You'll Hate Me

You'll Hate Me

The next day, before dawn.

The sun had yet to rise, but the sky was already faintly bright. In a house somewhere in Jiangbin City, a Young Man was sleeping like the dead.

Click.

The bedroom door opened, and a graceful figure walked in.

Han Jiangxue looked down at the sleeping Jiang Xiao, raised her leg, and gently kicked his calf. "Get up."

"Huh?" Jiang Xiao opened his bleary eyes and saw his daughter—no, his sister, Han Jiangxue—standing by the bed with a stern face, as though he owed her 350 million.

"Morning training." Han Jiangxue replied before turning and walking out. Her voice drifted back from afar. "Five minutes."

Jiang Xiao sat up and felt numbness and aching pain all over his body.

He had run a full three kilometers last night!

Logically speaking, a high school student like him—and an Awakened at that—should have had decent Physical Fitness. Three kilometers should have been nothing.

But Han Jiangxue had run far too fast. Her Physical Fitness was practically inhuman.

Jiang Xiao had gritted his teeth and held on. In the end, Han Jiangxue had slowed down for his sake, and he had barely managed to complete the so-called "night run."

What time was it?

Four thirty?

"Are you the devil!?" Jiang Xiao muttered angrily.

"I'm your sister." Han Jiangxue's faint voice came from outside the door. "If you don't want to be a doctor, get up and train."

"Do you have some kind of misunderstanding about the sacred profession of being a doctor?" Jiang Xiao grumbled back.

"Cut the nonsense!" Han Jiangxue snapped from outside.

What answered her, however, was a comfortable groan. "Ah~"

Han Jiangxue: "..."

After giving himself a dose of healing, Jiang Xiao immediately felt much better. His legs were still sore, but at least they no longer shook when he stood.

He quickly got dressed and walked out of the room.

No matter how glib he was, Jiang Xiao knew what his goal was. Since he had come to this world, he had to make something of himself.

Increasing his physical strength and boosting his Star Power reserves in the short term were the goals Jiang Xiao had set last night.

There were still ten days until school started. Jiang Xiao planned to at least get the basics down before then.

Han Jiangxue was rather surprised. She had thought her little brother would sleep in for a long time and that morning training would ultimately come to nothing. Yet Jiang Xiao, who was all talk and mischief, had actually gotten up.

For a young fellow his age, getting up at four thirty in the morning was indeed a little difficult.

Staying up all night until four thirty might have been easier. Thus, accompanied by birdsong, the siblings ran all the way into the park, passed groups of elderly men and Aunties doing their morning exercises, and began the day's training.

What embarrassed Han Jiangxue was that Jiang Xiao kept making strange noises.

The more exhausted his body became, the more comfortable Jiang Xiao felt from his Blessing skill, so such situations were unavoidable.

Jiang Xiao jogged while absorbing Star Power and frantically healing himself, forming what he believed was a positive cycle.

After the morning run, the two did some stretches under Han Jiangxue's guidance and finished their training. On the way home, they chose a small breakfast shop.

"Boss, four Fried Dough Sticks, two tea eggs, and two bowls of Tofu Brain." Jiang Xiao spoke as he turned back to ask, "Do you want sweet or savory Tofu Brain?"

Han Jiangxue glanced lightly at Jiang Xiao. "I'll have Soy Milk."

Fine, then.

"Boss, two bowls of Soy Milk." Jiang Xiao turned back and continued, "Sweet or savory Soy Milk?"

From the television on a raised platform at the front of the breakfast shop came the announcer's voice. "This is the live morning news. At approximately 1:34 a.m. tonight, energy fluctuations appeared at the intersection of Prosperity Street and New Fortune Road on Northern Suburban Road in Jiangbin City. No casualties have been discovered so far. The Jiangbin City Public Security Bureau attached great importance to the matter and immediately sealed off the scene. The Jiangbin City Awakened Maintenance Force also dispatched additional personnel to the area at the first opportunity. The situation is now under effective control."

"The Jiangbin City Public Security Bureau hereby reminds the public that the area will remain sealed off for an extended period. We urge all citizens to..."

Jiang Xiao bit into a Fried Dough Stick. It was crisp and flaky. Then he took a sip of hot Soy Milk. Ah, this was heaven.

"More and more Portals have been opening lately. The old ones haven't even closed yet, and their areas haven't been reopened. Now another one has appeared." An old man beside them shook his head and sighed.

"Yeah, the frequency of these Portals is getting higher and higher. At this rate, will we even have anywhere left to live?"

"Sigh, I just hope my little grandson grows stronger and stronger. At least he'll be able to protect himself in the future. Who knows what will become of Earth?"

Jiang Xiao silently listened to the diners' discussion and seemed to sense that humanity's living environment was gradually worsening.

The opening of Other Dimension Space gates followed no pattern.

They appeared abruptly. Some would last only a day before vanishing without a trace.

Others remained open for years or even decades, continuously connecting Earth and the Different Dimension World. This had caused irreversible changes to Earth's environment.

In major human settlements, there were still forces capable of sealing off and controlling such areas, doing their best to ensure humanity's survival.

But in the desolate wilderness, who knew how many Portals might quietly open? The invasion of other species seemed to be an irreversible outcome.

Fortunately, over the past decades, Other Dimension Portals had not opened very frequently.

He wondered what the situation was like now.

Of course, people called them Portals, but that was merely a name. The connection points between Earth and other-dimensional spaces did not all appear in the shape of doors. More often, they were chaotic overlaps of space, making their boundaries difficult to discern and even harder to control.

"Are you full?" Han Jiangxue suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Jiang Xiao hurriedly stuffed another Fried Dough Stick into his mouth, grabbed a tissue, and wiped his mouth. "I'm full."

"Let's go." Han Jiangxue tossed down fourteen yuan, stood up, and walked out of the breakfast shop.

Jiang Xiao looked at the girl in the white tracksuit and felt truly helpless.

She spoke little and moved quickly. She really was "white-clad as snow, coming and going like the wind."

After the two returned home, Jiang Xiao could not help asking, "Why are you suddenly in such a hurry?"

"Since you have acquired a medical-type Star Skill, you are more inclined toward becoming a Medical Awakened. And you can even embed two Star Skills in one Star Slot. That already proves your potential. Although your aptitude is not high and you do not have many Star Slots, I believe diligence can make up for shortcomings." Han Jiangxue was unexpectedly patient and spoke at length.

Jiang Xiao said, "So?"

Han Jiangxue said, "Starting today, I'll train you. No matter what this world becomes in the future, I hope you'll have the ability to protect yourself."

!!!

Jiang Xiao was a little excited and nodded lightly.

What had made Han Jiangxue suddenly change her mind? Why was she no longer planning to let Jiang Xiao graduate peacefully, find a job, and muddle through life?

Was it because of the news just now? Or the diners' discussion?

Or was it because of his potential? Or perhaps, as an Awakened, she knew information that ordinary people did not?

"Physical Fitness, combat techniques, Star Power." Han Jiangxue named three things.

"Combat techniques?" Jiang Xiao asked doubtfully.

"Don't let miraculous Star Skills blind you. Your goal is to defeat enemies, defeat Different Dimension Creatures, and survive. If you possess vast Star Power, powerful fighting skills, and exceptional Physical Fitness, you can accomplish that as well."

"Star Skills can raise your upper limit without end, but as a person, your Physical Fitness and techniques determine your lower limit." Han Jiangxue said, "After First Year of High School begins, all you rookie Awakened will receive Basic Combat training. It is a required course for Awakened."

Jiang Xiao nodded in strong agreement.

Han Jiangxue led Jiang Xiao to their parents' room and tilted her head toward the inside.

Yesterday afternoon, Jiang Xiao had cleaned up the entire house and guessed that this largest bedroom had once belonged to their parents. But now, the room had been completely transformed and looked more like a small training room.

Soft mats covered the floor. There were two punching bags and several small fitness machines.

The only thing in the bedroom that had not changed was the enormous Wedding Photo hanging on the wall.

Looking at the Wedding Photo of the parents he had never met, Jiang Xiao stepped inside.

"I like training here because they are always watching me." Han Jiangxue's voice came from behind him.

Jiang Xiao felt a little emotional at her words. He turned around, only to see Han Jiangxue close the door behind her and lock it.

Jiang Xiao looked at Han Jiangxue standing in front of the door and asked in confusion, "What does that mean?"

Han Jiangxue said softly, "You'll hate me."

Jiang Xiao: ???