The next morning, Fang Ze walked to school along the familiar streets. Nothing seemed out of place—but he felt it: a prickling tension, like static before a storm. Turning a corner, he saw a man harassing a street vendor, demanding payment with veiled threats. Ordinary people avoided the scene, their fear palpable.
Fang Ze's steps were calm, deliberate. He didn't charge in. A precise glance, a shift in stance, and the man stumbled—no one else could see how. Within seconds, the aggressor was on the ground, harmlessly tangled in his own attempt at intimidation. The vendor looked at him in awe, murmuring thanks, but Fang Ze simply nodded and walked on.
To outsiders, it was luck, chance, or coincidence. But Fang Ze had assessed the man in a heartbeat—strength, speed, balance, and temperament. His subtle intervention had prevented harm, while revealing nothing of himself. He was a shadow in the city, moving quietly, leaving ripples of order where chaos might have been.
By the time he entered school, the incident had already become gossip—students talking about "someone fast, maybe a hero." Fang Ze smirked faintly. This was just the beginning. The city was full of disturbances like this, and he intended to learn, adapt, and grow quietly… before anyone ever knew who he truly was.