Treating Guests

By the time Chen Hao came downstairs, there were only a dozen people left in the training hall on the third floor of the Martial Hall, including Yang Wu and his group.

He walked over to them and said, "It's pretty empty in here."

"They're feeling guilty," Tong Yun said bluntly. "Don't forget, when Zhang Haobai was giving you trouble last time, they were all gloating. I bet they're regretting it now!"

Chen Hao raised an eyebrow. It seemed the others were feeling insecure and had deliberately avoided him.

He didn't really care, though. Those people were ultimately from a different world than him; it was unlikely they would cross paths again.

"Huh, why is Luo Feng here so early today?" Just then, he noticed Luo Feng walking in and felt a bit surprised, as it was only a little past three in the afternoon.

When Luo Feng saw Chen Hao, he froze for a moment, wondering to himself: Why are there so few people?

Hearing Chen Hao's greeting, he explained with a complex look in his eyes, "The last two periods were martial arts classes, so I skipped them. I told the teacher and came straight here. Brother Chen, I didn't expect you to become a Martial Artist so quickly."

Seeing the look of envy on Luo Feng's face, Chen Hao smiled and shook his head. "My physical fitness had already exceeded the limit for a Quasi-Warrior. As long as one can sense cosmic energy, becoming a Martial Artist is a natural progression."

"You don't need to be envious. In your situation, I'm afraid you'll become a Martial Artist in less than two months. You have the best talent in the entire Martial Hall; becoming a Martial Artist won't be a problem for you. Actually, there's no need to focus so much on your studies. Because after you get into university, the best path is still to become a Martial Artist."

"This era belongs to Martial Artists. Only with strength can you possess everything. Otherwise, even if you get into a military academy and become an officer in the army, you'll be nothing more than high-grade cannon fodder when facing monsters."

Hearing Chen Hao's words, Luo Feng was stunned. He hadn't expected the other party to give him such direct advice.

At this point, Luo Feng's mindset hadn't shifted yet. He hadn't made up his mind to become a Martial Artist; he was still focused on getting into university.

Yang Wu and the others nodded to themselves upon hearing Chen Hao. In this world, being a Martial Artist was the number one profession; only by becoming one could you control your own destiny.

Given Luo Feng's talent, it would be a real pity if he didn't become a Martial Artist.

Tong Yun interrupted everyone's thoughts. "Alright, let's think about that later. No training this evening! Let's go celebrate Chen Hao becoming a Martial Artist. Chen Hao said he's treating us. I'm going to eat like a queen today!"

Everyone laughed, then headed to a restaurant next to the Extreme Martial Arts Hall.

Despite Tong Yun's boisterous claims, when it actually came time to order, she ended up picking two very cheap dishes.

The others did much the same. After all, nobody's family background was particularly wealthy, they rarely came out to spend money, and they knew Chen Hao was an orphan. None of them wanted to make him spend too much.

Seeing their actions, Chen Hao nodded inwardly. Those who could hang out with Yang Wu and Tong Yun truly had good character.

However, as the host, he naturally wouldn't be stingy. Plus, he wasn't short on money, so he ordered every signature dish the restaurant had.

The others were secretly shocked when they realized the prices. This guy is really loaded.

The food was soon prepared and served. As Martial Artists, drinking was a common affair. Chen Hao raised his glass. "Thank you all for taking the time to come. I toast to you all!" He finished the drink in one go.

After a few drinks, the group became much more talkative.

Only Luo Feng, who hadn't graduated or come of age yet, wasn't allowed to drink, so they ordered him a bottle of soda.

"Come on, another drink!"

"Zhang San, you're tapping out after only two glasses?"

"I'm not a coward! I can't beat you in punching power, but I won't back down from a drink. Bottoms up!"

Watching everyone at the table start chatting and joking, revealing their true selves, Chen Hao found it somewhat amusing.

Listening to their complaints and banter, he felt as if he had returned to the gatherings with friends from his past life. Life in the world of Martial Artists was simply too tense.

He could understand it, though. The pressure on everyone was immense. Even though they were already Senior Trainees, as they grew older, if they couldn't break through to become Martial Artists, they would likely lose the chance forever.

The more pressure one felt, the harder they drank. Tong Yun was the prime example. Watching her chug her drink, no one tried to stop her; after all, everyone had their own burdens.

What Tong Yun faced was exactly what they all faced. If they couldn't break through after a long time, they would eventually have to face reality, find some job to scrape by, and become just another face in the crowd.

Once everyone was full and satisfied, they said their goodbyes one by one. When Yang Wu and Luo Feng were leaving, Chen Hao gave them each a box, which they immediately tried to decline.

Chen Hao forced the boxes into their hands. "I probably won't be able to see you for a long time. Consider this a gift for when you eventually become Martial Artists. I'm heading to the Wilderness Zone tomorrow for training and won't have time to visit the Martial Hall. Keep it up! I'll be waiting for you on the path of the Martial Artist!"

"Right, we'll definitely catch up to you. We won't let you have all the glory."

"After the college entrance exams, I'll put all my focus into martial arts training. I'll strive to become a Martial Artist as soon as possible."

Stirred by Chen Hao's sentimentality, Yang Wu and Luo Feng felt their blood boiling with determination.

Watching the two leave, Chen Hao turned to see Tong Yun holding her glass in silence, her expression unreadable.

He wasn't a fool; he couldn't have missed her feelings for him. But he didn't want to take advantage of the situation, and he didn't want to be distracted.

Tong Yun's ambition was firm—she dreamed of becoming a female Martial Artist. The pressure at home must have been immense, given that she was already twenty-two.

"Chen Hao, why do you think people have so many troubles? Is it really that hard for a woman to get ahead? Do we really have to get married so early?" Tong Yun suddenly asked.

"Sister Tong, isn't life just about moving forward through constant struggles? Otherwise, life would be too dull. The troubles in front of us are ultimately just temporary obstacles. Once we step over them, we'll realize they weren't much at all! People need to look forward."

Hearing Chen Hao's words, a hint of gloom flashed in her eyes before she braced herself. "You're right, they're just temporary obstacles. Even if I get married, I won't give up my dream of becoming a Martial Artist."

She downed the rest of her drink, set the glass on the table, walked up to Chen Hao, and gave him a light hug. "The Wilderness Zone is dangerous. You must keep yourself safe." Then, she let go and walked away.

A box appeared in Chen Hao's hand. "Sister Tong, if you ever have trouble in the future, just blame it on me. After I go to the Wilderness Zone, it'll probably be a long time before we see each other again. Take this as a gift for when you become a Martial Artist. Good luck!"

Tong Yun, who had been stopped by Chen Hao, was initially hesitant, but after hearing his words, she took the box, left behind a "Your sister will definitely become a Martial Artist," and turned to leave.

Once Tong Yun's figure disappeared, he called the waiter to settle the bill.

Walking back to the Mingyue Community, he wondered what would happen to the three of them in the future. But from now on, he had to leave his ordinary life behind, become a lone wolf, and step onto the path of the Martial Artist.

Although this road was full of hardships, he was fortunate to have his Synthesis Panel. He believed he would definitely reach the end.

Upon returning home, Chen Hao received the military tent that Xiao Mei had ordered before he went to the Martial Hall. The material used for the eighty-one-sided tent was indeed top-tier.

He directly performed a Nine-Grid Synthesis on the tent and looked at the new automatic folding tent before him. Feeling curious, he identified it:

A9-Grade Folding Safe House

Synthesized using a special method.

Can withstand attacks from a Planet-level 9 fighter.

He clicked a green button on the side of the tent, and it quickly expanded, finally turning into a small cabin three meters long, two meters wide, and two meters high.

He walked up and knocked on the wall, finding that the material used for the entire house was very similar to his synthesized A9-grade combat suit.

He opened the door and went inside. The floor was thick, no less than ten millimeters, and the thickness of the walls and roof didn't seem much thinner than the floor.

Inside the room, there was a folding bed two meters long and one meter wide, with an inflatable pillow at the head.

On one side of the bed was a small table with a pull-out chair. At the foot of the bed was a one-square-meter washroom, equipped with a small 200-liter water heater.

The entire house was highly advanced. When folded, it looked like it was only about one cubic meter, but after expanding, the space and items inside were quite substantial. It was definitely a must-have for home and travel.

He stepped out of the safe house, pressed the hidden red button outside to fold it back up, and then stored it in his Space Backpack.