Romance of Dragons and Snakes

Chapter 163: The Most Influential Competition Yet (One)

“Brother Wang, your name is one that reverberates through the country, but the men you’ve angered are many as well. Sooner or later you will come across someone with a grudge. The country is not a place you’ve set up a foundation in. You have not enough dealings of sincerity, and not enough friends you’ve gone through plenty of hardships with. If something happens to you one day, I’m afraid it will be the day when your enemies knock down the walls. Have you any plans in preparation for that?”

Chen Aiyang suddenly changed the topic to ask Wang Chao.

Wang Chao had understood what Chen Aiyang was getting at. Observing the icy-wheel that was the moon and how the usually misty clouds were gone, Wang Chao slowly closed his eyes in thought, “I know that I’ve made plenty of enemies. While it’s smooth sailing for me now, it won’t always be like this. One day, disaster will come. But I will plan for that.”

He knew that whether it was Cao Yi, general Zhou, or the organization, they all only looked at him because of his martial arts and influence. Within the organization, he still had no true friend. If anything happened and he happened to offend someone that was far too powerful, the organization would waste no breath to try and protect him.

Duan Guochao for example had the backing of the Shaolin Temple, but with his death, Duan Guochao ceased to be a problem. Although Wang Chao had killed him, it only signified that people like Duan Guochao and Wang Chao were powerful, but in the end, they were nothing more than silver candle wicks disguised as gun barrels. They may be strong on the outside, but they were useless in reality.

“The bureaucracy do not have any tried and true friends between them. Although the Yamen were said to be involved in martial arts, you are still far too deep.” Chen Aiyang spoke. “It’d be better for you to cut your losses and withdraw. That way your life will remain safe.”

TL Note: Yamen are government workers of old, generally martial artists in Wuxia novels.

Wang Chao shook his head, “I’ve already dug too deep in. It’s far too late to withdraw now.”

Chen Aiyang knew that Wang Chao had been subjected to the country’s support after tending to Beijing for them. Combined with the trouble he had caused in Singapore, Chen Aiyang had no idea what to do next after that.

Wang Chao had hidden himself before and had a small name for himself. But the organization had no need for a nobody and made his name resonate across the country so that he was now a somebody.

“The marshes of Liangshan pays extra emphasis on the meaning of friendship. You and I are friends to the death. But if one day. Just one day that you and I had to fight to the death, what would you do?” Chen Aiyang suddenly asked.

“How would that ever happen….” Wang Chao spoke. His heart had begun to beat even faster now at that question. However, this was a situation that was more possible than impossible. Chen Aiyang’s Chenshi Corporation had committed many illegal transactions and were always being watched by the government. It was not as if they had gone unnoticed.

“It’s very possible that one day, the higher ups may call on me to fight Chen Aiyang to the death.”

Assassins could be hired to kill an influential person like Chen Aiyang, but if news of that were to leak out, then it would have undesirable consequences. It was far better to have a member of the Wulin kill him in a fair and just stage so that they could be free of any crime.

Having Chen Aiyang say this had shaken Wang Chao. He had a feeling that it wouldn’t be too far in the future that such a command could come down on him. But should he ever receive such an order, Wang Chao was sure that he’d refuse.

“I’ve made enemies with many people by this point despite the relative safety I’ve been in. But everything was because of the orders I followed. They wanted me to kill Ye Xuan, so I killed him. They wanted me to teach Duan Guochao a lesson, but he died. If I were to disobey an order now, they would either discipline me or expel me. Either way, that would lead me wide open to my enemies.”

Just thinking back to his past, Zhao Jun had once hired several members of the axe-gang to blind him with lime dust and kill him in the alleys just for a small misunderstanding over Zhu Jia.

Any soldier would see their mission as their own goal in life to fulfill. To disobey a direct order is to be disciplined and court martialed. But with Wang Chao’s enemies as bountiful as the sky, he would have to rely on the organization giving him asylum.

“The marshes of Liangshan is everywhere as long as there are forced and helpless men.” Chen Aiyang fished out a box from within his pockets and handed it over to Wang Chao.

“I actually came to Shandong this time to give you something on behalf of another.”

Skeptical, Wang Chao watched as Chen Aiyang took out a small box where a single ring-like object seemed to be held in it.

At the initial sight of the item, was very light, but when he had a better look at it Wang Chao had been instantly floored! A wave of emotions had immediately overturned his heart as if an ocean had appeared out of nowhere.

Within the box was a circular golden strand that seemed as if it was meant to be coiled around a finger.

Wang Chao had recognized this circular gold strand. Way back then, Tang Zichen had once several golden needles strung around her finger like a ring!

“You…………” Wang Chao’s eyes closed as he took in a deep breath.

“Don’t ask me. I don’t know the full story behind this either. But judging from your face, you clearly recognize this needle.” Chen Aiyang saw that Wang Chao had wanted to say something and shook his head, “A martial artist from the Hongmen gave this to me on behalf of another. They also had me pass something on as well; ‘should you ever find yourself forced into a corner, then come to the Hongmen Society in Honolulu, Hawaii. Over there, you will find all the clues you need’.”

“Honolulu, the Hongmen Association….” Wang Chao picked up the needle and tied it around the forefinger on his right hand before returning the box.

“I understand now. Let us head back.”

Wang Chao spoke out before whirling around. The doors to the world Tang Zichen was in was finally beginning to show itself to him.

When he had last heard about Tang Zichen’s battle with Chen Aiyang in Singapore, Wang Chao had realized that she was most likely preparing the chessboard for the future.

He hadn’t bothered to press Chen Aiyang for any more information. Since Chen Aiyang had been the messenger boy, there was no reason that he would know the story behind the message.

In 1992, the worldwide Hongmen Association was formed by a collaborative effort of the overseas Chinese communities and their respective Hongmen societies in Honolulu.

When Sun Yat-sen formed the Nationalist Party, he had the support of the Hongmen Society as a senior figure of it. Within the Hongmen Society, many of the members were experts of martial arts. During the Republic of China, the Guoshu Institute was filled with martial artists that were senior figures of the Hongmen Society. When the New China was formed, many of the masters were unable to continue living within it and were exiled overseas, resulting in the Hongmen Society crumbling and dispersing along with the exiled.

The princeling that was Liao Junhua had Zhu Hongzhi as his master. Zhu Hongzhi was a senior figure in the American Hongmen Society, and Liao Junhua himself had been known as the “Twin Flower Red Pole” in the Hongmen Society as well.

“Red Poles” were known to be the stronger members of the Chinese organized crime groups, and adding “Twin Flower” to their name only served to mean that they were an especially strong enforcer.

If Zhu Jia wanted to conduct a documentary of the overseas Chinese community, then sooner or later she would need to involve herself with the Hongmen Society sooner or later as well.

Cheng Shanming was most likely a great master of the Canadian Hongmen Society as well.

Despite Wang Chao now knowing that he would be able to find out more about the clues to Tang Zichen at the American Hongmen Society in Honolulu, Hawaii, he couldn’t leave now. He was a major general, and although it was merely in name only, he would have to ask for permission to leave first. To leave in secret was tantamount to fleeing the country.

For a general to flee the country wasn’t the same as a military officer fleeing the country. It was a very serious situation with very vile complications.

It could be said that if Wang Chao were to secretly travel abroad, then he may as well never even think about returning home. And even abroad, he would always have to be on his guard to avoid being secretly captured.

This had been the main reason why the higher ups gave Wang Chao the title of being a major general.

So unless there was absolutely no other choice, Wang Chao wouldn’t even think about traveling abroad. In the end, he had family and business in his country. He had committed to no crime as of now and had no reason to defect.

“If there comes a day where you and I must fight, then I will meet you in Liangshan.” Wang Chao spoke to Chen Aiyang.

“You have to be careful of yourself.” Chen Aiyang shook Wang Chao’s hand. “Come then. You have two months until your next biggest match.”

Back at the courtyards of the Laoshan school.

“Hmph, we arrived at Liangshan in the morning after eight hours of traveling! You two took an entire day!” After their talk with one another at night, Wang Chao and Chen Aiyang both made contact with Huo Ling’er and Han Xiaoqing so that they could all travel back to Qingdao with one another.

Han Xiaoqing had been pleased with herself, but at the same time, she had been astounded. Chen Aiyang and Wang Chao’s leg strength had been simply amazing, causing her to feel a great amount of respect for the two.

Several days later on a rather gloomy afternoon.

It had been very peaceful within the courtyards since only Wang Chao, Huo Ling’er, and Han Xiaoqing could be seen.

Chen Aiyang had returned to Singapore while Liu Yi took Lin Yanan to the city so that they could transfer some funds to invest in Wang Chao’s school. Zhao Xinglong, Boulder, and the other soldiers had gone to the military district to go work on their sharpshooting.

Zhao Xinglong had most recently made huge improvements in his progression of martial arts and was already slowly making his way to understanding Hidden Jin. His Bajiquan and Piguaquan had reached a high level of mastery as well.

Bajiquan emphasized firmness while Piguaquan focused on flexibility and the ability to use the arms to attach themselves to even the walls like iron hooks. To combine both was to bring out the best in each other. Even in the proverbs, there was once that said, “To know both Bajiquan and Piguaquan is to fear no god or demon.”

This was all due to the guidance he had gained from Liu Yi’s teachings. With the moniker of “Dragon’s Iron Elbow”, Liu Yi had said that his elbow was firm like iron, and his movements had been as flexible as a dragon.

Yet, Zhao Xinglong had also unexpectedly been talented in the ways of marksmanship. Occasionally he would practice with Boulders and the others in the firing ranges of the military district. And even without a teacher, he had managed to combine marksmanship with martial arts so that even when he faced off against Boulder in a one-on-one duel in a series of complicated terrain such as the jungle, Zhao Xinglong would win more often than he would lose.

Wang Chao had taken a giant wooden chair to sit on in the courtyard and held a teapot in his hands. While drinking from a cup of tea, he would watch the two females practice in the center of the courtyard. Every so often, he would say a word or two or come up to correct one of the two’s stances. Then, sitting back down on his seat, he would continue to sip his drink. Such an action like this was truly similar to what a master of martial arts would do.

With a hand pressed down by her ribs, Huo Ling’er stood with another hand stretched outwards with the fingers stretched out. Her feet had been planted with a calm footing without wavering at all as if she had been planted into the ground itself.

Huo Ling’er hadn’t looked as if she had moved on the surface, but with the trained eyes of Wang Chao, he could see everything clearly. From his eyes, he could see that his disciple’s muscles and tendons in the web of Huo Ling’er’s hand was making the smallest of movement underneath the surface.

A motionless body and and an active muscle and tendon system. This was the way of organizing the inner body and followed the most basics of reasoning behind the stance training. Clearly, Huo Ling’er was making gradual improvements under the watchful eyes of her tutor, Wang Chao.

Strengthening the muscles and tendons in the web of one’s hand between the thumb and forefinger was to make them stronger and stronger. The more powerful this part of the hand was, the more ease one would be able to prevent a person was moving while employing the techniques of Chin Na in a fight.

Han Xiaoqing had her own shortcomings in comparison to Huo Ling’er. The young daughter of a aristocratic family had never been trained in the basic skills of martial arts, so her stance had been lacking and soft. Not even the slightest of thought had been in it, and she would sometimes complain about the pain in her back and waist.

She had nearly prostrated herself in admiration for Wang Chao’s ability to dodge the bullets of a gun before. And so because of her admiration, she wanted to learn martial arts as well by apprenticing herself to Wang Chao along with Huo Ling’er two months from now. Wang Chao had no reason to refuse her, and so he decided to teach her with Huo Ling’er.

“Take a look at Huo Ling’er’s hand. See how she is motionless, but the muscles in the web between her thumb and forefinger moves. This is how one gradually learns to build power. Otherwise, when you fight with another with the close combat and Chin Na methods, you will fail in your objective and hurt yourself.” Wang Chao walked to Han Xiaoqing’s side to press against her shoulder, prop up her waist and pinch the web of her hand.

Han Xiaoqing’s eyebrows rose into the air, “Don’t you use the fist when fighting with martial arts? Sending someone flying with just a punch, that’s beautiful! So why do we learn close combat and Chin Na?”

“Close combat and Chin Na are the most practical of ways to fight. Using the fist to fight is to be done after one has a deep understanding of the basics of martial arts. Without that understanding, you would need to borrow the momentum of a sprint or wind-up, but who would give you enough time for that in a battle?” Wang Chao suddenly somersaulted in the air and landed back down with his feet in a line shape. Then with just his heels alone, he managed to spring himself back up.

“When your stance training has improved the ligaments of your body to be able to bounce with power, you won’t be injured that easily. When you try to somersault in midair and then do the splits, you will have achieved a step of martial arts.”

Having seen what Wang Chao just did, Han Xiaoqing couldn’t help but blurt out her thoughts, “Isn’t this a routine in Wushu and gymnastics? This is dancing–if learning this is to achieve a step in martial arts, then there are far too many experts in this world!”

“Don’t underestimate this routine. Leaping high into the air requires a powerful waist and leg strength. To land on the ground with the splits is to require sturdy thighs and ligaments to coordinate with one another. To accomplish this is to be nimble, powerful, and able to coordinate your entire body without difficulty. From the somersault to the splits, it is considered one of the most important fundamental movements in Tachi even.”

Wang Chao paused for a moment, “This is merely just an exercise in flexibility and coordination, so it cannot be used in a fight. If you were to fight with someone, you must be calm and steady. There are multiple ways of fighting such as grabbing the hair, pulling the clothes, stepping on the feet, striking the crotch, pulling the fingers, misplacing the joints, numbing the muscles, kicking the knee, trapping the thigh, and so on, but there is flexibility when fighting an enemy. Learning a routine ensures that you become flexible and avoid being injured. When you fight after that, it is however you wish to fight.”

While Wang Chao was teaching the two female disciples of his, a secret meeting was being held in the Hong Kong military district.

In attendance was Cao Yi, general Zhou, commissar Yang, and five or six major generals and senior colonels.

The topic of the meeting had been naturally about the match between Wang Chao and Nguyễn Hồng Tú.

This match would involve many important factions such as the Thai military, the guerrilla groups of the Golden Triangle, and even the biggest overseas Chinese Hongmen Society had been alerted. There was also Korea with their rich merchants and the many influential martial artists of Southeast Asia along with the Shaolin Temple. Then, last but not least, the society of Yoga Nguyễn Hồng Tú had been a part of would be coming as well. With so many factions, there was no way Wang Chao’s superiors wouldn’t take watch.

“This time far too many factions are involved. With such a huge influence at risk, we all must be careful.” The leader had spoken while he stood up. “Furthermore, we still have many other talents that are being nurtured aside from Wang Chao. I’ve already brought Jiang Hai into the fold. As like Wang Chao, he is an important target to foster. He will be the bond we have with the Chinese we have overseas. Martial arts is truly quite useless in practicality, but its influence is surprisingly large. We need to take advantage of this influence to expand as far as we can while maintaining a policy against it in public.”

The days quickly went by in a flash and lead up to the end of the two months.

On this day, Wang Chao had been looking at the calendar. There was still three days left to the competition when he had received a phone call from Huo Qiyun for him to travel to Hong Kong.

“We’ll be traveling today.” Wang Chao spoke to Huo Ling’er.