Chapter 1034: The Sinful Body
But Zhang Shan had no intention of giving up. His legs gradually shifted from kneeling to a squatting position as he roared and pushed upward with all his might.
Qiao Jiajin sensed something was wrong. He quickly tightened his grip around the other man's neck and pulled on Zhang Shan's arm with all his strength. He was certain that Zhang Shan could no longer breathe, yet the man still possessed astonishing power.
Despite his agonized screams, Zhang Shan slowly rose to his feet, carrying Qiao Jiajin's entire body with him.
Qiao Jiajin felt that Zhang Shan might suddenly slam him down to the ground. No matter who it was, they would be stunned for half a second by such a fall and instinctively let go.
At that moment, if the opponent executed a ground reversal, the outcome would be decided.
But he was no ordinary man after all. While still clamping his legs tightly around the other's neck, he hooked his ankles together and interlocked his fingers around Zhang Shan's arm.
This time, even if he was slammed to the ground, he absolutely would not let go. Moreover, he planned to use the force of the downward impact to dislocate the opponent's arm.
Come on, Zhang Shan. Qiao Jiajin thought silently. Since my own strength isn't enough, I'll borrow yours one more time.
But Zhang Shan clearly sensed the danger. After standing up with Qiao Jiajin, he didn't rush to slam him down. Instead, he struggled to move his feet and slowly turned his body.
Qiao Jiajin's legs were wrapped around the other man's neck, and his entire body was suspended horizontally in the air, making his sense of direction somewhat chaotic.
Before he could figure out what the opponent intended, he felt Zhang Shan's waist and abdomen suddenly tighten with force, and the man began spinning rapidly in place, carrying Qiao Jiajin's body.
Qiao Jiajin heard the wind whistling past his ears and suddenly understood what was happening.
But the moment he realized it, a white wall came flying toward his side.
So this was Zhang Shan's true tactic—he was going to slam Qiao Jiajin's head into the wall. This way, he could not only save his arm but also inflict heavy damage on his opponent.
Qiao Jiajin had no time to react. He surrendered everything to instinct and, at the critical moment, tucked his neck and lowered his head.
Fortunately, Zhang Shan had just adjusted his stance, and there was still some distance to the wall. Qiao Jiajin's lowering of his head narrowly avoided the wall. He felt something incredibly hard brush past the scalp at the back of his head, even taking a few strands of hair with it.
If he hadn't dodged that impact, his brains would probably have oozed out through every orifice on his face.
Before he could catch half a breath, the wind was still roaring in his ears. Zhang Shan spun again with tremendous force. This time, he was closer to the wall, clearly intending to smash Qiao Jiajin against it until he was dead.
With the distance so short, Qiao Jiajin knew that even lowering his head wouldn't save him this time.
So, as the white wall rushed toward his face, his instinct finally made him release Zhang Shan's arm and bring his hands up to shield his front.
*Thud!*
The sound of flesh colliding with stone echoed. Qiao Jiajin was practically hurled against the wall by brute force.
Before he could even cry out, he felt his back hit the ground, and the back of his head knocked against the floor as well. In an instant, his entire body was wracked with excruciating pain.
Although his arms had been crossed in front of him to absorb the impact, the force of the collision was immense, and his mind went completely blank for a second.
Qiao Jiajin didn't have time to think. He immediately rolled over, curled up to protect his head, and opened his eyes to look at Zhang Shan.
Zhang Shan, meanwhile, was far from comfortable. His entire face was flushed red. Clutching his newly freed arm, he staggered backward, coughing incessantly.
Both men knew that the other was now struggling to move, making this the best chance to win the fight. Yet neither could stand up.
Zhang Shan's impact had left Qiao Jiajin dizzy and his arms numb. Moreover, the dozens of seconds of intense struggle had exhausted them both. It was truly difficult now to deliver a finishing blow.
"Damn... you're something else, kid..." Zhang Shan said, rubbing his neck. "You almost had me..."
Qiao Jiajin let out a bitter laugh. He propped himself up on the ground, shifted his body, and sat down heavily.
"Big guy, you're really something," Qiao Jiajin said, leaning against the wall. "Lucky I never ran into an opponent like you on the streets, or I wouldn't be able to protect anyone."
"And lucky you're not just some ordinary thug," Zhang Shan replied. "Otherwise, there'd be no hope for the good people in this world."
"Haha..."
After speaking, Zhang Shan sat down cross-legged, as if he too needed to catch his breath.
Only a few meters separated them, each sitting on opposite sides. If there had been a bottle of wine on the floor, it would have looked like two old friends catching up.
Qiao Jiajin paused for a moment after hearing this. He looked up at the pitch-black sky, then said thoughtfully, "Big guy, sounds like you've met some bad people before."
"I'm not a good person myself," Zhang Shan said. "Hoodlum... have you ever killed anyone?"
"Me...?" Qiao Jiajin seriously considered the question, then shook his head. "I don't know. Even when I fight, I always hold back, focusing on taking people down quickly and avoiding vital points. But when there are too many people fighting, someone's bound to pull out a knife. Even though I've never killed anyone, it's possible that someone I knocked down might have died from it."
"Damn, that sounds like a bizarre life," Zhang Shan replied with a laugh. "Your description sounds like you were born on a battlefield."
"Something like that," Qiao Jiajin answered.
"But I've killed people before." Zhang Shan changed the subject. "I don't know what era you're from, but in our time, killing someone was a serious matter."
"It's serious in any era," Qiao Jiajin said. "It has nothing to do with the law... that person was a human being, after all. They had blood, flesh, thoughts, people they cared about, and convictions in their heart. I don't have a blood feud with anyone, so what right do I have to judge whether someone lives or dies?"
Zhang Shan seemed touched by Qiao Jiajin's words. He slowly lowered his head, as if some distant memory had invaded his mind. After a moment, he asked in a low voice, "Hoodlum, do you hate your own body?"
"What?"
"Have you ever, even for a moment... hated this body of yours that's like a weapon?" Zhang Shan said. "Or have you ever had a fleeting thought like, 'If only I were an ordinary person'?"
"Come to think of it, I've hated my own body too," Qiao Jiajin said with a smile. "But I hate that I'm not strong enough. I hate that I'm not a 'Terminator.'"
"Damn." Zhang Shan grinned. "That's a strange way to put it. You don't want to kill, yet you think you're not strong enough. Then what do you want to do if you become stronger?"
"To protect."
"Protect...?"
"This world is full of scars, but there's still so much to see," Qiao Jiajin said. "I'll stand in front of every crack and make sure my people don't get hurt."
Zhang Shan was silent for a few seconds, then said, "But there must be other ways to 'protect,' right? Does it have to be through fighting?"
"I don't know anything else. I only know how to fight. Whoever treats me well, I'll fight for them."
After hearing this, Zhang Shan's expression shifted several times. He felt that Qiao Jiajin and he lived in the same world, yet they seemed like completely different people.
It felt like the last can of beer left in the fridge.
Zhang Shan would say, "What a shame, there's only one left," while Qiao Jiajin would say, "Great, I still have one."
They viewed the same world from different perspectives, and before their eyes, it presented itself as two completely opposite pictures.