The door was gently opened, the incandescent light casting a pale yellow glow.
Fang Cheng took off his sneakers and switched into a pair of grey cotton slippers.
He didn’t immediately step onto the floor and walk inside.
Instead, he crouched down and closely inspected the entrance area.
He noticed a very thin strand of hair lying on the floor, parallel to the seam.
Fang Cheng’s gaze flickered as he muttered to himself:
"No one has come in..."
Then his vision overlaid with a dark red filter.
While stepping into the house, he scanned the surrounding environment.
This was his mandatory ritual every time he came home from work.
It was also through this method that he confirmed whether any outsiders had entered the house.
Fang Cheng didn’t find any trace of abnormalities.
Completely at ease, he threw his shoulder bag onto the sofa chair, then poured himself a cup of hot water and took a few gulps.
"Scavenger’s Eye" effect appeared to be a game skill.
In fact, it was the sixth sense from the unknown that was at play.
As long as there was a certain intention in mind, he could keenly detect subtle traces in the environment related to it.
The reason Fang Cheng was so cautious.
Mainly due to the two recent troubles he had incurred.
The backing organization of the man in black, whom he had killed with his own hands, would certainly investigate the reason for his mysterious disappearance.
And that "monster" who shared a smile with him in the rain-soaked night was by no means good-natured.
Perhaps one day, they would all come knocking...
Fang Cheng had no fear.
He was just worried about involving friends and family around him.
After finishing the water, he walked to the balcony.
He slightly opened a curtain gap, looking at the distant "Yijia Hotel" where the lights had gone out.
He had originally planned to sneak in tonight, to search the crime scene with the "Scavenger’s Eye."
Perhaps he could find some clues missed by the police.
Yet, he found that the police were still on duty so late at night.
Thus, he had to return the way he came and gave up the plan.
Fang Cheng observed for a moment, several ideas flashing through his mind.
Then he walked toward the TV cabinet.
He reached into the bottom drawer and pulled out an iron box typically used for storing donkey-hide gelatin.
Upon opening the box, a black pistol and a butterfly knife were laying inside.
These were the spoils of war he got from killing the man in black.
"Black Demon Pistol, semi-automatic, 7.62mm caliber, compact and lightweight, low recoil, stable shooting, high accuracy, capable of rapid-fire to injure the enemy, suitable for beginners, equipped with a ten-round magazine."
Fang Cheng’s gaze sharpened as he picked up the pistol and recited silently.
He had specially made an excuse to call his uncle, who was familiar with firearms, to inquire about this pistol’s specific parameters and how to use it.
Fang Cheng quietly released the trigger safety.
Then, he gripped the handle with both hands, half-squinting his left eye, and aimed at the portrait on the wall calendar.
He had a vague feeling that by pulling the trigger, he could shoot bullets and hit the target.
But he didn’t press down.
After aiming for a while and trying out the feel, he put it back into the box.
Shooting was indeed a good self-defense skill.
But it wasn’t suitable for learning in the current environment.
If trouble did come knocking one day.
He would never submit without a fight.
In addition to relying on his Kung Fu, he must also use the weapons at hand to inflict maximum damage on the enemy.
Thinking of this, Fang Cheng picked up the blade suitable for close combat.
The exquisitely designed titanium alloy butterfly knife instantly flipped open, twirling around his fingertip and spinning several times.
This skill of opening and closing the knife looked fancy, and practicing it could easily cut one’s own fingers.
However, Fang Cheng possessed the "Knife Flower" effect, which allowed him to progress quickly when learning to use dagger-type weapons.
Even one might say he was self-taught.
He flicked the Butterfly Knife with a quick forehand opening.
His eyes, however, stared straight ahead intently.
A figure in black, who should have been dead, startlingly appeared at the entrance.
It was the "Hunter" he had fought before at Shijima Gorou’s villa.
After Spirit Attribute reached 20 points, the imaginary enemies that Fang Cheng created seemed more realistic than ever.
He could even feel the opponent’s slightly tense breathing and the cold murderous intent flashing in their eyes.
"Good, just like that..."
Fang Cheng muttered softly, his gaze focused.
His right foot suddenly pushed off the ground, and he sprang forward with his left, closing the distance between them in an instant.
With the sound of friction against the floor, he advanced with a Step Stabbing Blade, taking the initiative to attack.
The blades of two identical Butterfly Knives collided, cold light flickering as they struck against each other.
The black-clad figure blocked the attack with his knife and quickly changed his move, sliding his blade up, aiming for Fang Cheng’s wrist.
Fang Cheng slightly twisted his body, turning the forehand spin of his knife to a backhand upward slash, using offense as defense.
The black-clad figure feinted and stepped back to avoid the attack.
Fang Cheng then launched a series of continuous strikes.
Lunging step with a thrust, bow step with a reverse thrust, forward grip horizontal slash to the abdomen, backhand horizontal slash to the abdomen, backhand upward slash.
Although his Blade Technique was inferior to his opponent’s, he had the advantage in nimble footwork and quick reflexes.
Even in dangerous situations, he was able to rely on his physical quality to overpower and forcefully turn the situation around.
The harsh blade suddenly swept across his shoulder.
Fang Cheng, becoming overly eager for success, gave the crafty and tricky black-clad figure an opportunity and got slashed.
If this were a real fight, although not fatal, bleeding and injury would have been inevitable.
Fang Cheng steadied his stance and took a deep breath.
His eyes locked onto the black-clad figure standing opposite him, and he suddenly had an epiphany.
In close-quarter combat with short weapons, victory often hinged on a single attack.
No matter how fierce or dominant the early aggression, it was meaningless.
In such close-range battles, the one who finds a breakthrough first is the one who will survive.
Short by an inch, risk by an inch.
A hair’s breadth can be the difference between life and death!
Realizing this, Fang Cheng’s eyes calmed, and he said in a low voice:
"If I can kill you once, I can kill you twice!"
Then, his figure flickered as he re-engaged in the short weapon combat.
This time, he didn’t just attack blindly.
Instead, he tried to incorporate feints, body movement variations, and other factors into his Blade Technique.
At first, he could only imitate the black-clad figure’s moves and routines.
Gradually, he began to produce brilliant and unorthodox moves spontaneously.
Even the boxing footwork, leg techniques, and Jujitsu Body Technique he had mastered began to merge into his own style.
Feint with a raised leg, horizontal slash to the throat.
Bending down to dive, backhanded stab to the abdomen.
Sweeping Leg combined with Step Stabbing Blade, forward grip upward slash with a turn and a side kick...
His moves became more varied and proficient.
Until he developed a rhythm of his own.
A stab broke through the guard and suceeded in penetrating the opponent’s chest.
The black-clad figure vanished into the air like a burst bubble.
[Congratulations, through diligent practice and initial comprehension, you have successfully mastered a weapon skill]
[Unlocked Skill: Blade Technique lv0 (0/100)]
Looking at the notification that appeared before him, Fang Cheng’s lips curled into a smirk.
This unorthodox Air Attack practice brought him an exhilarating sense of experiencing life and death.
When he later saw the small print reminder at the bottom of the panel, his heart tightened.
With a total of 25 skill slots, unlocking a new skill now left only 3 slots remaining.
Considering this, Fang Cheng flicked his wrist to sheathe his knife, without rest he turned and threw himself into learning foreign languages during the evening self-study.