Level 17!

Five mouthfuls. Just five, and Mu Fan had finished the entire box of Nutritional Meal. The parched earth of his stomach, long dry, drank in the nutrients with a soothing comfort that made every bone in his body feel lighter.

Why hadn't he come here sooner? Staring at the next box with red-rimmed eyes, Mu Fan completely failed to notice that people were starting to watch him.

Four mouthfuls finished the second box. Another four finished the third. Mu Fan's scrawny frame seemed like a bottomless pit—three boxes of Nutritional Meal went in, and his stomach showed no bulge at all. It was still flat!!!

At the table diagonally across, a Bald Man who had barely eaten half a box with his spoon sat frozen, spoon in hand, staring as three boxes vanished in an instant. Mu Fan paused only briefly, got up, poured himself a large cup of water, gulped it down in one go, and then turned straight toward the meal counter.

He even drank a whole cup of water!! Wouldn't that swell up and kill him?! The Bald Man forgot to close his mouth. Just a few minutes ago—no, one minute—he'd eaten three boxes! Then downed all that water. Nutritional Meal expands fast when it hits liquid! That alone could land someone in the clinic.

"Ten boxes, please." Mu Fan looked at White Hat with eager eyes.

White Hat had just handed out two boxes and was about to wipe his sweat when he looked up and saw Mu Fan standing there again.

"Didn't I already give you three?! Finish those before you come back!" He was clearly annoyed. He'd only finished distributing lunch for one group a minute ago, and this kid was back again. Was he just messing around?

"I finished them. Could I get ten more, please? Thank you." Mu Fan replied politely. Though he was poor, his foster parents had taught him from a young age to always say thank you and show gratitude when dealing with people.

White Hat's gaze slid past Mu Fan to the three empty boxes behind him. Next to them sat the Bald Man, still holding his spoon, mouth agape.

The commotion around Mu Fan had already caught the attention of the group from earlier. They'd all planned to laugh at the kid in ten minutes, but now they'd barely sat down before seeing him again.

"I'll give you three more. Eating too much of this really will cause problems." White Hat's brain was struggling to keep up. He mechanically handed over three boxes, adding a kind warning.

"I still need seven more." Mu Fan's eyes kept staring at White Hat with desperate longing, unmoved.

"Oh, oh, right." White Hat found Mu Fan's gaze a bit unsettling and stiffly handed over the rest of the Nutritional Meals.

Mu Fan hugged the ten boxes and turned to go back, only then noticing that the entire hall seemed frozen, everyone staring at him. Seeing their looks, he hugged the boxes tighter. The message was clear: nobody touch these. They're mine.

Everyone swallowed in unison. Even Jerff was a bit dazed, glancing at the two empty boxes he'd just stacked, then at Mu Fan's half-meter-tall pile of boxes. A strange bloated feeling crept into his own stomach.

"What... the... hell!"

"Is he even human?!"

"Is he a Star Beast in human skin? His appetite just crushed Jerff's, and he's so skinny!"

"There's no way he'll finish all that," one person muttered with certainty.

"What if he does?" another asked, with well-meaning doubt.

"Ah, impossible!!" a few whispered in unison.

Mu Fan returned to his seat and lined up the ten boxes in two rows. As he lowered his head to eat, he noticed the Bald Man diagonally across still staring at him with his mouth open. So he reached over and pulled the boxes on that side closer to himself.

Five minutes later, the cafeteria erupted.

"Oh my god!"

"He actually finished them!"

Mu Fan leaned back in his chair, patting his stomach with satisfaction. A warm glow spread through his body. He felt like today was the most memorable day of his life. Yeah, even better than the day he found the Black Egg—that Black Egg still needed money for a light brain, but here, he'd finally eaten his first full meal ever.

"Burp." A soft belb made Mu Fan squint his eyes. Having strength in his limbs felt amazing! A power he'd never known. He clenched his fists, feeling like he had endless energy!

The towering stack of boxes on the table stunned everyone, including Jerff.

"Kid, you're something! I, Jerff, have always believed one thing: a big appetite means you're tough! I don't know if you're tough in other ways, but when it comes to eating, I bow to you!" Jerff glanced at his own five empty boxes, a genuine sense of defeat rising in him. Then he looked at the thirteen empty boxes and admitted it wholeheartedly.

"Heh." Mu Fan stood up and stretched. "Finally full! So this is what being full feels like. So happy!"

He clenched his fist, rolled his shoulder, and a series of crackling sounds came from inside his body. Everyone stared at his still-flat stomach like he was some kind of monster.

Mu Fan walked out without a second thought, his steps slower than when he'd come in, a clear look of joy on his face.

Ten minutes earlier, a maintenance worker at Training Field 5 was doing the daily cleaning and equipment check when he reached the Target Machine.

"Huh, why isn't the hydraulic switch on this target turned on?" He shook his head at a fist-shaped dent in the target pad that wouldn't spring back. "Who's dumb enough to hit this hard with the machine off? That's a direct punch into a 4-ton steel ingot. Probably in the treatment room now. Tch, what a pain. Gotta replace this pad." Muttering to himself, he pressed the switch on the side of the Target Machine. With a "hiss," the hydraulic shaft activated. He removed the dented pad, replaced it with a new one, and went back to his routine.

Like a dewdrop falling from Water Grass in a pond, it caused a ripple, then vanished. The surface returned to calm.

By the time Mu Fan had eaten his fill and walked out of the cafeteria, people were already trickling into the martial arts hall for training. It was still break time. He tapped on an electronic Light Screen in the hallway, which displayed the hall's facility guide.

First Floor: Training Fields 1–9. Equipment: Combat Robots, 4-Ton Hydraulic Target Machine, 1a Standard Strength Tester (max corresponds to Physical Standard Level 20, instantaneous burst punch force 5350kg), Iron Sand Punching Bags, Muscle Trainers, Gravity Room (1–4x gravity adjustable, fee: 100 Star Coins/hour)...

Mu Fan's eyes lit up. The dazzling images and descriptions made his heart race. The Gravity Room at the end especially tempted him, but after a moment's thought—one hour would wipe out a whole day's earnings—he let it go.

After browsing, Mu Fan had a solid grasp of the hall's layout. The first floor was mainly for employees and regular guests. The second floor was for Basic VIP members; each training room had a identity recognition device and served only one person. The third floor was for Advanced VIP members; each training room was twice the size of those on the second floor and came with a sparring partner. Guests could choose a partner for training. The equipment on the third floor was also higher-grade—for example, the Gravity Room supported 1–8x adjustment—but the cost was astronomical. In District 22, only the rich and powerful could afford the third floor.

He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. Mu Fan walked back to the training field. By now, the workers had finished their daily tasks and gone to eat. The field was empty.

Mu Fan wandered through each area with interest, occasionally trying something out. He felt full now, bursting with energy, and wanted a place to let it out. He returned to the spot where he'd punched the Target Machine earlier. Smacking his lips, he clenched his right fist, let his shoulder drive his elbow, and unleashed a sudden burst of force. A dull, heavy thud echoed. He felt the target platform shudder backward, absorbing his power.

Was it broken?! Mu Fan didn't feel the solid feedback he'd gotten before. Annoyed that the machine might be broken and unsatisfied with the hit, he quickly scanned the area to make sure no one was watching, then hurried away. No way—if that big thing broke, his measly salary couldn't cover it.

Ten meters away stood a large Strength Tester, silent and massive, like a Planetary Brute Elephant lying still.

As the boy passed the hulking machine, he glanced at it. He quickly confirmed it was the Strength Tester, four times the size of the Target Machine.

This one shouldn't break, right? With that thought, Mu Fan stopped, gathered his strength, and threw a punch. It blasted out like a pneumatic hammer.

A heavy boom rang out. The electronic display flashed a set of numbers: 3597kg!

Level 17!!!

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ps: Thanks to reader Ten Billion Light Years for the 1888 tip.