32: Chapter 32 Netizens: "This physical fitness would make even professional athletes bow down in admiration."

Section 1: Smoke of War on the Trending Search List

The scent of soy milk and fried dough sticks wafted through the breakfast area of the Public Welfare Foundation. Chen Wu had just taken a bite of a fried dough stick when Xu Hao rushed over holding a tablet. The trending search entry on the screen was a deep, bruised red — #Chen Wu's Stamina Crushes Professional Athletes# — followed by the word 'Explosive'. Below it was a string of related topics: #Is it Scientific to Lift a Barbell with One Finger?#, #Baji Fist Completely Outperforms Modern Training Methods#, #National Weightlifting Team Responds#.

"Brother Wu, you've gone viral beyond your circle!" Xu Hao's fingers slid rapidly across the screen. "The squat video from last night has been reposted by major sports accounts; even the International Olympic Committee's official Twitter liked it! But the controversy has also exploded. Many professional athletes have come forward to question it, saying you used special effects."

Chen Wu took the tablet. The first post on the homepage was a long article posted by a former Olympic sprinting champion: "As an athlete, I respect every form of training, but I will never accept hype that violates science. There is clear data on the endurance limits of human muscle. Doing a thousand squats with a fifty-jin load is either a lie or a desecration of the sporting spirit."

The comment section below had already turned into a noisy marketplace, with voices for and against evenly matched:

 "Coach Wang from the weightlifting team personally tested the barbell, and you're still being stubborn?"

 "What do sprinters know about strength training? I suggest you go back and supplement your biology classes."

 "4 million people watching the drama online! This heat is higher than the Olympics."

 "Waiting for the professional athletes to get slapped in the face. Brother Wu, come out and face the challenge!"

Zhao Mengmeng approached with a bowl of jellied tofu. A debate program from a sports channel was playing on her rabbit doll's ears. Two guests were arguing until they were red in the face over whether "traditional martial arts count as sports." "Brother Wu, that uncle wearing the gold medal says you're afraid to accept a formal test." The little girl pouted. "He says you're just putting on a show in the livestream room."

Chen Wu was about to say something when the door to the training hall was pushed open. Lin Xue walked in with three people. Leading them was a white-haired elderly man wearing a tracksuit with the words "General Administration of Sport of China" printed on it, with three badges shaped like Olympic gold medals pinned to his chest. Beside him was a middle-aged man wearing glasses, holding a silver instrument that looked like a heart rate monitor. The last person was Coach Wang from the weightlifting team who had been "slapped in the face" yesterday, his face still showing a bit of defiance.

"Mr. Chen, let me introduce them." Lin Xue's tone carried a hint of a smile. "This is Director Zhou from the National Physical Training Center, who has trained six Olympic champions; this is Professor Li, an expert in exercise physiology; and Coach Wang... you already know him."

Director Zhou shook Chen Wu's hand. His palm was rough and powerful, covered in calluses from years of handling equipment. "Young Chen, we've seen the arguments online. We didn't come here to cause trouble today; we want to invite you to do a systematic test to use data to shut the mouths of those doubters."

Professor Li pushed up his glasses and held up the instrument in his hand. "This is the latest 'Physical Holographic Scanner.' It can monitor changes in muscle fibers, cardiopulmonary function, and energy metabolism in real-time. The data is absolutely objective and fair."

The livestream had started at some point, and the title had changed to "Chen Wu vs. Professional Physical Test." The number of people online instantly broke 5 million. The anticipation in the bullet comments almost overflowed the screen:

 "Finally using scientific instruments! I want to see if Brother Wu is a True God."

 "Even Director Zhou is here! This is a high-level setup."

 "5.5 million online! I bet a bag of spicy strips that Brother Wu can break the record."

Chen Wu wiped the oil off his hands. "A test is fine, but I have one condition." He looked at Director Zhou. "All data must be livestreamed publicly. Let everyone know that martial arts is not metaphysics; it is something that can withstand scientific scrutiny."

Section 2: Miracles Under the Scanner

The physical test was conducted in the foundation's training hall. The equipment Professor Li brought was quickly assembled — a half-person-high circular scanner connected to holographic projection equipment that could convert test data into a 3D model in real-time.

"First item, cardiopulmonary function test." Professor Li handed Chen Wu a breathing mask. "We will monitor your blood oxygen saturation and recovery speed after extreme exercise. The excellent standard for ordinary professional athletes is: peak heart rate not exceeding 180, and recovery to a resting state within 10 minutes."

Coach Wang stood aside with his arms crossed, his tone slightly provocative. "How about starting with something simple? A 3000-meter interval run? The youngsters on our team can run it in under 8 minutes."

Chen Wu didn't reply. He simply put on the breathing mask and walked to the track outside the training hall. Lin Xue had someone mark the 3000-meter line with white paint. Director Zhou raised the starting pistol: "Ready — Go!"

The moment the gunshot rang out, Chen Wu shot out like an arrow from a bow. His stride frequency was astonishingly fast, yet no heavy footsteps could be heard, only the "shasha" sound of his soles rubbing against the ground. Most shocking was his breathing; even while running at high speed, the mist on the mask only rose and fell evenly, without the slightest disorder.

"This stride length... at least two and a half meters!" Director Zhou held the timer, his eyes wide as saucers. "Stride frequency of 4.2 times per second! Faster than Bolt!"

The livestream camera closely followed Chen Wu's figure. The heart rate curve on the holographic projection remained steady around 120, like a flat line. When he crossed the finish line, the timer showed "7 minutes 12 seconds" — 48 seconds faster than the national first-class athlete standard!

The even more shocking part was yet to come. Chen Wu took off the breathing mask, and Professor Li immediately stepped forward to measure. The scanner data showed: blood oxygen saturation 98%, heart rate 118, not much higher than an ordinary person's heart rate while walking.

"Impossible!" Coach Wang grabbed the scanner and repeatedly confirmed the data. "This machine is broken! Who can run with a heart rate not exceeding 120?"

Professor Li's expression was even more shocked than his. He pushed up his glasses and muttered to himself, "Energy metabolism efficiency... actually reached 89%! Ordinary athletes reach 60% at most. This means he can convert almost all food energy into kinetic energy with almost no waste..."

The bullet comments in the livestream had already gone crazy:

 "7 minutes 12 seconds! Is that a human time?"

 "Heart rate 118? Mine is higher than that just taking the elevator!"

 "6 million online! Those who said it was special effects, come out and apologize!"

 "Science can't even explain this anymore. This must be the effect of 'Qi', right?"

The second test was muscle endurance. Professor Li placed a handgrip dynamometer next to the scanner, showing a maximum range of 100 kilograms. "Please squeeze three times with maximum force."

Chen Wu gripped the handle of the dynamometer and gave it a light squeeze. With a crisp "crack," the instrument's dial suddenly shattered, and the needle flew against the wall, leaving a small dent. Professor Li hurriedly took out a backup instrument, this time adjusted to a 200-kilogram range.

"First time, 187 kilograms."

"Second time, 191 kilograms."

"Third time, 193 kilograms."

When the data came out, the thermos in Director Zhou's hand fell to the ground with a "clatter." "This... this is higher than a heavyweight boxing champion's grip strength!" He pointed at Chen Wu's forearm muscles on the holographic model. "The density of the muscle fibers is 3 times that of a normal person, and it's a perfect combination of slow-twitch and fast-twitch fibers, possessing both endurance and explosive power!"

Coach Wang suddenly stepped forward, took off his jacket to reveal his sturdy arms, and said, "Let me try." His face turned red as he squeezed, and the dynamometer's needle stopped at 165 kilograms, nearly 30 kilograms less than Chen Wu. The former weightlifting champion looked at his hand and suddenly gave a bitter smile. "I'm convinced. This isn't a difference in training methods; it's a difference in species."

Section 3: Challenges from Professional Players

Halfway through the testing, the door to the training hall was pushed open, and a group of people wearing various tracksuits swarmed in. Leading them was a burly man in a basketball jersey, nearly two meters tall with muscles bulging like rocks — he was the active CBA star known for his powerful physique, "Iron Bull."

"Mr. Chen, sorry to disturb you." Iron Bull's voice was like muffled thunder. "We were training in the gym next door, saw the livestream, and wanted to ask for some pointers." Behind him were several athletes, including sprinters, long jumpers, and a boxer, all famous names in the domestic sports world.

Director Zhou's eyes lit up. "Perfect! Actual combat confrontation best demonstrates the difference in physical fitness. Does Young Chen dare to try?"

Chen Wu looked at the group of professional players rubbing their hands together and suddenly smiled. "How shall we compete?"

Iron Bull pointed to the basketball court next to them. "Simple! Shuttle runs, vertical jump, and weighted shuttle runs. Best of three. The loser... publicly admits the other's physical fitness is stronger."

The first round was shuttle runs, a 40-meter distance, ten round trips. As a basketball player, this test was Iron Bull's forte. He charged out like a tank, his footsteps so heavy the floor trembled. But when he finished his eighth trip, he suddenly found Chen Wu already standing at the finish line, wiping his sweat with a towel.

The timer showed: Chen Wu 18.7 seconds, Iron Bull 21.3 seconds.

"That's impossible!" Iron Bull's assistant coach jumped up. "He must have taken a shortcut!"

The slow-motion footage clearly showed that every one of Chen Wu's steps landed on the marker lines; his stride frequency was simply too fast for the naked eye to capture. Even more eerie was that his shadow while running always maintained a steady rhythm, unlike Iron Bull's shadow which fluctuated — this was a manifestation of 'Qi' controlling bodily balance.

The second round was the vertical jump. Iron Bull jumped from a standstill, his fingertips easily clearing the rim by 30 centimeters, drawing a round of applause. When it was Chen Wu's turn, he merely stood on his tiptoes slightly, and his whole body rose silently as if lifted by an invisible wire. His fingertips left a faint gold mark on the upper edge of the backboard — at least 20 centimeters higher than Iron Bull!

"Holy crap! This is Qinggong!"

"7 million online witnessing this! The professional players are getting hammered!"

"Iron Bull's expression looks like he just ate sh*t, hahaha."

"Now who still dares to say professional athletes are stronger?"

Before the third round even started, Iron Bull shook his head and bowed to Chen Wu. "No need to compete. I admit defeat. Your physical fitness... has already exceeded my understanding of humanity." He turned to the camera, his voice carrying a bit of bitterness. "To my colleagues who questioned Mr. Chen, I suggest you come and try it for yourselves. Don't be like me, looking at the sky from the bottom of a well."

The sprinting Olympic champion had also arrived at some point, standing at the back of the crowd, his face turning various shades of blue and white. When Chen Wu looked over, he suddenly stepped forward and handed over his Olympic gold medal. "Mr. Chen, I'm giving this gold medal to you. The essence of sports is to break through limits; you have achieved what we could not."

Chen Wu did not take the gold medal but merely patted his shoulder. "Every field has its own limits. I just happened to find the key to breaking through." He was referring to 'Qi', but to others, it sounded more like humble modesty.

Section 4: The Truth Behind the Data

After all the tests were completed, Professor Li summarized the data into a 20-page report, displayed before everyone via holographic projection:

 Muscle Endurance: After a thousand squats, muscle glycogen consumption was only 30% of a normal person's.

 Cardiopulmonary Function: Maximum oxygen uptake of 89 ml/kg/min (professional athletes average 60).

 Reaction Speed: 0.08 seconds (the recognized human physiological limit is 0.1 seconds).

 Energy Recovery: Recovered to a resting state 5 minutes after extreme exercise (normal people require 40 minutes).

The most shocking part was the conclusion on the final page: "The physical fitness data of the test subject, Chen Wu, surpasses existing human limits in terms of muscle efficiency, energy utilization, and recovery speed. There exists an unknown energy circulation System in his body, temporarily named 'Qi Circulation'. It is recommended to include this in national key research projects."

Director Zhou looked at the report and suddenly announced to the camera: "Starting today, the General Administration of Sport of China will cooperate with Mr. Chen Wu to open a 'Martial Arts Physical Training Experimental Class,' combining traditional martial arts with modern training methods to cultivate a new generation of athletes!"

This news was like a bomb, instantly setting the entire internet ablaze. Topics like #General Administration of Sport Cooperates with Chen Wu# and #Martial Arts Entering the Olympics is Not a Dream# quickly topped the trending searches. The International Olympic Committee's official website even released a statement "paying attention to Eastern traditional physical training methods."

The training hall gradually quieted down. The professional athletes left one after another, exchanging contact information with Chen Wu before they went. Many expressed a desire to learn basic "Qi Sense" training. Before Coach Wang left, he secretly handed Chen Wu a USB drive. "This is our team's core training plan. Perhaps it will be helpful for your research."

Chen Wu looked at the USB drive in his hand, then at the data on the holographic projection, suddenly remembering the prompt that had just popped up from the System:

[Triggered National-Level Cooperation Task: Fusion of Martial Arts and Sports]

[Reward: 50 million points, unlock 'Qi Energy Training Pod' blueprints]

[Global Martial Arts Enlightenment Progress: 75%]

The setting sun shone through the high windows of the training hall, gilding all the instruments in gold. Zhao Mengmeng was holding her rabbit doll, scanning Chen Wu's leg. The words "Iron Shirt (Lower Limbs) Progress 30%" jumped on the doll's screen.

"Brother Wu, everyone online says you're a 'Humanoid Supercomputer'." The little girl looked up and smiled. "They say your body is more amazing than the most precise instruments."

Chen Wu smiled and walked to the window. In the distant stadium, athletes were still training, their shouts drifting over with the wind, full of youthful power. He knew that today's test had not only changed people's perception of martial arts but also opened a new door for sports — when science and tradition are no longer opposed, perhaps humans can truly understand what kind of miracles are hidden within their own bodies.

The final frame of the livestream was what Professor Li said to the camera: "Previously, we thought science could explain everything, until we met Mr. Chen Wu and realized that so-called science is just truth that has not yet been understood."

On the screen, golden bullet comments sent by 7.5 million viewers simultaneously covered the entire image:

"This is the true sporting spirit!"

As the night deepened, the lights in the training hall turned on, illuminating the precise instruments and the test markers on the floor. Chen Wu picked up that physical report. The 'Qi' at his fingertips caused the pages to flip automatically, as if turning a new chapter in human physical potential. And he knew, this was just the beginning.