**
Lying on his sofa-bed, Ji Feng replayed the surreal encounter with Intelligent Brain, his heart pounding with excitement. The training ahead might be grueling—likely far worse than today's torment—but for his mother's sake, he'd grit his teeth and endure.
Ji Feng knew he had no wealth, no connections, no leverage. If he wanted to lift his mother out of poverty and into a life of comfort, he had to seize this chance. Intelligent Brain had promised that mastering its training could make him a super-agent of the interstellar era, immune even to energy laser weapons—a veritable superman.
He'd never seen an energy laser gun, but he imagined it far surpassed Earth's pistols or rifles. Beyond raw power, the skills of a super-agent captivated him: fluency in multiple languages, mastery of disguise, impeccable etiquette, proficiency with advanced weapons, and the ability to navigate any crisis with calm precision. With knowledge from the interstellar age, Ji Feng could thrive in any city, no matter how dazzling.
And the technology—weapons, equipment, innovations from a civilization light-years ahead of Earth. If he could harness even a fraction of that knowledge, the possibilities were endless. Selling such technology could bring unimaginable wealth.
The thought sent a thrill through him. Glancing at the clock—6:20 a.m.—he bolted upright, scrambling to dress. School rules mandated morning reading from 7:00 to 7:40 a.m., and being late meant facing the teacher's wrath.
In the past, Ji Feng might have shrugged it off. He'd studied hard but never saw results, so as long as the teacher didn't involve his mother, he didn't care. But now, armed with photographic memory, wasting time was unforgivable.
He'd never forget his mother's pleading with the fat nurse at the hospital, her pride swallowed to buy him a moment's rest. The memory twisted his heart like a knife.
*Squeak!*
In his haste, Ji Feng yanked too hard, ripping a button off his shirt. He stared at his hands, stunned. It was just a button—why had it torn so easily?
*Wait.*
He flexed his fingers, realization dawning. "My strength… it's stronger. Much stronger." Swinging his fists, he felt a surge of explosive power, his body brimming with energy he'd never known.
*This must be what Intelligent Brain meant by 'changes,'* he thought, recalling its warning to adapt. His body had transformed overnight, its strength amplified beyond his control.
Shaking his head with a wry smile, Ji Feng set the broken button on the table, glanced at his mother's closed door, and grabbed his schoolbag. Torn clothes didn't bother him. His mother's words echoed in his mind: *It doesn't matter if your clothes are old or cheap, as long as they're clean and you carry yourself with dignity.*
With that, he headed out. The school was a half-hour walk, but fearing tardiness, Ji Feng jogged. At first, his enhanced body felt foreign, his steps unsteady, like a drunk stumbling through the streets. After ten minutes, he adjusted, his movements growing fluid and precise. By the time he reached Mangshi County No. 2 High School, he moved with effortless control, no trace of awkwardness.
But he was late.
The morning reading bell had already rung. Sprinting to the classroom, Ji Feng breathed a sigh of relief—not seeing the homeroom teacher. *Lucky break,* he thought, slipping toward his seat.
Then he felt eyes on him.
Turning, he met the gaze of Tong Lei, Class 6's monitor and the undisputed school beauty of No. 2 High School. Her stunning eyes held a hint of reproach.
*Oh no.*
Ji Feng groaned inwardly. He'd forgotten that during morning reading, if the teacher was absent, Tong Lei took charge, noting latecomers and rule-breakers to report later. His tardiness hadn't gone unnoticed.
Slumping into his seat, Ji Feng sighed. A teacher's scolding he could handle, as long as they didn't call his mother.
"Crazy, you're late?" Zhang Lei, his yellow-haired friend, grinned with mock glee. "Look at that—our gorgeous monitor's got her eye on you. Maybe she's got a crush!"
Ji Feng shot him a glare. "Shut it, Lei. As if someone like her would look twice at a poor kid like me. Focus on your book."
It was morning reading, and the classroom buzzed with recitation, masking their banter. Good thing, too—teasing Tong Lei, the dream girl of every boy in school, was a sure way to make enemies.
Zhang Lei smirked. "What's wrong with being poor? You're still a person, aren't you? Come on, Crazy, have some confidence."
Ji Feng chuckled, shaking his head as he opened his textbook, ignoring the jab. *Confidence? I've got more than ever.* But after Hu Xuehui's betrayal, his heart was closed to romance. And Tong Lei? She was from another world entirely.
Everyone knew Tong Lei wasn't just beautiful and brilliant—she was the daughter of Mangshi County's Party Secretary, Tong Kaide. With her elite background and exceptional qualities, she was untouchable. Ji Feng, with no standout traits, knew he didn't stand a chance.
He brushed off Zhang Lei's teasing, focusing instead on catching up on missed lessons and bracing for a potential scolding from the teacher.
Unbeknownst to him, their whispered exchange hadn't gone entirely unnoticed by the students nearby.
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