Skill Special Effect "Iron Fist"

Fang Cheng raised his head.

He saw the Panel emanating a more brilliant glow than usual.

Two small arrows had appeared to the right of the "Boxing" Skill Bar.

They listed the specifics of the two Enhancement directions.

Enhancement One: 6 Free Attributes as a reward

Enhancement Two: 2 Physique Attribute points as a reward, Skill Special Effect "Iron Fist"

Note: This special effect could grant the bones and muscles of the palms toughness twice that of the total Constitution attribute.

Enhancement selection.

Fang Cheng had encountered this situation before when leveling up the "Speed Reading" skill.

At the time, in order to improve his learning efficiency as quickly as possible, he had given up 4 Spirit Attribute points.

He had chosen the other Enhancement direction.

1 Spirit Attribute point, along with the Skill Special Effect "Rapid Eye Movement," which enhanced reading memory fourfold.

Now, a similar choice had appeared again.

Only this time, both Enhancement Rewards were far more generous than before, and both suited Fang Cheng's current needs perfectly.

If he chose Enhancement One.

Adding those 6 Free Attributes to Strength and Agility would instantly bring his Physical Quality up to that of a Professional Boxer.

If he chose Enhancement Two.

Although he would only gain 2 Constitution points, his fists would become as hard as iron, and the improvement to his practical combat ability would be self-evident.

More importantly, the Skill Special Effect had growth potential.

With 10 Constitution points, it could achieve the effect of 20 points. With 20 points, it could achieve the effect of 40.

And so on. It was hard to imagine how terrifying these hands would become later on.

Perhaps even tearing apart a Gundam with his bare hands would no longer be a dream!

One offered a short-term boost, while the other placed greater emphasis on long-term development.

After considering it for several seconds, Fang Cheng made his decision.

"Choose Enhancement Two!"

With that silent thought in his heart, the blood throughout his body seemed to boil, surging continuously toward his palms.

Fang Cheng felt both hands suddenly tighten.

The bones in his palms and fingers, along with the muscles attached to the joints, seemed to be compressed from the outside in by a powerful force.

The intense pain lasted only an instant before abruptly vanishing.

The two small arrows on the Panel disappeared as well.

Fang Cheng lowered his head and stared at his hands.

Under the sunlight, his fingers looked pale and slender, their joints clearly defined.

There seemed to be no trace of Enhancement on the Skin Surface.

Yet he could distinctly feel the savage power concealed within.

"Me, right now..."

Fang Cheng muttered as he lowered his head and slowly clenched both hands, his knuckles cracking.

He had fists on the level of a Boxing King...

At least in terms of hardness!

However—

The next second, a wave of weakness struck him.

His stomach growled loudly as acid churned upward.

His body protested pathetically, as though he had been starving for days.

Fang Cheng suddenly realized.

After activating "Potential Activation," he had enjoyed the wonderful sensation of pushing his body to its limits too much.

He had actually forgotten to eat breakfast!

He Glanced At the Alarm Clock on the table. It read 10:59.

It was almost Noon.

He had been training for a full six hours, from five in the morning until now.

For Ordinary People, this was practically suicide.

"Luckily, my Constitution is no longer something Ordinary People can compare to!"

Looking at the Constitution that had risen to 11 points on his Attribute Bar.

Fang Cheng remained calm and unhurried as he walked into the Bathroom to grab a Towel and wipe away his sweat.

Nine points was roughly the average level for a healthy adult man.

Ten points was probably the level of someone who exercised regularly, an amateur fitness enthusiast.

Fang Cheng had estimated this based on comparisons between his own condition and that of others.

As for eleven points, it had clearly surpassed most Ordinary People and reached the Physical Quality of an average professional athlete. He could be considered an elite.

If he could continue unlocking and leveling up all of the Prisoner's Six Arts, each of his attributes would at least approach 20 points.

By then, his stamina and recovery speed would naturally be incomparable to what they were now.

Perhaps he could even stand alongside the world's top athletes and compete on the same stage.

For example, he could enter an international marathon and compete for the championship prize.

Or do a thousand Push-Ups in a row without even getting red in the face...

Fang Cheng wiped the Sweat from his forehead with a Towel, his Eyes filled with the joy of growing stronger and expectations for the future.

"It's still too early to be thinking about that."

After wiping away his sweat, he gave a self-mocking smile and opened the old Refrigerator at home, its exterior yellowed with age.

Inside, however, it was completely empty. Aside from two cabbages and half a container of yogurt, there was nothing else.

The week's worth of food he had stocked up on had long since been eaten ahead of schedule by his greatly increased appetite.

Slightly disappointed, Fang Cheng Picked Up the half-container of yogurt and slowly licked at it.

He then put on a Jacket and packed clothes and toiletries into his Satchel.

He decided to rest for half the day. First, he would head to the public bathhouse downstairs for a hot bath to relax his body.

Then he would go to the Supermarket to buy supplies, come back to cook for himself, and practice his Cooking.

In particular, he needed to eat several more Honey Glazed Braised Chicken Legs, which he had only recently learned to make.

Exercise, rest, and nutritional replenishment had always been the three major elements of fitness training.

As for the Afternoon, he would visit the hospital to check on his maternal grandfather's condition and bring food to his mother while he was at it.

His plans for the day were packed full.

West Pass District, Ren'an Hospital.

Located near the foothills of the Western Mountains suburban park, it had a tranquil environment far from the bustle of the city.

Although it was in a remote location, it was one of the few top-tier public hospitals in Eastern Capital.

Fang Cheng changed into a white Hoodie, slung his Satchel over his back, carried an insulated lunch box, and walked into the crowded First Floor lobby.

Without looking around, he headed straight for the Elevator Lobby of the inpatient department like he knew the place by heart.

While waiting for the elevator, he occasionally heard children crying and adults scolding them.

There were even patients' family members arguing with staff, throwing tantrums and rolling around on the floor.

The problems between doctors and patients were the same even in another world. There was no difference at all.

The noise of the crowd and the pungent smell of disinfectant intertwined, creating the uniquely anxious atmosphere of a hospital.

Watching the numbers on the floor display crawl along as slowly as a turtle.

Fang Cheng automatically entered Focus mode and silently recited material from his law textbook.

Ding.

The elevator finally descended to the First Floor, and the doors slowly opened.

He raised his head and waited for the people inside to come out before stepping into the elevator.

Just as he pressed the close-door button, someone shouted, "Wait!"

Immediately afterward, a jumble of Footsteps sounded.

A tattooed hand blocked the elevator doors before they could close.

"Honestly..."

A rough voice rang out as a Strongman wearing a tight elastic shirt in the dead of winter squeezed inside, his Pectoral Muscles bulging.

He Glanced At Fang Cheng, then slammed a hand down on the floor button and complained, "Young People these days have none of the mutual-help spirit we had back in our day. You saw people coming and didn't even help hold the button."

The other two young men who entered behind him were also dressed in gaudy outfits, cursing nonstop.

One of them, a short fellow with dyed Huang Mao, even jumped up and pointed at Fang Cheng's nose as he shouted, "Pretty boy, are you blind or something?"

"Sorry."

Fang Cheng dipped his head slightly in apology.

He had been too focused on memorizing his book just now and genuinely hadn't noticed them approaching.

It was only a minor incident.

A little timely compromise was like spring rain, capable of quietly dissolving needless disputes.

But...

These three guys were slovenly enough already, taking up most of the elevator space.

And they were smoking while shouting and making a racket. They were honestly quite annoying.

Fang Cheng could only stand silently in the corner and listen to their boring conversation.

"Damn it, after collecting debts for days, we only got two thousand yuan. Boss won't fire us, will he?"

"What can we do? They're all poor bastards. You can't squeeze much oil out of them. This line of work isn't even as satisfying as fighting in the streets."

"Ying Jun, you have to be ruthless in life. If you're not ruthless enough, people will look down on you. It'll be your turn to prove yourself later."

"Bro, I know. I'm working hard to learn..."

The elevator stopped floor by floor, its doors opening and closing.

Those waiting outside saw the three men standing there like Door Gods, and none of them dared to enter.

Fortunately, when they reached the seventh floor, the three suspected gang members finally got out.

The elevator returned to peace and continued upward.

Ding.

The number on the display jumped to "8," and Fang Cheng stepped out of the elevator as well.

He raised his head and Glanced At the nameplate for "Tumor Department Two," then looked toward the nurses' station.

Several young nurses in white uniforms and round caps were chatting over there.

Fang Cheng had come many times and was fairly familiar with them, so he walked over and asked directly.

A young Nurse with rosy cheeks pointed toward Room 812 at the end of the corridor on the left.

Fang Cheng smiled and thanked her, then immediately Picked Up the insulated lunch box and followed her directions.

When he pushed the door open, the smell of sprayed disinfectant rushed at him.

This was a newly vacated double room.

The blue Bed Sheets and white Floor Tiles were nearly spotless.

Winter sunlight streamed in through the open curtains, casting the room in quiet, pale tones.

Before the Window Sill, a slender middle-aged woman was bending down and mopping the floor.

Her clothes were plain and without any extravagant decoration, yet she possessed a special air of gentle elegance.

Fang Cheng set down the lunch box, walked straight over, and took hold of the mop.

"Mom, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Let me mop."

The middle-aged woman seemed lost in thought and jumped in fright, immediately raising her head.

Her tightly furrowed brows soon relaxed, revealing a look of delighted surprise.

"Cheng Cheng, why are you here?"