Lang Lin shut his laptop, brushed his teeth, and went to bed. He had just drunk fruit juice—if he didn't brush, his teeth would rot.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The alarm on his phone dragged him awake. He had set it the night before, determined to rise early. Morning air was fresh and crisp—perfect for practicing the Underwater Breathing Technique. He was convinced training at this hour would yield the best results.
Stretching and yawning, he dressed quietly. Zhang Bao, the lumbering giant, was still asleep. Just walking past his room made the house tremble with his thunderous snoring.
"If I had to share a room with him, I'd rather be dead," Lang Lin muttered.
Shoes on, he slipped outside. The little rabbit was nowhere to be seen, probably off playing in the forest.
His crippled legs made his gait awkward, almost comical. He could've been a clown if he'd chosen that path. But he was no longer the helpless man of yesterday. He now had a livelihood—borrowed from another world, yes, but his in this one. And the Underwater Breathing Technique, mysterious and profound, still echoed in his mind like mist awaiting clarity.
At the pond, he scanned the area, stripped, and entered the water.
As before, he closed his eyes and let his body become one with the still surface. His heartbeat was faint but steady.
Ten seconds… twenty…
Twenty-four.
Four seconds longer than yesterday. And then it came—the translucent "water worm" swirling around his body before diving into his nostrils.
His body convulsed violently. Compared to yesterday, the shock was fiercer—the worm was slightly larger now, carrying greater energy.
"Phew…" He burst from the water, breathing deeply. Unlike yesterday, there was no agony this time. His body felt cool, almost refreshed.
But when he looked down, he saw more black filth oozing from his pores.
"So my body's still full of impurities?" He had thought the first purge would clear it all, but no—this second session expelled even more.
Disheartened but resigned, he shook his head. "Doesn't matter. This is the path to strength. I'll endure."
He rinsed off and climbed ashore. The sensation of qi threading through his body remained, like tiny fish darting in an endless ocean.
He returned home without dwelling on it further. He hadn't even reached the first stage yet—there was still a long road ahead.
The smell of food greeted him before he reached the door.
"Cooking already, Bao? Slept well last night?" he asked upon entering the kitchen. In truth, he already knew the answer—Zhang Bao ate, then slept like the dead. Still, politeness cost nothing.
"Boss, you're up before me?" Zhang Bao smiled sheepishly. "I checked your room but you were gone. Thought you'd gone out training, so I whipped up breakfast. You must be hungry."
Lang Lin rolled his eyes. As if I don't know. He just wanted to eat and used me as an excuse. Still, he let it slide. He was in a good mood today.
He sat at the dining table.
Meow! The little rabbit waved its tiny paw from atop the table, rubbing its belly. "I'm hungry—hurry up with the food!"
"You even know how to act cute when you're hungry?" Lang Lin chuckled, scratching its chin like a kitten. To his surprise, the rabbit's eyes half-closed in bliss.
"Hey, don't forget you're a rabbit, not a cat!" he teased.
Meeew! "Hmph! Fine, I'll let you scratch me a little longer as thanks."
Soon Zhang Bao arrived with the dishes—eight plates piled high with thick cuts of meat. Vegetables were scarce, barely a garnish.
"Bao… did you cook all the fresh meat we just bought yesterday?"
Embarrassed, the giant scratched his head. "Sorry, Boss. But meat loses its flavor if left too long in the fridge. I thought it better to cook it all now before it spoils."
Lang Lin nearly kicked him in the face. Meat spoils in one night? You just wanted to gorge yourself, didn't you?
But he only sighed. A hundred yuan might mean much to ordinary folk, but not to him anymore. He had novels that printed money.
Before eating, he ordered Zhang Bao to serve a portion for the little rabbit—water, rice, and meat. Otherwise, Bao's gluttony might leave the poor creature starving.
Breakfast began. As usual, Zhang Bao devoured giant chunks without chewing, shoveling food so fast it looked like he might choke. Lang Lin winced just watching.
Afterward, he opened his laptop to check sales.
His heart skipped a beat. "In just one night… this many copies?"
Over a thousand sales.
That was 65,000 yuan.
He inhaled sharply. He had expected growth, but not this fast. And the purchases were still climbing.
"At this rate, within a few days… sales could hit twenty thousand copies." His lips curled into a smile. "That's over one million yuan."