I nodded and opened my phone, seeing various notifications from Instagram and messages from Hanna and the group chat.
I scrolled through the notifications, my heart skipping a beat when I saw a message from Hanna.
[Hanna: Hey, Xian! Just wanted to say thanks again for yesterday. I had a lot of fun shopping with you. 😊]
A smile spread across my face. I quickly typed a reply.
[Me: Me too, Hanna. We should do it again sometime.]
[Hanna: Definitely! 😊]
I put my phone down, a warm feeling spreading through me. It was nice to have someone like Hanna in my life, someone who brought a sense of normalcy and joy amidst the chaos.
I then checked the group chat, where Dove had already sent a message.
[Dove: Xian already home?]
[Me: Already.]
[Dove: That fast!?]
[Me: What's up?]
[Dove: Never mind.]
[Me: Ah, also, I have an idea about that guy who escaped from jail.]
[Dove: Speak up.]
[Me: I want to create a jail for people with magic.]
[Dove: Jail? Like... a real prison?]
[Me: Kind of, but not a physical one. I'm thinking of a prison made entirely of illusions, a place where their powers are useless and they're trapped in their own minds.]
[Dove: That's... an interesting idea. But how would we even build something like that?]
[Me: With my imagination manifestation, of course. I can create anything I can imagine, including a prison that exists only in the minds of the prisoners.]
[Dove: Hmm... it's worth considering. But we need to be careful. We don't want to create something that's even more dangerous than the Seers themselves.]
[Me: I understand. I'll make sure it's secure and humane.]
[Dove: Good. Keep me updated on your progress.]
I put my phone down, a sense of purpose filling me. This was a chance to use my powers for something truly meaningful, to create a solution that could protect the world from the dangers of the Unveiled and the Seers.
I turned to IM, who was now sitting up on his bed, looking intrigued. "What do you think?" I asked him.
"It's a bold idea," he replied, a thoughtful look on his face. "But it could work. With your power, you could create a prison that's truly inescapable."
"Exactly," I said, my excitement growing. "We could even tailor the illusions to each individual prisoner, making their confinement even more effective."
IM nodded. "It's worth exploring. But we'll need to discuss it with the others first."
"Of course," I agreed. "We'll bring it up at our next meeting."
"I want to sleep now," IM mumbled, pulling the blanket over his face.
I nodded and climbed into my own bed, opening the messaging app to see the last conversation with Hanna.
What's she doing now... I wondered, a smile playing on my lips as I thought about her.
I couldn't resist the temptation to check her spyware feed. I sat down at my desk and opened the software, only to see a dark screen. She had closed her phone and was presumably asleep.
A sigh escaped my lips. It seemed there was nothing interesting to see on her phone at the moment. I felt a twinge of disappointment but reminded myself that respecting her privacy was important, even if I had the means to invade it.
I closed the spyware program, deciding to respect Hanna's privacy. Instead, I turned my attention to the news articles about the corrupt official's confession. The story had blown up overnight, dominating headlines and social media feeds. Mateo Noor's name was plastered everywhere, his reputation in tatters.
The public outrage was palpable, with calls for his immediate arrest and prosecution. The authorities were scrambling to respond, launching a full-scale investigation into his activities and those of his accomplices.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as I read the articles. We had played a small but crucial role in bringing this corruption to light, and it felt good to know that justice was being served.
We're making a difference, I thought to myself, a smile spreading across my face. We're the Unveiled, and we're here to stay.
Even though I was the one who orchestrated it, I didn't bother following the news about Mateo's fate. Why should I?
I scrolled through my phone and saw that he was now in jail, sentenced to ten years with a massive amount of debt.
"Well, that's what he gets," I muttered to myself, a sense of finality settling over me.
As the day progressed, news of Mateo Noor's downfall continued to spread like wildfire. The once-respected businessman was now a pariah, his name synonymous with greed and corruption. His company, InnovTech, was facing bankruptcy, its clients and investors fleeing in droves.
The impact of our actions was undeniable. We had not only exposed a corrupt official but also dealt a significant blow to the Seers' plans. It was a victory, a small one perhaps, but a victory nonetheless.
However, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The Seers were still out there, lurking in the shadows, their true intentions shrouded in mystery. We had made ourselves known, and they would undoubtedly retaliate.
The thought filled me with a mix of excitement and apprehension. I was eager to face the challenges ahead, to test my powers and protect those in need. But I also knew that the stakes were high, and the consequences of failure could be devastating.
I glanced over at IM, who was still sleeping soundly, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within me. I envied his carefree attitude, his ability to simply let go and enjoy the moment. But I knew that I couldn't afford to be complacent. I had a responsibility, a duty to protect the world from the darkness.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. It was time to prepare for the next battle. The Unveiled were ready.
The next morning dawned bright and clear, a stark contrast to the turbulent events of the previous night. It was a holiday, so no school today. What were we going to do? Well, right now, IM and I were at the basketball court.
Ngiik! Bam!
The ball swished through the net, a perfect three-pointer from IM.
"Easy!" he exclaimed, a triumphant grin on his face.
With a confident smirk, I took the ball from one of the guys on the court.
Imagine... no matter where I am or how I throw it, the ball will go into the net, I visualized, focusing my power.
I stepped back to a considerable distance and casually tossed the ball towards the hoop.
"You idiot, you can't score from there!" one of the guys shouted, laughing.
But the ball was already in motion, defying their expectations.
Bam! The ball arced through the air, defying gravity and swishing cleanly through the net, scoring a three-pointer.
Everyone's jaws dropped in disbelief. The court fell silent, the only sound the gentle breeze rustling through the trees.
I grinned, savoring the moment of triumph. "Seems like I can," I said, a playful lilt in my voice.
The silence was broken by a chorus of amazed exclamations.
"No way!"
"Did you see that?"
"That was insane!"
IM clapped me on the back, a proud smile on his face. "Told you your powers were awesome," he said.
I shrugged, trying to downplay my abilities. "It was just a lucky shot."
But deep down, I knew it was more than luck. It was the power of my imagination, the ability to bend reality to my will. And it was a power I was only just beginning to understand.
We continued playing basketball for a while longer, the atmosphere charged with a newfound energy. My teammates were in awe of my skills, and even the opposing team couldn't help but admire my seemingly impossible shots. It was exhilarating, to be able to effortlessly achieve what others could only dream of.
But as the game drew to a close, a familiar sense of unease settled over me. The thrill of victory was quickly replaced by a nagging feeling that something wasn't right. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, that our every move was being observed by unseen eyes.
I glanced around the court, searching for any sign of danger. But there was nothing out of the ordinary, just a group of teenagers enjoying a friendly game of basketball.
Still, the feeling persisted. It was like a cold whisper in the back of my mind, warning me of an impending threat. I knew I couldn't ignore it.
I excused myself from the game, telling IM that I needed to take a break. He nodded, understandingly, and I walked towards a quieter corner of the court, my senses on high alert.
I closed my eyes, focusing my imagination. Show me the danger, I thought, hoping for a vision, a clue, anything that could help me identify the source of my unease.
< Chapter 144 > Fin.