129: Chapter 129 The Kindergarten Follower

"Keep a close eye on this crate of gold. Ship it back exactly as it is."

Su Bai pointed at the box of dazzling gold and gave the order decisively. His gaze then swept over the limp foreign man on the ground and the Ji Family cousin who had long since been scared witless, his lips curling into a cold arc.

"As for these two... let's have them 'swap homes'."

"Since our foreign guest enjoys hiding in containers so much, find him a comfortable domestic spot. Treat him well; don't let him get bored."

"And as for our audacious cousin here, didn't he want to run away?"

"Send him off with a one-way ticket. Pick a boat that's going somewhere far and slow. Let him see the world and make sure he never returns."

After speaking, he ignored their faces, which had instantly turned pale with despair, and turned to walk out of the pier.

With a look from Uncle Fu, his subordinates immediately sprang into action—some dragging the men, others moving the crate—everything proceeding in an orderly fashion.

Sitting in the car, isolated from the noise and chill of the harbor night, Su Bai's brow remained furrowed.

Dragon King Hall.

Bodyguard.

These two terms collided and connected repeatedly in his mind. An assassination organization active overseas, a bodyguard with extraordinary skills and a mysterious background lurking in the Nangong Family, plus this huge sum of money attempting to flow in through a shell company and this crate of gold... the clues seemed to be pointing in an increasingly clear direction.

Once Uncle Fu got into the car and sat in the passenger seat, and the vehicle drove smoothly away from the port area, Su Bai spoke directly: "Uncle Fu, use every channel available to us. Focus on investigating that Brother Bufan from the Nangong Family. From his possible movements and connections abroad to exactly how he got linked with the Nangong Family—the more detailed, the better."

Uncle Fu seemed to have expected this and responded steadily, "Actually, I've had people keeping an eye on him since I saw him at the villa entrance. The rhythm of his steps, his breathing, even the subtle distribution of his center of gravity when standing—they're different from someone with strictly systematic training. It's closer to a foundation of ancient heritage. He's a Martial Artist with real skill."

"A Martial Artist? Real skill?" Su Bai turned around, his face showing a mix of surprise and annoyance.

"Does Martial Arts actually exist in this world?"

This was one of his biggest concerns. If it was just ordinary prowess, even a top fighting champion would have limited destructive power in modern society; a few armed experts or a single gun could handle it.

The fear was that the setting included the kind of logic-defying Martial Arts where people could run on walls and possess deep internal energy. If so, the level of trouble and danger would skyrocket.

"In a way, yes, but not exactly as you imagine, Young Master," Uncle Fu explained, choosing his words carefully. "It's more about pushing physical potential to the limit, combining technique and Ancient Combat Arts. It truly allows a person to explode with strength and speed far beyond ordinary people in close combat. Handling a dozen or so ordinary thugs might be easy for him. However,"

He added firmly, "He is still vulnerable to modern firearms. No matter how fast he is, he's not faster than a bullet; no matter how tough his body is, he can't stop a steel-core round."

"Oh—" Su Bai finally let out a long sigh of relief. His tense shoulders relaxed, and he nodded.

"As long as he's afraid of guns, he's still within the realm of being human."

The tightest string in his heart loosened slightly.

As long as it fell within the range of what could be solved by conventional physical means, things hadn't reached the worst-case scenario.

If one shot couldn't solve it, then two would; there was always a way.

But then, another question surfaced.

He looked at Uncle Fu's well-defined profile and couldn't help but ask, "But... Uncle Fu, from what you're saying, you seem quite familiar with the ways of these Martial Artists? I've never heard you say you knew Martial Arts before."

In his memory, Uncle Fu had made moves before—actions that were crisp, with speed and power far exceeding ordinary people—but he had always assumed it was the result of top-tier bodyguard or special operations training. He had never thought of it in terms of 'Martial Arts.'

Uncle Fu glanced at Su Bai through the rearview mirror, a faint, almost helpless smile appearing on his face. "Young Master, I have followed the Master and Madam for many years. I have handled many unconventional matters, interacted with all sorts of people, and seen various styles. I only know a little bit; I wouldn't say I 'know Martial Arts.' This world is a bit more complex than it appears on the surface."

Su Bai leaned back against his seat, watching the night scenery flash by outside the window. That strange feeling rose within him again.

First, there was Brother Bufan and the Dragon King Hall, who seemed to fit the Protagonist template, and now Uncle Fu was explicitly mentioning Martial Artists and Ancient Combat Arts...

Why did it feel like he had only gone abroad for two years, and upon returning, the world had quietly... upgraded?

Or was it that these layers had always existed, but his past self had been too well-protected, or simply too lazy to notice?

Su Bai stared at Uncle Fu's steady back as he drove, his curiosity and a faint sense of anticipation winning out. He leaned forward slightly, getting closer to the front seat, and asked in a low, testing, and somewhat joking tone, "Uncle Fu, then you... just how high is your 'Martial Arts' level? How many people can you take on?"

Uncle Fu's hands on the steering wheel remained perfectly still, his eyes fixed steadily on the road ahead. Hearing Su Bai's question, the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly.

He didn't answer directly. Instead, after a brief pause, he lifted his right hand and gestured a height above the center console—about twenty or thirty centimeters off the surface—and said in a plain, almost humble tone, "About... this high."

The metaphor was a bit abstract, yet oddly vivid, carrying that unpretentious pragmatism unique to the older generation.

Su Bai was stunned for a moment, then chuckled. He relaxed back into the leather seat, the tension from the pier dissipating significantly. His tone became more like his usual casual banter with Uncle Fu. "So you had such great skills and didn't think to teach me a few moves earlier? If I were bullied while out and about, wouldn't I be able to handle it myself?"

Uncle Fu glanced at Su Bai through the rearview mirror. On that habitually serious, somewhat stern face, a rare and clear smile of elder-like tolerance appeared, smoothing out the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

"Young Master, you're doing me an injustice with those words."

His voice was steady, tinged with the distance of memory.

"When you were little, I nagged you plenty. Back then, after you finished school, I'd say, 'Young Master, let's move those bones a bit,' or 'Young Master, hold a Horse Stance to stabilize your lower body,' or 'Young Master, let's practice your reactions...' But every time, you'd shake your head like a rattle, saying you were exhausted, it was boring, and you'd rather watch TV. I brought it up at least eight or ten times, but you never agreed once."

Su Bai's thoughts were instantly pulled back over a decade by these words.

The floodgates of memory opened. There really was such a period, around the time he had just started kindergarten, when Uncle Fu would always suggest some basic physical training in the evenings in that gentle tone.

At that time... well, his head was full of ways to slack off and play. He avoided anything that required sweating like the plague, so Uncle Fu's suggestions were naturally treated as white noise.

"No, Uncle Fu," Su Bai rubbed his nose sheepishly, defending himself. "Back then, you just talked about exercising and strengthening the body. It sounded like a school PE class. You never explicitly said I could learn Martial Arts! If you'd said earlier that learning it would make me as powerful as those people in the movies, I... I might have considered it!"

He tried to shift the blame back a little.

"Whether it's Martial Arts, combat, or even just fitness, a ten-thousand-foot building starts from the ground up. Doesn't it all begin with the most basic Horse Stances, running, and stretching?"

Uncle Fu's tone remained calm, carrying the wisdom of someone who had seen the world. "Without a solid foundation, even the most exquisite moves are just for show."

As he spoke, he once again glanced through the rearview mirror, scanning Su Bai's posture as he leaned against the seat with a gaze that was normal yet extremely swift. That look was sharp enough to seem as if it could pierce through clothing to see the state of bone and muscle. He then nodded with certainty. "However, you don't need to worry, Young Master. Given your current physical condition, with strong bones and abundant vitality, your foundation is very solid. Even if you run into some low-life thugs looking for trouble, you're more than capable of defending yourself. Three to five ordinary men wouldn't be able to get near you."

These words made Su Bai's heart skip a beat. He maintained his outward composure, but a flash of surprise and suspicion crossed his eyes.

When he had first transmigrated and bound that crappy system, the Novice Gift Pack had indeed given him something called the [Immortal Kidney Body].

At the time, he just thought the system was playing a prank. Aside from his endurance becoming inhumanly strong in certain aspects and having an abnormal amount of energy, he hadn't felt much of a difference. Over time, he had almost forgotten about it.

Could it be that this thing had subtly and comprehensively overhauled his physical fitness?

And Uncle Fu had seen it just by looking? His eyesight was incredibly sharp!

But on second thought, Uncle Fu had watched him grow up and was one of the people he trusted most; he would never harm him.

Su Bai's surprise was quickly replaced by a sudden realization, and he even felt a bit of secret joy.

"Then... Uncle Fu," Su Bai's interest was piqued, and he leaned forward. "If I want to learn now, is it still in time? Nothing too profound, just a few practical moves for self-defense and taking down enemies?"

Uncle Fu seemed to have anticipated this question. Without much hesitation, he shook his head, his tone gentle but firm. "Young Master, at your current age and physical state—especially with this foundation you've already honed so well—it would be half the result for twice the effort to start over with the tedious work of breathing exercises, Stance Training, and conditioning. What you need most right now isn't to build a foundation from scratch, but to learn how to effectively utilize your body, which is already far beyond that of an ordinary person. I can teach you some Power-delivery Techniques, Joint Locks, and counters for different attacks. This will allow you to use your strength more efficiently and precisely, making up for your lack of moves and experience. Simply put, I'll teach you how to fight smarter and more effectively."

After hearing this, Su Bai felt much more confident and even secretly a bit proud. It seemed the [Immortal Kidney Body] from the system wasn't just for show. According to Uncle Fu, his "hardware" was already top-of-the-line; he was just missing the "software" and "user manual."

What he lacked was just combat technique and experience!

In that case, facing that suspected Protagonist Brother Bufan, who had practiced Martial Arts, didn't seem so passive anymore.

At the very least, his body could take a hit, and now he had the chance to get some software upgrades from Uncle Fu.

"Deal!" Su Bai slapped his thigh, his mood visibly improving. "Then I'll have to trouble you to give me some pointers when you have time, Uncle Fu! It doesn't have to be complicated—the simpler and more effective, the better!"

Uncle Fu looked through the rearview mirror at his young master's profile, which had become relaxed and even showed a hint of eagerness. A flash of gratified amusement crossed his eyes as he replied steadily, "Of course, Young Master."

"But speaking of which," Uncle Fu's voice rang out again in the smoothly moving car, tinged with the distance of past memories. "When you were in kindergarten, wasn't there always a little girl with pigtails and a round face who followed you around every day? That child was born with an excellent Natural Foundation. I found it interesting and saw that she had some spiritual potential, so I taught her a few basic breathing methods and stance postures back then, thinking of it as just building up her health."

"A little girl?" Su Bai was taken aback by this sudden topic, and his thoughts began to sift through distant childhood memories.

The blurry images gradually became clear... There did seem to be such a little squirt. She was small, and her face was always rosy and chubby, like a round apple. She seemed to love following him around, calling out "Brother Su Bai, Brother Su Bai" in a crisp, bright, childish voice.

But back then, his core was already the soul of a transmigrated adult. He had zero interest in hanging around a snot-nosed kid. Most of the time, he would just give a perfunctory "mm-hmm" or simply pretend not to hear. Her name... had long since been forgotten.

Thinking about it now, any child in that expensive private international kindergarten would come from a wealthy or influential family; their backgrounds wouldn't be simple.

It was just that back then, he couldn't be bothered to pay attention to any of it.

"According to what you're saying, Martial Arts isn't something just anyone can excel at if they want to? It depends on... 'Natural Foundation'?" Su Bai keenly grasped the key information in Uncle Fu's words and pressed further. This was sounding more and more like the setting of a wuxia or xianxia story.

"Yes, that's one way to put it." Uncle Fu nodded, explaining it simply.

"Just as some people are born fast runners or naturally strong. Practicing Martial Arts, especially if you want to reach a certain height, does have requirements for one's innate physical condition. The flexibility of the bones and muscles, the agility of the joints, the vigor of one's vitality, and even the savvy for subtle physical control—all of these can be considered part of one's 'Natural Foundation.' Some people, no matter how hard they work, may never reach the level of Brother Bufan due to their innate limitations. To put it simply, it's the same logic as the 'talent' or 'initial stats' you young people often talk about in games."