It was the voice of his sister, Chen Qinghe.
Chen Fan could picture her expression on the other side of his bedroom door: cold, with an undercurrent of impatience.
Chen Qinghe had always despised him.
Fan was about to turn eighteen, but his Blood Qi Value still hovered around 0.8—it had even dipped to 0.78 in recent days. His Combat Power Index was a joke, and his grades in Practical Combat were a complete mess. His academic performance was dismal even for a student at Beihai No. 3 Middle School, an establishment already considered second-rate in Beihai City.
With marks like that, Chen Fan wouldn't even qualify for a basic undergraduate program after the college entrance exams.
Chen Qinghe, however, was different.
Though she had just turned sixteen, her last Blood Qi Value test had already broken 1.0. Her Combat Power Index was over one hundred, and she was a natural in Practical Combat.
She was currently a star pupil at High School No. 1, the premier institution for Beihai City’s brightest talents.
If she continued on this trajectory, she was a shoo-in for a full scholarship to a major martial arts university in two years.
To put it simply, Chen Qinghe was a prodigy.
Compared to her, Chen Fan was irredeemably mediocre.
The classic, almost cliché, dynamic: the mediocre brother and the genius sister.
Although their parents never favored one child over the other based on martial arts talent, Chen Fan suspected that was precisely the reason for the rift between them.
In Chen Qinghe’s mind, he was a burden. Without him siphoning off a share of the family’s resources, she could have soared to even greater heights.
“Got it, be right there,” Chen Fan called out, and the knocking immediately ceased.
The interruption shocked him back to full lucidity. Fan realized another nightmare had just ended.
But unlike before, this time there was no lingering discomfort.
In fact, his physical condition was shockingly good.
“No fatigue, no drowsiness… my whole body is buzzing with energy…”
Chen Fan was stunned.
Fan tried to recall the details of his dream. A few moments later, a jolt went through him.
“All those memories… from the zombies… they’re all still perfectly clear. The combat skills I inherited feel etched into my muscle memory, so much so that…”
Chen Fan threw a practice punch, his fist cutting through the air.
“Even my strength feels like it’s increased…”
That was the most unbelievable part.
Strength, after all, stemmed from Qi. An increase in physical power was the direct result of a rise in one’s Qi levels.
If he felt stronger, did that mean his Blood Qi Value had gone up?
Could you increase your Blood Qi Value in a dream?
Chen Fan couldn't quite believe it, wondering if it was all in his head.
Of course, the most direct way to know for sure was a full physical test.
“I’ll eat first, then find a martial arts training center to get tested…”
Chen Fan reined in his excitement, quickly freshened up, and walked out of his room.
If he had one advantage over his peers across two lifetimes, it was his calm, steady mind.
Chen Fan tore into his food, shoveling rice into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in days.
When he held up his scraped-clean bowl and passed it to his mother, Sun Lian, for a refill, he noticed the other three people at the dinner table were staring at him.
Only then did he realize…
Fan was eating an unusual amount tonight.
“Never mind, I’m full.”
Chen Fan hesitated, reaching to take the bowl back.
But his father, Chen Jiang, snatched it away.
“What are you talking about? A boy shouldn’t go hungry in his own home. Wife, cook another pot of rice and fry up two more dishes.”
Sun Lian nodded and rose from the table.
Chen Jiang looked pleased, smiling at his son. “That’s how it is with growing boys. Always hungry. You’re hitting a growth spurt.”
“I’ll go out and buy some pills tomorrow,” his father continued. “Your development period is the best time to raise your Blood Qi Value. We can’t let it go to waste.”
Chen Fan nodded.
“How much can it increase? Fan’ll be eighteen soon,” Chen Qinghe muttered, shoving a piece of roast pork into her mouth and chewing with disdain.
Chen Jiang shot her a glare. “Stop discouraging your brother. Every little bit helps. The difference between a university graduate and someone with just a junior college degree is night and day.”
Chen Qinghe pursed her lips but said nothing more.
Chen Fan remained silent.
Truthfully, even he was shocked by his own appetite.
Fan’d already had seven bowls of rice and still didn’t feel full.
Fan remembered that Chen Qinghe, whose Blood Qi Value was a full 0.2 higher than his, normally ate five bowls of rice—already twice his usual amount.
Maybe my Blood Qi Value really has increased, he thought. Maybe it’s not just a delusion.
Sun Lian quickly returned with two more meat dishes. Chen Fan polished off another two bowls of rice before saying a quick goodbye to his family and heading for the door.
Fan couldn't wait a second longer to find out the truth.