Courtyard House: Starting with handing over the keys, the state helps me abuse birds.

All the researchers stared, mouths agape, eyes wide, as if they had witnessed something that defied the laws of physics. The researcher who had been so confident just moments before was now deathly pale, and his recording tablet clattered to the ground.

Lu Zhaoting frowned, strode to the instrument, looked at the broken pointer, and asked in a deep voice, "What happened? Wasn't it designed for a ten-ton capacity?"

"It's...it's ten tons..." the researcher's voice trembled, "But...but the impact of that punch just now...it was at least...at least fifteen tons...the hydraulic system overloaded instantly, and the sensor module burned out..."

As he spoke, he squatted down to inspect the instrument base and found that the fixing bolts were not loose, but had actually been pulled out of the concrete foundation. This meant that the impact of the punch just now far exceeded the ground anchoring strength considered in the instrument's design.

"Fifteen tons..." Lu Zhaoting repeated the number, then turned to look at Xie Weihong.

Xie Weihong shook her wrist, her expression calm: "Sorry, I didn't control my strength well. This machine... does it need repair?"

"No...no need..." the researcher said with a wry smile. "It can't be repaired. The core sensor is burned out; the entire sensing system needs to be replaced. And..."

He glanced at the pulled-out bolt, then at Xie Weihong, his eyes wide as if he were looking at a monster: "And we'll have to redesign the anchoring system. Next time we test, we might have to weld it to the foundation..."

"What's the next project?" Lu Zhaoting interrupted him, his tone regaining its composure.

"Speed ​​test." Another young researcher raised his hand. "Over there, the 100-meter track and high-speed photography system are ready."

The speed test area is a standard 100-meter track, but what's different is that twelve high-speed cameras are installed on both sides of the track, each capable of recording images at a speed of two thousand frames per second.

"Comrade Xie, please run the 100 meters as fast as you can." The researcher in charge of the project explained, "We will analyze your stride frequency, stride length, acceleration curve and other data through high-speed photography."

Xie Weihong nodded and walked to the starting line. He didn't use the professional crouch start; he just stood there casually.

"Ready!" The researcher raised the starting pistol.

Gunshots.

Xie Weihong's figure disappeared from the starting line in an instant.

It's not a metaphor, it really "disappears in an instant." In most people's vision, they only see a blurry afterimage sweeping across the track, and then the finish line is crossed.

"How many...how many seconds?" someone asked in a trembling voice.

The staff member in charge of timing looked at the data terminal connected to the high-speed camera with a strange expression: "High-speed photography analysis results... 1.08 seconds."

"How many?!"

"One second and eight ounces?!"

The entire testing area erupted in chaos.

Lu Zhaoting strode to the data terminal, where the high-speed photography footage was being played back on the screen.

Only after slowing down to one percent speed could Xie Weihong's movements be barely seen. Her explosive acceleration at the start was ridiculously high. She reached her maximum speed in the first thirty meters and maintained it throughout the race, even having energy left when crossing the finish line.

"What is the maximum speed?" Lu Zhaoting asked.

"Analysis shows... 96 meters per second." The researcher's voice trembled. "This... this exceeds the top speed of a cheetah..."

The subsequent tests repeatedly challenged everyone's understanding of what was going on.

Reaction speed test: Using a specially designed launcher to fire tennis balls at a speed of 80 meters per second, Xie Weihong was able to easily dodge a volley of 20 consecutive shots. Data analysis showed that his neural reaction time was less than 0.01 seconds, which is one-tenth of that of an average person.

Body coordination test: Xie Weihong passed through an obstacle course filled with laser beams with near-perfect movements, without any of the laser sensors being triggered.

Endurance test: After running continuously for two hours on a specially designed treadmill at a speed of thirty meters per second, his heart rate only increased from forty to fifty beats per minute, and his breathing remained steady and normal. The doctor in charge of monitoring looked at the data and muttered to himself, "This cardiopulmonary function... it can no longer be called human..."

The last item is a physical strength test.

Researchers brought in an industrial materials testing machine, originally used to test the compressive strength of building materials such as steel plates and concrete.

They took a small sample of special steel, clamped it with hydraulic pliers, and explained to Xie Weihong, "This is armor steel, which is extremely hard. You can try it with your finger and see if you can leave a mark."

This was the most cautious part of the entire test. The researchers did not believe that Xie Weihong could actually damage the armor steel; they were simply testing the skin's hardness and scratch resistance as part of the procedure.

Xie Weihong extended her index finger and gently traced a line on the surface of the steel sample.

"squeak."

A harsh, screeching sound rang out.

When he removed his finger, a clear scratch appeared on the surface of the steel sample, about 0.5 millimeters deep, with neat edges, as if it had been made with a carving knife.

All the researchers gathered around. Some put on gloves, picked up the steel sample, examined it carefully with a magnifying glass, and then used a portable hardness tester to measure the hardness of the scratch. There was no change.

This means that Xie Weihong used pure physical strength to make marks on the armor steel.

"This...this is impossible..." an elderly researcher murmured. "Skin harder than armor steel? This is not scientifically possible..."

"It's not just about excessive hardness." Another materials science expert's eyes lit up. "It's a combination of toughness, strength, and elastic modulus! His skin tissue structure must have undergone some kind of... some kind of qualitative change that we can't understand!"

The test lasted from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. When all the data was compiled and presented to Lu Zhaolin, the numbers on the thick stack of reports were all alarming.

"Director Lu," the chief engineer in charge of data analysis pushed up his glasses, his voice dry, "based on the current test results, we have made a conservative assessment of Comrade Xie Weihong's physical condition."

He turned to the last page of the report and read out the conclusion:

"First, the peak explosive power of the muscles exceeds fifteen tons, which is more than two hundred times that of an ordinary person."

Second, the maximum speed is 96 meters per second.

"Third, the neural reaction time is 0.01 seconds, which is four times that of a fighter pilot."

"Fourth, the tensile strength of the skin surface is estimated to be over 2000 MPa, and its toughness is three to five times that of Kevlar fiber."

He paused, took a deep breath, and uttered the final sentence that left everyone present speechless:

"Based on the overall assessment... without the use of special armor-piercing ammunition, conventional firearm bullets... are highly unlikely to penetrate his skin."

You could hear a pin drop in the area.

Lu Zhaoting slowly raised his head and looked at Xie Weihong, who was talking to Duan Chengyi in the distance. The setting sun cast a golden glow on the young man's figure.

He suddenly remembered what Xie Weihong had said in the office three days ago: "My current strength may exceed your expectations."

In retrospect, this was more than just "beyond expectations".

This has completely overturned humanity's understanding of its own limits.

"Director Lu," the chief engineer asked in a low voice, "Should these data... be reported?"

"Report." Lu Zhaoting withdrew his gaze, his tone firm. "Report all data verbatim. But mark it as the highest level of confidentiality, and keep the scope of knowledge to a minimum."

"Then Comrade Xie..."

"His value can no longer be measured by common sense." Lu Zhaoting looked at the report in his hand and said slowly, "Notify the logistics team that all personnel at the testing site remain on site and sign confidentiality agreements. All instrument data should be sealed and await further instructions."

"Yes."

As the sun completely sank below the horizon, Xie Weihong approached and asked, "Director Lu, the testing is complete. Is there anything else we need your cooperation on?"

Lu Zhaoting looked at him for a long time before slowly speaking: "Comrade Wei Hong, you said before... you can teach others cultivation?"

"Yes, that's fine," Xie Weihong nodded, "but we need to proceed step by step and select suitable candidates."

"Okay." Lu Zhaoting nodded emphatically. "I'll decide on the candidates, and you'll come up with the plan. We'll begin the first phase of the 'Special Talent Training' in three days."

He paused, then added, "In addition, Yi Zhonghai and the others were 'recovered and discharged' this afternoon and sent back to the courtyard house. Director Duan will cooperate with you to carry out the next phase of... 'disciplinary education'."

Xie Weihong's lips curled slightly: "Understood."

As night fell, the lights at the testing site came on one by one.

A mind-blowing test has come to an end.

But the series of changes that this has triggered are only just beginning.