Huo Yu was speechless. She stared at Bai Xuan as if he were some kind of monster. Right now, she seriously doubted whether this guy was secretly working for the government and just messing with her.
If not, how else could he have pulled so much information out of such tiny scraps?
She could almost let the earlier parts slide, but that last bit… he might as well have just said her real name out loud.
“Judging by your expression, my guess was correct.”
Bai Xuan nodded thoughtfully, then seemed to remember something else and was about to speak.
Before he could get a word out, Huo Yu cut him off.
“Forget the rest. How can you be so certain that the revival of spiritual energy was triggered by the Seven Stars Alignment? And that the government had no prior information about it?”
Huo Yu could understand everything else he had said, but this part completely baffled her.
Normally, once someone figured out the government was behind certain events, they’d assume the government had known about the spiritual energy revival beforehand and had secretly been training people or preparing things. That would be the logical conclusion.
So why was he so adamant that the government knew nothing? And why was he so sure the Seven Stars Alignment was the cause?
Similar astronomical phenomena had occurred in the past, and none of them had ever sparked a spiritual energy revival.
“I have my own sources.”
Bai Xuan didn’t answer her directly. He just said it flatly.
How was he supposed to explain it? The real instigator of the spiritual energy revival was the Chat Group. It had initiated the whole process after negotiating with the world’s consciousness, all for the purpose of selecting a member with exceptionally high fortune.
Unless someone from Huaxia had been reborn from a future already shaped by the spiritual energy revival, there was absolutely no way anyone could have predicted this.
“…”
You’re just a high school student. What kind of ‘sources’ could you possibly have? Don’t you think I’d know if you had any real connections?!
Huo Yu rolled her eyes. She was, after all, a government agent. Before coming here, she had reviewed every scrap of information available on Bai Xuan. Did he really think his so-called “sources” could hide something from the entire nation?
“I am curious about one thing,” Bai Xuan said, looking at Huo Yu. “How did you pinpoint me as the one who acted?”
Had they installed surveillance cameras on the playground without anyone knowing? Was there a secret recording? Satellite monitoring? Or was it those Scarlet Flame Birds?
Scarlet Flame Birds…
As if confirming something to himself, Bai Xuan murmured, “Assuming all my previous guesses are correct—that those Scarlet Flame Birds were the work of some government esper with a summoning-type ability—there must be some form of connection between the esper and their summons.”
“Memory viewing? Shared vision?”
“From the perspective of esper abilities, neither of those is impossible.”
If that were the case, it was perfectly logical that he had been identified. He still remembered the intense way that Scarlet Flame Bird had fixed its gaze on him.
If vision could truly be shared, pinpointing him would have been incredibly easy for the other party.
Now that he had his answer, Bai Xuan’s confusion faded, replaced by an assessment of the esper’s strength.
“On the very first day of the spiritual energy revival, to be able to summon such a large number of Scarlet Flame Birds, and with such formidable strength… That’s a remarkably powerful talent.”
“The Scarlet Flame Birds are definitely not the summoner’s limit. If they went all out, they could likely summon even more powerful creatures. It just goes to show—even in an era of universal awakening, true geniuses still far outstrip the ordinary.”
While most people’s newfound abilities were still at the level of child’s play, some individuals possessed formidable combat power from the very moment they awakened.
Just the sheer quantity of summoned Scarlet Flame Birds alone was enough to hold off over ninety-nine percent of the world’s espers. The gap between geniuses and ordinary people hadn’t shrunk after the spiritual energy revival; it had only widened further.
“Truly, one must never underestimate the rest of the world.”
Bai Xuan nodded with deep feeling. Even though he possessed the 【Authority of Nature】, his own fortune was the highest on Earth, and he had the Chat Group at his side, he still couldn’t afford to look down on those genuine prodigies.
The future of Earth would not be a story of him sitting alone above the clouds. It would be a vibrant era where a hundred flowers bloomed and countless talents showcased their unique powers.
That was exactly what the world should look like after the revival of spiritual energy.
“So… what’s with that gratified expression on your face?”
“Since you’ve acknowledged how powerful their ability is, could you at least pretend to be a little surprised?”
“You look like you’re thinking, ‘Sure, they’re strong, but not as strong as me.’ Just how absurdly confident are you?!”
Seeing the look on Bai Xuan’s face, Huo Yu felt another vein threatening to pop on her forehead. This kid was completely unlike any normal high school senior!
“Fine. I give up.”
Letting out a small sigh, Huo Yu pulled two documents out of her bag.
“Forget everything we talked about before. Let’s get down to the real business now.”
“Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am the head of the Hangzhou branch of the newly established Spiritual Energy Bureau. I am also the person you correctly guessed—the one who awakened the summoning-type ability and called forth those Scarlet Flame Birds.”
“Because I can share vision with my summons, I noticed that one of the Scarlet Flame Birds kept its gaze fixed on you. I also saw your completely unsurprised expression when it was destroyed, as if you’d expected it all along.”
“Although I don’t know why you registered your ability as ‘Metal Element’ yet displayed such a powerful ‘Lightning Element’ power, it only proves that your talent is far greater than we initially estimated.”
“Therefore, after careful consideration, the Hangzhou Spiritual Energy Bureau would like to invite you to join us.”
Bai Xuan picked up the document and glanced at it, then looked back at her with a puzzled expression.
“Is this contract a creation of some esper ability? What happens if someone breaks it?”
“It’s just a regular piece of paper. And why are you already thinking about breaking it before you’ve even signed it?!”
Huo Yu clenched her fist. If she could get away with it, she’d really love to give this brat a good smack.
“Oh.”
Bai Xuan nodded at her words, then continued, “Before I do anything, I think you should describe the benefits of joining the Spiritual Energy Bureau.”
“They’re written right there on the paper, aren’t they?”
“I’m just an ordinary high school student. Do you really think I have the patience to read a multi-page document filled with fine print? I don’t even read the player agreements in video games.”
Bai Xuan’s tone was perfectly calm, but Huo Yu could swear he was looking at her like she was the slow one in the room.
“Once you join the Spiritual Energy Bureau, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted according to your demonstrated strength and talent.”
“If your talent is exceptional enough, you’ll be assigned a private villa, a personal training ground, professional sparring partners, and access to high-energy food supplies. Beyond that, if you have any specific requests, you can bring them up. As long as they’re not completely unreasonable, we can discuss them.”
“As for resources, those are also allocated based on your demonstrated strength and talent. The better your talent and the stronger your power, the more resources you’ll receive.”
“In return, what we ask is that you help deal with the mutated beasts and ferocious creatures that have emerged due to the spiritual energy revival and pose a threat to humanity.”
“That’s about it for now. The revival just began, after all, and the Spiritual Energy Bureau itself is newly established. The systems and regulations aren’t fully fleshed out yet.”
