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Jing Zhe let out a surprised scream, her mouth forming an “O” shape.
“Oh my!!”
This was incredible!
She had gained the power too!
Jing Lan was sincerely happy for her, though she remained tense. She reached out to touch Jing Zhe’s forehead and asked worriedly, “How do you feel? Do you still feel unwell?”
Xie Zhizhi checked her temperature again with the thermometer and finally let out a breath of relief. She smiled reassuringly.
“38.1 degrees. The fever is going down. She should be fine now.”
The earlier reaction was likely due to the fever caused by getting drenched in the rain. But once her body adapted, she awakened her power, causing an internal clash between heat and cold. That explained the strange symptoms she experienced.
“Thank you, Zhizhi-jie!” Jing Lan gazed at her, her almond eyes shimmering with gratitude. She felt deeply moved—her life had been saved by her lady!
“You should keep expelling the rest of your water energy. That should completely stabilize your body.”
Jing Zhe nodded and did as she was told. This time, she targeted a small wooden stool instead of anything more important, just in case she caused structural damage to their home.
With a single toss of her hand, a water ball shot out, instantly shattering the stool into countless wooden splinters.
Jing Lan leaned in close, staring at Jing Zhe’s palm with curiosity, and the two started discussing their newfound powers.
Through this, Xie Zhizhi realized that not everyone could awaken as easily as she had. Unlike her, others required an intense fever before their abilities could manifest.
Would it be the same for everyone else?
Jing Zhe called out her name a few more times, realizing that “Zhizhi-jie” actually sounded quite nice. She giggled and grabbed Jing Lan’s hand before looking down at her own soaking wet clothes.
“I’m going to change into something dry.”
Xie Zhizhi nodded, then turned to Jing Lan with a playful smile, her eyes filled with gentle amusement.
“Don’t worry! It’ll be your turn soon enough.”
“I believe in you, Zhizhi-jie!” Jing Lan beamed, her eyes curving into a bright smile. Her lady was truly amazing!
Xie Zhizhi’s smile deepened, her dimples appearing.
“I like it when you call me Zhizhi-jie. It sounds good. But let’s head into town later and see if anyone else has awakened like us.”
Jing Lan thought for a moment before analyzing, “I doubt there will be many. Last night’s storm was so heavy—most people would have stayed inside and avoided getting drenched. Not everyone is as silly as us, running into the rain.”
The three of them exchanged a look and chuckled. Yeah, that was pretty foolish.
Xie Zhizhi squinted her eyes and smiled, dimples deepening.
“You make a good point.”
By the time they had all changed into dry clothes, Jing Zhe’s fever had subsided entirely.
Then, they disguised themselves and headed into town.
The weather today was unexpectedly better. The sky was still gray, but there were no heavy storm clouds like before. It was just a normal overcast day.
Xie Zhizhi led them toward the residence of the Minister of War.
However, as soon as they reached the bustling district, they found that the entire street was blocked off by soldiers. No one was allowed to enter the main roads, as if something major was happening.
Rainwater still lingered on the ground, and shopkeepers were busy cleaning their storefronts. Meanwhile, soldiers stood at the roadsides, preventing anyone from going further.
Some curious citizens gathered around the barriers, watching the scene unfold.
Xie Zhizhi scanned the area and approached an older woman who was munching on peanuts. She adjusted her tone to match that of a commoner.
“Hey there, sister, what’s going on here?”
The older woman, eager to gossip, immediately started whispering excitedly.
“You don’t know? It’s a huge event! The Third Prince ascended the throne this morning! They’re holding the coronation ceremony up ahead!”
She even handed Xie Zhizhi a handful of peanuts.
Xie Zhizhi was stunned. She accepted the peanuts but couldn’t hide her surprise.
“What? That fast? What happened to the Crown Prince?”
The older woman looked at her like she was about to reveal some groundbreaking secret. With a knowing smirk, she chuckled.
“Word is, the Crown Prince fell gravely ill. He’ll be bedridden for life and can’t inherit the throne. But guess what happened to the Third Prince?”
Xie Zhizhi shook her head. “I have no idea, tell me.”
The woman continued, full of excitement.
“The Third Prince was chosen by the gods! He was blessed with divine power! He can summon a water ball! Last night, he used it to save a child who was about to be swept away by the flood! Not just that—he rescued more than ten people who were being washed away by the storm!”
“Isn’t that amazing? While we were all afraid of the storm, the Third Prince wasn’t affected at all!”
“That’s why they rushed the coronation! They’re saying it’s for the safety of the empire, to prevent more disasters from happening! And you know what? The weather is better today compared to yesterday.”
“The whole capital is talking about it! How are you just finding out?”
Wow. Bold move.
Xie Zhizhi admired the Third Prince’s guts. He dared to spread such exaggerated rumors—just because he could summon a small water ball, he claimed to be chosen by the gods?
That was actually kind of funny.
But for him, this was an opportunity—a once-in-a-lifetime chance to seize power.
Still, in just a couple of days, more and more people would start awakening abilities. When that happened, things would get interesting.
Jing Lan and Jing Zhe, who had been listening nearby, both frowned at the mention of the Third Prince. They didn’t like him, but they knew their lady once had feelings for him.
Jing Lan noticed Xie Zhizhi staring ahead, lost in thought. She gritted her teeth and hesitantly asked, “Zhizhi-jie… do you still like—”
“Don’t.”
Xie Zhizhi immediately cut her off, her tone firm.
“He’s the son of my father’s murderer.”
Jing Lan let out a breath of relief. Her lady deserved someone much better!
“With the roads blocked, we’ll have to head back.” Xie Zhizhi said this casually, but in truth, she was already planning to sneak over to the Minister of War’s residence later.
Just as they turned to leave, a commotion erupted behind them.
“I have divine powers too! Let me in!”
Xie Zhizhi paused mid-step, raising a brow as she turned around.
Had someone else awakened their abilities?
A middle-aged man was arguing with the soldiers. His narrow eyes and rough features gave him a thuggish look. He wasn’t particularly tall or burly, just an average-built man, but he was shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Let me in, dammit! Or you’ll regret it!”
The guards refused, their expressions cold. One of them drew his sword.
“If you continue causing trouble, we’ll execute you on the spot.”
But that was the wrong move.
The moment those words were spoken, the man snapped.
A transparent water ball suddenly formed in his hands, filled with deadly energy. In the blink of an eye, he hurled it at the soldier.
The guard had no chance to react. The impact shattered his body, leaving behind only a gruesome mess.
It happened so fast that no one even registered it until it was over.
Within three seconds, a man had died.
The entire street fell silent.
Then—
“AAAAAHHHHH!”
Screams erupted across the marketplace.
“HAHAHAHA!”
The middle-aged man laughed maniacally, stepping forward toward the coronation hall. His eyes burned with violence as he glared at the terrified crowd and soldiers.
“Move! Or you’re next!”
The storm had killed few—but now, a man-made disaster had begun.