Xia Lihua fought with speed and quick adjustments, constantly changing angles so she couldn't be predicted. Mr. Red fought in a steady and structured way. He remained firm and unshaken, taking hits and returning them with no wasted effort.
A sudden opening appeared when he overcommitted to a strike.
Xia Lihua seized it. She gave two strikes aimed at his midsection.
"Argh!" Mr. Red clutched his stomach. The strikes had done him more damage than he would admit. He quickly straightened himself, before retaliating.
A backhanded strike forced her to duck low, the air shifting violently above her as it passed. She rolled to the side, coming up with a kick aimed at destabilizing his stance, forcing him to step back.
"You're fast," Mr. Red said. He really had underestimated her and was starting to regret it.
It felt like he was circling a butterfly that carried poison. How could someone with such a lithe figure hit with so much power?
"You're predictable," Xia Lihua replied.
