Chapter 21: Voices of Doubt

“What?” Ma Qian’s face showed a hint of surprise.

“I mean, whether it’s strength, speed, or defense, my ability is quite proficient. Can I test all three together?” Li Chenqiu repeated once more.

Ma Qian smirked mockingly. “Are you saying your ability has no distinctive feature, so you want to test all three types and take the highest rating as your own?”

At this remark, everyone present suddenly understood.

“Damn, why didn’t I think of that!”

“This guy’s cunning, no wonder he didn’t choose at first—he had this plan all along.”

“I’m convinced. Is it still possible for me to leave the team now?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Once you’ve chosen, there’s no re-selection!”

For a moment, those who had hastily made their choices all showed regret on their faces. Holding to the principle that if I can’t benefit, neither should others, they loudly protested.

“Everyone only has one chance. Doing this breaks the rules; you mustn’t agree to it!”

“If you think your ability is useless, just pick one at random. Trying all three will probably get you three Fs. Why bother?”

“Hurry up and choose. Don’t waste our time!”

Amid the crowd’s doubts, Li Chenqiu’s expression remained unchanged, as if he heard nothing.

An elephant pays no mind to ants; Li Chenqiu similarly ignored these clowns.

At the same time, the screening room was far from quiet.

“Interesting. Although this guy lacks strength, his mind works fast!”

“The ability descriptions clearly state their orientation: just strength. Why bother with all these tricks instead of simply choosing strength?”

“Maybe he just wants to keep multiple options open. You guys watch here; I’m going out for some fresh air.” Ma Tianjiu of the War Academy stretched lazily and slowly walked toward the door.

“I need to pee,” Xu Yi of the Night Academy rubbed his lower abdomen and also headed out.

With their departures, the keen-eyed saw the hidden meaning, and soon...

“I’m suddenly hungry. Going out to buy a bun.”

“My eyes are so sore. I need to rest them.”

“Sitting too long hurts my butt. I’ll stand for a bit.”

One after another, people in the front rows left the screening room, while those in the back few rows remained steadfast, not leaving without permission.

Zhu Cheng, sitting in the last row, scratched his head and cautiously poked the young man beside him. “Young man, what’s going on? Why is everyone leaving?”

The youth glanced at Zhu Cheng indifferently before returning his gaze to the screen. “They’re leaving early to compete for Qi Mingyue.”

“Ah, isn’t the ability test still going on?” Zhu Cheng asked, bewildered.

The youth rested his head on his hand, looking tired. “After grading elemental and special abilities, it’s basically over. The ceiling is low; out of forty people, few even get an E rating. What’s the point in watching?”

“Then why don’t the people in the back rows compete?” Zhu Cheng’s clear eyes brimmed with foolish innocence, as if about to overflow.

The youth gave him a speechless look. “They can’t compete anyway. If they go, they’re just background extras.”

“And you? Why don’t you go?” Zhu Cheng pressed on.

The youth clenched his fists. “I don’t want to. Do you think that’s okay?!”

“That’s fine; everyone has their own aspirations.”

...

At the testing site, Ma Qian calmly watched Li Chenqiu, who returned the gaze.

After pondering for a few seconds, Ma Qian said coldly, “Fine. The rules allow it. Strength types are the most numerous. You’ll test strength first, then speed and defense. That way, we can finish earlier.”

Li Chenqiu nodded. “Thanks for the accommodation.”

With that, Li Chenqiu stepped to the front of the strength group.

“I’m going to...”

“Enough. Even if you test all three, the result will be the same. Instead of arguing, think about how to cheat later.”

“Sigh.” The man sighed, watching Li Chenqiu’s back.

As the strength group was the largest, Ma Qian personally led it; other groups were handled by different staff.

Soon, under Ma Qian’s lead, they reached the elemental testing platform. Clearly, the strength ratings would be held here as well.

“Same rules as before. Enter and attack the test dummy. After one minute, the rating will show. Go in!” Ma Qian barked.

Li Chenqiu paid no mind and crossed the barrier to stand before the dummy.

“Get your breathing steady and start. Don’t dawdle—there are over twenty people behind you!” Ma Qian shouted.

Li Chenqiu reached out to touch the dummy and turned to Ma Qian, uttering words that shocked everyone.

“Is this test dummy sturdy? If I break it, will I have to pay for it?”

Silence fell.

Seconds later, a mocking laugh broke out among the crowd, as if a switch had been flipped. The quiet shattered instantly, replaced by a flood of derisive voices.

“Is this guy trying to be an internet celebrity, deliberately causing a scene, playing the fool?”

“Even an E-ranked ice element couldn’t leave a mark. How dare he ask that?”

“To be honest, if he’s not faking and is truly that dumb, I kind of like that.”

“Your husband.”

“Don’t insult with such filthy words.”

Laughter erupted not only here but also in the screening room.

“Hahaha, young people these days are so interesting!”

“When I was young, I was as wild as him, thinking I was a one-in-a-million genius. Then my teacher beat me up, and that sickness went away.”

“Maybe this kid really has talent. Look at how calm he is, not flustered at all.”

“Indeed, even if he doesn’t take the destined path, film school might be a good choice.”

Compared to the others’ laughter, Zhu Cheng was tense, quietly clutching his pants.

The youth beside him noticed and asked, “What’s wrong? Do you know this kid?”

Without turning, Zhu Cheng nodded. “Yeah, I brought him here.”

“Heh, how strong is he?” the youth asked curiously.

“I don’t know, but he says he’s strong. I think he’s strong too. But the strength he claims is stronger than what I imagine. Maybe he’s a bit strong, but that strength is less than what he says—closer to what I say—but still strong.”

“Uh...” The youth twitched at the corner of his mouth. “Did you study stand-up comedy before?”

...

Standing by the testing platform, Ma Qian saw Li Chenqiu looking at him and laughed. “What are you staring at? Why don’t you hit me already?”

“Have you told me if I have to pay if I break it?” Li Chenqiu asked evenly.

“If you hit it with full force and break it, I’ll pay. It’s got nothing to do with you!” Ma Qian sneered. It was the first time he’d met such a “stupid” person. Breaking a test dummy was forbidden—did he think he was Superman?

Satisfied with the answer, Li Chenqiu relaxed and raised his left knee toward his chest.

Compared to fists, knees deal greater damage and have higher hardness. Using a sharp point to break a surface is more effective than a punch.