C4 Brother

Before Lao Ma could finish speaking, Boss Hee struck again, his palm flying through the air and knocking Lao Ma out cold on the ground.

Lin Yan struggled to rise, but Boss Hee, who had shared a decade of life with him, knew all too well the extraordinary strength of Lin Yan's body. To subdue Lin Yan, he must have exerted at least 80% of his power!

"My apologies, brothers!"

Lin Yan's eyelids grew heavier with each passing moment. Though the blow hadn't knocked him out, he was rapidly losing the strength to stay conscious. As his eyes began to close, he caught a glimpse of Boss Hee under the moonlight, tears glistening in his eyes, his face etched with agony. Two more swift palms, and both Doggie and Monkey were down, rendered defenseless and unconscious on the ground.

"Let's go. You won't survive the night anyway, so you might as well be of use to us. Otherwise, I can revoke your brothers' spots at any time," Boss Hee threatened with a cold sneer.

A tall man with a Beijing opera mask entered slowly from outside the dilapidated temple. Boss Hee gave him a nod of acknowledgment. As he stepped out of the temple for the last time, he cast a lingering, deep look back at Lin Yan and the others.

"Brothers, if fate allows, let's be true brothers in another life!"

Lin Yan mustered all his strength to get up, but his body was devoid of power, his consciousness fading into a blur until his eyes finally closed.

It wasn't until the sun was high the next day that Lin Yan awoke. In his hand lay a token, the very one Boss Hee had brandished the night before. Lao Ma, Doggie, and Monkey were already at the temple's entrance, fixated on something outside, their conversation unceasing.

Lin Yan got to his feet. The impact from last night's palm left no pain, not due to Boss Hee's control, but because Lin Yan had always been resilient. Minor injuries healed after a short rest, more serious ones in a couple of days. Yet, each awakening brought a throbbing headache.

"Lin Yan, come quick! This is what Boss Hee left behind. He's found a master to cure him, though the treatment might be risky and take years. He didn't want us to worry, so he resorted to this," Doggie said, pointing to the words above the temple door, his face alight with happiness.

But Lao Ma and Monkey weren't convinced. Boss Hee's departure, after knocking them out, was no good sign.

"My recovery is hopeful, but the journey is long. Take care! Take care!" Lao Ma read aloud, his face a mix of emotions. He was the sharpest of the group and had been pondering the meaning behind Boss Hee's actions since reading the message.

"Last night, I saw someone take Boss Hee away, and judging by that person's presence, he must be a martial artist!" Lin Yan revealed, prompting a thoughtful silence among the group.

"If a formidable martial artist has taken Boss Hee, it could mean he's truly found a chance to heal. But..."

"But what?" they pressed.

"Never mind. Boss Hee instructed us to head to the West Military Region barracks, so that's where we'll go. Without him, this ramshackle temple is no place for us anymore."

After a thorough discussion, they resolved to act on Boss Hee's directives. First, it would enable them to sustain themselves and earn a military salary, providing some means to survive in this harsh world. Second, it would facilitate Boss Hee's safe return, ensuring he could locate all four brothers. In these tumultuous times, even they couldn't be certain they wouldn't be separated by some unforeseen event within a year or two.

The Great Prosperity Dynasty ranked among the lowest on this continent. Its strength was meager, and its lands perilous, which ironically shielded it from foreign invasions.

The West Military Region bordered the desolate expanse known as the Ancient Land. This area was notoriously barren, a place where attempts to cultivate the land had failed, the wood refusing to grow, and the grass to take root. It was as if a curse had befallen the land, affecting all but the most primitive flora and fauna.

Furthermore, within the Ancient Land, nighttime often carried the sounds of galloping horses and carriages. Some speculated it was once an ancient battlefield, its legacy leaving the land in ruins.

It was puzzling why the Great Prosperity Dynasty would station a seventh of its forces in the West Military Region, a place seemingly devoid of threats. Yet, they had maintained their post there for nearly a century.

Since Boss Hee's disappearance, Lin Yan and his companions had made their way to the West Military Region. Thanks to Boss Hee's arrangements, they enlisted as soldiers that very day. The battalion commander, Battalion Commander Chen, took a special interest in their welfare, perhaps out of genuine concern for their well-being as orphans, or maybe due to Boss Hee's meticulous planning.

Over the course of half a month, they became accustomed to the military life—training, standing guard, and patrolling by day, while at night, they often engaged in idle banter, frequently about women.

Lin Yan, however, seldom joined these conversations. Each night, while the others chatted, he was relentless in his training outside.

Illuminated by the dim glow of the campfire, his lean figure moved with intensity, sweat pouring down like rain. Each punch he threw was laden with fierce power.

Thanks to ample rations, his body had grown much stronger over the half-month. Though still slender, his strength had significantly increased.

"Why is there no sign of progress at the Martial Pulse Stage?" he wondered aloud after over two hours of intense training, finally sitting down, exhausted.

Since Boss Hee had been injured, Lin Yan had been secretly honing his skills daily, aspiring to become a martial artist. Even as a Martial Pulse Stage practitioner unable to awaken his Martial Pulse, he was determined to protect his brothers. The barracks had provided them with ample resources and space to train.

"To become a Martial Pulse master, one must possess the capability to awaken their Martial Pulse. Those who have never managed to do so in their lifetime—are they truly incapable? No, that's not the case. They simply lack the innate talent, yet they still hold the potential to awaken their Martial Pulse."

Unbeknownst to Lin Yan, Battalion Commander Chen had taken a seat by the bonfire outside the tent.

"Battalion Commander Chen, when did you arrive? You move so quietly."

Lin Yan expressed his surprise.

"Young man, you're so absorbed in your training that you'd probably miss an enemy's approach," Battalion Commander Chen remarked, playfully smacking Lin Yan on the head with a force that nearly knocked him out. After all, Battalion Commander Chen was a Martial Pulse Stage expert with two Martial Pulses unlocked, capable of exerting the strength of over a hundred kilograms with a mere flick of his wrist.

"We don't have any enemies in our West Military Region, right?"

Lin Yan kept massaging the back of his head, his face contorted in pain. It was clear that the blow he'd just taken had really hurt.