After taking Cheng Mo's enormous appetite into account, along with Xu Tui and Tang Ting's appetites, the three of them finally decided—buffet!
Tang Ting had always been able to eat a lot.
Xu Tui had been burning through Gene Points at an incredible rate these past few days, and felt like he could eat an entire cow.
Well, they also wanted to let Cheng Mo have a proper, filling meal.
They definitely couldn't go to one of those small buffet restaurants.
The way the three of them ate would give the owner a splitting headache just watching them.
And after yesterday's news, with Cheng Mo there, they might not even be allowed through the door.
They needed to go to a big hotel buffet.
The big boss wouldn't be there keeping an eye on them.
As for the waitresses on duty, at most they'd be a little shocked.
If worse came to worst, Xu Tui—the handsomest student around—could flash them a smile, and Cheng Mo would still get to eat his fill.
The only downside was that it cost quite a bit more than an ordinary buffet.
Still, it was definitely worth it!
Longwozhuang Grand Hotel was one of the oldest hotels in Jincheng Prefecture. Its weekday lunch buffet cost 128 yuan per person.
Xu Tui booked a table for three.
The three agreed to meet outside Longwozhuang Grand Hotel.
"Holy crap! Little Leg, what happened to you? How'd you get so skinny you look like a streak of lightning? Teach me!"
"Holy crap! Heizi, it's only been two days. How'd you get so fat you're almost as big as me?"
After they met up, Tang Ting kept exclaiming in surprise.
The Gene Aptitude Test had brought unexpected changes to both Xu Tui and Cheng Mo. By contrast, Tang Ting, who had awakened an ability focused on hand speed, had remained the most stable.
Xu Tui and Cheng Mo could only smile wryly at each other.
"Let's eat first. I'm hungry."
"Me too!"
The three of them walked into the buffet restaurant on the second floor of Longwozhuang Grand Hotel, immediately drawing curious glances from the waitresses.
The pretty waitress who led them to their seats even blushed a little.
After losing so much weight, Xu Tui had gone from a sunny, boy-next-door heartthrob to a cool, handsome guy with an aloof air.
Cheng Mo had been trying to put on weight these past two days, but it had only been two days, so his slightly dark, handsome features were still there.
Especially next to Tang Ting, a hundred-kilogram heavyweight—those two looked even more handsome!
Buffets at big hotels were just so satisfying.
Cheng Mo polished off one huge plate every three minutes.
The waitress in the distance could only stare in astonishment.
Cheng Mo was eating like a king.
He was incredibly happy.
After more than half an hour, Xu Tui contentedly wiped his mouth. He was full.
That guy Cheng Mo was still eating, though he had clearly slowed down.
The three of them chatted as they ate.
"I awakened eight Gene Points. Originally, I could only apply to local universities or some regional Gene Evolution Universities.
"The best option would've been a Gene Evolution University ranked outside the top ten nationwide.
"But a recruiter from Huaxia Gene Military University called my family personally.
"The Gene Points I awakened are in the speed-and-strength category, which fits Huaxia Gene Military University's recruitment focus better."
"Does hand speed count too?" Cheng Mo interrupted.
Tang Ting glanced silently at Cheng Mo. "Don't tell me you've spent the last two days eating and haven't looked at the materials they sent after the Gene Aptitude Test?"
"Abilities awakened after injecting the Gene Liberation Potion are also called initial abilities or innate abilities.
"On the path of genetic evolution, innate abilities are the easiest to awaken, mutate, and evolve.
"Hand speed is also part of the broad speed-type innate ability category."
Cheng Mo said nothing. Clearly, he already knew that.
Evidently, this innate ability category wasn't particularly favorable for him.
Tang Ting could see that Cheng Mo was feeling down, so he changed the subject.
"Because of that, the recruiter from Huaxia Gene Military University said they could make an exception and admit me, waive my tuition, and raise my freshman benefits by one level after the school assessed my incoming student benefits." Tang Ting explained.
"Whoa, those benefits are amazing! With your level, Big Hall, you'd get at least an E-grade rating, and D-grade is possible too.
"Move up one level, and you'd go from E-grade to D-grade, or D-grade to C-grade. You'd instantly get the benefits given to top-tier talents!" Cheng Mo said in surprise.
Having matured noticeably after the stalking incident, Xu Tui noticed something else.
"What's the condition?" Xu Tui asked.
"They have just one condition."
"Enlist!
"After three years, or once I reach a certain level of strength, I'll go to the extraterrestrial battlefield as a soldier!
"Frontline troops!" Tang Ting said.
Xu Tui and Cheng Mo immediately fell silent.
Enlisting was an honor.
Soldiers received excellent benefits.
But in the Gene Great Era, enlistment was also a heavy subject.
The death rate on the extraterrestrial battlefield was as high as twenty percent!
"You agreed?"
"I agreed."
"Every student admitted to a Gene Evolution University has to serve in the military after graduation anyway.
"If I have to serve no matter what, I might as well try to get more benefits now and improve my strength." Tang Ting explained.
"Frontline troops? How could you just agree to that?"
Cheng Mo didn't get to finish. Xu Tui glared him into silence.
The officially announced twenty-percent death rate on the extraterrestrial battlefield was the overall rate, including rear-echelon support forces such as maintenance crews and engineers.
The death rate for frontline troops alone would definitely be higher than twenty percent.
"Heizi, don't worry. With my speed-and-strength genetic talent, my combat ability will be the strongest in the military," Tang Ting added.
Cheng Mo fell silent.
Xu Tui patted Tang Ting on the shoulder. "We support your decision. But since you've made it, you'll have to work hard over the next few years.
"Train like your life depends on it.
"Push yourself to the limit.
"The stronger you are, the better your chances of surviving when you get to the battlefield!"
"And the better your chances of earning Merit Points," Cheng Mo added.
"Train like your life depends on it.
"Don't let me get any bad news.
"Otherwise, I'll bring ten gorgeous long-legged women to your grave and make out with them. I'll annoy you so much you'll come back as a ghost!" Cheng Mo said.
"Get lost! Who do you think you are, the Black Cat?"
A joyous reunion was also a farewell—and a beginning.
The world was huge now. People could even travel beyond Earth, and yet it was also small.
A high-definition video call was crystal-clear in every way except for touch.
After they parted, each went home.
If nothing unexpected happened, they'd receive their admission notices that very afternoon.
They might even leave for school the next day.
Xu Tui didn't head straight home.
Instead, he first visited a branch of Huaxia Gene Pharmaceutical Company, whose stores were spread across the country.
"Do you have E-grade Energy Supplement Potions?"
"Sure."
"Forget E-grade Energy Supplement Potions—even D-grade chain-reaction Energy Supplement Potions are available.
"The real question is whether you have the purchasing authority and can afford them." The clerk's attitude wasn't very friendly.
If Xu Tui had a few million yuan right then, along with E-grade or D-grade Authority, he would've slapped it all down in front of the clerk just to enjoy the moment.
Unfortunately, he had none of those things.
"I only have ordinary authority. Can I buy E-grade Energy Supplement Potions?" Xu Tui tried asking.
Ordinary authority was F-grade Authority.
Most people in society had ordinary authority, and unless something unexpected happened, they would have it for life. Even accumulating E-grade Authority by old age was uncommon.
There were rumors that places like this had hidden quests, so Xu Tui wanted to see if he could unlock one.
The clerk looked at him as if he were an idiot. "E-grade and higher potions can only be bought with your real name. Every single dose has to be registered."
"All right."
Xu Tui was a little disappointed.
"Then give me ten F-grade Energy Supplement Pills."
"That'll be 1,000 yuan."
He paid with his Personal Communication Device, collected his purchase, and left.
After his training the previous night, he had lost so much weight that it had scared him.
He'd even started wondering whether he should awaken a few Gene Points in his digestive system first.
After thinking it over, Xu Tui put the idea aside for now.
His problem was simply that he wasn't taking in enough energy, not that his engine wasn't working.
Put simply, he was low on fuel.
Would awakening Gene Points in his digestive system really make him eat ten meals a day like Cheng Mo?
Until he could get food that provided more energy, Xu Tui decided not to awaken any Gene Points in his digestive system.
Whether for his own training or to solve Cheng Mo's current problem of having a huge appetite but no special ability, Xu Tui needed to do comprehensive research before taking the next step.
In short, Xu Tui needed more knowledge to improve his understanding.
But there was one problem: he couldn't stop training.
The three months after injecting the Gene Liberation Potion were a period of continued improvement for the recipient.
Whether it was Xu Tui's fifteenth Gene Point related to perception or the Gene Point in his left calf, a large part of why they had awakened so easily and smoothly was the lingering effect of the Gene Liberation Potion.
Even after awakening a Gene Point in his stomach, Cheng Mo only gained four or five pounds a day. That was nowhere near enough to keep up with how quickly Xu Tui was losing weight.
After turning it over in his mind, Xu Tui realized his only option for now was F-grade Energy Supplement Pills, which could replenish energy quickly.
The better option was E-grade Energy Potions.
But Xu Tui didn't have the authority.
And even if he had the authority, he couldn't afford them.
One E-grade Energy Potion cost 5,000 yuan.
The price was ridiculously high.
With the money a student had, Xu Tui could only afford a dozen or so F-grade Energy Supplement Pills.
Xu Tui's only hope now was that the Merit Points and bonus promised by Zhou Sheng, the director of the Special Intelligence Agency, would come through soon.
A bonus of 50,000 yuan would be a fortune to Xu Tui.
He'd heard that Merit Points were worth even more.
On his way home, Xu Tui spotted his stalker again. In fact, the man had been there since Xu Tui left that morning.
There was only one.
An old acquaintance.
He was one of the two Special Agents who had followed Xu Tui yesterday. His surname was He.
He was probably there to protect Xu Tui.
"Uncle He, want to come upstairs for a cup of tea?" After entering the apartment building, Xu Tui took a turn and came out through the basement passage, appearing out of nowhere in front of He, who was smoking in a corner.
He Wende jumped in fright when Xu Tui suddenly appeared. The smoke he'd drawn into his lungs went down the wrong way, and he started coughing violently.
"No, no. You go on upstairs. Your admission notice should've arrived."
"Really?"
"Really!"
He Wende looked dejected.
He'd been caught by the same student yet again.
He'd really made a mess of being a Special Agent.
He Wende watched Xu Tui walk away, his eyes narrowing.
His superiors had said that although Xu Tui had awakened Fourteen Gene Points, they belonged to the Wisdom Heart Category and were useless.
But in He Wende's eyes, the boy was no ordinary person.
Maybe he was an even rarer exception within the Wisdom Heart Category.
The Mysterious System's Wisdom Heart Category often produced duds, but every so often, it produced a monster!
When Xu Tui got home, his father, Xu Jianguo, was beaming.
His mother, Zhang Xiuli, was smiling too, but she watched her son's drastic weight loss with a worried look.
"Jinbu, your admission notice is here. It's from Huaxia Gene Evolution University, the top-ranked university in the country. Happy?" Xu Jianguo asked.
"Yeah."
Xu Tui nodded. He wasn't all that surprised.
With a score of 604, well above the Dual Excellence Line, and fourteen Gene Points, getting into Huaxia Gene Evolution University was pretty much a sure thing.
"Dad, Mom, you've worked so hard these past few years." Xu Tui paused, then said earnestly.
Over the past three years of high school, his parents had really pushed themselves for his sake.
They'd made sure he never missed a meal—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even a late-night snack—and always came up with something different. His parents still had to go to work every day, too.
Even when they were sick, they'd get up at five every morning to make Xu Tui breakfast.
These past three years hadn't been easy.
Tears shimmered in Zhang Xiuli's eyes. Her joy was tangled up with feelings she couldn't put into words.
Her son had grown up.
Xu Jianguo simply waved a hand. "Let's not talk about that. You've been admitted, but you have to report in soon.
"Especially you students heading to the capital. You have to gather and set off tomorrow morning. Go pack your things properly in a bit, and make sure you don't forget anything."
"Yeah."
Xu Tui's voice caught in his throat.
He'd always wanted to leave Jincheng Prefecture, where he'd lived for so many years, and see what lay beyond. But now that he was really about to leave home, he couldn't help feeling reluctant.
"Oh, right. You're leaving tomorrow, so your mom and I used this afternoon to prepare a few gifts for you. Take a look." Xu Jianguo pushed a box toward him.
Second update is here! I'll post the third update I promised today before midnight. If you're going to bed early, check it out tomorrow morning.
Before you continue