Ultimate Firepower
Chapter 252 - 239: Top Five in the World

Chapter 252: Chapter 239: Top Five in the World

Nobody spoke, nobody moved, and the atmosphere grew a bit awkward.

Gao Yi already regretted it. He knew the other party wouldn’t follow the script, so there was no need for him to be so aggressive. It made him seem lacking in martial virtue.

A martial artist must uphold martial virtue. It’s wrong to be overly competitive, and eager to challenge anyone as soon as you arrive lowers your own status.

There were about thirty people present, yet the room was silent as if Gao Yi had come to bully them.

Gao Yi looked at everyone encouragingly and equally.

Since the other party didn’t follow the script, Gao Yi naturally had to change the script too. The plot of playing the fool to catch the wise couldn’t happen, so for now... he couldn’t think of anything else.

Finally, Marina earnestly said, "Does no one want to try? This is a rare learning opportunity. It was hard to invite Mr. Busan, and no one wants to try?"

Then, a girl timidly raised her hand.

"Hello, can I...?"

A very pretty, very petite, and very delicate-looking girl, importantly appearing quite young, stepped forward.

Since petite was used to describe her, she was obviously very short, certainly no taller than 1.6 meters as estimated by Gao Yi.

Gao Yi was speechless, helpless, at a loss for words.

What to do?

Gao Yi had thought of playing the fool to catch the wise, but now not only was the script wrong, but it was also totally backfiring.

"You just forget it..."

Gao Yi increasingly felt as if he was the one instigating a challenge.

Marina waved her hand and said, "You shouldn’t go, don’t waste time and opportunity. Isn’t there a capable man who is willing to exchange hands with Mr. Busan?"

"Boss! I’ve seen cases, he kills easier than he eats. Don’t joke, no one wants a death sentence."

Gao Yi couldn’t hold back, and asked in astonishment, "What cases have you guys seen? A video?"

"No, I haven’t seen a video or anything, but I have a brain. A guy who took down the Oak Mercenary Group last night. Sir, I’m an agent, not an idiot!"

"Right, he can even fly."

"Exactly, Fire Extinguisher said it, he’s like a god, I won’t measure up to an assassin in fighting. If I really have to fight, I’d choose a machine gun."

"I think a machine gun paired with bombs would be better."

"Of course, with so many options, why engage in hand-to-hand combat?"

Everyone started speaking all at once. They spoke in English, to accommodate Gao Yi.

Regardless of whether they spoke French or English, their thought was singular.

Whoever it is, I’m not going up.

It made sense—why use your own body to test against an unbeatable Superhuman in close combat?

Doesn’t it hurt to get hit?

Pain aside, isn’t it humiliating?

Humiliation aside, what if you got injured?

They were all highly intelligent, not likely to do something dim-witted.

As for dignity, male pride, please, when did the French ever care about that stuff?

Everyone except Gao Yi seemed to understand what was going on.

Gao Yi could only reiterate in astonishment, "What Oak Mercenary Group? What Fire Extinguisher? What flying? What Superhuman? What are you talking about, I don’t understand!"

"Please, stop pretending. Fire Extinguisher has already posted his last words on the Dark Web. Fire Extinguisher was an expert, and the Oak Mercenary Group represents a high standard among mercenaries. He’s dead. Do we still need to question his last words?"

"No, Fire Extinguisher isn’t dead, we didn’t find his body."

Two people talked, yet again excluding Gao Yi.

Marina couldn’t stand it any longer. She looked around, then suddenly pointed at someone and said, "You! Stop there, you are a fighting instructor, are you backing out now?"

A not-so-old, but balding man was pointed out by Marina from the crowd. He opened his mouth, closed it, pondered for a moment, opened it again, but still couldn’t make a sound.

The petite girl said, "I can try first..."

"Shut up! Sowa!"

The bald man, burly and appearing quite masculine, his baldness proving his ample male hormones.

Finally, the bald man sighed. He stepped forward from the crowd and put his palms together towards Gao Yi.

Gao Yi was bewildered, then realized the other was paying respect, so he quickly clasped his fist in return.

"Please... uh, I practice karate, judo, and some fighting skills, um, the most common ones."

The bald man introduced himself briefly, then took a few steps forward, assumed a defensive stance, and said to Gao Yi, "Come on!"

He looked virtuous and dignified.

Gao Yi was truly stuck.

Marina took a deep breath and loudly said, "Everyone, watch how a real combat expert fights."

Gao Yi’s nickname was not Mr. Busan.

Gao Yi felt the world was truly magical because since his debut up to today, this was the first time officially someone called him Mr. Busan.

"I’m coming."

Gao Yi wanted to pose, but he had injured his left shoulder, making it inconvenient.

Forget it, just fight.

How to fight?

This match wasn’t really a match, the practice wasn’t really a practice; it seemed more like bullying someone. Gao Yi had never felt so troubled in his life.

Just fight casually.

Gao Yi moved forward to a distance where strikes could reach, which logically meant it was the opponent’s turn to make a move.

Gao Yi could take the initiative—he always struck first in real combat, liking to gain the upper hand immediately and leaving the opponent no chance to strike.

But in a duel, it’s better to defend and counterattack, as it’s easier to control the degree of impact on the opponent.

That is to say, if the opponent struck first, Gao Yi could choose the intensity and method of his counterattack, but if he struck first, his hands were heavy.

But the bald man stepped back one pace, then posed and retreated another four steps.

Gao Yi was in disarray.

He had never seen such a thing.

Gao Yi walked a few more steps forward, then as the bald man hurriedly retreated again, he suddenly lowered his body and kicked with his right leg.

Feint.

As the bald man immediately curled his leg to dodge what he thought was a sweeping kick from Gao Yi, Gao Yi suddenly retracted his leg, twisted his body to the left, and delivered a Black Tiger Heart Plucking.

A Black Tiger Heart Plucking from the side.

The bald man reacted extremely quickly; he crossed his arms and pressed down, actually managing to block Gao Yi’s strike.

It was a solid hit. Gao Yi did not intentionally reduce the speed of his punch. He simply wanted to utilize the slickness of the Eight Trigram Steps and the fierceness of Hsing Yi Boxing to release a powerful punch that would send his opponent flying beautifully and impressively, yet without causing any serious external or internal injuries.

However, unexpectedly, the bald man really blocked the blow.

What a master, truly a master.

Gao Yi was extremely astounded in his heart.

Truth be told, those who could block a punch from Gao Yi were definitely not nonexistent in this world, but their number was certainly not more than a hundred.

With just this successful block, the bald man had entered the ranks of the top hundred fighters in the world.

Gao Yi pulled back his punch since the bald man tried to grab his hand. However, he did not extend his leg or kick, but instead suddenly dropped his right shoulder and charged.

The distance was close, good for grappling, something both karate and judo excel in, and Gao Yi chose Mountain Clinging. He wanted to shoulder-charge directly and send the bald man flying.

But the bald man suddenly twisted his body to the side, giving up the chance to seize Gao Yi’s arm, and sharply sidestepped to avoid what seemed like a plain charge.

With a thud, the blow landed, but it hit nothing solid.

The bald man successfully dodged, evading the majority of Gao Yi’s force. He was the first person in front of Gao Yi who could dodge or withstand this move.

Amazing, a master! A supreme master, one of the few hands-down top masters!

Gao Yi was greatly startled in his heart.

So amazing, but why did he seem so timid?

Could it be that this bald man was really acting weak to bait him?

Gao Yi became cautious.

Facing a formidable opponent, Gao Yi was no longer able to control his strength. If he wanted to defeat his opponent, he had to go full speed and full power.

So Gao Yi closed in again, but this time he didn’t put strength into his shoulder charge; it was a feint. He used the seeming advance but actual retreat technique from the Eight Trigram Wandering Palm.

Body movement, an upper body feint, a pivot on the foot, and a move of Lan Quewei with his right hand.

Finally, on the third move, Gao Yi grabbed the bald man’s neck from behind.

Incredibly powerful.

Truly incredibly powerful!

This bald man, amongst those in the world who could stand equal to him, definitely did not exceed five, he could be counted on one hand!

Grabbing the neck, signifying the end.

Gao Yi could bring up his knee to smash the intestines in the bald man’s lower abdomen, could kick out, smashing his ankle while using his arm to force the bald man down to the ground, or could just tighten his arm to snap the bald man’s neck in one go.

Of course, none of these would happen.

After grabbing the bald man’s neck, Gao Yi immediately stopped all movements, and the bald man also stiffened on the spot, not daring to move.

Masters spar and stop at the slightest touch, but few can truly keep to that— the bald man is a master, knowing what fear is, afraid that Gao Yi couldn’t stop himself.

But Gao Yi did stop and slowly let go of the bald man.

The bald man immediately retreated, then raising his thumb to Gao Yi with a trembling voice, said, "Impressive! I’m convinced, utterly convinced!"

Gao Yi swallowed his saliva.

Although he had used only his right hand throughout, not moving the left, this was not for show-off. Gao Yi had truly exerted all his effort and used all his skill.

Those who could force Gao Yi to use his full strength were few, Gao Yi with his left hand included, would have achieved the same outcome.

Gao Yi took a slow breath, then sincerely said to the bald man, "Impressive, I respect that!"

Gao Yi was heartfelt, he truly respected that the bald man could solidly receive and withstand his three moves.

Grateful he hadn’t broken his rule of no more than three moves, if the bald man had really attacked full force, perhaps he would have needed a fourth strike to take him down.

Finally meeting an equally matched challenger, a worthy opponent, Gao Yi was exhilarated for the first time in a while and sincerely said, "You are the strongest person I’ve met, truly, shall we go again?"

Gao Yi did not want to let go of this once in a lifetime opponent.

But the bald man stepped back and said, "No no no, I don’t think it’s necessary anymore."

At that moment, someone said softly, "You didn’t even use your own left hand, why bother fighting more?"

"Yes, his left hand didn’t move at all."

"Truly a superhuman."

"Did you doubt it? I didn’t, oh no, I had a little doubt, but now I have no doubt at all."

Gao Yi hurriedly said, "That’s not it, not the case."

Marina clapped her hands together and began applauding.

Then everyone else also started clapping, and the applause grew louder and more enthusiastic.

Gao Yi felt a bit annoyed. Had he known, he would have fought a bit longer; where else could he find such an incredible opponent.

Gao Yi exclaimed loudly, "No, that’s not it, I almost lost just now. Fighting ends very quickly, his chance was very good, so close, he nearly beat me just now, can we go again, please?"

Gao Yi was almost begging.

Marina, however, gestured with her hand and said, "No need, Sowa is the strongest here, and also the strongest in the Directorate-General for External Security, we have no doubt he’s the strongest man in all of France. Since you defeated him with just one hand, there’s no need to continue fighting, the gap is too large, there’s no comparison, nor any need for further competition."

After finishing, Marina turned to the crowd and said, "Now you know the highest standard of real combat, yes, it leaves no chance for an opponent to even pull out a gun. Alright, you’ve seen it, the meeting is dismissed, go attend to your duties."

Gao Yi, stupefied, said, "That’s it? It’s over? Don’t go! Wait, don’t leave..."