Chapter 21 Mission Complete, Career Panel

“Let’s start with some quality carbs to fill up a bit, so I don’t get too hungry waiting for the steak.”
“One order of flaming steak.”
“Twenty skewers of grilled pork belly, and a Mexican-style pizza.”
“Chef, two helpings of cheese snowflake ribs.”
“Oh, right—make the steak well done. I can’t stand any blood; it bothers me.”
“And another order of thick-cut cheese steak.”
“…”

At the barbecue section.

Shen He held a bottle of soda in one hand, popping sushi into his mouth with the other, all while calling out his orders amid the crowd like a performer on stage.

A few of the grill chefs glanced at Shen He’s rather slender figure, and at last one couldn’t help but warn him, “Look, I know we’re pretty pricey here, but you can’t eat like this, you know? If you can’t finish, there’s a penalty.”

Shen He raised his drink with a confident smile. “Don’t worry, chef. To be honest, I’m not even sure this will fill me up.”

Once the sushi was gone, he picked up a slice of Mexican pizza, rolled up some freshly grilled pork belly inside, and took a bite—the aroma was intoxicating.

He’d chosen a seat close to the grill, so his flaming steak was brought to him in no time.

In about forty minutes, the table in front of Shen He was already covered with empty plates. After polishing off the steak, he even went to pick out some fruit and a dessert, leisurely savoring them.

Other guests who’d been watching him the whole time stared wide-eyed; some even surreptitiously filmed him with their phones.

Not far off, a few of the grill chefs were so distracted their hands trembled, nearly sending a steak tumbling off the grill.

They’d worked there for over half a year, but had never seen anyone eat like this before.

At 288 yuan per person, he’d certainly gotten his money’s worth!

After Shen He completed his “clean plate” mission, he patted his stomach, gauging his fullness—about eighty percent, just right.

Not stuffed, so it wouldn’t interfere with his afternoon training.

The staff who’d been keeping a discreet eye on him noticed not a crumb wasted and felt a bit at a loss.

Shen He, holding his half-finished drink, waved at the chefs. “Great meat. I’ll be back next time if I get the chance.”

The grill masters, busy as they were, managed to acknowledge him.

Shen He swaggered out of the buffet restaurant, checked the time, and saw he had just over forty minutes before two o’clock.

He found a massage parlor nearby and enjoyed a comfortable three-hour session.

Unfortunately, in a legitimate massage establishment, there weren’t any dramatic stories to be heard—no young woman lamenting her sick mother, her gambling father, her schoolboy brother, or her own shattered life…

By the time Shen He emerged, refreshed and clear-headed, there were only ten minutes left until two.

He made his way at a leisurely pace to Li Ding’s Sanda Training Center.

The doors were still open, and Shen He walked in familiarly, heading straight to the training room.

Before long, Li Ding entered and, seeing Shen He, grinned. “You’re early!”

“Time’s tight,” Shen He replied. “Can we get all the movements corrected before four?”

Li Ding considered it. “It should be doable. You learn fast.”

He wasn’t just being polite. In his view, Shen He truly picked things up quickly.

At first, perhaps Shen He’s lack of body control made some movements a bit off. But with Li Ding’s guidance, his form grew ever more precise—like someone who’d trained for years.

A pity he was a bit older, but if he started now, he might even have a shot at a championship.

While warming up, Shen He said, “Good, let’s get to it.”

“Oh, by the way, Coach, I heard you started with your family’s Bajiquan. Is that something you can teach outsiders?”

Li Ding warmed up as he replied, “Of course. My old man would love more students. Fewer and fewer people are willing to learn these days. If you want to pick it up someday, I can teach you anytime.”

“Great, I’ll make time for it in the future,” Shen He answered.

After warming up, he began practicing the Sanda routines Li Ding had taught him, his movements growing ever more fluid.

Li Ding stood by, offering occasional corrections or stepping in to adjust his form.

Time passed quickly.

By three-thirty, Li Ding was full of praise. “You really are the most gifted student I’ve ever seen—almost as if destiny itself was feeding you talent. In just a few hours, you’ve mastered all the Sanda routines, and your force application is ninety percent there. Want to try competing? I’m confident I could take you to the national ring.”

Shen He waved his hand dismissively. “No, thanks. Competing isn’t for me. Sanda’s just a hobby; I have more serious things to do.”

Li Ding was taken aback. “So what’s your main profession? Shouldn’t you be at work today?”

Shen He grinned. “Saving the world!”

As the words left his mouth, a translucent screen appeared before his eyes—Daily Task Two was completed.

There seemed to be something special added as well.

[Daily Task Two: Abandon your wild-swinging punches]
[Task Requirement: Show proper technique]
[Time Limit: 26 minutes and 37 seconds]
[Task Reward: +1 Skill Attribute Point]
[As a soon-to-be-official player of Earth Online, you shouldn’t just rely on brute force and flailing punches.]
[Ding!]

[Task completed. Reward issued.]
[…]

Shen He examined the reward panel carefully. Not a free attribute point, but a skill attribute point—he paused, surprised.

This was the first time he’d seen a skill attribute point.

How did it differ from a free attribute point?

He checked; the plus sign at the end of his attribute bar was still greyed out—he couldn’t add points directly.

So, where were skill attribute points used?

Just as Shen He was pondering, a new line appeared on the translucent screen before him.

[Ding! Congratulations, player, you have activated the Profession Panel.]
[Current Profession Activated: Martial Artist]
[Progress: 10%—Not yet initiated]
[…]

Upon seeing the Profession Panel, Shen He couldn’t help but mutter, “So you really want me to figure it out myself, huh? Damn designers…”

So the skill attribute point from Daily Task Two was meant for this.

He wondered just how much one skill attribute point could increase.

And he was a bit puzzled—he’d just learned Sanda routines, but according to Li Ding’s evaluation, he was already on par with someone with several years’ experience.

Yet the panel still showed “not yet initiated,” with only ten percent progress.

…

In the training room.

Hearing Shen He’s earlier remark, Li Ding chuckled helplessly. “You really know how to joke—no wonder my sister said you’re so funny.”

Shen He shrugged. “I’ve always been this humorous.”

Li Ding stretched a bit. “Since you mentioned Bajiquan earlier and we’ve got another half hour, I’ll teach you a foundational stance—Baji Stake. You can practice it after workouts; it does a lot of good.”

“It helps stabilize your base, relieves muscle soreness, trains core explosiveness, and boosts your energy and overall fitness.”

Shen He’s eyes lit up. “Great.”

Li Ding moved to the center and demonstrated the stance, explaining the key points as he went.

Shen He watched from the side.

Within just a few minutes, he could clearly sense a difference in Li Ding.

It was as if he could faintly hear blood surging through Li Ding’s body, like running water, alongside the powerful thumping of his heart.

His breathing was deep and steady, and with every inhale and exhale, there was something subtly extraordinary about it.