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Chapter 156: Chapter 137: A Suspected Old Friend Arrives
Noon, just past 12 o’clock.
The training camp base, originally quiet and peaceful, had become abnormally noisy.
Several buses were parked in the square in front, with tourists seen carrying bags and rolling suitcases around.
Tour guides raised bullhorns and waved little flags, ceaselessly calling out for their group members to line up and keep up.
The bustling crowd was loud and lively, making it seem as though this site had become a famous tourist attraction.
When Fang Cheng returned to base after finishing his underwater training, he was quite astonished at the scene before him.
He almost thought he had gone to the wrong place.
But Fang Cheng had no time to concern himself with this.
Because lunchtime was almost over, and the cafeteria was about to close.
He hurriedly made his way through the crowded throng of people to reach the cafeteria hall on the west side of the first floor.
Yet he found it was just as packed here, with nearly all the tables filled, and mainly by unfamiliar faces.
Seeing this, Fang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief but became even more puzzled.
After queuing and getting his meal, he glanced around and caught sight of a familiar figure in the crowd.
Pan Wendi was also having his meal, and there happened to be a free spot next to him.
Fang Cheng immediately carried his tray over and quickly claimed the seat.
"Little Ma, where did you run off to after class? I couldn’t find you anywhere."
Looking up at Fang Cheng who suddenly appeared, Pan Wendi couldn’t help but ask.
Then sniffing the air and letting out a surprised sound, he curiously sized him up:
"How come you smell salty and fishy, like seafood?"
Fang Cheng plopped down and casually answered:
"I went swimming just now."
Hearing this, Pan Wendi immediately expressed his dissatisfaction:
"Why didn’t you call me when you went to the seaside for fun? It’s more interesting with more people."
Fang Cheng didn’t continue the small talk and quickly grabbed his chopsticks to start eating—silken tofu with mushrooms, broccoli with tofu, stuffing his mouth.
Then he bowed his head and shoveled a few more mouthfuls of rice.
Watching Fang Cheng wolf down his food, Pan Wendi couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh:
"Every time I watch you eat, I feel like I’m already full."
Fang Cheng couldn’t care less about his table manners.
After just finishing an intense training session, his stomach had been growling with hunger.
The most pressing issue was to deal with food intake.
He rapidly finished one portion of his meal and went for a second serving.
Only then did Fang Cheng look around at the crowd and take the moment to ask Pan Wendi:
"Where did all these tourists come from? Do you know what’s going on?"
Before Pan Wendi could reply, a woman sitting opposite him took the initiative to explain:
"We were originally staying at a hotel in town. The health department staff said there’s been an outbreak of a contagious disease and they need to disinfect and check all the service places in town, which is why we’ve been arranged to stay here temporarily."
Seeing the puzzled look in Fang Cheng’s eyes, Pan Wendi hurriedly explained:
"This lady is a client at my gym, Shen Lili. We are all from East Capital, you should meet her."
Then, he proceeded to introduce Fang Cheng to her.
"Hello, Miss Shen."
Fang Cheng nodded politely to her.
He remembered seeing her and greeting Pan Wendi in town on a group sightseeing tour the day before yesterday.
She was a young woman with a plump figure, a pretty face, but a somewhat dull demeanor, also wearing old-fashioned black-framed glasses.
From her appearance, it seemed she indeed needed to exercise at a gym and improve her image and demeanor if possible.
In the course of their conversation, Fang Cheng learned the specific situation from her.
The tourists were arranged to stay at the training camp base, and would probably stay for about three days.
Moreover, the Yong’an Island officials also provided them with compensation, not only covering meals and accommodation but also offering two free meditation classes.
Today, several buses have already arrived one after another, with more than two hundred people coming.
It’s said that in the next two days, other tour groups and backpackers will also be coming.
Pan Wendi said with a smile:
"Anyway, we still have plenty of empty rooms here, and this place is so quiet at night it’s spooky. It’s better to have more people and a bit of life."
Shen Lili was not talkative. After finishing the meal, she said goodbye and left.
Then, it seemed Pan Wendi also had things to do and was preparing to go to the town.
So, Fang Cheng returned to his dormitory alone.
There were no classes in the afternoon, so it was free time.
Being alone in his room was just fine for some peaceful time.
He took a shower first, then washed the clothes and trousers he’d changed out of, hanging them to dry in front of the window.
Then he sat cross-legged on the bed, meditated for a while, to ease some of the physical fatigue.
The undersea weight training environment actually has a greater impact on the internal organs than the outer muscles.
Because of the pressure differences inside and outside, it can compress and deform the internal organs, causing mechanical issues with organ function, and even lead to serious problems in the body’s physiological systems.
At the same time, the water pressure affects the distribution of blood in the body, causing the heart to pump blood with more force to maintain circulation, which leads to increased blood pressure, more difficult breathing, and brain hypoxia.
It can be said that every second of the training process is a challenge to the limits, and the difficulties to overcome are far greater than one might imagine.
In the end, it also leads to the body tiring more easily than before.
However.
As long as one stays within a moderate range, this kind of high-pressure environmental training method is absolutely the best way to strengthen the internal organs.
With long-term persistence, one can not only have muscles as strong as armor but also resist any penetrative internal damage.
After practicing meditation for a while, Fang Cheng felt much relief from the stuffiness in his chest.
He then opened his eyes and looked at the panel displaying information about his increased attribute values.
Just a little over an hour of underwater weight training and his Strength had increased by 0.04, agility by 0.03.
The increase in Constitution was even more exaggerated, reaching an astounding 0.15.
It’s important to note that his current Constitution attribute was already as high as 33 points, and it was very difficult to achieve significant improvements through regular training.
Looking at the various attribute values and information displayed in front of him.
As well as the "Pile Skill" that was slowly progressing and still in need of more than twenty experience points to level up.
Fang Cheng had a theory that he wanted to test.
Perhaps the most suitable skills to practice in the undersea environment were not the oxygen-consuming, vigorous "Prisoner’s Six Arts," but instead the more static "Pile Skill" and "Breathing Technique."
Whether he was right or not would be seen by the outcome of tomorrow’s training.
Fang Cheng withdrew his thoughts and looked out the window; it was still early.
His body needed ample rest now and couldn’t continue with the exercise.
The Meditation Skill was also not suitable for long practice sessions, lest it expose his secrets.
Staying in the room was boring, so Fang Cheng stepped out the door and strolled around aimlessly.
Without realizing it, he came near the Meditation Hall.
He saw that the special building dedicated to meditation training had its doors tightly closed.
However, the light seeped through the white curtains, casting a hazy glow.
It seemed that many of the new tourists had chosen to attend the free meditation class.
Standing outside the door, as Fang Cheng pondered.
A whiff of a faint scent, akin to jasmine perfume, suddenly drifted into his nose.
It felt... strangely familiar.
Fang Cheng’s eyebrows slightly raised as he immediately turned his head to look behind.
