The Thăng Long Combat Preparatory School's library was Lâm Minh's next destination.
Not for the outdated textbooks or the heavily censored histories, but for the relative quiet and anonymity it offered.
He needed to think, to strategize.
Cultivating in his tiny, shared apartment was out of the question; the energy fluctuations, however minor at the Luyện Khí stage, might be noticeable to someone with a keen sense, and privacy was non-existent.
His school, despite its own set of prying eyes, offered more potential nooks and crannies.
He found an unoccupied carrel in a dusty, rarely visited section dedicated to pre-invasion classical literature.
The irony wasn't lost on him – seeking refuge amongst the ghosts of a dead world to plot the salvation of the current one.
First, information.
Spirit Stones.
How did one acquire them outside official military or research channels in 2025?
Black markets, undoubtedly.
Every war, every scarcity, bred them.
But a sixteen-year-old boy with no connections and no discernible wealth would be an easy target for exploitation or w
He ment[System, are there any publicly known or accessible locations where Spirit Stones, even low-grade, might be found or traded within Hanoi Sector 7?]
[Analyzing local data streams, black market chatter, and historical resource distribution patterns for Hanoi Sector 7, circa 2025…]
A brief pause.
[Minor concentrations of unrefined petroleum condensate, the raw material for Low-Grade Spirit Stones, sometimes seep into abandoned pre-invasion industrial zones or deep sewer systems, particularly those damaged by early Madakaros bombardment. These are often scavenged by desperate individuals. Refined Spirit Stones are tightly controlled. However, a small, illicit trade exists, usually bartering goods or services rather than monetary exchange, due to currency instability. Key node for such activity: The "Rust Market" in the old Dong Xuan district ruins, operating nocturnally. High risk, high potential reward.]
The school day dragged on.
Physical education class was a grim affair – obstacle courses, basic hand-to-hand combat drills (woefully inadequate against even a Luyện Khí Madakaros), and weapons handling with outdated kinetic rifles.
Lâm Minh went through the motions, his young body clumsy and weak compared to the conditioned physique of his future self, but his mind was a whirlwind of calculation.
He observed his classmates, particularly those who showed natural athleticism or a desperate, hungry look.
Khang, the bully, excelled in PE, his movements arrogant and showy.
He clearly enjoyed the physical dominance.
Lâm Minh watched him, a faint, almost predatory smile playing on his lips.
Khang had resources, connections. Perhaps Khang, in his own way, could be… useful.
During the lunch break, most students queued for the watery stew and dry bread rolls served in the noisy canteen.
Lâm Minh slipped away.
He needed to find a quiet spot for his first attempt.
He remembered an old, disused storage shed at the far end of the school grounds, near the perimeter fence bordering a patch of overgrown wasteland.
He found it easily.
The door was jammed but yielded to a well-aimed kick born of remembered technique rather than current strength.
Inside, it was dusty, filled with cobwebs and discarded sporting equipment from a more peaceful era. Critically, it was secluded.
He sat cross-legged on the dirty floor, took a deep breath to calm his racing heart, and mentally accessed the System.
[Host, are you ready to begin your first Luyện Khí cultivation session?]
"Yes."
[It is recommended to consume one Low-Grade Spirit Stone. Focus on the 'Primordial Qi Absorption' technique from the Human-Adapted Manual. Visualize the Dantian as a receptive vortex. Do not force the Qi; guide it.]
He visualized one of the black, oily crystals.
It materialized in his mind and then, with a thought, a phantom version of it appeared in his physical hand.
It felt cool, dense, and thrummed with a contained energy.
This was a System ability he hadn't anticipated – manifesting consumable System items physically if needed, though they likely dematerialized after use.
He closed his eyes, following the intricate instructions of the manual.
He focused on his Dantian, a point roughly three finger-widths below his navel.
He visualized it as an empty, receptive space.
Then, he mentally crushed the Spirit Stone in his hand.
Instead of shattering, it dissolved into a stream of pure, black-gold energy that flowed up his arm and directly into his body, guided by his will towards his Dantian.
The sensation was incredible. It was like drinking pure vitality after a lifetime of thirst.
The energy was potent, almost wild, but the Heaven Tier (Stage 1 Unsealed) Spiritual Root seemed to eagerly draw it in, taming it, refining it.
He could feel a warmth spreading from his Dantian, a novel sensation for this young body.
The meditative sequences from the manual flowed through his mind, guiding him on how to circulate this nascent Qi, how to make it his own.
Time seemed to lose meaning.
The distant sounds of the school, the city, faded away.
There was only the flow of Qi, the awakening of his Dantian, the first stirrings of true power.
An hour later, as the System had predicted, the energy from the Spirit Stone was exhausted.
He opened his eyes, feeling… different. Stronger.
Not in a dramatic, muscle-bound way, but a subtle, internal reinforcement.
His senses seemed sharper.
The dust motes dancing in the single shaft of light entering the shed were clearer, more distinct.
He felt a faint, residual warmth in his Dantian, a tiny seed of power that hadn't been there before.
[Cultivation Progress: Luyện Khí Stage – Initial Phase (10% progress towards Minor Completion).]
[Dantian Capacity slightly expanded. Qi purity: Low.]
[Host's physical attributes marginally enhanced due to Qi nourishment.]
[System Recommendation: Continue regular cultivation with Spirit Stones to achieve Minor Completion of Luyện Khí Stage. This will provide a foundational level of combat capability against unarmored, low-level threats.]
Only 10% towards "Minor Completion" with one stone.
And his Heaven Tier root was still only "Stage 1 Unsealed."
This was going to be a long, resource-intensive journey.
But it was a start.
A real, tangible start.
A triumphant, almost savage grin spread across Lâm Minh's face.
He had done it.
He was cultivating.
He was on the path.
The school dismissal bell rang, jarring him back to reality.
He quickly composed himself, brushed the dust off his uniform, and slipped out of the shed, merging back into the stream of departing students.
As he walked home, his mind was already working on the next problem: acquiring more Spirit Stones.
The Rust Market loomed large in his thoughts.
But he also needed a more immediate, less overtly dangerous source if possible.
It was then that he noticed a flyer tacked to a community notice board, half-hidden beneath layers of official proclamations and missing person posters.
It was crudely printed:
"ARE YOU STRONG? ARE YOU BRAVE? EARN GOOD CREDITS! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR PERIMETER DEBRIS CLEARANCE & SCAVENGING SUPPORT. DANGEROUS WORK. MINIMAL TRAINING PROVIDED. REPORT TO SECTOR 7 LOGISTICS HUB, BAY 4. SURVIVOR BENEFITS APPLY."
Debris clearance.
Scavenging support.
Dangerous work.
Near the perimeter.
Lâm Minh stopped. This could be it. A way to get close to the officially dangerous zones, perhaps even find traces of raw condensate himself.
And "survivor benefits" often meant access to slightly better rations, maybe even medical supplies – things that could be bartered.
It was still risky, especially for a sixteen-year-old, but it was an "official" risk, perhaps with some modicum of organized support, unlike the pure anarchy of the Rust Market.
And more importantly, it would put him in contact with other desperate people, people who might know things, people who might be looking for an edge, people who might be willing to trade for… information.
A plan began to form, intricate and multi-layered. He would sign up.
He would use the work as cover to explore, to scavenge, and to subtly peddle his future knowledge for resources.
He looked up at the sky, a patch of grey visible between the oppressive concrete canyons.
A Madakaros patrol craft, a sleek, menacing silhouette, zipped silently overhead, a reminder of the ever-present threat.
Lâm Minh's gaze hardened.
"I'm coming for you," he whispered. "One Spirit Stone, one cultivation session, one step at a time."
He turned towards home, but his path was now slightly diverted. He needed to find out more about this volunteer work. He needed to prepare.
And as he walked, he couldn't shake the image of Tố Quyên's dismissive glance. It wasn't anger he felt, but a renewed determination.
One day, she wouldn't just notice him; she would see him as an equal, perhaps even as a beacon of hope.
But that day was still far off. For now, survival and the relentless pursuit of power were paramount.
The first glimmer of hope, however faint, had ignited within him. He had a path, a System, and the iron will of a man who had already stared death in the face and spat back.