Farming boy with a magic ring

Ethan Yang woke up naturally, feeling an indescribable comfort. Stretching lazily, he stepped out of the Ring Space and checked his phone. It was already noon. Without hesitation, he called the factory and resigned. He didn't even bother with the formalities — who cared about the remaining salary when he had spiritual water that could change his life?

Determined to experiment more with the magical properties of the spirit water, Ethan grabbed a vegetable basin, tossed in a few apples and a fruit knife, and returned to the Ring Space. Scooping half a basin of the crystal-clear spiritual water, he carefully placed the apples inside and watched with wide eyes.

Within minutes, the apples grew bigger and glossier, tripling in size before settling into their new form. Curiosity getting the better of him, Ethan grabbed one and took a huge bite. The burst of sweetness and juiciness was beyond anything he'd ever tasted. Each mouthful felt like pure heaven.

As he munched, a bold idea struck him — what if he bought produce from the market and soaked it in diluted spiritual water for a few minutes? The improved quality would make it irresistible. Business opportunities began swirling in his mind.

Then, his gaze landed on the fruit knife still resting in the basin. The once-ordinary blade now shimmered with a terrifying cold light. Intrigued, Ethan plucked a strand of hair, placed it on the edge of the knife, and blew lightly. The hair split cleanly in two.

"Holy crap…" he muttered, staring at the knife in disbelief.

Eager to test the knife further, Ethan searched his room for anything metallic but found nothing. Then he remembered the heavy iron lump in the yard — something the landlord had left behind. It stood about 15 centimeters tall and was solid, nearly impossible to dent.

Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Ethan raised the fruit knife and swung it down onto the iron lump.

Shing!

The knife sliced through the solid metal like it was tofu. Ethan gawked at the clean cut, stunned beyond words. "Cutting iron like mud… This is insane!"

Still reeling from the discovery, he carefully placed the fruit knife back into the Ring Space and set off for the market. After buying vegetables, fruits, and pork, he returned home, filled a large bucket with tap water, and added a single drop of spiritual water. After soaking his groceries for a few minutes, the results were astounding. The produce became more vibrant, emanating a fresh, fragrant aroma.

Curious about the nutritional changes, Ethan searched online for a testing center and found one nearby. He packed two sets of samples — one soaked in spiritual water and one untouched — and headed out.

At the testing center, the results left everyone speechless. The untreated vegetables contained traces of pesticides, while the soaked ones were completely free of toxins. Not only that, but their vitamin and mineral content was several times higher than even the most expensive organic produce.

The pork results were even more mind-blowing. Pork naturally lacks vitamin C, but the spirit-water-soaked pork had a shockingly high amount of it. The chemical inspector practically begged Ethan to reveal his secret, but Ethan kept his cool, brushing off the questions as "trade secrets." Taking the test results, he left feeling triumphant.

On his way home, Ethan stopped by a medical equipment store to buy a set of silver needles, tucking them safely into his Ring Space. Feeling relaxed, he decided to take the bus instead of a taxi.

The bus was moderately crowded, and all the seats were occupied. Along with Ethan, two others boarded — a frail old man and a middle-aged man with a sour expression. As soon as they stepped on, a round-faced girl with a kind smile stood up and offered her seat to the elderly man. The old man gratefully accepted the gesture and sat down.

What should have been a heartwarming moment took a sharp turn. The middle-aged man's face twisted with anger. "Hey!" he barked at the girl. "I'm fifty-three years old too! Why didn't you offer me the seat? What, this seat belongs to your family? You just give it away to whoever you like?"

The bus fell silent. Ethan clenched his fists, watching the scene unfold, his newfound power thrumming quietly beneath his skin.