Soon, it was Wen Qi's turn to undergo the inspection. Still expressionless, he calmly walked up to the examiner, unhurriedly pulling out his admission ticket and ID card.
The examiner, seeing how young Wen Qi was yet able to present credentials for the Senior Breeder exam, showed a flicker of surprise in his eyes. But being at the association, he was well-versed in such matters and remained composed.
However, just as the staff member was about to begin the test, the onlookers nearby couldn't stay calm.
"This kid really isn't afraid of losing face, huh? He actually dares to take the test. I think he's got a screw loose!" a sharp-faced man shouted loudly, his face full of mockery and disdain, as if Wen Qi had committed some unforgivable sin.
"Exactly, I thought he'd chicken out at the last minute, but he actually went through with it. He doesn't know his place!" a plump woman chimed in, her eyes filled with contempt, as if watching a ridiculous clown.
"Hmph, I'm just waiting to see him make a fool of himself. The machine will definitely show 'no record found' and fail him!" a pockmarked examinee said viciously, his eyes fixed on Wen Qi as if he could already see the humiliated look on his face when he's turned away.
"Maybe he's using a fake ID to try his luck. He'll get what's coming to him!" another voice came from the crowd, full of malicious speculation, as if eager to expose Wen Qi on the spot.
Everyone chimed in, all waiting to see Wen Qi make a fool of himself, their faces brimming with schadenfreude, hoping he'd embarrass himself.
But then, the machine let out a beep.
The result left them bitterly disappointed—the testing machine displayed "Pass."
Though the staff member was astonished, he followed protocol and returned the admission ticket and ID to Wen Qi, letting him through.
Wen Qi remained calm, as if this was all within his expectations.
Seeing this outcome, the crowd's faces froze instantly, as if struck by a paralysis spell.
The sharp-faced man, who had been shouting the loudest, gaped wide enough to fit an egg, his eyes bulging like brass bells, utterly incredulous, looking as if he'd seen a ghost.
The plump woman's face turned extremely sour, like she'd swallowed a dead fly, a mix of embarrassment and anger twisting her features, her jowls trembling.
The pockmarked examinee stood dumbfounded, motionless, as if his soul had left his body, still reeling from the shock.
Those who had eagerly awaited a spectacle now deflated like punctured balloons, their smiles vanishing, replaced by disappointment and confusion.
"How is this possible? The machine must be broken!" someone shouted unwillingly, their voice laced with anger and doubt.
"Yeah, how can someone so young take the Senior Breeder exam?" another questioned, frowning deeply.
"Is there some inside dealing?" someone else began to speculate wildly, their eyes full of suspicion and bewilderment.
For a moment, the hall erupted in noise again, but this time it wasn't mockery of Wen Qi—it was filled with voices of doubt and confusion.
Meanwhile, Zhu Qiang and Zhu Xiu both had their mouths wide open, eyes round as saucers, their hearts filled with deep shock.
Zhu Xiu, in particular, was a mix of surprise and shame. She never imagined that Wen Qi hadn't been lying to them before—everything he said was true. Recalling her earlier suspicion and slightly dismissive attitude toward him, she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment, utterly mortified.
Zhu Qiang, though equally stunned, reacted very differently. His face darkened instantly, his heart brimming with resentment and anger. He would have preferred Wen Qi to be an uneducated fool rather than someone with real skill.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Remembering how he had mocked Wen Qi, who never retaliated, he wondered if Wen Qi had seen them all as clowns. This realization was unbearable, and he trembled with fury.
"This must be through connections! It's a scam!" Zhu Qiang shouted, his voice hoarse with rage, veins bulging on his neck.
"Yeah, there's no way someone so young can take the senior exam. Something's wrong!" others joined in, their emotions running high.
"This association is so unfair! We won't accept this!" someone waved a fist angrily, face flushed red.
"Someone must have greased the wheels for him, or how else could this happen?" the crowd's voices rose in waves, anger permeating the hall.
At that moment, Wang Dao, the standing director of the association and the person in charge of this exam, sensed trouble.
If he didn't regain control, things would only get messier. So he quickly released his Gardevoir.
As soon as it appeared, the Gardevoir exuded a powerful and mysterious aura. It stood gracefully, radiating a dreamlike glow, like a fairy descending.
It gently raised its hands, emitting a soft, melodious sound—the Disarming Voice. The sound spread like a gentle spring breeze or a babbling brook, slowly diffusing.
As the sound traveled, the crowd's angry and agitated emotions seemed to be soothed by a tender hand, gradually calming down.
Flushed faces returned to normal, wide eyes softened, and the shouting grew quieter.
"What... what kind of power is this?" someone murmured in amazement, their eyes full of wonder at the Gardevoir's magical ability.
"I feel a lot less angry all of a sudden," another said, a relaxed expression appearing on their face.
The Gardevoir continued using Disarming Voice, its sound possessing a magical charm that dissipated the crowd's anger, replaced by a sense of peace and tranquility.
The atmosphere in the hall finally stabilized, with no more noise or chaos.
Seeing everyone had calmed down, Wang Dao quickly grabbed a loudspeaker and announced, "Everyone, please calm down! You must trust in the association's fairness and justice! You're only speculating that he used connections, but you have no solid evidence, so you can't be sure if it's true or false.
Besides, even if he's qualified to take the exam, that doesn't mean he'll pass. In the end, we'll see what he's made of. How do you know he can't do it?
Is it just because he's young? Can't young people take the senior exam? Our association's president also took the Senior Breeder exam in his twenties and passed. Was that through connections too?
So, we'll look into this matter carefully. But since he's qualified to participate, let's wait until the exam is over and see his results. Then we'll talk. What do you think?"
Wang Dao's words were reasoned and forceful, each one clearly reaching the crowd's ears.
Suddenly, most of those present found it reasonable. After all, this was just an exam qualification, not a direct certificate. The truth would come out once he took the test.
"Director Wang is right. Let's first see what this kid's got," a tall man said, his earlier anger easing, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
"Yeah, arguing here won't help. Let's wait for the exam results," a woman in glasses nodded, her expression calm.
"Fine, let's see first. If he's got no real skill, we won't let him off easy," the loudest protester said, still reluctant but realizing this was the only option, slowly unclenching his fists.
Most people calmed down and continued queuing for the exam. Though some were still dissatisfied, muttering under their breath.
"Hmph, I still think there's something fishy," a thin man mumbled, but his voice lacked its earlier conviction, and his gaze was less certain.
"Maybe he just got lucky with the qualification," another grumbled, but still returned to his spot in line.
Given the situation, they couldn't say much more. Since most had accepted Wang Dao's explanation, they had no choice but to keep queuing.
The commotion gradually subsided, but everyone was curious: would this young man pass the exam? If he did, he'd be a once-in-a-century genius. At that thought, some felt a stir of excitement.