Half-awake, Jack Young could hear voices. No, not just ordinary conversation—this was textbook Dr. Tang style.
"There’s a saying in the martial arts world—when experts face off, they first lock eyes. The one who can’t hold the gaze has already lost half the battle. But it’s not about staring each other down to see whose eyes have more sparkle. Locking eyes is a way to probe your opponent’s intentions. Whoever’s got sharper eyes can read more of the other guy’s game plan, and naturally, has a better shot at winning. Of course, in a fight where things change in a split second, trying to catch those subtle shifts in someone’s gaze is exhausting. Every school has its secret tricks to train eye power, but people only have so much energy. Go too far and you’ll miss the forest for the trees—there are plenty of idiots who focus on eyes and forget about moves. So here’s a question: Is there a good way to read your opponent’s intentions without missing their moves?"
Jack Young’s eyelids twitched as he opened his eyes and looked around. He was still on the train, lying in a bunk. Dr. Thomas Tang sat across from him, sunlight spilling over both of them, making everything feel peaceful and quiet.
Jack rubbed his head. The groggy feeling was gone, as if a deep sleep had recharged him completely.
Dr. Thomas Tang smiled and handed him a glass of water, answering his own question: "You watch their Qi. Qi follows the will, but it’s tied to the body. If you can read their Qi, you’ll see everything."
Jack took the glass and drank. Only then did he realize his throat was parched.
"What about those assassins? Did the VIPs make it out okay? And, uh, where are we—are we still on that train that got attacked?" That train had seen both gunfire and explosions. If it was still running, someone had nerves of steel.
"With me around, the VIPs are safe, of course. And yes, it’s still the same train—just that the car where the incident happened has been swapped out."
"What about that super assassin?"
Dr. Thomas Tang’s face grew serious. "That assassin was skilled and decisive. Once he realized he couldn’t beat me, he retreated. But I injured his core Qi—his hands are completely ruined now."
After getting off the train, Jack Young looked around at the unfamiliar sights, feeling a wave of emotions.
Dr. Tang noticed and asked, "You seem to know Tianjin pretty well?"
Jack nodded, then shook his head and sighed, "This isn't the Tianjin I remember." The time difference was just too much; this era's Tianjin felt strange to him.
Dr. Tang didn't pry further, just nodded and let it slide. Jack's whole 'left home young, came back old' vibe probably explained it.
Just then, two women walked over—the bodyguard sisters from earlier. The older one said, "We've been busy with security the whole trip and haven't greeted you properly. Please forgive us. I'm Rachel Yin, and this is my little sister Vivian Yin. On behalf of our master, we greet Dr. Tang!"
Rachel Yin? Jack almost laughed. The name's bold and ambitious, but it sounds like a car model. If her sister were named 'Vios,' it'd be perfect.
Wait a sec—Rachel Yin... That name feels familiar. Jack remembered making the same joke when reading a biography ages ago. He forgot the name but remembered the punchline!
Thinking about it, Jack couldn't help but ask, "Miss Yin, is your master Autumn Jin, the heroine of Mirror Lake?"
"Yes, my master is Autumn Jin."
Jack's eyes widened—so it really was Rachel Yin! She might not be famous, but her master was in the history books! And wait, weren't these sisters guarding—
Jack looked up suddenly and spotted a middle-aged man, surrounded by bodyguards, watching them from the crowd. When the man saw Jack looking, he nodded, his eyes deep and clear, with a kind of scholarly determination.
The nod startled Jack so much that he nodded right back by reflex. After the sisters said goodbye to Dr. Tang, Jack tugged at Dr. Tang’s sleeve, trying not to sound too excited: "Old Tang, the VIP we’re supposed to protect—is it that Sun guy?"
Dr. Tang coolly replied, "Think about it—how many people in the martial arts world could actually get me to play bodyguard?"
"No way! It really is Sun!" Jack was so hyped his hair almost stood on end. "I actually protected the champion of freedom, democracy, and the republic? Forget celebrity autographs and posters—I've nodded at Sun Yat-sen himself! If anyone tries to show off their K-pop star posters in front of me again, I’ll slap 'em silly!"
Dr. Tang rolled his eyes and joked, "Honestly, you didn’t really do anything. Doesn’t count as protection."
Seeing Jack so excited, Dr. Tang got a bit philosophical: "Don’t get too worked up. Today was just a passing encounter, nothing special. As you rise higher and see more, your perspective will broaden. Someday, you’ll protect—or maybe even kill—people even more important. The real question is, will you choose to protect, or to destroy? Got it?"
Jack quickly calmed down. He looked back—the middle-aged man was already leaving, surrounded by his guards. Watching the VIP’s silhouette fade into the distance, Jack mentally queued up the Terminator theme music, feeling all dramatic and windswept.
Sun Yat-sen’s secret arrival in Tianjin definitely meant big political moves. Jack wondered if their trip would end up making a difference.
"So, Dr. Tang, what are we actually here in Tianjin for?"
"We're here to attend the World Martial Arts Championship."
"Huh? That name is just begging to be roasted... Are you only telling me now that this isn’t the world of Chinese martial arts, but Dragon Ball?"
"Officially, the championship is hosted by martial arts organizations, bringing together fighters from all over China and even overseas to compete and exchange skills. But behind the scenes, both the Qing court and the Revolutionary Party are involved," Dr. Tang explained as they walked. "To put it simply, the Qing want to outsmart the revolutionaries, and foreign powers want a piece of the action too. Every country is betting on a different winner, so it’s a total mess—thus, the weird mishmash that is the World Martial Arts Championship."
"Yeah, you make it sound simple, but just thinking about it gives me a headache." Jack rubbed his temples, confused. "So what are we here for? To help Sun Yat-sen?"
"Nope. If a chess piece like me actually jumped into the game, nobody else could play. I’m kind of on the revolutionaries’ side, but I’m not lowering myself to be a pawn. Our only goal here is for you to see all the martial arts styles and learn as much as you can," Dr. Tang said, sounding like he was above it all.
Jack grinned, "Nice, that’s simple enough. I’m in."