The first Test

Wei Liang had been in South Korea for less than a day, and he had already found trouble.

The underground fighting scene here was different. Bigger, more organized. Back in China, fights happened in back alleys, warehouses, and abandoned buildings. Here, there were actual fight clubs hidden spots where the strongest gathered, ruled by men whose names carried weight.

Names like Samdak and Brekdak.

But before Wei could even think about facing them, he had to prove himself.

The Red Phoenix Club

The first place he visited was a fight club known as the Red Phoenix Club. It wasn't the biggest, but it was known as a proving ground. If you wanted to fight in the real circuits the ones where Gun Park and Suho Kim fought you had to earn your place here first.

The club was underground, literally and figuratively. A basement beneath a rundown bar, filled with cigarette smoke, sweat, and the sound of fists hitting flesh. A cage stood in the center, surrounded by a hungry crowd.

Wei didn't waste time.

"I want a fight," he told the man running the place. A heavy-set Korean with a scar across his nose.

The man looked him up and down, unimpressed. "You got a name?"

"Wei Liang."

The man snorted. "Never heard of you."

Wei expected that. His reputation was strong in China, but here? He was nobody.

"Doesn't matter," Wei said. "Set up a fight."

The man grinned. "Alright, kid. Let's see if you survive."

The Fight Begins

Wei's opponent was Jung Ho, a local brawler known for ending fights in under a minute. He was big, easily over 200 pounds, with scars across his knuckles and a look in his eyes that said he had hurt a lot of people.

The fight started fast.

Jung Ho came in swinging big, wild punches that could break a man's jaw in a single hit. But Wei didn't stand still.

He moved.

Light as the wind.

He weaved past the strikes, his boxing training kicking in. His footwork was sharper, his head movement faster. Jung Ho was strong, but strength meant nothing if you couldn't hit your opponent.

Wei ducked under a hook and countered a sharp body shot.

Jung Ho grunted, but didn't back down. He charged, trying to grab Wei. If he got his hands on him, it would turn into a brawl, and Wei couldn't let that happen.

So he adapted.

As Jung Ho reached for him, Wei redirected his force grabbing the man's wrist and twisting, using his Judo training to send him crashing to the ground.

The crowd gasped.

Wei didn't hesitate.

He dropped down, pinning Jung Ho's arm and locking in a submission hold. The bigger man struggled, but Wei had learned from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu experts he knew how to break a limb if needed.

Jung Ho tapped.

The fight was over.

The room was silent for a moment. Then, the crowd roared.

Wei stood up, breathing steady. He looked at the man running the club.

"Who's next?"

The man smirked. "Alright, kid. You might just belong here after all."

The Road to the Top

Wei had won his first fight in South Korea, but he wasn't satisfied.

This was only the beginning.