Chapter 2, the holes in the walls of the basement
"Horse stance!" His father's usually cheerful face suddenly turned serious as he shouted. Shu Yu instinctively lowered his body and assumed the horse stance. His father moved behind him and kicked at the back of his knee; he swayed slightly but did not fall down.
This is actually normal
Class 8 of the second grade has 47 students, none of whom passed.
The sixty-fifth failure. There are still seven opportunities remaining
The remaining roommate, seeing that their argument was escalating, quickly stepped in to mediate, smiling as he said: "Hey, hey, hey, don't argue, don't argue. There's still a year left; who knows what might happen? In a flash, we could all evolve!"
He spoke ambiguously, yet his father immediately understood what he meant. Raising his eyebrows, he asked, "There is only a year and a half until graduation? You feel uneasy about becoming a weakling in just a year and a half?"
Chi Chuanle felt a bit downcast, while one of his roommates, Wang Yue, lay on the bed, staring at "The Optoelectronic Era," yet had not turned the page for a long time
The basement is rather unstable; after just a few punches, dust began to fall from above, covering his head and face. He struck the wall a few more times, uncertain whether this place would collapse. After a moment of hesitation, curiosity ultimately overpowered his sense of safety. He assumed a stance and, aiming at the spot he had just struck, delivered another punch.
His heart raced rapidly, yet he was unwilling to follow this line of thought. Instead, he forced himself to ponder what might be contained within the void.
This dormitory is officially referred to as "Zero Dormitory" by the Seventh Academy, specifically designated for boys who have not undergone evolution, and is thus colloquially known among the students as "Weak Chicken Building." Naturally, a place designated for non-evolved individuals is not considered a good environment. According to historical records, this location was once an abandoned research facility for many years, and prior to its abandonment, it experienced a significant experimental accident that resulted in the deaths of all the researchers.
The Shuyu family has a lineage of eight generations, and not a single Evolver has emerged from it. Such a "weak family" is practically at the bottom of society. Yet, his father has always remained cheerful and calm, with a constant smile on his face
He steeled himself, extended his hand, and reached into the hole
Moreover, his father taught him from a young age to maintain a calm and composed heart, regardless of the circumstances he faced, and specifically instructed him in this martial art that cultivates one's inner state
As he pondered these thoughts, his heart gradually calmed down, and he could only hear his father whispering in his ear: "Even if we cannot choose our future, we can decide how to accept it! Everyone living in this world has their own mission; what is your mission?"
... ...
It has only three floors above ground, but there is another level underground, which is very spacious. Most of the basement is inaccessible due to wall collapses from the passage of time, with only a few rooms remaining vacant. The school has left clear signs prohibiting students from entering, but Shu Yu enjoys the solitude here, often coming in alone to meditate or practice martial arts, never noticing anything unusual.
Although the lights are not on, he, who often comes here, is very aware that this basement is empty, with nothing but a door and the four walls. This basement is very old, likely a remnant from the early days of Earth, with walls made entirely of concrete, lacking even paint. He is now sitting against the wall opposite the door, his fist knocking on hetushu.com.com on the concrete wall. Why does it make such a sound?
He did not continue speaking, and Chi Chuanle did not say much either ... Indeed, who does not have such dreams ...
After a while, Wang Yue turned over and asked, "Where is the crispy fish?"
It seems truly hollow! Moreover, the wall is built quite thick, as if to conceal this hollowness deep within the wall!
5:00 PM on April 20
He bent his legs slightly, palms flat, and began to execute a set of punches at an extremely slow pace. ... His left foot was firmly planted, both hands raised, knees bent in a squat ... ... White Crane Spreads Its Wings, Left Embrace the Waist, Left Single Whip, Left Pipa Style. ... ... He moved with an air of tranquility, his movements smooth and rounded, exhibiting an unbroken flow. The dark basement was very cramped, with some clutter on the floor, yet he did not touch a single object, clearly demonstrating a profound mastery of this set of martial arts. He moved with an air of tranquility, his movements smooth and rounded, exhibiting an unbroken flow. The dark basement was very cramped, with some clutter on the floor, yet he did not touch a single object, clearly demonstrating a profound mastery of this set of martial arts
After a moment of contemplation, my father said, "Being born into our family, do you harbor some resentment?"
The gap between the hollow and the outer room is completely filled with cement, showing no signs of a hidden door, as if it has been forcibly sealed. If it were not for the passage of time, the cement would gradually decay and become brittle, and had he not fortuitously struck this spot several times in succession, this hidden chamber would have remained sealed within, never to be discovered
The reactions of the students in Class 8 were not very strong. Having endured this until today, most people have already mentally prepared for their future. One of Shu Yu's roommates was still trying to console himself in the dormitory: "Forget it, a weakling is just a weakling; after all, I can still earn a meal and won't die!"
He stood up, touched the wall, which felt cold and slightly prickly, clearly uneven due to the cement. He knocked again; the sound was muffled. Then he struck the wall with his fist, and a hollow sound echoed once more
At this thought, Shu Yu suddenly felt a bit dazed, a vague sensation sweeping through his heart, as his father's words echoed in his ears: "Everyone has their own future!"
Shu Yu retracted his fists and frowned. The sound was peculiar, carrying a slight echo, as if the wall were hollow!
... ...
He turned on the light and walked to the wall, feeling around for quite a while, but found nothing. He pondered and recalled the legends surrounding this dormitory
Congenital evolvers account for approximately 40% of the total number of evolvers. Half of the remaining individuals will experience mutations before the age of three. Subsequently, as age increases, the proportion of evolution significantly declines. After the age of seventeen, those who undergo mutations are less than one ten-thousandth of the total number of evolvers. By the age of eighteen, the possibility of mutations may completely cease—therefore, all natural individuals are afforded the opportunity for free education before the age of eighteen.
Shu Yu's state of mind became increasingly serene, and a faint smile even appeared at the corners of his mouth, reflecting a sense of joy and tranquility, neither too warm nor too cold
For eight consecutive generations, there has not been a single Evolver, which is indeed a despairing situation in this era that reveres bloodlines. However, Shu Yu immediately shook his head vigorously and said with utmost certainty: "Absolutely not!"
The father let out a satisfied "hmph," turned to face him, gazed into his eyes, and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Wang Yue suddenly jumped up, even more displeased: "How can you speak like that! Which family isn't like this now? Which family can guarantee that they won't have a weakling? But the books all say that evolution is related to genetics, I at least have a much greater chance than a soft fish!"
Shu Yu slightly averted his gaze, and his father let out a heavy grunt. Only then did he mumble, "There is only a year and a half left..."
Father spoke very incisively and directly, and Shu Yu could only nod.
The routine guidance inspection has concluded
His curiosity piqued, he walked over to the door and turned on the light. Although this basement had been completely abandoned, with debris of bricks and stones scattered everywhere, it still had electricity. The six lights above flickered to life, casting a pale blue-white glow over the empty room, creating an eerie atmosphere.
What is my mission? What is my future?
He speaks from the heart. Since childhood, his family has been very harmonious and happy. Although their living conditions are quite limited and the circle they can reach is only so small, everyone in the family always remains calm and serene, not feeling sad about their situation
The nickname for Shu Yu is "Crispy Fish," and all his classmates call him that
... ...
That day, under his father's guidance, Shu Yu was practicing the family martial arts. As he thought about the fact that there was only a little over a year until graduation and that he might never have another opportunity to evolve, his mind became unsettled, and his movements became chaotic as well.
Chi Chuanle said unhappily: "How do you speak? Your family is full of evolved beings, yet how did you come to be?"
Almost all schools are the same in this regard; once non-evolutionary students enter the third year of the intermediate college, they begin a leisurely life of herding. Whether it is cultural classes or physical training courses, they are all taught through terminal education, and no one cares if you choose not to attend.
... ...
His mind echoed repeatedly with the words his father had said to him during his last visit home
After finishing a set of punches, the pent-up frustration in his heart completely dissipated, and his mood became exceptionally cheerful. Unable to contain himself, he let out a long sigh, a mischievous smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. With a few sharp claps, he directed several punches at the wall beside him. All these punches landed in the same spot, with tremendous force and incredible speed. The first few strikes felt unremarkable, but the last one suddenly produced a strange sound
Chi Chuanle said: "Since coming back today, I haven't seen anyone else. He must have locked himself in the little black room again..."
At this moment, Shu Yu stood alone in the dark basement, his eyes slightly closed, his entire being appearing both relaxed and yet not fully so, immersed in an extraordinarily peculiar state.
This object is actually quite strange in its arrival... Generally, there are only two types of things that are sealed in such a manner: one is a particularly secretive item that needs to be hidden in this way; the other is a particularly dangerous object that must be securely sealed in this manner... For a moment, he even thought of legends about corpses bricked up in walls.
The wall still had not been breached. He struck again with the same method, and with a "thud," the lights flickered, and the wall was broken through!
Upon hearing his words, everyone laughed. Wang Yue nudged him and said with a smile, "What kind of dream are you having? How could such a good thing possibly happen!"
His punch was quite skillful; he first gathered strength without striking, and only when his fist reached the wall did he suddenly unleash his power. This hidden force was much stronger than the previous punches. The old, dilapidated wall instantly cracked open numerous gaps, and bricks and stones shattered, falling to the ground in a chaotic manner
No, it is not that the wall has been penetrated; rather, there is a concealed space within the wall, and this space has now been forcefully breached by him
Wang Yue said: "He hasn't given up yet? It's not just him. Moreover, to be honest, it's actually the most normal thing that he can't evolve; who doesn't know that his family hasn't produced an evolver for several generations!"
Shu Yu recalled his father's words and silently questioned himself. The shadow of repeated failure and the worries about the future gradually faded from his heart