Chapter 1083

Heather shoved Ralph with minimal force. He was in a trance, unable to remain upright, and tumbled to the ground. His elbow absorbed the impact, but a sharp click followed.

"Ouch! That f*cking hurts!"

The pain jolted him back to reality, though Heather's words still echoed in his ears. He dismissed them, however. Why believe her? What if she was lying? Deceiving him?

Ignoring the arm pain, he rushed to his computer to research kickboxing techniques and training guides. As Heather had mentioned, many images and moves resembled those in the secret handbook.

Since he lacked kickboxing experience, the similarities seemed plausible. This didn't, however, disprove the handbook's authenticity.

Gnawing his teeth, Ralph contacted a shadowy figure. Certain websites concealed information unavailable to most. With sufficient funds, one could procure virtually any detail. It wasn't an exhaustive resource, but it offered solutions to many problems. A specific dark web community within the kickboxing world remained largely unknown.

Some individuals sold secret handbooks—family heirlooms and other items—on this clandestine marketplace. Given kickboxing's extensive history, such transactions had occurred for centuries. Technology merely shifted the venue to the digital realm.

Several kickboxing families, lacking successors, had gradually declined. The secret handbooks held little value to them, as their descendants lacked talent. Selling them online provided a much-needed income stream.

After contacting his contact, Ralph quickly sent several pages, obscuring critical sections. He treated the book like a treasure; it might be genuine.

The other party found the listing challenging. He quizzed Ralph about the handbook's name, origin, creator family, and price. These simple questions stumped Ralph.

He couldn't admit to stealing the book. Furthermore, the Russells weren't a kickboxing family. He had no idea how much to price it. Negotiating with Heather had been easy; she offered shares. He was clueless about setting a monetary value. And most importantly, he didn't intend to sell it; he only wanted to verify its authenticity.

"Mr. Russell?" The other party asked, assuming a connection interruption.

"Why so many questions?" Ralph snapped. "Why the need to know the creating family? Is this detail necessary? Does selling a family treasure somehow honor them?"

"Just write...it came from the streets. Name it 'The Best Kickboxing Moves.' Price it high. You can manage that."

"Cough! Cough!" The other party coughed, astonished.

"Mr. Russell, are you sure it's called 'The Best Kickboxing Moves'?"

He's joking, right? Others specify moves; why 'The Best Kickboxing Moves'? He might as well call it 'The No. 1 Kickboxer Secrets.' Pure boasting!

Ralph dismissed this. "It's clear and direct. What's wrong with that? It contains the best moves, so why overcomplicate the name? Clarity is key! Are you even trying to sell it yet?"

"Yes, sir." The other person obeyed, though he feared ridicule. He couldn't help asking, "Mr. Russell, where did you get this? Who wants it sold?"

"None of your business! Any interest yet?" Ralph demanded.

"We just listed it. It'll take time." Potential buyers often ask questions before purchasing.