Chapter 351: The Peak Human Warrior!
Richard Dragon's Mastery
When Luke was studying martial arts, the old beggar had sternly warned him that running and rushing were forbidden when confronting a master. Those actions would expose your weaknesses and give the enemy an opening; once an opponent seized that weakness, the outcome would be dire.
Richard Dragon was such a master. Luke had to be cautious against him.
Luke took a half-step forward, stomping firmly with each step. The Crushing Fist (Bēng Quán) lacks the elegance of Western boxing and focuses on short-distance explosive power.
Richard understood the secret of the Crushing Fist, but he did not move, simply standing there. His calm eyes radiated immense confidence.
Hé!
A fierce shout erupted in the room. The fist, drawn back to his side, surged forward with all of Luke's strength.
Bang!
Fist met forearm. A strange, rubbery force transmitted from Richard's arm, causing Luke's punch to uncontrollably deflect sideways. Luke's expression remained unchanged; he turned his punch into a grab, locking onto Richard's wrist. He pressed his fingertip hard onto a meridian point, but a strange thing happened: his finger didn't land on a meridian, but on a highly elastic air sac.
Richard Dragon had actually trained his muscles to the level of complete, instantaneous control.
With two techniques proving ineffective, Luke decisively abandoned technique. He grabbed Richard's arm and yanked it toward his body, simultaneously driving up his knee.
Bang!
Richard, though momentarily unbalanced, was faster, striking Luke's kneecap with his foot before Luke's knee could hit him.
A piercing pain shot through Luke, causing his expression to change. He let go of the wrist and limped backward.
The guy actually struck his kneecap with his toe!
Richard said dispassionately,
"Your martial arts foundation is good, but unfortunately, it's become rusty from disuse."
Luke let out a long breath, enduring the pain as he bowed.
"Thank you for the guidance!"
The disparity between them was too vast. Luke was not naive; he could sense Richard's power. Richard not only had full control over his body's muscles but also techniques accumulated through vast real-world combat experience. He had reached the level where he could predict an enemy's attack through limb movements. Against such a person, only overwhelming force would work; victory through technique alone was impossible.
Luke's body was formidable—achieving a non-human level after consuming the Swamp Creature's fruit. He had thought that his superior physical quality would grant him a slight edge, but he was exposed after just two moves.
Barbara chimed in from the side, snickering,
"I told you you were no match for Mr. Dragon. You insisted on bringing trouble on yourself. How is your right leg? Are you okay?"
Luke shook his head. "It's nothing, just a scratch."
Saying this, he removed the mask covering his face, revealing his true features.
"My name is Luke Shaw. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dragon."
Richard frowned. "A Hongmen disciple?"
Luke nodded. "Yes."
"What is your relationship with Master Lingxu Zi?"
Luke couldn't guess Richard's intentions and answered vaguely, "I studied martial arts with him for a few years."
Richard raised his hand and pointed toward the door.
"You may leave. You are not welcome here. Barbara, take your friend and go."
With that, he walked off the ring without looking back.
Luke: "..."
What the hell? When did the old beggar make such an enemy?
Barbara opened her mouth. "Mr. Dragon..."
"Take him and go!"
The girl, feeling helpless, looked toward Luke, who said nothing and walked toward the changing room.
The Super-Hero Talk
After leaving the dojo, Barbara said awkwardly,
"I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here."
Luke waved her off carelessly.
"Don't take me for a petty person. In fact, I should thank you. You allowed me to witness what a peak human warrior looks like."
The girl asked curiously, "What do you think of Mr. Dragon?"
"Very strong!" He paused, then added, "And that's all."
"What do you mean?"
Luke smiled. "To ordinary people, he is a mountain. But this world is not only filled with ordinary people."
Barbara seemed to understand slightly. She then asked, "Who is Master Lingxu Zi? Mr. Dragon got angry just hearing his name. Did he do something wrong?"
"It's a grudge from the previous generation. Why worry about it?"
Luke knew a little about the old beggar's past. Frankly, the man was a bastard, a complete scoundrel. Otherwise, he wouldn't have failed in China and had to stow away to the US.
Of course, even the most despicable person has a pitiable side. Many things are wrong when viewed from a bystander's perspective, but for the person themselves, they were choices made out of necessity.
Luke didn't care what outsiders thought; he only knew that the old beggar had diligently guarded the Shaw family and done many things for his grandfather and himself over the years.
Luke smiled. "Right, there's something I wanted to ask you. After a few months, why did you decide to practice martial arts? That's not like you."
"I just felt like practicing!"
"There's nothing wrong with training, but judging from your performance just now, you're not training for fitness." Luke looked thoughtful, then suddenly asked, "You haven't been influenced by ShowMe and decided to become a super-hero, have you?"
Barbara's eyes darted away, flustered, as if her secret had been exposed.
Luke's expression became extremely odd. He looked her up and down, then couldn't help but say,
"Don't tell me you're actually planning to become a super-hero? Gotham's security is gradually improving, and they already have Batman. Your father is the Police Commissioner. Why are you getting involved?"
Barbara snapped, "Do you think I can't do it?"
Luke shook his head. "It's not about 'can you do it,' it's about capability. According to ShowMe statistics, there are many people in major cities who want to be super-heroes, but only a few are famous. Do you know why?"
Without waiting for her answer, he continued, "Because the ones who weren't famous are dead."
That single sentence tightened the girl's expression, completely unsettling her.
Luke patted her shoulder. "To be a super-hero and not get killed by criminals, you must have your own special advantage, like Batman's intellect and equipment, The Flash's speed, Superman's body, or Stargirl's cosmic staff, and so on."
"These abilities ensure they don't get taken out by criminals when facing danger. What about you, beautiful Miss Gordon? What is your specialty?"
Barbara was speechless, unable to offer a reply.
Luke shook his head. "Listen to me, forget this hero fantasy. If you find college boring, come work for my company. I've always admired your talent in computer science."
He meant this sincerely. Barbara has a very high IQ and incomparable potential in computer science. ShowMe and Tesla need talent like that.
"I absolutely will not work for you."
Barbara pouted dismissively. She raised her fist and said firmly,
"Even though you might be right, I won't give up on my dream just like that."
"Alright."
Luke shrugged. "Consider it unsaid."
If she wants to pursue a dream, what can Luke say? Although they had an "extra-friendly" relationship, this is the US. Aside from devout Christians, most people are very open-minded. Sleeping together doesn't necessarily mean a commitment to a relationship, and friends sleeping together is not uncommon. Of course, that is also why the US sees constantly rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases.
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