Hong Kong Film: Starting Undercover from the Five Tigers!

The tea tasted bitter as it went down his throat. He knew he had been drawn into this invisible war. He could refuse, return to his old life with the Zhengwu Martial Arts School, and continue teaching martial arts. But he also understood that the existence of Zhao Sihai and that "capable man" was like a sword hanging over his head. Today Chen Hai could encounter them, but tomorrow, would there be other "Chen Hais" or "Li Hais," who, due to various conflicts of interest, would bring the flames of war to the martial arts school?

The world of martial arts is not something you can simply leave if you want to.

“Mr. Chen,” Liu Wenhao stood up, “no need to consider it anymore. I accept your proposal. But I have one condition.”

"please say."

“We can be like a ‘stone lion,’ and we can ‘reason.’ But we will only defend and not attack. We will not attack unless we are attacked. We will only do things according to our own rules.”

Chen Hai looked at Liu Wenhao's determined eyes and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. He stood up and extended his hand to Liu Wenhao.

"Master Liu, it's a pleasure doing business with you. Don't worry, what I need is exactly your 'rules'."

Their hands were clasped together, without any force, yet it felt as if they had finalized a contract worth a fortune.

Liu Wenhao turned and left the teahouse, stepping back into the city lights. He felt as if he had just woken from a dream, yet the lingering aroma of tea in his hands and the heavy sense of responsibility in his heart felt incredibly real.

He knew that from tonight onwards, the martial arts world of Zhengwu Hall would no longer be just a small world for teaching martial arts and nurturing people.

Chen Hai's efficiency was evident the very next day after the cooperation was finalized.

A sum of money, so much so that Fatty Wang counted the zeros three times, was deposited into the martial arts school's account as a "consulting fee." Following this, a professional interior design company presented several expansion and upgrade plans for the school for Mr. Ma to choose from.

Fatty Wang was practically floating on air, walking with a swagger. One moment he was pulling the designer aside to discuss how big a medicinal bath should be built in the courtyard, the next he was planning to take over the shop next door and open a branch. Although Old Mr. Ma said, "Enough is enough, don't be extravagant," he couldn't hide the smile in his eyes as he looked at the brand-new design drawings.

The entire Zhengwu Guild Hall was immersed in a thriving and joyful atmosphere.

Only Liu Wenhao remained calm as always. He spent more time practicing his skills. He knew that Chen Hai's money was not easy to obtain. Behind that huge sum of money lay a heavy responsibility and the invisible pressure brought by that "capable person from overseas battlefields."

About a week passed peacefully. That afternoon, Liu Wenhao was instructing several new students in boxing when his phone rang. It was Chen Hai's assistant calling.

Chapter 1315 Rest in Peace!

"Master Liu, Mr. Chen requests your presence at the 'Binjiang No. 1' project construction site in the east of the city. Zhao Sihai's men are here again." The assistant's tone was somewhat hurried.

Liu Wenhao's eyes sharpened instantly.

"Understood." He hung up the phone, told Mr. Ma, changed his clothes, and took a taxi to his destination.

"Binjiang No. 1" is the cultural industry park project that Chen Hai mentioned. The construction site is huge, with tower cranes standing tall and machines roaring. When Liu Wenhao arrived, a group of people had gathered at the entrance of the construction site, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

Chen Hai's project manager, a fat man called General Manager Li, was sweating profusely with anxiety. Opposite him stood a dozen or so shady-looking youths, blocking the construction site gate and preventing the construction vehicles from entering or leaving. The leader was a blond-haired man with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, exuding arrogance.

"Mr. Li, it's not that we're being unreasonable. This land used to be our village's ancestral burial ground. Your construction has disturbed our ancestors, and we need an explanation!" The blond-haired man exhaled a smoke ring and said in a strange voice.

"Bullshit!" Mr. Li was so angry that his face turned red. "We acquired this land through a legal auction, and all the demolition compensation has already been paid out. We've also had your ancestral graves inspected by a master and moved them to the public cemetery. All the paperwork is in order! You're just being unreasonable!"

"We don't care about any procedures!" Yellow Hair threw his cigarette butt on the ground and stomped on it. "I dreamt about my great-grandfather last night. He said he wasn't feeling well and his whole body ached. If you don't give me an explanation, you can forget about working here!"

The surrounding workers dared not speak out against them. These people were clearly professional troublemakers; they couldn't be beaten or scolded away, they stuck to you like chewing gum, causing you endless headaches.

Liu Wenhao didn't immediately step forward; he observed from the periphery of the crowd. He noticed a black SUV parked not far from the group of thugs, its windows tinted dark, obscuring the interior. But Liu Wenhao could sense a cold gaze emanating from that car, scrutinizing everyone present.

That "capable person" should be in the car.

Liu Wen-hao dialed Wang Pangzi's number.

"Fatty, help me check a car, a black Wrangler, the license plate number is..." He whispered the license plate number, "Find out who the owner is, and what their relationship is with Zhao Sihai. Use your connections in the underworld, quick."

After hanging up the phone, he slowly made his way through the crowd to Mr. Li's side.

"Mr. Li, this is Liu Wenhao."

When Mr. Li saw him, it was like seeing a savior. He quickly said, "Master Liu, you've finally come! Look at these people..."

Liu Wenhao patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down. He turned to the blond-haired man, his face expressionless.

"Did your great-grandfather appear in your dream?" he asked.

The blond-haired man sized him up, noticing his ordinary clothes and unremarkable build, and gave him a disdainful smile: "What? You don't believe me? Why don't you try sleeping in our family's ancestral grave tonight?"

The thugs behind him burst into laughter.

Liu Wenhao remained unmoved. He nodded and said earnestly, "I believe you. Since it's the ancestors' unrest, that's indeed a serious matter. How about this: you find a respected elder, and we'll sit down and discuss it properly. Whether it's necessary to hire high-ranking monks or Taoist priests to perform rituals, or to renovate the feng shui, we'll accept it. Money isn't an issue; the key is to ensure the elders rest in peace."

Chapter 1316 Standoff!

His words stunned not only General Manager Li, but also Huang Mao and his gang. They had prepared a whole host of nonsensical arguments, but they never expected the other party to take their bait so readily, and with such sincerity at that.

The blond-haired man hesitated, unsure how to respond. They were just there to cause trouble; they had no elders and knew nothing about feng shui.

Liu Wenhao looked at him and continued, "What? You can't even find an elder in charge among your group? Then what makes you think you can represent your great-grandfather? A bunch of juniors making a scene here, disturbing the construction site is a minor matter, but if your great-grandfather gets even angrier down there and blames you, can you bear the consequences?"

His voice wasn't loud, but his logic was clear and logical, with each point connected to the next, which stumped the blond-haired man.

"You...you stop spreading rumors here!" The blond-haired man was all bark and no bite.

"Whether it's spreading rumors or not, you know in your heart." Liu Wenhao's gaze passed over the blond-haired man and landed on the black SUV. "Doesn't the person in the car understand this principle? Sending a bunch of people like you who can't even recognize their ancestors' tablets to do this is underestimating us, isn't it?"

As soon as these words came out, the whole place fell into silence.

The blond-haired man's face turned pale instantly. He hadn't expected that the other party would see right through their hand.

The door of the black SUV, which had been stationary, finally opened.

A tall, thin man stepped out of the vehicle. He wore black tactical trousers and a tight-fitting T-shirt, had a buzz cut, and a light-colored scar running from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth. His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, carrying a dangerous, beast-like aura. He didn't possess the imposing presence of an ordinary martial artist, but rather a pure killing intent honed through life-or-death experiences.

The moment he appeared, the surrounding air seemed to drop several degrees.

He didn't look at anyone and walked straight up to Liu Wenhao, the two of them no more than three meters apart.

"You're Liu Wenhao?" His voice was hoarse, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together. His Chinese was somewhat broken.

“It’s me.” Liu Wenhao calmly met his gaze.

This man was the "capable person" Chen Hai had mentioned. The pressure he exerted on Liu Wenhao far exceeded that of Ah Hu back then. Ah Hu was a ferocious beast, while this man was the hunter who hunted the beast.

The man grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, but there was no warmth in his smile, only a chilling glint.

“My name is K. Mr. Zhao sent me here just to say hello to Mr. Chen.” He pointed to the group of thugs. “These are all trash, not worth mentioning. The ones who can really solve the problem are us.”

He suddenly moved.

His speed was astonishing. He didn't attack Liu Wenhao; instead, he flashed forward like lightning, rushing towards a nearby thug. Before anyone could react, a sharp "crack" was heard, and the thug's arm was snapped at an uncanny angle!

The thug let out a pig-like scream, clutched his arm, and collapsed to the ground, convulsing.

After doing all this, K stood back in his original spot as if nothing had happened, a cruel smile even on his face. He looked at the dumbfounded blond-haired men and said in a hoarse voice, "Useless trash. Get lost."

The group of thugs were terrified and ran away as fast as they could, not even bothering to look after their companion who had lost a hand.

Only K and Liu Wenhao remained facing off at the scene.

Chapter 1317: The Coat!

K's gaze returned to Liu Wenhao, a hint of provocation in his eyes: "See? Trash is so easy to clean up. Now, there's no trash left on this ground. Only you and me remain. Shall we talk?"

He crippled his own subordinate in front of Liu Wenhao with such brutality; this was no longer a provocation, but a blatant demonstration and warning. He was telling Liu Wenhao that he was a man who disregarded all rules and only believed in violence.

Liu Wenhao's eyes finally turned cold.

He slowly took off his coat and handed it to Mr. Li next to him, then flexed his wrists.

"How do you want to talk?"

K's smile widened: "It's simple. If you beat me, none of our people will ever set foot here again. If you lose, you and your martial arts school will disappear from this city."

He paused, stuck out his tongue and licked his lips, his eyes filled with bloodthirsty excitement.

"Of course, I won't kill you. I'll break your spine and confine you to a wheelchair for the rest of your life."

Liu Wenhao's eyes were as cold as ice, but his movements were slow. He wasn't gathering strength, nor was he posing; rather, he was using every muscle in his body to sense the changes in his surroundings: the wind speed, the direction of the dust, the noise from the distant construction site, and the palpable killing intent emanating from the man before him.

This murderous aura is entirely different from the "momentum" of martial artists during sparring. Momentum is the condensation of energy and spirit, intended to intimidate and gain a psychological advantage before the fight even begins. Murderous aura, however, is the purest intention stripped of all emotions. It is not for intimidation, but solely for the outcome. Like a sword without a sheath, its very existence is a declaration.

Mr. Li, clutching Liu Wenhao's coat, had sweaty palms. A wealthy businessman, he'd seen it all, navigating the cutthroat world of business and the cutthroat competition of the market with ease. But this scene was completely beyond his comprehension. This wasn't negotiation, not even a fight; it was more like watching an unscripted action movie, with his bodyguard the protagonist, constantly at risk of being torn apart by the guy who looked like the Terminator.

His Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, like "Maybe we should just forget about it" or "Let's call the police," but the words wouldn't come out. He saw Liu Wenhao's profile, calm as a deep pool, and that composure inexplicably soothed his wildly beating heart. He could only clutch the still-warm coat tightly, feeling it had become his only lifeline.

K's smile grew increasingly cruel; he relished the silence before his prey made its move. In his eyes, Liu Wenhao's composure was nothing but the feigned ignorance of the bold. He had seen too many so-called "masters" whose martial spirit crumbled instantly under the shadow of death, leaving only primal fear.

"Ready to choose a wheelchair style?" K challenged in his broken Chinese, while slightly lowering his body.

It was an extremely subtle movement, but in Liu Wenhao's eyes, it was like a signal magnified countless times. This wasn't the starting stance of any particular school, but a pure preparatory posture for unleashing the strongest impact. Like the tension in the hind leg muscles of a cheetah before it pounces.

Liu Wenhao did not answer. He simply adjusted the distance between his feet by half an inch.

In that instant, K moved.

Chapter 1318: The Game!

Without warning, without any unnecessary movements, the pebbles beneath his feet were propelled backward by a tremendous force, and he shot straight towards Liu Wenhao like a cannonball. The three-meter distance was covered in the blink of an eye. His attack method was extremely simple: a straight punch, aimed not at the head, not at the chest, but at Liu Wenhao's throat.

This is a killing technique used on the battlefield. A single, fatal blow, leaving no room for error.

The force of the punch tore through the air, carrying a metallic smell. Mr. Li screamed in fright and closed his eyes, unable to bear watching any longer.

However, the expected sound of bones shattering did not occur.

Liu Wenhao's figure moved like a leaf blown by a strong wind, seemingly passive, yet at the instant the fist struck, he drifted half a step to the side and back at an incredible angle. His footwork lacked the explosive power of K's style, but it was as slippery as if he were on ice. It was the footwork of Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm).

K's fist grazed Liu Wenhao's neck, the force of the blow even causing Liu's hair to fly backward. Missing its target, K didn't hesitate, changing his fist into a claw, his wrist twisting to grab Liu Wenhao's nape at an extremely tricky angle. This move was both fast and ruthless; an ordinary person caught in it would immediately experience numbness and paralysis, losing the ability to resist.

But Liu Wenhao's body seemed boneless. As he slid, he twisted his waist, and his entire upper body spun around like a top. He not only dodged K's grappling, but also used his right hand, with its five fingers together like a knife, to cut K's elbow joint in the same direction as his arm.

Xingyiquan, Piquan (劈拳).

For the first time, K's expression changed. It was no longer purely mocking, but rather tinged with surprise. He hadn't expected his opponent's reaction and movement to be so swift, and the timing and angle of the counterattack were practically perfect. If he had insisted on grabbing, his elbow would have been severely injured by that chop.

In a split second, K made the right choice. He abandoned his attack, his arm muscles tensing instantly as he took the full force of Liu Wenhao's chop to the neck.

"boom!"

A muffled thud. It didn't feel like a collision of flesh and blood, but rather like striking a sheet of iron covered in cowhide. K's arm slumped as he was hit, and he staggered, while Liu Wenhao's fingertips went numb from the recoil.

What incredibly strong muscles and bones!

The two separated immediately upon contact, each taking two steps back and standing still again.

This swift exchange lasted only two or three seconds, but the danger it contained was known only to those involved. Only then did Mr. Li dare to open his eyes. Seeing that both men were unharmed and simply facing each other, he breathed a sigh of relief, only to realize that his back was completely soaked.

"Interesting." K shook his numb arm, the cruel smile on his face fading considerably, replaced by the excitement and solemnity of a wild beast discovering its own kind. "What you're practicing is ancient martial arts from the Dragon Kingdom?"

"Just some farming tricks, good for fitness," Liu Wenhao replied calmly. But he wasn't nearly as relaxed as he appeared. That chopping punch he'd just delivered, using only half his strength, was enough to split bricks. Yet, when it hit K's arm, he felt only a slight jolt to the skin and flesh; the bones and tendons were completely unaffected. This guy's resilience was practically inhuman.

What's even more terrifying is his fighting instinct. There are no techniques, no routines; all his attacks stem from honed muscle memory, all for the sake of maximum efficiency. Liu Wenhao felt as if he weren't fighting a person, but rather a sophisticated killing machine.

Chapter 1319 Flaw!

"Strengthen the body?" K scoffed, the scar on his face contorting. "You Chinese always love to spout insincere nonsense. I've seen your martial arts. They're flashy and fancy, like dancing, all show and no substance. In the face of real life and death, they'd be torn apart in a second."

As he spoke, he slowly paced around Liu Wenhao, as if observing the weaknesses of his prey. "Strength, speed, and resilience—that's the fundamentals. All your talk of 'using softness to overcome hardness' and 'using the opponent's force against them' is just lies the weak tell themselves. Before absolute power, all techniques are a joke."

Liu Wenhao remained unmoved by K's words, his mind highly focused, capturing every subtle movement. He knew that K was using words to exert psychological pressure, attempting to disrupt his composure. In a true duel between masters, a flustered mind is half the battle lost.

"Is this a joke? Didn't you just try it?" Liu Wenhao asked calmly.

K paused, his eyes instantly darkening. His earlier probing attack, seemingly giving him the upper hand, had actually been easily neutralized, and the counterattack had even left him slightly weakened. This was a humiliation for him.

“Looks like the warm-up is over.” K stopped pacing, straightened up, and his bones cracked and popped, his aura rising again. “Now, I’ll use your fragile bones to prove what I just said.”

Before he finished speaking, he moved again.

This time, he was even faster than before! But instead of charging in a straight line, he moved like a ghost, tracing an arc to attack Liu Wenhao's flank. This was a blind spot, and also the weakest point where the body could exert force.

Liu Wenhao's eyes narrowed, and without hesitation, he executed a Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm) step, his body following the movement, always facing K directly. No matter how K changed direction, Liu Wenhao was like a compass with a gyroscope, always pointing towards him.

K changed direction several times, but found he couldn't get around Liu Wenhao's frontal defense. A hint of impatience flashed in his eyes. He suddenly stopped, followed by a low sweeping leg kick that whistled through the air, aimed at Liu Wenhao's supporting leg. This kick was low and vicious, targeting the knee joint. If it hit, it could cause anything from torn ligaments to broken leg bones.

Liu Wenhao neither met the attack head-on nor dodged. He made a move that K didn't expect. He actually struck first, delivering a low kick to meet K's sweeping leg.

But his target wasn't K's leg, it was K's ankle!

This is a fighting style of trading injury for injury, no, it's trading serious injury for minor injury!

K's pupils constricted sharply. His sweeping kick was incredibly powerful, but it targeted the shinbone, while his opponent was attacking his relatively vulnerable ankle, which supported his entire body weight. If they really clashed, even if he could break Liu Wenhao's shinbone, he would definitely lose his own ankle. For an assassin, losing speed is equivalent to losing life.

This Chinese man is even more ruthless than he imagined!