An Ordinary Family

Qin Fen stood outside the door without knocking. He took a key from his pocket and unlocked it.

The moment the door opened, a cramped living room came into view, simply furnished.

A sofa, a coffee table, and a television.

A fruit platter sat on the coffee table, holding bananas, apples, oranges, and other fruit.

It was already past six. The room was somewhat dim. Qin Fen changed into slippers at the entrance, went inside and turned on the lights, then headed straight into the kitchen to wash rice, cook, and stir-fry vegetables.

Qin Fen's parents were both ordinary workers.

His father, Qin Guofeng, and mother worked at a leather factory in the Xisha District Industrial Park. It was not technical work, merely ordinary factory labor, but since they had been there for seven or eight years, their salaries had reached 3,500.

New workers who had just started earned only 1,800 a month.

His parents were exhausted after a full day of work, so Qin Fen always prepared dinner in advance after coming home from school. That way, his parents could have a tasty meal as soon as they returned.

Washing vegetables, chopping vegetables, stir-frying vegetables.

Twenty minutes later, one meat dish, two vegetable dishes, and a soup were served on the table.

Qin Fen checked the time. It was 6:40. His parents got off work at 6:30, and it took only a little over ten minutes to ride an electric scooter back from the Xisha District Industrial Park. They should be home soon.

Sure enough, less than two minutes later, his father Qin Guofeng and mother Cheng Yun returned home, dragging their weary bodies behind them.

"Dad, Mom, you're back."

Qin Fen immediately served his parents their rice and placed it on the table.

"Mm!"

Qin Guofeng nodded and sat in the seat of honor. The family began eating.

"Dad, our teacher started teaching us the martial art Galloping Horse Strength today. As long as I can cultivate strength within a month, I can enter the Martial Arts Class, train in martial arts, and have a chance to get into Martial Arts University and become a martial artist."

Qin Fen said.

"Mm, study hard. As long as you can get into Martial Arts University and become a martial artist, your mother and I will be proud of you."

Qin Guofeng encouraged him.

In today's society, martial arts reigned supreme.

Nearly all of society's upper-class figures were martial artists. At the very least, they were Quasi-Martial Artists.

Whether in business or politics, anyone who wanted to achieve something had to at least be a Quasi-Martial Artist.

It was precisely because martial artists held such high status that Qin Guofeng, though an ordinary person, understood how difficult it was to become one.

In the vast Yang City, there were thirteen high schools. Every year, tens of thousands of students took the College Entrance Examination, yet less than one percent could enter Martial Arts University. Moreover, ninety percent of them came from Key High Schools like Yang City First High School, Yang City No. 2 High School, and Yang City No. 3 High School.

Yang City Thirteenth High School was merely an ordinary high school. Over the past ten years, only one student had ever been admitted to Martial Arts University.

Therefore, entering the Martial Arts Class did not necessarily mean one could get into Martial Arts University. The hope was still slim.

But whether Qin Fen could make it or not, as his father, Qin Guofeng would not pour cold water on him. He could only encourage his son and give him confidence. Though the hope was small, it concerned whether his child could leap through the Dragon Gate and change his fate for life.

"Practicing martial arts takes strength. Eat more meat."

Cheng Yun kept putting meat into Qin Fen's bowl.

In today's world, martial arts were revered above all else. As his parents, they naturally supported Qin Fen's martial arts training. But once he became a martial artist, it meant fighting those Aliens that devoured people without even spitting out the bones, and Cheng Yun could not help worrying.

It was like how parents in the past worried that their children would have to go to war after joining the military. It was the common mindset of all parents.

But becoming a martial artist was easier said than done. Every year, only a scant few students from ordinary high schools could get into Martial Arts University through the College Entrance Examination.

"Dad, Mom, don't worry. I'll definitely get into Martial Arts University and let you live good lives."

Qin Fen said with a firm expression.

Only by getting into Martial Arts University and becoming a martial artist could he let his parents live good lives, fight Aliens, and defend the country.

If it had been before, Qin Fen definitely would not have been certain that he could get into Martial Arts University.

But the Panel that had suddenly appeared gave Qin Fen hope.

As long as he obtained Righteous Qi Value, he could use it to increase his martial arts proficiency.

It was a shortcut—a shortcut leading to the gates of martial arts.

"According to a report from the Xinlong News Agency, at 2:13 a.m. on September 3, an Alien was discovered in the area of Jinfeng Road, Shuangyuan Street, Jinan District. A man reeking of alcohol was unfortunately killed. The Alien has now been eliminated by the police. The Guard Bureau hereby reminds all citizens to avoid going out late at night and returning home late, and to avoid passing through remote areas alone, lest they encounter an Alien..."

After dinner, Qin Fen's family sat on the sofa watching television.

"Aliens have been appearing more and more frequently lately. Only ten days have passed since the last Alien incident. In the past, there would only be one or two Alien incidents every few months." Cheng Yun sighed. "Those Otherworldly Creatures are simply impossible to kill off completely."

"Fortunately, these are only low-level Aliens. They only come out at night. As long as we stay home and don't wander around, we basically won't encounter them. And once an Alien appears and harms people, the Guard Bureau will immediately dispatch guards to eliminate it. Even if a powerful Alien appears that the Guard Bureau cannot handle, the Donghai City Martial Arts Bureau will send martial artists to deal with it." Qin Guofeng said, "The reason ordinary people like us can live in peace is thanks to these martial artists, who risk their lives fighting and killing Aliens. Every martial artist is a hero of humanity."

Compared to ordinary people, martial arts experts enjoyed many privileges.

Those privileges had been won through battles fought with their lives on the line against Aliens.

If ordinary people encountered an Alien, they would have no power to resist. Only martial artists could fight Aliens.

Therefore, ordinary people felt no envy toward the privileges martial arts experts enjoyed. Without the protection of martial artists, without martial artists fighting Aliens without fear of death, this world would long since have been occupied by Aliens, and ordinary people would have become Alien fodder.

Everyone took pride in becoming a martial artist.

Martial artists were heroes, champions, knights-errant... worthy of everyone's respect.

"Someone else was killed by an Alien."

Looking at the victim's gruesome corpse on television, Qin Fen's desire to grow stronger and become a martial artist intensified even further.

This world was not safe. No one knew when they might encounter an Alien.

Only by becoming a martial artist could he fight Aliens and protect his family.

The night passed peacefully.

The next day was Friday, September 4.

Qin Fen had set his alarm for 6:30, but today he got up before six.

"Dad, Mom."

After washing up, Qin Fen came to the living room.

Just in time, he saw his mother emerge from the kitchen. Breakfast was ready.

His parents started work at 6:30 in the morning. They worked twelve hours a day, yet earned only 3,500.

"Why are you up so early today?" Cheng Yun asked.

"The school bus broke down when I came home from school yesterday. I don't know if it's been fixed yet. Chen Bo and I are planning to run to school and exercise." Qin Fen said.

"Then eat slowly. We're off to work."

His parents ate very quickly and finished in just a few minutes.

"Mm."

Qin Fen nodded.

After finishing breakfast and washing the dishes and chopsticks, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed out.

Chen Bo's parents sold breakfast, though they did not have a storefront and only set up a roadside stall.

The stall was not far from their residential complex. Chen Bo got up after five every day to help out.

"Hello, Uncle and Auntie."

Qin Fen came to the stall and greeted the plainly dressed middle-aged couple.

"It's Qin Fen. Sit down and have something to eat before you go."

Chen Bo's mother was covered in sweat, but she wore a simple, honest smile.

"Qin Fen, some freshly steamed, hot, white buns just came out of the steamer. Want one?"

Seeing Qin Fen, Chen Bo waggled his eyebrows and asked.

"Thank you, Auntie, but I already had breakfast at home."

Qin Fen waved his hand.

"Dad, Mom, I'm off to school."

After clearing away the trash on the table, Chen Bo put on his backpack and said goodbye to his parents.

"Be careful on the way."

Chen Bo's mother reminded them.

"The school bus broke down yesterday, so it probably won't come today. Are we taking a bus or running to school?"

Chen Bo bit into a fried dough stick as he ate and walked.

"Running."

Qin Fen chose to run to school. Besides saving money, he could also see whether he had a chance to obtain Righteous Qi Value.

On a road bustling with endless traffic, Qin Fen suddenly saw a middle-aged blind man standing by the roadside. The man kept tapping his white cane against the ground, seemingly wanting to cross to the other side.

But upon hearing the car horns on the road, he drew back the foot he had extended.

There were no traffic lights at this intersection. It was extremely dangerous for a blind person to cross the road.

"Sir, are you trying to cross the road?"

Qin Fen immediately stepped forward and asked.

"Yes."

The middle-aged blind man nodded in reply.

"Sir, let me help you."

Qin Fen supported the blind man to the crosswalk by the roadside and helped him cross to the other side.

Righteous Qi Value +1

Qin Fen looked at the Panel. Sure enough, he had gained Righteous Qi Value.

"Thank you, young man."

The middle-aged blind man thanked him.

"No need, no need."

Qin Fen could not help blushing as he quickly left.