American comic: From Beijing with Love, starting with a mutant.

Storm rose another ten meters or so.

A bolt of lightning traversed several kilometers, skimming the bottom of the clouds and splitting into more than a dozen bright branches.

Large water droplets pelted the tin roof of the village committee, making such a dense sound that people had to whisper in each other's ears.

Secretary Ai Li stood next to Zhou Xingxing, trembling.

If he weren't a cadre, he would have already said some inappropriate things like the villagers.

Grasping Zhou Xingxing's right hand with both hands, Secretary Ai Li's eyes welled up with tears: "Leaders! You've come just in time! Just in time!"

Stephen Chow's shoulders were shaking from being shaken so much that he had to use his other hand to hold his hat.

"Secretary, if you shake my arm a couple more times, I'll have to file for workers' compensation too. Let go of my arm, let's talk this out!"

"Our village is looking forward to this every day... The old folks are reluctant to drink water, leaving half a ladle for the jujube tree in their yard, and when the children come home from school, they pour the last drop of water from their cups into the water jar at home."

"I went to check out the land the other day! You know what? The leaves there crumbled as soon as you squeezed them!"

Stephen Chow looked at the woman in the sky.

This rain can only quench the immediate thirst; the subsequent water storage projects and irrigation scheduling still need to be carried out by someone.

The task is arduous and the road ahead is long...

The village entrance has become a completely different scene.

Several children took off their shoes and stepped into the puddles, splashing mud everywhere with their feet.

A woman followed behind, shouting "Don't fall!" while she herself enjoyed the hard-won rain.

"Mom, look, I can swim!"

"The water doesn't even reach your ankles, what are you swimming in! Pull your pants up!"

"I'll dig a river for the little boat!"

The boy squatted down and used both hands to scoop away the wet mud from the roadside, followed by several other children carrying plastic bottles.

"Dig this way, we need to enter the reservoir this way!"

"Don't go near the reservoir! The Party Secretary just announced over the loudspeaker that no one is allowed to approach!"

"If they dig up my house, my sheep will drink it too!"

Young people emerged from under the eaves one after another. Some took off their hats, while others turned their faces toward the sky, closed their eyes, and let the water run down their noses and into their collars.

A young man with dyed blond hair held up his phone, but after taking a picture for only a dozen seconds, the screen became unusable due to the rain.

"Stop taking pictures, your phone got wet!"

"Let's go in then. I've never seen rain like this in my life."

"Didn't I see him in the county town last year?"

"What does that disaster in the county have to do with the village? Our ground didn't even get wet!"

The girl next to him nudged him, "Stop talking, all you do is spout water."

The young man actually shut his mouth, tilted his head back, and stood there. After a moment, he couldn't help but shout again, "It's sweet!"

"Don't lie to me, rainwater isn't sweet at all!"

Several young people opened their mouths to catch the rain, and then the group pointed at each other and laughed.

"Is it really sweet?"

"It tastes earthy, your tongue must be malfunctioning!"

"You're picky about water even when it's raining? Why didn't you say so last year when you were drinking well water?"

When Stephen Chow saw someone preparing to run towards the riverbed, he was so frightened that he quickly snatched the megaphone from Eric's hand.

"Come back here! You guys in blue, I'm talking to you!"

"Let's go check if the water has come yet!"

"What the hell are you looking at!" Zhou Xingxing angrily grabbed Secretary Ai Li beside him, "Come on, come on! Let's go put up the warning ropes!"

"I'll arrange it right away! Hey, Old Ma, bring all the ropes out of the warehouse!"

The thunder subsided.

The torrential rain subsided into a continuous curtain of rain, still shrouding the villages and farmlands.

In the air, Storm clasped her hands together and slowly descended.

Before he even landed, several elderly people came up to greet him, and Stephen Chow quickly reached out to stop them.

"Ouch! Slow down! The floor is slippery! Let's take it one at a time!"

The 89-year-old man ignored him and reached out his free hand towards Orolo.

"Suana...thank you..."

The translator transmitted the words to her ears. Storm looked at the calloused hand, withdrew the airflow surrounding her body, and held the old man's wrist with both hands.

"The rain came from distant clouds; I simply brought it here."

The old man shook his head and placed a small packet of dried apricots into her palm.

"How many times have the clouds passed through here? Not a single drop has been left behind! If you bring it back, you'll be a benefactor!"

"Grandpa, I can't accept this."

"Take it, these are all dried at home, they're not worth much."

"I…"

Before Storm could return the dried apricots, another old lady, holding an umbrella, had already squeezed to the front and lifted the basket that was being protected by a scarf.

"Blessed descendants of saints, try my family's red dates! They're so sweet!"

"Thank you, but I can't carry that many."

"Here, take the basket too."

Many people who had just run home flocked to the scene.

Within minutes, red dates, dried apricots, raisins, walnuts, and freshly baked naan were all delivered to the village committee courtyard.

A little girl of seven or eight years old squeezed through the crowd, holding half a naan bread, and stood on tiptoe to stuff it into Ororo's hand.

"Auntie, this is for you."

Have you eaten yet?

"I've already eaten."

The little girl swallowed, her gaze still fixed on the golden-brown sesame seeds on the edge of the naan.

Storm crouched down, broke the naan in half, and handed one half back.

Let's eat together.

"But this is for you."

"Gifts can be shared."

The girl took the naan, took a big bite, puffed out her cheeks, and asked, "Will it rain again tomorrow?"

Storm looked up at Stephen Chow.

Old Zhou turned his face away and pretended to scold the child so he wouldn't fall.

"Auntie?"

"The weather cannot change according to people's wishes every day."

Storm brushed the wet hair clinging to the girl's forehead, saying, "This rain will stay in the pool, and it will stay in the earth."

Eric came over carrying two cardboard boxes and placed them near Aurora's feet whenever he could find a spot.

"Munroe, these are gifts from various sources; please accept them."

Zhou Xingxing stood beside him and nodded seriously: "He's right. The grassroots people are incredibly proactive when it comes to delivering local specialties. If you refuse, they can chase you all the way to the county toll station."

"You knew this would happen?"

"No, I didn't expect them to even prepare a basket for you. I reckon if you stand there for another five minutes, we'll have to apply for a truck when we get back."

Storm looked at the food piled on the long table, still holding the dried apricots the old man had given her in her palm, and finally tucked the paper package into her sleeve.

Stephen Chow handed the megaphone back to Aili.

"Everyone, go back inside and change your clothes! You've already thanked her, don't all get sick from the rain! This 'expert' isn't a doctor! Fever and cough aren't her responsibility!"

"Director Zhou, please stay for dinner tonight!"

"The village has already slaughtered its sheep, so you and the experts shouldn't leave!"

"The food is fine, but please don't kill the sheep! The meal costs have already exceeded the limit!"

"The sheep have already been held down; it's too late for you to say that now!"

The crowd dispersed with laughter, but some people still circled back and placed several strings of red dates on the table.

Storm stood under the eaves until the little girl was led back into the house by her mother, then she lowered her head and took a bite of naan.

"Is it good?" Stephen Chow asked, leaning closer.

Storm slowly finished chewing and wiped the water droplets off the paper package with her thumb.

"Stephen, I'm willing to stay and work."