Chapter 5: Warrior Certification

He got off at the bus stop near Binzhou University. Using his student card, Zhang Chu "walked" into the campus. Although his homeroom teacher, Li Feng, had tricked him into dropping out, the student card would not be deactivated for another half a month due to administrative procedures.

He had come today to avenge the humiliation suffered by this pathetic body's former owner and, incidentally, to get an official set of test results in preparation for his martial artist certification.

Binzhou University's Vitality Testing Center was an officially recognized site, meaning the data could be directly used at the Martial Artist Certification Center. Binzhou had yet to establish a "30-Minute Martial Artist Comfort Zone." The Martial Arts Administration had mandated that all universities must open their vitality testing centers to the public.

Students could enter the testing center with their student cards. Members of the public could register at the gate and also take the test within the university. As a result, the center's administrator was perpetually half-asleep. As long as your card worked and the gate opened, you could enter.

Perhaps because classes were in session, the testing center was deserted that morning. Zhang Chu walked around, then lifted his gaze to the university’s Vitality Ranking Board. As expected, Su Mingyue’s name topped the list: Vitality 145.

“Brother, look at this—at least half of that 145 comes from what you gave her three years ago!”

She led the second place by a margin of twenty points. A few anonymous entries also boasted impressive numbers. According to Martial Arts Administration regulations, test takers could choose to make their names public or remain anonymous.

“Brother, today I’ll help you step on that green tea Su Mingyue!”

There were two methods for measuring vitality. The first was a high-tech blood test, available only at the certification center. Universities provided a testing machine that calculated your vitality based on the force of your punch.

Zhang Chu readied himself, gathered all his strength, and slammed his fist into the machine.

The numbers spun and finally settled on 151.1. A results slip emerged from the nearby printer.

Familiar with the process, Zhang Chu pressed “Anonymous Archive” on the electronic screen. Instantly, the giant digital display on the wall updated. Su Mingyue, who had sat comfortably at the top, slid down—her place now taken by an anonymous dog-head avatar.

“Now, that feels good!”

Having fused with his host’s memories, Zhang Chu knew exactly what kind of woman Su Mingyue was. The more mysterious something was, the more it attracted her. By choosing anonymity, Zhang Chu wanted her to feel both insulted and intrigued.

Three years of resentment wasn’t something a single punch could settle.

No, it would be much more satisfying to take things slow.

Zhang Chu glanced at the class group chat, which was filled with sycophantic praise for Su Mingyue, pocketed his results slip, and left the testing center.

Four hours after Zhang Chu left Binzhou University, an elderly man with white hair appeared at the testing center.

Seeing him, the administrator hurried over obsequiously. “President, what brings you here personally?”

“Is Su Mingyue still number one?”

This was Huang Wenzhan, president of Binzhou University. With less than two months left before the Martial Arts Research Institute’s selection, Su Mingyue had been the university’s brightest hope. Every few days, he would visit the testing center to check on her progress.

“President, Su Mingyue leads second place by twenty points—impossible for anyone to surpass her,” the administrator replied with a smile.

Though expecting the usual result, Huang Wenzhan stepped in front of the display, eyes locking on Su Mingyue’s data—only to freeze in shock. “What? Second place?”

“President, look!”

The administrator stared at the anonymous dog-head avatar now at the top—completely stunned.

Vitality: 151.1!

Huang Wenzhan could barely believe his eyes, his blood pressure rising. In Binzhou University’s century-long history, only one prodigy had appeared fifteen years ago. It had been ages since a student this extraordinary had emerged.

He had thought Su Mingyue was invincible here, never expecting someone even more formidable. Whose protégé was this?

“Hurry, find out who this is! Which student has reached level one martial artist vitality before the exam?”

In less than an hour, the entire university was in an uproar.

Photos of the Vitality Ranking Board were shared across the school forum and every class group.

Soon, a trending post dominated the campus social feed: “Anonymous Dog-Head Breaks the Game—Level One Martial Artist Before the Exam, Is Su Mingyue’s Legend Over?”

Even the usually deserted testing center was now packed with students, all eager to witness the prowess of the mysterious figure who had scored 151.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ dormitory, Su Mingyue stared at the picture circulating in the class group, her mind reeling.

She couldn’t believe it was real. But the evidence was irrefutable—someone had reached level one martial artist status before the exam.

Further investigation revealed that the test data belonged to a current student, not an outsider, making Su Mingyue even more curious.

“Mingyue, want to hear some gossip?” Just then, her roommate Zhao Panpan came in, phone in hand. “Someone hacked the camera near the testing center and caught a shot of the top scorer. Doesn’t the figure look like Zhang Chu?”

Zhang Chu?

Hearing the name, Su Mingyue took a closer look, but quickly dismissed the idea. The silhouette bore some resemblance, but Zhang Chu was a wheelchair-bound ALS patient, whose vitality was only six before he left school.

To leap to 151 in two days—no one in all of Jiuzhou could pull that off.

“Whoever it is, I’m going to find them!” Su Mingyue’s eyes flashed with determination as she glanced at the class group messages.

…

“Homeroom Teacher Li Feng: @All Students—Today, a student anonymously tested at 151.1 vitality. The school has reported and decided to recommend this student for direct admission to the Martial Arts Research Institute, bypassing the exam. If you see this, please come to the president’s office.”

At that moment, Zhang Chu was standing in the Martial Artist Certification Hall, scanning the flood of messages in the class group.

Particularly satisfying was watching people tag Su Mingyue, who pretended not to notice and stayed silent. Zhang Chu could easily imagine how arrogant she’d been before, and how anxious and curious she must be now.

“Are you here to conduct business or not?”

A sharp voice snapped Zhang Chu back to reality. It was the woman at the certification window, her temper even bigger than her chest.

“Yes, I am!”

Zhang Chu had been so absorbed in the group chat, he’d forgotten it was his turn.

His first order of business after leaving the university was to get certified as a martial artist.

On the continent of Jiuzhou, martial artists enjoyed high status. Binzhou even had special local policies: anyone who reached level one before age twenty-five and agreed to settle in Binzhou would be given a single apartment to live in rent-free for life, as long as they didn’t change their household registration.

In his previous life, Zhang Chu had been a programmer working 24/7, living in a cramped two-bedroom apartment in a slum crawling with cockroaches. He didn’t want to spend another day there.

The sooner he got certified, the sooner he could move into his new place and start enjoying life.

“Go over there to pay for your vitality test,” the front desk woman instructed.

She handed him a form.

“I’m here for martial artist certification,” Zhang Chu said, handing over the printed results slip.

When she saw the numbers, her mouth formed an “o.”

Twenty-one years old, with a vitality of 151—enough for level one martial artist certification. In three years at the counter, she’d seen fewer than five such cases.

A genius like this would become famous in Binzhou within days. The Martial Arts Administration would likely offer him a civil service position to recruit him.

Zhang Chu’s certification was processed quickly. He received the level one martial artist badge, the martial artist code of conduct, access to the martial artist digital currency bank, the martial artist mall app, and the key to his single apartment in the Martial Artist Residence.

There was also a 50,000 yuan reward from Binzhou, plus a monthly stipend of 5,000.

Zhang Chu didn’t rush upstairs to the mall for weapons, techniques, or medicine. All he wanted now was to take a cab to his apartment, sleep soundly, and savor the life of the elite.

Soon, Zhang Chu arrived at the Martial Artist Residence, unlocked his new place, and looked around at the clean, two-bedroom apartment. He pulled out his phone and posted on his feed: Happiness is earned through hard work!

What he didn’t know was that as he lay groggy on his new bed, Su Mingyue in the Binzhou University girls’ dorm was growing increasingly suspicious as she stared at the blurry back in the photo. Secretly, she removed Zhang Chu from her block list and opened his feed…