Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Imperial First Military Academy, C5 training hall. The dull sound of impact echoed through the spacious venue.

In front of a simulated punching dummy, Sun Xinhong was drenched in sweat, throwing punches one after another.

One punch, two punches, three punches...

He had lost count of how many punches he'd thrown today. His workout shirt was completely soaked, and even the ground beneath his feet had accumulated a sparkling puddle of sweat.

But Sun Xinhong seemed oblivious. Despite the intense physical exertion bringing a deep ache and fatigue to his muscles and bones, the strong feedback from each strike gave him an unparalleled sense of fulfillment.

As a second-year student majoring in military psychology at the First Military Academy, Sun Xinhong had once read a phrase in a book—"Physical strength inevitably leads to mental strength."

He had scoffed at it before.

However, as he grew older and more mature, he finally began to understand the true meaning of this phrase.

Bang!

Sun Xinhong delivered another powerful punch to the dummy's face, causing it to tilt backward.

He took a step back and withdrew his fist smoothly.

Exhaling a long breath, he felt himself nearing his limit. Sun Xinhong removed his gloves, grabbed the towel resting on the bench to wipe his sweat, and then reached for a bottle of energy drink, draining it completely.

In just a few minutes, the physical fatigue overwhelming his body receded like tidewater, and he felt reinvigorated.

Impressive!

Two months ago, Sun Xinhong absolutely couldn't have managed this.

The transformation was thanks to Wang Chen's custom body skill training program, which had allowed him to shed his old self and vastly improve his physical aptitude.

Next week, he could undergo his first gene enhancement!

Sun Xinhong couldn't help clenching his fists in excitement, his feelings beyond words.

"Sun Xinhong, practicing punches here all alone?"

At that moment, a sarcastic voice reached his ears. "Careful you don't strain your back. Hahaha!"

Sun Xinhong's eye twitched involuntarily.

Casually tossing the empty bottle into the trash can, he turned to face the speaker. "You don't need to worry about me."

The person mocking him was a lanky young man in his twenties, with his hands in his pockets and an air of nonchalance. His eyes held a mix of mockery and disdain as he looked at Sun Xinhong. "I'm saying this for your own good. With your talent, you couldn't even brush against a single gene enhancement. I'd advise you to stop wasting your time."

The lanky young man's friends all burst into laughter.

It was widely known that Sun Xinhong lacked talent in martial arts. While there were other students at the Imperial First Military Academy who also fell short of the standard for a single gene enhancement, their numbers were few.

Students like Sun Xinhong were easily targeted for mockery and even bullying!

This lanky young man, who was also a second-year student in the military psychology program, had often used him to boost his own self-worth.

The grudge between the two dated back to their early days at the academy.

Sun Xinhong chose to ignore the lanky young man, grabbing his clothes and preparing to leave.

But he was blocked. "Don't leave! Let's spar for a bit. It's been ages since I practiced with you—I kind of miss it."

Sun Xinhong's forehead instantly throbbed, veins bulging. He stared deeply at his opponent. "Alright."

The lanky young man froze in surprise.

Sun Xinhong had never agreed to spar so readily before.

But the look in his eyes carried an intensity that made the lanky young man feel inexplicably uneasy.

"What's wrong? Scared?"

The next moment, the lanky young man heard Sun Xinhong's taunting words.

His face immediately flushed red.

Being ridiculed was one thing. But to be mocked by the infamous weakling of their program—Sun Xinhong—was a blow to his pride!

The two equipped themselves with protective gear and walked onto the fighting arena within the training hall.

As the lanky young man's friends gathered to watch, other students training nearby also approached to see the commotion.

Many recognized Sun Xinhong, surprised by his audacity and courage to accept the challenge.

Before the match even began, the lanky young man was already fuming. "Today, if I don't beat you to the ground begging for mercy, I'll take your last name!"

Sun Xinhong bumped his fists together with a calm demeanor and replied, "Okay, 'son.'"

Laughter erupted from the crowd.

"You're dead!"

The humiliated lanky young man could no longer hold back and charged forward, throwing a fierce straight punch aimed directly at Sun Xinhong's face.

Though he looked carefree like a street punk, his combat prowess was far from weak. The punch was heavy, fast, and determined—evidently aimed to end things quickly.

However, Sun Xinhong's body shifted fluidly, dodging the attack with ease.

Seeing his first strike miss, the lanky young man immediately followed up with a sweeping kick targeting Sun Xinhong's neck.

Highly skilled and power-packed—the kick was textbook perfect!

This time, Sun Xinhong didn't evade. He raised his right arm, blocking the kick directly. His body leaned left under the impact, but in that instant, he flashed his left fist forward.

It landed squarely on the lanky young man's nose!

The lanky young man never anticipated Sun Xinhong to react so swiftly, nor for his strength to exceed expectations. Taken off guard, his head snapped back while blood streamed out of both nostrils.

He staggered backward uncontrollably!

"Wow!"

Gasps of astonishment rose from the spectators. Especially for those who knew Sun Xinhong—it was like seeing someone powered by some miracle drug or cheat code!

Steadying himself and shaking his head, the lanky young man barely had time to recover before receiving a heavy blow to his abdomen.

He involuntarily flew backward, colliding with the ropes of the ring.

Bouncing off the ropes, he found himself under relentless assault as a charging Sun Xinhong delivered punch after punch to his head and chest.

By this point, the lanky young man was utterly disoriented, instinctively raising his arms to shield his face.

But Sun Xinhong's strikes came with increasing ferocity, breaking through his defense until his fists rained down on the man's face unimpeded.

Splatters of blood shot through the air!

When several students eventually pried the now-enraged Sun Xinhong away, the lanky young man lay like a broken mess by the ring ropes, face swollen beyond recognition.

"I'm fine!"

Sun Xinhong wrestled free from the crowd restraining him, tossing his gloves onto the lanky young man's body.

The pent-up frustration and bitterness from years of bullying burst forth in a moment of exhilarating release!

As Sun Xinhong jumped down from the ring, a student eagerly approached him, speaking in hushed tones. "Sun, what did you take to get this strong?"

"I didn't take anything." Sun Xinhong shook his head and replied, "I just found a private coach who tailored a training routine for me."

He remembered Wang Chen's words—that referring others could earn him a commission!

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First update delivered.