Chapter 1 From Genius to Loser

“Eighty-seven kilograms.”

Zhou Han’s mood fell when he saw the result on the strength tester. His face grew very pale. He had no idea his strength had fallen so fast—even more than he had thought.

When Han first joined the army last year, his strength tested at ninety kilograms, and it took him only seven months to improve to 1500 kilograms. He went from having no weight-training experience to level five, and was promoted from soldier to vice battalion commander.

Yet, in the last six months, his strength not only hadn't continued to improve, it had dropped from 1500 kilograms to eighty-seven kilograms. With no idea why this happened, he could only suffer in disappointment.

“Zhou Han, eighty-seven kilograms, not enough to start training!” the middle-aged man next to the strength tester announced the result.

To practice martial arts, strength training was the first thing you had to do.

Level one was 200 kilograms, followed by 400 kg at level two, 600 kg at level three, 800 kg at level four, and more than 1000 kg at level five. Level six meant you could break through 2000 kg.
 

As soon as the man stopped talking, the whole class roared in laughter.

“Didn’t Zhou Han do four hundred and two kilograms three months ago? He was sort of at level two, now he’s only eighty-seven kilograms? Wow, I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“Aye, this loser is gonna make us in the Third Battalion lose face. If the commander didn’t protect him, he wouldn’t even be here.”

“He used to be our star . . .  What happened?”

“Who knows? Maybe he has some old injury.”

Han’s face became even paler when he heard the ridicule and insults.

Once upon a time, he was the most talented soldier in the Third Battalion of the Third Regiment in the Second Division. Everyone respected him and wanted to be his best friend. They all wanted him to protect them on the battlefield, and he did, often looking after them, and even giving them credit he should have kept for himself.

Now that he had gotten weak, for whatever reason, his old comrades were merciless; not only did they act like they didn't know him anymore, now they were stepping all over him.

“This is what you get for being a good guy.” Han grimaced as he walked toward the end of the line. His lonely figure seemed out of place with the world.

“Next, Wei Cheng.”

A burly eighteen-year-old came out of the line.

Cheng breathed evenly. As soon as his testing began, the crowd quieted. Everyone watched with awe.

It had only been eight months since Cheng joined the army, and in the first five months, his strength went from 120 to 520 kilograms. The record of improving by eighty kilograms per month made him stand out.

It had been another three months; people wondered if he'd grown even stronger.

Cheng walked next to the strength tester, adjusted his breathing, and bowed his body like a cougar as he punched his fist on the strength-testing shield.

“Wei Cheng, seven hundred sixty kilograms, qualifies for level three!”

“Hha!” Cheng’s face looked proud as the man announced his result.

“Dang, he’s amazing! He gained eighty kilograms a month. If he keeps going like this, in two weeks, he’ll be at eight hundred kilograms and a level four!”

“Wei Cheng really is a star at the Third Battalion!”

……

Cheng’s smile grew even bigger as he heard words of praise and envy around him. He looked past the crowd, at the way Zhou Han stood alone in the corner. After a pause, he still didn’t join Han.

Cheng had joined the army just when Han was at his peak. Han protected Cheng on the battlefield, enabling him to earn awards.

The awards gave Cheng chances to learn more cultivation skills, which was how he grew so strong so quickly. If it weren't for Han’s help, he’d have been dead by now, much less earning any awards.

Somehow, Han had started becoming weaker; six months ago, he stopped being a genius. Cheng was hoping Han would make a comeback, but as Han kept getting worse, Cheng decided to abandon him.

This was the way of the world; when people felt you had no value, they left.

“Next, Xiao Yong!”

When the man announced who was next, the busy scene quieted. Everyone looked toward a seventeen-year-old.

The young man was thin, and though he wasn't tall, no one dared to look down on him. Even Cheng gave him room.

Yong and Cheng had been assigned to the Third Battalion at the same time. Yong was protected by Han on the battlefield, just like Cheng; he was earning awards and exchanging them for cultivation skills. Yong also became a dark horse in the battalion, and was Cheng’s biggest competitor.

Yong walked next to the strength tester, adjusted his breathing, and hit the shield hard.

“Xiao Yong, eight hundred and fifty kilograms, qualifies for level four!” The man showed a glimmer of a smile.

“What?! How did Xiao Yong get eight hundred fifty kilograms and level four? What the hell, he’s only seventeen! That's younger than Cheng.”

“Scary. He’s gotta be in the top two in our battalion now.” Number one used to be Zhou Han.

The gossiping crowd looked at Yong with respect.

Cheng looked jealous.

Yong didn’t appear full of himself despite everyone talking about him. He looked humble. In front of everyone, he walked toward Han and bowed to him. “Thank you, Brother Han.”

Yong knew that without Han’s protection during the war, he’d never have lived to see today. Even if Han was no longer a star now, he was still worth his gratitude.

“Am I still deserving of your respect?” Han smiled bitterly. Yong was rare in still being respectful of him after his decline.

“Brother Han, you said we always had to show gratitude. People who forgot to be grateful were destined to fail. Even though you’re at eighty-seven kilograms now, you’re still my hero.” Yong’s words were loud, reaching everyone at the test site, and shaming many who had received Han’s help but turned their backs on him the minute he became less powerful.

“Yong, I was just kidding. I’m a loser now. Following me will get you nowhere. I don’t want to ruin your future,” said Han as he turned to leave.

Yong didn’t hesitate to follow behind him.

“What a moron! You’re wasting your time following this loser!” Cheng gritted his teeth.