Instead of explaining, I asked him, "What was the second question that Eighth Master asked you to ask me?"
"The second question... if something unfortunate happens to you today? What unfulfilled wishes do you still have?" Tiger asked, his voice strained. I could easily understand why he sounded that way. Asking such a question before a duel would undoubtedly be demoralizing for me.
This time I didn't hesitate: "No, I have no last wishes."
I didn't say anything about having women in my family... If I die, the best thing for them is to forget me as soon as possible!
"Don't worry, I definitely won't die today."
I was summoned by Master Ba in the morning, and then we got into his black car together. As usual, Tiger was driving, and Master Ba and I sat side by side in the back.
I was wearing a very casual, loose-fitting coat, and I didn't say a word the whole way, just kept my hands in my pockets, feeling something inside...
When Tiger asked me what weapon I wanted to use, I told him what to prepare for me!
Part 1: A Man in the Martial World, Helpless to Control His Own Fate - Chapter 153: Kill!
Life-or-death duels are a form of combat that will never disappear from the underworld.
In a secret warehouse location, formerly a converted and abandoned fishing company warehouse, and not far away an abandoned dock, this place has long been the unofficial venue for life-or-death duels between various local Chinese factions... and several traditional sparring matches between the red-stick thugs of different gangs have also been held here.
When we arrived, almost all the local Chinatown gang leaders were already there. I got out of the car with Eighth Master and slowly walked behind him. It seemed that quite a few people from various gangs had come today; there were more than thirty cars parked outside the warehouse alone. However, the members of each faction stood in groups and rarely mingled together... Although the local traditional Chinese gangs were supposed to be on the same side, they were not actually united.
The warehouse was much cleaner than I had imagined. In the center of the warehouse was a square arena, more than a meter high, measuring 15 meters long and 15 meters wide.
I'm quite satisfied with this size of arena, because if I were to engage in a direct confrontation, it would play right into Sha Hu's hands. Therefore, I should use hit-and-run tactics. The larger the arena, the better it is for my dodging and tactical maneuvering.
Eighth Master and his other men sat down on the left side of the arena, while I followed Tiger into a passageway next to the warehouse.
The passageway led to a small room, which I suspected was a converted abandoned icehouse. Tiger closed the door, took a small metal tube from his pocket, and slowly twisted it open. It was a disposable syringe containing about a few milligrams of liquid.
"What is this?" I frowned.
“A kind of medicine.” Tiger sighed. “It’s a painkiller… After injection, it can temporarily numb your pain receptors. In battle, it will make you feel less pain when you are injured. The side effect of this painkiller is that if the dosage is exceeded, it will slow down your reactions… But don’t worry, I have carefully calculated the dosage. The current dosage is the safest, which can relieve your pain in battle, but at the same time will not affect your reaction and speed.”
I frowned slightly and looked at Tiger.
Tiger immediately said, "You don't need to feel uncomfortable about it... I'm telling you, in any combat sports or boxing match, all the fighters inject this drug. It's an open secret in the world... Sha Hu will definitely use this drug too! You don't need to feel it's unfair!"
“Okay.” I nodded and took the disposable syringe, but I didn’t use it right away. Instead, I started changing my clothes.
I took off my coat and put on a pair of loose-fitting linen trousers. Then I pulled out two strings and tied the trouser legs tight.
I simply went shirtless. Minimizing clothing during combat also prevents your opponent from having a chance to grab you!
I took a small sip of water, then glanced at Tiger and said in a low voice, "Tiger, I'd like to ask you a question."
"What?"
At that moment, a commotion erupted outside, and shouts surged into the small room like a tidal wave.
Amidst the noise, I approached Tiger and said in a deep voice beside him, "You should have some training too... Did you fight Sand Tiger back then?"
I saw a complex look flash across Tiger's eyes, and he gave me a deep look.
But I didn't wait for him to speak. I strode towards the door and walked proudly through the passage to the ring!
Sha Hu was already standing on the ring! He was wearing red shorts, twisting his neck, his face contorted in a ferocious expression, watching me flip and leap onto the ring. His eyes were like those of a bloodthirsty beast!
"Kid, I'll kill you!" He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth.
I looked at him coldly: "Me too."
We stood on opposite sides of the ring, both stretching slightly. Sha Hu, after all, was a four-time consecutive winner of the traditional Double Red Pole title in Chinatown, and the worship of heroism is almost universally human! Although traditional Chinatown gangs weren't united, this didn't diminish Sha Hu's formidable prestige among ordinary gangsters!
Sha Hu only made a few moves, which immediately sparked a frenzied cheer. Some people even pointed at me wildly and arrogantly, shouting, "Sha Hu! Kill him! Kill him! Tear him apart!!"
Countless people were shouting at me, "Kill him! Kill him!"
Perhaps only at this moment, at this special time, are these Chinese gangs most united!
This is absolutely ironic!
Eighth Master and his gang sat below the ring, many of whom were my fellow boxers from the auto repair shop. I saw Xiluo sitting behind Eighth Master, looking at me with a grim expression.
I deliberately walked slowly to Eighth Master's side, raised my fist at him on the stage, then glanced at Xiluo and winked at him.
A fanatical glint appeared in Ciro's eyes. He looked at me, then slowly raised his fist and shook it. Then he pounded his chest hard.
Then, with the help of several young men, someone pulled the ropes off the arena, and then invited an elderly man with graying hair to come up. I recognized that old man; he was one of the two people who represented the Chinatown gangs to witness for Sha Hu when the life-or-death contract was signed the day before yesterday.
Although I knew he was somewhat forced into being a witness, he seemed to be a seasoned veteran of the underworld, his hair neatly combed, and most importantly, he no longer looked as disheveled as he had the day before. With the help of several young men, he stepped onto the ring, first standing in the middle, separating me from Sha Hu, then raising his arm and making a downward pressing motion.
Immediately, the noise subsided considerably. He first said a few polite words, then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Eighth Master, who stood up with a cold expression and returned the salute.
Then, the old man, in a slightly hoarse voice, announced some traditional rules, mainly revealing the life-or-death contract between the two parties. The contract bore the signatures and fingerprints of both of them. The old man took it out, unfolded it, and showed it to the west. He then loudly proclaimed: "With this life-or-death contract signed, today we wager our lives in a duel. Regardless of death or injury, it is entirely voluntary! Neither party may pursue the matter later! Nor may they use this as an excuse to seek revenge, and so on..."
I couldn't be bothered to listen to these old tricks of the trade, so I just stood quietly to the side.
I could sense that Sha Hu was just as impatient as I was! His eyes were fixed on me like a venomous snake!
Finally, after the old man finished speaking, he hastily announced the start of the match and stepped off the stage, surrounded by his men. Sha Hu and I slowly took a few steps closer.
At this moment, the frenzied shouts from all around surged up again like a tidal wave! The air was filled mostly with cheers for Sand Tiger, even though Xiluo and his brothers were also shouting their hearts out. But today, our group from the Big Circle simply didn't have as many people as them, so our momentum was far weaker.
Bang!
My side kick was blocked by Sha Hu's raised arm. My shinbone struck his arm, feeling a hard, solid impact! The kick hadn't hurt him at all, and I quickly retreated! Sha Hu's eyes were filled with murderous intent; he'd taken my kick but hadn't found a chance to retaliate, and he was somewhat annoyed…
I quickly stepped back, then slowly slid to the right, carefully maintaining a distance of two or three steps from Sha Hu, making full use of the width of the ring, and circled around him.
Sha Hu was indeed very patient at first, but after I teased him for a few rounds, he started making probing attacks. This guy practices Iron Palm, but I could tell from his stance that he probably had some Hung Kuen (a style of Chinese martial arts). I dodged two straight punches in a row, and even kicked him while I was at it. Sha Hu started to get impatient…
After all, in his heart, he was determined to kill me!
call!
Suddenly, Sha Hu lashed out with a whip-like motion, leaping forward two steps and raising his left hand, his palm lashing down at me! I immediately dodged to the side, his iron palm almost grazing my chest as it missed! I seized the opportunity to turn and get to his side, then casually used my elbow to strike his chest! Sha Hu immediately parried with his right arm!
Our arms brushed together, and we both swayed! This was our first upper-body collision, and judging from the result, he was slightly stronger than me. I immediately stepped back, maintaining a distance of two or three steps from him, and carefully swam around him…
I used a hit-and-run strategy to entangle myself with him for three or four minutes, then Sha Hu started to exert his strength! He figured out my strategy, that I was moving left and right. So he carefully reduced his footwork, but through a clever and subtle route, he gradually forced me into a corner on one side...
After a few steps, I realized that the space around me was getting smaller and smaller! A sinister smile began to appear on Sha Hu's lips... Suddenly, I saw a fierce glint flash in Sha Hu's eyes!
Behind me were already the wooden stakes at the edge of the corner! But Sha Hu, anticipating the rhythm of my footsteps, suddenly threw a straight punch! I immediately sidestepped and simultaneously reached out to slap his arm as he threw the punch, deflecting it. But then Sha Hu suddenly went berserk!
Right and left fists rained down on me like a storm! This guy wasn't even using his Iron Palm! But his fists were incredibly hard! I raised my arms to block a few blows, but immediately felt immense pressure! Finally, I timed his attacks perfectly, and suddenly grabbed his right wrist, pressing down slightly on the back of his hand! This was a grappling technique I'd learned, but Sha Hu, the Double Flower Red Stick, was experienced. After his right hand was restrained, he suddenly stood still, then performed a one-legged stance, kicking straight up! His legwork was indeed formidable! I saw the foot strike my face, and I could only hastily release my grip. At the same time, I jerked my body upwards!
My body was suspended in mid-air, arms outstretched, like a roc. I leaped onto the wooden stake behind me, a full 1.5 meters high! The narrow stake could only accommodate one foot, leaving my other leg slightly bent. Combined with my hunched posture and outstretched arms, I unwittingly struck a pose reminiscent of an eagle hunting a rabbit…
The two exchanges were incredibly fast-paced. He attacked quickly, I dodged swiftly, and my agile movements, especially my leaps, drew cheers from the audience! My brothers cheered for me, while the traditional Chinatown people continued shouting, some even resorting to profanities. On our side, Xi Luo and his gang were also exchanging insults, both sides hurling profanities at each other from a distance. Luckily, the heads of each household were there to keep things under control, otherwise, it probably would have already turned into a full-blown fight!
The noise and chaos from below the stage didn't distract me! In fact, Sha Hu felt the same way! I have to say, Sha Hu is indeed very strong! He's probably the strongest opponent I've ever faced head-on!
I stood on the wooden stake for only two seconds. Sha Hu paused only slightly, then suddenly raised both fists and, in a double-dragon-playing-with-a-pearl move, struck me from the left and right!
I immediately leaped up, somersaulting over his head. While airborne, I landed behind Sha Hu and immediately stomped down on his back. At that moment, Sha Hu's astonishing core strength was on full display! He actually managed to pull back both fists he had thrown! It seemed it was just a feint. Then, simultaneously, he twisted his waist, and in that instant, thanks to his excellent core strength, he managed to turn around! At the same time, he swung his left hand in a powerful chop, aiming his palm at my ankle!
Iron Palm! With the power of Sand Tiger's Iron Palm, if this strike landed squarely on my ankle, my leg would be completely ruined! I immediately increased the force in my leg and bent my knee sharply! My instep arched instantly, and then I swung both legs left and right simultaneously, as if treading water, kicking out in a series of rapid kicks...
Bang bang bang bang...
I tapped Sha Hu's arm four times with my toes, then landed smoothly, taking several steps back to steady myself...
Those four strikes were incredibly dangerous! His Iron Palm almost struck my ankle! I dodged his Iron Palm almost perfectly, finding every opening! But with my last kick, my toes couldn't avoid it and landed squarely on his palm! Luckily, his arm had been weakened by my three stomps, so when his palm met my toes head-on, it didn't hurt me.
Even so, after landing, I felt a dull pain in my toes! My entire foot felt numb from the impact! I took a step back and felt that my foot was moving somewhat unnaturally, mainly because my big toe was a little sore, as if there had been some injury earlier, which affected my footwork!
When Sha Hu saw me frown, a smug grin immediately appeared on his face. He shook his arm, indicating that being stomped on several times by me hadn't been entirely unaffected by it.
I subtly twisted my ankle, trying to ease the pain. Suddenly, Sha Hu lunged forward! This time, his right palm was forward, his left palm raised slightly behind! My gaze narrowed instantly, and I took a step back, but his left palm, drawing back, pressed against me again! Just as his left palm was about to strike, I suddenly leaned back—a classic iron bridge move in martial arts. But I was a little too slow; I only felt a scorching gust of wind brush past my face! By the time I twisted my waist and dodged, I felt a burning sensation on my cheek…
It turns out that although I dodged it, the edge of his palm still lightly grazed my face! I felt half of my face swell up. Luckily, it didn't hit me hard, otherwise, not only would I have lost a mouthful of teeth, but my eyeballs might have been blown out!
My cheeks are swollen up!
To be honest, I'm feeling really frustrated! I've never been this humiliated in a fight since I debuted, having to dodge and defend myself at every turn!
And now, he's actually been slapped in the face!
I was furious. I spat out a mouthful of saliva and glared at Sha Hu!
Damn it, you think I can't beat you?!
Sand Tiger's attack was effective. Seeing my cheek swell up, he became excited and raised his palm to chop down at me again!
This time, I didn't move my feet! I simply twisted my waist to dodge his right palm strike. At the same time, I assumed a lunge position, then took a deep breath and roared!
I clenched my fist, then gathered my energy, kicked my legs, twisted my waist, and concentrated all my strength into my right fist, which I then swung at him head-on!
This is the only powerful, deadly move my master taught me! Sha Hu's palm missed its mark, but seeing my fist coming, he immediately retracted his arm, placing one arm behind his back while his other left hand opened, palm facing outwards...
I threw a punch, which landed squarely on his palm, but his hand caught my fist! We both jolted at the same time!
At that moment, Xiluo below suddenly let out a cheer!
Xiluo is the one among these people who knows my kung fu style best. He could tell from my stance that I was going to use a heavy blow! You know, when I unleash this powerful punch, it can smash a sandbag to pieces! If that kind of force lands on someone, it can definitely be a one-hit kill! So Xiluo has a lot of confidence in me! And just now, I saw him launch his first palm strike, and after dodging it, I had that short window of time to adjust... Old Cat and the others are right about this. The weakness of my move is that I need to adjust before throwing the punch... But in actual combat, even slightly skilled enemies move very quickly and won't stand still to give you time to adjust before attacking.
I had finally found this opportunity!
Bang!
It was a solid, muffled thud! I felt as if my fist hadn't struck a human hand, but rather an iron wall! The impact sent a sharp pain through my hand bones, and my arm went numb! Sha Hu's expression was grim, and he immediately took several steps back! He retreated extremely quickly, as if he had sprung backward! But he landed firmly on his feet! And judging from his appearance, he wasn't seriously injured!
My heart sank.
My right fist was numb and painful; that punch was a full-force strike! Yet he managed to block it! Iron Palm truly lives up to its name!
However, I then noticed that the muscles around Sha Hu's eyes were twitching, and then he suddenly and quietly put his left hand behind his back! I observed that his wrist was trembling slightly!
My heart instantly felt bright again!
Although his Iron Sand Palm is powerful, it was just a passive defense, so he didn't put any force into it. Instead, I punched him in the palm, and I'm afraid his palm is already injured!
However, my fist is also in excruciating pain, so I'm afraid I won't be able to use my right fist for the time being.
We both quietly slipped one hand behind our backs at the same time, holding it out horizontally, facing each other...
We tested each other twice more, but the situation gradually turned against me... My footwork began to slow down, the pain in my big toe affected my dodging, and there was a problem with the bones in my right fist; I was afraid that after that punch, I had probably sprained my joints. Now I couldn't even clench my fist tightly, and could only spread my palms and use my arms to block my opponent.
Left with no other option, I adopted a reverse stance… right fist forward, left fist back. Sha Hu's face remained filled with murderous intent. He seemed to be moving more cautiously, unwilling to shift his weight to the sides, subtly advancing towards me, forcing me to retreat step by step into a corner. I made several feints, trying to distract him and dodge to his side, but he wasn't fooled. His eyes remained fixed on me, slowly closing in!
Sha Hu opened his arms again, as if my punch had only caused him some damage for a short time, but the power of the Iron Sand Palm allowed him to recover after only a slight pause!