CHAPTER 45: A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION GONE WRONG

After satiating their stomachs, Gong Panli brought them towards a building in a secluded area on the east side of the outer wall. Along the way, they were stopped multiple times because Gong Panli was being intercepted by elderly people and children strolling around.

"Sir Gong, I scored a perfect mark on the test. The teacher praised me and gave me points as rewards."

"Sir Gong, we help the grannies and grandpas in the greenhouse. They gave us candied fruits."

There were a total of more than a dozen children circling around him, smiling brightly and telling him what happened to them.

Gong Panli didn’t show any signs of impatience and gave the children praise for their good deeds before patting their heads.

The atmosphere was very warm, and it made Siri, Li Chunhua, and Little Mantou take a second look at Gong Panli.

"Lad Panpan, I haven’t seen you in a while. How is your father doing?" An elderly man asked. The smile on his face was sincere.

Behind him were several grandpas and grannies. Some were carrying empty bamboo baskets, while others looked very sweaty, as if they had just done some heavy chores.

When these older people heard the question, their eyes were fixated on Gong Panli, waiting for his reply.

"He is well." Gong Panli smiled, trying to mask his lie, but Siri, Li Chunhua, and Little Mantou could still see some signs of helplessness and distress from him.

"That’s good." The elderly and the children all smiled when he uttered these words, making Gong Panli quite guilty.

He immediately changed the topic to "Is Mr. Fang’s testing center and gym open right now?"

"Yes. I saw him sweeping the front of his gym just now." One of the elderly people spoke.

"Then, I’ll excuse myself first because I’m helping my new friend take comprehensive examination results." After Gong Panli said this, he looked in the three’s direction.

"What a cute young lady."

"Are you new here?"

Li Chunhua nodded, along with Siri.

When the elderly people saw Siri, their eyes lit up, and in no time, they surrounded and dragged him somewhere else.

Siri didn’t even have the time to call for help before they whisked him away. His voice was drowning in a sea of enthusiastic older people.

Seeing the distress expression on her face, Gong Panli explained, "Don’t worry. They will just show her around the greenhouse."

Li Chunhua was relieved.

While the children, who saw Little Mantou, immediately ran towards the little dog, "Sister, can we play with him, pretty please?"

Little Mantou was very dissatisfied because these children kept pinching his ears and cheeks.

I’m a dignified celestial fox prince! I’m not your toy! Get your hands off me. He snarled at them.

Li Chunhua was about to shake her head after noticing the little fox was disgruntled.

"We promised to take care of him and feed him too."

Wait...Feed me?

Recalling the lunch earlier, Little Mantou instantly discarded his dignity. The glutton little fox stuck out his pink tongue, then ran in circles and began showing tricks after tricks, making the children clap and let out a laugh full of mirth.

Someone gave him a candied chumpet, and the little fox tiptoed and twirled before catching the sweet treat.

So sweet and tasty!

Come on! Give me some more!

Little Mantou did a few more rolls and flips.

Li Chunhua: (¬_¬") Uhm, who just said that he was a dignified prince?

---

After a few minutes of walking through what seemed to be a row of shops, they arrived at their destination.

’Fang’s Fitness Center’, that was what the signage says nailed on the beam of the door front.

It was neat and clean, proving the owner had taken care of it well. It’s just that it doesn’t look a bit like a gym from a glimpse.

"Mr. Fang, are you here?" Gong Panli knocked on the wooden frame before entering with Li Chunhua in tow. "Mr. Fang." He continued to call.

Now that they’re inside, Li Chunhua can see the interior of the fitness center. It looked like a crude version of a training hall in her world, with wooden puppets around, but the difference was that there were several fitness machines, like treadmills, on the corner but it was deserted.

A minute later, a man in his early fifties to mid-fifties came out with a fan made of paper on his left hand.

He was wearing a white tang suit, coarse fabric, faded. When he saw Gong Panli, his eyes sparkled momentarily before he scowled, "What wind blew you here?"

Towards Mr. Fang’s foul mood, Gong Panli only laughed. This guy had a fierce mouth but a heart of tofu. "I’ve been busy because of the match. I’m sorry."

The man stayed silent for a few seconds before diverting the subject: "Anyway, why are you here?"

His attempt to not further sully Gong Panli’s mood was very evident, which made Gong Panli laugh more. Though the laugh persisted for a brief moment, Gong Panli said seriously, "I brought someone. Can I ask Mr. Fang to assess her strength?"

It was this time that Mr. Fang’s eyes strayed from Gong Panli, and he noticed there was a person beside him. It was a young lady in a track suit, sending him a curious look.

"Come inside," Mr. Fang replied.

Gong Panli urged Li Chunhua to follow Mr. Fang. "Mr. Fang, I’ll come back. I just need to visit the administration office first."

Mr. Fang humped in irritation. "You haven’t even stepped inside, and you’re bidding goodbye again. Don’t come here for tea ever again."

"Miss, I need to do something first. I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes," Gong Panli said before speaking to Mr. Fang.

"Alright," Li Chunhua replied. He seems to be very busy.

"I promised I’d join you for tea this afternoon." Gong Panli apologized with a smile before walking briskly away, waving his hand, leaving Li Chunhua in the middle-aged man’s care.

"This boy..." Mr. Fang sighed.

"Uncle, how do you assess combat strength here?" Li Chunhua was very curious. The game world has a system, while her previous world has cultivation levels to indicate an individual’s progress.

If, in this world, she could have a full grasp of her stats, then that would be helpful.

"Follow me," Mr. Fang sent her scrutinizing gaze.

--

"Punch it with all of your strength. The monitor will show you your combat strength. Strength is measured per jin. Every jin is 10kg.

The average range of a normal man will be around 5 to 7 jin. Those ability-based users, even though they are not strength-based, can achieve between 10 and 20. While those strength-based can reach 50 as minimum."

Mr. Fang explained while pointing towards the head of a machine. It looks like a wooden puppet from her world, but without arms and made up of a different material emitting a metallic sheen. Its feet were embedded on a wooden floor with numerous bolts.

"Uncle, how much jin can it withstand?" Li Chunhua asked worriedly.

That looks so expensive. If she destroys it, this uncle might send her to prison, or she’ll likely be kicked out of the base.

"The researcher used star ores for this machine, the hardest metal component found in this world. You don’t need to worry at all. Even the most powerful Grappling Fist, a strength-based ability user with a score of 110 jin, wasn’t able to destroy it."

110 jin? That’s 1100 kilograms. That seems feasible.

Li Chunhua’s worries diminished a little.

"What are you waiting for? Punch it. I still haven’t finished steeping my tea." Seeing her deep in thought, Mr. Fang urged her once more, a little impatient.

"Uncle, are you really saying the truth? You won’t let me pay, right? I don’t have any money," Li Chunhua asked again.

"What’s with all the nonsense? Just punch it!" Mr. Fang raised his voice.

"But..."

"Punch it!" Mr. Fang’s voice pierced through the roof.

"Oh, alright." Li Chunhua struck the machine with her fist after being stimulated by the shout.

--

Twenty minutes later, Gong Panli returned to the fitness center, and he saw Li Chunhua sitting on the ground with her head lowered. He approached her before inquiring with an excited voice. "How was it?"

Li Chunhua lifted her head. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She didn’t know how to break the news.

But it seems it was unnecessary because Mr. Fang’s heart-wrenching cries echoed from inside the gym.

Gong Panli instantly ran inside and was immediately shocked by debris, wreckage, and the big hole in the wall. Mr. Fang was in the middle, sobbing his heart out. "What in the world (ʘ言ʘ)... What happened here?"

"It’s that lass’ fault!" Mr. Fang pointed to Li Chunhua behind the Gong Panli. His words were laced with extreme anger. His eyes were spewing out fire, wanting to burn Li Chunhua into ashes.

She just destroyed half of his gym. How can he not be angry?

（╬ಠ益ಠ)

He wanted to tear her apart, but when he recalled that number that appeared a quarter second before the machine was reduced to scrap. He was unable to vent his anger.

Li Chunhua tugged at the corner of Gong Panli’s sleeve and said, "Gentleman Gong, I won’t be sent to the authorities, right?"

This uncle must have been scammed into buying a defective product because it couldn’t even withstand 10% of her strength.

And now she was in trouble.

(⁠ー⁠_⁠ー⁠゛⁠)