Chapter 501 - 501: Suppressing the Earthquake
It was a pitch-black night as people stood on the hillside and looked down. They could see many houses instantly collapsing as the ground cracked. The scene was shocking, scaring countless people.
“Wahhh…” The children were so frightened they started crying. Even the adults were scared and pale but could not cry.
Boom!
Such noises constantly rang out, and the weather became colder as the north wind howled. Everyone’s faces hurt like knives were scraping them. However, they barely felt the pain from the fear they felt.
“Did the ground just shake?”
“Was it an earthquake?”
Some stools on high and flat ground, still feeling a lingering fear in their hearts. Fortunately, these people did not return to their houses to sleep. They only considered going inside because they were fed up and could not wait any longer for the earthquake.
Now that they thought about it, they felt it was fortunate that they decided against returning to their homes.
“The earthquake is too scary.”
“Luckily, we stayed outside. Otherwise, we couldn’t have gotten out in time and died.’
“Big Sis Wangs family and Aunt Lin’s family have returned to their rooms to sleep. They…”
Indeed, many had returned to their homes to sleep. No one dared to think about what had happened to them because they had watched the houses collapse.
The fallen beams would have crushed and pinned them if they could not escape in time. Many hesitated when they thought of returning to their houses to sleep. They even thought the news about the earthquake was fake.
Those who said the news was a lie doubted whether or not Su Binglan was right. They also wondered how the county magistrate could listen to Su Binglan’s supposed secluded master and thought the “master” was just a swindler.
However, the earthquake had happened, and they realized it was all true. Most were so shocked that they could not regain their senses.
Previously, no one in Su Teng Village returned to their homes to sleep and stayed outside for three days because they trusted Su Binglan. She had warned them about the earthquake that would occur within three days, and they believed her.
Everyone would feel even more convinced of her words when the ground shook.
The surrounding villages were okay, but its people had returned to their houses to sleep. No one believed the earthquake would happen, and they ultimately got buried under their collapsed houses.
However, many others were cautious and remained outside instead of returning home. Some watched the earthquake from afar and thought of how terrifying it was.
They were worried about the people who had returned to their homes. However, they dared not take action as they felt the ground still shaking. The tremors also became increasingly violent, and the ground even cracked.
People had to carry their children to avoid those cracks carefully, not to mention the landslides, causing massive rocks to fall from the mountain. It was a genuinely terrifying experience.
“Ah! Everyone, dodge! Watch out!”
Meanwhile, the trees were uprooted and fell to the ground, creating an even more shocking scene. Many were frightened to tears, and the children cried loudly. Some adults even trembled in fear.
Everyone was terrified when they felt the ground shaking and the houses collapsing. None dared to move or go to the village to help the victims. They could only stand rooted as the ground shook.
However, the houses Su Binglan had designed were in good condition, and none collapsed. They looked unperturbed amongst the ruins.
“Look, the houses over there are still standing!’
The Su family’s house was vast, as were the tofu factory, embroidery shop, and winery. The pottery workshop was also huge after its expansion. Su Zhengde and Su Xueye also built many houses for the workers. Those buildings were fine and did not collapse.
Therefore, everyone thought it magical as they looked at these still-standing buildings.
“That’s the tofu factory, the winery, and the embroidery shop. That’s Willow Village’s pottery workshop, right?”
“Hey, that’s the new house Zhengde helped build, and that’s the one Xueye built. ”
“Ah, those houses are fine even after the earthquake?”
Everyone looked at these buildings in shock, with their jaws and eyes wide open. They realized that any building would not collapse as long as Su Zhengde and Su Xueye built them.
Others had built sturdier houses, too, but most still collapsed during the earthquake.
“That’s why Xueye is so amazing. His buildings are still standing.”
Everyone was in disbelief while most older adults recalled their past earthquake experiences. Every house collapsed, and some big trees were uprooted back then.
However, they noticed that some of these newer buildings were still standing. They rubbed their eyes and realized they were not hallucinating.
“Everyone, be careful. The tremors are getting stronger.”
Meanwhile, Su Binglan stood on a towering tree at the back of the mountain, watching the earthquake. She could feel it getting stronger and that there would be more large-scale tremors.
She knew people on the outer perimeter would also be affected if a large-scale earthquake occurred, causing mudflows, landslides, and the ground to crack.
She had to use Soul Powers to stop the large-scale earthquake. However, she was now a mortal, unable to reclaim some of the powers she once had as Princess Lan Ruobing.
Still, a stronger earthquake was coming, and she had to use a large amount of Soul Power. Even so, her body would weaken after using it, and she would need a long time to recover completely.
Then Su Binglan remembered she was in her brother Lan Ruozhu’s territory within Dingzhou. She took a deep breath, thinking of the many citizens and how her parents protected them when she was Lan Ruobing.
Soon after, she began using Soul Powers. Her hands gradually moved, and a blue light emerged from her body. An even more terrifying earthquake was on its way, but it seemed to have been suppressed by her Soul Powers.
It was like a giant hand had pressed down on the ground that was about to roll. As such, the ground would not be able to produce any violent vibrations.
Although slight tremors still occurred, they could not cause too many casualties, and the people who took refuge in their courtyards would no longer be in danger.
After Su Binglan suppressed the large-scale earthquake, snowflakes began falling from the sky.
“l feel the vibrations getting smaller.”
“It seems like the ground will stop shaking. Will we be okay?”
“It’s not shaking anymore. Everyone, go to the surrounding villages and help!” Many people looked up at this moment and were surprised to see it snowing. Everyone noticed the tremors getting smaller as they watched the snowflakes fall. Then the vibrations gradually stopped..