C7 I'm a Pauper!

A burst of astonished exclamations filled the air.

"507 kilograms. That's 7 kilograms above the Qing University Martial Arts School's admission requirements!"

"Incredible! It's no surprise he's the strongest student at No. 5 High School!"

"I heard he's awakened a Level A talent! The sky's the limit for him!"

The boy receiving the accolades swelled with pride. Wiping away sweat, he responded with modesty, "I'm not all that impressive. There might be someone at our school who's even stronger than me. True masters tend to keep a low profile, you know."

"Zheng Hao, you're already low-key. Anyone else with your scores would be shouting it from the rooftops!"

"Absolutely. You're too humble. I'd say you're the best, aside from Lau Yueying in the previous class!"

Zheng Hao shook his head vigorously, "I wouldn't dare compare myself to Lau Yueying. She's a genius with Level-S talent who got into Qing University Martial Arts School without any exams. Now, she's a Devil Domain Expert. If I had even half her strength, I'd be too excited to sleep."

The group laughed and talked as they departed from the training grounds.

Zhang Ze started to clean. Once he finished, he scanned the empty surroundings before approaching the strength testing machine.

"The admission requirement for Qing University Martial Arts School is 500 kilograms."

Clutching his right fist, Zhang Ze inhaled deeply and unleashed a punch.

His fist slammed into the target! The reading showed 497 kilograms.

"Just one attribute point boosted my strength this much!" Zhang Ze was thrilled. He recalled his last test, where he barely reached 390 kilograms, despite daily training.

"Even though I'm just shy of the requirement, I'm confident I'll pass the assessment."

After gathering his belongings, Zhang Ze left the Martial House.

Just then, Zheng Hao emerged. As a senior member of the school's Martial House, he enjoyed the privilege of a private rest area.

Passing the strength tester, Zheng Hao cast an inadvertent glance at it.

He paused. The display still showed the results of Zhang Ze's recent test.

"497 kilograms. Just 3 kilograms shy of the admission requirement for Qing University Martial Arts School," Zheng Hao said, astonished.

An average person's punch can muster up to 200 kilograms of force. Those with a bit more talent, after rigorous training, might achieve 300 kilograms, but hitting the 500-kilogram mark is an extraordinary feat.

Zheng Hao's own punch packed about 400 kilograms. But after logging into the Devil Domain yesterday, his elder brother—an established martial arts expert—gifted him an Advanced Red Devil Soul Sphere, boosting his Strength Attribute by a point. Consequently, his test result soared to 507 kilograms.

Yet, someone else's result was a mere 10 kilograms lighter than his!

"Qing University Martial Arts School only allocates two spots for our No.5 High School. This person could be my rival. But who could it be?" Zheng Hao scanned the Martial House, only to find himself alone.

On his way home, Zhang Ze got a text from his sister. She mentioned she'd be studying at a classmate's and returning late.

"What's she really up to?" Zhang Ze wondered, shaking his head. His sister prized her independence, preferring not to have others meddle in her affairs, so he seldom pried.

Once home, Zhang Ze grabbed a bite and re-entered the Devil Domain.

"Which layer of the Devil Domain would you like to visit?"

"Would you prefer the first or second layer?"

After a moment's thought, Zhang Ze opted for the first layer.

His Summon Monster team had six vacancies. He intended to fill these slots before venturing to the second layer for added security.

However, with the second layer now unlocked, the likelihood of Devil Soul Spheres dropping from first-level monsters had decreased.

This measure was designed to stop high-level Adventurers from swooping down to lower floors and competing with novices for resources.

A burst of light later, Zhang Ze materialized on the first level's altar.

People were appearing all around him. Some dashed off to battle monsters with friends upon arrival. Others stood still, gazing around in confusion—clearly newcomers.

At eighteen, one is granted access to the Devil Domain.

Zhang Ze watched as the Devil Domain Administration's duo repeated their spiel to the rookies, just as the day before, then proceeded to register them and hand out weapons.

After departing from the altar, Zhang Ze sought out a secluded spot where he summoned two Hard Armor Turtles, a Violent Rabbit, and an elite Iron Tooth Wolf, ready to take on the monsters.

"The creatures on the Devil Domain's second level are far more formidable than those on the first. The Violent Rabbit is quick, but its offensive and defensive capabilities are on the lower side. Facing a significant power disparity, it's likely to perish within a few exchanges."

"The Hard Armor Turtle, however, is a different story. Its robust defense allows it to endure attacks, increasing its odds of survival."

"The rule of thumb is simple: the higher the level of the Summon Monster, the stronger it becomes."

The Level 2 Violent Rabbit was a wake-up call for Zhang Ze; effectiveness hinged on the level of the Summon Monster. Therefore, the defensively superior Hard Armor Turtle was a better choice than the Violent Rabbit.

With this in mind, Zhang Ze resolved to reserve the remaining team slots for the Hard Armor Turtles.

Whenever Zhang Ze encountered a Hard Armor Turtle on his journey, he would deploy all his Summon Monsters into battle.

Thanks to the elite Iron Tooth Wolf, battles were swiftly concluded. Within minutes, he could vanquish a Hard Armor Turtle.

After each victory, Zhang Ze would promptly summon the Hard Armor Turtle to bolster his Summon Monster squad.

An hour later, his team was at full strength.

"Excellent! Now I can advance to the next level!" Zhang Ze was brimming with enthusiasm.

The stone door on the first floor was a hotspot for monster battles. To avoid drawing attention, Zhang Ze decided to stow away his Summon Monsters until he reached the second level, where he would call them forth again.

As Zhang Ze made his way to the stone door, he caught sight of five men in pursuit of a man and two women. Leading the chase was a man known as Hot Fatty.

"Isn't that Wang Yang?"

Zhang Ze was taken aback. No one but Wang Yang would choose such a moniker.

The two women with Wang Yang were likely the ones he had invited out, but what could have prompted those five to chase them?

Wang Yang, out of breath and heart racing, cried out as he fled, "Big Brother, please don't kill us. We're just beginners. We have nothing of value!"

One of their pursuers responded with a cold laugh, "We're aware you're novices, and we're not after any valuables from you!"

"However, we could just kidnap you and demand a ransom from your loved ones in the real world!"

A wave of sinister laughter erupted. Wang Yang and the two girls were petrified, their complexions ashen.

Such incidents weren't unheard of. Kidnappers often hid behind the guise of the Devil Domain's fictitious identities to abduct and extort victims. Even with police involvement, cracking these cases proved to be a daunting challenge.

What was more insane was that even after the ransom was paid, the hostages' safety was far from guaranteed. To avoid identification, the captors typically murdered the hostages.

"Big brother, I come from a poor family. I'm flat broke. Please, spare me!" Wang Yang blurted out a lie, hoping to trick them.

"Trying to fool me? I overheard you bragging to those two girls about your mansion and luxury car."

Wang Yang inwardly cursed himself for flaunting his wealth to impress the girls.

With no other option, he had to keep running. His best hope was to encounter a kind soul willing to help. Otherwise, his chances of escaping this peril were slim.

"No use running! Muddy Marsh!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Wang Yang felt the earth beneath him turn to sludge. His feet were suddenly ensnared, impossible to free.

The two girls trapped alongside him burst into tears, overcome by fear.

Wang Yang exclaimed in disbelief, "Is this an Innate Skill?"

The five burly men closed in on them. Among them was a long-haired man with a mask, known as Blood Right Hand. He approached Wang Yang with a grin and said, "If you don't want to meet your end, you'd better give me your family's contact details."