Beng Hun instantly collapsed on his big stomach when he tried to copy Feng Shu.
"Beng Hun, your form is pretty trash. You seem to not have enough strength to do even 1 pushup. Your elbows are flared. Your body isn't moving as one, and you were doing it like a dog in heat. Again, pretty trash. But don't worry, I'll help you."
Beng Hun sat up. He didn't know what Feng Shu was talking about, but knew that he made a lot of mistakes. With a look of disappointment, he tries to cope with his failure.
"This is too hard! You make it look easy. I don't think I can do this, I'm a fatty. My stomach causes my arms to collapse instantly, while you have my brother's strong body. Do I really need to complete the quest?"
Beng Hun would've thought that Feng Shu would agree and do something else to gain EXP, but Feng instantly glared at Beng Hun and refuted.
"So basically, you're giving up? I knew you were lazy, but not to this extent. You have to grow up a little. You had a serious talk about getting stronger and getting revenge against Fu Si and the sect. How are you supposed to do that with no effort? Do you think the system will provide you with everything in the beginning and let you do anything in a few days? Do you think there is an easy way out? A bunch of shortcuts? Hell no. Beng Hun, you're 14 years old. I know you're just 1 year younger than me in this body, and that you are young and naive. But, this world is cruel. Don't you know about that? I mean, look at what's happened to your brother. I know I just said earlier that I would help you in anyway, but you also have to put in the effort in wanting to become stronger. Do you think we will overcome all conflicts in the future in everyway possible? Life is unpredictable. I can see from my memories that those guys in your sect are monsters compared to us. We don't hold a candle to their strength. The system will help us of course, but only if you utilize it very well. I already don't like how this is going. So take the advice, don't do this half-ass bullshit. I'll give you a few minutes to mentally prepare and process what you just heard. Once you're done, come to me again."
Beng Hun walked out of Feng's sight. He was surprised. He just wanted to make one small complaint and try to find a different alternative to gaining EXP. But Feng Shu took it very seriously to the heart and gave him a long talk that would make him feel even further disappointment.
Beng Hun stopped and looked at the sky. He thought about it long. Feng Shu was right. His lazy nature was conflicting with the goals he had in mind. The system quests give you EXP to make you stronger. Why would he try to find another way? The sect inner disciples could probably kill them in one second if they wanted to, Feng Shu was an example of that. He needed to get stronger and build up that foundation.
[I'm not sure what half-ass means, but I would believe it means something about my laziness. The system is a means to an end for my goal, and so I have to use it to the fullest potential. Aisha! This is so hard. But I will try no matter what. I have to... This is how I will get stronger. Even if I fail, I will attempt to do it again. This journey will be hard, I already knew that. But to think I would go back on my words and become lazy. I must do those 5 pushups... it is the first quest I received so far. If I can't even do this, how will I take my first step? I'm like the frog in the well...]
Beng Hun let out a deep breathe and returned to Feng. He saw the serious look on Beng's face, making him grin.
"I like that look. It seems like you found your resolve."
"Yes, I am willing to try anything to do those pushups and complete the quests. But I cannot even do 1. How do I continue?"
Feng Shu put his hand over his chin, doing a thinking gesture. He thought for a few seconds and came up with an idea.
"Ok Beng Hun, get on your knees. Start doing a pushup from there."
Beng Hun followed instructions and did 2.
He felt exhausted. But Feng instructed and corrected his form so that he would be able to do one correctly in the future. He told Beng Hun to do it several more times. At the end, Beng Hun did it 10 times. Night time came and they ate, then slept.
[9 hours later]
Beng was still sleeping. Feng gave him a slap on the face to wake him up and start the routine. Beng was now able to do 10 knee pushups, and his task for now was to do 10 sets. But, he felt strong and did a few more sets to grow faster. Feng constantly watched and corrected any mistakes he did. Seeing Beng's progress made him happy.
"Beng Hun, you're getting much better! Don't do a lot of more sets though, a few more than 10 is fine. Take as much rest as you want between those sets. Your rep range I don't care either."
"What are sets and reps?"
"Reps is how much times you do that thing, while a set is how many times you did those reps. For example, If you do 2 knee pushups like before, that is your 1st set of 2 reps. If you proceeded to 3 knee pushups, then it would be your 2nd set of 3 reps. Earlier, you did 10 sets of 2 reps through out. You got it?
"I see. All these terms from your old world is pretty confusing, but you explain them well. I will work hard!"
This continued on until Beng Hun got strong enough to do 1.
"ππ¦πΆπ¨π©!"
"Heavens forbid, I did it!"
Beng Hun was excited. He had finally achieve enough strength to do a push up despite his body. He saw a glimpse of how fun it is to work hard and achieve results. He wanted to do more even though he was fatigued and tried to do it again.
ππ₯π‘ππ©
"Beng Hun, rest up. You are rushing. You fell on your face pretty hard and now your nose is bleeding. There's even some blood on the ground!"
"Sorry."
"By the way, I discovered that you can see what you will get next when you level up by clicking the EXP bar. This is a pretty cool looking skill that I'll get..."
Beng Hun ignored him. He was focusing on breathing and trying again.
β¦
β¦
"One more Feng! We are about to level up. I rest up pretty slowly so you'll have to wait a bit. I can't believ-
A sudden howl was heard. Both Feng and Beng instantly felt dread. Their hearts started racing when they saw the creature appear out of the trees. It was almost as tall as them, on all fours. There was blood dripping out it's black teeth, with fur stained red. It's blue eyes pierced both brother's stare with fear.
[That creature is called a Yiut, but it looks like an oversized red wolf! Fuck... it looks dangerous, and we're about to level up too. We have nothing to use from the system either...]
[What the hell is that thing? Feng, what should we do?!]
The Yiut was approaching closer. Feng and Beng looked at each other and started to plan out their response.
"We have to fight. Based on that description, that Yiut will chase you no matter what. It will be better if we are together. I will distract that Yiut so that you can finish your pushup and makes us level up. I'll gain a new skill and will use it to have a better chance at winning."
Feng and Beng were in the middle of the big open area surrounded by trees. They would try to sprint towards the tree and use it as cover but the Yiut closed the distance between them in a few seconds. It lunged at Beng who was still fatigued and trying to get up from the floor. Feng took the blow and went to the floor with the Yiut. He held down the mouth of the Yiut so that it could not bite him.
Feng yelled: "Beng sit your ass down and rest up! You just need to do 1 pushup!"
"Alright!"
[Come on... breathe.... breathe....!]
Beng Hun was still panting heavily. He showed no signs of being recovered soon. Feng was using all his strength to suppress the Yiut's mouth from opening up. But, that lunge injured his shoulders when the Yiut rend it with his claws. His grip and strength was slowly fading as the seconds go by.
"Beng I don't think I can hold onto him much longer!"
[Please Beng Hun... Hurry up...!]
"ππ¨π©! My shoulders..!"
Beng Hun could hear Feng's grunts of pain. He was half-recovered, but he knew that he could not wait no longer. He was panicking. He got into a pushup position and tried to do 1 more.
...
...
...
"FUCK!"
Beng Hun slammed the ground with his hands in frustration. He was still too tired to do 1 pushup. He looked over at Feng and saw him released his grip on the Yiut's mouth. His eyes widened with fear as their situation became even more dire. The Yiut proceeded to claw at Feng Shu's body, who was trying his best and blocking with his arm. Eventually, Feng Shu started to drop his arms as he lost strength. The Yiut kept the onslaught going. Feng Shu was bleeding all over, but his wounds were not deep.
[I'm losing too much blood and starting to see black. The pain is too unbearable, losing conscious..."
Beng Hun got into a pushup position again. He hadn't recovered, but he was desperate. He needed to do this correctly and so he knew he couldn't rush it. Beng Hun cleared his mind and started the movement.
"Come on I must go down!"
Beng went down. His arm was burning, heart beating fast. When his chest hit the floor before his stomach, he instantly starting going up. All he needed now was to just reach the end of that movement.
"Now up!"
Beng Hun struggled. He couldn't get up. He was stuck midway.
[UP!]
β¦
[UP!!]
β¦
[UP!!!]
...
"Beng..." Feng cried softly.
[UP!!!!!!]
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"πΆπΆπ©.. you stupid wolf..."
ππ³π°πΈπ!
[My skill....!]
Feng groaned. He was about to permanently go to sleep, but seeing his new skill reinvigorated the fire within his eyes.
He shouted his skill out with all of his remaining strength, "πππΌπππππ πΏππππ ππππππ!"