Chapter 5: Training in the Village
1014 Words
Ahead, a burly man covered in scars swung his arms and shouted loudly, his mouth frothing. A hundred or so children, ranging from three to ten years old, stood scattered in the open space, their innocent faces strained into serious expressions.
The humans on this planet were similar to those on Earth, except with a dark, steel-like complexion and a deep scar running down the center of their foreheads, as if etched by a blade. Apart from this, they bore no other difference.
“...What is strength? Strength is food; strength is delicious meat. Only by being stronger than the beasts, running faster than the beasts, and jumping higher than the beasts can we catch more and tastier prey...”
Amidst the group of young children, Li Ran slightly curled his lips and thought to himself, “Isn’t this just the Olympic motto—faster, higher, stronger!”
Yet he understood that this was a truth forged from brutal survival, not merely a slogan for the Olympics. Only by surpassing the beasts in strength could one capture them, securing more food and ensuring the village’s long-term survival.
“...Therefore, to increase your strength and speed, starting now, each of you will carry a small stone and run ten laps around the village.”
The burly man turned and walked towards a massive boulder, four meters high, resting at the base of the mountain.
Li Ran anticipated something incredible was about to happen and widened his eyes, focusing intently on the giant.
As the man approached the boulder, his fists tightened and then, with lightning speed, he struck the boulder with a resounding crash. Li Ran barely saw a blur before the ground reverberated with a thunderous roar.
After withdrawing his fist, the man took a deep breath and soon regained his composure. Turning around with satisfaction, he revealed a spiderweb of cracks encircling the boulder, with a basin-sized crater precisely where his fist had struck.
The cracks multiplied and deepened rapidly, until the boulder shattered into a pile of rubble on the ground.
Li Ran's eyes widened in disbelief, his amazement palpable. “Is this... truly the strength of a human? Is this still human flesh?”
Examining the man's recently used fist, it showed no signs of injury, only a slight reddening. It was evident that his fist was harder than the boulder. This race seemed to be composed of monsters.
“Heh heh, now, each of you pick up a small stone.”
The surrounding children, apart from their grim faces, showed no sign of surprise, indicating that such feats were commonplace. Some of the children had already begun selecting stones from the pile of rubble.
Though termed rubble, each piece was quite large—up to two meters in diameter, and even the smallest were the size of a basketball. In the gravity of this planet, even the lightest weighed six to seven hundred kilograms.
Li Ran assessed his slender arms and legs, preparing to choose the smallest stone.
However, when he saw a child, barely weaned in his previous life, effortlessly lifting a basketball-sized stone, he promptly changed his mind.
“It seems this race’s strength is far beyond my expectations!”
He hesitated briefly before deciding on a stone the size of a basin.
As Li Ran approached the boulder, the other children ceased their activities, watching him with excitement and some even with scorn.
His heart sank. Could it be that he really couldn’t lift this stone? However, with no way to back out and with the soul of an adult, he could not bear the thought of being ridiculed by children. He had to at least give it a try.
Grasping the stone, he took a deep breath and heaved it upward. The stone lifted from the ground, rising slowly. His veins bulged, and his face flushed. With a roar, he lifted the boulder above his head. Despite his thin arms trembling slightly, he managed to hold it steady.
The surrounding children looked on in astonishment, their innocent faces reflecting disbelief.
Such a boulder might be lifted by someone even younger than him, but never held above their head. Could it be that his strength had increased overnight after fainting?
“Boom!” A bystander child was suddenly launched several meters away, crashing to the ground.
The burly man retracted his foot and, with an unkind glare, scolded:
“You children are truly exasperating. Choose a stone quickly and start running.”
The children scattered, each picking a stone before sprinting off. Li Ran noticed that most children of his height chose stones similar to his, with some even selecting larger ones.
His fragile pride flared up, and gritting his teeth, he decided not to switch stones.
He began trudging forward, the effort hardly resembling running. After barely ten meters, his limbs began to weaken, and his strength rapidly drained away. He silently lamented his predicament.
Without his willpower, he would have collapsed long ago.
One hundred meters, one thousand meters...
Each time he neared his limit, a surge of strength would propel him forward.
He lost track of how far he had run; his limbs grew increasingly heavy, and the boulder above felt like a mountain pressing down on him, impeding his movement. Sweat poured from him like a fountain, leaving a trail of moisture behind.
Stumbling forward, his teeth bled from the strain.
His vision blurred, and his mind began to falter. Suddenly, everything went dark, and he collapsed to the ground.
After an indeterminate time, Li Ran groggily awoke to find himself lying on his wooden bed at home. The thought of fainting twice in less than two days brought a wry smile to his face.
He shifted slightly, his fists clenched, and his eyes revealed incredulity. He realized that despite pushing his limits, his body showed no signs of strain. Normally, after such exertion, he would have been unable to muster any strength.
Yet, apart from a bit of muscle soreness, this body seemed to bear no lasting effects, which was truly remarkable.
- Writer
