Chapter 2：RR

Nan'an Housing Complex, a low-rent apartment community, pushed land use efficiency to the brink. Each residential building stood like a colossal cement pillar, spaced so tightly together that sunlight rarely graced the narrow gaps between them1.

Luo Feng's home was on the 32nd floor of one such 36-story tower.

"Hey Feng, going to the martial arts studio tonight?" Wei Wen called out as he headed toward another building.

"I've got tutoring tonight. Maybe I'll swing by the studio afterward, but I can't promise. Don't wait up," Luo Feng replied with a wave, then sprinted up the stairs. Four steps at a time, he moved like a sleek cheetah—two blinks and he was already on the second floor.

Third floor, fourth floor...

"Thud! Thud!"

Luo Feng navigated the rush with ease, deftly avoiding other residents climbing the stairs.

"Hey, Feng! School's out?"

"Yeah, Uncle Wang," Luo Feng said, breathless but steady. For a senior martial arts student, this pace was as leisurely as a stroll.

The absence of elevators in the low-rent district reflected the residents' collective sentiment: installing them would hike up rents. Besides, climbing dozens of flights was a trivial feat for most. To them, elevators were a luxury.

Electricity was pricey, after all—the city's defense system relied on it, and the nation was desperate for power1.

32nd Floor!

Eight households occupied this floor, including Luo Feng's.

"Click!" The door unlocked with a sound.

"Brother, you're back?" a voice called from inside.

"Mhm!" Luo Feng closed the door and surveyed the 36-square-meter, one-bedroom home he shared with his younger brother, parents, and memories since childhood.

"Ah Hua, what are you reading?" Luo Feng headed toward the balcony.

There, a gaunt boy with pallid complexion sat in a wheelchair, engrossed in an English book. Luo Feng glanced over and chuckled, "Oh! Investment guru 'Price'? Weren't Buffett's the most famous?"

Luo Feng knew nothing about stocks or investments.

"Buffett's strategies don't quite fit me. Price's theories align with some of my thoughts, though—they're worth studying," the boy replied with a faint smile.

Luo Feng's gaze inadvertently fell on his brother's legs, a pang of sorrow striking him. In childhood, his brother's legs had been crushed by a car, leaving him disabled. Surviving in today's world was a constant struggle. His brother received education via remote learning, his complexion pallid from lack of sunlight, and he was introverted due to few friendships.

"Our parents earn modest salaries, and with both my brother and me to support, plus his disability... we can only afford this low-rent apartment," Luo Feng thought. "Finding a wife for my brother will be next to impossible. Who would want to marry a cripple with no legs?"

"I must change our family's fate!" he vowed silently.

"Why didn't I pursue Xu Xin, even though I liked her? Why no romance?"

"Legally, you can marry at 18, so many start dating in high school and marry right after graduation. Those who don't are rare. Why not me?"

"Because I have no time to waste on love! My family isn't wealthy, and I lack mentors. I must rely on myself," Luo Feng thought, his gaze landing on the old sofa in the living room—the only piece of furniture that could double as a bed. "For years, our family of four has squeezed into this tiny space. My brother and I share the only bedroom, while our parents have always slept on the living room sofa..."

"I will make sure our parents and brother live in a spacious apartment with elevators. I want them to sleep on a real bed and not struggle down those stairs every time. The windows must be huge, flooding the place with sunlight!" These thoughts replayed in Luo Feng's mind countless times, driving his relentless efforts since childhood. Thus, he became one of only three senior martial arts students at Third High School—a distinction shared only by children of wealthy families1.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!" The faucet ran continuously, quickly filling the electric kettle.

"Chirp!" Luo Feng plugged in the kettle and settled onto the sofa with his history book, memorizing key points. Suddenly—

"Beep!" The water boiled. Luo Feng poured it into a thermos and set a large plastic cup of hot water on the table.

"In 2026, the 'Hongze Battle' took place at Hongze Lake... Right, 2026," he mused, recalling historical events. While math was his strongest subject, history fascinated him the most. The 21st century's transformational events always left him in awe.

"A-Hua," Luo Feng approached his brother.

"Brother, what's up?" Luo Hua put down his book.

"I've marked 139 key points in this book. Let me test you," Luo Feng said, handing over the book. Excited, Luo Hua replied, "Alright, I finally get to quiz you. Listen up—I'm about to stump you. If you get it wrong, it's embarrassing."

"Fire away!" Luo Feng sat down on the sofa.

"How about this: Who single-handedly defeated the 'Tiger-Headed Monster' by the Yangtze River, saving hundreds of thousands of people and ensuring their evacuation to the Jiangnan base, only to sacrifice himself? Where was he from? How old was he? What was the exact date?" Luo Hua asked after reviewing the book.

"The hero posthumously awarded the Four-Star Medal was 'Dong Nanbiao' from Taixing, Jiangsu. He was 39 when he died. The date... I think it was 2018..." Luo Feng frowned, uncertain.

"Exactly, what was the date?" Luo Hua pressed.

"Uh... I think June 18th?"

"Ha! You got the first question wrong," Luo Hua said, shaking his head. "Dong Nanbiao was indeed from Taixing, Jiangsu, and 39 years old, but the incident happened on June 16th, 2018."

"Ah!" Luo Feng smacked his forehead and chuckled, "I always mix up the 16th and 18th. Ask another one."

"Alright, listen carefully. Second question: In 2023, in..."

The brothers volleyed questions and answers, time flying by.

"I've covered half the book. I asked 68 questions, you got 63 right and 5 wrong," Luo Hua said, glancing at the wall clock. "Mom and Dad will be home soon. Let me ask you one last question before I tackle the rest next time."

"One last question? Go ahead!" Luo Feng focused intently.

"This one's fundamental: recount the main events of the 'Great Nirvana Period'."

Luo Feng's expression turned serious. The history of the Great Nirvana Period was a pivotal moment in human transformation: "At the beginning of the 21st century, global outbreaks of viral influenza occurred in succession—from the 2003 SARS virus to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, and by 2013, an even deadlier Type-R virus emerged. This virus mutated into over twenty variants, complicating containment efforts worldwide. All countries reported fatalities."

"Eventually, the epidemic was controlled. But in January 2015, the Type-R virus mutated into its most terrifying variant, known as RR."

"Previous variants of Type-R were transmitted through bodily fluids or water, but they didn't survive long in water. However, the RR virus could spread through air, surviving three hours in the atmosphere!"