Nightmare's Call - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Discovery: Part 1 2
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Lin Sheng’s eyes widened. Before he could even react, the goons were already charging toward him.
“Hah!”
The first goon slashed at his shoulder, and Lin Sheng instinctively kicked his leg out, knocking the goon off balance and sending him toppling to the ground.
He then dodged to the left and avoided two slashes in the process before he charged forward, focusing all of his strength into his right shoulder.
“Charge!!”
The memory of the Sacred Shield Tyrant came to mind.
Lin Sheng darted out and bumped three other goons away.
Faint purple markings began to appear on his forehead, and his entire body enlarged a little.
“Reflector!”
He pulled out the short sword that hung on his back as he blocked off two slashes. 1
*Sching!*
A silver flash later, two goons were sent staggering backward clutching their hands.
Reflector was one of the more useful defensive counterattack techniques in Blackfeather Swordsmanship, especially when its user was being surrounded.
Comparatively, Flash Riposte was much more useful in one-to-one combat.
With the experience from the memory fragments, Lin Sheng’s reflexes were not something mere goons could handle.
He charged into the crowd, and after a few shoulder blocks, he broke their formation. A few silver flashes later, the goons were all laid to rest.
*Bam!*
Lin Sheng grabbed the neck of one of the goons and held him up high against the wall.
“No… Stop!” The goon was bloodied, and his nose was clearly broken. His face was quickly turning green as he was starting to get asphyxiated.
“Are these all Seahawk Roland’s disciples?”
The purple markings on Lin Sheng’s forehead made him look more and more menacing.
“Too weak…
“Too weak… You’re just mere maggots waiting to be stopped dead…”
“You bastard!” Only the tattooed man was standing. The one who had ordered the attack on Lin Sheng was clearly riled by his words.
He clutched his fist menacingly but the sight of his goons strewn all around him helped him regain his senses.
“Wait till my senior brother comes! Say it again, I dare you!” His expression was furious, but his tone had clearly mellowed down.
“Scrubs.” Lin Sheng threw the goon in his hand aside, and the latter grunted in pain as he slammed into the ground.
“Running a fitness center when you’re that weak? May as well close shop!”
He shook his head.
The place had totally let him down.
For Lin Sheng, basic rules should be observed in a simple bout, but his opponent had no intention of losing with dignity.
And that, for any proper martial artist, was most disgraceful.
No one was born undefeatable, so if they were not willing to even lose a match, then their standards would always stay stagnant.
“Forget it. Forget that I even came here. You guys can end your classes as well, it’s about as useful as you people.”
Lin Sheng had totally given up on looking for Seahawk Roland.
It was pointless for a martial artist like him who had no sportsmanship to join Ironfist Club.
He then raised his short sword and walked toward the tattooed man.
“Wha-What are you doing?! The man’s voice trembled as he took a step back.
*Bam!*
Lin Sheng executed a roundhouse kick, and the heavy blow landed on the man’s neck. The man simply flew away with nary a resistance and passed out when he landed.
Lin Sheng glanced at the man as he pushed the door to leave. For a moment, the only sound in the room was his trailing footsteps.
The patrons who had been watching the entire thing did not expect things to turn out so bad. In just several minutes, a good number of goons armed with knives were taken out by that person.
Even the tattooed guy was no match, falling with a single hit.
Many patrons had come to that fitness center due to the top reputation of its combat training coaches. While they appeared indifferent as they looked at the carnage, they sighed deeply inside.
Although that person was overwhelmingly powerful, the goons were still so convincingly trounced despite being up against a single person.
Was the fitness center staffed with such weaklings that they could not even scratch a foe?
It was expected that once the group of patrons left, the fitness center’s reputation in the martial arts circle would be irreparably ruined.
As Lin Sheng made his way out of the building, he turned to look at the bright signage of Karsman Fitness Center and sneered.
“A pure martial artist like the Deathclaw can end up in such a sorry state, while a bastard like Seahawk Roland without any martial spirit can prosper. Such is the world, eh?” 4
He looked down and walked away.
After he got back to his hotel, Lin Sheng packed up his stuff and hailed a cab to the long-distance travel station.
Since things were generally getting increasingly chaotic, he had no plans to take the train any longer. He decided to hire a driver back to Huaisha City.
The trip from Ninghai City to Huaisha City took about three hours, and Lin Sheng snoozed in the car. He only arrived back in the city center around nine at night.
Upon reaching, he got the driver to drop him off in Huilian district.
He had told his parents that he would be staying a night in his friend’s place for that weekend. As for which friend, it was Sarroux who played the role.
Sarroux did not attend Huilian High School but the more expensive Zhongdian High School. The entry requirements into that high school was tough.
Lin Zhounian was pleased that Lin Sheng could make friends at such a level in society, so he did not say much. Only his mother, Gu Wanqiu was a little worried.
Once he snuck back home, he took a peek at his parent’s room.
There was light shining through the gap in the door. They were clearly not asleep yet.
Lin Sheng softened his footsteps, using infiltration techniques from some unknown person in his memories.
After he quietly entered the washroom to clean up, he returned to his bedroom and changed clothes to rest.
“It’s almost time for the final exams. I think I should keep a low profile for now. We have enough cash for the time being. I’ll let Sarroux draw the money out. With our current cash flow, running Ironfist Club shouldn’t be a problem.”
Lin Sheng had changed into his bedtime tracksuit and shoes, and he now lay in bed, pondering.
“I really need to start being tough on the rules I’ve set. Only those who are willing to abide by it will be accepted into the core of the club. Then, from the core few, we can pick out those who have reached their limit, and train them further. Now, we just have to wait for Old Man Deathclaw to reach for things to get on track.”
He exhaled and slowly closed his eyes.
He had been busying himself with the matter of influence, and by chance had managed to lure Deathclaw in using the Ashen Seal. 1
As long as he could draw out a seal every now and then, and allow the old man to meditate, his service to Ironfist Club could be ensured for the long term.
The Ashen Seal, if not taught properly through the sacred tomes, would fade with the passing of time. Once it was forgotten, the person’s ability would return to its original state.
Hence, Lin Sheng was not worried about Deathclaw quitting.
In terms of Ironfist Club’s operating needs, since they were not a gang, in order to collect protection money, they chose the method of a security company. 2
Lin Sheng had gotten Sarroux to hire a retired veteran to give the core members military training, which would enhance discipline and combat readiness.
“I suppose I can see the effects within the next few days. But if it’s too tough, many will not likely stay, eh?”
Lin Sheng knew that very well, but he had to do it to weed out the chaff and select a group of elite prospectus to stand with him.
They had taken in quite a number of poor kids and could not afford to feed everyone. He had to choose, and choose wisely.
That aside, once Old Man Deathclaw managed to break the limit and reach Level 3, his name would spread far and wide.
By then, he would be able to absorb many more top tier combatants into his fold.