Full-Time Martial Saint

On Saturday morning, Chen Cong got up as usual, washed up, ate breakfast, and then went to the small playground to instruct a few people in practicing boxing.

When the private coaching session ended, it was eight o'clock in the morning. Chen Congjing stood quietly at the school gate, looking at the huge building across the street with the sign "Hongyang Training Center". She had arranged to meet Ning Yuhang at three o'clock in the afternoon.

Yesterday, Zhang Kui gave him a key to a training room at Hongyang Training Center, so that he could use the professional equipment to improve his overall physical fitness when he had free time.

Reaching into his pocket, Chen Cong felt for a moment, then finally walked across the street.

……

"Hello sir, would you like to rent a training room?"

As soon as Chen Cong entered the reception hall, a graceful young receptionist greeted him with a smile.

Chen took out the key card from his pocket and handed it over.

The receptionist took the key and examined it carefully. He was taken aback at first, then became even more respectful and said, "Hello sir, this is the key to the permanent training room at our Hongyang Training Center. May I ask your surname?"

"My surname is Chen. The key belongs to my teacher. He said I could come and take a look."

The receptionist respectfully handed the key back and continued, "Mr. Chen, would you like to go to the training room now, or do you have any other requests?"

"Take me to the training room."

Chen Cong glanced around and spoke slowly.

"Yes, sir, please follow me."

The receptionist bowed respectfully and led him to the elevator, then pressed the button for the 5th floor.

The elevator quickly arrived at the corresponding floor, and the receptionist led him through a maze of turns to the door of an alloy training room.

Chen handed over the key, and the receptionist opened the training room door while explaining, "This permanent training room has never been used since Hongyang Training Center opened, but Mr. Chen, rest assured, everything inside is regularly cleaned and maintained, and it is ready for normal use."

"In addition, as per standard, this training room will be provided with a complimentary high-quality nutritional meal at noon. If Mr. Chen is interested, please provide an approximate meal time, and we will have someone deliver it to you."

And there are free premium nutritional meals?

Chen Cong paused for a moment, then sighed inwardly.

He could roughly tell that Zhang Kui's relationship with the owner behind Hongyang Training Center wasn't very deep; otherwise, he wouldn't have never come to the permanent training room that the owner had given him.

But now that I've used this training room, no matter what, the favor will fall on Zhang Kui's shoulders; favors, big or small, must be repaid in the same way, so there's no need to care so much.

"12:30, thank you."

A meal time was given, and Chen Cong looked around and found that the equipment in this training room was indeed very complete. Although it was not as luxurious as Xu Baiwei's private training room, it was definitely better than the ordinary training room in Tianwu Training Hall.

"Mr. Chen, you know how to use these training devices, right?" the receptionist asked respectfully again.

Chen Cong nodded.

Seeing this, the receptionist bowed slightly: "Then we won't bother Mr. Chen any longer. If you need anything, just press the call button."

Chen nodded again, watched the receptionist close the door and leave, and then walked directly to the physical training equipment across the street.

Meanwhile, on the seventh floor of Hongyang Training Center, in a luxurious office, a middle-aged man with a full beard and a burly build was practicing punches on the open space next to him.

Ding!

The doorbell rang crisply. The middle-aged man slowly withdrew his fist, picked up a towel from the side to wipe the sweat from his body, and said in a deep voice, "Come in."

The office door opened, and the female receptionist who had previously greeted Chen Cong walked in respectfully.

"Boss, someone's arrived at permanent training room number 03."

The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then excitedly asked, "Is it Zhang Kui?"

The receptionist shook her head: "It was a Mr. Chen who said the key was given to him by his teacher."

The middle-aged man frowned slightly, and after a moment's thought, asked, "Is he in the training room?"

The receptionist replied, "They've already arranged for me to go in; they're probably training right now."

The middle-aged man tossed the towel in his hand onto the sofa next to him, lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment before saying, "Let me know as soon as he finishes training. Go ahead and get busy."

The office door closed, and the middle-aged man turned and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window. Looking at Xiangcheng No. 1 High School across the street, he suddenly laughed and said, "This guy, he absolutely refused to accept this favor back then, but now he's doing it for a student..."

"Fine, I'll see what kind of outstanding little fellow can make you, this stubborn mule, lower your pride."

……

It was 11:30 a.m. before Chen Cong was exhausted after a morning of intense training.

This time, he had no intention of maintaining his persona; he genuinely trained until his meridians were activated, squeezing out the last bit of power from his body.

Staggering out of the physical training machine, Chen sat on the sofa for a long time to recover some strength. He took a quick shower, and just as he came out, the doorbell of the training room rang.

"Mr. Chen, your premium nutritional meal is ready. May I bring it in now?"

Chen Cong put on a bathrobe and casually replied, "Come in."

The female receptionist pushed the food cart in, followed by a burly figure.

Seeing this, Chen Cong frowned slightly. Before he could ask any questions, the burly man grinned and said, "My surname is Zhou, Zhou Hongyang."

Zhou Hongyang? Hongyang Training Center?

"Are you the owner of Hongyang Training Center?"

Although he had guessed the other party's identity, Chen Cong still asked to confirm it.

"Haha..." Zhou Hongyang chuckled and nodded, continuing, "You're Zhang Kui's student?"

Just as Chen Cong was about to reply, Zhou Hongyang continued, "Your teacher Zhang and I are old comrades-in-arms."

Comrades?

Chen Cong was somewhat puzzled upon hearing this.

Comrades-in-arms are usually best friends who have been through thick and thin together, which seems to contradict his previous guess that the "friendship was not deep".

But since the two are comrades-in-arms and have this friendship, Zhang Kui shouldn't even refuse to enter the Hongyang Training Center!

"I'm so sorry, I came in a hurry and didn't hear Teacher Zhang mention this matter," Chen Cong said apologetically.

He had realized that the relationship between Zhou Hongyang and Zhang Kui was definitely more than just that of comrades-in-arms.

Zhou Hongyang seemed completely unconcerned, grinning as he said, "That's normal. That guy looks down on me, saying I'm covered in the stench of a businessman."

"Young Chen, do you think I've already spent half my life living a life of constant danger, and I have to die on the battlefield of the fusion realm to be worthy of my identity as a martial artist?"

Chen Cong hadn't expected Zhou Hongyang to be so bold and unrestrained, asking such a question right after meeting him.

"Boss Zhou, I—" He showed a hint of difficulty.

This is indeed a difficult question to answer right now.

"You talk too much, you talk too much," Zhou Hongyang said with a smile, waving his hand. "I won't make things difficult for you."

"Let's eat first, and then we can chat about your teacher, Mr. Zhang."

Zhou Hongyang walked to the side, took a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator, and sat quietly to the side, observing Chen Cong who was eating.

Twenty minutes later, Chen finished his premium nutritional meal, changed his clothes, and then sat down opposite Zhou Hongyang.

"What's your name?" Zhou Hongyang put down his crossed legs, sat up straight, and asked with interest.

"Chen Cong".

Zhou Hongyang nodded: "How's Zhang Kui doing lately?"

"It should be alright. I attend classes during the day and take walks with my teacher's wife in the evening," Chen Cong replied casually, but his suspicions only grew stronger.

Hongyang Training Hall and Xiangcheng No.1 Middle School Martial Arts Academy are separated by only one road, with a straight-line distance of no more than two kilometers. What exactly happened in between that would make these two comrades who have experienced life and death together unwilling to even meet?

Zhou Hongyang leaned back on the sofa, crossed his arms, and sighed with a complicated expression.

"Is he really planning to live like this for the rest of his life?"

Chen was unaware of the details and had no way to respond, so he could only remain silent.

Zhou Hongyang pondered for a moment and then asked, "What did he say when he gave you the key?"

"Teacher Zhang said that he and you have some connection. When Hongyang Training Center opened, you gave him a training room, but he doesn't come here very often..."

Chen Cong briefly recounted what Zhang Kui had said, and Zhou Hongyang laughed after hearing it—a very happy laugh.

A moment later, he suddenly stood up, looked at Chen Cong and said solemnly, "Chen Cong, go back and tell that stubborn mule that I'm going to go drink with him tomorrow night."

After taking two steps, Zhou Hongyang suddenly stopped and turned around, saying, "Tell him again that if he dares to hide and refuse to meet, I'll go to the Martial Arts Academy on Monday and cause a huge scene."

Inside the training room, Chen Cong watched Zhou Hongyang's figure disappear through the door, his expression quite strange.

He didn't know what had happened between these two brothers who had been through thick and thin together, but it seemed that the knot in their hearts was about to be untied, which was a good thing.