On the rooftop of the building.

There were four people present.

They were Lin Zichen, Shen Qinghan, Yuan Dongzhi and the female officer.

Yuan Dongzhi looked at Lin Zichen and asked with great curiosity, “Zichen, what have your living habits been like since you were young?”

She wanted to fully understand his habits to analyze the reason his spiritual strength was so high.

Doing math problems that require brainpower can indeed enhance spiritual strength.

But reaching Ordinary Eighth Tier is too exaggerated and does not feel real.

To have spiritual strength as high as Ordinary Eighth Tier before the age of twenty there must be other factors as well.

Lin Zichen answered honestly, “I have loved reading since childhood. Even before I started school I was already averaging ten hours of reading a day. Apart from reading, the rest of the time I was either training my body, or reading news, or searching online for all kinds of educational videos to watch. You could say constant learning has run through my entire life.”

There was no exaggeration in that. He really had studied that way since he was little.

Starting to hit the books in infancy created today’s invincibility among his peers.

Of course, Use It or Lose It and Innate Wisdom also contributed as biological attributes.

“Really, that fond of studying?”

The female officer wore a look of disbelief and felt Lin Zichen was overstating things.

‘Before even starting school, averaging ten hours of reading a day, is that even human? Getting a child who has not started school to read ten hours a day is pure fantasy. Most importantly, how many characters can a child who has never been to school even recognize? Was it all picture books?’

The female officer was full of doubts.

Next to her, Yuan Dongzhi fell into thought.

After a moment she spoke, “By your account, your current strength should be the result of talent and effort working together. Especially the huge amount of study before school age, that is uncommon. And uncommon is exactly a common trait among top geniuses.”

* * *

They chatted simply on the rooftop for a while.

Soon, Lin Zichen and Shen Qinghan went downstairs back to the Specialized Training Room to continue training vitality and spirit.

As soon as they left, the female officer looked at Yuan Dongzhi and said, “This Shanhai University student of yours seems to have been holding back all along.”

Yuan Dongzhi said mildly, “Holding back is a good habit.”

* * *

Second floor.

Inside the Specialized Training Room.

Not long after Lin Zichen and Shen Qinghan came down it was time to break for a meal.

Lu Tianrong said to everyone, “At 2 p.m. assemble directly on the third floor of this building. The third floor is where weapons are stored and each person can choose a weapon suited to them.”

He left after saying that without chatting more.

The special trainees began discussing and were curious what kinds of weapons there were.

Shen Qinghan was curious too and kept talking with Lin Zichen about it.

He chatted with her while heading downstairs to the canteen.

They reached the canteen.

They got their food.

They randomly found an open spot and sat down to eat.

Not long after they started eating, Li Moyu and Luo Yongjian came over with their trays to sit and eat together.

“You do not mind us joining you, do you?”

Li Moyu asked with a big grin.

‘You are already sitting here, what meaning is there in asking now…’

Lin Zichen thought, while saying calmly on the surface, “Of course I do not mind.”

At that moment, Luo Yongjian saw Ma Xiwei who had just gotten her food, stood up and waved, “Sister Wei, come sit with us!”

Hearing him, Ma Xiwei came over and sat beside Shen Qinghan.

“Lin Zichen, earlier in the Specialized Training Room you said your spiritual strength is this high because you often do math problems. Is that true?”

Li Moyu asked while chewing.

The reason he had come to sit with Lin Zichen was to get the answer to that question.

“Yes, it is true.”

Lin Zichen then added, “Besides doing math problems I also love reading. Both help improve spiritual power.”

Hearing that, Li Moyu shook his head, “If you have to do math that strains your brain and also read, then the rate of improvement is too low. It would be more cost‑effective to fuse spirit‑related Aberrant Beast Genes directly.”

Luo Yongjian agreed, “True. Doing math and reading is too time‑consuming. And the fact that Brother Chen can raise his spiritual strength so high by doing math and reading must be tied to talent. People like us without standout spirit talent simply cannot replicate that.”

Both Li Moyu and Luo Yongjian knew perfectly well that Lin Zichen’s method for raising spirit was not suitable for them.

Ma Xiwei looked at Shen Qinghan and asked, “What about you, Qinghan? Your spirit is also high. Do you also like doing math problems and reading like Lin Zichen?”

Shen Qinghan smiled, “Not really like, but since I was little I have always followed Xiao Chen. Whatever he did, I did.”

Ma Xiwei nodded and fell into thought without saying more.

* * *

2 p.m.

Upstairs from the Specialized Training Room—the Armory.

Lu Tianrong said to everyone, “The weapons here are forged from B‑grade alloy. Their attack attribute slices iron like mud and their defensive attribute can stop bullets. Look around freely and test freely. Try to choose something that feels right in the hand, do not choose by looks. In ten days I will take you out for live‑combat special training to form teams and wipe out Aberrant Beasts or cultists. Whatever weapon you choose today is the weapon you will take into battle.”

He then said, “Alright, do not just stand there. Go pick your weapons. Once you are done we will start practicing how to use them.”

Everyone began to choose.

Lin Zichen glanced over the weapons and saw they were all close‑quarters cold weapons—sabers, swords, spears, spiked maces and so on.

He did not really need any of them, so he just gave a quick look without going to pick.

First, he did not like using weapons and preferred to punch with his fists and kick with his feet.

Second, the strength of B‑grade alloy was still lower than his body that had completed three rounds of body tempering, so carrying a weapon would only add unnecessary weight.

“Xiao Chen, what kind of weapon do you think suits me?”

After trying a round without deciding, Shen Qinghan sought his advice.

“If you do not have a particular preference, choose something with the largest attack range,” Lin Zichen said gently.

“Okay, then.”

With that she started another circuit and picked with his advice in mind.

After about half a circuit.

She chose a two‑meter long spear.

It was one of the weapons in the Armory with the biggest reach.

Counting arm length the attack distance could be about two and a half meters.

Another weapon with similar reach was the Guan Gong broadsword.

But the Guan Gong broadsword was too heavy and did not feel right in her hands.

More importantly, she preferred thrusting over chopping.

At the same time.

The others had also made their choices.

Li Moyu liked power and chose a spiked mace.

Ma Xiwei preferred agility and chose a pair of light twin swords.

Luo Yongjian did not choose one because he already had a personal sword also made of B‑grade alloy, so there was no need to pick here.

“Instructor, are there no firearms?” Zhang Kai asked Lu Tianrong.

As a cyborg he looked down on these cold weapons and felt they were too primitive.

“Only cold weapons,” Lu Tianrong said.

Then he added, “This special training is to improve your combat power in the Source Site. Because of various constraints in the Source Site you cannot use firearms and can only use cold weapons, which is why we specifically train your skill with them.”

Zhang Kai said, “But I am a cyborg. I will have no chance to enter the Source Site, so cold weapons are pointless for me.”

Lu Tianrong was unmoved, “Cold weapons are also necessary on Earth. When you run out of ammunition and the enemy is still standing, a cold weapon is the only choice left.”

Hearing that, Zhang Kai said no more and went to pick a weapon.

He now understood that the Machine God Group was just here to keep the ‘prince’ company, serving as sparring partners for Gene Fusers.

This so‑called military district special training was set up specifically for Gene Fusers.

As for Lin Zichen, the genius on the Path of Pureblood Humans, he was an exception.

In past years the freshmen on the Pureblood Human path were weak and had no qualifications to attend military district special training.

But Lin Zichen was stronger than his Gene Fuser peers and thus qualified to represent Shanhai University.

If he truly broke the shackles of ordinary lifeforms with a pure human body he would follow the cohort of Gene Fuser geniuses into the Source Site to shine.

“Has everyone picked their weapons?”

After a bit of time on his phone, Lu Tianrong looked up and asked the group.

Scattered replies said they had.

“Then assemble below the platform,” he said.

In the middle of the Armory there was a standard martial platform for those who had picked a weapon to spar and test whether it suited them.

Soon everyone was gathered below the platform.

Seeing Lin Zichen empty‑handed, Lu Tianrong could not help asking, “Lin Zichen, where is your weapon?”

“Reporting, Instructor, I am used to fighting bare‑handed and do not need a weapon,” Lin Zichen said.

“A weapon can greatly raise your combat power, you should still pick one,” Lu Tianrong said.

“No need, Instructor,” Lin Zichen said.

Lu Tianrong frowned slightly and felt this Shanhai University genius was too arrogant.

He had probably cleared the recruit assessment and was inflated now.

He had seen such self‑important geniuses before and they just needed a bit of correction…

With that in mind he said to the group, “Since everyone has chosen a weapon, start getting familiar with it. The best way to get familiar is to spar on the platform.”

Then he looked at Lin Zichen with a half‑smile, “You say you fight bare‑handed. I am curious. You go first and let everyone see your strength.”

“Okay,” Lin Zichen said tersely.

He leaped onto the platform and waited for a challenger.

“Anyone who wants to challenge him, go up,” Lu Tianrong said to the others.

“I will!”

A dark figure jumped onto the platform.

It was Zhao Yuanzhong, a genius in the military district.

Holding a cleaver, his eyes full of fighting spirit, he said, “Lin Zichen, ready?”

“Come on,” Lin Zichen said.

At the instant his voice fell Zhao Yuanzhong pushed off violently, flashed to the front and slashed at Lin Zichen’s chest.

The slash was extremely fierce.

The sharp blade hissed through the air.

If it landed it would be fatal or crippling.

Facing such a terrifying slash Lin Zichen showed no intention of dodging.

Just as the blade was about to fall he calmly reached out and grabbed it.

A barehanded catch of a live blade.

Flesh and blood meeting a blade that could slice iron like mud.

Then he suddenly exerted force.

Crack!

With a brittle sound, the cleaver forged from B‑grade alloy instantly filled with horrifying cracks.

Then, to the disbelief of those below, it turned into fragments and scattered across the platform.

“What is happening?”

“He crushed a cleaver forged from B‑grade alloy with his bare hands, is he even human?”

“That strength is terrifying!”

“This is really over the top, is this the legendary Sanctified Fleshly Body?”

Everyone below was shaken and cried out again and again.

As the opponent, Zhao Yuanzhong was so shocked he went numb.

Numb in mind and numb in body.

‘How could his strength be that great?!’

* * *

Lu Tianrong took one look at Lin Zichen unscathed on the platform then looked at the pile of shattered blade at his feet and felt an overwhelming shock.

He now realized it was not that Lin Zichen was conceited but that he had underestimated him and underestimated how much the Pureblood Human path reinforced the body.

“Yuanzhong, get down and let me go up to experience him!”

Liu Ruihe, another genius from the military district, called out to Zhao Yuanzhong.

Hearing that, Zhao Yuanzhong kicked aside the fragments in front of him and jumped down to swap with him.

Liu Ruihe leaped from the crowd and landed heavily on the platform with a thump.

With a heavy spiked mace in hand he asked, “Ready?”

“Come on,” Lin Zichen said.

Without wasted words Liu Ruihe lunged, closing the distance in a blink and swinging the spiked mace down hard at Lin Zichen.

Clang!

A crisp sound rang out.

Lin Zichen threw a punch and smashed into the descending mace.

His fist was unscathed under the impact.

By contrast Liu Ruihe’s mouth split on the spot and bled.

At the same time several cracks sounded.

The spiked mace, far harder than the cleaver, sprouted countless cracks and turned into chunks that crashed onto the platform.

‘Such a powerful body…’

Liu Ruihe stared at the fragments at his feet, shocked to the core.

“Brother Ruihe, get down and let me go up!”

Another genius in the military district wanted to challenge Lin Zichen.

Without a word Liu Ruihe stepped down with fragments at his feet.

Just as that genius was about to go up, Instructor Lu Tianrong could not take it anymore and hurriedly stopped them, “All right, stop challenging him. The weapons here cannot harm Lin Zichen in the slightest. If you break a few more I am done for as an instructor today.”

Looking at the shattered cleaver and broken mace on the floor he felt numb.

Any weapon forged from B‑grade alloy cost over a million.

In the blink of an eye two had been trashed.

If they kept breaking them like this he would surely be called to account by the leadership.