บท 12: So we were overthinking the situation!

When the text on the metallic wall fixated on the words "Mind Expanse: S Class, Psy-genes: S Class", everyone turned dumbfounded.

Kevin was dumbfounded. He recalled Shi Xiaobai acting ignorant, implying that he didn't know what a Psyker was, followed by how he looked dazed after his cocky act. He finally recalled Shi Xiaobai's depressed expression after he left quickly, having mocked him in underhanded fashion. At this moment, as he looked at the two rows of text, he felt a pain in his face. It was very painful, extremely painful. Fuck, is it that fun acting the pig to devour the tiger?

Yang Yang was dumbfounded. He was still relishing in the Kool-aid Shi Xiaobai brewed for him. It was a bowl of chicken soup for the soul named, "No Geniuses, Only the Strong". But he suddenly realized that the person who brewed the bowl of chicken soup was a genius several times more of a genius than Kevin. He immediately felt a bitter taste linger in his mouth. Damn it, this bowl of chicken soup is poisoned!

The three older people on the platform were dumbfounded. As senior members of [Gaia] with a rather lengthy resume, they had witnessed numerous Rookie Evaluation Tests. However, this was the first time they encountered a double S Class result. If not for their absolute confidence in the evaluation machine's accuracy, they would probably scramble to check if there had been any chances of fraud.

Riko was also dumbfounded. Although she had learned early on from One-Pun that Shi Xiaobai was a Psyker, she did it with an attitude of treating him as a Hail Mary effort, so she had never expected Shi Xiaobai's natural endowment to be so terrifying. Shi Xiaobai was probably the rookie with the highest natural endowment ever since the establishment of [Gaia]. Riko was laughing herself silly, thinking how lucky she was to have come by this treasure.

After everyone was dumbfounded, they involuntarily thought of the final words Shi Xiaobai said before entering the evaluation box.

Shi Xiaobai said that geniuses were ordinary people who worked hard, but they were after all ordinary people.

Shi Xiaobai said that an ordinary hard-working person could become one of the strong, and a lackadaisical genius would never be fated to be one of the strong.

Shi Xiaobai said that this world did not have any geniuses, only the strong.

When Shi Xiaobai said those impassioned words, they were more or less moved, but most of them scoffed at it. However, as they gave his words careful thought, they were suddenly enlightened. Shi Xiaobai said those words not for them, but as a warning for himself!

Shi Xiaobai was telling himself that although he was a genius amongst geniuses, he did not believe he was stronger than others. If he did not work hard, he would never become one of the strong. This world did not have geniuses. Shi Xiaobai felt disdain for becoming a genius. He wanted to be one of the strong, and for that, he would work harder than anyone!

Was there anything more persuasive than a remark from a genius with two S Class evaluations?

Nearly everyone felt admiration for him. They imagined themselves in his shoes. If I were to have dual S talents like Shi Xiaobai, will I be able to remain so modest and maintain the purest of intentions, so as to strive to become stronger?

The answer was no, they could not do it. A person with dual S talents probably numbered less than a handful in China. Any organization would treat that person as a hot potato, but also a precious gem. If they were Shi Xiaobai, even if they could maintain a false sense of modesty, they would definitely not be able to say those sincere words.

Shi Xiaobai was not only a genius, he was, in fact, even more likely to be a genius that was more hard-working than any of them!

This understanding made everyone's mood turn heavy. An inexplicable emotion began to brew in their hearts. They closed their mouths without prior arrangements, as they stared at the thirteen-year-old youth that had just walked out the metallic box.

The youth wasn't very tall or short, nor was he fat or thin. He had delicate facial features, with eyes bright like the stars, and was dressed in clean clothes. He was not considered suave, nor did he look extremely handsome. He was the type of person who would be filtered out by one's brain when placed in a crowd.

But such a youth was clearly more of a genius than anyone else, yet he was the one who spurned geniuses more than anyone. Clearly, he did not need to work as hard as anyone, but was more motivated than anyone to work hard.

What sort of soul was hidden beneath Shi Xiaobai's plain exterior?

Everyone was lost in thought when they suddenly heard Shi Xiaobai's hard-hitting voice.

"Everyone! This King takes back everything he just said. This world does have geniuses!"

Everyone was stunned, thinking that they had misheard him, but it was quickly followed by Shi Xiaobai's second sentence.

"This King is a genius. Hahahaha~! Tremble and be filled with despair. Mortals, the true genius is here!"

Shi Xiaobai's unbridled laughter echoed in the spacious room, assaulting their every nerve.

Holy shit, so we were overthinking the situation!

Shi Xiaobai is a complete idiot!

Such a foolish idiot is a dual S class genius?

In that case, aren't we worse than an idiot?

What the fuck, this world sure isn't fair!

...

"Why do these ordinary people look like they want to devour This King?"

Shi Xiaobai suddenly found something amiss with the atmosphere. Instinctively, he quickly walked towards the seats on the left from the platform. He noticed how everyone's gazes were following him, giving him the creeps.

"Could a jealous demoness have captured their hearts and minds? This King better be careful!"

Shi Xiaobai gingerly moved to his seat and realized Yang Yang was looking at him with complex looks from behind. Shi Xiaobai's eyes lit up and immediately blinked his eyes at Yang Yang.

"Praise This King. Hurry, hurry..."

With this thought in mind, Shi Xiaobai's eyes blinked even faster, but after blinking all day, he realized Yang Yang had failed to receive his intentions, turning him melancholic.

"Back then, Pleasant Goat wasn't like this when he was praising Blondy Narcissist. This King is so much more of a genius than Blondy Narcissist, so why aren't you praising This King?"

Seeing Yang Yang ignore him, Shi Xiaobai immediately turned towards Kevin who wasn't far away. He waved his hand and said, "Hey, Blondy Narcissist!"

Shi Xiaobai found Kevin's logic to be very reasonable. Humans were born unequal. For example, wasn't he, Shi Xiaobai destined to lead an extraordinary life from the moment he was born?

Shi Xiaobai cast a kind smile at Kevin, but Kevin turned to look away with an ashen face. This made Shi Xiaobai even more melancholic.

"The path of the King is indeed lonely."

Shi Xiaobai sighed as he felt that they had hurt his fragile heart.

"Shi Xiaobai, I believe what you said was right. A genius does not equal to being one of the strong." Suddenly, Yang Yang's passionate voice rang in his ears.

Shi Xiaobai was stunned as he suddenly recalled himself saying something similar just a moment ago. Just as he was about to cough to correct the incorrect point of view, he heard Yang Yang say solemnly, "I am not a Psyker, but I'm [Order]'s most promising rookie that has a chance of becoming this batch's A Class rookie. That's because the second stage of the Rookie Evaluation Test is a test of one's ability. It's not a comparison of talent, but the accumulation of each person's hard work."

"So Shi Xiaobai, if you can convince me whole-heartedly in the evaluation of ability, I will acknowledge that you are not only a genius, but truly one of the strong!"

Yang Yang's eyes flickered with intense fighting spirit and an endless amount of anticipation. Shi Xiaobai might have said those words previously out of jest, but Yang Yang had taken those words to heart. He sincerely hoped that those words were true. Only then could he persist in this belief. For this, he had to first prove that Shi Xiaobai, who said those words, was authentic.

Looking into Yang Yang's eyes, Shi Xiaobai, who wanted to say, "This King does not need your acknowledgment", had for some reason said, only with a smile, "This King is not afraid of any challenge."