Chapter 44: You Are Truly Swift!

Shen He sprang up from his bed in one swift motion. Glancing at his player panel, he hesitated only briefly before allocating all three of his free attribute points to agility. His strength and spirit were already more than sufficient—if anything, they were slightly above average. After all, he was, in a sense, the Chinese version of Captain America.

Well, perhaps he still fell a little short, but not by much. There was no need to rush further improvement in those areas for now. Agility, on the other hand, was about more than just speed. It was closely tied to his control over his own body.

As soon as all three points were added to agility, the attribute immediately became his second to break through the threshold of ten. That familiar tingling sensation coursed through his bones, like countless electric currents rushing wildly inside him.

Without hesitation, Shen He began practicing the sword techniques he’d recently learned, right there in his room. The glint of cold steel flashed as the alloy sword sliced through the air, the room filled with the sharp sound of the blade, lending him an imposing aura.

He only stopped once the peculiar sensation within him faded. After sheathing his sword, he went to the bathroom to freshen up. Once done, he headed to Shen Dali’s home for breakfast, conveniently borrowing their two-wheeled electric scooter.

He planned to end his training an hour early that morning, using the extra time to wander through the village and see if he could complete his first daily quest. Despite living here for nearly two decades, he’d never explored every corner of the village. It was a large place with several hundred residents. Originally one village, it had grown so large that it eventually split into two: the East and West Brigades.

They generally got along well, especially when facing outsiders—they were united then.

...

Riding the electric scooter, Shen He quickly arrived at the open ground where he usually trained. The film crew was already at work, and fortunately, the actresses who’d pestered him the previous day were all busy with their scenes and left him in peace.

He reached the training ground without trouble.

Lin Helu came running over with two practice swords, tossing one to Shen He. “Warm up with some sword moves and get used to the training sword. Then we’ll spar.”

Shen He agreed at once. Drawing the sword, he began practicing in the open space; his speed and precision were even better than the day before.

Standing to the side, Lin Helu stroked his chin as he watched. It had only been one night, yet Shen He’s techniques seemed to have improved by leaps and bounds—almost better than his own. Was it just his imagination?

If Li Ding were here, he would certainly offer Lin Helu some comforting words—after all, one was a warning from experience, the other a mentor from behind.

Soon, Shen He finished his practice. He glanced at the training sword. “Aside from being a bit lighter, it doesn’t feel much different from the real thing.”

“That’s all that matters,” Lin Helu replied with a smile. “Now let’s practice set routines. After that, we’ll spar for real, and I’ll help you find your weaknesses.”

Shen He nodded. They faced each other on the training ground, swords in hand. A light breeze swept up dust, giving them the air of true masters.

Zhao Qian, Liu Yi, and Jia Gui came over to watch. Zhao Qian whispered, “How many moves do you think it’ll take for Senior to defeat Xiao Shen?”

Liu Yi shook his head. “Why are you so sure Senior will win? We’ve all seen how fast Xiao Shen is progressing.”

Jia Gui laughed. “You don’t understand—experience trumps youth.”

...

In a flash, Lin Helu made his move, charging forward with his sword. Though it was just a practice routine, both were fully focused. Though Shen He’s moves lacked Lin Helu’s seasoned finesse, his agility allowed him to keep up.

After about ten minutes, Lin Helu stopped, nodding in approval. “Not bad—you’ve got the moves down. But just memorizing routines isn’t enough. Real combat is about adapting on the fly.”

“Next, we’ll spar for real. Forget about the routines—treat this as an actual fight. Don’t worry—even though you’re gifted, you’ve only trained for two days. I can still control the pace. I won’t hurt you.”

Shen He acknowledged and charged in, moving even faster than Lin Helu. His training sword appeared before Lin Helu almost instantly, forcing him to block hurriedly and switch techniques, thrusting at Shen He’s chest.

Shen He’s eyes lit up. He deftly parried, and the two began their real contest.

This time, it only took five minutes. With a cunning move, Shen He’s blade stopped at Lin Helu’s throat.

The three spectators widened their eyes in astonishment.

Liu Yi nudged Jia Gui. “Still think experience always wins? Pay up.”

He glanced at Zhao Qian. “You too—a hundred each, no cheating.”

Zhao Qian and Jia Gui, still dazed, each handed over a hundred yuan. Jia Gui scratched his head. “By my count, Xiao Shen’s only been learning swordsmanship for two days. How did he win just on speed?”

Zhao Qian sighed. “Some things are just pure talent—you can’t envy it.”

On the field, Lin Helu smiled wryly. “You’re truly fast! No matter how skilled my swordplay, I just can’t keep up with your speed. It’s a frustrating loss. But that’s your strength—with such speed, you could easily make the provincial team. All you lack now is experience, and that only comes with more matches. But I’m afraid I can’t give you enough of a challenge.”

Shen He smiled. “This is more than enough. This afternoon, I’d like you to walk me through your approach to combat—I need a reference.”

He knew well his victory was due to speed alone. Lin Helu’s techniques were sophisticated and ever-changing. If not for his own quickness and rapid learning, he wouldn’t have stood a chance.

He glanced at his “Martial Artist” progress bar—it had risen to 83%. A promising sign.

Lin Helu nodded. “With your learning speed, an afternoon is enough. Tomorrow, you’ll start learning saber techniques from Zhao Qian. We’ll make sure that ten thousand yuan is well spent.”

Shen He agreed. He practiced his sword moves a while longer, listening to Lin Helu’s explanations and learning new insights.

Around ten o’clock, he stopped, bade Lin Helu farewell, and rode Shen Dali’s electric scooter back toward the village. Though the village was large, an hour or so should be enough to explore it thoroughly.