After that day, the shelves in the little black room were completely restocked with intermediate-grade metals.
Not a single piece escaped Cang’er’s grasp.
Over the course of a year, she had rolled and shaped them into all kinds of forms, all depicting Master Ji. Eating, drinking, stroking his beard, even squatting on the toilet—so much so that Ji Feng had chased her for three streets in anger at school.
“Cang’er, come look!” fourteen-year-old Mia called from the large sofa in Cang’er’s living room, curling up.
“Banana flavor,” she added.
Over the year, Cang’er’s spiritual power had improved dramatically. She could now lie in her dorm bed, release her spiritual energy, and quietly sense what flavor of high-level nutrient solution was being served in the cafeteria that day.
“Ugh, I don’t like it. Looks like I’ll need you to handle this week’s nutrient solution again,” Mia pouted, pulling out a strawberry-flavored one and drinking it down.
“Your wish is my honor, young lady,” Cang’er said with a smile.
She then stood up, walked over to Mia, and ruffled her fluffy hair.
“Let’s go. The Director is looking for us.”
Fifteen-year-old Cang’er, who diligently ate her meals every day, had grown to 150 cm. Fourteenyear-old Mia, still a picky eater, had only grown two centimeters over the year, now 142 cm.
“Oh,” Mia rubbed her tired eyes. She had been “moonbathing” again last night.
“Do your healing department training sessions always require moonbathing?” Cang’er asked, seeing Mia barely able to open her eyes.
“Yawn~ Not necessarily. As far as I know, only I do this,” Mia said lazily, climbing onto Cang’er. “My affinity is with the moon,” she added.
“Waaah~ Why does my affinity have to be the moon? Why not the sun?” Mia lamented her miserable fate once again.
“Could it be because your talent mark is moon-shaped?” Cang’er asked, adjusting Mia’s shoulders as they walked side by side.
“I asked Teacher Karl about that. He said no, it’s just a coincidence. Green-affinity users, when focused, can sense the pull of a force somewhere in the universe. Mine just happens to be the moon.” “Oh,” Cang’er tried to focus, unconsciously releasing spiritual energy, as if trying to sense forces everywhere—but nothing seemed particularly distinct.
As they spoke, they arrived at the entrance to the Director’s office. Cang’er strode in confidently with Mia.
“Master.”
“Director.”
Ji Feng nodded and gestured toward the sofa.
Seated there were a middle-aged man and three senior students. Cang’er didn’t recall seeing the three students in integrated classes before.
“This is Du Zhong, the teacher of the senior group. Because of your differing talents, you did not participate in the academy’s midterm exams. You cannot skip the final exam again. Therefore, we’ve decided that this year you will team up with the senior group for the final exam,” Ji Feng said, signaling Du Zhong to make arrangements.
“I’m Du Zhong, the teacher of the senior combat students. These three are the top-performing students from the combat and agile attack departments. This is Cang’er from the lower grades, and this is Mia. Get to know each other,” Du Zhong said, then allowed the three students to introduce themselves.
“Six-star combat soldier, Ai Wei? Jilin.”
“Five-star combat soldier, Fu An’an.”
“Six-star agile attack soldier, Qi Ming.”
Enhancing abilities requires long-term training and accumulation. Talent only determines the speed of cultivation and potential future height. From the moment a talent-user can successfully mobilize their ability, they are considered a one-star soldier. One-star up to nine-star, then god-tier soldiers, beyond which there are only high, medium, and low ranks.
After the introductions, Du Zhong opened the shared screen on the light-brain to explain:
“This will be your final exam planet: Moshazi Resource Star. You have two days to prepare. Two days from now, you will depart. The final exam lasts ten days. During that time, you must bring back one piece of high-level metal and three pieces of intermediate-level metal to pass.”
He then shared the materials so all five could access and copy them.
“All right, you five can leave now. Du Zhong and I have other matters to discuss,” Ji Feng said, waving them off after they had finished the setup.