Chapter Twenty-Nine: Braised Pork

Ignoring everyone else, Yan Luo took out his books and began to study on his own. He suddenly noticed that whether it was subjects like Chinese and English, which required memory, or math, physics, and chemistry, which demanded logical thinking and reasoning, all of them felt much easier than before.

“Could it be that the basic life enhancement doesn't just increase strength, agility, and constitution? Could it also, in less obvious or measurable ways, improve intelligence?”

Yan Luo pondered this and thought it was likely.

“If I study diligently for the next few months, I should be able to get into a decent university with the college entrance exam…”

This thought flashed across his mind, but then he reminded himself that he was now a World Modulator. What was the point of going to college?

At exactly 8 o'clock, the self-study period ended and the first official class began. The homeroom teacher, Ms. Wu—nicknamed “The Merciless Abbess”—walked into the classroom, scrutinizing her students. With only a few months left before the college entrance exams, she was particularly concerned with their mental state.

“Hmm?”

Ms. Wu immediately sensed that something was off about the atmosphere in the classroom today.

She narrowed her eyes, her gaze sweeping across the room like a searchlight, quickly identifying the source of the disturbance.

Yan Luo?

Her expression was tinged with confusion.

She looked him over carefully several times, then finally confirmed her suspicion.

“Yan Luo, it’s only been two days and you’ve become so handsome? Especially your skin—how is it so fair?” Ms. Wu couldn’t help but ask. She was only in her early thirties and, like many women, cared about her looks and complexion.

“Uh…” Yan Luo was momentarily at a loss.

How was he supposed to answer that? He couldn't very well explain that he’d entered a zombie survival world, his teammate had defeated the boss but died, and he’d received a Dream Gene Point, spent it on basic life, and undergone something like an evolutionary transformation.

Thinking it through, he replied, “Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Boys change a lot as they grow up’?”

You sense a strong emotion:

Bewilderment +1

Ms. Wu’s mouth hung open. She’d only ever heard the version about girls—how a girl’s appearance, personality, and physical traits can change dramatically between childhood and eighteen.

As the saying goes:

“Girls blossom as they grow; the older, the prettier.”

But “boys change as they grow”? Even if they do, could such a transformation happen in just two days?

Moreover, if you follow up “boys change as they grow” with “the older, the more attractive,” it just sounds awkward and a little off.

Ms. Wu didn’t press further. After all, as their homeroom teacher, she couldn’t lose her composure in front of the class. She had to maintain her authority.

“Let’s begin the lesson!”

“Stand up.”

“Good morning, teacher…”

Yan Luo tried to keep a low profile, but at this point, he was like a firefly in the dark—impossible to ignore. His deep-set eyes, fair skin, calm and elegant demeanor, and the “Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Happiness Mask” in his hair all made him stand out. There was no way to blend in.

When class ended, Ms. Wu glanced at him before leaving. At that moment, Yan Luo’s desk mate—a boy he’d barely spoken to before—nudged him and whispered, “Yan Luo, what beauty products are you using? In just two days, your skin’s become so fair! I’ve been sneaking glances during class—it looks so smooth! Or do you have some skincare secret? Teach me!”

Yan Luo turned to look at him. His desk mate’s name was Zheng Hong, and his most notable feature was a face full of juicy, tender acne.

Honestly, even the best beauty products probably wouldn’t help a face that looked like the surface of the moon.

Of course, he couldn’t say that and crush the boy’s spirit. Nor could he reveal the truth about “unlocking bio-genetic traits.” After a few seconds of silence, Yan Luo replied, “It’s natural. You can’t learn it.”

You sense a strong emotion:

Shock +1

The emotion he picked up was shock? Was it because he’d been too blunt and startled Zheng Hong?

Zheng Hong stared at him, speechless for a long moment, then tried to change the subject: “Yan Luo, what’s that accessory you’re wearing on your head? It’s so cute—it looks just like those emoji masks! Where did you buy it? I want one too.”

Yan Luo glanced at Zheng Hong’s mess of hair, which looked like a bird’s nest. “Honestly, you should just buy an egg.”

Zheng Hong looked utterly baffled. He’d asked about a hair accessory—why bring up eggs?

“Because if you put it on your head, maybe you’ll hatch a little chick,” Yan Luo replied with a straight face.

Zheng Hong: “…”

You sense a strong emotion:

Bewilderment +1

For the rest of the class, nothing unusual happened. Zheng Hong, after being shut down twice, fell silent, and the rest of the class, recalling Yan Luo’s usual aloofness, didn’t bother him either. A few girls, who had been working up the courage to approach him, decided to wait for a better opportunity.

At 11:40, the bell signaled the end of class. Some students packed up and headed home, but Yan Luo had no reason to leave.

He bought two steamed buns from the cafeteria and filled a large bowl with the free vegetable soup—which was basically the water the cafeteria staff used to rinse out the pots after cooking, with a few scallions, some stray vegetable leaves, and a film of oil on top. If you were lucky, you might fish out a stray grain of rice or a bit of minced meat from the bottom.

This free soup had a special name:

Pot-washing water.

Yan Luo carried his buns and soup to a corner of the dining hall, sipping the soup and biting the buns. Ever since he’d enhanced his basic life, his need for food had increased, especially with intense physical training. This meager meal was far from enough—but there was nothing he could do.

He was poor.

Not quite at the point of eating dirt, but certainly unable to afford meat.

Sitting quietly in the corner, his circumstances were humble, but his mood was good. The “Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Happiness Mask” above his head was set to “Joy.” He’d only come to school for a few hours, and yet he’d already collected so many emotional responses.

At this rate, he’d be able to merge the Personality Mask within a couple of days.

He ate with a faint smile on his face.

The cafeteria buzzed with noise. A few girls, sneaking glances at him, were surprised to see him eating such a simple meal and still smiling so warmly and brightly. Their hearts nearly melted.

Some of the boys, on the other hand, looked at this handsome guy eating such plain food, compared it to their own generous servings, and immediately felt a wave of superiority—like rich men looking down on the poor.

“Yan Luo.”

A boy approached with a tray: rice, a small portion of stir-fried bean sprouts, and a plate of glistening red-braised pork—a dish known as “Eight Big Chunks.” Despite the name, it had little relation to the famous Huizhou dish; the moniker came from the cafeteria chef’s habit of serving exactly eight pieces of pork belly, skin on.

The meat was glossy and fragrant, and of course, the price was high. Yan Luo had no idea how much, as he’d never bought it.

He looked up and saw it was Zheng Hong, his desk mate, his acne shining as brightly as the red-braised pork.

“Why are you just eating buns, not getting any sides? And drinking the cafeteria’s pot-washing water?” Zheng Hong scanned Yan Luo’s meager meal, then noticed the glances from some of the girls.

His eyes lit up.

He suddenly felt quite pleased.

“Haha, you can’t just eat like that! There’s no nutrition. Here, let’s eat together.”

Trying to show off, Zheng Hong placed the plate of red-braised pork in front of Yan Luo.

Yan Luo looked at him, then at the meat.

“Go ahead, eat. Don’t be polite—we’re desk mates! If you hold back, I’ll think you look down on me.” Zheng Hong made a point of speaking loudly, making sure everyone around heard this generous “offering.” Seeing several people glance their way, he felt very proud.

Hearing this, Yan Luo picked up his chopsticks, took a piece, and popped it into his mouth. Instantly, the rich aroma of the meat filled his senses. The lean part was chewy but tender, the fat melted in his mouth with a hint of sweetness, and the skin was soft and gelatinous—a bite of pure happiness.

In the “Joy” mode of the mask, this piece of pork only deepened his pleasure—his face wore an expression of utter contentment.

Gulp.

Seeing his expression, Zheng Hong couldn’t help swallowing. “Is it good?”

“It’s delicious! Lean but tender, fatty but not greasy, rich in flavor and aroma—a masterpiece!”

“Then I’ll…” Zheng Hong’s family wasn’t poor, but he often spent his food money on game microtransactions. He’d just splurged not long ago, so he rarely bought expensive, all-meat dishes like this. He picked up his chopsticks to take a piece for himself.

The next second…

Yan Luo’s chopsticks darted out, and all eight pieces of red-braised pork vanished into his mouth.

Now, he had enough energy reserves for heavy weapons training tonight.

Yan Luo was delighted; the energy from meat was different from that of bread or vegetable soup.

“Thank you for the pork,” he said.

Zheng Hong looked down at his now-empty plate—only some sauce remained—then at his bowl of rice and meager bean sprouts. His mouth hung open, and a wave of desolation washed over him.

You sense a strong emotion:

Grief +1

Yan Luo was speechless. Grief? That was an even stronger emotion than sadness!

“You told me not to be polite, and it was just a few pieces of meat. Don’t be so stingy—men’s hearts should be as broad as the ocean.”

He patted Zheng Hong on the shoulder, preaching with earnest sincerity.