0125 The So-Called Last Glimmer (Part One)

Chen Jue looked at the comments on the video with a deadpan expression. These netizens were truly formidable, each one behaving like Sherlock Holmes.

Based solely on comparing his physique in two different videos and analyzing details like IP addresses, they were able to deduce his identity. If they channeled even a fraction of that effort into their studies or making money, wouldn't they be getting into elite universities or becoming big bosses in no time?

Fortunately, Chen Jue’s true identity as the "Master of Stunts" was not widely known in real life, so he wasn't worried about being exposed. After all, the netizens were only speculating whether the "Stair-Climbing Guy" was the "Master of Stunts"; they weren't guessing that Chen Jue was the "Master of Stunts," so it didn't have much impact on his daily life.

Thus, after browsing through the comments, Chen Jue logged into his short-video account and posted an update to respond. The content was simple: a meme of a silly panda refusing the allegations with a three-part denial: "It’s not me, I didn’t do it, stop spouting nonsense!"

As soon as this interactive post went live, his millions of followers were amused and flooded the comment section:
"It’s definitely you, the clothes are a dead giveaway (doge)."
"The Master of Stunts is being humble (laughing until I pee)."
"Doing a good deed is great, just show your face (rubbing hands in anticipation)."
"Calling @GoldenEyeProgram, aren't you going to interview him? (thinking)."
"Master of Stunts, you're awesome! I became a fan after watching the rescue video (thumbs up)."
"I used to think the stunts you practiced were useless, just dragon-slaying skills. I guess I was too young; the Master of Stunts really taught me a lesson (facepalm)."

Seeing the number of comments and likes climbing, Chen Jue closed the app.

He checked his secondary WeChat account for the "Master of Stunts" persona, and as expected, the "Hangzhou Wild-Play Squad" group chat was buzzing with people tagging him. Since the incident happened locally in Hangzhou and the footage was circulating through Moments and group chats, these wealthy second-generation kids naturally wanted to join in the excitement.

Chen Jue followed his routine and posted the "three-part denial" meme to address them, then reminded the group founders, Guo Shao and Yang Fan—the only ones who had seen his real face—not to spread the word.

Given the side profile in the video, those two would definitely recognize him at a glance, so giving them a heads-up was necessary.

"(Received)."
"Don't worry, Master Chen! Yang Fan and I will keep our lips sealed (hehe)."

With their replies, Chen Jue felt relieved for the moment. After increasing his [Spirit] attribute, his mindset had become more stable, and his ability to accept various situations had improved significantly. He wasn't afraid of fame; he only worried that being too famous would disrupt his current free-spirited life.

Moreover, since he relied on side-hustle income, he still needed to capitalize on this wave of internet traffic for a while. He had to find a balance between reality and the digital world.

Besides Guo Shao and Yang Fan, others like Wu Fang’s cousin, Zheng Yuan, and his teacher, Li Rui, had also sent messages, all of which Chen Jue patiently replied to one by one. The commotion he caused by climbing the building to save someone was quite large—unlike the time he killed the dog with a dart, where he was just a supporting character. To avoid being overwhelmed by internet traffic, he had put in quite a lot of effort.

"People fear fame just as pigs fear getting fat! Being too popular isn't always a good thing."

Chen Jue rubbed the area between his nose and eyes, lamenting that as interpersonal relationships grew, his mind inevitably became restless. Fortunately, this feeling lasted only a moment. When the bell rang and a middle-aged instructor walked onto the podium, Chen Jue finally settled his mind and began to listen attentively.

"Students, today we will discuss organ functions related to the kidneys. Please turn to page..." The middle-aged teacher opened his presentation and began to lecture.

"The kidneys are a highly specialized organ in the human body. They are part of the urinary system, responsible for filtering impurities from our blood, maintaining the balance of fluids and electrolytes, and finally producing urine to be transported to the bladder and excreted through the urethra."

"At the same time, the kidneys have endocrine functions; they secrete renin, prostaglandins, kinins, erythropoietin, endothelin, natriuretic peptides, and so on."

"As for [Adrenaline], which we often hear about in daily life, it is not secreted by the kidneys, but by the two [Adrenal Glands] located above them."

"[Adrenaline] is a hormone and neurotransmitter. Its effects are powerful; it can cause the blood vessels of the heart, liver, and muscles to dilate, while constricting those of the skin and mucous membranes. It accelerates breathing, increases heart rate and blood flow, dilates pupils, provides more energy for physical activity, and enhances reaction speed."

"The phenomenon we see in clinical practice known as 'the final burst of vitality' before death is caused by a temporary surge of various hormones secreted by the [Adrenal Glands]."

"However, this lecture focuses on kidney function. We will cover the [Adrenal Glands] in more detail next time. You may preview the material beforehand."

The teacher spoke with eloquence, and Chen Jue listened with great interest. During his climb that morning, the system panel had given him prompts similar to an adrenaline spike; clearly, this hormone was closely linked to explosive physical power.

"If I could actively control the secretion of these hormones through mental focus, wouldn't I be able to unleash my maximum strength anytime, anywhere?" Chen Jue thought to himself, taking notes while squeezing his grip trainer.

After a few days of training, his grip strength had increased again. Without the temporary attribute boost from supplements, he could now crush to the 130kg level, an increase of about 10kg compared to last week. Such a terrifying growth rate was thanks to the professional training arranged by Li Rui, combined with the attribute points from the panel.

Furthermore, the more he practiced his grip, the more he noticed the fascia and bones in his hands thickening. Whenever he used that special "Internal Force" technique, his entire hand would turn from a flesh tone to a faint, bruised blue—a truly miraculous sight.

"Is this what they call 'Claw Technique' in traditional martial arts?"

"The only thing lacking now is that the skin and bones on my hands aren't hard enough, and my resistance to impact is insufficient," Chen Jue muttered. He then absentmindedly scratched the desk.

A sharp "screech" rang out, causing an anomaly in the quiet classroom. Even the teacher stopped and glanced toward Chen Jue’s direction.

Chen Jue immediately sat up straight, coughing a few times to feign composure and hide his embarrassment, then covered the desk with his textbook.

After the anatomy class ended and the next group of students arrived, one student sat in his seat and was surprised to find five clear, deep claw marks on the otherwise smooth desk. He looked suspicious: "Which genius did this? Was someone bored enough to carve the desk with a knife during class?"