After parting ways with Wei Nan, Lin Yi got on the bus home.
The bus wasn't crowded, with only a dozen or so people scattered about.
There were still empty seats.
Lin Yi, carrying his schoolbag, sat in a seat near the back.
It was closer to the exit for getting off.
He was used to sitting here...
[Cooking (Blue): Possesses a proficient talent for cooking, making delicious meals.]
[Neat Freak (Purple): A talent that cannot tolerate a single speck of dust, always able to keep oneself and one's home clean and tidy.]
[Berserk (Blue): Difficulty controlling one's emotions; when enraged, even they fear themselves.]
[Slightly Talented (Blue): Possesses some talent in the field of Martial Arts, but not a high amount.]
[Accomplished Fists (Blue): Has a greater understanding of fist techniques than others.]
As Lin Yi sat there, wherever his gaze fell, he could see colorful entries appearing above everyone's heads.
These were each person's talent entries.
The colors were divided into white, green, blue, purple, gold, and red.
The lowest-level talent was white.
The highest was red.
Everyone's talents were different. For example, a housewife's talents were often closer to things like cooking, organizing, and parenting.
For some Martial Artists, however, their talents were related to comprehension, fist techniques, leg techniques, and so on.
Some people only had one talent entry above their heads.
Others had two, or even three.
In any case, since Lin Yi had gained the ability to see other people's talent entries, the most he had ever seen on one person was three.
One was blue, one was purple, and one had even reached gold.
As for a red entry, Lin Yi had yet to see one.
That would be considered epic-level.
Lin Yi was already used to all of this.
In truth, everyone is born with their own talents.
It was just that as they aged, these talents would either upgrade automatically or gradually dim until they disappeared completely.
As for talent entries developed later in life, most were related to one's experiences.
As for Lin Yi's talents, he had five...
[Name: Lin Yi]
[Occupation: Student]
[Martial Arts Realm: 0-Star 4th-Rank]
[Qi and Blood: 66%]
[Martial Skills: Basic Fist Technique, Basic Leg Technique]
[Talent Entries: Absolute Focus (Purple), Heaven-Defying Comprehension (Purple), Destiny (Gold), Fist Mastery (Blue), Divine Speed (Blue)]
[Plundered Entries: None]
Closing his personal panel, Lin Yi turned to look out the bus window, his face expressionless.
Even a hero can be stumped by a lack of money.
Although his talents were excellent and his comprehension was high, in this world, especially in the Old District, having no money meant you couldn't get anywhere.
He didn't even have the opportunity to apply for the Martial Arts program.
The only way to change his fate was to pass the Martial Arts exam and earn the right to apply to a Martial Arts University.
As long as he could get into a Martial Arts University, he could leave the Old District and start a whole new life.
But...
"Tonight at nine, wait for me at the bus stop below your building..."
Unconsciously, Lin Yi's thoughts returned to what Wei Nan had said to him.
This gradually strengthened his resolve.
'As long as I can escape the Old District, escape this home. The Martial Arts exam is my only hope. So, I have to rely on myself to earn the registration fee.'
The bus arrived at his stop.
Lin Yi got off, carrying his schoolbag.
By now, the sky had grown completely dark.
The pedestrians on the road walked hurriedly, as if none of them wanted to linger on the streets.
The security situation in the Old District was very poor.
Especially at night, danger was always lurking nearby.
This wasn't just referring to the demonic beasts.
It was also the criminals, for whom the night was a paradise.
Lin Yi lived in an old residential complex.
The environment here was even worse; a small, uneven path was filled with a foul stench and the reek of urine.
Whether day or night, people often relieved themselves here, turning the place into something like a roadside toilet.
Every time Lin Yi passed through here, he would hold his breath.
'One less breath meant being eroded just a little less by the putrid smell.'
He hurried through the area and arrived outside the complex.
This so-called complex was really just a few buildings circled by an iron fence.
At the main gate was a guardhouse.
An elderly man sat inside.
As Lin Yi walked through the community gate, the old man sitting outside the guardhouse, who was listening to the radio, looked up at him, smiled, and said, "You're back?"
"Uncle Liu, listening to the radio?" Lin Yi greeted him with a smile.
The old guard nodded and went back to focusing his attention on the broadcast.
He reached his own apartment building.
Stepping into the corridor, the smell of rot and mildew assaulted his nostrils.
Because it was an old residential complex, there were no elevators.
The entire building was only six stories high.
Lin Yi's family lived on the fourth floor.
The hallway on every floor was cluttered with junk.
The third-floor hallway, in particular, was piled high with junk like beverage bottles and cardboard boxes.
The stench was overwhelming, and countless insects crawled all over.
The neighbors living here had reported it to the community and property management many times, but it was never resolved.
Because all this stuff belonged to an old woman on the third floor. And these bottles and boxes were her personal property.
No one could do anything about it; even calling the police was useless.
The people who lived here could only either continue to endure it or choose to move out.
Arriving at his own front door, Lin Yi took out his key and opened it.
The aroma of cooking wafted toward him.
Lin Yi walked into the entryway with his schoolbag and saw Lin Dazhi sitting on the sofa, reading a newspaper.
Liu Hongmei was busy cooking in the kitchen.
She was the wife Lin Dazhi had married later in life.
"You're back?"
When Lin Yi came in after changing his shoes, Lin Dazhi put down his newspaper and glanced at him.
Lin Yi nodded slightly. "Yeah."
"Get changed and come out. We'll be eating soon!"
"Okay."
Lin Yi carried his schoolbag and walked into his room.
The room wasn't large, containing a single bed and a desk.
There was also a small bookshelf.
On the bookshelf were a few books unrelated to his studies.
They were books Lin Yi used to enjoy reading, but now, he never opened a single one.
When he came out, having changed out of his school uniform and into a sweatsuit, Lin Hongmei walked out, carrying a freshly stir-fried dish.
The moment she saw Lin Yi, she smiled and said, "Xiaoyi, go wash your hands. It's time to eat!"
Hearing this, Lin Yi glanced at the dining table.
There were actually six dishes, and every single one had meat.
Lin Yi said in surprise, "What's the occasion? Why did you make so many dishes?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Dazhi laughed. "HAHAHA... Today is the day your younger brother passed the assessment for the New Star Martial Arts Hall! Go wash your hands, the whole family is going to celebrate!"
'New Star Martial Arts Hall?'
Lin Yi's expression changed slightly.
'That's the best Martial Arts Hall in Xinghai City. I heard a single class costs five thousand yuan, and that's for the lowest tier. And you have to sign up for ten classes to start... Is our family that rich now?'