Regarding the matter of awakening lightning abilities after transformation

At that time, she was not whole. Her physical disability constantly brought her feelings of inferiority and sorrow. Gu Cheng had to remind herself at all times that it was nothing, that she still had another healthy eyeball to use, and that the bioelectric radar was her invisible third eye.

“Now I can see you more clearly, Su Wanwan.”

The greatest joy in life is to regain what you have lost; she no longer has to face a world as smooth as washi paper.

The two snuggled together in bed for a while. Su Wanxi told Gu Cheng that she hadn't done one of her vision tests yet. The latter was stunned for a moment and asked for the specific time. Su Wanxi replied that it was eleven o'clock, so there was still about an hour left.

"Can I leave after completing the test?"

"Yes, the procedures can be completed at any time."

There was no need to trouble her family with such a small matter. Thinking of Su Wanshan, who had been standing outside the ward with a worried look on her face two hours earlier, Su Wanxi felt a pang of guilt.

Although her brother verbally advised her not to go, as soon as she mentioned needing protective equipment, he immediately sent people with large and small bags to the scene, and then bought a lot of gifts.

Su Wanxi thought to herself, having such a troublesome younger sister is really tough.

"Orange, now that this mission is over, the military needs a more detailed operational report than ever before."

The strong cracks are no small matter, and the higher-ups want to get first-hand information as soon as possible.

"The battle report... I'll write it when I get back..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Cheng suddenly frowned.

"By the way, Wanwan, do you know any more specific casualty reports?" She knew of at least one Awakened being who had died, and countless others were missing.

Su Wanxi paused, then said in a low voice, "Qin Kexin has some minor scratches on her arm, Jiang Xuewei is unharmed, and the others have sustained injuries to varying degrees..."

"Eight Awakened Ones did not return to reality after the rift collapsed."

Regardless of whether monsters are born, once the rift disappears, all lingering alien creatures will be bounced back to reality, provided they are alive.

"Eight...?"

The death toll did not exceed ten, which was still acceptable for China. After all, they lost nearly a hundred Awakened Ones in the last powerful rift. But once you trace it back to the individuals, death is an indisputable fact, and they have already passed away in foreign lands.

The joy of regaining her lost left eye was gradually overshadowed by sadness. Gu Cheng gently bit her pink lips with her pearly teeth, her expression slightly sorrowful.

"The deceased is gone," Su Wanxi said softly, gently patting Gu Cheng's head in a comforting gesture.

"They died for their people and their country. You did what you were supposed to do. If it weren't for that bolt of lightning that pierced the giant, the casualties would have been even greater..."

“You’ve done a great job, Orange.”

According to the agreement, awakened individuals who die in the line of duty will receive a huge sum of compensation from China, and their parents and children will forever enjoy the same preferential treatment as families of martyrs.

Knowing that it was irreversible and that wallowing in grief would not help, Gu Cheng quickly adjusted her emotions, hiding her sorrow in her eyes and licking her dry lips.

"Are Qin Kexin and the others also at the hospital now?"

"Yes, the military has arranged hospital rooms for all Awakened, with dedicated staff taking care of them 24 hours a day."

Su Wanxi did not tell Gu Cheng how chaotic the Xinkou District was at sunrise, and that Surtur had already affected reality to some extent.

Chapter 347, Section 353: The Gradually Changing World

One hour and twenty-eight minutes after the cracks changed, the entire Shinkou district was sealed off by the military. Many residents were awakened from their sleep and were evacuated to nearby hotels and squares with only a light shirt to put on. All the expenses incurred were borne by the government.

Experts researching paranormal phenomena, support troops on the scene, and special police responsible for evacuating the masses—no one knew the specific reason for the rift's anomaly, and even a small number of people were completely baffled by this emergency operation.

"Sir, all residents have been evacuated."

Colonel Chen received the satellite positioning map transmitted by his adjutant, and his thick brows furrowed tightly.

The test report issued by the research department showed that the crack was expanding at an extremely rapid speed, engulfing the entire community and several nearby office buildings. This was the first time Chen Qingquan had been in charge of the evacuation work for a strong crack since he joined the army. The location of the crack was right in the city center, so the pressure was unimaginable.

"Where are the other action teams?"

"Everyone's on the helicopter; we'll be there in three minutes."

Looking at the dense crowd below, Chen Qingquan moved his lips a few times, his facial wrinkles furrowing.

Two A-rank individuals, fewer than ten B-rank individuals, and several C-rank and below Awakened individuals just to make up the numbers—even with the most advanced individual combat equipment, it would be difficult for these people alone to deal with the powerful rift.

The military has made worst-case scenario plans, and countless armored vehicles and military helicopters are at his disposal, ready to attack the monster that has descended into reality at any time.

Just twenty minutes ago, Chen Qingquan received a notification from his superiors that not only Beijing, but also Shanghai, more than a thousand kilometers away, had been attacked by several rifts. At least four neutral rifts and more than eight weak rifts were generated simultaneously, making the resources of awakened individuals extremely scarce.

coincidence?

Colonel Chen quickly dismissed the conjecture. All indications suggested that there was some commonality in the activity of the fissures between the two places. He was not a professional and could not make a more accurate judgment. He only hoped that the creatures that had descended would die in the fissures as soon as possible.

Beneath their feet lay Beidu, the political center of China. If the monster from the powerful rift were to be born, the entire city would be destroyed.

As he pondered, he heard the whirring of propellers behind him. He looked up and saw nearly ten helicopters hovering at low altitude, their lights blending with the moonlight, and the grass and flowers rustling in the wind.

The special operations team was ready and equipment and weapons were distributed according to the specific situation. Chen Qingquan looked at those still somewhat immature faces, and his facial muscles twitched slightly.

If not for special circumstances, they should be living a safe and comfortable life, instead of facing such a life-or-death situation.

"please."

Chen Qingquan took off his military cap and bowed slightly.

As he watched the support troops enter the crevice, the man swallowed almost imperceptibly, his voice low.

"Pass down the order: everyone must be on high alert and forget about sleep tonight."

The bright moonlight filtered through the shadows of the trees and scattered across the street. Compared to the noise in the distance, it was completely silent here, with only the breathing so shallow as to be almost imperceptible.

Twenty minutes before the crack disappeared, hundreds of active-duty soldiers in military uniforms with resolute faces were stationed near the crack. Long strips of isolation completely separated the area, making it impossible for even a bird to fly in, let alone a person.

Chen Qingquan glanced at his watch. It was 6:21 a.m., and the sky was already bright. They had been on guard all night.

"Colonel Chen, have some water."

His deputy handed him a bottle of cheap mineral water. Chen Qingquan took the plastic bottle, gulped it down in a few mouthfuls, and then ordered his men to clean up the trash.

The cracks in Shanghai are barely under control, and now it all depends on them. The good news is that the expansion rate of the cracks has slowed down significantly, and the Awakened are playing a role.

Just as Chen Qingquan was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he suddenly saw a ball of fire flash in the center of his field of vision, followed by a crackling sound of electricity.

"All on alert."

The man roared, his massive body cracking as those around him gripped their weapons tightly. Countless guns aimed at the light, which was a chaotic and blurry ball of fire. The surrounding space twisted and deformed like shattered glass, from which golden liquid seeped, pouring onto the ground and rising in puffs of white mist.

They ultimately failed to prevent the monster's birth...

Chen Qingquan's heart sank, and his fingertip gripped the trigger tightly.

For a moment, reality seemed to have been slit open by scissors, and the man saw an ancient knight's sword and a section of a bright red giant's arm through the hole.

A wave of intense heat hit us.

Should we fire?

Countless possibilities flashed through his mind. Chen Qingquan took a deep breath, veins bulging on his forehead.

The next second, the void disappeared, and everything returned to calm. Only the flowing lava on the surface reminded them that what they had just seen was not an illusion. Everyone present looked at each other in bewilderment. Colonel Chen turned his head and glanced at his adjutant with a complicated expression.

After a moment, confirming that there was no unusual movement in the crack, the man stroked his pistol and said solemnly, "Stay on guard."

Daylight broke... If the lockdown lasts longer than twelve hours, things will become very complicated...

There will always be troublemakers, conspiracy theorists, and malicious rumor-mongers in any era. Chen Qingquan could already imagine the uproar this matter would cause on the internet.

"Colonel Chen, someone is looking for you."

Turning around, a group of guards in military uniforms walked towards him. In the center of them was a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties. The leader whispered a few words in Chen Qingquan's ear, and the latter's eyes darkened slightly before he nodded.

"Yes... I understand."

The man's surname was Liu, and he was an S-class Awakened. Specific details could not be disclosed. The two exchanged a brief glance. Mr. Liu turned his head to look at the crack, his expression indifferent and aloof.

"It seems I'm a step too late."

Before the words were finished, the crack trembled violently. The man's eyes sharpened, and everyone, including Chen Qingquan, froze in place. At that moment, all was silent, and even the wind stopped.

The distorted spatial rift disappeared in the blink of an eye, like the receding tide, and dozens of men and women quickly appeared on the flat ground.

The moment Su Wanxi returned, she felt a kind of restraint. She activated her ability and quickly broke free. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other special forces members frozen to the side, their frozen expressions looking particularly comical.

Gu Cheng seemed unaffected, rubbing her legs back and forth, crossing her arms over her chest, and curling up in pain.

They... broke free...

Mr. Liu glanced at Su Wanxi, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Even an A-level Awakened would be paused for more than thirty seconds by him, but this young woman only took less than half a second to return to normal.

Su Wanxi narrowed her dark eyes and quickly understood everything.

The S-rank Awakened One responsible for providing support.

"You killed it?"

Time began to flow again, and Su Wanxi held his unconscious fiancée, his face cold and indifferent.

"Okay, the rest is up to you."

All she wanted to do now was get Gu Cheng to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Section 354, Chapter 348: Junk Food is a Necessity of Life

In the secluded Evergreen Mansion, Su Changqing stood quietly by the window, his back straight, his hands pressed against his suit trousers. A few rays of light fell on the gray-brown round tie on his chest. The man stretched his arms and gently removed the non-prescription glasses from the bridge of his nose, revealing a cold and sharp glint in his dark pupils.

Like most people in the know, he also stayed up all night.

Hearing a knock on the door, Su Changqing gave a brief response. An elderly man with gray hair approached, dressed in a black and white butler's uniform with neat double-breasted buttons and a respectful expression.

"Mr. Su, Miss and her friend have safely left Xinkou District."

Where are they going now?

"At Bo'ai Hospital, Young Master Su has arranged a ward for caregivers."

Su Changqing listened without expression, waved his hand to signal the steward to leave, and Su Yansheng, who was sitting to the side, chuckled twice as he watched the door close.

"Are you finally relieved?"

Su Changqing ignored him, slowly loosened his tie in front of the mirror, then sat down at his desk and took a sip of tea.