Chapter 35: Sharpening the Spear at the Last Minute

After cleaning up the paper ash and the bowl, I returned to my room. Lying in bed, I recalled An Mingshan’s words, feeling deeply moved. I hadn't realized that she refrained from dressing up simply to save money on jewelry and cosmetics. I knew her so-called traditional Chinese medicine regimen was actually based on her own interpretation of the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon; it was half-understood and largely ineffective. I thought to myself that even if she had bought jewelry and cosmetics, I wouldn't have blamed her. After all, I couldn't have people saying I was so destitute I couldn't even afford a piece of jewelry for her. It was a matter of face, and that could not be overlooked.

The next day, February 13th, at Suiyiju.

Early in the morning, An Mingshan called out to me from downstairs, breakfast already prepared. As I put on my clothes, a letter and an identification document fell out of my pocket. The ID was for An Mingshan; everything remained the same except her title had been changed to "Investigator." I re-read the letter, which instructed me to treat her as an investigator and to teach her how to use a firearm, as well as how to draw and utilize talismans. Because her role as the Assistant to the Director was known only to the Bureau Chief, the Board of Directors, and other high-level personnel—and I was usually the one to reveal my credentials—the other members of the Paranormal Bureau were unaware of her status, knowing only that such a person existed. Besides, An Mingshan appeared so gentle and delicate; without learning a few skills, I feared she would struggle to protect herself. In this Paranormal Bureau, where strength is the measure of a person, one cannot survive without a specialized skill.

I went downstairs and explained the situation to her. She didn't say much, merely nodding in agreement. After breakfast, I swapped her ID and returned the original to the Bureau Chief. I took her to the Paranormal Bureau’s training grounds and taught her, step-by-step, how to use a pistol and handcuffs. As for the talismans, I had explained the basics to her during those five months, and she had practiced drawing a few, but without any paranormal events to test them, she hadn't delved deeper. Thus, I took her to the training range for intensive target practice.

The training grounds were located in an open area nearby, fully equipped and strictly secured, which gave me peace of mind.

Three days later, February 16th, 8:30 AM, in the Bureau Chief’s office.

The Chief asked, "An'an, how has Shucheng been teaching you?"

An Mingshan replied, "I have the basics down now."

I added, "In her last training session, the results were: three shots in the eight-ring, five in the nine-ring, and two in the ten-ring."

The Chief asked, "Is that true?"

I said, "Of course. I recorded it accurately. Besides, look who her teacher is. I honestly didn't expect An'an to have such a natural talent for marksmanship; she mastered the techniques in just a few days. I’m almost embarrassed by her progress. Chief, you see? The recruit I’m bringing up isn't as useless as some people claim, is she?"

The Chief remarked, "So you realize you're inferior to her? I thought you hadn't noticed. Fine, you both leave now!"

I asked, "Just like that?"

The Chief countered, "What else? What do you want?"

I said, "We’re going on a life-or-death mission, not a vacation, so..."

The Chief asked, "What are you implying?"

I gestured toward An Mingshan. She asked, "Why are you pointing at me? What about me?"

I rubbed my hands together, giving the Chief a look that said, "You know what I mean."

The Chief produced a Type 92 semi-automatic pistol and said, "I’ve had this ready for you. Take it. This is your sidearm from now on."

I said, "There's more..."

The Chief brought out three magazines and said, "Three magazines, fully loaded."

I said, "There's more..."

An Mingshan grew impatient. "We have the gun and the ammo, don't push your luck!"

I explained, "The gun license! The gun license! I handed mine in when I went undercover, and An'an doesn't have one yet. If we don't have permits and get arrested as criminals, what are you going to do then?"

The Chief replied, "Fine, I'll contact the other side. Wait for my call."

Afterward, I took An Mingshan back to the training grounds to continue practicing.

An Mingshan asked, "When is your older brother's wedding?"

I answered, "In two days, February 18th. Friday the 13th of this month was an unlucky day."

She asked, "You believe in that?"

I said, "As the saying goes, 'better safe than sorry.' Of course I believe it. Though, I believe in it not out of superstition, but out of caution."

"Is there a difference?" she asked.

"Certainly," I replied.

"Where is the difference? Look, another ten-ring," she noted.

I couldn't think of an answer on the spot, so I said, "The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. You must realize it slowly for yourself."

An Mingshan scoffed, "Pfft, if you don't know, just say so. Don't try to bluff me with that talk."

I hurriedly changed the subject. "Are you going to the wedding?"

"Why would I go?" she asked. "Look, another ten-ring."

"It's the Chief's wish," I said.

An Mingshan snapped, "Stop using the Chief to pressure me! Look what you've done, you distracted me and I missed the target!"

I said, "You're already doing very well. Unlike me, it took a whole week to hit a ten-ring."

"Really?" she asked.

"Would I lie? Look!" I took the gun from her and fired six shots, all hitting the ten-ring.

"I didn't realize you four-eyes had such good aim," she remarked.

I said, "I wasn't even looking at the target; I was aiming with my heart. When the target is in your heart, you can hit it without even looking."

"Oh," she said, "so that means... you just got lucky!"

I said, "No, how could that be luck? As they say, 'practice makes perfect, and diligence leads to mastery.' You have to practice constantly to improve." Just then, the Chief called, telling us to come to his office.

Reader Q&A.
Question: Mr. Author, which is more important: offense or defense?
Answer: Defense is clearly more important. The Chinese character for "martial" (wu) explains it all: it is formed by the radicals for "stop" and "weapon," meaning to put an end to conflict. Defense stops the opponent's attack. "To subdue the enemy without fighting" is the true essence of martial arts.