Chapter 148: A Gentle Knock

“What the heck! A thousand kilograms! What’s going on here?”

After Shi Ji gently knocked on the testing device, the display showed ‘1000.’ Not more, not less, exactly one thousand kilograms.

“The testing machine must be broken. How could he possibly have that much strength?”

“Yeah, everyone saw it. This guy just tapped it like he was knocking on a door. How could that produce so much force? It must be a glitch caused by a weak hit.”

“Yeah, makes sense. I almost thought this guy had that much strength for real.”

After the initial shock, the atmosphere calmed down, and everyone started joking around again.

For such tests, Shi Ji always held back. If he accidentally broke the device, who knew how much it would cost? Back at the Star Hero Academy, he once damaged a strength testing machine with an unintentional heavy hit and got reprimanded, though luckily, there were no financial repercussions. That was an academy, where students were given special treatment, but here, it was different. If he broke something here, he was sure they’d make him pay.

Even Lin Xinyan, who knew Shi Ji’s strength well, couldn’t help but widen her eyes at his gentle tap. She knew the device wasn’t malfunctioning; this was indeed Shi Ji’s true strength. But to exert that much force with just a light tap, how did Shi Ji manage that? What kind of training had he undergone?

Xing Yuxiu was also left speechless, his eyes wide and his jaw dropped as if his eyeballs and chin might fall out.

Curious and skeptical, Xing Yuxiu mimicked Shi Ji, giving the device a gentle knock. The display showed only a few kilograms.

Seeing Shi Ji walk away, Xing Yuxiu was at a loss for words. He realized it wasn’t the machine—it was all about the person.

Watching Shi Ji walk away, Lin Xinyan couldn’t help but ask, “Hey, where are you going?”

“To the restroom. Do you want to come with me, Xinyan?”

Shi Ji’s response made Lin Xinyan’s cheeks flush, and she immediately stopped talking. While the words were innocent enough, she could sense an underlying implication in Shi Ji’s tone.

The restroom was a bit of a distance away. To get there, he had to pass through the central hall. Shi Ji had always had a lot of complaints about the design. Who was the designer that thought it was a good idea to hide the restrooms like some kind of top-secret facility?

Fortunately, the central hall wasn’t too far, and he reached the restroom quickly.

After using the restroom, on his way back through the central hall, a voice called out to him.

“Shi Ji? What are you doing here?”

Shi Ji turned around and saw a girl dressed in a black dress standing there. Putting her appearance aside for a moment, she was notably short.

“Oh, it’s you, you little brat.”

The girl who spoke was Jing Xin.

Today, Jing Xin had changed her outfit, no longer wearing the awkwardly formal black suit from before.

Shi Ji looked Jing Xin up and down, smiling, “See, a little brat like you is better suited to wearing this kind of outfit. I have to say, you look pretty good in it.”

Despite Shi Ji’s compliment, Jing Xin didn’t seem pleased. Instead, she felt like Shi Ji was subtly mocking her for being short and flat-chested.

“Hey, you jerk, what are you doing here? Registering as a professional hero? I thought you weren’t interested.”

Shi Ji laughed, “Still not interested. I just happened to pass by and needed to use the restroom.”

Jing Xin was left speechless, feeling somewhat grossed out by his bluntness.

Just as she was about to say something more, a voice came from the side.

“Jing Xin, there you are.”