CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34 THE CRYING WOMAN_1

Junior Professional Skills.

Advanced Leg Skill.

A hint of curiosity flickered in Lu Yuan’s eyes.

He never expected that the Basic Leg Skill would reach its maximum level at lv5 and consequently unlock the higher-level Advanced Leg Skill.

But it felt quite logical.

The more he learned the middle-aged man’s leg techniques, the more he felt that many parts of these sharp leg techniques had transcended the basics.

Using the term ’advanced’ to describe it was nothing short of apt.

Lu Yuan glanced at his Profession Panel again and found another pleasant surprise.

When did I get extra attribute points?

In the "Available Attribute Points" column, the original 0 had turned into 1 at some point.

Was it a reward for mastering Basic Leg Skill?

Most likely, it was.

For a moment, Lu Yuan had the urge to use the spare skill point to raise one of the other three lv4 basic skills to lv5.

But he held back.

I’d better rely on grinding first. When I can’t grind anymore, I’ll use it.

If it were not for the good performance of the Core Skill [Imaginary Enemy] so far, Lu Yuan would have regretted spending 1 skill point on improving Basic Capture.

Lu Yuan hadn’t decided where to add this attribute point yet.

After taking a bath and changing clothes in the locker room, he finished his intense self-training for the day.

Stepping out of the gates of the martial arts hall, the sweat-drenched, martial arts fanatic vanished, and Lu Yuan morphed back into his usual self: a quiet and handsome young man.

At five o’clock in July, the sun was still quite strong outside.

Lu Yuan had an appointment with Lin Zhiquin at six o’clock, so he had to head back early.

The half-hour bus ride meant he probably wouldn’t make it home for dinner.

Lu Yuan ate two bowls of beef noodles and three large flatbreads at a noodle shop next to the martial arts hall.

This shop’s beef noodle soup had a lot of chili; although it tasted good, the spiciness was intense for Lu Yuan.

There was no air conditioning in the shop, only an old fan inside, WHIRRING and CLACKING as it oscillated.

Sweating profusely from the meal, Lu Yuan paid the bill, ordered a bottle of iced water, and left the noodle shop, sipping as he walked.

While waiting for the bus at the station opposite the martial arts hall, Lu Yuan realized it was already 5:20 PM, and the next bus wouldn’t arrive for another fifteen minutes.

He was hesitating, wondering whether to call Lin Zhiquin and ask him to either pick him up from the martial arts hall or meet a bit later. Just then, Lu Yuan saw a familiar figure walk out from the gate of the Origin Martial Arts Hall across the street.

It was Lin Zhiquin.

Lu Yuan’s heart leaped with joy. Perfect, now I don’t have to wait for the bus, and I won’t be late!

He started to cross the road to meet Lin Zhiquin when a figure suddenly darted past him, rushing straight towards Lin Zhiquin.

"Coach Lin, Coach Lin!"

It was a middle-aged woman in her fifties, wearing a faded yellow short-sleeved shirt, black trousers, and sandals.

She carried a small satchel slung over her shoulder and wore a black UV-protection sun hat.

She rushed up to Lin Zhiquin, blocking his path.

"Have you heard anything about our Chen Yang these past few days?"

Stopped by the woman, Lin Zhiquin’s expression seemed to freeze for a moment before he shook his head.

"No, Chen Yang hasn’t contacted me."

"Coach Lin, please, I’m begging you, help me find Chen Yang. It’s been nearly a month, and there’s been no news at all..."

The woman clutched Lin Zhiquin’s arm, imploring him desperately.

"I understand how you feel. I’m also looking for Chen Yang.

"But when someone goes missing, there’s often little anyone can do.

"I’ve already spoken to a friend at the city police department who’s in charge of this case. As soon as there’s any news, I’ll inform you immediately..."

Lin Zhiquin tried to console her patiently.

"Coach Lin, do you think Chen Yang has been kidnapped?

"Every night, I dream about my Chen Yang. I dream he’s locked in a pitch-black little room, covered in blood, crying and saying to me, ’Mom, it hurts, save me...!’

"Coach Lin, please, help me look for him again.

"I remember what that little room looked like. I can take you there; we can look together..."

Seeing the woman becoming increasingly distraught and incoherent, Lin Zhiquin seemed to lose his patience.

He pulled his arm free from her grip, muttered an apology, and quickly walked away.

The woman took a couple of steps after him, then stopped, covering her face and sobbing.

Lu Yuan had taken in the entire scene.

He quietly watched the woman cry for a while. Then, she wiped her tears and, with reddened eyes, walked over to a red electric scooter in the distance and rode away.

She must have been here before, Lu Yuan thought, then headed in the direction Lin Zhiquin had gone.

In the parking lot beside the martial arts hall, Lu Yuan found Lin Zhiquin sitting in a black sedan, smoking.

Lin Zhiquin was staring intently at the driver’s side interior rearview mirror, as if looking at something, or perhaps lost in thought.

Lu Yuan walked over.

When he was still about ten meters from the car, Lin Zhiquin abruptly turned his head.

"It’s you?"

Recognizing Lu Yuan, Lin Zhiquin’s expression immediately relaxed.

He casually flipped up the overhead interior rearview mirror and managed a faint smile.

"How did you find the martial arts hall? Didn’t we agree I’d come pick you up?"

"I was training at the martial arts hall today and happened to run into you when I was leaving, Coach," Lu Yuan replied.

Lin Zhiquin nodded. "Well, get in then," he said, gesturing for Lu Yuan. "Let’s go get something to eat first."

"I’ve already eaten."

Lu Yuan opened the passenger door and got in.

Lin Zhiquin took out his phone, checked the time, and after a moment’s thought, said, "Then let’s head straight there. We should arrive just about on time."

"Aren’t you eating, Coach?"

"No need."

Lin Zhiquin started the car, and it slowly pulled out of the parking lot.

As they passed the entrance of the martial arts hall, Lu Yuan couldn’t resist glancing at the spot where Lin Zhiquin and the woman had their intense exchange. He asked, "Coach, that woman from earlier... who was she?"

"You saw that?" Lin Zhiquin glanced at Lu Yuan, his expression becoming somewhat complicated.

"There’s no real reason to hide it from you.

"That woman is the mother of a former student of Yang Jiandong.

"That student went missing a month and a half ago.

"He went for a night run and never returned.

"It was precisely because he vanished that I later looked for Yang Jiandong, and eventually, for you..."

"Missing?!"

Lu Yuan was particularly sensitive to that word and instantly blurted out, "You mean the major missing persons case that’s been all over the news these past two months?"

"Mhm." Lin Zhiquin nodded slightly. "It’s most likely related to that."

"Is this case really that difficult to solve? Are there no leads at all?" Lu Yuan couldn’t suppress his curiosity.

He had just heard Lin Zhiquin mention having friends in the police department.

Lin Zhiquin thought for a moment, then replied, "It’ll probably be solved soon. It’s been two months, so it should have caught the attention of the higher-ups. Once they send their people down, it should be resolved in a few days..."

There was something strange about Lin Zhiquin’s tone and the implication of his words.

It was as if he knew something, and was quite certain that once these "higher-ups" he mentioned arrived, all problems would be effortlessly resolved.

Lu Yuan’s doubts hadn’t diminished much, and he still wanted to ask more.

However, sensing that Lin Zhiquin seemed unwilling to discuss the topic further, he had no choice but to suppress his curiosity and sit quietly in the passenger seat without saying another word.