Without opening his eyes, Qin Fen was already smiling; he knew the breathing patterns of two of them far too well—Lin Liqiang and Inzarotta.

“I say, since you’re awake, shouldn't you open your eyes?” Lin Liqiang’s expression, tense for the past seven days, instantly snapped back to his usual careless demeanor.

“My treat,” Inzarotta smiled at the newly awakened Qin Fen.

“Deal!” Qin Fen agreed heartily, then suddenly paused, thinking it over, and asked, “Is this my first time treating?”

Lin Liqiang stroked his chin in mock contemplation, then replied very seriously, “I think so.”

“McDonald’s it is.” Qin Fen stretched, and the bones in his body immediately cracked and popped.

“Decided!” Lin Liqiang’s expression suddenly turned extremely resolute: “I declare! Except for Old Qin’s first time in a romantic sense, I plan to seize all his other first times…”

Song Jia watched the three laughing friends with a hint of envy. This kind of friendship was something she had never experienced. No wonder Lin Liqiang was willing to defy his elders and live on his own; this was what he had been searching for.

Lost in her thoughts, Song Jia studied Qin Fen again. While he was asleep, he had radiated an intimidating, sharp martial intent. Once awake, that intent and sharpness vanished instantly. The aura he now emitted was no longer merely blending with his surroundings; it subtly carried the bearing of a true Grandmaster.

Although both Master and Grandmaster contained the character Shi (Master/Teacher), the gulf between them was immense, something only those who had truly reached that level could comprehend. Having the aura of a Master at such a young age was already incredible; possessing the bearing of a Grandmaster was unheard of, especially for a Three-Star expert.

On the street. A small McDonald’s restaurant. Around a four-person table. Lin Liqian, Inzarotta, and Song Jia stared at Qin Fen as if he were a monster.

One person consuming fifteen Big Macs in one go, washing them down with five large Cokes, and still signaling for more food was enough to stun the three seasoned observers into silence.

“Listen, man…” Lin Liqiang managed to collect his thoughts, “Buddy, even though you’re treating, do you have to eat this ferociously? These are all high-calorie items. Is your body okay?”

“No problem. I was really hungry after sleeping for a few days.” As Qin Fen spoke, he finished the sixteenth Big Mac.

Such an appetite was enough to extinguish any remaining desire to eat in the others watching him.

With the imposing presence of Lin Liqiang and Inzarotta beside her, Song Jia didn’t dare probe Qin Fen further. She simply watched him with curiosity. On the way to this McDonald’s, she had closely observed Qin Fen’s gait.

The vast majority of martial artists carry the imprint of their cultivation methods in their walk. Song Jia wanted to know what Qin Fen practiced, but the more she looked, the stranger it became. Qin Fen wasn't deliberately hiding his method, but precisely because of that, Song Jia found herself even more unable to understand it.

Coming from a prestigious family, with a grandfather who was a contemporary master on Earth, Song Jia was confident that even if she couldn't identify his exact technique, she could at least discern its category. For instance, someone practicing Golden Bell Shield type techniques would feel, to a perceptive martial artist, like a moving tank when walking without concealment. If it were something like Heavenly Bird Skill, he would carry the air of someone ready to take flight at any moment.

Yet, Qin Fen’s posture was peculiar: it had shadows of external hardening methods like the Golden Bell Shield, the lightness of skills like the Heavenly Bird Skill, and the echoes of true internal arts like Taiji. In short, the qualities Qin Fen displayed could best be summarized by one fitting description: chaotic!

But it was this very chaos that simultaneously gave Song Jia the sensation of a Great Grandmaster who had synthesized all martial arts under heaven.

Synthesized all martial arts? The thought flashed through Song Jia’s mind, and she almost laughed out loud. How was that possible? Qin Fen came from humble beginnings; he lacked the means to assimilate all ancient martial arts, even if he wished to. Moreover, for someone so young, even if he were a generational genius, mastering all ancient martial arts was impossible. Even his grandfather, Song Wendong, had only integrated portions of ancient martial arts to create his own path, already making him a top-tier Grandmaster. How could a boy under twenty achieve such a feat?

Song Jia dismissed her speculation while continuously observing Qin Fen, who was now dispatching his eighteenth burger. If he wasn't a Grandmaster who had merged martial arts, why did the aura he radiated bear a resemblance to her grandfather’s? Though lacking the sheer grandeur of her grandfather’s presence, it undeniably contained a shadow of Grandmasterly bearing.

Song Jia couldn't figure it out and hesitated to probe in front of Inzarotta, so she remained silently puzzled. To undergo such a transformation after just a few days of sleep seemed utterly miraculous!

“Hey, Old Qin,” Lin Liqiang asked casually while holding a large Coke, “The major exams are coming up soon. Have you decided which school you’re aiming for?”

“I want to aim for the number one academy in Asia,” Qin Fen replied seriously after taking a sip of his drink. “Whether I get in or not, I plan to enlist first, and then go to school.”

“Enlist?” Lin Liqiang choked on his Coke. Inzarotta’s eyes flickered with slight surprise, and Song Jia stared at Qin Fen, her eyes wide. It wasn't forbidden to join the military after high school graduation, but doing so usually meant limited opportunities for advancement; at best, one served their term and received a severance package from the Federation.

“The military provides food and lodging, and offers a high severance package upon retirement, along with opportunities for free university—at minimum, the Federation pays half the tuition. It’s a good deal,” Qin Fen explained earnestly. For those with deep backgrounds, unless he clarified, they might not understand; despite being geniuses, they often lacked Qin Fen's practical foresight gained from early self-reliance.

“Makes sense~” Lin Liqiang nodded with a smile. “Free food and board, and female officers in uniform are just too stunning! It looks like I need to consider asking those guys at University of Science and Technology to hold my spot for now.”

“It doesn't suit you,” Qin Fen stated flatly. “You have a greater destiny ahead; there’s no need to enter the army straight out of high school.”

Lin Liqiang smiled and nodded. True friends should be this direct with their opinions; that was how men should interact.