An hour had passed since I finished containing the contamination spores, leaving me with a final Purification Point tally of 645. The cleanup team that arrived after us took over the “body disposal” work.

Shortly after, the Center notified me that I needed to undergo some evaluation. I didn’t mind too much; after all, my performance today was pretty unusual. If I were in their shoes, I’d probably want to study myself, too.

I was curious to see if they could find out I came with a built-in system.

“Don’t worry,” Emma reassured me, noting my unease. “While they have you evaluated, you’ll be paid for attendance. Usually, it’s around 15,000 credits.”

My mild irritation evaporated at the mention of money. I’d barely started work, and now I’d be getting paid to lie around for tests? I could handle that.

Two staff members came to collect the contamination spores and also took our helmets.

“Miss Chase, would you mind handing over your helmet? We’ll need it for data collection.”

The helmet recorded video and basic data, which could function even without a network connection. They had already taken Daniel’s helmet and just needed mine, so I handed it over.

Instead of heading to the 49th floor with the Cleaning Department, I was taken up to the 66th.

Ding.

The elevator doors slid open, and a doctor in a white coat greeted me.

“This way, Miss Chase.”

I followed him through the hallway to a room labeled "Observation Room- Side A."

So, there’s an A side and B side?

The doctor opened a door, revealing the interior of the room.

I raised my eyebrows.

I had expected a cold, clinical “pure white” setting, but the room was surprisingly cozy and warm.

Soft, light yellow tones decorated the walls, with comforting artwork. There was a self-service station and a lounging area.

A medical assistant handed me a small device. “This is the data collector. One sensor goes on your temple, and the other on your wrist.”

I took the box, and the assistant helped me attach the devices, explaining, “These sensors will monitor your vital signs and will alert us if there’s an anomaly. We can intervene if necessary.”

Tiny needles inside the wristband secured themselves to my skin, feeling slightly uncomfortable but painless once they settled in.

“Is that it?” I asked, expecting to enter some high-tech pod for a full-body scan.

“Yes. We try not to interfere with your body and aim to make the device as unobtrusive as possible.”

The higher someone’s mental value, the more sensitive they are to external interference, so a low-profile device was ideal for accurate results.

“Is the data reliable?” I asked.

The assistant smiled. “Very accurate. It collects everything, including your mental value and other physical stats.”

“Plus, it’s painless. Feel free to nap or relax in the lounge area, and we’ll complete the data collection in a short time.”

I was a liitle worried that they'd found out my System. But with the pie-in-the-sky the System depicted for me, I reassured myself that there's definitely ways to make sure I was not going to be a lab rat.

That night, I settled into the observation room the Center had assigned to me. The space was much larger than my own apartment, complete with everything one could need.

After a long shower, I lay down, mulling over my future. The bed was unbelievably soft, and the gentle yellow lighting helped me relax.

I opened the system panel and reviewed my stats.

Using 500 Purification Points, I exchanged them for Health.

Ding.

【Congratulations! You’ve gained 5 Health. Current Health: 25. Remaining Purification Points: 145.】

Better than nothing.

Suddenly, I opened my eyes wide.

I was seeing the system panel directly in my mind, with my eyes closed. From an outsider’s perspective, it must have looked like I abruptly woke up, staring straight ahead.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

If they were monitering me, they surely would find that something was definitely off.

I frowned and glanced toward the door.

The door was plain white, and the whole room had been designed to feel comfortable and safe. But I sensed something… watching me.

...

9635 eyes blinked in unison, hidden within the observation room’s design, recording every movement with a chilling precision.

Spores from contamination couldn’t be eliminated entirely; they could only be contained. Some were sent to research departments, labs, or technology centers for study.

The research department had even used the characteristics of contamination to create several “tools.” One of them, the Snoop's Eyes, could record without interfering with the subject, or alerting them. The monitoring happened without people noticing it.

Behind the observation room was a research lab.

A face was displayed on a large monitor. Just then, the subject suddenly turned her gaze directly at the screen, startling one of the researchers, Dr. Lewis, who was analyzing my helmet data.

“Did she… notice us?” he asked, feeling uneasy.

“It’s possible,” replied Dr. Mills, his colleague. “The higher the mental value, the sharper the sense of danger and abnormality.”

This is a linear correlation. The Snoop's Eyes were a contaminant. The fact that she could sense them demonstrated a significantly high mental value.

Dr. Lewis sighed, still startled by the subject uncanny reaction.

She was too fast. She’d only been lying there for fifteen minutes but had already sensed something was wrong.

Emily entered, fresh from a meeting. Her presence always added pressure to the lab. Although officially an assistant, she commanded great respect as one with full Center access privileges. She was said to have just finished meeting with the big bosses.

“Any results yet?” she asked.

“Let’s see,” Dr. Mills said as he pulled up the data. “Her mental value is remarkably stable, showing no signs of contamination.”

"In contrast, the other subject, Daniel, showed extreme fluctuations, his value spiking one moment and plummeting the next."

On the monitor, Daniel was crouched in the corner of his room, looking like a forlorn mushroom. Emma’s data also showed small fluctuations; she was resting, though it appeared she was having a nightmare.

Nina was the only one with a completely flat line, as if untouched.

“Quite unusual,” Dr. Mills said. “Most people show some level of mental disturbance after entering a contamination zone, especially cleaners exposed frequently. But she’s rebounded right away.”

“What’s her mental value?” Emily asked. She had come here to find out.

Dr. Mills expertly operated the monitor, adjusting the “eyes” in the observation room to collect more precise data.

“‘Mental value’ is a broad concept which fluctuate with the scenarios. We often just look at peaks and troughs,” he explained as he adjusted the controls. “Many assume it’s the most stable during combat, but we believe the six hours following a mission offer the most accurate reading. The mind begins to relax, lowering its guard after a task, which gives a clearer reading.”

This was why subjects were immediately sent to an observation room after combat. Data collected now would be the most reliable.

Dr. Mills adjusted the display one last time and read out a number: “1200. S-class.”

“How much?” Dr. Lewis looked over in disbelief. “A cleaner with a score of 1200? You must have made a mistake.”

Emily, though not a researcher, knew the basics. An average person’s mental value hovered around 100, cleaners averaged around 300, and Hunters generally measured around 800. Elite Hunters would reach around 1000, which was enough to earn them an S-class.

A score above 1400 would be S+, classifying them as a “Federal Talent Asset.” Only three individuals in the Federation had ever achieved an S+ ranking.

District 103 had never seen anyone with a mental value over 1000, let alone 1200. Nina was the only S-class mental value here.

She should have ended up in the military as a big weapon.

Dr. Mills remained calm. “I don’t make mistakes.”

Dr. Lewis, still stunned, checked his helmet data. “The analysis shows 1253.”

“Then it’s accurate. Helmet data typically has a margin of error within 100 points,” Dr. Mills confirmed. “She’s definitely an S-class.”

“Is it reliable?” Emily pressed.

“Yes,” Dr. Mills nodded. “Her true value could be higher, but the discrepancy would be minimal.”

In other words, it could only go up from here.

“I understand why she recovered so quickly. She’s the only S-class in District 103.”

“With this level, she could enter an Class A contamination zone unprotected, recover with ease, and even survive an Class S zone without risking brain damage.”

In short, she could stroll through any contamination zones up to Class A , and even if she entered a Class S, she’d come out with her wits intact.

Emily smiled. “Looks like we’ve found ourselves a hidden gem.”

Though Emily knew the selection process was handled by “the System,” she couldn’t guess its reasoning. Still, she noted the surveillance camera overhead, giving it a quick, unreadable glance.

Emily mulled over her options, tapping her arm with her fingers. How would she report this?

Reporting everything might lead to complications, and not just for the girl. It could impact the entire Cleaning Center of District 103.

“What about her physical stats?” she asked.

This was routine; Emily was thorough and wanted the complete picture.

Dr. Mills and Dr. Lewis began compiling data: muscle tissue, organs, blood, cellular health, everything. The information gathering was meticulous.

After about half an hour, Emily finally received the report she wanted.

When the report printed, both Dr. Mills and Dr. Lewis set aside their tasks, waiting for the results. Given the exceptional mental value, if her physical stats matched, the Cleaning Center wouldn’t be able to keep me. She’d be transferred to the First Military District.

But if my physical stats were average, She could still outperform half the Hunters.

The report emerged, and Dr. Mills scanned it carefully, then checked it again, blinking in disbelief.

Dr. Lewis, impatient, grabbed the report, his reaction even stronger. “This… must be wrong, right?”

Not satisfied, Dr. Lewis re-ran the scan, printing the data a second time. The numbers were the same.

He collapsed into his chair, unable to fathom the result. “This is… impossible.”

“What is it?” Emily asked.

Dr. Mills rubbed his temples, letting out a deep sigh. “I thought we’d found a prodigy. But it turns out… she’s more like a defective product.”

“Her physical stats are way below average. Without external help, she might not survive another year.”

In other words, She was a dead woman walking.

Emily’s brows furrowed as she glanced back at the screen, where Nina was examining the room. She seemed aware of the hidden dangers around, but instead of showing any concern, she just turned on the TV, yawned, and went to sleep.

Emily and the researchers looked at each other in stunned silence.

This was definitely not normal.