The System's voice sounded in his ear, leaving Zhang Beixing stunned where he stood. Its words echoed in his mind: "Level B difficulty, 0.5 Ability Points rewarded for each completion!"
This damn System...
One had to understand that for Zhang Beixing to earn 0.5 Ability Points currently, he'd have to run himself ragged, maintaining his pace for a full five kilometers! But now, he just needed to perform the thirty-two routines and one hundred seventy-two techniques of the Yue Family Combo once.
And 0.5 Ability Points would be his!
Assuming it took half an hour to complete one set of the Yue Family Combo, that would be a full twenty-four Ability Points in a single day.
That meant two hundred forty in a week, two thousand four hundred in a month, and twenty-four thousand in a year...
One could only say that Zhang Beixing had a knack for math and exploitation.
Especially the latter.
If a renowned national entrepreneur like Cao Wang knew about this, he would surely exclaim "Kindred spirit!" and immediately arrange for Zhang Beixing to work in his factory—007 schedule, for a weekly salary of two thousand three hundred.
"So, Lao Zhang, what then? What are you feeling? Spit it out, man, finish your sentence!"
Having received the System's suggestion of a high reward, Zhang Beixing was delighted, but Jin Linyu now felt like cursing.
The thing he hated most in life was people who left their sentences unfinished.
What was wrong with him? Was his mouth rented? Did the lease expire halfway, requiring a renewal fee?
It helped that Zhang Beixing often brought them meals; he was the main support of their Dorm 203.
If it had been anyone else, Jin Linyu would have slapped them sensible long ago.
"Oh, nothing much," Zhang Beixing said, his expression dead serious. "I just feel like what you said makes some sense. Martial Arts, as our national art, has been passed down for thousands of years. But nowadays, our youth don't consider learning Martial Arts. Instead, they all rush to learn things like Taekwondo and Karate. It really breaks my heart! So, from today onward, I've decided to train hard in Martial Arts and restore its glory. It's our undeniable duty!"
He spoke with such passion, as if he wasn't the same person who, just this morning, had claimed that "Martial Arts are inferior to beautiful women."
Seeing him act this way, the corner of Jin Linyu's mouth twitched.
He admitted that he had indeed persuaded Zhang Beixing to take up Martial Arts Training.
But dude, did your reaction have to be this dramatic? You even brought out the whole 'restore the glory of Martial Arts' line.
Could it be that I have the potential to be a motivational guru? Jin Linyu pondered.
However, a musty smell quickly brought him back to reality. Pinching his nose, he said, "Speaking of which, Lao Zhang, where on earth did you get this book? Why is it so battered?"
"Guess," Zhang Beixing said with a sigh. "What I can tell you is that you know the person who gave me this book, and he was especially nice to you today!"
He never expected that the chubby, kind Teacher Liu was a Martial Artist—and a practitioner of such vicious Martial Arts at that! To think that man could easily twist off his head and kick it around like a ball, yet he himself still slept through his classes every day and occasionally annoyed him. Zhang Beixing felt he really should buy a copy of the criminal code and kowtow to it! Thank society! Thank the criminal code for saving his sorry hide from a Martial Artist like that!
"???"
"Lao Zhang, what the hell are you talking about?" Jin Linyu demanded. "I know him, and he was especially nice to me today? Are you sure such a person exists?"
Jin Linyu racked his brains but couldn't think of anyone, suspecting Zhang Beixing was pulling his leg.
Zhang Beixing merely shrugged. "Believe it or not, such a person exists. Anyway, you can think about it. I'm off to train, buddy!"
"No, don't go yet! Give me another hint. Who on earth is it?" Jin Linyu pressed.
It wasn't that he wanted to know how Zhang Beixing got the martial arts secret book. He just wanted to know who had been particularly nice to him today.
"As distant as the horizon, yet as close as right before your eyes!"
With that, Zhang Beixing took the "Yue Family Combo" and left the dorm without a backward glance.
Jin Linyu was left standing there, pondering these words. After a long while, he finally let out a baffled roar, "Riddler, get out of Shi University!"
Zhang Beixing, of course, had no idea about Jin Linyu's reaction.
He was now holding the "Yue Family Combo" and had arrived at the small grove behind the school.
He came here because it was secluded and rarely frequented.
Of course, if anyone did happen to come by, Zhang Beixing wouldn't mind acting as a Justice Envoy and secretly reporting them.
He definitely wouldn't be doing it out of envy or jealousy.
It was simply because, as a practitioner of Martial Arts, he had to uphold righteousness in the world and roar out when faced with injustice!
Finding an open space, Zhang Beixing put away the book and mentally reviewed the Yue Family Combo.
After confirming it matched the depictions in the book, he began practicing from memory.
Thanks to his rebirth, Zhang Beixing's Mental Strength had reached an astonishing 105.
This not only made him more alert and focused but had also significantly improved his memory.
Imitating the actions in the pictures, Zhang Beixing threw punches and kicks. Before long, a thin sheen of sweat covered his body.
He muddled through the entire set incoherently.
Fifty minutes had passed.
After performing the final concluding move, Zhang Beixing's stamina was completely drained. He stumbled and collapsed to the ground.
His clothes were soaked with sweat, clinging to his body.
He panted like a bellows.
God knew how he'd survived those fifty minutes!
Practicing Martial Arts indeed involved linking all the movements and performing them in sequence.
But the problem was that these movements were too numerous and too complicated!
Take the Fierce Tiger Pounce, for example. That move alone required an upward movement, lifting the knee, pointing the toes outward, contracting the waist and abdomen, turning the body to the right, and so on...
Let alone the other moves.
In this "Yue Family Combo" set, the only easy parts were the preparatory and concluding moves!
From now on, if anyone tells me practicing Martial Arts is easy, that you just copy the moves from pictures and anyone with hands can do it, I'll go right up and slap them silly.
You call this damn thing easy? A damn five-kilometer paced run isn't even this exhausting!
Muttering curses, Zhang Beixing felt half-dead. But thankfully, his efforts weren't in vain! 0.5 Ability Points, here I come...
Huh? Damn it, where are my Ability Points?
Lying on the ground for a long time, Zhang Beixing was almost cold, but he still hadn't received the notification that his Ability Points had been credited.
An ominous thought flashed through his mind. He hurriedly opened the System and looked at the suggestion tab:
[Suggestion: Martial Arts Training. Difficulty: Level B. Reward: 0.5 Ability Points for each complete performance of the Yue Family Combo.]
[Current Progress: 0/1]
"Fuck!"