Mysterious Phone Call

Yu Jing, 19 years old, was an ordinary Third Phase Disciple in a C-class County Town within District 19 of the Chana Empire.

Despite consistently ranking first in long-term performance, his Supernatural Ability test score barely passed the Level 2 threshold. When he returned to the Potential Institute to collect his report card, an Instructor solemnly advised Yu Jing on the preparations he would need for the long road ahead in his life.

Standing on the central stage of the training grounds, Yu Jing received his valuable Completion Certificate amidst the envious and jealous gazes of his peers and the blessings of the various specialists. It seemed Yu Jing was the only graduate from the entire institute. After taking the certificate, Yu Jing didn't want to linger in the Potential Institute for even a moment longer, and quickly headed for the main gate, certificate in hand.

The instant he passed through the gate, Yu Jing looked back at the interior of the Potential Institute. Several specialists were waving goodbye to him in various 'forms,' while the Instructor stood at the center, wearing a knowing smile.

"You're back?"

Yu Jing returned to his Seventy Square Meter, Two Bedroom, One Living Room home, and his mother's familiar voice came from the kitchen.

"Mom... didn't I tell you not to cook? You're not feeling well, go lie down and rest."

Yu Jing's mother was forty-two years old, but she already looked close to old age with her hair completely white. Last year, she was diagnosed with a strange illness called 'Kajimo.' It was a rare virus originating from abroad that infected the body, causing a disorder in the secretion of growth hormone inducers, leading to the human body aging at five times the normal rate.

Within the country, medical treatments for this illness were only available in some major cities. However, Yu Jing learned through online consultations that the surgery would cost at least three million, with a success rate not exceeding thirty percent.

Putting aside the success rate, it was a problem for an ordinary family like Yu Jing's to even come up with three hundred thousand. Furthermore, Yu Jing had never heard any news about his father since he was young. His impression of his father was vague at best, and his mother never mentioned it, diligently raising Yu Jing on her own.

Since his mother never spoke of it, Yu Jing stopped asking once he started attending the Junior Potential Institute, acting as if his father had long since passed away.

"Have you chosen your Supernatural Ability institute? I don't care about any rankings, I just hope my son can continue his studies. I heard from the neighbors that as long as you choose a good major, it doesn't matter where you go."

"Yeah... I've chosen!"

Every time Yu Jing saw his mother's white hair and aged appearance, tears would uncontrollably well up in his eyes.

Taking over the cooking from his mother, Yu Jing's self-reliance had been cultivated since the Junior Potential Institute. They spent the midday meal eating simple fare.

After the meal, Yu Jing had half an hour of rest, and then he had to work as a cashier at a convenience store in the afternoon. His mother's illness accelerated her body's aging, placing a great burden on her. She needed more than eighteen hours of sleep a day and was completely unable to work.

"Mom, you go rest. I'll bring some things back from the supermarket when I get off work at 8 PM."

Yu Jing watched his mother's retreating figure as she went back to her room, tears streaming down his cheeks uncontrollably.

As for why he failed the Supernatural Ability test, it was because during the physical examination before the test, Yu Jing was found to have the same virus as his mother in his body. However, it was currently in a dormant state, with an unknown incubation period and the possibility of erupting at any time. Moreover, treatment could only be carried out after the virus erupted, allowing for precise localization and removal.

Therefore, 'attending a Supernatural Ability institute' was no longer something Yu Jing hoped for from the moment he learned about this. During the period before the test, he began planning how to earn money in a short period after his disciple life ended, specifically enough money to treat his mother's illness, and then find a way to cure himself.

At this moment, Yu Jing, a young man not yet integrated into society, had already formulated three short-term money-making plans, two of which even involved breaking the law. However, based on his risk assessment, they were far better than sitting here and waiting to die.

Almost every day, Yu Jing would read all the newspaper information, efficiently and accurately extracting the information he needed for his use. But today, he had an unexpected gain.

In an inconspicuous corner of the Metropolitan Daily, a newspaper Yu Jing often read, there was an advertisement that caught his attention.

"What's this? An experimental test?"

—Successful test subjects will be rewarded with 3.5 Million Gold—Yu Jing quickly captured a small string of text from the report.

This area in the bottom right corner of the newspaper was usually used for health advertisements aimed at the elderly, but this time, it unexpectedly carried such an advertisement. It was only a small paragraph with a contact number for the Research Institute. Normally, Yu Jing would have dismissed it as a scam, but now, with the faintest glimmer of hope, like a candle in the wind, he dialed the number.

"Let's try it, maybe it's real. If it's a scam, I'll just hang up."

The call was connected instantly, and an elegant female voice came from the receiver.

"Hello, resident from District 19! Thank you for calling our institute's volunteer recruitment office. May I ask if you are a gentleman or a lady, and what is your name?"

"My surname is Yu," Yu Jing replied, not stating his gender, believing his voice was distinctive enough.

"Please state your gender. This information is very important to us."

"Male." Yu Jing frowned slightly. The other party's questions were very professional, and their Mandarin pronunciation was definitely broadcast quality.

Yu Jing, who was adept at analysis and observation, also noticed some clues. Even if it were a genuine scam, it seemed quite sophisticated, not the kind to place advertisements in such a corner of a small newspaper.

"Mr. Yu, have you had a physical examination at a formal hospital within the last three months?"

"A physical examination? Yes, I had a detailed one a month ago for the Supernatural Ability test."

"Very good, this will save us a lot of trouble. We will retrieve your medical examination information to make a comprehensive evaluation. If you meet our institute's volunteer standards, we will contact you as soon as possible. Please ensure your current communication device is functioning properly. Thank you again for calling, and we wish you a pleasant weekend."

The call ended, and Yu Jing was bewildered. Of course, he didn't completely believe them. Current scam groups were highly intelligent criminals, and this kind of phishing tactic was quite common. But if it were real, Yu Jing immediately thought of the dormant Kajimo virus in his physical examination results, and perhaps he would be directly excluded from the list of test candidates.

"Ring ring!"

As Yu Jing lay down on the sofa to rest, the phone beside him immediately rang. Yu Jing, who had subscribed to the caller ID service, saw 'Unknown Origin' displayed on his phone screen