Chapter 8: Abilities

Lin Yi and Wang Yanfie practiced their abilities for a while before quickly reverting to their youthful nature, dashing to the gaming console to battle it out. The two of them were fully immersed, eyes glued to the screen, shouting commands and taunts at each other, their laughter echoing through the living room.

"Wang, you really think you can beat me with that level of skill? Come back after ten more years of practice!" Lin Yi teased smugly.

"Don't get cocky! Next round, I'm going to crush you!" Wang Yanfie gritted his teeth, mashing the buttons furiously.

Just as the match was getting intense, Lin Yi's wristband suddenly chimed with multiple notifications. He glanced at the screen—it was a few messages from his girlfriend, Xu Jiayin. He tapped to open them, and her contact name still displayed her sweet smiling profile picture. Lin Yi's lips curled into a gentle smile.

"Another message from Jiayin?" Wang Yanfie teased with a sidelong glance.

"Yeah," Lin Yi replied absentmindedly. But soon, his smile froze.

Xu Jiayin had sent him a video.

In the video, she stood on the balcony, her hands slightly raised, fingers faintly glowing with a translucent light. A small dragon-shaped energy projection shimmered between her fingers, radiating a soft blue-white glow, lifelike in its movements. She flicked her fingers lightly, and the dragon-shaped energy shot forward, slicing through the air before colliding with a ceramic plate nearby.

Crash!

The plate shattered instantly, fragments scattering everywhere. Xu Jiayin's eyes in the video held a mix of surprise and nervousness before the footage abruptly ended.

Lin Yi furrowed his brows, watching the video several times, his fingers hesitating over the screen.

Wang Yanfie noticed his change in expression, leaned over, and asked with concern, "What's wrong? What did Jiayin send?"

Lin Yi didn't answer but simply forwarded the video to Wang Yanfie. "See for yourself."

Wang Yanfie took the wristband, played the video, and his eyes widened slightly in astonishment. "This… is Xu Jiayin? When did she awaken her ability?"

Lin Yi shook his head, his expression serious. "I don't know. She just sent this to me without explaining anything."

Wang Yanfie finished watching the video, looked up at Lin Yi, and patted him on the shoulder with a hint of excitement. "Let's go check on her. It's not far, and sitting here guessing won't get us anywhere."

Lin Yi hesitated for a moment before nodding. "You're right. We should talk face-to-face."

"Isn't Jiayin at Fourth High?" Wang Yanfie grabbed his coat from the sofa. "From Seventh High, we can get there in about ten minutes by taxi."

Lin Yi picked up his wristband, checked the time, and then dialed Xu Jiayin's voice call.

"Hello? Jiayin, Yanfie and I are coming over. Are you free now?" Lin Yi kept his tone as calm as possible.

On the other end, Xu Jiayin sounded surprised. "You're coming over? Right now?"

"Yeah. I want to talk to you in person." Lin Yi's voice carried a trace of concern. "Don't worry, we'll be there soon."

"Okay, I'll wait for you," Xu Jiayin replied, her voice tinged with happiness as she agreed.

After hanging up, Lin Yi turned to Wang Yanfie. "Let's go."

The two of them hailed a taxi from the community gate, gave the address, and settled into the back seat.

As soon as the car started, Wang Yanfie spoke up. "Not many people dare to reveal their abilities this soon after awakening, yet she sent you a video right away. She's got guts. But honestly, her ability looks pretty strong— that dragon projection is no joke."

Lin Yi nodded slightly, recalling the scene in the video. "Yeah, it seems like energy materialization, and its attack power shouldn't be low. But she awakened so quickly, she's probably confused. We need to check on her."

"You're way too concerned," Wang Yanfie chuckled. "But I get it— the meteor just fell yesterday, and most people haven't even noticed any changes. She's definitely among the first wave of awakeners."

"Which is exactly why we need to confirm what's going on," Lin Yi gazed out the window, his voice lowering. "Her ability looks impressive, but if something goes wrong, I can't afford to be unaware."

Wang Yanfie nodded in agreement.

Ten minutes later, the taxi pulled up outside Xu Jiayin's apartment complex. Lin Yi and Wang Yanfie got out, and Lin Yi quickly sent a message: Jiayin, we're downstairs.

Moments later, Xu Jiayin emerged from the building. She was dressed in simple homewear, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked a little shy and somewhat nervous, but her face brightened when she saw Lin Yi, a soft smile appearing on her lips.

"You got here so fast," Xu Jiayin said in a gentle voice, her tone carrying a hint of joy.

"There was no traffic," Lin Yi replied, his gaze fixed on her. "We saw your video. Are you okay? Do you feel any discomfort?"

Xu Jiayin shook her head. "No, I just woke up this morning and felt my fingers heating up. Then this shadow appeared. I had no idea what was happening, so I sent it to you."

"Don't be scared." Lin Yi reassured her, his tone calm. "You've awakened an ability— it's not a bad thing. Let's go inside and talk. We can test your ability to see if there's anything you need to watch out for."

Xu Jiayin nodded, glancing at Wang Yanfie. "Thanks for coming. I really wouldn't know what to do alone."

Wang Yanfie grinned, his tone encouraging. "No worries. We both awakened abilities too, though we're still getting used to them. We can figure it out together. It's not as complicated as it seems."

The three of them walked up the apartment stairs, the atmosphere quiet but comfortable. Lin Yi and Xu Jiayin walked ahead, while Wang Yanfie followed behind.

"Jiayin, did you feel anything special when you awakened?" Lin Yi broke the silence, probing for details.

"It was just heat in my fingers when I woke up," Xu Jiayin recalled softly. "Then that shadow appeared. I flicked it out, and it hit the plate."

Lin Yi nodded, making a mental note of her description. "Did you feel any pain or other discomfort?"

Xu Jiayin shook her head. "No, just the heat at first. Now, my fingers still get warm sometimes, but nothing else feels off."

"That's good." Lin Yi exhaled slightly, relieved.

"But this ability is really strange." Wang Yanfie interjected, "It's like energy materialization, and it packs a punch. Compared to my hardening defense, it's way more practical."

Xu Jiayin whispered, "But I don't know how to control it. After the first time, the dragon shadow disappeared, and I couldn't summon it again."

"Mastering an ability takes time," Lin Yi reassured her. "No worries, we can try different ways to help you get the hang of it."

They arrived at Xu Jiayin's apartment, where she led them into the living room.

"Here should be good," she said. "The space is big enough to test things safely."

Lin Yi nodded and stood in the center. "Alright, try summoning the dragon again. Focus on the feeling you had this morning."

Xu Jiayin raised her hands slowly, and a blue-white glow gathered between her fingers, forming a small dragon projection. It hovered lightly at her fingertips, appearing more vivid than in the video.

"It really appeared," Lin Yi murmured, his tone filled with amazement. "It looks even more real in person."

"What… do I do next?" Xu Jiayin asked nervously, glancing at her hand.

At that moment, Wang Yanfie suddenly blurted out, "Why don't you try attacking me?"