"OK, here's your application form."
"...That's it?"
Lu Ping'an was a bit incredulous as he held the successful application form in his hand.
He had just briefly demonstrated his BUFF ability and mentioned that he was pursuing the Gardener's path and he had secured approval. Just like that.
Next thing he knew, he was shoved out of the office by the queue behind him.
"...Another logistics dog."
"Enough, the guy's smart. Oh, unlike us idiots trying to cross a single-log bridge amongst a whole army."
Mocking comments wafted from the crowd.
He was at the ground floor lobby of the office building, where the queue was teeming with people. He didn't know who said it.
But from the way most people looked at those coming from the "Logistics Department Registration Office", Ping'an knew that what Meow had mentioned about "hostility" was probably an understatement.
When entering the General Department required at least an average of seven points and also needed some luck, the Logistics Department only needed six points, so bitterness was only natural.
Under such circumstances where one incurs the wrath of many, it isn't usually the time for reasoning — one should just lay low.
The few people ahead of Lu Ping'an from the Logistics Department, faced with this resentment from the crowd, also quietly left with their forms.
But this was Lu Ping'an we're talking about...
"...Ah, the Logistics Department is so dry. An average of six points and I'm into university, it doesn't reflect my abilities at all..."
With that single comment, he had drawn the ire of all. Everyone stared in shock.
But there's more.
"...Oh right, I remembered it wrong. I also pulled some strings and got 1 point for an internship, and another 2 points for being first-tier... Oh? I actually only needed an average of five points! Hahaha, that was way too easy."
The teenager struck a victorious pose in the middle of the hall, laughing heartily under the amazed gazes of everyone.
"Some people should just honestly take the exam. I'm going home to play games."
"You..."
Finally, someone couldn't bear it any longer and pushed through the crowd, intending to teach this insufferably arrogant guy a lesson.
Ping'an didn't know if this was the guy who made the sarcastic comment earlier, but he knew those guys were certainly in there, so...
"It's you! Stink Bomb!"
As he spoke, Lu Ping'an suddenly threw down a couple of root-like things.
The next moment, large red flowers erupted from the ground. In an instant, the entire lobby was filled with an "enticing" smell.
"Ugh, it stinks!"
"What is that?!"
"Who farted, no, it's so smelly... someone pooped... wait, who pushed me!"
The Corpse Flower, a slightly modified common plant (0-tier), hence it was very cheap.
But using it here in the crowded lobby had a phenomenal effect.
Once the enormous flower bloomed once in its lifetime, it gave off a revolting smell. The victims immediately turned and ran.
But in a lobby already packed with people, where could they run?
The lobby soon turned into a messy pile of people. The instigator of all this, however, had already quietly slipped away.
The chaos had just begun. At the other end of the lobby where people were still unaware of what was happening, the foul smell and human wave were already sweeping over.
"...Is this the child you recommended?"
"Pretty good, huh."
"Indeed, he's very lively."
While the first floor descended into chaos, up in an office on the second floor, someone familiar with Lu Ping'an was having a conversation.
"...So like what we discussed, if he doesn't pass the exam, just send him a special enrollment invitation."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it, it's all part of the job process."
Xia Qin massaged her stiff temples, forcing a smile.
She had been working tirelessly day and night and was truly exhausted.
But she had to personally oversee this. She needed to secure a special admission ticket for her "ward"... and instead, he just humiliated her, even in front of her old teacher!
Qian Shu'en, the person in charge of admissions, glanced downstairs. Seeing that security had already been deployed and the source of the foul smell had been neutralized, he felt no need to intervene anymore.
He glanced at the visitor, his mood a bit complex, not because of the minor "incident" before his eyes.
This was his former student, now a stalwart member of the special agents, someone he had initially underestimated as a fool.
Looking at the outcome, it seemed she was the most promising among the graduates funded by the state two years ago.
At least, she was still alive.....
He had heard that another child from the same batch, the one he had the highest hopes for, had also returned, albeit everyone wished he hadn't.....
"Teacher Qian?"
"It's nothing, just my age catching up to me. Anyway, Captain Xia Qin, I suspect he won't need this special enrollment letter."
Xia Qin wore a bitter smile, she too was struggling, who knew things would evolve this quickly.
"....I didn't expect him to follow the Gardener's path in logistics, he only reported his 'Plant Catalysis' ability to me three days ago.....
"Ha, seems like he's quite crafty, you'll have your work cut out for you."
Old Qian pondered for a while before continuing.
"He does have a point, adding the two points from the profession bonus and the internship bonus to the logistics department, it averages out to five points, a degree of difficulty incomparable to the others. If it weren't for the annual shortage of personnel in the logistics department, with all the training institutions vying for people, this loophole would have been closed long ago."
Suddenly, Xia Qin's expression became quite strange.
"Teacher, I just found out today, he has first-tier profession bonus..."
"Is he bluffing? It doesn't seem so, he seems extremely confident. No, he is absolutely certain."
Old Qian was full of confidence. Lies were difficult to sell in front of this "negotiation expert", especially those of low-level, ordinary people.
Was Lu Ping'an really at first-tier or close to it? Now it was Xia Qin's turn to struggle to come to terms with this.
"Teacher, I recall, it takes, on average, about one and a half years for an ordinary person to reach first-tier, right?"
"That's a definite statement. It's not difficult for ordinary people to reach zero-tier, especially those with inherent talent."
After pondering for a while, Professor Qian provided a more accurate answer.
"There are no shortcuts from zero-tier to first-tier, evolution from professional skill to abnormal ability involves accumulation and waiting for opportunity... From what I know, although there's a great disparity depending on the profession, if the initial compatibility is high, graduation is simple and can be as quick as six months. At slowest, it takes about three years."
".....Lu Ping'an, he awakened just one week ago."
This time, even Director Qian began to doubt his own ability to discern lies. Could it be that this young man possessed some talent ability that could mask his lies?
Then, he started to laugh.
"....respect for the young, I'm genuinely expecting his entrance exam. I'll talk to the other professors and give him some special attention."
Uh, Xia Qin's expression became increasingly unusual. Could it be that she had unknowingly sabotaged Lu Ping'an?
--------
------
Lu Ping'an, who was already wandering around the Ancient City academy, was unaware that he had just brushed past his guardian.
"Ugh, it stinks. I need to remember to get a gas mask next time and keep my distance."
As he complained, he pulled out his phone, ready to ask Lei Shuiyun if everything was done.
The next moment, he put his phone back in his pocket.....the General Department's queue was not something that could be cleared up in a jiffy, unlike the empty logistics department. He was likely to be yelled at if he called now.
"....I hope the cat is okay."
Yes, he hoped that Meow, with her sensitive nose, was okay. Furthermore, he hoped that the Beastification Cat-man, with an even more sensitive sense of smell, was also okay.
In fact, as soon as Lu Ping'an made his escape, there were already cries emerging from the chaotic hall.
"Someone's fainted! Quick, get a stretcher!"
"How did they become so weak... Oh, it's a Beastified newcomer who can't control their ability yet? That's fine then."
"Tsk tsk, such a pity, that's already the third Beastified newcomer who's fainted."
Over two hours later, an already bored Lu Ping'an finally got his lunch box, and also met the person carrying it, who had two big cotton balls stuck in her nose.
"...Phew? Why do you smell like menthol oil?"
Seeing a gloomy Lei Shuiyun, Lu Ping'an instinctively took a big step back.
"Some jerk...set off a stink bomb in the lobby! Meow got squished, and the stench was just floating around my nose, and people stepped on me! The next time I find that poison gas releasing jerk, I'm going to %$@&!...First I'll kill then %, kill then...."
For the first time, Lu Ping'an saw Meow so angry she was cursing up a storm.
He smiled and comforted Meow, taking the lunch box from her. He was content to see that it was undamaged and assumed that the food was also okay.
Then he made a plan, ready to remove the "Corpse Flower" from the list of backup plants.
"…But it's quite useful, so, let's replace it with another stinky plant. Right, plants with stimulant odors are particularly effective against Beastified Ability Users, I'll remember that."