Chapter 5 – Path to Fame: The Road to Strength
Chapter 5 – Path to Fame: The Road to Strength
The room provided for Lei Feng at ApexHealth Hospital was modest, yet comfortable. A plain white-walled chamber on the third floor, sparsely furnished with only a single bed, a compact wooden cabinet, and a polished side table holding a jug of water and a few dried herbs. A large circular window framed a peaceful view of a quiet garden below, where soft sunlight filtered through the swaying branches of willow trees. While not luxurious, it was a place of calm—made for rest and recovery, not comfort.
Lei Feng stepped inside, the door closing softly behind him. He moved toward the bed and slumped down, his mind swirling with thoughts of Ling Mei and the strange new world he now found himself in. There was so much to figure out, so much to absorb. During their earlier conversation, a faint chime had echoed in his head—a sound he had dismissed at the time.
"Damn... how can I check that notification now?" he muttered, his frustration mounting.
"System?" he called out, unsure of what would happen next.
Silence.
Lei Feng stared into the empty space ahead, waiting. Nothing.
"Come out, System," he tried again, his voice thick with irritation. Still, nothing.
He exhaled deeply, his hands clenching the sheets as he sat up. His eyes narrowed, the resolve within him rising.
"System!"
DING!!
A sharp chime rang through the air, slicing the silence like a bell. At once, a translucent panel blinked into existence, hovering before him. It shimmered, etched with glowing blue runes—an intricate fusion of magic and technology. Lei Feng's heart raced as he stared at the familiar sight. This was the one thing keeping him grounded in this chaotic world—the System.
He focused, scanning the interface until his eyes landed on the notification tab.
> [System Notification]
,
"Open," Lei Feng commanded firmly.
The panel shimmered again, revealing the new quest.
---
━━━『 Side Quest – Rise to Fame 』━━━
Objective: Participate in the Rising Star Tournament and earn First Place
Penalty: Regression to Level 0
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
---
Lei Feng's jaw tightened as he read the details.
"Regression to level zero?" His voice was a low murmur, disbelief creeping in.
That wasn't just failure—it was a complete undoing of his foundation, a devastating consequence that could strip him of everything.
His expression darkened, but there was a flicker of determination in his eyes. He clenched his fist, the knuckles cracking in quiet resolution.
"I've got three quests now," he muttered. "The Main Quest, the Class Unlock Quest... and now this Side Quest. The only ones I've completed so far are the daily quests, and those have already ended."
Leaning back against the bed, he exhaled slowly, trying to steady his thoughts.
"The Main Quest is long-term... and the Rising Star Tournament is three months away. I'll have to wait for that. Which leaves the Class Unlock Quest..." His hand clenched into a fist again. "It's time I leveled up and became stronger."
---
In another part of the hospital, a warm yellow light filled the cozy office of Doctor Ryan. The walls were adorned with scrolls, herbs, and labeled flasks of various concoctions. A calming incense billowed gently from a corner burner, adding to the room's tranquil atmosphere.
Doctor Ryan sat behind a mahogany desk, his silver-rimmed glasses perched low on his nose as he studied a patient's record. His doctor's robe was pristine, the ApexHealth insignia embroidered clearly on the breast.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
The soft knocking on the door interrupted his focus. Without looking up, he murmured, "Come in."
The door creaked open, and Lei Feng stepped inside, still wearing the plain blue hospital robe. His gait had changed. There was an undeniable strength in his posture now, a quiet confidence that hadn't been there before.
Doctor Ryan didn't lift his gaze from the patient file. "State your business."
"I believe my medication is over. I'd like to check out of the hospital," Lei Feng replied calmly, his expression unreadable.
The doctor paused, then looked up, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Ah, young master Lei. You're free to go, of course."
He stood, turning toward a small cabinet. With a smooth motion, he pulled out a neatly folded bundle of clothes and handed it to Lei Feng.
Inside was a set of fresh clothes—an exquisitely tailored white shirt made of fine magical silk, a long black jacket with silver trim, and a pair of tailored black trousers.
Lei Feng blinked in surprise, his eyes widening slightly. The outfit was remarkable. In the world he knew, such clothes would cost a fortune. The craftsmanship was flawless, the stitching engraved with runes meant for durability.
"For me? Isn't this... expensive?" he asked, his tone laced with surprise.
"You'd prefer to leave wearing hospital robes?" Doctor Ryan replied dryly, adjusting his glasses with a raised brow.
Lei Feng gave a small, amused laugh and shook his head. "I'd rather not."
Doctor Ryan chuckled heartily.
"Hahaha! Just take it. Consider it a favor. I owe Lady Eira Solstice a debt, after all."
Lei Feng tilted his head, confusion briefly flashing across his face. "The Elf Lady? She's... cold."
He said the words with a certain judgment, the undertone of his voice indicating some reservations.
Doctor Ryan's expression softened, and for a brief moment, he seemed lost in thought. His gaze turned to the window, his voice calm and measured when he spoke again.
"You say that because you don't know her. She's had a hard past. Life hasn't been kind to her." He paused, his voice lowering slightly. "She may appear distant, but underneath... she's kind-hearted, especially to those she trusts."
Lei Feng fell silent, digesting the doctor's words. After a moment, he nodded.
"I'll keep that in mind."
He accepted the clothes, feeling their weight in his hands, then turned toward the door. His mind was already on the future. A new quest. A looming tournament. His Class Unlock still incomplete.
There was no time to waste.
---
The city of Volaris lay ahead, vast and alive.
Lei Feng emerged from the polished glass doors of ApexHealth Hospital, dressed in his new outfit. The fine white shirt fit him perfectly, accentuating the subtle muscle tone earned through training and System-assisted recovery. The jacket, black with silver accents, draped smoothly over his shoulders, and the black trousers tapered down to dark leather boots that clicked softly with each step.
He paused outside the doors, the city stretching out before him. The hospital's sleek marble walls stood behind him, the faintly glowing glyphs etched along its edges shimmering with healing essence. The ApexHealth emblem—a winged Caduceus within a wreath of laurels—stood boldly above the entrance.
Lei Feng's eyes lingered on it for a moment.
"This is where I was reborn," he murmured quietly. "ApexHealth Hospital... and this is where my journey begins."
Determination flickered in his eyes.
His path had taken a turn—there was no going back now.
He turned, stepping into the bustling city of Volaris, the Capital of the Eastward Federation.
The moment his feet hit the street, the world around him exploded into motion.
Hover-crafts zipped through the air, leaving trails of blue and amber energy in their wake. Towering skyscrapers pulsed with arcane lights, their windows flickering and shifting as magical glyphs reshaped the interiors. Some buildings seemed to breathe, their forms twisting and changing in response to their occupants' needs. Aerial platforms floated high above the city, islands in the sky that housed lush gardens and exclusive crystal markets.
At street level, the air was alive with energy. Crowds of Awakeners, monks, and merchants bustled through the streets, ignoring the flickering projections of news sprites that danced above them. Elemental spirits occasionally flickered into view—wind wisps brushing against people's hair, fire sprites dancing around lanterns.
Lei Feng stood still in the middle of it all, momentarily dazed by the sheer scale of the city.
His blue eyes reflected the neon glow of the mana tram as it zipped by, and he felt the pulse of the city in his very bones. It was alive, breathing, vast—and it was waiting for him.
"Where should I begin?" he whispered to himself, the city stretching out before him like an endless labyrinth full of opportunities... and dangers.