Half an hour later, Zhang Yuqing emerged from the gravity chamber drenched from head to toe, looking somewhat bedraggled.
Only to despairingly discover that the gravity chamber opposite hers still had not opened.
Zhang Yuqing thought of many possibilities.
Could it have malfunctioned, and there was actually no one inside?
Could that person not be training at all, having turned off the gravity and fallen fast asleep?
But soon, Zhang Yuqing rejected all these guesses.
In martial cultivation, there was no room for the slightest falsehood.
You could deceive others, but you could not deceive your own body.
Much less your own heart.
If someone could really do something that stupid, then they might as well stop practicing martial arts. Wouldn’t sleeping at home be more comfortable?
Time passed, second by second.
Outside the training hall, the sky gradually shifted from deep ink-blue to a pale wash of dawn.
One after another, other equally diligent students began entering the training hall. When they saw Zhang Yuqing, reverence and envy appeared on their faces, but none of them dared come forward to disturb her.
Finally, when the bell rang,
Zhang Yuqing heard a soft click.
The door of the gravity chamber she had been staring at for a long time slowly opened.
Lin Ye walked out.
He looked as if he had just been fished out of water. His short black hair clung wetly to his forehead, and sweat slid down the sharp contours of his cheeks.
His T-shirt stuck tightly to his body, outlining the lean lines of the youth’s frame.
He was panting heavily, his chest rising and falling violently, his entire body radiating an astonishing heat.
He did indeed look as if he had reached his limit.
For some reason, Zhang Yuqing’s heart relaxed.
Good. He was still human. He still got tired.
However, in the next second, her heart suddenly tightened again.
Because she saw that Lin Ye had only leaned against the wall and panted for less than ten seconds.
His originally ragged breathing actually calmed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Those eyes, which had been slightly unfocused from extreme exhaustion, once again gathered a terrifying light.
As if the three hours of brutal, limit-pushing training just now had been nothing more than a warm-up to him.
Lin Ye noticed Zhang Yuqing standing not far away.
Admiration also rose in his heart.
Girls were already extremely rare in the martial arts classes, yet she was able to arrive at the training room at four o’clock just like him.
And then grind for three straight hours.
This woman was truly terrifying!
Out of courtesy, Lin Ye gave Zhang Yuqing a slight nod.
Then he turned around and, with steady and powerful steps, left the training room.
Throughout the entire process, there was not the slightest wobble or weakness in his stride.
As if those three hours of extreme training had never happened.
Zhang Yuqing watched Lin Ye’s departing back, and an even more frightening thought rose uncontrollably from the bottom of her heart.
It was already seven-thirty. Soon, it would be time for the whole school’s morning exercises.
If not for the fact that he had to attend class…
Was he planning to keep staying inside?
Almost subconsciously, she walked up to the gravity chamber Lin Ye had just used, her gaze falling on the knob he had set.
Gravity multiplier: 1.5.
So it was only 1.5 times.
She could do that too.
Zhang Yuqing comforted herself in this way.
But when she stepped out of the training room, she asked herself again.
At 1.5 times gravity, for three hours straight, could she really… do it?
…
After morning exercises ended, homeroom teacher Chen Meng announced dismissal, but he did not leave immediately.
His gaze swept through the crowd before finally landing on Lin Ye.
“Lin Ye, come here for a moment.”
Lin Ye stepped out of the formation and came before Chen Meng.
Yesterday, when he had spoken to Lin Ye, he had done so with the mindset of “pitying his misfortune, but angered by his lack of effort.”
This student had top-tier grades in the academic subjects, which proved that he was absolutely not stupid.
Yet when it came to martial cultivation, he always carried an air of laziness and indifference, as if simply passing was enough to solve everything.
With mediocre aptitude, if he did not work hard, he was destined to be eliminated.
That was why Chen Meng had given him a final ultimatum, hoping it would spur him on.
But today,
when Lin Ye stood before him, Chen Meng keenly sensed that something was different.
It was still that somewhat delicate-looking face, still that medium and slightly thin build.
But the aura of his entire person had undergone a certain change.
In the youth’s eyes, there was less laziness and more resolve.
“Have you thought over what I told you yesterday?”
Chen Meng’s voice remained as stern as ever.
“Are you choosing to be streamed into the Mecha-Martial Sequence, or are you simply giving up on the martial track and focusing on preparing for the academic college entrance exam?”
Lin Ye raised his head and met Chen Meng’s scrutinizing gaze, speaking calmly.
“Teacher, I choose neither.”
Chen Meng’s brows lifted slightly, somewhat surprised.
“Oh? Then what do you mean?”
There was not the slightest ripple in Lin Ye’s tone, yet it carried an unquestionable determination.
“I choose to continue taking the entrance exam for a martial arts university.”
The air fell silent for a moment.
Chen Meng looked at Lin Ye.
He wanted to see even the slightest trace of bravado or bluster on this student’s face.
But he saw none.
All he saw was calmness and confidence.
It was a powerful confidence that only came after gaining a clear understanding of one’s own goal.
This kid… just what happened to him overnight?
Chen Meng’s heart was filled with doubt, but he did not press further.
As a teacher, what he needed to do was guide and respect.
“Good.”
In the end, Chen Meng nodded, the stern expression on his face easing slightly.
“I respect your choice.”
“But I must remind you again: this is your last chance.”
“Under the new score requirements, a blood and qi index of 13, punching force of 350 kilograms, and a life index of 11—none of these three can be missing.”
“In the baseline exam half a month from now, if you cannot meet the standard, then according to the regulations, you will directly lose the qualification to apply for the martial track. You will also miss the chance to be streamed into the Mecha-Martial Sequence. When that time comes, you can only transfer into an academic class and start over from the beginning.”
“That means all the effort and investment you have put into the martial track will go to waste.”
Chen Meng’s tone was incomparably grave.
He hoped Lin Ye understood that this was not a joke. This concerned the future of his entire life.
“Teacher, I understand.”
Lin Ye’s reply remained simple and powerful.
Chen Meng waved his hand. “Go! After breakfast, go get the key to the virtual combat training room. Tell the other students that for the entire morning today, we’re having combat practice!”
…
The cafeteria of Dongjiang No. 1 High School was divided into two sections.
One section was for the academic classes.
The dishes were refined, the nutrition balanced, and most of the students ate slowly and carefully.
But separated by only a wall, the style was completely different.
Rice was served by the basin, and steamed buns were weighed by the jin.
As for meat and eggs, there was more than enough.
The tray in front of nearly every martial arts class student was piled up like a small mountain.
“Ah Ye, slow down…”
“Holy crap, I remember your appetite wasn’t that big before!”
“How did you turn into a human stomach after just one day?”
Beside Lin Ye, a buzz-cut youth stared with his mouth agape.
His name was Li Jun. He was Lin Ye’s deskmate. The two of them had grown up together, had an excellent relationship, and usually often teamed up to play games.
“Mmph mmph mmph.”
Lin Ye stuffed food into his mouth while mumbling a few words.
Li Jun did not understand him at all.
It was only after Lin Ye slapped a hand onto his shoulder and pointed toward the serving window that he understood Lin Ye was saying, “Go get more!”
Lin Ye was hungry.
Extremely hungry.
Almost the instant Chen Meng let him go, Lin Ye had rushed to the cafeteria.
And so, the current scene came to be.
[Daily Mission Added!]
[Mission 4: Abyssal Maw: A qualified BOSS is never picky. To satisfy your energy requirements, please consume at least 20,000 calories of food every day!]
[Mission Reward: Max HP +5, EXP +50]
[Current Total Intake: 6,640.7 calories!]
As the system notification appeared, Lin Ye ate even harder.
If he wanted to grow stronger, he first had to be able to eat!