“Ahem… so, Number 1304, let’s talk about your test results.”
Back in the familiar Containment Room, Qiu Qiqian sat in the same chair, watching the analysts standing outside the observation window.
She waited to see what kind of new tricks they were going to pull on her today.
“After a thorough review, your final result is Grade B-B. Your intelligence level ranks in the upper-middle tier for humans,” the analyst announced in a flat, emotionless tone.
“Only upper-middle? I thought I’d definitely be higher,” Qiu Qiqian said with a hint of disappointment.
Then, as if realizing something, she began looking around the room.
“Speaking of which, aren’t that girl Li Meng and I in a… ‘bound’ situation? Why isn’t she in this room with me?”
“This is to ensure that your questioning and testing are not disturbed. Miss Li Meng is currently sitting outside the Containment Room. Once our testing and questioning are finished, we will naturally let you back out.”
“Fine, fine~ Then hurry up and ask. I don’t want to stay in a place like this for too long.”
“Very well… Next question. We noticed that in the bonus section of this test, specifically the question ‘If you found a Guiyi devouring a person, what would you do?’, you gave the answer: ‘Snatch the phone of the nearest person and notify the nearest Youxun Sentry Post.’ Why did you write such an answer?”
the analyst asked, holding Qiu Qiqian’s completed test paper.
“Huh? Weren’t you guys just discussing how my destructive power isn’t even as good as a… Baoshou-level Guiyi? Did you expect me to go over there and fight it off?”
“Did you forget to turn off the mic when you said that?”
another analyst asked, looking at the one currently closest to the microphone.
“It seems I did. Ahem… That’s not what we’re asking. Rather… why would you choose to help that person?”
“Please, I’m not one of those mindless Guiyi. I’d definitely want to stop something like that. Besides, those Guiyi don’t understand sustainable development at all. If they drain people dry, what am I supposed to absorb?”
“Wait? Sustainable development?”
The analysts outside the observation window heard this term for the first time.
They were intrigued enough that most of them put down their work and came over to hear what Qiu Qiqian had to say.
“Exactly. Life force is something that can regenerate as long as the loss doesn’t exceed a certain limit each time. So, if you absolutely have to absorb life force, you just shouldn’t focus on one person. Drain a little and then switch to someone else, and there won’t be any danger to their lives.”
Qiu Qiqian crossed her arms and closed her eyes, explaining in the tone of an old teacher.
She seemed very confident in her theory.
However, she quickly added as if realizing a problem, “Of course! I definitely don’t mean that I view humans as prey or anything like that! I’m just stating a viewpoint!”
“That is certainly a novel answer…”
the analyst with the small mustache remarked, stroking his chin in wonder.
“How do you know that life force is regenerative?”
“Ahem, I deduced it, of course. If life force weren’t regenerative, then everyone with kidney deficiencies, illnesses, or even those who tripped and got a bloody scrape would all die young, wouldn’t they?”
“Hmm… a reasonable deduction. It seems your practical intelligence might be even higher than the test results suggest.”
“Hmph, obviously. Just look at who… ahem… who I am.”
“Moving on… next question. According to what Miss Li Meng reported to us… during your activities with her last night, you seemed to have consumed a Chimei-level Wart Crystal?”
“!”
Qiu Qiqian’s body visibly jerked.
She probably hadn’t expected that girl, Li Meng, to “sell her out.”
‘Damn, that silly girl… how could she tell them about that? But then again… she’s one of their Organization’s people to begin with. It’s actually reasonable for her to report it…’
“Achoo!”
Outside the door, Li Meng suddenly sneezed.
She pulled a tissue from her pocket and wiped her nose.
‘I have a feeling someone is talking about me behind my back…’
Back in the room… when Qiu Qiqian learned that her consumption of the Wart Crystal had been revealed by Li Meng, the smile on her face stiffened for a moment.
She still tried to force herself to stay calm.
“That… it was just accidental ingestion. Accidental.”
“Accidental? Forget it, it’s not important. Before you came in, we specifically had the relevant personnel use a Bole Detector to re-analyze your level. The results show… that you have now reached the rank of… HIDDEN HUNTER.”
When the words “Hidden Hunter” were spoken, the gazes of several analysts became noticeably sharper.
It wasn’t exactly hostility; beyond curiosity and scrutiny, it was more of a… vigilance?
“Huh? Who? Me?”
Qiu Qiqian hadn’t felt any changes herself, so she pointed a finger at herself in disbelief.
“If you don’t believe it, you can try it against that Metal Dummy from last time.”
As he spoke, an analyst adjusted the controls, causing the same Metal Dummy from the previous session to rise from the floor once again.
Qiu Qiqian stood up unhurriedly and turned to face this “old friend.”
She still faintly remembered that the last time she punched this thing, not only did she fail to damage it, but her fist had hurt like crazy.
‘If it’s really like they said…’
Qiu Qiqian closed her eyes and slowly calmed her mind.
She began trying to mobilize the Nether Breath within her body, attempting to manifest it into some kind of destructive form.
However, for some reason, it was as if her skill list only contained one entry.
The form she was able to manifest was actually the same Black Arm released by that Guiyi yesterday.
‘Whatever, an arm is an arm.’
The moment Qiu Qiqian opened her eyes again, the Nether Breath radiating from her body became violent, enough to even lift her long, light-brown hair.
She raised her hand and gestured toward the Metal Dummy.
At that instant, a pitch-black arm suddenly tore through the air, crushing the Metal Dummy against the wall with a single strike.
It even left a visible indentation in the wall.
Such powerful destructive force left even Qiu Qiqian a little stunned.
‘Did I actually become stronger? But why didn’t it feel like it… no… it must be because I’ve been with Li Meng ever since I got stronger yesterday. Compared to her massive Nether Breath, mine really doesn’t seem like much…’
‘Come to think of it… these analysts won’t think I’m a bigger threat now that I’m stronger and decide to execute me, will they? They wouldn’t, right?’
“To evolve to this degree just by eating one Chimei-level Wart Crystal… if a normal Guiyi possessed this ability, they would definitely be a huge threat to us…”
one of the analysts analyzed calmly.
The other analysts nodded in agreement.
‘No way? You guys aren’t really going to execute me, are you? And I only evolved to Hidden Hunter after devouring a Chimei-level crystal. How is that a huge threat?’
The analyst with the mustache noticed the clear traces of unease in Qiu Qiqian’s eyes.
He let out a light cough and spoke.
“Rest easy, Number 1304. You do not belong to the category of ordinary Guiyi. You can act as if what was just said didn’t happen.”
“Is that so? Good, then…”
Qiu Qiqian breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down in the chair.
“Now… the final question…”
The analyst’s tone suddenly became solemn.
“How… do you view humans?”
“…”
‘This guy… is testing my attitude toward humans, isn’t he? I mean, this is a bit too obvious.’
Qiu Qiqian stared at the analysts behind the observation window, her eyes narrowing slightly as she began to think about what would count as a reasonable answer.
If she answered “Humans are my friends,” it would be far too fake.
After all, she had been captured, and she was a Guiyi.
Didn’t humans often say, “If they are not of our race, their hearts must be different”?
If she showed hostility… for example, saying they were “prey” or “food,” that girl Li Meng might be called in the next second… and besides, she wouldn’t say such things to begin with.
‘Then… in that case…’
“Hmm… I think… they are beings worth communicating and interacting with?”
‘Though, because of their vigorous life force, they inevitably attract Guiyi…’
“Hmm, an interesting answer. Alright, Number 1304, you may leave. Next, you will enter a three-month Observation Period.”
“Observation Period?”
“Correct. Based on your performance during the Observation Period, we will decide whether to grant you the status of an Organization member. If you perform well during this time, you will become the first Guiyi to hold membership in the ‘World’s Shadow’ Association.”
***
“I say, Oppabaf, why did you apply to the higher-ups for this ‘Observation Period’ thing? The existence of a Guiyi is, in itself, a danger.”
The previous night, while Qiu Qiqian and Li Meng were dealing with that Chimei-level Guiyi, a slightly younger female analyst had questioned the mustached analyst in the branch Association’s records room.
The analyst known as Oppabaf did not answer immediately.
Instead, he placed all the materials in his hands into their corresponding files before answering while reading a document on his computer.
“Alisa, in your view, why is a human a human?”
“What kind of question is that?”
Oppabaf took a sip of hot coffee and continued.
“In my view, the reason a human is a human isn’t just because they have this unique physical form. More importantly, it’s because humans possess humanity, emotions, and empathy.”
“If a person has no humanity, no emotions, and no empathy, do you still consider them human?”
“What are you talking about?”
Alisa’s face twitched slightly.
She felt as though Oppabaf was talking about something quite insane.
“My point is, if a Guiyi simultaneously possesses a human form, humanity, emotions, and empathy, can they also be treated as a human?”
“…Is that why you applied for an Observation Period for Number 1304?”
“Indeed,” Oppabaf nodded.
“I want to see what kind of… surprises a Guiyi who is infinitely close to a human will bring us.”
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