Fight Club

The next day after school, Chen Shang opened PushBlog and found that all the media headlines were about "Jin Yuchuang absconding in fear of punishment, currently missing." However, the real whereabouts of Jin Yuchuang were probably only known to those people from "The Visitors of the Dead."

With the incident of Jin Yuchuang resolved, Chen Shang suddenly felt a rare sense of leisure. At the very least, he could allow himself a brief respite before planning his next move.

"I've made up my mind! I'm joining a club!" Chen Shang exclaimed, striking his fist into his palm with determination.

To be honest, joining a high school club wouldn't offer much help for the future. To go even further, studying at Night Pivot City was of little use at all. The conglomerates had already monopolized most resources, so even if an ordinary student managed to get into a top-tier 985 university, they would merely become slightly more refined fuel for the machine.

The reason this game even had a "school arc" was not to make players seriously study, but to build a stage for the protagonist to pursue beautiful girls. Uptown High School offered over thirty clubs to choose from, each with a female character the player could pursue. If a player wanted to interact with a female character from the "school arc," they simply had to join the corresponding club to trigger a series of events related to her.

Even clubs that seemed entirely unrelated to romance—like the anime club, notorious as a haven for reclusive nerds—had an adorable bespectacled card-game girl waiting for the player to win her heart.

"It's a pity… If this game had been developed according to the original vision, it would surely have won the award for 'Most Conscientious Game of the Year'..." Recalling those countless nights of burning the midnight oil writing scripts, Chen Shang could only sigh at the hardships of life.

He had long lost interest in the female characters one could pursue; his main reason for joining a club was that the school required every student to participate in one, or else the teachers would call them in for a "chat." On the other hand, joining a club early in the game allowed players to quickly improve their personal stats.

Uptown High School’s club application period was during the first week of the semester, but today was already Friday of the second week—well past the deadline. Most clubs were no longer accepting new members, with only a rare few exceptions...

The door bearing the sign "Fight Club" was slowly pushed open, and Chen Shang poked his head inside.

It was a training hall of nearly a hundred square meters, the floor covered with rubber tiles. Around the edges were punching bags, glove racks, and various training equipment, with a square ring occupying the center.

Everywhere he looked were robust men; not a single girl could be seen. Some students wore loose T-shirts and shorts as they trained, while others had stripped to the waist, displaying their toned, muscular physiques.

"Hey there, want to check out our Fight Club?" A senior wearing headgear and with bandaged fists approached Chen Shang.

"No need for a tour," Chen Shang shook his head, addressing the senior with gravity, "I’m here to join you!"

At those words, the senior looked as if he’d heard miraculous news and immediately dashed toward the locker room, shouting, "President! President! We’ve got a new recruit!"

Normally, players might assume the club president would turn out to be a cool, martial-arts beauty—after all, the game boasted “a romanceable character in every club.”

However…

"Oh, wonderful! Welcome, welcome!"

Before long, a man nearly two meters tall with the build of a gorilla strode out of the locker room, a pair of gloves swinging from his waist, thumping as he walked. This club truly was devoid of any girls, and the president was the very definition of a man’s man.

Teenage boys weren’t keen to join a club with not a single girl and such a tense atmosphere, and girls were even less inclined to spend time with a bunch of violent guys obsessed with fighting. As a result, the club had struggled for new members, so seeing a newcomer made them ecstatic.

The gorilla-like president reached out a hand to Chen Shang and said, "My surname’s Lie, I’m a senior, and president of the Fight Club!"

"Pleased to meet you. I’m Chen Shang," he replied, taking the president’s hand.

After a brief handshake, President Lie asked, "You look fit—been working out lately?"

"No, just good genes," Chen Shang replied modestly.

He owed his physique to the beginner’s gene serum awarded by the Collapse Core.

"Since you’ve joined us, the seniors here will help you train hard! And if you hit a plateau, you can come to me for one-on-one coaching! Hahaha!"

President Lie gave Chen Shang’s back a hearty slap and laughed boisterously.

"Thank you, I look forward to it," Chen Shang said with a crooked smile, signing the club application form with gusto.

His reason for joining this club was simple: he could learn martial arts here.

In this game, every action a player took could generate a “skill”—even “wiping a sword” counted.

And if a skill reached a certain proficiency, the player would unlock special abilities.

For example, when Chen Shang orchestrated Jin Yuchuang’s downfall, he gained the [Fraudster] skill. By the time he finished the job the previous night, his [Fraudster] proficiency had reached "LV2," unlocking the special ability "Lie."

This ability allowed him to remain calm when lying, preventing him from giving away too many tells or micro-expressions.

Since Chen Shang intended to keep stirring up trouble in this world, he needed some hard skills to back him up—at the very least, he had to develop a few fighting techniques and train his body, or he’d get killed with a single punch sooner or later.

He had considered joining the Kendo Club or the Fitness Club, but those clubs were never short of members and wouldn’t accept a latecomer in the second week of term.

Before long, the senior who’d greeted him came over carrying a bulging plastic bag.

"Here—you’ve got gloves, bandages, and some protective gear. Every member gets these! If you need anything else, I’ll take you to the storeroom later!"

The Fight Club was especially enthusiastic with newcomers, fearful they might quit and run.

"Thanks," Chen Shang accepted the bag, dutifully wrapped his hands with the bandages, and put on the gloves.

Then the senior said, "I’ll run you through training today."

"Thanks for your help," Chen Shang replied cheerfully.

After a brief warm-up, the senior led him over to a punching bag.

"Everyone in our club specializes in different martial arts—like I practice boxing, and the president does wrestling."

He patted the bag and continued, "Let me show you a couple of basic moves! Watch closely!"

With that, he set his feet apart, bent his back slightly, and raised his arms in front of his chest, ready to strike.

A moment later, his waist twisted rapidly, his fist driven forward by his hips and shoulders, landing a solid thump on the bag.

[You have received guidance from another. Skill acquired: "Boxing." Proficiency +2.]

A notification appeared before Chen Shang’s eyes.

"Remember, the key to boxing is in the hips and waist. Let me demonstrate a few more times..." the senior explained, launching into an enthusiastic lecture.

Bang—

Suddenly, the training hall door was flung open. At the sound, everyone turned to look: a female student in traditional Japanese kendo attire had entered, her wooden clogs tapping crisply on the floor.

She wore her long, jet-black hair in a hime cut, gathered at the back so it hung to her waist.

At first glance, she gave off the impression of an icy beauty, but a closer look would reveal a subtle contempt and elegance in her gaze, the sort nobles cast upon commoners.

"Bring out your president and let’s have a match!" she demanded, her tone bordering on a command.

Immediately, all the club members gathered around.

Seeing the visitor, the senior stopped instructing Chen Shang and grinned, "That crazy girl’s back! We’re in for a good show!"

With that, he hurried off to join the crowd, leaving Chen Shang behind.

"So, she’s here again..." Chen Shang narrowed his eyes, not particularly surprised.

He turned away, unfazed, and mirrored the senior’s motion, throwing a punch at the bag.

[Skill "Boxing" proficiency +2.]