Chapter Sixty-Two: The So-Called Power

The atmosphere in the cell shifted, growing strangely tense. The group of prisoners, who had just moments before been brimming with aggression, now fell into an uneasy silence.

“In this society, order and law still serve as constraints,” the mysterious man said. “Most people, limited by these structures, do not dare use their strength recklessly. That is why, within the boundaries of the rules, finding ways to exert your power becomes especially important.”

“So you mean that the actual strength one possesses isn’t the most crucial thing? What truly matters is the manner and freedom with which you can wield that strength?”

“Precisely. That’s also why, as time goes on, fewer and fewer truly powerful individuals pursue the limits of personal strength. With the development of the era, the governments that draft and maintain the current systems of order have become ever more formidable. Through collective intelligence and direction, they can amplify their power exponentially.

“In this context, ordinary people will always find their strength limited by the rules—unless you possess the power to overturn the entire system. Otherwise, further improvements yield little significance, and many see no point in expending effort for such meager gains. The rapid progress of technology has, objectively, led to the decline of individual power. It is a kind of sorrow.”

Qin Anyi nodded. He had never pondered these questions before, yet the mysterious man’s words were so clear and logical that they were easy to understand—stripping away the surface, this was the nature of things.

“You are still young,” the man continued, his voice calm, “and surely you are in the phase of life where you crave and pursue strength. So let me give you this advice: before chasing after power, ask yourself what kind of height you truly wish to reach. If all you want is to bully those weaker than you, don’t waste your time. The breadth of a person’s heart and the height of their vision often determine just how far—and how gloriously—they can go.”

With those understated words, the mysterious man turned away and returned to his bunk, soon lost in sleep.

The surrounding prisoners exchanged glances for a long moment, but none dared say a word. Only after they were certain the old man was truly asleep did they finally breathe a quiet sigh of relief, each one slipping back onto their own bunk, their movements cautious and subdued.

Qin Anyi shook his head. The sudden silence in the cell left him feeling a little bored. After glancing at the time, he rolled his shoulders and began his personal training.

The cell was small, making it impossible to run, but there was enough space for push-ups, sit-ups, and other basic exercises. So, unconcerned with the eyes of others, Qin Anyi began his workout in the empty space by his bunk.

During the first week, except for the first day when he exercised without any burden, Qin Anyi had always trained wearing a weighted vest. Now, having entered the detention center, the vest was, of course, not permitted inside. Without its hindrance, he suddenly found these basic exercises much easier.

No matter what the endeavor, the foundation is always the most important element. As the saying goes, a towering building rises from the ground; the higher you wish to build, the stronger the foundation must be. This is a universal truth.

So Qin Anyi maintained a high level of enthusiasm for these basic exercises. The more solid the foundation, the greater the benefit for future growth in strength.

The other prisoners paid him little attention; their minds were occupied with deciphering the connection between the old man and Qin Anyi. Eyes closed, they feigned sleep, but in truth, none truly rested.

What Qin Anyi did not notice was that the mysterious man, whose steady snoring filled the cell, had at some point silently turned over. His previously closed eyes were now slightly open, peering through a narrow slit in Qin Anyi’s direction, quietly observing the training.

Basic exercises, endless repetition of simple movements, are always the most tedious and monotonous part of training. Yet Qin Anyi performed them with enthusiasm and vigor, which seemed to intrigue the mysterious man. As the number of push-ups and sit-ups Qin Anyi completed steadily increased, the old man’s eyes grew wider and wider, a strange and unreadable light flickering in their depths.