KOF: Rise of the King of Fighters

Li Mei was sweating profusely as she practiced kicking the training poles. Quan Xun's guidance had just ignited her passion for Taekwondo even more.

Soon after, Quan Xun's voice suddenly rang out, "Little girl, you can learn real kung fu if you want, but Phoenix Taekwondo Academy has strict rules, and you can't just become a disciple casually."

Upon hearing this, Li Mei immediately pulled her leg back, almost tripping herself in her haste.

"Deputy Headmaster! I'm sure I can pass the test! Whether it's practicing horse stance or leg techniques, I can endure the hardship!"

"Yes, it's good that you have that spirit."

Quan Xun nodded in satisfaction, but his fingertips unconsciously rubbed his chin before he changed the subject.

"However, the dojo's assessment requires medicinal herbs, equipment, and the instructor's guidance. According to the rules, a tuition fee must be paid as an entry fee first."

Li Mei's smile froze instantly. Her hands instinctively reached into her pockets, her fingertips touching a few crumpled banknotes, and her eyes dimmed slightly.

She clutched the money in her pocket, her voice barely audible, "I...I just came from the countryside and worked odd jobs at a laundry shop to save some money. It was meant for my journey and lodging..."

Li Mei suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with determination. She took out all the money from her pocket and carefully spread it out in her palm.

"Deputy Director, this is all the money I have!"

Li Mei handed the money to Quan Xun, her fingertips trembling slightly. "I know it's not enough, but I really want to become his apprentice! With the rest of the money, I can work odd jobs at the dojo to pay off my debts—washing dishes, sweeping, tidying the training room, I can do anything!"

Yan Yue leaned against the training post, feeling a pang of guilt. Li Mei didn't have much money to begin with, yet she had still squandered a lot on Yan Yue along the way.

Seeing the girl's troubled expression, Yan Yue was about to speak.

Quan Xun accepted the money without hesitation, his eyes showing no contempt, only concern.

"Alright, alright, seeing your sincerity, consider this money a deposit! We'll pay the rest after you pass the assessment. You don't need to do any odd jobs; just focus on practicing your skills."

"Thank you, Deputy Director!" Li Mei was overjoyed and bowed deeply to Quan Xun, her waist bending almost at a ninety-degree angle.

He then gave Yan Yue a "V" sign.

Quan Xun's gaze also passed over Li Mei and landed on Yan Yue, who had remained silent to the side.

Throughout, Yan Yue maintained the posture of leaning against the stake, with her hands in her pockets and her face expressionless.

He showed no envy for Quan Xun's strength, nor did he have any intention of becoming his disciple. It was as if the master-level demonstration and the dojo rules in front of him had nothing to do with him.

This serene calmness aroused Jeon Hoon's suspicion.

Who is Jeon Hoon? He is the vice-director of Phoenix Taekwondo Gym, a master whose strength is comparable to that of Grandmaster Kim Kap-bum!

Countless people are eager to become his disciples, and countless martial arts schools are willing to offer him a large sum of money to hire him. But this kid is completely unmoved by his display of strength and uninterested in the invitation to take him on as a disciple. This is simply contempt for him!

Something's not right, something's really not right!

[Judging by his tall stature and steady aura, he's definitely not an ordinary person. He might be a spy sent by one of those newly established dojos in Seoul, trying to use the guise of becoming a disciple to uncover the secret techniques of my Phoenix Dojo!]

The more he thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. Quanxun's hand clenched quietly, and his sharp aura spread out again.

He decided he had to test this kid's abilities! If he revealed even the slightest bit of his martial arts skills, he would immediately expose his true colors!

"Young man, are you truly uninterested in Taekwondo? Or do you think the skills of my Phoenix Taekwondo Academy are beneath your notice?"

Yan Yue raised her eyes, her expression still calm, and said in a gentle tone, "No, I'm just waiting for President Kim. I really have something very important to ask him..."

"no?"

Quan Xun sneered, his fist loosening and then clenching again. "I think you're up to no good!" He suddenly raised his hand, about to grab Yan Yue's shoulder.

This seemingly casual grab actually contains taekwondo grappling techniques. As long as the opponent resists even slightly, he can easily discern the opponent's martial arts style!

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard. Cai Baojian rushed in, broom in hand, his face full of anxiety, shouting:

"Master Quan! Master Quan! Something terrible has happened!"

Quan Xun stopped abruptly, turned around and glared at Cai Baoqi: "What's the panic! Can't you see I'm dealing with important business? If it's not important, I'll make you sweep the entire mountain!"

Cai Baoqi ran up to Quan Xun, panting and supporting his knees.

"Master Quan! ...It's Athena! Athena's pre-recorded program! It's starting in ten minutes!"

...It's that special interview you've been waiting for for half a month!

"Athena?!"

These three words struck Quan Xun like a thunderbolt, instantly dispelling the anger on his face and replacing it with unbelievable ecstasy.

His eyes widened like saucers, all traces of his previous masterly aura vanished. His voice cracked with excitement: "What did you say? A special interview with Athena? You didn't get the time wrong? You didn't get the channel wrong?"

"Absolutely right!"

Cai Baojian nodded vigorously, pulled a small portable radio from his pocket and shook it, "I specifically asked the owner of the electronics store in town, it's broadcasting at 10:00 this morning sharp! It's already 9:50!"

Quanxun's breathing quickened instantly. He ripped off his taekwondo uniform with such speed that it left a blur.

She was already wearing a pink T-shirt with Athena's image printed on it, and a sparkling Athena support badge was pinned to her collar!

He then pulled out a pink support hat from a hidden pocket inside his robe and put it on his head. The words "Athena Supporters Club" were embroidered on the brim. He even took out a pair of pink glow sticks from his pocket and skillfully turned them on.

"My Athena! My goddess!"

Quan Xun gripped the glow sticks in both hands, jumped up and down twice, his face flushed with fervor. He had long forgotten his earlier authority and suspicion, and his excited words were incoherent.

"I've finally got her interview! I can't miss it this time!"

He turned to look at Cai Baojian, his eyes burning with urgency: "Quick! Get back to the dojo! The dojo's TV is high-definition, you can see it clearly!"

Oh, and bring my treasured limited edition Athena light stick! And the autographed album I bought last time—I want to listen to it while I look at it!

"Understood, Master Quan!" Cai Baojian was already used to it, and looked utterly dejected.

"and many more!"

Quan Xun suddenly stopped and turned to look at the stunned Yan Yue and Li Mei. "Um... I'll accept the tuition. Little girl, you can practice on your own first. As for you..."

She pointed at Yan Yue again, the suspicion in her eyes not completely gone, but overshadowed by her eagerness to chase after her idol, "You...you stay in the courtyard for now, don't wander around! I'll 'treat' you properly after I finish watching the show!"

Before he finished speaking, he grabbed Cai Baoqi's arm and ran like the wind towards the main hall of the dojo, humming Athena's famous song as he ran.

In an instant, only Yan Yue and Li Mei remained in the courtyard. The two looked at each other, their faces filled with utter shock.

Li Mei opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a long time. She almost dropped the training clothes in her hand: "Brother Yan... was that... was that the deputy master just now? The deputy master who can split rocks and has an extremely strong aura?"

Yan Yue also looked stunned, and the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

"probably."

Who would have thought that a 30-year-old Taekwondo master with skills comparable to a grandmaster would be a die-hard fan of an idol singer?

One second she was all dignified and about to test his background, the next second she was so engrossed in chasing her idol that she completely lost her composure, even forgetting about taking him as a disciple and her doubts. This was too much for Yan Yue!

Li Mei blinked, then suddenly burst out laughing: "The deputy curator... is quite amusing... hahaha..."

Yan Yue looked at the faint cheers coming from the direction of the dojo's main hall and was too lazy to even comment.

The wooden door to the main hall of the dojo was locked from the inside with a loud bang, and Quan Xun's shouts pierced through the door:

"Everyone, gather in the living room! Anyone who dares to skip Athena's interview will be punished by having to do horse stance until dark!"

As soon as Yan Yue and Li Mei stepped into the corridor, they were swept forward by a sudden surge of people.

A dozen or so disciples dressed in white taekwondo uniforms walked slowly toward the living room, heads drooping.

"Brother Yan, do we have to go too?" Li Mei asked softly, squeezed in the crowd, her eyes full of confusion.

Before Yan Yue could respond, Quan Xun poked his head out of the living room.

"You two newcomers! Come in and watch too! Athena's charm is for everyone to appreciate! No loitering outside!"

Before he finished speaking, two disciples stepped forward and half-pushed, half-pulled the two into the living room.

In the very center of the hall stood an enormous television set, its screen blindingly bright.

Jeon Hoon had already secured the center position in the front row, sitting cross-legged on the cushioned floor, with a complete set of Athena support gear laid out in front of him:

Pink light-up signs, autographed posters, limited edition albums, and even a pillow with a chibi version of Athena's face printed on it.

He hugged the cushion to his chest, staring intently at the screen, just like a little girl waiting for her idol to appear.

The disciples lined up neatly behind him, more than a dozen people sitting densely together, but only Quan Xun occasionally let out a soft voice of anticipation, forming an eerie contrast with the commercials coming from the television.

Yan Yue and Li Mei found a corner to sit down. As soon as they settled down, they caught sight of two particularly conspicuous figures in the crowd—Cai Baojian and Chen Guohan.

Cai Baojian huddled in the corner, still clutching the bamboo broom in his hand; he probably hadn't had time to put it down before being pulled in.

His usually shrewd face was now contorted into a bitter grin, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, as if his soul had left his body.

He muttered to himself, "I should have just gone to sweep the floor in the back hills... These teen idols are nothing compared to having me kick around with Kim Jong-un for three hundred rounds..."

Chen Guohan, standing next to him, was in an even more pitiful state.

This burly, fierce bandit was forced to sit cross-legged, his massive body squeezed between his two disciples, his eyes filled with humiliation and pain, as if he were enduring some kind of torture.

"...Why did I have to come too..."

Chen Guohan lowered his voice and complained through gritted teeth, his voice full of suppressed anger, but he dared not speak too loudly, for fear that Quan Xun would hear him.

The other disciples weren't in much better shape. Some had their heads down, their hands circling their knees;

Some secretly glanced at the screen out of the corner of their eyes, their faces full of resistance;

There were also a few younger disciples who probably didn't dare to resist and could only watch with gritted teeth, but they would occasionally show confused expressions, clearly having no interest in Athena on the screen wearing a princess dress and singing sweet songs.

"Here she comes! Athena has arrived!"

Quan Xun's exclamation broke the eerie silence. He jumped up from the ground, his glow stick and light board lighting up simultaneously, instantly illuminating most of the living room with pink light.

"Goddess! My goddess! So beautiful! This dress is simply made for her!"

On the screen, Athena, dressed in a white lace princess dress with her long hair flowing over her shoulders, smiled sweetly and waved to the camera, her voice soft and melodious: "Hello everyone, I am Athena, and I am very happy to share my music story with you."

"Ahhh! Her voice is so sweet!" Jeon Hoon covered his chest with both hands, looking completely ecstatic. "I knew it, the goddess's voice is the most beautiful in the world!"

As he shouted, he didn't forget to get the atmosphere going, turning to his disciples behind him and yelling, "Shout with me! Athena! Goddess!"

The disciples looked at each other, hesitated for a long time, and then reluctantly whispered in agreement: "Athena... the goddess..."

His voice was weak and feeble, as if he were reciting a eulogy.

Quanxun, however, was completely absorbed in his own world and did not notice the perfunctory attitude of the people behind him.

He sang along with Athena on the screen, completely oblivious to how off-key he was.

As Athena danced, he swayed his body along with her, his pink support outfit swaying back and forth, creating a striking contrast with his usual fierce warrior image, leaving Yan Yue and Li Mei dumbfounded.

"Brother Yan, the deputy curator... seems to really like Athena..." Li Mei whispered, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Yan Yue nodded, inwardly sighing.

[This isn't just liking, it's obsession! A 30-year-old master-level expert idolizing a beautiful high school girl? No one would believe it if you told them.]

In my mind, Athena's target audience should be high school students of the same age.

I can only say that Jeon Hoon is very trendy...

However, looking at Athena on the screen, Yan Yue couldn't help but sigh, "It's been two years, and Athena hasn't changed at all... She's still that sweet girl with her own goddess aura..."

……

Just as a strange mix of "carnival" and torment was taking place in the living room, several dark figures were quietly moving in the dense jungle below the mountain where Phoenix Taekwondo Gym was located.