"There's been an unexpected development. Abort the operation."
After receiving a warning from the Monument Panel, Qin Shi stayed calm. Using the excuse of downloading another loan app, he sent Lin Yunqing a message.
Coach Luo's Nine Dragons Fusion Package wasn't just made up of hormone-based drugs.
After all, the "food" that triggered the [Overgrowth] radar reaction
was always some kind of special substance rich in energy and nutrients.
"Could Coach Luo really have something? Does he know how to compound drugs?"
Qin Shi wondered to himself:
"Let's see what the effects are. Slightly tipsy, quenches thirst, mildly filling... Sounds like a cocktail."
A Qiang, beside him, complained:
"What are you dragging your feet for? We're getting injections, but it's not just our muscles that grow—it's our incredible willpower, too! Stop dithering!"
As if the muscles you gained from injections were somehow more valuable than the ones you built naturally?
Qin Shi was speechless, but when he thought about it, these huge guys risked destroying their bodies, fully aware they might die young, just to build muscle like mad. That was a kind of passion in its own right!
Damn, now I'm fired up!
He put aside his stray thoughts and looked at Luo Hui, who seemed displeased and ready to send him on his way.
"Coach, could I get a bigger cup?"
What was this, a coffee shop?
Zhou Ning looked completely bewildered. He had no idea what Old Qin was up to.
Every time Coach Luo held a class, students flocked to sign up.
They got personalized training plans and free trials of powerful muscle-building drugs... Other people couldn't even get their hands on opportunities like these!
"These drugs work better by injection than by mouth."
Luo Hui nearly laughed at Qin Shi's amateurish comment.
He'd gotten the authentic stuff from Smoke City. It was highly concentrated and intensely stimulating.
The kid thought he could drink it and let his organs quickly digest and absorb it? He clearly knew nothing.
"Forget it. I'll drink it."
The hunger rising inside him made Qin Shi unwilling to waste words. He snapped off the top of the medicinal glass bottle and gulped it down.
The dark green, cloudy liquid slid down his throat like iced tea that hadn't been chilled.
"Shame. Chilled, it's like premium liquor; at room temperature, it's like horse piss.
These two bottles would've tasted better if they'd been refrigerated longer."
Qin Shi shook his head, as if less than satisfied.
Two lines of text flickered across his retinas.
[Completed one high-quality meal (2/20)] [Completed one high-quality meal (3/20)]
"It counts by the bottle! That's generous!"
Qin Shi smacked his lips, as if he still wanted more.
"Coach Luo, since this is a trial, could I try one of every drug? Let's see if my talent can win you over!"
Whoa! That was the bearing of a strong man!
Luo Hui's expression changed slightly, and he looked surprised.
Plenty of students came to train under him and build muscle or shape their bodies.
But true daredevils who were willing to get injected and take drugs without holding back were still rare.
The yearning and eagerness in Qin Shi's eyes just now were the most precious qualities in the fitness world!
If he went a day without an injection, his whole body felt wrong!
That obsession with muscle, and the willpower to grit his teeth and get injected no matter what, amounted to top-tier talent in the industry!
"I didn't expect you to be such a promising young man, with both the right attitude and the talent!"
Facing Qin Shi, who seemed like a different person, Luo Hui nodded in approval.
In his view, if you didn't even have the courage to get injected, how could you claim you truly loved the sport?
"A Qiang, get five more!"
"Coach Luo, I don't think five is enough."
Qin Shi's gaze was firm as he held up his hand to indicate a number.
"Eighteen! I'll pay! I want to challenge my limits!"
This time, not only Luo Hui but A Qiang was stunned.
Even Zhou Ning, who seemed like an outsider to the whole thing, froze on the spot.
How many?
With the two from earlier,
that made twenty!
"Even Zhou Ning, the best student here, has only had twelve injections!"
A Qiang muttered to himself. Compared with this Talent Bro, a hard worker like him seemed like a brand-new recruit.
On his very first day trying the drugs, the guy was already demanding twenty injections!
His obsession with muscle and pursuit of physical strength had already surpassed that of ninety-nine percent of Silver Horse Gym's students!
"Old Qin, don't be impulsive..."
Zhou Ning was scared. He'd wanted to give his buddy a hand and help him gain some Life Force.
He hadn't meant to attend his funeral and burn paper money for Qin Shi.
"Little Qin, why don't you think it over?"
Luo Hui was deeply moved. Anyone who started with twenty injections would become a great talent, as long as he didn't die!
Still, such an aggressive approach made him wonder if Qin Shi was taking things a bit too far.
Although the boss had allowed him to "make a mistake" once or twice, they could always take the victims to a private hospital and deal with them.
But if things got out of hand, it would take effort to clean up the mess.
"No need to think it over! Eighteen doses—the double-sized Nine Dragons package!"
Qin Shi's attitude was resolute.
"I can sign a waiver, Coach! I really want to become a powerhouse like you!"
Luo Hui licked his lips. The boss seemed dissatisfied with the drug trial reports he'd submitted recently.
He thought it over for a moment, then nodded.
"A Qiang, get eighteen doses and print out a liability waiver. Remember to record everything, too.
"Oh, and bring over some of my usual painkillers. Give Little Qin a supply for free."
Injections that caused muscle growth often brought tearing pain, which was when painkillers came in handy.
Some men with iron will even chewed painkillers while doing the Big Three Lifts.
Luo Hui had given Qin Shi his own regular supply of painkillers.
It was an enormous show of approval!
Ten minutes later,
everything was ready.
The portable cooler opened, a wave of cold air spilling out as row after row of dark green vials came into view.
To be honest, even Zhou Ning, who got twelve injections every day, felt afraid at the sight.
That intense pain, as if his muscles were tearing and his blood vessels bursting,
was no joke!
"Old Qin..."
He suddenly regretted dragging his buddy into this.
"Now, everyone will witness my incredible willpower!"
Qin Shi seemed ravenous and thirsty. He snapped open seventeen vials of Nine Dragon Potion and poured them all into a large cup.
Then he gulped it down, "glug, glug, glug"!
"A genius! An absolute genius!"
Luo Hui was so excited by the sight that he could hardly contain himself.
Could the Luo Family Style finally have a true "innate Drug Resistance Sacred Body"?
"Burp~"
Qin Shi drained the cup in one go, as if he'd just downed half a case of liquid bread. His slight fullness became moderate fullness.
Text flickered across his retinas, repeatedly informing him that he'd completed a meal.
A few minutes passed.
Seeing that Qin Shi showed no reaction—neither suffering from muscle-tearing pain and frantically taking painkillers, nor displaying the grim signs of impurities pouring from his pores and blood vessels bursting—Luo Hui was overjoyed.
He stood up and reached out to shake Qin Shi's hand.
"You absolutely have to join my team! Silver Horse Gym needs talented people like you, Little Qin!
"Come intern under me. I'll pay you five thousand a month, and after three months, you can become a full-fledged coach!"
Qin Shi felt a steady cycle of energy moving through his body, as if tempering and purifying it, diluting and dissolving the concentrated green liquid.
He performed Internal Vision again. His physical strength had increased slightly, and his body hadn't been contaminated nearly as badly as Zhou Ning's.
Physical Strength 16→16.1
"After taking nineteen doses, more than double the Nine Dragons package, I only gained this much. The effect's terrible."
Qin Shi seemed to lose interest. He ignored Luo Hui's sincere offer and messaged Lin Yunqing for backup.
The damn woman was incredibly quick at summoning people. In less than three minutes, seven or eight members of the Inspection Department burst through the door and pinned the burly men to the ground.
Every one of them had over fifty points of Life Force. Their surging presence was like a mountain flood, easily suppressing these huge guys, who looked formidable but were actually all brawn and no bite.
"We received a tip from a concerned citizen that someone in Silver Horse Gym was illegally selling unlicensed drugs not approved by the drug administration."
The woman leading them wore a sharp uniform and looked striking. Her short hair ended at her ears, and she carried herself with confidence.
"Take them all in for urine tests! Seal off the scene and don't disturb any evidence! Xiao Liu, pack up this vial and have the forensics department analyze its ingredients!"
Then the short-haired woman, the Patrol Team Leader, walked up to Qin Shi, examined him closely, and said in a solemn voice:
"Student Qin, concerned citizens like you deserve recognition for doing your civic duty! Once the case details have been announced and everything is settled, the Inspection Department will give you a commendation!
"And the reward money will be paid out within a few business days!"
Maybe he'd had too much of the Nine Dragons Fusion Package. Qin Shi had gone from feeling slightly tipsy to dizzy, and his mind was sluggish.
He passively let the short-haired woman take his hand and shake it vigorously.
Lin Yunqing, standing nearby, panicked at once and shoved aside the rather young Patrol Team Leader.
"Little Qin Assistant Teacher swallowed a lot of banned drugs. I need to take him in for a thorough examination. He can't go back with you to give a statement."
The short-haired woman clicked her tongue and muttered:
"Getting possessive, are we?"
With that, she waved her hand, and her team left.
Beep, beep.
Qin Shi's phone vibrated.
Lin Yunqing swiped it open and saw a message in the group chat.
[Wearing Sophie Shows My Divine Might: This little matter was worth calling me in personally? You owe me a meal!]
And she still wanted me to treat her to a meal!
I haven't even gotten back at her for taking advantage of the Old Martial Arts succubus at my place!
Lin Yunqing bared her teeth and helped the rather heavy Qin Shi over to the rest area. She planned to give him some water, then carry him to the car.
"My achievement's been upgraded."
Somewhere between drunk and sober, Qin Shi saw the panel and once again raised a granite-like stele.
[Intermediate Achievement—Overgrowth] [Description: An embryo's evolution requires extracting every last bit of nutrition and energy. As a hungry baby, eating without restraint and hunting for food like crazy are what you should be doing!] [Traits: Survival of the fittest. You will gain environmental adaptability and survival ability far beyond those of your peers.] [Advancement Path: Food is the foundation of life, and eating is a biological instinct. Enrich your diet as much as possible, or seek out more things to eat. Note: Adding to your diet and food sources will grant you all kinds of badges.]
"Adapting to the environment and ensuring survival... Sounds like an expert in wilderness survival."
Qin Shi had mostly recovered from his dizziness. He continued looking through the skill he'd unlocked.
[Skill Unlocked: Predator] [Effect: Mark one "prey" and begin "hunting." Completing the process will randomly grant a beneficial effect, such as "Healing," "Enhancement," or "Revival."]
"This skill's perfect for combat—intense combat. If I were a villain, the entire Metropolitan Area would become a gigantic hunting ground."
Qin Shi raised a hand and rubbed his slightly aching temples. Suddenly, the nerves near his temple throbbed on their own.
He clearly sensed a malicious intent, cold as a freezing current, sweeping toward him.
Like a vast bank of dark clouds covering his head.
This was a warning from [Super Sensory Perception].
"Killing intent?"
Qin Shi didn't turn around or look around. Instead, he closed his eyes as if tired.
He silently activated Internal Vision and released his Mental Strength, which had reached fifteen points, to pinpoint the source of the malice that sought to take his life.
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