The world is full of a special gift called Power. Most people have Power that helps them do everyday things, like making their toys move or changing the color of their hair. But not many people have Power that is strong enough to do really cool things. Only a few lucky ones are born with super powerful abilities, like being able to fly or talk to animals.
Those with such amazing Power usually work with the government to make their country a better place. And that's exactly what happened in Arkbaiki, a country known for having the best technology and security in the world.
They have a popular group called ACP, short for Arkbaiki Country Police. This group consists of the country's most powerful people, who use their remarkable abilities to protect Arkbaiki from harm. To the people of Arkbaiki, they are heroes.
As a result, some of the heroes have huge fan bases, especially among kids and teens. Everyone has their favorite hero, and they love to chat about them. Some kids get pumped up, saying, "You won't believe what Lisa did last week! She stopped a whole tsunami into ice! She saved my entire family. She's incredible!" Others boast, "I met the Ice Queen once! She even made me a tiny ice sculpture. Check out my selfie with her!" Aiman, the hero who's also a top leader in the ACP, was also popular. "Aiman is the best," one kid says. "He's saved so many lives with his shields. He even gave me a wave once!"
Some fans were super obsessed with Lisa. They collected all sorts of things related to Lisa, including special figures of her naked. Some fans even had naked drawings and manga that feature Lisa as well and spread it on dark websites. "Here lies the big booby from the Ice Queen herself. I wish she could freeze my long, hot sausage." Said one fat guy as he jerked off in his phone, showing a drawing featuring Lisa being naked.
But regardless, these members of ACP are well regarded as heroes, which inspired Wang Yong to become a hero as well.
Wang Yong is a 14 years old boy with messy black hair. He wore simple clothes with some rips and patches and wore sandals everywhere. He had the dream to become a hero. He couldn't help but daydream about being one of those famous heroes everyone looked up to. A big smile spread across his face as he pictured his future.
"Someday," Wang Yong imagined, "there will be a huge statue of me in the town square. It will be made of shiny metal, and I'll stand proud and strong with my hands on my hips." He pictured people cheering and starting fan clubs in his honor. "Wang Yong is awesome!" they'd shout. "He looked right at me!" "No, he looked my way first!" he heard them say. He even pictured girls wanting to be his wife! This made him laugh, but he loved the idea of everyone knowing his name one day
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But the problem is Wang Yong's life was terrible. His dad left before he was born, so Wang Yong never knew his father. He lived with his mom and older brother, Wang Liang, in a small, messy home in a not-so-great area called Lotus District.
Lotus District was a busy and crowded place with old buildings that looked like they might crumble. The streets were narrow and dirty, with puddles everywhere because the pipes leaked. It smelled bad, like trash and smoke, and there was lots of noise like people shouting. Kids played barefoot in the alleys, and stray animals roamed for food. The shops had old signs, and at night, the streets were spooky with dark shadows and weird noises.
Wang Yong's apartment was in one of those old buildings. It was small and untidy. The walls had cracks, and the paint was peeling off, showing the old bricks. The floors were bumpy, with scratches and broken spots. The kitchen was tiny, with a rusty sink and just enough room for a wobbly table and chairs. Their furniture was old and worn, with torn cushions and a squeaky couch. In the corner was a thin newspaper and an old blanket that served as the family's bed.
Wang Yong's mom was 35, but she looked like she was in her 50. Her dark, messy hair was tied back in a bun, but some strands always managed to escape, proving her exhausted face. Her skin was pale and rough, with dark circles under her eyes. She worked hard at a job she didn't like, a brothel, just to make ends meet and put food on the table for her family.
When she came home, she was always upset and tired, her shoulders slumped in defeat as she passed through the door. "I'm home," she'd say with a low voice, she didn't have the energy to speak any louder.
So being dutiful as he was, Wang Yong tried his best to make his mom happy. He cleaned, did chores, and even worked around the street to earn money. But no matter how hard he tried, his mom would get mad at him for small things. She'd shout, "Why can't you be more helpful?" even if he just got in her way by accident.
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Wang Yong's mom had a clear favorite in the family, and that was his older brother, Wang Liang. The reason was simple: Wang Liang had a Power, a water Power that allowed him to conjure water balls out of thin air. It wasn't a very big deal, just small water balls, but to their mom, it was everything.
Their mom would say things like, "Oh, Liang'er, you're so talented! Your Power is going to take you further!" or "Liang'er, you must be hungry after using your Power, let me get you some more food." She would even let Wang Liang stay up late to watch TV or play with his friends. Wang Yong, on the other hand, was not so lucky. Wang Yong had to go out to earn money and let his brother use it. Sometimes, he would often get leftovers or smaller portions and not even get to taste the delicious roasted pork at all. He would sit at the table, watching as his mom and Wang Liang enjoyed their meal.
It wasn't fair, but Wang Yong tried not to let it bother him. He would just smile and say, "That's okay, Mom, I'm not hungry," even when his stomach was growling.
Wang Liang noticed that. But instead of offering food, he just laughed and said, "You are weak. An insignificant person such as you is not fit for the feast of the king, such as I. Do you think I should share my food with the peasant who DOESN'T even have Power, to begin with? Go away, coward. And remember to give me money. You didn't give me last week's salary.
His mother also said harsh words, adding salt to the wound in Wang Yong's heart, "Oh yes, Yong'er. This month's electrical fee is around 50 asro. You know I don't have money because I have to buy you food, despite my busy time. You should be grateful and pay the fee."
Wang Yong, feeling dejected, just stood up and walked away from their home. He can hear some mock laughs from his mother and Wang Liang behind Wang Yong's back. "If only I had a Power…"
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Wang Yong didn’t understand why he didn’t have Power, and the only thing Wang Yong could do was clench his fists, holding back tears, wishing he could stand up for himself. So, when he was alone, he often went to the streets of the Lotus District to meet his best friend and his long-time crush, Shi Ying.
Shi Ying was the same age as Wang Yong, but she was smart, quick, fearless, and more confident than anyone else. She was petite and smaller than most kids her age. She had long, curly hair and always wore black jackets, ripped jeans, and black boots.
“Hey, idiot, do you ever brush your hair?” Shi Ying teased, flicking one of her long, curly locks over her shoulder. Her hair bounced as she walked beside him, her black boots clicking on the road.
Wang Yong rolled his eyes. “Not everyone has time to look perfect like you, A Ying.”
“I know, right?” She laughed and adjusted her bright jacket. “I was born perfect.”
“Yeah, perfect. Right,” Wang Yong smirked. “You spend hours fixing your hair, don’t you?”
Shi Ying blew out a puff of strawberry-scented vapor in Wang Yong’s face, making him cough a little from the sweet smell. She grinned. “So what if I do? Gotta look good out here. It’s called confidence, Wang Yong. You should try it sometime.”
Wang Yong shook his head. “I don’t have money to buy the jacket and ripped jeans that you are wearing.”
Shi Ying gave him a playful nudge. “It’s not the clothes, dummy. It’s the attitude. And I thought I gave you more money yesterday to buy some clothes. Where are that money, huh?”
Wang Yong gave a sad look. Which made Shi Ying took a easy guess.
"Your brother took it?"
“Yeah, He said the youngest should respect and provide whatever the oldest needs.”
Shi Ying looked at Wang Yong with wide eyes. “Omg, Idiot! I didn’t teach you to be this dumb, dumbass. Is that why he has money for stylish clothes?”
Wang Yong nodded. “Yeah, he threatened me using his Power.”
Shi Ying then leaned in close, looking straight into Wang Yong’s eyes. “Oh man.." Feeling frustated in her face, she look Wang Yong in a pity. And continue with a iritated voice "Let me teach you how to get back at him. You just need the courage to do it. Just f*cking watch.”
She taught Wang Yong everything she knew about surviving in the streets, including stealing, scamming, and anything that seemed illegal. Together, they became a team, and every day, they grabbed food, coins, and shiny gadgets from many civilians quietly and fast. Wang Yong got faster and better with every job they pulled, and Shi Ying made sure he always got a fair share.
And today, they spotted one man carrying a suitcase.
“Alright, dumbass,” Shi Ying whispered, leaning casually against a wall and blowing out a puff of strawberry-scented vapor. She nodded toward a man walking nearby, carrying a suitcase. “See that guy? That’s our target for today.”
Wang Yong followed her gaze. “The guy with the suitcase? What do you think is in there?”
Shi Ying shrugged, adjusting her black jacket. “Doesn’t matter. The client pay a lot of money on it. I bet it’s something important.”
Wang Yong frowned. “Yeah, but he looks like he’s holding onto it pretty tight. What if he notices?”
Shi Ying rolled her eyes. “You sound like we don’t know each other.” While pointing her finger to Wang Yong
Wang Yong smiled while showing his hand in the air. “Whoa… Easy there, girl. Don't show off your Power here. I just want to strike up a conversation.”
“And a conversation you get. Come on, don’t mess up.” While giving him a playful shove
Wang Yong then slowly approached the guy with the suitcase from behind. “Slowly, easy,” he muttered under his breath, trying to calm himself because he still wasn’t used to situations like this. But he needed to do better to impress Shi Ying.
So he approach that man, tiptoed carefully, making no sound with his steps. Just as he reached out to touch the suitcase, the man suddenly noticed something, and Wang Yong froze.
“Oh crap,” he muttered.
image [https://i.imgur.com/mFA9L2S.png]