Jordan’s expression suddenly turned serious.
She looked Lucas over again, her gaze like an X-ray scanner.
"You’re the famous Guardian? The one who slapped A-Train away with one hand!"
"You’ve seen the video?"
"The whole school has seen it, okay!" Jordan sat up straight. "You are the most discussed topic at our school this semester, bar none."
"Higher than Golden Boy?"
Jordan scoffed.
"What is Golden Boy, anyway? He’s just a freshman; he can’t even compare to your toes!"
This reaction was interesting.
Lucas remembered that in the plot of Gen V, Jordan and Golden Boy’s relationship was decent.
They were rivals who mutually respected each other.
But now it seemed her opinion of Golden Boy wasn’t very high.
"I came here today to see if Godolkin University has any talent worth recommending." Lucas was straightforward. "The Seven will be undergoing personnel adjustments soon, and positions will open up."
Jordan’s eyes lit up, but she quickly suppressed it.
"You have the power to recommend?"
"I do."
Jordan stared at him for a few seconds, then smiled.
"Then what do you think of me?"
"I don’t know, I haven’t seen your abilities yet."
"I can demonstrate right now."
"Another day. My schedule is quite full today." Lucas stood up, took a business card from his pocket, and handed it over.
The business card was printed by Vought’s PR department; it had only a name and a phone number on it.
Jordan took the business card and looked it over carefully.
"No way, why is there only a phone number? There isn’t even a job title?"
"Trust me, kid, if I really tried to print it, a single business card wouldn’t be enough space."
Lucas recalled his nicknames.
Artilleryman, Captain, Monster Hunter Supreme, Harran Superman, Butcher of White Orchard, Ripper of Valentine...
Jordan put the business card into her hoodie pocket.
"I’ll call you."
"OK!"
[Key Character · Jordan Li — Emotional Shift: Curiosity, Interest, Ambition]
[Evolution Points Gained: +1,124]
[Current Evolution Points: 79,332 / 100,000]
...
Training Ground B.
It was much livelier here than in the lounge.
A dozen students were conducting group combat training, with superpower light effects and Shockwave-like blasts occurring one after another.
If they were taken to Hollywood to film a movie, they probably wouldn’t need to spend money on post-production special effects.
Lucas stood on the observation deck and quickly found his target in the crowd.
Cate Dunlap.
Blonde curly hair, round face, she looked like a harmless girl next door.
However, her superpower was the kind that would be formidable even in Marvel.
Mind control.
One of the most dangerous abilities at Godolkin University.
At this moment, Cate was standing on the edge of the training ground, not participating in the combat.
Her partner was a sturdy-looking boy, currently fighting intensely with another group in the center of the field.
But Lucas noticed that the sturdy boy’s movements were somewhat unnatural.
His reaction speed was too fast; it didn’t seem like his own judgment. Every dodge and counterattack seemed like someone had told him the opponent’s moves in advance, almost like precognition.
Lucas looked at Cate.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, her lips moving silently.
She was controlling her partner.
It was like a form of auxiliary psychic link; she seemed to be reading the opponent’s intentions and transmitting them to her partner in real-time.
The two of them worked together seamlessly.
After the training ended, Cate’s partner ran over excitedly to high-five her.
Lucas walked down from the observation deck and headed toward Cate.
She noticed him.
A strange man in a suit appearing on the training ground, and not even a faculty member, was eye-catching enough as it was.
"Hi?" Cate tilted her head. "Are you the new coach?"
"No, I’m with Vought."
"Vought?" Cate blinked. "Are you the special envoy who came to select candidates?"
News traveled fast enough.
Brink, that big mouth, probably already spread the news of the special envoy’s visit to the whole school.
"I suppose so," Lucas looked at her. "You’re Cate?"
"Cate Dunlap!" She extended her hand, smiling brightly. "Sir, you can call me Cate."
Lucas shook her hand.
The moment their skin touched, he felt an extremely subtle psychic fluctuation, like someone was gently stroking his brain.
Cate was testing him.
Probing his emotions and intentions with psychic perception.
Lucas didn’t stop it.
A Viltrumite Soldier’s mental defenses were sufficient to withstand this level of probing; Cate couldn’t read any useful information.
But he intentionally let a little something out.
Goodwill!
Appreciation!
And even a hint of... anticipation!
Cate’s pupils dilated slightly.
She let go of his hand, her smile changing from professional friendliness to genuine curiosity.
"You seem... not quite like the other Vought people."
"How so?" Lucas was a bit curious.
"Vought people are more focused on reality; their minds are full of selling points, packaging, marketing, and the like. Your emotions are quite pure."
It was the first time Cate had met someone so free of distracting thoughts.
"I see, a mind reader? Your ability is not bad."
He took a second business card out of his pocket.
"The Seven will be undergoing adjustments and positions will open up. I have the power to recommend. If you’re interested, you can contact me, and we can find a time to talk in private."
Cate took the business card and looked down at it.
"Fuck! You’re Guardian?"
"I don’t think anyone would impersonate me!"
Cate’s expression changed even more dramatically than Jordan’s.
"I’ve heard of you. You saved that mother and son and stopped A-Train."
"It was all a small matter."
"It’s a small matter to you," Cate carefully put the business card into her pocket, "but it’s not for the people you saved. You’ve saved who knows how many families!"
This remark made Lucas look at her again.
Mind controllers usually have a deeper perception of others’ emotions, which allows what she says to always accurately touch the heart.
This counted as a kind of gift, and also a kind of curse.
Human nature cannot withstand testing; those who walk on the edge for a long time inevitably fall into the abyss.
"I will contact you," Cate said, "and I have many questions I want to ask."
"There will be opportunities."
Lucas didn’t say much more. He only came for a simple contact this time. Godolkin University had many secrets, and there was plenty of time to explore them.
[Key Character · Cate Dunlap — Emotional Shift: Curiosity, Ambition, Initial Trust]
[Evolution Points Gained: +1,347]
[Current Evolution Points: 80,679 / 100,000]
...
On the way out of Godolkin University, Lucas sat in the car and calculated.
Jordan and Cate had completely different personalities.
But both had the potential to join The Seven, and both had value to be utilized.
Just as he was thinking, a new message popped up on the panel.
[Billy Butcher — Status: Approaching]
[Estimated Time: Within 12 hours]
Butcher?
Why would this Butcher think of contacting him?
"Interesting. Does this count as the butterfly effect?"