Chapter 142: The Wonders of Mimicry

He could feel it.

Wang Yuan was not using much force. He was truly using technique to find the gaps in Xu Han’s defense and take him down.

He was truly worthy of being a man forged in the fires of real combat. Such fighting skills were certainly not something an ordinary person could possess. In past battles, he had always relied on his formidable attributes and extensive skills to defeat his enemies. But if he were to encounter someone like Wang Yuan, who was well-versed in combat techniques, he would stand no chance at all.

Xu Han stared fixedly at Wang Yuan. However, Wang Yuan maintained a calm and indifferent expression. With a low growl, Xu Han charged at Wang Yuan once more.

In the next second, however, Xu Han was slammed heavily onto the ground again, his mouth full of sand.

"Your combat technique is too clumsy," Wang Yuan said. "If you encounter someone skilled in combat, you will surely die. Now, do you understand the importance of fighting techniques?"

Xu Han nodded slightly, still refusing to give in, and charged at Wang Yuan again!

...

Bang!

Xu Han was knocked to the ground once more, spitting out another mouthful of sand. Half a day of training had already passed. He could no longer remember how many times he had been knocked down. His entire body ached. Fortunately, the sun was bright today; bathing in the sunlight, his recovery speed was rapid. Otherwise, he probably would have been lying on the ground, unable to move, a long time ago.

The surrounding soldiers could barely watch anymore.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... is this kid part cockroach? He can still stand up after that? If it were me, I’d have been flat on the ground long ago."

"I think he’s part sandbag; he’s really built to take a beating."

"Sigh, combat technique isn't something you can master overnight. It takes at least half a year to see results. I think the 'Iron-Faced Yama' is just settling yesterday’s score."

"Duh, you really think Iron-Faced Yama is that generous?"

"This kid is really honest, too. He doesn't even know how to play dead on the ground. If he played dead, he’d get beaten less."

Xu Han gritted his teeth and struggled to stand up.

Wang Yuan beckoned him over: "Again!"

"You must learn to be flexible with your attacks. Just putting all your strength into a strike doesn't make it a good one. You need to know when to exert full force and when to feint. Knowing how to deceive your enemy—that is what you need to do."

Xu Han gritted his teeth hard, pushed off with his feet, and lunged toward Wang Yuan like a sharp arrow.

Bang!

Unsurprisingly, he was knocked to the ground again. The surrounding soldiers shook their heads one after another.

"This kid should be at his limit, right?"

"Looks like it. Iron-Faced Yama is being way too ruthless; he’s still just a kid."

"He has to be ruthless. Sweat more in training so you bleed less in war. Iron-Faced Yama is doing this for his own good."

"I think Iron-Faced Yama is just venting his personal grudge."

Wang Yuan shook his head. "Too many wasted movements. Simple and direct is best. Doesn't your school teach basic combat techniques? With a level like this, you want to enter the Secret Realm Ruins? You probably wouldn't even know how you died."

A spark of anger ignited in Xu Han’s heart. He propped his body up, staring intently at Wang Yuan. A thought suddenly occurred to him.

That’s right!

Isn't there a 'Mimic' skill? This was a skill that came with the Thousand-Faced set. It could mimic an opponent's skills. Surely, it could mimic Wang Yuan's fighting techniques, right?

I’ll try it and see.

He focused his mind, and the Mimic skill was activated. A surge of vast information flooded his brain—it was the combat techniques Wang Yuan had just displayed. Every move and every stance was deeply imprinted in his mind. A sense of enlightenment dawned upon him.

So that’s how it is!

Seeing Xu Han smile, Wang Yuan frowned and asked, "What? Did the beating scramble your brains?"

A look of confidence appeared on Xu Han’s face. "Instructor Wang, again!"

With that, he stomped his foot hard and charged at Wang Yuan once more, throwing a punch straight ahead.

Wang Yuan shook his head helplessly. *This move again? Why can't this kid learn? How could this move possibly work on me?*

He prepared to give Xu Han a rough lesson to help him remember. His palm shot out like lightning, aiming to grab Xu Han’s wrist. As long as he controlled the wrist, he could use a shoulder throw to slam him onto the ground.

However, just as his palm was about to seize the wrist, Xu Han pulled his hand back. In the next moment, he transitioned into an elbow strike, smashing it toward Wang Yuan’s palm.

Wang Yuan’s expression changed. The elbow was considered the strongest striking point on the human body. If this blow landed on his palm, it would undoubtedly break his hand. He had no choice but to change his palm into a fist to meet the elbow head-on!

Bang!

A dull thud echoed as both of them retreated several steps.

The surrounding soldiers widened their eyes, staring at Xu Han in shock.

"Did I see that right?! This kid actually managed to make Iron-Faced Yama suffer?"

"This kid is improving way too fast! It hasn't even been a day, and he's reached this level!"

"I feel like there’s a hint of Iron-Faced Yama in this kid’s movements. Is he copying his style?"

"If you could learn Iron-Faced Yama’s movements just by watching, you’d be at the level of a Military King yourself! Do you think that’s something you can just pick up?"

Wang Yuan looked at his own fist. It was already red, swollen, and burning. He looked up at Xu Han. "Good lad, you finally learned how to vary your attacks."

Xu Han smiled. He was secretly overjoyed. The Mimic skill was simply too useful! By activating it, he had directly learned Wang Yuan’s combat techniques. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a master of combat now.

Moreover, while other mimicable skills might only be usable once, mimicking combat techniques branded the memory directly into his mind. Aside from lacking muscle memory, he was now on par with Wang Yuan in every other aspect.

"Instructor Wang, want to try again?" Xu Han asked with a sly smile, gesturing for Wang Yuan to come at him.

The surrounding soldiers’ mouths twitched.

"Has this kid’s brain been beaten to mush? He’s actually provoking Iron-Faced Yama again?"

"It’s over. He’s definitely dead this time."

"Of all things to do, he had to go and anger Iron-Faced Yama. Isn't this just asking for death? I bet they’ll have to carry him back to the dorms later."

Wang Yuan laughed out of sheer frustration. "You brat, do you really think you can compare to me? This time, I won't hold back!"

With that, he pounced toward Xu Han like a fierce tiger!

...

A day passed quickly.

Xu Han was covered in wounds. Wang Yuan wasn't much better off. His clothes were torn, he was covered in sand from head to toe, and he had his share of bruises. He looked incredibly disheveled.

The surrounding soldiers cast looks of awe toward Xu Han.

"Amazing! This kid is truly amazing! How long has it been since we’ve seen Iron-Faced Yama look this ragged? Even when the Commander-in-Chief sparred with him last time, he didn't look this bad."

"He couldn't even fight back this morning, and by the afternoon, he’s going toe-to-toe with Iron-Faced Yama. Is he a monster?"

"Is there really such a thing as a genius in this world? I can't accept this! I’ve been practicing for two and a half years, and I can't even compare to what he’s learned in a single day!"

Wang Yuan waved his hand. "That’s enough for today. We continue tomorrow. Go find the medics and get treated."