Evolving infinitely from ground zero Chapter 3
Previously on Evolving infinitely from ground zero...
Chapter 3
“
Lin Zichen’s understanding of his household background deepened as he matured.
Shanhai City was the name of the place where they resided.
Specifically, they lived in a detached residence located in an urban village.
It was a modest family of three, devoid of any extended relatives.
His parents both worked as internet novelists; they rarely socialized, spending most of their time at home clicking away on their keyboards.
The only social life they had consisted of the occasional dinner with a family that had recently moved in next door, who had a young baby girl.
Lin Zichen became well-acquainted with the neighbors after several shared meals.
He discovered the girl was named Shen Qinghan. Her parents, Shen Jianye and Xu Meng, were both teachers.
He didn't know much else beyond those basic facts.
…
On this day,
The occasion was Lin Zichen’s second birthday celebration.
Immediately following the party, he sought out a container filled with various items weighing nearly 20kg and attempted a one-handed lift.
He hoisted it up with total ease, feeling no strain at all.
“Well, I suppose I’ve become a national-level child prodigy now.”
A smile played on Lin Zichen’s lips.
Just then, the voice of Zhang Wanxin drifted in from the living room: “Zi Chen, Han Han has come over to play!”
Hearing the call, Lin Zichen set the heavy box down and strolled toward the living area at a relaxed pace.
Upon entering, he was met by a lovely woman accompanied by a small girl who looked as delicate as a porcelain doll.
The visitors were their neighbors, Xu Meng and Shen Qinghan.
The infant who previously couldn't crawl had blossomed into a precious little girl sporting twin ponytails.
“Zi Chen, Auntie Meng baked some egg tarts; they are quite delicious.”
With a wide grin, Xu Meng passed a box of the treats to Lin Zichen.
Lin Zichen took the gift and offered a courteous reply, “Thank you, Auntie Meng.”
This polite gratitude left Xu Meng feeling a bit conflicted.
Despite being the same age, Lin Zichen could hold fluent conversations with adults, whereas her daughter, Shen Qinghan, struggled to articulate her thoughts fully.
The girl seemed a bit slow, perhaps even dull by comparison.
Truly, comparison is the source of all misery.
After lingering in the living room for a few bites of the egg tarts,
Lin Zichen felt restless and soon retreated to his bedroom, locking the door to resume his rigorous physical training.
Shen Qinghan, who enjoyed his presence, trailed behind him into the room. She sat nearby, watching with wide-eyed curiosity as he moved frantically up and down on the rug.
“Here, have an egg tart.”
As she watched him, Shen Qinghan held an egg tart out toward Lin Zichen’s mouth.
Her voice was still infantile, and her pronunciation was clumsy, making "have" sound like "here."
“I don’t need it, you should eat,” he replied.
“Here, here, it’s really yummy.”
Shen Qinghan was persistent. Since egg tarts were her absolute favorite, she was desperate to share the joy with Lin Zichen.
Finding no way out, Lin Zichen paused his workout to accept the tart she offered.
Once finished, he went right back to his push-ups.
After a short while, he felt the intensity was lacking; his physical progress seemed to have plateaued.
As his constitution grew more robust, basic fitness routines failed to satisfy his evolutionary requirements.
He paused, scanning the room until his gaze landed on Shen Qinghan. He beckoned her over to sit on his back to serve as a weighted resistance.
Shen Qinghan was delighted to help, clinging to his back like a little koala.
As he performed the weighted push-ups, Lin Zichen felt a peculiar sensation against his back, realizing the girl was wearing a thick diaper beneath her dress.
It was certainly unusual for a child of two to still require diapers.
Lin Zichen recalled hearing Xu Meng vent to his mother about how Shen Qinghan frequently wet herself, necessitating the use of diapers.
…
Time marches on.
“
The months slipped by, and soon another year had passed.
Lin Zichen had reached the age of three.
By this point, his physical power had reached freakish levels, allowing him to lift a 40kg sack of rice with just one hand.
He lacked a benchmark for his strength.
He only knew that the famous child prodigy from the Capital City he’d seen on television was no longer his equal.
He had continued to track the news regarding that boy.
That prodigy was now four and a half, yet he still struggled to hoist a 30kg dumbbell with one arm.
The disparity in their strength was massive.
This confused Lin Zichen.
How could that boy lift 20kg at age two but fail at 30kg at age four and a half?
Such a stagnant growth curve made no logical sense.
After a moment of contemplation, he dismissed the thought and summoned his character interface to review his stats.
[Name: Lin Zichen]
[Age: 3 years old]
[Biological Level: Ordinary (Tier 1)]
[Biometric Attributes: Use It or Lose It]
His eyes fixed on the Biological Level, which still displayed "Ordinary Tier 1."
Even though he could lift 40kg with one hand, he was still classified as Ordinary Tier 1?
He wondered what Ordinary Tier 2 would require.
Would it mean surpassing the limits of humanity?
While lost in thought, Zhang Wanxin approached him and asked, “Zi Chen, I’m going shopping with Auntie Meng shortly. Would you like to come with me, or stay home with your father?”
“I’ll go with you, Mom.”
Lin Zichen didn't hesitate.
Being confined to the house for training had become monotonous; he needed a change of pace.
…
As the mother and son put on their shoes, Shen Qinghan and her mother were already waiting by the door.
The three-year-old Shen Qinghan was dressed in a lace outfit with a pink butterfly clip. Her large, Caracal-like eyes were bright and watery, making her look incredibly animated and sweet.
“Zi Chen, have some cookie.”
Shen Qinghan snapped her cookie in two, handing the larger portion to Lin Zichen.
Her voice had lost its babyish quality, and her speech was now clear and articulate.
“Thanks.”
Lin Zichen accepted the piece and ate it quickly.
A bright smile lit up Shen Qinghan’s face. She remained as cheerful as ever, though some habits persisted; she was still prone to accidents and wore a thick diaper under her skirt.
…
[You are walking. Qi-Blood +1, Body Coordination +1, Walking Proficiency +1…]
Upon reaching the main thoroughfare.
Lin Zichen treated the walk as exercise while surveying his surroundings.
The heavy traffic and skyscrapers weren't much different from his previous world.
At most, the buildings and vehicles appeared slightly more advanced.
The most striking difference was the occasional sight of beastmen and cyborgs within the throngs of people.
The "beastmen" were actually Martial Artists who had integrated Exotic Beast Genes, manifesting animalistic traits on their bodies.
Some possessed animal ears atop their heads.
Others had wings extending from their shoulder blades.
There were even those with skin covered in scales, looking like lizards weaving through the pedestrians.
The robots were Mechanically Modified Humans with metallic limbs and parts, looking like Genos from One Punch Man in a distinct cyberpunk style.
Neither Genetic Integrators nor Mechanically Modified Humans were particularly common; one had to travel a good distance to spot them.
Nevertheless, their unique appearances made them the center of attention whenever they appeared.
…
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