17: Chapter 17 Registration, Testing, and Club Recruitment

Returning to the familiar university town, the air was no longer filled with the blood and suspicion of Mist Town, but rather the aroma of breakfast stalls and the clamor of young students. Zhang Hao felt as if a lifetime had passed. The cold touch of Silver Star in his pocket reminded him that everything from last night was not an illusion.

Following the guidance of news and government announcements, he arrived at the newly established "Special Phenomenon Response Office" at the Municipal Government Service Center for Host registration. The process was smoother and more professional than he had imagined. There was no interrogation, no fearful looks, only uniformed staff handing over electronic forms and a computer connected to a specialized instrument.

The registration content included basic information, the approximate time of his first entry into the Dream World, known Dream Spirit forms and abilities, awakened Talents (Zhang Hao reported [Logical Connection D-rank], hiding his newly acquired [Logic Pre-simulation] ability), and a general account of his task experience (he briefly described the teamwork and reasoning process, omitting specific details and the part where he killed the manager).

"Please place your hand on the sensing area to cooperate with the basic Dream Power fluctuation sampling," the staff member signaled.

Zhang Hao complied, and the instrument emitted a faint hum. He could feel Silver Star vibrating slightly in his pocket, seemingly engaged in some invisible interaction with the device. A moment later, the sampling was complete.

"Registration complete, Mr. Zhang Hao. Your information has been entered into the National Host Database. Please ensure you comply with the 'Regulations on Extraordinary Ability Management and Responsibility,' using your abilities to serve society; illegal crimes are strictly prohibited. If there is a major Breakthrough in your abilities or a significant evolution of your spirit, please update your information promptly. Thank you for your cooperation."

The entire process was efficient and calm, as if he were just applying for a special driver's license. Zhang Hao received a "Host Identity Card" with a chip, which served as one of his "ID cards" in this new era.

Immediately after, he was invited to participate in a non-mandatory ability test organized by the state's newly established "Dream Power and Application Research Institute." The test took place at a heavily guarded base, with dozens of Hosts participating, showcasing a wide variety of abilities.

The test items included:

Dream Power Intensity and Control Precision: Attempting to condense and shape energy to attack targets or complete delicate operations.

Talent Ability Assessment: Utilizing Talents in simulated scenarios. Zhang Hao's [Logical Connection] performed excellently in cracking complex combination locks and analyzing chaotic intelligence fragments, keeping the researchers busy recording data.

Spirit Synergy and Functional Evaluation: Silver Star's data analysis and environmental scanning capabilities received high praise, especially the observation that it seemed to possess a certain degree of growth potential and adaptability.

Physical Physique and Potential Enhancements: Confirmed that his Physique, spirit, and other attributes had a slight enhancement beyond that of ordinary people.

After the test, a sharp-looking head of the institute wearing a white lab coat approached him.

"Student Zhang Hao, your ability is very unique, especially in analysis and reasoning. Our institute is in great need of Talent like you. Are you interested in joining us ahead of schedule? The benefits are excellent, and you'll have access to the most cutting-edge research results and resources," the head offered an olive branch.

Becoming a national civil servant with a "golden rice bowl" and access to core secrets? This was a dream opportunity for many.

But Zhang Hao declined with almost no hesitation: "Thank you for your high regard. But I still want to finish my studies first. And... I feel that my ability might grow better in a freer environment."

He vaguely felt that once he entered the system, he would inevitably be subject to many restrictions; many secrets would be impossible to hide, and he would lose his autonomy. He preferred to remain independent and slowly explore the boundaries of this Dream World and his own abilities.

The head seemed a bit disappointed but did not push him, simply handing him a business card: "I respect your choice. If you change your mind or have any important discoveries, contact me anytime."

Returning to campus, life seemed to return to normal, yet it was entirely different. In class, he could occasionally detect faint energy fluctuations from certain classmates or see strange trinkets—unlike ordinary decorations—hanging from their backpacks; those were likely their Dream Spirits. A tacit understanding began to spread among the Host students.

That afternoon, he saw a brand-new poster on the campus bulletin board:

[Dream Society] Recruitment!

Have you also stepped into that infinite world?

Are you also confused or curious about your own changes?

Come here to share experiences, exchange insights, and help one another!

We explore the application of abilities, analyze task strategies, and more importantly, look for like-minded partners!

Location: Student Activity Center, 3rd Floor, Room 307

Time: Every Tuesday and Thursday, 19:00-21:00

The poster's design wasn't exquisite, but the words on it attracted Zhang Hao like a magnet. A club spontaneously formed by Hosts? This might be exactly what he needed—an organization where he could obtain information and exchange experiences while remaining relatively free and loose.

With a bit of curiosity and a desire to test the waters, Zhang Hao arrived at Room 307 of the Student Activity Center on Thursday evening.

Pushing open the ajar door, he saw a dozen people already sitting inside, men and women with various temperaments. Someone had a droplet-shaped spirit floating beside them, someone else had a dozing flame squirrel lying at their feet, and another person was frowning in thought at a Rubik's Cube-shaped spirit. As Zhang Hao entered, and especially as they noticed the uniquely designed metallic hamster Silver Star poking its head out of his pocket, everyone's eyes turned toward him.

A capable-looking upperclassman, who seemed to be the president, walked up with a smile: "Welcome to the Dream Society! A new face, are you a 'peer' as well?"

Zhang Hao nodded, feeling a strange sense of belonging that was different from the task world.

"I'm the president, Li Mubai. It looks like our club is about to have another interesting member," the upperclassman smiled and extended his hand. "Why don't you introduce yourself and your partner?"

In this ordinary university activity room, a small community of Hosts was quietly forming. And Zhang Hao knew that a new page of his real life was about to turn.