章 94: There's Something Off About My Pokémon [94]
This half-month routine had built up his endurance visibly, if not his physique. For trainers, stamina was crucial, as both high-intensity training and strategizing in battles took serious physical tolls. Liu Shengnan's focus on endurance was no accident.
In fact, Liu Shengnan had intended to teach Lu Cheng a set of martial arts moves as well, but seeing his lanky frame, she decided to hold off until he finished the initial training. Not that it stopped him from finding his own way.
"Yixin Dojo," Lu Cheng murmured, reading the name above the doors of an older but well-maintained building.
With a swish, the dojo door slid open, and an unshaven Gao Minglang stepped out, stretching and yawning.
"Whoa!" Gao Minglang jumped at the sight of Lu Cheng, surprised. "What're you doing here so early?"
"I did tell you I was coming to the dojo today," Lu Cheng said with a sigh. "Plus, you open at seven. It's already almost nine."
Gao Minglang scratched his head sheepishly, chuckling. "Not many people come in for early morning training these days. Come on in!" he said, stepping aside to let Lu Cheng pass. Just as Lu Cheng moved forward, though, Gao Minglang placed a hand on his shoulder, face suddenly serious.
"Just a heads-up—no flirting with my daughter!"
"Uncle, seriously," Lu Cheng sighed, "I'm genuinely here to learn."
"Yeah, sure," Gao Minglang huffed, folding his arms. "Last time, you had both me and Lu-er completely fooled."
I didn't even do anything! Lu Cheng's eye twitched, but he was distracted by the rhythmic thuds coming from deeper inside the dojo.
"Oh, that's Gao Chi." Gao Minglang leaned against the doorframe, lighting a cigarette. "Kid gets up at six every morning for boxing practice."
Curious to see the dojo interior, Lu Cheng was about to peer inside when an irritated shout rang out.
"Dad! You're smoking again!"
"I could smell it from all the way over there!"
Barefoot and dressed in her karate uniform, Gao Lu came charging out, causing Gao Minglang to quickly stamp out his cigarette.
"Young people," Gao Minglang said, suddenly all sage wisdom, "shouldn't get into smoking, no matter what."
"I don't smoke," Lu Cheng replied blankly.
"Lu Cheng?" Gao Lu's eyes lit up when she saw him. Recognizing him as the new recruit she'd convinced to join, she flashed a sweet smile. "Welcome! You're here to learn karate, right?"
Lu Cheng nodded.
"Paid up already? We offer a five percent discount for upfront payments, you know!"
Discounts? Lu Cheng glanced over at Gao Minglang, who was very subtly trying to sneak away.
"Dad!" Gao Lu's tone sharpened, the air around her practically crackling with fury. She quickly slipped on her shoes and sprinted after him, shouting, "I figured out where you got the money for cigarettes—you've been stashing away cash!"
Shaking his head, Lu Cheng took off his shoes and headed inside.
There, he found Gao Chi in his spotless white karate uniform, punching a sandbag. Each hit was punctuated by a low grunt, while his Machop stood nearby, lifting barbells stacked with more weights than Lu Cheng would've thought possible.
"Lu Cheng?" Gao Chi turned, surprised to see him. He grabbed a towel from his shoulder and started wiping off sweat. "What're you doing here?"
"I'm here to learn karate," Lu Cheng said with a grin. "Already paid up and everything."
Gao Chi blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Really? No one told me."
Lu Cheng waved it off. "No worries. Go ahead and finish your training."
With a nod, Gao Chi resumed his precise routine of punches and kicks before moving on to the dumbbells.
Standing nearby, Lu Cheng watched Gao Chi's every move, absorbing the details. After half a month of training, Lu Cheng was no longer a complete gym novice. The subtle control in Gao Chi's movements, despite their simplicity, was something many personal trainers couldn't replicate.
While lifting weights, Gao Chi adjusted his breathing with each movement—a technique similar to the breathing methods Liu Shengnan had emphasized in Lu Cheng's training plan. After a solid half-hour workout, Gao Chi finally stopped.
By then, Gao Lu and Gao Minglang had also returned to the dojo.
"Son, make sure you give this kid some solid training," Gao Minglang said with a grin. "He went ahead and paid the full fee upfront, after all."
Gao Chi nodded as he wiped away sweat. "Got it, so it's a summer course," he said simply.
Although Lu Cheng had defeated Gao Chi at the U20 tournament, the awkwardness he'd expected didn't materialize. Gao Chi seamlessly transitioned into a coaching role, not even mentioning the match's outcome. Quiet as he was, Gao Chi's social skills weren't lacking.
"Let's start by testing your core strength with a few deadlifts on the equipment," Gao Chi said.
Lu Cheng nodded, instinctively beginning his warm-up stretches. Liu Shengnan had stressed the importance of warming up before any workout, and seeing Lu Cheng's routine, both Gao Chi and Gao Minglang nodded in approval. It was rare to see someone take warming up so seriously—some self-proclaimed gym buffs would jump straight to lifting, not realizing the damage this could do to their muscles.
After finishing a full warm-up, Lu Cheng approached the barbell, taking a deep breath. A 50-kilogram barbell posed no trouble for him. Gao Chi observed for a moment, then asked, "What's your max deadlift?"
Lu Cheng chuckled wryly. "Haven't really tested it yet."
Thanks to the system's buffs and his recent training, Lu Cheng's physical condition had improved drastically. At some gyms, he'd already be considered an advanced trainee.
Gao Chi nodded and began adding weight until they reached 60 kilograms, where Lu Cheng started to feel the strain. At 70 kilograms, his form finally wavered.
"Let's stop there," Gao Chi said, a faint smile appearing on his face.
He seemed quite satisfied with his new student. Many trainees struggled with such exercises due to low stamina, but Lu Cheng's condition suggested he would progress quickly in karate.
Gao Lu looked on in surprise—she hadn't expected someone as tall and slim as Lu Cheng to lift over 100 pounds. Gao Minglang, meanwhile, nodded approvingly.
Since Liu Shengnan wasn't around to coach Lu Cheng directly, most of his form and techniques were what he'd learned under Gao Minglang's guidance at the gym. That Lu Cheng could execute them so well was as much due to his coach's training as his own dedication.
Recalling Lu Cheng's determination while practicing Shadow Clone and training with his two Pokémon, Gao Minglang couldn't help but smile.
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット