THE DEBT COLLECTORS AT THE DOORThe William family home stood at the end of a narrow street on the poorer side of the city.It was a modest two-storey building with peeling paint, a leaking roof, and a rusted gate. The surrounding houses were old, and the streetlights flickered whenever the wind grew strong.Xuan Tian studied the building as Lily led him inside.The structure was weak, but it had been maintained with care. Flowerpots lined the windows,a small wooden bench stood beside the entrance,someone had recently repaired the broken fence using mismatched pieces of wood.Despite their poverty, the family had tried to preserve a home.Inside, he found a woman standing beside the dining table, arguing with three men in black jackets.Margaret William looked exhausted. Her hair was loosely tied, and her work uniform was stained from a long day at a restaurant.Beside her stood Daniel William, a man whose once-strong frame had been diminished by illness and financial stress,a walking st

THE HIDDEN CHAMBER BENEATH THE CITYXuan Tian left home before dawn the following morning.He told his mother he was going to school early. In truth, he intended to investigate the abandoned railway site mentioned in the historical record.The journey took nearly an hour.At the end of a neglected service lane stood a rusted fence.Beyond it lay the abandoned railway construction site.Xuan Tian climbed through a gap and examined the ground.Ordinary people would have seen nothing but rubble, broken concrete, and a few rusted machines.He sensed something else.A faint pressure beneath his feet.It was weak, but unmistakable,Spiritual energy.He followed the sensation toward a concrete structure partially buried beneath the earth. A metal door stood at its entrance, secured by an old chain.The chain was thick enough to resist ordinary force.Xuan Tian touched it,a small pulse of energy passed through his fingers.The lock clicked open.He pushed the door aside and descended a narrow stai

THE MAN WHO OWNED THE STREETSMarcus Vane operated from a private office above a nightclub in the centre of Westbridge City.The building's entrance was guarded by men who wore expensive suits and carried themselves with the confidence of people accustomed to being obeyed.Inside, the office was decorated with polished wood, imported furniture, and framed photographs of Marcus standing beside influential businessmen.Marcus himself was in his late forties, with carefully styled hair and a gold watch that cost more than the William family's remaining possessions.He was not the largest man in the room.His power came from the people who owed him money, the officials who accepted his favors, and the criminals who carried out his orders.When his lieutenant entered, Marcus was reading a financial report."Tell me about the boy."The lieutenant placed several photographs on the desk."Cooper William. Eighteen. Student. No criminal history. Until yesterday, he had never fought anyone successf

THE NIGHT THE PREDATORS LEARNED FEARDaniel William lay in a hospital bed with his right arm in a sling and a bandage wrapped around his head.Margaret sat beside him, holding his hand. Lily was asleep in a chair near the window, exhausted from crying.When Xuan Tian entered, his mother rose immediately."Cooper."He approached the bed."Father."Daniel opened his eyes."I'm sorry, son."Xuan Tian frowned."For what?""I should have protected this family better.""You are injured because you tried to protect us."Daniel looked away."The men said Marcus wanted the house. They told me we had until tomorrow to leave. When I refused, they pushed me."Xuan Tian's hands tightened."Did you recognise them?"Daniel nodded."One of them was the scarred man who came here before. The others were different."Margaret wiped her eyes."We reported the incident, but they said there were no witnesses outside the house. The police told us they would investigate."Xuan Tian looked at his father."Did anyone re

THE PROMISE THAT CHANGED THE UNIVERSEXuan Tian did not return to class after leaving the underground chamber.He escorted Elias out, secured the service door, and insisted that the teacher report the structural danger to the school administration.He did not explain the creature in detail.Elias had witnessed enough to know that ordinary explanations were no longer sufficient.Before they separated, the teacher stopped him near the main entrance."You saved my life."Xuan Tian shook his head."I prevented a dangerous situation from becoming worse.""That is a modest way to describe what happened."Elias hesitated."Will you tell me the truth about yourself?"Xuan Tian looked toward the city skyline."Not yet."The teacher nodded slowly."Then I will wait."For the first time since his arrival on Earth, Xuan Tian had found someone outside his family who might become a useful ally.But he could not afford to trust too quickly.The black ring had revealed that the seals were connected, and the