A Boy from the Slum District

At the District 7 Slums, the Martial Hall's alloy doors were about to close. The trainees, drenched in sweat, reluctantly filed out.

"I've trained for three years, and my punching force is only 280 kilograms. Looks like I have no hope for the selection assessment three days from now either."

"Isn't that obvious? You need 500 kilograms to pass the selection assessment."

"Sigh, the Martial Hall's three-year free period is over. If I want to train here from now on, I'll have to pay a 300-yuan membership fee every month. With my family's circumstances, my parents definitely won't agree."

"There's no helping it. Ordinary people like us are destined never to become Martial Warriors."

Several youths spoke with miserable expressions.

Just then, someone beside them shouted, "Look! Qin Heng is coming out!"

Qin Heng?

Everyone followed the voice and saw a sunny, cheerful young man in plain clothes squeeze out through the Martial Hall doors just before they shut. His face was full of smiles as he headed straight toward the street corner.

"Qin Heng, what's got you so happy?" someone could not help asking.

Qin Heng smiled. "I just tested my punching force with an old machine. 544 kilograms."

"Holy crap! You're a monster! That's nearly twice as strong as me!"

Everyone around him was stunned.

Then they realized, "With that result, you're guaranteed to pass the Quasi-Martial Warrior assessment in three days!"

The Quasi-Martial Warrior assessment was held once a year. Generally speaking, anyone under twenty years old whose punching force reached 500 kilograms could pass.

Qin Heng was only seventeen, so he fully met the requirements.

Still, he modestly said, "Not necessarily. There'll be a full medical examination and a background check then. Only after passing everything can I become a Quasi-Martial Warrior and an official disciple of the Four Great Martial Halls."

Everyone smiled.

"Qin Heng, you're far too modest."

"The medical examination and background check won't be difficult. As long as you don't have a terminal illness or rebel ties within three generations, you'll pass."

"How could people from our Slum District ever have a chance to come into contact with rebels?"

Qin Heng looked delighted. He knew in his heart that he would definitely pass this assessment and soon become a Quasi-Martial Warrior.

Then not only would his parents be able to live in a better home, but also...

A sweet, smiling face flashed through his mind. In high spirits, he waved goodbye to his Martial Hall classmates, quickened his pace, and ran toward the street corner.

Before long, Qin Heng arrived outside a beverage shop.

The shop was called Frost Snow City. Just across the street, not far away, was the New City District.

In the Slum District, milk tea and fruit tea were considered light luxuries. Few people could afford to drink them every day; most would only splurge on a cup when something good happened or when they were on a date.

That was why the customers here were often wealthy people from the New City District across the street.

Of course, Qin Heng came here every day too—not to drink milk tea, but simply to see someone.

"Qin Heng, you're here." The Frost Snow City clerk greeted him familiarly when she saw him.

Then she called toward the back kitchen, "Ling Xue, your husband's here to see you!"

"Uh, we're not married yet..."

Qin Heng wanted to explain.

The next second, he saw a petite girl lift the curtain and walk out, looking at him with delight.

Fang Lingxue beamed when she saw Qin Heng. "Training's over? How did it feel today?"

Her smile infected Qin Heng, making his already cheerful mood even brighter. "The instructor had me test myself with an old machine today. 544 kilograms. I qualified!"

"Wow! 544 kilograms! That's a full 60 kilograms more than last time, and it hasn't even been two months. Qin Heng, you're amazing!" Fang Lingxue exclaimed, her sparkling eyes full of surprise and joy.

Seeing her adorable, excitable manner, Qin Heng's heart softened, and he could not help saying, "It's all thanks to you helping me support my family so I had time to train. Otherwise, I'd probably still be far from it."

His gratitude toward Fang Lingxue surpassed even his feelings for her.

Qin Heng's parents were both odd-job workers in the Slum District. Wherever the foreman told them to work, that was where they went.

Four years ago, while cleaning an underground sewage pipe, they were caught in a collapse. Though they were rescued, they were left disabled and could no longer work for a living.

The Base City government provided a monthly subsidy of 200 yuan, but that was not enough to support a family of three. So, starting four years ago, Qin Heng had given up his education and worked odd jobs everywhere to help support the household.

Originally, he thought his life would remain this way forever. Yet everything changed with Fang Lingxue's appearance.

Fang Lingxue lived on the other side of District 7 Slums. They had met while doing odd jobs, and since they were the same age, they quickly became friends.

After they had spent time together a few times, Fang Lingxue brought him some good news one day.

The owner of Frost Snow City, a newly opened milk tea shop near the street corner, found her lively, adorable, and likable, and planned to hire her as a clerk for the high monthly wage of 900 yuan.

At first, Qin Heng thought that now she had a stable job, she would no longer work odd jobs like him, and their friendship would come to an end.

But who would have thought!

Fang Lingxue actually told him, "Qin Heng, I can earn 900 yuan a month now. That's so much money, I can't possibly spend it all. How about I support you? Free up some time and sign up at the Martial Hall. If you work hard, maybe you can become a Quasi-Martial Warrior."

Qin Heng froze at the time and asked her, "Why?"

Fang Lingxue answered as though it were perfectly natural, "Why does there have to be a reason? Two or three hundred yuan a month is enough for me alone. There's nowhere for all that leftover money to go. You're my only friend. If I help you now, then when you become a Martial Warrior someday, just don't forget my kindness."

Martial Halls. Martial Warriors.

That had been her suggestion, and Qin Heng had followed it.

In this world, Martial Warriors were a special group. They possessed tremendous strength, fought Monsters in the Wilderness Area, cast away their heads and spilled their hot blood, and defended humanity's homeland.

Naturally, they also enjoyed many privileges because of it.

The Trial Martial Hall was a public welfare organization established by the government. It provided venues, equipment, and instructors for free, allowing all school-age children and youths to receive guidance.

As long as they reached the Quasi-Martial Warrior assessment standard within three years, they could be accepted as members by the Four Great Martial Halls. Their identities would transform from then on, and they would no longer be lowly slum dwellers.

But cultivating 500 kilograms of punching force in just three short years was no easy task.

Most children in the Slum District had to work as helpers and did not have much time to spare. Coupled with chronic malnutrition and the lack of meat in their diets, even breaking through the 300-kilogram mark was difficult.

Qin Heng was one of the lucky ones.

Fang Lingxue had not only helped support his family; she had also used her extra money to buy him training meals and Nutritious Meals. His body received nourishment that Slum District children could never obtain, and that was how he achieved his current results.

It could be said that Fang Lingxue had made him who he was!

Meeting this girl was the luckiest thing that had ever happened in his life!

But...

It was enough to keep such thoughts in his heart. Saying them aloud to Fang Lingxue would sound somewhat overly sentimental.

Fang Lingxue smiled. "Don't say such useless things. Since you're in such a good mood today, how about you buy me a drink?"

"Sure! What do you want to drink?" Qin Heng nodded decisively.

Then he awkwardly remembered that the money on him had been given to him by her...

Fang Lingxue said, "Orange juice, of course. It's affordable, and it can replenish the vitamins your body needs."

As she spoke, she started making it herself.

Although she was a clerk, she could not drink fruit tea whenever she wanted. Every order had to be recorded, or there would be serious consequences if the owner found out.

Very soon, Fang Lingxue made two cups of icy orange juice.

"Thank you, one yuan." She handed both cups to Qin Heng.

Qin Heng gave her a one-yuan bill, then handed one of the cups back to her.

Fang Lingxue took a huge sip of the sweet-and-sour iced fruit tea through her straw and made a satisfied sound. "Don't just stand there foolishly. Come in and sit for a while."

"Mm." Qin Heng nodded. The two sat side by side on the long bench meant for customers.

Seeing this, the other clerk, Yu Lingling, could not help sighing. "You two really are such an enviable couple..."

Qin Heng felt warm inside, but also a little embarrassed. "What's there to envy? Ling Xue works so hard, while I haven't given anything in return..."

Yu Lingling said, "But you're about to become a Quasi-Martial Warrior. Once you join the Four Great Martial Halls, you'll earn several thousand yuan a month!"

"See, this is called investing in the future." Fang Lingxue smiled, then teased Yu Lingling, "Sister Lingling, why don't you support a promising young man too? Once he becomes a Quasi-Martial Warrior, he can support you in return."

Yu Lingling's face turned bitter. "I can't. I still have three younger brothers and two younger sisters to raise. Our parents are gone, and I'm already barely scraping by on my own. Where would I get spare money to invest in someone else?"

Qin Heng and Fang Lingxue fell silent at those words.

For people in the Slum District, simply staying alive was already difficult. Many were injured or even lost their lives while working.

Compared to them, Qin Heng and Fang Lingxue were already fortunate.

Yu Lingling said no more and gave the young couple some privacy.

Qin Heng and Fang Lingxue chatted about amusing things that had happened that day. Throughout their conversation, Qin Heng kept looking at her.

This girl was innocent and radiant, delicate and adorable. She truly was an angel Heaven had sent to save him...

Thinking that he would finally become a Quasi-Martial Warrior soon, that he would shortly join the Four Great Martial Halls and gain the financial means to support a family, Qin Heng could not help speaking. "Ling Xue... let's get married?"

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