Lijiang Pavilion, A Phoenix Comes private room.
Outside the window is the night scene on the river, brilliantly lit, with crowds of tourists.
"Captain Li, you’re really splurging today, actually opening a private room at Lijiang Pavilion."
"Thanks to Mr. Lu, maybe we can get a group third-class merit, what’s one meal compared to that?" Li Jinglin stood up and shook hands with Lu Zheng.
Now this was the first time Lu Zheng had met Li Jinglin, they had never seen each other before.
"You’re too kind, I was just in the right place at the right time, really just a coincidence."
Li Jinglin’s eyes were bright, clearly a tough character.
Li Jinglin invited Lu Zheng to sit, "Government officials can’t drink Moutai at official or private banquets, so let’s drink Wuliangye instead."
"Anything works for me!"
The waiter filled the glasses, and everyone raised their glass together.
They chatted while eating.
Li Jinglin toasted Lu Zheng, laughing, "To be honest, what I’m most curious about is your martial arts skills, Mr. Lu. You’re amazing. How did you train?"
Lin Wan’s beautiful eyes also turned over.
Lu Zheng chuckled. He had rehearsed the explanation in his mind dozens of times. Even if it’s not foolproof, there’s no way to refute it without evidence...
When all impossibilities are ruled out, you have to believe Lu Zheng’s truth.
"I’ve loved martial arts novels and TV shows since I was young, dreamed of being a hero."
Li Jinglin nodded, "Who doesn’t? Every man has a martial arts dream."
"At that time, I didn’t think about learning martial arts, just imagined things, all sorts of fantasies." Lu Zheng explained with a smile, "I imagined opponents attacking from all kinds of angles, and imagined myself counterattacking in various ways."
"As I grew older, I also saw various routines, taught myself sword techniques online, but never dropped those habits, gradually getting the hang of using force."
Lu Zheng took a bite of food, "Luckily, my reactions seem to be quite fast, and with youth and strength, maybe that’s why my punches are heavy.
It’s about practice making perfect, I guess if anyone else did this for ten years, they might be this good too."
Imagining and practicing randomly, mastering with time, and then becoming unbeatable?
Li Jinglin snorted, "I’ve been practicing for more than ten years, but I’m not as good as you."
Lu Zheng gave a shy smile, how to say this, I did mention my natural reflexes, it’s a gift, no reason behind it.
Li Jinglin watched surveillance footage of Lu Zheng subduing Li Yanjie at a crossroads and knocking out an international fugitive in a hotel lobby with one punch.
The moves, quick and fierce, crisp and precise, even the best special forces aren’t much superior, how could a normal university graduate possess such skills?
The instincts of an old detective had him investigate Lu Zheng, but checking his background, there were no long disappearances.
And on meeting him today, Lu Zheng’s fair skin and delicate fingers, he truly doesn’t look like someone with systematic training, so Li Jinglin could only reluctantly admit that maybe this world does have geniuses.
"You shouldn’t study computer science, with your skills, you should join the army, with your talent combined with military training, you’d be a top-tier special forces soldier."
"I wouldn’t dare, I know my limits, how could I have such skills?"
"I came from the military, don’t I know?" Li Jinglin glared.
Lu Zheng felt helpless, being praised felt really weird.
On the other side, Huang Xiumin snickered, and even Lin Wan couldn’t help but ask, "Lu Zheng, do you always train on your own?"
Lu Zheng nodded, "Always by myself. In fact, if it weren’t for this incident, I wouldn’t know I was so good. After all, daydreaming about sparring with martial arts masters doesn’t seem adult-like, kind of embarrassing too."
Li Jinglin took a deep breath, clutching his chest, feeling a little stung.
Lin Wan and Huang Xiumin were detectives too, trained in physical fitness and self-defense, so hearing Lu Zheng’s ’humblebrag’ made them feel like spitting blood.
"Now that you know you’re so good, do you have any plans?"
"Uh, no plans." Lu Zheng blinked, unsure of Lin Wan’s meaning, "In modern society, fighting is against the law."
"Lu Zheng, you’re so funny!"
Lin Wan laughed too, "You’re still young and so talented, you could make it a profession, like a fighting coach."
Lu Zheng shook his head, "Not interested."
Huang Xiumin chimed in, "But aren’t you currently unemployed?"
Lu Zheng rolled his eyes, "To cozy up to older ladies in a fighting gym?"
"That’s a fitness club, there aren’t older ladies in a fighting gym," Huang Xiumin laughed, "but there are lots of younger ladies."
Lin Wan changed the topic, "So, training by yourself for over ten years, do you have any tips or secret techniques?"
"I do, but I’ve never formally summarized them, after all, it’s just self-taught."
Lin Wan immediately said, "How about this, you teach me then?"
"Tomorrow then, I’ll take you to a gym I often visit, it integrates fitness, fighting, and training. You can check out my skills and teach me boxing."
Li Jinglin blinked, glanced at Lin Wan, then at Lu Zheng, and saw Huang Xiumin give him a wink.
Suddenly enlightened!
Well, it looks like the young guys in the group will be heartbroken for a while.
"Alright, it’s settled then, you teach me boxing, I’ll get you a membership card!"
"Hey? No need, no need." Lu Zheng quickly waved his hand, "I have money."
"Should I pay you tuition then?" Lin Wan brushed her side hair back, eyes smiling.
"Then forget it, you get me a card instead, we’ll just spar as friends. I’m afraid of being a terrible teacher."
Huang Xiumin cleared her throat, "Actually, the teacher-student dynamic can be quite appealing..."
Lin Wan’s gaze turned cold, swept across, and Huang Xiumin just awkwardly laughed, saying no more.
Next, the atmosphere warmed up, and the few chatted more casually. Military-trained Li Jinglin even sparred a bit with Lu Zheng in the heat of the moment.
Neither got up, just hand movements.
In the end, twice his wrist was effortlessly caught by Lu Zheng, unable to move.
"Impressive, too bad you’re not in the system, otherwise I’d definitely transfer you over."
Lu Zheng laughed, "What age is it now? Solving cases has high-tech and veteran cops, action has guns and numbers, where is there still a need for martial arts experts?"
Li Jinglin shook his head, "You don’t know the inside scoop. Accidents are everywhere, having an extra means of self-defense is an extra chance of survival."
At this, Lin Wan and Huang Xiumin also fell silent.
Seeing Lu Zheng’s confusion, Lin Wan mentioned, "Last year, an older brother in the team got separated during a capture, killed by the suspect."
Lin Wan chuckled, "What does it have to do with you, saying sorry?"
"You’re wrong, it was Captain Li."
Having drunk a bit, Lin Wan’s skin flushed slightly, eyes like water, sweet breath.
"For the sake of friendship, if you don’t want anything to happen to me, you’ll teach me well, right?"