North American Detective: I am Proficient in All Kinds of Gun Quick Draws
Chapter 80 - 78 Ancient Muay Thai, Gan_na_1

Chapter 80: Chapter 78 Ancient Muay Thai, Gan_na_1

Kapu snatched the cigarette from Dean’s hand, lit it, and took a deep drag before pointing at the departing ambulance. "Do you know who that priest is?"

Although Dean had already speculated, he still expressed disbelief. "Kapu, don’t tell me that old man is the Ancient Muay Thai master you mentioned."

"Don’t you already know the answer deep down?" Kapu exhaled twin streams of smoke and shrugged. "You know my current level. It’s impossible for me to take out several armed thugs in mere seconds."

Even so, Dean still found reality a bit absurd.

The little old man looked frail, with skinny arms and legs, probably weighing less than a hundred pounds in total—the type of person you’d worry might fracture a bone from osteoporosis just by walking.

Yet this was the person who, in about five seconds, had violently killed several people, even bending their steel submachine guns slightly...

The truth was right before his eyes.

Dean could only light a cigarette himself, marveling at how reality seemed more fantastical than the movies.

But upon further thought, Dean’s excitement grew.

If that old man’s frail body could be that violent, wouldn’t I, with the same level of skill, be unstoppable?

Watching Dean ponder, Kapu laughed heartily. "Buddy, it’s not as fantastical as you think. Father Ana is actually only forty-two years old. The reason he looks so weathered is because he practiced the Ancient Muay Thai killing technique!"

"The Ancient Muay Thai killing technique?"

Kapu nodded, glanced around, and seeing no one approaching, lowered his voice.

"Ana was originally the top Black Fist Fighter in Southeast Asia. Later, having offended the local gangs, he had no choice but to seek political asylum and paid a hefty bribe to immigration officials to settle here. On the surface, he’s a priest, but secretly, he has always been training certain individuals with special identities for the Federation. And I’ve heard the training for the Ancient Muay Thai killing technique is incredibly brutal; only those with strong bodies can survive the training period, and that’s with the help of an ancient Secret Medicine. Even so, look at Ana now. He’s only in his forties but looks like he’s in his fifties or sixties. He needs expensive medication every week just to keep his body functioning normally; otherwise, he’d struggle to even walk."

Kapu chuckled. "That’s also why he’s willing to secretly teach the Ancient Muay Thai killing technique—he needs the money. Dean, do you still want to learn this stuff?"

This so-called Ancient Muay Thai killing technique was entirely about overdrawing on one’s life potential to become a human killing machine—an extreme killing art.

Because of Anthony, Kapu naturally wouldn’t let Dean learn such a technique. He would prefer him to train in the more gentle, modern Muay Thai. However, that didn’t stop him from scaring Dean a bit.

Dean, however, did not hesitate for a second, his eyes burning with passion. "Learn, why not learn!"

He had Skill Points. As long as he learned the basics of the Ancient Muay Thai killing technique, he could directly advance to mastery without exhausting his life force as normal people would.

The key was, skills improved by Skill Points seemed to manifest as if virtual feedback became reality.

Dean suspected that when those skills were upgraded, the positive feedback from virtual training might also manifest in his own body.

If that’s the case, then for him, a combat art like Ancient Muay Thai—which pushed the body to its limits in exchange for powerful close-combat ability—would actually be the most cost-effective.

Kapu, unaware of Dean’s panel, thought he was joking.

Times have changed; the modern world is ruled by artillery.

No sane person would be willing to risk their life and suffer fatal bodily harm for such fleeting and increasingly insignificant strength.

"Alright, Dean, I’ve already spoken to Ana. Just come here and look for him when it’s time," Kapu discarded his cigarette butt. "He’s got a through-and-through wound. He’ll likely be back by this afternoon, so if you’re willing, you can also wait here for him."

"No problem," Dean nodded, then pointed at the church riddled with bullet holes. "You haven’t told me what happened today. And are you sure me learning from him won’t break any rules of his department?"

Kapu shook his head. "As long as he’s valuable, who cares about that? Everyone needs money to live. And since you’re one of Anthony’s students, it’s even less of an issue. No one will bother you. As for what happened today..."

His expression darkened. "It must be Ana’s enemies from Southeast Asia—those uncivilized monkeys actually dared to come to Los Angeles for revenge. This isn’t over!"

Dean pursed his lips but didn’t speak.

It was obvious that Kapu hadn’t exactly been an angel before he retired; he was possibly a member of one of the Federation’s secret forces, like an assassination squad or an agent active in foreign countries.

He didn’t want to get involved in these unknown troubles.

He lit another cigarette.

Kapu, having regained his composure, prepared to leave.

As they parted, he seemed to remember something and gave Dean a piece of ’bad’ news. "Right, Dean, there’s bad news. I heard... emm, Anthony might be temporarily or even permanently suspended because over half of his trainees were killed or injured, and his recent actions have been... rather reckless."

"Suspended?" Dean’s face lit up. "Isn’t that good news? Now Anthony will have time to personally teach me."

He was also worried that Anthony might fall into the hands of the Lucifer Game Organization, which would sever the network of contacts he had through Anthony.

Now he could finally feel at ease.

Kapu looked at Dean’s smiling face, wanted to say something, but eventually closed his mouth. He gave Dean a thumbs-up—it was unclear if it was exaggerated or admiring—and turned to leave.

Anthony truly gained a ’good’ apprentice!

「...」

Not long after Kapu left, poor Ross’s bodyguards from home finally arrived.

Before leaving, Ross didn’t forget his promise. He gave Dean his friend’s business card and told him to go to the auto dealership whenever he had time and just drive off with any car he liked.

Any car would do; Young Master Ross was footing the bill!

Dean already felt somewhat embarrassed about sleeping with Laura. Seeing Ross being so generous, he finally forgave the guy for the trouble he’d nearly caused.

Next, Dean prepared to wait for Ana to be brought back.

His four Skill Points were practically burning a hole in his pocket.

Out of boredom, and leveraging his acquaintance with Hawk, the bald man, he quickly befriended some of the patrolling police officers, and they started sharing some of their bizarre experiences.

Although these officers rarely handled major cases, they’d had their fair share of strange encounters since people in the US would call the police over the slightest thing.

For a moment, Dean listened with great interest.

This continued until the forensics team came, collected evidence, and took away the bodies. The officers left with them.

Dean could only sit on the church steps, bored and lost in thought.

Time passed.

Just as the last rays of the sunset were about to disappear from the sky, Dean stood up, preparing to come back tomorrow.

A taxi pulled around from up the street and eventually stopped in front of him.

Ana, leaning on a crutch, had finally returned.