Where's my golden core? Did you think I removed a kidney stone?

At 9:00 AM sharp, the starting gun fired.

Crowds surged.

The Jiangcheng Marathon is a triennial citywide event with no entry requirements; anyone interested can register to participate. Professional athletes and amateur enthusiasts compete on the same track. The course starts from the Municipal Sports Center, circles the city along the main thoroughfare, and is 42 kilometers long.

The starting line was packed with people, dressed in all sorts of outfits: professional running shoes with compression pants, ordinary sportswear with canvas shoes, and even some dressed in mascot costumes to join in the fun. The sides of the track were crowded with onlookers, taking photos and videos with their phones, creating a festive atmosphere.

Among the crowd was a young man, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a strong build and well-defined muscles. He was wearing professional marathon gear: compression shirt, quick-drying shorts, and carbon fiber running shoes. He was clearly a trained athlete.

His name is Chen Rui, a retired middle- and long-distance runner from the provincial sports team. He now works as a coach at a gym in Jiangcheng. He is determined to win this marathon and also to give his gym a good boost. He will definitely not miss this opportunity. He trained for three months before the race, with his pace accurate to the minute and second per kilometer. His goal today is to run in under three hours and ten minutes.

As soon as the starting gun fired, Chen Rui started at his own pace, maintaining a steady pace, breathing smoothly, and keeping his heart rate at around 150 beats per minute – a textbook example of marathon running.

For the first hundred meters, the crowd was still packed together, everyone trying to find their own rhythm.

Then a gust of wind suddenly rushed past him.

Whoosh!

A figure swept past him to his left, moving so fast that Chen Rui only had time to make out a blurry outline. The person was wearing a white tracksuit with the words "Jiangcheng First People's Hospital" printed on the back, and was carrying a heavy first-aid kit in their right hand.

It shot off in a flash.

Chen Rui almost lost his footing.

isn't it?

What speed was that?

He glanced at his sports watch subconsciously; his current pace was four and a half minutes per kilometer, which was already considered quite fast for an amateur athlete.

But that person's speed just now was at least twice that of him!

And he was carrying that box that looked really heavy!

but……

This is a marathon, man!

Forty-two kilometers!

This is not a 100-meter sprint!

Why are you rushing out now?

What is the core of a marathon? It's about energy distribution, breathing rhythm, heart rate control, and finishing the race in the most economical way. Sprinting too fast at the beginning will inevitably lead to a collapse at the end; this is an ironclad rule, and any experienced runner knows this.

Those who sprint at full speed from the start are either clueless newbies running a marathon for the first time, or they're just there to make a fool of themselves.

Chen Rui shook his head, looked away, and continued running at his own pace.

Just wait, at most five kilometers, and that guy will be down.

……

On both sides of the track, onlookers also noticed the white figure.

"Holy crap, did you guys see that? That guy just now!"

"That speed... it feels about the same as those sprinters I used to watch at the Olympics!"

"And he's carrying a suitcase! That suitcase looks heavy! Who is this guy? How can he be so strong?"

"Damn, I just realized this is a marathon, not a 100-meter sprint! Did this guy wander into the wrong race track? Or is he trying to be funny?"

"Oh right, I heard that Jiangcheng required the First People's Hospital to send a medical support team to follow them. Could it be them?"

"Huh? Where did they go? How come they disappeared in the blink of an eye?"

Everyone craned their necks to look ahead at the track, but the white figure had already disappeared into the crowd.

……

Su Ye slowed down.

He had only wanted to test his current explosive power. The extent of the physical changes brought about by his cultivation over the past few days could not be measured by simply squeezing can lids in his rented room... So, after learning about the marathon, he was actually quite excited.

The result was even more exaggerated than he had expected.

"I didn't use my full strength just now. My initial estimate is that my current explosive power is more than three times that of a national-level sprinter. My training over this period of time has not been in vain." Su Ye was satisfied.

The moment he started running, he exerted only a little force and felt as if his legs were equipped with springs. Every step he took gave him propulsion far beyond that of an ordinary person. The wind whistled past his ears, and the figures around him rushed past in his field of vision. The first aid kit he was carrying in his right hand weighed about 15 kilograms, but it felt light in his hand, as if he were carrying an empty backpack.

For a moment, he even got a little carried away, wanting to see how fast he could run at full speed.

But reason quickly pulled him back.

Low-key.

Su Ye quickly slowed down and merged into the middle section of the crowd, disappearing into the dense mass of runners and becoming inconspicuous.

He jogged along the track for a while and soon spotted three familiar figures ahead.

Su Bei, Wang Dandan, and Wang Luo were keeping pace with the group in the middle. Su Bei's steps were steady and composed, Wang Dandan was already slightly out of breath but was still persevering, and Wang Luo's face was flushed but his smile was still there.

The atmosphere of a marathon is truly infectious. You're surrounded by runners of all ages and speeds, all running in the same direction. That collective rhythm makes you unconsciously want to keep running, and even Wang Dandan didn't give up.

Su Ye caught up from behind and walked alongside them.

Wang Dandan was the first to notice him, panting and wide-eyed: "Boss Su? What were you doing? You disappeared as soon as we started running!"

Su Bei also turned her head to look at him, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Wang Luo was even more direct: "Brother Su, didn't you just rush to the front? I think I saw a white shadow disappear in a flash, was that you?"

Su Ye remained unfazed: "You must have mistaken me. That shouldn't be me. But I haven't run in a long time. I just tested it out to see if my body has rusted."

The three nodded knowingly.

That's true. They rarely exercise these days. They usually stand next to the teachers to ask questions, write medical records, and assist in surgeries. They're so busy with work that they don't have time to run. It's normal for them to sprint occasionally to test their leg strength.

Then Wang Luo's gaze fell on the first aid kit that Su Ye was carrying in his right hand.

"Um... Brother Su, are you really going to keep carrying this all the time?" He looked at the heavy box, then at Su Ye who wasn't even out of breath, and swallowed hard. "How about we take turns? After all, we still have to run and carry this..."

Su Ye shook the first-aid kit, his teeth gleaming.

"No problem."

Looking at Su Ye's relaxed expression, and then at his own aching arms, Wang Luo silently tightened his simple first-aid kit around his shoulder.

That's outrageous!

Su Bei and Wang Dandan, standing to the side, both had sparkling eyes. They had to admit that having such a physical powerhouse in the team was incredibly satisfying. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for them to even run away. And with those boxes in hand, they could have just killed them!