"My strength level?"
"Take a guess."
An Xiaoxue rarely let herself be playful.
It was also the first time she'd smiled since the battle that evening.
Xu Tui and Gong Ling exchanged a glance. Both had been through plenty of battles at school, and they immediately understood each other.
"I guess that before advancing, Teacher An was at least an A-grade Gene Liberator," Gong Ling said first.
"You're underestimating Teacher An. She's a professor at Huaxia Gene Evolution University.
"I think she was an S-grade Gene Liberator before advancing," Xu Tui said with a straight face.
An Xiaoxue saw through their little ploy at once.
"What I can tell you is that I'm currently a C-grade Gene Mutant," she said.
"A C-grade Gene Mutant?"
Xu Tui and Gong Ling both propped their chins up.
That left a pretty wide range of possibilities.
It meant that before An Xiaoxue became a Gene Mutant, she'd been at least a C-grade Gene Liberator. Of course, she could've been B-grade or even A-grade.
Xu Tui thought B-grade was more likely.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been qualified to be a professor in the Mysterious System at Huaxia Gene Evolution University.
That was no small achievement.
"Can a C-grade Gene Mutant become a professor at Huaxia Gene Evolution University?" Xu Tui asked, puzzled.
"Not in the Limitless System.
"Generally, Gene New Humans in the Limitless System have to be Gene Evolvers before they can become professors at Huaxia Gene Evolution University.
"The requirements are lower in the Mysterious System. Usually, you have to be at least a B-grade Gene Mutant.
"For those with special abilities, the standard is lowered by another level," An Xiaoxue explained.
"So, does that mean you have a special ability, Teacher An? What is it?" Gong Ling asked, her big eyes blinking again.
This time, however, An Xiaoxue responded to Gong Ling's coy act with a stern expression.
"I need to remind you of something. No matter what special abilities you gain in the future, don't casually tell other people about them.
"That could help keep you safer and let you live longer," An Xiaoxue said gravely.
Gong Ling's little face immediately grew flustered. "Teacher An, I really didn't know."
"There's no need to apologize.
"I only realized this after learning the hard way. I was targeted because someone had anticipated what I could do. That's why I'm warning you. I hope you'll remember this and avoid making the same mistake," An Xiaoxue said.
Gong Ling nodded firmly.
Xu Tui thought it over, then suddenly asked, "Teacher An, as far as I know, after we get to Huaxia Gene Evolution University, we'll have to report our Gene Points and abilities to the school for confirmation before we can receive our resource allocations.
"Could that cause problems?"
An Xiaoxue looked at Xu Tui, her gaze drifting away. "There's no problem with that process itself. The data is highly classified within the school, and anyone who wants to see it needs the appropriate clearance and access."
Her answer was almost the same as saying nothing.
But Xu Tui's gaze still shifted slightly.
No problem with the process itself.
So there had been a problem in practice.
Was An Xiaoxue indirectly warning them?
The reason she didn't say it outright was simple.
First, there was her position. Second, they were still on the bus, with ears all around them.
It would be foolish to let anyone hold that against her.
Long-distance travel was exhausting, even on a luxury coach where you could recline your seat.
But the students seemed to have limitless energy.
And after they passed Ningyin Prefecture, the scenery outside began to look different from Jincheng Prefecture.
Modern students weren't like those from a century ago, who'd been traveling all over the world since childhood. At the very least, those students had seen a fair bit of China's beautiful scenery.
Most students in the twenty-second century, Xu Tui included, had never left Jincheng Prefecture because of safety concerns and travel costs. Some had never even left Jincheng City.
They watched everything with excitement.
Every now and then, they'd spot something new, and even Cheng Mo would wake up despite having been asleep.
The bus traveled through the night. It passed Shanyuan Prefecture just after dawn, Beihe Prefecture before noon, and entered Kyoto Prefecture in the afternoon.
At four thirty in the afternoon, after passing the checkpoint, the convoy drove into Kyoto.
The very heart of China.
They arrived just as the evening rush hour began. Even after the convoy switched to the maglev line, it moved rather slowly.
But for this group of students from Jincheng Prefecture, the wonders were only just beginning.
"Holy crap, Repulsion Flying Cars! They start at three million! Why are there so many here?"
"Look! Is that guy flying up there riding a Repulsion Flying Skateboard?"
"Whoa, the king of skateboards! There are so many of them in Kyoto!"
The students' excited exclamations even roused Cheng Mo, who had a broken rib. He sucked in a breath and sat up to look.
"I heard they start at a million."
The students watched the Repulsion Flying Cars and Repulsion Flying Skateboards zipping past outside the maglev line, their faces full of longing.
Xu Tui listened, the corner of his mouth twitching.
A million to start?
Best not to even think about it.
His whole family's assets probably wouldn't cover the purchase tax on one.
"I heard you need E-grade Authority to buy a Repulsion Flying Skateboard."
"You have to pay a hefty insurance premium, too."
"My dad said you need a driver's license as well."
"Huh? A license? I have one," a student suddenly said excitedly.
"Wrong. You don't just need a license—you need a special one," Tong Qi cut in.
Tong Qi had also performed quite well during the Cyborg and superhuman ambush. He'd taken down a leopard and even protected a classmate.
He Mingxuan hadn't done quite as well. A giant python had carried him off, but after Ahu the Cyborg was killed by Xu Tui, the python fled and He Mingxuan was rescued. He'd only suffered minor injuries.
He seemed a little shaken, and had kept a low profile that day.
"A special license?" one student asked, hearing the term for the first time.
"That's right. You need a Special Flying Driver's License. It's pretty difficult to pass the test.
"Of course, that's compared to ordinary people. It shouldn't be hard for us."
After a pause, Tong Qi added, "By the way, Huaxia Gene Evolution University has a driving school that offers Special Flying Driver's License courses. They'll start classes a few days after the semester begins.
"Anyone interested can sign up with me as a group."
"Isn't that too soon? We've only just gotten into school. Besides, even if you get the special license, you still need a Repulsion Flying Skateboard.
"Speaking of which, Tong Qi, do you have one?" a student suddenly asked.
"My dad gave me a Repulsion Flying Skateboard as a reward when I got into Huaxia Gene Evolution University. Now I'm just waiting to get my Special Flying Driver's License."
Tong Qi's voice was calm, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary. He wasn't showing off at all.
But to the other students, there was only one word for it: rich!
Xu Tui felt a little envious.
He was talented, the second most handsome, and his dad was loaded, too.
Just then, Cheng Mo nudged Xu Tui with his elbow. "Little Leg, we're going to school soon. Let's sign up for the Special Flying Driver's License course, too."
"Why rush? We can't afford a Repulsion Flying Skateboard anyway," Xu Tui said.
"That's fine. We can get the license first. Then, when we have money, we can buy a Repulsion Flying Skateboard and take off right away."
"People say Huaxia Gene Evolution University students have pretty good 'career prospects,' too," Cheng Mo added.
Xu Tui nodded, then shook his head.
"I can take the course. You can't."
"Why not?"
Cheng Mo was flustered. "Why can you take it, but I can't?"
"Look at that belly of yours. How much has it grown in just a few days?
"At this rate, I think you'd better not get a Special Flying Driver's License. We need to prevent an air disaster," Xu Tui said.
Cheng Mo stared blankly, apparently picturing the horrifying scene of a crash.
Gong Ling suddenly sat up in the seat in front of them and laughed. "Cheng Mo, you don't have to worry about an air disaster."
"That's great! Why not?" Cheng Mo asked cheerfully.
"At the rate you're gaining weight, in a few months, you won't even be able to get a Repulsion Flying Skateboard off the ground."
Xu Tui snickered. After the Cyborg Ahu's ambush, the bond between Xu Tui, Cheng Mo, and Gong Ling had become much closer. They could joke around like this without any problem.
Cheng Mo deflated like a punctured ball and slumped back into his seat.
That stung.
But it also made him worry even more.
His dream of soaring through the sky seemed doomed before it had even begun.
The students nearby who'd overheard them laughed, too.
"Once we reach the New Student Reception Center, get some rest and recover as quickly as you can.
"Unless something unexpected happens, your new student entrance evaluations will begin very soon.
"They'll determine your field of study and the treatment you receive at Huaxia Gene Evolution University for the foreseeable future. This is your top priority, so take it seriously!"
An Xiaoxue's voice rang out, and the entire bus fell silent in an instant.
Before you continue