Exotic Battlefield: I Can Activate Dual Talents
Chapter 82 - 80, challenge others on their own turf, old ginger is spicier (seeking first subscription)

Chapter 82: 80, challenge others on their own turf, old ginger is spicier (seeking first subscription)

Guan Pingchao cried out in pain, retreating several steps. His left hand, protected by a fist wrap, clutched the spot where Lu Lin had struck him, cold sweat beading on his face.

"Uncle Guan, are you alright?" Lu Lin hurriedly stepped forward to ask.

Guan Pingchao shook his head, but the pain on his face didn’t diminish.

The surrounding people, jolted from their stupor, rushed into action: some checked on Guan Pingchao, others ran downstairs to call a doctor, and still others fetched ice packs to ease his pain. For a moment, the second floor of the boxing gym was chaotic. Several burly men looked at Lu Lin with unfriendly eyes after seeing Guan Pingchao injured, but they didn’t seem to intend to start a fight.

Guan Yue was awakened by the noisy commotion. Seeing her father clutching his arm in pain in the arena, with Lu Lin nowhere in sight, she quickly ran to him. "Dad, what happened?"

Guan Yue quickly ran to the arena to check on Guan Pingchao’s condition.

"It’s fine, it’s just a muscle cramp in my arm," he said. "It’s already better now. Don’t crowd around here, just disperse."

Guan Pingchao, supported by his left hand, stood up, waving for the crowd to disperse. But Guan Yue clearly saw a large swelling on the inner side of Guan Pingchao’s right arm. She turned her gaze towards Lu Lin, her eyes conveying, "How could you be so ruthless?"

Lu Lin shook his head apologetically; it really hadn’t been intentional.

Guan Yue ignored him. Taking an ice pack a burly man handed over, she helped her father secure it to the injury. With a somewhat resentful tone, she said, "Dad, I told you not to practice with Lu Lin, but you wouldn’t listen. Really, when will you ever save me some worry?"

Guan Pingchao laughed, enjoying his daughter’s concern, and didn’t refute her.

"And you, Lu Lin," Guan Yue continued, turning to him. "You’re already a Star Core Warrior, yet you were so ruthless with my dad. You know you almost broke his arm!"

"President Guan, I... I really wasn’t using much force," Lu Lin said, embarrassed.

This sentence was like rubbing salt in Guan Pingchao’s wound, and he glared angrily at Lu Lin. "Kid, it seems I underestimated you just now. Just you wait! When this injury heals, I’ll definitely show you your Uncle Guan’s true strength!" Guan Pingchao declared, refusing to lose face.

"Alright, alright, you two just stop arguing," Guan Yue said, helping her father to the resting area. Lu Lin followed, a guilty look on his face. If only I had awakened a Light Star Skill like Zuo Yiming, he thought, I would definitely have tried to heal Guan Pingchao.

"Dad, don’t move. I’ll go to the pharmacy and get you some anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medicine," Guan Yue said, before hurrying down the stairs.

Guan Pingchao looked at the arm his daughter had carefully wrapped and sighed. "Little Lu, tell me the truth, how much power did you use just now?"

"Ten percent..." Lu Lin said softly, looking at Guan Pingchao.

"Really just ten percent?"

"Really just ten percent!"

Guan Pingchao sighed again, a trace of desolation clouding his features. They were silent for a long moment.

Lu Lin didn’t say anything. It seems it’s not that I don’t get along with the atmosphere at Lishui Bay Basketball Court, he muttered to himself, but rather that I can’t practice Ten Steps Kill. The first time I practiced, I blasted a hole in my bedroom wall. The second time, I encountered the artist who wanted to assassinate me. The third time, nothing happened. Today, on my fourth attempt, I was first ambushed by a man in camouflage and then ended up injuring Guan Pingchao. Could it be that I’ll only be able to use Ten Steps Kill in a fight in the future? How many battles would it take for me to cultivate Ten Steps Kill to the next realm, Han Yue?

Lu Lin sat in the resting area, staring blankly at the three pairs of coaches dueling in the arenas. These coaches looked muscular, but they were very clever during their sparring sessions. They weren’t as reckless as they appeared, advancing and retreating with purpose, never giving their opponents a chance to breathe when they should be attacking continuously. When their strength waned, they would unhesitatingly switch to a defensive stance.

The longer Lu Lin watched, the more he understood the intricacies of their techniques. Aided by his unique Perception, he could constantly analyze in his mind why one boxer suddenly jumped back or why another suddenly launched a strong attack. As he watched, Lu Lin felt an itch to try. He felt he had gained some insights and wanted to go up on stage and test his hand.

Guan Pingchao, sitting beside him, noticed Lu Lin’s eagerness. "What, want to go up and try?" he asked with a smile, seemingly unbothered that Lu Lin had just injured him.

"Yes, Uncle Guan. I see that these boxers are very methodical in their attacks, and I want to practice with them."

"Not bad." Guan Pingchao nodded, looking at Lu Lin with satisfaction. He hadn’t expected the lad’s Enlightenment to be so high. The boxers sparring on stage were all personally trained by him. They had participated in numerous large-scale boxing competitions on Saturn, and their combat experience, awareness, and psychological state were all up to his standards. Guan Pingchao’s father, the founder of the Frenzied Kill Boxing Gym, was a Star Core Warrior who excelled in boxing. Many of Guan Pingchao’s boxing philosophies were inherited from his father. Lu Lin had a sharp eye; his ability to discern these subtleties so quickly also surprised Guan Pingchao.

"Alright, go practice with them then," Guan Pingchao said. "But be a little more careful this time, and don’t use so much force."

Lu Lin stood up and cupped his fist to Guan Pingchao in a salute. "Thank you, Uncle Guan." Then he headed towards one of the dueling arenas.

Just then, a figure rushed up the stairs. It was Guan Yue, looking pale, her hair disheveled, and her breathing ragged.

"Dad!"

"Shao Xiaolong from the Dragon and Tiger Boxing Gym is here!"

"What?!" Guan Pingchao shot to his feet, accidentally jarring his injured right arm, which made him grimace. "Daughter, when did this happen? You better not be crying wolf."

"Just now! When I was coming out of the pharmacy, I saw Shao Xiaolong leading several disciples towards our gym. They looked aggressive; it doesn’t seem like a friendly visit."

Guan Pingchao’s heart skipped a beat; he knew why Shao Xiaolong was here. The Frenzied Kill Boxing Gym and the Dragon and Tiger Boxing Gym had always been at odds. They weren’t outright enemies, but they certainly weren’t friends either. Plus, both gyms operated in Green City, so minor frictions were inevitable.

「Last year.」

Shao Xiaolong of the Dragon and Tiger Boxing Gym had approached Guan Pingchao with a gamble. They had wagered the future development of their respective gyms, each selecting a local high school sophomore from Green City as a disciple. After one year, the two disciples would duel, and the loser’s side would have to defer to the winner whenever they met.

Guan Pingchao had always been very confident in his disciple and had diligently coached him this past year. But the problem arose with the College Entrance Exam. During the Awakening Ceremony, Guan Pingchao’s disciple failed to awaken. Though disappointed, Guan Pingchao still clung to a sliver of hope. Maybe... Shao Xiaolong’s disciple will also fail to awaken, he thought. But when he went to inquire, he saw a large banner hanging at the Dragon and Tiger Boxing Gym: "Congratulations to gym member Shang Wenming on a successful Awakening!" and "Dragon and Tiger Boxing Gym’s June Madness: Enjoy a 22% discount on membership cards!"

This Shang Wenming... was Shao Xiaolong’s disciple. Shao Xiaolong bringing his people over now was clearly a move to promote his Dragon and Tiger Boxing Gym. If he managed to defeat the Frenzied Kill Boxing Gym, his gym’s prestige would naturally soar.

"Daughter, go downstairs and guard the entrance. Tell them I’m not here. If he wants to issue a challenge to our gym, tell him to make an appointment in advance. I... I need to hide for a bit."

Guan Pingchao had a clever plan. If he hid like this, he wouldn’t have to show his face for at least half a month. Shao Xiaolong’s disciple, Shang Wenming, was bound for university eventually. Guan Pingchao didn’t believe the young man would skip university just for such a minor duel. As long as he could hide out this month, he naturally wouldn’t be afraid to see Shao Xiaolong again. So, as they say, the older the ginger, the spicier it is.