America: Starting from collecting corpses, leveling up to godhood

Chapter 145 Michelle's New Goal

Baseballs were launched continuously from the machine at tricky angles, sometimes high and sometimes low.

Chen Ming nimbly maneuvered within the narrow space.

He tilts his head, crouches, slides, and even occasionally reaches out and casually deflects baseballs that would otherwise hit his shoulder.

Not a single ball could even brush against the hem of his shirt.

Fifteen minutes later, the entire basket of baseballs was empty, scattered all over the ground.

Chen Ming didn't even dabble in his breathing; he quickly assessed the test data in his mind.

With his current agility and reflexes, dodging a baseball traveling at 185 kilometers per hour is like taking a walk.

In a street shootout, if the enemy pulls the trigger seven steps away, he can easily dodge the bullet if he sees the enemy's aiming motion in advance.

Dodging bullets doesn't mean you need to be faster than the bullets; you just need to be faster than your aim.

"Are you demolishing the wall down there?" Sophia's muffled knocking suddenly came from outside the basement door.

"Good heavens, I can hear banging noises even from the second floor—what on earth are you doing?"

"The machine is working properly." Chen Ming swept all the baseballs on the ground into the storage box in the corner.

"I'll be right up."

"You'd better hurry up, or the homeowners' association will still issue a noise fine later," Sofia shouted through the door.

Hearing the distant sound of high heels outside the door, Chen Ming did not immediately head towards the stairs, but instead went to the center of the shock-absorbing pad.

After testing speed and explosiveness, it's time to test endurance and physical strength.

He braced himself with his hands on the ground, arms outstretched, legs slowly dangling into the air, his entire body perfectly parallel to the ground—a standard static Russian stretch.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Chen Ming hovered steadily in mid-air. Apart from his breathing becoming slightly deeper, he didn't sweat much, nor did he experience any severe muscle soreness or discomfort.

This achievement is more than double the world record.

But he did not stop there.

Chen Ming slightly adjusted his center of gravity, withdrew his palms, and used his index and middle fingers to support his entire body weight, starting to do two-finger push-ups.

After a few easy ups and downs, he suddenly lifted his legs upwards, his body standing upright upside down.

Immediately afterwards, he withdrew his left hand, and the auxiliary fingers of his right hand also retracted one after another.

The entire weight of his body was now pressing down on the single thumb of his right hand!

One-finger handstand without wall support.

Chen Ming stood upside down in mid-air, carefully feeling the pressure transmitted through his finger bones.

There was no stinging pain, and no feeling of impending breakage.

It can be confirmed that the improvement in physical fitness is comprehensive, fully encompassing the evolution of bones and internal organs.

This extreme action has nothing to do with the amount of force. Performing a single-finger handstand without the aid of a wall means that even the slightest tilt of the body will cause the enormous torque to break the finger bone immediately.

But Chen Ming has now completely broken through this barrier, which means that his bone density and toughness have far exceeded those of normal humans.

He exerted force with his fingertips, flipped himself, and landed back on the ground.

Half an hour later, after completing all the tests, Chen Ming wrote down the final conclusion in his phone's private notes app.

All physical indicators have surpassed the highest human limits by 50% to 150%.

Furthermore, Chen Ming is neither a heavyweight strongman who sacrifices agility for absolute strength, nor a lightweight gymnast who sacrifices strength for weight.

This all-around, flawless hexagonal warrior panel means that he can no longer be called "human".

If we add a little more—

He could probably actually go to Hollywood Boulevard, buy a bodysuit, and make a cameo appearance as a weakling superhero at night.

"Bang."

Chen Ming pushed open the basement door and returned to the living room, where Sophia was sprawled on the sofa, rolling her eyes at her phone screen.

"Are prices in California completely out of control?" She turned her phone screen towards Chen Ming.

"I ordered a burger for about ten dollars on DoorDash, but after delivery, service charge, tip, and that damn California Proposition 22 surcharge, they actually charged me almost thirty dollars!"

"Then you can simply walk two blocks to buy it yourself."

Chen Ming took a bottle of ice water and unscrewed it.

"Walk over there? On the streets of Los Angeles at eight o'clock at night?" Sofia waved her hand.

"I'd rather be robbed by an UberEats driver than be robbed by a homeless person who has pitched a tent on the side of the road."

As they were talking, Chen Ming's phone vibrated in his pocket.

A name that always gave him a headache was flashing on the screen—Michelle.

"Big reporter, do you have some news that the Los Angeles Times is afraid to publish this time?"

Chen Ming pressed the speakerphone button.

"Chen, you'll never guess what I dug up today—" Michelle's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"A perfect investigative target can definitely make headlines!"

"The last time you were this excited, I got shot in the thigh." Chen Ming took a sip of water, his tone completely flat.

"What are you planning to make me take this time? An AR-15 or a fragmentation grenade?"

"Also, you'd better not tell me you're going to investigate military assets. If you are, you'll need the Avengers as bodyguards. Normal humans can't withstand an accidental detonation of an anti-aircraft missile—"

"Hey, don't hold a grudge like that," Michelle coughed twice, trying to cover up her embarrassment.

"I swear, this target is only slightly dangerous, and it's definitely within your control."

"Define your little bit."

"A high-end drug rehabilitation center called 'Paradise' in Malibu Beach claims to be a private sanatorium, charging as much as $50,000 a month for a bed and guaranteeing absolute client privacy —"

Sofia, who was listening nearby, was speechless with astonishment.

"Fifty thousand? What services do they offer? Do they use Lafite for bathing?"

"Obviously not, they usually use much more disgusting things." Michelle heard Sophia's voice but didn't pay attention.

"My informant told me that the place is actually a money laundering hub under the guise of drug rehabilitation, hosting all sorts of underground parties and orgies. If we could get their internal client list and some evidence—"

"Are all the clients big shots? What about security?" Chen Ming asked bluntly.

"Actually, there aren't any really big shots. They're all nouveau riche and minor celebrities. The security detail consists of just a dozen or so former Marines and some private security personnel, none of whom have heavy firepower," Michelle said, trying her best to downplay the situation.

"They're having an inside party tomorrow night and urgently need to hire a team of high-level security guards."

"You want me to infiltrate and become a security guard?"

"I've already obtained forged passes. We can sneak in disguise as bodyguards, and you'll cover me as I infiltrate the server room to copy data," Michelle said, offering her bargaining chip.

"After it's done, $50,000 in cash, plus any bearer bonds or illicit money you find inside, are yours. I only..."

I need the list and the news.

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