Chapter 6: Progress and Family

Over the next few days, Luo Feng rose early and returned late, spending most of his time at the Extreme Martial Arts Gym in the Yi'an District. To outsiders, Luo Feng simply seemed to be working a bit harder than usual, with nothing else appearing different. Only Luo Feng himself knew the extent of his progress.

On the morning of June 16th, Luo Feng arrived at the gym as early as he had in the previous days. In the Advanced Trainee building's martial arts hall, a tall, lean figure slowed to a stop at the end of the speed-testing track.

"Strength: 1230kg."
"Speed: 29.8 m/s."

"In six days, my strength has increased by over a hundred kilograms, and my speed has also improved significantly," Luo Feng noted, quite satisfied with the results.

And it wasn't just his physical strength that had improved. Luo Feng focused his mind and checked his current "Exchange Points."

[Current Remaining Exchange Points: 38]

During these six days, the "limit-breaking" tasks assigned by "Bai" had consistently rewarded him with "Strength Lollipops," while the combat tasks offered him a choice between those lollipops and Exchange Points. Luo Feng had chosen the points without hesitation; while increasing his own strength was vital, ensuring his younger brother Luo Hua’s recovery was even more important.

"Brother Yang spars with me twice every day now, which reliably nets me 6 points. At this rate, I’ll be able to save up the 300 points I need in less than two months..." After a brief calculation, the joy in Luo Feng’s eyes could not be masked.

In less than two months, his brother Luo Hua would be able to stand on his own two feet again. How happy would his parents and his brother be then? Just imagining that scene made Luo Feng break into a silly grin.

"Tsk, tsk," Bai Chen remarked from the void. Seeing someone so devoted to his family, he figured he wouldn't treat his friends any worse. Bai Chen felt quite at ease with this version of Luo Feng.

Watching Luo Feng begin his first limit-breaking task of the day, Bai Chen withdrew his attention to tinker with the new gadget he had been working on. Luo Feng was busy and exhausted, but he, too, was occupied. The "Creation" ability was powerful, but with the right ideas, he might be able to create more effective items with even less energy consumption.

"Let's try removing one of the constraints..." Bai Chen muttered, tinkering away.

On the evening of the 16th, in the home shared by the Luo brothers, Luo Feng sat alone in his room before his laptop. He looked at the website displaying his exam scores with a sense of sentimentality.

Life was truly mysterious. The frustration and pain after waking from his coma during the college entrance exams; the calm and composure that followed his growth in strength; the nervousness and excitement after being possessed by the mysterious entity "Bai"; and the thrill of learning about the "Water of Life" that could heal severed limbs. In just a few short days, Luo Feng felt his life had become more brilliant and dreamlike than all the years prior.

He no longer cared about whether he was admitted to a military academy. Even if he were, he had decided not to go. Even the First Military Academy could not compare to the status of being a martial artist! After all, hadn't his goal in trying to get into the First Military Academy simply been to become a martial artist faster, to gain the benefits and status that came with it, to provide for his family, and to change their lives?

Sitting at his computer now to check his scores was merely to provide closure for his three years of hard work.

"Time's up." Luo Feng narrowed his eyes and refreshed the page.

Examinee: Luo Feng
Gender: Male
...
Liberal Arts: 216
Science: 223
Mathematics: 118
Total Score: 557
Undergraduate Cutoff: 561

"Four points short." Luo Feng shook his head with a light laugh. This was fine; it saved him from having to make a choice.

He opened the bedroom door and walked out into the living room. His parents, Luo Hongguo and Gong Xinlan, and his brother Luo Hua all looked over, their expressions filled with worry.

"Mom, Dad, Hua," Luo Feng said with a faint smile. "I have some good news."

"What good news?" the three of them exchanged glances. They had already checked his scores on Luo Hua’s laptop. 557 points. He was four points shy of the undergraduate cutoff, and thus the entrance requirements for the Second Military Academy.

"Do you remember the two times I fell into a coma when I was a child?" Luo Feng patted Luo Hua’s shoulder and looked at his parents.

All three nodded. They remembered; those two incidents had been too terrifying to ever forget.

The sharp-witted Luo Hua was the first to react, his eyes lighting up. "Brother, I remember that every time you woke up, your physical fitness had improved significantly. Could it be that this time too...?"

Luo Feng nodded. Luo Hongguo and Gong Xinlan caught on as well; they were aware of this phenomenon, as Luo Feng had been young and had not hidden it from them.

"Brother, I remember you were already close to the quasi-martial artist standard. Could it be..." Luo Hua thought back to how his brother had been rising early every day to go to the gym, his spirit and energy more vibrant than ever. He hadn't looked like someone worried about failing his exams at all. Luo Hua had assumed his brother was just putting on a brave face, but now...

Luo Feng laughed. "You’re sharp, Hua. That’s right. The day after I woke up, I went to the Extreme Martial Arts Gym and tested my stats. My strength, speed, and nerve reaction all exceeded the standards for a quasi-martial artist. When the assessment comes on July 1st, I’ll pass for sure! And after the actual combat assessment on August 1st, your brother will be a full-fledged martial artist!"

Luo Feng’s tone was brimming with confidence. And why shouldn't it be? At his current rate of progress, by August 1st, his physical fitness would at least be at the level of an Intermediate Warrior! And that was without factoring in the potential to cultivate Genetic Energy after passing the assessment—a process that would bring another massive leap in power.

Not to mention the imminent awakening of his spiritual powers! According to "Bai," once a Spirit Reader awakened, their strength usually surpassed their martial artist rank by two levels, only returning to balance once the talent was fully tapped.

An Intermediate Warrior plus two levels? An Initial Warlord!

With that kind of strength, passing a low-level martial artist combat assessment would be like a walk in the park, Luo Feng thought to himself.

Luo Hongguo, Gong Xinlan, and Luo Hua were all stunned by the news. A martial artist! What did that mean? It meant status, power, and wealth! Their family was going to produce a martial artist!

"Hua, I’ve prepared a surprise for you," Luo Feng said softly to his brother.

Immersed in the joy of his brother's upcoming success, Luo Hua didn't notice the slight oddity in Luo Feng's tone. He chuckled and joked, "Brother, once you're a martial artist, you can't be stingy with your gift. I’ve heard that a martial artist can make tens of millions a year!"

"Don't worry, you won't be disappointed," Luo Feng laughed along. The atmosphere in the home was warm and filled with hope.