Chapter 3
11
Lin Yao let his thoughts run wild as he followed the team closely. After running for more than 10 minutes, he discovered that some dojo1 apprentices in special uniforms were also running alongside them.
Many of these apprentices were yelling their dojo slogans as they ran. This was also considered a form of propaganda.
“Brother Yao, I heard that you left the city to plant trees yesterday. Don’t dwell on it. What’s the big deal about a failed love confession? It’s been a month, yet you haven’t gotten over it yet?”
7
As Lin Yao ran and approached the large group, someone got closer to him. It was Lin Yao’s neighbor and childhood friend, Zhang Heng. Obviously, he had learned what had happened yesterday.
3
Although Lin Yao was speaking out of concern, his words also attracted the attention of Xiaodie and Lin Ye, who turned to Lin Yao immediately. Lin Yao’s face darkened.
1
It was true that his love confession had failed, but that was due to the original owner of his current body. It had nothing to do with Lin Yao. Nevertheless, what had happened afterward had been Lin Yao’s doing.
Lin Yao had arrived a month ago. Although he’d had memories of this world at the time, he was still not the original owner of this body. Thus, he had not wanted to talk too much to his friends and had grown quiet as a result.
This silent behavior had come about quite abruptly. Therefore, in order to avoid attracting attention, Lin Yao had used an excuse. He’d said he was in a bad mood because of a failed love confession. This method had worked, as there was now a reason for Lin Yao’s different temperament. However, he was facing the consequences now.
3
“That’s not why I left the city…”
“You don’t need to continue. I understand it all.”
Upon seeing Zhang Heng give him an “every man has his pride” glance, Lin Yao felt even worse.
“No, you don’t know a thing.”
“I… Forget it. Let’s not talk about this anymore. Logically speaking, as your buddy, I should tell you that there are plenty of other fish in the sea and you don’t need to be hung up on this one after your confession failed. However, one month has passed and your mood still hasn’t improved. You even left the city. It seems that you like her very much. In that case, as your buddy, I naturally had to help you. You must treat me to dinner today.”
Zhang Heng was seeking credit for something, but Lin Yao had a bad feeling about this.
“What have you done?”
“What else? I naturally told Qin Xue about you. Buddy, when you’re wooing a girl, you can’t just keep mum about your devotion. Fortunately, you have me to help you do the talking. She was very touched when she learned about your devotion and is ready to talk to you today. How’s that? Aren’t I a loyal friend?”
9
When he saw Zhang Heng patting his chest proudly, rage started building up in Lin Yao’s heart. He even had the urge to beat him up violently.
‘You scoundrel, you got it all wrong. I’m not devoted to her. That was just an excuse.’
2
However, when he realized that his guy had done this for his sake, Lin Yao eventually did not retort. Gritting his teeth, he said, “I’ll have to thank you then.”
9
“You are welcome. We are buddies, aren’t we? But you can’t forget about dinner tonight.”
As they conversed, Lin Yao led his younger siblings, Zhang Heng, and his peers to a park. Countless people were jogging in the morning. However, martial artists had a strong physique, so a morning jog alone could not effectively train the body. In the end, most people would practice the 13th Military Boxing together.
This set of military exercises had been developed by an expert martial artist who had gathered top scientists and medical experts, as well as cutting-edge quantum computers. It was a very comprehensive training for the body.
9
In the early morning, when the sun rose, the spirit energy was at its gentlest state. In addition, the spirit energy next to the plants by the lake was also richer. The park where Lin Yao and the others were was a treasure. Although there were no rules, this treasure was by default the training place of the youths of Ninghai City. Leaving the best to the children was a natural instinct ingrained in the hearts of the Chinese.
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As a junior entering the third year of high school, Lin Yao could also be regarded as a youth and could thus exercise there.
2
While exercising, Lin Yao saw many soldiers and armed policemen patrolling the square next to the park. During their patrolling rounds, they corrected the movements of some of the youths to perfect them. At the same time, there was at least a young warlord figure leading the exercise at the front.
‘100,000 people are running in the morning, and tens of thousands are practicing boxing. This is truly a work-out for the entire nation, including citizens and soldiers.’
4
After focusing his wandering thoughts, Lin Yao followed everyone and breathed and exercised with them. Like a water droplet merging into the vast ocean, he did not stir any waves.
1
Tens of thousands of people were punching and breathing together. Although all of them were ordinary people who had not officially become martial artists, this was amazing enough.
More importantly, there was a lively and motivated atmosphere as everyone exercised together. As he exercised with everyone else, Lin Yao was also in high spirits. His body felt extremely energized as he followed the movements of the warlord at the front.
3
Lin Yao and the group perspired as they strengthened their bodies under the morning sun.
Lin Yao wanted to keep on training, but military boxing had unfortunately exhausted too much of his strength. His energy was drained further as he went along. In combination with the special breathing method, Lin Yao could not hold on any longer after three rounds of training.
His younger siblings, Lin Ye and Lin Xiaodie, only persisted for one round. Of course, it was not because Lin Yao and the group were weak. This was, in fact, very common.
Lin Yao, who trained on the field, clearly saw that youths between the ages of 13 and 15 could only persist for one round. Very few youths between the ages of 15 and 18 could persist for two rounds.
2
After the second round, those in the field who could not carry on further would retreat. Based on what Lin Yao saw, almost half of the group retreated at one go.
Some people were not that serious about this. Not everyone was striving hard. A large proportion of the human population was drifting through life and getting by, although there were many dangers outside.
After the third round, half of the people left retreated as well. Lin Yao was one of them. At the moment, less than 5% of the original group of people remained in the field.
After half an hour, only 100 youths were training in the field.
“Woo, woo, woo. I just saw someone drinking that Whitehill nutrient drink. It costs 10,000 yuan per bottle. Damn. Look at the way they splurge. Of course they can persist.”
Zhang Heng’s tone was filled with envy when he said that.
Poor people studied hard, whereas rich people practiced martial arts. This was the same in every world. Martial arts training required nutritional supplements.
25
Lin Yao’s family did not lack food. Because of the Spirit Energy Revival and the sows fighting with elephants, he had been feasting on meat and would consume a plate of meat with every meal.
8
Although he ate a lot, he also trained very intensively. He did not know how those powerful figures designed the training, but one round of military boxing coupled with breathing exercises was more tiring than running a marathon.
1
Ordinary meat could not sustain his long-term training. Of course, at this amazing rate of food depletion, the effects of the training were also very outstanding.
1
Lin Yao could feel himself getting gradually stronger with each round of military boxing training. Although there was just a slight improvement, the accumulation overtime could be quite amazing.
If it was possible, Lin Yao wanted to keep on training.
Unfortunately, although there was abundant food, he had limited digestive capacity. Besides, excessive training would not heal strained muscles and might even damage the foundation he had built up. Going through three rounds of training, like Lin Yao and Zhang Heng did, was the normal standard for ordinary people. Even the rich and wealthy could only train a maximum of three times if they relied just on their bodies.
If they were not healthy, they could nourish their bodies with external supplements, such as nutrition drinks and medicated diets.
After Lin Yao, Zhang Heng, and the group trained thrice, the food in their stomachs depleted and their exhausted bodies needed to rest. Those wealthy children ate meals that consisted of meat of magical beasts, ginseng, ganoderma, and nutrient drinks made via elixir decoction. This food not only gave them high-energy nutrition but also nourished their bodies. After three rounds of training, their bodies would not feel fatigued, let alone injured. They could, of course, continue training.
With every training, the competency gap between them and Lin Yao would widen.
This was also why Lin Yao was that anxious to plant trees outside the city to activate the small sapling in his mind. He could not fight with others by relying on his talent alone.
‘Thrice in the morning, thrice at noon and in the afternoon, and thrice at night after returning home. I’ll do it one more time before going to bed. 10 times a day is already my limit. Any more than that will not strengthen my body and may even hurt it instead. After all, the human body has its limits.’
7