As soon as Xue Ji appeared, Shen Dai and Zhao Cheng pushed through the crowd to surround her. Following their lead, the rest of Class Five also gathered around, leaving Xue Ji trapped in the middle with no way out.
Zhao Cheng frowned in confusion. “Bro Ji, what are you doing here?” His question made the others realize—hadn’t they just sent Xue Ji away earlier?
“I, uh… I saw that blue light pillar and thought it looked really cool, so I came up to check it out. Hehe.” Xue Ji scratched her head, putting on an innocent act.
Zhao Cheng’s expression twisted into something even more incredulous. He narrowed his eyes, staring straight at her, and couldn’t help but retort, “Bro Ji, just so you know, I’m actually a domineering CEO. Believe me?”
Xue Ji’s mouth formed a perfect “O” before she took a deep breath and answered earnestly, “Wow, I had no idea! You’re amazing.”
Without using magic, Xue Ji’s ability to lie was practically zero. Hearing such a response, everyone suddenly sympathized with their old teachers who had once interrogated them about unfinished homework.
Realizing further questioning was pointless, Zhao Cheng changed the subject, recounting the battle and his own experiences. Xue Ji listened attentively, comparing her friend’s demeanor before and after his awakening. Just like her Lilith, many awakened abilities seemed to unleash suppressed emotions in their users. But why was Lilith’s influence so much stronger? Was it related to power level?
As Xue Ji fell into thought, Shen Dai idly played with her hair, tying it into twin tails. The twin tails, combined with her barely 160 cm height, created an overwhelmingly adorable effect—especially with her slightly flustered expression.
“Alright, alright, spare me! I snuck in here, and if I get caught, I’m in big trouble.” Seizing the moment while everyone was distracted by her new hairstyle, Xue Ji pleaded in a fearful tone before slipping away.
Watching Lilith escape, Shen Dai sighed inwardly. Xue Ji was getting better at acting cute, yet somehow, she still felt the same as before. Changed, yet unchanged.
…
Xue Ji hadn’t actually sneaked in—she’d been specially invited. The commander of the Special Abilities Unit was aboard the Steel Azure Dragon and had been observing her performance since the battle began.
After passing through the rest area, a massive training zone, and a heavily guarded corridor, Xue Ji finally reached the command center.
At the blast door, under the bewildered gazes of two guards, the twin-tailed Xue Ji passed fingerprint and retinal scans. They couldn’t believe this cute high schooler had been the main force in taking down the Arch-Tusk Behemoth. Even after verification, they hesitated before finally stepping aside.
Xue Ji was starting to vaguely understand her own changes—whenever she smiled, people seemed slightly charmed. To avoid trouble, she’d have to be more careful in social interactions. Before entering, she flashed them a bright smile and thanked them, curious about their reactions. One nodded solemnly, while the other awkwardly looked away.
The effect is stronger than I thought. I’ll have to adjust how I interact with people from now on.
Inside the command center, three massive screens displayed detailed battle analyses: damage assessments, the Arch-Tusk Behemoth’s traits, and even performance evaluations of Third High’s students. Xue Ji glimpsed Shen Dai’s name—ranked fifth. Her own name wasn’t in the top five.
Below the screens, a group in gray uniforms huddled around workstations, inputting and analyzing data. None looked up when Xue Ji entered.
She scanned the room, wondering if she’d taken a wrong turn. Maybe he’s next door?
“No, you’re in the right place.” A steady, middle-aged voice came from ahead—yet no one was visible.
Mind-reading? Xue Ji tensed instinctively. A mind-reader was dangerous for both sides. Some secrets were better left unknown, for everyone’s sake.
“Thank you for the warning. Some of your memories are hazardous. My ability is hard to control—I didn’t mean to pry.” The voice’s origin rippled as a man in blue camouflage materialized out of thin air, offering a polite smile. “A breakthrough in optical camouflage. Works quite well.”
Xue Ji nodded appreciatively. This wasn’t just a visual trick—it was true invisibility.
“I’m Xue Ji,” she said calmly. Despite her delicate appearance, she was no stranger to high-stakes encounters. Nervousness faded when she focused.
“Well met. I’m Ye Gaoyuan, commander of the Special Abilities Unit. Your performance today far exceeded my expectations. It’s a pleasure to meet talent like yours.” He paused, noting her lack of reaction to the praise, then continued. “But I didn’t bring you here for flattery. Your abilities surpass standard unit requirements. What do you think?”
Without hesitation, Xue Ji replied, “What I want is to be at the forefront, uncovering everything about the spiritual resurgence.”
“Your interview made it clear—you’re destined to be a true pioneer of this era.” Ye’s tone grew solemn. “I’d like to recommend you join the Vanguard.”
“The Vanguard is a special organization focused on intel related to the spiritual resurgence. Independent from the Special Abilities Unit, with more freedom—but also more danger.”
Xue Ji nodded. “Danger brings opportunity—and hones one’s skills. That’s your reasoning, right?”
“Exactly. You’re sharp. And the troubles your secrets invite will require powerful backing. There’s no better option for you.”
Xue Ji wasn’t sure how much he knew, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. His offer was undeniably tempting.
“Joining the Unit means climbing ranks slowly, waiting for missions. The Vanguard acts proactively, accelerating growth.”
“Then why not both? The roles don’t conflict, do they?” Xue Ji suddenly wondered—why not secure both advantages?
Ye was taken aback, his expression twisting into something between exasperation and kids these days.
“Dual membership isn’t impossible, but you know what they say about biting off more than you can chew.”
Of course Xue Ji knew. But right now, she was starving—for awakening progression, for spiritual resurgence intel. Both roles could help.
Seeing her unwavering resolve, Ye sighed. “Fine. Temporarily, you’ll be listed in both. After some time, decide where to focus—if you can handle it, staying in both is an option.”
“Prepare yourself. There’s a task coming up soon—good practice for you.”
“Just send the details to me later. Oh, and how do I get back to the ground?” Xue Ji asked casually.
A knowing smile crept onto Ye Gaoyuan’s face.