As soon as Wen Wen finished speaking, the printer next to the young man started working automatically, printing out two copies of the contract.
Wen Wen was astonished by this; he hadn't seen the young man make any moves, yet the machine operated on its own?
The technology on Earth Federation was not as advanced as on the other Earth, so this seemed quite unbelievable to Wen Wen.
"I've handled all the paperwork for you. The contract comes in two copies. After you sign both, keep one for yourself and leave with it," Ding Mingguang said with a hint of disdain, clearly irritated by the interruption to his anime viewing.
Wen Wen: "…"
When Wen Wen left the room, he was completely bewildered. He had never signed a contract so quickly before; the process for obtaining his detective license had been far more complex.
"Did he scare you?" Lin Zheyuan, waiting outside, asked with a smile.
"Yeah… he is quite strange," Wen Wen sighed.
"His ability is called 'Programmer'. He is a type of virtual ape that can freely control all electronic devices around him.
"This ability makes him incredibly efficient at handling such tasks. Many people from other districts envy us," Lin Zheyuan explained.
Programmer…
"By the way, what's your choice?" Lin Zheyuan asked.
"Freelance hunter," Wen Wen pondered for a moment before replying.
"Such a pity. You're quite skilled and have been a detective before. I was hoping you'd join a hunter team," Lin Zheyuan said with a look of regret, but somehow feeling a bit relieved.
Although Wen Wen had not done anything wrong yet, Lin Zheyuan had a sense that Wen Wen wasn't entirely good-natured; he had a certain villainous aura.
"It doesn't matter where you hunt monsters; it's all the same," Wen Wen replied casually.
"If you encounter something you can't handle, be sure to contact us. Don't try to handle it on your own, as it usually leads to bigger trouble," Lin Zheyuan advised.
"What kind of things are you referring to?" This piqued Wen Wen's interest.
"Creatures and monsters you are not confident in handling, and… be careful of superhumans not affiliated with the Hunter Association or any organizations; they can be very dangerous," Lin Zheyuan stressed repeatedly.
"I'll remember. And the things you mentioned should be clearly explained in the materials that the bald ape gave me…" Wen Wen waved his hand and was about to leave.
"It's 'ape', not 'monkey'," Lin Zheyuan corrected seriously.
"Ape is just a kind of monkey," Wen Wen replied with equal seriousness.
…
Leaving the mental hospital, Wen Wen gained a new identity as a freelance hunter of the Hunter Association.
This provided a layer of insurance for his hunting activities. Many things no longer needed to be hidden, and he could enjoy some of the resources provided by the Hunter Association.
It essentially turned him from an undocumented superhuman into a legal one.
He was surprised by the efficiency of the Hunter Association; the process was so fast it seemed almost hasty. He had expected the procedure to be more complicated.
Back at the hotel, Wen Wen reviewed the materials given to him by Ding Mingguang.
Determining the strength of superhumans was challenging due to the significant interactions and counteractions among them, but they were generally categorized into five levels based on their control over superpowers:
1. Exploration
2. Mastery
3. Assimilation
4. True Self
5. Transcendence
Exploration refers to the stage where superhumans have just gained their powers and are unaware of their limitations or potential. They grow stronger through gradual exploration.
Though he gained his powers through gloves, Wen Wen roughly fell into this category. Despite some exploration, he was still uncertain about the extent of his abilities.
Mastery is when a superhuman fully understands and skillfully uses their powers, evolving them into their own unique abilities.
Assimilation, as described in the materials, indicates a significant transformation at this level. Most high-ranking members of the Hunter Association are in this stage.
Most superhumans are in the Exploration and Mastery stages. Knowing about Assimilation at the current stage is not particularly useful.
Information on True Self and Transcendence was even less detailed. True Self is the highest combat power of the Hunter Association, and Transcendence had no concrete description.
There were no instructions on how to train superpowers; each superhuman's power was unique, so there likely weren't universal methods.
As a temporary member, Wen Wen might not be given training methods by the Hunter Association.
Apart from superhuman strength, Wen Wen also noted the emphasis Lin Zheyuan placed on organized superhuman groups not affiliated with the Hunter Association.
These secretive superhuman organizations were usually formidable. The materials listed some of their horrific deeds, but lacked detailed information.
"Indeed, the Hunter Association still holds back information from someone like me," Wen Wen thought with a smile. The more they withheld, the more he wanted to uncover.
The materials contained more than just these two points; there was so much information that it would take a while to fully understand. As Wen Wen went through everything, he gained a deeper understanding of the superhuman world, but it would be too extensive to detail here.
…
Five days later
"Captain, is the investigation and surveillance of Wen Wen over already?" a bald man in a pink sweater asked with a frown.
"Five days is sufficient. He's just a novice, and his identity seems clear. For now, that's enough. We don't have time to waste continuously monitoring him," Lin Zheyuan said while handling paperwork.
"True. We've been short-handed lately. Those things have become more active in recent years, and I have a bad feeling about it," the bald man sighed.
"On the other hand, the number of newly awakened superhumans has also increased. We'll leave those bothersome issues to the big shots. Our job is to protect this city," Lin Zheyuan said, leaning back in his chair and gazing out the window.
Gaining the Hunter Association's trust and becoming a freelance hunter was not as simple as signing two agreements.
During these few days, the Hunter Association had thoroughly investigated Wen Wen. All his long-term contacts were checked to ensure that Wen Wen posed no potential threat.
This would have been a tedious process, but Ding Mingguang's ability greatly expedited it.
The fact that Wen Wen passed the review in just five days was more due to him appearing as a newly awakened superhuman. If he had been a previously unknown superhuman, they definitely would not have been so lenient.