Chapter 34 - The Crying Woman
Basic Professional Skills.
Advanced Leg Techniques.
A hint of surprise flashed in Lu Yuan's eyes.
He didn't expect the Basic Leg Techniques to unlock the Advanced Leg Techniques after reaching level 5 and maxing out. It seemed reasonable.
The more he learned the middle-aged man's leg techniques, the more he felt that his sharp leg skills had already transcended the Basic Leg Techniques.
The word "Advanced" was a perfect description.
Lu Yuan looked at the Profession Panel again and found another surprise.
"When did I get attribute points?"
The original 0 in the usable attribute points section had become 1 at some point.
"Was it the max level reward for the Basic Leg Techniques?"
That was most likely it.
For a moment, Lu Yuan had the urge to use the skill point he had saved up to raise one of the other three level 4 Basic Skills to level 5 as well.
He resisted the urge firmly.
"I should rely on hard work for now. I'll use the point when I can't work hard anymore."
If it wasn't for the satisfactory effects shown by his core skill [Imaginary Enemy] so far, Lu Yuan would have regretted spending 1 skill point to improve the useless Basic Grappling back then.
Lu Yuan didn't have plans for the attribute point yet.
After taking a shower and changing in the locker room, Lu Yuan ended the intense special training for today.
As he walked out of the martial arts school gate, the sweat-drenched martial arts fanatic disappeared, and Lu Yuan became the quiet, handsome youth again.
The sun was still blazing hot at 5 pm in July.
Lu Yuan had agreed to meet Lin Zhiqin at 6, so he had to head back early.
He probably wouldn't make it home for dinner with the 30-minute bus ride.
Lu Yuan ate two bowls of beef noodles and three fried dough sticks at a restaurant next to the martial arts school.
The beef noodle soup was spicy with lots of chili peppers, tasty but burning hot for Lu Yuan.
There was no AC in the shop, just an old fan creaking away.
Lu Yuan was drenched in sweat again after the meal. He bought a bottle of icy water before leaving the restaurant.
While waiting at the bus stop across from the martial arts school, Lu Yuan saw it would be another 15 minutes until the next bus.
Just as he was debating whether to call Lin Zhiqin to pick him up at the school or meet a bit later, Lu Yuan spotted a familiar figure emerging from the Yuan Martial Arts School gate across the street.
It was Lin Zhiqin.
Delighted, Lu Yuan thought he wouldn't have to wait for the bus or be late now.
Just as he was about to cross the street to greet Lin Zhiqin, a figure darted past him and rushed straight at Lin Zhiqin.
"Coach Lin, Coach Lin!"
It was a woman in her fifties, wearing a faded yellow T-shirt and black pants with slippers.
She had a small sling bag and a black sun hat on her head.
She dashed up to Lin Zhiqin and blocked his way.
"Have you heard anything from my son Chen Yang these past couple days?"
Lin Zhiqin seemed to pause for a moment before shaking his head.
"No, Chen Yang hasn't contacted me since."
"Coach Lin, please help me find Chen Yang. It's been almost a month with no news," the woman clutched Lin Zhiqin's arm pleading desperately.
"I understand how you feel. I'm looking for Chen Yang too. But with him missing, there's nothing anyone can do. I've already spoken to my friend at the city police bureau in charge of this case. I'll inform you immediately if there's any news."
Lin Zhiqin patiently tried to reassure her.
"Coach Lin, do you think Chen Yang was kidnapped? I dream of him every day and night now. I dream he's locked in a dark little room, covered in blood, crying and telling me 'Mom, it hurts, save me.'"
"Coach Lin, please help me look for him again. I remember what that little room looks like. I'll take you there and we can look together."
Seeing the woman becoming increasingly frantic, Lin Zhiqin seemed to lose patience.
He shook off her arm, muttered an apology, and walked away quickly.
The woman took two steps after him before stopping and breaking down in tears.
Lu Yuan witnessed the entire scene.
He watched quietly as the woman cried for a while, then wiped her tears and left on a red electric bike, eyes still red.
She probably wasn't here for the first time.
Lu Yuan thought to himself as he followed in the direction Lin Zhiqin had left.
In the parking lot on the side of the martial arts school, Lu Yuan found Lin Zhiqin sitting in a black sedan, smoking.
Lin Zhiqin stared fixedly at the rearview mirror inside the driver's seat, as if looking at something, or thinking about something.
Lu Yuan walked over.
When he was still 10 meters away from the car, Lin Zhiqin suddenly turned his head.
"Is that you?"
Seeing it was Lu Yuan, Lin Zhiqin's expression immediately relaxed.
He casually closed the overhead rearview mirror and forced a smile on his face.
"How did you find your way to the martial arts school? Weren't we supposed to meet up and I'll pick you up?"
"I was training at the school today and happened to run into you when I was leaving," Lu Yuan replied.
Lin Zhiqin nodded and gestured for Lu Yuan to get in the car. "Let's go, I'll take you to get something to eat first."
"I've eaten already."
Lu Yuan got into the passenger seat.
Lin Zhiqin checked the time on his phone and said, "Then let's head over directly. We should arrive just in time."
"Aren't you going to eat, Coach?"
"No need."
Lin Zhiqin started the engine and the car slowly pulled out of the parking lot.
As they were passing the martial arts school entrance, Lu Yuan couldn't resist glancing over at where Lin Zhiqin had the altercation with the woman earlier. He asked, "Coach, who was that woman just now?"
"You saw that?"
Lin Zhiqin gave Lu Yuan a look, his expression turning slightly complicated.
"No point hiding it from you. She's the mother of that previous student of mine who went missing. He disappeared while out jogging one night over a month ago and never came back. It was because he went missing that I later approached Yang Jiandong and you."
"Missing?!"
Lu Yuan was especially sensitive to that word. He blurted out, "The major missing persons case these past two months?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhiqin nodded slightly.
"It's probably related to that case."
"Is the case really so difficult to crack? No clues at all?" Lu Yuan couldn't help but ask curiously.
He had just heard Lin Zhiqin mention having police friends.
Lin Zhiqin thought for a moment and replied, "It'll probably be solved soon. After two months, it must have attracted attention from the top. Once they send people down, it'll be resolved in a few days."
Lin Zhiqin's words and tone were very strange, as if he knew something and was certain that once the "higher-ups" he mentioned arrived, all problems would be easily solved.
Lu Yuan's doubts weren't really reduced, and he wanted to ask more. But he sensed Lin Zhiqin didn't want to continue on this topic, so he could only suppress his curiosity and sit quietly in the passenger seat without another word.