Yang Lei's Challenge (Please Follow)

"Rumble!"

"Whoosh, whoosh~~"

The sky over Tianhai City was shrouded in dark clouds as endless torrential rain poured down.

Silver lightning snakes tore across the sky, dancing wildly.

"Drip~"

Lin Qi put away his umbrella. Rainwater dripped onto the ground as he climbed to the third floor of Building 4, carrying the damp chill with him.

"Click~"

As he opened the door, the smell of alcohol rushed at him from the living room.

Lin Qi focused his gaze and spotted a familiar figure.

"Uncle, why are you here?"

The table in the living room was covered with dishes, while a pile of empty bottles lay beneath it.

Besides his parents, there was one more person. The man was tall and well-proportioned, in his thirties, and handsome.

He wore a black suit.

He was Old Mom Fang Huiyi's biological elder brother, Lin Qi's uncle—Fang Zhe.

Compared to Old Dad Lin Zhen's sturdy build, Uncle Fang Zhe possessed far more scholarly air.

"Xiao Qi, you're back!"

Fang Zhe set down his bottle. His face was slightly flushed as he sat on the sofa with a smile.

"Congratulations on getting into the Elite Class. This is a gift for you."

Fang Zhe stood up and handed him a box.

"These are Spirit Refreshing Potions. You're already in your final year of high school, studying hard every day. The drain on your mind is too great for a few cups of coffee to solve."

Lin Qi saw that the box contained three tubes of Spirit Refreshing Potion, worth 3,000 Xia Guo Bi.

"Uncle, this is too valuable."

"Thank you, Uncle!" Lin Qi did not refuse, because he knew his uncle's personality.

If he refused, Fang Zhe might actually take it back.

"Xiao Qi, sit down too. We want to hear your opinion," Lin Zhen said.

Fang Zhe's expression turned serious as well.

"Xiao Qi, besides coming to see your mother this time, there's something else."

"I plan to go to Linhai No. 1 War Base and work as a Flesh Dissector. Linhai hasn't been peaceful lately. Calamity Beasts keep descending through the Space Gate."

"I'll work as a Flesh Dissector for a while. The pay is good, and I also want your father to come with me."

Lin Qi fell into thought after hearing this.

When Calamity Beasts invaded Blue Star, their numbers were vast, and their corpses were enormous after being killed. Their bones were too hard, making mechanical cutting far too time-consuming.

Thus, the profession of Flesh Dissector was born. Martial Artists who studied Blade Technique took on the role, using their superb skills to dismantle Calamity Beast corpses in the shortest possible time, greatly improving efficiency.

Every Flesh Dissector received excellent pay and benefits.

Especially when a Space Gate opened and a Disaster Beast Tide erupted, Flesh Dissectors became desperately needed.

Some Martial Artists short on money would take the job part-time.

Although the wages were high, the work environment was filthy, exhausting, and dangerous. They could easily catch various infections, and one careless mistake could leave all the money they earned spent on medical treatment.

Unless they truly needed money, many Martial Artists would not choose such work.

Lin Qi also understood why Fang Zhe wanted to become a Flesh Dissector. His cousin Fang Lin would enter her final year of high school next year and needed money to buy resources and build a solid foundation.

And Lin Qi's family had borrowed a large sum from them, leaving their savings insufficient as well.

Guilt rose in his heart.

"Xiao Qi, there's no danger in your dad going. My body has recovered well now, and I don't need anyone to look after me anymore," Fang Huiyi persuaded him.

The three of them looked at Lin Qi, seeking his opinion.

"I have no objections!" Lin Qi looked up and smiled.

The three of them finally sighed in relief.

"When are you leaving?" Lin Qi suddenly asked.

"The day after tomorrow!" Uncle Fang Zhe said.

More than ten minutes later, Uncle Fang Zhe said goodbye and left.

Lin Qi returned to his room. Although his mind was still exhausted, he had not forgotten his stance training.

After swallowing several Qi and Blood Capsules, he lowered himself into position and began practicing the Perfectly Round Stance.

In just a short while, his face turned red and sweat poured down like rain.

Lin Qi raised his back, tucked his shoulders, dropped his elbows, and held his neck upright...

His body trembled slightly as qi and blood surged through him, tempering every muscle.

Lin Qi felt an invisible pressure.

"Working as a Flesh Dissector might not be dangerous, but it's extremely tiring. Old Dad's physical problems are getting worse and worse. This will be a huge test for him too."

Lin Qi did not want Old Dad to work so hard either.

But he knew that besides earning more money, Old Dad wanted to repay Uncle Fang Zhe's family as quickly as possible.

It was all because of money!

"I need to become stronger and earn more money."

"The Second-Class Student Loan and the 500,000 Xia Guo Bi reward from the Star Rank event—I have to get both."

Lin Qi hardened his resolve. Strength suddenly surged through his body as his qi and blood erupted, flowing throughout every part of him.

[Through training in the "Perfectly Round Stance," your qi and blood have broken through. Qi and blood value +0.2]

[Qi and blood value: 6.7→6.9]

"Not enough. I need to break through faster."

Lin Qi clenched his fist and shook his head, dissatisfied with the pace of his improvement.

But the next second, overwhelming exhaustion surged into his mind.

"The mental drain is too great. I'm too tired. Even Spirit Refreshing Potions can't completely restore me."

Lin Qi shook his head.

In the living room, Lin Zhen and Fang Huiyi cleaned up the table together.

Fang Huiyi said softly and worriedly, "Although this trip to the War Base won't be dangerous..."

"The environment is harsh. When the organs and blood of some Calamity Beasts pile up, they become corrosive, and there are all kinds of toxic fluids too."

"You must be careful. Don't wear your body out."

Lin Zhen nodded with a smile. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

"I'll come back after working part-time for a while."

"Mm!" Fang Huiyi nodded.

Two days later, Lin Qi's Old Dad Lin Zhen and Uncle Fang Zhe set off for Linhai No. 1 War Base.

Lin Qi continued attending class and practicing martial arts as usual.

That evening, after class, in the Elite Class—

"Kang Feiyue, go to the Martial Arts Classroom after class. Let's have a one-on-one. Do you dare?"

"Who doesn't dare? Whoever doesn't go is a coward!" Kang Feiyue shouted back.

Two students in the class had issued a Duel Request.

"Qi Ge, Kang Feiyue was in our former Class 3. We should go support him. Want to go to the Martial Arts Classroom together during evening study?" Jiang Tao asked. Lin Qi nodded.

Lin Qi was already used to challenges like this. They were all martial arts practitioners with energy to spare, and they had trained with weapons as well.

They were all geniuses. No one accepted being inferior to anyone else, so challenges naturally arose.

"Ring, ring, ring~"

Evening study ended, and a group from the class flooded toward the Martial Arts Classroom.

By then, Zhang Cheng was already standing inside the Martial Arts Classroom. He grinned.

"I heard there's a Duel Request, so I'll serve as the referee."

Before long, the two challengers changed into their gear and faced each other in the Martial Arts Classroom.

"The rules are simple. The match ends when either side admits defeat, or when I make the call."

"During the match, no attacking vital areas."

"Now, begin!"

Zhang Cheng raised his right arm and announced.

Kang Feiyue and his opponent immediately began fighting. Weapons in hand, they rapidly clashed in the arena.

Lin Qi watched from the crowd, his mind racing as he put himself in their positions and considered how he would respond if he were fighting.

The two combatants ranked 22nd Place and 18th Place in their grade, making them extremely close in strength.

Lin Qi silently compared their skill with his own Spear Technique Realm. Others did not have a Panel like his, capable of turning their realms into data and precisely confirming every bit of progress.

He could be certain that, in Spear Technique, the gap between him and these geniuses had narrowed almost completely.

Not far away, Yang Lei was also watching the duel. His eyes flickered uncertainly, as though he were plotting something.

A few minutes later—

"Bang~"

"I won!"

As his opponent fell, Kang Feiyue swung his Battle Saber and held it against the other boy's throat, excitedly declaring the duel over.

"Kang Feiyue wins!" Zhang Cheng announced loudly.

The crowd erupted, cheering loudly.

"That wasn't enough. Fight another round," someone suggested.

"Anyone else want to make a Duel Request?" Zhang Cheng asked.

"Me!"

From the crowd, Yang Lei raised his hand and stepped forward.

"Who do you want to challenge?" Zhang Cheng asked.

"I want to challenge Lin Qi!"

Yang Lei pointed at Lin Qi. Quite a few people began shouting and jeering as numerous eyes turned toward Lin Qi in unison.

Lin Qi remained expressionless and exchanged a glance with Jiang Tao.

"Lin Qi, do you dare accept my challenge?" Yang Lei raised his voice.

Lin Qi sensed Yang Lei's malicious intentions. If he refused, would that not prove that he was afraid?

He had long since forgotten about this person, yet Yang Lei had unexpectedly jumped out again.

Then Lin Qi would teach him a lesson he would never forget.

"Yang Lei, I have a suggestion. If you lose, how about giving Lin Qi 50,000?" Jiang Tao suddenly said.

"Likewise, if Lin Qi loses, he'll give you 50,000."

"50,000!"

The crowd burst into an uproar. Fifty thousand was no small sum.

"This..."

Yang Lei hesitated. Even though his family was fairly well-off, 50,000 was still a considerable amount.

"What, you don't have confidence in your own strength? You don't dare?" Lin Qi finally spoke.

His expression was stern, his gaze sharp as he stared at Yang Lei. An invisible aura spread outward.

Provoked like that, Yang Lei immediately felt annoyed. In a rush of hot blood, he said—

"Who says I don't dare? Fifty thousand it is!"