Chapter Three: Testing the Waters

For what Chen Hongxu did at school today, the administration could hardly impose any severe punishment. At most, he would receive a warning for disrupting class order. After all, the school's handling of this "problem student" had always lacked fairness in the past. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone a person.

In the end, the school merely "kindly" requested that Chen Hongxu return home to recuperate, suggesting he only show up for the formal end-of-term exams as a formality. Chen Hongxu did not feel wronged by this outcome; in fact, this was a decision he had applied for long ago, though it had not been approved at the time.

As he stepped out of the school gates, he glanced back at the dozen or so security guards who had faithfully seen him off and never abandoned him, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

At home, after arranging the heap of books he had brought back from school, Chen Hongxu sat in his chair, staring at his hand—a hand that had been neglected by all, yet now, after the fact, no longer throbbed with pain.

The wound on his hand had long since vanished; only the dark red clots of blood originally seeping from the gash remained, stuck to his skin and looking rather ghastly.

After a while, Chen Hongxu realized that staring at his hand until the end of time would yield no answers. This was a matter for professionals.

“Soldier Spirit!” he silently called in his heart, having made up his mind.

A moment later, a shadowy apparition appeared before his eyes.

“You called for me?”

Chen Hongxu didn’t know if this being was aware of what had happened, so he patiently recounted everything in detail, then raised his hand for Soldier Spirit to see.

“The Soldier’s Embryo merely altered your constitution. There's nothing strange about that.” Soldier Spirit’s tone was calm and indifferent as she explained, showing no emotional fluctuation.

Because Soldier Spirit’s face was always shrouded and indistinct, Chen Hongxu did not notice her hesitance, as if she had more to say but kept silent.

“Wait a minute!” A sudden thought flashed through Chen Hongxu’s mind and he quickly asked, “You once said that those who follow the Way of Soldiers are destined for a tragic end, that they are all ill-fated. But I’ve never practiced it—my body was only passively altered by this so-called Soldier’s Embryo. Does that make me one of them?”

“Generally speaking, you wouldn’t be considered a Soldier,” Soldier Spirit paused, as if intuiting what Chen Hongxu was getting at, then continued, “However, a toothless tiger is still a tiger—it won’t be mistaken for a cat. I hope you understand that.”

Chen Hongxu was by no means foolish, and the subtle warning in Soldier Spirit’s words was perfectly clear to him. He was somewhat exasperated; all of this seemed so inexplicably troublesome.

“Is there any way to remove the Soldier’s Embryo from my body?”

“There are many ways,” Soldier Spirit replied, a hint of schadenfreude in her voice. “But there’s one condition—it can only be done when the host is at death’s door.”

...

And so, life went on for a month without needing to attend school.

Ring...

The shrill cry of the alarm clock sounded as usual, though the time was now set for four in the morning.

According to Soldier Spirit, morning was for training the body’s energy, evening for refining strength. So every day, Chen Hongxu had to rise two hours early to practice the Soldier’s Method.

During this period, he repeatedly questioned Soldier Spirit about the true dangers of the Soldier’s Way, but the only response he ever got was a look of disdain and the words, “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand.”

It was worth noting that as Chen Hongxu continued his training, the veil over Soldier Spirit’s face began to thin and gradually disperse.

“I suppose when I’ve finally mastered these arts, I’ll see what this woman really looks like,” he mused.

Having finished two hours of training, it was now six o’clock. Chen Hongxu casually donned a tracksuit and ran outside.

Lotus Mountain was a famous scenic spot in HJ City—a national 5A-rated attraction—so every morning, many people came here to practice tai chi or go for a run. Chen Hongxu was one of them. For someone who had practiced the Soldier’s Method, climbing up and down the mountain was effortless. His only purpose in running now was to regulate the energies within his body.

On his third ascent, an elderly man he seemed to see every day called out to him in a kindly voice, “Young man, perseverance is important. Going up and down halfway like this won’t do you much good.”

To the old man, this youngster seemed impatient—climbing a few steps, hopping back down, and never finishing the route. The old man was not usually one to meddle, but after seeing this young fellow for over ten days, he figured the boy must be earnest about exercising. So, he offered a bit of advice, hoping to prevent him from straying off course.

Chen Hongxu accepted the advice with a bitter smile. He couldn’t very well admit that he ran all the way to the summit and back each time.

He thanked the old man respectfully, then slowed his pace as he continued toward the mountaintop, always keeping behind the old man. Sometimes, when the old man looked back, Chen Hongxu would even feign exhaustion.

After half an hour of climbing and performing, the two reached a small bamboo pavilion halfway up the mountain.

The old man narrowed his eyes, gazing at Chen Hongxu, who was bent double, panting for breath. “I was mistaken. Truly, heroes emerge from the young,” he muttered to himself.

Chen Hongxu straightened, catching his breath, and forced a wry smile. “I’m exhausted. You really are impressive, sir.”

The old man seemed not to hear him. As soon as Chen Hongxu stood upright, he turned away, clasping his hands behind his back as he looked out from the pavilion at the lingering morning mist. He spoke in a measured tone, “The biggest mistake in mountain climbing is inconsistency. From the moment you started following me to this halfway point, I changed my pace forty-nine times. Initially, I intended to teach you some small tricks for training the body, since you seemed to have some perseverance. But you not only kept up—you managed to avoid any disruption in your energy. Remarkable, indeed.”

Staring at the old man’s back, Chen Hongxu was surprised to learn that there was so much to mountain climbing. He had noticed the old man’s shifting pace, but as a novice, he hadn’t understood its meaning. Now, being exposed on the spot was a little embarrassing. Still, the old man’s simple remarks would not be enough to extract his secrets. Chen Hongxu had already prepared a response:

“Sir, you’re mistaken. I just have a bit more endurance than most, and since childhood I’ve wanted to be a mountain-climbing athlete. You know what they say—habit breeds familiarity.”

The old man couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head at this young man, who had revealed nothing beyond a lack of formal training. Raising his hand in resignation, he began, “You—”

But before he could finish, a woman’s scream split the air.

“Help!”

Though brief, both the old man and Chen Hongxu were not ordinary people. They exchanged a glance and turned toward the summit.

“Shall we see who’s faster?” The old man cocked his head, a hint of competitiveness in his voice.

Without a second thought, Chen Hongxu dashed out of the pavilion, heading for the mountain top. He, too, was eager for the challenge. The old man was the first person since he’d begun training who had seen through his difference, which excited him and made him want to prove himself.

Don’t be fooled by the old man’s casual words. This was not a race to the top, but a contest to see who could reach the woman in need first. Judging by her stifled cry, someone must have silenced her in the end.

A robbery at a tourist attraction at dawn?

A keen light flashed in Chen Hongxu’s eyes. On the way up, he veered into a dense patch of forest that seemed impassable.