Chapter 3: A Born Numerical Prodigy

NPC: Lu Yuan [Chief Constable of Worry-Free County]
Level: 0 [No Rank]
Race: ?
Strength: ??? [Data anomaly, cannot display]
Defense: ??? [Data anomaly, cannot display]
Health: ??? [Data anomaly, cannot display]
Stamina: ??? [Data anomaly, cannot display]
Mana: 0

Talent · Born Warrior: Passive skill, grows stronger and braver the longer in battle; personal stats slowly increase with combat duration. [Permanent]
Talent · Rage: Passive skill, damage taken converts into rage points; health doubles, and upon reaching 100% rage, enters a berserk state, ignoring all controls until the battle ends.
Talent · Holy Protection: Passive skill, after leaving combat for ten minutes, restores 5% health per second; once fully healed, activates Holy Protection to dispel all negative effects, including but not limited to disabilities, poison, curses, etc.

Ultimate · Rage Barrage: Active skill, consumes all rage points to unleash a deadly strike, dealing true damage to all enemies within range.
Ultimate · Merciless Blow: Active skill, burns stats to unleash an invincible strike, capable of shaking mountains and overturning the world.
Burst Step: Active skill, enhanced by immense strength; the stronger the strength, the faster and farther movement becomes.
Five-Star Combo: Active skill, intersperses normal attacks with punches that grow heavier; beware dodging—taking five hits straight will be fatal. Not for amateurs.

...

Lu Yuan truly did not know martial arts.
He simply had slightly higher stats and a heavier fist.

In his previous life, Lu Yuan was a middle-aged programmer, ruthlessly laid off by his company. For a living, he had no choice but to turn his attention to developing cheats for the soon-to-launch mega game, The World.
He planned to farm materials using cheats and earn some money.

Unexpectedly, he exploded.

With a half-finished cheat program in hand, he crossed into a world that seemed like a martial arts game.
The half-finished cheat lost most of its functions after crossing over, leaving only a data panel that allowed him to view the stats of all things.

His data was abnormal due to his constitution.
His body could not cultivate any system; it could not contain true energy, yet he was inherently powerful, granting him formidable combat strength.

Immense strength, impervious to blades and spears, near-miraculous regeneration from even a drop of blood.
He was like a monster.

As he aged, all his stats kept rising day by day.
Five years ago, his data panel could still display his values.

After the battle at Qingcheng Mountain,
Lu Yuan’s data panel ceased to show specific numbers.

Now,
Lu Yuan himself had no idea how high his stats had reached.

He didn’t know martial arts, but his stats were high.
Few in the martial world could take even a few punches from him head-on.

In terms of his previous life’s words, Lu Yuan radiated the beauty of pure stats.
No skill, just sheer numbers.

...

In a small courtyard south of the city,
Old Lu, a retired blacksmith, had a cigarette dangling from his lips and a glowing iron piece clamped between his fingers as he swung his hammer—clang, clang, clang.

Sparks flew, and the red-hot iron gradually took shape under Old Lu’s relentless pounding.

“Shh…”

The shaped iron was tossed into water, steam billowing white.

Old Lu tossed his hammer aside, limped over to a chair with his cane, and grabbed a wine gourd, gulping down a hearty swig.

Tipsy and warm, Old Lu squinted his eyes, reclining comfortably in his chair.

“Old Lu, you really can’t sit still.”

Lu Yuan pushed open the courtyard door carrying a jar of fine wine. A wave of warmth greeted him. Old Lu was fast asleep under a tree, the forge fire still burning. Lu Yuan walked over and casually extinguished the fire.

He picked up the empty wine gourd tossed aside by Old Lu, shook it—empty—filled it with wine, and placed it beside the chair.

“Hmm?”

“Xiao Yuan, off work?”

“Ha~”

“Old Lu, you’re not young anymore. Stop wasting your energy on those scrap metals every day. If you’re really bored, why not gather some friends to fish or play cards? Or, if worst comes to worst, visit a brothel for some company.”

Old Lu had been a blacksmith all his life and hadn’t given up the craft even after retirement.

“If you could just give me a grandson, I wouldn’t have to fool around with these scraps all day.”

“Old Chen’s grandchild already has a great-grandchild, and you?”

“I’m twenty years old, and I don’t even have a wife.”

“Such a wasted face.”

“If I had your face when I was young, my family would have been full of descendants by now.”

Old Lu was disappointed, like a father scolding a wayward son.

“I’m not interested in women.”

“You like men?”

“I’m not interested in men either.”

“Then what are you interested in?”

“I’m not interested in humanity.”

“Oh, come on.”

Old Lu was so frustrated with Lu Yuan’s words he wished he could kick the rascal to death.

Not interested in humanity?

I think you’re aiming to fly away.

“See, you’re getting worked up again.”

“It’s not that I won’t marry. I just haven’t met someone I like yet. When I do, I’ll definitely marry her and give you a bunch of grandchildren.”

Lu Yuan easily blocked the cane Old Lu swung at him.

Light as a feather, it caused no damage.

“Xiao Yuan, I’m almost eighty. I don’t have many years left.”

Old Lu’s voice softened. Like all parents in the world, he hoped to see his child settle down someday.

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“You’re in good health; you can live at least another twenty years.”

“I heard there’s a divine herb on Kunlun Peak called the Everlasting Springgrass, absorbing the essence of heaven, earth, sun, and moon. Eating it can extend life by fifty years.”

“I’ll get it for you, and you can live fifty years longer.”

Lu Yuan said with certainty.

“Daydreaming in broad daylight? Everlasting Springgrass is just a martial world legend, not to be taken seriously.”

“If it truly existed, would the emperor of Dayong have died of old age?”

“Do you think it’s your task to go pick it?”

Old Lu shook his head. Martial world legends are just stories to enjoy but not truths to believe in.

“Do you have a shift this afternoon?”

“An hour of patrol in the afternoon.”

“Find someone to cover it for you. Come with me to the Chen estate for dinner later.”

“Old Chen has urgent business to discuss with you.”

“Urgent business? Is it important?”

“Very important. It concerns the very survival of Worry-Free County.”

“That serious? Got it.”

...

Twilight deepened.

Outside the Chen family mansion, one luxurious sedan chair after another arrived and stopped.

Rich merchants dressed in brocade stepped out gracefully, their garments shimmering with jewels.

“Mr. Wang, long time no see.”

“Mr. Li, how is your health?”

The merchants exchanged greetings when suddenly, two figures slowly approached from the street.

All the merchants’ eyes lit up, eagerly stepping forward to greet them.

Though the visitors did not arrive in sedan chairs nor wear extravagant brocade,
he was Lu Yuan.

The chief constable of Worry-Free County, the firm anchor of the county; as long as Lu Yuan was around, their lives and fortunes were secure.

“Master Lu, do you remember me? I’m young Li.”

“Chief Constable, are you married? My daughter is as beautiful as a flower…”

...