Chapter Four: Hope Ignited

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"It's me. Surprised?" Qin Anyi smiled faintly. The changes brought about by the 'Kirin' body's repair program far exceeded his imagination, but these were matters to be studied at leisure once he returned home that evening and had time to calm down.

Chapter 005: The Flame of Hope

"What do you want?!" When Qin Anyi reached out his hand, Black-skinned A-Si nervously took a step back, his face full of terror. He hadn't clearly seen how Qin Anyi had sent his three lackeys flying, but that didn't stop him from being afraid. Facing three opponents alone and knocking them unconscious in an instant... Even with all his fighting experience, Black-skinned A-Si knew he could never do such a thing! What baffled him most was how, just a few hours ago, this ordinary student who couldn't fight back when surrounded by them, now seemed so formidable—despite having been seriously injured before.

"What you took from me, I expect returned. Or do you want me to take it myself?" Qin Anyi stretched out his hand, snorting coldly.

A shiver ran through Black-skinned A-Si. He hurriedly searched his pockets, trembling as he pulled out a wad of cash from his wallet and carefully handed it over. "I... I spent some on dinner tonight... This is all that's left."

Qin Anyi pocketed the money, then without warning, kicked Black-skinned A-Si in the stomach. Having learned from experience, he controlled his strength—enough to make Black-skinned A-Si collapse to the ground with a scream, but not enough to knock him out. The point was to make it hurt, not to end the show too soon.

"You have two choices. One, return all the money you spent. Two, I'll break your leg as payment for what you took."

"I'll pay you back! I swear I will!" Black-skinned A-Si knelt, clutching his stomach, babbling, "But... I really don't have it now, can you give me two days?"

"Fine. I go to Changqing No. 1 High. Tomorrow is the first day of school—meet me at the gate after classes," Qin Anyi nodded, then landed another controlled kick on him. The pain made Black-skinned A-Si convulse.

After a few more kicks, Black-skinned A-Si lay limp on the ground, barely able to whimper. Only then did Qin Anyi stop. With 'Kirin' constantly calculating, Qin Anyi knew exactly how to inflict almost unbearable pain without causing lasting harm.

"Qin... Anyi?" Yang Cheng, who had been watching from the side, finally spoke up uncertainly after a long silence.

"It's me. What are you doing out here so late in such a deserted place?" Qin Anyi stopped beating Black-skinned A-Si and turned, puzzled.

Now facing Qin Anyi directly, Yang Cheng—at 1.6 meters—felt dwarfed by Qin Anyi's 1.78 meter frame, especially his exposed, powerfully built upper body, which made her breath catch. Qin Anyi had always been of average build, but now...

"It's summer break. I was working at the nearby KFC for the holidays. Today's my last shift, but I never expected to run into something like this on my way home," Yang Cheng explained simply, then turned her head aside shyly, cheeks reddening. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

Despite her embarrassment, Yang Cheng couldn't help but inwardly admit that Qin Anyi's physique was... really quite impressive.

"Uh... that's an accident." Qin Anyi realized he was still half-naked and scratched his head awkwardly. Suddenly, he noticed Black-skinned A-Si was about his size, so he quickly stripped him down to his underwear and made do with the clothes.

"Why did you tell those thugs which school you attend? Now that you've beaten them, they're bound to come looking for revenge," Yang Cheng asked, curious.

"It's best to settle some troubles all at once. I can't kill them, so I can only beat them until they're too scared to bother me again. That's a matter for another time—it's late, let me walk you home first."

Yang Cheng nodded, accepting his explanation. Qin Anyi, at a loss for words, simply gestured towards the alley entrance. "Stay behind me, it's dark. Watch your step."

He accompanied Yang Cheng home in silence. Qin Anyi didn't know what to say, and Yang Cheng seemed too shy to speak. The atmosphere was awkward, until, just before entering her apartment complex, Yang Cheng smiled sweetly at him. "Qin Anyi, thank you. Once school starts, I'll buy you dinner—you must let me treat you."

Qin Anyi paused, then smiled. "Of course."

Watching his departing figure, Yang Cheng finally exhaled, her heart pounding as images of Qin Anyi's powerful body and overwhelming strength kept replaying in her mind. In every era, women subconsciously admire strength.

Unaware of Yang Cheng's feelings, Qin Anyi was still caught up in the shock and excitement of gaining 'Kirin' and longed to calm himself.

"Brother, you're finally back! Why so late today? It's almost ten," his younger brother Qin Anle called out as soon as he opened the door.

The Qin family—four people—lived in a rented one-bedroom apartment. They had once owned a small, old house in the city, but it had been demolished for urban redevelopment. As per the agreement with the developer, being among the displaced residents, they were eligible to buy a sixty-square-meter apartment at a reduced rate once construction finished—fifteen thousand yuan, a bargain compared to Changqing's sky-high property prices.

But to the Qin family, whose savings barely reached five figures, fifteen thousand was a massive sum. They had tried everything to raise the money. Without steady jobs, Qin Anyi's parents worked odd jobs from dawn until dark, and Qin Anyi himself took whatever work he could find. Only his brother Qin Anle, due to his disabled legs, stayed home.

"Yeah, last day of my summer job, so..."

Chapter 005: The Flame of Hope

"Master, there's no need to worry—physical limb damage can be completely healed," the voice of Kirin suddenly sounded in Qin Anyi's mind.

He froze, then his heart leapt with excitement. Of course! Hadn't he just acquired this mysterious super-intelligent being? Modern medicine could already reattach severed limbs to some extent—how much more could this mysterious intelligence, whose origins were unknown, accomplish?

"Kirin, can you heal my brother's legs? Will he be able to walk again?" Qin Anyi asked mentally, his body trembling with hope.

"Master, according to my database, as long as the brain and heart are unharmed, no matter how severe the injury, full recovery is possible. This is merely physical trauma—a minor issue."

"Can you treat my brother's legs right now? What do I need to do?"

"Not yet. Due to previous corruption, only five percent of my database remains intact, and I can only access five percent of my original functions. Once my data integrity or functional capacity reaches thirty percent, I can fully heal your brother's legs."

"Reach thirty percent? How? What do you need?"

"Nothing external is required. I am a singular combat weapon, the pinnacle of technology. Unlike other intelligences, I am already a living being. Once merged with you, my existence is intertwined with yours. As you grow stronger, I will be nourished by your physical and mental strength and gradually recover. Simultaneously, you will gain new abilities."

"Stronger?" Qin Anyi paused, then nodded with determination. "Stronger!"

"Brother, what's wrong?" Qin Anle watched as Qin Anyi stood dazed at the door, curiosity in his voice.

"It's nothing, Anle. Just good news, but I have to keep it secret for now. If you get into a top university, I'll tell you as a reward," Qin Anyi replied mysteriously, his spirits soaring. With Kirin, he was confident he could change his family's fate—and heal his brother's legs! In life, it's not the lack of goals that destroys you, but the absence of hope.

In Qin Anyi's mind, the sphere fused with his brain glowed faintly. Kirin's phantom appeared in his consciousness, though Qin Anyi didn't notice.

"Become stronger, Master... In this world of pure-blood humans, our meeting is fate. I will help you fulfill all your dreams, but you must help me complete my mission. For both, we need... power."