"Ah, Qin buddy, Shiqi, you're both here. Please have a seat." Upon seeing Qin Yan and Lin Shiqi arrive, Gao Zhanxiang quickly greeted them to sit down and called the waiter to bring in the dishes.

After Qin Yan found a seat and looked around the private room, he saw Zhou Xiaohui chatting with Li Ruobing, while Gao Zhanxiang occasionally joined in, making jokes. Zhao Liang was engrossed in playing a handheld electronic game. The atmosphere in the room was no different from a regular dinner gathering. Although Qin Yan was unsure of the purpose of Gao Zhanxiang calling him here, he remained calm and waited quietly on the side.

Shortly after, the waiter brought the dishes, and Gao Zhanxiang started serving everyone. Qin Yan and Lin Shiqi were still young, so they opted for soft drinks instead of alcohol.

Gao Zhanxiang raised his glass and stood up, saying loudly, "Qin buddy, Shiqi, I bet you're wondering why I called you here. Actually, this is a proposal from Principal Li..." At this point, Gao Zhanxiang noticed Li Ruobing staring at him with an unfriendly expression and quickly changed his words, "After consulting with Principal Li, I came up with a proposal. I hope both of you will join our Academy's special forces team. Today's gathering is a special welcome party for you both."

"So, you want us to join the special forces team. Why didn't you mention such an important matter beforehand?" Lin Shiqi said, sounding a bit displeased.

Setting down his glass, Gao Zhanxiang looked puzzled and said, "Shiqi, you don't like acting outside the academy, right? By joining the special forces team, you can accompany us on external missions. Both you and Qin Yan are third-level Espers, so you are definitely qualified to join our team."

"It's not about qualification," Lin Shiqi said, "It's about willingness."

"What? Are you unwilling?" Gao Zhanxiang asked.

"Of course, I'm unwilling. I'm used to being free to do as I please. By joining the special forces team, I'll have to follow your orders, carry out specific tasks, and be bossed around by you. I'm not interested in that at all."

Gao Zhanxiang looked troubled and asked, "Then what would make you willing to join the special forces team?"

"It's not about conditions. I'm just not interested. No matter how much you say, it won't change my mind."

Knowing Lin Shiqi's personality, Gao Zhanxiang realized she wouldn't easily change her mind. He was at a loss, but then Li Ruobing spoke up, "Shiqi, don't be so stubborn. I used to let you act on your own outside, but now your actions have become bolder. You dared to seek out other Espers organizations outside, almost causing a major incident. Joining the special forces team will allow Captain Gao to train you well, which will be beneficial for you."

"I don't want him to train me," Lin Shiqi said disdainfully, "Captain Gao and his team are always running around outside, but they haven't accomplished much. Qin Yan and I went out once and defeated members of another Espers organization, collecting a lot of loot. Isn't that more impressive than what they've done?"

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Upon hearing this, Li Ruobing's expression darkened. "Captain Gao has to consider the bigger picture and be cautious. Your reckless behavior will only lead to trouble sooner or later. Shiqi, you used to listen to me. Why are you being so stubborn now?"

Feeling lectured, Lin Shiqi was a bit defiant. "That was in the past. I'm older now, not a child. This is about my own affairs. Can't I make my own decisions?"

Li Ruobing rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. After a moment of silence, she suddenly looked at Qin Yan with a pleading expression.

"Uh, why is she looking at me like that? Does she want me to speak up for her? I might get scolded by Shiqi if I do." Qin Yan felt a bit hesitant, not wanting to get involved in this matter. However, he found Li Ruobing's pleading gaze hard to resist, so he reluctantly said, "Shiqi, you can try joining the special forces team. If you feel like it, you can go on missions with them; if not, you can opt out."

Seeing someone supporting her, Gao Zhanxiang quickly added, "That's right, Shiqi. I guarantee that after you join the special forces team, I won't force you to do things you don't want to. You can come and go as you please. Will that satisfy you?"

"Oh, I see..." Upon hearing this, Lin Shiqi seemed to consider it. She looked at Qin Yan and asked, "What about you? Are you willing to join this special forces team?"

Qin Yan hesitated, feeling a bit troubled. Now that the focus was on him, he realized that this matter wasn't easy to handle. If he joined the special forces team, it meant officially joining the Academy for Espers. Seeing Qin Yan remain silent for a while, Gao Zhanxiang asked, "What's wrong, Qin buddy? Is there a problem?"

After thinking for a while, Qin Yan decided it would be best to clarify things. He said, "I don't know much about your academy. To be honest, I don't really trust your academy because I've heard rumors. They say that these Espers organizations are cruel and heartless, conducting biological experiments on human bodies to study Espers, without caring about human life. They don't mind turning humans into monsters."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions stiffened. The atmosphere became awkward and uncomfortable because Qin Yan's words clearly implied that their academy was involved in unethical activities, almost like an insult to their faces.

"Don't say that, Qin Yan," Lin Shiqi tugged at his hand, looking at him imploringly, hoping he wouldn't say something hurtful.

But Qin Yan was determined to continue. His expression serious and his gaze unwavering, he said, "Are the things I said true? Can anyone answer me?"

Suddenly, Li Ruobing spoke up, "You're right. In the early stages of researching Espers, our academy did have many accidents that caused harm to many people, even resulting in loss of life. However, sacrifices were unavoidable for progress. Now, our research on Espers is much more mature, and we strive to avoid any harm deliberately. So please, Qin Yan, trust us."

Li Ruobing's words were sincere, and Qin Yan couldn't help but be moved. However, he still said, "I believe you, but I also believe my own eyes. I won't make a decision until I fully understand everything about you."

Li Ruobing nodded and said, "I will tell you everything you want to know here. I'll give you time to respond."

"Thank you," Qin Yan replied.

Seeing that Qin Yan had reached an understanding with Li Ruobing, Gao Zhanxiang laughed loudly to ease the awkward tension in the room. He raised his glass and finished it in one go, saying, "Well, after all this talk, I'm starving. Today, my treat. Everyone, please eat to your heart's content. The dishes here are delicious. Hurry up and dig in; if you're late, there might not be any left. Haha."