Chapter 562
There is no such thing as unearned strength in this world.
The sky is bright.
The pale gray morning light shone through the gaps in the curtains, dispelling some of the gloom in the living room.
Ah Le was woken up by the noise of the sanitation truck dumping garbage downstairs.
He groggily opened his eyes and saw Shen Wei wrapped in a blanket, fast asleep on the sofa, breathing steadily.
Turning to the other side, Fang Cheng's bedroom door was half-open, and there was no one inside. The quilt was neatly folded.
You went out so early?
Ah Le rubbed his throbbing temples and turned over.
The throbbing pain from the wound in his abdomen kept him wide awake.
Lying on the hard floor, thoughts began to race through my mind.
One moment it's about how to avoid the mole and find "Rat Qiang" to gather information, and the next it's about how to formulate a plan to counterattack the Flying Crane Gang.
Of course, what I thought about most was the scene Shen Wei described last night.
Fang Cheng single-handedly took on a fully armed mercenary group of superhumans and even destroyed an armed helicopter with his bare hands.
Does that kind of superhuman combat power really exist?
Although I was already 70-80% convinced, I still had some doubts because I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.
Even in the early morning, the air in Tokyo in late May is sultry and hot.
Unable to sleep, Ah Le simply propped himself up on the bamboo mat with both hands, enduring the pulling pain in his abdomen as he got up.
After a few seconds, he carefully stood still, holding onto the table.
Afraid of disturbing Shen Wei, he didn't dare wear slippers, but casually threw on a coat and walked into the washroom.
He splashed cold water on his face, looked at his unshaven, slightly haggard reflection in the mirror, and shook his head with a wry smile.
After a quick wash, Ah Le put on his shoes, quietly opened the security door, and slipped out.
The corridors of the tenement building were dimly lit, with only a sliver of grayish-white daylight filtering through the windows.
The air was somewhat murky, mixed with the sour smell of fermenting kitchen waste left overnight, and the smell of coal briquettes that had been piled up in the corners of the stairwell for years.
In the distance, I could hear the sounds of neighbors getting up: the slapping of slippers on the floor, the gagging sound of brushing teeth, and the whimpering of some child who didn't want to get out of bed.
Having not experienced such a peaceful living atmosphere for a long time, Ah Le couldn't help but feel a strange emotion.
He walked aimlessly until he reached the window at the top of the stairs and glanced down.
Downstairs on the street, a breakfast stall had just pulled up its roller shutter.
White steam rose from the steamer, and the owner skillfully flipped the fried dough sticks into the oil.
"Perfect timing, I'll go buy some breakfast for the chairman and Mr. Fang."
Just as Ah Le was about to step downstairs, his gaze inadvertently swept over the stairs leading to the rooftop.
The iron gate above was half open, and a slightly cooler breeze blew down from above.
It's still early, so it's good to go up and get some fresh air first.
With that thought in mind, he turned around and started walking up the cement steps one by one.
As soon as I stepped onto the rooftop, my view opened up dramatically.
There are no oppressive high-rise buildings like in the city center here; instead, there are low-rise old-style residential buildings all around, arranged in a pleasing and orderly fashion.
On the distant horizon, a pale white hue is slowly spreading, faintly tinged with wisps of orange clouds.
Ah Le took a deep breath of the cool morning air and felt the tightness in his chest dissipate considerably.
He opened his arms, preparing to do some stretching exercises and loosen up his muscles.
Suddenly, his movements froze.
In the distance, on the huge concrete water tank in the center of the rooftop, there was an upside-down figure.
Like a javelin, it was stuck straight into the edge of the water tank.
It is Fang Cheng.
Ah Le recognized him immediately and was about to go up and say hello.
The next second, his pupils contracted sharply, and his foot, which had been about to step out, was left hanging in mid-air.
Fang Cheng did not use his palms to support himself on the ground.
Supporting his tall frame and entire weight was only the index finger of his right hand.
The index finger, as if cast from high-quality steel, was firmly nailed to the rough cement cover of the water tank, without moving an inch.
"This...this is practicing martial arts?"
Ah Le held his breath and stared wide-eyed.
Fang Cheng's upside-down body began to rise and fall rhythmically.
With each descent, the top of my head almost touched the concrete surface of the water tank.
Each time he pushed up, his whole body sprang up like a spring that had been gathering momentum.
His muscles bulged in the morning light, like cables twisted from refined steel.
The deltoid muscles are prominently raised, the triceps are sharply defined, and the latissimus dorsi is like a fully extended fan.
With each movement, both tension and relaxation, he displayed astonishing explosive power and control.
Sweat streamed down his broad back, pooling on his shoulders before dripping onto the cement platform.
Ah Le stared intently.
As a martial arts practitioner who has trained for twenty years, he believes his physical fitness far surpasses that of ordinary people, and he can even do one-finger push-ups in his spare time.
But can you do a handstand with just one finger?
These are completely different things!
This requires not only terrifying core strength to maintain balance, but also finger bones and tendons with a hardness comparable to steel.
If an ordinary person dared to do this, their finger bones would instantly suffer a comminuted fracture.
Just then, Fang Cheng stopped what he was thinking.
Seemingly having finished a set, he made a slight adjustment and switched hands.
This time, I used my left index finger to steadily support my entire upside-down body.
Without much pause, it began to rise and fall again.
"one two Three……"
Ah Le unconsciously counted in his mind.
Looking at that index finger, which moved steadily up and down like a hydraulic rod, I felt a chill run down my spine, and the more I counted, the more terrified I became.
The frequency of the movements did not slow down; on the contrary, it appeared more stable and powerful, and the body did not sway at all.
Last night, after hearing Shen Wei say that Fang Cheng had single-handedly wiped out the Blood Thorn Mercenary Group, Ah Le outwardly believed him, but deep down he felt like he was listening to a myth, with a sense of unreality.
But now, looking at the scene before him, that last bit of doubt completely vanished, replaced by a deep sense of awe and reverence.
Indeed, there is no such thing as unearned strength in this world.
Only this kind of terrifying self-discipline, day after day, almost to the point of self-torture, could forge such an extraordinary physique.
This is what a true powerhouse is!
"Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred!"
A full one hundred times!
After finishing the last set, Fang Cheng suddenly exerted force in his core muscles.
She drew a perfect arc in mid-air, then gracefully flipped and leaped down.
Her feet landed silently, with the grace of a feline.
"call--"
Fang Cheng exhaled a long breath of stale air, which condensed into a straight white ribbon in the air and lingered for a long time.
He turned his head and his gaze fell on Ah Le, who was standing at the entrance to the rooftop.
In an instant, Ah Le felt as if his eyes had been pricked by needles.
His eyes were sharp as knives, carrying the imposing aura of blood and energy still lingering from the intense exercise, like a fierce tiger surveying its territory.
Ah Le felt a shiver run through him. His lips moved as if he wanted to say hello, but his throat felt like it was blocked with cotton.
Peeping at a martial arts master practicing is a major taboo in the martial arts world.
Fortunately, the sharp glint in Fang Cheng's eyes quickly disappeared, and he returned to his usual calm.
"You're up?"
He casually wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Ah...yes, I just woke up."
Ah Le nodded hurriedly, looking somewhat at a loss.
Fang Cheng's gaze swept over his abdomen:
"How's the wound? Can you walk now?"
"It's alright, it doesn't hurt much anymore."
Ah Le subconsciously straightened up, paused, and sensing the slightly awkward atmosphere, quickly said:
"Um... Mr. Fang, what would you like for breakfast? I'm just about to go downstairs to buy some."
"Breakfast?"
Fang Cheng paused for a moment upon hearing this, then politely declined:
"I can't accept this. You are guests, and I should be the one to treat you as the host."
"Mr. Fang, please don't say that!"
Ah Le spoke earnestly and urgently: "If it weren't for your righteous intervention last night, the chairman would probably be in grave danger. Compared to your life-saving grace, a mere breakfast is nothing."
"This is just a small token of my appreciation for your service. If you refuse even this, I won't feel at ease staying here."
Seeing that the other party had gone this far, Fang Cheng stopped being coy and nodded:
"Okay, then I'll leave it to you."
"No trouble at all, no trouble at all!"
Ah Le quickly waved his hand, a smile spreading across his face, and patted his chest to assure him:
"Order whatever you want, as much as you want, it's all you can eat!"
"Then give me twenty large meat buns, three baskets of steamed dumplings, and ten savory pancakes."
Fang Cheng thought for a moment, then counted on his fingers:
"Add two more bowls of savory tofu pudding, with extra chili oil. I haven't had it in a long time, and I'm really craving it."
"Oh, and if you have beef potstickers, I'd like three more pounds."
"Uh……"
Ah Le's smile froze instantly, his eyes twitched, and he wondered if he had misheard.
"Twenty...twenty large meat buns? And...three pounds of potstickers?"
This isn't breakfast, it's like they're buying supplies! Even a glutton wouldn't eat this much!
That's all.
Fang Cheng glanced at the dumbfounded Ah Le and explained:
"Yesterday's battle didn't consume too much energy, so a little replenishment will suffice; there's no need to buy too much."
"Okay...okay! I'll go buy it right away!"
Ah Le snapped out of his daze, swallowed hard, and quickly turned and walked down the stairs.
It wasn't until he stepped out of the building and was hit by the cool morning breeze that he realized his back was soaked with sweat.
Could you add a little something?
That appetite, that physique... he really is a monster in human skin.
On the rooftop.
Fang Cheng watched Ah Le's hurried departure and shook his head speechlessly.
He was actually being very restrained; given his current metabolic rate, this amount of food was barely enough to cover his basic needs.
I only ordered half the amount because I was afraid of scaring them.
I looked up at the sky; the sun hadn't fully risen yet, and it was still early.
Fang Cheng had a thought and summoned the control panel.
Watching the notification messages rush past like a waterfall.
Although there was no equipment to assist with the exercises, by increasing the difficulty of the movements and the number of repetitions, I still gained a lot of experience in several fitness skills.
"not bad."
Fang Cheng muttered to himself and nodded secretly.
His gaze then swept across the skill bar, landing on the [Jiujutsu] skill.
Since there's still time, let's continue practicing for a while longer.
Jiu-Jitsu has reached the bottleneck of level 2; I'll strive to break through to level 3 within half a month.
Thinking of this, Fang Cheng took a deep breath and moved again.
Front flip, back handspring, side spin kick, 360° spin...
He can perform all sorts of difficult somersaults with ease.
He moved nimbly and gracefully among the crisscrossing pipes, his body like a swimming dragon.
Each landing was as soft as cotton wool, and with a light touch of the toes, the bird was airborne again, without making a sound the entire time.
As dawn breaks, the sounds of the marketplace gradually increase.
In this old town full of life, on the top of this dilapidated tenement building.
A graceful figure danced in the morning sun, as if defying gravity and evolving towards a higher level of life.
....................................
At eight o'clock in the morning, the elevated highway in Dongdu was bustling with traffic.
Golden sunlight streamed through the windshield into the car, casting a bright area on the dashboard.
Fang Cheng gripped the steering wheel with one hand, moving along with the congested traffic, stopping and starting.
My morning was very fulfilling.
After his morning exercise, he took a cold shower to wash away the sweat.
When they came out, Ah Le had just bought the sumptuous breakfast.
After eating twenty large meat buns and other breakfast items, my previously hungry stomach was finally filled, and I felt incredibly comfortable.
After breakfast, I tidied up a bit.
He changed into clean clothes and went out, ready to go to Lin Chuqiao's house as agreed yesterday to pick her up for "work".
Ah Le is also someone who can't sit still. Even though he was still injured, he gritted his teeth and went out after breakfast.
They said they were going to find that minor leader called "Rat Qiang" to quickly uncover the mole within the gang.
As for Shen Wei, although his broken leg has been set, he will definitely not be able to get out of bed for the next few days and will have to stay in the house to recover.
Anyway, Big Hammer and Monkey are just keeping an eye on things near the tenement building, so there's no need to worry about safety.
Thinking of the hammer and the monkey, Fang Cheng's brows relaxed slightly, but then a hint of helplessness flashed across his face.
These two guys have been keeping watch around Old Factory Street for almost a week, eating, drinking, and relieving themselves in that small dark room, and their eyes are as dark as a panda's.
According to the original plan, once the new members recruited by the professor arrived in Dongdu, they would be able to replace the two brothers and give them a few days of rest.
As a result, in last night's battle, Gian, Hiei, and Mihawk all got injured.
Although Old Chen only suffered minor injuries, he still had to help the professor with the aftermath.
It seems that Hammer and Monkey will have to work harder for a while longer, so we'll have to give them a bigger bonus later.
Just then, a crisp ringing sound came from the handbag on the passenger seat.
Fang Cheng then turned his head, reached out and unzipped his jacket, and took out his phone.
The name "Professor" was displayed on the screen.
I pressed the answer button, turned on the speakerphone, and tossed it onto the center console.
"President."
The professor's calm voice rang out:
“We’ve settled in. For safety reasons, we haven’t gone back to the hotel we stayed at. Instead, we found a guesthouse in a remote area in the Jiangbei suburbs called ‘Yunlin Xiaozhu’.”
"There are usually not many tourists here. It's surrounded by woods and farmland, so it's very secluded."
"Hmm, well done."
Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng offered a word of approval.
They split into two groups when they evacuated from the Silver Wing Building last night.
Fang Cheng and Shen Wei left first, returning to the old factory street.
The professor, along with several new members of the Illuminati, escorted the severely wounded dragon and three other rescued Inhumans to deal with the aftermath.
"How's that redhead doing?"
Thinking of this, Fang Cheng then asked.
"The situation is not very optimistic."
The professor's voice lowered slightly:
"The fire dragon was hit by three pieces of shrapnel, one of which is lodged near its lung, quite deep."
“I contacted two doctors I knew who worked at unlicensed clinics. When they saw the injury, they were too scared to operate, afraid that they would be held responsible if the person died on the operating table.”
"As for regular hospitals... I definitely can't go there; going would be like walking into a trap."
Fang Cheng looked at the road conditions ahead with a calm expression:
"Then let fate decide. If he lives, it's his good fortune; if he dies, it's his own fault."
Fang Cheng felt no extra sympathy for these mercenaries whose hands were stained with blood.
"I see."
On the other end of the phone, the professor adjusted his glasses, his tone revealing a hint of shrewdness:
"However, I still want to give it my best."
"After all, he has the password to Masked Man's overseas account in his head. If we can get that money smoothly, our Illuminati won't have to worry about funds for at least a few years."
"It's up to you."
Fang Cheng neither confirmed nor denied it.
Money is important to him, but it's not something he absolutely needs.
However, since the professor was willing, he was happy to see it happen.
"There's one more thing."
The professor seemed to hesitate for a moment, pausing for two seconds before continuing:
"Those three superhumans we rescued from Bloodthorn last night... I'd like to hear your opinion on how to handle them?" (End of Chapter)