Shen Qian's Diary

March 28, 2297:

"Clear. I started keeping a diary, but I'm still a decent man.

The first training camp ended smoothly. So Captain Chen's first method was actual combat. I fought Zheng Shaoyang and lost, then fought Huo Ling'er and lost again.

I suddenly realized that my combat experience was pitifully lacking. I had to work even harder.

...But how was I supposed to surpass myself?

A century-old problem."

March 29, 2297:

"The weather wasn't great today. Apparently, there was lightning and thunder in the restricted zone, which brought heavy rain to Jing City too... Poor Scavengers. I really didn't know how they survived.

Another fulfilling day spent swimming through the ocean of knowledge.

Mom finally woke up. Her condition was stable, but her emotions weren't. Especially after learning about the stupid thing she did, she didn't really want to see me... Well, I didn't want to see Mom crying her eyes out either. Otherwise, whenever she remembered that embarrassing scene in the future, she'd definitely find every possible way to get even.

Women were such petty creatures. All I did was reply 'oh' to a message last night, and Ding Yi sent me thirty-nine 'oh's today."

March 30, 2297:

"Today's training camp was still about fighting, but it ended early. A kid named Qin Kunyang got his leg broken by Zhou Xiaoguang. He really was strong. He only used one move from start to finish, and none of us saw it clearly.

Also, I finally confirmed the existence of Extraordinary Quasi-Martial Artists through Chen Feng. That made me start wondering about Old Hu's true identity. Could it be...

He was a security guard who graduated from a proper academy?

I lifted weights at home for three hours. I felt like my Qi and Strength had increased again. Maybe I could beat Zheng Shaoyang next time.

I visited Mom, and just as I left the hospital, I saw a message. Damn Old Wang was asking me to go to the VR Hall again. I sternly rebuked and refused him. He was deeply ashamed, and then Zhou Xu and I went to spend the night at the VR Hall... Couldn't be helped. Zhou Xu only agreed to treat me alone. [Funny]

PS: It was already past midnight when we went, so I still resisted temptation today."

April 1, 2297:

"Today was the weekend, but just after I got home and fell asleep, Ding Yi's video call woke me up. At the same time, I didn't understand why she was only willing to show one eye...

She said the north was very dry, the weather was bad, the food was awful, and she had very few friends... She missed me too.

Huo Ling'er called me as well. Sure enough, no one showed up for the team-building event she organized. She seemed to have cried, so to comfort her, kindhearted me was forced to take her to the VR Hall.

She seemed never to have played video games before. Sure enough, a girl's first time was always the most beautiful. She had a lot of fun and voluntarily topped up five hundred yuan to my account.

Oh, damn it. Why did they have to put obstacles in the way of hardworking me?"

April 2, 2297:

"Mom finally woke up completely. She could eat and talk normally now, and she asked where the thirty thousand yuan came from. I could only explain it all over again. Mom was very interested in Ding Yi. Wait, why was it thirty thousand yuan...

Something seemed off.

Also, I was planning something big. I intended to get certified as a Beginner Martial Artist at the Martial Arts Association. That way, I could earn the enormous sum of ten thousand yuan every month and secure my noble status as a man with ten thousand yuan.

After doing some research, publicly selling a prescription was even more troublesome than I imagined. First, I had to be a registered pharmacist. Second, I needed thirteen medicine-related certificates. It would take over a year to complete all the procedures... What a pain.

Today's little regret was that I missed Zhou Xu's call inviting me to spend the whole day at the VR Hall. The system forcibly logged me off [censored]... I was determined to hone my martial arts, so I refused him."

April 3, 2297:

"A countdown to the 'Final Battle of the College Entrance Exam' had been hung at the school gates. It gave me a sense of urgency, so the very second I saw Wang Yangming and Zhou Xu, I berated them. They were not to invite me to the VR Hall again today.

...Heh, what did they mean it was my turn to pay? Please don't interfere with my studies.

During training camp, I finally beat Zheng Shaoyang once with my own strength.

He didn't understand why I was improving so quickly. The utterly baffled look on his face was quite adorable. I really couldn't bear to tell him that it wasn't because his talent was lacking. Unfortunately, I had cheats."

April 4, 2297:

"Studied.

Had a video call with Ding Yi's right cheek.

Took Mom for a walk.

Was forcibly logged off [censored]... Lifted weights."

April 5, 2297:

"Studied.

Had a video call with Ding Yi's forehead.

Bought Mom a bouquet on the way to the hospital. Old Shen was put in an awkward spot.

Fought during training camp. I directly conceded to Zhou Xiaoguang. He seemed speechless, but he didn't know that I was actually afraid System Daddy would punch him to death. But if I didn't summon System Daddy, I was afraid Zhou Xiaoguang would punch me to death.

Sigh, the world was always so wonderful.

Lifted weights."

April 6, 2297:

"Studied.

Had a video call with Ding Yi's left cheek.

Had a voice call with Huo Ling'er... Wait, why was she calling me? Oh, she was inviting me to the VR Hall. Then it was fine.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get too close to her. I couldn't wrong the girl waiting for me beneath the northern sunshine, so I refused her.

...Damn it, why did this lousy system always love forcibly logging me off?

The feeling of being able to do nothing but watch myself grow stronger every day...

So helpless."

April 7, 2297:

"On my way to school today, I ran into another Police Warrior inspection. Apparently, those Scavengers who entered Jing City still hadn't been completely cleared out. That surprised me and reminded me of the last time the system logged me off and killed someone.

I wondered whether I was truly gifted, or if television dramas were all just nonsense. Since then, I hadn't had any nightmares or felt any discomfort.

Today was also the first ranking update of the training camp. Over the past ten days or so, I fought fourteen matches in total, winning six and losing eight. I ranked eighth.

I couldn't use the killing techniques the system taught me, and I couldn't show that my strength was improving too quickly. Steady as I was, I was very satisfied with this result. Keeping quiet and getting rich was the King's Way. Otherwise, I'd end up like Zhou Xu. He had merely said, 'I still have several thousand yuan of New Year's money left,' and he was nearly drained dry by Old Wang and me [censored]... by Old Wang. Old Wang really had no decency.

Oh, right. The reward for the training camp rankings was Tiger Bone Elixir, a potion used to strengthen the toughness of one's muscles and bones. I heard one bottle was worth two thousand yuan and could further stimulate potential, but it was pretty useless to someone like me who was improving so quickly. I was debating whether to sell it...

Ahhh, why was there so much to write today? I couldn't write anymore. That was it."

April 8, 2297:

"I didn't know if it was an illusion, but after getting up this morning, I noticed that the Obsidian Spirit Stone on my chest wasn't glowing much anymore. I suspected its spiritual energy was almost exhausted.

I had a feeling it might be related to the fact that I devoured four textbooks in a week. I tried a set of History of Huaxia practice questions and only got two wrong...

No, it had nothing to do with the spirit stone. It was because I finally put my mind to studying. I really was a genius.

Mom was about to be discharged, and she had selectively forgotten all about her crying fit.

Everything would get better. Not even Jesus could stop it!

I said so."

April 9, 2297:

"Today was a fine day worth remembering.

Because after today, I would no longer be the ordinary me, but the noble me with an enormous monthly income of ten thousand yuan.

PS: Ding Yi's birthday is in fifty-eight days. Mustn't forget, mustn't forget."

That's it for today, just one chapter. I'll make up for it with three chapters tomorrow. I need to sort out the outline.

Also: after this goes premium, chapters will be at least three thousand characters long. Please bear with the shorter early chapters.