General Zheng's gaze, like a searchlight, swept Lin Xingyun from head to toe. There was shock, scrutiny, and a burning intensity, like the discovery of an unknown treasure. Sporadic gunfire and screams from the street corner reminded the two men that the chaos outside was far from over.
"Young man, this place will soon be designated a temporary restricted area," General Zheng's voice broke the silence, unwavering authority. "You and this thing you... 'destroyed' will be investigated." He pointed at the desiccated giant lizard on the ground.
Lin Xingyun's heart tightened. An investigation? How could he explain the extraordinary scene? Was he supposed to use his shadow magic to drain the monster dry? He himself was still confused.
Just then, a soldier hurried over and whispered something in General Zheng's ear. The general frowned, clearly having more pressing military matters to attend to. He gave Lin Xingyun a deep look, his gaze finally settling on the spirit core he still clutched. "Take it and follow my team to the temporary command post," General Zheng ordered, his tone softening. "Your situation here is unique, and we need to record it. Don't worry, we're not arresting you, we're assisting with the investigation." He seemed to sense Lin Xingyun's concern.
Lin Xingyun glanced at the ruined entrance to the opera troupe, then felt the warmth of his spiritual core in his palm and the steady, almost urgent, throbbing of the dagger at his waist. He knew he had no choice. He nodded silently, tucked the spiritual core into his trouser pocket, and clutched the prop box containing the shadow puppets and dagger tightly to his chest. This was his only support now.
The temporary command post was set up in a Chinese elementary school a few blocks away. Desks and chairs were piled against the wall. Personnel in uniforms of various military branches hurried about. The cacophony of radios and the markings on maps created a tense atmosphere of preparation for battle. Lin Xingyun was placed in a vacant classroom, with soldiers guarding the door. He sat on a plastic elementary school chair, staring out the window at the sky, shrouded in a strange halo, his mind quivering. A long moment passed before General Zheng reappeared, a tired expression on his face, a tablet in hand.
"Preliminary test results are in." The general handed the tablet to Lin Xingyun, revealing the analysis of the monitor lizard's corpse. "Cell activity has completely vanished, its vitality instantly drained by some unknown means, similar to... rapid natural decay, but accelerated a thousand times. This defies known scientific principles."
He paused, his gaze piercing at Lin Xingyun. "Now, tell me what you saw and what you did. Every detail."
Lin Xingyun took a deep breath, realizing there was no point in hiding anything, and began his story from the arrival of the spiritual rain and the appearance of the monitor lizard. He omitted the ancient voice in his mind and the abnormality of the dagger, explaining that in a moment of desperation, he imitated the movements of his ancestral shadow puppetry, concentrating his mind. Then, something went wrong with the monitor lizard's shadow, and the monster collapsed. "Shadow?" General Zheng pondered. "We've detected an unknown energy field emerging globally, tentatively named 'psychic energy.' It appears to be capable of inducing biological mutations, but it can also be sensed and even utilized by a very small number of individuals. Your case may fall into the latter category—an 'awakening' based on your own cultural background and spiritual qualities."
The general's words opened the door to a new world for Lin Xingyun. It turned out he wasn't the only one experiencing such a fortuitous encounter.
"That crystal," the general pointed to Lin Xingyun's pocket. "We call it a 'spiritual core.' It's a highly concentrated crystal of psychic energy, imbued with immense power, and may hold the key to understanding all this. You'd better give it to us for study."
Lin Xingyun subconsciously tightened his grip on his pocket. An instinct told him that this spiritual core was crucial to him. "General, this is mine... I fought so hard to obtain it. And it may be related to something passed down from my family." He patted the item box beside him.
General Zheng stared at him for a few seconds, as if weighing his options. Finally, he waved his hand. "Alright, you keep the spirit core. But you need to register and be ready for call-up and questioning at any time. These are special times, and we need all the resources we can get to fight these mutants." He handed Lin Xingyun a specially made military cell phone. "It has my direct contact information. Keep it on and on standby."
It was late at night when they left the temporary command post. The hustle and bustle of Penang had given way to an anxious silence, broken only by the occasional roar of patrol vehicles. The air still held that sweet, fishy smell, but it seemed fainter. Lin Xingyun, clutching his prop box, walked briskly along the familiar streets, feeling strange and dangerous.
He didn't return to the dilapidated opera troupe, but instead headed for his home, an aged Nanyang-style terraced house deeper in the old city. Pushing open the wooden door, a familiar scent of old books, sandalwood, and a hint of mustiness washed over him, slightly relaxing his tense nerves.
The house was simply furnished, yet filled with traces of life and the memories of his ancestors. On the wall hung a black-and-white photograph of his great-grandfather in traditional costume, performing a Wayang shadow play. On the shrine were enshrined Guanyin and Mazu, along with tablets of ancestors. Unburned incense sticks still clung to the incense burner.
Lin Xingyun carefully placed the prop box on the rattan rug in the living room and eagerly retrieved the spirit core. Under the dim light of his own home, the hazy glow within the spirit core became even more pronounced, slowly flowing as if alive. Simultaneously, the throbbing of the Chris dagger at his waist grew stronger, even emitting a faint hum.
He untied the old cloth, completely exposing the wavy dagger to the air. The rust on the blade seemed to come alive in the light of the spirit core, its ancient, intricate patterns gleaming a faint, dark red glow.
"Trust… Star Sea Seed…" The ancient voice echoed faintly in his mind again.
Lin Xingyun steeled his resolve and tried to bring the spirit core closer to the dagger. When the two were within an inch of each other, something strange happened!
The spirit core suddenly glowed brightly, transforming into a gentle, warm current that flowed towards the hilt of the dagger! The dark red lines on the dagger lit up instantly, as if injected with molten lava. Like a flood, a vast, ancient stream of information surged into Lin Xingyun's mind!
"Ugh!" He groaned, clutching his head, feeling his mind threatened to burst. Countless unfamiliar images, symbols, and fragments of knowledge flashed by:
The vast starry sky, strange races, ancient rituals for harnessing natural energy, strange patterns carved on animal hides and stone slabs, methods for absorbing, refining, and utilizing "psychic energy"... This information was disorganized, yet it seemed to point to a unified system—a legacy known as the "Star Spirit Atlas."
After an unknown amount of time, the torrent of information gradually subsided. Lin Xingyun, drenched in sweat, collapsed onto the carpet, gasping for breath. But his eyes lit up startlingly.
He understood! This heirloom Kris dagger was no ordinary artifact or weapon, but a legacy left behind by an ancient "Star Sea Shaman"! These "shamans" weren't mythical superstitious figures, but rather prophets and practitioners from ancient times who could sense and harness the psychic energy of the universe (or "psychic power"). They gained power by visualizing the stars, communicating with nature spirits, and inscribing "patterns" imbued with the laws of nature.
And that "spiritual rain" was the manifestation of the periodic tides of cosmic psychic power returning to Earth. It activated the token and opened the door to a new era. The "Star Spirit Atlas" was the shaman's cultivation method. Its initiation was to sense psychic power and condense the first "Witch Pattern" within the body!
Lin Xingyun forced himself to sit up and, following the most basic meditation method that had emerged in his mind, attempted to sense the psychic energy permeating the air. Perhaps it was the foundation laid by his previous experience activating the shadow puppet, or perhaps it was the energy of his spirit core that triggered it, but he quickly captured the ubiquitous, colorful energy particles.
He guided these particles, circulating through his body along some mysterious path, ultimately converging at the Laogong acupoint on his palm. The process was slow and arduous, draining immensely of his mental energy. Just as he felt dizzy and almost gave up, his palm suddenly felt warm!
A faint, intricate pattern slowly emerged from his palm. This pattern wasn't static; its lines seemed to flow. Upon closer inspection, it resembled a simplified, twisted serpentine shadow!
"Shadow Snake Witch Mark!" A flash of enlightenment surged within Lin Xingyun. This nascent witch mark granted him the initial ability to control shadows! While far less powerful than when he dealt with the giant lizard, it meant he had truly embarked on this extraordinary path!
The joy of success dispelled fatigue. He excitedly felt the faint but tangible flow of energy within him, and the witch mark on his palm imbued with miraculous power. However, this joy didn't last long. Suddenly, a clatter of footsteps and arrogant shouting erupted from outside.
"That's the place! I saw that kid coming back with a box this morning. There must be something valuable inside!"
"Damn it! This life is unbearable. Let's grab some food and supplies first!"
"Whoever's inside, get out!"
Several figures, clearly street thugs, armed with clubs, appeared outside the Lin family's door. Clearly, the ongoing chaos had weakened law and order, and some scoundrels were taking advantage of the situation to loot.
In the past, Lin Xingyun might have chosen to endure it or call the police. But now, as he looked at the faint witch pattern on his palm, a cold glance flashed in his eyes.
Perfect, let's try my hand on you.
He stood up, straightened his clothes, and calmly opened the door.
Outside were three young men with shabby appearances. Seeing Lin Xingyun emerge, they were stunned for a moment, then a sinister grin spread across their faces.
"Kid, be smart! Hand over all the food and valuables!" The red-haired man in the lead waved a steel pipe. Lin Xingyun remained silent, silently activating his newly condensed "Shadow Snake Sorcerer Mark." Under the streetlight at the entrance, the shadow beneath his feet began to twist ever so slightly, imperceptibly, like a venomous snake poised for action.
The battle was imminent. And this would be his first real combat as the heir of the "Stellar Sea Shaman" lineage.
(End of Chapter 2)