Chapter 79: Chapter 75: Everyone’s Path Is Different

「That evening.」

Dusk faded as the last rays of the sun vanished, and the sky was once again draped in the curtain of night.

After a quick shower, Lu Chao changed into a clean black hoodie. With a messenger bag containing his dirty training clothes slung over his shoulder, he left the gym.

’The difficulty of advancing at the Professional Level really is something else. It’s much harder than before.’

’Same goes for the 3rd Floor Fighting Skill. I only managed to grasp the basics of the first two forms this whole afternoon.’

Walking down the street, Lu Chao thought back on his training session at the gym that afternoon and shook his head to himself.

The 3rd Floor Fighting Skill consisted of seven techniques in total, covering everything from stance work, fist and palm strikes, to Body Techniques and killing moves.

He had studied it diligently, yet he found it somewhat difficult to grasp.

Moreover, according to Master Luo and Senior Brother Zheng, the physical conditioning for this level focused more on strengthening one’s tendons and bones.

The physical demands were far more stringent. Even though he had already broken through to the Professional Level, he found it strenuous, and his improvement after a whole afternoon was negligible.

’Still, with this level of difficulty, it’s no wonder this is considered an orthodox method for developing Life Energy.’

’It’s precisely because the training is so arduous that the breakthroughs yield greater improvements. If I can use this to reach the Elite Level, I can achieve a body of iron bones... At that point, my physique alone would be enough to shatter steel.’

A hint of anticipation appeared in his eyes, and Lu Chao subconsciously tightened his grip on the messenger bag.

Inside were the two tubes of Bone-Strengthening and Qi-Replenishing Ointment Master Luo had given him. Due to the prying eyes in the training building, he hadn’t used it immediately, planning to take it home first.

’These two tubes of ointment should be enough to completely max out my Potential Progress, bringing it to completion in one go.’

’I might even awaken a special aptitude then, so it’s best if no one else is around...’

Lu Chao knew very well that "The Glutton" was his greatest secret, one he could not expose under any circumstances.

But before heading home, he quickened his pace and made his way to North Street.

Unlike the desolate quiet of his last daytime visit, the street was now a clamor of activity at night.

"Come and get it! Grilled Exotic Beast Meat, one yuan a skewer!"

"Special at the karaoke bar tonight! Top up a thousand, get five hundred free!"

"Hey, handsome, wanna have some fun?"

Beneath the neon signs, traffic flowed endlessly along the street. Young men and women came and went, their laughter and playful shouts echoing all around.

Dancers at the nightclub continually beckoned to passersby, trying to draw in customers. The aroma of grilled meat from the open-air street stalls mingled with wisps of smoke, drifting up and lending the entire street a hazy, dreamlike quality.

After a quick glance around, Lu Chao strode forward without a moment’s delay.

He headed straight for the Dreamfire Bar in the center of the district. Now that he had broken through, he felt he should come and share the good news with Brother Hao.

He needed to thank him in person for the Ink Python Beast Gallbladder and could also take the opportunity to discuss sponsorship now that he was at the Professional Level.

His footsteps were steady as he crossed the street.

The parking spots outside the bar were filled with luxury cars like Carnivals, Sharp Lights, and Savoys. Seeing him approach from a distance, the attendants at the entrance smiled and greeted him respectfully.

"Brother Lu!"

"Brother Chao."

Nodding with a smile, Lu Chao stated his purpose for being there.

"Brother Hao? Yeah, he’s here, but..."

One of his security colleagues at the door explained quietly, then glanced around and lowered his voice. "The Young Master is here. Looks like he’s here to see Brother Hao."

"Brother Lu, you’ll probably have to wait a while."

Oh?

Surprised, Lu Chao hadn’t expected the infamous Young Master of the Hongyi Society to be at the bar.

After a moment’s thought, he decided not to rush things. He walked into the bar, intending to find an empty seat near the counter and wait.

As always, the bar was packed and buzzing with nightlife.

Loud music blasted from all directions, and the speakers in the corner made one’s eardrums throb.

There wasn’t an empty seat in any of the booths, and even the bar was crowded, with only one or two empty stools left.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

Lu Chao’s gaze fell on the far right of the bar.

Two tall security guards in suits were wearing earpieces, and the bulges at their waists suggested they were armed. They stood back-to-back with the bar, one on the left and one on the right, facing the booths and parting the surrounding crowd like two great mountains.

And between them, a long-haired girl in a black tulle dress could be seen, drinking sullenly by herself.

Normally, Lu Chao wouldn’t have paid her any mind.

But as his eyes flickered, he realized she looked somewhat familiar.

He couldn’t recall her name right away.

Just then, the girl at the bar looked up and ordered another drink from the bartender.

"Hm?"

Their eyes met, locking for a brief moment.

A memory flashed through Lu Chao’s mind, and he finally placed her.

"Song Yuhan?"

"Brother Chao?"

...

「Two minutes later.」

At Song Yuhan’s invitation, Lu Chao took the empty stool next to her.

He glanced at the two suit-clad bodyguards standing behind her, their eyes menacing. They were both Fighters.

He vaguely sensed that something was unusual.

"Brother Chao, long time no see."

Song Yuhan smiled, a hint of surprise in her eyes.

Her black Bolai tulle dress reflected slivers of bright silver light under the neon glow, and the latest-model brown Celestial Moon leather handbag was casually placed on the bar top.

She wore light makeup and red lip gloss. Her long black hair was casually draped over her back, and her pretty features were bright and charming.

"I heard from Xiaoyang that you come to the bar sometimes. I didn’t expect to run into you today, what a coincidence."

"Um... want a drink?"

As she spoke, she gestured toward the cocktail in front of her.

Lu Chao shook his head gently, refusing.

Even though he had reached the Professional Level and no longer needed to worry about the damage from smoking or drinking, he didn’t want to make an exception.

"Oh, right. Look at me, I forgot."

Unaware of his thoughts, Song Yuhan quickly recovered and said with an apologetic smile, "Brother Chao, you’re a Fighter, so of course you can’t touch this stuff until you reach the Professional Level."

"So how is it? I heard you joined the Patrol Department. It must be pretty good there, right?"

She seemed a little curious and gave a faint smile.

But upon closer inspection, one could see a mix of envy and other complicated emotions hidden in her almond-shaped eyes.

Everyone said it was hard to make it as a Fighter, yet here he was, succeeding against the odds.

Thinking back to how she had once tried to persuade him to give up, she felt a complex mix of emotions.

"It’s alright."

Lu Chao replied calmly, and they chatted for a bit.

A short while later, the atmosphere in the bar’s main hall suddenly quieted down as a group of seven or eight people came down from the second-floor corridor.

The crowd subconsciously turned to look, and Lu Chao followed their gaze.

Several security guards in suits, their faces stern and disciplined, flanked the group on both sides.

Brother Hao, dressed in a black overcoat, was at the very front. He walked with a relaxed gait, a pipe clenched in his teeth. Beside him, walking shoulder-to-shoulder, was a young man in a large, black, wide-brimmed hat.

He was also wearing a black wool overcoat with a suit vest underneath and a light blue bow tie.

He had a slender yet upright build, stood around six feet tall, and had a high-bridged nose. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, giving him a very refined look, like an elite returned from studying abroad.

"Miss Song."

One of the guards in a suit standing behind Song Yuhan spoke softly, as if to prompt her.

Without responding to the guard, Song Yuhan gave Lu Chao an apologetic smile and stood up.

"Brother Chao, I have to go."

She said her goodbyes softly and picked up the luxury leather bag from the bar.

CLACK CLACK CLACK!

The sound of leather shoes on the floor drew closer in a steady rhythm. Looking over, Lu Chao saw Brother Hao’s group walking straight toward them until they were standing right in front of him.

"Yuhan, is this a friend of yours?"

The young man in the wide-brimmed hat spoke in an even tone as he casually took Song Yuhan’s arm in a seemingly intimate gesture.

His eyes, behind the gold-rimmed glasses, swept over to size Lu Chao up.

Lu Chao’s confusion vanished. He finally understood the reason for the change in Song Yuhan.

"Y-yes, this is my friend."

Song Yuhan hesitated, looking down slightly and tucking a strand of long hair behind her ear, as if considering how to introduce the two of them.

But Chen Junhao, standing to the side, let out a soft chuckle. He lowered his pipe, looked at Lu Chao, and cut in, "When did you get here, kid?"

"Not long ago."

Lu Chao smiled and greeted him, then looked at Zhou Qiang, who was also smiling behind him, and greeted him as well.

During their brief exchange, someone whispered a few words into the ear of the young man with the gold-rimmed glasses. A glint flashed in his eyes, and his expression changed subtly before he quickly looked at Lu Chao again.

"Ah Hao, could this be the young man who helped our Hongyi Society force Liu Hong to retreat last time?"

He sounded somewhat grateful. Chen Junhao’s expression remained neutral as he smiled faintly. "Yes, Young Master. We really have Xiaochao to thank for his help last time."

"Xiaochao, show some respect."

Chen Junhao said with feigned reproach, and Lu Chao took the hint, now certain of the young man’s identity.

The Young Master of the Hongyi Society, Peng Zhao Hui.

"Young Master Peng," he said, cupping his fists.

"Ah, no need to be so formal."

Waving his hand, Peng Zhao Hui’s eyes were bright as he spoke with sincerity. "I’m only a few years older than you. Besides, our society always welcomes young heroes like yourself."

"What do you say? Any interest in joining our Hongyi Society?"

He actually extended the invitation on the spot, causing the expressions of the people around them to shift subtly.

Song Yuhan looked astonished, while Chen Junhao’s smile remained unchanged, betraying no emotion.

"My apologies, Young Master Peng."

"I’ve grown accustomed to my life in the Patrol Department. Please forgive me."

Lu Chao gently shook his head, politely refusing.

He had acted for Brother Hao’s sake, not the Hongyi Society’s. The difference was self-evident.

"Is that so."

Looking thoughtful, Peng Zhao Hui maintained his gentle expression and shook his head in regret.

He didn’t press the matter, simply handing Lu Chao a business card before leaving with Song Yuhan and the others.

As he watched their backs disappear, a panel flickered in front of his eyes.

[Carbon-Based Human]

[Life Energy: 65 (Healthy)]

’He looks so refined and scholarly, but he’s actually a master at the peak of the Professional Level.’

’What else could you expect from the Young Master of the Hongyi Society?’

Lu Chao was lost in thought for a moment before making small talk with Brother Hao and following him to the second floor.

「At that same moment, in the departing convoy of black Sharp Light cars.」

"The smell of smoke is disgusting."

Peng Zhao Hui, sitting in the back seat, suddenly spoke with impatience. The gentle look on his face had vanished, replaced by cold indifference.

The guard in the front passenger seat understood immediately and quickly turned on the car’s air purification system to freshen the air inside.

Then, he glanced at Song Yuhan sitting beside him.

Peng Zhao Hui took off his gold-rimmed glasses and slowly began to wipe the lenses with a handkerchief.

"I didn’t realize. It seems one or two of your little friends actually amounted to something."

"He actually managed to break through to the Professional Level? His backbone is almost as stiff as that old dog Chen Junhao’s. Heh, you mud-legs from the orphanage really have some tricks up your sleeves..."

His voice was a sneer, completely different from the refined demeanor he’d displayed in the bar.

Song Yuhan’s face turned pale, and she trembled instinctively. But after hearing what he said, she subconsciously widened her eyes in shock and disbelief.

’Brother Chao... is already at the Professional Level?’

As she was lost in thought, her hair was suddenly yanked, sending a jolt through her body.

Turning her head, she saw Peng Zhao Hui looking her up and down, his eyes burning with intense desire, yet also flashing with a strange mix of absurdity and madness.

Her heart trembled, but Song Yuhan didn’t dare to struggle.

Finally, as their eyes met,

"Forget it."

His tone was flat, gradually shifting from cold indifference back to gentleness.

Peng Zhao Hui abruptly let go, shoving her back into her seat.

Looking up, she saw that he had put his glasses back on and was now wearing a gentle smile.

"I’ll deal with you when we get back."