"Beep! You've unlocked accomplishment [Travelling Deity]."
"This task requires you to run a distance of 10,000 kilometers."
"Upon completion, you will receive the title of [Travelling Deity] (Speed +10, Strength +10, Endurance +10)
Meng Fan, who had completely lost his soul after running just 1 kilometer suddenly came back to life upon hearing this prompt. Yesterday he was still worrying that not completing the task [Wealth Distribution Cherub] would leave him frozen and unable to receive new missions. Now he let out a sigh of relief.
However, Meng Fan almost broke down as soon as he saw the details of the achievement mission.
Ten thousand kilometers!
What this task asked of Meng Fan seemed even more unattainable than distributing one million dollars.
The latter could be done at a heavy cost. The former... Even if he died trying, it was still impossible!
Can you grasp the concept of ten thousand kilometers?!
"The distance from the east end of Hua Xia to the west was 5400 km, the hell? Am I supposed to do, run back and forth across the country?!
Today he had given his life just to run one kilometer, so in other words, he'd have to give his life 10,000 more times to complete this task!
Okay, so your physical endurance can increase as you run,but it was still an astronomical number of kilometers.
Even if he ran 3 kilometers a day, it would take more than 3000 days to complete. That meant at least ten years of running every day.
"That's psychotic!"
From [A good person] only requiring to be rejected 100 times, to [Wealth Distribution Cherub] asking to spread one million yuan, to [Travelling Deity] requiring a running distance of 10,000 kilometers... These all made Meng Fan realize that he had unfortunately been introduced into a psycho system.
Even if there are three attributes to gain from this title, Meng Fan did not have a wisp of motivation to attain it.
He already wanted to die after running one kilometer.
—"Try your hardest, stick to it, live your best life!"
Meng Fan finally understood the meaning of this chicken soup for the soul embedded in his mind. He tried to trigger new tasks to unlock, deciding that only perseverance will lead him to reap the rewards.
However, after seeing the following task phases, Meng Fan felt alive again.
This [Deity Traveller] mission had a whopping fifteen task phases.
Task Phase 1: Requires total running distance to be 10 km; Reward: Accomplishment score +1, Endurance +1.
Task Phase 2: Requires total running distance to be 30 km; Reward: Accomplishment score +10, Strength +1.
Task Phase 3: Requires total running distance to be 60 km; Reward: Accomplishment score +50, Speed +1.
Task Phase 4: Requires total running distance to be 100 km; Reward: Accomplishment score +100, Endurance +1, Strength +1, Speed +1.
Phase 5 required 200 km, phase 6 required 400 km, phase 7 required 700, phase 8 required 1000 km...
Beginning in phase 8, there were additional stat requirements. For example, phase eight's extra requirement is that "Half Marathon PB ≤ 2 hours", that is, running a half marathon (21.095 km) requires Meng Fan to obtain a personal best score of less than or equal to 2 hours.
The further down the list, the higher the requirements were for the total distances and additional stats. Of course, the rewards were greater too.
"This is okay. Even if I can't get the final achievement title, I can get rewarded for the progress at least."
Meng Fan had his motivation, plus after receiving these rewards, he'd also improve his running skills.
Fighting fire with fire!
"Huh? What's this?"
Meng Fan glanced at the final task phase. There was another condition below it: Running equipment!
There was more than just one header once he clicked into it.
Running shoes, sportswear, smart devices, accessories, nutritional products, etc.
Behind every piece of equipment, there was a number that corresponded to the achievement points required to purchase them.
"So that's how the points can be used."
"How come the previous two accomplishment tasks did not reveal a similar item deposit? Is it because this task requires assistance in the running department?"
"So, it's safe to assume that it's not just this task I can redeem points for items, other tasks have this feature as well, but it depends on them needing auxiliary items or not?"
"Right now I have... One hundred and eleven points. The equips I can afford are running shoes, sportswear three-piece, an arm bag, a headband, sports socks, and other small accessories... I can also get energy gel and powerade, etc."
Meng Fan continued to talk to himself as he looked through the details regarding running equipment.
"Are you okay?"
The girl who ran like the wind watched as Meng Fan stood dumbfoundedly, head tipped towards the sky. In addition to his sickly expression, she took a few steps back from passing Meng Fan once again, taking off her earbuds and voicing her concern.
This also interrupted Meng Fan's "daydreaming".
"Oh I... I'm okay."
Once Meng Fan snapped back to reality, his body wobbled and he landed on the ground with a thump.
It wasn't from being scared by the girl, but because he was already exhausted from the run, and he'd been mesmerized by the alert, forgetting himself for a moment.
The girl quickly reached out to help Meng Fan, unable to move him. She bent down again, still trying to pull him. "It's best not to sit down right away, let me pull you up."
Although Meng Fan seldomly ran, he was aware that it had been an intensive work out—Yes, one kilometer to him was intensive enough—and it was best to keep moving. Along with support from the kindhearted girl, he helped himself up.
"Try walking."
Once Meng Fan stood up, the girl let go of him. "Keep walking until you catch your breath, then take a break."
"Thanks."
"You can do it."
The girl encouraged Meng Fan, and upon seeing he was ok, dashed off like the wind once again.
Meng Fan slowly moved forward, breathing gradually becoming more steady.
Pain!
As his physical strength recovered, Meng Fan felt his whole body starting to ache.
Especially his knees.
This made his gait even more strange, one short burst after another, looking more handicapped than a cripple.
Frequent running caused some injuries, especially in Hua Xia, where more than one-third of runners have suffered a knee injury, one fifth suffered a foot or hip injury, and one-seventh of the runners suffering ankle injuries or plantar fasciitis. Approximately only 15.7% of people didn't have running-related injuries.
Meng Fan had on several occasions wanted to run to exercise. He also retreated several times. This was related to his "work ethic", as before he even began running—he had already searched up many reasons why he should give up.
The most important one was knee pain.
His knee cap felt like it had been struck by an arrow.
This was the comparison made in the information Meng Fan had searched up. Now he finally understood it.
"Hm? Shockproof/shock absorption, added cushioning, correcting insoles, effectively reduces knee pain?"
Looking at the detailed descriptions of the items to divert attention from his aching knees, Meng Fan's face suddenly lit up.
Nanomaterial, hefty, seamless, breathable, shockproof/shock absorbent, prevents foot and knee injuries... Water-resistant, non-slip, gravity guide system, efficient, high elasticity, wear-resistant, prevents loose shoelaces..."
"Voice-activated, real-time guidance, accurate data... mileage, time, speed, step, and step frequency, calories burned... alerts, guides, correcting and even forced interference to correct walking posture... Situational (proportion of heel distance to the ground), the average force has taken (bodyweight multiple), foot varus and foot valgus ratio... Bottom to ground speed, time recording, vertical swing..."
After reading the details for the running shoes, Meng Fan was a bit flustered. Many of the terms were new to him,which made him a little dizzy.
In addition to avoiding injury and correcting his gait, what attracted him most about these shoes was the added attribute bonus.
Speed +1.
"Buy, buy, buy!"