Level 17!

In just five bites, Mu Fan finished the box of Nutritional Meal. The refreshing sensation of parched soil soaking up nourishment and moisture filled his stomach, making every bone in his body feel lighter.

Why hadn't I come here sooner? His eyes reddened as he stared at the next box, completely unaware that people had begun noticing him.

He finished the second box in four bites, then the third in another four. Mu Fan's thin body seemed like a bottomless pit. Three boxes of Nutritional Meal went into him, yet his stomach showed no bulge at all. It was still perfectly flat!!!

Across from him, Bald Man had eaten less than half a box, spoonful by spoonful. Now he stared dumbfoundedly as three boxes of Nutritional Meal vanished in an instant. Mu Fan paused only briefly before getting up to pour himself a huge cup of water! He gulped it all down in one go, then turned and walked straight toward the meal counter.

He even drank a huge cup of water!! Wouldn't he swell up and burst to death?! Bald Man forgot to close his mouth. How many minutes had that been? No, one minute, maybe? He had eaten three boxes! Then drunk that much water! Nutritional Meals expanded rapidly when they met water! That was enough to send someone to the medical room.

"Ten boxes, please." Mu Fan looked at White Hat with longing 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 before him again.

"Didn't I give you three boxes already?! Finish eating before you come back for more!" He was clearly annoyed. He had only just finished handing out lunch to one batch of people a little over a minute ago, and this kid had come back again. Was he deliberately causing trouble?

"I finished them. Please give me another ten boxes. Thank you." Mu Fan answered politely. Although he was poor, his adoptive parents had taught him since childhood to thank people often and to be grateful.

White Hat looked past Mu Fan toward the space behind him. Three empty meal boxes sat there, and beside them was a bald man holding a spoon with his mouth hanging open.

The commotion around Mu Fan had already caught the attention of the others. They had all planned to wait ten minutes and watch the kid make a fool of himself, but the moment they sat down, they saw him again.

"I'll give you three more boxes. Eating too much of this can really cause problems." White Hat's brain was having trouble processing things. He mechanically handed over three boxes and kindly warned him.

"There are still seven boxes missing." Mu Fan continued staring at White Hat with pleading eyes, completely unmoved.

"Oh, oh." White Hat found Mu Fan's gaze a little unsettling and stiffly handed over the remaining Nutritional Meals.

Mu Fan hugged the ten boxes of Nutritional Meal and turned to head back. Only then did he notice that everyone in the hall seemed frozen, staring at him. Seeing their looks, Mu Fan tightened his arms around the boxes. The meaning was obvious: no one was allowed to take them. They were his.

Everyone swallowed in unison. Even Jerff was a little stunned. He looked at the two empty boxes lined up in front of him, then at the half-meter-tall stack of meal boxes in Mu Fan's arms, and suddenly felt his stomach swelling.

"Holy shit!"

"Is he even human?!"

"Is he a Star Beast wearing human skin? His appetite even blew past Jerff's, and he's so skinny!"

"He definitely can't finish them," someone muttered with certainty.

"What if he really does finish them?" someone beside him kindly reminded him.

"Ah, impossible!!" several people cried out softly in unison.

Mu Fan returned to his seat and arranged the ten boxes of Nutritional Meal into two rows. As he lowered his head to eat, he noticed Bald Man across from him staring with his mouth open, so he reached out and pulled the boxes closer to himself.

Five minutes later, the cafeteria erupted.

"My god!"

"He actually finished them!"

Mu Fan leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach contentedly. His whole body felt warm, and he suddenly felt that today was the most memorable day of his life. Mm, he was even happier than when he had picked up Black Egg. That black egg still needed to earn money to buy him a light computer, but here, he had finally eaten his first full meal in his entire life.

"Burp." A soft burp of satisfaction made Mu Fan narrow his eyes. It felt so good to have strength filling his limbs! He had never experienced this kind of power before. He clenched his fists and felt as though he had endless energy!

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

"Good kid! You really are impressive. I, Jerff, have always believed in one thing: anyone with a huge appetite has to be badass! I don't know whether you're badass in other ways, but when it comes to eating, I concede!" Jerff looked at the five empty meal boxes in front of him and suddenly felt genuinely defeated. Then he looked at the thirteen empty boxes and spoke with wholehearted admiration.

"Heh." Mu Fan stood and stretched. "I'm finally full! So this is what being full feels like. It's so blissful!"

He clenched his fists and moved his arms. A series of crackling sounds came from within his body. Looking at his stomach, which still showed no sign of bulging, everyone looked at him as if he were a fierce beast.

Mu Fan unconsciously walked out. Compared to when he had entered, his steps were slower, and joy was plainly visible on his face.

Ten minutes earlier, the maintenance staff at Training Field 5 had been conducting their routine cleaning and equipment inspection when they reached the target stand machine.

"Huh, why wasn't this target stand's hydraulic switch turned on?" Looking at the fist mark on the target stand that could not spring back, the worker shook his head. "Who was dumb enough to hit this hard with the machine off? That was a direct blow against a four-ton steel ingot. He probably got sent to the treatment room. Sigh, honestly, this target pad needs replacing too." Muttering to himself, he pressed the switch beside the target stand machine. With a hiss, the hydraulic shaft activated. He then removed the sunken target pad bearing the fist mark, replaced it with a new one, and continued his routine work.

Like a drop of dew falling from water grass into a pond, it created a faint ripple before disappearing, and the water's surface returned to calm.

After Mu Fan had eaten and drunk his fill, he walked out of the cafeteria and saw people gradually arriving at the martial arts gym to train. It was still break time, so he opened the electronic light screen beside the corridor, which displayed introductions to the gym's facilities.

First Floor: Training Fields 1-9. Equipment: combat robots, 4-Ton Hydraulic Target Machine, 1a Standard Strength Tester (maximum equivalent to Level 20 Physical Standard, instantaneous explosive punch force of 5350 kg), Iron Sand Punching Bag, muscle training machines, Gravity Room (adjustable from 1 to 4 times gravity, fee: 100 Star Coins per hour)...

Mu Fan's eyes lit up. The dazzling images and explanations made his heart stir, especially the final Gravity Room, which he greatly yearned for. But after thinking that one hour would wipe out an entire day's income, he decided to forget it.

After reading through everything, Mu Fan had a general understanding of the martial arts gym. The first floor was mainly for employees and ordinary guests to train; the second floor was for beginner VIP members, with every training room equipped with an identity recognition device and serving only one person; the third floor was for Advanced VIP members. Each training room there was twice the size of those on the second floor and came with sparring partners, whom guests could choose to train with. The equipment on the third floor was also of a higher grade than that on the first and second floors. For example, its Gravity Rooms supported adjustments from 1 to 8 times gravity, but the fees were astronomical. In District 22, anyone who could visit the third floor was either wealthy or noble.

Shaking his head, Mu Fan stopped thinking about it and walked back to the Training Field. By then, the staff had finished their routine work and gone to eat, leaving the area empty.

Mu Fan walked through the various sections with interest and occasionally tried them out. Now that he was full, he felt as though he had inexhaustible strength and wanted somewhere to vent it. He returned to the target stand machine he had hit earlier, smacked his lips, clenched his right fist, and drove his shoulder and elbow forward with explosive force. With a heavy bang that echoed powerfully, he felt the target stand shudder backward, absorbing his strength.

Is this broken?! Mu Fan did not feel the solid feedback he had felt earlier. While wondering if the machine was broken, he also felt thoroughly unsatisfied. After quickly scanning the area and confirming that no one was around, he hurried away. What a joke—such a huge piece of equipment was far beyond what his meager salary could afford to compensate for.

Ten meters away stood a massive Strength Testing Instrument, lying there silently and imposingly like a Planetary Brute Elephant.

As the boy passed the massive machine, he glanced at it and quickly confirmed that it was the Strength Testing Instrument. It was four times the size of the target stand machine he had just used.

This one probably won't break, right? With that thought, Mu Fan stopped, gathered his strength, and threw a punch like a battering ram.

After a deep, thunderous boom, a set of numbers appeared on the electronic display: 3597 kg!

Level 17!!!

P.S. Thanks to reader Ten Billion Light Years 1888 for the reward.