When Jinhsi became the Jinzhou Magistrate, she was young and inexperienced. The people of Jinzhou placed their trust in her decisions, but she knew it was not her alone, but also her role as the Sentinel's Resonator, that earned their faith.
Taking on this great responsibility, Jinhsi felt determined to guide Jinzhou towards a better future, despite her initial challenges. She also understood that trust had to be earned through hard work and dedication.
Despite the skepticism she encountered, Jinhsi was more troubled by the weariness etched on the faces of the people—a weariness born of life's hardships and a lack of hope.
She realized that beyond addressing tangible issues like material shortages and external threats, her true challenge was to restore the hope and confidence of the people of Jinzhou, who had been worn down by life.
In such times, what the people needed most was a reliable source of hope, regardless of who provided it.
During a reconstruction event, the young magistrate performed a "miracle" known as "Sentinel Granting Wishes." The remote village had been plagued by weather anomalies for years. Even though the Tacet Discords had stopped, villagers still suffered from extreme cold and gloom.
Jinhsi asked the villagers to voice their wishes. At first, silence hung heavy until a sneeze broke the silence. A timid voice then followed, "It's so cold… I wish it was a bit warmer here."
Standing amidst the crowd, Jinhsi held a Loong Scale, closed her eyes, and nodded, "I will convey your wish to the Sentinel."
Right after her words fell, loong horns sprouted from her head, and a Sentinel-like light pierced the dark clouds and the snow on the ground—just in an instant, the ice thawed, and the land once again sprang to life.
Witnessing this spectacle, the crowd exclaimed, "The Sentinel... the Sentinel has shown itself!" People observed the loong-shaped light in awe, with hope rekindling in their eyes.
News of the young magistrate's wish-granting ability spread rapidly in Jinzhou. Wishing became a popular custom, with people submitting their desires to her at City Hall. She meticulously examined each one and devised effective strategies to fulfill them.
"Dear Magistrate, I'm worried about Tacet Discords infiltrating our city."—Taoqi, director of the Defense Division, was then tasked with fortifying the city defense walls.
"Dear Magistrate, I pray for my father's safe return and an end to the war."—Jinhsi prioritized research on Tacetite weaponry and material engineering, pushing for new weapons against Discords and faster upgrades for defense.
"Dear Magistrate, the Exiles have been spotted in the city. I'm scared."—Jinhsi expanded Patrol Stations, added Patrollers in the city, and assigned more Midnight Rangers to guard outside.
Within three years, the city defense walls were renewed, new weapons were created, and Tacet Discords were repelled. Jinzhou finally ushered in peace and prosperity.
As time passed, people came to realize that the so-called "Sentinel Granting Wishes" was just a white lie from the young magistrate.
However, they also discovered her true dedication to addressing their problems and concerns, always being on the spot at lightning speed.
The lights in City Hall never went out, even on holidays. Jinhsi worked tirelessly until midnight, developing feasible plans to fulfill people's wishes.
And eventually, they came to understand that she possessed an incredible power - without a Loong Scale, she could summon a dazzling light that could pierce through ice and turn the tide of time.
...
Today, making wishes has become a habit for Jinzhou people, an unspoken agreement between them and their young magistrate.
"Dear Magistrate, I hope you can take some time to relax and come watch our latest show." This was the last wish of the year.
Smiling, Jinhsi closed the file in her hands, leaned against the window in her office, and listened to the melodious singing from Jinzhou Theater, where the new Hero Play, Loong Maiden and Wishes, was being performed.
Spectro
Broadblade
