Chapter 1

The clear blue sky was like a deep and perfect sapphire. Unfortunately, Su Chen, who lived in the middle class, could only see such a sky in this park, which was a half-hour drive from his home.

In this rare good environment, Su Chen performed the "Twenty-Four Chapters" with each move and stance. Despite his 1.82-meter height and just over 70 kilograms, he didn't look much better than a thin stick. However, his boxing form was strong and powerful.

Each punch was ancient and weighty, his steps changed freely, and his movements were smooth and varied. His form was fast but not chaotic, complex but not panicked. It had the fierce aura of ancient military combat and the Daoist philosophy of emptiness and harmony, truly profound and mysterious.

Internal martial arts — striking enemies and strengthening the body. After Su Chen completed the entire set, he felt refreshed and invigorated, his body was already warm, and sweat was beginning to form on his forehead. The stiff muscles from lying in bed all night were finally thoroughly relaxed.

After completing his morning exercise, Su Chen looked at the smart terminal he took out of his pocket. The LCD screen clearly showed 7:15, indicating that an hour had passed. His early morning workout was over.

He jogged to a public transportation station 500 meters outside the park — the hover car was about to arrive on schedule. If he missed this one, Su Chen would either have to spend a lot of credit points to take the "convenient transportation" or wait for another half hour. Neither option was what he wanted.

After adding the time spent on the elevator, Su Chen returned home an hour later. He took a three-dimensional shower with warm water in the bathroom and then connected his personal terminal for a full-body check-up.

The AI quickly reported: "Master's physiological indicators are all normal. Compared to yesterday, muscle density has increased by 0.01%, and cell activity has improved by 0.003%. Congratulations, Master, your physical fitness has improved further..."

Breathing the air in the room, which had been processed by professional machines — although it was fresh and clear with no odor, it gave Su Chen a rather unnatural feeling.

"The effect of this boxing form is really..." Su Chen gently shook his head, burying the rest of his thoughts in his heart: 'I thought it was an illusion caused by the incomplete virtual system, but it turns out to be real. I never thought I, Su Chen, would have such a stroke of luck.'

If the memory was true, this boxing form was based on the ancient Five Animal Exercises. It defined the five elements through the five animals and strengthened the five organs. It captured the changes of the four seasons and the growth and decay of plants, and its breathing techniques followed the cycle of the twenty-four solar terms. It truly achieved external restraint and internal abundance, grounding the lower body while connecting the upper body to the sky.

This boxing form, with its sparse yet intricate moves and endless variations, integrated Daoist health practices into its techniques, making it a martial art with the qualities of yin and yang, the five elements, and the mysteries of the eight trigrams. Even in this lifeless environment, it could achieve astonishing fitness effects.

This was one of the benefits Su Chen gained from a strange encounter in the virtual world. Unfortunately, while the first benefit was exciting, the next one was like adding too much chili to a pie, making it hard to swallow — Su Chen's daily breathing pattern was fixed into a unique breathing technique. In his daily life, this rhythmic and profound breathing helped him expel toxins and control airflow vibrations, assisting in his physical training.

Although the result was certainly good, the feeling of everything being controlled by an external force was quite unpleasant. Su Chen could only console himself with the twisted logic that life is like rape; if you can't resist, you might as well enjoy it.

If you analyze it seriously, everything Su Chen experienced really seemed like a story from a novel, so unreal — being "possessed" by a transcendent being in the virtual world and gaining many benefits as a result.

Fortunately, Su Chen deeply hid this matter in his heart during the routine investigation after completing the simulation. Otherwise, he would likely have been taken away by the authorities for mental abnormalities caused by unknown system defects.

After drying his body, Su Chen threw his clothes into the washing machine and went to the canteen in the building to fill his stomach. As he walked into the canteen, he didn't think much and pressed his palm on the counter. A menu immediately appeared on the thin screen.

"Ah! It's the same stuff again, all tasting the same. I'm really tired of it." Su Chen looked at the options on the menu and sighed. In the past, he might not have said this, but after experiencing the delicacies in the virtual world, he found it hard to adapt to the real world.

"Su, just eat it. Who made us live in the civilian area?" A middle-aged, fat man with a shiny face said, holding a large bowl, "At such a low price, how can it be made by hand? I heard that in the slums and the black streets, people eat green nutrient paste that's as thick as snot. Compared to that, we're doing pretty well."

With the population explosion, Earth's cities were divided into multiple levels to maximize space utilization. Su Chen lived on the third level, which was just above poverty, equivalent to the working class of the old era.

Below them were the slums and the black streets at the very bottom. There was no blue sky or green plants, and the space was maximized, creating a steel jungle. The artificial sun was said to be very unrealistic, and the air quality was just enough to maintain basic hygiene.

Most people in the slums lived on government subsidies, just getting by. As for the black streets, it was the most chaotic and lawless area on Earth, even with the presence of mechanical police.

The government's living subsidies for those in the underground were truly just for survival. Consuming nutrient paste three times a day left little room for anything else. To do anything else, one had to suppress their desire for better food.

"True, I'm better off than those below. But, Uncle Song, it's important to have something to look forward to," Su Chen said, still hesitating.

"Usually, you don't talk so much, Su. Unless you've found a way to climb up." Uncle Song's eyes lit up, "Are you going to take the Level 5 Worker exam?"

The 8-level worker system was a crucial identity grading standard on Earth, along with the more challenging scientific and technical standards. Level 8 workers participated in the development of new products and equipment. Level 7 workers made special components that couldn't be produced by machines. Level 6 workers assisted Level 7 workers. Level 4 and 5 workers were reserve personnel, ready to fill in for robots in case of emergencies.

Technically, as a Level 4 worker, Su Chen relied on government subsidies. However, the government had a need for them to handle potential risks, so they enjoyed relatively good benefits. Level 3 and below workers lived underground and couldn't even look at the sky.

"Right, I think I'm ready. My foundation was good in school, but my hand-eye coordination was lacking. After years of effort, I've finally made a breakthrough," Su Chen said, not hiding this from his old neighbor, as it wasn't a secret.

"Level 5 workers get at least 30% better benefits than Level 4 workers. No wonder you're thinking about improving your diet. By then, you'll have enough to eat handmade food in the gentry area once a week." Uncle Song became more excited, "And you're young, Su. With your improvement rate, you might become a Level 8 worker one day. That would be a real success."

Su Chen felt he was being pushed too high and shook his head like a rattle drum, "There are very few people with the talent to become Level 8 workers. I don't have much hope. I estimate that Level 6 is my limit. Going higher isn't just about hard work."

In fact, without this strange encounter, Su Chen wouldn't even have the capital to become a Level 5 worker. When he was old and weak, whether he could pass the quarterly Level 4 worker exams was uncertain. The quality of his retirement would be a mystery.

"Even reaching Level 6 is good. Then you can apply to live in the gentry area. It will be easier to start a family, unlike me," Uncle Song's words were filled with the sorrow of a hardworking but untalented person.

In this almost rigid class society, effort alone was far from enough. Birth and talent were the key determinants of a person's value. With effort, as long as one's luck wasn't too bad, they could survive on the surface. Without effort, some women might stay on the surface by their looks, but men often ended up underground. So, the men living on the surface were, in the old era, equivalent to ordinary key university students.

"Let's not talk about me yet. No one can predict the results of the exam. Besides, Uncle Song, you still have a chance," Su Chen said while ordering a shrimp fish board noodle and paying with a tap.

He then touched his chin, "And the virtual game 'Diala Continent' that's been heavily promoted recently, you must have heard of it. The government plans to use it as a new resource distribution channel to ease the increasingly severe social conflicts. Although it's just leftovers from the big shots, it might be an opportunity for us reserve personnel with plenty of free time."

The Earth United Government was formed through negotiations and compromises among the old power elites. These elites not only suffered no significant losses but also became more stable. The unified government reduced the conflicts between countries but made class rigidity more apparent.

Initially, the development dividends from the fourth major social division of labor could be used to appease the masses. However, with the population's rapid growth and the increasing number of jobs that could be replaced by intelligent machines, social conflicts became more acute.

The game "Diala Continent" was the government's new attempt to ease social conflicts. Su Chen had previously become a test subject for the simulation world, secretly testing its safety. Although his memory was sealed, he still gained benefits, such as the bloodline inheritance system, which gave him an advantage in the game.

"That's a bone thrown down by the big shots, and many hungry dogs are eyeing it. Improving your diet with a few credit points might not be hard, but climbing up through this game is no easier than taking the exams. Of course, we surface dwellers have an advantage, unlike those underground who have to worry about their real-life safety." Old Song, who had become wise with age, saw through the matter clearly.

Just as Su Chen was about to say more, a "ding" sound came from the conveyor belt, and a bowl of shrimp fish board noodle was delivered to his spot. The bowl was large, and although it was called shrimp fish board noodle, it also contained other vegetables and mushrooms for a balanced meal. It came with disposable metal chopsticks and a spoon for easy sterilization.

Su Chen sat across from Uncle Song, picked up the chopsticks, and ate the noodles. A new person entered the canteen, a young girl from upstairs. Her youthful aura made Su Chen's eyes involuntarily drift towards her.

Women are always sensitive to such things, and the girl quickly turned her head, glaring at Su Chen with wide eyes. With his not-so-thick skin, Su Chen could only lower his head and continue eating.

To be honest, the noodles were fragrant, chewy, and delicious. The two large, peeled shrimps weighed about two taels each, and the broth was rich and smooth, tasting exceptionally fresh. According to the additional memories, this was the level of a famous restaurant in the old era.

Unfortunately, no matter how delicious, the noodles were made by computer-controlled machines. The taste was always the same, and even the most exquisite food could become tiresome if eaten every day.

Over the years, the novelty had worn off, and even eating seafood every day became tiresome. As land space became scarce, humans turned to the vast oceans for production. With technological advancements, ocean farming became more efficient. Now, what were once expensive seafood in the old era had become common food, while cheap poultry and meat had become luxuries.

After finishing the noodles and drinking some soup, Su Chen placed the bowl and chopsticks in the collection slot, where they would be automatically cleaned. He said goodbye to Uncle Song and returned to his room to wait for the start of the groundbreaking game "Diala Continent."

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