y-you… are that master…" the square-faced assassin rasped weakly before his eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness.
The oval-faced assassin glared with pure venom. "Damn that Sum Weilong," he spat. "He promised to keep the master away." A moment later, he too slumped unconscious.
"Senior!" Colleen's three neighbors said in unison and bowed at a perfect ninety degrees despite their injuries. "We have eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai!"
"No, please, you don't need to bow," Colleen said hurriedly, looking flustered. "We are neighbors. You don't need to act like this."
Their reaction proved that, although everyone in the alley knew Colleen owned a dojo and was a martial artist, they had always assumed she was just another martial arts instructor in the city.
I ignored their exchange. Residents had started to come out. They could settle the remaining issues on their own. Instead, I made my way to Granny Mei's medicine shop.
"Hey, Granny Mei," I called.
"Hello, Kevin, dear," Granny said with a smile as she walked out of the inner room.
Behind her, a small figure came running over and hugged my right leg. It was SCP-2295, also temporarily called Teddy.
"Looks like he missed you," Granny Mei said with a fond smile.
"Thanks, buddy, for calling me," I said with a smile and rubbed its head.
It nuzzled against my hand.
I had given it a keypad phone for calling me in emergencies. It kept the phone and its surgical instruments together, wherever it stored them.
Granny Mei had offered to teach me medicine, but I already had too much on my plate, so I had no choice but to refuse. But I had an alternative. I thought that if the teddy bear could perform surgery with its teddy bear paws, then performing acupuncture shouldn't be that challenging.
It normally stayed dormant, only becoming sentient when near an injured person or me. But later, I realized that I could also order it to remain sentient even if it wasn't with me. That's how it stayed sentient while studying under Granny Mei.
Soon, I heard some commotion from outside. It looked like the residents were bringing the three injured martial artists here for treatment.
I said goodbye to Granny Mei and Teddy before leaving the shop.
*********************
Kevin's Latest Status:
Name: Kevin Kolt
Rank: E2
Titles:
Third-rate Warrior
Novice Mage
Novice Order Mage
Novice Eromancy Mage
Attributes:
Strength: E1
Agility: E1
Constitution: F3
Endurance: E1
Vitality: E1
Intelligence: E1
Wisdom: E1
Perception: E1
Willpower: E2
Charisma: E3
Passive Skills:
Gamer's Mind
Gamer's Body
Observe
Second Wind
Driving (Expert)
Martial Arts (Apprentice)
First Aid (Adept)
Stealth (Expert)
Acting (Adept)
Silver Tongue (Adept)
Firearms (Expert)
Programming (Adept)
Throwing (Apprentice)
Parkour (Apprentice)
Danger Sense (Apprentice)
Dagger Mastery (Novice)
Sword Mastery (Apprentice)
Active Skills:
Brutal Strike (Apprentice)
Mark of the Hunter (Novice)
Curved Bullet (Novice)
Bullet Time (Novice)
Rapid Casting (Novice)
Mana Manipulation (Novice)
Magic:
Order Magic (Novice)
Eromancy Magic (Novice)
Martial Arts:
Rankyaku (Novice)
Tekkei (Novice)
Soru (Novice)
Kami-e (Novice)
Azure Dragon Sundering Cloud Sword Art (Novice)
Gunkata (Novice)
Main Missions:
Trial by Blood (Not Yet Started)
Side Missions:
Taxi Driver (100/100) (Complete)
Vigilante (100/100) (Complete)
Paramedic (100/100) (Complete)
Delivery (100/100) (Complete)
Burglar (100/100) (Complete)
Art of Persuasion (100/100) (Complete)
Sharpshooter (100/100) (Complete)
Assassin (25/25) (Complete)
Mage (3/3) (Complete)
Relationship Missions:
The Purple Tyrant Must Fall (Not Yet Started)
Party Members (2/7):
Frances Barrison
Felicia Hardy