Combat techniques usually aim to subdue opponents, emphasizing the application of skill and control of force.
Killing methods, on the other hand, pursue the efficiency of breaking through defenses with one strike, focusing on the instantaneous release of extreme explosive power.
In the current wasteland environment, killing methods were only popular for a few years at the beginning of the New Era. After humans rebuilt their industrial systems, they were quickly marginalized and almost ignored.
The fundamental reason was that close combat efficiency could never compare to drawing a gun.
In situations where firearms could be used, killing methods had no place.
And in scenarios where guns couldn't be drawn, combat techniques alone were sufficient to handle things. There was really no need to waste energy on being recklessly brave.
Survival and staying alive were the main themes of existence.
The Blood Dragon Corps' standard combat techniques emphasized stability and solid foundations.
The overall approach favored flexibility, with fewer grand, sweeping moves.
"You learned it?"Miao Yang was slightly stunned but didn't immediately question it, "Although these combat techniques are basic, even the most talented person I've seen took a full seven days to learn them, practicing from morning to night every day."
"You just sat there watching me practice and learned it?"
"When the mind learns it, the hands learn it."
Cheng Ye moved his shoulders and hips a few times, grinning as he spoke.
This wasn't him cheating or talking nonsense, but his genuine feeling after equipping the standard combat techniques.
After all, even Liu Bi had praised his strong imitation ability.
Sitting here watching Miao Yang practice for three days, Cheng Ye had actually grasped seven or eight parts of it. What was missing was just the integration of muscle memory.
And equipping the skill had perfectly completed this final piece of the puzzle.
Almost no training memories came, only a strong habit of exerting force directly carved into the depths of his muscles, forming instinct.
"What about your leg?"
"It's almost healed, doesn't affect movement."
Cheng Ye rolled up his pant leg to take a look. Four days had passed since the injury. Thanks to Master Tian's potent medicine, even without equipping Iron Body, although there was still slight pain when pressed, it completely didn't affect movement anymore.
"Alright, you attack, I'll defend!"
Miao Yang stepped back two steps. Before his words finished, he subconsciously touched his ribs.
Last time he said this, he was almost hit by Cheng Ye's whip kick and nearly broke a rib.
This time he couldn't be careless again. This kid's talent was simply monstrous. Who had ever seen someone without complete four forces able to open six senses?
"Defend well!"
Cheng Ye took a deep breath, his footsteps moving quickly, stepping left then right, closing in.
"Come chase me!"
Miao Yang called out strangely, his feet executing similar steps but deliberately slowing down a bit, wanting to see if Cheng Ye could maintain steady step frequency while dodging and weaving.
The result didn't disappoint him. The distance between them kept closing.
"Light jumping and vertical leaping, you've gotten the basics!"
Combat techniques emphasized footwork foundation most. Seeing that Cheng Ye had glimpsed the essentials, Miao Yang suddenly stopped and pressed close.
Compared to the previous straight, swing, uppercut combination.
This time after closing in, Cheng Ye raised his arm like a single blade, striking down at a diagonal angle.
Thud.
Miao Yang brought up both hands, colliding together.
Solid force transmitted, both stepped back one step.
"Splitting hammer, you've got the basics too!"
"Again."
Cheng Ye growled low, stepping forward again, both hands gathered like a battering ram smashing forward.
Another muffled sound came.
"Crushing hammer, you learned that too!"
Miao Yang called out repeatedly.
But his voice carried twisted emotions. Listening carefully, that emotion was called... jealousy!
Four major fist paths: crushing, smashing, splitting, hanging.
Four types of footwork: light, jumping, lifting, vertical.
Cheng Ye used them skillfully, fought smoothly. Miao Yang even felt Cheng Ye's execution was identical to his own.
Looking more closely at both their understanding of this standard combat technique set, they were actually on the same level.
Then what the hell had he been practicing these dozen years for?
"Stop, stop, don't fight anymore!"
"If we keep fighting, you should be teaching me!"
Miao Yang lightly pushed away Cheng Ye's incoming right fist, borrowing the momentum to retreat four or five steps, quickly waving his hands.
He had seen transcendent geniuses and diligent people willing to work hard.
But this was truly his first time seeing someone like Cheng Ye. If forced to describe it, he could only use two words: monster!
"Gym Master Miao, what do you think of my combat techniques?"
Cheng Ye settled into a resting stance, a thread-thin column of air escaping from his nose and mouth.
The essence of combat techniques lay in mobilizing internal qi and momentum. Only by stirring internal breath could each punch and move generate additional power from nothing.
In ancient martial arts terms, this was called the Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound.
"In understanding of standard combat techniques, there's already no difference between us."
Miao Yang's jealous eyes blazed with fire, but he sighed, "It's a pity this teacher's strength is too low. If it were a Blood Dragon warrior from within the Blood Dragon Corps teaching you, you might now far surpass me."
"Then for future advancement, what combat techniques would be good to learn?"
Cheng Ye pressed further, "Or are standard combat techniques already sufficient?"
"You'd have to ask Inspector Liu about that, see which school of combat techniques he wants you to inherit."
Miao Yang shook his head, speaking honestly, "I won't hide it from you. The New Martial combat techniques from the former transcendent era could indeed channel some transcendent power and produce miraculous effects, but in this era, New Martial Arts ultimately centers on realm. Rather than pursuing advanced combat techniques, it's better to first solidify your control of the 'four forces.' This is more useful than learning any moves."
"With your complete four forces, if you could control yourself to enter the 'Clear Mirror State,' even I might not easily defeat you. But conversely, if your realm can't keep up, even if you understand exactly the same combat techniques as me, I could easily catch your flaws. This is the fundamental gap that realm brings."
Realm was stats, combat techniques were skills.
When basic stats weren't enough, even if skills could double attack power, actual damage would still be limited.
But if realm improved, then doubling that would greatly increase power.
As for reaching transcendence, Cheng Ye couldn't imagine that realm, and Miao Yang only had hearsay rumors from others.
"That's good, I thought..."
Cheng Ye smiled.
Before he finished speaking, the unlit training hall suddenly filled with light, as if endless brightness was shining in.
Boom!
A muffled thunder suddenly exploded, making the entire training hall hum and tremble.
Looking out the window, the bowl-thick roadside trees seemed grasped by invisible giant hands at their branches, leaves rolling and swaying in the fierce wind, even the bark rustling as it was torn.
Taking a deep breath, the scent of moist earth rushed over, clearly a sign of approaching torrential rain.
"How is it that after just two or three clear days, it's going to... rain again?"
Miao Yang curiously bent down, his gaze passing through the window.
A bolt of lightning spanning the sky skimmed along the clouds, splitting the entire sky in half.
Obviously, this rain would again be sudden rain, torrential rain, probably no smaller in scale than the previous night.
"Cheng Ye, if you didn't bring a raincoat, just wear mine back..."
Miao Yang turned around, originally wanting to say he'd simply spend the night at the training hall to prevent rainwater from flooding and soaking the equipment.
But when he turned back, he saw Cheng Ye's face was unprecedentedly serious, his brow furrowed into a deep "川" character.
"What's wrong?"
Just a torrential rain, surely not worth being this tense?
"Gym Master Miao..."
Cheng Ye pondered for a moment, deciding to reveal part of the news about the imminent Stand-In Starfish outbreak.
But unexpectedly, his defense communicator vibrated twice. Opening it, it was actually another message from the broadcast station.
And this time it wasn't encrypted, sent directly as a normal message.
[Happiness City Broadcast Station, Disaster-level infected tide incoming]
[Time remaining until Stand-In Starfish outbreak: 5 hours 41 minutes]
[To all inspectors: When you receive this message, it means the infected tide has entered the first-level information declassification stage. Please use your defense communicator to scan your identity badge and activate the disaster module. We will provide you with real-time disaster monitoring and dynamic tracking of buffer zone outbreak points]
[Currently deployed monitoring drones in buffer zone: 875 units]
[Current coverage range: A1-F21]
[Happiness Supercomputing System has connected to your defense communicator. You can actively enable the warning module. When large-scale Stand-In Starfish infected entities are detected approaching within 500 meters of you, the system will automatically issue warning alerts]
[Happiness City monitoring drone control authority has connected to your defense communicator. You can actively apply for control permissions to assist in action monitoring and provide real-time information capture]
[Emergency defense squad creation function has been activated. You can use this function to form squads and recruit personnel to participate in missions. Please note, this function is not mandatory. You must ensure recruited targets join voluntarily. After targets agree, they cannot withdraw before the disaster ends]
[Contribution calculation system has been activated. You can control drones to enter follow mode. Any infected entities killed during this period will automatically be counted toward contribution points, while assisting in calculating team member contributions. Specific data will be processed by the supercomputer and fed back to your defense communicator]
[Happiness City material and ammunition emergency supply point locations have been distributed to your defense communicator]
[Happiness City B-Level Defense Mode has been activated: Steel Tooth Barriers (100 sets of hydraulic lift barriers being deployed at key intersections, can withstand 50-ton impact force) Happiness Defense Line (entered full combat readiness mode, 150 riot armored vehicles on standby) Ground Network System (50 sets of anti-armor mine arrays, completed covert deployment outside the defense line) Medical Ark (18 mobile medical vehicles in position, emergency medical supplies fully stocked) Energy Fortress (backup generator sets fully activated, core city facility power supply switched) Skynet Barrier (core communication base stations running at full power, military-grade anti-interference frequency bands activated) Hedgehog Air Defense (entered monitoring mode, air defense missiles preheating and loading)]
[You can assist in activating this disaster module by scanning others' identity badges]
[Current declassification quota: 5]