Hearing the voice, Lila couldn't help but be startled. She hurriedly wiped her tears, realizing someone had seen her in a vulnerable state. She turned around and, recognizing the familiar white-bearded old man, greeted him with slight panic.
"Dean, hello."
"What's this, child? Have you been crying?" Cain asked, his tone sounding as if he had expected this.
"No, I didn't sleep well yesterday, and I got up early for the freshman ceremony today. I was planning to go back and catch up on sleep," Lila said, rubbing her eyes hard, refusing to admit the truth.
Cain didn't press her, instead asking a different question.
"Your mother is Jiang Yuérú, right? An S-level superhuman with the Fire Phoenix ability, a peak Sixth-Realm superhuman currently serving in the United Human Alliance?"
Lila didn't respond verbally, but her slight nod indicated she was confirming.
"Let me guess. You've been watching Liam, haven't you? You want to use him as your training target, right?"
"You grew up with your mother around. Haven't you always wished to become like her someday?"
"But you've found that, no matter how hard you try, it seems impossible to reach her level. Even though people around you say you're a genius, you always feel like your goals are out of reach."
"So much so that the harder you try, the more distant those goals become…"
Cain spoke like a mind-reading devil, each word cutting into Lila's heart like a knife.
She didn't say anything, her face expressionless, and replied, "No, there's nothing to compare. I'm not feeling well. If you don't have anything else, I'd like to go back now."
With that, she turned to head toward the dormitory.
But Cain wasn't about to let her go so easily. He continued, "Liam started with just an E-level ability. You used to think he didn't deserve a spot in the special admissions. Yet in just a few days, he's reached a level you can't even dream of."
"Your mother has an S-level talent, but yours is only rated at B-level."
"You've probably heard people say, 'She's not as good as her mother, but her talent is still impressive,' right?"
"These days, with all the talk about Liam, the fact that you were the first to be beaten by him has probably become a joke, hasn't it?"
"And during that battle a few days ago, being protected by someone you want to surpass, that must have been hard to swallow."
"All these years, living in your mother's shadow, you must feel so unwilling to accept it, don't you?"
One sentence after another, Cain's words finally broke through Lila's defenses. She stopped walking, her slender back trembling, and tears streamed down, uncontrollably falling to the ground.
Cain's words had triggered many memories, and she couldn't control her emotions for a moment.
"Do you want to surpass them?" Cain pressed on.
"Yes..."
"What did you say?"
"I said I want to! I will surpass them someday, even if my talent isn't high enough! Just you wait and see!!!"
Lila spun around, practically shouting, her face covered in tears, which made her usually beautiful face look a bit distorted.
Seeing this child finally let go and start to vent her emotions, Cain fell silent, a hint of a smile appearing on his face.
He raised his hand, creating a special space that enveloped the two of them, with two chairs placed facing each other.
"What if I told you that your talent is no worse than anyone else's in this world? Would you believe me?"
Lila glanced around the space, realizing this might not be the real world. She calmed herself down a bit, sat down in one of the chairs, and shook her head dejectedly.
"Among all the abilities named 'Phoenix,' mine is probably the weakest... I..."
"No," Cain shook his head firmly, looking into her tear-filled eyes. "There are no Phoenixes in this world."
Lila looked up, puzzled.
"If there is one, you might be the only one."
"Phoenixes are meant to rise from their ashes."
"Remember, the heavens gave you a lower starting point than others so that you can write a story of turning things around from the bottom."
"Do you trust me? Would you be willing to become my third personal disciple, despite me being an incompetent teacher?"
Lila sat in her chair, stunned, as if she were on an emotional rollercoaster.
She never expected Dean Cain to come to her and say such things.
"I've had my eye on you for a long time, actually. Your personality is very similar to that of a little girl I once knew…"
"Who?" Lila asked.
"Li Qi."
"You looking at Liam now is exactly like how she looked at Sophia back then."
"The desire for power and the unwillingness to be outdone can push people to excel, but sometimes it can also drag them into a deep abyss. That's why I was eager to find you today."
"Li Qi... is my second personal disciple, whom I consider my daughter. But she might have already strayed onto a dark path."
When Cain mentioned Li Qi, his expression turned sad and pained. He couldn't help but think of that red envelope…
"I might not be a competent teacher. Would you like to hear a story?"
While Cain pulled Lila into his space for a counseling session, Sophia led Liam to an office door.
Liam looked up at the sign—Dean's Office.
"You said we're here to re-evaluate my ability level. Is Dean Mo going to do it?" Liam asked.
"No, the Vice Dean will handle it," Sophia replied.
Liam's eyebrow twitched. Even the Dean's office was given over to the Vice Dean?
Sophia opened the door, and inside, a man was sitting on the sofa, tapping his foot. As soon as he saw someone enter, he stood up.
"Oh! If it isn't the great War God! Hello, hello."
"And the freshman chief! I've heard so much about you. Hello, junior, my name is Jack. You can call me Little Sword or Brother Sword."
The man was incredibly outgoing, with wild long hair and a height similar to Liam's. He extended his hand for a handshake.
Liam wasn't sure what this guy had heard about him, but he felt like Jack had stolen his usual catchphrases.
Before Liam could say anything, Jack continued talking to himself.
"I'm the head of the Public Relations Department. I tell you, our PR department is fantastic."
"Once you join us, it's easy to rack up credits, and the work is light. It's a pretty sweet deal, if you ask me."
Liam: ...
???
Wait a minute, when did I say I wanted to join the PR department?
"Wait a minute, Brother Sword… I don't remember saying I wanted to join the PR department. What exactly is the PR department?" Liam said, subtly withdrawing his hand after trying to copy Jack's ability, which failed. What a waste of effort.
Jack, however, seemed oblivious to any sense of awkwardness and continued speaking as if nothing had happened.
"The PR department is great! Why wouldn't you join? I know you'll want to."
"To graduate from school, you need to accumulate 120 contribution credits. Apart from the tasks assigned by the school, there are only six clubs in the entire school that have the authority to distribute these credits."
"And our PR department is one of them!"
Sophia, standing nearby, clearly recognized Jack. She sighed, clearly resigned, and said, "Little Sword, aren't you not supposed to recruit yet? Isn't the official recruitment for all clubs scheduled for later?"
"Ah, senior, that's not how it works! There's a saying, 'A destined meeting, even a thousand miles apart.' If Liam wants to join our PR department, I have to give him a proper introduction."
Liam: ???
"Hey, hold on. When did I ever agree to join? Listen, buddy, you…" Liam started, but before he could finish, Jack swiftly stepped beside him, whispering in his ear.
"Let me tell you, of the six clubs, the other five are all hard labor—fighting nonstop, super dangerous, and you barely earn any credits for it. But our job is so laid back; we just meet people, maybe lie a bit, tell them these divine descents are just terrorist attacks, and that's it. Easy peasy."
"Sometimes, we don't even have to do anything, just show up, play games at the scene, and we get the credits. Occasionally, you might earn some extra cash from TV appearances or even get some gifts."
Jack gave a sly smile, raising his eyebrows suggestively, rubbing his fingers together in a money-counting gesture.
Liam: ...
"Brother Sword, nice to meet you! From today, I'm a member of the PR department!"
"That's the spirit! Now, take out your phone!"
"I'll get you set up with our internal app for the six major special clubs. If the school has any urgent needs or emergencies, they'll post them there. You take a job, you earn credits."
"Leave the fighting to them. We just grab the easy jobs. First come, first served!"
Liam listened and nodded in agreement.
The two of them laughed wickedly, like kindred spirits who had just met their match.
Sophia stood outside the door, facepalming, thinking, Great, how did he end up meeting Jack?
In reality, the PR department was essentially a place to slack off, a backdoor for students whose talents weren't top-notch or who weren't well-suited for combat. It was meant to allow them to earn credits through "administrative" work.
Typically, students were reluctant to join the PR department, seeing it as a weaker, less "manly" club. Jack, the head, was notorious for doing whatever it took to earn credits, often leaving members of other clubs fuming. Rumors circulated that he would take bribes and demand perks while on missions.
And now, the PR department had managed to recruit the strongest freshman in its history just like that.
And it seemed Liam and Jack were hitting it off rather well.
Sophia: ...
Creak.
Finally, the door opened, and a beautiful woman entered—it was Vice Dean Tang Jinyi. She looked around the room, smiling.
"So, you two are the ones here for the re-evaluation? Alright, follow me."
"Uh, Auntie Tang, maybe we can skip mine. I'm just a D-level superhuman, no need to test again, right?" Jack said, grinning as he sidled up.
Tang Jinyi gave him a gentle smile, her eyes soft, as she said, "No, we'll do it. Follow me."
Jack: ...
They arrived at an open area on the rooftop. Tang Jinyi began explaining.
"When testing new abilities, we simulate divine power to measure it."
"We'll start from F-level and gradually increase. You just need to keep your mind stable and resist the divine power's influence. This will help us determine your superhuman talent level."
"Are you ready, children?"
"Wait!" Jack interrupted.
Then he lay down on the ground, saying, "Alright, I think this position is more comfortable. Liam, you want to try it?"
Liam: ...
Tang Jinyi: ...
Ignoring Jack's antics, Tang Jinyi looked at Liam, confirming he was ready. Seeing Liam nod, she pressed a button, and the entire space on the rooftop began to distort.
Liam felt a slight dizziness, like something whispering in his mind, similar to when he used his ability to command the sounds of nature. But for now, it was bearable.
Jack, lying on the ground, suddenly spoke up, "Has it started, Auntie Tang?"
"Yes, it's started."
The moment he got the response, Jack's legs kicked out, his eyes rolled back, and his tongue lolled out as he convulsed like a salted fish in a frying pan, writhing on the ground.
The sight left Liam utterly stunned, watching Jack in disbelief, unsure of what was happening.
Is it really that intense?
What kind of act is this? Is he serious?
Looking up at Sophia and Tang Jinyi, both seemed unfazed, as if they had seen this many times before, ignoring Jack entirely.
Does this guy have no dignity?
Seeing Jack flopping around like he was on the verge of death, Liam couldn't help but ask, "Um... Vice Dean, shouldn't we help him? He looks like he's really not okay."
Tang Jinyi smiled and shook her head, intentionally raising her voice, "No need, don't worry about him."
"This test starts slow, gradually increasing in intensity. It might take a while."
Hearing this, Liam had no choice but to remain silent, looking at Jack with pity.
I hope this guy... will be alright.
But as time went on, Liam noticed something wasn't right.
After five minutes, Jack was still convulsing with no signs of stopping.
After ten minutes, Jack was still writhing.
After fifteen minutes…
The entire rooftop was nearly spotless from Jack's thrashing, yet he hadn't even broken a sweat!
The whispers in Liam's mind had grown louder and louder, but Jack had been writhing in place since F-level and was now at B-level!
And he was still convulsing at a steady, constant rate!
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