Chapter 8: The Sparring Match

After receiving the message, the four of them hurried to the rendezvous point Guo Jing had designated. When Dog-Head Old Gao saw the three arrive, he laughed heartily and said, "I heard from Guo Jing that you also want to join the operation investigating Zhang Haiyan. But this is no small matter—I need you to prove yourselves."

Nie Huaishang walked up to Dog-Head Old Gao, cupped his fist, and said, "Please instruct me."

The moment Nie Huaishang lowered his head, Dog-Head Old Gao lifted his foot and kicked toward Nie Huaishang's face. The sudden attack made Nie Huaishang a little flustered, but fortunately his reflexes were quick and he dodged Dog-Head Old Gao's strike in time.

Seeing the questioning look in Nie Huaishang's eyes, Dog-Head Old Gao laughed and said, "This is the first lesson for you. The battles we'll face are life-and-death struggles, not sparring matches. Don't cling to so-called rules."

Those words struck him like a blow to the head. Nie Huaishang felt he could not look down on Dog-Head Old Gao just because his own physical condition far surpassed the old man's.

Dog-Head Old Gao, captain of a Wolf Fang Brigade company, holding the rank of Major, was originally a secular disciple of Shaolin who enlisted at sixteen.

He took part in major military operations of our army, serving at the time as squad leader of the Wild Wolf Squad of the 12th Reconnaissance Brigade, and was awarded the title "Number One Reconnaissance Warrior of the Western Front" during combat.

He has rendered meritorious service in hostage-rescue operations, annual military exercises, and border anti-drug campaigns.

Ordinary people are already trembling at heart and soul just facing the killing aura he carries from his journey through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Fortunately, however, Nie Huaishang had also seen the world. The Immortal Realm is full of all manner of strange things, and terrifying monsters are beyond counting. Compared to all that, the pressure Dog-Head Old Gao exerted on him was nothing much.

But Dog-Head Old Gao's offensive came rushing in during his moment of distraction. As a veteran who had long fought on the battlefield, Dog-Head Old Gao's combat experience was undoubtedly rich.

His attacks were fierce and effective, coming in an unbroken stream. After Nie Huaishang neutralized the first wave of assaults, the second wave followed right behind.

If not for his physical condition far surpassing Dog-Head Old Gao's, he would undoubtedly have lost within three moves—even with his physical condition far surpassing Dog-Head Old Gao's.

The early strategy of defending only and not attacking also went forward with great difficulty. Every time he thought he could relax, Dog-Head Old Gao's unexpected attack would arrive.

Even if all four limbs were pinned, he would use his head, elbows, and knees as weapons according to the actual situation.

Yet Nie Huaishang had essentially never experienced real combat. The early fighting was quite a close call with death, but after twenty moves he had already adapted to Dog-Head Old Gao's fighting style.

No matter how fierce Dog-Head Old Gao's attacks were, he could neutralize them with ease. This situation left Dog-Head Old Gao dumbfounded—are students really this capable now?

To be able to fight on equal terms with a special-forces captain like himself. Just as Dog-Head Old Gao was doubting himself, he spotted an opening in Nie Huaishang and took him down cleanly in one move.

Next came the bouts with Zhang Chu'an and Zhang Xiaofan. Unlike with Nie Huaishang, Zhang Chu'an's attacking style was rather underhanded, always aiming for the lower three routes, but Dog-Head Old Gao had nothing to say about it.

After all, in a life-and-death struggle there's no such thing as underhanded or not—only two outcomes, life or death. So he not only did not look down on Zhang Chu'an's fighting style, but on the contrary quite approved of it.

The last one was Zhang Xiaofan. His combat style left even Dog-Head Old Gao somewhat shocked.

Everyone has their own combat style. Guo Jing's style is bold and sweeping, his moves grand and magnificent, carrying a domineering air of daring to meet a thousand cavalry alone.

Nie Huaishang leans toward steady defense—no matter how fierce Dog-Head Old Gao's attacks, he can neutralize them with ease, as if he can see through his moves.

Zhang Chu'an's moves are rather underhanded, with no sense of bottom line—as long as he can win, anything goes.

As for Zhang Xiaofan's combat style, it can fully be called crazy. The earlier simple, honest demeanor and the later madness formed a stark contrast.

Madmen, Dog-Head Old Gao had seen plenty. Drug lords and terrorists he dealt with often—the madness of those people sometimes made his blood run cold.

But for some reason, the feeling Zhang Xiaofan gave him was that he was even crazier than those people. This madness undoubtedly exerted tremendous pressure on Dog-Head Old Gao.

But no matter what, in the end he successfully defeated all of them.

After the sparring, Dog-Head Old Gao was somewhat drained, because all three of them required him to go all out,

and it took over a hundred moves before a victor could be decided. Across the entire Wolf Fang Brigade, basically no one could fight him to such a standstill, yet today he ran into four at once.

And they were all top students from the National University of Defense Technology. Looking at the three collapsed on the ground, Dog-Head Old Gao could not help but praise them: "Not bad. Your skills are among the very best in the entire Wolf Fang Brigade. But you still have a lot to learn in the future—don't get cocky."

Hearing Dog-Head Old Gao's words, the three were a little dumbfounded. What did we do that was worth being proud of? How come we don't know about it?

Nie Huaishang quickly asked, "Captain Gao, since we've passed your test, can we follow you on the investigation from here on out?"

"No problem, but you can't act rashly."

Dog-Head Old Gao hurriedly admonished.

Hearing Dog-Head Old Gao's admonition, the three nodded repeatedly. As for not acting rashly—that was impossible.

If we don't act rashly, how are we supposed to take down Black Cat and complete our first mission?

At this moment in the chat group, Guo Jing and the others were already discussing the plan to carry out next.

Guo Jing: "Now that we've successfully joined the operation investigating Zhang Haiyan, what do we do next—investigate the Cockscomb Mountain laboratory, or arrest that Secretary Yao?"

Nie Huaishang: "Right now Zhang Haiyan is neutral. She cares about her daughter and wants to stay away from K2, but at the same time she fears Black Cat and won't choose to betray them. But we can force her onto our side."

Zhang Chu'an: "How do we force her?"

Nie Huaishang: "I used a few minor Immortal-Sect tricks to read the information in those assassins' minds. I plan to disguise myself as a K2 assassin and lure Secretary Yao out, then have her go kill Zhang Haiyan."

"Once Zhang Haiyan is under Secretary Yao's control, I'll have the right to arrest them. With my skills, taking down the two of them is a cinch. When the time comes, we can have Captain Gao publicly announce that Zhang Haiyan cooperated with the military to capture a K2 assassin."

Zhang Chu'an: "At that point she'll have no choice but to go against K2."

Zhang Xiaofan: "Zhang Haiyan's betrayal is something Black Cat absolutely cannot accept. He'll definitely come find Zhang Haiyan."

Guo Jing: "The moment he shows up, I'll make sure he stays here for good."

Early the next morning, Nie Huaishang used the phone to contact Secretary Yao. After matching the code phrase, they arranged to meet at a coffee shop.

Seeing Nie Huaishang's youthful face, Secretary Yao was somewhat startled, but she steadied her emotions—after all, the code phrase was indeed genuine.

Seeing Secretary Yao arrive, Nie Huaishang smiled and greeted her: "Hello, Hummingbird. I'm the person Black Cat sent here to carry out a major operation. I hope you'll cooperate with my work from here on."

"What mission did the organization send you here to explain?"

Secretary Yao asked, sitting up straight and prim.

"The organization recently has a major operation here that requires the cooperation of that mole, Zhang Haiyan. But over these past days I've felt that Zhang Haiyan has been corrupted by a life of comfort and probably won't cooperate with me."

Saying this, Nie Huaishang let out a helpless sigh.

Hearing this, Secretary Yao immediately assured him:

"Don't worry. I'll help you keep Zhang Haiyan under control."