Celestial Human Diagram-Chapter 52 - 43: The Second Invitation

Chen Chuan thought for a moment, then unlocked the door and stepped aside. "Please come in, Senior Brother." At that moment, Luo Kaiyuan suddenly spoke up. "If you need any help, just let me know."

Chen Chuan gave him a surprised look, nodded, and said with genuine gratitude, "Thanks, Luo."

The senior, however, acted as if he hadn’t heard their exchange. With a faint smile, he followed Chen Chuan into the dorm room.

Chen Chuan first gestured for him to sit down and poured him a glass of water before taking a seat across from him. "I don’t believe I know your name, Senior Brother?" he asked.

The senior smiled. "Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Yu Ruzhi, a second-year student from the Wrestling Takedown Department."

’A senior from the Wrestling Takedown Department?’

Chen Chuan sized him up. He really couldn’t tell from his physique. Someone like Zhongwu, on the other hand, you could tell was from the Wrestling Takedown Department at a single glance.

’But Wrestling Takedown has many disciplines, accommodating all sorts of physiques, even smaller ones, so it isn’t that strange.’ He then asked, "What brings you here, Senior Brother Yu?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Senior Brother Yu maintained his gentle smile. "Are you under the impression I’m here to settle a score, Chen?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. Your every action during the exam was in accordance with the rules, Chen. That is undeniable, so no one is going to hold it against you. The real reason I’m here today is to invite you to join the Mutual Aid Association."

Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough last time. Let me give you a formal reply now, Senior Brother: I have no interest in accepting any sponsorship from the Mutual Aid Association."

Yu Ruzhi chuckled. "Chen, I didn’t say anything about sponsoring you this time. I’m here simply to invite you to join the Mutual Aid Association." He raised a hand, gesturing for him to wait. "Don’t be in such a hurry to refuse. Why don’t you let me tell you what you’ll gain by joining? You can give me your answer after you’ve heard me out."

He looked at Chen Chuan and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "First, Chen, you must understand that one doesn’t become a master fighter by training casually. That’s the path of a common street-gym brawler. Someone who truly aspires to achieve greatness in this field must undergo focused, systematic training.

"This kind of training is important. Critically important." As he spoke, he repeated the point for emphasis, his voice carrying a strange, profound undertone.

"You might say that the school has its own instructors and advisors. But do they truly understand you? They just teach based on their own past experiences, using themselves as a blueprint. Even with all the modern assistive methods, their approach still falls short in many ways. Sometimes, it’s the slightest deviation that keeps you from realizing your full potential, preventing you from reaching the heights you were meant to achieve."

Here, his tone grew heavy with emphasis. "And the Mutual Aid Association can help you achieve that."

Chen Chuan said, "Oh? Is the Mutual Aid Association really that powerful?"

Yu Ruzhi said with great confidence, "Of course. The reach and resources of the Mutual Aid Association are beyond your imagination. If you join, we’ll give you a comprehensive physical examination and custom-tailor a training regimen for you. We’ll help you build your own unique fighting style, and we can also provide all kinds of supplements to aid your training.

"And that’s just for now. In the future, after you graduate, we can recommend you to Molan Company if you perform well. The current Deputy Head of Security at Molan, Cui Hong, rose to that position with our support. And that’s a company that’s a major player even in Central City. I don’t have to spell out what that means for your future."

Chen Chuan thought for a moment. "I have a question. Why me?"

Yu Ruzhi said, "Actually, you’re not the only one we’ve approached, Chen. This year, and in years past, we extend an invitation to every student who shows potential."

He smiled again. "From your performance in the exam, Chen, it’s clear you’ve mastered a Breathing Technique. And unlike others, you didn’t train in fighting from a young age, which is quite rare. An ordinary person would have found it difficult to endure that kind of pain without prior conditioning. But you did it, and you rightfully earned the strength to compete with the other assessed students.

That makes you valuable ahead of schedule.

"Forgive me for being blunt and using the word ’value,’ but a person can be measured by their worth. And just like any asset, that worth can depreciate."

He stared intently at Chen Chuan, as if to pressure him. "You’ve gained this power by overdrawing on your potential, but that’s a debt that must be repaid, sooner or later. What awaits you in just a few years are injuries and physical decline, or even worse...

"It might happen even sooner than you think. Many A-class students haven’t even started their training. But once they begin practicing the Breathing Technique, they’ll catch up to you quickly. The advantage you hold right now will completely vanish."

"Is that so?" Hearing this, Chen Chuan was suddenly intrigued. "Senior Brother Yu, are you saying there’s a way to compensate for that overdrawn potential?"

"Of course!" Yu Ruzhi’s answer was unequivocal. Sensing Chen Chuan’s interest, he explained enthusiastically:

"Certain pharmaceuticals produced by companies in Central City can restore your potential and repair the damage. However, not only are these drugs astronomically expensive, they’re also considered contraband outside of Central City. Only the Mutual Aid Association has the channels to acquire them. And we can promise that the moment you join, you’ll get access to them."

When Chen Chuan remained silent, he added, "Of course, if you’re not comfortable with the idea of pharmaceuticals, there are other options. For example... Implants."

Hearing this, Chen Chuan couldn’t help but look at him, repeating the word, "Implants?"

Yu Ruzhi said, "You may or may not have heard of them. They’re a type of biologically cultivated organism—military-grade biological implants that can grant you superhuman strength in an instant."

Chen Chuan asked, "In that case, if they were implanted into an ordinary person, could you instantly create a top-tier combatant?"

Yu Ruzhi shook his head. "It doesn’t work like that. The power an Implant can exert depends on the host’s capacity to bear it. The higher a person’s upper limit, the greater the power they can wield. That’s why a strong physical foundation is essential."

Chen Chuan fell into contemplative silence.

Yu Ruzhi waited a moment longer before speaking again. "I’ve said quite a bit. I wonder, what are your thoughts, Chen?"

Chen Chuan looked at him and refused without hesitation. "I appreciate the Mutual Aid Association’s kind offer, but I prefer to walk my own path."

"So that’s your answer? I understand."

Yu Ruzhi maintained his polite and gentle demeanor, seemingly unfazed by Chen Chuan’s rejection.

He took out a Name Card, placed it on the table, and stood up. With a smile, he said, "If you change your mind, Chen, you can find us anytime. Ah, and by the way, Fighting Skill is more than just a skill, and the world isn’t as simple as you think. I look forward to seeing you again. Oh, and no need to see me out."

With that, he nodded at Chen Chuan and walked out. Once in the hallway, he gave a meaningful smile before pulling the door closed behind him.

Chen Chuan thought for a moment. ’Yu Ruzhi’s parting words... he seemed so certain that I would eventually go to them. Is it some kind of scheme? Or is there another reason?’

He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down at the campus. Lights were on all across the School Office grounds, with the administrative building and the streetlights ringing the lake shining particularly bright.

’Yu Ruzhi had promised a great deal, but it would all undoubtedly come at an even greater price. The entire reason he’d come here to study fighting was to be free of constraints, to allow himself to reach greater heights.’

He looked up at the few stars visible through the clouds. ’After all, no matter how brightly the lights on the ground may shine, how can they possibly compare to the vastness of the heavens?’

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