[Overgrowth: The evolution of an Embryo requires squeezing every bit of nutrition and energy from its surroundings. As a baby that's always hungry, eating without restraint and foraging like mad are the things you should be doing most!]
[Trait: Extremely sensitive to substances rich in nutrition and energy, with an ability to absorb and digest far more than others of the same species.]
[Advancement Path: Complete ten high-quality meals or forage efficiently twenty times to unlock the corresponding skill.]
"'Forage'... What a strange word. It kind of sounds like eating people."
Qin Shi glanced over the newly activated achievement, unable to figure out exactly what it did.
He was still immersed in the delight and satisfaction of his body suddenly reaching a whole new level.
The improvement was so obvious. It was like one of those punishing games he'd played in his previous life: you put up with all kinds of misery early on, only to be rewarded with an exhilarating rush when you finally beat it!
The intense pain brought on by the Golden Elixir had tormented him again and again, as if he were being tortured.
But if he could endure it, the benefits were enormous.
The Burning Sinews technique had done more than strengthen the limbs of Qin Shi's mortal body, making him faster, more agile, and more nimble.
His stamina had more than doubled, and that was without even mentioning how much the warm current of energy had grown. What had once been a fine thread winding through him had grown into a particularly tough, thumb-thick hemp rope.
What's more, he no longer needed to deliberately practice Standing Post to stimulate his muscles and bones before he could grasp and control it.
It seemed branded into his flesh and blood, flowing through his veins.
As if it had been part of him from birth—free and effortless!
"It's almost like the legendary rebirth from the inside out. The me from before I started training in Old Martial Arts wouldn't stand a chance against me now, even if there were seven or eight of him."
Qin Shi savored the moment. Reaping what you sow was the most satisfying reward life had to offer.
Just as trickling streams joined to form rivers and grains of sand piled up into mountains, steady accumulation and gradual improvement were an endless source of joy.
Yan Shuang was considerate enough not to interrupt. He stood quietly beside Qin Shi for several minutes.
"Brother Shuang, where's Teacher Liang?"
Fortunately, Qin Shi didn't stay lost in his reverie for long. He finally remembered his master.
"Teacher Liang rarely stays out overnight. After applying the Golden Elixir and making sure you were all right, he left you with me and went straight home.
"He also said that once you woke up, you should rest properly and return to class the next day. Your body needs time to adjust, so don't do any more strenuous training."
Yan Shuang relayed the message word for word.
"Old Liang really underestimates my invincible, legendary training physique."
Qin Shi figured that as long as he didn't suffer any physical injuries, [Deep Sleep] could heal most of the damage to his body.
Like a buff that kept restoring his health!
"If an Intermediate Achievement is already this powerful, what'll happen when I reach the advanced level? I'll be flying before I know it!"
After washing up with the disposable toiletries in the room, Qin Shi planned to head home. Staying out all night without telling anyone went against the Qin family tradition.
More than anything, he was afraid his little sister, Qin Lan, would worry herself sick and cause a scene.
"Teacher Liang told your sister."
Yan Shuang spoke from where he stood by the window.
He seemed to be able to pick up on other people's feelings and thoughts with uncanny accuracy.
"Ginger really is spicier when it's old. Master Liang thought of everything."
Qin Shi breathed a sigh of relief.
He just hoped Old Liang wouldn't let it slip that he'd spent the night at Jinse Impression. Otherwise, his little sister might really think he'd gone into the sex trade, then team up with Eldest Sister to put him on trial one of these days.
"Brother Shuang, did you take one of Master Liang's cram-school classes too?"
Qin Shi dried his face with a towel and casually asked.
Judging from Yan Shuang's easy mention of the Golden Elixir and his familiarity with Old Liang, it was easy to guess that the male technician, Number 69 at Jinse Impression, had either trained in Old Martial Arts or knew something about Life Force Development.
"How could Teacher Liang ever consider someone like me? He only takes promising young men like you, Little Qin. I have a poor foundation and a weak frame. If I trained with him, I wouldn't even get past Muscle Twisting and Back Stretching."
Yan Shuang smiled faintly, with a quiet air about him.
Damn, Brother Shuang really was handsome!
Qin Shi inexplicably shivered, then quickly shook his head to dispel the sudden thought.
He must have been training too hard. Otherwise, why would he be finding men so good-looking?
He looked away.
"From your accent, you're not from around Old Factory Street, are you, Brother Shuang?"
Yan Shuang nodded lightly.
"My hometown is Smoke City, not far from Taian. My father lost money in business, so the whole family moved to Old Factory Street. My mother and I live in the Northern Suburbs. I come here to work every afternoon, then head back a little later to look after her."
Qin Shi scratched his head. Wasn't the famous Qingshan Mental Hospital somewhere out there?
He was curious about Brother Shuang's level of Life Force Development and wanted to ask, but the word "work" suddenly jolted his memory.
"Oh no! My assistant-teacher job at the Youth Palace! Brother Shuang, sorry for the trouble last night. I'll book you again next time I come, to show my gratitude!"
Qin Shi dashed out the door and sprinted toward the bus stop.
It had taken him ages to find a part-time job where he could eat in the cafeteria. He couldn't afford to lose it.
Yan Shuang smiled as he watched through the gauzy curtains, his gentle gaze following Qin Shi as he raced away as if his house were on fire.
"Old Martial Arts breaking its limits, New Martial Arts following its example. To endure the agony of Burning Sinews at such a young age... Teacher Liang really has found himself a treasure."
"Old Xu, you know me. I've been working summer jobs for years. When have I ever skipped work without a reason?"
In the phone booth, Qin Shi spoke earnestly.
"I signed up for a cram school, remember? The teacher kept me there. It was a complete accident. Could you talk to the Youth Palace and tell them not to count it as an absence? Count it as leave instead.
"An absence means I lose the whole day's wages and the two-hundred-yuan perfect-attendance bonus. Leave only costs me half a day. That's a huge difference!"
Qin Shi argued for twenty minutes, forcing Old Xu on the other end of the line to give ground again and again. In the end, he managed to save both his job and his meager attendance bonus.
After hanging up the receiver, he grumbled to himself.
"How did Eastern Xia end up with such a weird tech tree? They're already exploring the universe on a massive scale, but daily life has barely changed.
"Would I have better prospects selling phones or building cars than becoming a Martial Artist?"
Even after living in Eastern Xia for so long, Qin Shi still hadn't gotten used to its society.
If the Great Universe Era still relied on human labor and couldn't widely adopt mechanized production, one could just about blame Eastern Xia's runaway population and cheap labor.
But the vast difference between life in Old Factory Street and the Metropolitan Area seemed more like a deliberate policy.
"Especially the restrictions on the internet and communications. It's ridiculous that Old Factory Street doesn't even have an internet café. At New No. 1 Middle School, I have to show my Identity Card just to take online classes... Surely developing a mobile payment app wouldn't be that hard."
Qin Shi mused.
"Is it because of extraordinary paths like mechanics and Psionicists? Or are they deliberately keeping us in the dark?"
After boarding the Route 145 bus and enduring a bumpy, swaying ride, he left Old Factory Street and entered the Metropolitan Area. Towering buildings packed together filled his view.
By the time Qin Shi arrived at the Youth Palace downtown, it was already noon. The scorching sun beat down equally on everyone.
He followed the shade of the trees inside, where Brother Zhang, another temporary worker without a permanent position, hurried over.
"Little Qin, why didn't you come to work yesterday? The new Teacher Lin waited for you for quite a while."
The new teacher's last name was Lin?
Qin Shi put on a bashful customer-service smile.
"Something came up at home, and I forgot to tell Old Xu to contact you. I'm really sorry, Brother Zhang."
Brother Zhang wore glasses and looked scholarly. He smiled as he spoke.
"Hey, everyone runs into trouble sometimes. You had a reason, so nobody's blaming you. I covered your shift yesterday. It won't count as an absence."
Qin Shi was quite moved. How had he never noticed before that Brother Zhang was so loyal?
He was usually the laziest one when it came to cleaning, and the most shameless about slacking off.
"Brother Zhang, where's the new teacher? I should go apologize too. It was her first day, and I wasn't here to help. I feel terrible."
Qin Shi asked around.
"Little Qin, how about we talk about your assistant-teacher job? You're still young and might not be able to handle it. Why not let me take the opportunity?"
Brother Zhang pulled Qin Shi aside, as if he were afraid someone would overhear.
"I know your family's having a hard time. How about this? I won't take a single cent of the assistant teacher's pay or the cafeteria allowance. You can have it all."
Then what were you after? Charity?
Qin Shi was baffled. They'd only been apart for a little while. How had Brother Zhang suddenly become so selfless?
He soon got his answer. The crisp sound of "click, click, click" came from behind him as a pair of flat shoes tapped rhythmically across the floor.
His gaze traveled upward: a black pencil skirt, a white fitted blouse, and a little blazer over it.
Her hair was tied back. She wore rimless glasses, and she was tall and graceful, with delicate features.
Well, well!
Qin Shi understood. The Youth Palace had hired a new female teacher!
"Brother Zhang, I've never begged anyone in my life, but I really like her..."
Brother Zhang wouldn't stop talking. He was practically ready to drop to his knees before Qin Shi.
Actually, the person in charge of the Youth Palace had asked him earlier if he was interested in the job.
But he'd thought being an assistant teacher meant too much work for too little money, so he'd turned it down without hesitation.
Who could have guessed the new teacher would be so beautiful? She was practically like a dazzling movie star from Central City.
"Brother Zhang, I don't really care whether I'm an assistant teacher or not. New No. 1 Middle School doesn't allow students to date anyway. But..."
Qin Shi hadn't yet said, "You'll have to pay me more," when the female teacher walked over.
"You must be Little Qin, the assistant teacher. I'm Lin Yunqing, the new teacher for the Youth Palace's Martial Arts Class. I'll be counting on you to help share the workload from now on."
Teacher Lin had a striking, mature air and a voice as clear as a bell. She gave the boy, who looked like the kid next door, a gentle once-over.
Before Qin Shi could reply, the corners of her eyes curved as she spoke warmly.
"Little Qin, you smell so nice."
Before you continue