Chapter 117: Spirit, Intent, Action. A Martial Arts Master, Deciphering Disguise (2) |
“Who might you be?” Wu Yaoming asked, visibly puzzled.
“We are from Shaolin. We’ve come to assist the Skynet Operation program inspection team in overcoming their challenges and contribute in any way we can,” the eldest monk greeted them warmly, bowing politely as he spoke.
“Hm? Were you invited by the production team to help?” Kolyev asked, his face etched with intrigue and curiosity.
“Sort of. We’re here to promote our national martial arts as well, which is beneficial for strengthening the body and improving overall health, and we aim to help people improve their physical condition,” the old monk in the middle replied with a smile.
Unlike the other monks, his face bore rugged features instead of the typical gentle and kind expression.
“National martial arts?” Wu Mingyu and his team were curious but extended a polite invitation, asking eagerly, “How exactly can you masters assist us?”
“We are capable of identifying Wang Yun,” the old monk responded.
“What? You can recognize Wang Yun?” Wang Yue asked, surprised and incredulous.
“Yes, a person’s physical appearance can change, but not his essence, energy, and spirit. Recognizing someone doesn’t always require seeing their face,” the old monk explained with a smile, then added, “You may call me Master Jue Ming.”
“We can identify him from clear footage, though it might be challenging with blurry images. Wang Yun has trained in combat arts, making his essence, energy, and spirit quite pronounced. This makes it easier to recognize him,” Master Jue Ming elaborated, “And it’s not just me, some of my disciples can also identify him.”
“This is incredible. Masters, you truly have insightful eyes,” Wu Mingyu couldn’t contain his admiration.
To recognize a person even through a disguise? That was indeed extraordinary.
“It’s not about having keen sight, but rather about the sensitivity developed through prolonged martial arts training. It’s an intuition among fellow practitioners,” Master Jue Ming humbly explained, shaking his head.
“Master Jue Ming, you speak of promoting China’s national martial arts. Does it really possess the legendary prowess of fighting through an army, as the tales suggest?” Ying Yuezi asked with curiosity, “And if you were to face Wang Yun, would you be able to defeat him?”
“The tales of the ancients are often exaggerated. In a fair fight, defeating a hundred single-handedly is unrealistic. A skilled practitioner of our national martial arts can overpower ten to twenty ordinary people, especially if armed. In a life-or-death battle, this number could potentially double,” Master Jue Ming answered honestly. “Today, national martial arts are primarily for physical conditioning and health. They’re not as mythical as the legends say, but they are more than sufficient for self-defense and wellness.”
“How does this compare to the level of a boxing champion?” Kolyev asked, raising an eyebrow.
“A boxing champion typically has excellent physical conditioning. For instance, your disciple, Captain Kolyev, with his height of 1.9 meters and weight of over 100 kilograms, would be a formidable opponent for thirty or forty ordinary people in unarmed combat. His raw power and defense are significant. However, if my disciple were to engage in unarmed combat with yours, he would likely be at a disadvantage. Yet, if weapons such as knives or clubs were involved, then your disciple would find himself outmatched,” Master Jue Ming stated confidently.
“The art of killing is indeed distinct from general performance techniques,” Kolyev agreed, reflecting for a moment.
He understood some aspects of this reality, even though his disciple had experience in underground boxing. However, few people train in such lethal arts. These deadly techniques, honed over decades, often fall short compared to the efficacy of a submachine gun.
“Getting directly shot is also a reason for the decline of traditional combat skills. However, this decline doesn’t mean they’ve become extinct,” Master Jue Ming commented with a hint of irony.
“I’ve brought eight disciples with me this time, hoping to help the program inspection team,” Master Jue Ming said with a smile.
“Master Jue Ming, please have a seat. We were just troubled about finding Wang Yun. Your arrival could be the solution to our problem,” Wu Mingyu said with a welcoming smile.
“Now that we’re part of the team, the Captains can command us as needed,” Master Jue Ming affirmed with a nod.
“Excellent!”
Wu Mingyu and the others nodded, their eyes shining with hope. They had found a method to see through Wang Yun’s disguise, which was indeed a delightful surprise.
***
In the livestream, the audience reacted to the arrival of the new team members with a flurry of comments.
“Whoa, the program team brought in Shaolin martial arts experts? Can they really crack Brother Yun’s disguise?”
“Is national martial arts really that weak? Just capable of fighting a few dozen people and not as powerful as we thought?”
“National martial arts have been debunked so many times. You didn’t actually think they could make you fly, right? Being able to fight dozens is already incredible!”
“Master Jue Ming brought eight disciples, all capable of overpowering Captain Kolyev’s disciple, isn’t that strength remarkable? Are you all reading too many fantasy novels? Even Big Brother, as strong as he is, might only defeat two or three of Kolyev’s disciples!”
“It’s already quite impressive. Imagine giving Master Jue Ming’s disciples high-tech equipment for close combat with Big Brother, they might even subdue him!”
***
Amidst the fervent online discussions among countless netizens, the day swiftly passed by.
At 3 a.m. the next morning, on a central city street, a car quietly approached a spot near the main Nancheng Bank. A figure emerged from the vehicle and stealthily moved to an area without surveillance cameras.
Using a rope, the figure skillfully infiltrated the bank’s interior. Twenty minutes later, the car departed.
“Today, I’ll perform a simple magic trick for everyone,” Wang Yun murmured to himself inside the car, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He drove off to an underground garage where he took some rest. As Wang Yun hadn’t streamed this live, only the production team knew of these events.
***
With the morning sun rising, in the program special task force base, Captain Wu Mingyu addressed Master Jue Ming and his disciples, “Master Jue Ming, today we count on you to help us find clues through surveillance footage.”
“It’s our duty,” Master Jue Ming replied, shaking his head, “Captains, please direct us to the specific footage you need reviewed.”
“Understood.” Wu Yaoming nodded, giving instructions, “Let’s examine all surveillance from the vicinity of Wang Yun’s escape yesterday. He likely changed his disguise after fleeing. The face with his real identity is probably staying at a hotel.”
“Got it!” Ames and the Red Hacker Alliance team immediately agreed.
“If we can identify all of Wang Yun’s disguises, our chances of capturing him increase to over sixty percent,” Kolyev remarked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Disguise had always been Wang Yun’s ace in the hole and the biggest challenge in apprehending him.
Without the ability to disguise, even if Wang Yun was a formidable fighter, sheer numbers could eventually overwhelm him.
At that moment, within the program special force task headquarters, an alert resonated, “Alert. The program inspection team from Thailand has arrived. By this evening, the program inspection teams from Sanya* and Bang* countries will also reach us. Tomorrow, program inspection teams from all countries will be present.”
“Hm?” Upon hearing this announcement, everyone’s attention sharpened.
“The team from Thailand is already here? I wonder how many experts they’ve brought along,” Wang Yue pondered aloud.
“Thailand is renowned for its Muay Thai, a globally recognized martial art. Combat sports are rampant there, and it’s one of the most brutally intense fighting nations. They even push beyond their physical limits to enhance their prowess and strength, producing numerous champions. Thailand is home to many formidable and fierce fighters,” Kolyev added.
***
“Thailand’s team is here?”
“Wow, another country’s team has arrived. Now, our Chinese team has discovered a method to crack Wang Yun’s disguises. I wonder what other countries’ teams have up their sleeves.”
“They surely came well-prepared!”
“The situation is heating up. There’s a real risk of Brother Yun getting caught if he isn’t careful.”
Upon hearing this news, the livestream viewers were slightly taken aback and engaged in animated discussions. At that moment, the live broadcast introduced an option to join the camp of the Thailand program inspection team.
***
“Disguises? It may be hard for them, but not for us,” a voice declared.
Meanwhile, not far from the China program inspection team, within the base of the Thailand program inspection team, a group of thirty individuals had gathered.
Aside from two young women and two older ladies, the group consisted entirely of robust young men.
In the center, a young man spoke with a confident smile, “We have memorized every move of Wang Yun. Even in disguise, we can immediately recognize him.”
Another young man, his lips curling slightly upwards, asserted confidently, “This is our chance to gain worldwide fame.”
“Don’t underestimate the situation. The Japan program inspection team is a stark warning. We must maintain respect for Wang Yun,” one of the figures in the center, a woman, cautioned.
“We always respect the strong. But we will also demonstrate to the world the might of Thailand’s boxing,” declared the young man at the center, his face ablaze with determination.
The foundation of Thai boxing included the practice of ‘Looking-at-the-Sun.’ This routine involved daily gazing at the sunrise to strengthen the eyes and enhance focus in combat. Expert Thai boxers could see through their opponents, discerning their essence, qi, and spirit, every movement, finger length, and the length of their arms and legs, as well as their gaze.
“Let’s start by tracing Wang Yun’s whereabouts and see if we can pinpoint him through surveillance footage. If that fails, you can go out and gather information in person,” instructed one of the young men as they brought out their laptops.
“Alright,” agreed the rest, nodding.
They stood erect in the program’s special task force office, each posture revealing their discipline.
***
Soon after the Thailand program inspection team arrived, a private plane landed near the waiting Japan program inspection team. Figures disembarked from the aircraft.
At the foot of the plane, Captain Mita, upon seeing his master and senior brothers, finally allowed a small smile to appear. Clenching his fists tightly, he was fueled by a desire for vengeance.
NOTES:
This chapter has no notes and thank you for reading this. I.N.K.K.A.C.U.N.O.V.E.L.S
