As someone in sequence 001, I also want to give up today.

The days slipped by in a rhythm of feeding the suppressant (to the bell), the salted fish paralysis (to Li Xian himself), and the occasional trip out to "buy groceries".

One afternoon.

A corner of a park.

Li Xian had just silently "persuaded" a "Phantom Light Sparrow" (a small, incredibly fast bird-like creature that emits a deceptive aura) with tender flesh and a rating of around C to come home with him as a "guest" (actually, to be put in the refrigerator) using [Consciousness Severance].

"Congratulations on your fortune! Congratulations on your wonderful life..."

The phone rang.

Caller ID: Li Yu.

Li Xian was carrying an eco-friendly bag containing "ingredients" in one hand (it looked like an ordinary shopping bag) and answering a phone call in the other.

He said lazily, "Feed? Busy man, you finally remembered you have a home?"

The voice on the other end of the phone sounded tired, but even more excited:

"Bro! Stop joking! I'm talking about serious business! The enrollment notice for the superhuman academy—Jiangcheng's 'First Experimental School for Potential Development'—has officially been issued! The first pilot enrollment starts next week! My transfer orders for Chen Zhe and me have also come through. We'll officially report to the school next Monday to serve as special instructors for the Combat Application Department and the Energy Control Department!"

"Oh? It's finally settled?"

Li Xian raised an eyebrow. This was faster than expected; it seemed the higher-ups were really in a hurry.

"It's settled! Bro, hurry up and get ready, bring Lingdang over to register! There are limited spots in the first round, and the review process is very strict, but Lingdang has official foster care status, and her age and 'Beast-type Awakening' trait meet the priority requirements. Just bring all the materials, and I'll put in a good word for her. It shouldn't be a problem!"

Li Yu speaks very quickly.

"I've sent you the school address and registration instructions via WeChat. Pre-registration and initial screening will begin tomorrow, so you'd better go early!"

"Okay, got it."

Li Xian agreed and looked at the bag thrashing about in his hand.

"I'm buying groceries right now, I'll tell her when I get back."

"Buying groceries?...Never mind, you figure it out. By the way, do you know about Lingdang's special ability? The registration form requires you to fill in the initial ability direction and the sequence range of your self-perceived abilities."

Li Yu gave a serious explanation on the other side.

Li Xian remained unfazed:

"Oh, her? It seems to be related to mental strength, something that helps her feel better? I can't say for sure, her ranking... she thinks she's around 1000, but I'm not sure."

He casually gave a figure that was slightly above average but not particularly eye-catching.

"Around a thousand? That's not bad! With proper nurturing, she has great potential! Alright, that's all for now. I still have some follow-up reports to write. See you at school tomorrow! Remember to be early!"

Li Yu hung up the phone in a flurry.

Li Xian put away his phone and weighed the "Phantom Sparrow" in his hand.

Hmm, we can add a dish tonight to celebrate Lingdang's upcoming "enrollment" (being locked up in school to deplete her energy).

When I got home, Lingdang was lying on the coffee table, playing a simple fruit-cutting game on her tablet.

She frantically manipulated the virtual blade with her weak and poorly controlled fission mental energy.

She barely managed to cut any fruit, but the virtual table was already badly damaged from all the "chopping".

Fat Orange squatted down beside him, looking like he couldn't bear to watch.

"Lingdang, come here, I have something to tell you."

Li Xian put the "ingredients" into the kitchen and called out.

"What? I'm cultivating!"

Without even looking up, Lingdang continued to struggle with a virtual watermelon.

The mental energy blade slashed crookedly, cutting the bomb next to the watermelon.

"Bang!"

The tablet screen flickered, and the game ended.

"...Is your training all about blowing up game consoles?" Li Xian was speechless.

"A mistake! A complete mistake!"

Lingdang blushed, put down her tablet, and ran over.

"What's up? Is there a new flavor of pudding again?"

"More important than pudding."

Li Xian pulled her to sit on the sofa.

"Your aunt called. That school with lots of 'future subordinates' and 'unlimited dried fish pudding' is starting to enroll. Registration is next week, and you can go next week."

"real?!"

Bell's eyes lit up instantly like two small light bulbs, and her cat ears and tail stood up in sync, wagging excitedly.

"I can finally... cough cough, I mean, I can finally go and study... um, go and inspect the future territory!"

Don't be too happy yet.

Li Xian poured cold water on her enthusiasm.

"Before we go in, there are some rules we need to agree on."

"What are the rules?" Bell asked warily.

"First and foremost,"

Li Xian's expression was serious (to him).

"Your true ability—Sequence 004 'Fission'—must never be revealed. To the outside world, your ability is 'Sequence 1314 Mental Amplification,' which slightly increases your own or others' mental strength and focus. It's very ordinary and inconspicuous. Remember that? It's Sequence 1314, Mental Amplification."

"Why?!"

The bell was dissatisfied.

"Why should I, a dignified Sequence 004, pretend to be Sequence 1314? 1314 can't even make the top 100!"

"Because 004 is too conspicuous."

Li Xian poked her forehead.

"Do you want to be the center of everyone's attention and research? Do you want to be targeted by even more formidable 'bad guys'? Do you want to be dragged into testing every day and have no time to eat dried fish? Think back to when you were being chased."

Lingdang recalled those days of hiding and living in fear, as well as the scene of "slice research" described by Li Xian.

It instinctively shrank its neck, and its cat ears drooped down.

"...Alright. 1314 it is. Mental amplification...how do I amplify it?"

"You don't need to actually increase your strength, just pretend. The main thing is to show that your mental strength is slightly stronger than your peers, but your self-control is poor."

Li Xian had already made up his mind.

"Your usual level of self-control perfectly matches the rookie persona of 'newly awakened ability, poor control'."

Bell: "..."

I felt looked down upon, but I couldn't refute it.

"second,"

Li Xian continued.

"Your ears are fine at home, but when you go out, especially to school, you have to disguise them. I'll use my ability to temporarily 'hide' them, so you'll look just like any other kid."

"Huh? You're hiding your ears too?"

Bell was even more unhappy, and touched her furry ears, one of the symbols of her "majesty"!

"If you don't want to be observed and studied like a rare animal, then listen to me."

Li Xian's position is beyond question.

"It's not too late to reveal it when you're strong enough, or when the world is more accepting of you."

"……oh."

Bell answered listlessly, its tail scurrying listlessly across the sofa.

"Third, regarding your origins. Tell them your name is Li Xiaoling, and you're a child I sponsored at the orphanage. You were frail and introverted from a young age, and only after the global awakening did you gradually show 'spiritual amplification' and a slight 'beastly tendency' (ears), but the beastly tendency is unstable, appearing and disappearing intermittently. That's all you know, or rather, you don't remember. If anyone asks about your past, pretend to be clueless, pretend to be introverted, and ask your aunt or me. Understand?"

Lingdang carefully noted it down and nodded.

These statements match the "new identity" she has learned about under Li Xian's "tutoring" over the past few days.

"at last,"

Looking at the somewhat unconvinced but obedient little guy in front of him, Li Xian softened his tone.

"At school, try to keep a low profile and avoid trouble, but don't be afraid of trouble either. Learn how to control your power, make more friends (future subordinates), and eat more dried fish. If anyone bullies you... well, probably not for now. If they do, come back and tell me."

"What happens after I tell you?" Bell asked curiously.

"Then I'll help you figure out whether steaming or braising would be more suitable," Li Xian said calmly.

Bell: "...Understood."

Let's observe a 0.1 second silence for anyone who might offend her.

Having finished explaining, Li Xian didn't linger.

He made Lingdang sit still and close her eyes.

Immediately, the refined operation of [Consciousness Severance] was initiated.

Intangible, formless threads of spiritual energy gently covered the base of the bell's cat ears.

It subtly adjusts the delicate state of subcutaneous muscles and hair follicles, and applies a layer of continuous, low-energy mental suggestion.

The pair of golden cat ears looked like small bulges that were tightly pressed against the hair, and you could hardly notice anything unusual unless you touched them carefully.

At the same time, a similar treatment was done to the base of her tail, making the tail appear as just a slightly fluffy outline under her dress.

"Alright, take a look in the mirror." Li Xian stopped.

Lingdang ran to the bathroom mirror and looked at herself from the left and right.

I touched the top of my head and only felt soft blonde hair and two inconspicuous little bumps; there was no fluffy texture at all.

"They really hid it... It's such a strange feeling."

She muttered something, but didn't say anything more.

The next morning, Li Xian brought along a "refreshed" six-year-old girl who looked pretty but was a little quiet, carrying a small schoolbag with bells on her back.

Following the address sent by Li Yu, we went to the "Jiangcheng Potential Development First Experimental School", which is located in Jiangcheng New District and was transformed from the site of a former international school.

Along the way, you can see many parents with their children, flocking to the school from all directions.

The children are mostly between six and fifteen years old.

Some were excited and overjoyed, some were nervous and uneasy, and others couldn't wait to show off their meager superpowers.

A tiny flame emerges from the fingertip, suspends a leaf, or the eyes glow faintly, and so on.

The parents all looked serious and expectant, constantly giving instructions.

The topic of "schools for people with superpowers" has already exploded on social media and in the news.

Topics such as #First Batch of Enrollment at the School for People with Superpowers#, #Has Your Child Been Tested for Sequence#, and #Winning at the Starting Line of Awakening# have firmly occupied the top of the trending searches.

Countless parents are exchanging information in forums and groups, anxiously comparing their children's rankings in the sequencing system (if they've been tested).

Inquire about the school's faculty, curriculum, and future career prospects.

Although officials emphasized that this was only a "special potential development school" aimed at regulating and guiding rather than creating a privileged class.

However, in an environment where people generally crave power and worry about being eliminated by the new era, it is almost a consensus that they regard it as the "Dragon Gate" leading to the path of the strong.

However, the school's admission requirements were quickly revealed.

As this is the first pilot phase, the scale is limited and educational resources are highly concentrated.

Currently, registration is only open to awakened minors whose "self-perception sequence is within the top 3000".

Furthermore, they need to undergo rigorous competency review, psychological assessment, and background check.

The official explanation is that this is to ensure teaching quality and prioritize the cultivation of seeds with higher potential.

They also promised that as the school expands and social order stabilizes, they will gradually broaden the scope of enrollment.

This threshold instantly shut out the vast majority of awakened families.

Number 3000 in the sequence sounds quite far back.

However, among the vast number of underage awakened individuals, those who can reach this ranking are one in a hundred or even one in a thousand.

Among the crowd gathered at the school gate, many parents and children had expressions of disappointment and resentment on their faces.

Some children even started crying and demanding to their parents why their sequence number was over 4000 or 5000...

Li Xian, holding the bell, calmly walked through the hustle and bustle filled with hope, anxiety, and despair.

He could feel the little bell gripping his fingers slightly tighter.

Golden pupils looked around with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness.

Especially those children who are around her age but can unleash various subtle lights and effects.

"dad."

Bell asked softly, having temporarily forgotten the nickname "Old Deng".

"Are they... all very capable?"

"Most of them are just so-so."

Li Xian spoke the truth.

"Most of them are all show and no substance, their self-control is terrible. Although your self-control is also bad, your foundation is much solider than theirs. Remember, be low-key, observe, and speak less."

"oh."

Lingdang nodded, trying her best to put on a serious face and act as if she were "very introverted and very well-behaved".

However, the hint of curiosity and the subtle pride that belonged to the holder of Sequence 004 in his eyes could not be completely hidden.

Following the instructions, they arrived at the area for pre-registration and initial screening.

The queue was incredibly long, and the staff were extremely busy.

Li Xian saw Li Yu's figure.

She was standing with several staff members in school uniforms, talking in hushed tones, occasionally pointing to a testing area, clearly already fulfilling her duties as an instructor.

Li Yu also saw them and winked at Li Xian, signaling him to come over directly.

With the help of "insiders," the process was much faster.

Li Xian submitted Lingdang's (Li Xiaoling) sponsorship certificate, identity documents, and a completed application form (Ability: Spiritual Enhancement. Self-estimated sequence range: 1200-1500).

A female teacher wearing glasses and holding a tablet computer carefully checked the materials, then looked at Lingdang, who was standing quietly next to Li Xian and seemed a little shy.

"Is that you, Li Xiaoling?"

The female teacher spoke gently.

"Could you briefly demonstrate your 'mental amplification'? It doesn't need to be too complicated. For example, try making this test ball slightly brighter, or try to focus your senses a bit more?"

She pointed to a fist-sized, transparent energy sphere floating low in the air in front of her.

Lingdang looked up at Li Xian, who nodded slightly.

She took a deep breath (pretending to be nervous), then stared at the energy ball and began to "work hard".

Fission, opening.

Mental strength instantly reached 121

She controlled her 121 mental strength and clumsily and intermittently "pushed" the ball towards it.

At the same time, the deliberate control of mental energy fluctuations appears chaotic and disorderly.

The ball's light did indeed flicker a few times as she "tried," the fluctuations were small, but there was definitely a reaction.

"Okay, that's fine."

The female teacher nodded and took notes on the tablet.

"The energy increase is weak but definitely present; control... needs improvement, consistent with initial awakening characteristics. What about sequence perception? Do you have numbers in your head?"

铃铛歪着头，装作努力感受的样子，然后不太确定地小声说：「好像……是1、3、1、4？有时候又觉得是1、4、1、3……不是很清楚。」

She pronounced "1314" taught by Li Xian in a jumbled and incoherent way, which better reflected the child's uncertain understanding.

The female teacher smiled and didn't seem to mind.

"Many children are like this at first; it's normal to be a little confused. Okay, the basic screening is passed. Mr. Li, please take Xiaoling over there for a detailed ability review and psychological assessment. If she passes both, she can receive a temporary student card and wait for class assignment notification."

"Thank you, teacher."

Li Xian thanked him and, holding the relieved bell, headed towards the next area.

Lingdang quietly tugged at Li Xian's sleeve, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear, with a hint of smugness in her voice.

"Old Deng, how was my acting? That little ball, I could have blown it up with just a light touch!"

"Well, the acting was alright, but you should tone down the dangerous idea of ​​'blowing it up'."

Li Xian remained expressionless.

"Remember, you are now Sequence 1314 'Mental Amplification' Li Xiaoling, a rookie with poor self-control, not 004 Doomsday Cat Girl."

"Okay, okay..."

Bell stuck out her tongue, but the curiosity and anticipation in her eyes for the new environment were growing stronger.

Looking at the staff coming and going in the school, and the potential classmates, and feeling the more active and orderly energy atmosphere in the air than outside, Lingdang suddenly felt that this "school" was actually quite interesting.

The dream of unlimited dried fish and pudding seems within reach, while the grand undertaking of "world domination"...

Hmm, perhaps we could start with the school of "Domination"?

Li Xian looked at Lingdang's (temporarily) excited yet trying to appear calm profile and pondered in his mind.

Sending her to school would provide her with supervision and formal training, which would also help expend her excess energy, giving her more time to relax, research new recipes, or play games.

perfect.

The salted fish father of Sequence 001 successfully got his troublesome cat daughter of Sequence 004 into a "legitimate institution".

A bright and clean new school, noisy children, busy instructors and teachers, and a crowd and heated discussion that haven't dispersed outside the school gate...

A new era, a story about nurturing and growth, potential and competition, is slowly unfolding in this first school for people with supernatural abilities in Jiangcheng.