Chapter 3

Sunset, at the school gate.

Liu Wei held two bottles of salt soda: "Here... what are you spacing out for?"

"Oh, thanks."

Fang Xing took the soda and took a casual sip. The specially made soda refracted a seven-colored brilliance under the sunlight, surprisingly packed with various distinct flavors. The wonderful bubbles were clearly defined, bursting on the tip of his tongue with a hint of coolness, making him feel incredibly refreshed. The faint, consistent salty taste forced him to keep opening his mouth, drinking in big gulps: "Refreshing..."

Drinking the salt soda, Fang Xing and Liu Wei headed home together.

The house they rented was nearby, not far from the school.

A small river meandered past, the water clear enough to see the bottom, the embankment snow-white.

"I must get into university!"

Suddenly, Liu Wei flung his soda bottle far away, staring at the splashes, and spoke abruptly.

"Hm?"

Fang Xing was calculating his own net worth while thinking about enjoying the food, drink, and entertainment of this era, and incidentally researching that newly appeared 'Gate of All Worlds'. Suddenly hearing this, he couldn't help but turn his head to look at Liu Wei.

"I must get into university and transfer to another department, preferably the Mecha Department. Practicing martial arts is a dead end," Liu Wei said seriously.

A martial artist is merely a professional prefix. According to the customary conventions of the Blue Star Federation, a martial artist is only considered a true professional 【Martial Daoist】 when they reach the fourth realm—the Courage and Resolve Realm!

Of course, after becoming a Martial Daoist, one can continue advanced studies to become a 【Martial Mecha Master】 or something similar.

Even in ancient times, the combat power of an armored martial artist and an unarmored one was worlds apart, let alone mechas.

According to the predecessor's knowledge, even the lowest-grade military exoskeleton could allow an ordinary person to immediately gain the strength to rival a 'Courage and Resolve Realm' Martial Daoist!

'Sigh... it's just that resources are insufficient, otherwise everyone could happily pilot mechas together.'

He sighed in his heart.

Why does the Blue Star Federation vigorously develop the martial arts system and manufacture a bunch of biochemical humans? Isn't it because the front lines lack cannon fodder, mecha masters, and resources?

Rumors have always had it that high-level officials proposed opening up gene-modulation technology and changing the ten-month incubation period for biochemical humans to three months or even shorter, but this was refuted by many, who believed that doing so would truly lose the potential and infinite possibilities of being human.

According to current technology, once gene modulation is performed, it will greatly increase the probability of biochemical humans advancing to the fourth martial realm in the future, but the possibility of becoming an eighth-realm Wu Sheng or ninth-realm Wu Shen would drop significantly.

'But once the Blue Star Federation suffers a major defeat and resources become even more stretched, who knows.'

'After all, cannon fodder is just cannon fodder; one can't expect too much... and Martial Saints, Martial Gods, and the like aren't actually that strong. The destructive power of top-tier Mecha Masters, Thought Masters, Sword Controllers, and even other professions is even greater...'

'Of course, various professions are not isolated from each other... for example, martial artists need to wear special exoskeletons or even specially made mechas to exert their maximum combat power!'

"Mm, keep it up!"

With a thousand thoughts turning in his mind, all Fang Xing said were these three words.

After the two parted ways, Fang Xing returned to his home.

Calling it a 'home', it was actually about the same as an apartment. Upon entering, one could see the living room, and besides that, there were a kitchen and a bedroom; the space was actually quite large.

"The housing price in the Happy Home residential area now seems to be around 10,000 Star Credits per square meter..."

Fang Xing looked around, a thought emerging in his heart.

"Even the rent isn't cheap. If it weren't for the Federation's student loan, it would indeed be hard to afford..."

He took out his phone, skillfully opened an application, and saw his wallet.

【Balance: 14,231.9 Star Credits】

"That's just enough to buy a little over one square meter, and that's the result of me actively working part-time during my spare time..."

Fang Xing thought of the predecessor's dream; it wasn't to get into university, but to buy a house!

Not on this Chick Star, but to go to the Capital Star, which is the origin of the Blue Star Federation—Blue Star, to buy a house!

"The housing prices on Blue Star and the cost of immigration, plus the ticket for the spaceship... my little bit isn't even a drop in the bucket..."

"I'm afraid only those big shots who are professionals can afford it, right?"

Fang Xing calculated and was somewhat dumbfounded; this dream was much bigger than Liu Wei's.

'I have to survive before I can consider the problem of buying a house.'

Fang Xing, who had experienced the pressure of modern mortgage loans in his previous life, now scoffed at the predecessor's wish: "With this little money, I'd better enjoy myself first... The entertainment of the interstellar era is rich and colorful..."

"Although it's just an ordinary educational planet, there are many fun things..."

Recalling the basic information here, Fang Xing couldn't help but be tongue-tied by the Blue Star Federation's grand scale.

Chick Star is located in the Black Mountain star system. The main components of the air are nitrogen and oxygen, composed of 44.6% land and islands and 55.4% ocean and water bodies. The standard gravity is 1.2 times that of Blue Star.

As an educational planet, its main industries are various schools and cultivation centers.

It can be said that the entire planet is an industrial cluster built around this industry.

It is precisely because of this that Liu Wei feels despair—unless he gains the ability for interstellar travel, he simply cannot escape this planet.

For those biochemical humans who think too much, Chick Star is a huge cage, and even the sky and the universe feel oppressive.

But for Fang Xing...

"Uh... how big must one's heart be to feel that a planet can't contain that little bit of personal freedom?"

He thought for a moment and opened a food delivery app on his phone.

Not long after, the sound of propellers came from the balcony.

A flying vehicle landed on the balcony, with steaming takeout bags underneath.

"Confirm receipt, dear, please give a good review!"

A cute loli voice rang out, and then the flying vehicle flew away directly.

"A very primitive way of delivering food..."

Fang Xing commented, opened the meal box, and a strange fragrance wafted out.

Looking closely, he discovered that the lunch box was filled with a full box of rice. This rice was the size of a pinky fingertip, each grain plump and crystalline, like red jade.

"Mm, this is 'Blood Tooth Rice'. It's said that eating it can greatly nourish Qi and blood."

"Besides this, there's also Shaluo beast meat steak... Mmm, this meat juice..."

He picked up a piece of steak with chopsticks, looked at the crystal-like meat, and stuffed it into his mouth. A strong meaty fragrance filled his mouth. The Shaluo meat had been processed and simply melted in his mouth, and it didn't get stuck in his teeth at all. Every time he chewed, he could feel large amounts of meat juice bursting out, and paired with the vegetables and the fragrant rice, it was simply superb...

"Delicious!"

Unknowingly, Fang Xing looked at the empty lunch box, a look of lingering desire appearing on his face: "Although it cost over a hundred, it's worth the price. Let's have another cup of after-meal milk tea... This little life is lived well, lying flat is refreshing, forget about buying a house!"

As for joining the army after graduating from high school in three years, it had already been selectively forgotten by Fang Xing.

After eating, he threw the fast-food box into the trash can and fished out a pair of sci-fi-looking glasses from the drawer.

After putting them on, an illusory world immediately emerged.

"Hm? This world's virtual reality games don't actually have an 18+ rating? I give it a rave review..."

The next moment, Fang Xing felt as if he had discovered a new continent, and unknowingly became addicted to it.

The next day.

Inside the bedroom.

Fang Xing was flushed, panting, and sweating profusely.

He stood like a bow, his spine like a dragon; he was practicing the Great Dragon Stance!

Although he played games very happily yesterday, he was an adult after all and knew how to exercise restraint, so he went to sleep on time before twelve o'clock. After waking up in the morning and washing up simply, he started practicing martial arts.

Half an hour later, Fang Xing panted heavily, his consciousness focused on the attribute panel:

【Name: Fang Xing】

【Age: 16】

【Profession: Martial Artist】

【First Realm: Skin and Flesh (Refining Skin: 21/100)】

【Military Fist Twelve Styles: 56/100 (Entry)】

【Great Dragon Stance: 67/100 (Entry)】

【Gate of All Worlds: 2/100 (Locating)】

"The Great Dragon Stance and the Military Fist Twelve Styles haven't changed. Is it really hard for quantitative change to lead to qualitative change in one day?"

"But the Gate of All Worlds..."

Fang Xing shifted his consciousness to the mirror-like symbol, and some inexplicable information suddenly emerged in his heart: "It increased by 1% in one day?"

"Calculating this way, as long as another 98 days pass, I can open the Gate of All Worlds and go to another world?"

He was somewhat excited.

Another world!

This might be a new crossing, and even... who knows, maybe he could return to the original Earth!

Although, going back would just mean continuing to be a corporate slave, still unable to afford a toilet in the Imperial Capital, uh...

"Comparing it this way, crossing over with a powerful golden finger, it seems changing one's life isn't bad..."

Fang Xing's mouth curled up slightly: "The key is, I have a way out!"

Even if he fails the college entrance exam three years from now and is forced to serve in the military, he can go to another world and doesn't have to take risks on the battlefield.

"It's just, crossing to another world? I must prepare well."

He looked solemn, opened the mobile mall, and searched for some equipment he needed.

The simplest air detection device, food-grade toxin test paper, drone, and even protective gear, weapons...

After all, another world might be abnormally dangerous, and he must make full preparations.

Fortunately, there was still enough time.

"In terms of protective gear, the Federation has many good items, such as the entry-level nano-protective suit, which can generate a mask and provide all-around, no-dead-angle protection. If an ordinary person with no strength to truss a chicken wears it, even a third-realm martial artist cannot break the defense..."

"The armor is like this, but the Federation has restrictions on weapons... Hm?"

Fang Xing saw the most expensive weapon in the mall, and his eyes suddenly lit up.

In the top bar of the product page, there was a display picture of a firearm. The silver-white gun body looked very sci-fi, and the smooth lines must feel very handy to hold.

【'Swift Dragon' Grade Laser Gun (Civilian Version), Price: 200,000 Star Credits】

"Swift Dragon is a Federation arms giant. The ray attack fired by the laser gun is fatal even if a fourth-realm Courage and Resolve Martial Daoist is hit. It's a pity it's the civilian version..."

Fang Xing felt somewhat regretful. The so-called 'civilian version' naturally had program locks inside the firearm, unable to attack humanoid creatures.

"If I cross to a monster world, it will still be very useful, it's a pity... I can't afford it..."

"It seems that for the next three months, I have to start grinding again."

"Could it be... is this the fate of a working person?"