Chapter 1

March 6, 2008.

Friday.

Ancheng High School, Class 16 of Grade 3.

The classroom was in disarray, with students playing and mountains of practice materials piled up...

Lu Chen looked at the mock exam paper on his desk, utterly bewildered: "Am I dreaming? Did I dream myself back to school?"

He pinched his thigh hard... It really hurt!

This wasn't a dream!

"Could it be that I've been reborn?"

After a brief moment of confusion, Lu Chen fell into a state of wild joy.

The year 2008 saw many significant events.

The subprime crisis, the earthquake, the Olympics, and then the skyrocketing housing prices. In the next decade, the housing prices in Ancheng, this small county, would rise sevenfold.

As a reborn person, with foresight, there were countless opportunities to make money.

As for the "first pot of gold" for getting rich, Lu Chen wasn't worried.

He was a true football fan and remembered many important matches clearly.

This year, Manchester United and Chelsea would face off in the Champions League final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, and Cristiano Ronaldo would win his first Ballon d'Or.

This year, at the European Championship co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland, Spain would defeat Germany, marking the beginning of the Spanish football dynasty.

A casual bet could yield a hundredfold return.

Without exaggeration, making a few hundred thousand in one summer would be easy.

"First, I'll play football betting, then buy a house, and then write novels full-time. I don't need to become a business tycoon or live a hard life. Being a small tycoon, traveling around, enjoying life, and taking care of my family is enough!"

The more Lu Chen thought, the happier he became, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Ring—"

The class bell rang.

Mr. Wu, the homeroom teacher, walked into the classroom with a stack of papers.

Seeing that baby face and those thick glasses, thicker than the bottom of a beer bottle, Lu Chen couldn't help but feel a thousand emotions. How could he have ever found this adorable teacher so detestable before?

"The test results are out, everyone can take a look."

Mr. Wu distributed the papers.

When Lu Chen received his, he was completely stunned.

"Lu Chen, 18 years old, C-grade bloodline."

What the heck is a C-grade bloodline?

Is this a health check report?

It doesn't seem like it!

Something seems to have gone wrong... Lu Chen had a bad feeling.

"In this test, our class has one A-grade bloodline, seven B-grade bloodlines, sixteen C-grade bloodlines, and the rest are D and E grades."

"Students with D or E-grade bloodlines, don't be sad. Prepare well for the college entrance exam and strive to get into a good traditional university. You can still achieve success."

"Students with A and B-grade bloodlines, don't be too proud. Focus on your studies and training. A bloodline is just an opportunity. Whether you can seize it depends on yourself."

"As for C-grade bloodlines, you have a chance, but it comes at a high cost. Discuss your future plans with your parents over the weekend."

I'm C-grade, in a middle position.

There's a chance, but at a high cost.

Please, be more specific.

What exactly is a bloodline?

What opportunities and what costs?

Lu Chen was about to go crazy.

Something is definitely wrong.

"Xia, is there an Olympics this year?" Lu Chen lightly tapped his desk partner's arm.

"What is the Olympics?" Xia asked, confused.

Alright, I get it, something is definitely wrong.

There's no way she wouldn't know about the Olympics.

This world is clearly not right.

Mr. Wu on the podium spoke incessantly, occasionally mentioning terms like "gene lock," "martial artist," and "martial arts university."

For the entire 45-minute class, Lu Chen was in a daze.

The bell rang.

"School is out. Go home. Students with C-grade bloodlines, discuss your plans with your parents over the weekend and sign up next Monday."

...

...

Bloodline test.

Some people were happy, others were sad.

A and B grades were naturally overjoyed, full of confidence, and proud.

D and E grades were all disheartened, with desperate looks, and some even cried in the corners of the campus.

"What exactly is this bloodline test? It seems more important than the college entrance exam..."

Lu Chen, full of confusion, walked out of the campus and turned into the Five Crossroads Internet Cafe, eager to look up relevant information.

Two hours later, he walked out of the internet cafe with a complex expression, half crying, half laughing.

"Indeed... the world is different."

According to public information, about thirty years ago, portals to other worlds were discovered around the world (the locations and numbers of these portals are classified).

The world on the other side of the portals is called the Wasteland.

It is a completely different new world from Earth, vast and boundless, with various resources, vegetation, and minerals.

The Wasteland is dangerous, with many fierce creatures, and human weapons are ineffective against the dangers of the Wasteland.

For example, firearms and artillery have almost no lethal effect on Wasteland creatures (the reason is not disclosed).

The most effective method is martial arts qi.

Once, due to the rise of firearms, martial arts declined.

Now, with the appearance of the Wasteland, ancient martial arts have returned to the historical stage.

Technology has also diverged.

Earth's technology is called traditional technology, including the internet, nuclear fusion, quantum technology, etc.

Prestigious universities like Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan, and Zhejiang are traditional universities.

Research related to the Wasteland is called new source technology.

New source technology requires a large number of martial artists.

Non-martial artists cannot conduct this type of research.

Whether exploring the Wasteland or conducting new source research, martial artists are needed, and the more, the better. Therefore, martial artists are the most needed talents in human society.

The appearance of the Wasteland and the development of martial arts have rapidly changed human society.

Martial artists are the darlings of this era, with many opportunities and privileges.

For example:

Martial artists in business enjoy tax benefits.

Martial artists in politics have many advantages.

Martial artists in marriage can legally have multiple wives, and this is protected by law.

In the previous life, girls were proud of having "tall, rich, and handsome" boyfriends.

Now, girls are crazy about martial artists.

Young students no longer aspire to prestigious traditional universities like Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan, and Zhejiang, but to martial arts universities.

However, there are not many martial arts universities, and the admission criteria are very strict.

To get into a martial arts university, one must be proficient in traditional subjects like mathematics, physics, and chemistry, and also open the gene lock.

The gene lock is a term that emerged with the rise of martial arts.

Human potential is infinite, but the ability to manifest is limited due to the gene lock.

The higher the gene development, the stronger the ability.

When genes are fully developed, the gene lock can be broken, and martial arts qi is born.

The bloodline test is actually a gene lock test.

A-grade bloodline, the gene lock is easy to open.

Taking one or two unlocking pills can easily open the gene lock.

In ancient times, such people were considered to have exceptional talent and were good martial arts prospects.

B-grade bloodline, it's a bit harder.

With modern technology, B-grade bloodlines are also good prospects.

Taking four or five unlocking pills can also open the gene lock.

C-grade bloodline, this is a bit awkward.

As Mr. Wu, the homeroom teacher, said, "There's a chance, but at a high cost."

This type of bloodline requires ten or twelve unlocking pills to open the gene lock.

If the student's grades are good and the family is wealthy, they can apply to a martial arts university and pursue the martial arts path.

If the family is poor, they can only give up.

Because unlocking pills are expensive.

One unlocking pill costs 30,000 yuan, and ten cost 300,000 yuan.

D-grade bloodline, unsuitable for martial arts.

Most people are D-grade bloodlines, also known as "the ordinary majority."

The gene lock of this type of person is very hard to open, requiring dozens of unlocking pills, costing about 2 million yuan.

Only very wealthy families can afford to cultivate D-grade bloodlines.

E-grade bloodline, belongs to the absolute martial arts body.

No matter how many unlocking pills or how much training, there will be no results.

Relatively speaking, there are fewer E-grade bloodlines, but they are the most hopeless.

Three months before the college entrance exam, each school holds a bloodline test.

A and B-grade students are key cultivation targets and can apply for state assistance to receive three free unlocking pills.

C-grade students are in a bit of a bind, with no assistance. If they want to pursue the martial arts path, they can only rely on their families.

"Must apply to a martial arts university! Must become a martial artist!"

Lu Chen clenched his fists tightly.

Legal multiple wives? That's not the point...

The point is, all his plans to make money are ruined.

Football betting?

After the appearance of the Wasteland, the whole world is practicing martial arts, and the Olympics are gone, and commercial football is long gone.

Real estate speculation?

Houses, though not cheap, are not in high demand.

Real estate transactions still exist, but no one thinks houses will appreciate much.

Who knows when people might immigrate to the Wasteland? Who would want a house on Earth?

Now, the rich don't speculate on land or houses; instead, new source technology is booming. Anything related to new source technology is highly sought after by investors.

In short, being reborn hasn't given Lu Chen any advantages.

This world is different.

The money-making strategies from his previous life don't work here.

This is a world of martial artists.

To make a name for himself in this life, martial arts is the best choice, and a martial arts university is the best opportunity.

Additionally, Lu Chen is quite curious about the Wasteland.

There is no detailed information about the Wasteland on the internet.

All information about the Wasteland is released by the government, and it boils down to three points: first, the Wasteland is magical and dangerous; second, it is vast and boundless; third, it is rich in resources, and developing the Wasteland can promote human development.

How magical? The government doesn't say.

How dangerous? The government doesn't say.

How vast? Unknown.

What resources? Not mentioned.

Information about the Wasteland is only accessible to martial artists. Anyone who leaks information about the Wasteland on public platforms will be punished by law.

Similarly, only martial artists have the opportunity to go to the Wasteland.

Reborn, Lu Chen also wants to see the Wasteland, but he must become a martial artist first.

However, as a C-grade bloodline, Lu Chen needs at least ten unlocking pills, which cost 300,000 yuan.

If he's unlucky and needs a couple more, it could be close to 400,000 yuan.

This is a huge sum that an ordinary family cannot afford.

"Does my family have that much money?" Lu Chen was unsure.

In his previous life, his family was poor.

This life probably isn't much better.