2: Two moons in the sky
A sharp pain shot through his chest; even breathing hurt.
The laughing duo also noticed Zhang Sheng, who had stopped his bicycle.
A flash of shock crossed Lin Ruyue's face, followed by a change in expression—regret, pity. The boy next to her, however, wore a playful smirk, as if flaunting his prize.
The girl seemed about to say something, but before she could speak, Zhang Sheng resumed pedaling toward the campus.
Tears were swept from the corners of Zhang Sheng's eyes by the warm summer breeze.
Two years of memories flashed by like a dream or a bubble; Zhang Sheng returned to his dorm like a walking corpse.
“Let's break up.”
Looking at the message from Lin Ruyue, Zhang Sheng didn't question her. Instead, he was very calm. The sky had darkened, and the entire dormitory was terrifyingly quiet. His other three roommates were away for the Labor Day holiday.
The dormitory lights were off, and the faint glow from his phone illuminated Zhang Sheng's pale face.
“It's over.”
“Everything is over.”
Zhang Sheng deleted Lin Ruyue's WeChat. He didn't fantasize about finding excuses for her; the sight of the two of them walking out of the hotel snuggled together explained everything.
Scenes from the past surfaced in his mind.
“I really am a clown!” Zhang Sheng slapped himself.
That night, Zhang Sheng bought some barbecue and a pack of beer. He sat alone on the dormitory balcony, eating skewers and drinking until he was hazy with intoxication.
Not knowing if it was a hallucination, a streak of blue aurora seemed to flash across the sky.
Dazzling and brilliant, it lit up the entire night sky!
“Talent Awakening: Once Certified, Forever Certified.”
A strange voice echoed in Zhang Sheng's mind, but he was already unconscious. He thought he had just been reading too many novels lately, making even his dreams strange... The magnificent blue aurora instantly caused a global sensation. Simultaneously, the same voice echoed in the minds of countless people across the Earth.
“Talent Awakening: Unrestrained! (S-rank)”
“Talent Awakening: Fire Control! (B-rank)”
“Talent Awakening: Eye of Insight”
...Two moons suddenly appeared in the boundless starry sky—one was the moon, and the other was also a moon.
Besides the normal moon, a smaller blue “moon” appeared nearby.
This blue planet appeared without warning, just like the countless people on Earth who had suddenly awakened. Neither the International Space Station nor the Huaxia Space Station had observed the trajectory of this mysterious blue moon.
Like light, like teleportation, it suddenly appeared beside the moon.
This time, the Huaxia Space Force and the United States Federation communicated with each other, but neither knew why this blue moon had appeared or what it actually was.
It was like a mystery.
The only thing observed was a blue aurora that shone across the entire starry sky, appearing alongside the blue moon.
Along with the voices of Talent awakening echoing in people's heads.
Talent awakening, the blue planet, and the blue aurora—the three occurring simultaneously meant there was inevitably a special connection.
“Company Commander, I also heard the voice in my head. I awakened a Fire Talent, A-rank.”
“Company Commander, I also awakened a Talent...”
...At a Huaxia military camp undergoing night training, statistics showed that in a hundred-man company, about sixty percent of the people heard the voice of Talent awakening in their heads. The awakened Talents were varied and diverse.
Soldiers who hadn't awakened Talents curiously asked what it felt like and if they could be used.
“Company Commander, this is too bizarre. Could the blue moon in the sky be related to our awakened Talents?”
“Silence!” The Company Commander ordered, and it immediately became pin-drop quiet.
Everyone was exceptionally excited, but their military discipline kept them well-behaved.
The Company Commander had also awakened a Talent, but his was quite special and S-rank. Instinct told him not to reveal it.
“Gray Wolf, see if you can use this so-called Talent,” the Company Commander ordered.
“Okay, I'll try!” Gray Wolf was beyond excited. He held out his right hand, and a small golden-yellow flame sprouted from his palm.
Everyone stared at the flame in Gray Wolf's palm in shock, holding their breath as their hearts raced.
Thinking that they had also awakened Talents, a strange sensation surged from the soles of their feet all the way to the crowns of their heads.
Slap! Someone delivered a slap!
“Ah! What did you slap me for?” a soldier asked his comrade, annoyed.
The comrade beside him said sheepishly, “I was afraid I was dreaming.”
However, right then, the flame in Gray Wolf's palm went out, and he collapsed in front of the Company Commander without warning.
“What's happening? Medic!” The Company Commander quickly arranged for a medic to check the situation.
The faces of everyone who had been surprised and happy just a moment ago changed. Soldiers who were about to try their Talents quickly stopped; no one dared to use their Talents lightly.
“Everyone, listen up! You are forbidden from using your Talents!”
Like everyone else, the Company Commander suspected that Gray Wolf's condition was related to using his Talent. Until the situation was understood, Talents could not be used.
Globally, many people had awakened Talents, and many tried to use them. Countless cases similar to Gray Wolf's occurred. Those who fared slightly better stopped using their Talents after feeling dizzy and didn't collapse.
These unconscious people were sent to hospitals one after another. For a time, hospitals were overcrowded. Countries around the world declared a state of emergency, especially in the other hemisphere where it was currently daytime; the number of people trying their Talents was vast, with some even collapsing directly on the streets.
At this moment, almost every phone in Huaxia chimed with a notification: According to research and investigations by relevant personnel, using Talents leads to mysterious fainting. We ask the general public to restrain their curiosity and not use Talents unless absolutely necessary.
From the appearance of the blue moon to the issuance of this notice, less than twenty minutes had passed.
In this kind of global emergency, Huaxia demonstrated its efficiency.
After hospital examinations, those who had fainted were found to be merely unconscious, with normal vital signs.
Two hours later, the unconscious began to wake up one by one. Most of their heads were still groggy, showing symptoms similar to neurasthenia. Hospitals couldn't detect a specific cause, but fortunately, the bodies of those who had fainted remained healthy... The next day, Zhang Sheng woke up from his hangover and groggily glanced at his phone.
The succession of messages made him instinctively rub his eyes, unable to believe any of this was real.
“A blue moon has appeared in the sky!”
“Usage of Talents is prohibited; risk of fainting!...”
“China has declared a national state of emergency; all criminal acts will be dealt with strictly and severely.”
...What's wrong with this world? I haven't transmigrated, have I?
Then there were over a dozen missed calls from his mom and dad.
Zhang Sheng quickly called back. Ah, he hadn't gone home for Labor Day, so his parents thought he was out traveling with his girlfriend.
At any time, those most concerned about one's safety are always their parents. Thinking of this, Zhang Sheng's eyes reddened slightly.
“Dad, I'm fine. I didn't faint!”
...“Talent awakening? What Talent awakening?”
“Sheng'er, didn't you awaken a Talent? Awakening a Talent isn't necessarily a good thing; many people on the internet have fainted.”
“Your dad even awakened some Seedling Raising Talent; I don't see how it's any use! Be careful outside, don't run around, and watch out for criminals.”
...After hanging up, Zhang Sheng started scrolling through Douyin. With one look, it seemed as if the world had changed. Almost every topic was discussing the “blue moon,” “Talent awakening,” “fainting,” and so on.
He soon confirmed a few things: the world had undergone a massive upheaval, and he had not transmigrated.
One cannot use Talents recklessly, or they will easily faint. As for the reason for the fainting, it remains unknown, and the suddenly appeared blue planet is also an unsolved mystery.
Wait!
Talent?
“I think I awakened some kind of Talent too!” Zhang Sheng recalled the events of last night.
The moment Zhang Sheng thought of his Talent, a virtual panel suddenly appeared before his eyes.
“【Awakened Talent: Once Certified, Forever Certified. Rank: SSS;】”