From Igniting Talent to Becoming a Demon God Section 12

He once again felt the peculiar differences within Prism Ring City, especially the difference in status.

"Heh, that's not all."

Some other colleagues heard the voices and joined the discussion. "I heard that after Old Huang died, our cleaning crew was supposed to recruit someone, but the slot got taken by the logistics team."

"And guess what? It was someone from higher up in the company forcing a person in through the internal assessment, straight into the Patrol Bureau."

"Heh. Logistics is safer than us, no wind, no rain—what a fucking arrangement. If you ask me, they might as well cancel the assessment too and give all the future slots to them!"

The driver, Xiao Luo, was well-informed. He was also a young man, and his voice was full of righteous anger.

The sudden news was like a boulder smashing into water. Everyone's movements paused, their hearts stifled and heavy. Lu Chao's gaze darkened as well.

For people like them, the internal assessment was their only hope.

Yet even that had people willing to lower themselves and come fight them for it.

"All right, quit yapping!"

"Have you finished the work? What are you dawdling around here for?"

Fatty Cui, his beer belly jutting out, had somehow returned to the mouth of the alley. He had clearly heard everyone's discussion and complaints.

Beneath his balding comb-over, his middle-aged face looked slightly pudgy, and his squeezed little eyes were a little gloomy.

The atmosphere went quiet. Xiao Luo, who had been angrily speaking up earlier, instantly fell silent, and Old Cheng and the others also shut their mouths one after another.

"Prism Ring City is very big. More than a thousand square kilometers."

"If you're not happy with the company's decision..."

He lifted his chin slightly, cigarette pinched between his fingers as he pointed at everyone.

"Then get lost sooner rather than later."

He dropped the cigarette butt and crushed it out under his sole.

Fatty Cui gave a cold laugh, then turned and left.

His fat silhouette was stretched long by the neon light and shadows, blocking the light at the alley entrance.

In the silent atmosphere, angry, stifled looks appeared on everyone's faces, before finally turning into helpless sighs.

"Let's keep working."

Old Cheng shook his head and patted Lu Chao on the shoulder, as if he had long since gotten used to it.

Prism Ring City was indeed very big, but the unemployed population also remained high. Having a job at all was already no easy thing.

At once, figure after figure got busy again.

The burden of life pressed down on everyone's shoulders. All emotions were hidden back inside their hearts, and no extra expressions could be seen on their faces anymore.

But.

Lu Chao was just as silent as he continued rinsing the ground.

His eyes flickered, and he subconsciously gazed up at the night sky.

Prism Ring City was very big, but the place they had to stand was very small.

So.

He had to seize the path of martial arts!

For three days in a row.

Holding stances, training strength, building vigor.

Collecting corpses, sweeping the ground, making money.

Every day, Lu Chao hurried back and forth between the boxing gym and his work with the cleaning crew.

The powerful effect of [Primary Resilience] showed itself here.

No matter how exhausted he was, whenever he woke up the next day, he would feel full of energy, without the slightest sense of fatigue.

Whoosh, whoosh!!

Immediately afterward, two punches blasted out in succession, whipping up the sound of wind.

Lu Chao came to the boxing gym again and trained in a stance on the concrete field, taking an extremely standard fighting posture.

[Vitality: 5→6!]

The panel in his vision had changed that morning. His vitality had actually increased by one point.

Thanks to this, Lu Chao could feel that his physical condition had grown a little stronger.

His originally thin body now bore faint traces of muscle. His strength, stamina, endurance... every aspect had improved to a certain extent.

"Even if it's only basic combat arts, it can temper the tendons and refine the skin, strengthening the physique."

"Not to mention, my training volume is more than double that of the others..."

He was not surprised by his own changes. He had no foundation to begin with, so the effects were naturally prominent the first time he came into contact with it.

In addition to the nutritious meals provided by the martial arts hall, he also bought some high-energy foods every night to supplement himself and fill in the nutritional gaps.

In just three short days, he had spent another six or seven hundred yuan, and only then had he achieved his current improvement.

"Junior Brother Lu."

A clear voice rang out. Zheng Wu, dressed in a white martial arts uniform with gray patterns, walked over from inside the Training Building.

A man should be looked at with new eyes after three days apart.

Lu Chao's persistence had not escaped his notice. One had taken the initiative, and the other appreciated it, so naturally, they had grown much more familiar.

"Senior Brother Zheng."

Lu Chao nodded in response, then, at his signal, dropped his combat stance.

"If you've lasted three days, that means you've already thought it through."

"Come on. Starting today, you're also a member of the Training Building."

Zheng Wu explained with a smile, and Lu Chao understood what he meant.

Only now could he be considered to have truly joined Gold-Stone Martial Arts Hall.

Correspondingly, his tuition would no longer be refunded. He could only walk this path to the end and see the results three months later.

"Aren't we waiting for Xu Linfeng?"

Lu Chao tilted his head in puzzlement and looked toward the concrete training ground.

Dozens of ordinary students were doing physical training, some frog-jumping, others doing squats.

Zhou Cheng and Zhang Ping, who had joined in the same batch as him, had already given up over the past two days. Unable to bear the pain and exhaustion, they had chosen to get their refunds and leave.

Only the mostly silent Xu Linfeng had persisted until yesterday.

"Over the past three days, he recovered more slowly each day, and his efficiency kept dropping. It was hard for him to keep up combat practice for long."

"He felt his talent was ordinary and that it would be difficult for him to achieve anything. On top of that, his family's burden is heavy, so in the end, he chose another path."

After hearing the explanation, Lu Chao's gaze paused.

Only then did he spot Xu Linfeng among the dozens of students, drenched in sweat and training with squats.

As if sensing something, the other party looked over.

His tired eyes were somewhat dim. Then he deliberately lowered his head, avoiding Lu Chao's gaze.

A wave of emotion rose in Lu Chao's heart. He knew that without the talent of [Primary Resilience], he might have ended up the same as him, only falling behind in exhaustion through round after round of training.

That was how it was without background or financial strength. Physical fatigue and muscular damage accumulated day by day, and hard work alone could hardly keep supporting it.

"No wonder..."

Lu Chao shook his head, thinking back to why the old gatekeeper had asked him that question that day.

Clearly, many people had fallen during these three days.

"Let's go."

Without saying anything more, Zheng Wu led him toward the Training Building.

The broad concrete training ground gradually receded behind them, and dozens of students watched his back with envious, complicated gazes.

Sunlight spilled down, making the entrance of the Training Building look somewhat bright.

As if it symbolized some kind of hope.

"Keep your spine straight. Let the force travel through your limbs."

"Hold the ball in a perfect circle. Let your qi roam through your whole body!"

Inside the Training Building, another two days passed.

Lu Chao had changed into a white training uniform with gray patterns from the martial arts hall. Holding a five-kilogram iron ball, he stood in a horse stance.