Chapter 45 – The Knight’s Demeanor

Lin Zhiqin left immediately after Lu Yuan chose his mask.

Lu Yuan waited alone until 8:15, when a staff member dressed in the club’s uniform knocked on the door and informed him that it was time to go on stage.

Lu Yuan took a deep breath and stood up from his seat.

He tried to calm his mind.

But from the very first step he took, an irrepressible excitement began to surge from his heart.

During the short minute-long walk from the Lounge to the arena, Lu Yuan felt as if he had returned to the time when he had just crossed over.

He had spent a month studying hard using the professional panel, and was about to take his first Monthly Test at school.

That feeling of anticipation, nervousness, anxiety, excitement, fear, and an intense desire to prove himself with a brilliant victory!

To prove that all his efforts over this long period had not been in vain.

“When I win this fight,” Lu Yuan thought as he stepped onto the first step leading to the gigantic arena.

Fragments of lines and scenes from movies and comics began to flash through his mind.

“I will carefully wipe the blood from my blade and throw a rose onto the ground at my feet.”

“I will smile and extend a forgiving and friendly hand to the opponent I have defeated, pulling him from the mire of failure.”

“I will praise everything in this world.”

“This is what I possess.”

“The demeanor of a knight.”

As he finished climbing the last step, Lu Yuan’s heart was already filled with joyful fighting spirit.

And when he stepped onto the final stage and saw the opponent standing before him, his gaze involuntarily fixed.

He saw a towering figure nearly two meters tall.

Dark skin, muscles developed to an almost exaggerated degree.

Hair as thick as that of a gorilla’s, and that familiar tank top.

And on their face, the dragon mask that had caught his eye at first sight!

“What a coincidence?!”

Lu Yuan was momentarily stunned.

Then a genuine, joyous smile spread across his face behind the mask.

The beautiful scene Lu Yuan had envisioned in his mind shattered in less than a second.

Under the mask, Lu Yuan sighed softly.

“To hell with the knight’s demeanor!”

“This should be called — karma, and I spare no one!”

In an instant, the fighting spirit in his chest grew wild like summer weeds.

“I hope both of you can bring everyone a fair and friendly match.”

“Let the match begin.”

The lifeless referee announced the start of the match after reciting the same old rules.

Standing less than five meters away from Lu Yuan, the tank top muscleman clearly recognized him as well.

Although he couldn’t see which mask Lu Yuan had chosen, Lu Yuan’s physique and attire had left an impression on him.

“What a coincidence, kid.”

The eyes behind the dragon mask squinted, seemingly in a smile.

The muscleman raised his two hairy fists and lightly bumped them together in front of his chest, adopting a stance as if he was ready to tear Lu Yuan apart at any moment.

“Remember what I told you before?”

“Be careful not to get beaten to death up here!”

The muscleman’s tone turned sinister as he spread his arms wide, his entire being looming over Lu Yuan like a dark cloud.

Lu Yuan’s eyes were calm, but his body trembled slightly with excitement.

“Begin!”

He suddenly spun around and side-kicked, his right leg whipping out fiercely towards the muscleman.

This was his most practiced, most skilled, and most fluid opening probing attack, honed through over ten days of intense combat training with Lin Zhiqin.

“Bang!”

The kick landed solidly on the muscleman’s left arm.

The muscleman’s body shook slightly, shifting half a step to the side.

“Are you trying to tickle me?”

The muscleman sneered. After taking Lu Yuan’s side kick, he seemed to gauge Lu Yuan’s strength and felt completely at ease.

His right arm shot forward suddenly, aiming straight for Lu Yuan’s face.

Lu Yuan crossed his arms to block, firmly catching the muscleman’s palm.

His body sank slightly.

“Let’s see how many hits you can take!”

The muscleman roared, launching his left fist like a cannonball.

But Lu Yuan evaded it with a light backward slide.

The tank top muscleman threw punch after punch, but Lu Yuan’s movements were as agile as a swallow. Not a single punch could touch his body.

“All you can do is dodge?! Coward!” the muscleman cursed harshly, stopping his flurry of punches. He then turned slightly and, adopting a charging stance, sprinted towards Lu Yuan.

Unexpectedly, Lu Yuan didn’t retreat this time.

He stood calmly in place, looking at the muscleman with an expression so gentle it was as if he were observing a poorly crafted ornament.

“Constitution points 11, strength points 11, agility points 9, intelligence points almost negligible.”

“The fight is already over.”

Lu Yuan took a deep breath, and his “gentle” gaze suddenly sharpened in the next second.

Like a pair of knives unsheathing abruptly.

“Tomahawk Style!”

Under the mask, his handsome face suddenly turned fierce.

Lu Yuan leaped up and kicked fiercely towards the muscleman’s face.

The kick tore through the air, moving so fast it almost left an afterimage, accompanied by a sharp, whistling wind.

It was completely different from the first kick he had thrown earlier.

Like a sharp tomahawk cleaving upwards brutally!

As the blade swung, a bloody aura spilled out.

The muscleman, still in his charging stance, didn’t even have time to react before his chin was struck hard.

“Crack—”

“Bang!”

The dragon mask shattered with the sound of breaking bones, fragments flying everywhere like raindrops.

The nearly two-meter-tall muscleman was forcefully kicked several centimeters into the air by Lu Yuan’s blow!

With a strength score of 12 points, even using boxing power, he could easily generate over 200 kilograms of force!

Not to mention using his leg, augmented by Level 3 advanced leg techniques!

Even if a real long-haired gorilla stood before him, Lu Yuan was confident he could kick it into the air with one blow!

Before the muscleman could even hit the ground, Lu Yuan’s next kick was already tearing through the air towards him.

Another swung tomahawk!

The sharp leg techniques learned from the middle-aged man in the rainy alley were displayed vividly by Lu Yuan.

A storm-like barrage of attacks.

This was the tomahawk’s celebration!

The next scene had at least one thing that matched Lu Yuan’s pre-fight expectations.

— A blood-red rose, scattered across the ground.

Basement Level 2.

Inside the restroom.

Under the dim incandescent light.

Lu Yuan repeatedly scooped up handfuls of water and splashed his face.

Lin Zhiqin lit a cigarette, looked into the mirror, and calmly asked Lu Yuan, who was bent over the sink washing his face.

“How does it feel, being in the martial arts arena for the first time?”

Lu Yuan wiped the water from his face, turned off the faucet, and straightened up.

“It feels great.”

He took a deep breath and answered slowly.

He also looked at himself in the mirror.

In those dark eyes, there seemed to be flames that hadn’t fully burned out.

“You’re a natural for martial arts. The first time I stepped into the combat arena, my legs were shaking so much I could barely stand. You’re much better than I was.”

Lin Zhiqin flicked the ash from his cigarette, his tone carrying a mix of praise and reflection.

“It looks like your strength has increased again?”

“Maybe, I’ve been training hard recently, and I’ve grown quite a bit.”

“You did well today. Your opponent wasn’t very strong, but he did have the advantage in size. You defeated him easily, which is great. Your presence was strong too. In combat, presence is paramount.”

Lin Zhiqin faithfully fulfilled his role as a coach, giving Lu Yuan a post-fight analysis.

Lu Yuan listened intently.

When Lin Zhiqin finished speaking, Lu Yuan nodded and said earnestly, “Got it.”

A look of satisfaction appeared on Lin Zhiqin’s face. He took a deep drag on his cigarette and then put it out.

He then pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Lu Yuan.

“Today’s prize money, five thousand. Count it.”

“No need.”

Lu Yuan took the envelope, the dampness from his hands soaking through, revealing the layers of green bills inside.

A surge of excitement welled up in Lu Yuan’s heart, and his expression momentarily wavered.

He never thought he could earn money with his fists one day.

And five thousand at that.

It was almost half a month’s income from the family’s Small Shop.

If his parents found out about this…

They would definitely break his legs.