42: Chapter 42 Chen Wu's Deduction: Practical Application of Bajiquan

The alloy door of the Public Welfare Foundation's underground training room slid open slowly, and cold white light poured down, illuminating a Holographic Sand Table ten meters in diameter at the center. Chen Wu stepped onto the floor composed of light particles and walked to the virtual Octagon model, tapping the virtual cage wall with his fingertips. Li Meng's 3D projection immediately coalesced from the data fog—dark green data streams from the gene serum still remained in his muscle textures, and the lion tattoo on his left chest rose and fell with his breathing, each mane hair composed of hundreds of motion capture points.

"Load Li Meng's force-exertion characteristics from his last ten matches." Chen Wu's voice activated the System, and liquid "Qi" seeped through his fingers into the sand table, forming a flowing golden film on the virtual ground. This was the "Qi Sense Simulation System" specially made by the Bureau of Abnormal Incident Management, which could convert the flow of "Qi" into visualized energy trajectories.

The virtual Li Meng suddenly moved. The high roundhouse kick of "Raging Lion Tail-Swipe" struck with a sharp sound that tore through the air. The calf muscles composed of light particles bulged, and the red data stream bursting from the joints showed an impact force of 720 kilograms. Chen Wu's virtual Clone did not dodge or evade; his left arm sliced upward following the trajectory of the Baji Fist "Hooking Hand." At the moment his wrist flipped, the golden "Qi" flow suddenly condensed into a vortex at the tip of his elbow.

"Bang!"

The moment the two forces collided, a ring-shaped wave of light exploded in the center of the sand table. The virtual Li Meng's supporting leg suddenly sank three centimeters—that was Chen Wu's "Qi" flowing back along the opponent's force, forming an energy backflow. The data stream on the System screen jumped frantically: "Defense success rate 91%, impact dissipation rate 78%. Suggest integrating 'Leading into Emptiness' footwork from Tai Chi, which can increase it to 89%."

Lin Mo stood at the edge of the sand table holding a tactical tablet, the screen showing Li Meng's movement flaws in a split-screen view: "Brother Wu, look. Every time he uses 'Raging Lion Tail-Swipe,' his left foot grinds the ground 0.12 seconds in advance. This is a neural delay caused by the gene serum!" The boy suddenly pulled up a slow-motion video, where a flickering red mist appeared at the virtual Li Meng's ankle. "The 'Qi' flow here is the most chaotic. Using 'Stamping and Grinding Step' to lock his center of gravity will definitely work!"

Chen Wu had the sand table reset, and the virtual Clone's footwork suddenly changed. Instead of taking the high roundhouse kick head-on, he slid half a meter to the side and rear following the opponent's rotational force. Simultaneously, his right elbow whipped out like a steel lash, accurately hitting the red mist zone of the virtual ankle. The calf composed of light particles disintegrated instantly. As the virtual Li Meng knelt on one knee, the System popped up a green prompt: "Attack effectiveness 100%, Non-lethal assessment Grade A."

The live stream camera peered in from a hidden hole in the dome, transmitting the deduction footage in real-time to the entire world. The number of online viewers soared from 86 million to 92 million within thirty minutes, and the tactical analysis in the bullet comments was even more heated than on professional forums:

 "This 'borrowing force to strike back' Move is brilliant! Turning Li Meng's strength into his flaw."

 "He can even catch a 0.12-second delay? Brother Wu's 'Listening Energy' has already reached the Subtle Realm."

 "93 million online! I suggest making this deduction into a tutorial video."

 "Zhang Tao lost his cool in the live stream room! He's saying this is fake special effects."

Chen Wu ignored the external clamor and had the System load the parameters for the second Move, "Poison Snake Coil." The virtual Li Meng's arms suddenly turned into light snakes, coiling toward the virtual Chen Wu's throat at angles defying ergonomics. The data stream showed a 0.3 mm steel wire model hidden at his knuckles—clearly an underhanded trick prepared by Zhang Tao.

"Activate 'Iron Arm Technique' defense mode." Chen Wu's virtual Clone's arms suddenly glowed with dark gold, and the "Qi" flow formed a crisscrossing mesh structure under the skin. When the virtual arms coiled around, the steel wire model was bounced away by the "Qi" mesh the moment they touched. Simultaneously, the Baji Fist "Cross-Strike" erupted from his chest, and his arms composed of light particles pried open like jacks. Red alerts immediately exploded at the virtual Li Meng's joints.

"This is the 'hard strike, hard advance' of Baji Fist," Chen Wu explained to the camera, holding a ball of flowing "Qi" in his palm. "It's not about Brute Force; it's about letting 'Qi' flow along the bone textures, turning the entire body into a bronze wall and iron bastion."

The morning sun shone through the carved wooden windows of the courtyard house, casting diamond-shaped light spots on the bluestone floor. Beside Grandpa Wang's rattan chair stood a century-old wooden dummy, its body covered in dents of varying depths. The deepest fist print even had half a copper coin embedded in it—a token left by a great hero during the Republican era.

Chen Wu knelt on a prayer mat and slowly struck his right fist toward the "heart" of the wooden dummy. The Baji Fist "Cannon Standing to the Heavens" should have been as fierce as thunder, but now he held back seventy percent of his strength. When the fist surface contacted the wooden dummy, it only made a muffled sound. The golden "Qi" flow traveled along the wood grain, forming a small bulge at the "waist" position on the back.

"This is called 'Striking the Ox across the Mountain,' the Internal Force of Baji Fist." Grandpa Wang tapped the back of the wooden dummy with his tobacco pipe, ash falling into the wood grain thick with patina. "Li Meng has been driven like a brute bull by the serum. If you use Brute Force to fight him head-on, even if you win, you'll lose a layer of skin."

The old man suddenly stood up, his hunched back straightening until he was half a head taller than Chen Wu. His right elbow struck the wooden dummy at a bizarre angle. The seemingly slow movement carried a spiral force, causing the wooden dummy to vibrate violently and the copper bells at the top to jingle, yet there was only a faint white mark at the point of contact.

"This is the Old Ancestor's way of practicing the 'Mountain-Leaning Strike,'" Grandpa Wang said, rubbing the calluses on his elbow. "It emphasizes 'the shoulder urging the elbow, the elbow urging the hand,' pressing the entire body's weight onto a single point. The third Move you deduced is too safe; it lacks a bit of desperate ruthlessness."

Chen Wu's "Qi" spread along the wooden dummy, sensing the energy trajectory of the old man's strike just now—from the heel to the spine, then to the elbow tip, forming a perfect golden arc like a python gathering strength. He suddenly understood that while his deduction was precise, it lacked the core "will to win at all costs" Aura of Baji Fist.

The live stream drone hovered over the courtyard wall, transmitting the vibration of the wooden dummy and the sound of the copper bells across the globe. When Grandpa Wang showed the seven copper coins embedded in the dummy—each with edges curled by the Internal Force—the bullet comments were instantly flooded with "Holy crap!":

 "This is real Kung Fu! It's ten thousand times more shocking than a holographic projection."

 "So that's how 'Mountain-Leaning Strike' is practiced! I've been using the wrong force all along."

 "95 million online! I suggest inviting Grandpa Wang to be the national team coach."

Lin Xue's encrypted message suddenly popped up on Chen Wu's retina: Zhang Tao had posted a bounty on the Dark Web, recruiting hackers who could interfere with the "Qi Sense Simulation System" during the match. Attached was a surveillance clip showing Li Meng tied to a training rack; Zhang Tao was holding a taser, forcing him to drink a new type of serum. The boy's eyes had already turned an unnatural blood-red.

"I need to speed up the deduction." Chen Wu's fist struck the wooden dummy again, this time using the Internal Force Grandpa Wang had taught him. The copper coins inside the dummy made a crisp clashing sound. "The third Move must leave some leeway; it should both break the situation and save his life."

Grandpa Wang brought out a sandbag covered in copper nails from the side room: "Try this. Practical combat in Baji Fist is never just about life and death; it's the skill of controlling the measure."

On the windowsill of Elder Zhou's hospital room, a sunflower was turning its flower head toward the morning sun. Chen Wu hid the holographic projector behind the flowerpot. The virtual Octagon unfolded on the snow-white wall. Li Meng's projection was much weaker than in the sand table, with an undetectable sluggishness in his movements—these were parameters Chen Wu had adjusted based on the latest intelligence provided by Lin Xue.

"He was forced to take three times the dosage last night." Elder Zhou lay on the hospital bed, the bubbles in his oxygen tube bursting gently. "I recognize that child's eyes; it's the look of wanting to resist but not daring to." The old man suddenly grabbed Chen Wu's wrist, his withered fingers pressing on his pulse point. "Your 'Qi' is too rigid; you need to add some softness, like spring rain nourishing the fields."

Chen Wu adjusted the deduction parameters, and the virtual Chen Wu's movements suddenly integrated the "Cloud Hands" of Tai Chi. When the virtual Li Meng used the third Move, a ground-and-pound strike, it was no longer a head-on block or a dodge. Instead, he used his arms to coil around the opponent's fist in a circle. The golden "Qi" flow wrapped around the attack like flowing water, guiding the fist to strike the ground.

"That's it." Elder Zhou's breathing became steady, and the curves on the heart monitor gradually softened. "Baji Fist is steel, Tai Chi is water. Steel can cut water, but water can also pierce steel." He pulled out an old book with a blue cloth cover from under his pillow. "This is the essence of 'Neutralizing Force' in Tai Chi. See if you can integrate it into Baji Fist."

The vermilion annotations and ink marks on the pages had darkened. Next to the four characters for "Leading into Emptiness" was a simple sketch: two figures with arms entwined, their footwork trajectories forming a perfect Tai Chi diagram. Chen Wu's "Qi" suddenly resonated with the pages, and the liquid "Qi" condensed at his fingertips into a small rotating vortex—the energy model of "Neutralizing Force."

Hurried footsteps came from outside the window, and Li Meng's figure appeared under the sycamore tree downstairs. The boy was making a phone call with his back to the hospital room, his shoulders trembling slightly. The light from his phone screen reflected the blood at the corner of his mouth—he had clearly just been beaten. Chen Wu's "Qi" reached out and found that the dark green toxins in his body had already spread to his heart, yet a faint golden "Qi" was stubbornly resisting; it was the Purification Seed planted in the hospital yesterday.

"The deduction is complete." Chen Wu turned off the projector and tucked the Tai Chi book into his chest. "For the third Move tomorrow, I will use 'Cross Hands' to catch his strike. It will decide the victory without causing any permanent injury."

Elder Zhou nodded with a smile and picked up a red silk bundle from the nightstand: "Give this to Li Meng. It's the peace lock he wore as a child. My 'Qi' is sealed inside; perhaps it can help him withstand the side effects of the serum."

The live stream switched to the floor below. Li Meng suddenly looked up at the hospital room window and hurriedly hung up the phone. The viewers in the bullet comments caught the glint of tears in his eyes:

 "He definitely knows Brother Wu is helping him!"

 "The peace lock must be delivered!"

 "97 million online! This plot is more heart-wrenching than the fighting match."

There were eight hours left before the match began, and the Public Welfare Foundation's training hall was brightly lit. Chen Wu stood in the physical Octagon, and Lin Mo, wearing a full set of protective gear, played the role of Li Meng. The boy's movements had undergone special training, perfectly replicating the opponent's force-exertion habits, even mimicking the subtle tremors caused by the gene serum to a tee.

"First Move, 'Raging Lion Tail-Swipe'!" Lin Mo's high roundhouse kick came with the sound of wind, and the pressure sensors on the protective gear instantly jumped to 680 kilograms. Chen Wu's left arm acted like an iron gate blocking the way. At the moment of contact, the "Qi" erupted with a spiral force, causing the boy to lose his balance and stumble into the cage wall.

"Dissipation successful, but the defensive posture is too rigid." Chen Wu pulled up the real-time "Qi" flow map. His energy trajectory formed an acute angle at his left arm. "Next time, be like water flowing around a reef; let the 'Qi' follow the opponent's force in an arc."

During the second rehearsal, Lin Mo suddenly used the hidden "Poison Snake Coil." As his arms exerted force around Chen Wu's neck, the steel wire popping out from the wrist guard grazed past Chen Wu's throat—this was the underhanded trick Zhang Tao was most likely to use. Chen Wu's purifying "Qi" immediately formed a light blue barrier at his neck. Simultaneously, the Baji Fist "Heart-Piercing Elbow" struck out from his chest, accurately hitting the protective gear under Lin Mo's ribs, making the boy groan and release his arms.

"The cutting force of the steel wire was neutralized by 70% by the 'Qi'." Chen Wu checked the scratches on his collar. "But the 'Qi' density needs to be increased by another thirty percent, otherwise there might be an injury."

When rehearsing the third Move, Lin Mo's strike suddenly deviated from the vital point, his fist falling past Chen Wu's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Brother Wu," the boy took off his helmet, his forehead covered in cold sweat. "I just can't bring myself to do it."

Chen Wu's "Qi" gently enveloped Lin Mo, helping him steady his breathing: "This isn't cowardice; it's kindness." He suddenly looked at the live stream camera outside the cage. "Li Meng, if you see this live stream, remember—a true powerhouse knows how to control his own fists."

The lights in the training hall suddenly all went out, and only the emergency lights flickered with an eerie green glow. The System alarm sounded sharply: "Strong electromagnetic interference detected. The 'Qi Sense Simulation System' is about to fail!"

Chen Wu's "Qi" instantly expanded into a Domain form, golden light enveloping the entire training hall. Amidst the electromagnetic pulse, only his "Qi" flow maintained a stable trajectory, like a beacon in the night. "It seems Zhang Tao can't wait any longer." He clenched his fists, his knuckles glowing with a faint golden light. "But he forgot that practical combat in Baji Fist has never needed to rely on any equipment."

[System Prompt: Practical combat deduction completion 100%. Unlocked Baji Fist Profound Truth: 'Hardness and Softness Combined']

The last frame of the live stream was the bullet comments sent simultaneously by 99 million viewers, forming a golden bridge spanning the virtual and the real:

"To prove the Dao with one's fists, and to govern Qi with one's heart."

The dawn light shone through the gaps in the cage mesh, casting mottled shadows on Chen Wu's training suit. He slowly threw a punch toward the eastern horizon. The ferocity of Baji Fist and the softness of Tai Chi blended perfectly in the Move. The golden "Qi" flow surged like the Yellow River, carrying both the power to split mountains and the gentleness of moistening things silently.

Perhaps this was the ultimate Profound Truth of practical Baji Fist—not only to win, but to win fair and square. Within the thunderous power of the punch, leave three parts of mercy for the opponent, and for oneself.