Chapter 2: Experience Panel

Outside the bus window, the city’s nightscape was a blur of flowing light and vibrant color.

Fang Cheng leaned against the cold backrest of the bus seat.

His pupils flickered with a strange light.

Right before his eyes, a pale blue light screen slowly unfolded.

The passengers sitting nearby didn't notice anything unusual at all.

【Character Panel】

【Name: Fang Cheng】

【Age: 23】

【Strength: 7】

【Agility: 9】

【Physique: 8】

【Spirit: 18】

【Attribute Points: 0】

………………

【Talent Panel】

【Appearance (Green - Excellent)】

………………

【Skill Panel】

【Speed Reading lv1 (19/250)】

【Focus lv1 (53/250)】

【Cooking lv0 (27/100)】

【Cleaning lv0 (68/100)】

【Boxing lv0 (54/100)】

………………

Fang Cheng was a transmigrator.

Strictly speaking, he was a reincarnation, having only awakened the memories of his past life a month ago.

This game-like character panel had appeared naturally alongside the recovery of those memories.

Like a virtual brain from a sci-fi novel, it was a translucent screen visible only to the host himself.

Fang Cheng called it the "Life Game Experience Panel."

After a period of exploration and practice, he had roughly figured out how it worked.

As long as he devoted himself wholeheartedly to a task, there was a chance to unlock a skill slot on the panel.

The probability was tied to his basic proficiency; the more skilled he was, the higher the chance.

After that, continuous practice related to the skill would allow him to gain experience and level up.

Every time a skill leveled up, he could receive a specialized enhancement reward.

For example, attribute points or special skill effects...

So far, the greatest benefit this "cheat" had given Fang Cheng was reigniting his passion for learning.

He was even more diligent and self-disciplined than he had been during his school days.

Through over a month of self-study for the postgraduate entrance exam, Fang Cheng had successively unlocked the "Speed Reading" and "Focus" skills.

In his daily life, he had accidentally unlocked the "Cooking" skill as well.

After discovering this, he changed his part-time job, specifically finding work at a boxing club.

It was partly for safety—wanting to pick up some self-defense skills for free—and partly to test his theory.

He wanted to see if he could unlock other types of skills beyond learning and life skills.

As it turned out, Fang Cheng’s idea was correct.

"I gained 20 experience points from just one sparring session."

"Compared to practicing alone, the efficiency is much higher..."

Fang Cheng’s eyes flickered, and he closed the panel.

His gaze then fell on his right knuckles, which were scraped and bleeding.

This was caused by punching that drunkard in the skull.

Force is reciprocal; hitting someone also meant having to endure some of the damage yourself.

That was why boxers wore gloves during training—primarily to reduce the risk of injury.

Fang Cheng rubbed his slightly aching wrist joint.

"My body is still too fragile..."

Upgrading "Speed Reading" and "Focus" had granted him a total of 5 attribute points.

Unfortunately, due to the nature of the skills themselves, they could only be added to his Spirit attribute.

After all, one could imagine a bookworm full of mental energy.

It wasn't realistic to become a muscular powerhouse just by reading and writing.

Otherwise, he would have considered increasing his Physique first.

Fang Cheng took a deep breath, gradually calming his rapidly beating heart.

Having been a shut-in for two lifetimes, this was his first time getting into a real fight and coming out on top.

It was inevitable that he would feel a bit excited, and it gave him a sense of inexplicable confidence.

"Ding-dong."

"Old Factory Street is here. Please gather your belongings and exit through the back door. Please mind your step..."

The bus announcement sounded.

Fang Cheng shouldered his bag and stepped off the bus.

He looked up at the surroundings—few streetlights and piles of trash everywhere.

He then walked across the street and into a narrower, darker alleyway.

The buildings on both sides were dilapidated, with tangled wires and packed tightly together.

Everywhere he looked, there were makeshift sheds and small advertisements for counterfeit goods and contraband.

This street was called Old Factory Street, and most of the surrounding buildings had been rebuilt shortly after the war.

Fifty years of peace had led to rapid economic development and a thriving society for the country.

A massive influx of people into Dongdu, the political and economic center, had caused an extreme shortage of housing.

This old district in Jiangbei, with its outdated facilities and relatively low rent, had become an ideal place for many migrant workers and low-income groups to settle.

Fang Cheng stopped in front of a red-brick tenement building.

He looked up.

The passageway downstairs was already packed with bicycles and electric scooters belonging to people who had returned from work, almost blocking the path.

The windows across the nine floors were a mix of light and shadow, with the occasional sound of a crying child or the clatter of a housewife’s spatula against a wok.

Fang Cheng walked up the stairs, where the lightbulbs were missing.

When he reached the top floor, he noticed a few iron basins in the hallway.

There were sparks in the basins and unburnt paper ash, emitting black smoke.

Most families here installed anti-theft iron gates.

They were the old-fashioned sliding accordion gates, connected by iron bars.

In the summer, if the residents were home, they would usually leave the main door open and close the iron gate for ventilation.

In winter, however, few people did this.

At night, the enclosed hallway lacked light and always felt eerie.

Fang Cheng scanned the area with a puzzled look, took his keys from his pocket, and walked toward his door.

Suddenly, the sound of an iron gate sliding open came from the only apartment with light spilling out.

A plump middle-aged woman poked her head out and beckoned to him

"Ah Cheng, wait a moment."

She seemed to have been waiting for a long time, then turned her head and shouted into the house

"Xiu-mei, hurry and bring the paper money and paper clothes prepared on the table!"

"Coming!"

Following the crisp reply, a quiet girl wearing a headband ran out.

She handed the items to the woman, glanced at Fang Cheng, then lowered her head and retreated back into the house.

"Your mother is really something, she’s so busy she forgot what day it is today."

The woman stuffed a large stack of carefully crafted paper clothes and gold ingots into Fang Cheng’s hands.

She then added with concern

"Go back and burn these, and light some incense for your father. By the way, do you still have incense and candles at home?"

"I do, thank you, Auntie He."

Fang Cheng held them with both hands, a grateful smile on his face.

He remembered now; today must be the "Cold Clothing Festival" for honoring ancestors.

With the fast pace of city life, the younger generation rarely observed these traditional festivals anymore.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries before parting ways.

Fang Cheng took the paper offerings and opened his iron door, which was covered in advertisements.

*Click.* The incandescent light in the entryway flickered on.

A typical home full of the atmosphere of the era came into view.

The place wasn't large.

The living room, dining room, and kitchen were all connected, totaling less than thirty square meters.

The old tables, chairs, and floor had lost their paint, yet they were scrubbed clean and shiny.

The other furniture and decorations were also in perfect order; it was clear someone had tidied up not long ago.

Fang Cheng knew his mother had been back.

His grandfather had stomach cancer and had come from the countryside to Dongdu for chemotherapy.

Outside of work, she and his uncle took turns caring for him.

She was exhausted every day, and it was rare for her to be able to come home for a good night's sleep lately.

Fang Cheng silently changed his shoes and stepped into the room.

He walked across the creaking floor to the cabinet where the television sat.

There was a photo frame there, showing a young couple holding a month-old baby.

The woman was beautiful and gentle, the man handsome and cheerful; the happiness in their eyes seemed to radiate through the glass.

This frame was also wiped very clean, and a small bronze burner was placed specifically in front of it.

The incense in the burner had long since burned to the end, leaving only the bamboo sticks at the bottom.

Fang Cheng opened the bottom drawer of the cabinet and searched carefully.

As he rummaged, an old newspaper pressed under some clutter was revealed.

The yellowed surface bore half a news headline.

"...Murderous maniac commits suicide by swallowing a gun, bloody secrets buried in a sea of fire..."

Finally, he found the remaining small bundle of incense sticks.

Fang Cheng pulled out three, relit them, and inserted them.

Then, carrying a damaged white tin basin, he squatted outside the door and burned the paper clothes and gold ingots one by one.

Watching the rising smoke and sparks, Fang Cheng narrowed his eyes slightly.

In the darkness, the firelight illuminated his face in a deep red, his pupils flickering.

It was as if some long-sealed memories were being awakened.

After a while, the ritual ended.

Fang Cheng returned to the house, washed up, and went into his bedroom.

He didn't go to sleep, but instead prepared to start his self-study.

This bedroom, which also served as a study, was only six square meters.

The cramped space had no toys or decorations, nor were there any posters of female celebrities.

On the desk were stacks of striking academic works: *World History*, *The Prince*, *Criminal Psychology*, and so on.

One book lay open, its cover reading *General Theory of Criminal Law*.

Fang Cheng sat down, picked up his alarm clock, and glanced at the time.

10:29.

"I can still study for an hour and a half."

He set the timer, then took a deep breath.

At the same time, he whispered in his heart

"Focus skill, activate!"

"Speed Reading skill, activate!"

In an instant, Fang Cheng’s gaze became calm, as if a button had been pressed in his mind.

All the distracting thoughts from before were cast to the back of his mind.

All the noise from outside—the car horns, the crying baby—gradually faded away and disappeared...

Fang Cheng sat like an old monk in meditation, his face becoming incredibly calm, while his pupils moved rapidly.

Almost every 3 or 4 seconds, his fingers flipped a page.

His eyes were bright and sharp, like a laser printer scanning and recording the textbook content.

The second hand of the alarm clock ticked away.

The thick book was constantly being flipped through, with fewer and fewer pages remaining.

Suddenly—

Fang Cheng’s brow furrowed tightly, his face showing signs of pain.

Almost simultaneously, the alarm clock let out a harsh "ring-ring" sound.

He immediately dropped the book and pressed the stop button.

He then rubbed his brow and temples vigorously to alleviate the throbbing pain in his head.

Only after a few minutes did his tense face relax, and he let out a long breath.

Right before his eyes, lines of small text scrolled and appeared.

【Your Focus skill experience +1】

【Your Speed Reading skill experience +1】

【Your Focus skill experience +2】

【Your Speed Reading skill experience +2】

【Warning! You have slightly overdrawn your spirit. Your physical state is poor. Please rest.】

"It seems that using both skills at the same time, I can only last for an hour at most..."

Fang Cheng’s face was a bit pale as he continued to rub his forehead slowly.

After "Focus" and "Speed Reading" leveled up to lv1, the effects were indeed more significant.

Correspondingly, the energy consumption, like the experience points, increased linearly in half-hour cycles.

The specific difference should be related to his Spirit attribute.

Fang Cheng closed his eyes, recalled the session, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

The speed at which he had read just now was incredibly fast.

He had successfully devoured a massive tome of over a thousand pages filled with obscure legal principles.

In the past, this would have been pure fantasy.

Although he had only skimmed through it, he had remembered the gist of the content.

But that was fine; he could continue to read it thoroughly several more times to think deeply and digest it.

That is what they mean by "gaining new insights through reviewing the old."

After a short rest, Fang Cheng began to review from the first page.

However, perhaps because his mind was too exhausted, or perhaps because his distracting thoughts had resurfaced, he couldn't even maintain his usual level of focus, let alone the state of using his skills.

"Whew—"

Fang Cheng simply closed the book and picked up his eye drops, putting a few drops into his sore eyes.

As he closed his eyes, the pale blue light screen reappeared in his mind.

Looking at the various skills listed on the panel, his thoughts drifted.

These were all his gains from the past two months.

Different skills represented different directions for development.

Cooking? Keep leveling up to become a master chef, a state banquet chef, a God of Cooking?

Cleaning? Become a cleaning expert, start a cleaning company?

Boxing? Compete professionally, win championships, fight for a world title?

Human energy is ultimately limited, and career planning requires prioritizing and focusing.

Which path should he take in the future?

Ever since he successfully unlocked the "Boxing" skill a week ago, this question had been lingering in Fang Cheng’s mind.

Get into graduate school, then earn a master's degree.

After that, use his credentials to work in a corporate legal department or a law firm.

Or stay at the university, climb the ranks, and become a lecturer, associate professor, professor...

If he didn't have this "cheat," choosing this path would undoubtedly be the most suitable for his conditions and family background.

"But—"

"What if this world isn't as ordinary as it looks on the surface?"

Fang Cheng suddenly remembered the evening of his sixth birthday.

His father, hiding a gun, walking out the door with a resolute back.

And that final last word

"Live well. Being an ordinary person is enough!"

The night grew deeper, and waves of cold air rolled in.

Fang Cheng rubbed his hands and breathed out a puff of warm air.

Looking at the neon-drenched, dark, and cold city outside the window, his eyes flickered, and his thoughts surged.

Money, power, law, social class, career...

These were ultimately external things added to human society.

"If I can evolve infinitely, break through physical limits, and transcend all social rules..."

Fang Cheng’s eyes were as hot as fire, and it felt as if a sleeping beast in his heart was being awakened.

No matter what choices he faced in the future, a sufficiently strong physique would clearly be his greatest trump card.

Thinking of this, he picked up a ballpoint pen and opened his diary.

The tip of the pen scratched across the paper as he wrote a line.

"Fitness plan, convict conditioning..."