Chapter 2: A Glimmer of Clarity
Duan Liyang's eyes opened. For a moment, he simply looked at the familiar wooden walls around him.
Something was different. Their texture, their old cracks – they appeared clearer than ever before.
It wasn't as if every tiny grain had suddenly zoomed in, but rather a blurry layer had been lifted, making things appear sharper and more defined.
He lay on his cot, gazing at the familiar objects in his room. On the far wall, there was a spiderweb he used to see as just a vague blur.
Now, he could somewhat make out the intricate weave of its threads, and even a small, dried insect caught within. It was a subtle change, but too distinct to ignore.
He slowly blinked, and upon reopening his eyes, the same clarity remained. His gaze shifted towards the window. Outside, in the Xiao family courtyard, fine morning dust was drifting. Before, it was just a haze in the air. Now, he could perceive the movement of larger dust particles, like tiny points dancing in the air.
On a distant tree, where birds often perched, he spotted a tiny bird. Its shape, the size of its beak, and even the slight tremor of its wings were clearer than before. It was still far away, but now it wasn't just a shape, but a living creature he could truly see.
"What is happening?" he whispered. The horrifying pain from last night came to mind, followed by the strange sensation of being submerged in sleep. Was all of this a result of that? This wasn't just good eyesight; it was a new kind of perception, something far beyond his Level 0 existence. Duan Liyang slowly got off his cot, his feet feeling light on the ground, as if something within him had shifted.
As soon as he opened the door, the cool morning air brushed his face. Unlike before, he could now hear every whisper of the wind, the subtle rustle of leaves, much more clearly than ever. It was an entirely new experience.
He moved towards the courtyard to pick up his old, worn broom. His vision was still remarkably sharp. Far off, in the corner of the courtyard where the drinking water was kept, he could see a single drop of water slowly seeping from a small crack, something he had never noticed before.
Just then, a familiar, grating voice broke the morning's quiet. "What are you doing, you useless man?! Still standing here? Go and clean the entire courtyard! Looks like you want another beating today!"
It was Ren Hao. He was the personal attendant of one of the esteemed elders' grandsons in the Xiao family, and tormenting Duan Liyang was his favorite pastime. Ren Hao approached Duan Liyang, his face contorted with the usual disdain and arrogance.
Duan Liyang looked into Ren Hao's eyes for a moment. He could clearly see a tiny red vein in Ren Hao's eye, and even a fine sheen of sweat on his face that he had never noticed before. A strange calm spread within Duan Liyang. Ren Hao's anger no longer felt as intimidating.
"I'm going," Duan Liyang said in a calm voice, and without any further argument, he picked up the broom and headed towards the courtyard.
Ren Hao was momentarily stunned. Duan Liyang had never given in so easily, always putting up at least a little resistance. Ren Hao watched him, as if something strange had occurred. But Duan Liyang didn't look back; he simply went about his work, his newly heightened senses providing him with fresh information about his surroundings, which he was slowly trying to comprehend.
Duan Liyang picked up the broom and began cleaning the courtyard. His enhanced vision helped him clearly see every speck of dust and debris hidden in every corner and crack. Before, he would just sweep superficially, but now, he could feel every subtle movement of the air, allowing him to understand where the dust was coming from and where it was settling.
There was a strange fluidity to his movements. Where sweeping used to be a tedious chore, he was now working in harmony with the flow of the wind. His broom barely touched the ground, yet piles of dust would rise as if an invisible hand were lifting them. He could locate small stones and twigs in his path without even looking.
Some of the Xiao family servants and guards passing by stopped to watch him.
"Look at that, Duan Liyang is cleaning so well today," a servant whispered. "The courtyard has never looked this clean."
A guard nodded. "Yes, it's as if the wind itself is helping him. Yesterday, he was so useless."
Their words reached Duan Liyang, clearer than ever due to his heightened hearing. He felt a little uncomfortable. He didn't know why this sudden change was happening, or how to hide it.
He only knew that something new had awakened within him, and he was no longer the 'useless Level 0 man' he once was. He tried to slow down his pace, so it wouldn't seem too extraordinary, but his hands and eyes were working with new efficiency.
After the cleaning was finished, the courtyard gleamed, as it rarely had before. Duan Liyang put the broom in a corner and quietly headed back to his hut, countless questions swirling in his mind.
It wasn't just enhanced sight and hearing; there was something else within him, something that hadn't fully awakened, but was making its presence known.