072 Diligently Practicing Taekwondo

Lin Wan took the note I gave him and went to another floor to look up some information, while I pulled out my phone to contact someone else.

“Chen Hao, come to the Sanda classroom. I need to talk to you.”

I put my phone away and headed toward the Sanda classroom. The Sanda classroom was located under the bleachers by the sports field, in the northern section of the university. It took me barely five minutes to get there from the library.

By the time I arrived, Chen Hao was already waiting for me inside.

“You got here pretty fast.”

“I was just running laps on the field. As soon as I saw your message, I came right over.” Chen Hao was still in his workout clothes, sweat beading on his hair, clearly fresh from an intense session.

“Is this about what happened in the game last time, Zijian?”

“No, nothing like that. Chen Hao, I need your help with something.”

The moment he realized I needed his assistance, Chen Hao hurried to my side.

“What’s up, Zijian?”

“Chen Hao, teach me Taekwondo.”

“What!” Chen Hao was stunned, then patted my shoulder and said, “Come on, Zijian, don’t joke around. We’re both contractors now—what’s the point of learning Taekwondo? Just use your abilities to attack. Who would even let you get that close?”

He gave a self-deprecating laugh, and I could guess why Chen Hao felt so down.

If nothing had changed, maybe Chen Hao, the president of the Taekwondo club, could have shown his full potential. But ever since everyone awakened their abilities, almost no one resorted to physical combat anymore. Most people preferred remote ambushes and never considered the possibility of close combat.

But in truth, if you’re strong enough physically, you can always get close for a kill.

Chen Hao had been frustrated by the limitations of his single ability, and he hadn’t had many chances to use the Taekwondo he once prided himself on.

“Chen Hao, teach me.”

Rather than trying to convince him with words, I thought it best to let him see a perfect victory after he’d trained me—perhaps that would rekindle his passion for martial arts.

“Alright.” Chen Hao wasn’t exactly enthusiastic, but he still agreed to my request.

“So, Zijian, do you want to take it easy or go for something more rigorous?”

Faced with the choice, I picked the hardest mode without hesitation. I knew that without putting in the effort, I wouldn’t get the results I wanted.

But as the sun set and I walked out of the Sanda classroom, I regretted it with every fiber of my being.

Chen Hao’s training methods were pure torture, especially since I was a beginner. The entire afternoon was devoted to conditioning—running laps, push-ups, planks, and a set of weight-loss exercises Chen Hao had devised himself.

I jumped through it all, exasperated. I didn’t even consider myself overweight. If Chen Hao hadn’t insisted that these were authentic Taekwondo drills, I would have sworn he was making fun of me.

On the way back to the dorm, I rolled my aching shoulders and asked Chen Hao,

“How many years have you been practicing Taekwondo, Hao?”

Chen Hao looked down, thought for a moment, then grinned.

“About eight or nine years now.”

“Wow, that’s impressive.” I gazed at Chen Hao with admiration. “So can you do that whirlwind kick? Show me!”

“Sure, I’ll kick that tree.”

Egged on by me, Chen Hao got into position, and a familiar aura seemed to emanate from him.

Was this killing intent?

It was strange to see the usually cheerful giant so focused.

Chen Hao approached the tree, lowered into a deep stance, all his weight centered in his legs. One fist at his chest, the other by his side, his gaze fixed on the tree he was about to strike.

Suddenly, he bent his knees and leaped, his whole body rising off the ground. His left leg feinted in the air, spinning his body, while his right leg powered through and struck the trunk.

With a thunderous crack, the tree broke in two at the point of impact.

Not only was I shocked—Chen Hao himself was stunned.

I called his name twice before he snapped out of it and jogged back to me.

“Did you use your ability just now?”

Chen Hao’s power was super strength, so breaking a tree with Taekwondo was no big deal for him. But judging by his expression, he hadn’t used his power at all. I asked just to make him realize his own strength—the true power of his Taekwondo.

Chen Hao waved his hands dismissively. “I really didn’t use any ability just now. Maybe it’s because my body’s been enhanced.”

The unique thing about the club card was that the more you used it, the stronger your body became.

“Chen Hao, you’ve always underestimated yourself. You keep thinking your ability is useless because you can’t attack at a distance or manipulate objects. But don’t forget, how did you get by before you had any abilities? We all became stronger because of our gifts—so why should you feel weaker than before? Don’t blame your ability. There are no weak powers, only weak people!”

I said all this in one breath, not caring if Chen Hao could accept it, and quickly walked away.

Once out of his sight, I circled back and hid in the bushes nearby.

Chen Hao sat on the ground, thinking for a long time. Time dragged on, and I was nearly dozing off in the undergrowth when a sudden shout from Chen Hao jolted me awake.

Peeking through the brush, I saw Chen Hao practicing his old moves alone—each punch and kick flowing smoothly, sending gusts of wind through the air. After finishing a complete set, he stretched his limbs and let out a satisfied sigh.

“Fantastic.”

Seeing Chen Hao fully restored to his old self, I hurried back to the dorm. If he got back before me and found me missing, the game would be up.

Night was falling fast. I grabbed some snacks from the shop and rushed back to the dorm.

I tossed some snacks onto Chen Hao’s bed, threw the rest onto my own, quickly kicked off my shoes, and climbed into bed, pulling the blanket over me to pretend I was asleep.

Minutes later, I heard the door open, then footsteps and Chen Hao’s voice.

“Thanks a lot, Zijian.”

Chen Hao must have eaten the snacks and gone to bed. After all the training today, and with his mind finally at ease, he’d no doubt sleep well tonight.

Hidden under my blanket, I checked my phone for the time.

It was half past ten.

When Lin Wan and I headed to the library, it was already afternoon, and we got to the Sanda classroom by two. Chen Hao had trained me for six hours, and though all I wanted now was sleep, tonight was an opportunity.

I quietly slipped out of bed, put on my shoes, changed into loose pajamas, and tiptoed next door to knock softly.

“Lin Wan, it’s time.”

Soon the door opened, and Lin Wan appeared in front of me, dressed in a Big Bad Wolf onesie.

“Wow, Lin Wan, your pajamas are adorable.”

“You’re wearing a Fox onesie and you’re calling me out?” Lin Wan didn’t waste time on small talk and quickly slipped out of the dorm.

“Why do we have to go tonight?” she asked. “And why are we wearing pajamas?”

I shrugged. “I just thought we might get lucky. Who knows when the next task will come up? As for the pajamas, it just popped into my head.”

Lin Wan was speechless at my answer.

“Who are you looking for, anyway?”

Last time, we discovered that all the game participants were living in this building. If she really was here, we should be able to find her. Every dorm room had the occupant’s name on the door, but since most people didn’t know each other, they tended to stay inside. Only a few of us on the seventh floor visited each other’s rooms. We’d never even seen the people on the other floors.

So tonight, Lin Wan and I planned to sneak around the other floors. Maybe we’d really find my long-lost friend.

“Are you looking for a girl?” Lin Wan teased. “Don’t you already have Han Xue?”

I pouted. “It’s not the same. This girl is really important to me.”

“What’s her name?”

“Her name is Li Ergou.”