61: Chapter 61 The System Automatically Starts a Live Stream: A "Lesson" from the Streets Late at Night

Chen Wu's sneakers had just stepped onto the seventh bluestone slab of the moat when the tactical tablet in his sports backpack suddenly emitted a rapid beep. The Global Martial Arts System icon on the screen was flashing, and a red live stream indicator popped up in the upper right corner. Bullet comments were flooding the screen at a rate of ten per second: "It's the Tomb Guardian! Why is he out for a night run?"

"The System forced the live stream to start!" Lin Mo's voice carried electronic static as the youth's fingers operated frantically on the tablet. "The permissions are locked; I can't turn it off! The backend shows it's a 'Special Event Trigger'—the intensity of the conflict just now reached the live stream threshold." On the tactical map, the light points representing the number of online viewers were exploding, instantly surpassing five hundred thousand.

Chen Wu's 'Listening Energy' captured abnormal fluctuations in the air. Besides the mobile signals of onlookers, there were thirty-seven encrypted channels broadcasting simultaneously, five of which bore the Qi Energy characteristics of the Gray Shadow Organization. His Basic Footwork suddenly quickened its pace, and cyan-gold Qi Energy formed a hidden shielding array on the stone slabs—this was a counter-reconnaissance technique he had just learned from the footwork annotations, capable of interfering with specific signal bands.

"They want to use the live stream to cause trouble." Grandpa Wang's voice came through the Bluetooth headset; the old man was clearly watching the stream as well. "In the 1952 martial arts exhibition match, there were spies mixed in with the audience trying to stir up trouble and make traditional martial arts look bad." The rhythm of the bronze tobacco pipe tapping on the table turned into Morse code: "Don't use a heavy hand; the lens is staring at your fists."

A System prompt suddenly popped up in the bottom right corner of the live stream: "C-rank threat residue detected, initiating 'Combat Teaching' mode." Chen Wu's Qi Energy fluctuations were converted into a data stream in real-time, with labels like "Brute Force Purity 89%" and "Footwork Sophistication 92 points" appearing next to him. When he bent down to tie his shoelaces, a slow-motion replay automatically highlighted the power delivery details of the Stamping and Grinding Step. The bullet comments instantly boiled over: "This footwork is incredible! It looks ordinary but hides profound mystery!"

Inside a black sedan under the bridge, a Gray Shadow leader was clutching a walkie-talkie and roaring. The live stream on the screen could not be closed, and Chen Wu's composed demeanor was completely different from the "violent suppression" they had anticipated. "Have the Shadow Warrior Squad Move immediately!" His nails dug into his palms. "We must force him to get serious and let everyone see that traditional martial arts is a killing technique!"

Chen Wu's fingertips suddenly touched the peace lock in his pocket. Cyan-gold Qi Energy spread along the chain, creating a strange resonance with the live stream System. As he nodded slightly toward the camera, the System automatically popped up video footage of his grandfather—in the 1987 Qinling Ancient Tomb, the old man used the same footwork to dodge falling rocks. The footage perfectly overlapped with Chen Wu's current movements, and a large number of comments about "Legacy" suddenly appeared in the bullet chat.

Ten figures in black hoodies suddenly lunged out from the alley entrance, their movements as synchronized as controlled Puppets. Their footwork upon landing bore traces of deliberate imitation, resembling Basic Footwork yet mixed with a bizarre distortion. Someone in the live stream chat immediately pointed out: "It's the Shadow Warriors! The signature enforcers of the Gray Shadow Organization!"

The leading Shadow Warrior removed his hood, revealing a face extremely similar to Chen Wu's. However, his pupils were pure black without a hint of luster, and his mouth curled into a stiff arc. "Traditional martial arts is nothing but flowery showmanship." His voice was processed through a voice changer, sounding like two pieces of metal rubbing together. "Do you dare to compete with me? Let the people in the live stream see who has the real kung fu."

The number of online viewers instantly surpassed one million. The System automatically opened a voting channel: the ratio between "Support the Tomb Guardian" and "Support the Challenger" was in a deadlock. Chen Wu noticed abnormal fluctuations in the voting data, with votes from African IPs accounting for as much as 37%, clearly indicating that the Gray Shadow Organization was rigging the votes.

"Compete in what?" Chen Wu's Qi Energy condensed into a taiji diagram in his palm, the cyan-gold energy flow intentionally captured by the live stream camera. "But it has to be by my rules—stop when the point is made; whoever steps out of the circle first loses." He used his toe to draw a five-meter diameter circle on the ground, and Qi Energy condensed into a translucent wall of light at the edge, perfectly framing all the cameras on the outside.

The Shadow Warrior's imitation ability far exceeded expectations. Just as Chen Wu assumed the starting posture of the Cross-Strike, the opponent immediately replicated the same movement, even mimicking the Qi Energy fluctuations to a tee. In the comparison box on the live stream screen, the two men's movements were almost identical. Doubts began to appear in the bullet comments: "Is this some kind of special effect? How can he imitate him so perfectly?"

Lin Mo's tablet suddenly cracked the Shadow Warrior's Qi Energy frequency. The youth's voice was filled with shock: "They are misappropriating your genetic data! The System logs show that the Gray Shadow Organization hacked into the Global Martial Arts System database and extracted the genetic samples you left behind every time you exchanged items!" On the tactical map, the Qi Energy flow trajectory within the Shadow Warrior's body was completely consistent with the manual for Chen Wu's Basic Footwork.

In the first round, the Shadow Warrior's Crushing Fist grazed past Chen Wu's ear. The imitated fist force carried a stiff awkwardness and was easily evaded by Chen Wu using a variation of the "Xun Position" from the Nine Palace Steps. The live stream slow-motion showed Chen Wu completing his change of direction 0.3 seconds before stepping out of the circle. The ripples stirred up by the cyan-gold Qi Energy on the ground happened to form the seal script for "Defend"—this was the "Defensive Stance" from his grandfather's annotations, specifically designed to deal with imitators.

"Can you only hide?" The Shadow Warrior's second punch carried the toxin of a Shadow Beast. As the fist wind swept past the light wall, the transparent barrier suddenly surged with dark green. The wave of doubt in the live stream chat grew louder, and even official media accounts began to leave comments: "Please abide by the spirit of competition; the use of prohibited medicines is forbidden!"

Chen Wu's Qi Energy suddenly erupted, the cyan-gold energy flow forming a rotating storm within the circle. When the Shadow Warrior's third punch arrived, he did not dodge. Instead, he used the force-deflecting technique of the Cross-Strike to guide the opponent's fist force toward the ground—the moment the stone slab shattered, a flaw appeared in the Shadow Warrior's imitation, and his right foot unconsciously stepped outside the circle.

The referee indicator on the live stream screen automatically lit up: "Round one, Tomb Guardian wins." Simultaneously, the System popped up a detection report of the Shadow Warrior using prohibited medicine. The voting ratio reversed instantly, with viewers supporting Chen Wu surpassing eight million. Under the bridge, the Gray Shadow leader smashed the walkie-talkie hard against the dashboard, and the black sedan's engine let out an angry roar.

The Shadow Warrior's ten companions suddenly barged into the circle all at once. This violation triggered a System alarm, and a red "Malicious Attack" indicator popped up at the edge of the screen. Chen Wu's footwork switched to a defensive formation, and cyan-gold Qi Energy formed a nine-palace grid around his body, with each node corresponding to an intruder's position.

"It's the 'Nine Locks Array'!" Grandpa Wang's voice was filled with excitement. "Your grandfather used this Move back then at Mount Mang to trap seven tomb raiders!" The old man's dry tobacco pipe pointed at Chen Wu's footprints on the screen. "Remember to change Moves quickly; don't let their imitation keep up with your rhythm!"

By the time the online viewers surpassed ten million, Chen Wu had already completed the third circuit of the Nine Palace Steps. Every Shadow Warrior's attack was predicted in advance. Their imitated footwork grew increasingly chaotic within the nine-palace grid until they finally collided with each other. Cyan-gold Qi Energy condensed into chains at their feet, binding the ten men's ankles together—this was the hidden Move of the Basic Footwork, the "Dragon Binding Lock," specifically designed to counter group attacks.

Lin Mo suddenly uploaded the evidence of the Shadow Warriors misappropriating genetic data to the live stream backend. The Global Martial Arts System's official account immediately forwarded it, with an attached legal statement showing: "The Gray Shadow Organization is suspected of stealing genetic information, triggering an Interpol Red Notice." In the bottom right corner of the live stream screen, evidence of the Gray Shadow Organization's crimes began to scroll, from Genetic Medicine to human experimentation—it was shocking to behold.

The most shocking turn occurred when the Shadow Warrior's mask shattered. The live stream camera captured a microchip behind his neck, the same model as the bug Chen Wu had dug up at the training hall. When the cyan-gold Qi Energy purified the Shadow Beast toxin on the chip, it suddenly played a recording—it was a conversation of the Gray Shadow leader threatening the modified person: "If you don't cooperate, I'll kill your daughter!"

"They are also victims." Chen Wu's Qi Energy suddenly retracted, and the cyan-gold chains turned into a gentle flow of energy. "Look at their pupils; there is the light of the peace lock inside." A close-up on the live stream showed a faint golden hue hidden in the depths of each Shadow Warrior's eyes, resonating with Li Meng's peace lock.

The bullet comments were instantly flooded with words like "forgiveness" and "redemption." Some viewers recognized one of the Shadow Warriors as a martial arts coach who had been missing for three months and immediately posted his missing person notice in the comments. The Global Martial Arts System's point mall suddenly added a donation item for "Rescuing Modified Persons," and the points raised within three minutes were enough to exchange for ten portions of nine-turn soul returning ointment.

Chen Wu took a porcelain bottle from his backpack and evenly applied the ointment to the location of each Shadow Warrior's chip. The cyan-gold Qi Energy fused with the ointment, and the microchips melted with a sizzling sound, revealing the implanted wounds beneath. The medical indicator on the live stream screen showed that the System had already automatically booked special wards for them at the First City Hospital. Elder Zhou's avatar nodded and smiled on the screen.

When the last Shadow Warrior regained consciousness, he suddenly knelt before the camera. His voice carried a sob: "The Gray Shadow Organization has a genetic factory in Southeast Asia, using orphans for experiments..." The live stream System automatically marked the coordinates he provided on a world map. The encrypted channel of the Special Incident Response Department lit up simultaneously, and the Chief of the Execution Division's reply was only two words: "Received."

The black sedan under the bridge suddenly charged toward the crowd. This out-of-control act was recorded in its entirety by the live stream camera. The moment the vehicle hit the light wall, the cyan-gold Qi Energy barrier completely absorbed the impact—this was the final line of defense Chen Wu had set up using the "Kun Position" variation of the Basic Footwork, specifically to protect the onlookers. When the police arrived, the Gray Shadow leader was still frantically pounding on the steering wheel inside the car, his face permanently frozen in the live stream footage.

At midnight, the Global Martial Arts System's live stream automatically closed. The final viewership stopped at 120 million, setting the highest record since the System's establishment. Chen Wu's personal homepage added a certification badge for "Fist of the Benevolent," and his point balance skyrocketed to 12 million—more than enough to exchange for the "Tomb Guardian Exclusive Set."

Lin Mo's tablet was processing the chain reaction brought by the live stream. The youth's fingertips flew across the screen: "Special Incident Response Departments from thirty-seven countries have sent cooperation requests, and the International Martial Arts Federation wants to invite you to be an honorary consultant." He suddenly enlarged a private message. "This is from Li Meng; he says the peace lock in the ward was burning hot just now, as if it were cheering for you."

The Chief of the Execution Division's black sedan stopped outside the light wall. This time, she brought not a bronze compass, but a peace lock made of pure gold, engraved with the logo of the Global Martial Arts System. "The Director said this is the honor promised to your grandfather in 1987; now it's time for you to accept it." Her uniform epaulettes had an extra cyan-gold stripe, the same color as Chen Wu's Qi Energy.

Chen Wu's footsteps set out on his night run route again, only this time he was no longer alone. Over a dozen rescued Shadow Warriors followed behind, learning to Move slowly using his Nine Palace Steps. The cyan-gold Qi Energy wove into a net at their feet, forming a complete star map with the reflection on the moat's water—every Soul that had once been lost found its direction in the rhythm of the footwork.

When he returned to the training hall, Grandpa Wang was draping a red cloth over the bronze statue. The old man's dry tobacco pipe pointed at new items on the offering table: "Sent by Martial Artists from all over the world; they said they watched the live stream and want to learn the real stuff." Next to the red sandalwood box were piles of letters and manuals, and on top sat a peace lock drawn by a child, with tiny cyan-gold light points mixed into the paint.

The notification sound of the Global Martial Arts System rang out again. This time, what popped up was not a mission, but a holographic video of his grandfather—in the 1987 Qinling Ancient Tomb, a young Chen Jianguo smiled at the camera: "If my descendants see this, remember that the true essence of traditional martial arts is not how many people you defeat, but how many people you make believe in justice."

Chen Wu's fingers brushed over the thread-bound book of Basic Footwork. Next to his grandfather's annotations, a new line of characters had appeared, written with Qi Energy just moments ago: "Steps follow the heart, the fist originates from intent. Though the stream has ended, justice never stops." The moonlight outside spilled over the wooden dummy, casting a long shadow on the blue bricks—like a youth practicing his craft, and like an elder guarding the peace.

Lin Mo's tablet showed that new users of the Global Martial Arts System had surpassed ten million, 70% of whom were teenagers. The first videos they posted were mostly of clumsy Stamping and Grinding Steps, with captions reading "Learning from the Tomb Guardian." In the encrypted channel of the Special Incident Response Department, the Chief of the Execution Division was uploading a new mission report titled "The Power of Traditional Martial Arts: A Defense More Effective Than Weapons."

On the bluestone path by the moat, the traces of cyan-gold Qi Energy had not yet dissipated. Early-rising sanitation workers found that no trash had been left at the site of last night's fight; there was only a faint scent of medicine permeating the air, mixing with the morning light to form a scent belonging to a new era—the scent of justice being seen and Legacy being continued, more moving than any live stream special effect.

Chen Wu stood at the gate of the training hall, watching the morning sun rise from the alley entrance. The rhythm of the Basic Footwork cycled in his mind; this time it was not for defense, but for moving forward. He knew that the thwarting of the Gray Shadow Organization's conspiracy was only the beginning. The real challenge was to make more people believe that traditional martial arts could not only teach villains a lesson on late-night streets but also guard the peace of every ordinary person under the sun.

Just like the children gathering at the alley entrance at this moment, they followed Chen Wu's example, kicking and punching. The cyan-gold Qi Energy flickered in their naive movements—that was something more precious than live stream data; it was the hope inherited in their Bloodline.