A New Beginning

Ye Xin shot to her feet, a playful glint in her eyes as she effortlessly floated off the ground. Mimicking Lin Yu's earlier wave, she challenged mischievously, "Brother Lin Yu, you can fly too! Want to see who's faster?"

A brief moment of stunned silence hung in the air before Lin Yu sighed, a smile tugging at his lips. "You're impossible," he murmured, then turned his focus inward. 'Xiao Shu, awaken the flight ability.'

A familiar, dispassionate voice echoed in his mind:

[ Ability: Flight ]

[ Awakening Probability: 100% ]

[ Awakening Successful. ]

A strange lightness filled him as Lin Yu ascended, rising smoothly until he hovered level with Ye Xin.

"Heh, Brother Lin Yu, try and keep up!" With a whoop, Ye Xin launched herself skyward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring. Reaching altitude, she banked sharply, streaking toward the horizon.

"Hey, that's a head start!" Lin Yu laughed, pushing off the air and rocketing after her.

They chased each other across the twilight sky, the sheer joy of flight intoxicating, only returning as the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving streaks of orange and purple in their wake—the thrill still buzzing within them.

Back on solid ground, Lin Yu and Ye Xin returned to their apartment building, parting ways at their respective doors. They quickly agreed via text to meet for dinner later to discuss their next steps.

At 7:30 PM, freshly showered and changed, Lin Yu sent a quick message to Ye Xin. Receiving her affirmative reply, he stepped into the hallway just as her door opened opposite his. Ye Xin, also changed, met his gaze with a shared sense of anticipation. Together, they left the building and strolled toward a nearby restaurant, the evening air cool around them.

To any casual observer, they looked less like two nascent superpowers preparing to reshape the world, and more like an ordinary young couple heading out for a casual meal. But grand plans didn't require grand venues; both Lin Yu and Ye Xin felt a simple dinner was perfectly fine for plotting their future.

They found a table in the cozy restaurant, ordered a few simple dishes, and began to eat. The meal proceeded peacefully, devoid of the dramatic tropes often found in urban fiction—no arrogant young masters arrived demanding their table, prompting a predictable confrontation.

Amidst the clinking of cutlery and the quiet murmur of other diners, their conversation turned to practicalities: uniform design and future 'heroics.'

"So, uniform styles?" Lin Yu asked between bites.

"Definitely nothing too revealing," Ye Xin stated firmly. "Conservative is better."

"Hmm, I think it needs to be distinctive, though. Something cool," Lin Yu countered. "Definitely not like Izuku Midoriya's first costume. That thing was embarrassing. I wouldn't want to be seen in public like that."

"Okay, fair point. But how will we actually do the 'hero activities,' Brother Lin Yu?"

"Good question. I was thinking… maybe I can find a way to tap into police broadcasts, like Spider-Man ? Or," he added, tapping his temple, "I have that perception ability. Maybe I can use that to sense trouble."

"Right. Should we always work together?"

"Makes sense, especially starting out. We can watch each other's backs."

"We definitely need to train first, though," Ye Xin pointed out. "Practice using our powers so we don't accidentally hurt anyone."

"Absolutely. You're right. Tomorrow's Monday, I have school. How about we train when I don't have classes, or on weekends?"

"Sounds like a plan. I'll use the time until then to figure out the uniforms and maybe some funding. I'm thinking of quitting my current job… maybe use these powers to earn some starting capital."

They continued their discussion, lost in their own world. To anyone overhearing snippets—talk of uniforms, heroics, and superpowers—they might've sounded like dedicated cosplayers or perhaps a pair lost in chuunibyou fantasies. No one would guess they were two individuals grappling with genuine, world-altering abilities, casually planning superheroics over dinner.

After dinner, they strolled back through the evening streets, conversation flowing easily, before finally returning to their respective apartments around nine o'clock.

Inside his apartment, Lin Yu shut down his computer, which had hummed quietly all day. A wave of emotion washed over him—amazement, disbelief. It felt surreal that everything, this entire impossible day, had begun with a simple wish for a system… right here, just this morning. He changed into pajamas and lay down on his bed, the day's incredible events replaying in his mind.

Next door, Ye Xin did the same. Lying in bed, she held her hand up before her eyes, watching faint, mesmerizing arcs of electricity dance between her fingertips. The feeling of living in a dream was strong, yet the tangible crackle of energy grounded her, whispering that this was undeniably real.

Sleep came slowly for both of them. They tossed and turned, minds buzzing, replaying the cascade of miracles that had shattered the normality of their lives. Gradually, exhaustion claimed them, pulling them into sleep filled with fragmented dreams, infinite possibilities for the future, and the daunting, thrilling ambition to change the world with their newfound power.

---

The Next Day: Monday, June 6th, 2019

6:30 AM.

Lin Yu's eyes snapped open. His first act was to mentally summon his system panel, scanning the familiar interface. Then, he padded to the window. For a fleeting moment, he activated his speed enhancement—the world outside freezing: pedestrians mid-stride, cars like motionless statues. Satisfied, he briefly shifted his perception, glancing into the adjacent apartment through the lens of a higher dimension, seeing Ye Xin also beginning her morning routine.

Ah, he noted internally, it seems like her first elementalization cleared away impurities.

[ Theory: When awakening certain energy-based abilities like lightning manipulation, the initial transformation process can sometimes purge minor biological imperfections or surface contaminants. ]

She looks quite... pristine, even in this high-dimensional view.

" Okay, enough peeping. That's wrong. "

Lin Yu snapped his perception back to the normal three dimensions, stepping away from the window and returning to his bed, flopping down onto his back.

"Ah…" he breathed out, staring at the ceiling. "So, yesterday really wasn't a dream." The lingering sense of unreality finally began to recede, replaced by solid certainty.

[ Host's consciousness has remained stable. No anomalies detected. ]

The system interjected promptly in his mind.

"Good. If it's not a dream, then this is where the real adventure begins!" Lin Yu sprang up from the bed with surprising agility, shedding his pajamas and quickly dressing. He made swift work of brushing his teeth and washing his face in the bathroom.

Ready for the day, he walked to his front door, took a breath, and pulled it open.

As if on cue, Ye Xin's door opened directly opposite his. Their eyes met, a shared understanding passing between them. Almost simultaneously, they both blurted out, "Yesterday wasn't a dream!"

A shared smile.

"Nope," Lin Yu confirmed. "Not a dream."

Both knew, with unshakeable conviction, that starting today, their lives had irrevocably changed, turning onto a completely new path.

They went downstairs together, grabbed a quick breakfast at a nearby shop, and then parted ways at the entrance. Ye Xin headed off toward her school, while Lin Yu walked to the community parking lot. He located his trusty vehicle—a Wuling Hongguang minivan—and started the engine, navigating toward the automotive dealership where he worked.

Lin Yu's salary wasn't exactly high. It paid the bills, but certainly didn't stretch to fancy cars. The Wuling Hongguang, known for being affordable and durable, had been his most practical choice. Besides, he didn't drive often enough to justify a major expense; the cheap and cheerful Wuling served its purpose without causing financial anxiety. Truth be told, he admitted to himself, I just couldn't afford anything better. Even this minivan, costing around 70,000 yuan after all fees and taxes, wasn't fully paid off. He'd made a down payment and was still working through three years of installments; only the first year was down, with two more to go.

He drove steadily, merging carefully into traffic. Lin Yu was always a cautious driver—meticulously obeying speed limits, maintaining safe distances, and never contemplating running a red light. He valued his life—there were far too many dramas, novels, comics, and movies left unseen to risk it needlessly. Of course, the concept of a car accident being dangerous to him personally had drastically shifted overnight. Still, hitting someone else was unthinkable, so careful driving remained the only sensible option.

As he drove, eyes on the road, a sudden idea sparked. 'System,' he thought, using his mental nickname for it,

'run a diagnostic on my car.'

The familiar mental text appeared:

[ Vehicle: Wuling Hongguang S ]

[ License Plate: Yue XXXXXX ]

[ Condition: Normal ]

[ Probability of Mechanical Failure (Scrap): 0.000006 % ]

[ Probability of Tire Blowout (Next 100km): 0.000003 % ]