Chapter 2: RR

South Bank Housing Complex, as a low-income housing estate, had reached nearly the maximum efficiency in land use. Each residential building resembled a massive square concrete pillar. The spacing between these buildings was designed without any consideration for sunlight exposure.

Luo Feng’s home was on the 32nd floor of one such 36-story building.

“Ah Feng, are you going to the martial arts academy tonight?” Wei Wen waved and walked toward another building.

“I have a tutoring session tonight. I might head to the academy after that, but I’m not sure about the timing. Don’t wait up for me tonight,” Luo Feng smiled and waved back, then dashed up the stairs with incredible speed. He took four steps at a time, like a swift leopard. In the blink of an eye, he had already reached the second floor.

Third floor, fourth floor…

“Thud! Thud!”

Luo Feng ran with ease and agility, occasionally dodging other residents climbing the stairs.

“Ah Feng, back from school?”

“Yeah, Uncle Wang.” Luo Feng’s breathing remained steady. As an advanced student at the martial arts academy, running up these stairs at such a pace was no different from a casual stroll.

The low-income housing complex had no elevators, based on the majority opinion of its residents. Constructing elevators would mean higher rent. Moreover, for most people today, climbing dozens of floors was a simple task.

To them, having elevators in residential buildings was a luxury.

After all, electricity was expensive, as the city’s “defense system” relied on electrical power, and the entire nation was in urgent need of electricity.

…

32nd Floor!

On this floor, there were eight households. Luo Feng’s family was one of them.

“Click!” Luo Feng unlocked the door with his key.

“Brother, you’re back?” a voice came from inside.

“Yeah.” Luo Feng closed the door and scanned the room. His home was a one-bedroom, one-living room unit, with a total area of 36 square meters.

He, his younger brother, and his parents—four people in total—lived in this 36-square-meter space. They had lived here since he could remember.

“Ah Hua, what are you reading?” Luo Feng walked toward the small balcony.

There, a frail boy with pale skin sat in a wheelchair, holding an English book. Luo Feng glanced at it and chuckled, “Oh, it’s about the investment master ‘Price’? Isn’t ‘Warren Buffett’ the most famous among investment masters?”

Luo Feng knew nothing about investing or stocks.

“Buffett’s approach isn’t really suitable for me. However, Price’s theories and ideas are quite similar to my own, so they’re useful for reference.” The frail boy looked up at Luo Feng and gave a faint smile.

“You keep reading,” Luo Feng said with a smile.

Unintentionally, Luo Feng glanced at his brother’s legs, his heart tightening. His younger brother had been hit by a car as a child, crushing both legs below the thighs, leaving him disabled. In today’s society, life as a disabled person was extremely difficult. His brother could only receive education remotely through online schooling.

A lack of sunlight exposure had left his brother’s face unnaturally pale.

Moreover, having few friends made him introverted.

“Mom and Dad don’t earn much, and they have to support both me and my brother, especially with my brother being disabled… The family burden is too heavy. That’s why we live in this low-income housing.”

“My brother, being disabled, has very little social interaction. Finding a wife in the future will be extremely difficult. Who would willingly marry a cripple with both legs gone?”

“I must change the fate of our entire family!”

Luo Feng thought silently.

“Why did I have a crush on Xu Xin but never pursued her or dated her?”

“The law allows marriage at 18, so many people start dating in high school and get married right after graduation. Very few students don’t date during high school. Why didn’t I?”

“Because I couldn’t afford to waste time on romance! I’m not from a wealthy family, nor do I have any great mentors guiding me. I can only rely on myself.” Luo Feng’s gaze fell on the old sofa in the living room, which could be unfolded into a bed. “For years now, our family of four has lived in this small one-bedroom, one-living room apartment. My brother and I sleep in the only bedroom, while my parents have always slept on the sofa in the living room…”

“I must ensure that my parents and my brother live in a big house, a big house with elevators.”

“I want my parents to finally sleep on a real big bed.”

“I want my brother to no longer struggle every time he goes downstairs.”

“The house must have large floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing sunlight to pour in fully!”

These words had echoed countless times in Luo Feng’s heart. Because of this, he had worked hard since childhood.

That was why—

He had become one of only three students among the five thousand at Third High School to earn the title of “Advanced Martial Arts Academy Student.” Among these three, he was the only one from an ordinary family. The other two were children of wealthy families.

…

“Rush! Rush!” The tap water flowed continuously, quickly filling the electric kettle.

“Buzz…” Luo Feng plugged in the kettle and sat on the sofa with a history book, memorizing key points from the book.

Suddenly—

“Beep!”

The kettle had boiled. Luo Feng put the book down, poured the hot water into the thermos, and poured a large plastic cup of hot water onto the table.

“In the year 2026, the ‘Hongze Battle’ occurred at Hongze Lake… Hmm, that’s 2026.” Luo Feng memorized each historical event. Among the various subjects in his cultural education, Luo Feng was strongest in mathematics. However, history interested him the most. Whenever he looked at the history of the 21st century…

He couldn’t help but marvel.

It was a period of human transformation!

“Ah Hua.” Luo Feng approached his brother.

“Brother, what is it?” Luo Hua put down his book.

“There are 139 key points in this book. I’ve marked them all. Please test me.” Luo Feng handed the history book to his brother. Luo Hua smiled and accepted it.

“Alright, it’s rare I get to quiz you, brother. Listen carefully—I’m going to ask a question. If you get it wrong, you’ll be embarrassed.”

“Go ahead.” Luo Feng smiled and sat on the sofa.

“He was a man who single-handedly slayed the ‘Tiger-Headed Crocodile’ by the Yangtze River, rescuing hundreds of thousands of civilians and enabling their successful relocation to the Jiangnan Base. He sacrificed his life bravely. Who was he? Where was he from? How old was he when he died? And what was the exact date of the event?” Luo Hua carefully flipped through the book before asking.

“The brave martyr was ‘Dong Nanbiao,’ posthumously awarded the Four-Star Hero Medal by the state. He was originally from Taixing, Jiangsu Province. He was 39 when he died. The exact date of the event should be June 18, 2018…” Luo Feng frowned slightly.

Luo Hua pressed further, “What was the exact date? June 18, 2018?”

“Hmm, I think it was…” Luo Feng seemed uncertain. “I think it was June 18.”

“Haha, you got the first question wrong,” Luo Hua shook his head. “Dong Nanbiao, who was posthumously awarded the Four-Star Hero Medal, was indeed from Taixing, Jiangsu Province, and was 39 when he died. However, the exact date of the event was June 16, 2018.”

“Ah!”

Luo Feng slapped his forehead, shaking his head with a wry smile. “I always mix up the 16th and the 18th. Ask me another.”

“Alright, listen carefully. Second question.” Luo Hua was clearly excited. “In the year 2023, in…”

…

The two brothers continued their question-and-answer session, and time flew by quickly.

“I’ve already asked half the book. Out of 68 questions, you got 63 right and 5 wrong.” Luo Hua glanced at the wall clock. “Mom and Dad will be back soon. I’ll ask you one last question, and next time I’ll ask the other half.”

“One last question? Alright, go ahead.” Luo Feng focused intently.

“This question is very basic. Please recount the main events of the ‘Great Nirvana Period.'” Luo Hua said.

Luo Feng’s expression turned serious. The history of the Great Nirvana Period was the most important era in human transformation: “In the early 21st century, the world experienced several viral flu outbreaks, from the SARS virus flu in 2003 to the H1N1 flu in 2009. By 2013, an even more terrifying R-type virus flu emerged. During its spread, the R-type virus evolved into more than twenty variants, making virus prevention and control increasingly difficult. All countries worldwide experienced fatalities.”

“As prevention efforts continued, the epidemic was gradually brought under control.”

“However, in January 2015, the R-type virus evolved into its most terrifying variant yet—the RR virus!”

“Previous variants of the R-type virus spread through bodily fluids, with some capable of spreading through water, although they survived only briefly in water. However, this RR virus could spread through bodily fluids and water. Even more terrifyingly, it could spread through the air! It could survive in the air for an astonishing three hours!”