Chapter 2 - Chapter 2 — The Thunderclap of Fate

BOOM! BOOM Thunder roared across the sky, shaking the heavens. As the lightning and thunder continued, the elders inside the tent felt somewhat relieved. Perhaps none of them knew that this storm was actually the greatest calamity that would eventually lead to the destruction of the Yong Clan.Yong Shou, the clan patriarch, spoke:«"Even Heaven seems to favor us. After this rain, I believe our Yong Clan may be able to survive for another few decades while we search for a new spiritual leyline. Perhaps the opportunity for our clan to rise again is finally approaching."»The elders nodded in agreement.BOOM!Another thunderclap exploded across the sky, followed by a streak of lightning that seemed to tear the heavens apart.Second Elder and Sixth Elder suddenly changed expressions.Yong Shou immediately noticed. He knew that the two of them were extraordinarily sensitive to changes in the heavens and earth.A faint uneasiness rose in his heart.After a moment of silence, he asked:«"Did the two of you sense something?"»The two elders exchanged glances. They seemed to want to say something, but it was only a single flash of heavenly lightning. Neither of them dared to make a reckless judgment.Finally, they answered vaguely:«"Perhaps it is simply because our lifespans are nearing their end. Even our bodies tremble instinctively before such a heavenly phenomenon."»The meeting fell silent once more.Outside, however, the people of the Yong Clan were filled with excitement.Everyone hurried to bring out whatever containers they could find to collect the rainwater—rain that came only once in a decade.Some tilted their heads back and opened their mouths wide, greedily drinking the droplets from the sky.Others simply lay in the open rain, allowing the water to wash over their bodies, even as mud covered them from head to toe.The entire clan was celebrating.Only at the far end of the clan stood a dilapidated hut.From inside came a scream that pierced the heavens."Aaaah!"It blended perfectly with the storm outside.The hut was nearly collapsing. Its thatched roof was torn apart, allowing countless droplets of rain to seep inside.The fire in the stove had already gone out, leaving only a few glowing embers that slowly dimmed beneath the cold wind blowing through the cracks.Beside the stove was an old straw bed.A pregnant woman was giving birth.Her face was pale and haggard, almost completely devoid of life. She clenched her teeth, enduring the unbearable pain, before screaming again and again.Her skin was slightly tanned, and her clothes were torn and worn.Yet even beneath such miserable conditions, her beautiful features could not be concealed.She had once been a renowned beauty."Aaaah!"The woman let out one final scream before losing consciousness.A newborn child came into the world, its umbilical cord still attached and its tiny body covered in traces of blood.Yet it seemed that the ordeal was not over.Her stomach was still slightly swollen.As though she had heard the cry of the child who had just been born, the woman slowly opened her eyes.With the last of her strength, she tried to give birth to her second child.Blood spread across the bed and stained the floor, mixing with the rainwater that flowed outside.Inside the elders' tent, the six elders suddenly sensed something.Their eyes flashed.In the next instant, they disappeared.After roughly the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the elders arrived before the dilapidated hut.They heard the faint cries coming from inside.One by one, they entered.What greeted them was a heartbreaking scene.The hut was in ruins.On the straw bed lay the dying woman, covered in blood.With her own hands, she had torn open her abdomen in an attempt to bring her second child into the world.She had managed to pull only the newborn's tiny, blood-covered head out before her remaining strength finally gave way.She died.The elders approached in silence and sighed.A mother's love was truly sacred.Perhaps these two children would grow up safely.The elders carefully took the children from their mother and cut the two umbilical cords.Third Elder, Yong Mu, waved his hand.A gentle force closed the woman's wounds.Yong Shou, the clan patriarch, spoke solemnly:«"These are the children of that man and his wife. Our clan owes them a debt."»He paused before continuing:«"Take good care of these two children. Let this woman reunite with her husband. Quickly, call the clansmen here and have them lend a hand."»Second Elder stepped outside.He rose into the air, and his voice echoed throughout the entire clan.«"Everyone, come here!"»Upon hearing the Second Elder's command, the clansmen hurried toward the hut.Within a short time, roughly a hundred people had gathered outside, whispering among themselves.Seeing everyone arrive, Second Elder spoke:«"Our clan once had an outstanding young man, a genius whom everyone believed would become the future of the Yong Clan and lead us to prosperity."»«"But that young man died before his time."»«"Now his wife has also passed away while giving birth. Everyone, help clean up this place."»Hearing this, the crowd lowered their heads, pretending to mourn the woman's death.After everything was arranged, the six elders carried the two children and flew back toward the patriarch's tent.The first child had already stopped crying.But the second child had yet to make a sound.The six elders looked at the infant with solemn expressions.Meanwhile, hundreds of clansmen rushed into the dilapidated hut.One person grabbed a cooking pot.Another took a piece of rainproof cloth.Someone even began dismantling the hut itself.No one paid attention to the woman's corpse.The people greedily took anything they could find.Someone even threw the woman's body onto the ground simply to take the old straw bed beneath her.After a short while, nearly everyone had managed to obtain one or two items from the hut.Their faces were filled with joy.The sadness they had shown earlier had completely disappeared.All that remained was excitement over their newfound possessions.Before leaving, someone lit a fire.The hut—and the woman's body—were set ablaze.Despite the heavy rain, the flames burned even more fiercely, roaring as though they were singing.The rain poured down upon the fire, yet it could not extinguish it.A single droplet landed at the corner of the woman's eye.It looked almost like a tear.Perhaps she was crying for this rotten clan that cared only about its own interests.Perhaps she was crying for the fate that awaited her children.Perhaps she was crying for her husband, whose sacrifice had only brought suffering upon his wife and children.The rain became her tears.Perhaps even Heaven mourned her.---Elsewhere, the elders remained silent as they watched the second child.Suddenly—"Waaah!"The infant finally cried.At that exact moment, thunder exploded across the sky.Lightning illuminated the entire heavens.The dilapidated hut and the woman's body were gradually reduced to ashes beneath the raging flames.Soon, the rain soaked everything that remained.---Inside the patriarch's tent, Yong Shou spoke:«"Now, who will raise these two children?"»Fourth Elder spoke first:«"I have a connection with their father. Why don't I raise the two children?"»Third Elder immediately objected:«"Fourth Brother, how can you say that? Their mother was a descendant of my family. How could I simply hand both children over to you?"»Fourth Elder frowned.Before the argument could continue, Fifth Elder interrupted:«"Third Brother, Fourth Brother, the two of you seem to have forgotten about me."»«"Their father once helped me. If anyone should repay that debt, it should be me."»Yong Shou waved his hand.«"Enough."»He turned toward the Second and Sixth Elders.«"What about you two? Do you have any objections?"»The Second Elder and Sixth Elder remained deep in thought.After a long moment, both shook their heads.«"No objections."»Yong Shou nodded.«"Then it is settled."»«"Third Elder, Fourth Elder, and Fifth Elder—you will each take turns raising the two children for five years."»«"When they reach the age of fifteen, they will undergo the Coming-of-Age Baptism."»«"At that time, we will see which path they choose and whom they wish to follow."»The patriarch stood up.«"That is all. The meeting is over. Everyone may return."»With those final words, the elders dispersed.None of them knew that the two newborn children would one day become the center of a storm that would shake the entire world.And none of them knew that the thunder that had sounded that night was not merely a storm.It was the first warning of the coming destruction of the Yong Clan.