Chapter Ninety-Nine: Damn It, I Am Not a Foot Fetishist

"Secret martial arts? What are those?"
Seeing Liu Zong's bewildered expression, Yuan Ying broke into a smile. "So there are finally things even you don't know."
"That's because the captain doesn't know the origins of his own inheritance," Lena's voice sounded behind them at that moment.
Liu Zong turned to look—not only had Lena come over, but Xu Ying had appeared nearby as well. He shrugged and said, "I heard there was some trouble here, so I came to check it out. But I didn't expect you not to know what secret martial arts are. Your luck must be off the charts."
Liu Zong glanced at Xu Ying, seeming to agree with his explanation, but Xu Ying shook his head helplessly. "I really can't explain it to you. Everything I've learned is from the sect, not secret martial arts."
"Let me explain," Lena said with a smile. "Actually, 'secret martial arts' is just a term. They're techniques developed by players above Level 2 or Level 3, who extract certain skill traits from their class, combine them with breathing and meditation methods, and teach them as martial arts in the real world.
These martial arts carry some characteristics of the class itself. When practitioners train, their own attributes are influenced and gradually shift to suit that particular class.
Later, when these practitioners want to choose a class, it becomes much easier for them—sometimes even allowing for mass class adoption.
Of course, secret martial arts aren't class skills; they're a player's understanding of their class, a reflection of their wisdom. Not every player can create their own secret martial arts, nor can everyone learn them.
Most secret martial arts are passed down within families. It's normal for the captain not to know, but what I don't understand is how he could possess secret martial arts himself."
Seeing their curious expressions, Liu Zong realized their interest had been piqued and knew he couldn't avoid it any longer. He explained, "I didn't know what I was learning was secret martial arts. When I was very young, for some reason, a fragment of a soul attached itself to mine. At first, I learned a set of boxing techniques from that soul fragment.
I practiced that boxing for over ten years before I achieved some mastery, and it was because of this that my attributes became compatible with both yin-type physical and magical power.
Later, without realizing it, I acquired a set of techniques for using polearms. I've been training in those ever since, but even now, I can't perform the opening move of the first technique.
As for the sand and wind moves, I noticed those patterns during certain quests and merged them into my spear skills—they seemed to work pretty well."
Hearing all this, the others glanced at each other, their eyes wide with shock.
They all knew about soul fragments—those were discovered from time to time. It wasn't uncommon for someone like Liu Zong to naturally possess secret martial arts.
If that was all, they'd just say Liu Zong was lucky and not be too surprised. But his mention of the polearm technique went far beyond their imagination.
Not only had Liu Zong failed to master even the opening move, but he was able to incorporate observed patterns into his skills at will. This was something no player below Level 4 could do. The soul fragment deep in Liu Zong's soul was almost certainly from a being above Level 5.
Whatever was left of that fragment, Liu Zong's path was clear: with his true name and foundational secret martial arts, Level 5 was only his starting point. He might even reach Level 6—a level never before seen on this planet.
Thinking this, their expressions toward Liu Zong changed. Lena lifted her foot, kicked off her shoe, bent down, and pulled off a white short sock, pressing it into Liu Zong's hand.
Blushing, she murmured, "I can't give you my underwear, but you can have this for now."
Looking at the warm sock in his hand, and at the odd expressions of Xu Ying and Yuan Ying, Liu Zong desperately wanted to shout, "I'm not a foot fetishist!"
But Lena had already slipped her shoe back on and hurried off toward the camp, leaving Liu Zong awkwardly holding the sock, uncertain whether to keep it or not.
In the end, Yuan Ying went off to search for food, Xu Ying graciously took on the task of protecting her, and Liu Zong could return to the camp to figure out what to do with the sock.
Liu Zong hurried back to the camp, head down, and placed the sock in Lena's tent.
No sooner had he set it down than Lena's voice came from behind him, "Is one sock not enough for you? Are you here to steal my underwear too?"
Sweat broke out on Liu Zong's forehead. Without turning, he replied, "Lena, that's enough. I've told you many times—I have no intention of taking your underwear."
"Then the captain must want mine," the voice behind him changed.
Liu Zong sensed something was off and turned around; it was Yuan Ying standing behind him, her arms loaded with food she'd already gathered in the blink of an eye.
When Liu Zong turned to face her, Yuan Ying's cheeks flushed, but she stepped forward, speaking softly, "If you don't like Lena's short socks, you can come to me—I wear long stockings."
With that, she blushed even deeper and darted away.
Liu Zong was left speechless. At that moment, he noticed Xu Ying watching him from nearby.
Liu Zong stepped up to him and said emphatically, "I'm not that kind of person, you have to believe me."
"I do believe you, and I understand why they're doing this," Xu Ying nodded. "Everyone can see the captain's potential. Whether it's family interests or personal motives, they all hope to get on your good side—and if they could become your girlfriend, all the better.
I think Lena started reading those novels with that goal in mind.
As for Yuan Ying, she didn't have such intentions at first—but now it's different. Judging by her reaction, she doesn't intend to lose to Lena."
Xu Ying smiled and added, "Captain, I believe in you. You have the potential to found a great family."
Liu Zong couldn't help but cry out, "It can't be like this! I'm only twenty-four—wait, I still... Hey, you're not playing fair, you can't leave me here alone. This is a battlefield!"
Watching Xu Ying busy himself off to the side, and feeling the occasional gaze from behind, Liu Zong's unease grew stronger than when a powerful hunter was stalking him.
What a nightmare—still on the battlefield, and suddenly everything's turned bizarre.