From a tuberculosis patient to a martial arts master

"Thank you for your kindness, Chief!"

Having received Liu's approval, Jin Buhuan immediately strode forward and stood in front of the platform.

Although he was called "Jin Buhuan" (meaning "Invaluable Gold"), he looked like a kind-faced, chubby man with squinting small eyes. He smiled before speaking, just like a friendly shopkeeper in a neighboring store. But no one in Jinyang City dared to underestimate this Chief Constable Jin. His "Four Divisions" were the most ruthless in capturing wanted criminals.

"You," Jin Buhuan raised his chubby finger and pointed at the still indignant dwarf:

"What's your name?"

The short, scrawny man was taken aback by the sudden question and instinctively replied, "I, I am Zhou Bapi..."

"Zhou Bapi".

Jin Buhuan repeated it with a smile and nodded:

"Good name. But do you know how the selection regulations define 'cheating'?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency!" Zhou Bapi's face lit up with joy, thinking that the lord had come to seek justice for him, and he quickly straightened his neck:

"The regulations state that anyone found guilty of cheating will be disqualified and permanently banned from the workforce, and..." He glanced menacingly at the stone pier before speaking loudly:

"Depending on the severity of the offense, the punishment is thirty to one hundred strokes of the cane."

"You do know quite a bit." Jin Buhuan still smiled, but his tone gradually turned cold: "Then do you know what the punishment is for making baseless accusations?"

Zhou Bapi trembled, and cold sweat immediately appeared on his forehead.

Jin Buhuan stopped looking at him and turned to the stone block, his tone softening: "Big guy, you just said you were born with brute strength?"

"Yes, yes."

Shi Dunzi nodded hurriedly, his dark face full of earnestness: "I've been strong since I was a child. I started working at the canal docks during the National Day holiday, carrying more goods than the adults." He paused, then quickly added:

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"If you don't believe me, sir, you can go to the docks and ask around. My name, 'Stone Pier,' is quite well-known there!"

Jin Buhuan gave a soft "hmm," neither confirming nor denying, and waved to him:

"Come here."

Upon hearing the head constable's call, a hint of unease flashed across Shi Dunzi's dark face. Since it concerned his future, he couldn't guess or dared not guess what the head constable was thinking. He simply took a step and ran off.

"S-lord."

"Don't panic." Jin Buhuan still had that same smiling expression.

"Whether it's true or not, a test will tell."

As he spoke, he suddenly reached out and placed his hand on the stone block's shoulder, his knuckles exerting force like iron clamps, stroking and probing along the arm.

Shi Dunzi suddenly felt a tingling, numb, and swollen pain in his shoulder, as if the gaps between his bones were being squeezed open.

"I mustn't lose my composure."

He thought to himself.

He swallowed back the hum that was about to come out, his cheeks aching from clenching so tightly, but he didn't utter a sound.

Fortunately, just as the stone block was about to give way, Jin Buhuan withdrew his outstretched hand in an instant. He stroked the three strands of black beard under his chin and said repeatedly:

"Excellent, excellent!"

Seeing Jin Buhuan smiling and speaking in a cryptic manner, everyone was completely baffled.

Was it a violation or not?

No one knew, they just stared intently, wanting to know what would happen next.

Zhu Hong raised an eyebrow:

"Not bad?" He glanced at the big guy and a guess arose in his mind.

Is this big guy some kind of martial arts prodigy?

Anyone who has read a few books has likely experienced a certain kind of feeling.

Some people study late into the night, wearing out their inkstones, their youthful heads turning white, only to end up with nothing more than a life of mere scholar. Others, however, can read ten lines at a glance, memorize what they read, and effortlessly achieve academic success, enjoying all the glory and honor, thus no longer merely being 'a scholar'.

This is what is meant by "unspeakable suffering".

Justice in this world always lies in the word "just right".

The inherent differences are there, piercing the heart with bitterness; if one is wise, one will be foolish.

The same applies to martial arts.

Although there is a saying that goes, "Practice makes perfect in the coldest and hottest days of winter," there is no shortcut to success.

However, the undeniable fact is that this statement only applies to the majority of ordinary people.

In the martial arts world, innate talent is a gift from heaven.

[Some people have superior aptitude: ≤3 months to reach minor mastery in meat training, ≤1 year to reach perfection, and no bottlenecks. Some people have average aptitude: around 3 years to reach minor mastery in meat training, around 6 years to reach perfection, with occasional minor bottlenecks. Some people have inferior aptitude: >9 years to reach minor mastery in meat training, >20 years to reach perfection? or varying, with frequent bottlenecks.]

Even more so, some are favored by the Heavenly Father and bestowed with the mark of top-tier talent—a special physique.

Whether it's innate superhuman strength, spiritual connection to the body and muscles, divine enlightenment in martial arts, superhuman strength, or the ability to penetrate stone with one's palm bones, and so on...

There are countless.

This small group of people are the true chosen ones.

They temper their bodies as easily as sailing with the current, making steady progress with just a little polishing. Unlike ordinary people, who, even if they throw a thousand punches a day and end up covered in injuries, still struggle to even gain a foothold in the physical training realm.

……

"grown ups?"

Shi Dunzi felt a chill run down his spine from Jin Buhuan's constant stare, and could only stammer out a sound.

"Um."

Upon hearing this, Jin Buhuan's smile faded, and he lowered his gaze.

He raised his head, his gaze casually sweeping around before finally settling firmly on Zhou Bapi, and slowly spoke:

"Beneath the skin and flesh is mostly flabby flesh; the few key muscle groups on his body are only at a preliminary stage of development, far from 'minor mastery of martial arts.'" He shook his head, a hint of sarcasm creeping into his voice.

"Is this what you call cheating?"

"But, my lord, I..." Zhou Bapi's face turned pale and then red, his lips moved several times, but he couldn't squeeze out a word. He was so anxious that cold sweat poured down his forehead.

"Hmph, blaming everyone and everything when you can't win, you cowardly piece of trash!"

Jin Buhuan snorted coldly, no longer looking at him, and instead waved to the soldiers below the platform: "Drag him out and give him thirty strokes of the cane outside the gate, as an example to others!"

Two soldiers stepped forward and, without saying a word, dragged the limp Zhou Bapi outside.

"My lord, I know I was wrong!"

Zhou Bapi then seemed to wake from a dream, crying out hoarsely, "I was just confused for a moment, please forgive me this time..."

The cries faded into the distance, eventually being replaced by the dull thuds of caning and screams outside the door.

The room fell silent.

Jin Buhuan seemed not to hear, only patting the stone block's thick shoulder, "Not bad, solid foundation, a good piece of work." He paused, his voice not loud, but enough for those nearby to hear clearly:

"Big guy, Master Jin is waiting for you in the fourth house."

Having said that, he turned around and leisurely returned to his seat.

Upon hearing this, the martial arts students looked at each other in disbelief, many of them wearing expressions of disbelief.

"Is Officer Jin really that confident in that big guy?"

"Yeah, even if it's proven there was no cheating, why assume we'll definitely pass the next round?"

"I don't know, I don't understand."

Many people had similar doubts, completely baffled. Only Zhu Hong, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes, murmured:

"Just as I thought."