Chapter Twenty-Two: The Purpose of Training Is to Kill

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After hearing Yang Xi’s order, the soldier stepped out of formation with a bewildered look. He saluted Yang Xi and stood waiting for instructions.

“Have a bout with me,” Yang Xi said, indicating that the bewildered soldier should engage him.

“What?!” The soldier let out an incredulous cry. He looked at his own fists, then at Yang Xi’s comparatively slender build, wondering whether he had heard correctly. He was famous throughout the army for his tremendous strength; a single punch from him could knock down a horse. Yet the Marshal actually wanted to spar with him.

He did not dare strike. If he accidentally injured the Marshal, he would surely lose his life.

Seeing the soldier’s hesitation, Yang Xi smiled at him and said, “Since you don’t dare make a move, I’ll attack first. Be careful!”

As he spoke, Yang Xi stepped forward from the side. Before the soldier could react, Yang Xi turned his palm into a blade and struck him hard in the neck, following immediately with an elbow blow.

A series of anguished cries rang out. The soldier staggered, then finally collapsed face-first onto the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.

Yang Xi had moved so swiftly that he knocked down a soldier known for his exceptional toughness in the space of a heartbeat. The other soldiers, who had turned to watch in curiosity, stood dumbfounded.

It was true that the soldier, Li Han, had neither fought back nor even managed to defend himself. Even so, knocking down a man weighing nearly two hundred pounds and leaving him unable to rise for quite some time was no feat an ordinary person could accomplish.

Yang Xi was not surprised that the soldier lay helpless on the ground, struggling to move. Anyone who took such a powerful blow to the neck followed by an elbow strike would be incapacitated. If he could get back up immediately, he would have to be a god. Someone of weaker constitution might even have lost his life beneath such an assault.

This was close-combat technique commonly used by special forces in later generations. Its defining qualities were ruthlessness, speed, and precision. It targeted an opponent’s vulnerable points with lethal force, aiming to subdue him with a single move or send him to his death. When necessary, close-range weapons such as daggers and short blades were used to ensure that one strike was enough.

During an operation, if an enemy could not be subdued within three moves and was given time to resist or call for help, the mission was considered a failure.

When fighting their enemies, special forces struck at the most vulnerable or fatal parts of the body—the neck, heart, abdomen, knees, and groin. Their attacks were swift and immensely powerful, delivered in sudden succession. An opponent subjected to such an assault had virtually no chance of escape.

In ancient times, little was known about human anatomy. Martial artists relied on strength and technique, and fought in an open and honorable manner. They generally would not employ such vicious methods, which might be condemned as “despicable” or “low.”

Yang Xi, however, cared nothing for such worldly judgments. Any technique that could kill the enemy was a good technique. Which special-forces soldier would concern himself with whether a move was sinister or not? So long as it killed the enemy, that was all that mattered.

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When special-forces personnel in later generations carried out missions in places where weapons could not conveniently be used, their close-combat abilities became particularly important. Tested through the sacrifice of countless professional soldiers, these techniques had proven to be the most effective and lethal methods of close-quarters fighting.

Back when Yang Xi had undergone special-forces training, his unarmed combat ability had been the best in the entire training unit. Even the instructor known by the nickname Thunderclap had been defeated by him.

For the past several days, Yang Xi had been performing “restorative” training every day. Although his movements were still not as agile as they had been in his former life, and he could no longer kill an opponent with a single move, he had not forgotten the routines. Every technique remained etched in his memory.

This was a very common move, and an exceptionally vicious one. If the edge of his palm had been replaced by a short blade or dagger, a successful strike would have meant certain death for the enemy.

“Marshal, I would like to test myself against you!” a junior commandant shouted, raising his hand after Yang Xi finished speaking.

“Of course.”

Yang Xi signaled to the guards, who were about to stop him, to let the junior commandant approach. When the young officer ran over with an excited expression, Yang Xi asked, “You have quite a bit of courage to challenge me openly. Tell me your name.”

“Reporting to the Marshal, my name is Chen Feng!” the junior commandant replied loudly, puffing out his chest.

For generations, Chen Feng’s family had been renowned for their martial skill. He himself had practiced from childhood and possessed considerable ability, particularly in mounted archery and close combat.

He had watched the entire exchange in which Yang Xi subdued Li Han. Though astonished by Yang Xi’s incredible speed, Chen Feng was confident that, if he kept his eyes fixed on Yang Xi’s movements, his own agility would allow him to evade the attacks and counter them.

The young commandant was courageous. Yang Xi silently praised him, then said nothing more. He took a step back and gestured for the bout to begin.

Chen Feng naturally had no intention of attacking first. He assumed a defensive stance, keeping his eyes fixed on Yang Xi’s hands. The instant Yang Xi moved, he would evade and seize the opportunity to counterattack.

Even so, he reminded himself that he must control his strength when striking back. Under no circumstances could he injure the Marshal.

Chen Feng soon realized that he had miscalculated. Seeing that Chen Feng would not attack, Yang Xi made no further concession and immediately moved.

With a speed that astonished everyone present, Yang Xi whipped his left foot toward Chen Feng’s left chest in a swift side kick.

Chen Feng, caught completely off guard, hurriedly retreated and barely avoided it. But Yang Xi followed with a right spinning kick that swept toward the side of Chen Feng’s neck.

Chen Feng ducked and narrowly escaped that blow as well. Yet Yang Xi’s right elbow came in immediately afterward and slammed heavily into Chen Feng’s back.

The massive man crashed to the ground. Yang Xi leapt into the air and landed squarely on top of him.

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Using the strength of his hands and feet, Yang Xi quickly rose. Chen Feng struggled for quite some time before finally standing. His face flushed with shame as he saluted Yang Xi, who was brushing the dust from his hands. Without saying a word, Chen Feng fled back into formation.

Li Han, who had already gotten to his feet, also slunk back into the ranks.

“If I had wanted to take their lives just now, neither of them would still be alive.”

Pointing at the two soldiers retreating in disarray, Yang Xi addressed the men on the training ground.

“I know many techniques designed to kill. I will teach them all to you in the future. My sole purpose is to turn every one of you into an elite soldier.”

“We respectfully obey the Marshal’s instruction!”

A senior officer standing nearby, who had seen the exchange most clearly, was the first to shout his response. His comrades immediately joined him, and soon all the soldiers were roaring the same words.

Yang Xi paid no attention to their reaction. He walked to two trees growing close together at the edge of the training ground.

While the soldiers watched in confusion, Yang Xi ran forward a few steps and charged straight toward the trees. Using his hands only for support, he alternately kicked against the two trunks and climbed effortlessly to the treetops.

He immediately leapt back down. After hanging from one hand several times, he planted both feet against the curved base of one tree and sprang lightly back to the ground.

In his hand, he held a bird’s egg taken from a nest at the top of the tree.

When Yang Xi raised the egg to show it to the soldiers, they finally erupted into thunderous cheers.

The moves Yang Xi had demonstrated were genuine; there had been no trickery whatsoever. That their Marshal possessed such extraordinary skills naturally left the soldiers shocked and amazed. Once one man began cheering, the others quickly joined in the uproar.

A man with such abilities could surely scale walls and cross rooftops as easily as walking on level ground. If he wished to assassinate someone, it would be a simple matter.

“I know many skills that can be used to kill. Everything I teach you from now on will concern killing. The purpose of our training is simple—to kill!”

With several rousing shouts, Yang Xi brought his performance for the day to an end.

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