Urban God-Tier Ascender

Chapter 1 The Underwear That Could Not Be Removed

“Young man, this pair of underwear is crafted from advanced nanomaterials—lightweight and breathable. The fabric utilizes negative ion purification technology to ensure long-lasting dryness. Its three-dimensional tailoring offers a perfect fit for the human body. But the most remarkable feature is its magnetic therapy technology.”

At the entrance to the park, a shabby, limping old man hawked his wares from a makeshift stall, enthusiastically promoting his underwear to Zhou Wen.

“How so?” Zhou Wen asked casually.

“See those tiny circular dots on the fabric? Those are magnetic nodes. Arranged in a matrix, they continuously emit infrared and magnetic fields—dual protection to safeguard your health.”

“How much?”

“Originally priced at 198 yuan, but since you're still in high school, I’ll cut you a deal—38 yuan. Not a penny more, not a penny less.”

“…Alright, I’ll take it.”

...

And so, Zhou Wen found himself inexplicably handing over 38 yuan for what the old man claimed to be ‘therapeutic underwear.’

Back home, he sat on his bed, now wearing the so-called magnetic underwear.

At the moment, Zhou Wen felt utterly bewildered.

The old man had claimed the magnets would steadily release some sort of magnetic energy. Zhou Wen couldn’t feel any of that yet—but there was a far more pressing issue at hand.

The underwear… simply wouldn’t come off.

It clung to his body as if fused to his skin. It felt no different from a regular pair when worn—perhaps even more comfortable—but when he tried to take it off, it was as if it were glued to him, utterly immovable.

What now?

Zhou Wen knew he had to find that old man and get to the bottom of this.

Walking through the streets, Zhou Wen grew more and more uneasy. Something about the old man’s pitch hadn’t sat right with him from the beginning, and now, this bizarre malfunction had only confirmed his suspicions.

He had thought the old man looked pitiable—a disabled vendor with no customers in sight. Buying one pair of underwear had felt like a small act of kindness.

But this? This was outrageous.

What if this thing caused actual harm?

The stall had been set up outside Yiming Park, a bustling place with constant foot traffic. But when Zhou Wen rushed back to the park entrance, the vendor was nowhere to be seen. He stood there, dumbfounded.

At that moment, he realized the truth.

He had been scammed.

Wandering through the park, Zhou Wen looked utterly dejected. Thirty-eight yuan was no small amount for a high school senior—and now, he was stuck wearing indestructible underwear.

How was he supposed to go to the bathroom?

What if it got dirty or started to stink?

And what about... other important matters in life?

Zhou Wen grew increasingly agitated. He even considered calling emergency services.

“Hello, this is the Yiming City Fire Department. How may we assist you?”

“Uh, hi… I, uh… I have a pair of underwear stuck on me and I can’t take it off. Could you send someone to check it out?”

Ridiculous.

Zhou Wen played out the conversation in his mind and gave up on the idea—it would only make him look insane.

A small river wound its way through the park. After the previous day’s rainfall, the waters of the Taiping River were unusually turbulent.

Zhou Wen slumped on a bench by the river, tossing stones into the water, lost in thought.

He had to find that old man.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted nearby.

“Someone help! A child’s fallen into the water!”

Zhou Wen turned his head. A woman was screaming on the riverbank, her voice frantic and raw with fear.

People were already beginning to gather.

Zhou Wen ran over, knowing he was a strong swimmer—perhaps he could help.

When he reached the scene, he saw a little girl flailing in the water, her small arms struggling against the fierce current, steadily being swept downstream.

The river, swollen from the rain, was at least two meters deep—far too dangerous for a child.

“Someone, please! Save my daughter!” the woman cried.

She was refined in appearance, clearly from a well-off family.

“It’s not just about swimming,” someone muttered. “The current is too strong. Anyone who goes in will be swept away.”

“Yeah, you saw the news, right? People who tried to save someone often ended up drowning themselves.”

“Call the police. Let the professionals handle it.”

The crowd murmured, indifferent.

Zhou Wen glanced around. The onlookers were mostly elderly. They couldn’t possibly help. A few younger bystanders had their phones out, filming the scene with zero intention of assisting.

“What the hell are you doing?! Someone’s dying, and you’re recording it?!” Zhou Wen shouted, furious.

Just because he didn’t study well didn’t mean he lacked integrity.

“Who the hell are you yelling at, brat?” sneered one of the young men. “If you're so capable, why don’t you go save her?”

“Yeah, look at his uniform—he’s just some high school kid. Stop acting like a hero!”

“Her mom isn’t even this anxious. Why are you?”

Zhou Wen looked over. The mother was on her knees, tears pouring down her face.

“If none of you will help, I’ll go myself!” she cried, preparing to jump in despite not knowing how to swim.

A few older women quickly held her back. “You’ll both die if you go in!”

Zhou Wen had heard enough. Society was plagued by cowardice like this. “Fine. I’ll go. I can swim. I’ll save her.”

“Yeah, go ahead! At least you’ll make a great river ghost!” the others laughed mockingly.

Zhou Wen’s mind was focused on only one thing.

Save her.

He turned to the river. The girl was now just a bobbing head, drifting farther away.

Every second counted.

“Don’t be reckless! This isn’t a swimming pool!”

“Young man, you’ll drown!”

Even the woman approached, trying to stop him. Her eyes were filled with gratitude but also fear.

Zhou Wen stripped off his jacket and shoes, thrust them into the woman’s arms, and said firmly, “Hold these for me.”

Then, without hesitation, he leapt into the river.

The woman stared after him, stunned. In that moment, he reminded her of her husband—of his courage, his sacrifice.

She stopped crying and made a silent vow.

If this boy saved her daughter, she would find a way to repay him. No matter what.

The onlookers gasped. “He’s disappeared!”

Only the little girl remained visible, struggling for her life.

Then—suddenly—a red and white circle burst from the water.

A life buoy.

Moments later, Zhou Wen surfaced, clutching the ring.

“Where the hell did that come from?”

No one had noticed that beneath the overgrown riverside, every so often, a life ring had been installed long ago. Zhou Wen, a local boy who knew the park like the back of his hand, had remembered it.

The crowd followed along the bank, watching anxiously.

“Grab the ring!” Zhou Wen shouted.

The girl coughed, spat out water, and clung to the lifebuoy. Zhou Wen held her steady as he swam back toward the bank.

Together, they made it to shore, where the crowd helped lift the girl out.

Exhausted, Zhou Wen finally pulled himself from the river.

“He… he really did it,” someone whispered. The mockers had long since vanished in shame.

“Put your clothes on, young man,” the woman said, overwhelmed with emotion.

Zhou Wen smiled, said nothing, and quickly dressed.

But as he pulled on his pants, he noticed something strange.

His underwear was completely dry.

Despite having been submerged in water for so long, it remained perfectly dry.

Then—it started vibrating.