Shen Ye looked at the business card and saw the following written on it:
Qian Rushan.
Regional supervisor, Human Martial Arts Group.
His memories opened up again, quickly locating the relevant knowledge.
So it was this behemoth...
A glimmer of understanding flashed through Shen Ye's eyes.
Every year, countless students taking the high school entrance exam hoped to win its favor.
The Human Martial Arts Group held the legacy of all kinds of martial knowledge. It was an organization with extensive intellectual property and copyrights to martial arts manuals.
In the entire world, aside from the great families passed down since ancient times, it held the largest legacy of martial knowledge.
As for those families-
Some families were said to possess knowledge, divine artifacts, and bloodline covenants passed down by gods in ancient times.
Beyond the legends, those families also demonstrably controlled vast amounts of land, people, wealth, and resources.
The great families stood high above everyone else, separated from ordinary people by an insurmountable gulf.
For an ordinary person born into poverty, joining the Human Martial Arts Group essentially meant making a leap into success and leaving the common class behind.
This was a path straight to the top!
Shen Ye looked at the scruffy, long-haired middle-aged man across from him.
The man seemed very mild-mannered and smiled as he spoke, making it hard not to trust him.
Judging by Shen Ye's experience from his previous life, this was clearly someone who had spent countless years navigating the business world.
Yet there was something more about him that Shen Ye could not see through.
-Power!
With the man sitting there, Shen Ye actually felt that he could not attack him no matter what.
It was a vague, instinctive feeling.
"Shen Ye, if you don't mind my asking, exactly how high is your strength stat?"
Supervisor Qian asked leisurely.
"5," Shen Ye said.
Supervisor Qian's expression softened further.
Old Jiang and the principal widened their eyes and exchanged a glance.
The police officers whispered among themselves nearby.
"Really 5?" Supervisor Qian continued with a composed smile. "At the middle school level, a strength of 4.5 meets our group's assessment threshold. A 5 is another matter entirely."
"Is 5 a lot?" Shen Ye asked.
"With a strength of 5, you can operate certain combat models of powered armor, and you can wield those damaged, standard-grade ancient weapons."
"Besides, you scored full marks in movement, and you're only fifteen."
"There really is nothing to find fault with."
At this point, Supervisor Qian could not help glancing at the principal.
Why didn't you tell me earlier that his strength stat was this outstanding? Why insist on talking about his mental power?
If I'd known his strength was 5, I would have signed him up right there on the sports field.
"You're too kind. I just got into a fight with someone."
Shen Ye said.
"Never mind the fight. Join our group, and I'll arrange another strength test for you," Supervisor Qian said.
"I can retake it?" Shen Ye asked in surprise.
He could not help looking at Old Jiang again.
Old Jiang and the principal both nodded emphatically, delight shining in their eyes.
"Normally, no. But sometimes, to avoid overlooking talented people, our group is authorized to recommend that the education bureau hold special retests for certain candidates," Supervisor Qian said calmly.
"Of course I'd like to retake it!" Shen Ye said.
"Good, then it's settled. Once you pass, I'll come sign you up."
Supervisor Qian stood and was about to leave when something occurred to him. He turned back and added:
"Oh, right, I forgot to ask-how much mental power do you have?"
"3."
Shen Ye gave a conservative number.
He had no choice.
Of the five main stats, "comprehension" and "resonance" were not assessed in middle school.
I can't exactly be off the charts in all three of "strength," "agility," and "mental power."
3 shouldn't be too outrageous.
...Right?
While Shen Ye was thinking uncertainly, he saw Supervisor Qian halt in the act of leaving.
Supervisor Qian's smile vanished, and his expression turned solemn.
"Shen Ye, could you demonstrate? If I remember correctly, 3 points of mental power lets you move a chair-"
Understanding, Shen Ye immediately allocated attribute points to mental power, then looked at a chair.
Under the influence of his will, the chair rose slightly and hovered motionless in midair.
The entire office fell deathly silent.
The police officers reacted first.
The officer in charge said quietly, "Let's go. We're heading back."
Led by him, the officers were the first to leave the office.
Several more breaths passed.
The chair dropped, hitting the floor with a clatter.
"I can only keep it up for that long."
Shen Ye sighed.
Supervisor Qian's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Hahaha! Who would have thought? Who would have thought!"
He laughed aloud as though he had become a different person, suddenly slapped his forehead hard, jumped up from his chair, and sang with his face glowing:
"Once destitute, I slept upon the street; today I sing to ask the gods. When fortune comes, heaven and earth lend their strength, soaring with me into the clouds~"
"Young Master Shen, your fortune has come! Mine too!"
Shen Ye froze.
This... is so awkward...
Am I supposed to sing?
I don't know how.
He turned to look at Old Jiang and the principal, only to find them frozen in place too.
Apparently, not even they had known that this "Supervisor Qian" had such a side to him.
But the two old foxes reacted far faster than Shen Ye.
The principal led the way, Old Jiang followed, and both clapped vigorously and cheered loudly.
"Beautifully sung, Supervisor Qian!"
"I've never heard such wonderful singing, Supervisor Qian!"
Both had joined in flattering him!
A few minutes later.
The principal and Old Jiang had both been asked to leave the office.
Supervisor Qian began speaking with Shen Ye alone.
"I can still retake the test, right?"
Shen Ye asked, still uneasy.
Qian Rushan raised his hand in a "stop" gesture and said earnestly:
"Shen Ye, what is your ambition in life?"
"Your name is my ambition," Shen Ye said frankly.
Qian Rushan chuckled. "Mountains of money are just the most basic thing. I want to know what dream you yearn for most."
Yearn for...
Shen Ye immediately thought of that assassin.
If even home isn't safe, where can I hide?
If-
I had enough power, why would I need to hide at all?
"At the very least, I don't want to be bullied, and I want to protect myself and my family," Shen Ye said.
Qian Rushan grinned.
"Right now, you're closer to your dream than you've ever been."
"How so?" Shen Ye asked.
Qian Rushan beckoned to him.
"Come on, attack me."
"Pah, you long-haired, greasy old pervert!" Shen Ye pointed at him and cursed.
"Not verbally. Use your fists," Qian Rushan said, speechless.
"...All right."
Shen Ye threw a punch at Qian Rushan's cheek.
Qian Rushan's eyes widened slightly.
Shen Ye immediately found himself unable to move.
Something invisible seemed to grip him from all around, completely robbing him of his ability to move.
"What is this?" Shen Ye asked in astonishment.
"This is a Spellcraft technique that can immobilize attackers. Once you learn it, you can protect yourself," Qian Rushan said.
"Amazing," Shen Ye remarked.
"Want to learn it?" Qian Rushan asked.
"Yes," Shen Ye said.
"Watch closely. There's more-"
Qian Rushan dispelled the Spellcraft, then took out a handgun and aimed it at his own temple.
The scene was so familiar that Shen Ye could not help feeling nostalgic for Blue Star, and he recited along:
"In all martial arts, nothing is indestructible; only speed is invincible."
Bang.
A gunshot rang out.
Qian Rushan had not moved a hand.
The bullet stopped one centimeter from Qian Rushan's temple and hovered motionless.
"This is another Spellcraft technique, from the group's secret collection. It can block attacks from all sorts of concealed weapons. Bullets are no problem either—what were you saying just now?"
Qian Rushan asked curiously.
"Nothing. I was saying, wow, that's amazing," Shen Ye said.
It really was amazing.
This was genuine Spellcraft!
Although he knew the man was deliberately showing it off, he was truly tempted.
I have to stay alive and live well in this world, and to do that, I need to gain powerful strength!
Of course I have to learn such miraculous Spellcraft.
Qian Rushan mulled it over. "That line you said just now had quite a presence. Did you come up with it?"
"Haha, I just said it off the top of my head. Please don't mind it," Shen Ye said with a laugh.
"Fair enough. Let's get back to business. I now formally invite you to join our 'Hidden Dragon Program.' It's our group's program for cultivating supernovas."
"The Hidden Dragon Program?" Shen Ye asked.
Supervisor Qian explained confidently, "We'll recommend you to the three best high schools in the world-of course, there's a rigorous entrance exam. Not the standard high school entrance exam, but an exam devised by those three schools themselves."
"If you pass and get into any one of them, the group will cover your room and board, tuition, resources, equipment, and so on."
"If you're eliminated, we can guarantee you admission to another provincial key high school."
Remembering what had happened earlier, Shen Ye could not help saying, "I just got into a fight-"
Qian Rushan waved a hand dismissively. "If you didn't dare fight back, I wouldn't want you. The group will settle a little matter like that for you."
"The group's benefits are that good," Shen Ye said with feeling.
Qian Rushan spread his arms and said in an exaggerated tone:
"Strength beyond full marks, agility at full marks, mental power beyond full marks. Shen Ye, don't you know how difficult that is? Your talent surpasses your peers!"
"You're a genius!"
Shen Ye fell silent for a moment.
Actually, I'm not that strong. I just added attribute points.
What?
Attribute points are also an innate talent of mine?
Then there's no problem.
I really am a genius who surpasses my peers!
But even this only just qualifies me to sit the entrance exams for those three high schools.
...I don't even know how hard the exams will be.
Shen Ye suddenly grew apprehensive.