Body command feeding world

As dawn broke, the abandoned equipment room on the west side of Yuying Middle School was still bathed in the pale blue morning light, with cool moisture floating in the air, mixed with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

Lin Ye stood with his feet shoulder-width apart, the professional training wooden gun in his hand resting steadily against his side, his aura as calm and collected as an ancient well. After several days of honing his stance training and strengthening his physical fitness, his physique had become increasingly upright and muscular, his shoulders and back sharp and powerful, his waist and abdomen as stable as a rock, and even his once slightly thin forearms were now taut with well-proportioned muscles, every inch of his bones exuding the resilience honed by sweat.

"Three-body stance, sink your breath, lock your waist, and return your strength to the dantian."

Lin Ye silently recited the key points Coach Zhang had repeatedly emphasized, his legs slightly bent, hips lowered, and upper body straight as a spear, without the slightest deviation. The latent spear technique consciousness within him acted like a silent guide, precisely adjusting the angle of every joint and the exertion of every muscle, making his stance as stable as an ancient pine rooted to the earth, remaining motionless despite the morning breeze.

Standing meditation may seem static, but it actually demands far more physical strength, endurance, and concentration than strenuous exercise. In just a moment, fine beads of sweat slid down his forehead, across his taut jawline, and dripped onto the ground, leaving a small, damp patch. His arms ached slightly from holding the gun for so long, his lower back and abdomen ached, and his legs felt like lead, yet his eyes remained bright and sharp, unwavering.

He knew better than anyone that the stance is the foundation of the spear, and the body is the soul of the spear. If he wanted to gain a foothold in the city-level martial arts exchange competition a month later, and if he wanted to fully unleash the spear intent in his bones and blood, he had to make his foundation extremely deep.

Not far away, on an old wooden crate, Wang Dahai, wrapped in a coat, yawned as he did squats. Although his form wasn't perfect, it was much more solid than before. These past two weeks of morning exercise had reduced his excess fat and improved his complexion; he was no longer the chubby boy who would get out of breath after exercising.

"Brother Ye... your stance is so stable! I've already done three sets of squats, and you haven't moved an inch." Wang Dahai wiped the sweat from his forehead, his tone full of admiration. "If you keep practicing like this, forget about winning a competition; I think even the coach will be outdone by you."

Lin Ye slowly finished his stance, straightened his body, and exhaled a long breath, his breathing steady without the slightest rush. He moved his wrists, gripped the wooden spear tightly, and felt a warm, solid touch on his fingertips, which strengthened his resolve: "The coach said my strength is still too weak, and I'll feel weak after the third consecutive move. I must train my stance and physical fitness to the limit."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Ye shifted his feet slightly and suddenly spun around.

"Whoosh—"

The wooden spear pierced the morning air with a clear, crisp sound, its tip steady as it thrust straight into the void. Thrusting, chopping, sweeping, parrying, circling, and pointing – the six basic techniques were executed in rapid succession, without the slightest hesitation. Each move was powerful and precise, the wooden spear seemingly alive in his hands, perfectly synchronized with his form, breath, and rhythm, leaving swift and sharp shadows in the morning mist.

From basic moves to the new combinations taught by the coach, he practiced them again and again. Sweat soaked through his short-sleeved shirt, clinging to his back and outlining the taut lines of his shoulders and back. With each exertion, he could clearly feel the power flowing from his waist, abdomen, legs, and arms, smoother, heavier, and more stable than the day before. His internalized gun-fighting awareness and the reality of training had completely merged, allowing him to progress so rapidly that even Coach Zhang Cheng was amazed, calling him a once-in-a-century gun-fighting prodigy.

At the entrance to the equipment room, Ye Hong sat quietly, holding a brand-new sketchbook. Her pencil glided gently across the paper, each stroke a tender and focused expression. She arrived a little later than Lin Ye every day, not disturbing his training, but simply watching him wield his gun, capturing his composure in stance, the sharpness of his swings, and the crispness of his movements, sketching them all on paper. The sketchbook already held dozens of sketches, each one of Lin Ye, each one revealing the delicate sentiments of a young girl.

Seeing Lin Ye stop to rest, Ye Hong gently put down her pencil, picked up the warm soy milk beside her, and quickly walked over: "Lin Ye, take a break. I brought some hot soy milk and your favorite whole wheat bread."

Lin Ye took the soy milk, his fingertips touching the warm cup, a warm feeling rising in his heart. He looked up at Ye Hong, a faint but genuine smile playing on his lips: "Thank you, for troubling you every day."

"It's no trouble at all." Ye Hong's cheeks flushed slightly as she gently shook her head, her gaze falling on his sweat-drenched face. She softly advised, "Remember to rest during training, and don't push yourself too hard."

"I know." Lin Ye nodded, took a sip of warm soy milk, and felt the warmth slide down his throat, instantly dispelling the soreness and fatigue in his muscles and bones.

Wang Dahai leaned over, grabbed a loaf of bread, and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling, "Brother Ye is a workaholic right now, he'll endure anything for the martial arts competition. Once Brother Ye wins the championship, I'll be the man behind the champion, and the whole school will envy me!"

Ye Hong chuckled softly at his words. The equipment room in the early morning was filled with the unique passion, companionship, and sense of security of young people. The sunlight gradually pierced through the thin mist and shone on the young man's figure holding a gun, gilding it with a warm golden light.

No one expected that this peace and tranquility would be shattered by sudden and tragic news from the outside world.

The three packed their things and walked towards the teaching building, chatting and laughing. The campus was gradually becoming lively, with students walking in twos and threes, carrying their schoolbags, discussing their studies, competitions, and extracurricular activities—everything was no different from usual.

As they passed the bulletin board, the group saw a large number of students gathered there, looking down at their phones. Their faces turned serious and frightened, and some even covered their mouths, showing signs of lingering fear. Whispers of conversation rose and fell among them.

"Really? Three people died?"

"It's right next to the city's garbage station, only three blocks from our school!"

"The news said the death was particularly gruesome; the body was covered in wounds, as if torn apart by a wild animal..."

"It wasn't just the garbage station; the nearby Fu'anli old residential area and the suburban auxiliary road also had incidents last night. People are missing, and some were bitten. The police have now blocked off the roads!"

Lin Ye paused, his brows furrowing slightly.

The ring-city garbage station is a place he occasionally passes by after his morning exercise, and it's surprisingly close to Yuying Middle School.

Wang Dahai also heard the commotion. The grin on his chubby face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of astonishment as he squeezed in, asking, "What's going on? How could someone die at the garbage dump? And be torn apart by a wild animal? Where would you find wild animals in the city?"

In the crowd, someone held up their phone, showing everyone the push notification page from their local news app; the headlines on the screen were shocking—

A bizarre murder case occurred at a city garbage station, resulting in three deaths and multiple injuries. Police have cordoned off the scene for investigation.

A series of bizarre attacks have occurred in the suburbs of Qinglu City, suspected to be the work of a large wild animal.

Residents of the old Fu'anli neighborhood were attacked by an unidentified creature; the injured suffered corrosive wounds all over their bodies.

Lin Ye strode forward, his gaze falling on the phone screen as he read the news content word by word, his expression gradually darkening.

The news report stated that between 7 PM and 9 PM last night, three citizens died mysteriously in a narrow alley near the city's ring road garbage station. The victims' bodies were badly mutilated, covered with sharp claw and tooth marks, and the wounds were surrounded by an eerie bluish-black color with slight signs of corrosion. At the same time, five separate incidents of attacks by unidentified creatures occurred in the Fu'anli old residential area and on the suburban auxiliary road near the garbage station. Two citizens went missing, and three citizens were bitten and seriously injured, and are currently in critical condition in the hospital.

There were no signs of a struggle at the scene, and no surveillance footage captured the perpetrator. Only large claw marks and a strong, putrid odor remained on the ground. Police initially suspect the attack was carried out by a large wild animal that had entered the city from the nearby mountains. A large number of officers have been deployed to cordon off the area and are conducting a full-scale search for the suspected creature.

The news report was accompanied by several blurry photos of the scene. Although the images were blurred, large patches of dark bloodstains on the ground and a narrow alleyway of a garbage station surrounded by a cordon were still visible, creating a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere.

"That's terrifying... It's so close to our school, I'm afraid to walk alone on the side streets after school at night from now on."

"How could there be wild beasts in a perfectly good city? And they can tear people apart, how big of a monster must they be?"

"Look at the wound, it's bluish-black and corrosive. Could it be something other than a wild animal?"

The students grew increasingly frightened as they talked, their discussions filled with panic. The originally relaxed campus atmosphere was thrown into a heavy and oppressive mood by these sudden news reports.

After reading the news, Wang Dahai turned pale and subconsciously moved closer to Lin Ye: "Brother Ye, this is too eerie, isn't it? The garbage dump is already filthy, and now someone has died there, and was even torn to pieces... We must never go there for our morning exercise again."

Ye Hong also hugged the picture book tightly, her face slightly pale, her eyes full of worry: "Lin Ye, after training in the future, we should always take the main road and never go near the garbage dump. It's too dangerous."

Lin Ye remained silent, his brows furrowed, his gaze still fixed on the news page.

He always felt that something was wrong.

It's impossible for a large beast capable of tearing a human apart to exist in the city. Moreover, the bluish-black corrosive wounds, huge and bizarre claw marks, and strong putrid stench mentioned in the news are not things that a normal wild animal could leave behind. He seemed to have vaguely sensed that chilling, putrid stench for a moment—just a few days ago, after finishing his morning exercise, when the wind blew from the outskirts of the city, a faint, bone-chilling stench had drifted through the air.

At the time, he was focused on his marksmanship training and didn't pay attention to it. Now, thinking back, that smell actually overlapped with the smell described in the news.

What bothered him even more was that the latent gun-wielding instinct within him was now slightly agitated, as if sensing some kind of danger, some sinister presence, and issuing a subtle warning. A strange sense of gloom weighed on his heart, making his originally clear and comfortable breathing become slightly sluggish.

He didn't understand what "煞" or "煞兽" meant, but he could clearly sense that something bad had come to the city and was very close to them.

"Let's go to the classroom first." Lin Ye looked away, his voice calm but carrying a hint of seriousness. "Recently, everyone should walk home in groups after school. Don't go to secluded places, and especially don't go near garbage dumps or old residential ruins."

"Got it, Brother Ye!" Wang Dahai nodded quickly.

"I will," Ye Hong replied softly.

The three entered the classroom, but the atmosphere was no longer as relaxed and noisy as usual. Almost all the students were looking down at their phones, discussing the shocking news reports, their faces filled with fear and unease. Class monitor Bai Xiaoyu stood on the podium, trying to maintain order and calm everyone down, but she couldn't suppress the constant chatter.

Seeing Lin Ye walk in, Bai Xiaoyu quickly walked over and handed him his phone with a serious expression: "Lin Ye, have you seen the news? It's not just the garbage station, the entire suburban area has been affected. The authorities have issued a safety warning, advising citizens to avoid going out at night and stay away from remote areas."

Lin Ye took the phone and looked at the more detailed report and the emergency safety notice issued by the police. His fingers tightened slightly.

The news report added more details: no toxins were detected in the deceased's body, but the skin and flesh around the wounds were necrotic, as if corroded by some kind of cold energy; the claw marks left at the scene did not belong to any known wild animals, were strangely shaped, and had deep and sharp claw marks that could easily cut through the cement ground; several witnesses said they saw a monster that was half a person's height, with a bluish-black body and red eyes, which moved swiftly and emitted a nauseating stench of decay.

These descriptions intensified Lin Ye's unease.

This is definitely not a wild animal.

An unprecedented premonition slowly rose in his heart—those things might be far more terrifying and dangerous than they imagined.

The bell rang for the first class, and the homeroom teacher walked into the classroom with a serious expression on her face. The first thing she emphasized was safety.

"Students, I'm sure you've all seen the local news. A dangerous incident occurred near the suburban garbage station. The school has been notified that, starting today, all after-school activities are cancelled. You must leave school immediately after class and go home in groups. It is strictly forbidden to linger in secluded areas. Parents will also receive a notice from the school. Please be sure to abide by the rules and protect your own safety."

The homeroom teacher's tone was unusually serious. Even the students who were usually mischievous nodded obediently, no one daring to laugh. Danger was imminent; everyone knew this was no joke.

Throughout the class, Lin Ye listened attentively, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the news and to that subtly restless awareness of gunmanship. He unconsciously drew the outline of a long spear in the blank space of his textbook, his fingers tightening slightly as he held the pen.

He didn't know what those things that attacked people were, but he knew he had to become stronger.

It's not just for martial arts competitions, not just for improving spear skills, but also for protecting myself, my friends Wang Dahai, Ye Hong, and Bai Xiaoyu, and the people I care about.

In the past, I trained out of passion and to improve myself.

At this moment, Lin Ye had an even heavier and more determined reason in his heart—to become stronger, to use a gun as a blade and his body as a shield, to resist unknown dangers.

When the bell rang, Lin Ye didn't rest as usual. Instead, he took out the physical training chart that Bai Xiaoyu had given him and silently increased the intensity. He increased the number of sets and duration of all training exercises, including push-ups, squats, planks, and core crunches, by half. He also extended the time for stance training by twenty minutes.

He needed to improve his strength, endurance, and reaction time as quickly as possible, so that his body could match the gun spirit in his bones and blood, and that the wooden gun in his hand could truly become a reliable source of strength.

Wang Dahai came over and was shocked when he saw the revised training plan: "Brother Ye, you've added so much weight, can your body handle it? Don't injure yourself."

"I can handle it." Lin Ye didn't even look up, his tone firm. "I must become stronger quickly."

Ye Hong also came over. Looking at the training schedule he had revised, her eyes were full of heartache, but she did not stop him. She just said softly, "Then I will bring more water and food every day. Replenish your nutrition after training. Don't push yourself too hard."

Lin Ye looked up at his concerned friend beside him, the warmth in his heart overcoming his unease. He nodded gently: "Okay."

Bai Xiaoyu also came over, took out the advanced physical training plan he had compiled, and handed it to Lin Ye: "This is a professional training plan that I asked the physical education teacher for. It is suitable for quickly improving core strength and explosive power. You can combine it with your training. It is more scientific and safer."

"Thank you." Lin Ye accepted the proposal, feeling grateful.

Sunlight streamed through the windows into the classroom, falling on the boys, but the wind outside seemed to carry a faint chill.

The murder at the city's garbage station, the continuous attacks in the suburbs, the bizarre descriptions of monsters, the police blockade and manhunt... everything was like a dark cloud hanging over this small town, over Yu Ying Middle School.

The students on campus are still studying hard and training diligently, but they all know that cracks have appeared in their peaceful lives.

Lin Ye gripped the pen tightly, glanced again at the news notifications on his phone that hadn't disappeared, and his gaze grew even sharper and more determined.

He didn't know when those sinister things would reappear, nor did he know if the danger would spread to the campus.

But he knew that from this day forward, his gun would no longer be wielded solely out of passion.

More for protection, more for survival.

After school in the afternoon, Lin Ye arrived at the martial arts club for training as promised. Coach Zhang Cheng's expression was also particularly solemn, and his phone was playing news reports about the garbage dump murder case. Upon seeing Lin Ye arrive, he immediately stepped forward and gave him some instructions.

"Lin Ye, things haven't been peaceful in the city lately. Go home immediately after your training and don't linger outside, especially away from remote areas on the outskirts of the city." Zhang Cheng paused, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes that Lin Ye couldn't understand. "Those things... are not simple. You must protect yourself."

Lin Ye was slightly taken aback, feeling that the coach's words had a hidden meaning, as if he knew something but didn't say it outright.

He didn't ask any further questions, but simply nodded solemnly: "I understand, Coach."

"We'll have extra training today on explosive power and reaction speed." Zhang Cheng concealed the strange look in his eyes and resumed his serious expression. "The competition is approaching, and also... to ensure you have the ability to protect yourself."

Lin Ye gripped his wooden gun tightly and stood in the center of the training ground.

As the sun set, its golden rays bathed him, yet a faint, chilling stench of decay wafted through the air, creeping in from the outskirts of the city.

He swung his gun.

Swah——

The gunshot pierced the air, heavier, sharper, and carrying a stronger sense of unwavering resolve than ever before.

Danger is imminent; undercurrents are surging.

The boy's gun is about to face a test far more brutal and real than the competition itself.