Quantum Cultivation, Jace Kang [heaven official's blessing novel english .TXT] 📗

years ago, and the original shocktroopers soon after. They can be easily recycled from user to user, since the AI’s nanotechnology can integrate it into anyone’s brain.”

“Well, I will have to think about this,” Ryusuke said. “Now Cultivate. After we eat and rest, Teppin will start teaching you in the afternoon.”

No sooner did she resume Cultivating than the newscast blared across the city.

“Citizens in the Ginkakuji area are advised to shelter in place due to thick fog. In other news, we have a missing person to report. Miss Aya Oyama, age eighteen, was last seen in her home in Central yesterday morning.”

Aya’s head jerked to the projected image.

Her image.

Everyone looked from it to her, and she swallowed hard.

“If you have any news of her whereabouts, please contact the Peacekeepers.”

Her stomach knotted. Was this just a coincidence? Or had the Ministry of Defense pieced together her identity through the fingerprints in her code already?

Chapter 22:

The Purebred

F acing off against Master Ryusuke, Ken shot in, grabbed the back of his knees and wedged a shoulder into his chest. The master tumbled back, and Ken scrabbled up and sat on his chest. Snake Entwines Twin Trunks to Turtle Suns on Log, Teppin had called the techniques; but in his study of twentieth century films, Ken knew it as a Double Leg Takedown to the Mount.

He looked over his shoulder to where Siena and Aya were practicing the same motion, both still in their Elestrae dresses, this time with Aya ending on top.

He’d kept a close eye on the XHuman as they resumed Cultivating, ate lunch, then Cultivated yet again. She’d been on edge ever since the newscast reporting her missing. She’d hoped it was her parents discovering the holoprojection of her in the room and reporting it to the Peacekeepers, and not the Ministry of Defense tracking her down after her narrow escape from the gunship’s EtherSpace.

Now, though, she’d regained her focus as she practiced, and like everything else that’d been taught over the last several days, she learned it quickly and perfectly. It just wasn’t fair.

“What do you do from the Turtle Suns on Log position?” Teppin asked, voice croaking like a frog.

“It depends on what my opponent does,” Ken answered.

“Correct.” Teppin splayed his webbed fingers. “If they reach up and grab you?”

Master Ryu’s hand shot forward and seized Ken’s collar. In response, Ken took hold of the master’s wrist with both hands, pivoted around and entrapped the arm between his legs. An arm bar, the ancients had called it, Boa Constricts Its Prey to Teppin. Leaning back, he looked over at Aya.

She executed the technique to perfection, so much more smoothly than him.  Was it because this was a Water Path? Or that as a XHuman, she was smarter? Or just that program in her head? A knot twisted in his gut.

“Good.” Teppin clapped his palms together. “Now repeat Snake Entwines Twin Trunks.”

Everyone popped up to their feet, and again, Ken took Master Ryu down to the ground. Teppin explained other possibilities from that position. Python Slithers Under Branch—known during the Age of Greed as the Americana. Reverse Snake Slithers Under Branch—the Kimura, named for a warrior who once lived in this region. Gecko Hooks a Worm—S-Mount Armbar. Becoming a Tortoise Shell—the Monoplata.  They switched partners—Aya paired with the master, and Ken with Siena—and repeated the forms through the early afternoon.

At first it was hard to concentrate, being in close contact with Siena. He’d never pressed or been pressed up against any woman before, let alone the impossibly beautiful Elestrae, whose dress left so much skin bared. To make matters worse, she didn’t take the practice very seriously, giving him little resistance. Still, Teppin correcting minute details helped him keep focus.

When it was time to switch again, he gave Aya a shy look. “Are you…all right with this?”

“Why shouldn’t I be?”

“Well, we’d be really close.” He drew a circle in the dirt with his toe.

“Am I too unclean for your dainty hands?” She flashed him what looked like a seductive smile.

He swallowed hard. “I—”

She darted in, grabbed the back of his legs, and sent him sprawling on his back. Before he could react, she was sitting on his chest, panting.

“Good,” Teppin croaked. “Use the element of surprise.”

Two could play at that.  He thrust his hips up in Lizard Whips Its Tail, which sent her falling forward. She planted her hands into the dirt to keep from crashing on top of him, and he hooked one of her arms, bucked his hips, and flipped her over.

“Also good!” Teppin clapped.

They continued through their drills.  At their side, Siena clearly enjoyed the switch to Master Ryu as a partner. If she’d been unengaged with Ken, she lost all focus now. Or perhaps she was focusing, because she always ended up with her legs wrapped around the master’s hips.

Teppin taught other techniques starting from what the ancients called the Guard, but what the Kappa referred to as the Sunbathing Position. By dusk, they must’ve learned two dozen different combinations.

Or rather, been shown.  All the movements jumbled together in Ken’s head.

“Still awful.” Teppin shook his head. “But what would I expect from humans.  And whatever you are.” He looked at Siena.

“It’s like coding,” Aya said. “A, then B. If C, then D. A whole web of functions.”

Maybe that’s why it came so easily for her. It was just like being in classes with the XHumans, who could absorb math so much faster.

“It takes years to master this single art.” Master Ryu patted Ken on the head. “I just want you to learn the basics.”

“Very basic.” Teppin made a croaking sound that probably passed for a snort.