One squat in, his knees cracked. Two in, his thighs caught fire. By the third, he regretted everything.
On fourth, his soul left for a walk.
At fifth, he collapsed again. But this time — with a weird sense of pride.
"…That was actual cardio. I might die."
[6 Squats Completed. +6 SP. Total SP: 8.]
[Fatigue Level: 78%. Host is now sweating out childhood traumas.]
"...I didn't even know I had this much sweat."
[You didn't. I imported extra just to simulate what effort should feel like.]
He laughed dryly, then rested for a minute before trying sit-ups. He managed two. Barely. His spine sounded like a haunted accordion.
He stopped only because he wasn't sure if the noise was his back or an approaching funeral march.
"System… please… tell me… I earned enough for… that Energy Drink."
[Total SP: 10.]
[Barely. But yes. Do you want it now?]
"Yeah… just a… minute."
A minute later, he purchased the drink. It was a normal can but without any branding. Just old white fashion.
Curiously, he rotated the can. Still found nothing special.
Shrugging, he took one big gulp. His eyes opened wide.
Surprisingly, unlike other drinks it didn't taste sweet, yet it had a kinda addicting flavour to it.
Closing his eyes, he chugged the drink, enjoying it.
As the can finished, he received another surprise. He could feel his tiredness, fatigue, soreness, weakness start fading away. A surge energy filled within him. It wasn't like he could do anything. It was similar to that of morning energy but with the activeness of the day, it could be said slightly better than that.
"Wow! It's amazing."
[Is it? What do you think it is similar to that concentrated sugar—colored water?]
Tianyi lifted his body, moving, jumping. Surprised. That he could do all this without feeling tired.
[You better use this time to earn more Points than loitering around.]
He followed the System's advice and started with squats this time.
Although he felt full of energy, the difficulty hadn't reduced. With each rep he could feel the burning in his core and the trembling of his body. But unlike before he didn't felt tired.
In another words, he was feeling the impact of the workout but not the fatigue that accumulated with it, at least not at the moment.
With efforts he did 10 squats, then switched to pushups. He did 10 reps. Then switched to 30 secs planks for 10 reps. And he repeated this three sets of excercises once more.
Just as he completed the sets, the effect of the Drink wore off and a sudden tiredness and heaviness pressured on him. He fell to the ground. His body ached.
"What… is… happening?" He breathed heavily as of had completed a marathon without a drop of water.
[The drink's effect has been worn off. So what you accumulated in this workout came to you at once. You can buy another one but I advise you not to workout more for now and let your body rest, assimilate with be pain and experience.]
----
Tianyi's apartment…
In the bed, Tianyi was dozing off. He had fell asleep.
Earlier, when he recovered some strength to move his hands, he bought another energy drink from the System store. He wanted to use the buff to return home because he was too damn tired to even walk after half an hour of workout.
As he reached near his bed after returning he collapsed immediately because just at that moment the buff wore off.
Within seconds he traveled to dreamland though without any dream.
----
The air around him was thick with fatigue. Legs screaming. Back sore. Every step felt like dragging a corpse.
And that corpse… was his own damn body.
With a sigh, he headed to bathroom.
To be honest, it's been just a few minutes after he woke up and the first thing he did was to think about the bizzare dream he had. But when he moved slightly, shit loads of world engrossed him. Turning his imagination to reality.
And to confirm his doubt he asked for how long he was out, expecting no answer but still had doubt. But clarity, soon judged upon him.
The System told him he was out for straight 8 hours.
And now he was here.
His body also was stinking with all that dried up sweat and he needed to freshen up anyways, so he entered shower.
Within an hour, he bathed and later cooked little meal for himself with leftover vegetables and some ingredients. The movements were causing aching throughout body but he however did. Although the meal was regular portion as always, it still wasn't enough to complete his the day need after the earlier training, though it was manageable.
He also didn't forget to put the vegetables and other ingredients on the list he needed to buy.
After he was done with pretty much everything, he rested for another half an hour, talking to System.
Around 7:30 PM, locking the door, he headed out. Now that he was doing workout, his body need proper nutrition to keep up and he also have money, so why need to be stingy about that.
----
Tianyi wandered through Lingyun's city streets, holding the groceries in one hand while a soda in other. His pace was little bit slower than usual due the stings between his movements.
As for the shopping, he didn't buy much just a whole bunch of green leaves, eggs, and some fresh frozen meat. Costs about $100. The quantity would last a few days at the least, even if not, he could come but it again. It's not like he need to consider more about his spending as before.
While he was on way to his apartment his mind couldn't help but wandered. Imagining buying an apartment overlooking the skyline… or a whole street just for the flex.
"System, what's the richest thing a man can own?"
[A private island. A jet. A mega yacht. Or the government's respect.]
"…I'll take the yacht. The government's too much work."
As he walked, a sudden idea hit him.
"Hey System. Can I exchange System Points for skills too? Like cooking? Fighting? Maybe… Entrepreneurship?"
[Yes. Skills available. But they will cost more. And with the rate you're going you can earn enough Points in about a decade.]
"Oof. That hurts more than the workout."
[Then get stronger.]
"Yeah yeah. Just wait till I get used to this training. I'm gonna be built like Bruce Lee's richer cousin."
soaked in sweat, sore everywhere, but smiling like an idiot.
That night, as he returned home, he flopped onto bed, opened the System window, and saw:
[Total SP: 37. Ranking: 10,381 out of 10,392 in Beginner League.]
"What's this ranking?"
[It's just Host's ranking possesing System within the same universe. This defines the strength level of the Host among others. It's purely for entertainment purpose.]
"…Wait. I'm not last? Someone's doing worse than me?"
[Yes. One Host has a sprained ankle. The other is in a coma.]
"…I'll take the win."
[Well. If that helps you so be it. It's not like anybody else will know about your puny level strength.]
"Whatever." He clicked his tongue.
He pulled open the System Store, and found a new section "Recommendations". He tapped it.
A panel with a few listed items popped up. This list was slightly different from the previous ones. The items were rather named differently with additional comments.
As he browsed through the ridiculous array of items, he saw Muscle Nap Patch, Pain-Kill Pancake, and something mysteriously labeled FlexiJuice.
"System, what's this? And from when it was here?"
[This unlocked after you reached 50 Points. 'Cause you were tired, I didn't bring that up.]
"Ah, got it. Now that you mentioned it, how much points do I have now?"
[53.]
"Huh?" He got confused. "Where the extra came from?"
He recounted the scene from park and recalculated the number of reps he did. Even if he completed all reps successfully getting Points, it still didn't account after all he purchased the Drink. It should be either 50 or less not more.
So, how?
[Didn't I mention any physical movement could earn you Points? You walked, right? You get extra points for that. To sum it up all for 30 minutes of casual walk you get 1 Point.]
"Oh… even walking can earn me." His eyes flashed surprise but eventually nodded in understanding.
"Yeah, you still didn't tell me what with that comments in the recommendations list.]
[All the items listed there are personally handpicked by yours truly and only System. These are best suited for your need based on the System evaluation. As for the taglines, I specially added them to spice things up as well as to study somethings. By the way, the list will refreshed daily automatically. Besides that I can also refresh it anytime you want but only once a week for free. After that it will cost Points. 5 Points per refresh.]
"It was just to irritate me. Hah… What do I even hope for."
[It's not to irritate you but to enlighten you. The choice of words matters.]
"Anyways, tell me how many points I get for running. Is it the same as walking?"
[1 Point per kilometer.]
[Also a fair warning. Advice if you say so. As I mentioned you will get Points for each successful exercise. After the seven days, you won't be earning this frequently. You can earn through System tasks but they won't be available all the time. The System Points are very versatile. Currently, they may seem useless but only in future you'll realise the value of these Points. That's all for now. You are free to spend the Points if you want. Just think of this as advice from a friend.]
"Is it really that… valuable?" He still didn't believe it. But he knew better than anyone the intent behind the System's message.
As an avid gamer and otaku, he was familiar with these type of settings and this made him hesitate to believe in the System.
[As I said, don't mind me. If you don't want to follow my advice you are free to. As for the Points they really are valuable. Think of it as a currency that can buy anything within and out of this world.]
In the end, he chose to believe in the System.
"Should I start to grind?" He mumbled.
[Do it! The more you earn the Points the more you can buy items to improve your efficiency. This way you can get stronger while earning more Points.]
"Aren't you basically saying to workout to death?"
[Sadly that's the only option you got. Just as the saying goes. Break yourself to make yourself.]
"That's not how it is! That's 'STRONGEST ARE HARD TO BREAK'."
[As I said words matter. I can't see even a spec of STRONGEST within you. So my words for better here. You're already half broken. What matter if it broke a bit more. I will help you to make yourself. So just break yourself to the bone. My Dear Masochist.]
Tianyi's brow twitched continuously with each words by System. And his face turned red with disgust by the end. Especially the way System sounded.
Furious and irritated, he turned to the panel as he scrutinized the items once again. But his eyes locked on one thing:
[CrackBang Drink – 15 SP – Instant energy for two hours. Side-effect: Temperory paralysis for two hours.]
He thought for a while. He hesitated mainly because of side effect but he also couldn't just choose the item he used in the day. That will cost more for the same amount of time.
"It's just temperory. In a while, it would also be time to sleep. While I be paralyzed I can just sleep."
At last, he bought it. It was later another can either no label but silver instead of white.
As he held the can, he checked his phone. It was 8:30 PM. He sighed and put the phone aside.
He removed the shirt. Slightly shook the can. Clicked it open. Chugged it in. Like a fool.
And then—
Energy surged through his limbs. It tasted like cherry-flavored lightning.
All the pain as if had vanished. He felt like he was breathing on oxygen mask. His lungs expand as if absorbing pure oxygen. He felt with that much energy he could fight easily fight few hoodlums. Though far from reality.
"OH YEAH. LET'S GOOOOO!"
He got back down and like a man possessed started doing crunches, sit-ups, push-ups, squats, planks and many others whether known or not.
It was as if he was just moving somehow to use that energy and earn some Points.
With fierce madness in his eyes he forgot the pain and continued like a madman. He didn't waste a single moment.
Just as that, two hours passed. As he was in push-up position he fell on his face, fortunately he was just two inches above the floor.
Due to the sudden influx of all the accumulated fatigue of exercise shut his brain mixed with the sudden paralysis.
In simple terms, his brain was overloaded and he fell asleep on the floor, and the fun thing was that he didn't even get to know what happened.
And so ended the first day of the brutal training cum point farming of Li Tianyi — the ordinary, the anonymous stock market shaker, the future tycoon, lady killer, and man of mystery… currently known only by one name across cities: "Richest in the World."
But interestingly with his face on the floor.
How would he survive the onslaught of the mischievous System and the coming six days of training? Who knows.
Prayers to The God. Prayers to The One.