Martial Arts Master

After lunch, Lou Cheng packed his clothes and martial art shoes into a bag. Inhaling the mildly chilly mountain breeze, he ambled out of the ancestral grounds, where he saw the MPV awaiting him.

He leaned back comfortably in the backseat and took out his phone. Then he sent a text to Yan Zheke.

“I’m about to witness Wuyue’s Polar Laboratory.”

Yan Zheke had just spruced up after a session of training. She wore a crimson ankle-length dress. Her eyes were eager as she waited for her food to arrive.

She read the message, which for some reason set her off in a fit of laughter. Then, she consciously covered her mouth with a hand.

When she had recovered, she replied with feigned seriousness.

“Not bad at all… I think you’ll be very compatible with the place~ ”

“Really?” asked Lou Cheng confusedly, not realizing the significance behind her words.

Yan Zheke sent a thinking emoji.”Absolutely! What would be a better place for a husky?”

“Oh! So you were making fun of me…” realized Lou Cheng.

What a silly answer~ Yan Zheke habitually looked away and saw her smiling reflection against the marble pillar.

Almost forgetting about her hunger, she initiated a serious discussion with Lou Cheng on the possible scenarios in the Polar Laboratory.

She only laid her phone down when plates of food were served successively. She took small, elegant bites, but at a high frequency.

The car drove in the autumn heat. Full and content, Yan Zheke snuggled into the sofa and dozed off. Lou Cheng also shut his phone and eyes before taking a quick wink.

Twenty minutes later, the Wuyue Club was in sight. The car slowed down and pulled up by the main entrance.

Before he could turn to wake up Lou Cheng, he realized that the latter’s eyes were already open. His eyes were dark and profound like a bottomless, ancient pool. There wasn’t a shred of grogginess in him.

“Martial Uncle Lou, we are here,” he whispered after spacing out momentarily.

“Thank you,” said Lou Cheng politely.

The car door automatically opened. Cutting off his connection with the outer world, he marched on with his bag in hand. An elite-looking man in suits and ties welcomed him.

The Wuyue Club had many greeneries. If not for its logo, most people would mistake it for a golf course. It was interspersed with a couple of low-rise buildings scattered with a natural touch.

“Hello, Mr. Lou. I’m Su Chen, a manager here. Sect Master He informed me about you yesterday. I have reserved the laboratory for you according to your schedule.” The man of thirty was amiable but reserved.

Lou Cheng thanked him with a smile. They skirted around a small, white building, then went towards the largest structure near the lake. Along the way, they only occasionally ran into a few staff. The green grass and gentle breeze evoked serenity and peace.

“This is where we welcome our guests. The Mediterranean style building over there is the staff’s dormitory. Every Physical Invulnerability Mighty One owns a mansion here. Over there, that ancient looking castle belongs to President Huang Ke. The large building near the lake has the Polar Laboratory and Physical Invulnerability Training Grounds. The east region is for the Inhuman members…” Su Chen casually rambled on.

Lou Cheng didn’t pay much attention, nodding occasionally when staff greeted him.

It grew even quieter when he entered the building. The interior design was rather drab and dingy. It was spacious and cool to walk in.

…

At the Inhuman members’ training ground.

Lei Feng moved like the Northern Winds, shrilling as he made rapid turns. He then stopped to review on his movements and catch his breath.

After a morning of training, even with a siesta and breaks in between, he felt a little tired. His body was no longer in peak form.

In the past, he would definitely have ended his session and not rush things. But, presently, looking at Zhen Yu, Qian Qiyue, Wu Xiaoyan, and Shao Jianliang hard at work around him, he abandoned the thought of leaving. Once again, he plunged into monotonous daily training—he even got a private trainer to spar with him.

Everyone there was working hard to make the great leap! He couldn’t fall behind!

…

After reaching the North region, after going through a few modern, metallic doors, Lou Cheng finally arrived at the Polar Laboratory—more precisely a part of it.

The place was spacious. In the exterior area, there were cold air generators, supercomputers regulating the Polar Lab’s systems, and many panels displaying different data. There were countless of these making Lou Cheng feel as though he had stepped into a sci-fi world.

The interior was relatively simple. Through the observation glass, he saw that the place was fairly spacious with silvery walls. Other than tiny holes on the wall and the occasional glimpse of wires, there wasn’t anything else.

The two scientists in lab coats waited for Su Chen’s instructions at their seats.

Su Chen pondered. “Mr. Lou, how about we set it to -75 degrees? That’s a temperature comparable to the actual North Pole. During random simulated blizzards, it can go down to -90 degrees.”

He smiled and explained more.

“The Polar Laboratory can go as low as -150 degrees, or even lower. However, that’s mostly for applying temporarily shock a patient to aid recovery. In that kind of environment, even a Physical Invulnerability Mighty One wouldn’t be able to stay for long. They would have to come out for a break once in a while.”

It was Lou Cheng’s first experience, so he didn’t bargain. He smiled gently. “Okay, you decide.”

“No problem!” Su Chen turned and went into the control room. He briefly relayed the request to the lab staff.

A while later, the Polar environment took shape. All parameters were ready. A staff unlocked the complex sealed door and ushered Lou Cheng inside.

Lou Cheng laid down his bag, phone, and wallet. Looking inside, the interior was clean and purified. There wasn’t fog or mist, but he felt a chill biting into his bones right as he stepped in. When he breathed, his throat and mucous membrane felt frostbitten.

At that time, he wore a thin summer martial arts uniform.

Hearing the door shut, Lou Cheng exhaled. He let his mind run free. Instantly, he felt each of his pores and cells reviving and connecting with the freezing air around him. It was as though he was in his natural habitat.

This was the first time Lou Cheng felt his connection with the environment so clearly. His body and mind were both contented. Crossing his legs, he sat down and began visualizing to stabilize the connection.

Initially, he though the place would only increase his affinity with the extreme cold. But after imagining the surrounding as cosmic darkness, the image in his mind changed spontaneously, leaving only a dense Great Sun to drive away the cold and bestow light.

Around Lou Cheng, white mist began to swirl. It formed a small region where temperature regressed. The nearer it was to his body, the closer it was to normal body temperature.

Thirty minutes later, a violent blizzard that seemingly came from the Arctics suddenly manifested. Lou Cheng opened his eyes slowly. Looking at the snow matting all tracks, his understanding deepened. He stood up to demonstrate a set of moves.

Su Chen waited at the lobby in the exterior area of the laboratory. He lit up a cigarette, poured himself a glass of water, and played his phone while waiting for Lou Cheng to come out.

An hour quickly passed. He glanced at his watch. Puzzled, he walked out of the lobby and looked into the observation window. The snowstorm in there devoured everything. He could vaguely see Lou Cheng’s figure turning in circles at an increasing rate.

Brrr… Awestruck, Su Chen drew his gaze away from the observation window. He returned to the lobby with increased admiration. He sat down again and tried to focus on his phone, but couldn’t stop himself from occasionally gazing outside to see if Lou Cheng was done.

Ten minutes… Twenty minutes… Half an hour… An hour… Impatient, Su Chen walked to the observation window, then bent down and looked inside.

The snowstorm had ceased. Lou Cheng was sitting with his legs crossed. There wasn’t any ice or storm on him.

“Is everything alright?” Su Chen turned to the lab staffs in the operation room.

A man with straight bangs glanced at the surveillance data. “Of course! He’s doing great!”

Shaken and shocked, Su Chen’s eyes darted between the observation room and operation room. He made a few surmises of his own.

Retracting his thoughts, he returned to the lobby and toyed with his phone absently.

Ten minutes, twenty minutes… Time passed quickly. Su Chen gradually got used to it, but his face was still dazed and lost.

At 5:20 PM, he finally heard the airtight door being unlocked. He bolted there to see Lou Cheng marching out in drenched clothes.

“Set it to -90 degrees in the future…” nodded Lou Cheng pensively as he took his bag.

Su Chen, thunder-struck, only managed to answer after some buffering.

“Okay…”

He left the Polar Laboratory with Lou Cheng like a zombie, then brought him to a private lobby. All these were done on auto-pilot. He only recovered after Lou Cheng had showered and changed.

“Mr. Lou, would you like to have your dinner here? The restaurant’s right ahead.”

Lou Cheng smiled. “No need. I have other plans.”

He planned to test out all the good food in Moshang in preparation of his vacation with Ke Ke.

“Understood.” Without another word, Su Chen led Lou Cheng to the exit.

At that time, Lei Fang, Zheng Yu and the others had just recovered from their fatigue after a session of professional massage. They headed to the restaurant for a meal. When they were at the entrance of the restaurant, Lei Fang suddenly saw a familiar figure coming from the other direction.

He peered and blurted astonishedly, “Little Martial Uncle!”

Why is Little Martial Uncle here?

His exclamation made Zhen Yu, Qian Qiyue and the others all look in that direction. They saw someone they hadn’t seen in ages—Lou Cheng. Despite being astonished and puzzled, they noted his ruddy complexion and steady gait. He didn’t look like he suffered from any injuries.

The recovery went well indeed, they realized. It was testamental to Lou Cheng’s proclaimed return to the scene in August or September.

Lou Cheng smiled and nodded at Lei Fang. Seeing that he was too stunned to be conversational, he merely gestured a greeting to them before crossing the restaurant and going for the door.

Watching him leave, Zhen Yue said to Lei Fang:

“Why is your little martial uncle here?”

Is he going to start over in the Wuyue Club?

Lei Fang shook his head unintelligibly.

“I don’t know.”

…

When Lou Cheng had left with his designated ride, Su Chen made a call on his phone.

The call connected after some ringing.

“Hello Secretary Zhang.”

“Lou Cheng left?” asked Huang Ke’s assistant, Zhang Juetao.

He glanced at Huang Ke on the car.

The stolid ‘King of Spears’ was leaning back with his eyes closed as though he was napping.

Su Chen, pulling himself together and laughed in an ingratiating manner. “He just left. He stayed nearly four hours in the Polar Laboratory this afternoon at -75 degrees…”

He retailed the puzzling encounter at length.

-75 degrees… Nearly four hours… For a moment, Zhang Juetao was absent minded. He couldn’t believe his ears.

He subconsciously turned to look at Huang Ke. The King of Spears had already, at some point of time, opened his eyes. His eyes were pensive.