Volume Two: Taking a Quest Chapter Twenty-One: Martial Combat

The first stage of the "DD Hitman" recruitment process—the intellectual duel—had reached its conclusion. That night, the recruiters arranged communal dormitories for those who had successfully passed the first round, with separate quarters for men and women. The dozen or so candidates who made the cut drifted off to sleep under the organization's arrangements.

At the first light of dawn, the candidates awoke one after another. They were about to face a much heavier assessment: the martial arts test. For a "DD Hitman," it was not enough to ensure that their strikes were reasonable and justified; they had to possess real strength themselves. This strength was forged through relentless training. In this day and age, anyone who survives on the streets has some capability. Even those targeted for a "hit" often have a few tricks up their sleeves. They rarely surrender obediently like a weighted doll, standing still to be struck. Therefore, the physical prowess of the DD Hitman carrying out these tasks becomes critical.

As the sun rose, its dawn light brought a hint of brightness to the world, gradually dispersing the darkness. The moment for light to return to the world had arrived, much like how many had begun to realize the root of their race's decline—a root stemming from the "Ten Evils" and the consequences of their corruption. Humans are highly intelligent beings. When Taoism divides the Three Realms and Six Paths, it establishes the Human Realm as its own entity. In Buddhism, the Human Path also holds a significant position as one of the Three Good Paths, grounded in the practice of virtue. Furthermore, Confucianism teaches the cultivation of an awe-inspiring righteousness, guiding the world through the principles of personal cultivation, family harmony, state governance, and peace under heaven. Within the vast expanse of China, these three pillars—Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism—stand as the mountains of faith. Together, they uphold the nation, advocating for the rejection of evil, the promotion of virtue, the pursuit of integrity, and the practice of inaction. For countless years, this nation has produced a succession of talents, with every university nurturing brilliant minds.

Chen Chen, as one of those caught in this turbulent era, found that his experiences and the people he encountered were all parts of this ordeal. Wars between races play out every day, not on battlefields of steel, but in the day-to-day struggle for survival. When does integrity turn to corruption? When does justice turn to evil? When does kindness turn to sin? Once the foundation of a race decays, it faces either a reshuffling or total collapse. Chen Chen had not yet fully grasped this level of reality. With the burden of survival still on his shoulders and his homeland not yet lost, he had to persevere. The "Ten Evils" and the resulting collapse—a ruin so profound it leads to nation-wide turmoil—had occurred in many dynasties before. Chen Chen had emerged from destiny; his arrival served a mission. His journey had been as difficult as that of a practitioner. Without the grueling struggle for survival day after day, one could not last long.

The once ignorant youth would eventually learn the truth of society and live a genuine life. Living pragmatically every day is often hindered by a lack of favorable timing, geography, and human conditions, limiting what one can achieve. Once everything becomes a facade—self-deception shrouded in falsehood—how can one complete tasks with efficiency? The game of life is like this: the chessboard of integrity and corruption, the chessboard of good and evil, the chessboard of right and wrong, the chessboard of black and white—all are the same.

As the sun climbed higher, the candidates arrived one by one to face the second round: the martial test. If the intellectual duel was about debating logic, the martial test was about demonstrating character. This time, as they stepped onto the training ground, victory or defeat was no longer just about skill, but about martial virtue. With sixteen candidates having passed the first round, they were paired off to select eight winners. The remaining eight would then compete for the final two spots. Once this was done, the recruitment process would conclude.

A scorching sun shines upon the arena, where fists and kicks hold the power of the universe. The body stands firm like a towering mountain; the strikes possess the strength to restore the rivers and plains. The winners of the first stage were now performing, each exchange of blows bringing both gains and losses. Winning the first round did not guarantee final victory. Seven positions for those tasked with striking the "Ten Evils" had already been filled. For the remaining spots targeting the "Three Evils," there were many contenders. The recruiters had arranged for several military personnel to compete against those who had passed the first stage, testing if they were truly qualified to represent the fight against the Ten Evils. This required the recruiters to adjust their plans to ensure a fair competition.

Chen Chen, amidst the crowd, noticed a few participants in military uniform. The "DD Hitman" profession is sensitive; it must survive market competition while remaining legal and compliant, cooperating with government departments without becoming an illegal criminal force. Military support was crucial, a factor the recruiters had long considered. It was necessary to block foreign interference and tech-based encroachment on China, while simultaneously testing the organization's own strength to ensure they could command respect. As the saying goes, a thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole. Now that Chen Chen had entered this circle, he had much work to do.

In the cool breeze of the ancient city, the first pair of strong contenders took the stage, vying for the position tasked with striking down rebels. In this day and age, there are all sorts of people. Some, dissatisfied with their lives and unable to find joy, turn to rebellion to express their discontent. Encouraged by those with ulterior motives and tempted by foreign forces, they find themselves unable to resist joining these ranks. Such individuals were exactly what the DD Hitmen were meant to target. "Those rebels must be stopped. This great land cannot be left to these rats who dream of betraying their own and establishing their own kingdoms."

The two combatants faced off. One was the fair-skinned scholar who had passed the first round, wielding a steel folding fan; he had once trained for some time at the foot of Mount Zhouyou. The other was an officer in military uniform. When it comes to striking criminals and rebels, soldiers clearly possess the innate duty to do so; this fair competition allowed them to fulfill their responsibilities. The soldier specialized in close-quarters combat, particularly military boxing, which was his foundational skill. Years of training had built him a physique of solid muscle, his sturdy frame a testament to military strength. The scholar’s attire seemed out of place on the stage, almost like that of a stage performer. Only when the fight began did he realize how strict the requirements for a "DD Hitman" truly were.

The battle broke out instantly. The scholar looked refined and physically weaker, but he possessed agile footwork. The officer, radiating an upright aura, moved with a powerful, oppressive energy. As they tangled, the scholar appeared at a disadvantage. The officer did not underestimate him; he held back, secretly gathering strength to land a decisive blow. Suddenly, the officer stepped into the center of the arena. The scholar, wary, followed. In a moment of distraction, the officer executed a grappling maneuver, seizing the scholar's left arm and pinning it behind his back. The scholar, refusing to yield, snapped his folding fan open. The fan's ribs were cold as iron, and the blades were as hard as metal weaponry. He swung the fan horizontally, the sharp edges aimed at the officer’s skin. Unwilling to be cut, the officer released his grip to avoid the blow, adjusted his stance, and with a swift counter-move, pinned the scholar to the ground. Due to the precision of his force, the officer landed his hand squarely on the scholar's back. Realizing that the scholar might, in fact, be a woman, the officer suddenly felt a pang of chivalrous hesitation.