Chapter 2: ### **Chapter Two: Escape and the Mysterious Stone**
That night, sitting in his dark room, **Liang Chen** felt he could no longer endure this world. He stared at a family photo on the wall—everyone smiling—but he felt he'd never truly belonged in that picture.
"I don't want to live here anymore," he whispered.
He packed a small bag with essentials and slipped out of the house at midnight. The streets were dark and cold, but for the first time, he felt a sliver of freedom.
**Liang Chen** adapted to life on the streets. He scavenged food from trash bins and slept in shadowed corners. Loneliness gnawed at him, yet he preferred it to the discrimination and mockery.
One day, while wandering, he noticed a group of street children huddled around a small fire, sharing stories. **Liang Chen** hesitated but finally approached.
"Who are you?" one child asked.
"I'm… **Liang Chen**," he replied shyly.
"Do you have a talent?" another asked.
"Yes… but it's E-class," he answered, bracing for laughter.
But the children laughed differently. "That's awesome! You can help us find food and shelter with your ability!"
**Liang Chen** was stunned. For the first time, someone valued his talent. He began using his **Analysis** to help them locate food and safe hideouts. Finally, he felt he belonged.
Among these children was **Xiao Lin**, a 12-year-old girl with a D-class talent for night vision. She was the unofficial leader and saw **Liang Chen** as a close friend. **Zhang Wei**, an 11-year-old boy with a C-class speed talent, was the group's joker. **Mei Lin**, a 10-year-old girl with an E-class ability to communicate with animals, viewed **Liang Chen** as an older brother.
One night, while scavenging, **Liang Chen** used his **Analysis** to study guard patrol patterns. "If we move now, we can avoid them and find food easily," he said confidently.
The children followed his instructions and succeeded. "You're amazing!" **Xiao Lin** smiled.
**Liang Chen** felt pride for the first time in ages. His talent, once mocked, was now celebrated.
One night, as he lay on a pile of trash in a dark alley, he heard a thud nearby. A strange stone had fallen from the sky, glowing faintly as if calling to him.
**Liang Chen** cautiously picked it up. The stone was small, fist-sized, black with shimmering gold veins. Though he didn't know what it was, he sensed its importance.
"What's this?" he whispered, attempting to analyze it with his talent. But the system yielded nothing. He decided to keep it, unaware this stone would change his life forever.