The air throughout the testing center seemed to freeze.
Qing Xiaoran's fox tails stiffened in midair, and every rookie operative's jaw nearly hit the floor.
Even Feng Yuyao, who had been watching with cool detachment, could not help crying out:
"Has Qi Wu lost his mind?"
The director had personally invited him to join an S-rank team.
That was already an extraordinary privilege.
Yet Qi Wu had turned him down.
Instead, he wanted to form a team of his own.
"Kid, do you know what it takes to establish a team?"
Wolf Team's gaze suddenly sharpened, and the oppressive aura of a powerhouse swept through the testing center like a tidal wave.
The rookie operatives struggled to breathe under that pressure. Even Qing Xiaoran unconsciously took half a step back.
"To establish an independent team."
Wolf Team's voice rumbled like thunder. "You'll have to finish your three-year probation first."
"Then, with recommendations from three veteran operatives of tier seven or above, you'll qualify to form a team."
Qi Wu spread his hands.
"Can't you make an exception?"
"My strength should be far beyond that of an ordinary operative, right?"
The strength he had displayed during the test already surpassed that of many lower-ranked team captains.
If they set aside the bureau's usual rules, Qi Wu really did qualify to establish a team.
Making an exceptional genius like Qi Wu start at the very bottom would indeed waste his talents.
And so, his words left Wolf Team silent.
Wolf Team considered it for a moment, then his lips curved into a grin as he suddenly said:
"An exception?"
"That's not out of the question."
An uproar instantly swept through the crowd.
"As long as you can do one thing-"
Wolf Team suddenly raised his voice and pointed at Hu Yan, the referee, who was standing to the side looking utterly bored.
"As long as you can defeat the referee!"
Hu Yan had been waving his folding fan. When Wolf Team singled him out, his hand stopped, and the corner of his eye twitched.
"Huh? Me?"
The testing center erupted. Hu Yan was a veteran operative on an A-rank team, renowned for his unpredictable, elusive movements.
Making a rookie challenge an established powerhouse like him? It was unheard of!
Yet Qi Wu's smile only grew brighter.
"Oh, is that all~?"
He turned toward Hu Yan on the raised platform, his tone casual.
"No hard feelings, Senior Hu Yan."
Hu Yan snapped his folding fan shut, a dangerous glint flashing through his narrow fox eyes.
"Interesting. Rookie, are you sure you want to challenge me?"
Qi Wu kept both hands in his pockets, his Six Eyes glowing faintly beneath his silver hair.
"No, you've got it wrong."
He tilted his head and gave a chilling smile.
"Referee, you're the challenger."
[Wild arrogance unleashed] [Annoyance points +200]
Hu Yan's expression changed sharply. He became a streak of red lightning, the edge of his folding fan gleaming coldly as he unleashed countless wind blades.
"Too slow."
Qi Wu's voice suddenly came from every direction.
To his horror, Hu Yan realized that his movements looked like a slow-motion film to his opponent. Every wind blade was dodged with ease.
Hu Yan gritted his teeth, and three crimson fox tails flared out behind him.
"Fox Shadow Thousand Kills: Trio!"
In an instant, Hu Yan produced three clones that attacked Qi Wu from three directions.
Facing the three incoming crimson fox shadows, Qi Wu could not even be bothered to move his feet.
The fan blades of all three fox shadows suddenly stopped less than a centimeter from Qi Wu.
Hu Yan discovered, to his horror, that no matter what he did, his attacks could not advance another fraction of an inch.
"It's that thing from the test..."
"What exactly is this ability of yours?"
Cold sweat seeped from the forehead of Hu Yan's original body.
"Simply put, it means you'll never be able to touch me~"
Qi Wu removed his blindfold, his Six Eyes shining like stars.
"It's over, Referee Hu Yan."
Before he finished speaking, Qi Wu's left hand had already formed that iconic gesture-thumb and index finger touching, the remaining three fingers extended.
"Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void."
In an instant, the entire space fell into an eerie stillness.
Hu Yan realized in terror that his body had completely frozen. Even his thoughts had slowed.
His vision was forcibly drawn into a world of dazzling colors, and countless pieces of meaningless information flooded in like a tide.
Only 0.2 seconds passed in the real world.
Clatter.
Two of Hu Yan's clones burst apart instantly, and the folding fan in his hand fell to the floor.
The veteran operative's knees buckled, dropping him straight onto one knee.
His pupils trembled violently, and saliva trickled uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth.
"Hu Yan...!"
Qing Xiaoran, Hu Yan's direct superior, called out anxiously.
The entire room fell silent. Everyone had seen Hu Yan suddenly collapse, but no one had caught what Qi Wu had actually done.
Only Wolf Team's pupils contracted sharply.
He had faintly sensed that terrifying mental impact.
Could his ability be more than just spatial...?
Wolf Team narrowed his eyes slightly.
Looking at Hu Yan kneeling on the floor, Qi Wu walked over.
"Now..."
Qi Wu bent down, picked up Hu Yan's folding fan, and gently patted his deathly pale cheek with it. "Can I form my team?"
Hu Yan stared blankly. Only after a struggle did he regain his senses, looking at Qi Wu in shock and fear.
Qi Wu's 0.2-second Domain Expansion had poured half a year's worth of useless information into Hu Yan.
His brain had short-circuited in that instant.
Hu Yan raised a trembling hand and pointed at Qi Wu's Six Eyes.
"You... you're not a spatial type..."
His voice sounded as though it had been scraped with sandpaper.
"Is it mental manipulation... or time...?"
Qi Wu suddenly leaned down and held his index finger in front of Hu Yan's lips.
"Shh-"
He blinked his radiant Six Eyes.
"Wrong guess. No prize."
Hu Yan gave a faint huff and turned his head away.
"I concede. Go talk to Wolf Team."
After a long moment, he turned back and spoke.
[Defeated the referee and displayed a new ability, greatly shocking the spectators] [Popularity points +500] [Popularity points converted. Current Satoru Gojo fusion level: 42%]
Wolf Team strode over, his black coat billowing.
"Kid, you won."
Wolf Team patted Qi Wu's shoulder, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
"Head over to the registration desk later. Think of a name for your team."
Qi Wu nodded slightly and casually tossed Hu Yan's folding fan back to its owner.
Qing Xiaoran reached out to help Hu Yan up, then signaled for him to announce the test results.
Rubbing his dizzy, aching head, Hu Yan struggled to rise.
He staggered before finding his footing, his fox tails hanging limply. Drawing a deep breath, he forced himself to announce:
"Test results confirmed... newly recruited operative Qi Wu has defeated Referee Hu Yan... and has been granted an exception to establish an independent team!"
As soon as he finished, the entire testing center fell silent.
The rookie operatives' gazes had changed completely, their initial skepticism toward Qi Wu replaced by awe.
Hu Yan looked around once more and said:
"Because the difficulty of this test was increased, additional rewards will be provided."
"Any rookie who placed in the top ten on the kill rankings will qualify to join an A-rank team."
Hu Yan's announcement was like a boulder thrown into a still lake.
The testing center instantly erupted as the rookie operatives scrambled to check the kill rankings on the holographic display.
"I... I actually placed ninth?!"
A boy wearing glasses was so excited that his voice trembled.
Feng Yuyao stared at her seventh-place position on the rankings, her pretty face expressionless.
Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder.
Feng Yuyao turned to look and discovered that it was not a hand tapping her shoulder, but a snowy-white fox tail.
The tall, voluptuous Qing Xiaoran stood beside her in courtly robes, smiling at Feng Yuyao.
Qing Xiaoran's fox tail suddenly wound around Feng Yuyao's wrist.
"Little Yaoyao, come join our Qingqiu team~ Your big sister will take good care of you~"
Feng Yuyao's expression softened. "Xiaoran."
The Qingqiu Clan, led by Qing Xiaoran, and Feng Yuyao's Heavenly Phoenix Clan had been close for generations.
Feng Yuyao had known Qing Xiaoran since childhood and had always thought of her as an older sister.
Since Qing Xiaoran was inviting her to join the team, she was naturally more than happy to accept.
Feng Yuyao gently stroked the pure-white fox tail.
"Xiaoran, I didn't expect you to come recruit rookies in person this time."
Qing Xiaoran's nine fox tails swayed like flowing water as she stepped gracefully in front of Feng Yuyao.
"Silly girl, I came especially for you."
She leaned close to Feng Yuyao's ear and whispered:
"Your father asked me to look after you before he left. How could I let you join some dubious team?"
Their interaction drew a wave of envious exclamations from those around them.
As two great clans with ancient legacies, the Qingqiu fox clan and the Heavenly Phoenix Clan had always been renowned for their noble bloodlines.
For these rookies, seeing direct descendants of both clans together was an eye-opening experience.
Being able to share a kiss with either of these two gifted beauties would be an unimaginable blessing.
The two women chatted warmly, like sisters reunited after years apart.
Suddenly, Qing Xiaoran glanced at Qi Wu and covered her lips with a soft laugh.
"Little Yaoyao, you seem quite close to that young man Qi Wu. Childhood sweethearts?"
The mere mention of Qi Wu made Feng Yuyao bristle.
She sighed, her cheeks flushing.
"That rotten man! I don't want anything to do with him!"
"Xiaoran, please train me as brutally as possible. Next time, I'm definitely going to surpass him!"
Feng Yuyao clenched her little canine teeth, her expression defiant.
"Oho~ So there's history between you, too."
Understanding dawned on Qing Xiaoran's pretty face. She folded her arms across her full bust, secretly laughing to herself:
Oh, young people these days really know how to play.
Before you continue