Chapter 197

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

The one who drew water from the well was Yan Qi Masayoshi's hire.

His primary task was to assess whether the state of the martial arts hall would affect the progress of the demolition work. As always, Mitsubishi Company held a low-priority attitude toward the demolition of residential areas; first and foremost was securing Jiangbei Wharf, which they had already done; secondly was withdrawing intact from the construction at Jiangbei Wharf, which was currently underway.

As for the demolition of the residential area, aside from being the work of Internal Affairs Minister Yamashita Horyu, Yan Qi Masayoshi and the others didn't care—it should be Mingde Group's job, and the current demolition companies were essentially carrying out preliminary preparations: cutting off water and electricity, isolating public facilities and storefronts, all in all still fairly civilized.

The actual effect was also excellent; aside from some people signing contracts to leave, resistance wasn't very strong. In their years-long plan, regardless of whether real estate development was ultimately needed, formal demolition was something for a year or two later, and they didn't believe local residents could endure two years of non-modern life. Yamashita Horyu's main work was actually focused on guarding against sudden violent resistance.

However, the martial arts hall grew larger and larger, and Niu Xiang's work became harder and harder; what worried them most was that at least several hundred households had their electricity restored and returned to normal life.

In that case, so-called artillery preparation was nothing but pure waste?

To complete his work, Yamashita Horyu had to ask Yan Qi Masayoshi to bring in martial arts experts, hoping to find an opportunity to resolve this big trouble of the martial arts hall.

After finishing the pleasantries, Yamashita Horyu stood behind the Water from the Well and said: "Everything is up to you."

"My people are probably no match for him." The legendary Karate Black Belt gave an unexpected response.

Yamashita Horyu grew anxious and asked: "How could that be."

Water from the Well remained silent, and even reached out to press down on his eager disciples.

Yamashita Horyu immediately grew angry; what he valued was keeping one's word, and he spoke in an unfriendly tone: "Well-in-the-middle, although your status is very high, since you have taken money, how can you not take some risk."

"I can't see through him."

"I can't see through him either." Yamashita Horyu had to use great self-control to avoid flying into a rage. He had persuaded Yan Qi Masayoshi to step forward, which had already made Headquarters very unhappy; Mitsubishi didn't want to offend an important family in Jiangning over low-priority affairs. Now they had finally brought in a Karate Black Belt just to crush the martial arts hall's momentum, yet they continued artillery preparation for local residents. If they left quietly, Water from the Well would naturally be happy, getting money and favors for nothing, but he would have nothing.

As long as one does things, one cannot please everyone; a Karate Black Belt from outside the group, whether he's happy or not doesn't matter.

Yamashita Horyu made up his mind; he must force Water from the Well to take action, so he spoke almost without concealment in a vicious tone: "I don't want you to defeat Chen Yi, but as long as your disciples can defeat the martial arts hall's students, it's fine; best if someone is seriously injured."

Actually, dying wouldn't matter either. It's just that Yamashita Horyu wouldn't say that.

In a match, fists and feet have no eyes; serious injury and death are separated by only a hair's breadth.

Water from the Well snorted heavily and said: "We are not enforcers."

"You took money." Yamashita Horyu wore the face of an old Self-Defense Force member, like a middle-aged uncle who attempted rape.

No matter how angry, Water from the Well knew he couldn't avoid this encounter. He closed his eyes slightly, bowed, and spoke in Japanese: "Mr. Chen, all martial arts under heaven are one family; I have long admired the profundity of Chinese martial arts. May I ask if we can exchange a few moves."

The translator beside him stammered through a translation, and he was somewhat afraid. In Jiangning, things like challenging a hall always easily made people think of terms like the Hongkou Dojo.

The residents beside them also clamored; they didn't care whether they or their children could learn real martial arts at the hall; what they cared about was having electricity and water at home, children having hope, having jobs. If Chen Yi failed, even these demands would become flowers in the mirror and moon in the water; as for victory, what meaning did it have.

But Chen Yi wouldn't fear a Karate Black Belt with no fighting skill at all; he waved his hand and said: "Naked Bear, go get my equipment."

Deputy Bureau Chief Yan looked and thought: Young people are really too impulsive; is this kind of Japanese old **** easy to deal with? If you get injured, you suffer; if they get injured, I suffer.

He gave Kong Qian a look, and the latter immediately stepped forward to block: "Mr. Chen, Mr. Yamashita, Mr. Well-in-the-middle, private fighting is not legal; everyone should..."

"It's fine, our rules are simple." Chen Yi smiled and blinked.

Everyone soon knew why.

The equipment Naked Bear brought was not ordinary equipment.

Full-body leather armor, the leather as thick as a thumb; it had to be propped on someone's shoulders, then tied around the waist, and similarly fastened on the chest with leather buckles in reverse. The weapon was even more powerful: a curved bow 1.8 meters long, taller than the Japanese person in front.

In ancient times, the only way for a single bow to increase attack power was length and the hardness of the bow's back. Historically, English longbowmen generally used bows and arrows over 1.5 meters, so they had considerable height requirements.

A crude bow, plus bone arrows half a person tall, a chilling aura immediately filled the entire venue.

Not only Yamashita Horyu, but even Water from the Well looked dazed. There were many types of competitive martial arts in the world, but basically they were all bare-handed; who could endure being fully armored? Just that armor alone—knives couldn't cut through, and fists were even more ineffective.

Could only joint locks and wrestling be used?

Water from the Well habitually analyzed, while the students behind him spoke in Japanese: "That's elephant hide, right."

"Maybe rhino hide?"

"If steel plates are sandwiched in the middle, it's about like a bulletproof vest, right."

"Can it be shot through now?"

Water from the Well heard it and nearly coughed up blood; he coughed hard once and said to Chen Yi: "Mr. Chen, sparring should be based on martial arts or karate..."

The translator translated it simultaneously.

Chen Yi, hearing halfway, interrupted: "When did I tell you that my martial arts hall teaches martial arts and karate."

The surrounding residents, having a theoretical basis, shouted excitedly: "Japanese devils, why should we use your rules."

"Use archery..."

"It's kyudo..."

"Idiot, it's shesha..."

Water from the Well understood simple Chinese, but he was well-cultured and pretended not to understand, smiling with an unchanged expression as he continued: "If Mr. Chen wears armor, that's fine too; but I will use a knife."

He thought Chen Yi wanted to compete in target shooting with him, so he proposed a method of contest. This was indeed a good calculation; the Japanese sword was originally extremely sharp, suitable for chopping and hacking. Although that leather armor looked very thick, its weight would make one clumsy, unable to chop more than a few times.

With such a long bow and arrow, if they competed face to face, who would suffer was clear at a glance.

Deputy Bureau Chief Yan nervously watched Chen Yi, afraid he would agree.

Water from the Well's eldest disciple, however, without hesitation turned around, preparing to take his master's "Dragon Flame." Whether it hits or not, they couldn't just suffer like this. He bent down to open his luggage; the moment he held out "Dragon Flame" with both hands, "Whoosh," shocking the entire venue.

A bow and arrow nearly a meter long accurately shot onto the handle of "Dragon Flame," then pinned it to the tire of a Toyota SUV.

Everyone immediately felt their mouths dry.

That sound, that momentum, truly had the power to take the lead with sound.

Water from the Well and Liu Xinyu were even more surprised; they had both been staring at Chen Yi just now, but hadn't clearly seen his archery motion.

Chen Yi looked fearless and spoke in a deep voice: "Black Belt Sir, let the match begin."

Jingzhong found the name strange and couldn't help but ask in Chinese: "What?"

The piercing sound of feathered arrows tearing through the air represented Chen Yi's attitude, and with another "swish," the bow and arrow grazed Jingzhong Chushui's neck and struck the sleeve of another of his disciples.

"Lord Chen..." Jingzhong Chushui was flustered and exasperated, but his heart was a sheet of ice; he dared not move a muscle. He finally understood why he couldn't see through him. At a distance of about 3 meters, shooting with a 1.8-meter longbow, he actually had no desire whatsoever to dodge. It could be said that even if he held a blade in hand, at close range, he would still be the one to die.

Isn't a bow and arrow a long-range weapon? At close quarters, can't you only use the bowstring?

The thoughts emerging in Jingzhong Chushui's brain made his complexion grow worse and worse. The cheers and applause from the surrounding Chinese people added a portion of trouble.

Chen Yi raised his bow and arrow again.

This time, his speed was much slower.

Jingzhong Chushui knew that even if he were 20 years younger, he still couldn't dodge this arrow, but he didn't believe Chen Yi dared to shoot him dead, so he just said gently: "Mr. Chen's martial arts are indeed superb, but a martial arts hall is a place for teaching disciples; why not let them compete in a match?"

Chen Yi sneered secretly.

This kind of match: winning brings not a shred of benefits, but losing invites trouble. The parents of the children present are mostly the toiling masses at the bottom of society, the true proletariat. Among them, few would harbor extravagant hopes for their sons to rise above the crowd. On the contrary, peace and safety, muddling through a lifetime, counts as the greatest happiness. If the disciples were injured by Japanese in a fight, they would inevitably feel apprehensive; even if the disciples injured the Japanese, the parents still wouldn't feel proud.

The martial arts hall's youths of eligible age are all sixteen or seventeen; students this age in such a chaotic place — parents scheme exhaustively and still can't guarantee they won't fight, won't brawl, won't join triads. Now it has escalated straight to the stage of injuring people — if one day someone accidentally kills a person, what then?

No one would believe Chen Yi can bear the consequences.

Yamashita Horyu's shrewd small eyes flickered; he felt Jingzhong still had some skill, so he spoke up to help: "Right, disciple match."

"Disciple match." The students Jingzhong brought also shouted.

……(Unfinished, if you want to know what happens after this, please log in to www. qidian. com, more chapters, support author, support genuine reading!)