Chapter Twelve: This Defies All Logic

Hiding behind an earthen slope, Ke Bei could not calm his heart no matter how hard he tried. At last, it was time to begin the lottery.

“Start the draw!”

He drew a deep breath and spoke in a low, steady voice.

The spinning disc of the system appeared before his eyes once more.

Getting this chance had not come easily; Ke Bei had nearly lost his life several times. So this time, he scrutinized every detail with utmost care.

There were eighteen slots on the disc. Twelve remained shrouded in gray mist as before, just like his first lottery attempt. Only six slots glimmered with golden light.

“Four Symbols Palm, First Volume of the Nine Yang Divine Art, Arhat Fist, Iron Head Technique, First Volume of the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Power, Shaolin Basic Inner Strength.”

Ke Bei’s brows knitted tightly as his gaze swept over the six illuminated slots. Once he had clearly seen all the martial arts listed, his anxious heart finally relaxed.

What he urgently needed now were martial arts that could boost his strength. If the system only offered him techniques, he really would have been left with nothing but tears.

“The First Volume of the Nine Yang Divine Art and the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Power are both top-tier methods. Though the Shaolin Basic Inner Strength isn’t as advanced, if I got it, my strength would still improve greatly.”

“Three out of six, a fifty percent chance—not bad.”

Ke Bei examined the six martial arts on the disc again. Three could directly enhance his strength, while the other three were martial techniques. Of these, the Four Symbols Palm was rather advanced, whereas the Iron Head Technique and Arhat Fist were more basic.

He compared the options silently in his heart, exhaled softly, and resolved to begin the draw.

With a single thought, a silver light began to dance across the disc.

“If only I could get the Nine Yang Divine Art!”

Ke Bei stared intently at the silver light as it moved across the slots, clenching his fists tightly and praying silently with all his might.

But fate rarely bends to human will. The silver light skipped right over the Nine Yang Divine Art and continued on.

“The Dragon Elephant Wisdom Power would be fine too…”

Seeing the light slip past the Nine Yang Divine Art, Ke Bei’s heart clenched so tight it felt ready to burst from his chest.

But fortune’s favor was absent today. The silver light drifted past the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Power as well.

“Damn it!”

He slammed his fist into the ground, voice filled with frustration.

Now, the silver light slowed to a crawl, as if it might stop at any moment. The next golden slot was Iron Head Technique.

“Go on, keep going, don’t stop—whatever you do, don’t stop!” Ke Bei gripped his fists so hard they creaked.

In that moment, time itself seemed to halt. A single second felt longer than a century.

The silver light, impervious to Ke Bei’s anxiety, continued its slow journey forward.

At last, it slipped past the Iron Head Technique and came to rest on the Shaolin Basic Inner Strength.

Ke Bei exhaled heavily, a deep sense of disappointment washing over him. Shaolin Basic Inner Strength was by no means the worst, but compared to the golden glow of the Nine Yang Divine Art and the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Power, he felt as though he could cough up blood.

To come so close to the best, only to miss it by a hair’s breadth—this sense of frustration was almost suffocating.

He let out a long, silent sigh, his spirits deflated like an eggplant struck by frost.

“So be it.”

Just as he was about to accept his fate and claim the Shaolin Basic Inner Strength, the system’s clear chime rang out again.

“Would you like to begin a second draw?”

“If the host chooses to proceed, the previously obtained reward will be automatically cancelled.”

Hearing the prompt, Ke Bei slapped his forehead in sudden realization. When he had saved Luo Ling earlier, he had completed a side quest and earned a second lottery opportunity.

Yet now, instead of joy, Ke Bei felt even more conflicted. If he took the second chance, he might get an even worse result—what if he drew a technique instead of a strength method? That would be a disaster.

After all, though those martial techniques were exquisite, his basic strength was so weak that he wouldn’t be able to unleash their power even if he obtained them.

But to give up? He was far from willing.

His eyes fixed on the Nine Yang Divine Art and the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Power, the muscles at the corners of his eyes twitched.

“Go on? Or give up?”

He stared blankly for a long while, then made up his mind at last, baring his teeth and biting down hard.

“To hell with it, I’m going all in!”

His eyes were bloodshot, his breath ragged as he shouted.

“Draw again!”

At his command, the silver light began to flash rapidly once more.

Iron Head Technique—passed.

Nine Yang Divine Art—passed.

Arhat Fist—passed.

Shaolin Basic Inner Strength—passed as well.

Only two choices remained: First Volume of the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Power, and the Four Symbols Palm.

The silver light slowed again, drifting lazily within the slot for the Four Symbols Palm.

“Go! Go! Keep going!”

Staring intently, as though drunk and unsteady, Ke Bei’s eyes were red as he shouted hoarsely. His tightly clenched fists dug his nails deep into his flesh, but he felt no pain. His whole being was focused on that moving light.

As the silver light was about to stop, Ke Bei squeezed his eyes shut, unable to watch any longer.

“Draw complete. Would you like to study it immediately?”

The silver light finally halted and the system’s crisp voice rang out.

Holding his breath, Ke Bei slowly opened his eyes. When he saw the silver light resting on the First Volume of the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Power, he could not hold back a wild, exuberant laughter.

“Hahaha! Thank you, ancestors of the heavens and earth! This is incredible!”

“Study it!”

Tears streamed down Ke Bei’s cheeks as he laughed, unable to contain himself.

With a resonant hum, a pillar of golden light shot down, enveloping his entire body.

In the instant the golden dragon’s glow engulfed him, Ke Bei’s body crackled, each muscle writhing like an earthworm, as if soaked in scalding hot water—every inch of his being was awash with warmth.

A gush of blood mist suddenly sprayed from Ke Bei’s pores, as the gentle, breeze-like golden radiance cleansed every impurity from his body. His mind became blank and clear, the golden light refining him further—foul-smelling black sweat oozed from his skin, his bones crackled minutely, and his body rapidly transformed.

“Host’s constitution is too poor; unable to withstand the tempering of the First Volume of the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Power!”

Just as Ke Bei was luxuriating in his newfound strength, the system’s crisp voice sounded again.

“Constitution too weak? Unable to endure the tempering?”

Ke Bei was struck dumb, each word landing like a sledgehammer on his chest.

Unable to endure it? Are you kidding me? After all I’ve been through, nearly losing my life several times, and finally completing the mission, you’re telling me I can’t withstand it?

What logic is this? This makes no sense!

Ke Bei simply could not accept this outcome. When he was bathed in the golden dragon’s glow, even in just a few breaths, he had felt his strength soar rapidly. Now, at the very least, he was no weaker than a first-level gene enhancer. If only he’d had a little more time, it was entirely possible he could have reached the power of a second-level or even third-level gene enhancer!

“Give me an explanation!”

Ke Bei didn’t care whether the system could understand him or not; he simply stared coldly and demanded an answer, his face dark with anger.