Chapter 1034: The Sinful Body

Zhang Shan didn't give up at all. His legs gradually shifted from kneeling to squatting as he roared and exerted upward force.

Qiao Jiajin sensed something was wrong and quickly tightened his grip around the other's neck, pulling hard on Zhang Shan's arm with all his strength. He was sure Zhang Shan couldn't breathe anymore, yet he still had an astonishing amount of power.

Although Zhang Shan was screaming in agony, he managed to slowly stand up while lifting Qiao Jiajin's entire body.

Qiao Jiajin felt that Zhang Shan might suddenly slam him down to the ground, which would daze anyone for half a second and make them let go. At that point, the other could counterattack on the ground, deciding the winner.

But Qiao Jiajin wasn't an ordinary person. After clamping down on the neck, he hooked his feet together behind and interlocked his fingers where he held the arms. This time, even if he was thrown to the ground, he absolutely couldn't let go. Instead, he'd use the downward force to dislocate the other's arm.

Come on, Zhang Shan, Qiao Jiajin thought to himself. Since my strength isn't enough, I'll borrow yours once more.

However, Zhang Shan clearly realized the danger. After standing up with Qiao Jiajin, he didn't rush to slam him down. Instead, he struggled to move his feet and slowly turned his body. With Qiao Jiajin's legs clamped around his neck, the whole person was lifted in a lying position, leaving him disoriented.

Before Qiao Jiajin could figure out what the other intended, he felt Zhang Shan's waist and abdomen suddenly tense as he spun rapidly in place while holding him. Qiao Jiajin heard the whooshing wind in his ears and instantly understood.

But in that very moment, a white wall came flying toward his side. This was Zhang Shan's real tactic—he planned to swing Qiao Jiajin's head into the wall, saving his arm while dealing a heavy blow.

Qiao Jiajin had no time to react and left everything to instinct, tucking his neck in at the last second to duck his head. Fortunately, Zhang Shan had just adjusted his position, so there was still some distance from before. Qiao Jiajin's ducking motion barely avoided the wall, and he felt something incredibly hard brush past the scalp of his back of the head, even pulling out a few hairs.

If he hadn't dodged that hit, his brains would probably have spilled out from every opening on his face.

Before he could catch his breath, the wind was still howling in his ears as Zhang Shan spun forcefully again, this time getting even closer to the wall, clearly intent on smashing Qiao Jiajin against it until he was dead. Since the distance was too close, Qiao Jiajin knew that ducking his head wouldn't help this time.

So, as the white wall hurtled toward his face, his instinct finally made him release Zhang Shan's arm and raise them to block in front of himself.

Thud!

The sound of flesh colliding with stone echoed as Qiao Jiajin was hurled by brute force into the wall. Before he could even cry out, his back hit the ground, and his head smacked the floor, sending waves of intense pain through his entire body. Although his arms had blocked the impact, the force was tremendous, leaving his mind blank for a second.

Qiao Jiajin didn't have time to think and immediately rolled over, curling up to protect his head before opening his eyes to look at Zhang Shan.

Zhang Shan wasn't in great shape either. His face was flushed red from holding his breath, and he retreated while cradling his newly freed arm, coughing uncontrollably. Both knew this was the best chance to win the fight, but neither could stand up.

The impact had left Qiao Jiajin dizzy and his arms numb. Plus, their intense struggle for dozens of seconds had drained their energy, making it tough to launch another attack.

"I... good kid..." Zhang Shan said, rubbing his neck. "You almost got me..."

Qiao Jiajin let out a bitter laugh and propped himself up on the ground, laboriously sitting down.

"Big guy, you're really something," Qiao Jiajin said, leaning against the wall. "Good thing I haven't run into an opponent like you on the streets, or I couldn't protect anyone."

"Good thing you're not just some ordinary thug," Zhang Shan said. "Otherwise, there'd be no place for good people in this world."

"Ha ha..."

After that, Zhang Shan sat down cross-legged, as if needing a breather. The two sat just a few meters apart, on opposite sides, like old friends catching up over drinks on the ground.

Qiao Jiajin paused for a moment, then looked up at the dark sky and said thoughtfully, "Big guy, it sounds like you've had some bad experiences with people."

"I'm no good person myself," Zhang Shan said. "Thug... have you ever killed anyone?"

"Me...?" Qiao Jiajin thought seriously about it before shaking his head. "I don't know. I always hold back in fights, focusing on taking them down quickly and avoiding vital spots. But when the numbers get big, someone might pull a knife. Even if I haven't killed anyone, the person I take down could die from it."

"I... that sounds like some wild story," Zhang Shan said with a laugh. "It's like you were born on a battlefield."

"Pretty much," Qiao Jiajin replied.

"But I've killed people," Zhang Shan said, changing the subject. "I don't know what era you're from, but in my time, killing was a big deal."

"It's a big deal in any era," Qiao Jiajin said. "It has nothing to do with the law... After all, the other person is human, with blood, flesh, thoughts, attachments, and convictions. I'm not in a deadly feud with anyone, so what right do I have to judge someone's life or death?"

Zhang Shan seemed touched by Qiao Jiajin's words and slowly lowered his head, as if overtaken by distant memories. After a moment, he asked in a low voice, "Thug, do you hate your own body?"

"What?"

"Have you ever, even for a moment, resented this body of yours that feels like a weapon? Or had a fleeting thought like, 'It'd be nice if I were just an ordinary person'?"

"Now that you mention it, I've hated my body too," Qiao Jiajin said with a smile. "But I hate that it's not strong enough. I hate that I can't become a 'terminator'."

"I..." Zhang Shan grinned. "What a weird way to put it. You don't want to kill, but you think you're not strong enough. So, what do you want to do by getting stronger?"

"Protect."

"Protect...?"

"This world is full of flaws, but there are still vast horizons waiting for us to see," Qiao Jiajin said. "I'll stand in front of all the cracks and protect my people from harm."

Zhang Shan was silent for a few seconds, then said, "But there are other ways to 'protect,' right? Does it have to be through fighting?"

"I don't know how to do anything else. I only know how to fight. I'll fight for whoever treats me well."

Zhang Shan listened, his expression shifting again. He felt that Qiao Jiajin and he were living in the same world, yet they were completely different people. It was like that last can of beer in the fridge. He would say, "What a shame, only one left," while Qiao Jiajin would say, "Great, I still have one." They viewed the same world from different angles, resulting in completely inverted pictures.