After leaving his hometown, Li Tong chose a remote town as his hiding place. The town was nestled between mountains and forests, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The air was fresh, the environment serene—a perfect place to escape pursuit. Yet, despite the peaceful surroundings, Li Tong’s mind could not find peace.

Every day, Li Tong lived alone in this unfamiliar place, leading a life of anonymity. He avoided too much contact with the locals, only venturing out occasionally to purchase necessities. Most of the time, he stayed in the small rented house, quietly contemplating what he should do next.

Li Tong’s life had become incredibly lonely, and his heart was filled with confusion and anxiety. Why did he have this ability? Who were the people chasing him? What did they want from him? These questions haunted him, keeping him awake at night.

Despite his doubts, Li Tong tried to use this time to further understand and control his powers. He found that in this remote town, he could focus more on his training. He began meditating daily, using controlled breathing and heartbeat to harness the electric energy within him. He attempted to guide the flow of electricity with his mind and even tried to influence the operation of electrical devices without touching them.

Although Li Tong made some progress in controlling his abilities, the sense of powerlessness remained. He knew he was navigating this unknown path alone, without any guidance or help. He needed answers, but he wasn’t sure if those answers even existed.

One night, as Li Tong lay in bed, replaying the past few days of training in his mind, he tried to relax, but the confusion and anxiety kept him awake.

Suddenly, his phone rang. The signal in this remote town wasn’t great, so the sound of the phone was particularly jarring. Li Tong was surprised because, since leaving his hometown, he had rarely contacted anyone, and his phone seldom rang.

He picked up the phone and saw an unfamiliar number on the screen. Li Tong frowned, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally answered the call.

“Hello,” Li Tong said cautiously, a hint of wariness in his voice.

On the other end, a calm and steady voice replied, “Li Tong, this is Chen Yuze.”

The name was completely unfamiliar to Li Tong, and he frowned even more. “Who are you? How do you know my name?”

“I think you’ve already guessed a bit,” Chen Yuze’s voice carried a confident, unyielding tone. “I found you through the posts you made on the forum.”

At this, Li Tong’s heart began to race. He suddenly remembered that he had posted online, trying to find an explanation for his abilities. However, he had never imagined that someone would track him down because of it.

“Who exactly are you?” Li Tong asked, his voice tinged with tension.

“Don’t worry, I mean you no harm,” Chen Yuze continued. “I’m like you—I have special abilities. But my power is associated with the water element, while yours… yours is even more unique—it’s a lightning attribute, a combination of fire and wind.”

Li Tong was momentarily stunned. Countless questions flashed through his mind, but he didn’t know where to begin. He only felt that this person seemed to know a lot of things that he didn’t.

“What are you talking about? Lightning attribute? A combination of fire and wind?” Li Tong asked, still puzzled.

“I know it might be difficult to understand right now, but please believe me, I’m not joking,” Chen Yuze said calmly. “You’re not the only one with such powers. There are others in the world who have awakened different abilities, most of which are related to the five elements.”

Li Tong was dumbfounded. He had been searching for the source of his powers for a long time, and now this stranger seemed to have the answers he’d been looking for.

“Why should I trust you?” Li Tong remained cautious.

“I’m not forcing you to believe me,” Chen Yuze said indifferently. “You can choose to hang up and continue facing all of this alone, or you can choose to meet with me, and I can tell you more.”

Li Tong fell silent. He knew he was caught in a great mystery, and this person might be the key to solving it. Despite the doubts lingering in his mind, he decided to take a chance.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Alright, let’s meet,” Li Tong finally said, making up his mind.

“Tomorrow at 10 a.m., at a café on the outskirts of town,” Chen Yuze replied simply, then hung up.

The next morning, Li Tong made his way to the location Chen Yuze had specified. The area was deserted, with few people around, and the café was easy to find. It was a quiet place on the outskirts of town, with a peaceful atmosphere and hardly any customers. When Li Tong arrived, there were only a few patrons inside, and he immediately spotted the man sitting in the corner.

The man was dressed in simple dark clothes, with a stern face that made him appear to be in his early thirties. He seemed to have been waiting for Li Tong for some time. When he saw Li Tong enter, he gave a slight nod, indicating for Li Tong to sit down.

“You’re Chen Yuze?” Li Tong asked directly after sitting down.

“That’s right,” Chen Yuze nodded in response. “You probably have a lot of questions. I’ll do my best to answer them.”

Li Tong stared at Chen Yuze, his mind still full of caution and questions. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, “You said you have powers too, so how do you know all this stuff—like the five elements and such?”

“That’s a long story,” Chen Yuze replied calmly. “In short, there’s a force in the world known as the ‘Five Elements.’ These forces represent the elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Some people are born with abilities corresponding to these elements, and these abilities are closely related to our bloodline and genetics.”

“So, my ability is…” Li Tong ventured.

“Your ability is very special—it’s a lightning attribute,” Chen Yuze explained. “Lightning is a combination of fire and wind, a rare attribute within the five elements. Typically, those with lightning attributes have strong control over electric energy, and it’s clear that you’ve awakened this ability.”

Li Tong looked at Chen Yuze in surprise. “How do you know all this?”

“Because I’ve been studying these things for many years,” Chen Yuze replied. “I’m a water attribute user myself, able to control the flow and form of water. I’ve encountered others with elemental abilities as well. Most of them don’t understand their powers, and many never awaken their abilities at all. These powers are usually imprinted in our genes and bloodline, and they require a specific trigger to awaken. Some people go their whole lives as carriers of latent abilities. They may sense that they’re a bit different from others, like having extraordinary vision, hearing, or touch. But unless they experience a special event or receive a mysterious revelation, many of these abilities remain dormant. Of course, that is, until someone tells them the truth.”

“The truth?” Li Tong’s heart filled with even more questions. “Who are the people chasing me? Who are they?”

Chen Yuze’s expression grew serious. He lowered his voice and said, “Those people belong to certain organizations that have been searching for individuals like us—people with abilities. Their goal is to use our powers for their own interests, whether in military, political, or other areas.”

“So, they want to capture me because of my ability?” Li Tong asked, his voice tinged with anger.

“That’s right,” Chen Yuze nodded. “And you must be especially careful because lightning abilities are extremely rare, even among those with powers. This makes you a prime target for them.”

Li Tong’s emotions became complicated. He realized that he had been caught up in a much larger conspiracy, and Chen Yuze seemed to be his only ally at the moment.

Although Chen Yuze’s explanations answered many of Li Tong’s questions, his heart was still filled with inner turmoil. He wasn’t sure if he should fully trust this stranger or if he really wanted to join the “ability users” group Chen Yuze spoke of.

“I’m not sure if I can trust you,” Li Tong admitted.

Chen Yuze remained silent for a moment before softly saying, “I understand your concerns. Every awakened person feels confused and uneasy when faced with all of this. But please remember, we’re not alone. You don’t have to decide now, but I hope you understand that our power comes with responsibility.”

As Li Tong listened to Chen Yuze, his heart remained conflicted. He longed for answers and wanted to understand his abilities, but at the same time, he feared falling into greater danger.

“Are the things you’re saying… really believable?” Li Tong asked quietly, his eyes reflecting his complex emotions.

Chen Yuze smiled slightly, then extended his hand. As Li Tong watched, a stream of water suddenly materialized in Chen Yuze’s palm, swirling gently as if it had a life of its own.

“This is my ability,” Chen Yuze said calmly. “You don’t have to believe me completely right now, but the truth is right in front of you.”

Seeing this, Li Tong’s mental defenses began to waver. He realized that the man before him wasn’t lying but indeed possessed a power similar to his own.

Despite his lingering doubts, Li Tong ultimately decided to follow Chen Yuze for the time being to learn more about his abilities. He knew that he couldn’t solve these problems alone, and Chen Yuze might be his best chance.

“Alright, I’ll go with you,” Li Tong finally said, making up his mind. “But I

need more answers.”

“You’ll get the answers you’re looking for,” Chen Yuze said with a smile, then stood up, signaling for Li Tong to follow him out of the café.

The two of them left the café together and walked toward the nearby parking lot. Chen Yuze opened the car door and motioned for Li Tong to get in.

“Next, we’re going to a safe place where you can learn everything in peace,” Chen Yuze said as he started the engine.

Li Tong sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window at the scenery. The doubts in his heart had not completely dissipated, but he knew he had embarked on a new path, where every step forward was filled with uncertainty.

Through his encounter with Chen Yuze, Li Tong began to uncover more truths about his abilities. Although he remained full of doubts, he gradually realized the role he played in this unknown storm. The journey ahead would be crucial for him to further understand himself and master his powers.