Chapter 46: The Gun and the Fist Are One

End of the briefing.

Du Huaishan was just about to head to the Commander's Academy to find Instructor Luo Zongwen for further training, seeking to enhance his physical fitness and deepen the integration of his demonic transformation.

But unexpectedly—

On the podium, Lai Yanlong suddenly called out loudly, “Du Huaishan, come here!”

Some elite recruits paused and turned, watching Du Huaishan ascend against the flow, puzzled as to why he was always singled out for special treatment by the instructors.

Rumor had it that an instructor had arranged for him to be personally taught by the Academy’s chief martial arts teacher.

If it were before, Du Huaishan’s impressive performance wouldn’t have raised questions. But now, his scores in the various assessments during training fluctuated wildly, averaging merely at a middling level. Some recruits who considered themselves stronger couldn’t help but feel disgruntled.

On the podium, Du Huaishan straightened his back, placed his left palm across his chest in a blade salute. “Instructor Lai, you called for me.”

“I heard you’ve somehow acquired some equipment that can help people quickly pass the directional balance test for the mobile zip line in just a few weeks?” Lai Yanlong asked bluntly, hands clasped behind his back.

Du Huaishan glanced at Zhou Zhongai in the rear; she covered her lips, stifling a laugh, clearly indicating, “It was your sister who tattled.”

“Reporting, Instructor, it’s not as exaggerated as it sounds,” Du Huaishan replied, unfazed. The round of ‘new recruit harvest’ was already over, his money earned, and whether his methods were exposed no longer mattered.

“Take us to see your equipment,” Lai Yanlong raised his hand, signaling him to lead the way.

Du Huaishan scratched his head and led them to the cafeteria.

Indeed, the fixed spiral stairs and movable rollers were large pieces of equipment, far too big for their dormitory and liable to be stolen by recruits. The members of Class Eight had agreed to store them at the workshop of Yang Fatty’s godfather, Master Zhang De.

Zhou Zhongai had only heard about the equipment from recruits, never seen them herself. Upon seeing them now, she couldn’t help but step onto the spiral stairs, spinning a few rounds.

When she stepped down, her pink eyes sparkled. As an expert in mobile zip lines, she knew these tools were more advanced and professional than anything currently used in the Martial Hall. “Du Huaishan, where did you actually get these?”

“I found them on my master’s bookshelf, in a foreign book, filled with these diagrams,” Du Huaishan fabricated smoothly.

After all, Luo Zongwen had said his master was a renowned teacher; so possessing some remarkable books was hardly surprising.

“No wonder,” Chang Suian said, accepting the explanation without question, even helping Du Huaishan elaborate, “The airplane and mobile zip line were invented by foreigners after all; naturally, they know more about it.”

Zhou Zhongai grabbed Du Huaishan’s shoulders directly, “Huaishan, can you share the design plans? If the Martial Hall adopts this training method, the elite ratio among new recruits in Yingzhou Army would surely soar!”

These aviation tools were of no use to Du Huaishan anymore—at most, they could be used to ‘harvest’ the next batch of recruits.

Hearing the importance, Lai Yanlong coughed and spoke, “Du Huaishan, if you hand over the designs, I guarantee your reward will be substantial! Here’s what I’ll offer: fifty silver coins, five bottles of red marrow extract, and on top of your previous reward, I’ll recommend you for a promotion!”

“I accept.” Just the fifty silver coins alone were a great profit, not to mention the precious red marrow extract.

As his integration deepened, nearing the threshold, the red marrow extract was consumed at an ever increasing rate.

What’s more, during his demonic transformation, not only did the guardian spirit on his heart absorb energy, but his mind did as well.

Initially, he hadn’t noticed. Only recently, as his integration stalled, did he realize that the portion absorbed in his mind was growing larger, beginning to slow his progress.

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Intuition told him the culprit was likely the nine-tailed shadow from that blood-red illusion.

As for the promotion, it probably combined with the credit for eliminating the infiltrator previously—he wondered what rank he’d receive.

He’d heard that the higher the rank, the more likely one could become a noncommissioned officer right after graduation, with better pay and resources than ordinary soldiers.

“You little rascal! Can’t suffer the slightest loss, can you? I’m requisitioning these tools. Get the design plans to my office as soon as possible!” Lai Yanlong laughed and scolded, pleased by Du Huaishan’s eagerness.

Evening.

Luo Zongwen’s villa, third-floor training room.

Clang! Clang!

Luo Zongwen’s army knife flashed silver, blocking Du Huaishan’s rapid left and right strikes, finally slamming the knife’s back down onto the demon horn on his forehead.

“Not bad, much better than before. Your speed and reactions, especially the latter, have greatly improved,” Luo Zongwen said, sheathing his knife and stroking his beard.

Demonic Du Huaishan grinned, panting heavily. He’d already discarded all sandbags, yet still couldn’t match Luo’s speed.

The only part Luo praised was due to his relentless practice of dynamic vision, every moment except eating and sleeping.

“What you need most now is to unify your whole body’s power. Once you grasp this, your strength will reach a new level!” Luo said, then suddenly asked, “Do you want to learn the spear?”

By “spear,” Luo meant the long spear.

“Of course!” Du Huaishan knew well Luo’s reputation for unifying spear and fist, the calligraphy gifted by the Chief of Army Staff at the behest of Marshal Zhang.

The spear was Luo’s true specialty!

Moreover, Xingyi was originally derived from spearplay. Du Huaishan recalled during the war, the army circulated ‘Latest Xingyi Bayonet Techniques’ for close-quarters combat.

“As the saying goes, ‘A month for the staff, a year for the knife, a lifetime for the spear.’ Among cold weapons, the spear is the hardest to master. Training the spear demands the whole body’s strength, especially the waist.”

“That’s why I want you to learn it. A well-trained spear harmonizes the muscles and tendons, giving you the coordinated power needed to pierce through opponents.”

Luo took two long spears from the wall, handing one to Du Huaishan with a loud thud.

Du Huaishan grabbed it with both hands—buzz! The immense force bent the shaft in a gentle arc before it snapped back straight like a spring. The gleaming spearhead shimmered with a chilling light under the tungsten lamp.

The shaft was heavy and resilient.

A fine spear!

Nothing like the flexible waxwood flower spears used in university martial routines.

“Xingyi combines five elements and twelve animal fists with spearplay, using ‘thrust, block, seize’ as the three techniques under the single ‘thrust’ character. Thrust is lord, the twelve are ministers. You only need to grasp the first three moves. Watch closely.”

Tiger!

Luo moved suddenly, black robe billowing, spear striking like spring thunder, crackling through the air toward Du Huaishan’s face.

So fast!

Even with enhanced dynamic vision, Du Huaishan couldn’t react. The spearhead was already at his eyes, stopping within a hair’s breadth.

He could smell the cold, metallic sting.

Luo was still seven or eight paces away.

Which meant—

Within seven paces, the spear could kill without stepping forward, in a flash!

Against demons and monsters, the spear was superior to the army knife for joint and heart strikes.

“Next is block and seize; block is external, seize is internal.”

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Whoosh! Buzz!

Luo Zongwen drew a breath and whipped the spear, sweeping it horizontally with a wind-cutting sound—the Xingyi spear’s blocking technique. Then with a wrist twist, he reversed the sweep—the seizing technique!

So fast!

Instructor Luo planted his legs firmly, channeling core power from waist and abdomen through the large round, latissimus, spinal, and rhomboid muscles into his arms.

The long spear extended the lever of his arm’s force.

A longer stroke meant the spearhead’s power and speed multiplied, unleashing supersonic destructive force!

This principle was akin to cracking a long whip, the tip snapping with a sonic boom.

Du Huaishan instantly grasped the spear’s core power.

The key was unified force.

He ramped up his demonic transformation to eight percent.

With brutal heart pump strength, Du Huaishan assumed the Xingyi stance, recalling Chang Suian’s sandbag toss technique. His spine coiled and sprang forward in a fierce thrust.

Buzz!

“Hmm, you’ve got some feel for it,” Luo’s four eyes gleamed. “But your old habits linger. Too much showmanship—keep the spearhead steady, strike decisively. The thrust must be straight, fast, accurate—like an arrow or a thread. You must thrust with intent!”

Du Huaishan pondered these words.

All night, he practiced the three spear techniques: thrust, block, seize.

The more he trained, the more terrifying the power became.

Even the integration of demonic force seemed poised for a breakthrough with each powerful strike.

His arm lift now reached 180 kilograms, more than doubling in demonic form. Add the spear’s leverage and supersonic boost, and the instantaneous impact—

That cold gleam—

Unimaginable.

Back in his dorm, Du Huaishan quickly recorded Luo’s instructions.

Now he had mastered trench bayonet, army knife, and long spear—representing close, medium, and long-range cold weapon attacks, all enhanced by his demonic state.

He was still learning the principles of force application.

Next step: mastering powerful attacks while using the mobile zip line!

The following day, the sentry’s calls rang out right on time.

Du Huaishan washed up, packed his meat ration, and queued in the cafeteria.

After breakfast, Yang Anfu and another dorm mate said their farewells and headed into the northern teaching block.

It hit him then—the divisions had begun.

Back at the training ground, the central area was occupied by ordinary infantry and artillery, taught by two new instructors who’d only made brief appearances at the induction.

Du Huaishan and the elite recruits were led by Chang Suian and Zhou Zhongai to the west side, at the foot of a small cliff.

Soon after, two transport trucks arrived. The recruits, full of anticipation, watched—everyone knew they carried armor and the core weapon of close combat infantry: the mobile zip line!