Winner's Fist

@tylee

At a wanderer's gathering place on the border of Huizhou, an elderly man with white hair was packing luggage with a 14-year-old boy.

Looking at the cart without a door or a roof in front of him, the boy frowned and asked, "Can this cart really take us to the city? I remember it looking different."

"Heh, you must be mistaken. Back in the day, your grandpa here drove this cart and conquered the entire Yan Kingdom. I know this cart better than you do!" The old man gazed at the dilapidated Jeep beside him, lost in reminiscence.

Chen Mo shook his head helplessly, put the bag on the back seat, and after confirming there was nothing missing, called out to his grandfather to hurry up and get in the car.

"You little rascal, you're quick. Here, place this plank at the car door, and tie the luggage with the seatbelt."

Chen Mo was speechless. He took the plank and wedged it into the car door, then turned to secure the luggage on the back seat. Once everything was ready, he instinctively reached for the seatbelt. After all, in his previous world, wearing a seatbelt had become a habit. But he found only air. What had this car been through?

While Chen Mo was looking for the seatbelt, the old man had already started the Jeep. As the car moved, the engine made a violent noise accompanied by strange vibrations.

Chen Mo was already praying in his heart. Since he was reincarnated into this world, he had no system or superpowers. And today, he might even die because of this ticking time bomb of a car. Maybe he wasn't destined to be a protagonist; it was like that before, and it would probably be the same in the future.

The old Jeep wobbled to the outskirts of the gathering place, where a group of people had been waiting.

"Chief, are you sure you don't want me to come with you? I've heard the aliens have been very active lately. I'm worried it won't be safe for you and Chen Mo."

A burly man said to the old man.

Indeed, this world was different from the one Chen Mo knew. In this world, not only humans possessed intelligence; various creatures and plants were also filled with elemental energies.

"Brother, please be careful on the road. I'll be waiting for you to come back."

Following the voice, Chen Mo saw two girls about his age looking at him with big, watery eyes and sweet voices. This might be one of the few comforts in this world. Chen Mo thought, reaching out to pat the heads of the two girls.

"You two stay home and don't be naughty. When I come back, I'll bring you some food from the city."

Upon hearing about the food, the girls' eyes stopped watering, and faint smiles appeared on their faces.

"Silly girls," Chen Mo muttered to himself, pinching their soft cheeks, and they giggled.

The old man and the burly man exchanged a few words, then turned to the two girls and said, "You two must listen to Aunt Li in the camp. Grandpa will be back in a few days."

"Don't worry, Chief. I'll take good care of them," the old woman holding the girls' hands replied.

The old man nodded and said no more. The old Jeep started moving slowly, and the figures of the few people waiting gradually receded.

"Grandpa, brother, remember to come back soon!"

Chen Mo turned around, waved at them, and promised he would. Only when they became a small dot did he turn back, adjusting his sitting posture. The trees beside him moved slowly in the background. Feeling the car's speed was off, he glanced at the dashboard. Only 15. He thought, well, if the speed was any higher, the car might not hold up. So he adjusted his seat to a comfortable angle.

The old Jeep moved slowly across the grass. Chen Mo took out the map and spent a long time finding their approximate location based on the various markings. Judging by the route and the car's speed, Chen Mo estimated it would take another two or three hours to reach the nearest union village, where there might be dirt roads for faster travel.

He put the map aside, sighed, and turned to look at the old man, whose expression remained calm and focused on driving. Chen Mo recalled when he was transmigrated to this world at six years old. He was adopted by his grandfather and became a member of the wanderer group, roaming around for eight years.

During those eight years, his grandfather put him through physical and reaction training almost daily. There was no choice; others transmigrated with consciousness or soul, but he came here in person. A person from a prosperous, democratic, civilized, and harmonious country, never worried about safety, wouldn't have a strong physique. But now... sigh, times have changed, he thought.

Suddenly, the roaring sound of engines came from the front. Five luxuriously modified Jeeps approached and quickly passed by Chen Mo and the old man. One red Jeep turned around and pulled up beside Chen Mo. Inside was a young man with delicate features, looking about 17 or 18 years old. The young man seemed about to ask something but, upon seeing the old man and the map beside Chen Mo, he sneered and quickly turned the car around and left.

Chen Mo felt insulted. Was it necessary to turn around and mock them just because their car was in poor condition? Looking for a sense of superiority like this? Such behavior was typical of either a villain or a supporting role. "Gu Yu, weren't you going to ask for directions? Why didn't you?"

"Tch, they don't even have a GPS and are still using a map. Asking them for directions is pointless."

His companions laughed heartily, probably finding it the funniest thing they had encountered on their journey to see someone still using a map for navigation.

Chen Mo frowned, feeling indignant. As a transmigrator, he didn't get special treatment and was in the lowest social class. The most frustrating part was he seemed to have adapted to this status. This realization darkened his mood further. The old man beside him didn't mind and, noticing his sulking grandson, asked, "Already upset?"

Chen Mo took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The incident was indeed unpleasant, but there was no need to be so angry. Probably he hadn't controlled himself due to long-standing grievances.

"A bit."

"It's rare for you to admit so straightforwardly."

After a pause, the old man continued, "It's time to tell you some things during this trip."

Chen Mo's heart leaped with joy. He turned and listened intently. He had wanted to ask his grandfather about this world, but his grandfather always said he was too young and refused to elaborate. Chen Mo had learned some things on his own but still found much unclear.

"In this world, intelligence isn't limited to humans; other beasts and plants are also intelligent and mostly unfriendly towards humans."

Chen Mo nodded. He had heard this from others in the camp.

"This world is filled with various elemental energies. Plants have the highest affinity for these energies, and some beasts also have high affinity."

"What about humans?" Chen Mo eagerly asked.

The old man sighed and continued, "Humans have the lowest affinity for elements. Most people use refined elemental stones to harness elemental powers."

"Are these stones rare?"

"Basic elemental stones might be more common."

"You'll gradually learn these things. What I want to tell you is about this trip to the city."

"I already heard from Brother Wang. You plan to clear land near the camp and build a village, so you won't be wanderers anymore. This trip is to submit the paperwork."

"Hmph, seems that kid told you a lot. But that's only part of it. This trip also includes taking you for an awakening test. Once awakened, you can sense the elements in the world."

Awakening? Chen Mo, about to change his posture, instantly felt invigorated. He had once thought this world lacked superpowers or similar phenomena, with only two vague related memories left. Thankfully, all his doubts were now resolved.

"So, all my efforts over the past eight years were preparation for the awakening. Looks like a bright future ahead," Chen Mo mused, oblivious to the old man's sigh and head shake beside him.

Finally, a winding dirt road appeared ahead. The old Jeep wobbled and stopped on the road. The old man got out and rummaged through the luggage in the back seat, telling Chen Mo to get out and stay alert, ready to call for help if needed.

Chen Mo stepped out and scanned the surroundings. He understood his grandfather's intent, feeling his legs tremble slightly as adrenaline surged. This was his first real outing in this world and possibly his first life-and-death struggle. His excitement grew.

"Finally, it feels like an otherworldly adventure," Chen Mo muttered, feeling odd without a weapon. He picked up a dry branch from the roadside and held it tightly, keeping his eyes on the forest.

A breeze rustled the forest leaves, creating a soft sound. It was midday, with ample light allowing clear visibility and intermittent bird chirping. In this environment, one would feel relaxed on Earth, and Chen Mo gradually relaxed too. Soon, the car restarted, and Chen Mo turned around, tossing the branch and returning to his seat. The old Jeep slowly moved away, but Chen Mo never noticed the greedy eyes watching him from the forest he had been observing.