In the main hall.
Zoe Li sat across from Shen Zhi, separated by a square table.
"Wow."
Zoe Li touched the gold-edged placemat on the table, which was adorned with several five-pointed stars. The plates and cutlery also exuded a sense of elegance, and with the soft music playing in the hall, the scene felt straight out of a movie.
"This place... is really nice."
Zoe Li pursed her lips, her beautiful eyes shining with excitement.
At that moment.
A female staff member in a crisp white uniform handed over the menu.
Shen Zhi took the menu, glanced at the window, and couldn't help but ask, "Can we only sit in the main hall? Is it not possible to sit by the window?"
The female staff member smiled and said, "Sorry, that area is temporarily unavailable."
"Alright."
Shen Zhi nodded lightly and ordered two steaks, along with some other dishes.
Once the server left, Shen Zhi looked at her daughter, Zoe Li. "Mom won't lecture you about life lessons. But before school starts, I'll let you experience some of the finer things you deserve."
"Okay, Mom."
Zoe Li replied softly.
She glanced twice at the thick but only two-page menu. A regular steak cost five to six hundred Sinovera dollars, which was pretty expensive and made her gasp in surprise.
She looked around.
Zoe Li pointed at the row of tables by the window and asked curiously, "Mom, those tables by the window are much higher than ours and right next to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The view must be amazing. Why can't we sit there?"
Shen Zhi smiled. "There's only one table in that row with people. I suppose they've booked the entire section."
"How much must that cost?"
Zoe Li's face was stunned, her beautiful eyes blinked twice.
Shen Zhi shook her head and said earnestly, "This isn't just about money. You need a certain amount of social influence. Like your dad once mentioned, Uncle Lu."
Oh.
Zoe Li nodded gently, a strange ripple stirring in her heart. She couldn't help but glance at the only table by the window where someone was dining.
......
The row by the window.
Mr. Stone swallowed the rest of his steak in one bite. "Andrew Han, the Martial Arts World isn't as complicated as you think. But you must understand, as a member of this world, you have a duty to deal with demons and monsters."
"Of course, for martial arts prodigies, it's a form of tempering."
"For example, in Riverdale, if those things sneak into the city, it's up to us martial artists to hunt them down. We can't let them disrupt ordinary people's lives."
Click.
Andrew Han sliced the last piece of steak, quietly listening.
Gulp.
Mr. Stone took a big sip of juice and chuckled, "Andrew Han, if you're free later, why not let me show you around my Honglu Martial Arts Gym? The specialized equipment for Third Rank martial artists—you probably haven't seen it yet."
Andrew Han's eyes lit up. "Martial arts equipment? Can it withstand a thousand pounds of force?"
Mr. Stone nodded. "Of course. Shall we head out now?"
"Alright."
Andrew Han agreed without hesitation.
Ever since reaching Second Rank, he hadn't tested his own strength. Now, with Mr. Stone offering to let him try the martial arts equipment, it was the perfect opportunity.
"Let's go."
Mr. Stone picked up the scarf draped over his chair and walked out of the restaurant side by side with Andrew Han. Gavin King followed behind them.
......
Inside the restaurant.
Surprise was written all over Zoe Li's fair face as she secretly glanced at the familiar figure leaving Gepin Bistro.
"Was that Andrew Han?"
"He and that imposing uncle booked the window seats and dined together?"
Zoe Li pursed her lips, lowering her head to look at the medium-rare steak on her plate, unable to express her feelings.
It was obvious that the middle-aged uncle wasn't Andrew Han's elder, but more like a friend.
But Zoe Li just couldn't figure it out. Even if Andrew Han really was a Third Rank martial arts student, there was no reason for him to be connected to power and influence—in other words, what did he do to deserve it?
On the other side.
Shen Zhi frowned. "Daughter, why are you so distracted? Is the steak not good?"
"No, no, it's delicious." Zoe Li quickly replied, a smile appearing on her face. "I was just thinking about the college entrance exam results—they're about to be announced."
......
Honglu Martial Arts Gym.
The gym sat on a quiet street, its facade impressive. Four large pillars supported the extended awning, and the glass door—about four or five meters tall—spoke of its high class.
"Wow, the decor is amazing."
Andrew Han got out of the car, unable to hide his astonishment.
He was even more stunned when he stepped inside the gym.
The gym had two floors. In the center was a tranquil swimming pool for lung capacity training, rivaling a luxury club.
If not for the several youths practicing martial arts, Andrew Han would have thought he'd come to the wrong place.
Mr. Stone gestured with his left hand and chuckled, "Andrew Han, this way please. I'll take you to the Third Rank training room. There you'll find strength testing equipment, and you can also test your agility and more."
Soon after.
They arrived at the Third Rank training room.
The room was equipped with huge floor-to-ceiling windows and spanned over two hundred square meters.
The dark-tinted windows blocked the outside view, but from inside, one could see the street below—truly luxurious.
Bang.
Gavin King closed the wooden door of the training room and respectfully walked to his master, Mr. Stone's side, though he felt a bit puzzled.
"Master is usually calm and rarely smiles... But today, meeting Andrew Han, he's so enthusiastic. Looks like my bet was right—Andrew Han's potential is truly immeasurable, maybe he's even touched that world already."
"Thank goodness, thank goodness."
"If Ken King hadn't mentioned Andrew Han, I probably wouldn't have had the chance to meet him. Three months, and he reached Third Rank all on his own—it's unbelievable."
Thinking of this, Gavin King pursed his lips, his smile growing more genuine.
Off to the side.
Mr. Stone smiled lightly. "Andrew Han, don't be surprised. I can assure you, every martial artist has a solid financial foundation. The gym's luxurious decor has its reasons. Think about it—who are the clients of a martial arts gym?"
Ordinary people aren't even qualified to know about the Martial Arts World. Only high-ranking officials and wealthy elites have the right to understand or vaguely grasp the significance of martial arts.
And once they know, they naturally want their juniors to succeed in martial arts and strive to become martial artists.
Andrew Han was momentarily stunned, then understood and couldn't help but ask, "May I ask, what's the cost of joining the gym?"
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Mr. Stone chuckled leisurely, "Monthly payment is a hundred thousand Sinovera dollars. Annual payment is a million Sinovera dollars. Martial arts training at the gym is entirely different from what schools offer. The gym is much more specialized—it's like the difference between regular classes and private tutoring, only the gap is even wider."
"Moreover."
"A regular high school martial arts teacher is, at best, Fourth Rank. Reaching Third Rank is already quite impressive."
As he spoke.
Mr. Stone couldn't help but look wistful.
Miles Ning from Riverdale Experimental High School is temperamental, a powerful figure above martial artists. Although Mr. Stone is a martial artist, he would never dare to interact too much with Miles Ning.
A single wrong word could mean instant death.
"Alright."
Mr. Stone pointed to the force tester in front of them. "This piece of martial arts equipment costs a million and is used to test the strength of Third Rank practitioners. It can definitely withstand a thousand pounds of force."
Andrew Han's eyes lit up as he looked at the force tester.
He wondered whether this machine could withstand his full power. He glanced at the tester's display screen, which used 'jin' as the unit of measurement.
Mr. Stone smiled. "To test your internal strength, just throw a straight punch. Don't rely on your waist or legs, and don't use any techniques. Gavin King, demonstrate for Andrew Han."
Following Mr. Stone's instructions, Gavin King loosened his wrists.
He walked up to the force tester, planted his feet firmly, drew his right fist to his waist, then slowly punched the circular target.