Chapter 321: Chapter 52: Offense and Defense

How infuriating!

What did he mean, "without much effort"?

Everyone present was young and couldn’t stand this kind of provocation. Immediately, many of them glared at Chen Chuan with hostile eyes, unable to stop themselves from stepping out from the crowd.

Ni Qianqian immediately spoke up. "One at a time. Don’t lose your composure and embarrass yourselves."

These young people were all proud; of course they wouldn’t stoop to ganging up on him. Most of them immediately stepped back.

Chen Chuan, however, didn’t mind. Fighting one person had its own approach, and fighting two had another. At worst, he could just use his Second Self to absorb the damage and slightly unleash his Furnace Breathing Method. That would be more than enough to boost his physical condition to a level where he could handle most of the people present.

Among those who remained, the few of them looked at each other. In the end, only one burly young man with a thin layer of hair stayed.

The man clasped his fist. "Chen, my name is Dou Bing." His voice was deep and solid. His build made it obvious he specialized in Wrestling Takedowns. It seemed he was planning to get back up right where he’d fallen.

Chen Chuan returned the fist clasp. "Please, enlighten me."

He was quite familiar with Wrestling Takedown. His very first real opponent, Zhongwu, had been an expert in it. And his friend, Qiu Xin—the one who was still laid up with him even now—was also a Wrestling Takedown master.

Furthermore, since the Wrestling Takedown Department at Wuyi Academy was practically the main base for the Mutual Aid Association, he had secretly spent the most time guarding against and studying this type of opponent.

Wrestling Takedown wasn’t just about foolishly rushing in to grab someone. On the contrary, it was a supreme test of one’s eyes and technique. Thinking that a large physique meant a lack of intelligence was a stereotype. In reality, although Fighters primarily trained their bodies, most of the time, they relied on their brains to win.

’Now seems like a good time to try,’ he thought. ’Even if I fail, it doesn’t matter. It’s not often I get to practice against such a skilled opponent without having to worry about winning or losing.’

After some thought, he didn’t assume a fighting stance. Instead, he just stood there casually.

Dou Bing, however, acted as if he were facing a great enemy, not underestimating Chen Chuan in the slightest because of his relaxed posture. Their previous exchange was enough to prove this opponent was no simple matter. But after a few tentative feints, Chen Chuan still seemed completely unguarded, which Dou Bing couldn’t help but find strange.

Although he remained highly cautious, he wasn’t going to be deterred. He had complete faith and confidence in his own Wrestling Takedown technique.

He slowly shuffled closer before suddenly lunging forward, his hands reaching for Chen Chuan. The target of his hands was almost identical to the position where Chen Chuan had grabbed Han Kuang. Clearly, he intended to defeat Chen Chuan using the very same method Chen Chuan had used to defeat Han Kuang.

But to the surprise of most people present, Chen Chuan didn’t dodge or evade the grab. He was caught with shocking ease. Even Dou Bing himself was stunned and suspicious.

It wasn’t just them. Even Ni Qianqian and the few older spectators were equally astonished, wondering what on earth he was up to.

However, their experience was considerable. Drawing upon it, they immediately thought of a possibility. ’Could he be planning to...’

The moment Dou Bing grabbed Chen Chuan, Power surged into his body. At this point, Dou Bing was half-relieved. No matter what Chen Chuan was plotting, unless his strength was enough to completely crush him, there was no way he could break free at this stage. From here on out, it would be his rhythm.

He violently hoisted Chen Chuan into the air and then slammed him toward the ground. The move was almost identical to how Chen Chuan had thrown Han Kuang. The crowd watched with eager anticipation, and someone couldn’t help but cheer prematurely.

But they didn’t notice that Chen Chuan’s expression had remained calm the entire time. Just an instant before he was about to hit the ground, he suddenly moved.

His body bent, and his feet shot up to wrap around Dou Bing’s neck. He then reversed his grip to grab the man’s arm, sending a counter-flow of Power seeping into him while simultaneously contracting his own abdominal and back muscles.

Dou Bing felt his whole body go numb, and he instantly lost his center of gravity. His downward slam turned into a forward tumble, and his back hit the ground with a BANG.

Chen Chuan, meanwhile, used the momentum to land steadily on his feet. He quickly moved forward, pressed down on Dou Bing’s struggling head, and slammed it down. THUD. The man lay motionless.

The spectators were all stunned.

The tide of battle had turned too quickly for anyone to react or even accept. Just a moment ago, it seemed Chen Chuan was about to be defeated, but in a flash, the tables had turned. The one lying on the ground was now Dou Bing.

Ni Qianqian tapped her purple-lipsticked lips. ’Just as I thought.’ Wrestling Takedown Strength had almost no openings during the moments of application and release. If there was one weakness, it was that as the Power was gradually released, the control over the restrained person weakened.

But a Mutated Organization has a brief adaptation and recovery period when going from being restrained to being released. Most people simply don’t have enough time to react, let alone launch an effective counterattack.

And yet, Chen Chuan had done just that, exploiting that single opening to strike back.

’A very bold choice. If his reaction had been a little slower, or if his Mutated Organization hadn’t responded in time, he would have definitely screwed himself over. Was it that others couldn’t think of this method? Couldn’t see this opening? No, it was that they didn’t dare, nor were they willing, to take such a risk.’

’He really is audacious.’

She involuntarily began to clap lightly. Although it was risky, it was undeniably brilliant. The key was that he had won. And a win meant all his choices were correct and beyond reproach.

After she started clapping, Liu Yin immediately followed suit with a serious expression. He had always believed that victory and defeat were common occurrences. There was no shame in losing. ’You just have to find the reason for your loss and plug the holes, right? Every opponent deserves respect. If you considered losing unacceptable, how was that any different from closing your doors and declaring yourself the strongest?’

He was very popular among the younger generation. Seeing him do this, many others reluctantly joined in, and scattered, half-hearted applause echoed through the venue.

After she finished clapping, Ni Qianqian looked at Chen Chuan. "Chen, that was the second match. Do you need to rest?"

Chen Chuan said sincerely, "Thank you, Sister Ni, but it took about the same amount of time as the last one. I don’t think I need a rest just yet."

Hearing this, several young people in the crowd involuntarily clenched their fists, their knuckles letting out a series of sharp CRACKS.

Ni Qianqian shot them a glance and cleared her throat. "So, who’s up next?"

After a moment, another student stepped out of the crowd. His body was perfectly proportioned, and the muscles under his training clothes were lean and powerful. He clasped his fist at Chen Chuan. "Chen, I am Renqiao. Please, enlighten me."

Chen Chuan returned the gesture. "Please, enlighten me."

Renqiao looked at Chen Chuan with extreme caution. The lessons from the first two rounds told him that he absolutely could not engage in close-quarters combat with his opponent. He had to force him back and maintain a certain distance.

Because Chen Chuan had defeated two opponents in a row, both with a single move, Renqiao’s goal wasn’t something as lofty as defeating him immediately. Instead, he planned to wear him down and, first and foremost, ensure his own survival.

Just then, a round-faced woman of about thirty with short hair walked up to Ni Qianqian’s side. She said, "Renqiao has always been a very down-to-earth person. Though he’s not as good as Liu Yin, his strength is his stability. He knows to take things one step at a time. He should be able to hold his own against this Brother Chen for a while."

Just then, Ni Qianqian flicked a coin into the air with a SNAP. The short-haired woman snatched it, glanced at it, and said, "A one-yuan Silver Coin from the Imperial Period? You don’t see these often. Is it worth one to two hundred yuan now?"

Ni Qianqian said, "I bet one round."

The short-haired woman pocketed the Silver Coin. "You’re on."

Back in the ring, Chen Chuan was still standing casually. It was a posture that looked so unstable a single push could topple him, yet Renqiao didn’t dare to underestimate him in the slightest.

But he couldn’t afford a long standoff. That would only drain his own momentum. With so many people watching, he knew they hadn’t come to see him get on stage and have a staring contest. The pressure was immense, so after waiting a short while, he decided to launch an attack.

He didn’t attack rashly. Instead, after inching a bit closer, he lifted one leg as if to kick, feinting slightly to bait Chen Chuan into making the first move. But Chen Chuan remained completely unmoved.

Seeing his probe had failed, he immediately took another half step forward and suddenly threw a kick. Though it looked powerful, he was still holding back. Whether Chen Chuan met it head-on or retreated, he had a follow-up move ready.

After Renqiao took the stage, although Chen Chuan appeared casual on the surface, he never underestimated any opponent. He had been carefully observing the man the entire time.

Seeing Renqiao’s style of attack, he knew the man was carrying a psychological burden, which was why he was playing it so safe. In a ring match, where both sides are bound by rules and many techniques are forbidden, such a mindset would be fine. But in a sparring session like this, with no explicit rules, that kind of performance was not a good thing.

And that was something he could exploit.

Facing the man’s probe, Chen Chuan bent his knees slightly, spread his hands, and leaned his body forward. To everyone watching, it looked like he was preparing to rush in and grab Renqiao’s waist the moment he kicked.

Renqiao tensed up, but he was prepared. He immediately dropped his leg while shifting his other leg back, trying to lower his center of gravity.

At that moment, however, Chen Chuan changed his move again. His hands shifted upward, vaguely aiming for Renqiao’s head, and he took a step forward.

Renqiao realized it wasn’t a Wrestling Takedown but a Capture attempt on his head. If he was even touched, he would be declared the loser, regardless of whether any Power was used. He hurriedly raised his hands, assuming a defensive stance to block and counter.

But at that same instant, his eyes caught sight of Chen Chuan’s foot lifting slightly off the ground, as if to kick. He was instantly alarmed. If that kick landed, its target would be the exact opening at his waist. So the previous move was just a feint to draw out his defense! If this strike hit, injury aside, it would definitely throw off his balance.

Realizing this, he naturally had to compensate. He hastily retracted his strength, trying to guard the opening. But unexpectedly, not only did he fail to complete the action, the over-correction caused him to sway and stumble half a step to the side.

’Not good!’

The moment he felt something was wrong, Chen Chuan was suddenly upon him. Two hands reached out—one grabbing his side, the other resting on his shoulder. A fierce surge of Power penetrated his body. He went limp and weak, collapsing to his knees with a THUMP.

Then he felt a light tap of a knuckle on the back of his neck. His body trembled involuntarily, and he said with a bitter smile, "I lose."

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