Weapon System 26: Conquering the Top Student

Although Zhang Mingjing was only eighteen years old, he harbored many dreams, longing to express himself and stand out from the crowd. Yet now, he understood that he no longer belonged to ordinary people; some secrets must be kept, such as the five-dimensional spatial thinking model, extraterrestrials, and the multitude of extraordinary abilities he possessed... During his time with superpowers, he insisted on staying low-profile.

However, the truth can never be concealed for long! Catherine and Jeremy eventually discovered him, so how did he communicate perfectly with them last night?

He introduced himself by saying, “Our family has practiced the Dao for generations, and our ancestral master passed down many skills. The abilities I use are merely those techniques.”

It seemed he had inherited some of Zhang Dao’s talent for spinning tales. Though reluctant, he had no choice but to do so. He couldn’t—and didn’t want to—turn Catherine and Jeremy into superstitious believers overnight, but at least make them inclined toward mysticism.

Catherine and Jeremy were not only battle-hardened warriors but also highly accomplished in the sciences, their minds rational and logical. Naturally, they did not believe him at first.

So he regaled them with stories of his family’s exploits in catching demons and exorcising evil in the city, telling them, “Don’t doubt it. My father, Zhang Dao, foresaw the mutant cats and dogs as the vanguard of the demon clans. These giant monsters are now the main force…”

He spoke convincingly and vividly, warning them, “Keep your minds open. Don’t let your knowledge become a barrier; it will only narrow your outlook.”

Catherine and Jeremy found his reasoning sound, yet his family tales were hard to digest.

Catherine asked, “How can you prove what you say is true?”

“My abilities are proof enough. If I recite the invisibility spell, even your War God satellites can’t find me. With my thoughts, I can channel my internal energy to harm monsters. With my lightness technique, I can run faster than your mechanical exoskeletons, and so on… You two have witnessed these things yourselves. Isn’t seeing believing?”

These words left Catherine and Jeremy momentarily unable to refute him, though they maintained their rationality.

Jeremy questioned, “Could your invisibility spell be made from some special material, like dark matter or something that absorbs satellite detection waves?”

Zhang Mingjing feigned maturity and smiled, replying, “Ah! Some superstitions are simply unexplained science. Think about what people a thousand years ago would make of an airplane. No matter how they imagined it, it would eventually become superstition. Maybe what I’m doing is all science—just one is known science, and the other is called mysterious forces.”

“Then teach us your invisibility spell someday!” Catherine said. “Maybe we can study it.”

“Hahaha! You couldn’t learn it.”

“Why not?”

“My science and yours go in opposite directions. First, you must believe completely—faith makes it work, doubt makes it fail. Can you believe? Second, you need a strong foundation, deep internal energy. Aside from some muscle, do you have any internal strength? Lastly, you must have some cultivation.”

“Cultivation?”

“Yes! That means reaching a certain level in the Daoist profession.” At this moment, Zhang Mingjing wasn’t sure what nonsense he was speaking, but as long as it kept them at bay, it was good enough.

Catherine and Jeremy quipped in confusion, “That’s really a pity! Otherwise, we’d love to experience these mysterious forces.”

At that moment, Zhang Mingjing thought, “They risk their lives fighting monsters for all mankind, making such sacrifices. Perhaps I should help them unblock their meridians!”

---

So he said, “Seeing how curious you both are, and how well we get along, let’s meet again tomorrow at the city sports arena. I’ll let you personally experience my mysterious Eastern science. We could also… yes, we could form an alliance to slay demons and exorcise evil.”

Catherine and Jeremy were delighted. Catherine said, “Forming a... what was it, a demon-slaying alliance? That’s a great idea. Let’s do it.”

“Agreed! Very well!” Zhang Mingjing saw the benefit a circle of friends brought to real practitioners, so he wanted one himself, thinking it would make his future endeavors more convenient.

At the end, he didn’t forget to frighten Catherine and Jeremy—a trick he learned from Zhang Dao, used specifically to turn skeptics into nervous believers. To protect his secrets, he had to make them supporters of mysticism, though his methods were more genuine than Zhang Dao’s.

He said, “Right now, it’s the hour when wandering spirits and ghosts are most active. They’re here to disturb my cultivation, so I must meditate.”

“Wandering spirits and ghosts?”

“Yes! They’re all around you, but you can’t see them with your mortal eyes. Actually, it’s better not to see them. They kiss you, bite you, hug you, lick you… and you don’t even know. Not knowing means you won’t be entangled by them.”

Catherine and Jeremy, after hearing this, felt a chill—Jeremy’s hair even stood on end.

“Are ghosts really real?” they finally asked.

“Do you feel a chill, even your hair standing up?”

“Isn’t that just a psychological reaction after your suggestion?”

“Hahaha… Not at all! When I don’t mention it, you ignore it and don’t sense the ghosts; when I speak of it, you respond and feel the presence. The world doesn’t understand, so they call it a psychological reaction, but it’s far from that simple.”

Catherine and Jeremy, after hearing this, really felt a bit jittery.

“Well then! Since you’re my allies and have fate with me, tonight I’ll recite a scripture for you, guaranteeing you are filled with righteous energy so that ghosts dare not approach.”

Catherine and Jeremy were dumbfounded.

In truth, Zhang Mingjing recited the Dao De Jing for them, and they listened in utter confusion.

At the same time, Zhang Mingjing instructed the real man to send a group of high-speed electrons to their assistants.

These electrons had pre-installed command programs and high heat. When they entered their bodies via their assistants and executed the commands, a rush of warmth followed a path straight to their lower abdomen, heating it quickly. The warmth spread to their crown, making their backs straighten, their bodies sweat lightly, and their minds feel wonderfully comfortable.

Catherine and Jeremy could no longer resist, praising the mysterious Eastern science effusively.

Thus, Zhang Mingjing used mystical tricks to quickly turn them into supporters of mysticism. If Zhang Dao ever learned of this, he would surely be proud.

The next day, Catherine and Jeremy volunteered to patrol the city, arriving as promised at the sports arena.

---

Zhang Mingjing was already waiting for them, dressed in Daoist robes, wearing the Daoist cap and a black mask.

Catherine and Jeremy removed their helmets. Catherine asked, “Don’t you want to take off your mask so we can be more open with each other?”

“Sorry! Not yet, but please trust my sincerity.”

Catherine and Jeremy exchanged glances and agreed.

“Please, sit!” Zhang Mingjing invited them to sit cross-legged, then implanted the Small Heavenly Cycle program in them. After about ten minutes, they began circulating the Small Heavenly Cycle, their astonished faces saying it all.

Zhang Mingjing reminded them, “Keep today’s events absolutely secret.”

“Of course!”

He deliberately added, “If you’re interested, read up on Chinese Daoist teachings. Since your War God satellites are watching closely, I’ll take my leave now.”

“But aren’t the satellites unable to see you?”

“They can see you two! Don’t you think it’s suspicious if you stay in one place too long?”

“That’s true!”

“I’ll contact you again, and when the time is right, I’ll help you unlock the Grand Heavenly Cycle and the Ren and Du meridians.”

“Thank you, Master!”

“Uh… no need.” Zhang Mingjing felt it odd they called him ‘Master’, so he explained, “Actually, ‘Master’ is how I refer to myself. Just call me Mingjing.”

Unexpectedly, their artificial intelligence overheard him. Barely five minutes later, all the War God squad AIs knew there was a Daoist named Mingjing in this southern town slaying monsters.

A day later, the news spread to every War God squad AI on Earth, and of course, reached the ears of the War God satellite.

“What! There’s actually a human I can’t detect?” The War God satellite absolutely refused to believe it.