118: Chapter 118, the Physical Fitness Quest, is complete! Physique +5!

The next morning.

At six in the morning, Zhao Yang woke up on time.

Although he was awake, his body and spirit remained exceptionally exhausted, leaving him feeling groggy.

He had gone to bed too late last night, not getting to sleep until after one o'clock.

It was just six now; he had only slept for over four hours and hadn't entered deep sleep at all.

"Whew..."

Zhao Yang rubbed his aching forehead and glanced out the window. On this late autumn morning in Yanjing, the sun hadn't fully risen yet, and a gray haze of smog shrouded the campus, making it feel somewhat oppressive.

With a soft sigh, Zhao Yang extracted an energy potion from the system panel.

He downed the energy potion in one gulp.

The icy liquid slid down his throat and into his abdominal cavity, tasting incredibly refreshing.

That chill quickly slid from his throat into his abdomen, soon beginning to spread toward his limbs, then climbing up his spine and rushing straight to his brain.

His originally groggy brain became exceptionally clear within just two seconds, and his thinking speed became startlingly fast.

That sense of physical and mental exhaustion vanished without a trace.

Zhao Yang clenched his fist, feeling the vitality refilling his body.

"Truly incredible..."

He toyed with the exquisite empty glass bottle in his hand, a glint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

This recovery speed defied physiological common sense. If he could analyze its chemical components and replicate it—even if he only replicated a tenth of the original effect—he could probably create a functional beverage that would sweep the globe, or a top-tier anti-fatigue medication.

"When I have the chance in the future, I must take a bottle and study it properly."

Zhao Yang plotted silently in his heart.

However, now was not the time.

Every instrument in Professor Gu Ming's laboratory had usage records, and every bit of experimental data was backed up.

If he analyzed a potion of unknown origin there, it would be very troublesome to explain once the abnormal components were discovered.

More importantly, according to the unwritten rules of academia and intellectual property laws, the university and the mentor own the patent rights to results produced using the school's laboratory.

Although Zhao Yang respected Professor Gu, he wasn't stupid. This kind of core personal secret could not be shared with anyone.

"I still need my own laboratory..."

For now, he was staying in Professor Gu's lab for two reasons: one was to learn more knowledge from Professor Gu and enhance his experimental abilities.

The second was to see if there was a chance to get his name on some of Professor Gu's lab papers, to test the system's reaction to such credits.

Currently, Zhao Yang was doing quite well in Professor Gu's lab; the atmosphere was good, and Professor Gu looked after him very well.

He had learned a lot from Professor Gu and those senior brothers and sisters.

In the short term, he wasn't in a hurry to start his own projects or find a research direction.

After disposing of the empty bottle, Zhao Yang climbed down from his bed.

Having finished washing up, Zhao Yang changed into a loose tracksuit and stepped lightly out of the dormitory.

...

He arrived at the familiar corner of the flowerbed next to the playground.

The air here was poor; in the north, especially in Yanjing, the smog of this era was still a bit too heavy.

But Zhao Yang didn't care.

Standing under that old locust tree, he adjusted his breathing, parted his feet slightly, and assumed the opening stance of the Five Animal Frolics.

As the movements unfolded, Zhao Yang seemed to enter a profound, mystical state.

His movements were slow but exceptionally coordinated, his breathing long and deep, as if he had merged with his surroundings.

An hour passed quickly.

When Zhao Yang finished the final form of the Five Animal Frolics and slowly withdrew his power, exhaling...

"Ding! User has gained physique progress +1%!"

"Ding! User has completed the daily task! Current progress (100/100)!"

"Ding! Congratulations to the User for completing the long-term task: [Strengthening the Body]!"

"Ding! Task content: Maintain moderate intensity exercise or higher for one hundred days, at least one hour per day! Achieved!"

"Ding! User has received rewards: Free physique Points +5! Random Draw attempts +3!"

Hearing these system prompts, Zhao Yang's eyes were filled with excitement.

One hundred days of effort—it was finally time to harvest!

Before Zhao Yang could even check the panel, a violent surge of heat suddenly erupted from his heart, instantly sweeping through his entire body.

"Ugh!"

Zhao Yang groaned, nearly collapsing to the ground.

What did physique +5 mean?

For a normal adult male, a physique of 10 is the health standard, 12 is for enthusiasts who exercise regularly, and 15 is for professional athletes.

Zhao Yang's physique had only been 13 before; this addition of 5 points made it soar directly to 18! It had increased by nearly half!

This had already surpassed the limits of the vast majority of humans, approaching the level of an elite special forces soldier!

Crack... crack...

Zhao Yang heard the bones inside his body making constant crisp sounds; that was his bone density increasing and his skeleton undergoing micro-adjustments.

Next were the muscles.

His originally smooth muscle lines began to tighten, deep-seated myoglobin fibers grew and intertwined frantically, and his metabolic rate began to increase wildly.

White vapor began to rise from the top of Zhao Yang's head.

At this moment, he felt as if he were in a sauna; every pore on his body opened up, and sweat poured out as if it cost nothing.

This sweat carried a hint of grayish-black grease and emitted a faint, fishy odor.

These were metabolic wastes accumulated deep in his body, toxins remaining from a sub-healthy state, which were being completely expelled during this leap in his life level!

It took a full five minutes for that intense sensation of transformation to gradually fade, replaced by a refreshing lightness that made him feel like he could fly.

"Whew—"

Zhao Yang let out a long breath of turbid air, which actually condensed into a straight white streak in the cold air, lingering for a long time.

He clenched his fist, and power erupted.

His entire body's muscles and bones rang in unison!

Feeling the power surging within him, Zhao Yang had an illusion that he could kill a bull with one punch.

Of course, it was just an illusion.

But he tried to jump slightly.

Whoosh!

He easily leaped over a meter high, touching the branches of the nearby old locust tree.

"This jumping power..." Zhao Yang landed as steady as Mount Tai, without even much impact on his knees.

"physique of 18 is truly terrifying. This isn't just strength; it's a comprehensive upgrade of the body."

Zhao Yang felt the sticky clothes on his body and smelled the pungent odor, frowning in disgust.

Fortunately, it was early morning and he was in a relatively secluded spot, otherwise...

"I need to get back and take a shower quickly; this smell is too awful!"

...

When Zhao Yang returned to the dormitory, it was already seven-thirty in the morning.

Li Tianqi and the others had just gotten up and were brushing their teeth.

Zhao Yang pushed open the door, and an extremely foul smell drifted in with him.

"Holy crap! What's that smell?"

Wang Mian, who was brushing his teeth, shouted indistinctly.

"This is too damn stinky, holy cow!"