Chen Jue was quite calm about the sudden appearance of two acquaintances from his old job.
With or without having awakened the Attribute panel, he knew they would be strangers from now on.
He went downstairs for lunch with Shen Shikun, and during his break, Chen Jue started searching online for information about what Zhao Jianguo had mentioned: "Wind Evil" and "how to improve one’s energy."
The so-called Wind Evil was a term in traditional Chinese medicine, also known as the "chief of a hundred illnesses." Any external pathogen that was fast-moving, restless, light, and caused the body’s pores to open was referred to as Wind Evil.
Simply put, it meant wind entering the body and causing illness.
The characteristics of Wind Evil were that it arrived and departed with extreme speed, was restless and ever-changing, and often afflicted the upper body (head and face), the yang meridians, and the skin’s surface. It caused the pores to open, leading to symptoms like headaches, sweating, and an aversion to wind.
It basically meant that after the skin’s pores opened up and sweat flowed out, being exposed to wind would lead to a weakened state, similar to the onset of a cold.
Chen Jue recalled that when he was practicing Pile Skills in the park that morning, the temperature was low, but there was no wind.
On second thought, it must have been that his rising body temperature during exercise affected the cold air around him, creating a small-scale pressure differential that formed an airflow, the "Wind Evil."
As long as he remembered to stay warm next time or practiced his Pile Skills in a place with a more suitable temperature, he could effectively avoid it.
As for "how to improve one’s energy," the internet offered plenty of advice.
There was advice on dietary remedies, medicinal supplements, and improving energy through exercise.
Chen Jue was already exercising consistently, and his energy had indeed improved significantly, but it clearly wasn’t enough to sustain his Pile Skills practice.
He had no choice but to look up dietary and medicinal remedies online. There were many, like Bai Zi Yangxin Pill, Eight Treasures Motherwort Pill, and so on.
Chen Jue had never tried traditional Chinese medicine before and had only a superficial understanding of these things. He decided to try ginseng, as it was the most frequently mentioned remedy.
He had scoured various comment sections, and they all said ginseng could replenish qi and nourish one’s "essence." Chen Jue just wasn’t sure if "essence" meant vitality or... something else, and his expression grew a little awkward.
’Did I train myself into a state of deficiency?’
’Physical fatigue needs proper relaxation? And I should supplement with some tonics?’
’There seems to be a place that’s perfect for my situation!’
After some thought, Chen Jue bought some sliced ginseng online to try. Then, he sent Jiang Zhe a meme sticker: (Pummel my kidney reflex zone).
The guy had been playing dead at night recently, likely sealed away by the "Great Curfew Seal."
But the thought of the Jingtang Club cash vouchers he had given his friend made Chen Jue think. If he didn’t bail the guy out, he’d probably get sick from being cooped up, just like him.
"(You pathetic thing.)"
"(I’m already wasted.)"
"Old Si, just go by yourself! It’s not a good time for me lately (foaming at the mouth)." Jiang Zhe was probably on his lunch break too, as he replied instantly.
Seeing how reluctant he was to go out, Chen Jue knew he’d have to go alone again tonight.
Married men really are a fragile species!
...
Since he had intentionally eaten a high-calorie, high-protein lunch, Chen Jue felt some of his strength return as soon as his break was over.
He squeezed a hand gripper, held a Horse Stance, practiced a bit of Squeezing Valley Dao, and quickly approved a few assigned clients. The afternoon of slacking off flew by.
He drove to the Jingtang Club and started with the buffet, shoveling down oysters and lobster. He also ordered half a pot of old duck soup.
In Hang City, it was customary to eat nourishing foods in the autumn, and this old duck soup was one of the few truly notable delicacies. Made with dried bamboo shoots, ham, longan, and goji berries, it was a famous dish for replenishing the body.
Thanks to his improved Constitution, Chen Jue’s appetite had grown, and he polished off a table’s worth of food all by himself.
After eating his fill, he went to a private room, used a tablet to "select a concubine," and chose technician number 12, Paopao, to attend to him.
After a session of hydrotherapy and a steam bath, Chen Jue felt completely relaxed.
The fatigue that had built up over days seemed to vanish, and his body and mind felt utterly released.
’This place is great, it really is!’
’It’s just that they charge you for a steak when they only serve you a salad. My wallet can’t handle coming here too often.’ Chen Jue stretched and wandered over to the recreational area.
It was crowded, but he didn’t run into Chairman Zhu or President Tang again.
Those two were billionaires, always so busy they never had a moment’s rest. Meeting them twice was already a huge coincidence.
Besides, he had rejected Zhu Hongbin’s "kind offer" and had a falling out with the man, so meeting him again would probably be even more difficult.
As for the professional dartboard on the wall, that was something he could play.
Coincidentally, ever since he’d merged his skills to get Lv5 [Hidden Weapon Throwing], Chen Jue hadn’t really practiced with these needle-like Darts. He decided to give it a try.
THUD THUD THUD! All three Darts hit the bullseye!
A few middle-aged men who were also there to relax watched from the side, stunned!
’Doesn’t feel that hard.’
’With my current skill, I could probably enter a tournament and win a prize easily, right?’ Chen Jue whistled as he walked out the door.
The massage had taken a while, so his "jungling" for the night had to be temporarily called off.
Just as he stepped out of the Jingtang Club’s entrance, Chen Jue saw a neighboring business holding a promotional event.
A large crowd had gathered, blocking the street parking area so completely that not even a drop of water could pass. His own SUV was blocked in.
He squeezed closer for a look and saw it was a newly opened high-end gym holding a promotion. They had even splurged to hire a few influencers to draw a crowd.
The gym had an English name, and the interior was lavishly decorated, giving it a very high-end feel.
As for the annual membership and personal training prices advertised on the banner out front, one glance was enough to tell they were far beyond what an ordinary person could afford.
But considering the Jingtang Club was in a neighborhood full of high-end communities and wealthy people, they had clearly done their market research. At least they weren’t preying on the poor.
The two fitness influencers looked a bit familiar. They were probably major celebrities with at least a million followers. Just by standing there and starting a livestream, they had attracted a crowd of fans to watch in person.
’A silver brick challenge?’
’Lift the silver brick with your palm facing down and hold it for three seconds to win a 2,000 yuan prize?’ Chen Jue squeezed into the crowd for a better look.
The silver brick on the stage was sitting on an electronic scale, which displayed a weight of 25 kilograms.
Many onlookers, drawn by the spectacle, were trying their best to lift the silver brick. The air was filled with a constant mix of jeers and sighs of disappointment.
Chen Jue watched for over ten minutes but didn’t see a single person succeed.
As for the two influencers they had hired, they would occasionally go up and demonstrate, using their powerful one-handed grip to haul the 25-kilogram silver brick into the air.
"Lifting 50 jin with one hand! That’s obviously impossible for a normal person!"
"And the shape of this silver brick is ridiculous!"
Chen Jue watched from the edge of the crowd, listening to the constant complaints from the people squeezed in around him.
The large silver brick was shaped like a trapezoid, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and the influencers had placed it upside down on the electronic scale.
An ordinary person couldn’t even dream of lifting it. Someone with slightly smaller hands couldn’t even get their fingers around the brick’s inverted base, making it impossible to exert any real force.
"Anyone else want to sign up?"
"The event ends in 20 minutes!"
Just then, several strikingly attractive female instructors from the gym were maintaining order and trying to pull people from the crowd to attempt the challenge.
Chen Jue felt a growing urge to try. He had recently been training with hand grippers and his [Hidden Weapon Throwing] skill, and his hand strength had improved considerably.
If he could lift this 25-kilogram silver brick, wouldn’t that cover his bill from the Jingtang Club tonight?
The leftover prize money would even be enough for another visit!
"Hey handsome, want to sign up?"
"Huh? You’re... Brother Jue!"
Just as Chen Jue was about to find an instructor to sign up, a familiar face leaned in.
It was Hu Feifei, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, and she was one of the female instructors working the promotion.
"Hu Feifei?"
"Aren’t you with Yi Lian Fitness? Did you switch jobs?" Chen Jue asked, a bit surprised.
She was Lin Ling’s best friend. They had added each other on WeChat at the Darts club, but he hadn’t been back in a while. He never expected to run into her here.
"Brother Jue! You lost weight! You look so different!"
"We haven’t seen you at the club lately. There’s no one to coach me and Lin Ling on our Darts practice anymore."
Hu Feifei’s eyes lit up at Chen Jue’s transformed appearance. There was a hint of playful complaint in her tone, a bit of that feigned innocence some girls put on. She then explained her current situation.
It turned out this high-end gym and Yi Lian Fitness were owned by the same person. This one was just marketed differently to target the high-income crowd in the area, hence the English name.
After all, as the saying goes, "a Monk from afar chants the scriptures best." People these days really buy into the "imported is better" mentality, slapping English names on their stores and brands at the drop of a hat.
Hu Feifei happened to be on rotation and was temporarily transferred to this new location to help with the grand opening.
"I’ve been busy with work, so I haven’t had time for the club."
"I’ll help you guys practice Darts again when I get the chance!"
Chen Jue gave a faint smile and a vague reply, taking the opportunity to have Hu Feifei sign him up for the challenge.
Hu Feifei still had work to do, so after a brief chat with Chen Jue, she got back to it.
However, when she saw Chen Jue get on the stage and line up with the other challengers, Hu Feifei couldn’t help but feel a little dazed. She took out her phone and sent a WeChat message to Lin Ling: "Xiao Lingzi, guess who I just ran into at the new branch?"
"Who? (Curious)" Lin Ling replied.
"It’s Chen Jue, the guy who taught us how to play Darts!"
"It’s only been a little while, but he’s changed so much! It looks like he’s lost over ten pounds. His whole vibe is different, like he’s a new person! He’s way easier on the eyes now!"
As she typed, Hu Feifei found a good angle with her phone and started recording secretly.
Just then, it was Chen Jue’s turn. He went on stage, dropped into a half-squat that looked like a Horse Stance, and reached out with his right hand. He locked his grip on the bottom of the silver brick and pulled with all his might.
The sleeves on his right arm were rolled up, revealing bulging veins. The muscles on his forearm and hand popped out, each fiber visible and clearly defined, looking almost striated.
And the 50-jin silver brick in his hand might as well have been a soda bottle, as he easily lifted it straight up, palm facing down!
"HOLY SHIT!"
"He lifted it!"
"This guy’s a beast!"
"He looks so gentle and scholarly with those glasses, who would’ve thought he’d be so strong!" The crowd erupted with continuous cheers and shouts.
Hu Feifei, still recording, felt her mind go blank. Utterly dumbfounded, she tremblingly sent the 10-second clip she had just recorded to her best friend.
A few seconds later, Lin Ling replied: "Feifei, are you sure you filmed the right person? (??!?!)"