The night passed without incident.
At seven in the morning, Lu Chao awoke.
Thanks to the boon from [Primary Resilience], the fatigue from days of training and collecting corpses was completely gone. Even the mental strain from last night's dangerous encounter had gradually subsided.
He pulled open the old curtains, watching the sunlight spill from the dome above, casting mottled shadows.
He stood there, quietly savoring this brief moment of peace.
'I even had a dream.'
Perhaps because of last night's perilous experience, he dreamed he had become a powerful fighter, the pride of Jinshi Boxing Hall, and even a 'big shot' in the eyes of the Patrol Department and the Hongyi Society.
But...
Lu Chao silently shook his head and walked out of his room to the outer balcony off the living room.
SPLASH! SPLASH!
He turned on the rusty, yellowed faucet and splashed cold water on his face.
The shock of the icy water seemed to wash away all his negative emotions and complicated thoughts.
'Dreams are just illusions. Strength is the only foundation in reality.'
'As long as I'm strong enough... I won't have to fear any future enemy.'
His gaze firm and sharp, Lu Chao wiped the water from his face, his mind completely calm.
He then looked out at the expansive view.
Under the gray dome of the sky, low-rise concrete buildings stretched out one after another, layered in concentric circles.
Laundry hanging on balconies fluttered in the wind, and the blare of a car horn from below shattered the morning calm.
His gaze traveled farther, past the barrenness of the Brocade Circle, toward the inner edge of the Iron Ring District.
A wide river, busy with cargo ships, encircled this part of the city like a natural moat, separating the old concrete jungle from the inner city districts.
Several cross-river bridges reached out like giant steel arms, piercing through the river fog toward the bustling city center.
"What are you looking at?"
Zhao Yuanqing approached, still sleepy-eyed, carrying a washbasin and wearing a black tank top.
Lu Chao gestured with his head toward the inner city districts on the other side of the river.
The river was shrouded in mist, but streaks of shimmering light floated by. In the heart of all the neon, the faint silhouette of a sky-piercing tower was visible.
"The Ring Tower..."
Zhao Yuanqing rubbed his eyes and looked in the same direction, his tone tinged with emotion.
That was the most prosperous and safest part of Ring City—the inner districts. The infrastructure was incredibly advanced, everything was orderly, and every inch of land was worth a fortune.
Compared to that, the Iron Ring District could only be called a rust belt—backward and dilapidated.
"Do you think we'll ever have a chance to buy a place there?"
Zhao Yuanqing's voice was full of longing, yet tinged with uncertainty.
Everyone wanted to live there.
But the exorbitant housing prices, along with the access restrictions and qualification checks for the inner districts, were enough to make most people give up before they even tried.
Thinking of this, he felt a bit deflated, realizing his hope was unrealistic.
"Who knows?"
But Lu Chao just smiled and clapped him on the shoulder.
There was no mockery in his voice, only a calm statement. "Maybe tomorrow, maybe next year."
"At least there's always a chance in the future."
...
For the next ten-plus days, Lu Chao moved like a precisely calibrated machine, tirelessly balancing martial arts training and work. The cleaning crew, the bar, the boxing hall... He completely put the incident with the blond-haired young man behind him.
During this time, a loan company called again to ask if he needed a loan, but he refused.
Gradually, as his second month at Jinshi Boxing Hall drew on.
[Life Energy: 14→15!]
[Potential Progress: 64%]
"WHOOSH!!"
Exhaling a puff of hot, white air, Lu Chao walked to a corner of the training hall and glanced at his panel during a break.
His Life Energy had increased by another point, bringing him ever closer to the Fighting Level.
Surging power flowed through his entire body. His punching force now exceeded one hundred and fifty kilograms.
He then turned slightly to the side.
Lu Chao looked at his reflection in the window.
Sweat trickled down his masculine face, tracing a path through the defined lines of his chest and abs.
His shoulders and back were broader, his legs and arms a bit thicker.
Compared to two months ago, he could now be described as truly well-built.
But...
'It's still not enough.'
Clenching his fist, Lu Chao was not satisfied.
Breaking through to the Fighting Level was his current goal.
More than half of the three-month period had passed; he only had one month left.
If he couldn't break through, he would have to leave the boxing hall.
At this thought, Lu Chao's expression turned serious, a sense of urgency washing over him.
HUP!
BANG!!
Just then, a dull thud interrupted his thoughts.
He looked over and saw someone in the ring area get sent flying by a kick, crashing to the ground like a kite with a snapped string.
The victor stood tall in the center of the ring, his handsome face, framed by short, stylish hair, beaming with triumph.
"Junior Brother Shen is so strong! He just broke through to Rock Hide and already defeated Senior Brother Xu."
"Senior Brother Xu has 25 points of Life Energy. He's a veteran fighter, so this shouldn't have happened, right?"
"He's a genius. That's the only explanation. And who knows, maybe the Hall Master taught him some Secret Techniques?"
The murmurs of his fellow disciples reached Lu Chao as he watched the fallen Senior Brother Xu stumble to his feet, rubbing his chest and cupping his hands in concession.
On the opposite side of the ring, Shen Tianchen was the center of attention, showered with praise. Even the Second True Disciple, Senior Sister Lin, walked over to patiently offer him pointers.
'The fourth True Disciple...'
His expression remained calm as Lu Chao recalled the events of a week ago.
Shen Tianchen had successfully broken through to the Fighting Level and was publicly accepted by the Hall Master, Master Luo, as the fourth True Disciple.
His status and strength were now on a completely different level.
He even heard that security companies had come calling, offering generous terms and resources in hopes of recruiting him.
...
"Junior Brother Shen, that was just a spar. You were a bit too heavy-handed,"
Senior Sister Lin said in a low voice as they stepped down from the ring, her fine brows slightly furrowed in disapproval.
"It's a good thing Junior Brother Xu is a good sport, or you might have provoked a real fight."
"Senior Sister, didn't Master teach me the Secret Technique so I could master it as quickly as possible?"
"Senior Brother Xu is strong; he was a good opponent for practicing the Secret Technique. I couldn't hold back."
Shen Tianchen was completely unconcerned. He even glanced at Senior Brother Xu, who was slinking away dejectedly, and the other disciples who had been fawning over him.
He didn't think he'd done anything wrong.
Might makes right, the strong reign supreme. That was the truth, both inside the boxing hall and out.
Besides, he had just learned the Secret Technique and couldn't control it perfectly yet. It was inevitable that he would be a little heavy-handed.
"Besides, Senior Sister,"
he said in a relaxed, matter-of-fact tone, "Senior Brother Xu is tough. He's fine, isn't he? Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Seeing his attitude, Senior Sister Lin parted her lips to speak but ultimately swallowed her words of admonishment.
"Alright... By the way, have you considered the offer from [Hengjia Security]?"
Her tone was concerned as she reminded him again, "Master pulled strings to get you this opportunity. You need to take it seriously."
"I'll think about it some more, Senior Sister."
However, Shen Tianchen shook his head, a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice. "The salary is only 150,000 for six months, and the monthly resource allotment is just two Life Potions."
"I think their offer is a little low."
"Low?" Senior Sister Lin's brows knitted together. "Compared to the other disciples at the Fighting Level, those terms are already twice as generous."
"It's not that I'm greedy, Senior Sister,"
Shen Tianchen said, shaking his head. "Their contract has too many restrictive clauses. I think the resource share could be higher."
"Is that so..."
Senior Sister Lin pondered for a moment. Junior Brother Shen's talent and potential were indeed extraordinary. Perhaps... he was worth a higher price?
She didn't press him further, instead reminding him, "Then you should consider it carefully."
"The martial arts tournament is coming up soon, too. Master is taking it very seriously, so don't let him down."
"Alright, alright, Senior Sister, I know."
...
Lu Chao watched as Shen Tianchen was led away to the backyard for another private lesson with Master Luo.
Although Lu Chao hadn't heard their conversation, he couldn't help but feel a little impressed.
No wonder Master Luo had checked his bones back then.
Talent from a superior constitution truly allowed one to train far more efficiently than ordinary people.
STEP, STEP...
As the thought crossed his mind, he heard footsteps approaching.
Lu Chao turned his head and saw Senior Brother Zhang Hong walk up to him.
He wasn't wearing the white and gray uniform of a boxing hall disciple anymore, but an old black tracksuit.
Behind him, Senior Brother Zheng Wu was carrying a black duffel bag, apparently seeing him off.
"Junior Brother Lu."
Zhang Hong came closer, forcing a faint smile.
Slightly taken aback, Lu Chao looked at Zheng Wu, who simply sighed and shook his head.
"You don't have to ask Senior Brother Zheng."
"I came to say goodbye, Junior Brother Lu."
Zhang Hong spoke again, his voice dejected.
A tremor ran through Lu Chao. He understood immediately: Zhang Hong was leaving.
The rule of the boxing hall was clear: if you couldn't break through to Rock Hide and reach the Fighting Level within three months, you had to leave, unless you continued to pay tuition.
"Senior Brother Zhang..."
"I'm really not cut out for this path."
Zhang Hong cut off his attempt at consolation, his expression bitter. "Twenty points of Life Energy... I just can't get over that hurdle."
"It just means this is my limit. There's no point in wasting any more time."
His voice was melancholic as his gaze swept across the entire training hall.
The equipment, the rings, the training grounds, the disciples he'd gotten to know...
The atmosphere fell silent. No one dared to interrupt.
Finally, Zhang Hong took a deep breath, a smile returning to his face as he turned to look at him.
"Junior Brother Lu, I'm glad I got to know you during this time."
Their eyes met. He didn't complain about a thing. He just patted Lu Chao's shoulder and offered a sincere blessing:
"I wish you a prosperous martial journey."
"Please, keep going for the both of us."