Chapter 1
Book 1 Chapter 1 - Time Machine
Screech!
The shrill screeching caused by braking resulted in the friction between the tyres and the road sounded right in front of the city’s most popular ‘Black Leopard Bar’. The jeep that belonged to Team 7 of the army’s special unit, regarded as the best of the best, suddenly stopped.
Amid the cheers and laughter, Xiang Shaolong and his three teammates grabbed the grills and jumped down from the car. After three months of intensive training in body and warfare in the Gobi desert, they finally have three days of leave. If they do not thoroughly enjoy life now, they would be letting down their parents who gave birth to them.
Xiang Shaolong is twenty this year. His skin glowed with a healthy tan because of his long hours under the sun. He may not be considered a handsome young man, but with his height nearing 2 meters, broad shoulders, trim waist and long legs, firm muscles with not an inch of excess fat, agile and smart eyes, pencil straight nose, perfectly rounded cheekbones, square face, matched with a lazy smile that seems to flirt with women, he definitely has the qualities that will pique the interest of any girl.
Just as they were about to enter, there was chaos and a mess of bodies landed on the ground amidst claps and curses. It was their team mates Xiao Zhang and Man Niu (Stubborn Cow) who came earlier being thrown out of the door and landing in a heap. They were groaning to get up and although this is usually a very simple act, but now to these two top agents of the special unit, it’s a very difficult task.
The expression on the four’s faces changed and they rushed forward to help the two of them up. Rhino, who has a growth on his forehead, exclaimed, "How many people?"
This question is very logical. Xiao Zhang and Man Niu, like them, belong to Team 7 Special Unit. They are picked amongst the best in the whole army to receive special training as a crack team, and specialized in handling all kinds of dangerous situations like anti-terrorists missions, entering hostile countries to carry out a.s.sa.s.sination attempts or saving lives, protecting important political people etc. Their training includes the use of various weapons, unarmed combat, resistance training, survival training, various spying techniques, in fact the aim is to train them into becoming supermen. Even ten odd brawny men may not be able to harm even a single hair on them.
But since other teams have always been jealous of them, they find it an honor if they are able to take down members of Team 7. So it’s quite normal for fights to break out whenever they’re on leave and having drinks, but this is the first time that they have actually been thrown out of the door.
Xiao Zhang regained some of his senses, opened his bruised eyes and when he saw it’s Xiang Shaolong helping him up, he exclaimed with joy, "Brother Long, go and back us up quickly!"
Everyone in the team addressed Xiang Shaolong as Brother Long, not because he’s older, but because he’s the sharp shooter of the team, champion of freestyle boxing, and the fittest among them.
Man Niu panted and pointed towards the inside of the bar and said, "It’s Team 841’s instructor Black Faced Deity, he actually had the guts to hara.s.s our ice beauty."
The four of them flew into a rage. Ice beauty Zheng Cuizhi is the secretary of their team’s instructor, so how can they allow other teams to touch her when none of them have managed to woo her?
Xiang Shaolong’s hands started itching once he thinks about fighting, so he puffed up his chest and shouted, "Help them in and let me how off my skills!" With that, he led them into the bar.
The s.p.a.cious bar was filled with smoke and the noises and music deafening. Half of the crowd was from the army or police and foreigners and civilians numbered only about thirty. It was crowded and the mood spirited.
They had just appeared at the door when the bar suddenly became quiet.
The well built and muscular Black Faced Deity and about a dozen of his men were wearing civilian clothing and drinking and laughing with a few s.e.xily clad ladies. Black Faced Diety was holding Ice beauty Zheng Cuizhi by her tiny waist and when she saw Xiang Shaolong, who usually ignored her coming in, she deliberately turned her sultry body towards Black Faced Deity and even kissed his cheek.
Black Faced Deity saw Xiang Shaolong and his face shone. He moved his hands lower towards Zheng Cuizhi’s voluptuous b.u.t.t and slapped it twice, saying with a smile, "One against one, or everyone charge!"
There’s an unwritten rule in the army, which is all fights are to be fought only with fists, unless there’s some great enmity, or if blinded by rage, they will not use things that can hurt like knives or broken bottles, in case things get out of hand and they get apprehended by the military police.
Xiang Shaolong saw the queen of the bar Zhou Xiangmei leaning against the table and looking at him with a smile and felt a boost of bravado. He replied with a smile, "Against someone like you, it doesn’t really matter to me. Up to you."
Everyone in the bar, regardless of male or female, all cheered and added fuel to the flame, the atmosphere reaching a burning high.
Xiao Zhang moved to his side and warned with a low voice, "Be careful! That fellow’s extremely good."
Someone shrieked with a strange voice, "Someone’s afraid!"
The onlookers watching the show laughed even harder.
Man Niu walked over as well and whispered, "That two men Black Faced Deity are the best two champion boxers at the local martial arts school. They are prepared for a fight today with the intent of making us lose face."
Xiang Shaolong noticed the two murderous looking men long ago. ‘Taking note of your surroundings’ is the second rule out of the seven in the special task force. The first rule is ‘to be well prepared’ and the third is ‘remain calm’. This is exactly what he is going to do now. He instructed quietly, "Tell them to stay clear, I’m confident of settling those three alone."
By now Black Faced Deity has removed his jacket and handed it to ice beauty. He took two steps forward and said coldly, "Xiang Shaolong! I’ve put up with you for a long time. The last time you injured dozens of my men at the Wild Cat Karaoke, today I will settle those old scores with you."
Xiang Shaolong told his five friends to stand back and spread out, and he took two steps forward as well and were within four paces of Black Faced Deity. He called out calmly to the bartender, "Give me some fresh milk, I need to quench my thirst after I deal with this Black Faced Deity."
This sentence immediately caused a roar of laughter from everyone.
Someone from Black Faced Deity’s group called out, "This lad is going to use his strength for drinking milk as well."
Black Faced Deity leaned towards the left and made a fake move, while he deviously kicked with his leg, aiming at the position 5 inches above Xiang Shaolong’s calf.
Xiang Shaolong moved to the side and avoided the attack effortlessly.
When the crowd saw that they’re finally fighting, the started cheering and adding fuel to fire.
Black Faced Deity roared and rushed forward with the speed of lightning, crouched when he got near and both his fists struck out towards the chest. Xiang Shaolong took another step back and avoided the enemy’s fists.
When the crowd saw that he’s only dodging but not retaliating, they jeered. Black Faced Deity’s men also ridiculed him loudly.
Black Faced Deity thought that Xiang Shaolong is afraid of him and became even more conceited. He suddenly stuck out his middle finger and taking advantage of his lead, rushed forward and aimed a punch at his nose.
Xiang Shaolong was thinking to himself how good that he’s coming. When the fist was only a few inches from his nose, he suddenly stumbled backwards, as if that punch has thrown him far back.
The crowd went mad