22: Chapter 22 No way, you really dare to hit me?

"The first step in combat is getting used to the pain!"

Chen You's mind went blank, and he instinctively wanted to close his eyes.

He didn't even realize that the fist actually wasn't that fast in his eyes.

It just came too suddenly.

That fist, as large as a casserole, rapidly enlarged in his vision.

It's over.

This is going to disfigure me!

Didn't Director Li say safety first?

Why did this Team Leader Zhang go for a killing blow right from the start!

*Thud!*

A muffled sound rang out.

It wasn't the crisp crack of breaking bones, nor the squelch of flesh being struck.

The sound was eerily dull, like a punch delivered with full force against a piece of three-finger-thick pork belly hanging on a wall.

The anticipated world-spinning agony did not descend.

Chen You only felt his head being jerked back by a massive force; his body stumbled back two steps before he stabilized himself.

It seems... it doesn't hurt?

It was just a bit numb from the shock.

He subconsciously raised his hand to touch his cheek; it was perfectly intact, without even a red mark.

Somewhat dazed, he looked up at Zhang Yunhai across from him.

He saw that the tactical team leader's entire body had frozen the moment his fist connected.

He maintained his punching posture, his arm muscles taut as iron, but his entire arm was trembling very slightly.

Zhang Yunhai slowly retracted his fist, inconspicuously hiding it behind his back, his fingers curling several times.

A flash of irrepressible astonishment crossed his cold, hard face.

What happened?

Chen You's mind was full of questions.

He had seen the power of that punch clearly; it was likely enough to knock down a bull.

How could hitting his own face feel like being struck by a large throw pillow?

Did Team Leader Zhang hold back?

It didn't look like it; that stance was clearly intended to embed him into the wall.

No!

A thought flashed through Chen You's mind like lightning.

The technique!

The Nine Revolutions Primordial Chaos Art!

And his own identity as a Cultivator!

[Character: Chen You]

[Class: Cultivator]

[Level: 3 (First Layer of Qi Refining)]

...

He had always treated the attributes in the game as pure data.

But in the real world, the passive skill Spiritual Sight still existed.

Did that mean his Nine Revolutions Primordial Chaos Art and his realm...

...were also in effect in the real world?

Did his body effectively possess '52 points of Defense' in the real world?!

Once this thought emerged, it could no longer be suppressed.

What did 52 points of Defense represent?

In the game, a Level 3 to 5 Ghost Wolf could only deal 1 point of forced damage to him even with its full strength.

And Zhang Yunhai, even if he was the military's top combat expert and the ceiling of human physical fitness...

...was still ultimately a... normal person.

How much would his attack power be if converted to game data? 5 points? 10 points?

So, that punch just now...

Looking at Zhang Yunhai's face which was feigning composure, an extremely absurd feeling suddenly welled up in Chen You's heart.

Team Leader Zhang, he didn't... hurt his own hand, did he?

"Reaction too slow, body too stiff."

Just as Chen You was lost in thought, Zhang Yunhai's cold voice rang out again, forcibly interrupting his musings.

"A real enemy won't give you a chance to catch your breath!"

As if to prove his words and dispel the strange sense of frustration in his heart, Zhang Yunhai moved again.

This time it wasn't a simple straight punch.

He lowered his body further, transforming into a black afterimage as he instantly closed the distance.

Whip kicks, elbow strikes, side kicks!

The attacks rained down like a storm, continuously enveloping Chen You's vital points!

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

The sharp sound of air being torn was constant. Scared out of his wits by this ferocious aura, Chen You could only rely on instinct to clumsily raise his arms in defense.

*Bang!*

Zhang Yunhai's powerful elbow strike landed solidly on Chen You's blocking forearm.

Chen You felt as if his arm had been struck hard by a sledgehammer, and the massive force pushed him a step to the side.

And then... that was it.

His arm was just a bit numb; the bone was fine, and there wasn't even a bruise.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Zhang Yunhai's attacks didn't stop for a moment.

A whip kick struck Chen You's thigh.

A side kick imprinted on his abdomen.

Every strike produced that dull, tooth-aching sound of impact.

From his initial panicked dodging to later passive blocking, Chen You eventually didn't even bother to move.

He just stood there, letting Zhang Yunhai's fists and feet fall on him like raindrops.

He felt that he wasn't a person right now, but a humanoid sandbag.

No, sturdier than a sandbag.

A sandbag would deform and leak sand if hit too much, but he was perfectly fine.

Only one thought circled in his mind.

Big brother, please stop hitting me.

It hurts just watching you.

Time passed minute by minute.

In the massive combat arena, only the dull thuds and Zhang Yunhai's increasingly heavy breathing remained.

Chen You stood there with an innocent look, even feeling a bit bored.

He began to study his own body.

So this is the physique of a First Layer Qi Refining Cultivator?

He was practically a human Gundam!

What did 210 Health Points represent in reality?

Did it mean that even if he just stood still and let him hit him all day, he wouldn't lose much health?

Meanwhile, Zhang Yunhai across from him was about to go crazy.

He felt like he wasn't hitting a person, but striking a main battle tank with his bare flesh.

The recoil from every punch and kick made his bones go numb.

At first, he thought Chen You was wearing some kind of protective undergarment obtained from the game.

But his limbs could clearly feel that he was hitting pure flesh and bone.

Yet beneath that skin, there seemed to be an incredibly resilient power that nullified all his attack power.

Beads of sweat covered his forehead, and his black tactical T-shirt was almost soaked through, clinging tightly to his body.

Due to the continuous extreme exertion, the muscles in his arms and calves had begun to show signs of soreness and spasms.

And Chen You, the young man he thought he could knock down with one punch...

...hadn't even moved his feet after the initial few stumbling steps.

That kid was even using a sort of...

...a look mixed with sympathy and innocence to watch him.

What was this?

Introductory guidance?

This was a fucking self-humiliation!

"Hah!"

Zhang Yunhai roared, using all his strength to twist his waist and hips, delivering a vicious high whip kick that whistled through the air as it lashed toward Chen You's neck!

This was his strongest strike; he was confident that even a block of granite would be cracked by this kick!

Chen You instinctively shrank his neck.

*Smack!*

An explosive sound, louder than all the previous impacts, erupted.

Zhang Yunhai's instep slammed solidly against Chen You's shoulder.

Chen You's body swayed violently, and a wave of soreness and numbness hit his shoulder, but that was all.

He steadied himself and looked at Zhang Yunhai, who had landed and was supporting himself on one leg with veins bulging on his forehead, and spoke hesitantly.

"Um... Team Leader Zhang, are you okay?"

"..."

Zhang Yunhai's body froze.

He slowly lowered his leg, his chest heaving violently as sweat dripped from his chin onto the snow-white floor.

The air in the combat arena became extremely quiet in an instant.

Awkwardness.

A deathly awkwardness.

A few seconds later, Zhang Yunhai suddenly stood up straight, as if the person gasping for air and nearly exhausted just now wasn't him at all.

He raised his wrist and looked at the electronic clock on the wall very naturally.

"Today's introductory guidance ends here."

He announced calmly, in a voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

"It's getting late. Go to the cafeteria to eat."

After saying that, he turned and left, his back as straight as a javelin and his steps steady and powerful, without the slightest stumble.

Only, the moment he turned around, Chen You clearly saw it.

His right hand, hidden behind his back, was trembling uncontrollably and violently.