novelkee Chapter 429 - 414: Leading Students Astray
Chapter 429 - 414: Leading Students Astray
"Tsk."
Qi Xiang clicked her tongue, her gaze sweeping over the long list of instructors on the light screen once more. She raised her hand and tapped on one of the names.
When she saw the others look over in confusion, a hint of derision appeared in her eyes as she explained, "This one is from the Abnormal Ability Research Institute."
’But... she recalled that while this person was a level-seven superpower user, hadn’t he been stuck at level seven for quite a few years?’
At least, as far as she could remember, his superpower level had never changed.
’Someone like that has the nerve to be an instructor at the Superpower Academy?’
’Isn’t this just completely misleading the students?’
Qi Xiang gave a scornful little laugh and briefly explained the man’s situation.
In truth, over the years, the Abnormal Ability Research Institute had figured out and compiled many training and cultivation methods for superpowers. However, for certain reasons, this Superpower Academy, which should have been established long ago, had always been shelved.
"Hasn’t anyone proposed establishing a Superpower Academy before?" Qin Yi asked curiously from the side, resting her chin on her hand.
’That doesn’t seem right.’
The first few decades were one thing. After all, zombies were rampant back then, civilization and order had collapsed one after another, and the entire world was in chaos. It was hard enough for survivors to just stay alive, let alone ask for anything more.
But in the twenty-plus years since the zombie virus disappeared, humanity has already reclaimed most of its lost territory. While the process has certainly been arduous, it’s undeniable that order and civilization are gradually being restored. The major bases have established many schools over the years, yet the one thing missing was a professional institution created specifically for superpower users.
’It’s rather strange, when you think about it.’
"There was something like that." Seeing Gu Xi look up at him, Wei Heng thought for a moment before explaining, "I remember someone proposed this plan fifteen years ago, but for some reason, it just fizzled out."
Gu Xi understood. Most likely, the people in power had vetoed it for reasons related to maintaining social harmony and stability.
’As for the real reason... With the zombies gone and peaceful days on the horizon, what did they need so many powerful superpower users for?’
’To overthrow the power they held in their hands?’
’It was like in feudal society—what was the point of having so many scholars? A small number to serve the ruling class was all that was needed.’
Just then, Shen Yue’s personal terminal beeped.
He glanced down at it, then looked up at Gu Xi. "My old man says he secured the title of special advisor for you."
’Special advisor?’
Qi Xiang let out a mocking laugh. "How generous of them."
Gu Xi, however, thought this "special advisor" title was pretty good.
She looked up at Shen Yue and asked in all seriousness, "Is it the kind of special advisor who doesn’t have to get involved when they don’t want to, but can get involved in anything and everything when they do?"
Shen Yue looked like it was the first time he’d ever heard of such a special advisor. He stared blankly for two seconds, then gave a lazy smile and nodded in agreement. "Yep, exactly that kind of special advisor."
With that, he tapped the light screen a few times and forwarded Gu Xi’s definition of "special advisor" verbatim to his old man.
After he was done, he snapped the light screen shut without a second thought as to what his old man might think upon seeing that explanation.
...
Perhaps due to support from all sides, the Superpower Academy in City A was established with remarkable speed.
Just a few days after the announcement was made, all the necessary infrastructure was already in place. Now, all they needed were the students to arrive for the opening ceremony.
Before that, Tang You made a special trip to find Gu Xi. He wanted to ask if she had any instructions for him regarding student recruitment. He was a fence-sitter, after all, and had at least that much self-awareness.
Of course, it wasn’t that Tang You wanted to wade into these muddy waters. It was because he held the title of A City Base Commander. With this "host’s duty," the title of director of admissions fell onto his shoulders.
However, he wasn’t the only director of admissions. There were two others: one was Ye Nan, and the other was a Water Ability user named Cheng Kang, who was said to be from the Superpower Union.
They were all acquaintances, as it turned out. Ye Nan, needless to say, was Ye Xin’s daughter and came from the military’s Superpower Special Team, representing both the military and the Abnormal Ability Research Institute.
As for Cheng Kang, he was from the Superpower Union. When the Superpower Union was first established, it operated under the banner of a civilian organization for superpower users, but for various reasons, it had gradually lost its way.
Although Tang You was only in charge of recruitment, the backgrounds of the other two admissions directors were clearly far more complex. There was too much going on, and Tang You knew his own limits—he didn’t dare get randomly involved.
So, after receiving the appointment, Tang You had rushed to find Gu Xi.
As it happened, Gu Xi was quite interested in the matter. Regardless of what certain privileged classes might think, she at least believed that establishing this Superpower Academy was a good thing.
She didn’t have much to do for the next few days anyway, and since she held the title of advisor, Gu Xi decided to go see the academy for herself.
Qi Xiang, Wei Heng, and the Qin sisters went with her. Shen Yue, however, was swamped with a mountain of work and couldn’t get away, so he wasn’t able to make it that day.
When they arrived at the academy grounds, Qin Yi saw the superpower weapons in the hands of the guards at the main gate and frowned slightly. "Are those the new AC DE0507 model superpower weapons from the armory? As far as I know, even the frontline troops haven’t been equipped with them yet, but they’re already being used here."
It just went to show how much importance the higher-ups placed on this Superpower Academy.
But in the eyes of Gu Xi and the others, this kind of special attention wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
Just as the group entered the academy’s main gate, they saw Ye Nan leading a few staff members, hurrying from the other side toward the administration building.
Ye Nan’s head was down, scrolling through information on her personal terminal while murmuring something to the person beside her. She didn’t notice Gu Xi’s group walking in her direction.
It wasn’t until the staff member guiding Gu Xi’s group coughed pointedly that Ye Nan noticed Gu Xi had arrived.
After the two groups met and exchanged simple greetings, Ye Nan directly shared her light screen, projecting it for everyone to see. Only then did Gu Xi realize that Ye Nan had been looking at the application materials for new students.
"Are all the application materials here? Why are there so few?" Gu Xi asked, turning her head to the side. She remembered that when the news first spread a few days ago, many superpower users had expressed their desire to apply.
Even at Farm 0101, quite a few people were asking Mr. Zhou and the others about how to enroll in the academy.
How could there be so few people when it was actually time to register?
’That shouldn’t be right.’
"Quite a few people applied," Ye Nan said, pursing her lips. She hesitated for a moment before explaining, "But after the screening process, most of them didn’t qualify. In the end, these are the only ones who were selected."
Gu Xi didn’t understand. After a moment of thought, she asked, "What are the screening criteria? Can I see them?" She remembered that the recruitment brochure she’d seen before didn’t seem to have so many requirements.
This time, Ye Nan didn’t hesitate. She actually seemed relieved. Then, under the hesitant, look-but-don’t-speak gazes of a few nearby staff members, she shared two documents with Gu Xi.
One was the publicly released recruitment brochure that Gu Xi had seen before.
And the other one...
"This is the internal selection standard that the academy’s dozen or so deans ultimately came up with after their discussions," Ye Nan explained softly from the side, her tone somewhat complicated.