The system was repaired
[System error...] [Self-diagnostic failed...] [Repair failed...] [Reloading...]
Amid the heat shimmering off the rubber track, Lin Hao listened to the stuttering mechanical voice in his head. His temples throbbed with irritation.
That mechanical voice had been sounding in his head for a full twelve years, ever since his first day after transmigrating into this high-martial world.
But apart from repeating error messages over and over, it had never made any other sound, let alone given him any system benefits.
Now, he was already in his final year of high school, with just one month left before the Martial Artist Examination.
If this system did not get repaired soon, he would bring shame on transmigrators.
With his current paltry qi and blood, nobody would even hire him to haul bricks on a construction site.
He took a deep breath, forcibly muted the mechanical voice in his head, and settled his emotions.
Glancing around at his classmates practicing the Basic Eighteen Forms of Qi and Blood, he resumed his own practice.
He lowered his waist, stepped out, bent his knees, and squatted...
The Basic Eighteen Forms of Qi and Blood was an introductory cultivation technique uniformly promoted throughout the Dragon Nation's middle and high school martial artist classes.
Its central principle was to guide the circulation of qi and blood through bodily movements.
He had practiced this sequence for six years and had long since developed muscle memory, executing every movement in one smooth flow without having to think.
Yet every time he practiced, the movements struggled to guide and stir his qi and blood, which barely flowed, like a silt-clogged stream.
He had asked his teachers about this problem many times.
But without exception, every answer he received attributed it to his poor talent and inadequate meridians.
Once he reached high school, his teachers ignored him altogether, leaving him without even a chance to ask for guidance.
On the sports field, Shi Tie, the martial arts teacher and homeroom teacher of Lin Hao's martial arts class, stood beside Bai Cheng, who had the highest qi and blood in the class. He patiently instructed him, correcting the angle at which Bai Cheng turned his hips.
After instructing Bai Cheng, Mr. Shi Tie walked toward another student with outstanding qi and blood.
As he passed Lin Hao, his steps did not pause for even a moment, as though Lin Hao did not exist.
Lin Hao had long since grown used to this.
Mr. Shi Tie did not want to waste even a little time on a student like him, whose qi and blood was only 0.3 and who had no hope of passing the Martial Artist Examination.
Lin Hao sighed inwardly, wiped the sweat from his forehead, then lowered his waist and stepped out to practice again.
Just then, his deskmate and best friend at school, Jiang Chao, plopped down beside him.
Jiang Chao held two bottles of ice-cold cola and handed one to Lin Hao.
Then he gulped down more than half of his own bottle and let out a loud burp.
Staring at Mr. Shi Tie's retreating back, he said quietly in displeasure, "Haozi, did you see that? The more I look at that mug of Shi Tie's, the more pissed off I get."
Lin Hao took the cola and smiled without saying anything.
Jiang Chao snorted and continued, "Shi Tie withheld more than half the resource subsidies Jiang City gave us and handed it all to outstanding students like Bai Cheng. That bastard's got some nerve."
As he spoke, his anger rose. "Just wait. Once we graduate, I'm going straight to the Martial Arts Bureau to report every one of Shi Tie's fine deeds! At least I'll be doing something good for the students who come after us."
Lin Hao shook his head with a smile. "How would Shi Tie alone have the nerve to do that?"
Jiang Chao was not surprised to hear this. "I know. The school must be backing him. Fine, they're all wallowing in the same filth, huh? Then I'll report the school too!"
That smile remained on Lin Hao's face. "Do you really think the Martial Arts Bureau doesn't know about this sort of thing?"
At those words, Jiang Chao's expression froze, his bellyful of anger doused as though by a bucket of cold water.
He fell silent for a long while before finally grasping what Lin Hao meant. In the end, he could only mutter resentfully, "They want to be whores and still put up monuments to their chastity. Not a decent one among them."
Seeing this, Lin Hao said nothing more. He took a sip of cola and continued practicing.
Of course he understood Jiang Chao's frustration, but he knew even better that, for Jiang Chao, this frustration was ultimately just a passing emotion.
Jiang Chao's family ran a building materials business and had no shortage of money. Even if he failed to get into a martial arts university, he could go home and inherit the family business, living without worries about food or clothing for the rest of his life.
But he could not.
Evening, in the mining district's family housing compound.
The exposed red bricks where the aging apartment building's wall coating had peeled away stood out particularly clearly in the setting sun.
The building had no elevator. Lin Hao climbed to the fourth floor, took out his key, and had barely opened the door when the aroma of food wafted into his face.
He could hear his mother, Li Xiulan, bustling in the kitchen, along with the humming of the old range hood.
His father, Lin Rongshan, had already changed out of his work clothes and was sitting on the living room sofa.
Somewhat to Lin Hao's surprise, his older cousin Lin Qing had come over and was also sitting on the sofa.
His cousin Lin Qing was a two-star martial artist and served as captain of the Third Detachment at the West City District Martial Arts Branch Bureau.
She was the most accomplished person in their entire family.
"You're home, Xiao Hao." Seeing Lin Hao return, Lin Qing smiled. "I've found you a good position this time: a security team member at the East City Industrial Park. It's an officially established post, with five types of social insurance, a housing provident fund, and a monthly qi and blood allowance. You can report for duty in five days."
Startled, Lin Hao hurriedly thanked her. "Thank you, Sis!"
He knew perfectly well how hard such a position was to come by.
After all, everything in this world was tied to qi and blood.
He had heard that security guards at that industrial park needed a qi and blood value of at least 0.9, and even then, not just anyone could get in.
That went doubly for someone like him, whose qi and blood was only 0.3. They would not even let him apply.
But although this was a good job, once he reported for duty, he would effectively be formally employed.
And under the martial arts entrance exam rules, anyone with formal employment could not take the exam.
With the exam only a month away, he truly could not resign himself to giving up now.
Choosing his words, he said apologetically, "Sis, I still want to take the Martial Artist Examination. Could we put off reporting for duty a little?"
Surprise crossed Lin Qing's face. Looking at Lin Hao, she shook her head. "Xiao Hao, don't blame me for throwing cold water on you, but the passing threshold for the Martial Artist Examination is 1.0. Your qi and blood is only 0.3, and there's just one month left. Do you think it's still possible?"
Lin Hao looked embarrassed. He knew that anyone would consider this idea of his the ravings of a fool dreaming.
But after working so hard for so many years, he still refused to give up until the very last moment.
For a moment, the living room fell quiet.
Li Xiulan, who had still been busy in the kitchen, quickly turned off the stove and came out, wiping her hands on her apron. Trying to smooth things over, she said, "Qingqing, don't mind him. Xiao Hao can be a little single-minded. But he's spent more than ten years studying, all for this exam. So, well..."
Lin Rongshan picked up where she left off. "Qingqing, why don't we let Xiao Hao give it a try? I'll thicken my skin and ask one more favor. Could you see if you can pull some strings and have them hold that security position a little longer?"
Looking at her uncle and aunt, Lin Qing let out a long sigh and managed a smile. "Uncle, Auntie, what are you saying? Xiao Hao is my little cousin. Of course I'll help him. It's only putting it off for a month or so. That's no problem. I'll just have to go through a few more procedures."
At this, Lin Hao breathed a sigh of relief and said gratefully, "Thank you, Sis. I'll go back to my room to cultivate, then."
"Go ahead."
Watching Lin Hao's retreating figure as he returned to his room, Lin Qing had mixed feelings. Her younger cousin had worked hard since childhood. Unfortunately, on the martial path, hard work alone was not enough.
Once Lin Hao had returned to his room, Lin Rongshan remembered something and asked, "Oh, right, Qingqing, that thing you mentioned last time, that Primordial Qi and Blood Potion-have you managed to find a source?"
Lin Qing could only smile wryly. "Uncle, do you really want that potion? One bottle costs thirty thousand. The money you earn down in the mines doesn't come easily. How about... we forget it? Your back has been like this for so many years. It's time you had it looked at."
Faced with Lin Qing's kind intentions, Lin Rongshan did not know how to answer for a moment.
Seeing this, Li Xiulan forced a smile. "Xiao Hao wants to give it his all. As his parents, we have to support him. There's only a month left, anyway. Better not to leave any regrets."
Lin Rongshan added, "Your aunt and I haven't amounted to much in our lives, and my back has been like this for years. But Xiao Hao is still young, after all."
Seeing the determination in her uncle's and aunt's eyes, Lin Qing was filled with emotion and stopped trying to dissuade them. "I understand. I should be able to secure a bottle of Primordial Qi and Blood Potion in the next couple of days."
Inside his room, Lin Hao leaned back against the wall, listening to the faint voices outside with a dazed expression.
His throat felt as though it were plugged with a wad of cotton, stifling him painfully, and his eyes reddened.
Perhaps...
It was time to face reality.
He should just forget about this unrealistic Martial Artist Examination.
Being a security guard at the industrial park was already a very good option.
Not only would his parents no longer have to shoulder his expenses, but he could also contribute to the household and let them live easier lives. What was wrong with that?
With that thought, he walked to the door and put his hand on the handle, about to step outside and tell his parents his decision.
Just then, the mechanical voice that had sounded in his head for twelve years automatically bypassed his block and rang out again.
This time, the system's voice neither lagged nor stuttered.
[System self-diagnostic complete. Bugs repaired.] [Heaven Rewards Diligence System successfully activated.] [Host: Lin Hao] [Qi and blood value: 0.30] [Mental power: 0.12] [Combat power: 0.26]