Blades of Secrets: The Endless Night

CHAPTER 2

Cheng Xing looked at the dot points on the board back at the station. Li Ming walked in looking him up and down, examining what he was doing.

"Cheng Xing."

Cheng Xing turned towards him lifting his head.

"Training."

"Oh, yeah ok," he replied. Cheng Xing walked past Li Ming.

Cheng Xing stood in the training ground. Li Ming walked up to him. Wen Zhang walked out with Li Ming with a stopwatch and a clipboard.

"I'm ready for training."

"Then take 5 laps around the oval for a warmup," Li Ming said. Cheng Xing looks over at Wen Zhang.

"Don't look at me, I'm just holding the stuff," Wen Zhang said, shrugging his shoulders. Cheng Xing bites his lip. Li Ming raises a brow with a slight smile at the edge of his mouth.

"Are we going to train or talk?"

Cheng Xing sighed and started running. It wasn't long before Cheng Xing ran past Li Ming and Wen Zhang a couple of times.

"He's really fit, eh?" Wen Zhang mused.

Cheng Xing stopped at Li Ming, puffing.

"5 laps, done."

"Now do 200 push-ups," Li Ming said sternly. Cheng Xing sighed and got to the floor, starting his push-ups. Wen Zhang raised an eyebrow at Li Ming in question. Li Ming looked at Wen Zhang. Wen Zhang's face said it all, he didn't have to ask.

"100 pushups?! Li Ming, don't you think that's too much? He just arrived," Wen Zhang whispered.

"He's a beginner that's why he should train harder," Li Ming said.

"These kids." Wen Zhang sighed.

"I'm older than you."

"That's beside the point," Wen Zhang snapped back. Li Ming gave him a cold side stare, to which Wen Zhang returned with his own exasperated glare.

Wen Zhang went on his phone.

"The dead body is all over the news."

Wen Zhang showed him the news page. Photos and information all over it. Li Ming took Wen Zhang's phone and scanned through the document.

Cheng Xing got up panting.

"Done."

"Done already? That was fast."

"Ok, so are we going to train all day, or can we get some work done," Wen Zhang said looking at Li Ming. Cheng Xing looks between Wen Zhang and Li Ming.

"Can we talk, Li Ming," Cheng Xing said puffing. Li Ming looks at Cheng Xing. Wen Zhang rolled his eyes.

"Well, you two have fun, I'm going to actually do some work."

Minutes later Li Ming was sitting opposite to Cheng Xing at the table. The waiter brought them their coffee.

"You seem to be quite fit-"

"Yeah well-"

"Do you work out?"

"From time to time," Cheng Xing said leaning forward to reach for his coffee cup.

"Where are you from?"

Cheng Xing looked at Li Ming carefully and smiled.

"Why, are you interested in me?"

Cheng Xing smiled and took a sip of the coffee.