The lead-gray clouds pressed down on Yong'an Island.
The fierce wind swept in the torrential rain, whipping the endless coastline like a long whip, bending the tall coconut trees.
At the port, several fishing boats tossed violently amidst the towering waves, the ropes making a sharp friction sound against the rust-covered mooring posts.
The streets of the town were deserted, cars stopped in the accumulated water, and pedestrians had locked their doors and windows early to avoid the menacing all-night downpour.
In the storm, the headquarters of the True Thought Society resembled an isolated reef, standing majestically halfway up the mountain.
In the top-floor office, Zheng Hongxin stood silently before the floor-to-ceiling windows, hands behind his back.
The dense rainwater cascaded down the glass surface, blurring the outlines of the outside world.
