Under the fist

Chapter 7 Why Not Dream of a Martial Arts World
"Da Biao?"

"I'm okay, are you alright... Ugh!!"

Liu Dabiao had already climbed out of the cesspool, his face contorted in pain, covered in excrement and urine, gagging incessantly, and with a bloody gash on his forehead from the impact.

Seeing that the other party was unharmed, Lian Youming picked up his coat and rifle from the ground, listened to the commotion outside, and shouted twice towards the dormitory.

"Platoon leader, we're here!"

Before long, Platoon Leader Yang came looking for the source of the sound.

How are you two doing?

The other militiamen carried guns and knives, while others held oil lamps, shining them back and forth on Lian Youming and his men, their expressions extremely solemn.

Liu Dabiao was somewhat better off; although he had thrashed around in the cesspool a couple of times, at least his face didn't look too bad. But Lian Youming was a different story. His clothes were already tattered from the golden cat's claws and bites, he was covered in blood and grime, and his face was deathly pale, making everyone's hearts pound with fear.

Lian Youming laughed and said, "Don't worry, it's all that beast's blood. I only have minor scratches."

After saying that, he pointed to the two animal carcasses not far away.

Upon hearing this, Platoon Leader Yang's tense expression relaxed somewhat.

"How are the others?" Lian Youming wiped the blood off his face.

Yang Dapao said, "Everything is fine, except that two female educated youths were a little frightened."

"Brother Lian, you wouldn't believe it, there were a few wild boars and a bear over there just now. Oh my god, that bear was so fat, it was almost two meters tall when it stood up, and it didn't make a sound. It scared us half to death, but unfortunately it got away in the end."

Wu Kui and his men followed, carrying axes and shovels, peeking out from the crowd.

Yang Dapao frowned deeply. "Logically speaking, that bear should have already fattened up and be preparing for hibernation. Why is it in the forest? Shuang'er, what's the situation on your end?"

Under the pale moonlight, the girl who was hiking in the mountains with the female educated youth stepped out from the crowd and said, "Brother Yang, I found a few old wolves over there, and I killed them all."

"This is bizarre. This is the first time I've ever seen so many beasts jumping around together, as if someone is directing them, coming and going without a sound..." Yang Dapao picked up a lamp and carefully scanned everyone again, then suddenly looked surprised, "Where's Uncle Xie?"

"I'm here."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a gaunt old man emerged from the shadows, limping along.

"Uncle Xie, are you injured?"

Xie Laosan's face turned pale, and he shook his head, saying, "It's nothing, I just got scratched by a lynx."

Lian Youming originally wanted to move closer, but his eyes subtly changed the moment Xie Laosan emerged from the shadows.

Having lived two lives, he had seen plenty of movies and TV shows in his previous life featuring people dressed in black and wandering around at night.

Anyway, no matter what, Lian Youming felt that the old man's figure was somewhat similar to the mysterious person who had just retreated.

"Could this old man be one of those White Lotus Cult members? And he deliberately got injured to cover his tracks?"

Lian Youming's mind raced, and he secretly recalled Xie Laosan's every move during the day. Thinking that the other party could move freely in this primeval forest and was even more agile and nimble than a young man, his eyes became dark.

Could this person be hiding something, perhaps possessing martial arts skills?

So what was the purpose of all this tonight?
The art of herding beasts?

White Lotus Sect?
For a moment, Lian Youming was filled with a myriad of thoughts and doubts.

Unexpectedly, Xie Laosan suddenly looked at him and said with a gentle smile, "Are you alright, kid? You dared to risk your life for such a big golden cat. You really are a fearless young calf."

Lian Youming had some doubts, but upon hearing this, he felt a chill run down his spine.

This man is definitely suspicious. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, who would have known he was fighting to the death with a golden cat, let alone a Siberian leopard?

Just then, Platoon Leader Yang spoke up and gave instructions to everyone, "Alright, you all go back to your dorms first. You two go to the canteen to boil some hot water to wash your wounds and apply some medicine. Be careful not to let them get infected. The rest of us won't sleep tonight; we'll take turns keeping watch. We'll talk about anything else at dawn."

A group of people wandered around the forest late at night, not only on tenterhooks but also with their hands and feet numb from the cold. When they heard that they could go back to their dormitory, they were all relieved and turned to scatter.

After most of the educated youth had left, Lian Youming and Liu Dabiao followed Platoon Leader Yang to the canteen.

With a large pot and stove, the water heats up very quickly.

Braving the cold wind, the two took off their clothes and sat in separate wooden tubs.

Lian Youming was alright; he only washed off the bloodstains twice, applied ointment, changed his clothes, and went back to the dormitory. Liu Dabiao, on the other hand, was unlucky. He begged Platoon Leader Yang to change the water four or five times, but he just couldn't get rid of the strange smell on his body.

Inside the dormitory, Wu Kui and the others were already snoring.

Lian Youming lay on the heated kang, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

Now, when he closes his eyes, all he sees is the ghostly, lightning-fast figure of the old man guarding the mountain. The scene of him killing the ferocious beast with his palm, in particular, gave him an unprecedented sense of shock.

That world that is difficult for ordinary people to reach...

No, it may be unattainable for others, but it is not far for him.

Lian Youming's eyes flickered, as if radiating some kind of strange light.

He already has the key; those two pieces of brocade are the key to unlocking the door. Now he just needs to learn how to use them to open the door to that world.

"I want to practice my skills."

Without the slightest hesitation, the doubts that had once lingered in his heart had now become firm. Then, Lian Youming made a decision that would change his entire life.

The overwhelming feeling, the thrilling excitement, made him realize that his soul was trembling and his blood was burning uncontrollably.

He was given a second chance at life, but what's the point if this life is just about pursuing fame, fortune, and stability?

He had already experienced the same life in his previous life.

Moreover, if he hadn't seen that world, he could have been just like everyone else, content to juggle his career and family, start a family, marry and have children, be filial to his parents, and then enjoy his old age in peace.

But now he saw it, saw a world that ordinary people cannot see, and it was even within reach, right in front of him.

Lian Youming stared at the dark roof, subconsciously reaching out his right hand and slowly clenching it.

In an instant, he seemed to understand and feel many things.

Most people merely exist in this world, from birth to death, leaving no trace, like the wind blowing away without a mark.

He wanted to truly live life to the fullest. To live as he pleased, not to exist for any particular person or thing.

Humans are curious and have a thirst for knowledge.

Lian Youming used to have many ideas, but now he finds himself not wanting anything anymore, only wanting to set foot in that world and see what unique scenery it has.

Life is short, why not dream of a life in the martial arts world?

……

That night, Lian Youming had a dream. He dreamt that he stood alone on a mountain peak, dominating the world and competing with all the heroes under heaven.

(End of this chapter)