On March 11, 2011, the citizens of Taipei perceived the city's transformation: streets teemed with soldiers searching every edifice. Broadcasting vehicles traversed back and forth, incessantly relaying evacuation notices. Factories ceased operations entirely. Schools suspended classes. To avert panic, everyone remained in place, awaiting evacuation.
At this moment, within a grand Taekwondo dojang in Taipei City...
"You claim you wish to challenge our dojang?" The head instructor, towering nearly two meters tall with an intimidating musculature, laughed almost to the point of collapsing onto the floor. Several hundred surrounding students chuckled as well.
"Is there an issue?" inquired the dark-haired youth standing before him.
"Seeing as you are merely a child, I shall overlook your impertinent disruption!" The instructor composed his features, speaking with authority.
"In principle, I am not here to challenge the dojang. I simply desire your assistance with a matter, yet observing your physiques, it became evident that verbal communication would prove futile," the youth removed his jacket, folded it neatly, and placed it aside.
"You are insulting our martial way. Persist, and I shall genuinely resort to force, lad," the instructor remained reluctant to engage with a minor.
"Adults are inherently benighted, invariably assessing an opponent's strength based on physique and age. Disregarding my request, is that not an insult towards me? Allow me to rectify your flawed perception..." As he spoke, the youth crouched low, inhaled softly, and delivered a straight punch to the ground. The tatami flooring trembled as if struck by an earthquake. Everyone present was as shaken as the floor itself!
"Your credentials are high; I cannot deny it," the instructor finally addressed him with due seriousness.
"So, may we commence?" The youth rose, assuming a combat stance.
"Certainly, however, like yourself, I too have a condition," an idea suddenly struck the instructor. "Should I lose, we shall assist you with your matter. Should you lose, you remain here as my disciple!"
Everyone was once again astounded.
"Master, you intend to accept this arrogant whelp?" A nondescript young man in his twenties rushed forward to object.
"In my eyes, he resembles an unpolished gemstone..." the instructor remarked wistfully. "Any master martial artist would covet such a disciple to inherit their legacy. As the eldest disciple, you must treat your junior martial brother well, understand?"
"Do not be overly sanguine; the victor remains undetermined. Perhaps you shall soon regret your pledge..." the youth smirked.
"Lad, curtail your arrogance! Master is a three-time All-Taiwan Taekwondo champion, having mentored countless disciples!" the young man clamored.
"How do you wish to proceed?" The instructor motioned for his disciple to step back, addressing the youth.
"No regulations; until one party concedes!"
"Excellent!" the instructor exclaimed, adopting an opening stance.
"Masters of your caliber invariably feign expertise, compelling others to initiate. Yet, were I to move first, you would lack even the opportunity to retaliate..." the youth stated frigidly.
"Since you assert thus, I shall dispense with pleasantries!" The instructor's temperament mirrored his martial art: direct. Devoid of deference or pretense. He charged towards the youth.
A potent roundhouse kick targeted his head.
A simple right-hand block deflected the assault. Yet, discerning observers noted both were affected. The instructor's lowered leg trembled faintly. The youth, too, shifted half a step sideways.
"Lad, I exerted merely thirty percent of my strength. Are you managing?" The instructor subtly massaged his right foot against the floor.
"Conserving strength?" the youth retorted disdainfully. "On a battlefield, you would have perished ten times over by now. A single strike from me suffices to conclude everything..." He retracted his right hand behind his back, gesturing 'proceed' with only his left.
Everyone present, including the instructor, bristled with indignation.
"Lad, though you possess talent and I cherish potential, your extreme arrogance precludes significant achievement," the instructor, face flushed, launched another attack.
"Alas, arrogance requires substance..." the youth sighed.
Another roundhouse kick, blocked. Capitalizing on the momentum, a side kick, blocked. A reverse side kick, blocked. Retreating a step, a high axe kick, blocked...
The frequency of attacks escalated, movements growing increasingly fluid. The instructor's heart grew progressively anxious, the force behind his kicks unknowingly reaching maximum intensity.
"Concise movements, substantial power. Truly commendable, possessing such agility within a formidable two-meter frame. You remind me of someone," the youth smiled again.
"Indeed? He must be formidable?" Perspiring, the instructor ceased his assault. He was unwilling to concede, yet his legs trembled disobediently.
"Affirmative, yet he cannot surpass you..." the youth lowered his blocking left hand. "He relies upon enhanced equipment; you, however, genuinely explore the inherent power of the human body. You are strong."
"I wish to concede, yet you haven't attacked once. Though I recognize your prowess and acknowledge my misjudgment, hundreds of students observe. I cannot simply step down..." the instructor reassumed his opening stance.
"Are you aware?" the youth stated, "Truthfully, I too withheld my full strength moments ago. My apologies..." He executed a profound bow. "For insulting your martial way. Now, I shall exert my full power!"
Upon raising his head, the youth no longer projected an air of immaturity; the aura of a true adversary emanated, dominating the entire dojang.
The youth initiated his advance. His pace was unhurried, yet with each footfall, the floor vibrated.
"Ah!" Just as the instructor prepared to react, the youth halted his steps, raised his right leg high, and delivered an axe kick. Perhaps due to miscalculation, it failed to even graze a toe. As disciples behind prepared to jeer, the tatami flooring was forcefully fractured, a section flying between the instructor and the youth. The youth closed his eyes, turned sideways, and executed a simple straight punch. The solid floor was blasted clean through. The fist halted precisely one centimeter before the instructor's chest. The kinetic force had dissipated, yet the sheer power of the strike compelled him backward a step.
Everyone stood bewildered. The expansive dojang fell utterly silent, save for the sounds of respiration and heartbeats.
"Tomorrow, I shall contact you. Assemble all your personnel then. I shall not compel you towards nefarious deeds, merely wish to borrow your strength," the youth brushed off the flooring debris from his hand. Turning, he retrieved his jacket from the ground and proceeded towards the exit.
"Could... could you reveal by whom I was vanquished?" the instructor uttered.
"My designation?" The youth paused, contemplated, then replied, "That remains confidential, undisclosed. However, acquaintances refer to me as 36." With that, he exited through the main doors.
"36?" The instructor repeated the designation under his breath, again and again.
"What a troublesome assignment..." Exiting the dojang, 36 stretched languidly.
"Very well, approximately forty-odd establishments remain. It seems acceleration is necessary..." 36 chuckled, traversing an alley beside the dojang. However, matters did not unfold as smoothly as anticipated.
The young man who had spoken earlier, accompanied by twenty-odd burly students wielding wooden staves, obstructed his path.
"Do not presume departure is facile after challenging the dojang!" The young man struck the ground with his stave.
"Do you intend to invite me for a meal?" 36 jested.
"You are indeed formidable, yet that was merely single combat. Now, with our numbers, even ants can devour an elephant! We shall gnaw you to death today! Brothers, advance!" the young man commanded.
"You lack even the qualification to be considered ants..." Face grim, 36 advanced slowly.
Predictably, 36 emerged yawning from the opposite end of the alley, oriented himself, and proceeded towards the subsequent dojang.
Looking back into the alley, all individuals writhed upon the ground, while wrist-thick wooden staves lay uniformly fractured.
Simultaneously, on the serene campus of Taiwan University, a notice on the bulletin board captivated the attention of thousands – specifically, thousands of male students.
"Announcement: At 12 o'clock noon, in the primary lecture hall, a foreign history professor will personally conduct a lecture. All faculty and students are invited..." It was not the content of the announcement that enthralled the masses, but the photograph of the professor appended below. Attired in an immaculate white-collar suit ensemble, featuring a knee-length skirt revealing alluringly slender legs, her voluptuous figure accentuated the contours of her blouse. Complemented by an angelic visage, any man would struggle to refrain from indulging in fantasies.
"Heavens! Finally, someone arrives to rescue us from our tedious studies!" exclaimed some exhilarated students, gazing skyward.
The astute, however, disregarded these oblivious fools, briskly making their way towards the primary lecture hall. Though merely 8:00 AM, the throng of runners burgeoned steadily.
"Has our university invited external lecturers?" inquired a male professor in his forties to a fellow male history professor nearby.
"Who cares? The chancellor hasn't granted raises in years, while tuition fees perpetually escalate. Perhaps this is intended to console both the students and our fragile psyches? Hence, inviting an attractive professor to invigorate everyone's existence," the history professor elaborated excitedly.
"Indeed? Then perhaps we too should attend and glean insights from this colleague?"
"Precisely, we both teach history. Perchance we could even delve into historical 'unresolved issues' together?" With that, he also hastened towards the lecture hall.
As noon approached, a peculiar phenomenon manifested within the university: the cafeteria bustled solely with female students queuing for meals.
An auntie, having worked in the cafeteria for two or three years, remarked perplexedly, "What occasion is this? Where have those lads, usually ravenous as wolves, absconded to?"
A female student procuring her meal retorted disdainfully, "They have all transformed into lechers today; that reveals their true nature."
Constructed in 2008, the primary lecture hall could accommodate 20,000 individuals seated, or 30,000 including standing room. Initially funded by Chen Bian for his own speeches, it had subsequently been rented by popular superstars for concerts. Yet, never before had the hall witnessed a spectacle akin to today's.
'A sea of people' was an understatement. Throngs of students congested all sixteen entrances, while the interior pulsed with bodies. The hall, designed for 30,000, somehow accommodated 40,000.
Had Chen Bian witnessed this scene, recalling his own orations, he likely would have hemorrhaged from sheer indignation.
11:50 AM, in the lecture hall's preparation room...
"Merely borrowing your space briefly; no harm shall befall you," 24 was securing the hall administrator.
"Time to commence work..." With that, she smiled, patted his cheek gently, and entered the lecture hall.
Upon pushing open the doors, innumerable camera flashes erupted, reminiscent of a major film's press conference.
24 stood unfazed before the lectern. The hall remained clamorous. Gently gesturing 'hush' towards the microphone, the superb sound system relayed 24's signal to everyone.
Possessed by some unknown magic, everyone genuinely quieted down. An inexplicable urge to comply permeated each individual. Observing 24 today: still clad in the black white-collar attire depicted in the photograph. Her delicate features bore light makeup. Shoulder-length black hair was gathered into a simple ponytail, revealing the flawless contours of her face.
"I hadn't anticipated such a multitude attending the lecture; it's quite overwhelming," 24 smiled magnanimously.
For that single sentence, that one expression, everyone was utterly captivated...
"I assure you, you shall benefit profoundly..."