Chapter 4: Luo Feng's Strength
After dinner, his parents took Hua downstairs for a walk, while Luo Feng headed out for his tutoring job. By 6 PM, the sky had darkened to deep indigo.
"Time to wrap up these lessons," he muttered, darting through alleyways like a leopard. Approaching a dead end, he leaped two meters into the air, grabbed the wall with one hand, and swung effortlessly into the next street.
Maintaining a steady 15 m/s (54 kph), he used the run as a warm-up. This wasn't his top speed, but it got the blood flowing.
"One month till the exams. I'll quit tutoring then. Made 20,000 RMB these past six months." Earning the Advanced Martial rank last year had finally let him land this gig—teaching basic movement techniques to a rich kid for ¥100/hour. Five nights a week, that added up to ¥2,000+ monthly.
"Pop works his ass off for ¥2-3k a month. One hour of tutoring pays more than his daily wage… That's the difference between ordinary folks and Advanced Students. As a Warrior, the gap would be insane."
A delivery truck blocked the alley ahead. Without slowing, Luo Feng kicked off the ground, bounded twice off the wall, and landed smoothly beyond the obstruction.
Soon, he reached a quiet residential complex—the kind of place his parents deserved. Low-rise buildings, manicured gardens, even "sky gardens" on every floor of the high-rises. Townhouses and luxury villas dotted the landscape.
In a country where six mega-cities housed billions, such spacious living was a luxury. "Single-family villas" came with punitive luxury taxes; even townhouses were reserved for the affluent.
"Building 18, Unit 1801," he told the security guard. A quick call to the resident, and he was waved through.
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An hour later, Luo Feng exited the complex. "Might as well hit the martial hall. See if I've improved."
Extreme Martial Arts Hall—the world's largest martial organization, founded by the legendary "Hong." Its global branches were architectural behemoths.
He swiped his student ID at the gate, entering a compound larger than most high schools. Three silver spaceship-like buildings dominated the grounds: Junior, Intermediate, and Advanced training halls.
"Senior!" "Good evening, Senior!" Students bowed as he passed, eyeing his Advanced rank badge.
The Advanced Hall's third floor was a 100m² training gym. A dozen students waved him over.
"Madman's here!" "Yo, Feng!"
"Hey, Brother Wang, Brother Yang, Sister Li." Luo Feng grinned at the group—all in their 20s, the poorest of the Advanced students, like him. They trained here because they couldn't afford private studios at home. His nickname "Madman" came from that legendary triple victory over wealthy rivals.
"Let's see how I've progressed." He walked to the corner, where two "Punch Force Testers" stood side by side. These machines were standard for Intermediate, Advanced, and even Warrior rank exams.
Taking a deep breath, Luo Feng relaxed his body, then exploded into motion. His spine coiled like a spring, transferring leg power through his hips and core. His right fist struck the pad like a cannonball—thud!
The screen lit up: 809 kg.
"Damn, Madman! Over 800 kg now!" shouted Yang Wu, a scar-faced giant and top 3 Advanced student. "Not bad, but you're still lagging behind me."
"Thanks, Yang Ge. Mind firing up the speed tester?"
Yang Wu nodded, activating the device. Its camera flickered to life as Luo Feng took his position on the 60m track.
He exploded forward, hitting top speed in an instant. His legs churned, propelling him like a bullet through the sensor zone. The wind whistled past as he skidded to a halt.
"Check this out!" Yang Wu laughed, gesturing to the screen.
23.8 m/s.
"Decent progress," Luo Feng said, though his tone was flat. The Warrior Qualification Exam had three benchmarks:
Punch Force: 900 kg minimum
Speed: 25 m/s (4-second 100m dash)
Neural Reflexes: Already met, thanks to natural talent
He was close, but not there yet.
"Don't sweat it, kid," Yang Wu clapped his shoulder. "You're 18—most Advanced students your age are stuck at 600 kg. You'll hit 900 soon. Just need to focus on that core rotation."
Luo Feng nodded, but his mind raced. Warrior status isn't just about pride. It's a ticket out of poverty. For Mom and Dad. For Hua.
Glancing at the clock—9 PM—he grabbed his bag. "Gotta head home. See you guys tomorrow."
As he left the hall, the neon sign outside buzzed to life: EXTREME MARTIAL ARTS – TRAIN TO SURVIVE.
Survive? No, he thought. I'm training to thrive.
Notes for Context:
RMB 20,000: ~$2,800 USD (2056 exchange rates), a significant sum for a teen in a post-apocalyptic economy.
Warrior Qualification Exam: two stages: first physical benchmarks ("Provisional Warrior"), then live combat against monsters.
Hong: The founder of Extreme Martial Arts, widely regarded as the world's strongest human and a mythical figure in this universe.
Chapter 5 will delve into Luo Feng's midnight training session and the unexpected event that triggers his awakening…