Not enough Japanese devils to kill? 1.4 billion people volunteer for the Battle of Shanghai.

The river breeze swept across the mudflats, stirring up fine dust.

Hundreds and thousands of eyes were focused on this.

No referee called "start".

When their eyes met for the last time.

He Cong has moved!

They started with a storm attack.

There were no tests, no feints.

From the very first move, it was a deadly strike.

He stomped his left foot on the ground and shot forward like an arrow, using the momentum to deliver a powerful right punch straight at Lin Yun's face like a cannonball.

Almost simultaneously, his left knee, hidden beneath him, moved like a scorpion's tail, silently striking Lin Yun's abdomen!

Attack from above and below!

Seal off all escape routes!

A typical Muay Thai combination move – a punch followed by a knee strike, aiming for a one-hit kill.

"Too fast!" someone in the crowd exclaimed in surprise.

Many people didn't see how He Cong started it; they only saw a dark shadow rush towards the still figure with the force of wind and thunder.

It’s over.

This is the thought in the minds of the vast majority of people.

How could Lin Yun possibly escape?

however--

Lin Yun made a move.

Just before He Cong's shoulders slumped and her right foot was about to exert force, her body reacted.

It's not retreating, it's not blocking.

Instead, he took a small step to the left front in response to He Cong's momentum.

Just one small step.

Less than thirty centimeters.

But this small step allowed her body to be positioned exactly at the edge of He Cong's attack axis.

He Congzhi's right fist, poised for victory, grazed her right earlobe, the force of the punch sending her short hair flying backward.

That vicious left knee strike missed its mark entirely because of Lin Yun's perfectly timed sidestep; the tip of his knee merely grazed the hem of her combat uniform.

The difference is minuscule!

The offensive has been neutralized!

He was shocked!

But he was a veteran of countless battles, and his ability to change tactics on the spot was astonishing. The moment his right fist missed, he used the momentum of his forward charge to forcefully twist his body and sweep his left elbow like a battle axe, smashing it towards Lin Yun's side of the neck.

Lin Yun seemed to have anticipated his change of tactics.

As she turned to the side, her left hand shot out like a nimble snake, her five fingers joined together in a palm facing upwards, gently supporting He Cong's left elbow joint as he swept across.

It's not about confrontation.

It is guidance.

Using minimal force to achieve maximum effect.

He Cong felt as if the force in his left elbow, enough to split bricks and shatter stones, had been smashed into a wad of cotton, or as if he had been gently pulled diagonally upwards by a soft but irresistible force—

The force was off.

The body also lost its balance and leaned forward.

At this very moment—when old strength has been exhausted, new strength has not yet arisen, and the body's center of gravity is at its most unstable—

Lin Yun's counterattack has arrived!

Her right leg, like a spring that had been holding its power for a long time, sprang out from an incredible angle.

It wasn't a kick, it wasn't a stomp, but rather a precise touch with the toe, as accurate as a scalpel, to the back of He Cong's right knee, which was his supporting leg.

Location: In the center of the popliteal fossa, at the junction of the gastrocnemius and semitendinosus muscles.

Force: Not great, but extremely precise.

Timing: The moment when He Cong's entire weight was pressed down on that leg.

"Well!"

He Cong groaned, his right leg buckled, and he almost knelt down.

However, he was extremely experienced in combat. In a critical moment, he unleashed the power of his core strength in his waist and abdomen, forcibly twisting his body, staggering back two steps, and barely managing to stand firm.

The first round ended in the blink of an eye.

The two separated, standing three meters apart.

He Cong's right leg trembled slightly, and a tingling numbness emanated from the back of his knee. He stared intently at Lin Yun, his eyes showing seriousness for the first time, along with a hint of disbelief.

The exchange just now was so fast that ordinary people couldn't even see the details. But these trained fighters saw it clearly—

Lin Yun's sidestep was exquisitely skillful.

That lift and pull technique used skillful force.

That final touch of the toe lands on one of the most vulnerable points of balance in the human body.

Not a single move was a direct confrontation.

It's all about technique.

It's all calculations.

"Good!" Among the onlookers, a knowledgeable army reconnaissance soldier couldn't help but shout in a low voice, then realized the situation was inappropriate and quickly covered his mouth.

But this one sentence has already expressed the feelings of many people.

He exhaled a breath of stale air, stretched his right leg, and his eyes became even more ferocious.

"Interesting." He licked his slightly chapped lips. "It seems Captain Lin is more than just a figurehead."

"You flatter me." Lin Yun remained standing in place, his breathing steady, as if the dangerous exchange just now was merely a warm-up. "Deputy Company Commander He is very strong, but he was too hasty."

She is giving her comments.

Use the tone of an instructor commenting on trainees.

He Cong's forehead veins throbbed.

"In a hurry?" he sneered. "Then let me show you what true 'not in a hurry' really means!"

Before he finished speaking, he pounced again!

But this time, the style has changed.

It's no longer about blindly charging forward.

His footwork became agile, shifting left and right, weaving around Lin Yun. His fists moved like venomous snakes, unleashing a continuous barrage of jabs, hooks, and uppercuts, a mix of real and feints. Leg techniques were also incorporated: low sweeps, mid-section kicks, and the occasional high roundhouse kick feint…

He was testing the waters.

They were searching for Lin Yun's rhythm and weaknesses.

The offensive came like a tidal wave, one after another, giving Lin Yun almost no chance to catch his breath.

Lin Yun's response, however, made all the onlookers frown.

She... looks like she's dancing.

It's not a martial arts dance, but an extremely bizarre movement that defies common human instincts.

As He Cong threw a jab, she leaned back slightly, keeping the distance between her chin and the fist at about two centimeters, as if measured with a ruler.

With a sweeping punch, her body spun like a willow catkin, the wind from the punch brushing past her back.

As the low sweeping leg came, she jumped lightly, not a high jump, but just enough for her toes to leave the ground three inches off the ground, allowing the leg shadow to sweep past her feet.

Each dodge was executed with minimal movement.

Every movement was incredibly precise.

She wasn't fighting; she was performing a complex, pre-calculated procedure to avoid all attack paths.

"What...what kind of footwork is this?" a Marine Corps sergeant murmured. "I've never seen anything like it before..."

"It wasn't footwork," a slightly older veteran with a scarred face said in a deep voice. "It was prediction. She had already seen through He Cong's attack route before he even made his move."

"How is that possible?!" the sergeant exclaimed in disbelief.

"Look into her eyes," the veteran whispered.

"From beginning to end, she wasn't looking at He Cong's hands or feet, but rather his shoulders, his hips, and his shift in weight. The real killing move will give off warning signs in these areas before it's unleashed. She caught those signs."

The sergeant looked closely and indeed found that Lin Yun's gaze was fixed on the core area of ​​He Cong's torso.

He Cong grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed.

He felt as if he were facing not a person, but a mirror, or a ghost.

Every punch and every kick landed on empty air.

Every move they made was anticipated by their opponent.

That feeling of having power nowhere to use and all attacks missing their mark gnawed at his confidence and patience like a venomous snake.

What annoyed him even more was Lin Yun's counterattack.

Her counterattacks were few, but each one was cunning, ruthless, and hit the nail on the head.

It wasn't a heavy blow, but rather a precise strike, like acupuncture, targeting his joints, nerve plexuses, and muscle connections.

A palm strike landed on his diaphragm, causing him to catch his breath.

A single knuckle prick near his Jianjing acupoint caused his entire left arm to feel numb and tingly for five seconds.

A side kick with the toe landed on the shinbone of his supporting leg. Although the force was not great, the position was tricky, and it made him wince in pain.

These blows, individually, are not fatal, but accumulated, they are like a dull knife cutting flesh, gradually consuming his strength, disrupting his balance, and interfering with his power.

He started sweating.

It's not from being tired.

It was urgent, it was frustrating.

He knew he couldn't go on like this.

We must disrupt the opponent's rhythm.

We have to force her to fight back.

A fierce glint suddenly appeared in He Cong's eyes!

He deliberately created an opening—a powerful but slightly slow right hook aimed at Lin Yun's head.

He held back two-tenths of his strength in this punch, intending to use it as a counter-attack. If Lin Yun dodged to the side as before, he would immediately follow up with a left hook and a knee strike, blocking her escape route.

however--

This time, Lin Yun did not completely dodge.

She seemed to realize that the punch was difficult to completely avoid, and at the last moment, she chose to deal with it in a way that would minimize the cost.

She tilted her head slightly and raised her left arm at the same time, her forearm muscles tensing to protect the side of her head.

"Bang!"

He Cong's right fist slammed into Lin Yun's left forearm as he blocked.

The force traveled through his muscles and bones, causing Lin Yun to sway and stagger half a step to the right. A sharp pain and numbness instantly shot through his left forearm.

It's now!

He roared inwardly!

His long-awaited left hook, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, struck with lightning speed from an extremely tricky angle, aiming at the opening in Lin Yun's right rib exposed by his block.

The hearts of all the onlookers were in their throats!

Chen Fei and the others almost screamed in surprise!

At the critical moment—

Lin Yun made a move.

Taking advantage of the momentum from being hit by the right hook, instead of stabilizing herself backward, she fell to the right.

It wasn't a fall.

It was intentionally poured out!

At the same time, her right foot, like a scorpion's tail, swept backward from under her body at an almost impossible angle, her toes pointed straight, like a steel cone, and kicked with perfect precision at He Cong's groin, which was slightly exposed due to his full-force left hook!

Groin kick!

Although it was a martial arts competition, Lin Yun held back most of his strength at the last moment, only lightly touching the ground with his toes.

But the location was too accurate.

He Cong felt a chill in his groin, followed by an indescribable tingling, numbness, and swelling sensation. Although not intense, it caused his strength to dissipate, and his determined left hook went limp.

Lin Yun, taking advantage of the momentum from falling to the side, braced himself with one hand and, like a nimble swift, performed a smooth side roll, widening the distance between them.

She rolled over and stood up, her left forearm trembling slightly, but her right hand was already in a defensive stance.

He Cong stood there, his face turning pale and then flushed, the discomfort in his groin making him move awkwardly.

He stared intently at Lin Yun, his eyes blazing with fury.

"The rules allow attacks on any part of the body," Lin Yun said calmly, shaking his numb left arm. "On the battlefield, the enemy doesn't care about morality. Deputy Company Commander He, you weren't planning to hold back with that combination of punches just now, were you?"

He was speechless.

Indeed, his combo attack just now was aimed at rendering his opponent unable to fight.

"Good! Good! Good!" He Cong said three "good"s in a row, each one seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth. "Then let's do it according to the rules of the battlefield!"

He completely abandoned his last shred of reservations.

With a roar, it pounced again!

This time, his attack was even more ferocious and reckless!

Fists, elbows, knees, legs... the whole body becomes a weapon!

Like a raging storm! Like a wildfire spreading across the land.

He will crush all techniques with absolute power and ferocious offensive!

Lin Yun's pressure suddenly increased.

He Cong's offensive and defensive style of play, which disregarded his own weaknesses, did disrupt her rhythm to some extent.

Some attacks cannot be completely avoided; she can only choose to block or exchange attacks with minimal cost.

The two moved at high speed, collided, separated, and collided again on a ten-meter radius of mud and sand!

He Cong's fist grazed Lin Yun's cheek, leaving a bloody mark.

Lin Yun's palm struck He Cong in the chest, causing him to gasp for breath.

He Cong's knee struck Lin Yun's outer thigh, and she let out a muffled groan.

Lin Yun's toe struck He's shinbone again, causing him to gasp in pain.

The battle entered its most brutal and primitive phase.

Mud and sand splattered, and sweat and blood dripped down.

The crowd fell silent; everyone held their breath, their eyes wide open.

They witnessed He Cong's ferocity and power, as well as Lin Yun's resilience and wisdom in the face of overwhelming odds.

I also saw... that fierce determination of top soldiers, never admitting defeat.

Three minutes of intense competition.

For both of them, it felt like three hours had passed.

My physical strength is rapidly depleting.

He Cong's breathing was heavy, like a broken bellows, and his whole body was soaked in sweat, his bronze skin covered with sweat and dirt.

His attacks remained fierce, but they were noticeably slower and less accurate.

Lin Yun's condition also deteriorated significantly.

Her left forearm was red and swollen, and her cheek was bloody.

But her eyes remained calm and sharp.

Like stars that never go out in the cold night.

He Cong forced Lin Yun back with another combination of punches, but he was so tired that he bent over, supporting himself on his knees with his hands, panting heavily.

opportunity!

A glint of light flashed in Lin Yun's eyes!

Instead of taking the opportunity to retreat and rest, she mustered her strength, endured the pain in her right leg, and charged forward!

It's not a straight line!

Instead, he slid sideways and cut into He Cong's right blind spot!

He reacted extremely quickly, immediately straightening up and instinctively sweeping his right fist to the right rear!

But Lin Yun's charge was a feint!

The moment He Cong threw his punch, she suddenly ducked down, slipping under He Cong's right arm like a cat, and instantly got close to the inside of He Cong's body!

Oops!

Alarm bells rang loudly in He Cong's heart!

He wanted to back off and smash down with his left elbow!

But it was too late!

The instant Lin Yun made contact, his hands, like iron hoops, swiftly gripped He Cong's right wrist and elbow!

At the same time, her right foot, like an iron hook, suddenly hooked onto He Cong's right ankle!

Disrupt the center of gravity!

He Cong felt a sudden, subtle force coming from his arms and ankles, causing his body to involuntarily fall backward!

He tried to break free, but Lin Yun was too close and his angle of force was too tricky!

The two of them fell to the ground at the same time!

But Lin Yun was prepared to fall!

The moment her back touched the ground, she unleashed her core strength, her legs wrapping around He Cong's neck and chest like scissors, while her hands locked He Cong's right arm tightly and twisted it sharply in the opposite direction of the joint!

Ground Technique: Armbar!

forming!

He Cong felt dizzy and the next second, he was lying face up on the ground, locked in a tight grip! A tearing pain shot through his right arm, and his neck was tightly held by Lin Yun's thigh, making it difficult to breathe!

He struggled frantically, using all his strength to try and turn over and break free!

But Lin Yun's locking technique was like a precise machine, firmly blocking all his points of force!

The more you struggle, the greater the pressure on your joints and neck!

"I give up!"

Lin Yun's cold voice came from above, carrying an unquestionable determination.

He Cong's eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead bulged, like a trapped wild beast, letting out a low growl of resentment.

He desperately tried various ground escape techniques, but Lin Yun's armbar lock was too perfect, and every attempt to exert force resulted in even more intense pain.

Time passed second by second.

ten seconds.

Twenty seconds.

Thirty seconds.

He Cong's face turned purple from lack of oxygen and pain, and his struggles grew weaker and weaker.

The entire room fell silent.

Everyone held their breath, watching the unbelievable scene on the muddy ground—the deputy company commander of the special operations brigade was locked to the ground, unable to move.

On the observation platform, General Wang Kangmei slowly straightened up.

On the mudflats, Lei Xiong pushed away Jin Sheng, who was helping him up, and stared wide-eyed.

Xu Le had also come ashore at some point, standing at the edge of the crowd with his arms crossed and a complicated expression on his face.

"Admit defeat! Or dislocate your shoulder!" Lin Yun's voice rang out again, colder than before, carrying the meaning of an ultimatum.

He Cong struggled again, his right shoulder joint making a sickening "crackling" sound.

The excruciating pain made his vision go black.

He knew that if he didn't get rid of it soon, his arm might really be injured.

All the anger, resentment, pride... were finally crushed in the face of the pain and suffocation of reality.

He squeezed out a broken, hoarse, yet incredibly clear syllable from his clenched teeth:

"……lose."

Lin Yun immediately released the locking technique.

Without the slightest hesitation.

She rolled over to one side and lay on the ground, her chest heaving as she gasped for air.

Sweat mixed with dirt and sand, leaving streaks on her pale face.

She won.

But it also nearly exhausted all its strength.

He Cong lay on the ground like a fish out of water, his mouth agape, breathing greedily. The pain in his right arm and neck prevented him from getting up for the time being; he could only look up at the gray sky, his eyes vacant.

Lost.

We really lost.

I lost to a female instructor who could fly planes.

A complete and utter defeat.

A few seconds later, Lin Yun struggled to sit up.

She glanced at He Cong, who was still lying down, and then reached out her hand.

It's not about showing off.

It's not a provocation.

We pulled him up.

He Cong looked at the hand that was stretched out in front of him.

The hand wasn't large, with long, slender fingers. It was covered in mud and sand, trembling slightly, and there was still redness and swelling at the base of the thumb from when it had blocked the attack.

He remained silent for three seconds.

Then, he raised his heavy, iron-like right hand and grasped it.

Lin Yun pulled him up with force.

The two stood facing each other, less than a meter apart.

They were all disheveled, injured, and panting heavily.

He Cong looked at Lin Yun, at that cold, pale but bright-eyed young face, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing.

He turned around.

Addressing all the soldiers of the reinforced company, addressing the elite soldiers from various branches of the armed forces who were watching, addressing this beach that witnessed this battle.

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and roared in a hoarse but exceptionally clear voice:

"I, He Cong, have lost!"

"Completely convinced—completely convinced—!!!"

After shouting those two sentences, he paused for a moment, his chest heaving violently.

Then, he took another deep breath and shouted it out in an even louder voice, as if to unleash all his resentment, all his prejudice, and all his contempt:

"The Air Force—it's not just about flying planes!!!"

"The Air Force—it's not just about flying planes!!!"

"The Air Force—it's not just about flying planes!!!"

"They—can fight too!!!"

"And—he played—very well—!!!"

Every word was like a thunderclap, rolling across the mudflats and into everyone's ears.

After shouting, He Cong turned around and faced Lin Yun.

stand at attention.

look up.

Stand tall with your chest out.

Raise your right hand and salute.

My movements were a bit stiff because my right arm was still hurting.

Lin Yun looked at him for two seconds.

Then, she raised her right hand in return.

The two men's military salutes were frozen in the morning light.

Quiet.

Absolute silence lasting for more than ten seconds.

Then--

"Snapped!"

Someone clapped first, I don't know who it was.

It was very light, and very abrupt.

But then—

"Clap clap clap!"

The second time, the third time... the applause spread like wildfire!

Starting from the reinforced company's position, the soldiers who had just been filled with disdain and anger towards Lin Yun's team were now clapping their hands vigorously, their eyes filled with complex emotions, but no longer showing any contempt.

The elite soldiers from other teams also applauded.

This applause is not for clever tricks.

It is given to absolute strength.

It is a respect earned through blood, sweat, and pain!

It's for that one—

Even after landing, it can still soar through the skies and tear apart all prejudices—

eagle!

Lin Yun lowered his hand from the salute.

The applause continued.

She still didn't smile much, but calmly straightened her disheveled collar and patted the mud off her body.

Then, she looked at her teammates.

Chen Fei, Zhang Liang, and others were already flushed with excitement, their chests puffed out, and their eyes shining brightly.

"I'm gone."

Lin Yun only said two words.

The voice was not loud, and even a little hoarse.

But as she turned and strode away from the mudflats, her back straight as a spear as she walked toward the next challenge—Sheshan.

His steps remained steady.

His back view still showed his slender figure.

But at this moment, in everyone's eyes, that figure seemed to be burning with an invisible flame, illuminating the beach soaked with sweat and the marks of battle.

An eagle.

It landed on the ground.

It is still an eagle.