Exotic Battlefield: I Can Activate Dual Talents
Chapter 85 - 83, Lu Lin on the field (requesting first order)

Chapter 85: 83, Lu Lin on the field (requesting first order)

Guan Pingchao initiated a Voice Communication, so the situation on the other side couldn’t be seen; otherwise, Shao Xiaolong would definitely have noticed.

"Daughter, go tell Lu Lin and ask him to help us out in the competition this once," Guan Pingchao pleaded. "Otherwise, if your grandfather learns about this, he’ll scold me to death."

"No," Guan Yue refused resolutely. "Dad, Lu Lin is my friend. He’s a Star Guide from the Guide Association, not a member of our Martial Arts Hall. If he gets involved rashly and wins, Shao Xiaolong will hold a grudge against him. If he loses, he’ll get injured. Dad, don’t even think about it. I won’t agree to ask Lu Lin for help."

Seeing Guan Yue’s attitude, Guan Pingchao knew this couldn’t be resolved through normal channels. "Daughter, what if Lu Lin helps us with just one duel? Just one. I’ll pass on our family’s Inch Step secret technique to him. What do you think?"

Inch Step?! Guan Yue’s eyes widened in disbelief at what she heard.

Inch Step was a Star Martial Secret Book that her grandfather, Guan Kuang, had obtained during his university years. This secret technique belonged exclusively to their Guan family. Over the years, although Guan Kuang had consistently used Inch Step in his battles, he had never revealed its existence.

Years ago, Guan Pingchao had shown promising innate talent, and Guan Kuang had intended to pass this footwork technique on to him. However, Guan Pingchao ultimately failed his Awakening and could only become an ordinary person, taking over the Martial Arts Hall. Since Guan Yue hadn’t enjoyed practicing martial arts since childhood, the secret book had remained treasured in their Martial Arts Hall. Over the years, Guan Pingchao had accepted many disciples with awakening talents, but he had never passed on Inch Step to any of them.

Why this time...

"Daughter, don’t ask why," Guan Pingchao said, his voice firm. "Just go discuss it with Lu Lin. As long as he’s willing to help us this one time, I’ll teach him Inch Step. I can even call your grandfather and have him personally guide Lu Lin in cultivating this footwork technique. As long as he helps us defeat our opponent."

Guan Pingchao was going all out. He had always treated this as a mere competition between the two Martial Arts Halls and hadn’t taken it too seriously. Even if Lou Yueyu’s Awakening wasn’t successful, he had intended to weather this storm by delaying.

However, he hadn’t expected that a friend from the Green City Governor’s Mansion had contacted him just moments ago, asking if Shao Xiaohu had gone to their Martial Arts Hall to issue a challenge. Guan Pingchao had answered yes.

The friend then told him that the Saturn Governor would be visiting Green City soon. Furthermore, the City Lord intended to improve Green City’s commercial environment, foster a stronger martial arts atmosphere, and enhance the overall happiness index of its citizens. If everything went as planned, Green City would be developed as the benchmark for the premier city in the East Forest Continent. If Guan Pingchao’s Wild Kill Martial Arts Hall lost to Dragon Tiger Martial Arts Hall, its very future would be uncertain.

Guan Pingchao was shocked. He asked why the Governor would suddenly choose this time to come to Green City and make such a major decision. The person informed him that this hadn’t been a recent decision. Green City had boasted the highest high school Awakening rate in the East Forest Continent for five consecutive years. The Governor, seeing the City Lord’s ability and determination, was naturally willing to give Green City more support. As for Double Name City, also located in the East Forest Continent, their administration in recent years had not been satisfactory. So, after Green City had once again ranked first in the Awakening rate among East Forest Continent cities the previous year, the Governor and the City Lord had prepared this plan. In the next five years, Green City’s development goal was to be on par with Blue Star’s major cities...

Guan Pingchao didn’t absorb the rest of the conversation. He only remembered being told the decision was made a year ago. And his bet with Shao Xiaolong had also been initiated by Shao Xiaolong a year ago.

In other words, Shao Xiaolong must have known about the Governor’s plan a long time ago! Guan Pingchao couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart; that old fox had been scheming against him for so long! He even suspected that Shao Xiaolong might have taken more disciples than just Shang Wenming. Perhaps he had cast a wide net, and Shang Wenming was merely the one disciple he allowed Guan Pingchao to see. Once Green City’s development plan was announced, Shao Xiaolong could claim he had trained several formidable Star Core Warriors. His reputation would undoubtedly eclipse that of the Wild Kill Martial Arts Hall, especially if they lost this time. For martial arts halls like theirs, reputation meant students, and students meant future prospects and wealth. This wasn’t just a simple bet. This was a battle for the very survival of the Wild Kill Martial Arts Hall!

Inch Step was valuable, sure, but Guan Kuang had said before that their family wouldn’t hoard the technique and refuse to teach it to others. Besides, Guan Pingchao knew his daughter had some feelings for Lu Lin. If he offered Inch Step, and the two of them got together, the technique would still remain within the family. If they didn’t, it would at least forge a favorable bond with Lu Lin. At the very least, it would resolve the Martial Arts Hall’s immediate crisis.

Guan Yue had no idea about the twists and turns in her father’s mind. When she heard that Guan Pingchao was willing to offer Inch Step to Lu Lin, she "reluctantly" accepted the task.

Lu Lin looked up and saw Guan Yue approaching him. "President Guan, do you need help?"

On the arena, Shang Wenming had already knocked down several students from Wild Kill Martial Arts Hall. If it were just that, Lu Lin would have nothing to say. Isn’t victory and defeat in arena duels perfectly normal? Although Shang Wenming, as a Star Core Warrior, bullying others wasn’t quite right. But the problem was, Shang Wenming, who had initially been modest, had become insufferably arrogant after repeatedly defeating his opponents. He seemed to think he had already become a Titled King powerhouse. He had stood on the arena several times, looking down on everyone with disdain. Especially when he saw Lu Lin, who was about his age, the provocation in his gaze was intense.

"Yes," Guan Yue said. "Lu Lin, can you represent Wild Kill Martial Arts Hall and defeat him? My dad said that if you can beat this guy, then..."

"President Guan, say no more. I’ll go!" Lu Lin agreed readily. He didn’t want Guan Yue to feel indebted to him or need to compensate him for something like this. That would be pointless.

Having been ambushed earlier and then accidentally bruising Guan Pingchao’s arm, Lu Lin felt a surge of pent-up frustration today. Since Guan Yue needed him, he would go up and vent... no, help out in a fight.

Like Shang Wenming, Lu Lin wore no protective gear. He walked onto the arena and nodded at the referee. "Signal the start, please."

Guan Yue watched Lu Lin casually agree and walk onto the arena, unsure what to say. If she had known it would be this simple, she wouldn’t have refused her father in the beginning.

Shang Wenming squinted, looking Lu Lin up and down—this young man he had been frequently provoking.

Handsome. That was his first impression of Lu Lin. That Lou Yueyu earlier was also quite handsome, and now he’s been sent to the hospital to have his bones set. As for Lu Lin, I’ll make sure he rests in the hospital for a good while too. Shang Wenming’s mouth curled into a slight smirk.

"State your name," Shang Wenming said. "Today, only Lou Yueyu and you have managed to pique my interest even slightly."

"Lu Lin." Lu Lin also cupped his fist in salute, but he didn’t reveal his Innate Attribute or Star Core Level.

Crushing an opponent, huh? It’s most satisfying when they know nothing about me.

"Brother Lu Lin, be careful," the referee for the match reminded Lu Lin, giving him a grateful look. Lu Lin had only been at their Martial Arts Hall for a short time, yet he was willing to fight for them. In the referee’s eyes, this was a true display of loyalty.

"Thank you."

Seeing Lu Lin nod, the referee took two steps back and announced loudly, "Duel—Begin!"