Heavy rain poured down on the city of Shenzhen with unusual intensity. The sky that was usually bright with neon lights was now covered in thick gray clouds. Lightning occasionally flashed across the night sky, and the sound of rushing water wetting the asphalt road was heard loudly throughout the city. Inside a small, simple but neat apartment, a young man named Jiu Fan sat in thought at his study table.
He stared at the sky from his bedroom window that was covered in dew. His eyes were empty, as if he was searching for answers to all the doubts that were clouding his mind. "Does that power really exist? Do monsters really exist? Are they right that this is all just a child's fantasy..." he muttered softly.
In front of him lay a shabby sketchbook. Inside it was full of scribbles of scenarios and illustrations depicting him as a superhero. He fought giant monsters, saved humans, and became a protector of the earth. It all seemed like a beautiful dream that was too far from reality.
"I guess... they're right. I'm not really up to date with the times," he said softly as he leaned his head against the table. Drowsiness slowly attacked him, until finally he fell asleep amidst the sound of rain that continued to pour down on the earth.
In his dream, the world looked different. Magnificent cities with skyscrapers seemed to be completely destroyed. Smoke billowed from the ruins of buildings. In the sky, a giant monster with a jet-black body and glowing red eyes walked, destroying everything in its path. An army of strange creatures ran, rampaging and terrorizing the remaining humans.
Under the rubble of a building, a young girl, Wu Lixue—hid in fear. Her breath was raging, and her face was covered in dust and wounds. She hugged her own knees, trying to hold back the tears that continued to flow.
The giant monster lifted its foot, preparing to step on the ruins where Wu Lixue was hiding. But at that moment, a human figure jumped in front of the monster and with one hand, held the sole of the giant monster's foot. The ground beneath him cracked, and the wind around him howled loudly. It was Jiu Fan—standing proudly in futuristic combat clothing and glowing gold eyes.
"How dare you destroy my world! I will teach you a lesson that will make you realize!" Jiu Fan shouted in a loud voice full of anger.
With incredible strength, Jiu Fan threw the monster to the ground. The vibrations caused the buildings around him to collapse. He then jumped into the air and shot a golden laser from his eyes. The laser was aimed right at the giant monster that was lying on the ground. When the laser was about to hit the monster, suddenly...
---
"Fan'er... Fan'er, wake up, son," a soft voice interrupted the dream.
Jiu Fan slowly opened his eyes. In front of him, his mother stood with a small smile. "You must have had a beautiful dream, even though I called you several times, you didn't wake up." He rubbed his face and chuckled. "Yes, I had a strange dream, Mom. But it felt real."
His mother smiled. "Then let's take a shower first, then help me at the shop."
After taking a shower and putting on clean clothes, Jiu Fan sat behind the cashier's desk of his family's small shop. The grocery store was on the corner of the street, selling daily necessities for local residents. Although simple, the shop was quite busy with visitors.
A few hours later, a loud noise was heard from the end of the street. A man ran hurriedly past the front of the shop. Not long after, another man followed him, breathing heavily.
"Uncle, what happened?" Jiu Fan asked curiously.
"A man just robbed my bag! He ran that way!" the man replied in panic.
Jiu Fan turned his head toward the man who had run away. His instincts rebelled. He held his hand tightly, then said. "Uncle, wait here first. I'll be back."
Without thinking, he ran after the thief. The rain was still drizzling, making the road slippery. But Jiu Fan kept running, avoiding pedestrians and passing vehicles.
The thief finally stopped at the end of a dead end alley. A large wall blocked his way. He looked back and saw Jiu Fan still chasing him.
"Stop!" Jiu Fan shouted.
The thief frowned. "Hey kid, stay out of my business!"
"Give me back the bag!" Jiu Fan replied.
"I told you not to interfere!" The thief shouted angrily.
Without warning, the man charged at Jiu Fan. He threw a punch at Jiu Fan's face, but with extraordinary reflexes, Jiu Fan ducked and dodged. His hand moved quickly to block the next blow and retaliated with a thrust to the thief's stomach.
They wrestled on the wet ground. Despite his smaller body, Jiu Fan showed surprising agility and physical endurance. In the midst of the fight, Jiu Fan felt something strange—as if his body was lighter and stronger than usual. His movements were sharper, and his mind was more focused.
Finally, he managed to knock down the thief and snatch back the bag that had been stolen. The police who had received a report from the residents arrived at the scene and immediately arrested the thief.
The man who had lost his bag came up to Jiu Fan and said, "Thank you, young man. You are very brave."
Jiu Fan just nodded with a small smile. His heart was pounding. Not only because of the adrenaline, but because of something he felt during the fight. There was power... there was potential hidden within him.
That night, Jiu Fan returned to his room. He sat in thought, looking at his own hands.
"What happened just now...? I've never fought like that before. It felt... like something was guiding my movements. It was as if my body was moving on its own."
He reopened his sketchbook and drew a picture of himself during the fight. The figure looked more defined, stronger. He wrote a sentence on the next page:
"I don't know what happened, but today I feel... I can be more than just an ordinary kid."
The rain outside had stopped. The night wind blew coolness into the room. The sky began to show small stars shining faintly. But one star seemed different—brighter, closer... as if it was observing the earth from a distance.
Jiu Fan did not know yet, that that night... was the beginning of a great change in his life.
To be continued...