After entering the new year, the market in Zhonghai City became much busier, with shops on both sides of the street springing up like mushrooms after rain. Various goods also started to get richer, vaguely reminiscent of the pre-war prosperity.

Human technology and productivity are recovering quickly, most directly seen in... the drop in bicycle prices.

From the original two to three thousand per bicycle.

To now, it’s only about fifteen hundred.

The Great Xia Country itself does not lack iron ore, the only issue is finding iron ore that is easy to refine.

This is the advantage of a great nation; with vast territories, resources can be found everywhere. Even in the toughest times, it can basically be self-sufficient.

...

When Chen Shouyi returned home, Mrs. Chen was sitting on the sofa.

Seeing him come back, she deliberately sighed.

"Mom, what’s wrong?" Chen Shouyi asked curiously, wondering if she had argued with Dad again.

"The neighbor just had a baby, came over to give us wedding candies. Ah, that baby is so adorable, his eyes are so big." Mrs. Chen glanced at Chen Shouyi, sighed again, and said.

Already twenty years old, yet hasn’t found a partner.

She was really anxious.

She suspected whether she had been too strict before, causing a fear of falling in love.

Chen Shouyi heard it inexplicably, what’s there to envy? Suddenly moved, he tested, "Mom, am I going to have a little brother or sister?"

Mrs. Chen almost choked with anger at this silly son, furious to the point she forgot what she initially wanted to say, "You stinky brat! What are you talking about? Your dad and I are both getting on in years, with one foot already almost in the grave, and you dare to think of this."

"Mom, you’re not old at all, people would believe you were thirty if you went outside. If you want one, go ahead, I don’t mind," Chen Shouyi persuaded. It’s not like he would be taking care of the kids. Even if he had a dozen siblings, he wouldn’t mind, as it’s not an issue to raise them.

"Go, go, go, I’ve almost been annoyed to death by you."

Chen Shouyi felt bewildered and strange, since she’s not giving birth anyway, why sigh?

...

In the evening, the family finished dinner.

Shortly after Chen Shouyi returned to his room, Bai Xiaoling came over with a big box.

"Sister Bai, what’s up?" Chen Shouyi walked downstairs and asked.

"President Chen, this is the information sent from above, regarding Original Force research. It contains projection equipment, and it’s said there’s been a breakthrough," Bai Xiaoling said.

"Breakthrough? In what area?"

Chen Shouyi felt surprised. If this universe consists of electromagnetic force, gravitational force, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force—the four basic forces—then Original Force is the fifth force. At the current level of human technology, only electromagnetic force can be preliminarily understood and applied. The rest—gravitational force, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force—are still in the exploration stage.

Not to mention the Original Force from another world, it’s indeed a remarkable breakthrough.

Asked Bai Xiaoling, she seemed baffled, obviously unaware.

"Never mind, I’ll watch it myself later," Chen Shouyi said.

"President Chen, do you need my help? I learned how to use projection equipment," Bai Xiaoling offered.

"No need."

After Bai Xiaoling left, Chen Shouyi went back to his room.

The box had a seal on it, indicating it hadn’t been opened yet.

He opened the box and found that aside from a manual, there was only a hand-cranked projection device and some film reels. No other paper materials.

He had never used this kind of machine before, but as a high school graduate, it wasn’t a challenge.

Following the manual, he explored while watching, and soon images appeared on the wall.

"Oh, I didn’t expect it to be him!" Chen Shouyi couldn’t help but exclaim.

The person explaining in the video was a middle-aged Caucasian named Anderson, Chinese name An Haoran, formerly the head of the Pantheon, whom he had met recently.

Judging by his attire and location, it was clearly in a laboratory.

There’s no denying, this person truly has survival instincts.

Back then, when the Lord of Lightning invaded Yan State dangerously, and even so, couldn’t kill him, he withdrew decisively as trouble arose.

Soon after arriving in the Great Xia Country, he infiltrated into the research lab, staying away from war and danger.

"Original Force is a mysterious power, close to the mind yet like a mischievous elf. Even legends find it hard to control!" He spoke in perfect Chinese, with a slightly excited expression, "I devoted over ten years of research to it, yet achieved no results, until recently I received inspiration from God Chen’s cultivation method of the Chen Clan, leading to a breakthrough..."

Chen Shouyi suddenly felt that the other party looked much more agreeable.

"Original Force is like legendary magic; though I’ve never seen magic, I imagine if magic existed, it would be this—magic based on the Original Force... 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

According to experimental data, a Martial Artist’s EEG frequency is typically around 30 Hz in a normal state, a great Martial Artist’s 50 Hz, and a Martial Artist’s 100 Hz... The stronger the power, the higher the EEG frequency, but in meditation, the opposite is true.

The deeper the meditation mastery, the lower the EEG frequency during meditation. Most legendary strong individuals have a meditation EEG frequency less than 0.1 Hz, close to brain death.

The Chen Clan’s cultivation method requires deep meditation, leading me to speculate that our inability to trigger Original Force might be due to our EEG frequency being too high, unable to activate Original Force..."

Chen Shouyi’s face gradually turned serious.

It’s undeniable, the cognitive difference between researchers and non-researchers lies not in wisdom, but in thinking patterns. The former seeks to delve deep, exploring the essence of things, while the latter only focuses on results.

He had never thought about why it was so.

"It seems there truly are geniuses in this world," he thought to himself.

Nonetheless, he wasn’t humble, he started from a Martial Artist Apprentice to an extraordinary person; in only five years, he has slain medium Divine Power as easily as chicken, not entirely relying on the Book of Knowledge...

He cut off his thoughts and continued watching.

Perhaps Anderson had long been engaged in research work, making it hard for others to discern that he’s a legendary strong individual. He rambled on for a full half-hour about his inspiration and research process, even changing a film reel. As he started getting impatient, the other party finally began demonstrating his breakthrough results.

He extended his hand.

The image started to blur.

Next moment, countless energies began to emerge, kaleidoscopically diverse, mixed with arcs, flames, and other indescribable energies. Colorful.

Chen Shouyi couldn’t help but stand up, wondering if this really tapped into Original Force.

The other party dispersed the energy.

"Hard, I can roughly only achieve this level. Perhaps my mental wave is too intense, all the energy is mixed together... I always hoped to conjure a fireball, but I suspect I haven’t found this unique ’code...’"

The image gradually ended.

With a field of snowflakes, Chen Shouyi awoke from his contemplation.

"Interesting, indeed!"

ps: There’ll be another Chapter tonight.