I Can Control Resources

"Scheme against you?!" The Examiner was stunned.

"Isn’t that what’s happening? Then you tell me, why was everyone else’s test fine, but the moment it’s my turn, the machine explodes?!" Gao Neng immediately went on the offensive.

"That’s right... Why did it explode on your turn?" The Examiner fell silent, but he quickly realized what was going on. ’This bastard broke it, didn’t he?’

’He blew up a machine!’

’And he still has the gall to question me?’

The Examiner’s expression was grim.

However, he ultimately decided not to argue with Gao Neng about it. After all, the way the machine exploded was a bit strange, and the numbers on the display earlier had been far too shocking.

"Old Deng, what’s going on? Did the testing machine break?" Another Examiner walked over, glancing at Gao Neng and then at the grim-faced Examiner.

"It might be broken... but it was working fine just a moment ago..." The grim-faced Examiner nodded, then shook his head.

"How about you try the machine at my station?"

"Alright." In the end, the grim-faced Examiner didn’t say anything more. He looked at Gao Neng. "Gao Neng, go to the machine next to this one and test again. The rest of you, go line up over there too."

"But we’ve been waiting for so long..."

"Yeah!"

"Why is our luck so bad? The machine had to break."

Although the students waiting in line were reluctant, they quickly moved over.

Gao Neng was in a great mood. He had just received a confirmation from the system for completing one "Are you a dumbass?" quest. However, he had to keep an angry expression on his face.

Because there were still two more to go.

He had to maintain his current state of fury.

"It’s not going to explode again, is it? If it does... I’m going to start cussing people out!" Gao Neng put on a full display of his innocence, laying the groundwork for what was to come.

"They don’t explode that easily. What happened just now was a total accident!" the other Examiner said with a chuckle, signaling for Gao Neng to go ahead and start the test.

Gao Neng didn’t stand on ceremony.

He was brimming with confidence. With Gao Xiaomeng around, it was definitely going to explode again.

’Five more fish,’ Gao Neng thought, giving what he considered a friendly smile to Gao Xiaomeng, who was perched on his shoulder, as he reached out his hands.

"Meow, meow, meow..." Gao Xiaomeng kept up her adorable act.

As for the students behind him, they all instinctively took a few steps back.

"Go ahead," the Examiner said, patting the testing machine with a confident look.

"Alright." Gao Neng immediately thrust his hands inside. Then, just like before, he focused his thoughts with all his might on sucking everything out of it.

BOOM!

The entire testing machine began to shake again.

In just an instant, the numbers on the machine’s display started to spin wildly, all sorts of figures appearing once more. The situation was identical to the last time.

Iron 60%...

Copper 60%...

Tin 60%...

Silver 60%, Gold 60%, Phosphorus 60%, Sulfur 60%, Silicon 60%...

"Oh no, it’s gonna blow again!" someone shrieked.

The high school girl who had caught Gao Neng earlier instantly dashed behind him.

Then came a loud BOOM!

Sparks of electricity danced across the machine.

Gao Neng was once again sent staggering backward from the shockwave.

SMACK!

He fell right into the high school girl’s arms again.

"Senior Gao Neng! Senior Gao Neng, are you okay?!" The girl’s worried expression looked completely genuine as her hands once again clutched him tightly to her chest.

...

A dead silence fell.

The Examiner who had been smiling just a moment ago was frozen in shock.

As for the grim-faced Examiner, his expression grew even darker...

Meanwhile, the surrounding students just stared at each other with the strangest looks on their faces. Blowing up two machines in a row... that was seriously badass!

’A coincidence?!’

’If this is a fucking coincidence, I’ll eat my own shit!’

"AHH! Let me go!" Gao Neng yelled, springing away and rushing right up to the stunned Examiner. "You said it wouldn’t explode?! How dare you tell me this wasn’t premeditated! Are you a dumbass?! I’m going to file a complaint against you all... You must be in league with Wang Ju!"

"..." The stunned Examiner’s face darkened once again.

And it wasn’t just him.

The other Examiners’ faces were just as dark. Every one of them had a bizarre expression, staring at Gao Neng as if he were a monster.

’What the hell?’

’It blows up the moment he tests? These machines are super expensive!’

"Gao Neng, stop making a scene. There’s something fishy about this. Did you tamper with the machine?" one of the Examiners finally said, unable to watch any longer.

"Me, tamper with it? I followed the standard procedure for the test. You were all standing right here watching. How could I have tampered with it? You’re trying to frame me!" Naturally, Gao Neng couldn’t admit to anything.

"..." All the Examiners fell silent.

Just as Gao Neng had said, they were the ones operating the machines. All Gao Neng did was stick his hands inside; he hadn’t done anything else.

But the machines had, in fact, exploded...

And two of them, in a row.

The whole affair was simply too bizarre.

"How about this? I’ll test one last time. You can all inspect everything carefully and see for yourselves if I’m tampering with anything," Gao Neng suggested, an idea sparking in his mind.

’Just one more test.’

’And my plan will be a perfect success.’

"Test again?" The Examiners exchanged glances but said nothing. After all, they were already short on machines for this test, and now two had been destroyed.

If another one blew up...

The consequences were unthinkable.

"Is there another possibility? What if Gao Neng’s hidden talent is too high, over 60%, and it caused the machines to malfunction?" one Examiner tentatively suggested.

"Under normal circumstances, if a talent value exceeds 60%, the machine is supposed to give an audio prompt. But these just blew up... That shouldn’t happen, right?" another Examiner chimed in.

"It shouldn’t, but we can’t completely rule out that possibility..." The other Examiners weren’t so sure.

Gao Neng was confused.

’Hidden talent over 60%? What does that mean?’

"It’s like this: these machines can only accurately measure hidden talent values below 60%. If it exceeds 60%, you need to use an intermediate-level testing machine," one of the Examiners explained, noticing Gao Neng’s confused expression.

’So that’s how it is...’ Gao Neng was starting to understand. No wonder the numbers on the display only went up to 60% before the machines exploded.

’So after all this time...’

’There are intermediate-level testing machines?’

Then came the question: was the explosion of those two machines Gao Xiaomeng’s doing, or did they truly malfunction because his hidden talent was too high?

Gao Neng, who had been so certain just a moment ago, was suddenly a little unsure.

Just as he was pondering this, a figure appeared in the distance.

Lieutenant Chen.

...

"Ahem!" Lieutenant Chen cleared his throat twice, pointedly. He hadn’t planned on revealing himself, but given the current situation, he had no choice.

"Lieutenant Chen!" The Examiners immediately snapped to a military salute.

"I recall we brought two spare intermediate-level testing machines when we came, correct?" Lieutenant Chen asked calmly.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Then let’s use an intermediate machine for one more test." Lieutenant Chen nodded, then his gaze shifted to Gao Neng. "Gao Neng, that’s a very cute cat on your shoulder."

"Yeah... but she doesn’t like being held by other people." Looking into Lieutenant Chen’s eyes, Gao Neng felt a strange sense of unease.

"That’s alright. Just holding her for a little while won’t be a problem." Lieutenant Chen gave a brilliant smile, then shot a meaningful look at the Examiner standing before him.

How could the Examiner not understand Lieutenant Chen’s meaning?

He understood at once.

"Gao Neng, to prove you haven’t tampered with the machines, we’ll need to temporarily quarantine your cat. No problem with that, right?" the Examiner asked, also flashing a brilliant smile.

’Ginger is spiciest when it’s old!’

’Why didn’t I think that the cat might be the problem?’