Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 225 New Year Opening, Challenger

February 2th, cloudy.

Jiangdong District, Global Elite Fighting Club.

In the spacious and bright training hall, several huge spotlights hang high in the center.

It was like the spotlight on the stage, making the ring below, which was slightly shiny due to being soaked with sweat, exceptionally dazzling.

At this time, two boxers were fighting fiercely in the ring.

They are wearing professional fighting shorts and boxing gloves, and their bodies are agile and flexible, with tight muscles and smooth lines.

Every punch and kick was accompanied by a whirring sound, as if from a heavy artillery attack, and the moment when flesh collided with each other, a dull "bang" sound was heard.

The brilliant transitions between offensive and defensive tactics and the fierce momentum of each punch opened the eyes of a group of students around them, who kept cheering and shouting.

Suddenly, one of the boxers wearing red fighting shorts took two steps back after being hit by a swinging punch, raised his arms high, and shouted:

"Stop, stop!"

After saying that, he bent down impatiently, supported his hands on his knees, and gasped heavily.

Seeing this, the boxer in blue fighting shorts stopped suddenly, withdrew his hands quickly, and stood there looking at him.

The red boxer puffed his cheeks, panted, and said breathlessly:

"Mr. Fang, you... you cheated. There must be something wrong with this ring. Did you deliberately wet the floor when you mopped it this morning? I lost my footing and almost sprained my ankle. This round doesn't count!"

His words were quite shameless, and immediately caused the many students watching below the stage to explode and boo.

"Xu Hao, you have no shame. Raising your hands in the ring means surrender. Don't you know this as a mixed martial arts fighter?"

"That's right. If you keep fighting, you'll definitely be the one who gets knocked out. Look at how cowardly you look! I think you almost sprained your ankle, or you almost lost your courage!"

"Hey, Haozi, where is your arrogant attitude from a few days ago? Why don't you say that the wind was too strong today and your fists became soft?"

The boxer named "Xu Hao" curled his lips and replied without any shame:
"With his skills, he can fight a champion-level fighter like me. If he joins KFC in the future, it will be effortless for him to win a gold belt. How could he be just a sparring partner?"

"I want to ask you guys, where did you hire those professional players to fight me? Come on, tell me how much did you spend?"

The booing from the audience became even louder, and they shouted that he was a boaster and wanted to cheat after losing.

Someone else mocked, "KFC won the championship, why don't you go up to the sky and fight with fried chicken!"

The blue boxer standing opposite was Fang Cheng.

Today's ring competition was caused by a "challenge incident".

When the class started in the morning, a group of students and coaches saw Fang Cheng on his first day of work after the New Year. They swarmed up to him as if they had seen a savior, and encouraged him to accept a ring match one after another.

It turned out that a few days ago, an outsider "troublemaker" came to the Global Elite Fighting Club and prepared to undergo a period of pre-match training here.

It's said to be looking for a place to train, but it's no different from challenging a gym.

As soon as the guy entered the room, he made a big boast, claiming that he was invincible in the entire club and his attitude was extremely arrogant.

Afterwards, the club was in chaos. No matter whether they were professional fighters who had practiced boxing here for many years or experienced sparring partners, they all took turns to fight him, but were all knocked down by him.

What’s even more infuriating is that every time this “thorn” wins a game, he would mock the club for not living up to its name and being a mere shell, which makes everyone angry but helpless.

If the coaches were not generally older and shouldered the heavy responsibility of instructing the students in class, they would probably have to go on stage to personally prove the club's reputation and strength.

When Fang Cheng was informed of this, Xu Hao happened to come to the stadium for training.

He seemed to have heard that there was a special person named Fang Cheng among the club's sparring partners, so he took the initiative to step forward and challenge him to a fight.

Fang Cheng had no objection. He opened his business on the first day of work in the new year. What else was there to complain about?

Anyway, whether it's sparring or a ring competition, as long as you pay enough tuition fees, it's fine.

At this moment, Fang Cheng quietly listened to everyone talking, then pretended to breathe rapidly and waved his hands repeatedly, saying:

"No... I can't hold on any longer. If we continue fighting, both of us will definitely lose. Let's just call it a draw."

He was also sweating and his face was red.

It’s not that the opponent is too strong, so we need to use all our skills to remain undefeated.

Instead, in order to avoid a tragic situation where he smashed his opponent with one punch, causing blood and flesh to splatter everywhere, Fang Cheng had to focus more on controlling the strength of each attack.

The muscles throughout the body are in a state of tension for a long time without being fully released, just like being put in shackles. They appear extremely stiff and naturally consume a lot of physical energy.

In fact, this sparring match is also a special skill training, specifically to train one's precise control over strength.

The whole process is like walking on a tightrope, or like hitting an eggshell with a hammer.

You have to be careful all the time and maintain a state of balance. It is really true that "it is easier to be a boxer than to be a human being."

In terms of difficulty, it is not much easier than fighting monsters like experimental subjects.

After all, when fighting with experimental subjects, he can do it with all his strength without any scruples and give full vent to his inner desire for destruction.

However, this ring competition also brought unexpected gains.

Fang Cheng's eyes flickered as he looked at the panel that appeared in front of him.

[Boxing experience +8]

[Sanda experience +8]

[Muay Thai experience +10]

The combat skills experience points gained from this "sparring" were obviously much greater than those gained from simply being a "human target" or practicing against each other.

Moreover, the growth rate of the agility attribute progress bar seems to be more significant than before.

It can be seen that this opponent is actually not too weak.

Thinking of this, Fang Cheng raised his head, stared at Xu Hao, and said:

"How about we make another appointment tomorrow to continue our sparring?"

"Uh?"

Xu Hao was stunned at first, and felt as if he was being stared at by a wild beast, and he couldn't help but shiver.

He reacted immediately, stiffened his neck, and said stubbornly: "Forget it, a great man should not bear grudges. I'll forgive you this time. I don't have that much money to hire a sparring partner."

Fang Cheng raised a faint smile and waved his hand:
"It doesn't cost any money, just the two of us practicing in private."

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Xu Hao's face, and he laughed dryly twice with an unnatural look:

"I have something else to do tomorrow, haha. Let's do it next time. Next time I have time, I'll find a suitable venue and fight you fairly and impartially."

Although he was a bit of a mess, he was not a fool and he knew very well that he was at a disadvantage just now.

If we fight again tomorrow, we might lose even more miserably. It would be better to find an excuse to avoid it first, go back and practice hard, and then get back at him.

Fang Cheng did not point it out, and responded along with his words:
"Okay, then next time. Brother Xu, you take a rest first. I'll go over there and stretch my muscles."

After saying that, he picked up the towel hanging on the rope, wiped the sweat off his face, and walked down the ring.

According to the previous agreement, I successfully earned 1000 yuan for a sparring match, and at the same time I improved a lot of skills and experience.

Fang Cheng's face was filled with joy, and he almost said that he welcomed the boss to come back next time.

Seeing that the disturbance had come to a temporary end, the students in the audience burst into laughter and gradually dispersed.

Only Xu Hao was left standing there, gritting his teeth secretly, thinking about how to deal with this sparring partner who was more arrogant than himself, studying his technical characteristics, and conducting special training in order to regain his ground.

Fang Cheng got off the stage, and several coaches and professional players who were close to him immediately surrounded him like stars surrounding the moon. "Ah Cheng, you are awesome! I knew you were good, and we still need you to hold the fort at the critical moment."

Coach Hu, a burly man with a stubble on his face, patted Fang Cheng on the shoulder and laughed heartily.

"Yes, you can really consider playing professionally. With your talent, you will definitely make a name for yourself. Maybe you can become the new generation of world-class boxing champion of our Xia country after Zheng Haokang."

Brother Jie, who has already entered the national free-fighting competition, also spoke with shining eyes and full of anticipation.

Everyone was talking at once, and their words were full of appreciation and recognition for each other's sincerity, as well as praise for their own foresight.

They originally thought that Fang Cheng had amazing physical strength, was resistant to blows, and had solid basic skills, so he might be able to deal with that ignorant boy who came to challenge them.

As expected, Fang Cheng not only withstood the fierce attack of the challenger, but also exhausted his opponent's physical strength through clever maneuvers, and finally won the contest.

Finally, the Elite Center has saved face.

"Thank you for your compliments. I just relied on my good stamina to practice. There are so many experts in professional competitions, and a win or loss doesn't mean anything..."

Fang Cheng smiled and responded modestly.

People around him were still talking to him, saying that he was extremely talented and it would be a shame if he didn't play professional games.

However, Fang Cheng had no interest in this.

Because he knew very well that players in professional competitions had to undergo physical examinations before each competition, especially blood tests.

This seemingly normal process actually hides huge risks for Fang Cheng.

After all, he doesn't want to be found to have taken banned drugs like Goro Majima and be banned permanently.

Then he seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth and there has been no news of him since.

As the crowd dispersed, some went to class, some went to training, and the venue returned to its former busyness and bustle.

The sound of equipment colliding, the shouts of students, and the instructions of coaches are intertwined together, like a passionate symphony.

Fang Cheng turned his head to look at the ring, as if he was still racking his brains over how to deal with Xu Hao.

This young boxer who seems a little stubborn is actually top-notch among ordinary people, at least not worse than Zheng Haokang.

I had never heard of it before, it seemed like it suddenly appeared.

This made Fang Cheng more curious about his origins.

Just as he was thinking about it, Fang Cheng saw Coach Xu, who had not shown up before, come to the venue and shouted to Xu Hao who was standing on the ring.

The two then went to a corner to talk, and it seemed that they had some dispute, and their faces did not look very good.

Coach Xu frowned and his mouth opened and closed quickly, as if he was severely reprimanding Xu Hao.

Xu Hao's face turned red and his hands clenched into fists unconsciously, as if he was trying hard to control his emotions.

Then, Xu Hao didn't say anything, quickly put on his clothes, walked straight out of the venue and left the club.

There was obvious resentment in his hurried back.

"Ah Cheng, did you see anything?"

At this moment, a voice sounded beside him.

Fang Cheng turned around and saw Chen Xiaohai from the Logistics Department approaching him mysteriously.

There was a gleam of gossip in his eyes, and then he dragged out his voice and reminded the audience:

"Their last names..."

Fang Cheng raised his eyebrows and nodded in understanding:

"Are you saying that they are related by blood?"

"You never thought that Xu Maocai, an old bachelor, also has a son!"

Chen Xiaohai gave the answer with a smile.

Then he stole a glance at Coach Xu, who was smoking in a far corner, and continued in a low voice:
"Xu Maocai and Xu Hao are father and son, but they divorced a long time ago. Xu Hao was awarded to his mother since he was a child."

"His mother raised him alone and suffered a lot. She lived a tight life, so she always hoped that Xu Hao could study hard and find a stable job in the future, and not be like his father when he was young, who was aggressive and brought trouble to the family."

"But Xu Hao has been obsessed with fighting since he was a kid. When he grew up, he secretly practiced boxing without telling his mother. With his ruthlessness and talent, I didn't expect that this kid would actually develop pretty good kung fu..."

"How do you know so much about other people's family affairs?"

Fang Cheng couldn't help but ask after hearing this.

Chen Xiaohai smiled triumphantly and patted his chest:
"I am a well-known know-it-all in the Elite Center. There is no secret here that I don't know."

After boasting, he cleared his throat and continued:
"Xu Hao chose to come to our club for training on purpose. His intention is obvious. He just wants to show off his skills and impress his father."

"Just think about it. He lacked fatherly love since he was young, and he was holding back his anger for more than ten years. He finally learned some martial arts skills, so he must have wanted to prove himself and let out his anger. But today, not only did his father not think highly of him, but he also got a cold shoulder. Sigh..."

Chen Xiaohai said this while shaking his head and looking at Fang Cheng, as if someone had become the villain in this family ethics drama.

Fang Cheng was speechless. What does this have to do with me?

He glanced at Chen Xiaohai calmly, and then turned his gaze to Coach Xu who had taken good care of him.

Looking at his slightly lonely figure, I couldn't help but sigh in my heart:
"Every family has its own problems..."

Afterwards, he ignored Chen Xiaohai's gossip, put on his clothes, and walked towards the club's office area.

When he arrived at the manager's office, Fang Cheng knocked on the door politely first. After hearing the voice of "Come in" from inside, he pushed the door open and walked in.

"Ah Cheng, I've been waiting for you for so many days. How was your time during the New Year? Did you have fun?"

When Manager Li, who was sitting behind his desk, saw Fang Cheng, his eyes lit up instantly and he greeted him warmly.

Fang Cheng nodded slightly and said directly: "It's OK, I'm very happy. I came here to sign the contract."

Upon hearing this, Manager Li smiled even more brightly, and immediately stood up and said excitedly:

"Ah Cheng, I knew you were a reliable young man. I have prepared the contract a long time ago and am just waiting for your nod."

"Come, come, let's sit down and talk slowly."

As he spoke, Manager Li pulled Fang Cheng to sit on the sofa, then turned around, picked up a document from the desk and handed it to him.

Fang Cheng took the contract and read it carefully, checking the terms word by word with a focused and serious expression.

Manager Li was waiting quietly on the side, with an expectant smile on his face.

Ten minutes later.

Fang Cheng walked out of the manager's office with a document bag in his hand.

Looking at the copy of the contract in the bag, although his eyes remained calm, the slightly raised corners of his mouth still revealed a hint of joy.

From then on, in addition to the remuneration for sparring every month, he could also receive an additional 60,000 yuan in endorsement fees.

With this considerable income, life becomes more stable and relaxed.

Fang Cheng's mind flashed with many areas that needed money to be improved, including diet, training, and purchase of home appliances.

Suddenly I thought of something and I needed someone's help.

He then returned to the locker room, took out his cell phone from his bag, and dialed a number.

(End of this chapter)