CHAPTER 1035: CHAPTER 39: SOMETHING STILL IN ITS INFANCY

Night.

Lu Xuanyu sat in the center of the sports stadium, supporting himself with his hands on the ground behind him, gazing up at the ceiling. He seemed to be savoring something.

Unlike during the competition, it was very quiet now, with only a few robots doing the final cleaning.

This stadium was originally built by Superman Enterprise. Given Lu Xuanyu’s current position, if he said he wanted to come here to think for a while, there naturally wouldn’t be any problem.

During the day, when fighting with others, the audience’s excited shouts couldn’t reach his ears at all. But now, in the silence, he seemed to hear the tidal wave of the spectators again.

The sound, the scene, and the "feeling" of every punch and kick on the ring intertwined in his heart.

At this moment, Xiang Shan walked over and asked, "Old Lu, what are you thinking about?"

Lu Xuanyu patted the dust off his pants and stood up: "Boss, do you need something?"

He was well aware that if there was nothing important, Xiang Shan would not appear here at this time.

"Calm down, it’s after work hours, not here to give you tasks, just here to tell you some good news." Xiang Shan raised his hand, "Sorry to interrupt your thoughts. What were you just thinking about? So absorbed."

"I think I finally know the path forward..." Lu Xuanyu exclaimed, "I’ve fully experienced the techniques of different factions..."

"Oh? Do tell."

"When I need to block an opponent, what moves should I use... When I want to take down an opponent, what techniques... What methods should I use to gain an advantage..."

"After experiencing the highest realms under different rules, different factions, and different scenarios, and after learning numerous techniques, I started to realize it. Similar techniques actually existed all over the world from the beginning..."

"Don’t be constrained by the thoughts of those who created the techniques... Those techniques originally existed in fragments in my mind. But in this competition, I vaguely realized how to combine them... The martial arts I desire is a form of combination, a style." Lu Xuanyu said: "It should adapt to various environments, having routines for bare-handed combat and methods for armed combat. In the boxing ring, it can be displayed in the form of boxing. In the free combat ring, it has suitable forms... It’s very ’grand,’ with each scene only showing one aspect. But just like understanding autumn from one leaf... No matter how those technical moves are combined, others can see that kind of... that kind of ’style.’ This is my ideal. ’Having no form as form, having no limit as limit.’"

Xiang Shan pondered for a moment: "But, with such extensive diversification, isn’t it less competitive in a single field compared to specialization?"

"As you once said, both scientists who research theory and those who engage in engineering implementation are necessary." Lu Xuanyu scratched his head, "Well, someone is responsible for broadening martial studies and developing theory, and someone is responsible for implementation under specific rules and on specific stages. The former and latter are parallel..."

"So, in what form should this organization for developing martial studies exist, how should it be maintained..." Seeing the bewildered look on Lu Xuanyu’s face, Xiang Shan changed direction: "Sorry, shouldn’t talk about such mundane things with you."

"But it is something that needs to be considered sooner or later. I have to think about it eventually." Lu Xuanyu pointed to his temple: "But right now, my mind is full of... full of... martial studies matters. The feeling is still a bit off, can’t grasp it."

"Tomorrow is the most crucial competition. I want to ponder a bit more."

"Cough, cough..." Xiang Shan coughed lightly, looking somewhat awkward: "How should I say this... The good news I want to tell you might not be good news for you."

Lu Xuanyu scratched his head: "What’s going on?"

"Tomorrow’s competition, those two corporate matches involving a bet agreement." Xiang Shan spread his hands: "The others have already assumed defeat; cooperation has already begun."

Lu Xuanyu was stunned: "What?"

"One is a Western robot development company. They retrained on the robotic sparring partners we sold to them." Xiang Shan said: "They were quite confident. Because according to their simulation results, their AI boxing king had a 100% win rate against real Boxing Kings under boxing rules. But, for this kind of enterprise match, we set the rules. Initially, we established ’open rules’... where any technique could be used."

"Due to too many possibilities, strategy games are too opaque, making calculations troublesome for the AI. Their current assessment is that such an AI boxer would be unlikely to defeat you under present rules."

This was the first time Lu Xuanyu learned the details of the other two "company-sponsored athletes." He hurriedly asked: "What about the rest?"

"A military-industrial group from the north, unwilling to give up their previously pushed exoskeleton approach, hired a Martial Artist to compete against you wearing an exoskeleton. The exoskeleton’s supporting AI was also trained in a similar way." Xiang Shan shook his head: "Then they realized now that among exoskeleton Martial Artists, the natural person inside is a pure burden. If you look at news or financial sections, you’ll notice internal personnel changes within that military company. As your match progresses, the Exoskeleton faction is gradually losing ground."

"Of course, exoskeleton and prosthetic-body technologies have similarities, but from project’s standpoint, they are two unrelated paths, managed by different people." Xiang Shan shrugged: "You don’t have to worry about this."

Lu Xuanyu couldn’t help but laugh: "The competition... is already over?"

"The competition is still happening." Xiang Shan pulled out a storage device: "This is the training data of that AI boxer, shared in the collaborative project. I had True Martial run it once. Inside are dozens of potential expansion routes and countermeasures. You can take a look at it yourself."

Lu Xuanyu hesitated: "Can I not look at it?"

"Sure." Xiang Shan put it away: "Actually, your win rate is pretty high. Truly."

...............

Lu Xuanyu raised his head, looking at the bright lights overhead.

Resounding in his ears was the roar of the ace commentator: "Indeed! Indeed! Our Lu! Undefeated Lu! Is invincible! Remodelers surpass Natural Persons, but pure machines cannot surpass humans. He proved himself! His victory isn’t a victory of machines, but a victory of humanity!"

Lu Xuanyu watched the robot getting up, finally understanding why Xiang Shan had said his win rate was quite high.

This robot, only had the top-level boxing skills, and beyond that, only some free combat techniques.

Under the more open, freer rules pressuring MMA...

The lack of techniques grasped by this robot could only be described as tragic.

He even suspected whether there was some minor issue with the training data given to the AI by that "friendly competitor," or whether Xiang Shan had misled them regarding the match’s rules or something...

Lu Xuanyu didn’t even use many techniques beyond boxing rules.

He merely employed the kind of thinking Old Yuan had demonstrated, tricking the robot into misjudging his intentions.

Thus, after a few heavy blows, the robot couldn’t bear it, directly losing balance.

Fighting against machines didn’t feel the same as fighting against humans...

No emotional fluctuations could be felt, and there was no sensing the changes of thoughts behind the moves. There was no feeling of "predicting the opponent’s strategy based on emotions..."

Lu Xuanyu raised his head once more.

Not enough.

This robot was clearly not strong enough yet.

He still longed for more opponents to hone himself. He felt he was still a bit short... a bit short...

When a staff member reminded him to leave the stage, he continued to ponder.

As Lu Xuanyu pushed open the door to enter the lounge, an unexpected voice called out to him: "Lu. Looks like you’re doing quite well now."

Lu Xuanyu was startled, then turned around: "Master Althus? This is... why are you here?"

The elderly man before him was the master who taught him Jeet Kune Do and was also the benefactor who awakened him after a car accident, traveling thousands of miles in a turbulent international environment.

Althus nodded and smiled: "You probably don’t know yet. I’m your next opponent."

Lu Xuanyu widened his eyes: "How... how can it be such a coincidence?"

"My current boss thinks that since Superman Enterprise has brought you out, then they should find someone with a style similar to yours, eliminating interference factors, to prove the strength of the exoskeleton." The old boxer shook his head, "But after watching your match, I know that I won’t win. However, my current boss said to me a few days ago."

"Winning doesn’t really matter anymore. A few days ago, I spoke with my current superior." Althus smiled: "I’m old, and if I don’t accept this invitation, I probably won’t have the opportunity to fully showcase my skills ever again. This is my heartfelt truth. I want to completely exhibit the skills I’ve practiced my entire life."

"That’s the truth in my heart. I want to fully display the skills I’ve practiced all my life." Althus continued: "I want to explore with you the true meaning of Jeet Kune Do in this manner."