Chapter 97: That Number Really Cuts Deep [Tips Welcome]

Who wouldn’t want the test score to be as high as possible, and to land a better signing contract? Only Tang Shen, that peculiar fellow, was content to pass by the bare minimum and take an ordinary contract.

Even so, everyone still watched without blinking, mainly to see the result of Tang Shen’s first run. They assumed that was his true strength.

Tang Shen, meanwhile, was thinking to himself, “Twenty-seven meters per second. Looks like I still need to give it another try. That speed-type gene warrior I killed was only about twice as fast, at most. Maybe I should go a little quicker—let’s say use about thirty percent. I have to be slower than him too. Living low-key really is hard.”

While others trained like mad and racked their brains for ways to improve their scores, Tang Shen was the only one thinking about how to lower his.

There was nothing he could do about it. After all, he had killed a gene warrior at school, even if it had only been a C-rank one, and that had already drawn some attention. People were bound to investigate him sooner or later, and this test would serve as a reference for them. It should be enough to turn many eyes elsewhere for the time being. Add to that his future intention to keep a low profile, and he could practically continue developing in obscurity for a long while.

Yes, he really was a genius.

In terms of speed, his control was even better than his control of brute force.

After all, with strength he often couldn’t be bothered to restrain himself, but speed had to be controlled very carefully, especially on the Eight Trigrams stakes, where he had to coordinate flexibility, balance, and everything else his body required.

Bang!

He kicked hard against the ground. The sole of his foot met the floor, and Tang Shen immediately felt a surge of power rise from it. The muscles in his legs, lean and without the slightest trace of fat, instantly tightened like a drawn bow. Then, with a violent release, he surged forward, though he deliberately kept the rhythm of his steps under control, leaving only a trail of afterimages behind him.

He shot through the timing zone like a leopard.

“39.34 meters per second!”

A red speed value lit up on display.

Qin Wu’s eyes nearly bulged out. This was far above the passing mark, already four times over. Three times was enough to pass, and Tang Shen was supposed to be a strength-type fighter.

Even Yang Zhi and the others stared wide-eyed. They had expected something like this, but the speed still exceeded their expectations.

If they knew this was less than thirty percent of Tang Shen’s true speed, their eyes might have popped right out.

Tang Shen looked up, his face darkening. When he entered the final stretch, he felt something was off and even slowed a little, dropping below that thirty-percent mark. He hadn’t expected the result to still be this high.

Bang!

“28.23 meters per second!”

Bang, bang, bang!

“27.36 meters per second!”

“27.18 meters per second!”

“27.04 meters per second!”

The five results lined up in sequence. Seeing the final reading, Tang Shen felt that this run had felt the most natural of all. When he looked up and saw the number, he was instantly delighted. It had only gone up by 0.04. Not bad, not bad. His control really was much better than when he was testing strength.

With a broad smile, Tang Shen said, “Not bad, not bad. Just right on the passing line. My luck really is excellent.”

Qin Wu: “......”

His brain glitched again. Why had the first score been so high, only for the second to drop so sharply? And the last three had all stayed above the passing line, with the final one only just barely over it. Was that even scientific?

It wasn’t scientific at all! He was clearly trying to ride the line all along!

Hu Da: “......”

Qiao San: “......”

Yu Guang: “......”

Yang Zhi: “......”

Bai Xue’s bodyguard: “......”

Seeing the numbers from the later tests, they all felt a bit ill in the liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.

As expected, this guy had really done it again, just like when he tested his strength.

“Huh? Why was the first one so high? Is your machine broken? Should I test again?” Tang Shen asked in a tone of innocent confusion. The voice was so familiar, so grating, the very same routine, the very same flavor.

Tang Shen looked at Qin Wu with utter innocence, his eyes so sincere and earnest that it was almost unbearable to meet them directly.

Inside, Tang Shen felt quite confident this time. He was sure all five runs would stay above 27 meters per second and below 28 meters per second. How evenly matched, how perfect. Test results ought to be neat and tidy like that.

Qin Wu’s mouth twitched hard. Looking at Tang Shen’s solemn face, he wanted to say something, but no words came out. He was so choked up it hurt.

In the end, he forced out one sentence: “Then test again.”

Hu Da, Yang Zhi, and the others nearly laughed out loud at the sight, but fortunately they managed to hold it in.

They more or less knew the truth, but they weren’t going to say it. Even if they did, it would be useless. Tang Shen would never admit it.

Bang, bang!

“27.03 meters per second! 27.04 meters per second! 27.04 meters per second! 27.04 meters per second! 27.05 meters per second!”

Tang Shen cooperated perfectly and completed the test again. He felt wonderfully satisfied. Seeing those five numbers, he was immediately overjoyed. These five results were simply brilliant.

The average was 27.04, and the middle value was also 27.04. Very good. Very good indeed.

Qin Wu: “......”

This scene was way too familiar, way too eye-searing. Sure enough, he had already anticipated it in his heart, but he still wanted to see it one more time. And these numbers were truly stabbing him in the chest.

Tang Shen wore a relieved expression. “Thank goodness, thank goodness. Right on the passing line. My luck really is excellent.”

That line, too, sounded painfully familiar.

Qin Wu recorded the result seriously: 27.04 meters per second.

Tang Shen saw it and looked very satisfied.

Yes, exactly so. That was right.

Qin Wu took one serious look at Tang Shen’s sunny smile and relieved expression, and a faint suspicion couldn’t help but rise in his heart.

Was it really just an accident? Was it really only a coincidence? Perhaps it truly was.

“There’s one final assessment: reaction speed. I can first sign a provisional contract with you on behalf of the martial hall. You can join this year’s group foundational training first, and then take the assessment. But with that arrangement, you won’t receive a certificate or badge yet. Alternatively, you can take the assessment now. If you’re confident and pass, you can get the certificate and badge immediately, and then sign a formal contract. Which would you prefer?” Qin Wu asked Tang Shen.

Tang Shen smiled and said without the slightest hesitation, “Of course I’ll take the assessment now. I’m very poor, and I’m still waiting to collect my salary to live on.”

Qin Wu: “...... Please don’t joke.”

In his view, a gene warrior saying he couldn’t afford to live was a joke. Even if they spent everything they had on resources, they could still live well enough. They never had to worry about food, clothing, or shelter. As long as they stepped outside and stood somewhere, people would come to invest in them and support them.

But Hu Da and Yang Zhi knew Tang Shen was telling the truth.

Little by little, they discovered that every word Tang Shen said, which at first sounded like a joke, was gradually becoming reality. That could only mean he really was poor.

They also knew he was an orphan, one who had been supported by the state all the way until his final year of high school. He truly was poor.

If they hadn’t known in advance, they would have thought the same thing as Qin Wu and refused to believe it.

Ordinary people spend their whole lives struggling for food, clothing, housing, and transportation. These people, by contrast, spend their whole lives struggling to become stronger. That was the difference.