The night was getting late, but the atmosphere of Shenzhen city was still alive with the neon lights flashing, reflecting beautifully on the wet streets from the rain this afternoon. Since tomorrow was Sunday, Jiu Fan and Wu Lixue decided to go home later. They walked along the sidewalk beside the cinema, enjoying the cool night air and the gentle breeze that carried the scent of a city that never really sleeps.
The street lights shone softly, illuminating Wu Lixue's face, which occasionally smiled as Jiu Fan took her picture. The photo was not perfect, but Wu Lixue's laughter made the moment feel eternal. They did not realize that two pairs of eyes were watching them from a distance.
As Jiu Fan was shooting Wu Lixue from a certain angle, suddenly footsteps were heard behind them. Two men with suspicious appearances and tattered clothes approached. Their faces were partially covered by the hoods of dark jackets, leaving only sharp gazes and bad intentions.
"Hey little guy," said one of the men in a deep and cunning voice, "do you want to stay with us for one night?"
His tone was not like a normal invitation. There was a faint threat that made the air around them suddenly tense. Wu Lixue immediately grabbed Jiu Fan's arm, her eyes starting to fill with fear.
"Sorry, uncle. But... we'll be home soon," Wu Lixue said in a trembling voice, trying to remain polite even though fear was gripping her heart.
"Oh really?" the man replied with a wide grin. He glanced at his friend and nodded. Without warning, the two of them attacked.
Jiu Fan tried to protect Wu Lixue with all his might, but her small body was too strong. They were pulled and dragged into a mysterious black car. The door closed tightly and the car sped off into the night, leaving the hustle and bustle of the city and heading for a quiet and dark place.
Some time later, Jiu Fan woke up with his hands tied. His body felt weak. Around him, there were only cold stone walls and the damp smell of the stifled air. He was in a dark and creepy cave.
"This is what happens if you refuse our request," the voice was heard from one of the kidnappers before they left Jiu Fan alone. The echo of his words seemed to continue to haunt the boy's head.
Meanwhile, Wu Lixue was tied up in an old, abandoned hotel room, lit only by the dim moonlight that came through the broken window. She shivered not from the cold, but from a suffocating fear.
Inside the cave, Jiu Fan struggled, trying to break free from his bonds. As his hands moved to the side, he saw a glowing object hidden behind some small rocks. With great difficulty, he pushed the rocks aside and found an eight-pointed star brooch.
"What is this?" Jiu Fan muttered. He examined the brooch curiously. Just as he was about to throw it away because he thought it was useless, the brooch suddenly emitted a dazzling bright light. The light was so strong, it was as if there was a small sun burning inside the cave.
"What is this thing? How can it have such a bright light?" Jiu Fan said, his eyes fixated on the brooch.
Suddenly, a voice emerged from within his body, a voice that was soft yet strong, like the echo of light itself.
"Hello, I am the Eight-Pointed Star Brooch. My name is Taishe. I come from the energy of sunlight."
Jiu Fan gasped. "Sunlight?"
"Yes," Taishe replied. "I can give you power."
"Really?" Jiu Fan asked, half believing, half hoping.
"Of course. How could I lie," Taishe replied in a calm but sure tone.
Suddenly, a heart-rending scream was heard from afar. It was Wu Lixue's voice. Jiu Fan immediately panicked.
"That… That's Lixue's voice! I have to save her! Quick, tell me what you can do!"
"I can teleport and transform into a weapon. But to activate me, you must say one word: Shine."
"Shine?" Jiu Fan repeated.
"Yes. Say it now. Then you will have golden light eyes and the power to fight."
"Alright… Shine..!!!"
---
In an old, abandoned hotel, Wu Lixue was chained in a dark, dusty corner. Broken lamps hung haphazardly, casting strange shadows around her. The smell of mustiness and rust stung her nostrils. The second man holding her seemed even more ruthless. One of them approached her, looking at her with an uncharacteristic smile.
"You pretty girl," he said coldly, "should be honored to marry me."
His partner laughed sarcastically. "Sorry boss, I think she's more suitable for me," he replied, looking at Wu Lixue with lustful eyes.
The words made the more dominant man furious. He glared at his partner with burning anger in his eyes. "Who's the boss here, huh?!"
Wu Lixue tried to remain calm, even as blood flowed from the broken message from the previous blow. In a trembling but firm voice, she replied, "No matter who you are, I still won't accept it."
The man's eyes rolled. "Why not?"
Wu Lixue stared straight at him. "Because... I already have a partner."
They both laughed loudly. "Who? Huh? Who is the lucky person?"
Wu Lixue answered confidently, "Of course... Jiu Fan."
Those words started to provoke the man's emotions. "Who is Jiu Fan..!!!"
"That's my name... Jiu Fan!"
Suddenly, the room was filled with a strange aura. The wind blew gently, and a silhouette of a person slowly appeared from inside a light portal. His steps echoed on the dusty floor. And from inside the light, a familiar figure emerged—Jiu Fan, standing straight. His eyes glowed gold like sunlight radiating from within the soul.
The man took a step back. "Y-You... how did you get away?"
He immediately turned to his partner. "I told you to tie him up tight!"
"I... I tied him up as hard as I could, boss! I swear!" his partner replied in panic.
They stared at Jiu Fan with full alertness.
"He... he's not human!" the companion shouted in a frightened voice.
But Jiu Fan did not say a word. He only expressed them with anger. Suddenly, with a wave of his hand, he pulled one of the men from a distance as if pulled by an invisible force. Instantly, he grabbed the other hand and bang!—a punch hit the man's face, sending him flying hard against the wall.
The other man was now completely terrified. But fear could not restrain his reckless determination. He grabbed an iron rod that was lying around, then ran with a scream filled with anger, raising the rod as high as he could and ready to strike Jiu Fan.
But just as he was almost reaching Jiu Fan, a single word echoed in the room:
"Shine!"
Suddenly a dazzling light burst from Jiu Fan's body. The entire hotel shook as if filled with an inexplicable force. The man stopped in his tracks, then fell unconscious just like that, as if the light was recognized by his consciousness.
Jiu Fan looked at the unconscious man, then approached Wu Lixue and untied him.
Wu Lixue, still trembling and sad, looked at Jiu Fan with disbelief. "You... how could you suddenly appear like that?"
The Taishe hidden in Jiu Fan's body spoke softly in his mind.
"Don't tell him about me. This is your secret. No one can know, except yourself."
Jiu Fan nodded silently. "I understand."
He smiled slightly at Wu Lixue and replied, "It seems like you saw wrong. I came from the bottom of the stairs and ran as fast as I could. Maybe because I was so fast, you thought I appeared suddenly."
Wu Lixue looked doubtful, but said nothing more.
However, before they could leave, Jiu Fan's head suddenly felt very heavy. His vision began to blur and his body swayed. He fell unconscious.
Wu Lixue quickly caught his body that was about to collapse. "Jiu Fan!!"
In a state of near unconsciousness, Taishe's voice sounded again in his memory.
"Every time you use my power, your body will lose energy. You must have full energy if you want to use my power safely."
Jiu Fan still had time to ask, "Why didn't you tell me earlier..." before finally fainting in Wu Lixue's arms.
To be continued...