Chapter 31: Little Devils Killing on the Ring

"Sister Daya, today I shall formally reveal my brand; I am He Yuzhu, and 'Xu Damao' is my nickname in the pugilistic world." He Yuzhu cupped his hands in a solemn manner.

"You! I think 'Flea on the Drum' would be more fitting!" Chen Daya curled her lip and teased.

"That won't do! I don't engage in those pilfering and lock-picking deeds; that name is too ugly, 'Xu Damao' is easier on the ears."

"Fine, you even dare to fool us with your name! Speak! What else are you hiding?" Chen Daya put her hands on her hips and pressed him relentlessly.

"I only reported that to Shopkeeper Li, not to you," He Yuzhu defended himself with a grin.

Chen Daya rolled her eyes: "You're really funny! Since when does a nickname include a surname?"

He Yuzhu laughed heartily and said, "Sister Daya, in the courtyard where I live, there is a rotten seed with sores on his head and pus on his feet, and his name is Xu Damao! Every time this grandson goes out to do something wicked, he always uses my name! What do you call this? Using his own way to treat him!"

"You children from Beijing really have so many tricks up your sleeves!" Daya listened with a face full of amazement.

"Who's to say otherwise! Sometimes, I really wish I could strangle him! But then I think, we've been neighbors for decades, it's not worth going that far." He Yuzhu sighed, looking helpless.

"Little Yuzhu, we've packed everything up, when are we setting off?" Chen Daya asked.

"No rush, no rush," He Yuzhu pointed to the bulging bag on his back, "I bought some meat buns, let's have a bite, then we'll go. By the way, did you sleep well last night?"

"It couldn't have been more comfortable!" Daya said with a smile, "My father heated the kang until it was piping hot, and I slept soundly until dawn."

"If you find it uncomfortable to stay here, we can move to an inn after we finish our business," He Yuzhu suggested.

"We'll see when the time comes," Chen Qingshan walked over and took over the conversation.

The three of them finished eating hastily, then hired rickshaws and headed straight for the puppet army barracks outside Yongdingmen.

At the entrance of the Yongdingmen barracks, the line was very long, with several hundred people waiting to enter. The puppet soldiers were shouting and checking everyone one by one, searching with extreme care.

"It's just a martial arts competition, why check so strictly?" Chen Daya muttered.

"They have a guilty conscience! Afraid of someone stirring up trouble!" He Yuzhu looked disdainful.

"Tell me, do they provide food here?" Chen Daya asked again.

"Do the little devils have such good intentions?" He Yuzhu patted his backpack, "I've still got twenty meat buns in here, best not to touch their things."

Chen Daya glanced at him and smiled: "Not bad for you, you're not big, but you've got plenty of tricks."

"This is called 'one must have a heart to guard against others'! I keep feeling that this martial arts assembly is sinister," He Yuzhu lowered his voice.

By the time the three of them squeezed into the venue, the sun had almost climbed to the top of their heads.

In the center of the barracks, a half-man-high ring was built with thick logs and thick wooden planks.

Below the stage, the crowd was surging, with several hundred people packed together; there were all kinds of people from all walks of life, practitioners in short jackets; street performers holding various props; and many who possessed unique skills and wanted to go on stage to compete.

On the outer circle of the crowd, Japanese soldiers and puppet troops with loaded guns patrolled back and forth, their eyes full of vigilance, and the bayonets in their hands flashed cold light under the sun, clearly telling everyone not to cause trouble, otherwise there would be no good fruit to eat.

Under the canopy directly in front of the ring, a dozen Japanese people in kimonos or suits were slowly sipping tea, scanning the whole scene with arrogant eyes.

He Yuzhu and the other two squeezed in with the crowd, and it took almost an hour to get from the entrance to the core area.

"Whoa! This formation is really not small!" Chen Daya stood on tiptoe to look ahead, her round face full of novelty.

He Yuzhu pulled his hat brim down, the corners of his mouth under his mustache pulled tight: "Uncle Chen, take a look, are there any good martial artists among those who came?"

Chen Qingshan's eyes were like lightning, scanning the crowd sharply: "Not many. Those who truly have ability are not necessarily willing to wade into this muddy water."

Seeing that it was almost noon, a drum beat suppressed the buzzing in the venue.

Several "prominent" figures on the Beiping scene went up to the stage, chanting like sutras about "Sino-Japanese friendship," "martial arts exchange," and "honing skills," making the crowd below sleepy, wishing for the fight to start immediately.

It was only after this group finally went down that someone announced the start of the competition.

As soon as the words fell, a figure "whooshed" onto the ring!

The person was dressed in a navy blue kimono, with a black belt tied around the waist, long hair disheveled, and eyes as sinister as a night owl.

He held a samurai sword in his hand, and as he looked around the stage, a trace of contempt hung on the corner of his mouth, and he spoke in broken Chinese: "I am Yano Koji! Anyone with guts, come up to spar! The rule—sign a life-and-death contract! Once on stage, life or death is not guaranteed!"

"Life or death is not guaranteed!" These four words pierced into people's hearts like icicles, and the last bit of ease in the venue "swished" away, and a buzzing discussion immediately broke out under the stage.

Chinese martial arts competitions emphasize stopping at the point of contact and making friends through martial arts; how could there be signing a life-and-death contract and taking lives at every turn? This was clearly a provocation reeking of blood! The excitement on many people's faces faded, replaced by gravity and hesitation.

"Uncle Chen, what is your most handy weapon?" He Yuzhu asked in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the stage.

"A saber! I've practiced with the saber since I was a child, and I can use a spear too." Chen Qingshan stared at Yano Koji's grip on the saber and his stance, his brows slightly furrowed, "This person's stance is steady, his feet are rooted, he's a ruthless character who has seen blood, not easy to deal with."

"Master Chen, why don't you take me as an Apprentice?" He Yuzhu said half-jokingly.

Chen Qingshan waved his hand hurriedly: "Young master, you are shaming me! My amateur skills, how could I be worthy..."

Before he finished speaking, a loud shout exploded from under the stage: "I'll come to meet you, you dwarf!" A sturdy man was seen holding a thick-backed ghost-head saber, leaping onto the ring with tiger-like steps, and cupping his hands: "Liu Daquan! Saber practitioner! Please enlighten me!" His voice was like a bell, revealing the bravery of a northern man.

"Good!" A burst of cheers suddenly erupted from under the stage, all applauding for this man who stood up.

After exchanging names, the two instantly took their stances.

Yano Koji held the hilt with both hands up to his eyebrows, the tip of the blade pointing directly at Liu Daquan.

His footsteps were extremely fast, moving slowly like a poisonous snake spitting its tongue, waiting for an opportunity to move.

The two were deadlocked, and the onlookers below became impatient, one after another heckling: "What are you doing? Fighting cocks?"

Liu Daquan could no longer bear the sinister probing of the little devil, and with a sudden low shout, his ghost-head saber performed a move "Forcefully Splitting Mount Hua," wrapping around the wind and slashing towards Yano Koji's forehead!

Yano Koji did not take it head-on, but stepped strangely, his figure moving sideways like a ghost for half a foot, narrowly avoiding the thunderous slash! At the same time, the samurai sword in his hand was as fast as lightning, the blade light slashing diagonally from shoulder to rib!

The speed was too fast, Liu Daquan had no time to dodge at all!

"Chila—" a harsh sound of tearing silk rang out, a large gash was immediately opened on Liu Daquan's body, and fresh blood "poofed" and sprayed out!