Chapter 30: The Russian Hercules

  Li Zhen's body stiffened in shock, finding it unbelievable.

  Huang Shi Hai was injured, is this possible?

  Although Huang Shi Hai had just learned the art and hadn't yet reached perfection, he wasn't a world-renowned master of the Eight Extremes School. However, his martial arts skills were exquisite, and ordinary people were absolutely no match for him. Whoever could defeat Huang Shi Hai would at least be a generation's master. Li Zhen was worried in her heart and hastily asked: "What exactly happened?"

  The soldier shook his head and said: "General Li, I don't know either. Ask Huang Qianzong, but he won't say."

  "Come on, let's go inside and talk," Qishan said in a low voice.

  Qishan and Li Zongyi entered the post house one after another and came to Huang Shihai's resting room.

  At the entrance, Huang Shi Hai's face and cheeks were swollen, with bruises of different colors all over his body. He looked quite pitiful. Li Zhen furrowed his brow and asked, "Shi Hai, you took a leave of absence for a while, how did you end up like this?"

  Qishan also asked: "Huang Shihai, what's going on?"

  Huang Shi Hai showed a hesitant expression, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

  Li Zhenchen sternly shouted: "What is going on here? With a superior present, I will surely take charge for you."

  Huang Shi Hai said in a hoarse voice: "After leaving the post house, I returned to my master Li Da Zhong's martial arts hall in Beijing. As soon as I entered the hall, I found that all my fellow apprentices were bruised and battered, seriously injured. After careful inquiry, I learned that a Russian strongman had opened a arena in Beijing, challenging various martial arts halls, and it happened that my master's hall was also among them."

  "The Russian strongman has a robust physique, immense strength and is extremely formidable."

  "My senior and junior fellow disciples were all injured, none of them won."

  "My master taught in Hebei's Cang County, not in Beijing. In the martial arts hall, no one could defeat the Russian, so I took my master's place and challenged the Russian strongman. Unfortunately, I was defeated again and again on the stage, and was beaten to a pulp by the Russian strongman. I have studied for many years, but I lost face completely, and I am ashamed in front of my master and fellow disciples."

  Huang Shi Hai's eyes welled up with tears, his heart aching with sorrow.

  Qishan furrowed his brow and said in a deep voice, "The matter involves the Russian strongman, and it's gotten the Tsarist Russia involved. It's extremely tricky. This kind of thing is impossible for officials to intervene in, it's very difficult!"

  Li Zhen said: "Issues involving countries, adults should not participate for the time being."

  Qishan nodded and secretly thought that Li Zhenshan understood people's intentions well.

  "Matters involving Russians have already implicated the Russian Empire, and it's easy to cause disputes between nations. Not to mention Qi Shan, even the current Minister of War, Gui Liang, and even Gong Qinwang Yi Xin, the brother of Xianfeng, found it difficult to intervene. Qi Shan sighed and said helplessly: "Li Zhen, please comfort Huang Shi Hai and let him recover from his injuries."

  After finishing speaking, Qishan turned around and left.

  Huang Shi Hai said: "I was reckless and impetuous, please punish me severely."

  Li Zhen's expression turned serious, and he shook his head, saying: "A small Russian man dares to be so arrogant in Beijing. If I knew about it, I would stand up for myself. Shi Hai, you focus on recovering from your injuries, I'll take care of the Russian strongman's challenge. He wants to sweep through Beijing's martial arts schools? I'll go and confront him, and put an end to his arrogance."

  Huang Shi Hai's eyes widened and he hastily said: "Sir, you can't go, absolutely cannot go!"

  "Why can't we go?"

  "You don't know the ferocity of the Russians, having never fought them. The Russian strongman's muscles are as hard as iron and stone, and when you punch him, your fist slips off without leaving a mark. I, who have always prided myself on my superior martial arts skills, was utterly defeated by the Russian, unable to even scratch his skin. You will fare no better if you go."

  Li Zhen smiled and said: "Shi Hai, don't you believe me?"

  "Sir, I'm going to say something that may not be pleasant to hear. If we were to compare our martial arts skills, I would definitely have the upper hand. Even I wouldn't be a match for myself, let alone you."

  "Have you used the big gun?" Li Zhen asked.

  Huang Shi Hai shook his head and said: "In a duel on the arena, there are no weapons to compare with."

  Li Zhen said, "Since it's a hand-to-hand combat, what's being tested is more of skill and instantaneous explosive power, rather than the strength one possesses. You're good at using your spear to kill enemies, but if you discard your weapon and go head-on with the Russian, you'll be at a disadvantage from the start. In terms of martial arts, you are indeed more formidable. In terms of fist techniques, you are also more proficient. But when it comes to ways of killing people, you're far inferior to me."

  Huang Shi Hai endured the pain and sat up, saying: "If you are injured, I will be responsible for it even if I die."

  Li Zhen said confidently, "A martial artist who is well-versed in theory can speak eloquently and make perfect sense, but that doesn't necessarily mean they understand the skills required for actual combat. To deal with this Russian strongman, you're not up to it, I'll have to do it myself."

  Pausing for a moment, Li Zhen said unequivocally: "Take good care of your injuries and wait for me to avenge you."

  Li Zhen immediately turned around and left.

  Huang Shi Hai let out a loud thud as he lay on the bed, his eyes reddening with a sorrowful expression. Now that Li Zhen was unstoppable, another casualty was inevitable. In Huang Shi Hai's eyes, even if Li Zhen's martial arts skills were decent, he would still be no match for the powerful Russian wrestler. Huang Shi Hai himself was well-versed in Bajiquan, but his techniques, no matter how ruthless and overbearing, would be of no use against him, let alone Li Zhen.

  Just thinking of Li Zhen going to challenge the Russian strongman and being unable to stop him made Huang Shi Hai even more distressed.

  Li Zhen went out of the house and came into Qishan's room.

  Qishan waved his hand and motioned for Li Zhen to sit down, asking: "Li Zhen, what do you want to do?"

  "Your Excellency, the Russian strongman is running amok in Beijing, which has already affected the dignity of our great Qing dynasty. If we let him continue to be arrogant, Russia will not take our Qing dynasty seriously. I have decided to challenge the Russian strongman and defeat him thoroughly, so as to prevent the Russians from being arrogant in Beijing."

  Qishan frowned and said: "Huang Shihai can't even do it, can you?"

  "Please be assured, sir. When it comes to the safety of this humble general, I will not go to my death nor will I do anything without being fully prepared. Since we are going, there is complete preparation."

  Qishan said: "You've made up your mind, I won't persuade you anymore, but be sure to pay attention to safety."

  Li Zhenzhang obtained Di Qishan's consent before turning around and leaving.

  After changing his clothes, Li Zhen found a familiar attendant in the post house and had him lead the way to where the Russian strongman was setting up the arena. The arena was set up on Zhengyangmen Street, with a large white flag planted beside it bearing the six characters "World's Number One Brave Warrior".

  When Li Zhen arrived at the edge of the arena, more than a dozen martial artists were lying on the ground, all of whom had been injured by the Russians. Some of them had minor injuries with bruises and swelling on their faces, while others had severe injuries such as broken arms and legs, still groaning in pain.

  On the stage, empty and deserted without a single person.

  The Russian strongman Vasily, with his torso exposed, revealing chunk after chunk of sturdy muscle. He sat in the chair, his eyes as cold as a wild wolf, exuding a primitive savagery.

  There was another Russian beside Vasily, who was talking in a low voice with Vasily.

  Two people chattered and laughed loudly from time to time, their eyes scanning the surrounding crowd with a look of disdain. However, no one dared to go up and challenge them, after all, there were already so many vivid examples in front of them.

  Li Zhenjian saw no one on the stage and strode up onto it.

  "Wow!!"

  Li Zhen walked onto the stage, and the crowd around the stage erupted in cheers. There were jeers, shouts of encouragement, and even some deliberate heckling. Li Zhen was 1.8 meters tall, with a lean and powerful build, but not someone who relied on brute muscle. Although he gave off an air of sharpness, compared to the Russian strongman, he still fell far short.

  Li Zhen stepped onto the stage, and everyone thought Li Zhen was an arrogant challenger. But Vasily, the Russian strongman, didn't care about that; whoever came up, he would fight.

  PS: Today is the fourth update, Xiaodong is still working hard, asking for flowers, votes, and collections, bring it all on.