The next morning, military escorts waited outside the hospital. After being discharged, Sil said his farewells to Mei. He caressed her face gently, leaning in for a kiss. Mei responded strongly, and a moistness in her eyes didn't go unnoticed by Sil. He gently wiped her tears, saying softly,
"I'll be back soon, Mei. Believe in me. Get some rest and take care of yourself. I love you more than anything in this world, and I'll do anything to make sure we're together again. I promise"
He then leaned in to kiss her forehead.
Mei's eyes now brimmed with tears.
This was the strong girl who never cried or complained, even when the world ridiculed her after she went blind. The strong girl who never asked for help, even when she slipped and fell.
The strong girl who never yielded to hardship, even after losing her job because of her blindness, even after losing hope of recovery due to financial problems.
She had never given in, nor shed a single tear. But now, she wept. The only hope that shone brighter than anything else in her world, the prince she could clearly see even in her blindness, was leaving her.
She felt like her entire world was collapsing.
Sil was the one who had brought the smile back to her face, a smile that hadn't appeared once since she went blind.
Mei, also an orphan, had endured so much hardship. She had finally achieved her dream of becoming a great pianist, only to suffer a chemical accident.
A drunk driver, transporting dangerous acid, crashed, and the acid entered Mei's eyes. Her eyes turned red and painful, eventually requiring strong drugs to stabilize.
To make matters worse, she received no compensation for the tragedy. The chemical company denied responsibility, and the drunk driver was in jail, too broke to compensate.
The state provided only minimal medical care before discharging her. Surgery seemed a distant dream, given her financial problems, until she met Sil.
Sil had been saving money for a long time for Mei's surgery.
He even planned to sell his house to raise funds, though he thought Mei didn't know, she did. The funds were almost sufficient when this tragedy struck.
Mei hadn't fallen madly in love with Sil because he tried to help her regain her vision.
She loved him because she felt his profound love for her. The strong warmth and care she received from him were worth more than recovered vision or anything else in her life.
He was the only shining light in her world.
Now, people were taking him away from her.
She hated it. She hated everyone who was taking away her love. She hated the military that was trying to take away her prince. She hated the world for giving her such a fate.
She hated being useless and unable to hold onto the one dear hope she had. She HATED IT.
But she could do nothing now. She knew that Sil chose the best path for both of them. He always did. And she always believed in his choices.
National Awakening Research Base (NARB), Inner Mongolia — 37 km from Rift
Time: 11:06 a.m., four days after discharge
Sil stood in line, surrounded by others who had also Awakened. Soldiers with rifles kept a respectful but present distance. Cameras tracked everything. The large military complex was newly constructed — modular, fast-assembled — with cables snaking across the ground and generators humming like restless insects.
No one spoke unless necessary.
In front of Sil, a woman's body suddenly glowed faintly blue as she stepped onto the scanning platform.
"Awakened classification complete: Category — Defensive Mage. Rank: C."A flat robotic voice echoed through the loudspeaker.
She stepped down, looking equal parts relieved and confused.
Sil took a breath as a white-coated technician gestured to him.
"You. Step forward."
He did.
The platform was cold. A thin mist sprayed upward, a sterilizing layer. Above, an array of sensors descended — spinning, locking into place.
The technician called out to the nearby officer. "Subject is Sil Lan. Civilian registry confirmed. Unofficial Awakened status. Begin fluctuation and purity scan."
Sil didn't move. He didn't need to. The moment the scanner activated, he felt a small tug — like it was trying to read him. Something inside him twitched. He kept his expression calm.
The lights flickered. The platform buzzed, then went silent for two seconds — as if something shorted out.
"...Unstable read," said the technician, adjusting the knobs.
They tried again.
This time, the screen flared white for a moment, then stabilized.
Energy Type: Unknown Classification.
Purity Rating: 99.8%.
Reserve Estimate: Unmeasurable.
Fluctuation Pattern: Static-Stable.
Category Assigned: Support.
Rank: S.
Sil raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
The surrounding soldiers glanced at each other.
The technician squinted. "This… can't be right."
The supervising officer walked closer. "Report."
"Highest reading we've recorded so far. Across all bases."
"Recheck?"
"We already did. Three times."
The officer looked at Sil.
"You're an S-Rank."
Sil said, "I don't feel like one."
"Apparently, you are. But your energy pattern is passive. No outbursts. No aggressive flares. That puts you under Support classification."
"I'm fine with that."
The officer didn't smile. "Good. You'll be assigned to a temporary specialized observation unit for now. You can go back to your home after you finished the class and resume daily activities around the design area, but you need to make sure to wear this bracelet." He paused, then added, "Normally, that's what I'd say. But the leader wants to see you, so I don't know what kind of 'treatment' you'll get."
Sil nodded once.
Internally, he knew what happened:They see his energy, but not what he could do with it.
The Eyes of Miracles stayed dormant. No connection. No activation. Just a calm ocean of potential.
And they miss it.
Summary Notes: Internal Military Observation Report
Name: Sil Lan
Awakened Type: Unknown / Support-Classified
Purity Rating: 99.8%
Energy Reserve: Exceeds scanner capacity
Remarks:Subject presents stable emotional state.
No visible manifestation of ability.
Voluntarily cooperative.
Potentially underreporting ability.
Due to purity and reserve rating, marked as Tier-0 Observation Priority.
Recommend 24/7 monitoring. Non-invasive.Pending approval for Controlled Awakening Simulation Test (CAST).
The results of Sil's scan had barely cooled on the system before they brought him into a side room — a clean, gray-walled conference box with a steel desk, two chairs, and no windows.
On the table sat a sealed folder. No rank insignias on the officers waiting for him. That alone told Sil what he needed to know: these weren't normal military men. They were the kind with layered names and deep ties. Strategic types.
He took a seat.
"Sil Lan," the older man said. "We appreciate your cooperation. Your profile has been marked high-priority, and if you remain open with us—"
"I'll make this simple," Sil interrupted, voice steady. "There's something I want."
The officers exchanged a glance.
Sil continued, "I want the best ophthalmic surgeons assigned to a patient. Her name is Mei. She's already registered in my civilian file. I want her transferred to a premier surgical center. No delay. Full expense covered. I want specialists flown in if necessary."
The room went still.
"And in return?" the other officer asked.
"One year," Sil said. "I'll serve. Full cooperation. No resistance. Do what you need, and I'll comply — as long as she gets her sight back, or at least the best chance possible. You give me that, I'm yours for a year."
They studied him.
No hesitation. No bluff. Just terms. Like a market trade.
The older man finally spoke again. "We were already considering long-term observation and soft-field integration. If you're offering service... we'll accept. We'll mark it official. Contractual."
He tapped the folder in front of him.
"Her surgery begins tomorrow. She's already being prepped. You'll get regular updates."
Sil didn't react visibly — just nodded once.
Inside, his lungs loosened. That was all that mattered.
"Mei"
Internal Memo – CLASSIFIED / Ex Clearance Only
Subject: Sil Lan
Status: S-Rank Awakened
Classification: Support (tentative)
Agreed Terms: 1-year field integration contract in exchange for immediate full-spectrum surgery for civilian (Mei, orphan, blind via chemical trauma).
Note: Subject initiated transaction. No leverage or coercion required.
Assessment: Calculated thinker. Treat with long-leash containment. Do not provoke unnecessarily. Recommend reward-based compliance management. Subject shows no resistance to authority as long as personal stakes are honored.
This decision wasn't a whim. Sil had never been one to wait for trouble. The era had changed, and to survive the upcoming chaos, he needed to be directly involved in shaping it.
Sure, he could live as a civilian under military watch, but that wouldn't be a good change. He wouldn't be able to use his ability freely; the moment he dared, the country would instantly recognize him as a threat and potentially launch missile strikes.
This was no joke. Unlike the movies, reality was far scarier. If Sil were a high-ranking leader, he knew he'd implement a full media lockdown, suppress all unstable elements, and maintain 24/7 monitoring, even at the risk of civilian casualties. If Awakened individuals were too numerous for any country to control, Sil would have made a different choice. But for now, there were only about 7,000 to 8,000 of them worldwide. A country could literally assign sniper squads to each person, maintain 24/7 monitoring, and keep missiles aimed at their heads all the time.
This base is the proof of how terrifying the country is when they go all out. It's just four days since the crack open but they already developed tools to measure the threat of awakenings and establish ranking system.
Sil didn't know the military's exact stance on supernatural powerhouses, but he wasn't going to risk it. If he couldn't use his ability as a civilian, there was little point in being one.
By offering his service, he saw an opportunity to lower the nation's guard. They might have marked him as a potential enemy before, but now they would consider him less of a threat.
Not to mention, he could finally fulfill a long-held wish: Mei's eye surgery, performed by the best doctors available. He considered it a great deal. Beyond the immediate benefits, he'd also be able to gather crucial information and train skills necessary to survive the coming chaotic era within the army. While he wouldn't gain access to core intelligence, he was confident the military would eventually allow him to interact with other supernatural forces.
And every piece of intel would add to his strength to survive the upcoming chaos era. He can't avoid , not now after analyst as S-rank Awakenings. Even if this does not happen he can't avoid the storm or rather he won't. He knew the truth that society that rely on tools is far more peaceful than society rely on superpower. Individual gaining super power? The order still remains across the globe but Sil don't think it won't be long before the shuffle of top power holder. The era had change.
Location: Sil's apartmentTime: 1:43 a.m. – Same night Sil left for the base
The door clicked shut hours ago.
Sil was gone.
The apartment felt hollow. Still warm from his presence, but already too quiet.
Mei sat where he left her. On the edge of the bed. Hands folded. Head low. She stared forward at nothing.
She hadn't moved in hours.
The pillow still smelled like him.
Her fingers curled into the fabric.
She didn't cry. Not again.
But inside, something felt like it was tearing. A slow, quiet ripping that no one else could hear. Mei had known silence for years now. But tonight, it was different. Not peaceful. Not soft.
Just cold.
Like the whole world stopped breathing after Sil walked out the door.
He made her promise to rest.
She tried.
She really did.
But sleep didn't come.
Only pressure.
Suddenly pressure become more intense and her chest burned. Like a hot coin pressed beneath the skin. Her throat dried. Her hands trembled.
Something was wrong.
She stood weekly, blindly finding her way to the sink. Water. Maybe that would help.
But the second her fingers brushed the faucet—she froze.
A sharp current tore through her arm.
Not electricity. Something else. Something… alive.
The breath caught in her lungs. Her legs gave out.
She collapsed hard against the floor, chin smacking tile, arms locked up in seizure-like spasms.
It felt like her bones were breaking in silence.
But she didn't scream.
Her teeth clenched so hard it cracked one of them.
The pain spread.
Down her spine. Through her ribs. Into her skull.
Heat.Everywhere.
Like her blood had turned into molten metal.
She writhed against the floor.
Still didn't scream. Through sheer will alone , she endure it.
Her vision—nothing, still nothing—suddenly exploded with color. Inside her head. It was like something opened in her mind.
A sound.
Like static.
A feeling.
Like drowning upside down.
Then—
Stillness.
She lay there.
Sweat-soaked.
Breathing ragged.
Heart beating too slow.
And pass out.