Night of Despair

Fortunately, there hadn't been any mishaps this time, and Yu Hong had managed to move dried meat, dried mushrooms, and other supplies out of the house quite smoothly. He also brought out some luminous stones that he hadn't had the chance to inscribe with symbols yet.

Finally, taking an iron pot and other tools, there was nothing else of use left in the house.

When he returned to the cave, more than an hour had passed. He was panting as he put things away, organizing them into their respective places.

The reinforcement of the door had just been completed.

After a blurry flicker, the reinforced planks perfectly melded into the back of the door, becoming one with it, which made the door at least half thicker than before.

The heavy door was now obviously more cumbersome to open and close than before. But it also made Yu Hong feel much more secure.

Having finished these tasks, he closed the door, sat on the wooden stool inside the cave, and began to boil water.

As he boiled water, he started drawing on the newspaper with a charcoal pencil.

The charcoal pencil was thick and hard to write with, but for the sake of his own body, he endured the discomfort, thought for a moment, and carefully wrote down a line.

'Comprehensive Physical Training Method'

Then, he used numbers as titles below this line.

'1—Jog slowly for fifteen minutes every day.'

'2—Push-ups, at least thirty each day, groups of ten.'

'3—Sit-ups, at least thirty each day, groups of ten.'

Just these three lines, a very simple content plan.

Then, Yu Hong stretched out his hand and pressed it on the piece of newspaper with the writing.

The thought of strengthening flashed.

Instantly.

The surface of the Black Mark rippled, releasing a black line that seeped into the newspaper.

'Insufficient completeness.'

A robotic voice suddenly entered Yu Hong's ears.

"??"

He was startled, drew back his hand, and eyed the newspaper with a slight frown.

This was an experiment he had tried, casually writing down some training methods, guiding the intention in his mind to see if the Black Mark could enhance them into various powerful and efficient training methods.

But now it seemed...

"Insufficient completeness? What does it mean? What's missing?"

He picked up the newspaper and inspected it closely.

"The Training Methods are there, and so are the frequencies... This should already be... Wait! I understand now."

His expression suddenly became resolute, he picked up the charcoal pencil, and began adding more below.

'4 Ensure daily intake of protein, carbohydrates, and trace elements.'

'5 Train six days a week, rest for one day, ensure at least ten hours of sleep each day.'

Pop pop. He flicked off the charcoal dust from the newspaper. This time, Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction, put it down, pressed his hand on it, and once again started to flash the thought of strengthening.

Soon.

'Would you like to enhance the Comprehensive Physical Training Method?' Finally, the questioning voice of the Black Mark appeared.

At the same time, the newspaper displayed the required countdown time for enhancement: 5 days 12 hours 16 minutes.

Yu Hong felt a surge of joy in his heart, knowing he had succeeded in his test!

With the displayed time being as lengthy as five days, he didn't confirm right away but instead lifted his hand and canceled the enhancement.

This was a period of heightened opportunity; if he enhanced now, the Black Mark couldn't be used temporarily. It was better to wait until the period was over, when there would be more time.

'I've confirmed it's feasible, time to try again!'

Now brimming with interest, Yu Hong turned over the newspaper and wrote another title: Fighting Skill.

Then, he wrote down basic fighting techniques he had haphazardly seen online, pondering deeply until at last, he managed to compile a set including attack, defense, evasion, and pursuit, finally completing the set to full completeness.

Yu Hong pressed down on the newspaper full of anticipation.

'Enhance Fighting Skill, aim for... a fantastical cultivation type!'

In that moment, his imagination fired by the many novels he'd read, he nervously awaited the response of the Black Mark, filled with longing for the future.

A ripple surfaced on the Black Mark, followed by a thread of black that flowed from it into the newspaper.

'Insufficient completeness.'

Feedback came back swiftly.

Yu Hong's look of expectation froze, and although he had anticipated this outcome, actually seeing it left him somewhat disappointed.

Then, he thought for a moment, switched sides, and pressed his hand on the Comprehensive Physical Training Method.

'Enhance the Comprehensive Physical Training Method, aim for Life Evolution!'

Hiss.

Once again, black lines surged from the Black Mark into the newspaper.

Quickly, feedback came again.

'Insufficient completeness.'

Yu Hong was not disappointed, but instead lifted his hand and pressed down again.

'Enhance the Comprehensive Physical Training Method, aim for the ultimate human Training Method.'

Hiss.

The black line appeared again, bursting from the Black Mark into the newspaper.

This time the Black Mark fell silent for quite a while.

Finally.

'Would you like to enhance into the ultimate human Training Method?'

"Success!!!" Yu Hong couldn't contain his excitement, exclaiming quietly as a smile spread across his face.

Then, he looked at the numbers that had appeared on the newspaper.

"....."

The smile on his face slowly faded.

In its place appeared disappointment and speechlessness.

The numbers loomed on the newspaper, right in the middle of what was called the Comprehensive Physical Training Method.

""

"678 days, 12 hours, 6 minutes."

...

...

Yu Hong stood speechless, stood up, and paced a few times before swiftly sitting down again.

"I must have set my sights too high. Let's try lowering it a bit."

Once more, his hand pressed down on the newspaper.

"Comprehensive Training Method for enhanced overall physical ability, focus on: Advanced Physical Enhancement."

This time, he didn't take any chances; knowing that the more difficult the task, the more time it would require, he wasn't ambitious, instead setting it to the minimum requirements.

But in his mind, he slightly steered towards the direction of Inner Strength and Martial Arts.

Sure enough, the Black Mark's inquiry reappeared.

"Enhance to Advanced Physical Enhancement?"

The digits also emerged on the newspaper. Compared to before, the numbers were much more reasonable: 9 hours, 16 minutes.

"Yes!"

This time, Yu Hong finally gave a definite response.

That amount of time, he could just sleep it off, and he was eager to see how the Enhanced content differed from the usual Training Method.

Bracing himself in the cave, he boiled water, ate some dried meat, sipped on some hot water, and had not yet gone out to collect firewood when he heard someone calling from outside.

"Yu, Hong! Yu, Hong! Are you there?"

A somewhat familiar voice carried from afar.

As the sound of crushing twigs grew closer, someone was making quick steps towards the cave.

Yu Hong's expression changed, he rushed to the door and peered through the lookout.

In the bright clearing outside, a small figure in a camouflage uniform rapidly approached.

The figure was wearing a steel helmet, brown hiking boots, camouflage tactical vest, protective goggles, and a black mask with a breathing filter.

Dressed in this gear, nobody could recognize her identity.

But Yu Hong identified her from her voice; it was stuttering Lin Yiyi!

"Yiyi, is that you?" he called out urgently. "1726495!"

"2, 3, 2!" Stuttering Yiyi hesitated, then promptly responded.

"It's you!!" Yu Hong swiftly opened the door, took a careful look around, and stepped out to greet stuttering Yiyi.

The two of them quickly converged on the forested slope.

"You're okay, that's great!!" Stuttering Yiyi grabbed his hand in a mixture of relief and joy.

"I thought you were gone!" she gestured while pulling out a letter from the outer pocket of her vest.

"I...I'm leaving! Read this."

Her face showed a clear blend of happiness and helplessness.

"Where are you going?" Yu Hong saw her attire and had a sinking feeling.

"I've been conscripted into the joint forces, need to immediately join the main army and head to a distant location!" Stuttering Yiyi struggled to reply, pointing at the letter.

"Everything I need to say is in here." She sighed. "As long as you're safe, that's good."

For a moment, Yu Hong wasn't sure what to say.

In this environment, being conscripted into the military was exceedingly dangerous.

But now it was a done deal...

He quickly took out the letter and began to read it.

The handwriting was smoother than before, clearly either someone had written it for her, or stuttering Yiyi had practiced it herself.

The letter said that as soon as she arrived in town, she dispersed three shadows consecutively with her enhanced pyroxene and due to her strong physique and great strength, the garrison had taken notice of her.

Stuttering Yiyi had no objections to joining the military.

Enlisting meant at least having food and water, no need to scavenge every day, alternating between hunger and satiety.

Additionally, there would be clean clothes, equipment, and shelter, much better than living alone in the village.

At the end of the letter, it mentioned the effects of the enhanced pyroxene had been noticed by the town's defense team and they might come to trade with him later.

Although stuttering Yiyi didn't know where the enhanced pyroxene came from, she had seen the intent in those people's eyes.

"Be, careful!" Stuttering Yiyi earnestly warned.

"Uh-huh! Got it!" Yu Hong nodded. He had already braced himself before giving the enhanced pyroxene to stuttering Yiyi to take to town; he just hadn't expected things to unfold so soon.

"I'm leaving, it's time," stuttering Yiyi said at last.

Turning away, she ran off into the distance, and after sprinting more than ten meters, she suddenly turned back towards Yu Hong.

"You can write letters, postal service!" she shouted, pointing in the direction of the forest where the mail carriers lived.

Since the breakdown of order, Baiqiu Village's external communications had relied on the postal service.

The mail carriers, sustained by a national salary and supplies, trained daily in physical fitness, their sole duty to connect various regions and report local intelligence and specialty goods to higher authorities.

Her letter additionally mentioned that mail carriers also acted as merchants, carrying local specialties to distant communities for sale, using the returns to purchase essential goods for the villagers and making a profit from the exchange.

And there was the writing of letters, the letter stated that mail carriers could, for a fee, deliver messages, but only to nearby outposts, at a considerable cost, though.

In the woods,

Yu Hong watched as stuttering Yiyi walked further and further away, gradually disappearing among the trees.

He understood in his heart, meeting again would now be truly difficult.

Standing at the entrance of the cave, his emotions remained unsettled for a long time.

Stuttering Yiyi had been there to guide him from the very beginning. Without her, he might have perished in the wilds or succumb to illness.

"I wish you a safe journey."

With his final silent wish, Yu Hong turned back into the cave, about to close the door.

Suddenly, there was a rustling of leaves outside.

The sound was chaotic, but unhurried and unhidden, clearly, the approaching person wasn't intending to stay concealed.

He turned back, quickly closed the door, and peered out the lookout window.

Outside the window, two figures in camouflage uniforms emerged from the woods.

Both were over one meter eighty tall, with broad shoulders and sturdy bodies, each holding a thin metal staff, pushing aside the underbrush as they approached the cave.