[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-502":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257506,4404,"Chapter 502: Lawyer Assembly Call","above-the-mage-chapter-502",502,"\u003Cp>Murky river water spilled over the embankment, winding across the open road like a river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap-tap-tap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mirror-like puddles shattered underfoot, water splashing into silver arcs before crashing back to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two tall shadows raced along the road, kicking up sprays of water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the rain curtain, a streak of red flickered dimly and brightly, a visual spectacle of breathtaking brilliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swift current poured endlessly, its roar piercing like thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left Wen·Burns sat astride his horse, his Sea Sentinel uniform snapping violently in the gale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze, sharp as a hawk’s, swept over the water conditions: “With this current’s intensity, any mage who chose the water route will surely have to stop halfway and wait for the flow to subside before proceeding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath him was a horse as swift as a cheetah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The horse’s body was long and agile, its muscular lines smooth and elastic, glistening with an oily sheen in the rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its back arched slightly, like a fully drawn bow, brimming with explosive power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, its entire body was covered in smooth, resilient black scales, tightly interlocked like exquisite armor, each raindrop bouncing off instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most distinctive of all, a ring of flame-like mane grew along its neck—vivid red, swirling in the wind like burning fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flame-Mane Horse, a terrestrial earth-vein creature capable of reaching third-rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Jin Quehua Dynasty, earth-vein creatures were mostly aquatic; the rare terrestrial ones were confined to the Three Mountain Ranges and were hard to capture and tame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To own such a majestic earth-vein creature as a mount clearly demonstrated Left Wen·Burns’s formidable family wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U Er ·Newman, noticeably older and trailing behind, rode up beside Left Wen·Burns: “Left Wen Young Master’s judgment is precise—you chose the land route instead of the seemingly faster water path.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Otherwise, the current wouldn’t have calmed for another day or two—and by then, it’d be too late.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh! Huh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavy breathing echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mount was naturally no high-end creature like the Flame-Mane Horse, so to keep pace with Left Wen·Burns, he’d pushed it to its absolute limit—now panting heavily, its breaths ragged and agitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U Er ·Newman gently stroked its neck, his expression pained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left Wen·Burns cast a sidelong glance at U Er ’s mount, utterly unconcerned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out a map, glanced at it briefly, then tucked it away again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About half an hour ahead lies Terryl Town—it’s a safe zone. Historically, the Luo’er River has flooded repeatedly, but Terryl Town has never been affected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The town produces vast quantities of grain, shipped by water to Oakland City—it’s one of the region’s most important grain-producing towns, hence its heavy traffic of cargo vessels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once we reach Terryl Town, we’ll use our Sea Sentinel credentials to requisition boats and form a fleet, then carry out rescue operations—that’s a monumental achievement.” Left Wen·Burns spoke calmly, laying out his plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U Er  nodded eagerly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just flattery—he truly saw no flaw in the plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While mages possessed extraordinary power, in the face of natural disaster, how many lives could they truly save on their own?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, one still had to leverage existing forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Left Wen Young Master, we’re the second group to depart—could the first group of Sea Sentinel Fashi  have already arrived and taken all the boats?” U Er  hesitated, then voiced his concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible,” Left Wen·Burns replied confidently, patting the majestic Flame-Mane Horse beneath him. “Before I left, I already investigated the first group—they’re mostly low-rank mages with no assigned missions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even with a one-hour head start, their pace would’ve been easily outstripped by mine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And the only third-rank mage among them? He’d be heading straight for Oakland City—never stopping at Terryl Town.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m young, only a second-rank mage—I’d be useless in Oakland City, at best running errands. But these flooded towns? They need rescue too. This is where I can truly make a difference.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I pull this off, with a little maneuvering afterward, a First-Class Merit is very possible. With a First-Class Merit, I’ll meet the military merit requirement for promotion to Lieutenant.” Left Wen·Burns beamed, eyes gleaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This Catfish came at the perfect time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catfish was the name of the massive cyclone sweeping across the Oakland region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Left Wen·Burns, “Catfish” wasn’t a natural disaster—it was an opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, when would he ever have a chance to earn a First-Class Merit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hurry up—the victims are waiting for me to save them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left Wen·Burns spurred his Flame-Mane Horse with his heels; the horse shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, its fiery mane trailing a long radiant streak before vanishing into the rain curtain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U Er  stared at the shrinking red dot ahead, gritted his teeth, and urged his exhausted mount onward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against the current, Gao De drew ever closer to Oakland City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hair was wild with wind, rain streamed down his face, and his stamina was drained severely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around a spire jutting from the water—likely a local church, now reduced to a single sect emblem bobbing in the current.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange sight appeared before Gao De’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large black water buffalo floated on the surface, its body rising and falling laboriously in the waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On its back sat a boy, about five or six years old, one hand gripping the buffalo’s horn until his knuckles turned white, the other clutching a yellow earth dog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both dog and child trembled uncontrollably, their soaked fur clinging to their skin, lips blue-purple—how long they’d been in the water, no one could say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black water buffalo, meanwhile, was nearly exhausted, gasping heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It struggled toward the nearby shore, but its strength had faded—it could barely move, no matter how hard it thrashed, only emitting weak, mournful “mooos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dahei, Dahei, Dahei!” the boy kept cheering the buffalo on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woof! Woof! Woof!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earth dog echoed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Dahei’s strength was spent—it couldn’t move anymore, and after several attempts, its body began sinking slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Dahei remain motionless, the boy fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said nothing more, only held the earth dog tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The buffalo, which had stopped moving, suddenly surged forward as if refueled, propelling itself toward shore in an unscientific, almost miraculous motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy’s eyes, dimmed moments before, flared with sudden excitement: “Dahei! I knew you were strong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A splash surged through the murky water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The buffalo, carrying the boy and dog, raced toward shore at astonishing speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earth dog leapt first from the buffalo’s head onto dry land, shook off its water, then barked back at its young master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy struggled onto the shore, his clothes caked in mud and water, his face radiant with relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the black water buffalo—its neck stretched rigidly, front hooves clawing desperately at the rocky shore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mud and gravel churned between its hooves; each push sent loose earth tumbling down the bank, hind legs kicking furiously in the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But its weakened limbs refused to lift it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy rushed forward, grabbing at the buffalo’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his tiny strength was useless against the beast’s weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a sudden surge of water rose beneath the buffalo, giving it an extra push.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using that momentum, it kicked hard with both hind legs, stumbled forward two steps, and finally collapsed onto dry land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment it landed, its massive body crashed down, ribs heaving violently, gasping, eyes glazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been submerged for nearly two days—it was utterly spent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even in exhaustion, the black water buffalo lifted its gaze toward the murky river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In its eyes lay a deeply human mix of gratitude and reluctance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A round head flashed briefly above the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuanzi, having lent a small hand, returned to Gao De’s side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Past this town, we’ll reach Oakland City,” Gao De wiped rain from his face, gazing at the storm-choked horizon ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the destination near, Tuanzi no longer needed to patrol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, the wooden boat cut through the foaming, muddy waves, struggling onward for another half-hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the rain, a dark gray silhouette gradually sharpened—the towering walls of Oakland City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The walls, built of weathered stone, were streaked with mud at the base from flood erosion; banners on the battlements fluttered in the wind like the tattered flags of a wounded beast, standing silent amid the flood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The river before the gate was choked with debris, forming a chaotic barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many city guards stood on makeshift rafts, using long poles to clear the channel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Gao De’s boat neared, a guard mage immediately approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you a Sea Sentinel mage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.” Gao De nodded, handing over his identification badge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard mage’s eyes swept over Gao De’s Sea Sentinel uniform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First-Class Probationary Mage—his rank must be first-rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A first-rank mage? Why would he arrive in Oakland City now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are you from?” he couldn’t help asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I received orders in Dorn and came by water—once I entered Oakland’s territory, I followed the river upstream through Terryl Town and Yaxi Town.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I also assembled a small fleet in Terryl Town to rescue stranded victims in Yaxi Town, and surveyed the surrounding disaster zones along the way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De briefly outlined his journey, then asked: “How is Oakland City faring now? What needs doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard mage stared at Gao De in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De spoke casually, but the guard wasn’t a layman—he knew the immense weight hidden in those few sentences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only two days had passed since Catfish made landfall, and news dissemination took time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In less than a day, this first-rank probationary mage had traveled from Dorn to Oakland City under such brutal weather and water conditions—and had even rescued victims from one town along the way?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of efficiency and capability is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come in,” the guard mage said to Gao De after verifying his identity plaque.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His attitude had become extremely gentle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with ability are respected wherever they go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Luwal River, as the largest river in the Oakland region, is a vital waterway for transportation, and its tributary, the Taiwa River, flows directly through Oakland City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vessels permitted may sail along the Taiwa River into Oakland City and reach its central district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Taiwa River has played a crucial role in making Oakland City the economic center of the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, after passing through the arched city gate, what met Gao De’s eyes was no scene of prosperity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stone-paved roads along both banks were cracked, and stagnant water floated broken lampshades and twisted iron railings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many of the three-story red-brick buildings along the street had lost their roofs; exposed beams and pillars swayed precariously in the wind and rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several residents wrapped in oilcloth were dragging moldy sacks of flour from the collapsed bakery; beside them lay a corpse pinned under fallen beams, only half a leg clad in leather boots visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could it be this severe?” Gao De frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oakland City lies on the cyclone belt and endures several cyclone strikes each year; it has ample experience and preparation for dealing with cyclones, including but not limited to tall windbreak towers, sophisticated drainage systems, and abundant emergency supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So even facing a once-in-fifty-six-years super cyclone, it shouldn’t be this bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This catfish cyclone is just too strange,” the guard mage, knowing exactly what Gao De meant, spoke up to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not only did its formation speed and timing deviate wildly, but after it passed, three smaller cyclones followed one after another.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?” Gao De was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earthquakes have aftershocks, but cyclones are fundamentally tropical cyclones—they bring violent winds and rain during passage, but once the storm system departs, its effects gradually weaken; there is no such thing as “aftershock winds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Moreover, after this catfish cyclone made landfall, the number of water beasts that gathered far exceeded any previous occurrence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could there be some unnatural factor?” Gao De said instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When too many anomalies appear, the likelihood of an unnatural cause grows significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, the city’s mage lords also suspect this—so after the second small cyclone made landfall yesterday, Lord Roland sent mages out to sea to investigate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De nodded, about to speak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ZZZZZZ!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ZZZZZZ!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ZZZZZZ!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long, deep, resonant bell tone suddenly rang out, as if the entire city trembled in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound spread from the bell tower in the Municipal Square, shattering the rain curtain in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De was still confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard mage’s face had turned pale; his hands clenched tightly, veins bulging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s happening?” Gao De, sensing something major from his expression, demanded urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something terrible has happened!” The guard mage’s voice was barely squeezed from his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the Mage Assembly Bell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Mage Assembly Bell?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One ring means an emergency event—summoning all official mages in the city to assemble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two rings mean the situation is more serious, manpower may be insufficient, and requesting aid from other mages—though this is voluntary; usually only mages under noble banners respond.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard mage spoke rapidly, afraid he wouldn’t finish in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if three rings are sounded in succession, it’s a massive crisis—severe manpower shortage, extreme urgency—forcing all official Jin Quehua-registered mages within the city to assemble immediately at the Municipal Square. Anyone found deliberately absent will be punished afterward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In all the years since Oakland City was founded, the three-ring assembly has been sounded no more than three times!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the guard mage finished his hurried explanation, Gao De’s face froze; he felt his temples throb violently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just got into the city less than a minute ago?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Am I some kind of washing machine?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2252,"2026-06-19T14:28:50.414Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","80417d813188eb1501ee0a97e87639c7f09ae5a6906e766d8a2a9d143953ebc8","above-the-mage-chapter-503","above-the-mage-chapter-501",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]