As Yan Huan’s curious gaze lingered on so of the shimring words in the text, they began to glow more brightly, expanding with additional explanations.
“When exercise efficiency is greatly enhanced, the speed of muscle fiber tearing and restructuring also accelerates. This results in more intense pain, higher nutritional demands, and other effects.”
Yan Huan nodded slowly, piecing together the implications. The principle behind muscle growth through exercise was simple: tearing muscle fibers during workouts, which then restructured to beco stronger and tougher. With this efficiency boosted, the pain from tearing would naturally intensify.
Add to that the curse of doubled pain.
Swallowing hard, a bead of cold sweat slid down Yan Huan’s cheek.
"This might hurt… a lot."
Still, the design seed deliberate. While the rapid restructuring risked overwhelming the fibers, the "Naked Form" ability counterbalanced this by granting a 100% boost to physical attributes when exercising without clothing. A rather considerate combination, albeit with its challenges.
“ow?”
ow-chan tilted its head, noticing Yan Huan’s hesitation.
After a mont of internal deliberation, Yan Huan made up his mind.
“The curse will weaken as the muscles grow stronger—there’s a limit to how big muscles can get. Endure the pain early, and it’ll get better later.”
He stood up, removed his shirt, and walked to the bathroom mirror.
His body wasn’t exactly scrawny—he exercised regularly at work and had no unhealthy habits. But neither was he particularly muscular.
Grabbing his slightly soft biceps, he felt a quiet urge emanating from within: "Grow stronger."
“...”
Resolving himself, Yan Huan tossed his pajama top aside and returned to the bed.
This choice wouldn’t just improve his health but also enhance strength and endurance—assets that might co in handy in resolving Modifier-related problems.
Looking back at the other two skills, "Dexterous Finger Technique" and "Demonic Chef," Yan Huan sighed. The forr seed like a joke, and he had no idea how its buff could be useful beyond unlocking extra ga-over cutscenes in certain gas.
As for Demonic Chef, he was sowhat interested. Though he wasn’t a skilled cook, being able to make tastier food sounded appealing. The downside, however, was the light curse attached to every dish.
Three als a day ant three curses daily. Over three days, that would add up to nine curses, endlessly compounding with no relief in sight.
Considering this, Yan Huan ultimately settled on the third reward: Naturalist.
With a sharp "buzz", the black orb dissolved, its energy surging into Yan Huan’s body.
First, his legs felt sore, prompting him to frown as he realized, “No way… Is it because I walked so much today? Does that count as exercise?”
It seed reasonable.
Quickly, however, he began to feel lighter, his fingers radiating strength as they flexed effortlessly.
“...”
Ah, so that’s how it works.
Looking at his short-sleeve pajamas and shorts, Yan Huan realized that as long as more than a certain percentage of his body was uncovered, the "Naked Form" effect would activate.
What if he uncovered even more?
Intrigued, Yan Huan decided to experint.
He stripped off his shirt and tossed it onto the bed, inadvertently covering ow-chan beneath it. From under the fabric ca a muffled “ow!”
“Sorry, ow-chan. Just testing the 'Naked Form' effect.”
Feeling unsatisfied, he continued removing the remaining articles of clothing.
“ow~”
ow-chan, having just wriggled free, froze in place upon seeing sothing it shouldn’t have. Its tail shot straight up before retreating back into the pajamas.
“This is wild,” Yan Huan exclaid, clenching his fists and throwing a few punches. His movents were accompanied by audible wind resistance as his fists cut through the air.
It wasn’t just his strength—his endurance, vitality, and other attributes had all improved.
For a brief mont, Yan Huan felt like Sun Wukong, ready to sprint along the seashore with boundless energy. He could only imagine how exaggerated the enhancents would beco after more training and muscle growth.
Excited, Yan Huan hurriedly put on his underwear. The mont he did, the exhilarating lightness dissipated significantly.
“?”
Frowning, Yan Huan noticed the drop in boost—nearly 30%.
But why? He was only wearing briefs, not full shorts. Could such a small amount of fabric cause this much loss?
“...”
Suspicious, Yan Huan removed the underwear again, and the last piece of the terrifyingly powerful puzzle snapped into place.
His recently enhanced intellect processed the situation quickly, and his eyes lit up like Tong Yingying’s when she had a breakthrough.
“Wait, I’ve got an idea!”
He darted to his bedside drawer, pulled out a face mask, and put it on. With most of his face covered, he figured it was worth a test.
“Snap!”
Another 30% boost vanished.
“...”
Yan Huan slowly removed the mask, his expression darkening.
"Fine. Play it that way."
He sighed and begrudgingly dressed himself fully again. From his calculations, the "Naked Form" effect was hard to maximize in public. Unless he was at a pool, water park, or similarly appropriate setting, it was difficult to justify baring much of his body.
At most, he could go shirtless with knee-length athletic shorts, netting about a 55% boost to his physical attributes.
Experint concluded, Yan Huan retrieved his pajamas from the bed, uncovering ow-chan.
“ow?”
“...”
Looking at the adorable ow-chan beneath the pajamas, Yan Huan, initially ready to scold it, paused as he rembered everything the little cat had done that day: inserting the USB drive and delivering the Bluetooth headphones to Bai Yi.
Wait… where are my headphones?
Yan Huan smacked his forehead. It dawned on him that the Bluetooth headphones he had picked up during a flash sale were now missing.
Last weekend, his school uniform ended up with Ye Shiyu, who only returned it on Friday—decorated with so eerie “You Have Been Marked” symbols. This week, his headphones had vanished. Who knew when Bai Yi would return them?
“Forget it… I’ll ask her next week during the study group if she doesn’t bring them back,” Yan Huan muttered as he lay on the bed and turned off the lights.
The warm, fuzzy ow-chan cuddled up to him, its clear, erald-green eyes staring up at Yan Huan. He looked back at it and smiled, rubbing its head.
“Goodnight, ow-chan.”
ow-chan tilted its head and let out an adorable, “ow~.”
And so, another week began.
“Morning, President.”
On Monday morning, aboard the South District school bus, Yan Huan glanced at Yaqiao Mu, whose dark circles were more pronounced than usual.
“Didn’t sleep well?” Yan Huan asked.
Yaqiao Mu nodded sluggishly. “I stayed up researching exorcism rituals and ways to accumulate good karma. Then I played that new galga I got at the convention yesterday, Loli Stepsister’s Sweet Love. Heh, the heroine is so cute. I’m smitten.”
“...”
Yan Huan felt like whatever karma Yaqiao Mu might have earned through exorcism rituals was instantly nullified by his gaming habits—probably putting him into karmic debt instead.
Oblivious to Yan Huan’s disapproving gaze, Yaqiao Mu was about to put on his Bluetooth headphones and tend to his electronic bonsai. But as he turned, he noticed Yan Huan silently watching fitness tutorial videos with subtitles on, headphones nowhere in sight.
Curious, he asked, “President, why the sudden interest in working out? Aren’t you usually busy?”
“Well, I might cut back on part-ti work for a bit, so I figured I’d pick up a new habit,” Yan Huan replied casually.
“Ah, I see…”
Excited, Yaqiao Mu closed his galga and opened Plane. “If you’re getting into fitness, President, I’ll introduce you to Teacher Jiao Tan on Plane. He’s pretty popular in fitness circles and could really help you out.”
“Oh right, you ntioned yesterday that he’s a fitness influencer.”
Recalling Teacher Jiao Tan’s muscular build, Yan Huan figured it was the result of years of dedication. With the Modifier, he wouldn’t need as much ti to slim down and build so muscle.
“Alright, send his contact info. I’ll reach out.”
“Okay, I’ll let him know too.”
Monts later, Yaqiao Mu forwarded an account with a charcoal-like avatar nad “Jiao Tan.” Yan Huan sent a friend request, but it hadn’t been accepted yet—it was still early, and Jiao Tan likely wasn’t awake.
Without any unexpected gifts or surprises on the bus ride, they soon arrived at the bustling school entrance. A nearby teaching building under construction appeared to be nearing completion, likely within the next week or two.
“Finally! That building’s been driving nuts. The constant noise is unbearable, especially during club activities in the afternoons,” Yaqiao Mu grumbled, glaring at the construction site.
For all his otaku vibes, Yaqiao Mu was a mber of the Computer Club. At Yuanyue Academy, the true nerds weren’t in ani clubs, which were full of social butterflies, but instead in clubs like the Computer Club and Math Club.
Adjusting his glasses, Yaqiao Mu smirked darkly. “If our Computer Club wins the Club Competition, I’m going to demand the principal tear that building down.”
“That’s a pretty clear sign you don’t think your club will win,” Yan Huan teased with a faint smile.
Just as Yaqiao Mu was about to retort, several feminine voices called out behind them.
“Yan President~”
“President~”
Turning, Yan Huan saw a group of smiling girls heading toward him.
At their forefront was a girl whose mature and alluring deanor seed out of place for a high school student. Her long black hair cascaded gracefully down her back, accompanied by a faint, pleasant fragrance that accentuated her curvy figure.
“Good morning, Senior Mizuki,” Yan Huan greeted politely.
“Yan President, why didn’t you respond to our ssages last week?”
Eaglese Mizuki, the Mahjong Club President of Yuanyue Academy, pouted playfully.
“Yes, yes! You didn’t co play mahjong with us last week, and we’ve been itching to play,” chid in Long Ting and Yasaki Onwu, the Mahjong Club’s vice presidents.
“I was busy last week, so…” Yan Huan began to explain, but Mizuki interrupted with a mischievous smile.
“Well then, co to the club today! We’re missing one for a ga.”
“You’re the only one who can complete the table, President. You have to join us~”
Before Yan Huan could decline, the vice presidents suddenly noticed sothing—or soone. Their expressions shifted, and they hastily waved goodbye.
“Great, it’s settled then. See you later, President!”
As the Mahjong Club girls departed, Yaqiao Mu elbowed Yan Huan with a grin.
“President, are you going to play mahjong this afternoon?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Is it because of Vice President Ying Gong?”
“What do you an?” Yan Huan asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Co on, everyone knows that Mizuki and Vice President Ying Gong don’t get along. They’re both from Sakura Country and are said to have a long-standing rivalry. Rumor has it their families are locked in an overseas power struggle.”
Yan Huan was intrigued. Ying Gong Tong rarely spoke about her family, so he knew little about their influence or operations. “And what’s your inside scoop?”
Grinning conspiratorially, Yaqiao Mu leaned closer. “Actually, the Mizuki family can’t compete with the Ying Gong family at all. Their feud has nothing to do with family rivalries. It all boils down to one thing…”
Yan Huan, genuinely curious, turned to Yaqiao Mu for the answer, but his attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere.
“Yaqiao…”
“It’s their figures, President! Mizuki-senpai has an absolutely killer figure, but Vice President Ying Gong is, well… not quite as blessed. They even had a spat at a banquet in Sakura Country because of it—”
Before Yaqiao Mu could finish, a bone-chilling aura descended upon him.
“Yaqiao-kun.”
The voice ca from behind.
Yaqiao Mu’s excitent froze into a rictus of dread as he turned slowly, only to see Aixi Li in her disciplinary committee uniform and armband, flanked by Ying Gong Tong in a black dress.
Despite her petite fra, Ying Gong Tong exuded an intimidating presence that left Yaqiao Mu trembling.
“Oh dear, it’s so disappointing to hear a fellow Student Council mber spreading baseless rumors. I guess we’ll have to take Yaqiao-kun to the Disciplinary Office for so proper reflection,” Ying Gong Tong said sweetly, her words sending a shiver down Yaqiao Mu’s spine.
Before he could beg Yan Huan for help, he noticed his president had already retreated to a safe distance, watching sympathetically.
Good luck, Yaqiao.
And so, Yaqiao Mu was dragged away by two committee mbers under Aixi Li’s direction.
Left behind were the usual dazzling pair: Ying Gong Tong and Yan Huan.
Ying Gong Tong brushed her black hair aside and greeted Yan Huan with a warm smile. “Good morning, President.”
“Good morning, Ying Gong.”
Before either could say more, another pleasant voice chid in.
“Good morning, Yan Huan.”
Startled, they both turned to see a beautiful girl with sparkling eyes behind a face mask. It was Bai Yi.
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