1: Chapter 1 Li Wen

Galaxy Calendar.

December 28, Year 225.

Huaguo.

Qingshi No. 3 Middle School.

Under the scorching sun, a group of high school students wearing identical school uniforms were gathered on an athletic field.

Today was the last Physical Body Rank test for the graduating class of Qingshi No. 3 Middle School this semester.

Various instruments were set up on the spacious athletic field.

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Under the supervision of the proctoring teachers, all students from Grade 12, Class 21 lined up in front of the instruments to be tested.

Class 21 didn't have many students, only about forty-something.

When the school first started enrolling, there were originally only 20 classes planned.

The extra Class 21 naturally consisted of students who didn't meet the admission line but got in through various means.

Some used their financial capabilities, and some relied on connections.

Li Wen belonged to the former.

His family tightened their belts and scraped together fifty thousand Huaxia Coins to send him to the third public high school in the county town.

"Li Wen!"

"Physical Body Comprehensive Rank 6.0."

A mechanical voice announced the result of a skinny boy who had just finished testing his Physical Body Rank.

"Only Rank 6.0?" Hearing the mechanical voice, Li Wen's eyes dimmed.

He clearly trained diligently every day, but as time went by, the gap between him and the top-ranking students in the class actually grew wider.

If this continued, forget about getting into those prestigious universities; even the lowest-tier universities would be a stretch.

In previous years, the minimum entry standard for Martial Arts Universities required a Physical Body Rank of 7.0, meaning he currently didn't even have the qualification to register.

Did he really have to follow his name and pursue academics?

For a moment, Li Wen couldn't help but recall his parents' eager and hopeful eyes.

With his middle school graduation scores, he couldn't have entered the Martial Arts Class at the Third Middle School; it was entirely thanks to the money his parents saved by scrimping and saving that he could enroll.

He once thought that as long as he worked hard, he would surely make a name for himself.

However, after two and a half years, he was thoroughly forced to realize one thing: effort alone was far from enough for some things.

To efficiently develop the Physical Body, various nourishing medicines were indispensable, which required a large amount of money.

The school did provide these nourishing medicines for free, but they were limited, and the distribution wasn't equal; instead, it was based on Rank.

Thus, a slow start meant a slow pace all the way.

It wasn't that the school was unwilling to distribute more; ultimately, resources were limited.

Good steel naturally had to be used on the blade's edge.

This world was not an ordinary world; it was one where various risks existed.

Yao Beasts ran rampant, and humanity was dwindling.

Limited resources naturally had to be tilted more towards those with talent.

What made Li Wen unwilling to accept was that if he didn't pursue the Martial Path, given his liberal arts scores in a situation where academic competition was sky-high, he would most likely remain in the lower rungs of society his entire life.

Just like his parents now, working themselves to death just to make ends meet.

...

"Jingle bells~"

Time flew by until school ended in the afternoon.

Li Wen slung his school bag over his shoulder and walked out of the school gate alone.

Excluding him, the families of the rest of Class 21 were basically either wealthy or noble.

This created a sharp contrast, making Li Wen feel out of place with his classmates.

For two and a half years, he had almost always been alone.

He took out his student ID card, swiped it at the front door of the bus, and found a corner seat to sit down.

The bus passed several stops, and Li Wen only got off at the final stop through the rear door.

The surrounding environment had completely changed; it was filled with dilapidated and old buildings.

Li Wen walked to a building with practiced ease and headed straight up the dark staircase, burying his head as he climbed step by step.

For such remote and run-down buildings, elevators were impossible.

In the cramped staircase, Li Wen occasionally encountered people going up or down.

Having lived there for so many years, they basically all knew each other. Amidst greetings, Li Wen stopped on the 15th floor.

1503, this was the home where he had lived for seventeen... no, to be precise, he was about to turn eighteen years old.

Because today was his eighteenth birthday.

He took out his key, opened the door, and Li Wen entered the room.

The living room was not large, about twenty square meters.

Facing him was a bookshelf displaying various items.

Behind the bookshelf was a cloth sofa, which, although old, was still very clean and tidy.

Opposite the sofa was a table, upon which sat a beautifully packaged cake.

Through the transparent cake box, one could easily see an "18" shaped candle inserted into the cake.

"A Wen, you're back?" Hearing the door open, Li Wen's Mother, Wang Juan, wearing an apron, came out holding a spatula.

"Mom!" Withdrawing his gaze from the cake, Li Wen looked at the woman in front of him who already had quite a bit of white hair, and his nose couldn't help but sting slightly. "There was no need to buy a cake."

"How much is a cake worth? Today is A Wen, your eighteenth birthday; it means you'll be an adult after today."

Li Wen's Mother, Wang Juan, waved the spatula in her hand. "Go take a shower first. The food will be ready soon. I cooked your favorite Braised Lion's Head."

"Mm!" Li Wen swallowed the words that were about to leave his mouth and nodded heavily.

He put down his school bag and headed to the bathroom.

The afternoon physical test had long soaked his clothes in sweat. Although they had dried, they still felt very uncomfortable pressed against his skin.

After taking off all his clothes, Li Wen adjusted the water temperature to a suitable level and let the water spray down.

The warm water quickly enveloped his entire body, flowing down his slightly defined torso.

Closing his eyes and tilting his head up, silently feeling the warm water splash onto his face, this was Li Wen's most relaxed moment every day.

When Li Wen finished washing up and came out, Li Wen's Mother, Wang Juan, had already finished stir-frying the dishes.

Four dishes and one soup were arranged one by one on the living room table.

Placed right in the center was Li Wen's favorite Braised Lion's Head.

The tempting aroma wafted over, making Li Wen's mouth water.

"A Wen, eat while it's hot. Your Dad just told me; it'll probably take another ten minutes for him to get here." Wang Juan handed the bowls and chopsticks to Li Wen.

"I'm not in a hurry. Let's wait for Dad to come back before eating together." Li Wen took the bowls and chopsticks, then placed them back on the table.

"Then eat one Braised Lion's Head first while you wait; otherwise, it'll get cold and won't taste as good." Wang Juan said, placing a Braised Lion's Head into Li Wen's bowl.

"Mm, thank you, Mom." The afternoon physical test had completely drained Li Wen, and coupled with it being his favorite food, he didn't resist too much while starving.

About ten minutes later, Father Li, Li Hong, returned home. Fatigue was clearly visible in his eyes, yet his face was still beaming with a smile. "A Wen, Happy Birthday!"

After speaking, he handed a gift box he was carrying to Li Wen.

"Thank you, Dad!" Li Wen quickly got up to take the gift box handed over by Li Hong.

...

After dinner, the family of three sat together.

The cake box had been removed, and Father Li, Li Hong, picked up a lighter and lit the birthday candles.

"A Wen, hurry up and make a wish~" Li Wen's Mother, Wang Juan, turned off the living room lights and sat down, laughing happily.

"Mm~" Li Wen nodded and closed his eyes.

Just as the thought of his wish arose, he felt a dizzying sensation, and countless memories flooded into his mind out of nowhere.

The memories transformed into scenes, depicting the eighteen years of another Li Wen.

He had finally awakened his past life's memories after enduring eighteen years.

"So I've lived through another eighteen years..." Li Wen murmured to himself in his heart.

In an instant, from the appearance of the memories to Li Wen completely accepting them, it was just a fleeting moment.

To the eyes of Father and Mother Li outside, Li Wen had only just closed his eyes for a few seconds.

When Li Wen opened his eyes, he froze, because rows of text appeared before him:

[Name: Li Wen]

[Age: 18]

[Occupation: To Be Unlocked]