Winner's Fist

第5話 I'll make it unforgettable for you

Another gust of cold wind blew through, carrying a faint strange smell. The deserted street, with its few dim streetlights under the moonlight, seemed redundant.

Chen Mo glanced at the old man resting beside him. He knew his grandfather was certainly not in a deep sleep, especially since he had warned him that morning.

The unusual smell indicated something must be happening nearby. Chen Mo hesitated about whether to check it out but knew curiosity could kill the cat. On second thought, he would have to face such things sooner or later; he might as well take a look now, especially since his grandfather could back him up.

Chen Mo stood up, gripping a stone in his hand, and walked in the direction the wind was blowing from. When he reached an alley, the smell seemed to be emanating from there. Chen Mo turned back and could vaguely see the outline of the old Jeep. Using the moonlight, he carefully walked in.

The alley was lined with several houses, their gates tightly shut. He decided not to go deeper. Suddenly, the strange smell dissipated as if it had sensed something. Chen Mo stopped, intending to turn back, but caught a glimpse of a figure standing on a courtyard wall. Startled, he wondered how he hadn’t noticed someone standing so close.

The woman on the wall had a beautiful face and seemed to be wearing only thin clothes, exposing her fair shoulders and a large expanse of her chest. The hem of her skirt barely covered her long legs. From Chen Mo's current angle, a gust of wind would reveal a tantalizing view.

"Feeling lonely and bored out here at night, little brother?" the woman asked seductively.

Chen Mo slowly retreated, his eyes fixed on her face. He felt he had seen her before.

"Why are you staring at me, little brother? You're making me shy," she said, her voice bewitching.

"Since you like looking at me so much, why don't you stay and have some fun with me? I'll make it unforgettable for you," she continued.

Chen Mo quickened his pace. "No thanks, sister. I'm afraid you can't handle it."

"Really? Then let me test you out. Don't be like those who boast but disappoint in the end," she said, leaping from the wall and rushing at Chen Mo.

Chen Mo sprinted toward the entrance, gathering energy in his right hand. The woman closed the distance in an instant despite his initial efforts to create a gap. He flung the stone at her head, confident in the short distance. She dodged it, but the brief pause gave Chen Mo a moment to catch his breath.

Not deep into the alley, he saw the exit just ahead. Once he reached the street, his grandfather would surely notice and come to his aid. The woman frowned and reappeared behind Chen Mo, reaching out to grab him.

The alley entrance was close. Sensing the energy change behind him, Chen Mo's mind flashed to a footwork technique from the Seven Star Step, propelling himself forward as if tripping. The sudden move made the woman miss. Using the momentum, Chen Mo rolled out of the alley.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he sprang up and ran toward the Jeep, clutching a colorful coin and gathering energy. The woman was furious at her second failure and was about to step out of the alley when a seductive voice behind her made her pause. She stood still, only half her face visible, glaring at Chen Mo as he fled.

At the same moment, a red light zipped past her cheek and embedded in the wall. The woman froze, her clothes drenched in cold sweat. She hadn't noticed the sudden attack, let alone reacted. Without that voice, she would have been dead.

After a long while, the woman glanced at the mark on the wall and muttered as she walked back into the alley, "Two of the three leaders are gone, yet there's time to meddle in outer city affairs."

Chen Mo ran, alert to his surroundings. Seeing his grandfather's silhouette grow clearer, he finally relaxed. Back in the Jeep, the old man still seemed to be sleeping, snoring softly. Chen Mo, panting, wondered if the old man could sense the danger. If the woman had followed, both would have been in trouble. The thought made him shiver.

As he relaxed, his right arm ached from prolonged energy gathering, exceeding his current limit. After a while, with no sign of the woman, Chen Mo guessed she feared causing a scene and attracting attention, especially in the capital city. He doubted she feared his grandfather.

Thinking it over, he felt his guess was reasonable. A state's central city must have strong guardians, making her wary. He nodded, convinced of his reasoning. Unnoticed, it was past 2 AM. Sleepiness crept in, but Chen Mo stayed alert, sensing his surroundings.

After a while, light pierced his eyelids. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. The old man had refueled the Jeep and was urging him to wash up. Soon, the old Jeep was back on the road, and Chen Mo, eating a bun from the old man, looked tired.

As the road grew lonelier, Chen Mo, unable to sleep amid the bumps, sat up. "Grandpa, did you notice anything unusual last night?"

The old man, steering with one hand, teased, "You were quite the player last night, running back in such a rush. Didn’t expect that from you."

Chen Mo was startled. Did the old man know everything? "You knew?"

"You ran out of the brothel alley last night, probably couldn't pay. I'll have to warn my granddaughters about you," the old man said, reminiscing about his own past.

Chen Mo regretted the topic, knowing he couldn't interrupt the old man's stories. After half an hour of mental torment, the old man's tale ended, leaving Chen Mo exhausted. The old man seemed eager to continue, so Chen Mo quickly changed the subject.

"Grandpa, how do you rest and stay aware of your surroundings?"

"Simple, there are many ways. For someone like you, training your hearing and smell is key," the old man explained.

In their exchange, Chen Mo gained insight into his current situation. Two priorities emerged: strengthening his techniques and enhancing his defenses while resting. He decided to train his ear meridians.

Focusing on his blood flow, Chen Mo found the ear meridian in a branch, not a main path, hence its limited nourishment. Realizing this, he aimed to strengthen it consciously, hoping for some improvement.

The Jeep sped up. With eyes closed, Chen Mo concentrated on his blood flow, trying to mobilize more meridians, but only one responded. His journey was still long. Sighing, he opened his eyes. The Jeep had stopped, and the old man watched him kindly.