It was a red potion, about the size of an adult's ring finger, sealed in tempered glass. Plastic containers were not used because they lacked stability; high temperatures would cause substances to evaporate and spoil the potion.
Though it was only a fleeting glance, Li Juxu recognized it at once.
It was a Strength Potion — the very potion he had longed for.
Almost by reflex, he lunged forward, snatched the potion before it hit the ground, and quickly stuffed it inside his clothes. Amid the chaos, he slipped away from the street. His heart was still pounding violently when he returned to the motel.
He had no idea if the explosion was related to the Strength Potion. Given its value, clashes over it were only normal. Still, this was a settlement, and using bombs here broke the unspoken rules. He did not know who the two sides in the conflict were. If they were just reckless rookies, they could die in the blast with no consequences. Otherwise, severe punishment would surely follow.
Suddenly remembering something, Li Juxu left the motel again, heading in the opposite direction from the explosion. He bought a roasted chicken, a lamb leg, and 10 jin of cooked beef — spending a full third of his living expenses at once.
He returned to the motel, locked the door, and took out the Strength Potion.
Only then did he notice small cracks on the tempered glass. It had indeed been damaged by the blast. He thanked his quick reflexes; if he had not grabbed it in time, the potion would have shattered on the ground and been lost forever.
Ever since the Doomsday War, humanity had attached extreme importance to researching the human body, obsessed with creating superhumans. But turning an ordinary person into a superhuman was no easy task.
After relentless, round-the-clock research and experiments by countless scientists, there was finally some progress. Super Potions and Strength Potions were among the representative results.
When an ordinary person took a Strength Potion, their physical strength would be enhanced.
Humans were innately hungry for power. On the Beast Planet, that hunger reached an extreme — death lurked at every turn, and the stronger you were, the higher your chance of survival.
Aside from losing his composure over his girlfriend, Cao Gang was usually fair and principled. He always let team members pick loot first, taking last for himself. Yet he had abandoned that principle for the Strength Potion, such was the importance of power.
This was Li Juxu's first time holding a Strength Potion, but he was far from unfamiliar with it. He had heard countless stories from other hunters. He might not have taken one before, but he knew every detail by heart.
He recalled everything he knew about the potion.
After filling a tub with cold water, he poured the Strength Potion into his mouth.
It was warm, slightly sweet.
One minute later, his body grew faintly warm.
Three minutes later, he felt a burning heat.
Five minutes later, his skin reddened, breathing quickened, heart raced.
Ten minutes later, even his breath felt scorching.
Fifteen minutes later, it felt like a furnace was burning inside him. A desperate thirst struck, but he forced himself to hold on.
Eighteen minutes in, double vision blurred his sight. Still, he endured.
At the twenty‑fifth minute, he climbed into the bathtub.
The icy water jolted him awake. He grabbed the prepared food and began wolfing it down ravenously.
Strength Potions did not create power out of nothing.
They stimulated human cells and awakened potential, thereby increasing strength. The process burned massive amounts of energy. Without timely replenishment, the effect would be greatly weakened. Many inexperienced people suffered for this reason.
The best energy supplement was nutrient solution — but its price was comparable to a Strength Potion. Li Juxu could not even dream of affording it. Meat was the choice for most people.
But it required immense willpower. The activation of the potion caused excruciating pain; many passed out before they could eat to replenish energy.
Before taking the potion, Li Juxu had considered himself tough, believing his will could endure any torture. Only after experiencing the Strength Potion did he realize he was not as strong as he thought. He was grateful for the cold water — without it, he was not sure he could have stayed conscious.
He finished the beef and could eat no more.
But to maximize the potion's effect, he forced himself to swallow the lamb leg bite by bite.
When he grabbed the roasted chicken, he could truly eat no longer. His belly swelled like a balloon, and he feared opening his mouth would make him vomit everything back up.
The water in the tub had turned warm.
Li Juxu drained it and refilled it with cold water, forcing himself to stay alert.
He focused on every subtle change in his body.
Beyond the pain and discomfort, he felt an indescribable transformation taking place inside him — faint, almost imperceptible unless he concentrated. Like a slow drip from a tap, tiny, drop by drop. Yet over time, the dampness and chill became noticeable.
One hour later, the agony peaked and gradually subsided.
The burning in his body eased. His stomach felt less bloated.
He ate the roasted chicken bit by bit.
Another half an hour passed.
His skin returned to normal. Breathing was no longer scorching or rapid.
The dizziness in his head faded.
Two hours later, all side effects vanished.
Li Juxu stepped out of the bathtub, feeling more refreshed than ever.
It was like waking from a three‑day sleep after going seven days without rest.
The world felt wonderfully vivid.
Externally, his body looked the same, but he knew he had become significantly stronger.
He could not tell the exact increase — that would require testing — but he could feel the improvement.
He tidied the room and stepped outside.
Wild Boar and Haozi were talking about the explosion on the street. With no official announcement, everything was just speculation.
They were curious why Li Juxu had returned so early. He explained he had come back early because of the blast, and they thought nothing more of it.
Despite being the youngest in the team, Li Juxu was extremely steady.
He avoided trouble and had no interest in excitement — for excitement often brought risk.
Staying away from potential danger was simply in his nature.
Li Juxu did not mention the Strength Potion.
Even though they were teammates and close, secrets were safer kept to as few people as possible.
No one knew what the future held. They might even become enemies one day.
Wang Xiaoxin was not at the motel, her whereabouts unknown.
Cao Gang had not returned either.
Li Juxu asked the motel for several decks of playing cards and went back to his room.
Wild Boar and Haozi were used to this.
After seeing Cao Gang's stone‑throwing technique, Li Juxu had been eager to learn.
Cao Gang had taught him everything without holding back.
But Li Juxu lacked the strength to make stones lethal, so Cao Gang suggested he practice with playing cards instead.
If he could not walk the path of strength, he could walk the path of skill.
A well‑thrown card could slit a throat.
From then on, practicing cards became Li Juxu's other obsession, alongside cleaning his guns.