You promised steampunk martial arts, but you've got an internal combustion engine in your chest

"Dinner's ready!"

A hoarse voice called out from afar, and the once dull and lifeless docks of Shanghai instantly came to life.

"Dinner's finally ready! Let's go!"

"I'm exhausted! I'm definitely going to down three big bowls of rice today!"

Hundreds and thousands of freight workers put down their work, twisting their sore arms and rubbing their aching backs, and surged toward the canteen like a tide.

Leading the group was a young figure as agile as a leopard.

Eighteen-year-old Baili Jing moved with lightning speed, leaving the main group behind him dozens of meters behind.

Like the other laborers on the dock, he had well-proportioned and smooth muscles, and his skin was slightly red from the scorching sun.

The only difference was that everyone else was exhausted like dead dogs, their tongues almost lolling out, but Baili Jing was still full of energy, his bright eyes brimming with vitality, and although beads of sweat were on his forehead, he showed no signs of exhaustion or dejection.

"Hahaha, I'm the first one!"

Baili Jing strode into the cafeteria with light steps and a loud laugh.

Behind the food serving window in the large canteen sat several young girls responsible for distributing meals to the workers. When they saw Baili Jing rushing in first, their eyes lit up.

"Sisters, I've done so much work today, I'm starving! Could you please raise your hands a little higher and give me a bigger beating?"

Baili Jing leaned against the window, gave the girl serving food a hearty smile, and revealed a set of white teeth.

Most of the men who frequented the docks were coarse and smelly, never had they ever seen such a handsome and sweet-talking young man? When Baili Jing stared at her with his smiling eyes, the girl serving the vegetables blushed bright red, her eyes pounding like a deer.

She responded somewhat flusteredly, and with a tremor in her hand, the large iron ladle in her hand did not shake the meat off as usual. Instead, she scooped up two large spoonfuls of the fattest and most substantial braised pork from the small bowl and poured them over Baili Jing.

"Thank you, sisters. I'll treat you to malt candy later."

Baili Jing winked at the girls and raised his eyebrows, which elicited a burst of coquettish laughter from the window.

Soon, Baili Jing, carrying a plate piled high like a small mountain, found a seat by the window and began to feast.

At this time, the dockworkers followed and poured in one after another.

Several of Baili Jing's coworkers, who usually had a good relationship with him, sat down next to him. Looking at his hearty bowl of meat and vegetables and his energetic appearance, they couldn't help but marvel.

"Hey Baili, what's your body made of? I feel like I'm going to die after carrying just a couple more boxes, but you carry the heaviest loads every day and you never complain about being tired?" an older worker asked enviously, rubbing his thigh.

With a large piece of braised pork stuffed in his mouth, Baili Jing chuckled indistinctly, "It's alright. I'm definitely tired, but I'm young. As long as I eat and drink my fill, a good night's sleep will make up for it!"

The old worker sitting directly opposite him shook his head and said in a low voice, "Your energy is as vigorous as an earthworm. In my opinion, staying at the docks to do hard labor is a complete waste of your talent... Why don't you consider taking the test for the Canal Gang and becoming a steam cultivator?"

The moment the words "Steam Practitioner" were uttered, the previously noisy dining table fell silent.

Several workers, including Baili Jing, subconsciously turned their heads and cast their gazes toward the darkest corner at the back of the canteen.

There was a huge wooden table with heavy materials, covered with bowls and bowls of secret-recipe braised beef, roasted lamb legs, and even uncooked monster flesh and blood, a far cry from the coarse rice and leftovers that ordinary workers ate.

The people sitting around the table were several burly martial artists, as tall as iron towers, who were eating frantically, the sound of them chewing bones was chilling.

However, what is most striking is their backs.

These martial artists' spines have been modified!

Sections of mechanical pistons were embedded in their flesh and spine. With their breathing and eating, the pistons were violently twitching and spewing out scalding white steam.

Amidst the swirling white mist, these figures seemed not to be human, but rather industrial behemoths draped in human skin, radiating a suffocating sense of oppression.

They were top-notch bodyguards at the Shanghai docks, and also steam cultivators hired by the Canal Gang at great expense.

Seemingly sensing being spied on, one of the Iron Spine warriors coldly turned his head, his emotionless hawk-like eyes sweeping over. Suddenly, the air valve on his back emitted a piercing roar, spewing out a violent wave of air.

"hiss……"

Several workers turned pale, and were so frightened that they quickly looked away, lowered their heads to eat, and dared not look again.

After a long while, the old worker who had spoken earlier finally let out a soft sigh of relief and leaned close to Baili Jing, whispering:

"Little Baili, listen to your uncle's advice. You should really give it a try while you're young and in good health. As long as you can handle the furnace and become a steam cultivator, you'll be making money hand over fist! Your brother's tuition will be no problem at all! Once your brother passes the imperial examination, your Baili family will be rich!"

Another person chimed in, "That's right! If you don't want to sell yourself to a gang, you can join the army. With your stamina, you could install a military gas stove and maybe even become a vanguard captain, or even a general! That would be truly a life of honor and glory for your ancestors!"

Faced with his coworkers' persuasion, Baili Jing simply smiled gently and did not respond.

If he had heard these words a year ago, he probably would have been excited and signed up long ago.

But now... he's different.

For the past decade or so, Baili Jing has often had strange dreams. In his dreams, he saw a square iron box that could glow, a net of nothingness connecting the whole world with a single thread, an iron box that could fly across the land without being pulled by oxen or horses, and a giant steel bird soaring in the clouds...

He was young then and thought he was just having some kind of mental problem, and that he was just overthinking things all the time.

Until a year ago, he had a high fever that nearly killed him. After the fever subsided, he broke through the fog of his past life and awakened his innate wisdom.

He finally realized that he wasn't crazy at all; his past life had taken him to a highly advanced technological society called "Earth," where he had dreamt of computer games, the internet, cars, high-speed trains, airplanes, and more.

And right after that awakening of his innate wisdom, his body also underwent some miraculous transformations.

It was as if an invisible vortex of qi and blood had appeared in his body, making his qi and blood more abundant than ever before, and his energy was incredibly vigorous. He almost didn't know what fatigue was. The only side effect was that his appetite increased, and the more he ate, the stronger he became.

Last month, he went to the foreman's wedding banquet and ate meat for three meals. He even managed to lift a whole pig with one hand. Afterwards, he couldn't sleep all night and had nowhere to vent his energy, so he swam more than ten miles in the sea.

It was precisely because he saw the truth of the world that he was so disdainful of the so-called "steam practitioners".

Screw steam training!

In this world, the sheer cost of fitting components into one's body and stuffing a gas furnace into one's body can bankrupt generations.

The exorbitant modification costs and subsequent fuel expenses are astronomical for ordinary people.

For those at the bottom to cross this threshold, there is only one way: sell themselves.

They either had to become suicide soldiers for gangs or sects, or they had to serve as cannon fodder in the imperial army.

To castrate one's dignity and freedom just to exchange them for an iron shell and spend the rest of one's life as a lackey—in Baili Jing's view, this was simply putting the cart before the horse.

Rather than be an obedient dog, he would rather keep his natural, vigorous energy and live a carefree and happy life.

Besides, in this world, is becoming a thug the only way to get ahead?

This world is strange. Despite being a feudal imperial society, it has witnessed a distorted steam industrial revolution, which has also produced a deformed product combining martial arts and machinery.

But the essence remains the same: as long as there is feudal autocracy and the beginnings of capitalism, it is not difficult at all to make money and get rich by relying on one's modern business knowledge and vision!

"Hu Liu..."

After finishing the last sip of soup, Baili Jing secretly calculated in his mind: He had come to the docks of Shanghai at the age of fifteen to work as a porter for three whole years. After deducting his daily expenses for food, clothing, shelter, and supporting his younger brother's education, he had saved more than thirty taels of silver.

Once I get paid next month, plus the few locations I've been eyeing... I should be able to take over a small shop on East Street.

"So, should we start with a bar? Or a hot pot restaurant? Or maybe a bookstore, and sign a few writers to write some novels..."

Baili Jing was immersed in his beautiful fantasy when several sharp shouts suddenly came from the entrance of the main dining hall:

"Official investigation! Bystanders, please get out of the way!"

"Bai Li Jing! Who is Bai Li Jing?! Step forward!"

These shouts instantly silenced the once bustling cafeteria.

Baili Jing was picking up a piece of salted vegetables with his chopsticks when his train of thought was suddenly interrupted. He frowned slightly and looked up at the front door with some surprise and doubt.

The workers who were originally sitting around him changed their expressions upon hearing this name and instinctively turned their gazes to Baili Jing.

The five constables who stormed into the canteen were dressed in dark blue uniforms and had long swords hanging from their waists.

These constables had incredibly sharp eyes. Almost the instant the workers' gazes converged, the head constable at the front instantly locked onto Baili Jing.

Step, step, step.

The official's boots slammed heavily on the muddy ground as five constables, their faces grim, strode over in a fan shape.

"You're Baili Jing?"

The constable stared at Baili Jing, his voice as cold as ice.

Baili Jing put down his chopsticks, slowly stood up, and although he was surprised and suspicious, he remained calm on the surface. He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Sir, I am indeed Baili Jing. May I ask what brings you here?"

"Hmph, what brings you here?"

A glint of cunning flashed in the constable's eyes. He suddenly raised his right hand, and with a loud crash, a steel chain was pulled out from behind him and slammed heavily onto the dining table, shattering countless bowls and chopsticks.

"By order of the Prefect!"

The head constable gripped the hilt of his sword and shouted:

"A family was massacred in the west of the city last night. The victims left behind a letter written in blood. The murderer is none other than you, Baili Jing! The evidence is conclusive. You are hereby arrested! Men, lock him up! Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"