PAPA GU HAS TRANSCENDANT CENSORS TOO?

As he awaited the commencement of his trial, the peculiar man approached him, and this stranger firmly grasped his hand and proceeded to vigorously shake it while expressing admiration. "You are truly remarkable, young man," he exclaimed, inadvertently almost dislocating Xi Chen's arm in the process. Xi Chen, in order to show respect, could only manage a smile and nod, silently hoping that the stranger would release his grip before causing any further permanent damage to his shoulder. Mr. Lin, observing Xi Chen's discomfort, redirected the stranger's attention towards himself with a cough clearing his throat, allowing Xi Chen a momentary reprieve. Their eyes briefly met, and in that fleeting moment, Mr. Lin conveyed a knowing smile while Xi Chen expressed gratitude for his intervention.

The stranger, becoming aware that his incessant ramblings were falling on deaf ears as Mr. Lin seemed preoccupied and wasn’t listening to him, followed his gaze and turned around to see what had captured Mr. Lin's attention. Finally remembering his purpose, he turned back to Xi Chen and introduced himself, saying, "Hello, my name is Zhang Bingwen. I hold the position of Grand Premier for the Transcendents and also serve as a professor at G Country's Central University. Most people refer to me as Professor Zhang," but you can call me Uncle Zhang. He eventually ended his long rant with a smile. "Uncle Zhang," Xi Chen greeted, unsure of the purpose of their meeting. Based on their reactions and the whispered conversation he overheard, it seemed that they were here because of his exceptional results. While he understood that part, he found it peculiar that the leader of all the transcendants had personally come to see him for such a reason. It would have made more sense for him to be summoned instead. There must be something else going on, but despite his newfound “big brains” and deductive abilities, he couldn't figure out the answer. So, he decided to stop dwelling on it and refocus his attention on the premier, who was still passionately speaking again. Xi Chen had zoned out and missed most of what was being said. He simply smiled and pretended to understand and care about the ongoing discussion.

Eventually, the school director, Mr. Lan, took over from the premier and began a monologue about the great things Xi Chen would accomplish for the school and the world. He emphasized how special Xi Chen was and how he would go on to change the world and potentially save it. However, at this point, Xi Chen couldn't care less about anyone's words or intentions. He had been at the meeting all day, and it was now past 4 o'clock. He had yet to eat lunch. The little rest he managed to get was interrupted by all the testing, and now he had to endure these men coming in and talking about things that didn't interest him. All he wanted at this moment was to go home, eat, sleep, relax, and process all the information he had received today. However, he still had to listen to them drone on. Mr. Lin, always observant, noticed that Xi Chen was becoming restless and fidgety, so he intervened to stop the never-ending lecture. He turned to Xi Chen and said, "Chen Chen, I remember it's your birthday today. They're waiting for you to celebrate, aren't they?" It was a way to rescue Xi Chen from the predicament. Xi Chen raised an eyebrow at being called "Chen Chen," but he decided to play along, realizing it was his best chance to escape the situation quickly. "Since it's your birthday, Uncle Zhang must give you a present before he leaves," the Premier said as he took out another black card, the third one Xi Chen had received today, and handed it to Xi Chen. At this point, Xi Chen wasn't even surprised anymore. He accepted the card and thanked the Premier. The Premier shook his hand once more and made plans for them to meet again in the future. When listening to the premier, one would assume he was an elderly man, but in reality, he was quite young, probably not older than 30, or at least he appeared that way. The director also had a youthful look, and even Mr. Lin seemed to be in his forties at most. However, their focus was on this young man premier, who seemed to be droning on like an aging old man before their eyes, which was testing Xi Chen's patience. After agreeing to their next meeting, he thought of using the excuse of needing to call his father as a means of escape. However, Mr. Lin beat him to it by informing them that he had promised Xi Chen's father to bring him home, and he also needed to escort his daughter. With that, Mr. Lin excused himself and left with Xi Chen, leaving the premier and director with the forgotten tester lady in the room.

Once they were outside, Xi Chen expressed his gratitude to Uncle Lin for his assistance and was about to depart when Uncle Lin stopped him. "I wasn't lying about promising your dad to bring you home," he said. He then matter-of-factly suggested they head out and began walking ahead, expecting Xi Chen to follow suit, which he did. Eventually, they reached a waiting car, a black Hummer limousine with tinted windows. The driver stepped out upon seeing them approach and opened the back door for them to enter. Uncle Lin graciously stepped aside, allowing him to enter first. As he looked into the car, his gaze unexpectedly met Xin Yi's, who had just glanced up from her phone. She seemed momentarily startled before quickly returning to her usual expressionless demeanor. Xi Chen awkwardly smiled at her and proceeded to sit beside her. Xin Yi's father, the last to enter, took a seat opposite them. He picked up a magazine and immersed himself in its contents, completely ignoring the two young individuals in front of him.

Xi Chen stared at the unfamiliar magazine before him. It was a publication he had never heard of, and the cover seemed peculiar. However, he wasn't in the mood to delve into it at that moment. Exhausted, irritable, and famished, he had no desire to engage in conversation or ask any questions. Instead, he rummaged through his bag for his AirPods, a gift he had received two birthdays ago from Mr. Lin, and connected them to his iPhone, another gift from Uncle Lin on his previous birthday. It suddenly dawned on him that he hadn't personally thanked Uncle Lin for all the presents he had received over the years.

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Tapping Uncle Lin gently to gain his attention, Xi Chen proceeded to express his gratitude for the gifts. "No need," Uncle Lin cryptically responded, briefly glancing over at his daughter, Xin Yi, whose ears had tinted red again, although her face still remained impassive. Mr. Lin, who was amused by his daughter's reaction, smiled and shook his head at the innocence of youth. Lost in thought again, Mr. Lin returned to his magazine.

Xi Chen found himself perplexed by Mr. Lin's response, but he wasn't in the right state of mind to dwell on it at the moment. He shrugged slightly and decided to play some soothing music on his phone. Placing the earphones in his ears, he closed his eyes and finally allowed himself to fully relax for the first time since arriving at school earlier that morning. The gentle swaying of the car as it moved gradually lulled him to sleep, and before he knew it, he was being shaken awake in front of his house.

Just as he was about to open the door and step out, Uncle Lin stopped him. "Chen Chen, can I offer you some advice?" Xi Chen nodded, waiting for him to continue. "Our world is a dangerous one, especially for our family. Once your true identity is revealed, your life and the lives of those around you will be at risk. Therefore, my advice would be for you to relocate your family.", "Keep in mind that discretion is key in order to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved."

"Our residential complex serves as the primary residence for the majority of transcendents and their families in this city. We have implemented enhanced security measures and mechanisms specifically designed to protect transcendents and their loved ones. Rest assured, your family will also be provided with special, transcendent security. We currently have a few available units within the complex where you and your family can relocate. However, if you prefer not to move here, we can offer alternative secure areas for your consideration. Keep in mind that these alternative options may come with a cost, but given the funds you have received on those black cards, it should be more than sufficient. If you require additional financial assistance, please do not hesitate to inform me. After all, it is what you deserve.” Mr. Lin finally finished his very long infomercial, still staring at Xi Chen.

"Xi Chen simply stared back at him, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the information being presented to him. His mind was on the verge of overload, trying to process everything they were divulging. Sensing Xi Chen's hesitation, Uncle Lin clarified that it was merely a suggestion and encouraged him to take his time to carefully consider it. Xi Chen nodded, expressing his gratitude to Uncle Lin for the suggestion, and assured him that he would contemplate it before exiting the car."

As he turned to leave, Xi Chen waved goodbye one final time to both Uncle Lin and Xin Yi. Xin Yi responded with a shy smile and an awkward wave, to which Xi Chen reciprocated before turning away.

As he strolled towards his gate, opening it and stepping inside, an alarm suddenly blared for the third time that day, causing the interior light of their house to flash a vibrant red. Xi Chen stood frozen, realizing that this was the alarm of a Transcendent Identifying Device (TID). The driver, who had been on the verge of closing the door, halted in shock, while both Xin Yi and Uncle Lin turned their attention to Xi Chen, their faces mirroring his astonishment. How could a TID be present here? It could only mean one thing: Father Gu was aware of transcendent beings. This implied that he himself could be one, hiding his true identity for an extended period of time. However, this seemed unlikely considering the presence of the TID. These devices were rare and not available for purchase; they were specially assigned by the Bureau of Transcendent Maintenance and required approval from the Premier. There was no way Father Gu could have gotten one for himself without his (Uncle Lin’s) knowledge, considering his high position. This left only one other possibility: Father Gu knew someone who was transcendent and received the TID from them. Yet, there was no record of this in Xi Chen's background check. For someone to accomplish this without alerting him, they would need to hold a high-ranking position that he did not have access to. There were very few individuals with a higher clearance than his.

Highly confused and eager to find answers to the questions that troubled him, Uncle Lin stepped out of the car and made his way towards Xi Chen, with Xin Yi trailing closely behind. Upon reaching the front gate, they were greeted by the sight of Xi Chen standing still, his gaze fixed on his father, who appeared equally shocked by what had just happened. As Father Gu looked up, he noticed his boss and his daughter staring at him, clearly demanding an explanation. Mr. Lin spoke with a stern tone, "Mr. Gu, you have some explaining to do." Mr. Gu nodded, fully aware that there was no other option but to reveal the truth. He motioned for them to come inside, giving them a silent invitation to hear his explanation. Expressing their gratitude for his hospitality, Father Gu and his daughter removed their shoes and entered the house, while Xi Chen remained frozen in disbelief outside. Finally, Father Gu called out to him, "Chen, I can explain. Come inside, let's talk." Xi Chen snapped out of his daze, nodded in acknowledgment, and followed Father Gu into the house. Taking a deep breath, Father Gu closed the door behind them and turned around to face the impending interrogation.