Chapter 25: The Official Assessment

“Knock, knock!”

The rhythmic knocking on the door roused Qi Chen from his slumber. Still groggy, he slowly climbed out of bed, yawning as he made his way downstairs.

Last night, he had been “evicted” from the Mask Room, and as consciousness faded, an overwhelming drowsiness swept over him. He collapsed onto his bed and fell into a deep sleep. If not for the sudden knocking, he might have slept even longer; now, he was still only half awake.

“Who is it?” he asked, covering his mouth with one hand as he opened the door. Seeing the visitor, Qi Chen instantly jolted awake.

“Warm-Hearted Senior?! What brings you here?!”

Warm-Hearted smiled without speaking, and his calm gaze sent a chill racing up Qi Chen’s spine.

“Did you forget something, kid? No sense of time at all?” Warm-Hearted raised his wrist to reveal a simple, old-fashioned watch, tapping its face with his finger to produce a sharp clinking sound.

Qi Chen suddenly remembered—yesterday, when they parted at the East City warehouse, Warm-Hearted had reminded him to attend a departmental training this morning.

He shrank his head and glanced at the clock inside the house, embarrassment flooding his heart.

He wasn’t very late—just that morning had turned into noon.

“Stubborn kid, aren’t you going to get dressed?” Warm-Hearted sighed and shook his head. “Today is your probation assessment, you know?”

Qi Chen’s head shot up, his eyes sparkling.

Probation?

He was going to be made permanent?!

That meant his job was finally secure. During his internship, he’d lacked a sense of stability, but once he became permanent, he’d have a fixed position in the Department of Anomaly Management.

Wasn’t this the first step toward a bright future?

“How did I suddenly get promoted?” Qi Chen asked Warm-Hearted excitedly, his tone almost trembling.

“It’s mainly thanks to your own efforts. Yesterday’s emergency and your capture of a prisoner were impressive. Captain Fu naturally shortened your probation period and granted you special permission for today’s assessment.

“Also, the Research Institute helped a bit. Those research maniacs couldn’t wait to drag you over for testing the moment they heard a new anomaly walker was joining. We’ll talk more on the way—go get ready.”

Overjoyed, Qi Chen dashed upstairs and changed as quickly as he could. Unfortunately, he had no new clothes; otherwise, he would have groomed himself more meticulously. For now, all he could do was put forth his best spirit.

“Not bad, let’s head out. Luckily, you live close to the department. If you waste any more time, who knows what Captain Fu will do,” Warm-Hearted said, scanning Qi Chen approvingly and urging him to hurry.

Without hesitation, the two set out for the grand building housing the Department of Anomaly Management. Qi Chen, filled with joy, noticed that the surrounding architecture seemed brighter than before, no longer weighed down by a secret oppressive air.

Because of the tower, the whole of City Three was bathed in its light at all times. The distinction between day and night had blurred, for the tower’s lamp never went out.

If the tower lamp were ever extinguished, the mist outside the city would quickly flood within. Only the tower’s special light could dispel it.

It was said the principle behind it was related to the mind and anomalies.

While the tower protected residents from direct interference by the mist, it also brought side effects. For most who would spend their lives within the city, the sun and stars were little more than history.

Perhaps everyone’s heart harbored a suppressed longing.

“The central streets are so clean,” Qi Chen remarked suddenly, noticing that the center of City Three was far superior in every aspect to the streets where he’d stayed when he first arrived in this world.

“Of course! And it’s not just the center; every part of City Three stands out compared to similar districts in other cities,” Warm-Hearted replied proudly. “In the other Alliance cities, you’ll even find slums.

“Those are common in most cities—chaotic, harsh, breeding grounds for mental abnormalities and anomalies.”

The impact of environment on people’s psyche was far greater than most imagined. Forcing a normal person to live long-term in a filthy, cramped place would inevitably lead to psychological issues.

The Alliance recognized the importance of environment for mental security from its founding. Yet as the population grew and new districts expanded, environmental improvements became a considerable expense and burden.

Of the Alliance’s nine cities, more than half gradually reduced their budget for urban maintenance, diverting funds to the City Guard, the anomaly department, and the research institute.

City Three was an exception—there were no absolute slums, and the focus on public health had never faltered.

“Commander Li is truly a visionary,” Warm-Hearted sighed, suddenly patting Qi Chen’s shoulder. “Before your assessment, let me explain a few things.

“Technically, anomaly walker testing should be handled by the central research institute in City One, but nowadays the main cities handle it themselves.

“So don’t be nervous about showing your abilities. Though I tease the researchers for being crazy, that’s just on the scientific side. Here in City Three, we’re always united and friendly. If you have questions, ask boldly.

“The main test covers the three anomaly factors I mentioned: power, mental strength, and projection range.

“Besides that, they’ll see if your anomaly has any special abilities—like my warmth, which lets me change the hardness and toughness of materials at will.

“Afterwards, they’ll assess your psychological state, and the department will guide you based on your test report, helping you master your powers without losing control.”

Qi Chen understood, looking gratefully at Warm-Hearted. Hearing all this put his mind at ease.

He wasn’t very outgoing, and still felt some resistance to the test. Even if passing meant becoming permanent, he disliked the idea of being scrutinized like a lab rat.

He trusted Warm-Hearted, and his anxiety about the coming test eased a little.

Maybe, through this assessment, he could find a way to truly control the Power of Overlord?

Next time in the Mask Room, he didn’t want the white mask mocking him again—he had to be the one to laugh back!

With such thoughts, the building of the Department of Anomaly Management came into view.

The test was about to begin.

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