Human Genius? Sorry, I’m a Deviant Chapter 12

At this moment, the online controversy surrounding Doberman and Su Zhan was growing increasingly heated.

Opportunistic reporters smelled a major scoop.

They rushed forward with their cameras and microphones aimed at him.

"Team Leader Du, as a veteran member of the Aberrant Purge Division, do you think Su Zhan can awaken successfully today?"

"First, let me correct you, reporter friend," Doberman said with a confident smile. "Don't call me Team Leader Du—I've been demoted to squad leader now. As for your question..."

"I can guarantee all citizens of Daxia that Su Zhan will not awaken."

Why was he so confident?

Because in his heart, he was certain Su Zhan was an Aberrant.

The autopsy showed Du Feng had died in close combat.

If not an Aberrant, how could Su Zhan have killed Du Feng?

"Let me digress—Aberrants and Awakened follow two completely different evolutionary paths. The genetic sequences of Aberrants have already been contaminated."

Doberman added this with a smile.

At this moment.

Su Zhan on the sports field noticed this scene.

He opened his phone.

Doberman's interview was being livestreamed.

Doberman, The Hound.

Heh... quite fitting, clinging to him like a rabid dog.

Coldly watching Doberman chatting and laughing on the podium, a seed named hatred grew vigorously in his heart.

The reporters, as if they'd struck gold, crowded forward:

"Squad Leader Du, can I interpret this as you declaring Su Zhan is an Aberrant?"

"Squad Leader Du, what's your basis for claiming Su Zhan is an Aberrant?"

"Squad Leader Du, do you have a personal grudge against Su Zhan?"

...

Doberman made a silencing gesture, waiting for the reporters to quiet down before speaking slowly: "I was just sharing an interesting aside. Everyone, please don't read too much into it."

A reporter pressed: "But if—just hypothetically—Su Zhan really awakens? Wouldn't that prove your accusations were all slander?"

Doberman's smile deepened: "Naturally. Every citizen of Daxia should obey the law. If he truly awakens, it would prove I misjudged him. I'll go to prison if I must, resign if required."

After a pause, he added:

"However, everyone can rest assured—"

Doberman's gaze swept across the camera lens, as if piercing through the screen to stare directly at all viewers: "Such a thing will never happen."

When reporters tried to ask more, Doberman waved his hand, signaling Aberrant Purge Division personnel to block them.

The interview shot to the top of trending searches within ten minutes.

The headline blared:

[Jiang City Aberrant Purge Division's Doberman Issues Military Pledge: If Su Zhan Awakens, I'll Voluntarily Imprison Myself!]

The debate over whether Su Zhan could awaken had already stirred up storms across social media.

On forums, technical analysts dissected frame by frame Su Zhan's physical exam reports from the past three years, searching for inhuman evidence.

On short video platforms, influencers rushed to make prediction videos, betting on his certain failure.

Supporters hailed Doberman as the "Hound of Justice," while opponents sneered, waiting to see him fail.

At this moment, countless netizens focused their attention on that silver-white Awakening Pod.

Either Su Zhan would be proven innocent, and Doberman's reputation destroyed;

Or Doberman's words would prove prophetic, and Su Zhan would remain branded as a suspected Aberrant.

There was no third possibility.

Su Zhan silently browsed the online information.

He'd already made up his mind.

The awakening was destined to fail.

The label of suspected Aberrant would brand him like a scarlet letter.

If he didn't erupt in silence, he would perish in it.

Since the world had isolated him.

Right or wrong, he no longer cared to explain.

At this moment.

The broadcast sounded:

"The Mist Calendar Year 300 Unified Awakening Ceremony begins now!"

The indicator lights on the three Awakening Pods lit up in sequence.

The gears of fate began turning.

Awakened awaken their Life Souls.

A Life Soul could be anything—an ability, object, animal...

Life Souls were ranked from lowest E to highest SSS.

Life Souls could be similar, with identical Life Souls having different ranks.

For example, metal control could be SSS rank or E rank.

Daxia produced no more than ten SSS-rank Awakened per year.

"Look, who's that?"

"Lei Shen. Not as impressive as Li Yuqin, but still a famous rich kid."

"They say his father not only bought him the most expensive Awakening Serum, but also enrolled him in some awakening class with Awakened instructors. Cost a million just for that."

"What bullshit. Total waste of money. If that worked, all rich kids would be Awakened by now."

"Hahaha, some people are just stupid with money. Their choice to get scammed."

Lei Shen stood trembling in the front row of the viewing stands, completely lacking his usual carefree demeanor among his lackeys.

The pod door closed, gas filled the chamber, and the display screen showed genetic chains vibrating violently.

After just one minute.

[Awakening Failed!]

A piercing alarm sounded.

Lei Shen staggered out of the pod, face deathly pale.

"Hahaha, knew it! Total waste of money!"

"Serves him right! Always looking down his nose at people—karma's a bitch."

"Exactly. Money can't buy everything. Now he's just like us."

"If even he failed, I'm satisfied. Think about it—I spent nothing, not even on Awakening Serum, but got the same result. That's like saving millions! Hahaha..."

"Hearing you say that, I'm less nervous now. Same here—didn't spend a cent."

Despite their words, their trembling legs betrayed their true anxiety.

"Hey, know that guy? His uniform's as tattered as a beggar's."

"Zhang Wei from Class Six. Lives in the suburbs—family's poor. Rides that broken bicycle home every holiday since buses don't go there."

"Damn, no way his family could afford Awakening Serum."

"Obviously. Let's just enjoy the show."

One minute later.

[Awakening Successful!]

[C-rank Life Soul: Body Petrification.]

The mechanical announcement sounded.

Tears streaming, Zhang Wei rushed from the pod, his uniform sleeves still patched.

He raised shaking hands, his skin turning stone-gray.

This was genuine awakening power—undeniable proof.

"Dad! Mom!"

His hoarse cry cut through the noisy crowd.

In the back row, a middle-aged couple in faded work clothes sprang up.

"Xiao Wei... really... really made it?"

The father's calloused hands trembled as they touched his son's petrified arm.

The mother hugged her son fiercely, ignoring how his hardened skin dug painfully into her.

"Mom knew... praying to Guanyin every day... it worked..."

Zhang Wei's father suddenly turned and knelt heavily toward the Awakening Pod.

This man who'd carried cement at construction sites for twenty years now wept like a child.

In the distance, recruiters from Awakened academies came running with admission letters.

The crowd buzzed.

"No way! Absolutely no way!"

"How does some poor trash deserve this?"

"Fuck! I spent nearly a million to lose to some beggar!"

Su Zhan observed it all.

Such was human nature.

People longed for fairness yet hated absolute fairness.

They despised privilege yet yearned to become privilege itself.

Twenty, thirty, forty people passed...

Fewer than five succeeded.

Some had epileptic fits on the spot.

Some laughed maniacally while tearing their clothes.

Most returned numb to their parents, like soulless puppets.

Awakening was fair.

And cruel.