Chapter 8: A Fortunate Gamble, But at What Cost?

Chapter 8: A Fortunate Gamble, But at What Cost?

Zhao Zheng had made his bet, and he was right! He believed that these 'Artificial Sunlight' devices would prove useful for Kryptonian Heritage.

As he entered the shop, he noticed how empty it was. Bored staff members played with their phones, and not a single customer was in sight.

It seemed that humans had grown accustomed to life without sunlight, showing no interest in sunbathing experiences. The official revenue-generating plan was likely doomed to fail...

According to his memories, these sunbathing centers had only appeared within the last two years. No wonder the Kryptonians' secret had remained undiscovered.

"Welcome!"

Zhao Zheng's arrival caught the attention of the staff.

A female employee approached him, "Sir, are you here to experience the sunbathing?"

She didn't underestimate Zhao Zheng, despite his school uniform.

"Yes!" Zhao Zheng nodded and asked, "How much does it cost?"

"Our rates are charged by the hour, 150 for one hour."

The enthusiastic employee explained, "You can get discounts if you purchase a membership card or opt for a monthly package..."

Zhao Zheng's brow furrowed at the prices.

150 per hour? That's outrageous! No wonder there were no customers.

He interrupted the salesperson's pitch, "Give me two hours first; I'll try it out."

"Follow me, sir."

Zhao Zheng was led to a private room by the employee.

Inside, there was a large machine, almost the size of a bed, shaped like a shell. The staff member opened the 'Shell Instrument' to reveal a white interior and explained, "Sir, after undressing, lie inside here... This is the lid control, the start button, the light intensity control, and the emergency button. Don't press the emergency button unless necessary..."

After the detailed instructions, Zhao Zheng finally understood how to operate it.

"Enjoy your experience!"

With that, the employee left the room.

Zhao Zheng eagerly undressed and laid down inside the instrument, naked.

As soon as he lay down, he smelled disinfectant, indicating regular sterilization.

Following the staff's instructions, Zhao Zheng began to operate the machine.

Soon, the shell's lid closed, sealing him within.

To be honest, Zhao Zheng didn't enjoy being in such a confined space, but for the sake of testing Great Superman's Heritage, he endured it.

He pressed the start button...

Instantly, the unknown material on the lid emitted a warm, yellow glow.

Zhao Zheng's face lit up with surprise! In his left eye, the Attribute Panel displayed constant changes.

【You absorb sunlight: Constitution +0.01, Spirit +0.01, Strength +0.01, Agility +0.01...】

These changes appeared almost every second! Zhao Zheng was overjoyed!

He clenched his fists in excitement, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm!

His gamble had paid off!

He had hit the jackpot!

Race: Human

Constitution: 20

Spirit: 14

Strength: 20

Agility: 20

Talent: Kryptonian Heritage

Psychic Points: 0

...

After half an hour, his Constitution, Strength, and Agility attributes had increased by an average of 10 points each! Even his Spirit attribute rose by 3 points.

His total attributes had nearly doubled!

In just over twenty minutes of lying still, his overall attributes increased by 33 points. If this became known, it would shock the entire world.

It was extremely difficult to enhance one's base attributes through personal training, even with Extraordinary Power gained in the Holy Land. No Extraordinary Being could achieve such dramatic results as Zhao Zheng.

"Haha, this is amazing!"

"The feeling of getting stronger just by lying here is incredible!"

"The Kryptonian Heritage is truly extraordinary!"

Zhao Zheng was thrilled. He wanted to shout out loud to release his emotions, but he held back to avoid alarming the staff.

When he exchanged the Burn Burn Fruit for the Kryptonian Heritage Card at school, he had felt immense pressure. That's why he rushed here to test it.

If he had lost the bet and the Kryptonian Heritage was useless, his life would have been ruined. But now, he had won, and he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"However, it seems I can only increase 33 attribute points per session. The Attribute Panel is no longer changing..."

Determined, he increased the intensity of the light radiation, but to no avail.

"Could it be that the simulated sunlight from the instrument isn't pure enough, limiting absorption to a daily maximum?"

Zhao Zheng's suspicions were confirmed. Despite the limitations, his Kryptonian heritage still granted him incredible power.

A single sunbath provided 33 attribute points, and after a month, he would gain a whopping 990 points. This rate of growth would undoubtedly crush the competition worldwide.

...

Although he couldn't increase his attributes further, Zhao Zheng still spent two hours in the sunbathing machine. The artificial sunlight made him feel incredibly comfortable.

This was undoubtedly the work of his Kryptonian heritage.

After leaving the machine, Zhao Zheng felt better than ever. It was a far cry from the feeling of being well-rested and well-fed.

He got dressed and made his way to the reception area.

The clerk who had greeted him earlier was already waiting.

"Mr. Zhao, how was your experience?" the clerk asked with a smile.

Zhao Zheng nodded, "It was okay, but a bit pricey."

The clerk immediately responded, "If you think it's expensive, you can apply for our membership. If you come every day, it averages out to only 70 yuan per hour... Our sunbathing machines are the most advanced technology. Regular use not only benefits the skin but also eliminates internal dampness. Everyone these days has excessive dampness..."

As the clerk continued their sales pitch, Zhao Zheng interrupted, "Do you sell these machines if I want to buy one?"

Hearing this, the clerk's eyes lit up.

A rich second-generation heir had arrived!

"Yes, of course! The one you just used is the deluxe model, priced at 370,000 yuan. But we also have a standard version starting from 260,000 yuan..."

Zhao Zheng frowned at the price.

It was too expensive.

If he wanted to buy it, he'd have to ask for help from home.

Just as he was thinking this, his phone rang.

Zhao Zheng glanced at the screen and felt a headache coming on.

The caller ID displayed "Mother." She must have been worried because he hadn't returned for lunch.

Based on the memories within his body, Zhao Zheng learned that his current physical appearance and name were identical to his previous life. Even his family members were remarkably similar.

His parents' names and appearances were the same.

This led Zhao Zheng to suspect that he might have crossed over into a parallel world, inhabiting the body of his other self...

The only difference between the two families was that on Earth, his parents were farmers from a poor background.

However, the Zhao family on Blue Planet was a well-off local household.

The reason for this disparity in fate was a unique grandfather.

On Earth, Zhao Zheng's grandfather had passed away from illness at a young age.

But on Blue Planet, Old Man Zhao was not only alive and well but also an Extraordinary Being.

It was rumored that Old Man Zhao had obtained a Mutant Heritage Card in the Holy Land when he was younger, granting him steel reinforcement abilities. His strength was no joke, and over the decades, he had accumulated considerable wealth.

This Extraordinary Power must have been the reason for his longevity and good health.

Although Old Man Zhao was now retired, he remained robust, and his influence in the local area was still significant. The Zhao family was a moderately renowned clan.

Old Man Zhao had four sons, and Zhao Zheng's father was the third.

Above Zhao Zheng were three cousins, the eldest of whom had obtained the Animal Type Wolf Fruit in the Holy Land a few years ago. Now a graduate of a top school, his strength was remarkable, earning him the title of the Zhao family's Phoenix Son.

...

This information flashed through Zhao Zheng's mind.

After a moment's hesitation, he decided to answer the call.

Since he had already arrived in this world and inhabited this young body, some things were inevitable.

"Mom..."

Zhao Zheng mimicked the original owner's tone and spoke into the phone, "Don't rush me. I got carried away having fun outside, but I'll be back soon."

He had assumed his mother was calling to urge him to return home.

But that wasn't the case...

He heard his mother sigh over the phone, "Son, don't come back for now. Your father and I have learned about your foolishness at school, and your grandfather nearly fainted from anger. He's in the hospital now, and your father is furious, saying he wants to beat you up and disown you..."

Hearing this, Zhao Zheng's expression changed.

When he had chosen to switch his Burn Fruit for the Great Superman Talent, he had anticipated that his family would be furious.

But now that the situation had come to a head, he felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, unsure how to face his family.

Explaining the reason directly was out of the question.

Even if they believed him, how could he explain the secret of Great Superman?

"Go to your paternal grandfather's house for now! Come back when your father has calmed down." Mother added.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end