In the next month, Zhou Heng's life changed completely. During that month, he lived like a training madman, the only moments he used to relax were either when he used the system to clear his mind or when he slept with Helena.
Heng used his entire concentration on maintaining a systematic state. Reading the books Harding gave him, experiencing the torture he prepared, going home to Helena's care, yet every minute using the system to adapt as quickly as possible.
The first day, Zhou Heng stood in his room with his head on the door early in the morning, his eyes wide open but his mind was entirely replaying the painful memories hidden in the Records of the system that stimulated his body.
After an hour, he finally walked out of the room with a pale expression and trembling body towards the bathroom to refresh himself. His eyes were red from crying and his body was drenched in sweat. He throw himself into the tub and closed his eyes reminiscing the faces of his loved ones in obsession.
''You need to endure, this is for the best. Grandpa is waiting for you. Is not different as when you worked morning to night so you could buy his medicine.'' Zhou Heng muttered to himself feeling the cold water touch his pulsing muscles.
''Alisa is also waiting for you. That proud girl doesn't want to acknowledge it but she admires you. What kind of model will fall in less than a week when following the path he chose for his ambitions?'' Zhou Heng used everything he could to reinforce his mind, even to the point of unknowingly rejecting, his rejection about having feelings for this world.
As he was so focused on his training he failed to notice Helena sneaking and witnessing him going to the bathroom in his weary state.
She was wearing a black dress as she looked at the door of the bathroom expressionlessly and silently. However her face was pale and her fist was clenched tightly to the point that her nails were injuring her, yet she didn't seem to notice. While she felt heartache for Heng, she knew that this was something he looked for.
Something inside stopped her from interfering, the thoughts of him suffering and the desire of helping him fulfill his wishes were clashing destroying all her rationality. That vicious old man, why is he still alive? So much pain he has brought into the world yet no one with the power had gone to solve him.
He deserves to suffer, to be tortured in the worst ways. Why is it that her child is the one striving for survival when someone like him is the one that created this chaotic environment that endangers everyone and yet he is leisurely waiting for a peaceful death?
She was filled with contradiction, on one hand, she wanted to go and hack that demon with a knife, then enjoy life with Heng peacefully. On the other, she wanted Heng to achieve his purpose even if that mean using Harding as his helper...
That day Zhou Heng didn't eat too much. He felt dizzy and had the worst time trying to sleep, to the point that he needed the system to shut him down. His day was filled with pain and relief to start with the pain again. Such a cycle continued for the whole day.
Harding noticed him but thought that he only was having sequels, and that made him smile brighter.
On the seventh day, Harding was in an exceptional mood, he improvised today's experience with something special. Bugs and poisonous ivy. Those weren't lethal but they made Zhou Heng understand that he still had some tears saved.
''It would be truly a shame if you are weak to something like this. Have you ever thought that maybe you have hidden allergies?'' Harding said while drinking juice, eyeing with happiness at Heng's expression when he saw the jars filled with bugs.
In none of Heng's dreams did he imagine this kind of experience. The disgust, repulsion, and natural fear came afloat to the point that he took a step back. Yet the room was already close, with nowhere for him to escape and delay for a time to prepare himself.
Six hours later a fully unconscious Heng was carried again by Harding subordinate toward Helena's house.
Receiving him with a bag filled with remedies for his afflictions, Helena almost fainted but she gritted her teeth and didn't allow herself to fall. Treating him and caring for him.
Heng 'rested' for a few days, the difference this time was that his daily activities included vomiting his food and having a sense of disgust all over his body recalling the experience.
Harding seemed to look more for an uncomfortable experience than just a painful one.
''If you don't like bugs, then don't worry, they aren't the only poisonous creature I can find for you.'' Those were his words when he saw the extremely frail Zhou Heng who was deeply affected by not eating properly and vomiting every day.
But he had no option in using the Records. After all, his progress was still there, if one was to say it bluntly. The first experiences weren't able to 'satisfy' his training, he just meet with something worse and didn't feel the growth like before by repeating these experiences.
Another problem was that he felt emotionally drained as if it wasn't enough to remember good memories to balance his mental stability. He started to imagine what he would do once he went back to his world with his Grandfather or imagine what to talk about with Alisa by the letters that Helena promised to deliver.
He was both grateful and guilty for Helena's existence clinging to her care while listening to her while she was reading for him.
That was another improvement, after two weeks of hellish experience, Zhou Heng could finally read while using the Records. His understanding and analytical skills were degraded in that state, but it was impressive when taking into account the quantity of pain and uncomfortable memories flashing in his mind.
After half month he finally got to know Harding's medic. An obese old man that only had gray hair on the sides and back of his head, with a bald plain in the middle. He had small glasses that couldn't hide the dark circles under his brown eyes.
The old man didn't like to talk and contrary to his physical appearance he moved with vigorous steps and rudely grabbed Zhou Heng's body looking for any irreversible damage.
After not finding anything serious, he frowned with a slightly surprised face. After all, with all the toxins Heng's body received it was expected for him to have more than a few deficiencies or any kind of new allergy, yet none of them was found.
When he shared his findings with Harding that was equally surprised, he recommended a few nourishments and left the bookstore without too much nonsense.
Harding had a thoughtful look, but a strange smile filled his face. After that day, strange liquids were added to Zhou Heng's diet and he ended up puking and looking more fragile. It was so concerning his condition that Helena went to the bookstore and almost broke crazy in front of the satisfied Harding.
But she was stopped by Heng who contrary to his appearance said he was fine and persuaded her to let it go. The reason was a message he received from the system in those days.
[The Host meets a requirement to acquire the physical improvement: Poison Resistance]
[Current stage of acquirement: 10%.]
[Grade of Physical Improvements go from Ranks 1 to 10. The Poison Resistance the host can acquire is classified as Rank 1]
Zhou Heng was dumbfounded when this message arrived. Ignoring the fact that Harding straight up went from torturing him to poisoning him. This message sow doubts in his understanding of the system.
''What is the difference between acquiring a physical improvement and a skill?'' He said with a slightly hoarse voice for having a sore throat. This was Heng's first doubt.
[A physical improvement is acquired/improved passively by the Host body, being little influenced by the Host's mental capacities, unless the host possesses the appropriate method.]
[A skill is acquired/improved by an equal combination of Mental/Physical experience.]
''...'' Zhou Heng silently analyzed those words for a few minutes while walking around his room.
He concluded quite quickly and asked the system that affirmed his guess. What the system meant was simple, physical improvements involved his body cells and functions that he couldn't control using his brain.
Like battling against an illness or healing an injury. His body will do its best for survival and adaption, he couldn't say 'Stop, don't heal me!' and make his body let the danger run wild in his body. If he had a cut in his palm, even if he glared at it and prayed for it to not heal, after a few days it will heal automatically.
Those were the Physical Improvements, he could gain them and take advantage but couldn't control them. The Skills were things that involved knowledge and action, so he could fully control them.
''Next question. Can anyone gain improvements like this one or is just me? If so... Why?'' This was his second doubt and the biggest, after all, if injecting toxins and poisoning himself was so effective, then it won't be as taboo as it is.
After all, he is a student, he understands the phrase 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger' but things didn't work that well. The body can adapt and become stronger but many times it backfires and makes you weaker, leading to damage and deficiencies. This world shouldn't be different, the surprised face of that medic when he saw his state, proves it.
[The Host possesses the System]
[The System controls hidden functions of the Host's brain to protect him from dangers. To the point of commanding internally the body to confront dangers.]
''So amazing?'' Zhou Heng nodded, ''Thanks as always... If you can manage that part, can you also notify me about the degree of poisoning, I assume it didn't reach the lethal grade but at least I would like to know when something like that enters my body.''
[Affirmative]
''... Doesn't that also means that I can proactively try to increase the dose and speed up the progress of acquisition...?'' Zhou Heng muttered ignoring the fact that weeks ago he would be extremely repulsive to the word poison, and now he is actively treating it as just a step.
[The System warns the Host]
[The System management over possible dangers in the Host's physical body is limited to the Host's own capacities.]
[If the Host lacks a base to sustain internal defenses the Host will enter an extremely dangerous state.]
[The System hopes the Host takes care of his body.]
Zhou Heng raised his eyebrows at the blue messages that appeared in succession with the trigger being his dangerous words. He was just muttering, he didn't really planned to bathe in poison or do extreme things, just a controlled 'training' was enough.
With a weak smile, he nodded, ''Don't worry if I die in poison the Hero at least should be with me.''
For the rest of the month, Zhou Heng's efforts doubled, he forcefully increased his intake of food and proactively asked Harding for nourishments. If he wanted to poison him, at least he should also give him more recourses to keep the pace.
Luckily the System helped greatly, if it could manage Zhou Heng's internal defenses, he could also use the management to increase the absorption of nourishments Zhou Heng consumed. There weren't magical herbs or ginseng that could affect him in miraculous ways, but it was enough to develop his body in a proper way using every nutrient he could find.
With the help of the perfect assistant keeping him alive and supporting his growth, Zhou Heng successfully endured the month and finished the first stage.
''Congratulations, you can stand. Hope it was pure joy for you. Let's take it to the next part shall we?'' At the start of the next month, Jacob Harding with much more life than before welcomed Heng along with several other persons.