The phone connected after two rings.
"Hello? Who's this?"
"Coach Zhang, it's me—Yogan."
"Ah! Yogan!" Zhang Lei's voice immediately warmed. "Kid, you were something else yesterday. I thought you'd show up at the gym today. What's going on? Skipping because of the monthly check-up? Afraid to come out?"
"No, Coach," Yogan replied. His tone was steady, direct. "I wanted to talk to you about something serious."
"Serious?"
"I want to sign up for a full-year membership. Starting tomorrow, I'll be at the gym every day after school for systematic training."
On the other end, silence. Zhang Lei had to pull the phone from his ear and stare at it. A high school student asking for a full-year system plan? That wasn't a whim.
"Are you sure?" he asked at last.
"I'm very sure." Yogan's voice carried a weight far beyond his age. "I need strength training, conditioning, and real fighting practice. I hope you can also line up sparring partners for me."
Zhang Lei remembered the boy's performance in the ring the night before—the ghost-like reaction speed, the textbook offense and defense. Combine that with systemized strength and conditioning, and… the kid's potential was unlimited. The explorer in Zhang Lei, the part of him that loved discovering raw talent, stirred with excitement.
"Well done," he laughed, "you've got ambition! Good. The training plan is on me. Use every piece of equipment you need, and I'll personally supervise you."
He paused, lowering his voice into something conspiratorial. "By the way, kid, want to try something even more exciting?"
"What?"
"Next weekend there's an underground fighting event in an abandoned factory in the southern suburbs. Unofficial but with good prize money. Win a match and you'll earn two thousand yuan. The opponents? Gym trainers, bodyguards, retired soldiers—real fighters. With your skills from yesterday, you could handle it. Do you have the guts to step in?"
Yogan's eyes lit up instantly. A real fight. This was exactly what he needed—and there was prize money, too.
"I dare," he said without hesitation. "Tell me the time and place!"
"Great! You've got guts." Zhang Lei's voice bubbled with approval. "It's a deal then. We'll see your real ability next week!"
Yogan clenched his fists as he hung up. He walked to the window, gazing at the sea of lights outside. The flame in his chest burned brighter than ever. The seed of his first pot of gold had been planted. His first real war was about to begin. The road to the top of the world lay under his feet.
---
A New Week
For most third-year students at High School No. 3, Monday meant more revision, more test papers, and the endless pressure of rankings.
For Yogan, it marked the start of a completely new life.
His world now had three pillars: school, the martial arts gym, and the stock market.
During the day at school, he behaved like any other student—attending classes, taking notes, sometimes even zoning out at his desk. But nobody knew that while his eyes stared blankly at the board, in his mind he was replaying classic fights from his previous life, analyzing tiny technical details over and over again.
When the final bell rang, he was always the first out of the school gate. Fifteen minutes on his old bicycle brought him to Zhenwei Martial Arts Gym right on time.
Waiting for him there was the "demon training" Zhang Lei had promised.
---
Zhang Lei's Assessment
The first day shattered Zhang Lei's assumptions.
He had thought Yogan was simply a quick, talented kid, but still a high schooler with no systematic training. Only when the real workouts began did he understand what kind of "monster" he had taken under his wing.
"Your core strength is too weak!"
"Thigh explosiveness is insufficient!"
"Your upper body is okay, but your endurance is terrible!"
By the end of the assessment, Zhang Lei's notebook was filled with red marks. Aside from excellent flexibility and coordination, all of Yogan's strength indicators were at the level of an ordinary, slightly skinny teenager.
"Kid, you're like a paper car with a high-end engine," Zhang Lei concluded bluntly. "Your reactions are fast, but without a stronger frame you'll fold at the first heavy blow. You won't win tough fights that way."
"I understand, Coach," Yogan replied calmly. "That's why I need your help."
He didn't sulk or argue. Instead, using the data from the tests, he adjusted Zhang Lei's plan to make it more precise and effective—something no other trainee had ever done.
---
The Demon Training Schedule
Monday became intense strength day: squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and endless cycling until his legs trembled.
Tuesday was explosiveness and speed: medicine balls, battle ropes, box jumps—drills that made his heart pound like a drum.
Wednesday targeted core and endurance: planks, sit-ups, long-distance runs, pushing his willpower to the breaking point.
Thursday and Friday focused on technique and reaction: pad work, footwork drills, and light sparring.
Weekends were for a brief rest and, soon, real combat.
Yogan never complained. He threw himself at the regimen with a near-masochistic enthusiasm.
---
A Gym's New Legend
Within days, the entire gym noticed him.
Other trainees would chat and drink water after finishing their sets. Yogan, alone, would pound the heavy bag, practicing the same strike hundreds—even thousands—of times.
While others grumbled about the exhausting strength circuits, he quietly added two more sets once Zhang Lei's back was turned.
More impressive was his mentality. Yogan would actively discuss technique with Zhang Lei, sometimes even pointing out flaws in the form of older trainees. He created his own nutritional plan, specifying which protein powder to drink after training and exactly how many grams of carbohydrate and protein he should consume at each meal.
When asked, he simply said he'd "looked it up online." But Zhang Lei couldn't shake the feeling that this kid was more than self-taught—he moved and spoke like an experienced coach with years of professional practice.
---
Visible Transformation
By the end of the week, Yogan's body had already begun to change.
His weight hadn't climbed much, but his muscles grew denser and more defined. The once-narrow shoulders started to shape into a clear V. More importantly, his strength and stamina skyrocketed.
Even the sound of his punches changed. At first it was a dull thud-thud against the heavy bag. Now it cracked through the gym like a whip—THUD! THUD!—sharp and heavy.
Zhang Lei often found himself grinning as he watched.
---
The Underground Arena
Saturday night arrived.
The abandoned Third Cement Plant in the southern suburbs loomed like a dark fortress. This was the venue Zhang Lei had mentioned—the underground fighting competition.
Inside, workers had cleared space and built a temporary square ring with thick ropes. Smoke curled upward. Voices boomed. The air was thick with the mingled scents of alcohol, sweat, and cheap cigarettes.
Hundreds of men crowded around the ring, some shouting, some placing bets, the atmosphere half-festival, half-brawl.
Zhang Lei led Yogan through a small back door behind the stage.
Yogan wore black gym shorts, his upper body bare. His lean yet defined physique made him look almost slender among the hulking men.
His appearance immediately provoked a wave of whistles and laughter.
"Damn it, Zhang Lei, where'd you find this high schooler?"
"Look at those skinny arms—he's here to hand out money!"
"Hey kid, go home and do your homework. This isn't your playground!"
The crowd jeered, but Yogan didn't flinch. He stepped closer to the ring, fists tightening and loosening rhythmically, eyes calm but burning.
This was exactly where he belonged.
His demon training had led to this moment. The first pot of gold, the first real war—everything began here.
---
With a deep breath, Yogan exhaled slowly. In his mind he replayed Zhang Lei's voice, the week's drills, every punch, every plank, every sprint. He felt the calluses on his knuckles, the ache in his legs, the hunger in his gut.
This was not just another fight.
It was the first brick in the road to the top.
And he intended to lay it with his own fists.
---
(End of Episode 4)
---