Mornings feel kinda surreal for Li Wei. The sun's streaming through his window, painting his room with that soft, golden glow that makes everything look just a little bit more magical than it really is. He's sitting at the edge of his bed, and that jade pendant—yeah, the weird little thing that's almost become part of him—rests right against his chest, warm and pulsing like it's got its own secret heartbeat. Honestly, the weirdness isn't even the strength or speed anymore. It's deeper. Like, some days he feels like he's not himself, like he's got this hidden engine humming away inside him. He gets tired way less, bruises fade like they're nothing, and pain? Eh, that's basically background noise.
Then, out of nowhere, Zhang Jie comes barging in, totally unannounced. Almost wipes out on the mess of textbooks Li Wei's got scattered across the floor. "Wei! Up before the crack of dawn again? Practicing for the NBA, or is this part of your evil genius takeover plan?" he jokes, flashing that classic big grin of his.
Li Wei shoots him a little smile, but you can tell he's got stuff on his mind. The kind of smile that says, "Yeah, I'm here, but my brain's somewhere else." "Something like that," he says, voice a bit quiet. Under his shirt, the pendant hums away, like it's reminding him, "Hey, you're not just some random high schooler anymore."
So, the two of them head out to their regular spot—the old neighborhood basketball court. It's nothing fancy. The pavement's cracked, chain-link fences look like they might fall over if you breathe on them too hard, and there's graffiti everywhere. But for Li Wei? It's basically his personal testing ground. Not just to see how his jump shot's looking, but to really push this new, weird energy—test his endurance, reaction time, whatever the heck the pendant's doing to him.
Zhang Jie's already bouncing the ball, watching Li Wei like he's expecting lightning to shoot out of his hands or something. "Alright, time to see what you've got today. Don't go breaking the backboard, superhero," he says, half-joking, but you can tell he's a little curious, maybe even a bit nervous.
Li Wei stretches out—his muscles feel loose, almost too loose, like he's made of rubber. Any bruises from the last week are practically gone, just a faint tingle left. He starts running laps around the court, and it's wild—he barely even feels it. No burning in his chest, no heavy legs, just this smooth, easy rhythm. It's like the laws of physics just don't apply to him in the same way anymore.
Zhang Jie's lagging behind, huffing and puffing after a couple laps. "Dude, seriously—are you on something? You're barely even sweating. You're like… a robot, or an Olympic sprinter hiding in a teenager's body."
Li Wei just shrugs, wipes his forehead for show. "I wish I could explain it. The pendant, it's doing something to me. It's not just about being able to run faster or punch harder—it's like it's rewiring how I work."
They jump into some drills—passing, dodging, quick pivots. Li Wei's on another level. His hands snap out to intercept the ball, his feet move like he's gliding. Zhang Jie tries to keep up—he really does—but it's no contest. "Bro, you got cheat codes or something? This is nuts!" he laughs, but there's a real edge of awe in his voice.
Li Wei just grins, keeps moving. Every move feels weirdly perfect—like the pendant's reading his mind, tweaking his balance, making sure he lands just right. He's not even tired, just riding this steady wave of energy. If anything, he could probably go all day, and honestly, that kind of scares him as much as it impresses him.
Eventually Zhang Jie gives up, slumps against the fence, totally spent. "You're a machine, Wei. I swear, you could run circles around us forever."
Li Wei shakes his head, stretching his fingers, feeling that little buzz from the pendant vibrating through him. "Not forever. I don't get it yet, but I know I'm different. I just don't know how much, or why."
They chill for a bit, catching their breath. Li Wei's mind drifts back to all the weirdness—the ambush with Wu Jian, that mysterious old guy at the bookstore, the warnings about Chen Guang. This isn't just some cool new superpower; it feels like a responsibility. Like, if he messes this up, it could go bad. Really bad.
Zhang Jie nudges him, still catching his breath. "You think this is all your dad, man? That pendant… it's gotta be some kind of family thing, right?"
Li Wei fingers the jade through his shirt, thoughtful. "Might be. All I know is, it's changing me. And I've gotta learn how to control it before it controls me. If I can handle this, who knows what else is coming."
The afternoon just flies by. Li Wei's pushing himself—sprints, jumps, crazy quick pivots. Every time he pushes a boundary, the pendant's right there, responding, guiding, speeding up his recoveries, keeping his focus razor-sharp. Little cuts and scratches from hitting the pavement? Gone in minutes. Pain's just a dull echo in the background.
Zhang Jie watches from the sidelines, wide-eyed. "You're not just getting better, Wei. You're evolving, man. Like, you're not even the same person you were last month."
Li Wei doesn't say much. He feels it, though. It's not just about running faster or getting hurt less. His reflexes are sharper, his senses feel dialed up, and there's this weird, almost instinctive understanding of what's happening around him. He gets that this isn't just some fluke. Something's changing, and he needs to figure out what that means—fast.