Free Web NovelChapter 36: Chapter 36: Jiutian Joins Up
Yes, this brand wasn’t just deeply ingrained in Qin Xiaoxia’s memory; the same was true for Huang Jiutian and their classmates from that year.
He remembered when Qin Xiaoxia came back to school after his sick leave, his homeroom teacher had called him in for a talk several times because of the burn mark on his palm.
At the time, if Qin Xiaoxia had just nodded, Old Qin would have absolutely been investigated for domestic abuse.
Fortunately, Qin Xiaoxia was dutiful enough to pass it off as a "family tradition," especially since Old Qin did indeed have the same brand on his own hand.
As Qin Xiaoxia’s deskmate, Huang Jiutian had seen that brand more times than he could count.
The words most often on his lips were things like "cool" and "awesome."
Whenever that happened, Qin Xiaoxia would feel a strong urge to help Huang Jiutian fulfill his wish of "getting one too."
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the kind of brand you could get just by wanting one, which frustrated Qin Xiaoxia for quite some time.
Huang Jiutian was a grown man now, so of course he no longer thought getting a brand burned onto his palm was fun, unlike his younger self. But hearing Qin Xiaoxia bring up this old topic for the second time today, his curiosity was piqued, and his heart showed no signs of slowing down.
What Qin Xiaoxia was about to say would be anything but a conventional answer.
And he was right.
"Jiutian, this brand actually has a very precious name: the ’Dawn Seal.’ It represents the glory and responsibility bestowed upon someone recognized by the current manager of the Dawn Association."
Qin Xiaoxia didn’t keep him in suspense any longer.
"And the Dawn Association is an organization that wields power beyond your imagination. For the past thousand years, it has stood behind the scenes, acting as the world’s guardians."
Huang Jiutian was stunned for a few seconds. His first instinct was that this was just another one of Qin Xiaoxia’s ridiculous tall tales.
"That’s just too..."
But he stopped mid-sentence.
On Qin Xiaoxia’s outstretched right hand, an invisible substance was coalescing with a roar.
The violent swirling of air made it visible to the naked eye, an effect that previously seemed possible only with movie special effects.
An oppressive pressure radiated from Qin Xiaoxia, who was just inches away, making Huang Jiutian feel frozen in place.
"Over the millennia, we have been called many things: wicked Witches and warlocks, miraculous Mages, Saints who spread light, Sages who inspire wisdom, wanderers who banish evil, and cunning deceivers..."
In a deep voice, Qin Xiaoxia slowly recounted the "past" of "Dawn."
"History has forgotten us, and we hoped it would. That would mean the world doesn’t need us."
After saying this, Qin Xiaoxia’s tone suddenly shifted.
A quavering sound that Huang Jiutian had never heard before, one that seemed to vibrate through both body and soul, escaped his lips.
"He~di~si~, Karon~~"
The next moment, a symbol of red light flashed in the center of the swirling air in Qin Xiaoxia’s palm and then vanished.
BOOM—
Fire!
A flame of searing intensity ignited, shooting up to the ceiling. A blast of hot, scorching air rushed over Huang Jiutian, blowing his body and hair backward.
Then the flame vanished as quickly as it had appeared, as if it had never been there at all.
Huang Jiutian was terrified by the sudden blaze, leaving him completely dazed.
The black scorch mark on the ceiling and the lingering heat on his face told him it hadn’t been a hallucination.
"The fire that erupted at Winding Loach River... that was my doing."
Qin Xiaoxia delivered this even more shocking statement in a remarkably calm voice.
Huang Jiutian pointed at Qin Xiaoxia, at a loss for words. He suddenly recalled what another patient in his hospital room had said about a monster appearing at Winding Loach River.
"You, you... Then the reason you were hospitalized was..."
Qin Xiaoxia let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"Heh, it’s embarrassing to admit, but my Magic Power wasn’t strong enough to control that fire back then. A significant portion of my Life Force was drained, and I almost didn’t make it."
Qin Xiaoxia’s graying hair served as proof, silently testifying to the danger he had faced.
"So, Jiutian, do you still think Supernatural Powers don’t exist?"
Huang Jiutian stood with his mouth agape. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"Why are you telling me this now?"
’If he really wanted to tell me, if it was something he could just say, why did he wait until now after knowing me for so many years? I thought we were good enough friends.’
"Yeah... why am I telling you now..." freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Qin Xiaoxia leaned back on the sofa, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"The once glorious ’Dawn’ is no more, but the terrifying Otherworldly Shock has returned. We need help."
"Our world has been peaceful for too long... So long that we’ve become a little powerless now that we have to face all this again."
Something suddenly dawned on Huang Jiutian, and he looked in panic at the beer bottle on the coffee table.
’Clearly, the stories about the monster were probably true.’
"Relax. The Faceless Shadow Ghost has been burned away by my Magic Power, so it’s just an ordinary beer bottle now."
At this, Qin Xiaoxia sat up straight and looked at Huang Jiutian with a serious expression.
"Jiutian, we’ve known each other for almost twenty years. I know you inside and out, and I know your character. So I’m asking you now, are you willing..."
"Are you willing to help me? To help me restore ’Dawn’ and prepare for the coming shocks—the shocks from other worlds!"
Huang Jiutian swallowed hard, his heart about to pound out of his chest. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
"Do I have to get that symbol branded on my palm too?"
Qin Xiaoxia smiled.
"You aren’t qualified yet. Once you’ve successfully awakened your Magic Power, I will personally perform the ’Engraving’ for you."
"In the name of the current manager of ’Dawn’!"
...
Unsurprisingly, Huang Jiutian was in. Joining "Dawn" was a tempting offer for most young people—or rather, for most people in general.
Especially since the invitation came from Qin Xiaoxia.
His image of the late Old Qin grew even grander in his mind.
But in his heart, Huang Jiutian also felt a pang of anxiety.
The once-glorious Dawn Association had fallen so far that now it was just Qin Xiaoxia and Doudou, plus himself—a peripheral member who hadn’t even passed his probation period.
’The world’s unsung heroes!’
That was Huang Jiutian’s assessment of the Dawn Association.
But this wasn’t the time for reminiscing. He learned from Qin Xiaoxia that awakening one’s Magic Power was already extremely difficult. Talent, luck, and heritage were all indispensable.
Man-made disasters and changes in the world’s environment had subjected the ancient "Dawn" to immense trials on a side of the world no one knew existed.
And as the "Otherworldly Disturbances" were gradually eradicated, the activities of "Dawn" grew quieter and quieter.
In the modern era, there had even been a period where the lineage of "Magic Power" was severed.
And it was precisely at such a time that a true crisis suddenly descended again.
’But if not for this, I probably wouldn’t have had the chance to join, or even know about, ’Dawn’.’
Huang Jiutian felt a sliver of relief. From Qin Xiaoxia’s words, he deduced that he very likely had the potential to obtain Magic Power.
And given his relationship with Qin Xiaoxia, his chances were probably even better.
Now, one of his tasks was to use his own abilities to investigate the extent of this series of "civil defense projects" and deduce the preparedness of the higher-ups.
As an elite designer, Huang Jiutian had many classmates and friends who were leaders in the same industry. The information he could gather was sometimes even more comprehensive than what some so-called "higher-ups" had.
...
Doudou silently ate their breakfast on the side, watching as "Mrs. Huang" went from a skeptic to having the same star-filled sparkle in his eyes as Su Su.
A conclusion silently formed in Doudou’s mind.
’The "Dawn" is truly terrifying!’
