novelinnhs Chapter 9 Iron Horse Training Ground
Chapter 9 Iron Horse Training Ground
It was already night when I went out to Hongshui City. In this artificial dome city where the sun can't be seen, nighttime is just a time when the lights are sparse and dim.
There was no moon, no stars, yet the streets were still teeming with people. People escaped from work and study to head to leisure venues, where social and entertainment activities were readily available. Nightlife filled the once quiet streets with vibrant energy.
Most public service venues are located on the surface, such as botanical gardens, zoos, public gardens, aquariums, and astronomical science museums. The same is true for the fighting enthusiasts association that Lin Zhuo was going to. He was like a duckweed being pushed by the tide, with people in front of and behind him, so he could not move very fast.
At times like this, he would imagine himself jumping directly off the railing and scaling the buildings like a giant spider. Lin Zhuo believed that everyone who was moving slowly in the queue, sweating profusely from being squeezed, would have similar thoughts.
This would have been just a wild idea in the past, but now that he could actually do it, he could only laugh it off.
After taking the elevator down to the ground floor and stepping out of the building, the street in front of him was much wider, and the tightly packed crowd dispersed. Lin Zhuo stretched his limbs and started running quickly. He was too lazy to take the bus for the remaining few kilometers, so he treated it as a warm-up.
A moment later, Lin Zhuo spotted his destination: a detached building right next to the G6 building.
According to Chijiang, this place used to be a temporary camp for an engineering team, and was later expanded into a community sports center.
Later, the residents of this area got used to going to the nearby Lemin Cultural and Sports Complex, and this small venue gradually fell into disuse. It was then applied for by a group of traditional culture and martial arts enthusiasts to be used as the venue for offline activities.
Although it is already night, it is the prime time for association members to train after get off work and school. The lights are on, and loud shouts cannot be shut out from the doors, windows and walls. The crisp and short squeaking of shoes scraping the floor echoes under the high beams.
Lin Zhuo secretly admired the vibrant and lively atmosphere that was emerging from the scene.
As he strode into the museum, the receptionist, an elderly man, put down his tablet and asked Lin Zhuo what he had come for.
"Oh, I see. Then you'll have to find the person in charge. Go inside and ask if a guy surnamed Min is there." After learning the purpose of the visit, the old man casually replied, then buried his head back in his tablet and didn't bother with it anymore.
Lin Zhuo walked along the corridor, which was lined with individual training rooms on both sides. He pushed open a door and looked inside. The rooms were spacious and equipped with some basic equipment, but there were no surveillance cameras installed.
Some doors were locked, and the faint sounds of low, muffled punches and shouts could be heard. There was also a attendance sheet on the wall, registering the users of certain rooms. He guessed these were probably all official members of the association.
Pushing open the double spring door at the end of the corridor, a wave of clamor and noise hits you.
Before us was the main stadium, where dozens of men and women dressed in plain white training uniforms were gathered in small groups. Some were practicing flexibility exercises, stretching their muscles against the wall; others were practicing somersaults and flips, sprinting along the track and then landing in mid-air on the soft mat at the end; two fully armored soldiers were sparring, their swords flashing, and the surrounding spectators watched with bated breath; still others were hitting wooden dummy, speedballs, and sandbags, the muffled sounds of their various strikes like crackling firecrackers.
"Comrade, who are you looking for?" A few young men sitting on benches at the edge of the field greeted him.
Lin Zhuo greeted everyone with a smile, "Comrade, the old gentleman at the front desk told me that to join your association, I need to find a person in charge surnamed Min. May I ask where that person is?"
"Oh. Did you see those two swordsmen fighting? The shorter one is it."
The two swordsmen quickly decided their match, clasped their hands in a fist salute, and left the arena.
Lin Zhuo walked up to the short swordsman surnamed Min. He had already discerned from subtle details such as her posture and gait that she was a woman. At this moment, the woman removed her visor, shook off the strands of hair soaked in sweat, her face flushed, panting heavily, her eyes bright and sparkling as she sized up Lin Zhuo. "What do you need, comrade?"
"Hello comrade, my name is Lin Zhuo. I am currently a librarian and have always loved martial arts culture, but I lack a long-term venue for my activities. I would like to apply to borrow your venue's individual training room, but I don't know what the procedure is?"
"Min Pei'er." She took off her gloves and extended her hand, which Lin Zhuo half-shaked. "Any official member of our Iron Horse Fighters Association can apply for a private room. Just make sure to clean it before and after use so as not to disturb the next user. The equipment is free to use. If you need anything extra, you can bring your own or apply to the community for equipment, but that will be a bit more troublesome."
"That would be perfect. How can I apply to join your association?"
Min Pei'er smiled. "We're a community for enthusiasts, catering to both newcomers and veterans. Newcomers are responsible for cleaning and tidying up the equipment, while veterans provide guidance and mentorship to newcomers. Rights and responsibilities are equal, right? Is that acceptable?"
Lin Zhuo readily agreed and immediately followed Min Peier to the second-floor office area to fill out personal information.
"Comrade, would you like to apply to become an instructor?"
"I'm new here, so I'd like to get familiar with the environment first."
"Don't mention it. Judging from your appearance, you've attended military academy; you must be really capable. I'll be your recommender, as long as you get the approval of the three instructors. Our association participates in many competitions, which not only allows us to compete against higher-level players but also gives us a reason to take leave—isn't that great!"
Min Pei'er's words, delivered with gentle persuasion, served as a reminder to Lin Zhuo: becoming an instructor in the association might trigger a [Grandmaster] path quest. Previously, Lin Zhuo had been preoccupied with cultivating techniques and hadn't considered this possibility at all.
"Then I'll trouble you. Please arrange the test for me."
The main hall on the first floor was soon bustling with footsteps and voices. Trainees were gathered around, and in the center stood the newcomer, Lin Zhuo.
He had changed into a loose and comfortable training uniform and flat cloth shoes, looking just like a martial arts master from ancient times. Standing upright, he clasped his hands in a gesture of respect to the surrounding audience, which elicited friendly smiles from them.
Min Pei'er introduced the new member to everyone in the association, and also introduced him to the instructors who would be sitting in the room that night. They were either graduates of military academies or had won awards in city-wide fighting competitions.
While it wouldn't be accurate to say they were hidden talents, they certainly possessed extraordinary abilities.
"Comrade, why don't you first demonstrate your boxing skills on the spot, or show off your weapon, and then spar with an instructor? That way, everyone will see your prowess."
Lin Zhuo's expertise lies in the military boxing and grappling techniques he learned at school. As for weapons, although he has dabbled in many, he is only truly proficient with the long staff and flail.
His weapon techniques were simple, consisting of only a couple of moves, lacking any flair or variety, and hardly convincing. So, they decided to demonstrate their boxing skills on the spot.
As soon as he opened his boxing stance and exhaled deeply, the slightly noisy crowd around him fell silent. In the empty and quiet main stadium, under the bright lights, as Lin Zhuo swung his arms, two white shadows appeared. The wind suddenly howled softly, and his sleeves snapped like whips being whipped.
"Wow." Many of the onlookers gasped in surprise, leaning back slightly. They hadn't expected that a punch could have such a dull whistling sound as a bronze rod piercing the air.
The instructors crossed their arms, looked at each other, and hesitated. They gestured for the other person to go and compete with the newcomer, but the only response was a quiet shake of the head and a smirk.
As the wind subsided and his stances came to a halt, Lin Zhuo's forehead was slightly damp with sweat. He did not regulate his internal energy, but simply practiced his boxing routine as usual.
Applause erupted from all sides as these martial arts enthusiasts showered the expert with cheers and praise.
"Please excuse my poor manners. Who would like to lend me their hand next?"
President Min Pei'er smiled with satisfaction, "In my opinion, Comrade Lin Zhuo's level is obvious to all, and he is fully capable of taking on the role of instructor. Why don't we skip this step?"
"Wait a minute." Just as the students were about to cheer, an instructor stepped forward. "Let me give it a try."
As soon as he stepped forward, everyone in the venue looked at him with trust, and the other instructors also looked excited.
Min Pei'er tried to persuade her, "Instructor Tang, our association's assessment isn't mandatory, there's no need to fight a match."
"That won't do, I have to fight him."
"This..." Min Pei'er looked at Lin Zhuo, and seeing him nod, she instructed, "Stop when you're done. Everyone wear protective gear, and don't get hurt."
The crowd was excited and spread out to make it easier to fight. Several students quickly went to get helmets, armor, and boxing gloves to help the two fighters put them on.
Lin Zhuo carefully observed the instructor in front of him. After being introduced, he learned that the man's name was Tang Jingyun, who was about thirty years old. He had long arms and legs, a broad back and a strong waist, and was a real strong man. He could jump lightly in place, yet he also appeared agile and light.
Tang Jingyun's eyes were blazing with intensity, and even before the fight began, there was already a hint of tension between them. Even the students around couldn't help but whisper among themselves, wondering why Instructor Tang was so excited and agitated today.
As the two approached and bumped fists, Lin Zhuo heard the other man hurriedly say, "Give me an autograph after the fight!"
"Huh?" He was a little puzzled.
"I know you, right? You're from the Hongshui Military Defense University, my brother studies there too, and he's mentioned you a few times. I'll leave an autograph and send it to him as a gift."
"Okay." Lin Zhuo hadn't expected to encounter something like this. He had thought the instructor was trying to intimidate the newcomer, so he could only smile helplessly and agree.