"Hey, why's he in the ring?"
"You're joking, right? He's… isn't he a medic?"
"Uh… with his build, if he gets hurt…"
Three days later, the military tournament grounds were packed. After watching a few qualifying matches, the soldiers who knew Xiang Nan were shocked to see him step into the arena, and they began murmuring among themselves.
The soldiers from other barracks also found it strange, quietly passing around the news.
Compared to the previous contestants, Xiang Nan didn't look like an elite soldier at all—neither his physique nor vibe matched. Learning he was only a "doctor" made everyone even more confused.
This tournament was no joke. The losers so far had all been carried out on stretchers.
Even the senior officers in the stands showed varied expressions.
Xiang Nan ignored the stares and the mocking glances. With his hands in his pockets, he stood relaxed in the center of the combat ring. The base was comprised of multiple units; Xiang Nan's was just one of them, so only some people recognized him. Looking around, he saw a sea of onlookers—at least a thousand soldiers had come to watch, all eager for the show.
"Someone from the medical unit is joining the hand-to-hand tournament? How'd they get a slot?"
"Monté could knock him down with one punch…"
"He should just surrender!"
Quite a few soldiers started yelling, clearly not expecting Xiang Nan to last long.
"Don't worry, I'm just here to make up the numbers, add a little fun," Xiang Nan called back with a smile. He glanced at the front rows, not minding the jeers. "I may look weak, but maybe I'll hold out longer than you think… Don't judge a book by its cover."
That only made people jeer louder.
"Monté! Show him who's boss—remind him this isn't a game!"
"Take off your glasses, doc… otherwise you'll be stumbling around blind once he shatters them."
"What are you talking about? If Monté lands a solid hit, this guy'll be out cold. It's an instant KO!"
"I bet he won't even last ten seconds… no, five!"
"I'll take three!"
Many of them were actually looking forward to him being humiliated. This was the kind of raw, bloody spectacle that got soldiers pumped up.
Those who knew Xiang Nan, including the medics on standby at ringside, felt awkward, unsure whether to cheer him on or not. The uproar was partly fueled by the fact that soldiers were allowed to place bets on match outcomes—it was one of the few forms of entertainment in the camp. Obviously, nobody was betting on Xiang Nan.
Just then, his opponent walked in: Monté, a towering figure over two meters tall, sporting muscle ridges that looked chiseled in stone. He strode forward heavily, his thick arms and legs reminiscent of a bear. He was notorious in the entire base for his fighting prowess.
They called him "Mountain Bear."
He had a square jaw and a pair of emotionless eyes—like a dead fish's. While approaching Xiang Nan, Monté casually crushed two pieces of stone in his hands, turning them into gravel with a slight clench of his fingers.
"Just forfeit now. Whatever your reason for entering, it's pointless against me," Monté said, peering down at the much smaller man. His thick lips parted in a bored tone. "Honestly, it's disappointing to have someone like you as my first match."
Xiang Nan wasn't short, but next to Monté, the difference was stark.
"Don't say that," Xiang Nan replied genially, "Just think of me as your warm-up, yeah? Show some dignity, big guy."
Monté snorted. "My superior told me to go easy on you, so I'm guessing you're the reason they rigged the brackets to start me off easy." His voice dripped with disdain.
"Heh." Xiang Nan chuckled softly but didn't deny it.
"But I'm known for being a troublemaker, and I don't always follow orders. If a clueless newbie like you wants to ruin this event, it's better I teach you a lesson," Monté said, crossing his thick arms. His knuckles cracked loudly, and a faint killing intent flickered in his eyes. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna kill you. Just make you suffer enough that you'll be laid up in bed for a while, like the other weaklings before you."
"Alright, then," Xiang Nan said calmly. He remained unfazed.
Over by the officers' seats, the commanding officer who'd allowed Xiang Nan to compete had a grim look on his face.
Moments later, with the blow of a whistle, the fight began.
Whoosh!
Monté's eyes opened wide. He swung his huge, basketball-sized palm at Xiang Nan's side with enough force that, judging by his size, a solid hit would've sent Xiang Nan flying several meters, likely breaking bones.
But Monté's aggressive motion also made him lurch forward. Before his blow even made contact—
Xiang Nan had already stepped in, slipping under Monté's chest.
Then, a swift, crisp slap rang out.
Before Monté's attack could land, he suddenly lost all strength in his limbs. His body went limp, and Xiang Nan walked right past him.
Thud!
Monté, eyes rolled back, collapsed to the ground unconscious.
"…"
For a moment, everyone in the crowd froze, mid-shout. Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, they seemed stuck in place.
What just happened?!
A one-hit knockout?
"Uh… sorry, looks like I won," Xiang Nan remarked with his hands still in his pockets, flashing a polite smile in all directions.
From the whistle until Monté's collapse, the onlookers only saw Monté start to swing—and Xiang Nan casually step forward. Then Monté just… dropped. They hadn't seen Xiang Nan do anything at all.
Stunned silence dominated the field. Even the officers in the VIP seats sucked in a breath.
This wasn't the outcome anyone expected.
"Did you catch that?" a short-haired man—another top fighter—asked his friend nearby.
"Yeah… from what I could tell, when Monté moved in, the doc stepped up and flicked his left hand at Monté's ear. Super fast. If you weren't watching carefully, you'd miss it."
He'd noticed Xiang Nan's arm whip out of his pocket like a viper, gone in a split second. Even with decent eyesight, it was just a blur.
"But Monté's physical stats are no worse than ours. He shouldn't go down from a single tap… so how'd that work?"
"I've got no idea…"
The crowd started to babble in confusion, and the referee rushed over to check on Monté.
"What the hell!?"
"Did he cheat?!
"
"This can't be right—Monté wouldn't lose so easily!"
Though Xiang Nan had clearly won, most people couldn't believe it. Medics hurried in with a stretcher as well.
Yawning, Xiang Nan spoke over the clamor, "Stop yelling and calm down." He raised one finger to his ear. "All I did was strike the ear cavity. A person's ear has something called the 'vestibular system.' A strong hit can shake the lymph fluid there, messing up the brain's balance signals and causing immediate fainting. The area around the ear has branches of the vagus nerve, too—same effect."
"No matter how huge you bulk up your muscles, you can't overcome basic physiology."
"Got it?"
He glanced down at the referee.
"Winner: Xiang Nan," the ref announced, swallowing nervously.
"Don't forget—I'm a doctor. I know your bodies better than you do," Xiang Nan declared, eyeing the still-dumbstruck soldiers nearby. Then, in one suave motion, he pushed up his glasses and strolled off the field, exuding a confident aura.
"…"