Chapter Twenty-Six: Perfection

Qin Ming left the shopping mall and walked onto the adjacent street, which happened to be within Niu Piaopiao's line of sight. Wang Chui and the others kept watch around him, alert for any unexpected developments.

"Wild Boar!" Spotting the beast ahead, Qin Ming didn't hesitate and lunged forward. In a single second, he crossed a hundred meters, arriving right in front of it.

Thud...!

His war blade struck the beast just behind its ear, but it didn't kill. "Not forceful enough," he muttered, testing his strength. One after another, savage beasts fell at his feet, each bearing several wounds upon their bodies.

Not far away, Yang Sanbao and Ma Decao chatted quietly. "That kid’s progress is remarkable. Every strike seems stronger than the last. In such a short time, he’s already mastered the anatomy of the wild boar—one slash, and he knows exactly how much force is needed to kill."

"Indeed, he’s a little monster!"

"A monster isn’t frightening. What’s frightening is when a monster works harder than ordinary people. I’m certain he’ll reach the rank of War God someday!"

"At eighteen, he’s already an Intermediate War General. War God? It’s practically guaranteed!"

The crescent moon turned overhead, and the night deepened.

Just after slaying a cat-beast, Qin Ming felt his wrist vibrate. Upon opening the device, Niu Piaopiao’s voice came through: "Qin, there’s a group of wild boars drawn to the left—over thirty of them. Retreat quickly!"

Wild boars, similar to their red-haired cousins, differed only in color—one black, one red. At a meter and a half tall, they were burly and fierce.

"Retreat now!" Wang Chui’s warning reached him as well.

"It’s only thirty, Uncle Wang, Sister Niu. I want to give it a try," Qin Ming licked his lips. "Once I finish them, I’ll rest!"

"Thirty...!" Wang Chui hesitated briefly, then agreed. "Alright. Even if things get dangerous, we’re here to support you. It shouldn’t be a problem. Qin Ming, be careful! Piaopiao, keep watch around us!"

"Understood!"

"Roger!"

Qin Ming advanced to meet the beasts head-on.

Little Ma followed behind, collecting materials from the slain creatures.

Wang Chui and Yang Santai flanked him on either side.

Xiong Tian’ao waited at the entrance to the shopping mall.

Thunderous hooves resounded.

Thirty wild boars, each weighing over a thousand kilograms, charged forward like an earthquake. As they surged together, it felt as if thousands of troops were advancing, and even Qin Ming couldn’t help but shiver.

"This is nothing—how could it scare me?" He steadied his gaze, suppressing his unease, and in an instant, plunged into the herd.

His speed reached one hundred and fifty meters per second, and his neural reactions were extraordinary.

His mind was taut; every step, every swing of his blade, achieved uncanny precision.

Thud...!

The blade flashed across a boar’s throat. He bent low, skimming the ground beneath another boar’s belly, slicing it open as he passed, deftly evading an attack from behind.

Qin Ming was now surrounded by the herd.

Attacks came from every direction.

Savage beasts—even low-level beast soldiers—possessed a certain intelligence, and coordinated their assaults.

Thud...!

No matter how swift Qin Ming was, surrounded by beasts, he inevitably took a hit—he felt the tusks of a boar graze his arm.

Fortunately, his battle suit protected him, leaving only pain.

"This won’t do!"

"The Subtle Movement technique only lets me control my strength, but when faced with attacks on all sides like a tidal wave, it’s no longer sufficient!"

Qin Ming realized the danger. Wild boars could strike three or four times in a split second; if he paused for even a moment, he’d be beset on all sides.

In the midst of peril, he remained calm.

In the distance, Wang Chui’s face showed concern.

"Chief, should we intervene?" Yang Santai asked via his smart wristwatch.

"Let’s wait a bit."

"But Chief, Qin Ming’s already taken seven or eight hits—I ache just watching!"

"No harm done. His battle suit can resist piercing blows; he’ll only feel pain. It’s a lesson for him: even a beast soldier-level savage beast poses mortal danger when one is surrounded. Wait—his movement seems to be improving...!"

"Could it be... Chief, is this the Perfect Movement technique? How is that possible?"

"Subtle Movement is about controlling one’s own strength, allowing precise evasion. But the Perfect Movement technique incorporates the environment, utilizing everything around to dodge and attack. Yang, look—his body shifted just now, placing him at a boar’s flank. Not only did he evade its strike, he also avoided the one beside it, and killed one in passing. That’s the essence of the Perfect Movement—using everything available, with the finesse of celestial shifts."

"Chief, you’re right, but he hasn’t fully mastered it yet!"

"Even so, it’s incredible! He must have triggered his potential in danger and gained insight into the Perfect Movement technique. Truly a monster!"

"Chief, I feel like banging my head against the wall!"

"Let’s do it together!"

Both men were deeply struck.

Their own movement skills were only at the Subtle level. Wang Chui himself had only just touched the threshold of the Perfect Movement technique after decades of life-and-death combat.

"Comparisons are odious!" Niu Piaopiao’s voice came through the smart wristwatch.

Wang Chui and Yang Santai were left speechless, staring at the sky.

As they had said, Qin Ming had temporarily entered the realm of the Perfect Movement technique.

His nocturnal battles served two purposes: to train his skills, and to fully master this technique.

The Perfect Movement technique, stripped to its fundamentals, meant unity of man and environment—perceiving everything around and calculating every motion.

The speed of the boar on the left, the force of its charge, its landing point; the angle of the boar leaping on the right, when it would hit the ground; the airflow stirred by the attacking boar behind, predicting its next move.

Qin Ming not only had to sense all this, but calculate with precision how to evade, how to inflict maximum damage with minimal effort.

Perception, precision, terrifying extrapolation, the most effective counterattack—all had to be accomplished in an instant.

This was the Perfect Movement technique.

Qin Ming immersed himself in it. In a blink, the area was cleared; he paused, emerging from the trance, and looked upon the field strewn with corpses, a smile spreading across his face.

"Ma, it’s yours now!" he said to Ma Decao, approaching. "I’m a bit exhausted."

"After two or three hours of nonstop fighting, and grasping the Perfect Movement technique, if you still had energy left, you’d be truly inhuman!" Ma Decao marveled.

"You, my boy, are a hidden dragon!" Wang Chui clapped Qin Ming on the shoulder. "Come, let’s rest!"

Qin Ming nodded.

Ma Decao and Yang Santai gathered the spoils.

After returning, they feasted under the bright moon, chatting with awe and admiration.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, Qin Ming awoke early and resumed his battles.

In the span of a morning, he slew fifty or sixty savage beasts, including two junior beast generals, and again entered the state of Perfect Movement.

Given time, he would surely master it completely.

After all, he had a foundation in the Arrow Step technique.

He rested at noon.

"Uncle Wang, how’s my progress?" Qin Ming asked.

"Not inferior to any of them!"

"Then Uncle Wang, let’s not waste any more time here. Let’s move forward and make a big push!"

"Hmm..."

"There’s no point in staying."

"Indeed, it’s meaningless now. Very well, at dusk, we’ll head to Zone 0289. There are plenty of general-level savage beasts there—perfect for us!"