Chapter 30: Why Is Hiding My Talents So Difficult?

Cheng Han rode his bicycle to the school gate and discovered that the entrance had been sealed off once again.

This was hardly surprising.

Tan Zicheng had been a student of No. 15 Middle School. Since the authorities had uncovered him as a follower of an evil god, there was no way they would neglect to conduct a thorough inspection of the school.

A temporary barricade had been erected outside the gate.

Whether student or teacher, everyone had to undergo an inspection before being allowed inside.

A large number of patrol officers dressed in black uniforms carefully monitored everyone entering and leaving.

Interestingly, among them was an old acquaintance—Captain Liu.

Cheng Han silently muttered, “What a small world,” before joining the line and waiting patiently for his turn.

Perhaps because of the fragments, his hearing had become far sharper than before.

He could vaguely overhear conversations among the patrol officers.

“The captain’s luck is incredible… two achievements practically fell into his lap…”

“At the end of the year, one of the deputy chiefs is retiring… the captain has a very good chance…”

The corners of Cheng Han’s lips curved upward.

Captain, you owe me a huge favor.

Before long, it was his turn.

A patrol officer shouted,

“The next five students, come over for registration!”

After a brief registration process, Cheng Han entered the security room along with four other students.

At the center of the room sat an object shaped like a tortoise shell.

Its material resembled jade, yet carried a faint metallic sheen.

Its surface was covered with mysterious and profound patterns.

Another patrol officer with a thick beard gave the usual warning.

“This is a Mystic Tortoise Stone. It can detect spiritual contamination, and its power is stronger than the Mystic Spirit Wall. Don’t stare at it for too long.”

Halfway through speaking, he noticed that four students had already been forced to look away under the pressure exerted by the Mystic Tortoise Stone.

Only one student continued studying the patterns intently.

Not until the officer finished speaking did he voluntarily shift his gaze elsewhere.

The bearded officer looked at him with interest.

“What’s your name, student?”

Cheng Han paused briefly before answering.

“Cheng Han.”

The officer nodded approvingly.

“The Mystic Tortoise Stone can detect contamination, but it can also measure spiritual strength.

“We’ve already tested more than two hundred students this morning.

“Your spiritual power is definitely the strongest among them.”

The other four students immediately turned toward Cheng Han, their eyes filled with astonishment.

Cheng Han sighed inwardly.

Why was hiding his abilities so difficult?

Back during meditation class, Qiu Yuan had quietly seen through him while observing the Mystic Spirit Wall.

Now, even a patrol officer had noticed something unusual.

The bearded officer continued,

“Cheng Han, I’d estimate that throughout all of No. 15 Middle School, there are probably no more than two students stronger than you.”

In other words—

Top three in the entire school.

Cheng Han humbly replied,

“You’re too kind.”

Personally, he believed his ability to stare at the Mystic Tortoise Stone for so long was partly due to his strong spiritual power and partly because of the fragments.

The officer laughed.

“My judgment has always been accurate. I’m definitely not exaggerating.”

Cheng Han found himself speechless.

Who talks like that?

The other four students firmly engraved the name Cheng Han into their memories.

Everyone understood that among the school’s more than two thousand students, anyone ranked in the top three possessed at least a ninety-five percent chance of becoming a warrior in the future.

Simply put—

A bright future awaited him.

The bearded officer politely said,

“Cheng Han, stand beside the Mystic Tortoise Stone and place your right hand on its edge.”

Cheng Han complied.

The officer spoke gently to him, but his tone immediately changed when addressing the other four.

“You four, hurry up too.”

No one thought this strange.

In this world, the strong faced greater dangers.

Rights and responsibilities were proportional.

Enjoying privileges beyond those of ordinary people was only natural.

The bearded officer moved to the opposite side of the Mystic Tortoise Stone and pressed down on a light-brown crystal embedded within it.

Click!

A sound resembling mechanical gears engaging echoed through the room.

An unusual wave immediately surged from the stone.

Bzzz—

A phantom hum sounded inside Cheng Han’s mind.

A faint dizziness washed over him.

Yet his body remained perfectly upright, standing as straight as a pine tree.

Within his Sea of Spirit, all three fragments seemed stimulated by something.

Their radiance brightened slightly.

The other four students, however, were clearly having a rough time.

Their bodies swayed left and right as though they were drunk.

Anyone witnessing the scene could easily conclude that Cheng Han far surpassed the others.

The bearded officer glanced at him several times.

The admiration in his eyes grew even stronger.

At that moment, Cheng Han received an unexpected notification.

“Related spiritual-type Mystic Pattern detected. Part of its structure can be referenced to complete the Spirit Realm Fragment. Complete fragment?”

His heart skipped a beat.

So the patterns on the tortoise shell were Mystic Patterns!

And there was another method of completing fragments besides skill deduction!

Without hesitation, Cheng Han responded:

“Complete it!”

Within his Sea of Spirit, the purple sphere representing the Spirit Realm Fragment instantly expanded several times over.

At its core, intricate strands of light rapidly grew and intertwined.

Perhaps because it was effectively copying an existing design, the completion process ended almost immediately.

The purple sphere shrank back to its original size.

However, it had become noticeably larger than before.

Another message appeared.

“Proficiency +32. Current proficiency: 174/1000. Spirit Value: 11.8/16.3.”

Cheng Han was overjoyed.

Thirty-two proficiency points in one go!

A new record!

His Spirit Value cap had increased by an astonishing 1.6 points!

He touched the fragment with his consciousness and received additional information.

“Spirit Realm Fragment. Completion: 6.78%.”

Its completion percentage had nearly tripled.

As expected of a true Mystic Seal.

Today’s gains were tremendous.

While rejoicing, Cheng Han could not help but feel that fate worked in mysterious ways.

He had spent days uncovering the mastermind behind the Grass Hound incident.

He had helped the authorities eliminate Tan Zicheng.

As a result, officials came to inspect the school.

That gave him an opportunity to encounter the Mystic Tortoise Stone.

The encounter allowed him to complete part of his fragment.

And that completion dramatically increased his Spirit Value cap.

From a certain perspective, perhaps this was the reward for doing a good deed.

A moment later, the bearded officer announced,

“All right! The results are normal. None of your spirits show signs of contamination.”

The strange wave subsided.

Cheng Han remained calm.

The other four students looked pale, as though they had just recovered from a serious illness.

The contrast was striking.

The officer reminded them,

“The pressure exerted by the Mystic Tortoise Stone is a little intense.

“If you’re feeling uncomfortable, that’s normal.

“Go back, drink some hot water, and get some rest. You’ll be fine.”

Clearly, those words did not apply to Cheng Han.

The officer waved his hand.

“You may go now.”

Cheng Han nodded politely and walked out.

His steps remained steady and composed.

The other four students staggered after him.

The difference between them was obvious.

After walking some distance, Cheng Han overheard discussion behind him.

“How can a student named Cheng Han be so powerful? Why have I never heard of him before?”

“I actually know who he is. A few days ago, the school selected a group of outstanding students to observe the Mountain-Suppressing Mystic Wall.

“Cheng Han is from Class Two, Third Year.

“He was the one who took Fang Han’s spot.”

“I’ve heard of Fang Han. Wasn’t he the guy who cheated to get such good results during meditation class?”

Cheng Han couldn’t help shaking his head.

There were simply too many gossip-loving people on campus.

Even the slightest rumor spread like wildfire.

(End of Chapter)