Chapter 20: A Challenge Match with Min Long

Chapter 20: A Challenge Match with Min Long

AI micro-bio brain–computer interface—the formal name for Wisdom Capsules in the records. A bionic, flexible, microelectronic intelligent auxiliary brain, its neural network closely connected to the human neural network, producing brainwaves slightly stronger than naturally generated ones.

With the help of those micro-electrical waves, I could not only read it but, more importantly, secretly replicate it. I could now use same-frequency sensing to steal its contents and covertly replicate them into my own abilities.

Perhaps a new function from Xuanhong.

In the past, I’d never discovered this replication function. I couldn’t even sense a semi-intelligent human like the fake Gao Minjun. Maybe related to Xuanhong’s long-term symbiosis of AI and same-frequency sensing.

So I slowly replicated in secret, converting skills and knowledge from many people’s Wisdom Capsules into my own. Of course, I still couldn’t test these skills. Only felt I’d succeeded.

As my face-reading reputation spread, more Sweepers came looking. Some were not even from the Cultural Intelligence Department. There were people from the Eradication Department, the Qiankun Department, and other divisions too.

They no longer treated me like someone under investigation. Even joked around in daily life.

As contact increased, the technology and knowledge I stole and replicated gradually mounted. In other words, I had no idea how strong I was now.

I felt I could take on twenty of my former self without trouble.

Of course, I only contacted middle and lower ranks. High-level Sweepers wouldn’t come to me. Even Liu Biao, lower-middle rank, didn’t. Guess he didn’t want me knowing his secrets.

Liu Biao was a lower-middle investigator managing a small department of about twenty people, divided into three action teams.

One day, Team Leader Su from Liu Biao’s Second Team asked me to deliver materials to the Qiankun Department.

Suited me perfectly.

That day I’d only observed the Qiankun Department from a distance, never explored deeply. I’d seen someone resembling Zhu Zhaojie but never confirmed. Perfect chance to check.

Just walked onto the second floor of the Qiankun Department when I heard lewd laughter from a nearby office.

I glanced in—a black-clad man flirting with a female intelligence officer from the Qiankun Department.

Meant to look once and leave. To my surprise, he saw me. Like he’d found new amusement, he flicked his hand and sent a row of thumbtacks flying.

I hurriedly blocked with the materials. The tacks stuck neatly in the stack.

The black-clad man said, “So you’re the stand-in for that Xuanhong I brought in? Who let you in? Get lost.”

He’d probably thrown them to show off for the woman. Didn’t expect me to block so easily.

At first I didn’t want to bother. But since he mentioned catching Xuanhong, he couldn’t blame me for being rude.

I casually flicked the materials. Every tack shot back.

He hurriedly tried to block but had nothing suitable, only his sleeve. Four tacks knocked down, three lodged in his arm.

His expression instantly darkened. He stared at me. “You dare fight back? Fine. Ten minutes. Training ground. I’ll be waiting.”

“Fine. See you there.”

I answered without politeness.

After delivering the materials for the Cultural Intelligence Department, I went looking for that office with the familiar figure.

To my surprise, really was Zhu Zhaojie.

Zhu Zhaojie was thrilled to see me, grabbed my hand like she had endless things to say.

She told me after training in Liutan, she’d passed an exam and been directly selected for Pingdu base. Clearly much larger than Liutan. Only flaw—couldn’t leave, felt stifling. Also never knew what happened with her father.

I told her before coming to Pingdu, I’d called her father through Ye Ziping, told him she’d joined classified work so he shouldn’t worry.

Mention of her father visibly saddened her. But nothing to be done. We ourselves were trapped, barely able to save ourselves, let alone worry about outside matters.

I asked about fake Gao Minjun. She said he was a Sweeper peripheral member, basically CWP’s local representative.

Zhu Zhaojie still had much to tell me, but I had to say I’d arranged a fight and would come back later to talk.

As soon as she heard, she grew anxious. Told me the man was leader of the Eradication Department’s purge group. His name was Min Long, and he was the CWP base’s hand-to-hand fighting champion. Often came to the Network Department to hit on young women, very annoying.

I said since the fight was arranged, I had to meet him regardless.

After that, I left first to find the base training ground.

The base training ground was the same place as last time’s combat matches. I’d been there watching competition. When no competitions, it served as the place where Sweeper field operatives trained in combat.

Private fights forbidden inside the base, but in the training ground people could fight freely. Main purpose—train the Sweepers’ wolfish aggression. The purge group especially belonged to professional combat units.

I really wanted to try.

Arriving at the training ground, Min Long was already on one ring, rubbing fists, throwing punches, swaying as he warmed up.

Seeing me come, he was a bit surprised, then couldn’t help laughing. Pleased with himself, he clapped and shouted to those around, “Hey, hey, hey, everybody stop a second. This kid’s the stand-in for that self-immolating Xuanhong. Actually dares go to the Network Department to hit on young women. Today I’ll teach him how to behave.”

Many black-clad men gathered around grinning, egging him on.

“Brother Min, go easy. You’ve got plenty of lives on your hands already. This kid’s a dish the Cultural Intelligence Department has its eye on. Don’t beat him to death before he makes it to the table, or Liu Biao might settle accounts.”

Min Long said carelessly, “Won’t beat him to death. Just tasting the dish first to see how salty.”

Amid surrounding laughter, I slowly stepped into the ring.

Someone, delighted to escalate, switched on the big spotlights above. During normal training, only regular lights. Only formal matches used spotlights.

Once spotlights came on, bright light focused entirely on this ring, instantly making it the training ground’s center.

Boom—

Suddenly the training ground doors were shoved open by a group.

Everyone looked over—Zhu Zhaojie running in with seven or eight girls. The moment she arrived, she shouted at Min Long, “Min Long, is your purge group so impressive? You know perfectly well you’ve been intelligence-enhanced and specialized, while he’s just an ordinary human without intelligence enhancement. Does this make you proud?”

“Exactly.”

Chatter, chatter.

The group of girls angrily denounced Min Long. Those around enjoying the show now found it hard to take his side. Clearly an uneven fight.

A modified human with combat AI installed facing an ordinary flesh-and-blood person—if they fought evenly, the Sweepers might as well disband. Besides, Min Long was from the Eradication Department’s purge group. The purge group’s job—fighting, arresting, eliminating. Also the Sweepers’ bloodiest department.

Actually I really wanted to try.

My mind had gathered martial techniques from many people. Whether any good, I had no idea. No matter how fine a weapon, if never battlefield-tested, it’ll definitely fail when it matters.

But with everyone denouncing Min Long unanimously, he’d gone from swaggering to genuinely unable to make a move.

Afraid he’d back down, I hurried forward, pressed palms together, said to everyone, “Thank you, sisters, for your kind intentions, and thank you to the CWP field operatives for trying to mediate. But as a man, since I accepted Brother Min’s challenge, let me fight this match. In a man’s world, there’s one word—promise. A promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. If I agreed, I have to fight.”

Min Long also found his exit. “See? I didn’t say anything. He agreed himself. Good, good, good. I guarantee I won’t beat him to death. Just want him to understand we CWP aren’t pushovers. If you’re going to be an ordinary person, learn to tuck your tail between your legs.”

Zhu Zhaojie ignored all that, jumped onto the ring, tried to pull me away.

Right then, Liu Biao appeared from who-knows-where. Maybe caught wind early. Now he actually jerked his chin at me. “Gu Beichen, if you’ve really got guts, try it. If you win, I’ll let you go immediately. Min Long, don’t hold back on my account either. I’ve wanted to beat him up for ages. He’s dishonest. Just don’t kill him.”

This guy obviously came to stir things up.

Of course I understood. He also wanted to use Min Long to test exactly how many secrets I was still hiding. Element of forced confession too.

Once he made that scene, I actually hesitated.

Didn’t want to fight anymore.

Why should I cooperate with you?

But then I reconsidered. I’d have to use these abilities eventually. If not discovered now, the Sweepers would find out later anyway. Then they’d still suspect AI use, grab me, investigate, interrogate, make things more troublesome. Better solve it all at once.

Besides, so many women watching.

Couldn’t be a coward.

So I nodded lightly. “Fine. No objections. We’ll do as Investigator Liu says. All right, Brother Min?”

Min Long was delighted. Began taking off clothes, revealing slabs of strong muscle. Liu Biao also leaped onto the ring, pulled Zhu Zhaojie down in one motion.

I took off casual clothes too. From my shoulder bag, I took out the blue-gray kasaya and put it on. Wanted to wear it while beating him, in memory of the dead Xuanhong.

In fact, Zhu Zhaojie didn’t know I’d become a monk, but she knew about Xuanhong. After all, she was in the Sweepers’ Network Department—or in other words, the Information Department.

The instant I put on the kasaya, Zhu Zhaojie could no longer be sure whether I was Gu Beichen or Xuanhong. Looked at me like I’d suddenly become a stranger.

And the instant I put on the kasaya, Xuanhong’s memories boiled in my mind.

You should know that Xuanhong himself knew martial arts.

The Eradication Department had tortured him plenty trying to obtain the secret of his abilities. And the various martial techniques I’d replicated these days opened before me like an arsenal in a game, every option available.

I stood at the ring’s center, raised one hand in salute, waited for Min Long to attack.

I activated same-frequency sensing, could clearly sense the entire amygdala hijack process in Min Long’s brain.

Could even feel that from the very start, Min Long was preparing a lethal move.

This was his chance to show off in front of women, his moment in the spotlight as an Eradication Department field operative.

Of course he wanted to put on a display.