Free Web NovelChapter 414: Chapter 299: This Spiritual Artifact Seems to Have a Mind of Its Own
Recalling how long the Jade Talisman Spiritual Artifact had taken to create the overcast weather when it activated automatically, he realized it was faster this time, which left him a little confused.
Zhao Tianfu thought to himself, ’Could it be that manually activating this Jade Talisman Spiritual Artifact is more efficient than when it activates on its own?’
RUMBLE...
While Zhao Tianfu was pondering, a sky-shaking clap of thunder suddenly echoed from the overcast sky, and brilliant, silver-white lightning snaked through the ink-black clouds.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM...
After the first clap of thunder, the following rumbles seemed to be in a frantic race.
They scrambled over one another, launching their own sprints, all trying to be first.
The dense chorus of thunderclaps exploded over Rongcheng, reminding all the city’s residents to hurry up and bring in any laundry they had hanging outside.
Since the weather forecast had been very clear about artificial rain between 9:30 and 10:00 in the morning, the residents of Rongcheng had already taken in their laundry.
The sky-blotting dark clouds made the outdoors seem like night, and after one final thunderclap, something began to fall from the ink-black clouds.
DRIP, DROP, DRIP...
It started with small raindrops, first one by one, then in strings that linked into threads. Soon, the rain began to grow heavier.
Soon, the light drizzle turned into a torrential downpour that enveloped the entire city.
The city, which had been growing scorching hot, began to cool down rapidly because of the sudden downpour.
「Ping’an Garden District.」
Lin Li stood on his balcony, looking through the security bars at the torrential downpour outside, and couldn’t help but marvel.
"From the moment the dark clouds appeared to this massive downpour, it took less than ten minutes. The government’s artificial rain technology is so incredible now!"
WHOOSH...
A sudden gust of wind blew rain from outside onto the balcony.
Lin Li quickly backed away, retreated inside, and shut the sliding door to keep the wind-blown rain from getting in.
Because of the wind, rain was constantly being blown onto the balcony, and soon, the balcony floor was soaking wet.
"It’s a good thing this artificial rain is only supposed to last an hour. If it rained like this all day, parts of the city would probably start to flood." Lin Li muttered to himself as he watched the rain blow onto the balcony through the glass. Then, he went back to the living room.
’I should take advantage of the rain and process that Yellow Ox Mutant Beast leg I got yesterday. If I let it sit for too long, it’ll spoil, and that would be a real shame.’
After sitting down on the living room sofa, Lin Li saw a milk commercial on TV. The healthy-looking dairy cows reminded him that he still had an ox leg on his Mysterious Small Island.
With a thought, a massive ox leg weighing over a hundred pounds appeared in Lin Li’s grasp.
Over a hundred pounds was extremely heavy. If Lin Li were still an ordinary person, he definitely wouldn’t be able to hold it, but now he could lift it with just one hand.
Afterward, Lin Li carried the huge ox leg into the kitchen with one hand. Soon, the sound of chopping meat could be heard from inside.
...
At the Spiritual Energy Research Institute, Zhao Tianfu checked the time. It was already 10:30.
According to the government’s request, the artificial rain could stop at 10:30, so he deactivated the Jade Talisman Spiritual Artifact.
The faint golden Spiritual Light on the surface of the Jade Talisman Spiritual Artifact quickly dissipated, and Zhao Tianfu placed it back in its glass case.
He then walked over to his desk, picked up the phone, and called Wang Shi, the director of the Spiritual Energy Research Institute. He informed the director that the artificial rain had been completed as requested.
After the call, Zhao Tianfu sat back down in his chair, opened a document, and began recording the new data he had collected during the activation of the Jade Talisman Spiritual Artifact.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK...
A knock came from the laboratory door. Zhao Tianfu, still recording data, heard it and got up to open the door.
CLICK.
As soon as the door opened, the researcher who had knocked said to Zhao Tianfu, "Old Zhao, the experiment we ran yesterday with that unknown substance... there’s been a new development."
"The test sample is already showing a reaction?!!!" Zhao Tianfu said in surprise.
"Yes! Come with me and take a look!"
"Okay."
Zhao Tianfu followed his colleague out of the lab. After he left, the surface of the previously motionless Jade Talisman Spiritual Artifact flashed with a faint golden glimmer. Then, the free-roaming Spiritual Energy in the air slowly gathered toward it and was absorbed.
Having manipulated the weather to create a torrential downpour for an hour, the Jade Talisman Spiritual Artifact had clearly consumed a great deal of Spiritual Energy. It was now replenishing its earlier expenditure.
To know to only take such subtle actions when no one was around... this Jade Talisman Spiritual Artifact was truly extraordinary. It was as if it had a mind of its own.
...
After the downpour, the ink-black dark clouds that had enveloped Rongcheng vanished without a trace after a short while.
The scorching sun, hanging high in the sky, was no longer obscured by clouds and immediately unleashed its power.
Searing sunlight beat down on the city’s streets and alleys, causing the soaking wet city to dry out quickly.
However, despite the scorching sun, it would still be difficult for the rain-washed city to dry out completely right away.
For today, at least, the citizens of Rongcheng could enjoy some relatively cool weather.
DING-DONG.
Lin Li rang his neighbor’s doorbell. A moment later, the door opened.
Zhou Tongtong opened the door for Lin Li. The little girl chirped, "Lin Li."
"Zhou Tongtong, is your mom home?" Lin Li asked.
"Mom just went out to buy some things," Zhou Tongtong said, her gaze falling on the two plastic bags Lin Li was carrying.
Lin Li handed the two plastic bags to Zhou Tongtong and said, "Here, take these."
"Lin Li, what’s in here?" Zhou Tongtong asked as she took the two large bags. Luckily, they weren’t too heavy for her to carry.
Lin Li smiled and explained, "It’s some beef a friend gave me. I can’t eat it all by myself, so I’m giving you a portion.
The bigger bag has a large piece of beef for you to keep and eat. The smaller bag has strips of meat that I’ve already cut up. You can use those to feed the two little stray cats in the complex."
"Thank you, Lin Li," Zhou Tongtong said very politely.
"You’re welcome. I have to head out for a bit..." Lin Li said.
"Goodbye, Lin Li," Zhou Tongtong said, watching as Lin Li pressed the elevator button and stepped inside.
After Lin Li went downstairs in the elevator, Zhou Tongtong carried the two bags of beef back to her kitchen.
On the first floor, the elevator doors opened. The moment Lin Li stepped out, a large plastic bag appeared in his hand.
This plastic bag contained a bag of red mushrooms and another bag of sliced Yellow Ox Exotic Beast Meat. He was going to deliver these ingredients to Su Yue.
After Lin Li left the complex, Zhou Tongtong, wearing a little dress with her hair in small braids, emerged from the stairwell of Building Three. She was carrying a small iron bowl filled with a few strips of meat.
"Little Black, Little White, where are you? Come on out, I brought you something yummy..."
Holding the small iron bowl, Zhou Tongtong went to the place where the two little stray cats usually appeared and called out.
No sooner had she finished speaking than two small figures darted out from a corner by the complex’s wall.
MEOW...
The two little stray cats quickly ran up to Zhou Tongtong, sat down obediently, and looked up at the small iron bowl in her hands. They could smell a very alluring aroma wafting from it.
"It was raining so hard just now, I was worried you’d be soaked to the bone!" Zhou Tongtong said, sighing in relief when she saw that the Little Black Cat and Little White Cat weren’t wet.
Then, she crouched down and placed the small iron bowl in front of the Little Black Cat and Little White Cat.
"These are the beef strips Lin Li gave me. Next time you see him, you have to thank him, okay?"
"Meow..." The Little Black Cat and Little White Cat heard her, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.
"Hurry up and eat! I have to get home quickly after you’re done. Otherwise, when Mom gets back from shopping and sees me so close to you, she’ll scold me again," Zhou Tongtong said, reaching out a small hand to pet the two little stray cats on their heads.
...
