Yanlian wasn't a windy town. At most, it was breezy, and during the rainy season, the soft patter of rain lulled everyone to sleep.
So when a stationary tornado suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the townspeople were gobsmacked, frozen in place.
It took a while for someone to wake up, scramble toward the gong in the main square, and swing the mallet with all his might.
DOOOONG!
A white light quickly spread through the town, alerting everyone within its territory.
But the initial reaction was lukewarm—after all, the last real danger that had warranted the gong's use was a decade ago. More recently, the only ones setting it off were the kids who had found a brother strong enough to trigger it.
Then heads poked out of homes as their ears caught the howling wind and their eyes widened in horror at the sight of the tornado.
Panic surged. People rushed toward the town hall.