Chapter 26: It's All a Routine
Lu Chen withdrew his gaze. The phone in his pocket vibrated twice.
Lu Chen walked into the shadow of the corner and took out his phone.
Sender: Iowa.
"I'm losing my mind. They're making me wear that new costume. You can't even imagine what kind of monstrosity it is. That's not a costume at all, it's lingerie! The neckline plunges all the way down to the belly button, and the skirt is so short it can't even cover the tops of my thighs!"
Lu Chen looked at the screen, a cold arc pulling at the corners of his mouth. His fingers tapped rapidly on the virtual keyboard.
"Congratulations. You've finally realized that Vought's core business is actually softcore pornography. What they're selling isn't a sense of security, it's sexual fantasies. That outfit will double the company's merchandise sales."
Two seconds later, the reply came: "Can't you ever spit out a single nice word, Grandpa? I refused! I told the head of public relations that I would never wear something like that to meet the public. I'm a superhero, not a stripper!"
Annie's choice of address came very naturally. A few days ago, she had sent a message complaining, mocking Lu Chen's lecturing tone for being identical to her cynical grandfather's. Thus, the nickname was set.
This woman was truly naive enough to give one a headache.
"And then?" Lu Chen replied, "Did they tell you that if you don't wear it, they'll kick you out of The Seven and make you crawl back to Iowa for some country supermarket's grand opening?"
The other side fell silent for a full minute.
"How did you know?" Starlight's message carried a sense of grinding-teeth helplessness; one could feel her breakdown right through the screen, "Madelyn Stillwellsaid exactly that. She threatened me with a smile, saying there are a hundred girls lined up waiting to wear that outfit."
"I told you, Iowa. Over there, a sense of justice is contraband, and self-esteem is too," Lu Chen tapped the keyboard, "You're a trademark in spandex now. A trademark doesn't need its own thoughts; it just needs to make consumers willing to shell out cash. Stop struggling, put it on, and just smile at the camera."
"I hate your tone of seeing right through everything," Starlight replied, "You're like a cold-blooded bystander. Is there really no one in this World who genuinely cares about right and wrong?"
"There are. But they usually don't live long," Lu Chentyped, "By the way, how is your fish-man colleague who particularly likes dropping his pants doing lately? I heard he was sent to shoot a promotional video for an aquarium?"
Lu Chen was fishing for information. He needed to confirm The Deep's movements to anchor the external timeline.
"The Deep? He seems busy lately, appearing on fewer shows than before." Starlight's reply came quickly.
Lu Chen's gaze flickered slightly. The Deep being busy meant Vought's upper management had sent him everywhere looking for that signal.
"That's good news," Lu Chen replied, "At least you don't have to worry about seeing things you shouldn't in the elevator anymore. Keep a low profile, Iowa. When mad dogs are biting each other, don't go joining the fun. Don't act too smart, or you'll be targeted."
"You're always telling me to keep a low profile," Starlight sent a message, the lines carrying a hint of probing, "What about you? Are you really just an 'ordinary' student at Godolkin? I saw your school's latest internal ranking list. Top 13. For a freshman, that is not ordinary at all."
"I think it's still pretty ordinary," Lu Chen typed out a line and sent it, "Looking forward to the day we become colleagues."
After sending this, he shoved his phone right back into his pocket, ignoring the subsequent vibrations.
He raised his head; Andre and Golden Boy were walking out with their arms around each other's shoulders, chatting about something and laughing wildly. Cate had already packed her schoolbag and left alone, following like a shadow.
Lu Chen looked at Cate's retreating figure, his gaze deep.
The game was about to enter the next stage.
Meanwhile.
New York, Brooklyn district.
Inside a video store reeking of mold and cheap engine oil.
Several old-fashioned CRT televisions were stacked on a rusty iron frame, their screens flickering with a ghostly blue light and emitting a buzzing electrical current sound.
Hughie Campbell sat on a grease-stained folding chair, staring fixedly at the screen. His eyeballs were bloodshot, and his hands tightly gripped the legs of his trousers.
On the screen was a blurry piece of street surveillance footage.
A blur in a blue-and-white jumpsuit was speeding wildly down the street, moving so fast that even the camera's frame rate couldn't capture it. It left only a blurry blue trail and a cloud of blood mist exploding mid-air.
That was Robin.
Hughie's breathing grew rapid, his stomach churning violently. He closed his eyes, but that cloud of blood mist was branded onto his retina like a brand, refusing to fade.
The scene switched; another superhero was beating up a passerby on the street.
"This is the hero you used to worship." Billy Butcher leaned against a dark corner, toying with a military dagger in his hand. He wore that signature black trench coat, stubble on his face, and eyes like a wolf starved for three days.
"Taking drugs, whoring around, killing and looting. They aren't some chosen people of God; they're just a bunch of scumbags with superpowers." Butcher walked behind Hughie, heavily pressing both hands onto Hughie's shoulders.
Hughie abruptly opened his eyes, the terror in the depths of his gaze overridden by a distorted fury.
"Are you sure... he was on drugs?" Hughie's voice was trembling, but his articulation was exceptionally clear.
"This is intelligence Frenchie dug out by fingering Translucent's asshole." Butcher let out a cold sneer, spinning the dagger between his fingertips.
"What we need to do now is find his dealer. Slap the evidence of this bastard doing drugs right onto the faces of those bitches at Vought."
Hughie looked at that blue blur on the screen.
Once upon a time, that was his favorite superhero. But now, that was the enemy he dreamed of killing.
"How do we find them?" Hughie raised his head and looked at Butcher.
Butcher grinned, revealing a cruel smile.
"My informant says that guy also has a secret underground girlfriend. Let's ask your Superhuman bodyguard for a little help."
When the phone vibrated, Lu Chen had just walked out of the training room's shower room.
"Hello." Lu Chen pressed the answer button and casually pulled open his locker.
"How's college life treating you, big boy?" Butcher's gravelly voice with its heavy London accent drilled out from the earpiece, accompanied by the buzzing static of electrical currents and Hughie's heavy breathing in the background, "I heard you're a star student now? Is Vought already preparing to print your face on condom packaging?"
"Spit it out if you have something to say." Lu Chen slipped on a clean black T-shirt and pushed his damp hair back.
"A-Train is on drugs." Butcher didn't waste words and went straight to the point, "We're planning to investigate. Once we get the evidence of him doing drugs, we can completely destroy him and help Hughie get some proper revenge."
Lu Chen's movements paused for a fraction of a second. The progress was a bit faster than he had anticipated.
"So?" Lu Chen asked back.
"So we need your help, mate." Butcher's voice lowered a bit, carrying a sort of seductive flavor, "He has a secret underground girlfriend, and we need to find her. You're at Godolkin University, which is Vought's talent pool; there has to be files or clues about that woman. Use your clearance to check, or just go fish for some information."
Chapter 27: A Near-Death Plan
Investigating files?
Lu Chen sneered inwardly. That old dog, Butcher, was testing him.
Once he actually checked, the school's network would immediately leave a trace.
Butcher didn't care about his life or death at all; he just wanted to use him as cannon fodder to scout the way.
Besides, Lu Chen didn't need to check anything at all.
He knew better than Butcher where Popclaw was, and he also knew the source of Compound V.
As long as he timed it right, he could go to Mercy Hospitalhimself before The Boys found it, touch each of the superpowered babies there, and that would be the real harvest.
As for A-Train, it wouldn't be too late to Copy his super speed once his leg was broken by Kimiko.
Getting involved now would be a complete waste of time.
"I can't do that," Lu Chen refused in a calm tone.
The other end of the phone fell into a brief, dead silence.
"Say that again?" Butcher's voice turned cold.
"I said, I can't do that." Lu Chen closed his locker door. "My current situation is very delicate. Vought's top brass is evaluating me, and you want me to investigate the secret girlfriend of a member of The Seven?"
"Are you scared?" Butcher scoffed.
"I am executing my own plan." Lu Chen walked out of the locker room, the fluorescent hallway light hitting his cold, stern face. "I am trying to infiltrate Vought's inner circle. This is a life-or-death gamble that allows for zero mistakes. Your current investigation is just peripheral tinkering; don't drag me into it."
"Peripheral tinkering?" Butcher gritted his teeth. "We are trying to take down the fastest serial killer in the World!"
"Good luck. Try not to get your head blown off." Lu Chenfinished, then hung up the phone directly.
Butcher stared at the disconnected phone in his hand, the muscles in his jaw twitching twice.
He flung his hand violently, smashing the phone against the oily wall. The plastic casing shattered everywhere.
"That son of a bitch," Butcher cursed, turning his head to look at Hughie sitting on a folding chair.
Hughie shrank his neck in fear.
"Looks like your Superhuman bodyguard has a big plan." Butcher walked over to Hughie, bracing his hands on the edges of the chair on either side of Hughie's thighs, staring down at him. "He refused. He couldn't even come up with a better excuse. Infiltrating Vought's core? I think he's been corrupted by Vought's sugar-coated bullets and is busy licking the asses of those capitalists."
Hughie swallowed hard, trying to shrink back, but there was nowhere to go.
"You'd better pray he doesn't snitch to Vought," Butcher's eyes were cold and venomous like a snake. "Turning us in to secure his bright future at Vought. Don't forget, I'm the one who blew up Translucent's ass, but you're the one who planted the bug in Vought Tower."
"He wouldn't," Hughie blurted out.
Even he was surprised by the firmness in his own tone.
In his mind, the false memory implanted by Lu Chenresurfaced. "He has experienced something similar to me." Hughie took a deep breath, meeting Butcher's gaze. "He hates Vought too. He hates them more than any of us. He will definitely be our solid ally."
Butcher narrowed his eyes, as if re-evaluating the cowardly appliance salesman in front of him.
"He's infiltrating Vought, he must be acting as an inside man." Hughie's speaking speed increased, as if convincing Butcher, and also convincing himself. "He's taking a more dangerous path. He's biding his time right under Vought's nose, and at the critical moment, he will definitely provide us with fatal assistance. We cannot disrupt his plan at this time."
Butcher stared at Hughie for a full ten seconds.
Then, he straightened up and sneered.
"It better be," Butcher turned around, picked up the military dagger from the table, and toyed with it in his hand. "If he dares to betray us, I promise, I will rip his intestines out and strangle you with them, you naive idiot."
Hughie shuddered, not daring to answer.
Meanwhile. Godolkin University, the lawn outside the central library.
The sun was nice. Students sat in twos and threes on the lawn, some discussing superpower theory, others showing off their newly bought limited-edition costumes.
Lu Chen, who Hughie believed was executing a "near-death plan to infiltrate Vought," was standing under a giant oak tree.
His gaze cut through the crowd, locking onto a bench not far away.
Cate Dunlap.
She was still wearing that oversized gray hoodie, her hood pulled low, almost covering half her face.
Massive noise-canceling headphones were clamped on her head, isolating her from the outside World completely.
That pair of black leather gloves wrapped tightly around her hands; she was looking down at a thick book, her whole demeanor radiating a 'keep away' aura.
Lu Chen stood in place for a minute.
He simulated several opening lines for striking up a conversation in his mind.
Talk about powers directly? It would raise suspicion. Pretend to meet by chance and borrow notes? Too cliché.
To deal with someone with such heavy defenses and a desperate internal lack of love, you couldn't just go along with her, nor could you be too abrupt. You had to cut in with a rhythm she couldn't refuse.
Lu Chen strode forward, walking straight toward that bench.
He didn't deliberately lighten his steps, nor did he intentionally walk into her line of sight. He just walked straight over and sat down on the other end of the bench.
There was about a meter of distance between the two of them.
Cate didn't look up. She just shrank her body away from Lu Chen, her fingers stiffening as she turned the page.
This was an instinctive rejection.
Lu Chen didn't look at her; instead, he took an unopened bottle of soda water from his backpack, twisted the cap off, and took a sip.
"The argument in Chapter Three of'Subconscious and Behavioral Control' is wrong," Lu Chen said, looking at the lawn in front.
Cate's page-turning motion stopped.
She didn't take off her headphones, but Lu Chen knew she could hear him. These noise-canceling headphones couldn't block out close-range speech, especially since a Superhuman's hearing was naturally sharper than an ordinary person's.
"The author believes the subconscious can be completely overwritten," Lu Chen continued, his voice not loud, but his articulation clear. "But in reality, forced overwriting only leads to mental collapse. True control is guidance. Letting the target believe it is their own idea."
Cate slowly turned her head.
Under the hood, those eyes carried obvious hostility and vigilance.
"Are you talking to me?" Her voice had the hoarseness of someone who hadn't communicated with people for a long time.
"Is there a third person here?" Lu Chen turned his head, meeting her gaze.
"I don't know you," Cate said coldly.
"Don't say that, Lu Chen. We've met in Crime Fighting Class." Lu Chen pointed to the book in her hand. "I'm just a little interested in what you're reading. After all, in a school where everyone is obsessed with how to beat others into the ground, there aren't many people who can calm down and read psychology."
Cate looked down at the book cover, then looked at Lu Chen.
"That has nothing to do with you," she said, preparing to close the book and leave.
"You seem to be in a good mood today," Lu Chen suddenly threw out an illogical sentence.
Cate was stunned.
She looked down at her gray-black outfit, then touched her cold leather gloves. Her appearance was practically the antonym of the words "good mood."
"Are you sick?" Cate's brows furrowed tightly.
"Usually when you sit on the bench, your back is completely rigid, and your legs are crossed tightly. That's a defensive posture of extreme insecurity." Lu Chen pointed to her legs. "But today, your legs are flat, and your shoulders are about an inch more relaxed than usual. Although you are still wearing headphones and pretending not to want to talk to anyone, your page-turning frequency is slower than the past few days. It means you not only read into it today, but you are also not as anxious."
Cate looked at Lu Chen, her eyes changing.
It was no longer pure vigilance, but added a hint of shock.
No one would observe her this carefully.
"What exactly do you want?" Cate's voice lowered, her hands gripping the book tightly.
"I said, I'm interested in psychology." Lu Chen leaned back against the bench, his posture relaxed. "And, I think your leather gloves look quite nice. Although it's a bit hot to wear them in the summer."
Cate's eyelid twitched violently.
The gloves were her taboo. They were the seal on her powers and the source of her pain.
"Shut up." Cate stood up abruptly, and because the movement was too large, the book fell onto the grass.
She didn't go to pick it up, turning and walking away. Her steps were hurried, as if fleeing from something terrible.
Lu Chen didn't chase.
He bent down and picked up the'Subconscious and Behavioral Control,' patting the grass clippings off the cover.
This was just the first step.
Tearing open her defenses and making her remember him. For someone who had been in a state of self-isolation for a long time, being seen through was a terrifying yet extremely seductive experience. She would be afraid, but she would also be curious.
Lu Chen opened the title page of the book, where a crooked word was written in black marker: "Monster."
Lu Chen's mouth curled into a cold sneer.
He stuffed the book into his backpack.
Tomorrow, he would have a reason to go find her.
Chapter 28: PUA?
The mornings at Godolkin University are always filled with excess hormones and fake enthusiasm.
The situation with The Boys has been stabilized for now.
Lu Chen picked up his cup and took a sip of bitter coffee.
I estimate that the appliance salesman is now completely consumed by the undercover drama of "shared suffering."
Level 3 Mind Control is indeed effective against ordinary people with weak mental defenses.
With just a little emotional guidance, it is possible to implant an extremely solid false motive into their minds.
But that is all it is.
In order to enter the secret laboratory underground known as "The Woods" and figure out Vought's trump cards at Godolkin, he must obtain the highest level of clearance.
"The Woods" holds a large number of Superhumans; it is a live testing ground.
As long as he can get in and make contact with those Superhumans, his abilities will undergo a qualitative leap.
He needs a master key.
Cate is that key.
Her "Mind Control" is a physical-level neural rewrite.
As long as she takes off those leather gloves, even Superhumans will obediently listen.
With this ability, Professor Brink, Shetty, and even the entire Godolkin University will be his backyard.
Lu Chen put away his phone and slung his backpack over one shoulder.
That book, "Subconscious and Behavioral Control," was still lying quietly in his bag.
He doesn't plan to go to his combat class today; he has more important things to do.
Cate did not go to the lawn outside the central library today.
Yesterday's brief contact caused her to have a severe stress reaction.
Lu Chen spent an hour ruling out the library's Underground Room and the abandoned chemistry lab.
Finally, he found her in the old indoor gymnasium in the south campus that was about to be demolished.
The power was cut off here, and the air was filled with the smell of moldy wooden floors and stale, acidic sweat.
Sunlight could only leak in through the cracks in the broken ceiling, forming several hazy pillars of light.
Cate was sitting in the shadows at the very top of the bleachers.
She was wearing a black hoodie today, with the hood still pulled tight.
That pair of huge noise-canceling headphones was clamped on her head.
She wasn't reading; she was just hugging her knees, curled into a ball, and staring blankly at the empty basketball court below.
The black leather gloves had a lifeless sheen in the dim light.
Lu Chen stepped on the rusty iron stairs and walked up to the bleachers step by step.
The iron sheet made a harsh creaking sound.
Cate suddenly raised her head, her body instantly tensing up.
Seeing that it was Lu Chen, she immediately stood up.
Her body retreated half a step, and her back hit the mottled wall hard.
"How did you find this place?" She pulled off one side of her headphones, her voice filled with obvious anger.
Lu Chen didn't answer.
He walked to a spot two steps away from her and stopped.
He unzipped his backpack, took out the thick book, and casually threw it onto the wooden board at her feet.
The book flipped open, revealing the word written in Markpen on the title page.
Monster.
"The handwriting is shaking very badly. The ink blurred where you finished the stroke."
Lu Chen looked into her eyes, "It means that when you were writing this word, your palms were sweating, or... there were tears falling on it."
The corner of Cate's eye twitched.
She stared fixedly at the book on the ground, not picking it up.
"Get out." She gritted her teeth, "I don't know what you're trying to do, but I'm warning you, stay away from me."
"What am I trying to do?"
Lu Chen sneered, his hands in his pockets.
Not only did he not retreat, but he took another step up instead.
The distance between the two of them shortened to less than a meter.
"I just came to return the book. And by the way, to confirm if that coward who ran away yesterday after I hit a sore spot is hiding in this moldy pile of trash today, wallowing in self-pity."
"Shut up!" Cate's voice rose sharply.
"You think you are a monster." Lu Chen ignored her anger completely, his voice calm, "Because as long as you touch someone, you can turn them into a puppet."
"Your parents treat you like a plague."
"They shoved these gloves onto you, telling you it was to protect yourself. And you, you actually believed it."
Cate's breathing became rapid.
Her chest heaved violently, and her eyes under the hood stared fixedly at him.
"What do you know?" Her voice was filled with suppressed madness, "You have no idea what I can do!"
"As long as I touch you once, I can make you strip naked and bark like a dog on this abandoned court until you die of dehydration. I can make you gouge out your own eyeballs!"
"Then touch me." Lu Chen said.
On the bleachers, there was only the buzzing of the fan blades in the ventilation ducts.
Cate froze.
She clearly didn't expect to get such an answer.
No one had ever dared to say these four words to her.
"You are looking for death." Cate bit her lip hard, her right hand suddenly grabbing the edge of her left leather glove.
"Pull it off."
Lu Chen stared at her movements, his eyes without a ripple.
"Let me see how much of a monster you are. Let me see if you really dare to turn someone's brain into mush."
Cate's hand froze.
The edge of the leather glove had already been pulled out of shape, but that hand remained in mid-air, hesitant to exert force.
Lu Chen suddenly moved.
He took a big step forward and stood directly in front of Cate.
The distance between them was so close that he could smell the faint scent of laundry detergent on her hoodie.
Cate flinched in fear.
But there was already a wall behind her; there was nowhere to retreat.
Lu Chen reached out and grabbed her right hand, which was holding the glove.
Cate trembled all over.
She looked in terror at Lu Chen's hand pressing on the back of her hand.
"You don't even dare to hurt someone who offends you."
Lu Chen stared into her panicked eyes, his voice lowering.
"What kind of monster are you? You're just a poor wretch domesticated by your parents."
Cate's eyes turned red.
She bit her lip hard to keep the tears from falling, but her body was shaking uncontrollably.
"They made you wear gloves, not to protect others."
Lu Chen let go of her hand, stepped back half a step, and opened up the distance again.
"It was to keep you from hurting them."
"They are afraid of you, so they made you afraid of yourself first."
Lu Chen bent down and picked up the copy of "Subconscious and Behavioral Control" from the ground.
He patted off the dust and shoved it into Cate's arms.
Cate subconsciously hugged the book, staring at him blankly.
"Stop hiding in this pile of trash."
Lu Chen turned around and walked down the rusty iron stairs.
"If you want to know how to truly control your ability, instead of being controlled by it, come find me."
He didn't look back and walked straight down the bleachers.
Lu Chen stepped on the dust-covered floor and walked to the front door of the gymnasium.
As soon as he pushed open the heavy double wooden doors, the sunlight outside made him squint.
A person was standing outside the door.
Nearly 1.9 meters tall, wearing a custom red and white jacket from Godolkin University.
He had his arms crossed over his chest, his broad shoulders blocking the view of the doorway completely.
A sophomore, currently ranked number one in the school.
"Golden Boy" Golden Boy.
Golden Boy looked at Lu Chen, his smile was bright, but his eyes were unusually gloomy.
He looked over Lu Chen's shoulder at Cate, who was holding the book and staring blankly in the dim gymnasium.
"Hey, buddy."
Golden Boy lowered his head, staring into Lu Chen's eyes.
"What did you just do to her?"
Chapter 29: Lu Chen vs. Golden Boy
Golden Boy stood outside the main gate, the Sunstretching his shadow out long, his broad shoulders blocking nearly all the light.
"I'm asking you, what did you do to her?" Golden Boy took a step forward, his tall frame radiating an intense sense of oppression.
Lu Chen did not answer immediately. Super Senses LV1 activated quietly.
His hearing extended outward, passing through the hallway and crossing the abandoned equipment room. Aside from the movement of mice in the ventilation ducts, he heard no other breathing.
He glanced again at the rusted, non-functional surveillance cameras on the gym's outer wall.
Just one person. He hadn't brought any of his lackeys.
The corners of Lu Chen's mouth slowly curled up. An excellent test subject, delivered right to his doorstep.
"I'm talking to you, freak." Golden Boy's brows furrowed, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "I saw you harassing her yesterday. Today, you've cornered her in this moldy hellhole again. Do you think you're pretty tough?"
"Harassing?" Lu Chen laughed, the sound echoing in the empty room.
"Godolkin's number one Golden Boy, future superstar of The Seven, actually has a habit of stalking people? Or could it be that you've taken a liking to her and, struggling to find an excuse to chat her up, decided to use me as your stepping stone?"
Golden Boy's expression darkened. His intentions had been laid bare.
He was indeed attracted to Cate's quiet and mysterious aura; he had been planning to approach her yesterday, only to be beaten to the punch by Lu Chen. He had followed her here today, intending to play the part of a hero saving a damsel in distress.
"Shut your mouth." Golden Boy lowered his voice. "Now, go in there and apologize to her. Then get out of the South Campus. Otherwise, I'll let you know why I'm the best in the sophomore year."
"Is that so?" Lu Chen tossed his backpack onto the floor and cracked his neck. "Then I'd really like to see it."
Golden Boy didn't waste words. He wasn't the type to just talk trash.
He lunged forward, throwing a straight punch aimed directly at Lu Chen's face. The speed was so fast it whipped up a gust of wind.
Lu Chen didn't dodge. Carbon Skin LV5 instantly covered his entire body. On the surface, his skin remained unchanged, but its internal molecular structure had reorganized in milliseconds into a metamaterial comparable to diamond.
Bang!
The fist landed solidly on the side of Lu Chen's face.
Lu Chen felt like he had been hit head-on by a speeding truck. The strength provided by Super Physique LV4 was simply terrifying. His feet slid back two meters across the floor, and his back slammed heavily into the mottled wall, causing the plaster to rain down.
Although Carbon Skin perfectly defended against fractures and flesh wounds, that immense force still knocked him back.
"You didn't pass out?" Golden Boy looked at his fist with some surprise, then looked at Lu Chen.
"Is that all the strength you've got?" Lu Chen straightened his body. "It seems the threshold for The Seven isn't that high."
"You're fucking dead." Golden Boy cursed, his eyes turning completely cold.
His arms suddenly lit up with a blinding red glow. The veins under his skin turned into flowing magma, the surrounding air instantly distorted, and the temperature climbed sharply.
Thermonuclear Manipulation LV4.
"You asked for this." Golden Boy roared, his fists wreathed in scorching flames as he hammered down on Lu Chen like a storm.
Lu Chen crossed his arms to protect his front.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Consecutive heavy blows struck Lu Chen's arms. The intense heat, reaching two thousand degrees, instantly burned Lu Chen's sleeves to ash. However, the flames licked at Lu Chen's skin without even burning a single hair. The heat resistance of the carbon metamaterial was far beyond anything a normal person could imagine.
But that didn't mean Lu Chen was having an easy time. The force of every one of Golden Boy's punches was astonishing. Lu Chen could only defend passively, retreating step by step, the wooden floor beneath him shattering continuously.
If he kept being treated like a punching bag like this, even if his skin could hold up, his internal organs would be damaged by the shock.
Lu Chen seized the moment Golden Boy paused to catch his breath and thrust his hands forward violently.
A visible ripple of air slammed into Golden Boy's chest.
Golden Boy only swayed slightly; his momentum didn't even slow down.
It seemed this low-level physical knockback was fine against ordinary Superhumans, but it was completely ineffective against Golden Boy.
Lu Chen quickly sidestepped.
Golden Boy's fist slammed into the doorframe where Lu Chen had just been standing. The heavy solid wood double door instantly shattered, and wood splinters flew everywhere like bullets.
Lu Chen countered with a heavy punch to the side of Golden Boy's face. The strength of Super Physique LV3 poured out without reservation.
"Bang!"
It felt like hitting a red-hot steel plate. Lu Chen's hand bones ached faintly.
Both strength and defense were completely suppressed. Being ranked number one was certainly no bluff.
The strength gap was too large. He had to end this quickly.
He raised his hands. Although the surrounding electrical system had long been cut, the static electricity drifting in the air and the light leaking down from the ceiling began to converge in his palms. Light Manipulation LV4.
"What the hell are you?" Golden Boy watched the blinding light igniting in Lu Chen's hands, a flash of astonishment in his eyes.
Wasn't this freshman a strength-type? How could he emit light?
"Boom!"
A high-intensity light burst exploded instantly between the two of them.
This wasn't a standard flashbang; it was a light-energy Impact with physical destructive power.
Golden Boy screamed and stumbled back, covering his eyes. Even with his Super Physique LV4, having his retinas hit by such intense light at close range instantly left him blinded.
Lu Chen didn't hesitate; he took advantage of the situation to strike.
He charged forward over the burning floor, activating localized metallization, and slammed his metal-fisted, Carbon Skin-enhanced punch hard into Golden Boy's abdomen.
"Bang!"
Golden Boy flew out like a broken sack, slamming heavily into the rusted iron framework of the stands. The iron pillar, as thick as a thigh, was dented inward by a large chunk.
"Cough..." The golden flames on Golden Boy's body dimmed slightly.
His vision was blurry, his brain buzzing. This freshman wasn't right. Strength, defense, light burst, Impact... how many abilities did this guy have?
Golden Boy stood up unsteadily, a strong sense of wariness rising in his heart. When did Godolkin Universityrecruit a monster like this?
He decided to retreat first and notify Professor Brink.
"Consider yourself lucky today, freak." Golden Boy snorted coldly, and two thick jets of flame erupted from his feet.
His body instantly lifted into the air, flying toward the broken roof of the gym.
Trying to run?
Lu Chen's eyes turned ruthless. If Golden Boy escaped, not only would he fail to obtain the ability, but he would also have to face a full-scale investigation by Vought Company. He could not let him leave through this door.
He pushed off with his legs, his Super Physique LV3 erupting with extreme speed and leaping power. Lu Chenshot into the air like a cannonball, and the moment Golden Boy was about to fly out of the roof, he grabbed his ankle.
"Get off!" Golden Boy cried out in alarm, his other foot burning with raging flames as he kicked hard at Lu Chen's shoulder.
Lu Chen didn't dodge. He endured the high heat and heavy blow, using the force of Golden Boy's downward kick to flip his body upward.
His hand locked tightly onto the skin of Golden Boy's nape.
Caught you.
Mind Control LV3, activate!
Golden Boy's body stiffened abruptly.
A burst of white light exploded in his brain. It was a false memory of brief dizziness and extreme fear forcibly implanted by Lu Chen. For a Superhuman with a strong will, Mind Control LV3 could not control them for long,
but it was enough.
The flames under Golden Boy's feet instantly extinguished. Having lost the thrust, the two fell straight down from over ten meters in the air.
Lu Chen adjusted his posture in mid-air, pinning Golden Boy beneath him. His partially metallized right arm was raised high, aimed at Golden Boy's temple.
Bang!
Accompanied by a dull, heavy thud, they slammed heavily into the center of the basketball court. The wooden floor collapsed completely, sending up a cloud of dust.
Lu Chen knelt in the bottom of the crater, panting heavily.
Golden Boy lay beneath him, eyes closed, completely knocked out. There was a large red welt on his temple, but no bleeding. The constitution of LV4 was truly well-deserved.
Damn, that was a tough fight. Lu Chen shook his right hand, which was numb from the Impact.
Just as he was about to get up and drag Golden Boy into the shadows, a faint sound of footsteps came from behind him.
Cate walked over from the shadows at the edge of the stands, her hands clutching that book, Subconscious and Behavioral Control. Her hood had fallen onto her shoulders, and those eyes, usually full of fear and caution, were now staring unblinkingly at Lu Chen.
She had seen the whole process.
From Golden Boy making the first move, to Lu Chendisplaying terrifying defense, Impact, and a flash of light—though it had briefly blinded her, she had also seen that bizarre method at the end that made Golden Boy instantly lose the ability to resist.
She had had a chance to run.
But she didn't. Her feet were rooted to the spot.
Lu Chen looked at her, his tensed muscles slowly relaxing. He breathed a sigh of relief.
If Cate had run, he would have been in big trouble. But she had stayed, and perhaps that meant her curiosity about him had already outweighed her fear of the rules.
"You didn't leave." Lu Chen stood up and brushed the dust off himself. Although his shirt had been burned away, he didn't feel embarrassed in the slightest.
Cate swallowed hard. She looked at the unconscious "Golden Boy" Golden Boy on the ground, then back at Lu Chen.
"Who on earth are you?" Cate's voice trembled slightly, but it was firmer than before. "You didn't just withstand Golden Boy's fire; you were able to use Impact and light, and in the end, you grabbed him, and he just fell."
She bit her lip, her eyes complex.
"Since you're so powerful, why hide yourself?"
Chapter 30: Accomplices
"Because being powerful is a curse in this place."
Lu Chen leaned against the shattered wall.
"Do you think Vought Company would award a medal to an unknown who could pin Golden Boy to the ground and crush him, or would they just strap him to an operating table for dissection?"
Kate froze.
"They only want obedient products."
"Products that can act in movies, sell merchandise, and flash a standard smile at the camera."
Lu Chen's voice was deep.
"I have no interest in being a product; I just want to survive."
The fear in Kate's eyes gradually faded.
It was replaced by a complex sense of resonance.
She looked down at her gloved hands.
"So, you're a freak too."
"In this school, anyone who doesn't show off is a freak."
Lu Chen smiled.
He sat down on the bleacher steps and patted the empty space beside him.
"Sit down. He won't be waking up anytime soon."
Kate hesitated for two seconds, then walked over.
She didn't sit too close, leaving a gap of half a person between them.
But for someone who lacked any sense of security, this was already a huge concession.
Her tense shoulders finally slumped.
She had seen his biggest secret, and he knew about her highly destructive ability.
This dangerous sense of equality actually made her feel at ease.
The dim gymnasium fell into silence.
Only the faint sound of Golden Boy's breathing came from the bottom of the pit.
"I actually envy him quite a bit," Kate said suddenly, her gaze falling on the unconscious Golden Boy.
"He has everything. Ability, popularity, and a bright future."
"He doesn't even need to think about how to control himself; he just needs to burn as bright as he wants."
"Burning comes with a price," Lu Chen said, glancing at Golden Boy's temple.
"Yeah, but I don't even have the right to burn."
Kate tucked her hands into her sleeves, her voice trembling.
"When I was nine, I just said to my younger brother, 'Go away and never come back.'"
"And he really went away."
"He walked into the woods and never came back."
Lu Chen turned his head to look at her.
The person beside him carried ten years of repression and suffocation, which was far more real than the cold plot in his memory.
"The way my parents looked at me was like they were looking at a monster."
"They locked me in my room; they didn't even dare to touch me when they brought me food."
Kate's eyes reddened.
"If Dean Shetty hadn't taken me out, told me my ability wasn't a curse, and given me medicine..."
"I probably would have gone crazy a long time ago."
Lu Chen lowered his eyes.
Shetty was just sharpening an obedient blade.
"Sounds like she's a good person," Lu Chen said, following her lead.
"She's the only one who isn't afraid of me," Kate said, head bowed.
"I've never been afraid of you either."
Kate turned to look at him.
Lu Chen met her gaze without flinching.
"I grew up in an orphanage."
"That place was owned by Vought Company, specifically for housing abandoned test subjects."
"I've seen too many lunatics who ended up bloody and mangled because they couldn't control their abilities."
"And I've seen those high-and-mighty Superhumans crush the bones of ordinary people inch by inch just for fun."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Kate, there's no right or wrong in abilities themselves; what's wrong is the person wielding them."
"You've suffered for so many years because you hurt your brother."
"This proves that you're more human than those perverts in spandex outside."
Kate stared blankly at Lu Chen.
For these ten years, everyone had told her to be careful, to control herself, to wear her gloves.
No one had ever told her that her pain was proof of her humanity.
Her breathing became rapid.
Tears welled up in her eyes but stubbornly refused to fall.
Lu Chen didn't speak again.
He slowly closed the distance between them.
Kate didn't back away.
Her gaze moved from Lu Chen's eyes slowly down to his lips, then darted back up in a panic.
Lu Chen raised his hand and touched her cheek.
Kate's body stiffened for a moment, but she didn't pull away.
He lowered his head and kissed her.
Kate's lips were somewhat cold and trembling.
She appeared extremely panicked, her hands grabbing Lu Chen's shoulders helplessly, as if she wanted to push him away.
But soon, the resistance turned into a clumsy response.
She closed her eyes, her fingers tightening on his shoulders.
Drowning herself in this sudden warmth.
Lu Chen's movements were gentle.
He tore open a crack in Kate's closed heart.
A corner of the space Shetty occupied was quietly nudged aside.
After a long while, they parted.
Kate shrank back, her cheeks flushed bright red.
She was like a startled deer, her eyes darting around, not daring to look at Lu Chen at all.
"I... that..."
She incoherently grabbed the book beside her, trying to hide her panic.
Lu Chen watched her quietly.
Kate's gaze inadvertently swept over Golden Boy at the bottom of the pit, and her face turned pale instantly.
The amorous atmosphere was shattered by reality.
"What about Golden Boy?"
Her voice took on that familiar fear again.
"He could wake up at any moment."
"Once he tells Professor Brink about what happened today, Vought Company's people will come for you immediately."
"They will take you away!"
Lu Chen looked at Golden Boy.
"I originally planned to take care of him myself."
He turned to look at Kate, his gaze direct.
"Kate, can you help me?"
Kate hurriedly hid her gloved hands behind her back.
"Help... how?"
"Use your ability." Lu Chen pointed at Golden Boy.
"Make him forget everything that happened today."
"Forget that he fought with me, forget my ability."
"Make him think he just accidentally tripped and knocked himself out during training."
Kate's breathing stalled.
"No... I can't!"
She shook her head desperately, her voice trembling.
"Dean Shetty said I shouldn't use my ability on classmates casually."
"What if I lose control?"
"What if I break his brain?"
"You won't lose control. I believe in you," Lu Chen said in a steady tone.
"You don't understand!" Kate was so anxious that tears were about to fall. "I even managed to hurt my own brother; I can't control it at all!"
"Forget it then."
Lu Chen stood up and brushed the dust off his pants.
"I'll do it myself."
He turned and walked toward the bottom of the pit.
His right arm was quickly covered in a layer of cold metallic sheen, his fingers pressed together.
Aiming directly at Golden Boy's throat.
"Wait!"
Kate stood up.
Lu Chen stopped and didn't turn back.
He was gambling.
Gambling on how much weight that heart-to-heart and that kiss held in Kate's heart.
The breathing behind him became heavy and rapid.
That was a sign of extreme struggle.
A full minute passed.
A faint sound of leather rubbing together echoed in the silent gymnasium.
Lu Chen turned around.
Kate stood where she was.
The glove on her right hand had been taken off and thrown to her feet.
Her pale hand trembled slightly, and she looked at Lu Chen with red-rimmed eyes.
"I'll do it."
Her voice carried a sense of desperate determination.
Lu Chen walked over to Golden Boy and turned him onto his back.
Kate slowly squatted down.
Her ungloved hand hovered for a moment before pressing onto Golden Boy's forehead.
"Look at me, Golden Boy."
Kate's voice became deep and ethereal, carrying an irresistible magic.
Golden Boy's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, his pupils unfocused and blank.
"You have not been to the South Campus today."
"You have not met Lu Chen."
"You were practicing thermonuclear control in the training room, accidentally triggered an explosion, and knocked yourself out."
"That is the whole truth."
Golden Boy's eyelids blinked heavily.
Then they closed again, and he began to snore steadily.
Kate withdrew her hand as if electrocuted, fell to the ground, and gasped for air.
Her forehead was covered in cold sweat.
Those few seconds had drained all her strength.
She turned her head and looked at Lu Chen.
In those eyes were fear and panic, but more than that, an indescribable sense of dependence.
For him, she had broken a ten-year taboo.
Lu Chen walked over and crouched in front of Kate.
He picked up the glove from the ground and gently helped her put it back on.
"Well done," Lu Chen said softly.
Kate looked at him, and tears finally slid down her eyes.
She didn't know if she had done the right thing.
She only knew that she didn't want the person in front of her to be taken away by Vought Company.
Lu Chen reached out and wiped away her tears.
The corners of his mouth curled into an extremely slight arc.
"Now, we are accomplices."
Chapter 31: Popclaw
Hearing the word "accomplice," Kate's body swayed slightly.
She looked down at her hands, which she had put her gloves back on.
This was the first time she had actively gone against Shetty's will. She looked up, the moisture in her eyes not yet dry.
"Well then, see you tomorrow," she said softly, but pronouncing each word with heavy emphasis: "Mr. Accomplice."
She turned and walked toward the side door of the gymnasium. Her steps were stiff at first, but then she walked faster and faster, as if escaping, yet also eagerly embracing a new life.
Lu Chen stood in place, watching her figure disappear.
He turned around and looked at Golden Boy at the bottom of the crater. The kid was still snoring, frowning, his subconscious still digesting the implanted false memories. Lu Chen walked to the bottom of the crater and squatted next to Golden Boy, pressing his right hand against Golden Boy's temple.
Kate's ability was overbearing, but he never bet all his chips on others.
Mind Control LV3, activate. Mental energy pierced through his fingertips into Golden Boy's cerebral cortex.
"Sleep, big star. Sleep a little deeper."
"You're exhausted today. A mistake in your Thermonuclear Manipulation gave you a concussion, and you need to rest." This was not erasing memories.
It was just adding another lock on top of Kate's suggestion, ensuring this guy absolutely wouldn't wake up before sunrise. Now, the real main event of today was here.
A virtual panel expanded on his retina.
[Target: Golden Boy (Golden Boy)]
[Copyable Ability 1: Super Physique (LV4) — Enhances physical strength, recovery, and strike resistance.]
[Copyable Ability 2: Thermonuclear Manipulation (LV4) — Manipulates and releases ultra-high temperature flames, causing localized explosions, grants immunity to fire damage, and enables Thermonuclear Flight.]
Lu Chen looked at these two options. The LV4 Super Physique was very tempting. With it, he could basically be immune to most conventional thermal weapons. But it wasn't enough.
Being under Vought's nose, he would face Superhumanscapable of tearing people to shreds in the future.
Meeting a monster like Homelander, having only a physique would merely change being "blown away in one punch" to "blown away in two punches." What he lacked most right now was explosive power for effective damage.
"Choose to Copy 'Thermonuclear Manipulation'."
[Copying: Thermonuclear Manipulation (LV4).]
[Estimated fusion time: 6 hours.]
Six hours. Lu Chen glanced at his watch. There was plenty of time. After dragging Golden Boy to a hidden corner at the very top of the stands, he sat down, closed his eyes, and began to wait for the furnace that was about to erupt inside his body.
Meanwhile.
Brooklyn, New York.
A van was parked in the shadows across the street. The interior of the van was filled with the smell of cheap coffee, leftover pizza, and the sweat of someone who hadn't showered in days.
"I fucking knew something was wrong with this bitch." Butcher bit on an unlit cigarette, staring intently at the surveillance screen in front of him.
On the screen was the inside of Popclaw's apartment.
"This doesn't make sense." Mother's Milk frowned, holding a notepad. "Popclaw is A-Train's girlfriend. A-Train's state has also been very unstable lately. If Compound V is circulating among these A-list Superhumans, there's no way Vought's high-ups don't know about it."
"Of course they know! They're the heads of the drug cartel!" Butcher slammed the console, turning to Frenchie. "Frenchie, turn up the volume. I want to see what this bitch wants to do after she gets high."
Frenchie shrugged and turned a knob. "As you wish, Officer."
On the screen, Popclaw was in a state of extreme excitement. She paced back and forth in the living room, her hands occasionally popping out her signature bone claws, waving them in the air. Her pupils were dilated, her breathing was rapid, and her skin even had an abnormal flush.
The doorbell rang.
Popclaw stopped abruptly, retracted her bone claws, and walked quickly to the door to open it.
Standing outside was her landlord, a pot-bellied, balding middle-aged man.
"Look, Miss Pop, your rent for this month is already overdue..."
Before the landlord could finish, Popclaw grabbed his tie and dragged him roughly into the room.
Noticing the landlord drooling over her old "superhero art photos" on the wall, this once-glorious Superhuman let out a seductive smile.
"Oh, my God," Hughie covered his eyes in the van. "I don't want to watch this. What is she trying to do?"
"Shut up, Hughie. Watch closely." Butcher stared at the screen, a smirk playing in his eyes.
In the room, Popclaw pushed the landlord onto the sofa. The immense energy brought by Compound V was rampaging through her veins, and she needed an outlet. She straddled the landlord's lap, her eyes dazed and frantic.
"Do you want to play something exciting, Mr. Landlord?" Popclaw giggled, reaching out to tear open the landlord's shirt.
The landlord was clearly dazed by this sudden windfall of romance, but the urge in his lower body instantly defeated his reason. "O-Of course. How do you want to play?"
"I'll be the Police, and you'll be the criminal," Popclawleaned down, panting in the landlord's ear.
In the van.
"That is so fucking disgusting." Mother's Milk grimaced in disgust.
"I think it's quite creative, actually." Frenchie rubbed his chin.
The situation on the screen began to spiral out of control.
Popclaw's movements grew more violent, her strength completely losing control under the catalyst of Compound V.
"Wait... Miss Pop... you're hurting me..." The landlord's face began to turn purple.
"Don't stop! Don't stop!" Popclaw closed her eyes, her face contorted with extreme pleasure.
Crack—Splat!
It was like a ripe watermelon being instantly crushed by a hydraulic press.
The landlord's head exploded directly under Popclaw's thighs. A mixture of red and white fluids, along with bone fragments, sprayed radially onto Popclaw's face, chest, and the wall behind her.
The headless corpse twitched twice and slumped limply onto the sofa.
Popclaw opened her eyes, staring blankly at her lower body covered in brain matter, then at the headless corpse beneath her.
"Ahhh—!!!"
The piercing shriek traveled through the listening device into the van, hurting everyone's eardrums.
On the screen, the scene that was filled with absurdity and madness just a moment ago had now frozen into a bloody tragedy.
"Fuck..." Frenchie gasped. "I take back what I just said. This isn't just bad taste anymore, this is a straight-up slaughterhouse."
"See, I told you what kind of trash these 'Superhumans' are."
Butcher stared coldly at the screen. Not only was there no fear on his face, but excitement also emerged. He slowly spat out the gum in his mouth, turned to Frenchie in the back of the van, and asked, "Did you record this, Frenchie?"
"Recorded the whole thing, high-def and uncensored, my friend." Frenchie wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "This is enough to send her to prison for life, or... make her do exactly what we say."
Butcher stood up, straightened his black trench coat, a fierce gleam flashing in his eyes like a hound locking onto its prey.
"Excellent." Butcher grinned, revealing his pearly white teeth. "Our leverage is secured. Now, it's time to have a chat with this 'big star' about A-Train's secrets."
Chapter 32: System Charging Begins
The Deep had been scouring the bottom of the Hudson River for three whole days and nights.
Seventy-two hours, over two hundred kilometers of foul-smelling river. Every inch of sludge, mixed with industrial wastewater and unknown excrement, had been turned over by him. It wasn't until a passing dolphin told him that a strange metal box was buried in the sludge under a bridge pier that he got so excited he rushed over and gave the dolphin a couple of hard bites.
By the time the box was salvaged, it was already the evening of the fourth day.
Vought Tower, 91st floor.
Upon learning that The Deep had found the box, Homelander intercepted it immediately. He carried the heavy box, walking straight toward Madelyn Stillwell's office with a light step, a hint of secret excitement on his lips, like a child who had finally found the perfect excuse to prove to his mother that he had grown up.
"Bang."
Homelander closed the office door behind him, the relaxed expression on his face instantly vanishing, replaced by a layer of gloomy frost. He strode to the desk and slammed the greyish-white metal box onto the surface.
Madelyn Stillwell was buried in a pile of public relations documents and was startled by the sudden loud noise. She looked up, habitually assuming her capable and maternally tolerant posture: "Homelander, what happened?"
"The Deep found something at the bottom of the harbor." Homelander placed his hands on the desk, staring down at her, his lowered voice filled with a chilling coldness.
He tilted his chin slightly, gesturing toward the box.
Madelyn Stillwell frowned slightly, looking at the water-stained metal box with confusion: "What is this?"
Homelander did not answer, instead slowly reaching out, his long fingers gripping the edge of the lid. With a "click," he flipped it open.
"It's Translucent." Homelander's tone suppressed a rage about to erupt, "Or rather, the few 'parts' left of him."
Madelyn Stillwell instinctively leaned in for a look. At just one glance, she gasped, her composed face instantly turning deathly pale. Her body stiffened on the leather chair, her stomach churning.
"My god... is that?!"
"That's right." Homelander interrupted her, a cold sneer tugging at the corners of his mouth, "Take another look at the material of this box, Madelyn Stillwell."
Madelyn Stillwell stared fixedly at the greyish-white box, her throat bobbing with difficulty: "This is... zinc."
"My X-ray vision cannot see through zinc." Homelander's gaze became extremely sharp. He locked onto Madelyn Stillwell's evasive eyes, emphasizing his tone word by word, "The person who killed him knew this very well."
He grabbed the lid, flipped it over, and thrust it in front of Madelyn Stillwell's face.
On the inside of the lid, there was a line of arrogant, blood-red writing: "COMING FOR YOU."
Madelyn Stillwell's pupils contracted sharply. She forced herself to stay calm, attempting to use her usual rhetoric to soothe this Beast about to lose control: "Whoever did this... they are provoking Vought, provoking you."
"They didn't just kill a Superhumans." Homelander's voice turned sinister, but the anger was merely his superficial camouflage. In those azure eyes flickered a desire for power and a yearning to perform before Madelyn Stillwell, "They killed a member of 'The Seven'. Madelyn Stillwell, this is aimed at me."
"We need to seal off the news immediately!" Madelyn Stillwell stood up urgently, trying to control the situation, "If the public knows that one of The Seven has died, the stock price will plummet. The Security Department and the Public Relations Department must intervene immediately..."
"No."
Homelander surged forward, his tall frame completely blocking the light before Madelyn Stillwell. He coldly and decisively cut off Madelyn Stillwell's arrangements.
"They are not declaring war on Vought; they are declaring war on me." The muscles on Homelander's face twitched slightly, revealing a chilling smile, "I will take over this matter. I will use all of Vought's resources, all the surveillance, all the intelligence networks. I will personally find out who did this, and then I will rip their intestines out."
Looking at the man before her who had completely ignored company management procedures, Madelyn Stillwell's lips trembled. She suddenly realized that this "perfect product," whom she had always kept leashed with maternal radiance, was now using this corpse to tear off the collar for the first time, reaching out for the true core power of Vought Corporation.
But in the face of this situation, she had no choice but to swallow hard and nod in compromise.
...
Meanwhile, Lu Chen, still lying in the gymnasium, was jolted awake by a near-violent burning sensation within his body.
An extreme, shivering heat. This wave of heat originated from the very center of his chest, spreading wildly through his limbs and bones like bursting magma.
He could feel his bones heating up, his blood vessels expanding and throbbing, every cell in his body screaming in excitement, unable to wait to release that energy.
He suddenly opened his eyes, a flicker of dark red light flashing deep within his pupils.
Golden Boy was still lying in his original spot, his snoring steady and long. Six whole hours had passed, and this pride of Godolkin University hadn't even changed his sleeping position.
A virtual panel popped up on Lu Chen's retina.
[Thermonuclear Manipulation (LV4) Copy complete. Ability permanently solidified.]
[Thermonuclear Manipulation (LV4) — Control and release ultra-high temperature Fire, trigger local explosions, immune to Fire damage, Thermonuclear Flight.]
Lu Chen took a deep breath, slowly sat up, and looked down to examine his hands.
It was completely different.
This feeling was fundamentally different from Starlight's "Light Manipulation." Annie January's ability was, in the end, just a "transfer station," borrowing external light and electrical energy, letting it pass through her body before firing it out. Once the power was cut or the lights went out, her superpower couldn't even light up a light bulb.
But "Thermonuclear Manipulation" was not.
Lu Chen could clearly feel that there was something extra inside him.
It was like an energy core that was undergoing continuous nuclear fusion.
His body itself was an inexhaustible fuel depot.
Lu Chen slowly extended his right hand, just a slight movement of his mind.
"Whoosh—"
A cluster of Fire instantly rose from his fingertips.
He flipped his palm, like a conductor waving a baton. The Fire obeyed his will, changing its form—compressed to the extreme into a speck of light the size of a match head, then suddenly stretched into a Fire whip, and finally perfectly reorganized.
Massive heat radiated from his palm. Two meters in front of him, the edge of a thick engineering plastic seat on the bleachers, without even time to smoke, silently softened, bent, and finally dripped a string of viscous, scalding plastic droplets.
Lu Chen calmly withdrew his hand, snuffing out the last bit of deadly Fire on his fingertips.
Release ultra-high temperature Fire, trigger local explosions, almost immune to Fire and high-temperature damage.
And—Flight.
Thermonuclear Flight. Relying on the high-pressure energy ejected from the core within his body to forcibly propel his body into the air. This was completely different from the way Homelander defied the laws of physics to hover; it was closer to a lit human missile. Brutal, direct, but absolutely deadly and effective.
Just as Lu Chen was silently digesting this new sense of powerful strength, another notification suddenly popped up on the system panel that made his heart skip a beat.
[System charging...]
[Current charging progress: 0.5%]
[Charging source: Host's internal thermonuclear energy]
Lu Chen's movements froze abruptly.
System charging?
His brain raced. When was the last time he saw system charging? It was on his eighteenth birthday, the moment his past-life memories awakened and the system was activated. Since then, the charging bar hadn't budged.
Why did it restart charging today of all days?
Lu Chen stared fixedly at those words, a long-buried doubt finally clearing up.
The first activation was due to the massive energy contained within the Compound V in his body,
and now, the only reason the system had started a second, long round of charging was that a thermonuclear core had been born inside him. A super engine that could provide an endless supply of energy.
It seemed it could only absorb the source energy that he could autonomously produce within his body. The system couldn't absorb the "passing electricity" that Starlight borrowed from outlets;
"So after all that, I've become an exclusive power bank." Lu Chen looked at the slowly increasing charging number, "And a picky power bank that only recognizes its own power plant."
Although the 100% progress seemed like a long way off, as long as the charging was complete—trans-world travel!
That was his path forward!
Lu Chen turned his head and glanced at Golden Boy, who was still asleep. The guy smacked his lips, muttered an incoherent dream-talk, rolled over, and continued to snore.
Oh, Golden Boy.
You really are my lucky star. You not only gave me a top-tier LV4 combat ability for free, but you also inadvertently helped me ignite the engine for the system's charging.
Lu Chen stood up and casually stretched his wrists and neck. It was still dark, and outside the window was a deep blue, oppressive sky. He had to get Golden Boy to an empty training room before he woke up.
But before that, he needed to find some clothes.