Chapter 379: Testing Superpowers
“Is this the Shao Corporation Building?” Peng Lianghai didn’t expect the sports car to stop in front of the Shao Corporation Building.
The Shao Corporation was the largest taxpayer in Bihai City. It was said that CEO Old Man Shao had connections in both legal and underground circles, with astonishing financial resources.
“Our department is called the Superhuman Management Bureau. This is the Bihai branch, where my father serves as branch director – the Old Man Shao you mentioned. Let’s go.”
Peng Lianghai’s jaw dropped.
Shao Junyi didn’t seem to care, showing no surprise at her own identity.
Shao Junyi led the three into an elevator descending deep beneath the building. The elevator took an unusually long time to reach the bottom.
“People only know the Shao Corporation Building as Bihai’s tallest structure, but none realize its basement is the city’s deepest. After father became branch director, he renovated the basement into our bureau headquarters.” Shao Junyi spoke with obvious pride.
Bai Hongtu nodded: “Must have avoided a lot of taxes, huh?”
“…”
Jiang Li kicked Bai Hongtu. Learn to read the room.
Jiang Li smoothed things over: “What he meant was such a massive construction project must have been properly reported to the government.”
“…”
Shao Junyi was rendered speechless and simply stopped talking.
After identity verification, she issued three temporary passes.
“You haven’t officially joined the Superhuman Management Bureau yet, so certain classified areas are off-limits. Stay close and don’t wander off.”
Peng Lianghai nodded obediently while Bai Hongtu and Jiang Li pretended to do the same.
The four entered a softly lit room where two superhumans sat waiting.
“First we’ll verify your abilities. These two can detect lies. Any false statements may disqualify you from joining, depending on severity.”
“Name?”
“Peng Lianghai.”
“Gender.”
“Male.”
“Your superpower?”
“Physical enhancement.”
“Confirmed, enhancement-series.” Detecting no lies, the examiners recorded his ability type.
“Name?”
“Bai Hongtu.”
“Gender?”
“Your call.”
“…”
The examiners almost wrote “female” out of spite, but professionalism prevailed.
Jiang Li interjected: “You could put ‘gender unknown’.”
As the examiners brightened at this solution, Bai Hongtu hastily declared himself male.
“Superpower?”
“Immortal cultivation.”
The examiners doubted their own abilities when their lie detection confirmed this claim.
What kind of superpower was immortal cultivation?
“Can you describe its characteristics?”
“Cultivation has multiple stages: Qi Refining, Foundation Building, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Unity, and Tribulation Transcendence… I’m at the Tribulation stage now.”
“Tribulation cultivators can regenerate from a drop of blood, project their souls without fear of yin energy, sense fortune and misfortune, turn danger into safety, and manipulate stars like chess pieces.”
The examiners concluded Bai Hongtu had delusions. Their ability detected subjective truth – if the speaker believed it, it registered as true.
“Superpower: Unknown (possible delusional disorder).”
“Name.”
“Jiang Li.”
“Gender… nevermind. Your superpower?”
“Invincibility.”
The examiners deeply questioned their ability’s accuracy when it confirmed Jiang Li’s claim.
They reluctantly wrote “Superpower: Unknown.”
After the trio left, the examiners tested their abilities by pointing at each other shouting “You’re a pig!”
Both immediately got headaches.
“Our abilities work fine! Why did they fail on those two?”
……
Walking through the facility, Shao Junyi kept glancing back at Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu like they were freaks.
They arrived at a spacious room filled with strange equipment.
“This is the ability testing center for measuring your power levels.”
“Are there ability rankings?” Peng Lianghai asked.
“Yes. Five tiers total, with Tier 1 weakest and Tier 5 strongest. I’m a Tier 2 illusion-series superhuman.”
“Let’s test you first.” Shao Junyi started with the simplest case – Peng Lianghai.
“This is a 300-pound barbell. Try lifting it.”
Peng Lianghai raised it effortlessly with one hand.
“Now try 500 pounds.” Shao Junyi added weight plates.
Still no effort.
Current Peng Lianghai was several times stronger than when his powers first awakened.
600 pounds, 700 pounds, 800 pounds…
Finally he strained to lift the maximum load.
“Tier 2 enhancement-series strength! You actually reached Tier 2 through self-training?!”
Shao Junyi was shocked. This man was a genius! Her observations showed Peng Lianghai had been Tier 1 just ten days ago.
No—she suddenly remembered—that night when he appeared and captured the cultists, he’d already displayed Tier 2 capabilities.
Subsequent speed, reflexes, and explosive power tests all confirmed Tier 2 enhancement-series levels.
“Your immortal cultivation can regenerate from a drop of blood?”
“Naturally. Though it’s hard to demonstrate since no one can reduce me to just one drop.”
Jiang Li volunteered: “I’ll help.”
Before Bai Hongtu could protest, Jiang Li’s punch reduced him to blood droplets and meat scraps.
The remains quickly reformed flesh as Bai Hongtu regenerated.
“Hey! At least warn me first!”
“You said you could sense fortune and misfortune.”
“The Yin-Yang Heaven Seal ancestor couldn’t even trace your karma! How could I perceive yours?”
Shao Junyi stood dumbfounded, mouth slightly agape, wondering if she’d been illusioned.
Not even a Tier 5 healing-series superhuman could do this!
“Manipulating stars is hard to demonstrate here. Unless you’ve got any annoying planets you want flattened?” Bai Hongtu offered generously.
Jiang Li praised: “How generous, like a farmer letting guests pick vegetables freely.”
Bai Hongtu glared. Couldn’t he think of a better analogy?
“I also know some spells—I mean, fire, lightning, that sort of thing.”
Bai Hongtu raised his hand. Terrifying energy concentrated at his fingertips: his thumb released sweeping sword energy, index finger produced searing white flames that warped space, middle finger formed frost, ring finger crackled with thunder, while his pinky pressed against his palm.
Jiang Li asked: “Why no spell on your pinky?”
“Can you curl just your pinky without bending the ring finger?”
Bai Hongtu looked smug—it was a difficult maneuver.
Shao Junyi gulped. Her instincts screamed that releasing those four energies could destroy heaven and earth!
What exactly was this “immortal cultivation” superpower?