Zhao Yifen stepped into the massive indoor training ground, his eyes widening as he took in the sheer scale of the facility. The ceiling stretched high, the entire hall designed for intense physical training. The walls were lined with advanced equipment—pull-up bars, weightlifting stations, and robotic sparring dummies. The floor was reinforced with shock-absorbing material, ensuring maximum safety for trainees.
The air buzzed with tension as students lined up, forming precise rows and columns.
Suddenly, a towering man stepped forward. His uniform was crisp, his muscular frame exuding dominance. His sharp eyes scanned the room, sending a chill down the spines of the new students.
> Instructor: "Attention!"
The entire hall fell silent as everyone stood at rigid attention.
Then, a student rushed in—two seconds late.
The instructor's gaze locked onto him like a predator spotting prey.
> Instructor: "Sir, why are you late?"
> Student: "Sir, I was only two seconds late."
The instructor's lips curled into a cold smile.
> Instructor: "Sir, can you step forward and show your face to the class?"
The student hesitated but obeyed, stepping in front of everyone.
Without warning, the instructor grabbed his shoulder near the neck and pressed firmly. The student's knees bent slightly from the pain, his face twisting.
> Instructor: "Sir, is it your first day?"
> Student: "Y-Yes, sir…"
> Instructor: "Sir, stand over there and do squats for the next hour. If you stop, you will be punished."
A heavy silence fell over the room. The student gulped and immediately started squatting, sweat forming on his brow.
Yifen, standing in the middle of the formation, swallowed nervously.
> Yifen (thoughts): "He's too strict. I have to be careful."
---
The Challenge Begins
The instructor scanned the trainees before announcing the day's training.
> Instructor: "Today, you will be working on your arms. You will pull weights equal to 20% of your body weight. The machine will adjust automatically as you step on it. Your target is 1,000 reps. Complete it within one hour, or forget about your free time."
Murmurs spread through the group.
> Instructor: "If you fail to complete it in two hours, a penalty of 500 extra reps will be added."
The moment he finished speaking, students hurried to their stations. The machines activated, calculating their body weight before setting the resistance.
Yifen took his position and grabbed the handles. The moment he pulled, he felt the strain on his muscles.
Minutes passed, and exhaustion quickly set in for some students.
One student stopped after only 350 pulls, panting heavily.
> Instructor: "Sir, are you here for a picnic? You didn't even complete 70% and you're already resting?"
The student tried to catch his breath.
> Instructor: "Come on, come on! Oh? Sir, if this is too difficult for you, there's a girl training over there too."
Laughter erupted from the students. The embarrassed trainee gritted his teeth and resumed pulling.
---
Yifen's Struggle
By the 580th pull, Yifen was drenched in sweat. His arms trembled, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. His breathing was ragged, but he pushed on.
> Instructor: "Sir, you're too weak. I think you should eat for a few years and come back after three."
The students laughed again, but Yifen ignored them.
At 600 reps, a notification flashed before his eyes.
> System: Host has leveled up. Level 1 → 2/100.
He felt a faint surge of energy, but it wasn't enough to relieve the burning pain in his muscles.
As time passed, students started finishing and leaving. The squat punishment guy stumbled as he tried to walk away, his legs barely functioning.
Roommate 2—Xu Chen—rushed over
> Xu Chen: "Come on, buddy. You can do this."
Roommate 6—Luo Han—raised an eyebrow.
> Luo Han: "Who's he?"
> Xu Chen: "He's our new roommate."
By now, the hall had mostly emptied. Only five students remained, still struggling.
The instructor, now relaxed, munched on a meal while barely paying attention.
> Instructor: "Come on, guys…" he mumbled, barely interested.
One student finally completed his task at 2:35 PM and left, followed by another shortly after.
Yifen was the second-last to finish, pushing through sheer willpower to reach his goal at 2:50 PM.
> System: Host has leveled up. Level 1 → 3/100.
Exhausted, he collapsed onto the floor, his arms numb.
> Yifen (thoughts): "This world is brutal…"