Chapter 58: Old Pei

Chapter 58: Old Pei

Lei Tian halted his attack upon hearing the command, but his eyes remained fixed on Zhuo Nan, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily. Beside him, the woman wore a faint smile, as if she were settling in to watch a show.

The man in the corner slowly rose to his feet. As he lifted his head, Zhuo Nan could finally see him clearly. He appeared to be in his fifties or sixties, with deep, distinct wrinkles etched into his face. His eyes were sharp and piercing, his cheekbones high, and a grizzled beard adorned his chin. Zhuo Nan’s immediate thought was: a master—a master among masters.

After standing tall, the man stared at Zhuo Nan for a moment. Suddenly, he bent his knees slightly and pushed off with force, launching himself into the air toward Zhuo Nan. Mid-air, he set his stance: left hand forward, right fist pulled back, body slightly angled. He delivered a heavy, crushing blow. The attack was ferocious, and Zhuo Nan did not hesitate. He raised both forearms to shield his chest, taking the impact head-on. With a dull thud, Zhuo Nan was forced two steps back before he regained his balance. He knew the old man hadn't used his full strength, but he had no choice but to absorb the blow. If he wanted to survive here, he had to demonstrate his own formidable prowess.

The other three wore expressions of disbelief. After landing, the old man was also slightly stunned. He had used fifty percent of his power in that strike, yet the young man had taken it squarely, retreating only two steps with no signs of internal injury. Had he used his full power, it might have ended in mutual destruction. He sighed inwardly, shot Zhuo Nan a curious look, and then burst into hearty laughter.

Zhuo Nan was preparing to counterattack, but seeing the old man’s reaction, he paused. After a while, the man stopped laughing and stared at Zhuo Nan. "Truly a master. I never expected that in the thirty years I've been in here, such a formidable young man would appear in the outside world."

As the old man spoke, Lei Tian and the woman standing nearby smiled; even the lean man lying on the ground chuckled. Zhuo Nan was confused—they had been ready to kill moments ago, so why the sudden courtesy? "Why aren't we fighting anymore?" he asked.

The old man laughed. "No need. Since you're in here, what’s the point of fighting? Having survived a test from Lei Tian and Crazy Monkey, you’ve already passed."

Zhuo Nan cursed silently. *Dammit, this stupid rule again.* Looking at the four people, his curiosity got the better of him. "You were able to track my position and movements. Can you actually see?"

The four were slightly taken aback. The old man smiled. "We don't use sight; we use sound." He asked suspiciously, "What, you don't?"

Zhuo Nan *could* use sound, but that was only due to the hearing enhancement granted by his super-brain. These four clearly lacked such an advantage; their hearing must have been honed through years of rigorous training.

Zhuo Nan didn't bother hiding it. "I use my sight. Your positions and even the clothes you're wearing are perfectly clear to me." He then inadvertently glanced at the woman's chest.

Upon hearing this, all four were shocked. In a place devoid of any light, for him to actually see them—the young man’s strength was unfathomable. To train one's eyes to see in the dark as if it were day would require immense effort, if such a feat were even possible.

The woman in the tank top walked over to Zhuo Nan and teased, "Little one, you've seen everything, haven't you?"

Zhuo Nan knew that while she looked flirtatious, she was no ordinary person to be able to hold her own among these three men. He smiled slightly. "You're wearing a tank top, aren't you?"

The shock on their faces was evident. They hadn't quite believed his claim to sight, which was why the woman had tested him. Now, they realized he wasn't lying; he truly could see the surroundings.

The woman didn't panic. She leaned in closer, whispering into Zhuo Nan's ear, "Little one, this outfit of mine is quite sheer. You've seen everything regardless."

"Alright, Lingfeng, that’s enough," the old man finally interjected. Hearing his command, Lingfeng walked away with a smirk.

The old man beckoned to Zhuo Nan. "Come, sit."

"I'll just sit here. Your spot is a bit nauseating..." Zhuo Nan was referring to the two decaying corpses beside the old man. He sat cross-legged on the floor.

Lei Tian walked over and helped the man known as Crazy Monkey up. After spitting out a mouthful of blood, Crazy Monkey said, "Young man, you hit a bit too hard. You nearly cost me my life."

Zhuo Nan laughed sheepishly. "Brother, you were trying to kill me with every move. If I hadn't used some real skill, there would be three corpses lying over there instead."

Crazy Monkey laughed awkwardly. The old man spoke up. "Young man, what is your name, and why were you thrown in here?"

Zhuo Nan was curious about this place as well, so he answered honestly. "My name is Zhuo Nan. I offended some people, so I was locked away. By the way, may I ask your name, sir?"

The old man chuckled dryly. "Just call me Old Pei. The thin one who fought you is Crazy Monkey, the big guy is Lei Tian, and this one," he gestured to Lingfeng, "is Shangguan Lingfeng."

Zhuo Nan greeted them one by one. Seeing Crazy Monkey still in pain, he walked over and placed his hand on the man's chest. Crazy Monkey didn't understand the gesture, but soon felt his pain fading away. He stared at Zhuo Nan in disbelief. "You know how to heal with internal energy?"

The other three stared at Zhuo Nan intently. He couldn't very well explain that he was using his super-brain to repair damaged nerve systems, so he nodded helplessly. "A little."

Crazy Monkey let out a long breath, shaking his head. "No wonder. Losing to you is no shame."

Zhuo Nan was surprised. Old Pei asked, "Zhuo Nan, may I ask which school or sect you hail from?"

Zhuo Nan had to improvise a lie. "I was out wandering one day and accidentally fell into..."

Old Pei waved his hand, smiling. "Fine, fine. If you don't wish to say, I won't force you. Your master must be a hermit of great skill who prefers anonymity. There's no helping it... times are not what they used to be." He sighed.

Zhuo Nan sensed there was more to his words. "Old Pei, what do you mean by that?"

The three men realized from Zhuo Nan’s expression that he was truly ignorant of the situation. After a moment of contemplation, Old Pei said, "Lei Tian, light the lamp."

"Yes, Old Pei." The respect in Lei Tian's voice was palpable.

Zhuo Nan didn't understand how he would light a lamp; there didn't seem to be any lighting equipment in the room.

Lei Tian walked to the wall and raised his right hand. Zhuo Nan saw a faint blue glow emanating from it. At first, it was dim, but as Lei Tian channeled his energy, the blue light intensified. Once it reached the size of a small fist, he slammed it against the wall. Instantly, a flame erupted across the surface, spreading rapidly to form a circle, illuminating the entire cell. Having finished, Lei Tian returned to his seat.

Zhuo Nan’s jaw dropped. He stared at the flames on the wall in awe. Shangguan Lingfeng noticed his surprise and leaned against him, purring, "Little brother, is it unbelievable? Lei Tian's right hand can generate over a hundred thousand volts of electricity in an instant. If he had used that on you earlier, you'd be a roast duck by now." She giggled, her chest heaving in a way that made Zhuo Nan dizzy.

"Brother Lei," Zhuo Nan asked curiously, "even if your hand can generate electricity, how did the wall catch fire?"

Old Pei explained with a smile, "This cell was designed with great effort. It looks like a warehouse, but the walls are actually sixty centimeters of reinforced concrete. Normal explosives can't breach it, and it wouldn't collapse even in an earthquake. But there was one oversight: they used lime powder and gypsum in the concrete mix to make it harder. Under Lei Tian's high-voltage current, those materials decompose and turn into fuel."

Zhuo Nan nodded, but a thought occurred to him. "But Old Pei, if that's the case, the interior of the wall should be compromised. Brother Lei could easily break through it. Why haven't you left?"

The four of them laughed. Old Pei replied, "Why leave? It's quite pleasant here..."

Old Pei made it sound easy, but Zhuo Nan didn't buy it. It wasn't that they couldn't leave; it was that they dared not. He realized the truth. "Old Pei, do you have enemies outside? With your skills, is there anyone out there even stronger than you?"

As Zhuo Nan spoke, complex expressions crossed their faces. Zhuo Nan noted this and thought: *I was right. If they weren't staying here by choice, no one could stop them. The guns outside would be nothing more than scrap metal to them.*

After a long silence, Old Pei suddenly burst into wild laughter, staring fixedly at Zhuo Nan. "You are truly sharp, young man. You're right. We all have enemies outside, and hiding here is a matter of necessity. Since we are fated to meet today, let's have a good talk."