"Comrade, my young son has been abducted!"
The call connected.
Zhang Youfa immediately explained the situation, "I heard from my elder son that the perpetrator's nickname is Haozi, like a rat, but I'm not sure if that's really the nickname..."
"And there's the Baji Fist..." Brother weakly added another line, "same school..."
"Yes! And something about the Baji same school! My child was taken away from the arcade..."
Zhang Youfa anxiously poured out everything he knew on the phone.
"We need recent photos of your child..." The other side noted down information and sent it to the officers on duty nearby to search for Zhang Youfa.
"Please hurry..." Zhang Youfa anxiously wanted to keep the call going.
This phone call was his lifeline.
Every word from the other end was psychological comfort.
"The police are dispatched." The responder knew this father's urgency and kept comforting him without ending the call.
The officers on duty near the market were urged to quickly locate this father.
After all, others needed to file reports; this father couldn't keep the line monopolized.
"I understand your feelings..."
No matter her thoughts, the gentle female officer tried her best to soothe the grieving father.
Except.
Only two minutes had passed.
In the report hall.
A man of notable rank approached the female officer and said, "Just got word from Captain Liu; 'Missing person Zhang Feng' is at Coach Zheng's house from the team. Let the reporter rest assured."
'Baji Fist,' 'arcade,' also a scion from a local conglomerate with the nickname 'Haozi,' learning Baji Fist at Coach Zheng's place.
Once this information came together.
This heavily suspicious child disappearance case was swiftly resolved by Captain Liu in the city bureau!
The so-called 'suspected kidnapper' was their kind-hearted Coach Zheng from the bureau!
...
"Alright, Xiaoliu, carry on with your work. I'll have someone bring the child back soon."
Martial Arts School.
The master hung up the phone and looked at Brother Haozi, "Didn't you leave a contact number for Xiao Feng's brother?"
"I did." Brother Haozi scratched his head, "Was the call just now from Second Brother Liu Yong, Captain Liu?"
"Yes." The master didn't want to bother with Brother Haozi but looked kindly at the still-eating Zhang Feng, "Xiao Feng, shall we have Third Brother take you home later?
Let him explain to your father.
Once the misunderstanding clears up, I'll visit your family in a few days."
The master was determined to take this prodigy as his student.
Initially, he planned to visit tonight, to see the 'future in-law' and perhaps gauge some intentions.
But given this misunderstanding, he feared leaving a bad first impression, so he sent the third disciple first to weather the storm, take the rebuke, and dissipate the in-law's wrath before proceeding.
"It's up to you now." The master looked at the third brother, "Hey, it's a tough job for you."
"Master, don't worry!"
At this moment, the forty-year-old Third Brother also gulped down the stout farewell wine,
"I will explain everything to Uncle Zhang clearly!"
His age was similar to Zhang Youfa's.
However, rank is rank.
If Zhang Feng became his junior, he could only call Zhang Youfa uncle.
Simultaneously, seeing his heroic drinking spirit, Zhang Feng felt he seemed to go not to get scolded, but to confront enemies on the battlefield.
...
"Uncle Zhang, please let me explain..."
Nine o'clock.
In the modest residential house.
Third Brother was carrying large gift bags, his face full of flattery.
Zhang Youfa awkwardly looked at this fellow of similar age, cautious, "Brother, has my child caused trouble for your master?"
"No such thing, Uncle!" Third Brother firmly placed the gifts on the table, "Also, don't call me Brother, just Xiaosanzi is fine."
"Brother Sanzi, don't say that..." Zhang Youfa looked at Third Brother's robust six-foot stature and was intimidated, truly finding it hard to call him by a junior title.
"Uncle, you shouldn't address me like that..." Third Brother was also troubled, feeling the generational mix-up.
"Xiao Feng, is this a Transformer?"
While the two adults exchanged pleasantries, exploring address issues.
Zhang Feng was opening gifts with his elder and second brothers.
...
Several days later.
On the twenty-first of the lunar March.
Day Deity: The Day of Receiving.
Day God Blessings: Bright Hall, Auspicious.
Bright Hall yellow path, Noble star, Mingfu star, Favorable for meeting dignitaries.
On this day, in the small courtyard's north side.
Zhang Feng became a disciple under master's guidance, becoming the youngest disciple in the school.
Family and friends congratulated him.
A grand feast of nine tables filled the backyard.
Master rarely gets drunk.
...
In the following years.
Zhang Feng settled down in the martial arts school.
He came every day after school, sometimes even spending the night there.
But perhaps times had changed.
Zhang Feng noticed that no one came to challenge or cause trouble.
The most was during the New Year, when Master would visit a few acquaintances.
Zhang Feng looked at the low survival rate and chose not to follow, preferring to wait until he was an adult to build up his strength first.
Master also didn't let Zhang Feng follow, because indeed the times had changed.
A few more years passed.
Smartphones gradually appeared, strict crackdowns occurred everywhere, and everything developed into the realistic world Zhang Feng knew.
What Southern and Northern martial arts, what martial heritage.
If you dare to wander with a sword, the next second you'll be hit by three batons becoming a Muggle.
In a blink.
Zhang Feng turned seventeen.
Earlier this year, he heard his Master, returning from visiting friends, say depressedly that private martial arts schools were closing down one by one.
Martial arts were gradually declining.
Zhang Feng remained silent, not knowing how to respond to Master.
...
This year, early August.
The summer vacation after senior year.
In the increasingly dilapidated small building's backyard.
The white-haired Master lay on a deck chair, rocking back and forth, basking in the warm autumn sun.
Zhang Feng, with his eyes slightly closed, stood in the quiet practice ground.
Woosh—
The elderly Third Senior Brother was wiping old weapons.
Nowadays, only the three of them were in the small building's martial school on weekdays.
Other senior and junior brothers had long gone their separate ways all over the place.
But they all left their numbers.
Some were doing quite well and told Zhang Feng to work at their companies after graduation.
"Good news!"
At this moment.
Footsteps came from outside.
Somewhat chubby Brother Hao entered and shouted, "I got some money from my dad, Master. We can move to a bigger place!"
"What place?" Master suddenly opened his eyes, "Is it to open a school on the street?"
"Yes…" Brother Hao was a bit scared but continued, "Half a year from now, this place will be demolished. We need to find a new place anyway, right?
I saw Willow Street in the city has quite a bit of foot traffic. Why not open… open there?"
"Learning those useless tricks… cough… taking in students?" Master coughed a few times.
"Master!" Third Senior Brother hurried over to pound Master's back.
Zhang Feng slightly opened his eyes, "The old man isn't sick; he's angry at Brother Hao."
"You…" Brother Hao was quite resigned but eventually sighed, "Little Feng, Master spoils you the most and relies on you the most.
Even though you haven't fought on behalf of our small school or brought any honors.
Master hides you away every day, afraid others will know we have a gem in our sect.
But I know Master listens to you the most.
Why don't you… try to persuade him?"
"What fighting?" Master pushed away Third Senior Brother, who was pounding his back, and glared at Hao fiercely, "Little Feng is still so young. Only seventeen!
His body hasn't fully grown, his strength hasn't fully developed, who's he going to fight?"
"You keep indulging him!" Brother Hao, now more straightforward than when he was a kid, dared to speak the truth, "You're afraid he'll trip while walking, choke while eating."
"You!"
As expected, Master instantly became furious, picked up the cloth shoe beside him, and was about to hurl it.
Brother Hao's eyelid twitched, and he quickly hid behind Zhang Feng.
Seeing Zhang Feng, Master was afraid of hitting his precious disciple, so he put the shoe down.
Brother Hao saw this and jokingly said, "Brother Feng, what should I say? Look, as soon as I speak the truth, hey, the old man immediately gets angry!"
"Just stop it." Zhang Feng sighed, reached out his hand, and effortlessly grabbed him over, "If you angered Master a bit less, would Master raise a hand against you?"
After pulling him aside, Zhang Feng looked at Master, "Master, I don't want to go to college anymore, I want to drop out.
I want to focus on martial arts training during this time.
After I turn eighteen, I want to visit the remaining schools and sects."
In half a year, the final enhancement will come.
And the nine enhancements in nearly ten years.
Zhang Feng mostly chose constitution points, with two on bones, and one on fighting memory.
Now, Zhang Feng's bone potential is [1.5]
Constitution is [23.7]