Hidden Dead Ends-Chapter 63

“Not one of those over-hyped types, right?” Li Chengyi frowned.

“This one’s earned his reputation. He was once an instructor for a specialized combat division of the security forces. After retiring, he’s had less demand for his skills and spends his days idle,” Song Ran replied.

“This old master fused multiple fighting styles in his youth and developed a technique called Dragon’s Whisker Force. It’s powerful, precise, and focused. He can break through thin metal plates with a single blow—though, to be fair, he wears metal gloves for it,” Song Ran added.

“That’s impressive,” Li Chengyi nodded.

“But even he’s retired now. A few years back, his last student gave up training Dragon’s Whisker Force to settle down. No one else has taken up the technique,” Song Ran sighed.

“No matter how hard you train, in the end, one upgrade can make you obsolete. Years of hard work can be wiped out overnight by someone who has the money for enhancements. That kind of defeat is something most people can’t endure.”

Li Chengyi understood.

In his previous life, where technology lagged behind, traditional combat skills had already started to fade out. Here, such skills were even more overlooked.

“Alright, let’s go again!” Song Ran shouted, charging forward with a powerful hook.

Li Chengyi blocked with one arm, absorbing the force with a slight sway, then countered with a front kick.

In an instant, the two were back in the fray. Song Ran’s combat style was raw and aggressive, yet somewhat unrefined. Many of his movements were designed to utilize cybernetic enhancements he no longer had, so his hand-to-hand combat had weakened.

Since the team’s mission to Zhaoshan, the memory of Zhong Ying’s death lingered in Li Chengyi’s mind.

Every night, as he drifted off, he would often dream of her.

In his dreams, she stood in a white dress, her face streaked with blood, silently watching him from beside his bed.

Each night, he would wake up abruptly and search his surroundings.

This uneasy, haunted state persisted until he fully immersed himself in combat training, which eventually helped him push the memories away.

After half an hour, Li Chengyi and Song Ran decided to rest and agreed to bring up the idea of finding a new combat instructor with the boss.

The cross-track combat techniques were simple and easy to execute, and Li Chengyi had already mastered them. The rest of the technique was geared toward using cybernetic limbs effectively.

Unless he opted to enhance his limbs as Song Ran had, there was no need to pursue other aspects of the style.

After leaving the company, Li Chengyi let out a long breath.

Though the Zhaoshan mission hadn’t been completed, Sindra still gave each of them a five-million-yuan bonus, acknowledging the danger they’d faced. They had been so close to completing the mission.

With this money, while he couldn’t afford a flight suit, he could finally put his plans for a botanical garden into action.

He didn’t need to plant every type of flower, only the carefully chosen species he needed.

With this in mind, he knew the garden didn’t have to be large.

“Besides the botanical garden, I need to prioritize finding sources of floral energy and absorbing dark thoughts,” he mused.

Only by upgrading his floral armor could he unlock a new flower deity slot, allowing him to capture the white flower in Mist Street.

That flower’s language—its essence—was something he could not forget.

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Standing on the sidewalk, he pulled out his phone to open the ride-hailing app.

“Need a ride?” A white Kalai sedan slowly pulled out of the parking lot, and the window rolled down to reveal Sima Gui’s relaxed face.

“Nah, you go ahead, Gui,” Li Chengyi replied with a smile, turning down the offer.

“I told you, don’t call me Gui!” Sima Gui rolled his eyes, rolled up the window, and sped off.

Li Chengyi chuckled, opened the ride-hailing app, and was about to book a ride when a text message popped up on his screen.

*Ding.*

He opened it, giving it a quick glance.

“Li Chengyi, look over at Wenxing Pavilion on your right. We can see you! We’re close by—come join us for a meal.”

Not far from New Century Tower was Wenxing Pavilion, a small restaurant serving homestyle dishes.

Chen Yi-jun was waving at him from a window seat.

“We just happened to meet a good friend, and Xingtong’s here too. Come on, meet everyone!” Chen Yi-jun gestured enthusiastically.

“Do I know him? It’d be awkward meeting someone I’ve never met before, right?” Across from her sat a young woman with a ponytail, looking a little uncertain.

She wore a plain white T-shirt with a cartoon bear on it, paired with light-wash skinny jeans. Her simple outfit, though inexpensive, exuded a fresh, youthful vibe.

Her slim waist and long legs drew attention from people nearby.

In comparison, Chen Yi-jun wore a purple light sweater with a gray skirt and black tights, projecting a stylish yet mature look.

The two were joined by a third person, another young woman with long, curly blonde hair, wearing heavy makeup and a pink floral dress. She held a small black leather purse that seemed just big enough for her phone.

Her name was Xue Xue, a close friend and classmate of Chen Yi-jun.

The three had been close friends in college, and even after Chen Yi-jun studied abroad, they had kept in touch.

“Back to what we were discussing,” Chen Yi-jun said, turning her attention back to Zhou Xingtong.

“Look, you still haven’t found a job, and heading back without one feels like giving up. It’ll be even harder to leave again later. Why not settle down here and find a boyfriend?” Chen Yi-jun suggested.

Zhou Xingtong came from a rural background, her family being ordinary farmers without any significant land or wealth.

Her parents worked hard on their farm and occasionally took odd jobs in the nearby city to make ends meet, saving enough to send her to college. After graduation, they’d hoped life would get easier for her, only to face an employment downturn.

With automation on the rise, too many jobs had been replaced by machines.

College graduates who found work were usually in fields that machines couldn’t replace.

The rest had to compete with machines, striving to be more cost-effective.

Zhou Xingtong sat there, looking visibly anxious.

She had never felt it as much in college, but now the gap between her and Chen Yi-jun seemed insurmountable.

Chen Yi-jun’s father was a university professor, and her mother was a senior executive in a listed company. Their connections and resources were far beyond Zhou Xingtong’s reach. Chen Yi-jun had landed a decent job right after graduation, with the freedom to be selective.

But Zhou Xingtong could only rely on herself, going from one interview to the next with no one to support her.

“I’ve thought about it, and I don’t think someone with really high standards would work out, but I do have a senior in mind. He’s really smart, one of my dad’s favorite students. Although he’s become a bit laid-back lately, he works at a private company now, making a decent monthly salary of around ten to twenty thousand. You could meet him and see how it goes,” Chen Yi-jun said seriously.

“You’re obviously talking about Li Chengyi,” Xue Xue laughed. “Weren’t you two close? Why don’t you give it a shot yourself?”

Chen Yi-jun smiled without responding.

She could be friends with anyone, that was her choice. But when it came to a boyfriend or potential husband, there were things that didn’t need to be said aloud—it was simply too hurtful.

Whether or not someone was suitable was usually clear to everyone involved.

She and Li

Chengyi lived in different worlds. Even if they got along, her mother would never approve.

“Li Chengyi is a great guy. When he comes in, why don’t you talk with him and see how it goes? If it works, great; if not, you’ll have a new friend,” Chen Yi-jun said softly.

“It’s not really necessary…” Zhou Xingtong sighed, just as the restaurant’s automatic door opened, and a tall man in a black tank top walked in.

It was Li Chengyi, just off work.

“Hey.”

He waved toward Chen Yi-jun’s table.

Months of combat training had transformed him from an ordinary academic into a healthy, energetic man.

What had once been an average physique now held a certain solidness, his every movement carrying a strength that hadn’t been there before.