[Small Chapter]
The dim light of the flickering bulb barely reached the corners of the small apartment. Lin Feng sat still for a moment on the edge of his mattress, staring at the rough patches of mold creeping along the walls. His mind was calm, yet filled with calculations.
He had two years. Two years before Bo City would fall. Two years to prepare, to rise, to ensure he wouldn't be swallowed up by the catastrophe like countless others.
But first—he needed to eat.
Pushing himself off the bed, he felt the stiffness in his limbs, the weakness of his frame. This body… was pathetic. His mind was sharp, ruthless even, but it was trapped in a vessel that had been neglected for far too long. It was time to fix that.
He moved to the small kitchen in the corner of the apartment—a barely functioning stove, a dented pan, and a rusting sink. The cabinets were mostly empty, but he had prepared for this. He took out the premium cut of meat he had stolen earlier, unwrapping it carefully. It was marbled with fat, a rarity for someone in his situation, and more nutrition than this body had seen in months.
From a small bag on the counter, he pulled out some rice and a single egg—probably the only useful things left behind by the previous owner of this body. Searching further, he found a bottle of cheap soy sauce and some leftover garlic. Not ideal, but enough.
He worked efficiently, slicing the meat into even pieces, mincing the garlic, and heating the pan. The scent of sizzling fat soon filled the air, rich and savory. He let the flavors coat the rice before cracking the egg on top, letting the heat do its work.
When it was done, he took his plate and sat by the window, looking out at the dim streets below as he ate.
Every bite felt like nourishment—not just for the body, but for his mind. He needed strength if he wanted to execute his plans properly.
After finishing, he set his plate aside and turned his focus inward. It was time to evaluate his condition properly.
Standing in front of the cracked mirror in the bathroom, he studied himself carefully. The previous Lin Feng had never trained, never eaten well, never cared about his own survival beyond just barely scraping by. And it showed.
Height: 195 cm (6'5")
Weight: 72kg (158 lbs)
Severely underweight. His ribs were faintly visible, his shoulders narrow, and his arms thin with barely any muscle definition. His face was pale, almost sickly-looking, with dark circles under his eyes.
No wonder Wang Qiang and Li Mei walked all over him. This was the body of someone who had never fought back.
Lin Feng's expression remained neutral.
Weakness was temporary.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the slight tremble in them. No magic, no power, no strength. A waste of potential.
He needed to train.
He wasn't foolish enough to think he could transform overnight, but he could begin strengthening himself bit by bit. He had no access to specialized training resources, but physical fitness required only discipline and time.
He dropped down onto the cold floor and started with simple push-ups. The first few were easy, but by the tenth rep, his arms shook. By fifteen, his breathing was uneven.
Weak.
But he would fix it.
Afterward, he moved onto sit-ups, testing his core strength. He could barely complete thirty before his stomach burned in protest. Then, squats—his legs fared slightly better, but the exhaustion came quickly.
He sat on the floor, breathing heavily, sweat forming on his brow. His muscles ached, but it was a good pain.
This was the beginning.
Tomorrow, he would push harder.
For now, he had other matters to attend to.
He needed money. Not just from stealing small goods—he needed a real source of income, something steady, something that could help him expand.
And for that, he needed to tap into the underground economy of Bo City.
His predecessor had been involved with some low-level criminals, running errands for a local dealer in exchange for scraps. Lin Feng had no interest in wasting time being a mere errand boy, but those contacts could still be useful.
If he played it right, he could get involved in something bigger.
His eyes narrowed as he wiped the sweat from his face.
Strength. Wealth. Power.
This was just the first step.