"Breakthrough?" The female attendant, despite disliking Park Jong-hwan's arrogant demeanor, couldn't help but inject a note of admiration into her tone. "I remember you were a Three-Star when you arrived. Now you’re Four-Star? How old are you! You're a genius."

"Is that so?"

Park Jong-hwan smiled and didn't deny it. People had called him a genius since he was young. After a long time, seeing martial artists his age progress so much slower than him on the path of the martial way, he had gradually started accepting the title.

Now, having broken through to Four-Star strength, Park Jong-hwan was certain that very few recruits in the entire rookie camp could manage it. The title of 'genius' was indeed deserved.

Exiting the gravity room, Park Jong-hwan basked in the sunlight, the corner of his mouth curling slightly. "Still, I think I'll head back to the barracks first."

He quickened his pace. Displaying his Four-Star strength, Park Jong-hwan found a spiritual enjoyment in running against the wind.

A little over ten minutes later, the gravity room door opened again.

This time, it was the door to the 1.5x gravity room. The female attendant stared blankly at Qin Fen standing at the threshold.

This... this young man who looked like he was in a coma, he was actually in seclusion! He had actually emerged!

Compared to Park Jong-hwan’s refreshed spirit, Qin Fen was utterly exhausted. To break through to Four-Star had nearly worn him out completely. Upon waking, there was no joy of breakthrough, only overwhelming fatigue and the gnawing ache of hunger.

He hadn't eaten in too long! If the Light Person hadn't somehow regulated his body, he would have surely succumbed to malnutrition and fainted during his long seclusion.

"You... you..." The female attendant was speechless for a moment.

Qin Fen leaned against the doorframe, weakly inquiring, "Excuse me... is there any food available at this hour?"

"Yes, yes!" Seeing Qin Fen’s lack of strength, but noting the sudden gleam in his eyes when food was mentioned, the attendant nodded hastily. "We have food available at all hours here. I'll take you."

Qin Fen took slightly unsteady steps. "Is it still next door?"

"It is."

"Then I’ll manage myself. No need to trouble you." Qin Fen nodded. This breakthrough had been far more troublesome than the last one. He needed to prepare better next time.

Arriving at the small mess hall attached to the gravity room, the chef spotted Qin Fen immediately. "Kid, you’re out! Huh, judging by your aura, you broke through."

"Yes. I broke through." Qin Fen maintained basic politeness and slumped onto a dining chair. "I’m starving. Is there anything to eat?"

The chef gave Qin Fen a deep look, the kind of gaze an elder gives a junior who has been reckless. "Next time, see if you still dare attempt a breakthrough without taking care of yourself. Who breaks through like you? Not eating or drinking, do you think you're made of iron?"

Chopping vegetables, stoking the fire, pouring oil...

"Hold on, since you’re this hungry, you need extra nutrition. I’ll make you something proper."

As he spoke, the chef tossed some ingredients Qin Fen had never seen before into the wok. The food sizzled loudly against the searing oil, and soon, a piping hot, extra-large nutrient meal was ready.

Qin Fen was too hungry to care. After thanking the chef, he immediately began chewing slowly and deliberately.

This food tasted even worse than the last batch, yet in Qin Fen’s mouth, it was indescribably delicious.

Indeed. There is no such thing as bad-tasting food in this world; if you think it tastes bad, it’s because you aren’t hungry enough! Qin Fen felt immensely satisfied as his previously established theory was proven true once again.

The chef smiled and started preparing a second, even larger, nutrient meal. Through his conversations with Squad Leader Hao, he trusted Qin Fen's self-control. No matter how hungry, Qin Fen wouldn't overeat and ruin his body. Once he hit a certain limit, he would definitely stop eating.

While stirring the ladle, the chef picked up his phone to call Squad Leader Hao and report the good news. "Old Hao, that kid Qin Fen is out. He’s eating here. Good! I’ll have him wait for you here."

As Qin Fen was finishing his third extra-large nutrient meal, Squad Leader Hao was the first to rush into the mess hall.

"Kid! Are you alright!" Squad Leader Hao grabbed Qin Fen's head with both hands, examining him left and right. "What in the world are you doing? Is there any way to go into seclusion like that? Are you trying to die?"

Qin Fen could only offer a wry smile. Who wouldn't want a normal seclusion? The problem was the Light Person in the dream was clearly not open to negotiation, trapping him firmly until the breakthrough was achieved.

"What are you smiling at? Haste is the enemy on the martial path. You were too impulsive in this life-or-death seclusion. It could have caused serious problems." Although the Butcher's tone was corrective, it was still filled with the affection an elder has for a junior.

Qin Fen could only offer a wry smile again and again. It was best to keep the matter of the Light Person and the liquid metal secret. The scene of those few people fighting to the death over it clearly seemed related to the liquid metal. Who knew what secrets were hidden behind it? Even the closest people were better off not knowing, lest they get dragged into danger later.

Regarding the liquid metal, Qin Fen deliberately avoided thinking about that day's scene. The murder incident in the dark alley—whenever he recalled it, he felt a dangerous aura lingering around it.

"Qin Fen is Qin Zhan’s younger brother." Phoenix’s voice carried a tone of distinct pride. "I told you all you were worrying needlessly."

"Yeah, we were worrying needlessly." The Waste Captain grinned so widely his eyebrows nearly reached his hairline. "I wonder who was the most anxious these past few days."

Phoenix made a gesture as if to hit him, but Gerile quickly stepped in to mediate. "Alright, alright, it’s good the kid is fine."

Qin Fen looked at the people surrounding him, feeling waves of genuine emotion. That level of care couldn't be faked.

The Brute snatched a spoonful of Qin Fen's nutrient meal, immediately spitting it out with a noisy ‘Ptooey! Ptooey!’ "Hey Chef, are you cooking or brewing poison? Trying to kill someone?"

"Is that so?" Squad Leader Hao couldn't help but grab a spoon and taste it himself. "Can you make it any worse? I think, for the next while, you’ll be responsible for Qin Fen’s meals. No more eating at the mess hall."

"Huh?"

Qin Fen, who was eating, froze. In this era, no one would choose a terrible-tasting meal over a good one. The mess hall food tasted much better than what the chef made.

"Kid, you’re lucky! If you weren't Qin Zhan's brother and using the gravity room for self-cultivation, you wouldn't even dream of eating my cooking." The chef thumped his chest. "Since Old Hao asked, I'll cook."

Phoenix only showed her softer, feminine side in front of Qin Fen. "Qin Fen, you're only eighteen. Your body is still developing. While this chef's food tastes worse and worse, the nutritional balance is absolutely the best. If he were cooking specifically for someone, he would tailor different menus based on each person's physical condition. He’s the best nutritionist."

Qin Fen stood up and gave a very sincere bow. It didn't matter that the food tasted bad; what mattered most was that it was good for his body.

"Kid, it’s not that I can't cook well," the chef said, patting Qin Fen’s shoulder. "If people get used to enjoying good flavors, their palates easily become picky. Once the palate is picky, other bad habits might quickly follow."

The Butcher chimed in at this point. "Kid, since you broke through, let me test you later, okay?"

"Ah? I'm very tired," Qin Fen pleaded with a look of surrender. "You have to go easy on me."

The Butcher paused, then suddenly noticed a flicker of a smile in Squad Leader Hao’s eyes nearby. His eyes instantly lit up, and he slapped Qin Fen on the back. "Stop playing dumb with me. Put away the trickery you learned from Old Hao. I won't underestimate you."

Qin Fen looked at Phoenix with confusion. Was his performance just now not convincing enough?

"Qin Fen, your Squad Leader sold you out." Phoenix pointed at Squad Leader Hao. "I was fooled by you just now, but I still couldn't fool Old Hao."

"Kid, next time, conceal your excitement even more subtly," Squad Leader Hao said, pointing to his own heart. "Your excitement just now told me you were eager to give the Butcher a surprise."

Qin Fen grimaced. It seemed Squad Leader Hao's trickery was still effective. If Squad Leader Hao hadn't been present, the deception would have been a complete success.

"However, it's still worthy of praise," Squad Leader Hao looked at Qin Fen seriously. "You have an honest nature, coupled with an appearance that doesn't seem shrewd or cunning—you're indeed excellent material for deception."

The person lying on the bed had all four limbs wrapped in bandages, thick casts on his limbs, and visible bruises and contusions on his face. A needle from an IV line was stuck into his forehead, and he was deep in slumber.

Park Jong-hwan, surrounded by other Hanju recruits, stood quietly by the bedside, watching the tragic state of his brother. His usually easygoing face gradually darkened.

With current technology, fractures were injuries that could be swiftly mended using high-tech methods to fuse the bones completely in a short time.

However, doing so would only fuse the bones; the meridians would not be completely reconstructed during the joining process. Rapid bone fusion would instead destroy the meridian pathways, leading to permanent meridian damage, effectively ending any hope on the martial path.

Park Jong-hoon clearly still held ideals for the martial way; such a person could only be treated using the most ancient methods, and the bones could not be fused hastily.

"Sparring with someone?" A shadow of gloom crossed Park Jong-hwan's brow.

"Yes," one of the Hanju recruits replied cautiously. "He fought a recruit named Du Peng not long ago and got injured."

"One-on-one?" Park Jong-hwan was slightly surprised. His brother, Park Jong-hoon, was also a Three-Star Taekwondo master; how could he have been injured to this extent by someone else?

"It was after a continuous rotation fight, then one-on-one. Zhongxun was defeated, but that person didn't stop. He kept going until all four of Zhongxun's limbs were broken."

Park Jong-hwan’s eyes widened. The divine light blending his spirit and vitality was like sharp lightning. The few Hanju recruits he swept with his gaze instinctively shivered.

"Rotation fight? Disregarding the basic tenets of the martial way! Heavily wounding a defeated opponent, trampling the rules of combat! Very good! Very good! Were the comrades lying in the other wards also subjected to one-on-one after continuous rotation fights?"