Fang Xin took a bite of his meal.
By comparison, Fang Xin actually preferred his cousin Jiang Xiaocha. She was well-educated, polite, and studious, and her heart was as kind as his aunt's.
However, Jiang Xiaoyu, on the other hand, had perfectly inherited the inferior genes of her father, who despised the poor and loved the rich.
Hearing Jiang Xiaoyu's words, Fang Xin smiled and said, "Don't worry, even the dead skin on my heels is more talented than you!"
"How disgusting!" Jiang Xiaoyu looked at Fang Xin with disdain, then snorted again. "I'll wait and see what level of talent you'll awaken!"
With that, Jiang Xiaoyu picked up her potion and went back to her room.
Aunt Fang Huilan came out of her room, her eyes a little red, and she tightly gripped her apron, apologetically glancing at the door of her eldest daughter Jiang Xiaocha's room.
After hesitating for a long time, she went up and knocked on the door. "Xiaocha! Is it convenient for you to let Mom in for a moment?"
From inside, Jiang Xiaocha's voice came, "Mom, I'm already asleep. Let's talk tomorrow if anything comes up!"
Fang Huilan sighed.
She returned to the dinner table, glancing at the potions on the table.
Nowadays, the world belonged to those with awakened powers. Many important jobs were monopolized by the awakened. People like Jiang Weidong and Fang Huilan, who were not awakened, could only find low-paying jobs to support their families.
"Xinxin, don't be upset by what your uncle said. Show him something, let him see that my nephew is not a bad person."
Fang Xin felt a bit of sympathy for his aunt. It's often said that good men don't have good wives, but a bad man can still marry a good wife.
Jiang Weidong marrying someone as kind and virtuous as Fang Huilan seemed like an anomaly.
Fang Xin often felt for his aunt, especially since she had cared for him so thoroughly after his parents passed away.
"It's okay, Aunt. I'm full."
After putting the bowls and chopsticks in the sink, Fang Huilan gently patted Fang Xin on the shoulder. "You go back to your room and study. I'll do the dishes."
Fang Xin went back to his room. His phone in his pocket buzzed constantly.
The class group chat had already reached over 99 messages.
The homeroom teacher had announced that there would be a talent test in the next two days, and if anyone's family was able to, they should buy a potion in advance.
This potion, called Space-X, was developed by an internationally renowned company, Leon Corporation, to maximize the awakening of human potential.
However, after its production, nearly 80% of the potions were taken by large corporations and powerful family organizations, leaving only a small portion for ordinary people.
Injecting this potion would increase the success rate of talent awakening by 10 to 15%, equivalent to adding 10 to 15 points to the college entrance exam. As a result, many families were willing to spend money to buy this potion for their children.
This year, the test format had been reformed.
The talent test began from high school, and everyone had two chances before graduating from senior high.
So, students in the first and second years could also take it early.
Some students would use one of their chances early, and if the test results were good, they could enjoy substantial subsidies.
That's why Jiang Xiaoyu, who was only in the second year, was already eager for the talent test.
After the homeroom teacher, Cheng Wenjin, announced this news, the group chat was abuzz.
The person who sent the most messages in the group was Qin Junhao.
His nickname was "The Ordinary Rich Second Generation."
His academic performance was average, and his looks were plain, but his family was wealthy—his father was a well-known local businessman.
A year ago, Qin Junhao had bullied and caused the death of a student from a poor family. Thanks to his family connections, he suffered no consequences, and since then, Fang Xin had stopped giving him a good face.
Qin Junhao sent a flurry of photos showing a finely crafted box containing potions.
"Sigh, my dad really is something. I told him I didn't want it, but he insisted. Now, he bought me twenty potions all at once!"
"Don't say it wasn't taken in my bedroom. It was taken in the bodyguard's room. My room isn't that shabby."
"Qin Junhao @ Chu Xinyao, Chu Xinyao, have you bought your potion? If not, I'll send two of mine over to your house with my bodyguard team!"
Chu Xinyao, the class beauty, coldly replied, "No need."
Qin Junhao was embarrassed and immediately turned his attention to Fang Xin.
Fang Xin came from a good family, was handsome, and had excellent grades, which always irritated Qin Junhao. He felt that Fang Xin was always one step ahead of him.
"Qin Junhao @ Fang Xin, Fang Xin, I heard that when your aunt and uncle bought the potion, they could only get two. It's clear that having money alone isn't enough. You need connections. I also heard you have two younger sisters. Three people and only two potions? It's obviously not enough, huh? How about you beg me? I can sell you one!"
Just as Fang Xin was about to retort, his phone buzzed again, and the class beauty Chu Xinyao sent a message.
"Chu Xinyao @ Fang Xin, Little Fang, I have some extra potions. You can come pick one up at my place. If you're too busy, I can deliver it to your home!"
Her words carried an ambiguous tone, and many people quickly caught onto it.
Fang Xin smiled faintly. It was a bit of a coincidence that this cute, round-faced girl had been his classmate since kindergarten and they'd stayed in the same class all the way through high school.
"It's alright, Little Chu," Fang Xin replied.
"Qin Junhao @ Chu Xinyao, Xinyao, he doesn't want it, but I do! I want it! Give it to me!"
Qin Junhao was muted for half an hour by the admin, Chu Xinyao.
As the saying goes, those who can't get something will stir up trouble. Even though Qin Junhao was a rich second generation, Chu Xinyao ignored him, which hurt his pride. Seeing that Chu Xinyao was being so nice to Fang Xin, Qin Junhao was determined to target him.
With Qin Junhao muted, the group chat quieted down.
The conversation turned back to the topic.
"I heard from my old classmates at a neighboring school that one of their students has an A-level mental power talent! Several special departments fought over it, nearly causing chaos!"
"Wow, I'd be happy with a B-level talent!"
"I wonder who in our class will test for the best talent."
"I think it should be Fang Xin! He's so good at studying, his talent definitely won't be bad!"
"Not necessarily! There are examples of students who were good at studying but ended up with terrible talent tests. Some even had top exam scores but tested with E-level talent!"
This comment came from Xu Xiaoqiang, a loyal follower of Qin Junhao.
"I think my boss is the best!"
"We'll know the results when the test comes out!"
The homeroom teacher Cheng Wenjin sent a message: "Students, stay calm, no matter what the test results are, face them with a positive attitude. This is our first talent test in senior high. Even if it doesn't go well, we still have specialized training to prepare for the second test! It's getting late, you all should sleep!"
Fang Xin put down his phone.
He raised his hand, looking at the back of his hand as his pupils slowly turned crimson. On his knuckles appeared over a dozen blood-red runes, with four of them being particularly vivid.
It looked like the hand of a killer.
When his grandfather ran a small restaurant in the town, Fang Xin had helped out and awakened this killing talent when he was slaughtering chickens.
With each kill, his overall abilities had steadily increased, from strength, speed, and agility to his senses. The most terrifying of all was his self-healing ability.
Later, Fang Xin met some "Others," a type of awakened being whose desires became exponentially amplified after gaining powers. They burned, killed, and looted with no mercy.
After being forced to fight one of them, Fang Xin discovered that killing these Others could greatly enhance his own abilities.
Since then, he had been targeting them, climbing to his current level.
Now, Fang Xin's combat ability was at its peak within his level.
And unless he actively revealed it, no one knew about his killing talent.
Since his grandfather had asked him not to show this talent easily, Fang Xin decided to use the power awakened through killing to boost his strength talent.
Though his strength talent wasn't as powerful as the killing talent, it was still formidable.
The next morning, after breakfast, Fang Xin went to school.
Today, the classmates were unusually early.
As soon as Fang Xin entered the classroom, before he could even settle into his seat, the class teacher, Cheng Wenjin, arrived, dressed in a dress and looking graceful.
"Everyone, don't be nervous. Relax your minds. Wait for my signal before injecting the potion. By the way, is there anyone who doesn't have the potion?"
Qin Junhao flicked his parting.
Upon hearing this, he immediately turned around to look at Fang Xin, sitting by the window, and said with a half-smile, "Fang Xin, the teacher's asking you!"
Before Fang Xin could respond, the pretty girl sitting in front of him with a round face opened her bag and took out a potion.
"Teacher, I brought the potion for Fang Xin!"
She placed the potion on Fang Xin's desk, flashing a sweet smile and showing off two cute little tiger teeth.
Qin Junhao's face immediately turned sour.
Cheng Wenjin smiled lightly, "As I said, everyone, don't worry, relax a little. Your mindset really matters in the test. I believe all of you are exceptional and will definitely awaken good talents! There's even a possibility of awakening an S-level talent!"
One student remarked, "That must be Fang Xin!"
"Who said that! The S-level talent must be for my brother Junhao!" Qin Junhao's loyal follower, Xu Xiaoqiang, immediately chimed in.
As the noise continued,
A voice suddenly rang out.
"Teacher Cheng, could you come outside for a moment?"
Everyone turned to look. Standing at the door was the principal, with two people behind him.
One was dressed in a trench coat and wearing a hat.
The other had silver short hair and ice-blue eyes.
"What's going on, Principal?"
The principal gestured for the door to be closed, and, standing outside, looked curiously into the classroom through the window, asking,
"Teacher Cheng, which one is Qin Junhao?"