Translator: AkazaTL
Proofreader/Editor: JWyck
***
Chapter 149
《Zhou Renjie and Mo Xiaotian’s Match Was a Bit Oddly Brutal》
[MyMomSaysNo.0: First, this was just a monthly exam. Though it’s tied to the midterm Tri-School Tournament slots, that’s only a competition among three domestic academies. If it were a global world championship, I could maybe understand fighting so hard, but for a domestic one…
Zhou Renjie kept saying his family places great importance on this competition, and if he didn’t get the slot, his status might be threatened. But if he didn’t get it, his cousins or even his family’s illegitimate children wouldn’t get it either, right? Why is it only a problem if he doesn’t get it?
Even if it’s really an issue, it’s unlikely that just one slot would cost him his heir status. That’d be too hasty, wouldn’t it? So I can’t understand why he was so crazed.
I’ll talk about Mo Xiaotian next; the main post is getting too long.]
[No.1: The OP is right. I also think it’s a bit unreasonable.]
[No.2: It’s kind of understandable, no? The author didn’t say whether others in his family got the slot. Maybe someone did and is eyeing his position.]
[No.3: Is there something wrong with Mo Xiaotian too?]
[No.4: OP, type faster.]
[No.5: Waiting eagerly.]
[…]
[MyMomSaysNo.27 (OP): Now about Mo Xiaotian. He’s the classic hot-blooded shonen type, never compromising in the face of danger, which is fine. But it depends on the situation, right?
Though he has that goofy, sunny personality, he shouldn’t be stubborn to that extent. If it were a real enemy, fine, but to fight a classmate to the point of mutual destruction, risking both their deaths, just to go all out against Zhou Renjie—something feels off.
And don’t you think Mo Xiaotian’s grandpa has been mentioned too often? It’s like everything he does is controlled by his grandpa. He wanted to sign up for the attack track, not the control track, but ended up following his grandpa’s choice. He wasn’t that desperate to win, but because his grandpa said to get the slot, he risked his life to do it.
If Mo Xiaotian were the shonen protagonist with a grandpa who raised him, mentioning him would be normal. But he’s a side character. Mentioning his grandpa so frequently feels suspicious.]
[No.28: So many words.]
[No.29: Finished reading. OP, you analyzed it so seriously, but aren’t you overthinking it?]
[No.30: Mo Xiaotian’s grandpa? I barely remember him. You noticed a side character only mentioned in passing?]
[No.31: Sounds like Mo Xiaotian’s a grandpa’s boy.]
[No.32 replying to No.31: Hahahahaha, I was thinking seriously, and your comment made me spit my drink.]
[No.33: Mo Xiaotian does seem a bit stubborn, but he’s probably fine, right? I mean, with his IQ, what problems could he have?]
[…]
[No.73: About the issue with Zhou Renjie the OP mentioned, I think I found an answer in another thread. Zhou Renjie had a private encounter with the “Black Flash” organization before, but he forgot what happened. Maybe during that time, his personality was influenced, making him increasingly obsessive.]
[No.74 replying to No.73: When did he have a private encounter? I don’t remember.]
[No.75 replying to No.74: During the maze different space. Forgot? Go flip back.]
[No.76: If Zhou Renjie was controlled, that would explain it.]
[MyMomSaysNo.77 (OP) replying to No.73: I saw that post too, and I think the analysis makes sense. Let’s see if Jiang Jiang can notice early and free Zhou Renjie from control, or he’ll fully join the villain side.]
[No.78: OP, who do you think the real Class S mole is? Everyone’s arguing like crazy over it.]
[MyMomSaysNo.79 (OP) replying to No.78: I don’t know, but in my view, only five people are possible—Su Bei, Li Shu, Zhao Xiaoyu, Mu Tieren, Mo Xiaotian.]
[No.80 replying to MyMomSaysNo.79 (OP): Zhao Xiaoyu’s impossible, right? She was just an ordinary person before, and she hasn’t shown any issues.]
[No.81: OP woke me up. You tell me if she’s a beneficiary of the “Black Flash” organization.]
[No.82: Damn! Now that you mention it, it’s kind of creepy.]
[No.83: But she struggled a lot back then, risking her life. I think Li Shu’s more likely—he doesn’t look like a good guy.]
After reading the posts about the two, Su Bei turned to the threads related to the information he’d leaked. He’d glanced earlier and saw a couple of analysis posts.
《A Brief Analysis of Nightmare Beasts Being Caused by a Meteorite》
[FlowerWorldDazzlesNo.0: I didn’t expect the world’s truth to be revealed at this point. Honestly, I’m pretty shocked. The nightmare beasts in 《King of Abilities》 weren’t always there, which feels both surprising and logical. If they’d existed forever, how many would have been born by now? They’d probably rule the world, and we wouldn’t have the current plot.
I’m curious whether this meteorite fell naturally or was man-made. If it’s the former, there’s not much to say. But if it’s the latter, that’s a huge conspiracy. Is it the “Black Flash” organization’s doing?]
[No.1: A meteorite brought nightmare beasts and abilities… Gotta say, if this were a movie, it’d turn into zombies and Ability Users.]
[No.2: I was wondering about that bug before. If nightmare beasts always existed, there’d be too many. Seeing the author’s setup now puts me at ease.]
[No.3: Sounds like it’s naturally formed. Who could summon a meteorite? And what’s the benefit of making nightmare beasts appear on Earth?]
[No.4 replying to No.3: The meteorite didn’t just bring nightmare beasts; it also brought Ability Users. Maybe the person who summoned it only wanted Ability Users, and nightmare beasts were an unintended consequence.]
[No.5 replying to No.4: So many nightmare beasts. Great theory—I crown you the new editor of 《King of Abilities》!]
[No.6: If it was man-made, that person’s too powerful. Before the meteorite, there were no Ability Users. Without abilities, how could they summon a meteorite?]
[…]
[No.52: It may not be a conspiracy, but one thing’s certain: if nightmare beasts didn’t always exist, doesn’t that mean there’s a chance to eradicate them completely?]
[No.53 replying to No.52: Mind blown!]
[No.54: I smell the main storyline.]
[No.55: How to eradicate them? Will smashing the meteorite make nightmare beasts disappear?]
[No.56: If there’s no human conspiracy, it’s probably a natural disaster, like an earthquake. We can’t stop an earthquake before it happens; we can only prepare defenses and handle post-disaster relief.
Same with nightmare beasts. We can’t eradicate them completely, only try to eliminate as many as possible.]
[No.57: Have you considered something? The manga specifically mentioned the origin of nightmare beasts, so it must be relevant later. If the meteorite fell naturally and there’s no way to eradicate nightmare beasts, what’s the point of this plot?]
[No.58: The guy above is right. Old Thief’s plots always have a purpose.]
[…]
[No.141: I have a question. Since nightmare beasts and Ability Users appeared together, if nightmare beasts are completely eradicated, will abilities disappear too?]
[No.142 replying to No.141: Probably. Then they’ll release a happy epilogue where everyone’s ordinary. Perfect.]
[No.143 replying to No.142: Support!]
[No.144: Y’all, how much have you been drinking? We don’t even know if nightmare beasts can be eradicated.]
[No.145: I don’t want abilities to disappear. If nightmare beasts can be eradicated, I hope there’s a way to keep both.]
After reading this post, Su Bei nodded. The guesses in the thread were comprehensive, so he didn’t need to add anything. Nightmare beasts definitely needed to be eradicated, and a conspiracy was possible, but he was considering whether to guide the readers now.
Guiding them now had the advantage that the plot was fresh, so they’d remember and discuss it immediately.
But the downside was that it was too early. Eradicating nightmare beasts was likely a much later event. Revealing the method now would feel disconnected from the plot.
Plus, Su Bei’s plan for the method wasn’t fully fleshed out. He wasn’t sure how advanced the “Black Flash” organization’s technology was. If his method to destroy the meteorite didn’t match their capabilities, it could cause issues later.
After much thought, Su Bei decided not to stir things up. Instead, he posted under his “Prophet” account: 《[Prophet Post] There Should Be a Way to Completely Eradicate Nightmare Beasts》. In the main post, he didn’t reveal anything beyond the known plot, only stating that the author included this plot for a reason, and since it’s unlikely ordinary people summoned the meteorite, the focus is probably on eradicating nightmare beasts.
The thread had plenty of discussion about his post, but many also asked who the Class S mole was. Su Bei didn’t respond. He’d already posted about it before, listing several candidates.
His previous candidates were Mo Xiaotian, Mu Tieren, and Zhou Renjie. Now that Zhou Renjie was ruled out, only two remained. Su Bei couldn’t pin it on one person—that’d be too much.
This level of ambiguity was just right.
With the forum and manga update fully reviewed, Su Bei considered it done. Barring surprises, the next update would likely come after their trip to “Alpha Ability Academy,” at least a week away. For that week, he could relax.
But once again, plans couldn’t keep up with changes. Whether it was luck or not, Su Bei’s life always threw curveballs just when he thought he could rest.
A task from the “Black Flash” organization suddenly appeared in the core notebook of the “Destiny” organization. As a major client, “Black Flash” tasks could be prioritized or assigned to specific members.
This time, Su Bei received a designated task concerning “Endless Ability Academy.”
Though things got tense with “Black Flash” last time over the silver ball, leading to a period where they didn’t assign him tasks, Su Bei was the one who could infiltrate “Endless Ability Academy” and retrieve the silver ball. For matters involving the academy, he was the most reliable.
So “Black Flash” had to “swallow their pride” and come to him again.
The task was simple: they asked if he could go to the “Ability User Job Base” and work with their planted operatives to cause trouble. If he agreed, the reward was substantial.
It seemed “Black Flash” planned to act there, and the only original protagonist group member going was Wu Mingbai, so there’d likely be a highlight moment for him.
Su Bei wasn’t surprised by their target. He’d already suspected trouble, given Mo Xiaotian and Zhou Renjie were in that team—hardly a recipe for peace.
He wanted to take the task, but unfortunately, he wasn’t assigned to that location.
Thankfully, the task also mentioned that if he went to the other two locations, they hoped he’d stay in contact, as they might need his help.
Su Bei could manage this secondary task, but agreeing was out of the question. He’d either agree to all three locations or none.
Otherwise, choosing any location would expose that he was involved. The only difference was whether he used a smokescreen or took the task related to himself.
Since he was only going to “Alpha Ability Academy” and not the other two, the best choice was to reject the entire task.
But as the leader of the “Destiny” organization, he maintained an all-knowing intelligence persona. Breaking that image wasn’t good—it could let enemies spot clues about his identity.
If there were no other options, rejecting was fine. He took tasks on a whim anyway, and though their reward was high, he wasn’t short on money.
Still, accepting all was preferable. It’d solidify his “Destiny” leader persona. Plus, Su Bei needed to maintain this channel to connect with “Black Flash.” Rejecting their task, especially after past friction, wasn’t ideal.
Couldn’t he act in the other two locations if he wasn’t there? Su Bei didn’t think so. He wasn’t alone—the “Destiny” organization had many operatives. Delegating tasks would get it done.
With a solution in mind, he decisively accepted the task.
But accepting now didn’t mean the partnership was set. Su Bei would only confirm after knowing what he needed to do, finalizing the acceptance.
For the task issuer, this posed a leak risk, but the “Destiny” organization handled leaks strictly—confirmed leakers faced certain death. So information security was assured.
Moreover, Su Bei’s unique status meant he wouldn’t leak, even if others did. Otherwise, what trust would the organization have? Thus, “Black Flash” paid a premium to designate Su Bei, both for task completion and confidentiality.
Seeing Su Bei accept, someone quickly contacted him. The task focused on the “Ability User Job Base,” with no clear tasks for the other two locations yet.
“Black Flash” wouldn’t reveal their full plan to Su Bei; they only wanted him as a cog to push the overall plan forward. His task was simple: on the fifth day, ensure Ye Lin was away for the entire day.
Seeing this, Su Bei fell into thought. He could definitely complete this task—just pass it to Wu Di, who’d help.
But what about afterward?
If Wu Mingbai and the others got into trouble because Ye Lin was gone, Su Bei might fall out with Wu Di. Losing the principal of “Endless Ability Academy” for a non-essential chance to mend ties with “Black Flash” would be a bad trade.
The premise was that Wu Mingbai and the others would actually get into trouble. If they didn’t, there’d be plenty of room to maneuver.
Would Wu Mingbai get into trouble? Obviously not.
Su Bei immediately agreed to the request, successfully resuming cooperation with “Black Flash.” As for the other two locations, they didn’t have no requests— “Black Flash” hoped Su Bei would keep tabs on them for accurate information and to act at critical moments.
After accepting, Su Bei contacted Wu Di. He got straight to the point, asking Wu Di to ensure Ye Lin left the team for the entire fifth day, offering a reward.
Of course, his reward was less than a third of what “Black Flash” offered him. Su Bei was thrilled with the middleman profit.
Though Wu Di was grateful to Su Bei for granting him an ability and was tempted by the reward, as the academy’s principal, he had to consider student safety carefully.
So he didn’t agree immediately, asking if this would cause trouble for the students.
Su Bei was honest: “Trouble will definitely happen, but except for the problematic students, everyone else will come out unscathed.”
“Problematic students?” Wu Di didn’t miss the key detail.
“Students who are already in trouble but haven’t shown it yet,” Su Bei replied vaguely. He wasn’t lying—both Mo Xiaotian and Zhou Renjie were under “Black Flash”’s influence. Even if they didn’t act now, they would later.
Seeing Su Bei’s reply in the notebook, Wu Di pondered in his office for a long time before asking, “Will anyone from the academy die because of this?”
“No,” Su Bei answered confidently.
Neither Zhou Renjie nor Mo Xiaotian could possibly die here, let alone Wu Mingbai and the others. At worst, they’d be captured by “Black Flash,” but with their wit, they’d surely escape safely back to the academy.
Su Bei was confident in this.
Wu Di had some guesses about Su Bei’s abilities and trusted his judgment. He also believed the “Destiny” leader wouldn’t lie in such a situation, risking his reputation.
After much thought, he accepted: “Alright, I’ll arrange for Ye Lin to be called away that day.”
His agreement wasn’t just for the obvious benefits. More importantly, Wu Di saw this as a chance to train the students. Putting them in a crisis would hone their adaptability, and with no risk of death, why not?
After agreeing, Wu Di didn’t end the conversation, asking, “Can I know who’ll be targeting them? Is it ‘Black Flash’?”
Su Bei stayed principled: “Sorry, I can’t disclose that.”
Revealing the task issuer’s identity might gain Wu Di’s favor short-term and trip up “Black Flash.”
But afterward, even if “Black Flash” didn’t know, wouldn’t Wu Di question the “Destiny” organization’s reliability? If even the leader leaked information casually, what about the underlings?
So silence was best.
Knowing the organization’s rules, Wu Di didn’t press. With this settled, Su Bei could finally relax.
The trip would last a few days, so luggage needed prepping. But for guys traveling, one suitcase was enough. He packed that day and slacked off for the next few.
The day before the mission, a class was dedicated to the team leaders briefing them. The fifteen Class S students split into three groups, heading to different classrooms.
Since Meng Huai led the “Alpha Ability Academy” group, they stayed in their classroom.
Meng Huai got straight to the point: “You’re going as exchange students. My only two requirements are: don’t start trouble, and don’t disgrace the academy.”
“What if they provoke us? Can we fight back?” Ai Baozhu raised her hand. She couldn’t stand being wronged.
Meng Huai replied calmly, “Didn’t I just say? Don’t ‘start’ trouble.”
He emphasized “start,” meaning if others provoked them, fighting back wouldn’t count as starting trouble.
After answering Ai Baozhu, Meng Huai continued, “You’ll be there for a month. Since that school uses an academy system, different ability types are assigned to different academies. So you’ll attend classes separately for the month. The academy assignments follow the same criteria as the monthly exam. Jiang Tianming will be in Class 1 of the Control Academy’s first year, and so on.”
A different academy system? That sounded intriguing. Assigning different abilities to different academies would let them dive deeper into their ability types.
The academy sent them as exchange students to showcase “Endless Ability Academy”’s teaching prowess and to let them absorb the strengths of other academies to boost their skills.