The next day at school felt different. The usual cacophony of teenage chatter was replaced with hushed whispers, and all of them seemed to follow Lin Ming as he walked through the halls. The video of his fight with Khang—specifically, the part where he took a beating with a smile before winning with one kick—had gone viral within the school's network.
He was no longer "Lin Ming from the slums." He was now "That weirdly tough Zen master guy."
"Did you see his face? Khang hit him with everything, and he just... took it."
"I heard he didn't even have a single bruise afterward."
"My cousin is in the medics. He said Khang had a concussion and three dislocated ribs, but Lin Ming refused any medical attention. He said he felt 'peachy'."
"What the heck does 'peachy' even mean?"
Lin Ming ignored them all. His gaze swept the crowd, looking for his next source of income. His quarter-final opponent was a short, stocky kid who looked at him with sheer terror, took one step into the ring, and promptly forfeited.
[Victory by Intimidation.]
[+5 Battle Will Points.]
[System Comment: Weak. The opponent's will was as fragile as wet paper. Find a real fight, Host.]
"You and me both, System," Lin Ming muttered under his breath.
His semi-final match was slightly more eventful. His opponent, a girl known for her agility, tried to dart around him, throwing quick jabs. Lin Ming didn't even bother moving his feet. He simply used his newfound Qi-enhanced senses to predict her movements, catching her fists in his open palm every time. After a minute of his complete non-reaction, she burst into frustrated tears and ran out of the ring.
[Victory by Psychological Warfare.]
[+30 Battle Will Points.]
[System Disappointment: The Host is becoming a bully. These points are given begrudgingly.]
Lin Ming rolled his eyes. He wasn't trying to be a bully; they just weren't giving him a choice! His point total was now a frustrating 1569/2000. He needed a real challenge.
And then, it was time for the final match.
"In the red corner," the instructor announced, his voice booming with excitement, "our surprising finalist, the iron wall of Class C, Lin Ming!"
A polite but slightly fearful applause rippled through the crowd.
"And in the blue corner," the instructor continued, "our reigning champion for two years running, the pride of the advanced class, Pham Tuan!"
The crowd roared. Pham Tuan was the school's celebrity. He was tall, handsome, and moved with a quiet confidence that bordered on arrogance. He stepped into the ring, his gaze locking onto Lin Ming with piercing intensity.
Lin Ming activated his [Eagle Eye Scan]—a feature he realized he could use freely, as the 'single-use' purchase had seemingly unlocked the basic function.
[Scanning Target: Pham Tuan]
[Strength: Well-honed. Exceeds standard human limits.]
[Cultivation: Trace amounts of worldly energy detected. Uncategorized Awakening - Latent Physical Enhancement.]
[Threat Level: Worthy Sparring Partner (for now).]
[System Analysis: This one isn't a paper tiger. He might actually be a slightly ferocious kitten. Proceed with caution... or don't. More points if it's a near-death experience.]
'An Awakened,' Lin Ming thought. This was perfect. The fight he had been waiting for.
"I watched your fights," Pham Tuan said, his voice low and steady. "You have good defense. But that won't be enough."
"We'll see," Lin Ming replied with a lazy grin. "I've been told I'm quite 'peachy'."
The starting bell rang.
Unlike the others, Pham Tuan didn't charge mindlessly. He circled Lin Ming, his posture flawless, a predator studying his prey. He feinted a kick, then shot forward with a blindingly fast three-punch combination aimed at Lin Ming's head, chest, and stomach.
It was fast. Much faster than Khang.
But for Lin Ming, it was still manageable. He parried the first punch, blocked the second with his forearm, and took a small step back to let the third whistle past his gut.
A shockwave of air brushed against his shirt.
[Parried an Awakened's punch. Minor shock absorbed.]
[+10 Battle Will Points.]
The fight began in earnest. Pham Tuan was a whirlwind of disciplined attacks, each strike carrying significant power. Lin Ming was a rock in the storm, deflecting, parrying, and occasionally taking a calculated hit to his [Tenacious Physique]. The point notifications began to trickle in steadily.
[+15 Battle Will Points.]
[+12 Battle Will Points.]
[+20 Battle Will Points for blocking a particularly nasty elbow strike.]
To the audience, it was the most incredible fight they had ever seen. Pham Tuan was relentless, his attacks a blur. Lin Ming seemed to be on the defensive, yet he moved with an almost supernatural calm, never once looking panicked.
"He's a monster!"
"No, Tuan is the monster! Look at his speed!"
"But Lin Ming is blocking everything! It's like he knows what Tuan will do before he does it!"
From the crowd, Su Quyen watched with wide eyes. Her friends were chattering excitedly, but she was silent, her gaze fixed on the calm, determined boy from the slums. The whisper she thought she had imagined yesterday—"I will protect you"—echoed in her mind. Who was this person?
After two minutes of intense fighting, Lin Ming's point total had climbed to 1985. He just needed one more solid hit.
Pham Tuan, growing frustrated, took a deep breath. A faint aura of energy, almost invisible to the naked eye, enveloped his fists. He was using the full extent of his Awakened power.
"This is over!" he yelled, lunging forward with his ultimate move, a powerful lunge punch.
This was it. Instead of dodging, Lin Ming planted his feet firmly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He took the punch head-on.
BOOM!
A sound like a muffled explosion echoed through the arena. Lin Ming was pushed back several feet, his shoes screeching against the mat. His arms throbbed with a dull ache.
[Tanked an Awakened's ultimate move. Body rattled. Pride intact.]
[Significant Combat Data acquired!]
[+150 Battle Will Points!]
[Battle Will Points: 2135. Threshold for Mid-Stage Qi Refining has been met!]
Lin Ming smirked, lowering his arms. "Not bad. My turn."
Before Pham Tuan could recover from the shock of Lin Ming taking his best hit, Lin Ming took a single step forward. He didn't use a flashy move. He just threw a simple, straight punch. But this time, it was empowered by the vortex of Qi in his dantian.
It was impossibly fast.
Pham Tuan's eyes widened. He tried to raise his arms to block, but he was too slow. Lin Ming's fist connected squarely with his solar plexus.
PFFT!
All the air rushed out of Pham Tuan's lungs. His eyes rolled up, and he collapsed onto his back, completely knocked out.
Silence. Then, an absolute pandemonium of cheers. The instructor, for the third time in two days, was left speechless before finally finding his voice. "WINNER, AND NEW SCHOOL CHAMPION... LIN MING!"
As the medics carefully attended to Pham Tuan, a well-dressed, stern-looking man approached Lin Ming from the sidelines. He had the sharp eyes and pressed uniform of a high-ranking military officer. It was Instructor Long, the head of combat training for the entire school and a renowned talent scout.
"Son," Instructor Long said, his voice a low growl of appreciation. "That was the finest display of defensive combat I've seen in a decade. With your talent, you could be a great asset to the Great Wall. We have a special forces program... The Dragon's Fang unit. We take only the best. I want to offer you an early admission test."
This was the dream of every student in the school. A guaranteed path to the elite.
Lin Ming simply smiled. "Thank you for the offer, Instructor. I will consider it."
He didn't give a definitive answer. In his past life, joining the army too early without power had been a death sentence. This time, he would do things on his own terms.
As he was about to leave the ring, a familiar, condescending voice called out.
"Not bad... for a slum rat."
Lin Ming turned. It was Vuong Bach, the loud-mouthed boy from his first fight. He was standing with another young man, this one dressed in expensive, tailored clothing, looking at Lin Ming with undisguised contempt. Lin Ming recognized him instantly. Trinh Tuan, the son of a wealthy merchant who supplied the military. In his past life, Trinh Tuan had used his family's influence to make Lin Ming's early days hell. He was a classic, spoiled young master.
"Still mad about your sudden urge to kiss the floor?" Lin Ming asked Vuong Bach conversationally.
Vuong Bach flushed with anger. Trinh Tuan stepped forward, placing a hand on Bach's shoulder. "Easy, friend. Don't lower yourself to his level." He then looked at Lin Ming, a smirk playing on his lips. "You got lucky, that's all. Enjoy your fifteen minutes of fame. In the real world, talent without backing is worthless. Remember that."
With that, Trinh Tuan and Vuong Bach walked away, laughing as if they had just delivered a profound, unshakeable truth.
Lin Ming just watched them go, a small smile on his face. 'Good,' he thought. 'I was running low on future punching bags.' He had his championship, and more importantly, he had the points. Now, it was time to level up.