The golden radiance left behind by Jiang Chengyu's awakening still lingered throughout the plaza like an invisible tide.
It bathed the enormous square in waves of brilliant light, turning every reflective surface into a mirror of gold.
The atmosphere was thick with excitement, pride, and disbelief.
Reporters rushed from one position to another while broadcasting live to billions across the globe.
Camera drones filled the air like a swarm of metallic insects, their lenses focused entirely on the young woman who had just shattered every expectation.
Members of the Jiang Clan stood together in the VIP section, their faces flushed with triumph as champagne glasses clinked in celebration.
To the rest of the world, they had just witnessed the birth of a future ruler.
To Alex, they had simply watched a machine scan a slightly better barcode.
The excitement continued to spread through the crowd until the exhausted voice of the chief proctor echoed from the plaza speakers.
