The once shimmering and clear Central Lake now appeared desolate and barren.
The lakebed was exposed, revealing large patches of cracked earth, with withered yellow water plants scattered across it, swaying faintly in the wind.
The small island that once stood in the center of the lake was now connected to the shore, looking lonely without the surrounding water.
A few waterbirds wandered across the dry lakebed, seemingly searching for any remaining traces of water.
Apart from that, there was a massive hole in the center of the lake.
Qin Luo stood at the edge of the hole, peering down into the darkness—a deep, bottomless abyss.
He looked away and turned to Wang Gang, asking, "Did the surveillance cameras capture anything?"
Wang Gang shook his head. "The cameras around Central Lake might have been affected by the magnetic field from the spiritual resurgence. They didn’t record the moment the lake dried up."
Before Qin Luo could respond, Su Muwan, who was standing nearby, swallowed hard, her pupils trembling.
It matched! It all matched!
Central Lake... dried up... ancient ruins...
She gasped.
It’s coming back to her! Everything is coming back!
Su Muwan’s expression grew heavy.
She walked over to the edge of the bottomless hole and looked down.
Yes, it was exactly the same as in her previous life!
In her past life, Central Lake in Jiang City had also dried up suddenly, and a massive hole had appeared in the center.
Then, tonight, this hole would engulf the entire lake!
Not only that.
Su Muwan took a deep breath.
Similar phenomena would occur in other regions tonight as well.
In her previous life, she had referred to this as...
The First Wave of Opportunity Release!
And once the opportunities were released a certain number of times,
Ancient powerhouses, sects, and prodigies would descend upon the world!
And then...
They would join the battle for these ancient opportunities!
And then...
["Su Muwan! You vile woman!"]
["In ten thousand years, there has never been anyone as evil as you! Die!"]
["Su Muwan! You must die!"]
["Only your death will bring peace to this world!"]
Ahhh!!
No!
If this happens again, won’t my rebirth be for nothing?
Su Muwan clutched her head, on the verge of tears as she recalled the events of her past life.
But!
This time is different!
She stared at the hole, nervously swallowing her saliva.
Now that the ancient ruins have just appeared, as long as she doesn’t provoke key figures, everything should be fine!
But then another question arose.
Detective Su furrowed her brows.
The timeline had advanced by three years compared to her previous life.
So...
Would those T0 Chosen Ones from her past life awaken and appear at this time?
It’s possible... maybe... it wouldn’t be such a coincidence, right?
Su Muwan tried to reassure herself.
Meanwhile, Qin Luo, after hearing Wang Gang’s explanation, chuckled. "Surveillance cameras can fail."
"But there’s one thing that the spiritual resurgence can never erase."
Wang Gang was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Spirits."
With that, Qin Luo quickly formed a series of hand seals and murmured, "Heaven and earth, the origin of all things, reveal my true form, dispel evil and manifest the divine."
As his words fell, faint specks of glowing light began to flow visibly through the air.
Wang Gang and the surrounding law enforcement officers were stunned.
"A spirit-summoning technique?"
"So that’s why the mayor was once called 'Master Qin'!"
"Not only is he skilled in medicine, but he also knows Dragon Tiger Mountain’s Taoist arts! This is incredible!"
"Jiang City is about to take off!"
Bai Wengang’s mind was buzzing. What’s going on?
Didn’t he just take office? How is he already so well-known?
Heck, most people probably don’t even know he’s the head of Jiang City’s alliance!
As spiritual energy surged, it became easier for the naked eye to see spirits.
Buzz!
Spiritual energy gathered around Qin Luo, creating a faint ripple in the air.
On the dry lakebed, tiny particles of dust seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, dancing slowly beneath his feet.
Suddenly, a faint mist rose from the massive hole, and within the mist, vague images began to appear.
Like phantoms, the images showed fragments of the past.
Everyone stared in shock.
The images revealed that the once shimmering Central Lake had a whirlpool form in its center, and the water had rapidly drained into it.
In moments, the lake had completely dried up, leaving only this massive hole.
But that wasn’t all.
The images shifted.
The lake disappeared, replaced by a grand structure.
The buildings were majestic and imposing.
Tall stone pillars were engraved with intricate runes, emitting a faint spiritual glow.
The domed ceiling of the hall towered above.
In the center of the altar stood a massive statue of a man holding a sword upright.
In the images, people dressed in ancient robes bustled in and out of the area.
Some sat in meditation before the altar, while others practiced martial arts in the square, performing techniques no one had ever seen before.
As the images continued to flash, faint sounds of bells and chanting echoed in the air, until...
A figure floated above.
No one could see the figure’s face, but they could see it raise a finger and point downward.
Boom!
A massive flood surged downward.
In moments, the terrain was completely altered, turning into a lake.
The images ended.
Clap clap clap clap clap.
The onlookers couldn’t help but applaud.
"Incredible."
"Is this some kind of advanced scientific technology?"
"Or maybe a new movie?"
Su Muwan: ???
She took a deep breath and said, exasperated, "Neither!"
"This is clearly..."
"An image of an ancient sect before its destruction!"
Snap!
"Correct."
Qin Luo snapped his fingers and praised, "As expected of the young lady. You figured it out so easily."
Su Muwan pouted. "Hmph!"
Wait!
Shouldn’t the people in this world have more bizarre thought processes?!
Qin Luo then turned to Wang Gang and said with a light smile, "Seal off this area immediately. Also, gather all law enforcement officers and local martial artists in Jiang City."
Wang Gang was puzzled. "I understand the law enforcement part, but why only local martial artists?"
Qin Luo shrugged. "Such a great opportunity shouldn’t be wasted on outsiders who aren’t registered in Jiang City."
"Opportunity?"
Wang Gang was completely lost.
"Don’t worry about it. Just do as I say."
"Understood!"
Boom!
Qin Luo and Su Muwan left.
On their way back to the alliance headquarters, Su Muwan grew increasingly uneasy.
Hmm?
Why do I feel like something bad is about to happen?
She turned to Qin Luo suspiciously, tugged at his sleeve, and whispered, "Luo Luo, did you foresee something? Like, is something going to happen tonight?"
Hearing this, Qin Luo looked at her in surprise. "Young lady, your intuition is quite sharp."
"Well... uh, so what’s the deal?"
"Hmm..."
Qin Luo thought for a moment, then reached out and ruffled Su Muwan’s hair, smiling. "Don’t worry, young lady. Tonight will definitely satisfy you."
"?"
Why does that sound so strange?