For the entire month of July, Chen Chuan trained methodically. As his mastery of the Great Scattering Hand deepened, his use of its various techniques became increasingly deft.
Now, even without using his "Second Self" or wearing any protective gear, he could dominate Lu Ke in a fight.
This was also because the advantage of the Breathing Technique was truly immense, offering a comprehensive improvement to his physical condition. Otherwise, Yu Gang wouldn't have called it a shortcut.
Even students who had been training since childhood would be no match for him. This was understandable; without his "Second Self," this power came at the cost of his own life force and overdrafting his future potential.
Under normal circumstances, however, this trade-off wasn't equal. Once those other students also mastered a Breathing Technique, his advantage would vanish, and the gap between them would widen once more.
In late July, Chen Chuan received a notice from Wuyi University Hall and made another trip there.
This time, he didn't enter the School Office. He just picked up a small booklet at the entrance, which detailed specific matters for incoming students and the registration process for the final examination.
Afterward, in addition to his training, he also began preparing for university, heading home a little earlier each day.
This day, as he was jogging home from Quan's House, he passed by a shack. On the third floor of a small building by the road, several men stood behind an open window, smoking and watching his receding figure with malicious eyes.
One of them, a short man wearing an open-chested, patterned shirt and a gold watch, pointed and said, "Brother Qi, that's the kid."
"Brother Qi" was a man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight with a buzz cut. He had a thick chain on his brawny arm. He looked down and said, "Are you sure? It's him?"
"No doubt, Brother Qi. He went to Wuda a few days ago. We identified him then. He's the one who made Brother Shan lose face!"
Brother Qi said, "Have you found a spot?"
The man in the flowery shirt leaned out and pointed to an intersection ahead. "That alley up front. We'll block both ends. I guarantee he won't be able to escape."
"He'll definitely go that way? Don't screw this up."
"Don't worry, boss. We've been watching him for five or six days. The kid passes by here every morning and evening, regular as clockwork. So, boss, do we make our move tomorrow? How should we teach him a lesson?"
Brother Qi sneered. "Tomorrow? Wouldn't that be letting him off easy? Isn't he going to Wuda in early August? We'll make our move on the last day of the month. Since he kicked Old Third in the face, it's only fair we break both of his legs, right?"
The man in the flowery shirt hurriedly said, "Not at all! Not at all!"
Brother Qi said, "Then I'll leave it to you."
"Don't worry, boss. I'll handle it perfectly."
Time flew by, and soon it was the last day of July. Yu Gang seemed to have some business to attend to and left after lunch. Because of his plans for the next day, Chen Chuan didn't continue training in the afternoon. Instead, he helped Lu Ke organize and pack some things.
After they finished, Lu Ke led Chen Chuan up to the rooftop. There was a table, a lounge chair, and a sunshade set up. In a nearby beverage crate were several bottles of Shazhen soda.
Lu Ke walked over, grabbed two bottles of soda, and opened them with a bottle opener. He handed one to Chen Chuan and said, "We fighters should drink less alcohol, so I'll make do with soda. You're heading off to Wuda tomorrow. I'd like to propose a toast to you."
Chen Chuan clinked his soda bottle against Lu Ke's and took a sip. Only then did the two of them sit down. Lu Ke let out a breath and gazed at the white clouds drifting across the sky. "Brother Chen, I was always targeting you when you first came. You must really dislike me, huh?"
Chen Chuan said, "Not really. Everyone has their reasons for what they do. But I will say this: as long as you don't have any regrets, what other people think isn't that important."
Lu Ke's hand paused for a moment. He then brought the soda bottle to his lips and took a few gulps. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, set the bottle down on the table, and pointed to the northeast. "See that over there? Jiaoshan."
Chen Chuan looked over. In the distance was a massive, ring-shaped gray shadow. That was Jiaoshan. It was said to be a ruin from a previous era, but now it had become a boundless garbage dump.
Lu Ke gazed at it, lost in thought. "I was born in the Jiaoshan mountain area. We can't compare to you city people. We don't have the qualifications to attend school in the city. The people where I'm from can only survive by scavenging trash in the mountains."
Chen Chuan glanced at him and said, "I've heard that most people who live in Jiaoshan contract an incurable lung disease?"
Lu Ke said in a low voice, "You're right. I have it. Most of the people around me, my family, they almost all have this illness. My father disappeared when I was very young, and my mother has been paralyzed and bedridden for years. I started coughing frequently when I was only three or four. My older sister was the only one lucky enough to avoid it. She's about ten years older than me. For as long as I can remember, she's been the one taking care of the family.
"But six years ago, someone in the village supposedly found something very important to a powerful figure. They wanted to hold onto it and sell it for a high price... I mean, the village was just so poor. But how could those gangs ever negotiate with us? That night, they stormed the village to search and plunder, and a conflict broke out with the villagers. My sister was just coming back from scavenging trash and got caught up in it. She was innocent, but they crippled her."
As he spoke, he wiped his eyes with his forearm. "Later, I started following my master, training in martial arts with him. I just wanted to earn enough money someday to get them all out of there, to let them live a good life."
He chugged another mouthful of soda and said, "The day I couldn't beat Ding Shuo... it wasn't just because I hadn't taken my medicine. It was because I was scared. I was scared of getting hurt. My sister and my mom are both counting on me now, so I can't let anything happen to me! The day Master told me to try the Breathing Technique, I stopped halfway through... because I was afraid..."