Arc 2The YR Research Institute

Qi Yue prepared Beixing for the Weekly Assessment at the YR Research Institute while concealing his own knowledge and abilities. On Katebis Island, he fought Aberrants, uncovered a hidden underground route, and followed Lu Zhaobei into it as he began to suspect his Esper Ability had changed.

  • Qi Yue revealed his extensive knowledge of the YR Research Institute and advised Class F students on how to survive the assessment, then gave Beixing a cache of equipment.
  • Ron sent two Old Humans to assassinate Beixing, but Qi Yue’s cloaks and preparations kept the assassins from identifying their target.
  • After Class F arrived on Katebis Island, Qi Yue directed Beixing to the tower and secretly damaged a hidden Teleportation Device receiver.
  • Qi Yue set traps around Area F and killed Level 3 and Level 4 Aberrants, while Zhou Ziyao witnessed the aftermath and feared Qi Yue.
  • Qi Yue found a note among the remains that pointed to ruins, followed its coordinates, and discovered Lu Zhaobei searching the underground entrance.
  • Qi Yue helped Lu Zhaobei clear a cave-in, then followed him into the tunnel while Class F students credited Qi Yue and Beixing with protecting them.
  • As Qi Yue followed Lu Zhaobei through the underground facility, he noticed human footprints and found that his own movements had become faster and quieter.
Chapters 26–50 Vol. 1 Read

Ch. 26Chapter 20 (continued)

Qi Yue hosted Lu Zhaobei in his dorm room and discussed Beixing’s unusual circumstances and abilities, leaving Lu with a much warmer impression of him. Lu left after receiving a call from Zhou Zifu, while Qi Yue saw him out.

  • Li Qin watched Qi Yue invite Lu Zhaobei into his dorm and praised the pair for becoming friends.
  • Beixing refused Li Qin’s suggestion to visit Teacher Jian because he wanted to finish the book Qi Yue had given him.
  • Qi Yue welcomed Lu Zhaobei into his room, and Lu brought up Beixing and praised Qi Yue for supporting him.
  • Qi Yue agreed that Beixing would not have chosen his current ability and told Lu he did not need to worry about offending him.
  • Zhou Zifu called Lu, giving him an excuse to leave, and Qi Yue walked him to the door.
  • Lu left with a more favorable impression of Qi Yue, then heard hurried footsteps in the corridor.

Ch. 27Chapter 21

Zhou Zifu rushed to Qi Yue’s dorm, worried that Qi Yue had bullied Lu Zhaobei, and his accusation led Lu Zhaobei to press him for an explanation. Zhou Zifu revealed that the twins had sold information about Qi Yue and lost money, then Qi Yue left Lu Zhaobei and Zhou Zifu to talk alone.

  • Zhou Zifu hurried to Qi Yue’s dorm and blurted out a concern that Qi Yue had bullied Lu Zhaobei.
  • Lu Zhaobei apologized to Qi Yue for Zhou Zifu’s remark, then asked Zhou Zifu why he had said it.
  • Zhou Zifu confessed that he and his brother had sold information about Qi Yue and lost money doing so.
  • Qi Yue learned the reason for the twins’ resentment and said it was a good decision to stop selling information about him.
  • Qi Yue left Zhou Zifu and Lu Zhaobei alone to talk.

Ch. 28Page 28

Lu Zhaobei and Qi Yue parted without agreeing to become friends, while Zhou Zifu explained why he feared Qi Yue and suspected he had multiple esper abilities. Their discussion ended with Lu Zhaobei recalling the only known esper with two abilities: the artificial esper Number 8792.

  • Qi Yue left the question of friendship to Lu Zhaobei, who agreed to let things stand between them for now.
  • Zhou Zifu thanked Lu Zhaobei for his concern and explained that he had rushed over after learning about Qi Yue's confrontation with Atas.
  • Zhou Zifu said Qi Yue could control whether he and A-Yao detected information about him through the wind, and feared Qi Yue might have more than one esper ability.
  • Zhou Zifu and Lu Zhaobei recalled that the only known esper with two abilities was artificial esper Number 8792, whose creation caused a catastrophe at the YR Research Institute.
  • Lu Zhaobei remembered escaping after the incident, later being retrieved by the First Hunter Academy, and eventually meeting Da Zhou and returning to the Seventh Hunter Academy with Dean Li.

Ch. 29Chapter 22

Qi Yue faced the Class F students’ upcoming assessment at the YR Research Institute and tried to preserve his intimidating image when Liao Yuanliang unexpectedly made him explain the site. He delivered a detailed account without consulting the booklet, leaving his classmates shocked.

  • Zhou Zifu told Lu Zhaobei that the weekly assessment would take place at the YR Research Institute and warned him to stay away from Qi Yue; Lu Zhaobei agreed.
  • Liao Yuanliang announced the assessment location and distributed booklets describing the institute and its mutated entities.
  • Qi Yue struggled to hide his fear of the booklet’s graphic images while Liao Yuanliang watched him and mistook his composure for boredom.
  • Liao Yuanliang called on Qi Yue to analyze the institute for Class F, and Qi Yue accepted despite privately resenting the assignment.
  • Qi Yue explained the assessment zones and the dangers in Class F’s zone from memory, prompting the students to check their booklets in surprise.

Ch. 30Chapter 22 (continued)

Qi Yue briefed Class F on Area F and used his knowledge of the research institute and the Item Depot to guide students through the Weekly Assessment. He left Wu Anyi wondering what was in Item Depot slot 397 and began to advise Lian Cheng.

  • Qi Yue finished explaining Area F, and the students and Liao Yuanliang suspected he had memorized the booklet because the YR Research Institute was deeply etched in his memory.
  • Qi Yue told Beixing to fear other people more than Aberrants and said he would give him specific instructions for the Weekly Assessment so Beixing would not have to explore alone.
  • Qi Yue recommended that Zhao Yu use the vine-covered southeast area of Area F to improve his score and stay safe.
  • Qi Yue warned Wu Anyi that water-dwelling Aberrants made the waters dangerous and advised her to spend her fifty-eight points on item 397 in the Item Depot.
  • Qi Yue called on Lian Cheng next, while Liao Yuanliang wondered how Qi Yue had memorized the entire Item Depot inventory.

Ch. 31Chapter 23

Qi Yue advised every Class F student on surviving Aberrants, then returned to his seat as the class applauded. After class, Jin Yuxuan approached Qi Yue and Beixing, but fled after apologizing, leaving Beixing confused.

  • Qi Yue called on the Class F students one by one and gave each advice, including telling Zhou Wei to run from any Aberrant and Jin Yuxuan to keep using his money power.
  • Qi Yue finished his advice and returned to his seat, while Liao Yuanliang led the class in applause and resolved to report Qi Yue's knowledge to the academy director.
  • Liao Yuanliang explained the Weekly Assessment rules, dismissed the class, and directed students to exchange points for items at the Item Depot.
  • After the others left, Jin Yuxuan approached Qi Yue and Beixing, but Qi Yue's cold greeting made him freeze and abandon his attempt to speak.
  • Beixing asked if he was interrupting, and Jin Yuxuan used the chance to apologize to Beixing before quickly leaving the classroom.

Ch. 32Chapter 23 (continued)

Qi Yue rested with Beixing while they delayed exchanging points, and Jin Yuxuan reflected on how little his followers truly cared for him. Meanwhile, Liao Yuanliang warned Dean Li Qin that Qi Yue knew the YR Research Institute too well, then revealed that Qi Yue was connected to item slot 397.

  • Qi Yue rejected Jin Yuxuan's attempt to monopolize him, and Beixing thanked him for choosing to stay by his side.
  • Qi Yue told Beixing to read the YR information booklet while he rested, and they decided to wait before visiting the Item Depot.
  • At the item exchange, Jin Yuxuan saw his followers chatting without him and realized that their loyalty had been bought with his money.
  • Zhang Shu and Yu Jin wondered about Qi Yue, while Lu Zhaobei secretly hoped to meet him during the Weekly Assessment.
  • Liao Yuanliang told Li Qin that Qi Yue described the YR Research Institute with suspicious precision, but Li Qin dismissed his concerns.
  • Liao Yuanliang said Qi Yue was the answer to what item slot 397 contained, leaving Li Qin speechless.

Ch. 33Chapter 24

Qi Yue and Beixing visited the Item Depot, where Qi Yue exchanged their combined points for weapons, potions, and defensive equipment. He gave everything to Beixing and claimed he needed no protection, leaving the teachers and students to believe he was preparing Beixing for danger at the YR Research Institute.

  • Qi Yue and Beixing arrived at the Item Depot, where Class F students and teachers gathered to see what Qi Yue would exchange for.
  • Qi Yue wrote a list of items and explained that he and Beixing would combine their points to obtain them.
  • The teachers retrieved the weapons, ammunition, potions, defensive devices, and distress flare on Qi Yue's list.
  • Qi Yue gave all the items to Beixing and said he needed none for himself.
  • Jian Haosen, Bai Yening, Tang Xuefeng, and Yan Feichen concluded that Qi Yue was preparing to protect Beixing from Old Humans at the YR Research Institute.

Ch. 34Chapter 24 (continued)

Qi Yue gave Beixing his stored items and points for the Weekly Assessment, then used his advice about item 397 to draw Wu Anyi into a private test of his copied Esper Ability. After the test had no effect on her, he approached Zhou Wei, the weakest Class F student, to try again.

  • Qi Yue explained that he had no need for more equipment because he had already made and hidden useful items in his dorm, while Beixing promised to work hard during the Weekly Assessment.
  • Beixing packed the items Qi Yue had arranged for him, and Qi Yue turned his attention to Wu Anyi, who had exchanged points for item 397.
  • Qi Yue sent Zhao Yu away, approached Wu Anyi, and confirmed that his copied Esper Ability had no effect on her.
  • Qi Yue told Wu Anyi to dilute item 397 with water, and she trusted his advice despite the potion's instructions.
  • Qi Yue left Wu Anyi and walked toward Zhou Wei to test whether his ability worked on Class F's weakest student.

Ch. 35Chapter 25

Qi Yue tested his Esper Ability on Zhou Wei and confirmed it had no effect, then traveled with Beixing to the Weekly Assessment at the YR Research Institute. Meanwhile, two men sent by Ron arrived on Katebis Island to target Beixing, and Ron intended to use the mission to prove his value to Dean Zong.

  • Qi Yue warned Zhou Wei that his life mattered more than money, but his Esper Ability failed to affect him, leaving Qi Yue disappointed.
  • Qi Yue left the Item Depot with Beixing, and Zhou Wei's friends urged him to heed Qi Yue's warning during the Weekly Assessment.
  • Class F received point-recording Wristwatches and traveled by plane toward the YR Research Institute, where the five-day assessment would take place.
  • Beixing thought Qi Yue was troubled by the academy's lack of Teleportation Devices, while Qi Yue used the conversation to learn about the academy's finances.
  • At the Flint Family residence, Ron dismissed Xiao Yiyuan's concerns about the two ordinary men he had sent to target Beixing.
  • The two men emerged from a Light Gate in a cave on Katebis Island, concealed their Teleportation Receiver, and set out to find Beixing.

Ch. 36Chapter 25 (continued)

Ron arranged for two Old Humans to assassinate Beixing during the Weekly Assessment, while the Seventh Hunter Academy sent its students to the dangerous YR Research Institute site. As the Class F plane headed to Katebis Island, Li Qin ordered a Teleportation Device and Qi Yue encouraged Beixing to keep studying.

  • Ron used his knowledge of Katebis Island to identify Beixing’s assessment area and arranged for two Old Humans to wait there to assassinate him.
  • Li Qin regretted drawing the YR Research Institute site, but Yu Kaicheng reminded him that Qi Yue would be there, restoring his confidence.
  • After learning about Bai Yening’s Defense Potions, Li Qin asked Yu Kaicheng to order one Teleportation Device from the First Hunter Academy.
  • On the Class F plane, Qi Yue watched the students while Beixing studied the assessment booklet at his urging.
  • Zhao Yu asked why their academy’s clothing displayed 666, and Jin Yuxuan explained that the numbers reflected Dean Li’s superstitions.

Ch. 37Page 37

Qi Yue and the Class F students arrived at Katebis Island for the five-day Weekly Assessment, where students scattered to compete for the six qualifying spots. Qi Yue led Beixing deeper into Area F while suspecting that the forbidden Number 8792 was being protected for the benefit of the people controlling the island.

  • The students praised Qi Yue’s black cloak, unaware that he had chosen it to conceal his tools and protect Beixing from possible assassins.
  • The cruise ship reached Katebis Island at dawn, and the students disembarked into an eerily quiet landscape marked by blood and decay.
  • The Weekly Assessment began, and the Class F students split up to seek suitable locations and compete for the six highest point totals.
  • Qi Yue told Beixing to keep his hood up and follow him, then led him away from the beach.
  • As they traveled through Area F, Qi Yue reasoned that the academies’ ban on approaching Number 8792 meant someone wanted to preserve it for its benefits.

Ch. 38Chapter 26

Qi Yue left Beixing at a defensible tower and began investigating Area F while planning to hunt its most dangerous Aberrants alone to preserve his Level. He found the area quiet in daylight, confirming that Aberrants appeared with darkness, and continued his reconnaissance.

  • Qi Yue explained that Beixing could defend himself from Old Human assassins in the tower and urged him to watch nearby classmates and help them if they were in danger.
  • Beixing started to follow Qi Yue, but Qi Yue told him they each had their own tasks, and Beixing stayed behind.
  • Qi Yue followed his planned route through Area F to investigate the locations where the third-level Aberrants appeared, intending to claim them for himself.
  • Qi Yue saw only bloodstains and rotting flesh during his daylight reconnaissance and concluded that the Aberrants appeared at night.

Ch. 39Chapter 26 (continued)

Qi Yue went into a cave to distract himself from thoughts of the Aberrants, while Ron’s assassins struggled to identify Beixing among the cloaked students. Their confusion led Ron and Xiao Yiyuan to suspect that someone at the Seventh Hunter Academy had Precognition, and readers in the Real World speculated that Qi Yue had a second Esper Ability.

  • Qi Yue headed toward a cave to stop himself from dwelling on the Aberrants and to inspect the terrain.
  • Ron’s assassins reported that nearly every Class F student wore a cloak like Beixing’s and that all of them were alone.
  • Xiao Yiyuan suggested that Beixing would be waiting on the beach, but the assassins found no one there.
  • Ron and Xiao Yiyuan speculated that someone had foreseen the assassination attempt, and Ron ordered the assassins to check the faces beneath the cloaks one by one.
  • Ron reported a suspected Precognition Esper Ability User to Dean Zong, hoping the First Hunter Academy could claim them from the Seventh Hunter Academy.
  • Readers on the Manga Forum debated whether Qi Yue had Precognition as a second Esper Ability.

Ch. 40Chapter 27

Qi Yue found a recently used Teleportation Device receiver in a cave on Katebis Island and secretly damaged it to prevent the assassins from using it again. He left the device concealed and hurried away, while Beixing watched him from the Tower and wondered what he had found.

  • Qi Yue discovered the Teleportation Device receiver hidden beneath stones and realized it had been used recently by people besides the academy students.
  • Qi Yue worried that others might mistake his actions for evidence that he could foresee the future, and silently hoped to avoid another persona.
  • Beixing spotted Qi Yue entering the cave through his telescope and stayed in the Tower despite his curiosity.
  • Qi Yue used a corrosive solution to damage the receiver’s weak points without making a commotion, while keeping the Panel’s nightfall prompt unconfirmed.
  • Qi Yue restored the stones over the receiver, decided to leave the dangerous cave, and finally confirmed the Panel so it would disappear.

Ch. 41Chapter 27 (continued)

Qi Yue prepared a concealed killing zone in Area F and planned to make the coming Aberrants appear to succumb to an Esper Ability like Beixing’s. As two Aberrants charged through the rain, their unequal health bars revealed that one was moving much faster than the other.

  • Qi Yue used the Panel bug to stay out of view while he investigated the area and prepared traps for the five locations where Third Level Aberrants appeared.
  • Beixing watched the surroundings from cover and decided to ask Qi Yue what he had found when he returned.
  • Qi Yue secretly placed props and threads around a boulder in Area F, planning to use the rain to erase evidence and look like a powerful esper.
  • After darkness fell, Qi Yue heard movement and spotted two charging Aberrants with health bars of different lengths.
  • Qi Yue recognized from the health bars that the Aberrants were different levels and that the one with the longer bar was approaching faster.

Ch. 42Chapter 28

Qi Yue waited for his traps to kill two approaching Aberrants while maintaining his cold facade, but Zhou Ziyao unexpectedly arrived and nearly entered the trap-filled area. Qi Yue destroyed both monsters and left Zhou Ziyao shaken by the apparent power of his Esper Ability.

  • Qi Yue saw a Level 3 Aberrant and a second Aberrant approaching, and forced himself to remain still as he waited for his traps to work.
  • Zhou Ziyao screamed behind Qi Yue, revealing that he had entered the area covered in traps.
  • Qi Yue warned Zhou Ziyao to stop and triggered the devices, which melted and exploded the Level 3 and Level 4 Aberrants.
  • Qi Yue saw his kill-point total rise by six and kept his composed expression despite the monsters' remains splattering him.
  • Zhou Ziyao realized Qi Yue's ability seemed far more terrifying than Beixing's and understood that Qi Yue's warning had saved his life.

Ch. 43Page 43

Qi Yue killed a Third-Level Aberrant in front of Zhou Ziyao, who mistook his brutality for a murderous secret and feared for his life. Qi Yue realized Zhou Ziyao had seen none of his mechanisms and drove him away before he could discover them.

  • Zhou Ziyao touched the Aberrant’s sticky flesh, vomited, and recognized Qi Yue as the one who had killed it.
  • Qi Yue identified Zhou Ziyao and waited for him to stop vomiting, then tried to make him leave.
  • Zhou Ziyao pleaded that he would tell no one what he had seen, believing Qi Yue might kill him to protect his gentlemanly image.
  • Qi Yue silently intimidated Zhou Ziyao and learned that he had not discovered the hidden threads or devices.
  • Qi Yue warned Zhou Ziyao that he did not belong there, and Zhou Ziyao backed away until Qi Yue was out of sight.

Ch. 44Chapter 29

Qi Yue endured the first night of the Weekly Assessment, drove Zhou Ziyao away, and secretly used the Panel to rest after fighting Aberrants. At dawn, he found a strange strip of paper among the remains, while the real-world comic readers followed a separate installment showing his earlier actions on Katebis Island.

  • Zhou Ziyao retreated from Qi Yue, fearing him and regretting that he had come to scavenge.
  • Qi Yue decided not to correct Zhou Ziyao’s misunderstanding and hoped it would keep the protagonist group and Class E away from him.
  • Qi Yue fought approaching Aberrants through the night, then used the Panel’s visual bug to rest while staying alert.
  • At dawn, Qi Yue saw that the transparent threads had become piles of rotting flesh and blood, and he left the boulder after surveying the battlefield.
  • Qi Yue found a waterproof strip of paper among the shattered flesh and teeth and began unrolling it.
  • In the real world, Chu Yun read the new comic installment, celebrated Qi Yue’s apparent prediction of the Flint Family’s teleportation receiver, and watched him walk across Katebis Island before nightfall.

Ch. 45Chapter 29 (continued)

Chu Yun watched Qi Yue slaughter the Aberrants on Katebis Island through the manga, then reached the cliffhanger where he found a note among the remains. In the manga world, Qi Yue unfolded it and recognized two different people’s handwriting, while its connection to the teeth nearby remained unclear.

  • Qi Yue stood alone against the Aberrants and killed them throughout the night, leaving a field of corpses and blood.
  • Zhou Ziyao stumbled upon the slaughter, and Qi Yue warned him that he should not have come there before letting him go.
  • Chu Yun praised Qi Yue with the bullet commenters, took screenshots of his scenes, and became frustrated when the installment cut off as he unfolded a small note.
  • Qi Yue read coordinates on the note that pointed to ruins between Area F and Area E, then noticed a second, trembling line written by another person.
  • Qi Yue looked from the note to the bloodied human teeth on the ground.

Ch. 46Chapter 30

Qi Yue traced a disturbing note to a ruined building, suspecting it had been written by a test subject at the YR Research Institute. There he found Lu Zhaobei searching for a buried entrance and hid to avoid being noticed.

  • Qi Yue recognized the note's paper as material associated with the YR Research Institute and inferred that a test subject had stolen it before becoming part of an Aberrant.
  • Qi Yue considered searching the coordinates for the item the writer had regretted not delivering, but told himself to focus on the Weekly Assessment and left the bloodied area.
  • Qi Yue went to the coordinates in Area F and found Lu Zhaobei inside the ruins, despite expecting him to be in Area A.
  • Qi Yue stayed hidden and watched Lu Zhaobei, who searched for an entrance and guessed it lay beneath the collapsed building.

Ch. 47Page 47

Lu Zhaobei became trapped beneath the ruins after a second collapse, while Qi Yue decided to help him and approached with a carefully composed, expert-like manner. The chapter ended with Lu Zhaobei tense and uncertain about why Qi Yue had found him.

  • Lu Zhaobei cleared debris and descended into the underground passages, but a collapse sealed the entrance behind him.
  • Lu Zhaobei realized that escaping through the passages could expose him to Aberrants and decided to reopen the entrance instead.
  • Qi Yue heard Lu Zhaobei working, used the Panel to inspect his surroundings, and chose to go help him.
  • Qi Yue jumped down with a controlled landing and called out to Lu Zhaobei through the collapsed opening.
  • Lu Zhaobei recognized Qi Yue, answered his greeting stiffly, and remained wary about how Qi Yue had discovered his secret return.

Ch. 48Chapter 31

Qi Yue freed Lu Zhaobei from the collapsed entrance to a hidden passage connected to the YR Research Institute, then questioned why Lu had come there. When Lu guessed Qi Yue had come to see someone, Qi Yue was baffled and chose to remain silent.

  • Qi Yue ordered Lu Zhaobei to step back and kicked a carefully chosen spot, clearing the collapsed entrance without causing another cave-in.
  • Lu Zhaobei thanked Qi Yue, while Qi Yue noticed the expensive artificial passage and suspected it held secrets connected to the YR Research Institute.
  • Lu Zhaobei asked why Qi Yue was there, and Qi Yue removed his hood before turning the question back on him by pointing out that Lu had crossed into Area F.
  • Lu Zhaobei guessed that Qi Yue had come to see someone, leaving Qi Yue confused about whom he meant.
  • Unable to answer without risking a lie, Qi Yue kept silent and deliberately darkened his expression.

Ch. 49Chapter 31 (continued)

Qi Yue manipulated Lu Zhaobei into leaving first so he could secretly follow him through the underground facility. Aboveground, Class F students found the aftermath of Qi Yue’s slaughter of Aberrants and discussed his power and Beixing’s place among them.

  • Qi Yue stayed silent after Lu Zhaobei apologized, leading Lu to suggest they part ways and leave separately.
  • Lu Zhaobei entered the curved metal tunnel, and Qi Yue planned to follow him without revealing his intentions.
  • Class F students reached the forest and found the bloodied remains of numerous Aberrants, which they believed Qi Yue had killed.
  • The students praised Qi Yue’s powerful, precise Esper Ability and speculated that he had shown Beixing special consideration because their abilities were similar.
  • Jin Yuxuan tried to change the subject after classmates objected to his remarks about Beixing.
  • Zhou Wei asked whether Beixing might have been involved, and his classmates immediately rejected the possibility.

Ch. 50Chapter 32

Qi Yue followed Lu Zhaobei into the hidden depths of the YR Research Institute and inferred that the institute’s founders were returning to collect something dangerous underground. As he continued after Lu Zhaobei, Qi Yue discovered that his own walking speed had increased, suggesting his Esper Ability had changed.

  • Class F students credited Beixing with saving them during the Aberrant attack, and Zhou Wei suggested Qi Yue had foreseen the danger and told him to value his life over money.
  • Qi Yue followed Lu Zhaobei deeper underground, using the Panel’s glow to see the passage and noticing human footprints among the blood and remains.
  • Qi Yue concluded that the YR Research Institute’s founders were coming to the underground facility for hidden benefits, or to deal with a monster, during a lull after the cleanup.
  • Qi Yue wondered whether Lu Zhaobei’s Esper Ability involved fire, then noticed an abnormal feeling in his legs as he followed him.
  • Qi Yue tested his pace and found that he walked faster and more quietly than before, leading him to suspect his Esper Ability had changed.
Arc 2 of 2
Arc 2 of 2