Near the botanical garden, Zeng Shen grabbed a quick bite of grilled cold noodles before driving to the Li Huo Martial Arts Club. By the time he arrived, it was 2 PM.
The club was quiet, with only Master Li Zhiyuan sipping tea by a side table.
"You've come, young man," Master Li greeted Zeng Shen warmly, rising to meet him as if he'd been expecting him.
Zeng Shen nodded, curious about the quiet hall. "Where are your students, Master Li?"
"They're resting. They'll be up in about half an hour," Li Zhiyuan replied.
Zeng Shen nodded again and then offered a slight bow, apologizing, "Master Li, I was a bit reckless last time. I hope you don't hold it against me."
Li Zhiyuan shook his head with a wry smile, "No worries. I was trying to stand up for my nephew and ended up getting taught a lesson by you. It turns out my nephew was up to no good, mistreating cats for his live streams."
Hearing this, Zeng Shen realized the previous incident was water under the bridge and got straight to the point.
"Master, you mentioned teaching me some martial arts techniques. What do you have in mind?"
"Have you ever had formal training, like karate or sanda (Chinese boxing) at school?" Li Zhiyuan inquired.
"None at all. I've only been faster than average since I was a kid and haven't learned any self-defense techniques."
"Just a bit faster, huh?" Li Zhiyuan chuckled inwardly, then said, "Alright, I'll start you with some basic and practical techniques, like combat and sanda. Once you're comfortable with those, we can explore other styles. And if you're interested in any weapons, you can learn here too."
"Thank you, Master Li," Zeng Shen said with a bow.
Li Zhiyuan waved it off with a smile, "No need for thanks. I'm a bit selfish myself. Sparring with someone as fast as you can help my students and me improve."
Soon, under Li Zhiyuan's guidance, Zeng Shen began learning basic combat techniques.
After about half an hour, the students returned to the club, engaging in friendly sparring sessions with Zeng Shen.
In the center of the training hall, Zeng Shen activated his double agility boost, attacking Zhang Erhe.
But his speed wasn't as overwhelming as with the fivefold boost. Zhang Erhe, with his experience, managed to dodge and look for counterattack opportunities.
Zeng Shen wasn't in a rush to land a blow. Under Li Zhiyuan's guidance, he had grasped some fundamentals of martial arts and learned two or three combat moves.
Now, while sparring with Zhang Erhe, he pondered how to incorporate these techniques into real combat to defeat his opponent and enhance his skills.
When the apocalypse arrives, having more strength would be a significant advantage.
As the sun set, Zeng Shen had gathered 1500 survival points at the club and drove to the Gathering Spirit Office Building to pick up Li Yuqing and Liu Tongtong for dinner.
However, after waiting for a while, only Li Yuqing came down.
Zeng Shen looked up and was momentarily captivated.
Li Yuqing wore a red dudou (traditional Chinese undergarment) with a sheer Hanfu draped over her shoulders, her silky black hair styled into a bun with golden orchid hairpins and jade accessories.
Her clear, gentle eyes seemed to pierce the soul, and her slightly parted lips held a friendly smile, instantly warming those around her.
Zeng Shen was momentarily mesmerized.
Li Yuqing's attire made her look like an Eastern classical princess. Despite the lavish outfit, she exuded simplicity and natural charm, sparking an inexplicable restlessness in him.
"My husband," Li Yuqing spoke in a classical tone, opening the car door, "Sister Tong is tired from shopping and won't join us for dinner."
Zeng Shen played along, "Then, my lady, shall we feast?"
She giggled.
...
An hour later, Zeng Shen parked the camper back at the Gathering Spirit Building.
"Honey, shall we go up to rest?" Li Yuqing suggested.
Zeng Shen smiled mysteriously, "We're not going back to the studio tonight."
"Not back to the studio? Where then? To your place?" Li Yuqing asked.
"No, we'll stay here in the camper and test its features," Zeng Shen replied with a grin.
"Here? No way, someone might see us!" Li Yuqing's face flushed, a hint of excitement in her eyes.
Zeng Shen assured her, "No one will see us. I'll raise the privacy glass, and this camper is soundproof."
With that, he locked the doors, raised the privacy glass, and stood up, moving to the rear two single seats.
Beyond the seats was the camper's rest area, where a soft bed for two had been set up. Zeng Shen beckoned to Li Yuqing with a playful smile, "My lady, shall we retire?"
[Congratulations, host! Your followers have contributed 830 faith points.]
The next morning, Zeng Shen awoke to the system's prompt, turning to see Li Yuqing, as enticing as a sleeping beauty.
He spent some time in the camper, collecting 200 survival points in an enjoyable manner before dressing and escorting Li Yuqing to the studio for some rest.
Afterward, Zeng Shen set out to gather survival points for the day.
First, he left the Gathering Spirit Building, earning 10 points.
Then, he hit the pedestrian street, entered the Good Luck Community, and drove along the pedestrian and commercial streets.
Finally, he parked outside the park plaza, sparred with Master Ma for some survival points, and drove around Jin Hai City, hoping to trigger all possible zones.
He was fortunate.
In addition to the morning triggers—Department Street, Fuxing Avenue, and the botanical garden, earning 10 points each—Zeng Shen triggered four more first-time zones: the zoo in the east, Jin Hai Dock in the west, the quarry in the north, and the entertainment center in the south.
After gathering points, Zeng Shen had a quick lunch on Hongmi Street before heading back to the Li Huo Martial Arts Club to continue learning combat techniques and earn points.
Three hours later, he emerged.
At the club, earning points was secondary for Zeng Shen. The primary goal was to compensate for his lack of combat skills.
On the way to meet Li Yuqing, Zeng Shen calculated that he had gained 7000 survival points that day. Opening his attribute panel, he checked his total.
[Survival Points: 21700]
"Twenty-one thousand survival points, time for twenty consecutive draws."
"Let's see if I get lucky and pull a gold—no, a gold's unlikely. I think there's a purple guarantee at fifty draws."
Muttering to himself, Zeng Shen summoned the lottery wheel and confidently commanded, "System, twenty consecutive draws."
A flash of white light, and the wheel spun, releasing ten beams of white light.
[Congratulations, host! You have drawn 5 White Cards: Item Card, Intelligent Mining Vehicle.]
[Congratulations, host! You have drawn 3 White Cards: Building Card, Divine Energy Smelting Furnace.]
[Congratulations, host! You have drawn 2 White Cards: Building Card, Space Warehouse.]
Zeng Shen examined the ten white cards.
[Intelligent Mining Vehicle: An automated vehicle that can mine minerals upon receiving instructions.]
[Divine Energy Smelting Furnace: A furnace that can smelt divine energy minerals into a mold without losing divine energy.]
[Space Warehouse: A 1000-square-meter space that can expand with additional space warehouse cards.]
"With these white cards, I can finally start mining the two iron deposits in my divine realm," Zeng Shen mused, his gaze shifting to the eight green cards in his inventory.
Among the green cards, the Divine Rocket Launcher appeared again, five times, along with three Divine Chariots.
Zeng Shen felt that with one more ten-draw, he could form a Divine Rocket Launcher team, and eventually, a Divine Chariot team. As he pondered this, two prompts sounded in his ears.
[Congratulations, host! You have drawn 1 Blue Card: Skill Card, Healing.]
[Congratulations, host! You have drawn 1 Purple Card: Talent Card, Divine Control.]
"A talent card!" Zeng Shen exclaimed, eagerly examining the two new cards.