Footsteps drew closer through the night. Heavy breathing and muffled curses grew clearer by the second.
"...That busted shack up ahead."
"Li Si's useless. Got taken down by some brat. What a fucking disgrace."
"Make sure you rough him up. Break his right hand and see if he still dares show off."
It was the Green Wolf Gang.
Lin Fan quickly assessed the situation. There were at least four of them. From their footsteps, they were all grown men, and they might be carrying weapons. A direct fight would be extremely risky. And his sister was still inside the shack. If the fight reached her...
He couldn't fight them here.
He took a deep breath, turned, and hurried toward the shack. He moved lightly, making almost no sound.
He pushed open the old wooden door. The shack was dark inside. Lin Xiaoyu was curled up on the straw mat. Hearing the door open, she weakly raised her head. "Brother... you're back?"
"Yeah." Lin Fan crouched and felt his sister's forehead. It was still burning. "Xiaoyu, we have to go out for a while."
"Go out?" A flicker of confusion crossed Lin Xiaoyu's eyes, but she didn't ask anything else. She simply nodded. "Okay."
Lin Fan quickly gathered a few things: the remaining Nutritional Paste, the packet of Coarse Salt, the Bronze Badge their father had left behind, and the 41 Credit Points he had just earned. He wrapped them in a ragged shirt, tied it into a bundle, and slung it over his shoulder.
Then he bent down. "Come on. I'll carry you."
Lin Xiaoyu hesitated, then obediently climbed onto Lin Fan's back. She was so light, like a feather. The fourteen-year-old girl weighed less than seventy pounds. Lin Fan's heart ached, but he didn't falter for even a moment.
He hoisted his sister onto his back and secured her with a strip of rag so she wouldn't slip. Then he blew out the oil lamp and pushed open the rear window, which was little more than boards nailed together and usually propped up with a stick.
Outside lay the Slum District's maze of winding alleys.
Lin Fan listened carefully. The Green Wolf Gang members had reached the front door and were pounding on it.
"Open up! The Green Wolf Gang's here on business!"
"Open the door, or I'll smash it in!"
The timing was perfect.
Lin Fan slipped out the window and quietly shut the wooden boards behind him. After orienting himself, he headed deeper into the Slum District, toward its most chaotic area. The alleys there were like a maze, piled with rubbish and discarded junk—a perfect place to shake off anyone following him.
Night deepened.
With his sister on his back, Lin Fan moved through the darkness. His steps were steady. His Basic Footwork came in handy; even on uneven ground, he kept his balance and avoided potholes and obstacles.
Lin Xiaoyu rested against his back and asked softly, "Brother, did... someone come looking for trouble?"
"It's nothing," Lin Fan replied curtly. "Just a few thugs. I'll deal with them tomorrow."
He wasn't lying, but he wasn't telling her the whole truth, either. The Green Wolf Gang weren't ordinary thugs. Their backing might reach into the Outer City's powers. But right now, the most important thing was keeping his sister safe.
"Brother, I'm sorry..." Lin Xiaoyu's voice choked with tears. "I'm only holding you back..."
"Don't be ridiculous," Lin Fan cut in. "You're my sister. How could you ever hold me back? Besides, I've got the ability to protect you now."
He paused, then added, "Once I become a Martial Artist and earn lots of money, I'll take you to live in a big house in the Inner City. I'll buy you the best medicine and cure your illness."
Lin Xiaoyu said nothing, but Lin Fan felt a few warm drops fall on the back of his neck.
Tears.
A pang of sorrow twisted in his chest, but he didn't stop walking.
Fifteen minutes later, Lin Fan reached an abandoned workshop on the edge of the Slum District.
It was a remnant of a small Beast Tide three years ago. Back then, a 2nd Tier Demonic Beast called an Ironclad Boar had broken through the outer defenses and smashed the workshop to pieces, killing more than a dozen people. The workshop had been deserted ever since. No one came here now, except for the occasional vagrant looking for a place to spend the night.
Lin Fan found a relatively intact corner, set his sister down, and gathered some dry straw to make a simple bed.
"We'll make do here tonight," Lin Fan said. "Tomorrow, I'll find somewhere safer."
Lin Xiaoyu nodded. Her face was pale, but her eyes were still clear.
Lin Fan took the Nutritional Paste from his bundle and squeezed out a little. "Eat some."
Lin Xiaoyu ate in small bites, then suddenly asked, "Brother, do you still remember Mom and Dad?"
Lin Fan's hand stilled.
The Original Owner's memories surged up like a tide.
His father was Lin Dashan, and his mother was Li Xiuying. His father had been a 3rd Grade Martial Master and a squad leader in the Jiangnan City Garrison. His mother had been an ordinary person who worked at a textile mill in the city. Three years ago, the family had lived in a small house on the edge of the Inner City. They weren't rich, but they'd had enough to eat and wear, and their lives had been peaceful.
Then the Beast Tide came.
In the autumn three years ago, a Spatial Rift had briefly opened three hundred miles east of Jiangnan City, unleashing hundreds of Demonic Beasts. The military had swiftly wiped out the main force, but small groups of Demonic Beasts still slipped through to the outskirts of the city.
The garrison where his father served had received orders to leave the city and hunt down the remaining beasts.
Before setting out, his father had ruffled the Original Owner's hair and said, "Fan'er, this trip might take three to five days. Take care of your sister while I'm gone, and listen to your mother."
The Original Owner had been thirteen at the time. He'd nodded firmly.
Three days later, the news arrived: Lin Dashan's squad had been ambushed by two 3rd Tier Demonic Beasts called Shadow Wolves. Every member of the squad had been killed.
His mother had fainted on hearing the news. After waking, she had taken to her bed and never recovered. Three months later, she too had passed away.
Their once-comfortable home had crumbled overnight.
Because their father had died in the line of duty, the military had issued them a compensation payment. It wasn't much—barely enough to support the siblings for a year. The Original Owner had moved out of the Inner City with his sister and settled in the Slum District, renting the shabby shack with what little money remained.
A year later, the money ran out, and his sister's old illness returned. She had Congenital Heart and Lung Weakness and needed long-term medication. The Original Owner had started taking odd jobs wherever he could, but he never earned enough to cover her medical expenses.
Then, three days ago, the Original Owner had collapsed from heatstroke while unloading cargo at the docks. When he woke up, he had become Lin Fan, a transmigrator from another world.
"I remember," Lin Fan said softly. "Dad was tall and strong. He had a loud laugh. Mom was gentle, and her cooking was delicious."
Lin Xiaoyu's eyes reddened. "Brother, what do you think... we'd be like now if Dad were still alive?"
"If Dad were still alive..." Lin Fan looked at the moonlight filtering through the broken roof of the shack. "You'd be studying at the Martial Arts Academy, and I'd be getting ready for the college entrance exams. We'd all eat dinner together on the weekends, and Mom would make your favorite sweet-and-sour fish."
"I miss them," Lin Xiaoyu whispered, her voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.
Lin Fan was silent for a moment, then reached out and ruffled his sister's hair. "I miss them too."
Neither of them spoke again.
The night wind blew through the broken walls of the abandoned workshop, moaning like someone sobbing.
***
After a long while, Lin Xiaoyu's breathing gradually evened out, and she fell asleep.
But Lin Fan wasn't sleepy.
He summoned the panel and checked what he had gained.
[Basic Fist Technique (Proficient 482/500)] [Basic Footwork (Proficient 12/500)] [Basic Breathing Technique (Proficient 108/500)] [Combat Experience: 8] [System Integrity: 4.5%] [Task System Unlock Progress: 45%]
Basic Fist Technique was only 18 points away from Mastery Level. If he started practicing now, he could break through by midnight at the latest.
But Lin Fan didn't start right away.
He sat beside his sister, watching her pale face in the moonlight, his heart churning with complicated emotions.
For the three days since transmigrating, he'd been in "survival mode"—earning money, training, and dealing with crises. He'd been like a finely tuned machine, calculating every resource and planning every step of his growth.
Only now, in this abandoned workshop, listening to his sister's steady breathing, did the emotions he'd been suppressing slowly rise to the surface.
He wasn't the Original Owner, but he had inherited the Original Owner's memories—and his responsibility.
Lin Xiaoyu was his sister, the only family he had in this strange world.
"I have to get stronger," Lin Fan murmured. "Not just to survive, and not just to pass the Academy's entrance exam."
He would cure his sister's illness.
He would give her a peaceful life.
He would uncover the truth about their parents' deaths. In the Original Owner's memories, his father had been an experienced 3rd Grade Martial Master and a garrison squad leader. How could two 3rd Tier Demonic Beasts have ambushed and killed him so easily? What had really happened back then?
And then there was the truth about this world.
Spiritual Energy Revival, Demonic Beasts running rampant, the rise of martial arts... What was hidden behind all of it?
Lin Fan looked up through the hole in the workshop roof at the night sky.
The night sky of Blue Star looked much like Earth's, with its moon and stars. But the Original Owner's memories told him that after the "Spiritual Energy Revival" three hundred years ago, the starry sky had changed. Some stars had vanished, while new ones had appeared. Astronomers said it was a change in the constellations caused by "spatial distortion."
As for the deeper truth, ordinary people had no way of knowing.
"I need power," Lin Fan said, clenching his fist. "Power to protect my sister, uncover the truth, and even... change this world."
The Martial Arts Panel System was his greatest advantage.
He had to keep grinding on the path of a training maniac.
And he couldn't just grind hard. He had to grind smart and grind efficiently.
***
Two in the morning.
After making sure his sister was fast asleep, Lin Fan got up and walked to the other side of the workshop. He began practicing his punches.
This time, his state of mind was different.
Each punch no longer felt like a mechanical "exercise." Each one carried a clear purpose—to grow stronger, protect his sister, and uncover the truth.
His fists whistled through the air.
[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1] [Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1]
His movements grew smoother, and his force grew more complete. Lin Fan could feel his understanding of the technique deepening. Advancing from Proficient Level to Mastery Level wasn't just a matter of accumulating proficiency; it was a qualitative change.
He needed eighteen "complete practice sessions" to gain eighteen points of proficiency.
He focused completely, losing track of time.
One punch, two punches, three punches...
[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1] [Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1]
As his seventeenth punch shot out, the panel suddenly trembled.
[The bound user's state of mind has broken through, resonating with Martial Will] [Cultivation Efficiency temporarily increased by 50%, duration: 10 minutes]
Lin Fan's spirits lifted.
A temporary boost! Was this the system recognizing his state of mind?
He didn't think about it. He seized the precious opportunity and kept practicing.
...If you enjoyed this book, add it to your bookshelf so you won't lose track of it next time.
...In response to popular demand, VIP members can now enjoy an ad-free experience.
...Click to view.
Punch eighteen—
[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1]
Punch nineteen—
[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1]
Punch twenty—
[Skill: Basic Fist Technique has advanced from 'Proficient' to 'Mastery'] [Current Proficiency: 501/1000] [Skill Effect Updated: Punching power +20%, force application optimized, can now begin to channel Origin Energy to empower punches] [Milestone 'Skill Master' completed] [Reward: Skill Points ×2, System Integrity +1%] [Current System Integrity: 5.5%] [Unlockable Function 'Task System' Unlock Progress: 55%]
He'd broken through!
Lin Fan felt the changes within his body.
A warm current surged from his Sea of Qi, flowed along his meridians, and reached his arms. He tried throwing a punch. His fist was clearly faster, and the wind it cut through was sharper. He could even make out a faint white glow around his knuckles—the embryonic form of Origin Energy projection!
He checked the Attribute Panel.
[Strength: 13 (+0.65)] (The value in parentheses is the bonus from Basic Fist Technique at Mastery Level)
Twenty percent of 13 Strength was 2.6, but the system displayed 0.65... It seemed to show only one decimal place, but the actual bonus had already taken effect.
His actual Strength should now be 15.6!
His punch was probably stronger than 180 kilograms!
"I'm just one step away from the 200-kilogram standard for a 1st Grade Martial Trainee," Lin Fan thought excitedly.
More importantly, System Integrity had reached 5.5%, and Task System Unlock Progress had reached 55%. At this rate, he only needed to complete one or two more milestones at most before the Task System activated.
And the Task System meant a more direct path to growth.
Lin Fan reined in his excitement and didn't stop practicing.
He kept throwing punches, consolidating his Mastery Level and building up his proficiency.
Each punch grew tighter, stronger, and more precise.
He continued until the eastern sky began to pale like a fish's belly.
***
In the morning, the first rays of sunlight entered the abandoned workshop.
Lin Fan finished his training and returned to his sister. Lin Xiaoyu had already woken up. She was sitting on the straw mat with her knees hugged to her chest, staring blankly at the sunlight streaming in.
"Brother, did you stay up all night again?" she asked softly.
"I slept a little," Lin Fan replied casually. He took the remaining White Flour Bun out of the bundle. "Let's eat breakfast."
The siblings split the bun and each had half a tube of Nutritional Paste.
"What are you planning to do today?" Lin Xiaoyu asked.
Lin Fan pondered for a moment. "First, I'll go work at the docks and earn today's wages. Then... I'll find us a new place to stay."
They couldn't go back to the shack in the Slum District. The Green Wolf Gang members were bound to still be watching the area. He needed somewhere more hidden and secure.
"Brother, I want to go home and get a few things," Lin Xiaoyu suddenly said.
"What is it? I'll go get it."
"Parents' Photo." Lin Xiaoyu's voice was very soft. "It's under the bed boards, wrapped in oilcloth. And... Mom's Wood Comb."
Lin Fan's heart softened.
It was the last thing his little sister had to remember their parents by.
"All right. I'll go get them." Lin Fan nodded. "Wait here for me. I'll be back soon."
After settling his sister and making sure the area was safe, he left the Abandoned Workshop and crept toward the Slum District.
At dawn, cooking smoke curled above the Slum District.
Lin Fan avoided the main road, taking a series of back alleys until he reached the rear of his family's shack.
He hid around the corner and watched for a while.
As expected, two rough-looking men stood guard at the door. They were both strangers, with short clubs tucked into their belts. They were obviously members of the Green Wolf Gang.
There was no way in through the front.
Lin Fan circled around to the side, where a low wall separated the shack from his neighbor's backyard. He climbed over quietly and used a pile of odds and ends for cover as he approached the rear window.
The window was still as he had left it the night before, propped half-shut with a wooden stick.
Lin Fan eased it open and slipped inside.
The shack was a mess—it had clearly been searched. A broken chest lay on the floor, and belongings were strewn everywhere. Fortunately, there had never been much worth taking. Besides the 41 Credit Points he had carried off, nothing was missing.
Lin Fan went to the bed and lifted the Straw Mat. Sure enough, he found an oilcloth bundle tucked into a gap between the bed boards.
Inside were three yellowed photographs.
The first was a Family Portrait: his young parents stood smiling, with the six- or seven-year-old Original Owner between them and his baby sister cradled in his arms.
The second showed his father in military uniform, a Bronze Medal hanging on his chest.
The third showed his mother standing outside the Weaving Factory, her smile gentle.
There was also a Wood Comb, missing several teeth but polished clean.
Lin Fan carefully put away the photos and the comb. He was about to leave when he noticed that a brick in the corner of the room seemed loose.
His heart stirred. He went over and pried it up.
Beneath it was a Small Iron Box, mottled with rust.
Inside were several pages of notes, a badge, and a small cloth pouch.
The notes recorded the following:
"July 15. Patrolled the East District Outside City. Detected Abnormal Energy Fluctuation. Reported it to the military."
"July 20. The military sent someone to investigate. Conclusion: natural phenomenon."
"July 25. Detected the fluctuation again, thirty li from its previous location. Suspect a Hidden Rift."
"August 3. Applied to investigate alone. Request denied."
"August 10. Beast Tide warning. Squad ordered to leave the city and clear out the beasts."
The final page had only one hurried line:
"If I don't return, deliver this box to General Qin Zhantian. Don't let Fan'er or Xiaoyu put themselves in danger. —Lin Dashan"
Lin Fan's pupils contracted.
His father had left this behind!
He quickly examined the other items. The badge was the insignia of a Military Scout, and the cloth pouch held three dull crystals—Demonic Cores, though almost all their energy had faded.
There was also a folded sketch showing the terrain of an area outside the city, with several red dots marked on it.
"Abnormal Energy Fluctuation... Hidden Rift..." Lin Fan's heart raced.
In the Original Owner's memories, his father had died after being "ambushed by Demonic Beasts." But these notes showed that before his death, his father had already noticed something strange—even suspected there was a Hidden Rift—and had applied to investigate!
Yet the military's conclusion had been "natural phenomenon."
Not long after, the Beast Tide broke out, and his father died.
Had it all been a coincidence?
Lin Fan gathered everything in the iron box and stuffed it inside his clothes.
He had to find this General Qin Zhantian. According to his father's message, the man could be trusted.
But right now, he was just a boy from the Slum District—not even a Martial Artist. How could he get in touch with someone of the general's rank?
"First, I need to get stronger." Lin Fan clenched his fists. "Once I enter the Martial Arts Academy, I'll have a chance to meet people at a higher level."
He took one last look at the shack where he had lived for three years, then climbed out through the rear window.
By the time Lin Fan returned to the Abandoned Workshop, the sun was already up.
When Lin Xiaoyu saw him return safely, she visibly relaxed.
"Did you get them?" she asked.
"Yeah." Lin Fan handed her the oilcloth bundle. "And this, too."
He took out the Military Scout badge.
Lin Xiaoyu accepted it and gently traced the surface with her fingers. "Dad's..."
"Dad left some things behind." Lin Fan chose his words carefully. "When I'm capable enough, I'll find out what really happened back then."
Lin Xiaoyu raised her head and looked at her brother, her expression complicated. "Be careful, okay?"
"I will." Lin Fan ruffled her hair. "Come on. I'll take you somewhere."
"Where?"
"To Grandpa Li's." Lin Fan said, "Stay with him for a few days. I'll come get you once I've found us a new place."
Grandpa Li was the old man at the Night Market who had given him Detailed Explanation of Basic Breathing Technique. In the Original Owner's memories, Grandpa Li lived alone in a small courtyard on the edge of the Slum District. He was easygoing and had often looked after the siblings.
More importantly, Grandpa Li's place was relatively safe. The Green Wolf Gang wouldn't dare disturb him lightly. They said that Grandpa Li had been a Martial Artist when he was young. Though he was old now, his reputation still carried weight.
Lin Xiaoyu nodded. "All right."
Half an hour later, Lin Fan brought his sister to Grandpa Li's courtyard.
After hearing Lin Fan's brief explanation, the white-bearded old man asked no questions. He simply nodded. "Xiaoyu can stay here. Don't worry."
"Thank you, Grandpa Li." Lin Fan bowed solemnly.
"Go on." Grandpa Li waved him away. "Remember, on the path of martial arts, never forget your original purpose."
Lin Fan's heart tightened. He bowed once more and turned to leave.
As he stepped out of the courtyard, he glanced back.
His sister stood at the gate, waving to him with a strained smile.
Sunlight fell across her pale face. Her big eyes held worry, dependence, and... hope.
Lin Fan clenched his fists.
His sister was his lamp, lighting the way ahead.
No matter how hard the road became, he had to keep going.
Before you continue