C5 Earth's Transformation

Chu Xing pulled out his phone and glanced at the time: 5:30 PM.

"Why so many calls? And even more texts." Chu Xing scrolled through his messages, murmuring to himself, "It's June 28th already? I've been in there for two whole days."

His phone was flooded with missed calls—his homeroom teacher, Luo Xiaoyun, Chu Hao, with the majority from Chu Hao, who also topped the list for most messages sent.

"Chu Xing, have you noticed any changes in yourself?"

"Guess what, I've got this faint green tint on my skin. Everyone's joking that I've been 'cuckolded,' but I don't even have a girlfriend!"

"They're all whispering that I must be secretly dating, but I'm actually still a bachelor!"

"Chu Xing, are you there?"

"I'm feeling incredibly strong now. I'm pretty sure I could take on anyone."

"I've discovered I've awakened a special wood attribute ability. I feel this deep connection with trees."

"Chu Xing, pick up the phone."

...

"Looks like Chu Hao has a natural talent for the wood attribute." Chu Xing felt a surge of happiness for his friend and quickly texted back, "My phone was out of commission for the past couple of days, so no worries. Congrats on your special ability. As for me, I'm just feeling exceptionally spirited."

To keep his greatest secret safe, Chu Xing had no choice but to lie.

He then messaged his homeroom teacher and Luo Xiaoyun to explain and confirm that he would attend class today.

Once he finished, hunger pangs struck hard. Chu Xing hadn't eaten in two days, and the little he had earlier barely made a dent.

He dashed to the school cafeteria and devoured his meal, much to the astonishment of his fellow students.

...

Two days earlier, the earthquake and volcanic eruption had drastically altered the Earth.

The air quality was improving, and many forests and mountains were shrouded in ethereal white mists, like scenes from a fantasy realm.

Scientists were scrambling to understand the cause of these changes, with some speculating that the seismic activity had released mystical energies from the Earth's crust.

But what really captivated the public was the emergence of individuals awakening to their attribute talents, showcased in viral videos.

Some demonstrated the power to shatter granite with a single punch, others could produce flames at will, and there were those whose bodies took on an extraordinary, earthy resilience.

Netizens were buzzing with comments:

"The age of superpowers is upon us."

"Wow, does anyone have the power of flight?"

"Spiderman, show yourself! Where are Hulk, Wolverine, and Storm?"

"Why don't I have any special abilities?"

...

Chu Xing suspected that his newfound abilities had something to do with his master, though he wasn't sure of the details. Arriving early, he settled into the classroom to catch up on the news.

"Chu Xing, you had me worried sick. I thought something terrible had happened to you," messaged Chu Hao.

"Don't worry, I'm all good. How's your special ability coming along?"

"Hehe, I'm tough as nails, my wounds heal super fast, and I can even make plants grow faster. I've figured all this out over the last couple of days."

"You haven't been cuckolded, have you?"

"Hey, this is a genuine superpower. Everyone else is green with envy."

"Better remember to look out for me in the future!"

"Don't worry, what are friends for?"

Chu Xing felt a surge of happiness at his friend's concern and pondered how he could be of help to Chu Hao.

"Hey, didn't Master mention I have a knack for psychic energy? What can I do with that?" Chu Xing mused.

He recalled seeing telekinetics on TV who could manipulate objects with their minds. Concentrating, he fixed his gaze on a pen on the desk and silently willed it to "Fly." The pen began to levitate.

"Chu Xing, where have you been these last couple of days?" Luo Xiaoyun walked into the classroom and took his seat in front of Chu Xing.

"Snap!" The pen that had been floating dropped suddenly, but Luo Xiaoyun didn't notice.

"Oh, just had some errands to run. Anything happen in class while I was out?" Chu Xing fibbed effortlessly.

"Nothing major. Ten of our classmates haven't shown up for days, and everyone else is fixated on the whole special abilities thing," Luo Xiaoyun shared with a hint of excitement.

"Wang Feiqiang from our class has fists of steel—he can snap thick wood and bend heavy metal plates. And there's someone in school who can start fires; nearly torched a classroom."

"That's incredible. Do you have any special abilities?"

"No such luck for me. Just your average Joe. And you?"

"These past couple of days, I've been feeling great—eating well, sleeping well. Does that count for anything?"

"Hey, who hasn't been eating and sleeping well lately? People who've been sick for years are suddenly getting better."

Chu Xing was cautious not to reveal his abilities too freely; his secrets were far too significant.

He wondered if Elder Hsu's adversaries might come looking for him, or if beings from beyond Earth might arrive. What would happen if other species discovered our planet? Shaking his head, Chu Xing forced himself to stop pondering the possibilities.

As Lee Xiaoran entered the room, her short hair framed her delicate, melon-shaped face, and her bright, dark eyes sparkled. Dressed in a short-sleeved top and a long blue skirt, she resembled a graceful butterfly in flight.

It seemed Lee Xiaoran glanced intentionally at Chu Xing, offering a smile before quickly averting her gaze, her cheeks faintly blushing as she swiftly took her seat.

Chu Xing's heart skipped a beat. "Was she looking at me?"

In front of him, Luo Xiaoyun bashfully bowed her head, leaving Chu Xing at a loss for words.

"Wang Feiqiang has arrived!" The classroom buzzed with excitement.

Wang Feiqiang appeared even more robust than before, striding in with his head held high, cheerfully exchanging greetings with his classmates.

"Brother Qiang, I've got a piece of granite for you to test out." A student approached, beaming as he carried a stone slab three centimeters thick and thirty centimeters long.

"Alright, I'll give it a shot," Wang Feiqiang accepted the slab. "Watch closely, everyone."

He lifted his right fist and hurled it down onto the slab.

With a resounding crash, the stone split in two, eliciting a chorus of applause from the class. Wang Feiqiang cast a purposeful glance at Lee Xiaoran.

Chu Xing observed a faint golden glow on Wang Feiqiang's fist as he struck, realizing, "He's a metal-type talent with formidable attack power, but that's about it."

Chu Xing hadn't slept in two days, and despite his excitement, sleepiness overcame him. As soon as the class began, he slumped over his desk and drifted off.

The rest of the students were also distracted, some scrolling through news on their phones, others discussing supernatural abilities. The teacher, turning a blind eye, was equally preoccupied with other thoughts.

During the third class period, our homeroom teacher entered the room and announced, "All individuals with special abilities must now register. The government is forming a special abilities law enforcement team... Those with powers should refrain from causing harm. Any criminal acts will be met with strict punishment... The nation invites those with special abilities to join the law enforcement squad."

Wang Feiqiang was the only one in our class to sign up. Whether the others were concealing their abilities was anyone's guess, but Chu Xing definitely was.

Today, several major news stories had the whole class buzzing with excitement.

Over in the Starchart Country, a meeting of special ability users discussing how to change the world erupted into violence due to racial tensions, with the injured resorting to machine guns. Currently, even those with abilities can't stop bullets, and there were reports of numerous fatalities.

Some were proclaiming that special ability users should rule the world, which naturally alarmed ordinary citizens. They took up arms and joined the fray, and only the intervention of the national special forces finally quelled the chaos.

The Starchart Country seems to have a penchant for self-destruction, with many likely pondering how to save the world now.

In Western nations, there were disturbing reports of people being bitten on the neck and bleeding to death.

"Are vampires to blame, or is someone imitating them?" There were also sightings of a werewolf being detained by the police.

Meanwhile, in the Curry Country, the scene was rather extraordinary. Special ability users were elevated on platforms while throngs knelt below, proclaiming the descent of gods to relieve earthly suffering.

These so-called deities continued to perform their acts on high, showcasing the wonders of a truly mystical land.