Chapter 28 Skill Transfer
The illness, like a receding flood, carried away the high fever and weakness, and also washed away some intangible things. As Wen Yu and Su Ran gradually recovered and stood once again under the constant, warm light of the fortress, a kind of ice that had once stood between them, called "examination" and "distance," seemed to quietly melt away, turning into a gentler yet deeper current, silently permeating every inch of their daily lives.
After recovering from his illness, Su Ran seemed calmer than before, but the occasional glint in his eyes was even brighter and more determined. That serious illness made him realize that in this perilous post-apocalyptic world, culinary skills, farming, and life wisdom alone were not enough.
He needed strength, the ability to protect himself, and even to share Wen Yu's burden when necessary. He didn't say it aloud, but Wen Yu could tell.
The defensive battles of the fortress, the constant external threats, and the sudden serious illness also changed Wen Yu's thinking. Su Ran was no longer an "outsider" whom he needed to be constantly wary of, but an indispensable part of this fortress, a companion he could entrust with a certain degree of trust.
Therefore, companions need to have the corresponding abilities, not only inside the fortress, but also in the possibility of self-preservation or even joint operations in worse situations.
Thus, a systematic and silent "teaching" began in the spacious and sturdy underground training room of the fortress. This space was reserved by Wenyu in the early stages of the renovation. It was equipped with shock-absorbing and non-slip floor mats, adjustable lighting and ventilation equipment, simple physical training equipment arranged along one wall, and various cold weapon training models and targets hanging on the other side.
Stepping into this place for the first time, Su Ran was a little nervous. He was wearing the slightly altered dark gray training uniform that Wen Yu had found for him; the soft fabric clung to his slender but no longer frail figure. His black hair was tied back in a small bun with a simple hair tie, revealing his smooth forehead and graceful neck. He stood at the doorway, watching Wen Yu with his back to him, taking two unsharpened short swords from the weapon rack.
Wen Yu wore a matching vest and training pants. The muscle lines of his arms and shoulders stretched and contracted with his movements, smooth and full of power, as if sculpted from marble under the cool white lights.
"Come here." Wen Yu turned around and handed him a short knife. His voice was calm and emotionless, but it made Su Ran's heart skip a beat.
Su Ran took the knife; it felt heavy in his hand, and the cool metallic touch made his fingertips tremble slightly. He took a deep breath, walked up to Wen Yu, and looked up at him, his clear eyes reflecting the other's calm face.
"In the apocalypse, when you encounter unavoidable close combat, weapons are the last resort, but the body is fundamental." Wen Yu did not immediately teach the moves, but started from the most basics, "First practice your stance, your breathing, and how to maintain balance and alertness while moving."
He demonstrated a basic alert stance: feet staggered, knees slightly bent, center of gravity lowered, back straight, short knife held in front of him, eyes looking straight ahead, peripheral vision scanning the surroundings. This stance is not flashy, but it is as steady as a rock, carrying the agility of a cheetah ready to strike or dodge at any moment.
Su Ran watched carefully, then tried to imitate. His movements were initially stiff, either his center of gravity was too high or his feet felt unsteady. Wen Yu didn't urge him, but simply walked to his side, reached out, and gently patted his lower back: "Here, tense, but not stiff, it's the axis." He then tapped Su Ran's heel with his toes, "Lower your center of gravity a little, on the balls of your feet."
His fingertips, through the thin training clothes, touched Su Ran's waist, the roughness of the calluses carrying an undeniable strength. Su Ran's body trembled slightly, not from pain, but from the unfamiliar yet distinct thrill brought on by the touch. He quickly adjusted himself as Wen Yu instructed, a faint blush creeping up his ears.
Wen Yu seemed oblivious, took two steps back, examined his posture, and nodded: "Hold this position for five minutes. Feel the pressure on every part of your body, adjust your breathing, make it deep and steady."
Five minutes was a unique kind of torture for Su Ran, who was used to the meticulous work in the kitchen and sunroom. His muscles quickly began to ache, his breathing became uneven, and sweat seeped from his forehead, sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto the mat. But he pursed his lips, his eyes focused, and remained motionless, simply trying to feel and control every part of his body as Wen Yu had instructed.
Wen Yu stood to the side, his gaze fixed on Su Ran's slightly sweaty profile. Beneath the young man's tied-up hair, the back of his neck was fair and slender, its graceful lines taut from exertion. Sweat soaked the back of his training uniform collar, clinging to his skin, vaguely revealing the shape of his slender yet resilient shoulder blades.
His long eyelashes drooped, casting soft shadows beneath his eyelids. Tiny beads of sweat clung to the tip of his nose, trembling gently with each breath. He was clearly struggling, yet he remained silent; only his tightly pursed, bloodless lips betrayed his determination.
Wen Yu's gaze lingered for a moment on his sweaty nape and tightly pursed lips before shifting to the wall clock.
As time ticked by, Su Ran's body began to tremble slightly, but he maintained his initial posture. Only a few strands of hair, damp with sweat and clinging to his forehead, swayed gently with his slightly rapid breathing.
"Time's up," Wen Yu said.
Su Ran seemed to have been freed from a spell; his body relaxed, and he almost lost his balance, staggering slightly. Wen Yu subconsciously took half a step forward, reaching out to support his arm, his fingertips touching warm, slightly trembling skin. "Move around a bit, walk slowly," he said, withdrawing his hand, his voice devoid of emotion.
Su Ran gasped for breath, stretching her stiff joints. Her face was flushed an unnatural red from the exercise and lack of oxygen, but her eyes were bright as she looked at Wen Yu: "Mr. Wen, am I... am I standing in the right place?"
"Your basics are good," Wen Yu commented, handing him a dry towel. "Remember how you felt just now. Stand there for ten minutes each morning and evening from now on."
Next came footwork. Wen Yu taught him how to move sideways, forward, and backward with small, quick steps while maintaining a alert posture, and how to use the power of his feet and core to turn or start instantly. These movements required a higher level of coordination and core strength. Su Ran studied very diligently, but his body seemed a little uncooperative, often moving his hands and feet in unison, or losing his balance when turning.
Wen Yu was not impatient; he simply demonstrated repeatedly, breaking down the movements and pointing out the problems. When he demonstrated the sideways movement, his body was lowered, like a silent shadow gliding by. The muscle lines under his training clothes rose and fell with the movement, full of fluid power.
Su Ran's gaze unconsciously followed his movements, looking at his broad shoulders, lean waist, and long, powerful legs... It wasn't until Wen Yu finished his movements and turned to look at him that he suddenly snapped out of his daze, hurriedly looked away, his cheeks burning. He quickly lowered his head to imitate him, but because of his panic, his movements became even more clumsy.
"Look at me, look at my feet and waist, don't look anywhere else." Wen Yu's voice rang out above him, carrying a hint of barely perceptible helplessness.
Su Ran's face flushed even more. He responded softly, forcing himself to focus on Wen Yu's movements. This time, he watched more carefully and imitated him more diligently. Sweat soaked through his training clothes, outlining his slender yet gradually developing physique.
He failed time and time again, corrected himself again and again, gritted his teeth, and remained silent. But whenever he glanced at Wen Yu demonstrating the movements, he would quickly look away like a startled deer when the other looked over, leaving his ear tips slightly red.
Besides teaching him basic combat skills, Wen Yu also began to teach him weapon maintenance. In another well-equipped workshop, Wen Yu disassembled his compound bow, crossbow, and several commonly used knives, laying them out on a workbench covered with a soft cloth. He gestured for Su Ran to come closer.
"Weapons are partners; regular maintenance is essential to ensure they don't fail you in critical moments." Wen Yu picked up the bow limbs of the compound bow and carefully wiped every inch of the surface with a special cleaner and a soft cloth. His movements were skilled and gentle, as if he were handling a living object.
His fingers were long and strong, with noticeable calluses on the fingertips and the base of his thumb. When he touched the cold metal and composite materials, he did so with a peculiar focus and... appreciation.
Su Ran stood very close and could smell the faint, cool scent emanating from Wen Yu, a mixture of sweat, metal, and cleaning agents. He watched as those hands, with their distinct knuckles and fine scars, moved with incredible dexterity, deftly disassembling, cleaning, oiling, and reassembling.
Wen Yu's voice calmly explained the name, function, maintenance points, and troubleshooting methods for each component. His voice was not loud, but his enunciation was clear and his logic was rigorous.
Su Ran listened intently, his eyes fixed on Wen Yu's hands, trying to memorize every step and key point. He would occasionally ask questions, such as why this particular oil couldn't be used on that knife, or the approximate torque of a certain screw. Wen Yu would provide brief answers, a barely perceptible glimmer of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
After explaining, Wen Yu handed a well-maintained dagger to Su Ran: "Try it. Start by cleaning the blade."
Su Ran took the dagger and, imitating him, first used a soft cloth to dust off the surface dust, then dipped it in a little maintenance oil and carefully and gently wiped it from the back of the blade to the edge, from the blade to the guard.
Unlike Wen Yu's fingers, which were covered in calluses, his fingers were slender and fair, and his movements were slightly clumsy, but he was exceptionally serious and focused. His long eyelashes drooped down, casting a small shadow beside his straight nose, and his lips were unconsciously pursed slightly, as if he were performing a sacred ritual.
Wen Yu leaned against the tool cabinet next to him, his arms crossed. His gaze fell on Su Ran's hands as he carefully wiped the dagger, then slowly moved upwards, sweeping over Su Ran's fuzzy hair illuminated by the light, his slightly reddened ears, and finally settling on Su Ran's lowered, focused profile.
The studio was brightly lit, clearly illuminating the fine downy hairs on Su Ran's face and his cheekbones, slightly flushed from exertion. His skin, a cool, pale white that rarely sees sunlight, now shone with a warm, lustrous sheen under the focused, yellow light, like the finest mutton-fat jade.
As Wen Yu watched, a small pebble was thrown into the deep pool of his heart, creating tiny ripples. This Su Ran learns things incredibly quickly, and possesses an almost obsessive seriousness.
Whether it's the monotonous physical stance training or the meticulous maintenance of weapons, he can quickly grasp the essentials and put in tremendous effort to master them. This learning ability and willpower are qualities more valuable than talent in the apocalypse.
Moreover… Wen Yu's gaze involuntarily fell back to Su Ran's slightly parted, pale lips. They were slightly pursed because of her focus, and her lower lip was unconsciously bitten by her white teeth, leaving a faint mark.
Wen Yu's Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly as he looked away.
In the days that followed, training became a regular part of the fortress's schedule. It included basic combat skills, weapons maintenance, physical training, and instruction in wilderness survival skills—how to find water, orient oneself, set traps, and treat common injuries and illnesses, among other things.
Su Ran was like a dry sponge, greedily absorbing all knowledge. He studied diligently, and his progress was visible to the naked eye. His posture became more and more stable, and his steps gradually became more agile. Although his strength was still insufficient, his skills and reaction speed improved rapidly.
His weapon maintenance skills became increasingly proficient, and he could even change the bowstring of a compound bow independently. He not only took notes on the survival tips Wen Yu had shared, but also combined that knowledge with his work while tending plants in the sunroom and preparing ingredients in the kitchen to come up with new ideas, such as the possibility that the juice of a certain wild grass might have anti-inflammatory properties, or that specific parts of a certain insect were rich in a particular nutrient.
While teaching, Wen Yu often gained new perspectives from this "student." Su Ran's thinking was more refined, focusing more on details and the recycling of resources. Sometimes, her proposed alternative methods, though not "standard," were exceptionally ingenious and practical. Their mutual learning and teaching was more like a silent, in-depth collaborative exploration.
In this daily close contact and silent observation, some things have already quietly changed. Su Ran still subconsciously pays attention to Wen Yu's every movement demonstration. When he looks over, she habitually blushes and her heart races, then she hurriedly looks away, pretending to practice seriously.
When Wen Yu was correcting Su Ran's movements and explaining the key points, his gaze would always unconsciously sweep over Su Ran's sweat-dampened forehead, his flushed cheeks, his trembling eyelashes, or his hands, whose knuckles were slightly white from exertion but which were unusually steady.
However, they all tacitly refrained from saying it aloud. It was as if those occasional glances that crossed their eyes, those breaths that were so close together, and those unavoidable, brief, and restrained physical contacts during teaching were simply a normal part of training.
Outside the fortress, the insect plague lingers, the heat and humidity persist, and danger lurks. Inside the fortress, the sweat and panting in the training room, the oil stains and metallic sheen in the workshop, the whispers and focused gazes during knowledge transfer... all intertwine to create a new daily routine, brimming with the spirit of growth and silent excitement.