Chapter 1640: A Miracle

A convoy of black sedans with heavily tinted windows glided along the deserted highway, the low growl of their engines the only sound breaking the oppressive silence. Inside one of the vehicles, Zhao Li Xin, Jade, and Leon sat quietly as they made their way toward the polluted zone.

After nearly two hours on the road, the convoy rolled into a small, abandoned town. It looked as though life itself had long since fled. Half of the buildings had collapsed into crumbling ruins, while the remaining structures stood like hollow shells, their shattered windows staring blankly into the distance. Cracks spiderwebbed across the empty streets, and the once-bustling shops had been left to decay beneath layers of dust and neglect.

A suffocating gloom hung over the entire town, shrouding every corner in an eerie stillness. The trees that lined the streets had withered into lifeless husks, their twisted branches reaching toward the gray sky like skeletal hands. Beneath them, the earth had turned as black as ash, as though the land itself had been scorched by an unseen curse, leaving behind nothing but death and desolation.

Leon was dumbfounded as he took in the devastation that had befallen the once-flourishing town. His eyes swept over the crumbling buildings and the blackened earth, disbelief etched across his face.

"Wow... it’s even worse than what I saw in the reports," he murmured under his breath.

Jade’s expression darkened. A crushing wave of guilt gripped his chest, making it difficult to breathe. Doubt began to creep into his heart as he questioned how his mother could have become the monster she was now. Was there still even the faintest fragment of the woman he once knew left within that creature?

Meanwhile, Zhao Li Xin merely cast a brief glance out the window before leaning his head against his fist and closing his eyes. He rested quietly, seemingly unperturbed by the dreadful landscape outside, as though the desolation beyond the glass was of little consequence to him.

The convoy slowed to a stop at what had once been known as Green Pearl Boulevard.

There had been a time when it was the pride of the town. Magnificent gardens had flourished on either side of the broad avenue, bursting with vibrant blossoms throughout the seasons.

At its heart stood a grand marble fountain, its crystal-clear waters dancing beneath the shade of towering emerald trees. Families had gathered there every day, their laughter filling the air as children chased one another beneath the lush canopy while merchants and musicians brought the boulevard to life.

Now, it was little more than a graveyard.

The fountain lay in ruins, its marble basin split in two and overflowing with thick, black sludge. The once-vibrant flowerbeds had crumbled into fields of brittle gray dust, while the towering trees had withered into twisted pillars of charcoal, their lifeless branches clawing at the gloomy sky like skeletal hands.

The stone pavement was marred by veins of pitch-black corruption that spread across the ground like a malignant disease, tainting everything they touched. A pungent, acrid stench saturated the air, carrying the nauseating odor of poison, rot, and death.

Zhao Li Xin’s brows knit together in a slight frown. With a movement so subtle it was almost imperceptible, he silently circulated his qi.

An invisible barrier unfurled around him like a transparent veil, isolating him from the surrounding corruption. The poisonous miasma that permeated the air was gently repelled before it could draw near, unable to breach the silent shield enveloping him.

Only then did he take a slow, steady breath, his expression returning to its usual calm composure.

The surge of spiritual energy was so subtle that an ordinary person would never have sensed it. It vanished almost as soon as it appeared, leaving not the slightest trace behind.

Yet, to those blessed with extraordinarily keen senses, such as Leon and Jade, that fleeting ripple did not escape their notice. Their eyes flickered toward Zhao Li Xin for the briefest moment before they exchanged a knowing glance.

Neither of them spoke.

Another vehicle pulled up behind them. The Minister of Defense and the Minister of the Environment stepped out, their assistants hurrying after them with tablets and stacks of documents in hand. Their expressions were taut with exhaustion, concern and hope as they approached Leon, Jade, and Zhao Li Xin.

After exchanging brief greetings, the ministers delivered a concise report on the current situation, outlining the extent of the contamination and the number of casualties recorded so far.

Before they could continue, the low rumble of approaching engines echoed through the silent boulevard.

A sleek black sedan rolled into view, followed closely by three identical vehicles. The convoy came to a smooth stop several meters away.

One of the bodyguards, dressed in a tailored black suit, stepped forward and opened the rear door. A moment later, a distinguished man emerged from the vehicle.

He appeared to be in his mid-fifties, dressed in an impeccably tailored dark gray suit that accentuated his dignified bearing. His neatly combed black hair was streaked with only the faintest traces of silver, while his sharp, slanted eyes exuded calm authority. 𝐟𝑟ⅇ

There was an effortless charisma about him, the kind possessed only by those long accustomed to standing at the pinnacle of power. He was Zhang Yu Wei, the President of Xiya.

Leon immediately stepped forward and offered a respectful nod.

"Mr. President."

A warm smile spread across Zhang Yu Wei’s face as he clasped Leon’s outstretched hand. "It’s good to see you again, Leon." His handshake was firm yet measured. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"The pleasure is mine," Leon replied smoothly. "I only hope we can be of some help."

"I sincerely hope so as well," Zhang Yu Wei said with a weary sigh.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Zhang Yu Wei’s gaze drifted past Leon and settled on the young man standing quietly a few steps away.

For the briefest instant, surprise flickered across the president’s face. He had, of course, reviewed Zhao Li Xin’s file and seen his photographs beforehand.

Yet no photograph could truly capture the young man’s extraordinary presence. Standing before him in person, Zhao Li Xin possessed a striking beauty that seemed almost unreal. Every feature appeared flawlessly sculpted, while his posture carried an effortless elegance, as though dignity itself were woven into his very being.

But more than his appearance, it was the intangible aura surrounding him that was truly extraordinary, calm, majestic, and unfathomable. It evoked an instinctive sense of reverence, making people involuntarily lower their voices and, if only for a moment, feel compelled to bow their heads before him.

The flash of surprise vanished as quickly as it appeared. As a seasoned statesman, Zhang Yu Wei quickly recovered, his calm smile returning as if nothing had happened.

"So, this must be Mr. Zhao." He stepped forward and extended his hand. "I’ve seen your works at the Xiya National Art Gallery. Thank you for allowing us to lend your work for us to learned."

Zhao Li Xin stared at the outstretched hand for a moment before accepting it. Their handshake was short and firm, "It’s nothing."

His expression remained as calm as still water. There was neither nervousness nor excessive respect in his demeanor, nor any deliberate arrogance or indifference. There was no trace of flattery, worry, or excitement in his eyes.

Zhao Li Xin face remained expressionless, unaffected by the weight of his position, as if he were greeting a casual acquaintance rather than the President of Xiya.

President Zhang simply observed him in silence.

Zhao Li Xin’s composed demeanor did not surprise him in the slightest. According to the intelligence reports he had read, this was precisely the sort of man he had expected to meet.

He had consistently declined interviews, turned down invitations to public events, and remained far removed from the spotlight despite the worldwide acclaim his masterpieces had earned. ℯ

To a man like Zhao Li Xin, fame seemed less a prize to be sought than an inconvenience to be avoided. Such a person was bound to possess an unconventional temperament.

After a brief pause, President Zhang asked quietly, "So... do you have a way to save us?"

Zhao Li Xin turned his gaze to Jade. In response, Jade give a firm nod. Only then did Zhao Li Xin return his gaze to Zhang Yu Wei.

"We’ll begin now," Zhao Li Xin said curtly without further explanation.

Jade remained concealed beneath his white robes, his face hidden behind a pristine white mask. President Zhang narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

If this man truly possessed the ability to purify the poison, it was no wonder Harland had chosen to conceal his identity. Once other nations learned of his existence, they would stop at nothing to bring him under their control.

Jade walked to the center of the boulevard garden and stood there in silence. He could still feel the lingering curse power left behind by his mother, the corruption she had unleashed, the ruin she had wrought, and the devastation she had left in her wake.

A dull ache gripped his heart.

Although he had never truly known his mother, faint memories still lingered from the time he had rested within her womb. He could still remember the pure, warm, and gentle power that had embraced him before he was even born, a comforting presence so different from the monstrous corruption that now saturated the land.

The curse, her curse...

Jade stood frozen, his thoughts sinking ever deeper into the weight of the past.

Then, all of a sudden, a heavy yet reassuring hand settled on his shoulder. The touch was warm, steady, and unwavering. It immediately pulled him back from the depths of his gloomy thoughts.

Jade turned his head and saw Zhao Li Xin standing beside him. The man said nothing. His gaze remained fixed on the ruined boulevard before them, his expression as cold and indifferent as ever. Yet the firm pressure of his hand spoke louder than any words could. It conveyed silent reassurance, unwavering trust, and the unspoken promise that Jade did not have to bear this burden alone.

"...Zhao Papa..." his voice barely audible.

A faint sting welled up behind his eyes, tinting their rims red, and for a brief moment, the crushing weight in his chest eased.

Determination slowly replaced the grief in Jade’s heart.

He drew a long, steady breath, forcing down the guilt and sorrow that threatened to consume him. His gaze gradually hardened with resolve as he steeled his heart.

There was still work to be done.

Today, he would undo everything his mother had left behind. He would cleanse the land she had corrupted, heal the innocent people who had suffered because of her curse, and restore life to what had been reduced to ruin, it was not merely a task.

It was his duty.

His responsibility.

His burden to bear.

Jade slowly clasped his hands together before his abdomen and closed his eyes. Then, a soft verdant radiance blossomed between his palms. The emerald glow grew brighter and brighter, pulsing with an incomparably pure life force that seemed to banish the surrounding gloom.

When he slowly parted his hands, the light condensed into a single luminous droplet, then drifted gently downward. The moment it touched the ground, ripples of emerald light burst outward like circles spreading across the surface of a tranquil lake.

The radiance swept through the boulevard at astonishing speed.

Wherever it passed, the pitch-black, corrupted soil shed its sickness, returning to the rich brown color of healthy earth.

The twisted, charcoal-like trees trembled violently as life surged back into their trunks. Fresh bark replaced the scorched wood, countless emerald leaves unfurled from every branch, and vibrant green grass burst from the ground, spreading like a living carpet across the once-barren landscape.

The shattered flowerbeds bloomed once more, with countless blossoms opening their petals beneath the warm light. The poisonous black sludge filling the broken fountain bubbled violently before dissolving into wisps of dark mist that vanished into the air without a trace.

The suffocating stench of poison and decay faded with it, replaced by the crisp fragrance of damp earth, blooming flowers, and fresh spring leaves. In just a few short minutes, the place that once resembled a graveyard was reborn, and life finally returned.