“No,” the new recruit from Hanzhou shook his head repeatedly. “It was a group fight; there were too many of them… They beat Zhongxun at the time, and they even said… they even said what’s Hanzhou? What’s Park Jong-hwan? If you come here, we’ll cripple you all…”
“Good, good, good!” Park Jong-hwan slowly nodded, ferocity spewing from his eyes. “Are you all trash? Your own people were beaten, and you didn't fight back? In the recruit barracks, are we Hanzhou recruits easy to bully?”
The Hanzhou new recruits fell silent. Park Jong-hoon had been beaten so badly he was hospitalized; their only hope lay with the Park Jong-hwan standing before them, who had just come out of seclusion after achieving a breakthrough.
Looking at the eyes of the recruits, Park Jong-hwan sighed. “Forget it. I can’t blame you. My own brother was severely injured; if you went, you would only add the disgrace of defeat to us Hanzhou recruits.”
The recruits nodded slightly, their eyes flickering with hope. Park Jong-hwan's anger and fighting spirit were fully ignited. Next…
“Go! Take me to the recruit barracks of the ones who hit them!” Park Jong-hwan’s fists cracked audibly as he clenched them. “Today, I will send every single one of them to the hospital!”
Although the Federation had nominally unified everything, and everyone was under the same banner, regional divides were not so easily erased.
This was true in business, but even more so in the military, where factions were numerous and largely tied to regional origins.
Fellow countrymen, compatriots—regardless of region—shared a strong resonance.
As Park Jong-hwan walked out of the hospital, the new recruits from his company were already waiting outside. Seeing their anticipated master appear, their low morale of the past few days began to surge.
The barracks of the Third Company, Second Battalion, of the 75th Regiment were not unfamiliar territory for the Hanzhou recruits. There was no need to ask any other newcomers. They quickly arrived in front of the barracks.
“Brothers, those Go-ryeon bastards are here looking for trouble again!”
Kim Kwai, the fat man who had been resting in the sun near the door, immediately shouted loudly.
Being called derogatory names, the men of the Third Company didn't offer the Hanzhou contingent any respectful titles either.
“Go-ryeon? Bastards?”
Park Jong-hwan’s grim expression instantly darkened. Those were terms of historical shame for Hanzhou. His bare foot slammed down onto the ground; his bare foot slammed down onto the ground again. The few Hanzhou recruits standing beside him felt the earth tremble slightly. Where Park Jong-hwan stamped, a deep footprint was left. He moved as if riding a furiously galloping steed, instantly standing before Kim Kwai.
The Hanzhou recruits with sharper eyes inwardly praised: Even though it was the same Horse-Riding Stance from the Vajra lineage of Taekwondo, the level achieved when used by Park Jong-hwan was clearly different.
“You…”
Kim Kwai felt a suffocating sensation facing Park Jong-hwan. This man, not particularly tall and of ordinary build, exuded an intense pressure, as if the Wrathful Vajra from myth and legend stood before him.
Park Jong-hwan gave Kim Kwai no chance to speak. The Vajra’s Thrusting Palm pressed against Kim Kwai’s chest and immediately exerted force. His thick layer of fat offered no defense whatsoever. Kim Kwai tumbled backward, rolling into the Third Company’s barracks.
Crack… crack…
The sound of Kim Kwai’s ribs breaking finally rang out. He lay flat on his back, arms and legs spread wide, unable to control the two bursts of red blood spewing from his mouth.
Whoosh!
The Third Company recruits, who thought Kim Kwai was joking, all sprang up from their cots. Deng Biao lunged forward, crouching by Kim Kwai: “Kwai-zi…”
Having struck his foe with one palm, Park Jong-hwan stood proudly before the barracks entrance like a Vajra statue. He placed his hands behind his back and swept his condescending gaze over the Third Company recruits: “I am Park Jong-hwan. Today, I will let you truly witness the martial arts of my Great Hanzhou. None of you will leave here intact by tomorrow. The one who hit my brother, step forward!”
Their own people were being beaten at the camp entrance! The Third Company recruits disregarded Du Peng and Qin Fen’s absence, surging toward the doorway together.
Kim Kwai stopped spitting blood, his face contorted in pain. He gasped for air repeatedly. His life was not in danger, but he couldn’t move an inch.
“Kwai-zi can hold on?”
Kim Kwai twitched his lips and managed to raise his right thumb, answering Deng Biao’s question.
Crack…
“Xiao Chuan…”
The Third Company recruits outside the barracks cried out in alarm together. Recruit Zhang Xiaochuan lay on the ground, clutching his broken left leg with both hands. He endured it so hard he didn't even let out a groan.
“Good!” The Hanzhou recruits cheered. Park Jong-hwan brought out the Elbow Strike from the Vajra style, executing it cleanly—no block, no parry—a single strike that broke Zhang Xiaochuan of the Swift Wind Kick’s left leg.
“Today, I will beat all of you into the hospital! Not a single one will be spared!”
Park Jong-hwan placed his hands behind his back again. Without even looking directly at the Third Company recruits, he scanned them: Du Peng, who hit his brother, isn't here? Hiding? Fine! I will keep beating them until he appears.
“I’ll do it!”
Without any hesitation or thought, knowing they couldn't win, someone among the recruits still jumped into the fray.
If the enemy has come right to your doorstep, what kind of man backs down just because of a gap in strength?
“Courageous, but… ” Park Jong-hwan’s Hand Saber struck a precise point on the opponent’s arm—the point receiving the least support. “It only adds to the disgrace of defeat.”
The same Hand Saber, wielded by the four-star Park Jong-hwan, possessed incomparable power. The arm bone of the Third Company recruit who stepped up showed an incomprehensible degree of fracture. Cold sweat from the extreme pain covered his still-youthful face, but like Zhang Xiaochuan, he refused to open his mouth to cry out.
“I’ll fight!” Deng Biao’s robust body pushed aside his fellow recruit. “Defeat is not a disgrace! At least we dare to fight against someone stronger than us! Even if we fight until the last man standing, we still dare to fight! Unlike those pathetic worms behind you, who don't even have the guts to fight! Come!”
Park Jong-hwan’s eyebrow twitched. Having his sore spot hit ignited a spark of fury on his arrogant face. “Good, good! It’s not a disgrace, is it? You dare to fight, right? I truly want to know, after I finish beating you, if anyone will still dare to jump out and continue making such passionate speeches about daring to fight me.”
“Rest assured, there will be,” Deng Biao smiled confidently. “None of our brothers are cowards.”
“Biao-zi…” Kim Kwai, lying in the barracks, heard Deng Biao’s shout. He trembled, reaching into his pocket to pull out his phone, dialing a sequence of numbers. He took a deep breath, forced his aching body to bend his arm, and brought the phone to his ear. “Squad Leader… A Hanzhou recruit named Park Jong-hwan has come out of seclusion… and brought people here to clear out the barracks…”
“What?” Squad Leader Hao was stunned when he heard the phone, then his face instantly flushed with anger. “Then why are you calling me? Just beat him up!”
“We… we can’t beat him…” Kim Kwai felt his face burn as he spoke. It was humiliating for the junior members to lose a fight and run to their seniors for help—it was unmanly. “Several brothers have broken arms and legs. That person clearly said he intends to beat every one of us into the hospital.”
Squad Leader Hao’s expression stiffened as he held the phone. His subordinates were beaten; as their superior, he should naturally seek retribution for them. But doing so meant that while they might get their spot back, they would truly lose face.
“Park Jong-hwan, is it?” Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “That kid is capable; I’ve heard his name. Some of this batch of recruits have good quality, and he is one of them. Old Hao, if your Third Company rushed him all at once, beating him wouldn't be an issue. But if it came down to one-on-one, I don't know how many men you’d lose to him.”
“Squad Leader… I know calling is embarrassing…” Kim Kwai’s voice came through the phone again. “But Du Peng isn’t here, and Qin Fen isn’t here either…”
Clang…
Qin Fen set his spoon down on his plate, already rising and walking toward the door.
“Qin…” Squad Leader Hao started to speak, then closed his mouth and chuckled lightly, letting Qin Fen quickly disappear from the dining hall.
After Qin Fen’s figure had completely vanished, Phoenix said with a smile, “This kid really is Qin Zhan’s younger brother. Even his temperament is somewhat similar.”
“Indeed,” Squad Leader Hao’s voice carried a hint of emotion. “Although this kid doesn’t say much, his feelings run deep, he just doesn't like expressing them with mushy words.”
“Mm!” Butcher nodded as well. “Just like his older brother, he’s a man of action.”
“Oh!” Phoenix suddenly clapped her hands together, sounding quite surprised. “I just remembered, I have something very important I still need to do. You all chat; I’ll be leaving first.”
As soon as Phoenix left, Squad Leader Hao put on a surprised expression. “I just remembered something important too.”
“Is that so?” Butcher was amused. “I remembered something important as well.”
The 'Waste Captain' also laughed. “It seems everyone has something important to do. Let’s break up then.” As soon as he finished speaking, the group scattered like birds and beasts, heading out in different directions.
Qin Fen was extremely fast. From Squad Leader Hao’s conversation on the phone, he could tell Kim Kwai was likely already injured. If even the less powerful Kim Kwai was hurt, it meant those with higher strength must have been severely wounded.
“Qin Fen?” Lin Jia was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t been able to find him these past few days and hadn't had the chance to ask for the later incantations of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. She hadn't expected to run into him here.
In that moment of distraction, Qin Fen had already run a considerable distance. Lin Jia hurriedly called out from behind him, “Qin Fen, stop!”
Qin Fen turned back, saw it was Lin Jia, but his pace did not slow in the slightest. He casually replied, “We’ll talk later if there’s something; I’m in a hurry for something urgent.”
As he spoke, Qin Fen surged forward yet again.
Lin Jia frowned. An urgent matter? Every time they met, he had something urgent? What urgent matter prevented him from stopping to exchange even a few words? She decided to follow him!
The true essence of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra charged into her legs, chasing after Qin Fen.
What incredible speed? Faster than my Heavenly Net style? Lin Jia was astonished again. Why did this man always present something new and different every time she saw him?
“Next one!”
Park Jong-hwan’s voice carried a trace of impatience and anger. After using heavy force to break Deng Biao’s limbs, he thought he would intimidate the opposing recruits, but instead, it spurred an even greater surge of spirit from them! As soon as one fell, another immediately jumped forward! This was already the seventh man after severely injuring Deng Biao. How long would he have to fight to suppress their morale?