Being forced to grow like a pig? But I'm immune to the consequences!

The next afternoon, at the training ground.

"How's everyone's training going?" Guo Hui's voice rang out again at the entrance of the training ground, breaking the silence of everyone's hard work.

"Master Guo! We've almost finished practicing!" A male voice, feigning honesty but sounding utterly off, immediately responded, its tone deliberately enthusiastic. Many of the boys, who hadn't even memorized all the movements yet, turned to look—it was Liao Xing, the dark-skinned, chubby boy with thick lips.

"Oh? You've almost finished practicing?" Guo Hui raised an eyebrow, seemingly somewhat surprised. "Then come up here and demonstrate for me."

Liao Xing feigned embarrassment, but his steps didn't falter. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he began to practice the ancient yoga technique. However, his movements were stiff and clumsy, his breathing erratic, far removed from the description of "almost."

"Tch... Is that all? What are you pretending for!"

"Yeah, this training isn't very good either," someone sneered in a low voice.

"Your lower body is unstable! Your shoulders are stiff as iron! Your core is completely disintegrated!" Guo Hui showed no mercy, giving Liao Xing a light kick to the side of his shin and sternly instructing, "Start over! Calm down, move slowly, feel the stretch in your fascia!"

Some people were still laughing at the spectacle, but others with sharp minds had already seen the trick—Liao Xing's clumsy performance not only earned him a private lesson from the instructor, but also made a strong impression on Guo Hui, a sure win.

"I'll show you two more times!" Guo Hui finished reprimanding Liao Xing, then turned to the others, his tone impatient. "All of you, pay attention and learn! If you still can't learn it, figure it out yourselves!"

After two more careful rehearsals, Guo Hui stopped and surveyed the panting teenagers: "Practice a little longer, then we'll go to the cafeteria for lunch. Just a reminder, the food there isn't free; you have to pay for it yourself! Also, if you want to temper your bodies quickly, you absolutely can't skimp on meat!"

After saying that, he turned and left again.

"Mohan, have you memorized it all? If there's anything you're still unsure about, feel free to ask me. I've already got it." Wu Sheng walked over to his friend.

Mohan scratched his head sheepishly: "Mr. Wu, thank you... My brain always gets confused." He really hadn't quite figured out the sequence of the seventy-two movements and the breathing points yet.

The two continued their practice. After fully mastering yoga, Wu Sheng also understood its effectiveness in improving the body. He practiced twice more, and the data in his consciousness started to fluctuate again:

[Body Tempering Level 1: 2/10]

"It seems that practicing twice will improve my progress by one point. Once I reach ten points, I should be able to break through to the first level of Body Tempering. I just don't know if there's such a thing as a bottleneck in Body Tempering. Also..." Wu Sheng pondered, then felt a strong emptiness in his abdomen. This ancient yoga technique consumed far more energy than expected.

"Mohan, I'm hungry, are you going to the cafeteria?"

"Let's go! We were practically face to face before!" Mohan responded immediately.

On the training field, most of the other teenagers also felt hungry and tired, so they stopped and rushed towards the canteen.

Compared to the coarse food in the outer city, the food in the canteen was quite plentiful. According to the daily standard of an ordinary person in the outer city, a person would spend about six yuan a day on food, which is two yuan per meal. Of course, this was only enough to maintain the most basic survival needs.

Here at the Hyena Gang, to keep up with the demands of body tempering, the bare minimum is clearly insufficient. Wu Sheng estimates that a single meal will cost at least six yuan, making it eighteen yuan a day. And this is just the beginning; as the tempering progresses, the costs will only increase.

"Mohan, how much money do you have on you?" Wu asked while waiting in line.

"Of the thousand dollars you gave me, I kept five hundred at home, and brought the rest with me," Mohan answered honestly.

"Listen to me, we absolutely cannot skimp on food. Eat until you're full, and eat lots of meat," Wu Sheng said firmly.

The two boys grabbed two large platters piled high with food, found a seat, and began to feast. They stood out in the cafeteria because most of the boys came from poor families and only dared to order the cheapest rice with pickled vegetables, carefully calculating every penny.

After the meal, everyone returned to the training ground. Guo Hui and Zhang Yong also returned at this time, with Zhang Yong carrying a silver briefcase.

"Don't be lazy after you've eaten your fill. This is the best time to practice," Guo Hui said, gesturing for Zhang Yong to open the box. Inside were neatly stacked sealed vials of faintly glowing potions, exquisitely crafted, a stark contrast to the rough and crude appearance of the outer city.

"Potential Enhancement Potions. The top five in the punching power test will each receive two doses; the rest will receive one dose each," Guo Hui announced. "Those who receive two doses should use one dose per day; don't try to use too many at once."

The medicine was quickly distributed. Someone couldn't help but ask, "Master Guo, from now on... will we follow this procedure forever?"

Seeing the longing and anxiety in everyone's eyes for the extra team, Guo Hui's lips curled into a predictable smile: "Of course not. We test punching power every four days, and the rankings are updated. The capable rise, and the mediocre fall! Those who perform exceptionally well, we instructors, might even receive extra rewards in private."

These words were like a pebble thrown into a still lake, creating ripples. Some were excited, while others felt a sudden increase in pressure, and an invisible competitive atmosphere instantly spread.

"However," Guo Hui's tone shifted, becoming somewhat cold, "all of this is predicated on you first mastering yoga! I see some people still completely lost. I don't have time to teach them one-on-one. Those who haven't learned yet but want to learn? Sure, fifty yuan, and I'll give you one individual instruction."

Having said that, he ignored everyone's reactions and left. The boys who were still waiting for free lessons were struck dumb, their faces turning deathly pale.

Fortunately, Wu Sheng had already mastered it, and Mo Han was almost there with his help.

"Potential Enhancement Potion..." Wu Sheng examined the cool vial in his hand, unscrewed the cap, and tilted his head back to drink it. The potion tasted cool upon entering his mouth, but as he began practicing yoga, a burning sensation suddenly rose from his lower abdomen, accompanied by a slight tingling, instantly spreading throughout his limbs!

Under the influence of the medicine, every movement he made was filled with surging power, and he could almost hear the sound of his blood rushing with each breath. His condition was better than ever before, and his body tempering progress was skyrocketing!

[Body Tempering Level 1: 4/10]

Just one pass, and the progress increased by two points! Efficiency quadrupled!

However, just as Wu Sheng was amazed by the effects of the medicine, he suddenly noticed an abnormal change in the prokaryotic data:

[Wu Sheng]: Vitality 12/13 (11-/15+)

"?!" Wu Sheng's heart skipped a beat. His life force was being depleted, yet its upper limit was increasing... This was clearly a sign that his body was suffering some kind of damage!

"Harm? Could it be this potential potion?" He immediately focused his suspicions. Suppressing his doubts, Wu Sheng decided to continue—with the original core bearing the cost, he had nothing to fear.

After practicing three more times, the moment when a certain movement was perfectly synchronized with his breathing, Wu Sheng felt a surge of energy and blood within his body, and a warm current flowed through some of the stagnant areas.

[Body Tempering Level 2: 0/20]

Breakthrough!

At the same time, the damaging effect stopped.

[Wu Sheng]: Vitality 12/14 (Original Core: 7/17)

"Breaking through one level increases my maximum life force by one point, but my primordial core's maximum increases by two points..." Wu Sheng realized, "This damage really did originate from the potential-enhancing potion!"

He had initially thought that the potential-enhancing potion was a tonic similar to elixirs, but now it seemed more like a potent drug that drastically squeezed out the body's potential and overdrawn its vitality. The exhilarating feeling of being filled with power was nothing more than a fleeting illusion during the overdraft process.

"No wonder... Yangon, with its rigid class system, generously offers opportunities for advancement to people from the outer city. This kind of training comes at a higher cost than one might imagine."

With vitality being depleted like this, a reduction in the upper limit is inevitable. If this continues, lifespan will likely be significantly shortened.

However, this is exceptionally suitable for Wu Sheng. With the original core bearing the cost, he can take this medicine without any scruples.

"One potion directly contributed eight points to my body tempering progress, and I haven't seen any bottleneck yet... Is it my innate talent, or the power of my original core?" He pondered, looking at Mohan beside him who had just finished a round of practice.

"Mohan, how are you feeling? Any unusual reactions from your body?"

Mohan frowned: "At first, I felt full of energy after drinking it, but now... the energy seems to have worn off, and I'm just extremely tired and hungry."

As the two were talking, two figures approached. Wu Sheng looked up and recognized them as Wang An and Yan Liang from the same gathering place, Xu Fei's former followers. He hadn't expected them to have passed the preliminary test as well.

"Wu Sheng, how's your practice going? Let's practice together and give each other some pointers?" Yan Liang said with a forced smile.

Wu Sheng asked calmly, "What do you mean?"

"It's just about practicing together and exchanging ideas," Wang An added, but his eyes flickered slightly.

Wu Sheng understood immediately. This talk of mutual guidance was nothing more than the two of them not having learned the skills yet, and unwilling to spend fifty yuan to have Guo Hui teach them, so they wanted to get it for free from him. Knowing their character, he knew that if he taught them well, they might not appreciate it; if he taught them poorly, they would only complain.

"No interest," Wu Sheng replied directly.

"Mr. Wu, we're from the same place, so we should look out for each other here..." Yan Liang tried to appeal to their emotions.

Wu Sheng sneered inwardly, about to speak, when a voice feigning maturity interrupted:

"That's right! What's wrong with helping a fellow villager? It's unreasonable not to help with such a small thing!"

The one who said this was none other than Liao Xing, the chubby, round-faced boy.

Mohan immediately flew into a rage and retorted without hesitation, "You fatso, if you're so helpful, why don't you teach me? Anyone can talk the talk, but you're just full of schemes!"

He then turned to Wang An and Yan Liang, his tone even more aggressive: "What are you standing here for? If you really want to learn, pay up and go find Master Guo! Stop giving each other disgusting advice!"

Mohan's direct exposure of their intentions left Wang An and Yan Liang pale-faced, and they could only slink away. Liao Xing, his face flushed red with embarrassment, stubbornly insisted, "I'll teach! I'm not as petty as some people!"

Mohan immediately retorted, "Then why didn't you say that earlier! Stop pretending to be a big shot!"

Wang An and Yan Liang walked sullenly toward Liao Xing, muttering under their breath, "Fine, don't teach him then, why are you being so petty..."

"that is!"

Mohan, with his sharp ears, immediately yelled back, "What are you muttering about? Try saying another word! Get lost!"

Over there, Wang An, Yan Liang, and Liao Xing had already huddled together. Yan Liang deliberately said loudly, "Liao Xing, we won't learn for nothing. How about we both chip in, and I'll give you fifty yuan?"

Liao Xing waved his hand dismissively, "Talking about money hurts feelings! We're all friends, just train with me!" As he spoke, he added pointedly, "I'm different from some people."

Wang An immediately chimed in, "Brother Liao is so generous!"

Not far away, Mohan shook his head, saying, "Wu Sheng, I've really seen something new today."

Wu Sheng said calmly, "Keep practicing. In this place, strength ultimately matters."

---

The breakthrough to the first level of Body Tempering brought a significant increase in physical strength, and the training effect was also better. Throughout the morning, even with the huge consumption brought by the potential-enhancing drug, Wu Sheng still completed ten repetitions of the yoga technique. The first four repetitions advanced him by eight points with the help of the drug, and the efficiency of the last six repetitions was not much worse. On the contrary, due to the breakthrough in realm, his physical coordination was better, and the muscle groups exerted force more significantly, increasing his progress by a total of four points.

[Body Tempering Level 2: 4/20]

After ten repetitions, it was nearly noon. Wu Sheng was not only starving, but also feeling a deep sense of exhaustion.

"Thanks to your advice, I had a good meal. This body tempering is a bottomless pit. If we had eaten like before, we would have collapsed after only half a session." Mohan practiced eight times, and his energy was also greatly depleted.

On the training field, many people had already exhausted themselves and were resting due to insufficient food intake. Others were still gritting their teeth and persevering, but either due to poor aptitude or ineffective technique, they were simply pushing through in vain. In Liao Xing's small circle, practice was still going on, but it wasn't Liao Xing teaching them; instead, it was Zhang Lin, the skinny boy who had helped him out the night before, struggling to demonstrate the name.

"Do you even know how to do it? If you don't, just say so! I feel like I've wasted all that potential-boosting potion!" Wang An complained.

"Exactly, it's a complete mess." Yan Liang also looked dissatisfied.

The two were pointing their fingers at Zhang Lin. Zhang Lin looked at Liao Xing pleadingly, trembling. Liao Xing, however, wore a look of utter disappointment and disgust: "Zhang Lin, why didn't you tell me sooner? Look at this mess..."

Zhang Lin stood frozen in place, his face pale. He was filled with grievances, but because of his weak personality and fear of losing his only friend, he dared not argue back.

"That's disgusting," Mohan glanced at them and said disdainfully, "They're only half-baked themselves but they try to teach others, and when they can't teach well, they try to shift the blame. Those two are no good either, getting something for nothing and still daring to complain."

Wu Sheng sighed inwardly, "Malice always flows to the weakest, the one with the least resistance. If Zhang Lin were exceptionally talented, even if he were weak, they would still show a different face..."

At this moment, Yan Liang seemed to realize the gazes around him, and suddenly changed his expression, smiling as he patted Zhang Lin on the shoulder: "Forget it, it's no big deal, we're all friends." This magnanimous attitude made it seem as if Zhang Lin had done something wrong and he had forgiven him.

Although Zhang Lin still had grievances, seeing that the atmosphere among the group had eased, he didn't say anything more and just silently swallowed his anger.

……

At lunchtime, due to the breakthrough and the consumption of the medicine, Wu Sheng's appetite increased dramatically, and he ate eight yuan's worth of food in one meal. On the other side, Wang An and Yan Liang naturally sat down at the same table with Liao Xing and Zhang Lin.

"Hey Zhang Lin, the food looks good today!" Wang An spotted the large pieces of meat on Zhang Lin's plate and, without saying a word, grabbed the biggest piece with his chopsticks. Yan Liang grinned and followed suit, grabbing a piece as well.

"You guys..." Zhang Lin hadn't even touched his chopsticks when nearly half of the meat on the plate was gone.

"Why are you so stingy? It's just a piece of your meat." Wang An had taken advantage of the situation but was still self-righteous.

Zhang Lin opened his mouth, but in the end he could only swallow his anger and silently eat his rice.

……

In the afternoon, Wu Sheng and Mo Han returned to the training ground after a short rest. At this time, many teenagers who had not yet mastered yoga were already gritting their teeth and paying Guo Hui for instruction. Even those who had already learned the techniques were taking advantage of the break to ask him for advice, trying to build a closer relationship.

"Wu Sheng, should we also go and have a chat with Master Guo? To reconnect?" Mo Han asked, feeling that Wu Sheng should understand these social niceties.

Upon hearing this, Wu Sheng looked in the direction of Guo Hui's office.

He didn't know what kind of person Guo Hui was, but in this low-level environment, before he had enough strength to protect his own safety, it was always a good thing to communicate more with the other party, who was his instructor.

but……

Wu Sheng looked at Mo Han with a sincere expression: "Mo Han, to be honest, this is not my position."

Mohan nodded: "It's alright. Anyway, I do have some connections in the Hyena Gang, so maybe I can find an opportunity to pay them a visit."

"Relationship? Relatives?" Mr. Wu was slightly surprised.

Mohan explained, "That's because you're not thinking straight. The Hyena Gang members didn't just spring from a rock; most of them are from the outer city's settlements. However, as far as I know, once you reach the third level of Body Tempering and join a gang, you can only go to other areas and can't stay in your original settlement area. But even so, the Hyena Gang members still keep in touch with each other."

There was a man in our community who used to be a member of the Hyena Gang, and he was even a relative of mine. He told me that if I chose to go down the gang path and encountered problems, I could ask one of his friends for help.

Wu Sheng suddenly understood. This slightly eased his worries that Brother Xu Fei might use local gang forces to retaliate. But the sense of urgency hadn't disappeared; who knew if that person would come knocking on his door in person?

His energy was not as high in the afternoon as it was in the morning. Before dinner, Wu Sheng completed eight more repetitions of the exercise.

[Body Tempering Level 2: 10/20]

After dinner, Guo Hui returned to the training ground and loudly encouraged everyone: "If you want to go far on the path of body tempering, if you want to enter the inner city, if you want to join a gang, talent, resources, and perseverance are all indispensable! Train like your lives depend on it! Train until you drop, or at least become a respectable person!"

Whether they were truly inspired or not, many teenagers still mustered their spirits and continued to work hard, sweating profusely.

However, after practicing twice more and increasing his body tempering progress, Wu Sheng felt that his physical strength was exhausted, so he returned to the dormitory with Mo Han.

He had a clear understanding of his own condition. He knew that only by resting well could he have more energy to continue tempering his body.

Mohan had wanted to go back to sleep for a long time, and if it weren't for Wu Sheng, he probably wouldn't have come to the training ground after dinner.

"These two can't even persevere, and they don't listen to Master Guo. Sigh..." Liao Xing, who occasionally kept an eye on Wu Sheng and the other man, noticed them leaving and immediately adopted a fatherly tone, saying this.

"Exactly, sigh..." Yan Liang also pretended to know a lot and commented. But the next moment, he thought of something and said loudly in front of the group, "However, we can't say that. Everyone has their own thoughts. Maybe they have their own plans for doing this."

-

The dormitory bed was hard, but Wu Sheng was so exhausted that he fell asleep almost immediately. Just before drifting off to sleep, he vaguely thought: Tomorrow is another new day, and I'm one step closer to my goal.