System Auto-Navigating

Username: Not Logged In

Data Statistics:

Explosive Strength: 98KG

Sprint Speed: 11.4s/100m

Physical Endurance: Below Measurable Standard

Body Toughness: Below Measurable Standard

...

(▼ Click for More Detailed Data)

Martial Arts Proficiency: None

Cultivation Level: None

...

Friendly Reminder: The path of martial arts is arduous. Keep striving!

The stats panel displayed numerous figures, but only the first two mattered to Shen Qian.

"Not much improvement compared to last month. Strength increased by barely 2KG, and speed improved by only 0.1s... Too slow, way too slow!"

Shen Qian clenched his fist and murmured, a fleeting moment of gloom passing through his eyes.

There was a clear benchmark for becoming a martial artist:

Strength: 149KG, Speed: 10s.

These were the minimum requirements for an entry-level martial artist.

Once reaching this threshold, one could begin sensing Qi and attempt to cultivate their own vitality using the revived spiritual energy of the world.

Last year, the lowest admission standard for martial arts universities in Huaxia was 118KG and 11s.

At his current pace, expecting to reach that within four months was nothing short of a fantasy.

Speed seemed like his best bet, yet it was also the hardest to improve. Many people got stuck at 11.1s for years without progress.

His talent wasn't abysmal, but it was... painfully average.

---

Southside of Jing City

A few rundown, low-rise buildings with peeling walls, along with a small garden, formed a residential area. A weathered sign at the entrance read "Happiness Community."

This was where Shen Qian lived.

"Yo, Shen Qian, you're home early today. Skipped class, didn't you?" The old security guard, who also sold fruits on the side, grinned as he greeted him.

"Old Hu, you should cut down on smoking. If you get lung cancer, with your salary, you won't afford a Shanhai-rank martial artist for treatment. That'd be the end for you." Shen Qian glanced at the overflowing ashtray on Hu's table and clicked his tongue.

"Bullshit! If I get sick, you think I gotta pay for it myself? I'm a government-subsidized martial artist, kid!" Old Hu puffed out smoke and cursed.

"Honestly, Old Hu, I kinda admire you." Shen Qian said sincerely.

"See? You finally get it!" Old Hu smugly propped his bad leg up on the table.

"Only you can brag about the same thing for over a decade."

"...?"

Under Old Hu's warm "farewell words," Shen Qian triumphantly walked away with a bag of bruised apples.

---

"I'm home," Shen Qian called out as he pushed the door open.

"Lao Shen, your son's back!" Wang Xiaojun, who was chopping something in the kitchen, poked her head out. Time had softened her youthful looks, leaving only faint traces of the beauty she once was.

"Huh? Dad's home too?" Shen Qian handed over the apples.

"You took stuff from Old Hu again?" Wang Xiaojun scolded.

"Pfft, those were unsellable anyway. After peeling off the bad parts, there's barely anything left. Besides, I sweet-talked him into giving them to me for free." Shen Qian grinned.

Wang Xiaojun shot him a glare, took the apples, and went back to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Shen Liang, his father, walked out of the bedroom with some tape in hand.

"That wind this morning was nasty. Cracked the windows. Not too bad, though—I'll patch it up with some tape for now."

"Dad, is your factory shut down too?" Shen Qian poured him a glass of water.

"Yeah. The equipment's old. A sudden power outage messed up a lot of machines. Gotta wait a few days for repairs before we can resume work."

Shen Liang frowned slightly, a trace of worry flickering across his face.

"Come on, Dad. You're just a production supervisor. Why stress over this like you're the factory owner?" Shen Qian comforted him.

"You brat, is that how you talk to your old man?" Shen Liang sighed.

Wang Xiaojun, bringing out the dishes, shot Shen Qian a sharp glare.

"Mom, what's the occasion? Winter melon soup?" Shen Qian's eyes widened at the aroma. Then, peeking into the kitchen, he was even more shocked. "Holy crap! Bok choy and cucumbers?! Is it New Year's or something?"

He checked the calendar. Just an ordinary day. His gaze toward his parents immediately changed.

"Mom, you've changed. Two meat dishes? So extravagant. Are you finally gonna reveal our true identities?"

"...What identities?" Wang Xiaojun blinked.

"That all our past hardships were just to test me, and we're actually millionaires? Or maybe I'm not your real son, and—Mom, we're just talking, why are you picking up the knife?"

---

Shen Liang exchanged a look with Wang Xiaojun, and she quietly returned to the kitchen. Now, only father and son remained in the living room.

Shen Qian sensed something was up. He silently brewed tea for his father and sat down.

"We're expecting guests later… but I wanted to hear your opinion first."

"What kind of guests?"

"An old colleague from my days in Lu City. When we moved to Jing City, they went to the east side of town."

Shen Liang explained. Shen Qian froze, then understood.

Lu City was a small town with fewer than 200,000 residents. Over a decade ago, a disaster turned the entire place into ruins, a scorched wasteland.

There was never an official report on what happened, and online theories ran wild. Shen Qian had once come across a post with tens of thousands of likes, claiming the city was devoured by a gigantic, snake-like creature.

Most dismissed it as nonsense. Even in this era of revived spiritual energy, creatures big enough to swallow a city? That would shake the entire world. Yet, there had been no official mention of it.

Regardless of the truth, one thing was certain—those who relocated had wildly different fates.

Living in the east side meant they were doing far better than those in the south, second only to those in the north and central districts.

"...Are we asking him for help?" Shen Qian asked directly.

Shen Liang hesitated, then nodded. "I know you dream of becoming a martial artist, but we don't have the means to support that…"

"Stop. Dad, don't do this emotional drama with me. I have a high tolerance—I won't be moved." Shen Qian cut him off.

Shen Liang chuckled and continued, "The truth is, with your current progress, getting into a martial arts university isn't realistic. And we can't afford the private ones. That leaves one option… joining the army."

"Enlisting?" Shen Qian had expected this.

Joining didn't guarantee becoming a military martial artist—just a chance at it. But military competition was brutal, far harsher than any school.

"Your mom and I argued about this. She doesn't want you to go. But I know you, son. If we force you into an ordinary college and an average life, you won't be satisfied."

Shen Qian opened his mouth to argue—but had nothing to say.

Seeing his silence, Shen Liang patted his shoulder. "Alright. I get it. Just be smart when Uncle Zhao arrives later. No promises, but he'll see what he can do."

---

Zhao Guangzhi and his son, Zhao Xin, only stayed for an hour.

Before leaving, Shen Liang discreetly handed Zhao Guangzhi a bag containing 20,000 yuan—originally meant for Shen Qian's first-year tuition.

Zhao Guangzhi accepted, though he made it clear 20,000 wasn't enough for a guaranteed placement. Still, out of old friendship, he'd try.

They were polite, but the subtle condescension was unmistakable—like how they didn't even touch the apples on the table.

Shen Qian could accept reality. People change.

But seeing his father's rare laughter, and his mother—who rarely had the energy—busying herself tonight...

It still hurt.

Shen Qian clenched his fist, knuckles turning white.

"Mom, time for your medicine."

At this moment, after finishing his tasks, Shen Qian noticed Wang Xiaojian's face had turned slightly pale. He quickly took out a specially made pill and fed it to her.

Back when they evacuated Lu City, an unexpected incident occurred on the way. As a result, Wang Xiaojian, who was an ordinary person, was exposed to the scorched earth's harsh environment. Her body suffered irreversible damage, leading to varying degrees of organ failure.

This illness wasn't fatal, but it was troublesome. She needed to take a large amount of medication just to maintain her condition. As for a complete cure—the cost was astronomical.

After making sure Wang Xiaojian was lying down comfortably, Shen Qian greeted Shen Liang before returning to his own room.

For some reason, he felt particularly exhausted today. The sky had just turned dark, and he only planned to rest for a short while, but he soon fell into a deep sleep.

Time passed. Then, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind:

"System loaded. System is now operational."

"Acquiring timeline and spatial coordinates..."

"Reading physical laws..."

"Retrieving technological data and martial arts cultivation charts..."

"Analyzing host's physical attributes..."

"Compared to others of the same age, the host's aptitude is rated D. Resource storage: unranked. Immediate improvement is highly recommended..."

"Host detected in deep sleep. Auto-idle mode activated."

"Generating map information, range: 500 km²..."

"Compiling host's available connections and relevant resources..."

"Generating mission objectives..."

"Mission objectives generated. System initiating auto-navigation..."

"Ding!"

With the crisp notification sound, the sleeping Shen Qian abruptly opened his eyes and sat up in bed.