Chapter 18: Homelander
"Time is dragging on too long." Lu Chen looked out the window, the factory getting smaller in the rearview mirror. "Translucent has been off the grid for over 24 hours. Even though Vought Tower's tracking isn't precise, their crime analysis department will definitely narrow down the search area. We need to leave this zone within ten minutes."
Butcher gripped the steering wheel, glancing at Lu Chen in the rearview mirror. "You sure seem clear on their procedures."
"University taught it," Lu Chen said. "Crisis Management 101. If an active hero goes missing for over 24 hours, the tracking chip enters emergency mode. Over 48 hours, it gets reported directly to management."
Hughie, sitting in the passenger seat, looked terrified upon hearing this. "Is it still in time for us to leave now?"
"Maybe," Lu Chen said. "As long as we aren't seen by him directly."
Butcher jerked the steering wheel, and the small car turned into a narrow alley. Lu Chen looked up, gazing at the sky through the car window.
The clouds were thick, but beneath them, a Shadow was moving. That Shadow was circling within a ten-block radius, centered on where Translucent's signal had last disappeared, like an eagle hunting for carrion.
Lu Chen narrowed his eyes. His LV3 Super Physique had enhanced his vision; while it didn't reach the level of super-vision, his dynamic tracking in the dark was far superior to that of an ordinary person. He clearly made out the silhouette of the Shadow. A red cape, blue uniform, the star on his chest flashing occasionally in the moonlight.
"He's here," Lu Chen said.
Butcher slammed on the brakes. The car slid half a meter in the alley and stopped behind a pile of discarded tires.
"Who?" Hughie asked.
"Homelander," Lu Chen said. "He's at least twenty minutes faster than we anticipated."
Butcher killed the engine, rolled down the window, and listened. Faint sirens could be heard in the distance, but they were still several blocks away. He looked up at the sky but saw nothing.
"How do you know?" Butcher asked.
"Look above," Lu Chen pointed at the clouds. "He's circling. He has super hearing. Maybe he heard the explosion."
Frenchie's expression changed. He looked toward the factory, then at Lu Chen.
"The sound of C4 was so small, through the walls—"
"Not small to him," Lu Chen interrupted. "His hearing can pick up sounds from three miles away."
The car went quiet. Hughie's breathing became very light, as if afraid of startling something. Frenchie turned his head from the passenger seat.
"So what do we do now?" Frenchie asked. "There are still body parts in the factory. Tinfoil can block the signal, but he can see through it."
Butcher pulled a shotgun from under the seat and checked the chamber. "I'm going back. Get rid of the body. You guys drive away."
"Too late," Lu Chen said. "It takes three minutes to get back to the factory from here, and five minutes to clean up. It only takes him thirty seconds to fly over."
"Then what the hell do we do?" Butcher's voice rose. "Just sit in the car and wait? Wait for him to find that pile of minced meat, and then follow the meat to find us?"
Lu Chen watched the Shadow in the sky. The Shadow lowered its altitude and hovered above the block where the factory was located. Moonlight shone on him, and the red cape fluttered slightly.
Lu Chen tapped his fingers on his knee. He spoke: "Frenchie, how much explosives do you have left?"
"Just that bit of C4 from earlier, it's gone," Frenchie said. "The rest is with my girlfriend. I'll contact her now, should be ready in five minutes."
"Five minutes is too long," Butcher said.
"That's why someone needs to stall him," Lu Chen said.
Butcher turned his head and looked Lu Chen straight in the eye. "Stall Homelander?" Butcher repeated, as if confirming he hadn't misheard. "You? With what? Your fists?"
"With this," Lu Chen pointed to his mouth, "and my brain."
Butcher stared at Lu Chen for five seconds. Then he laughed. "I respect you a bit now, kid," Butcher said, "even though I think you're walking to your death."
"I won't die," Lu Chen pushed the car door open, "but I need you guys to be fast. Frenchie, go prepare your explosives, detonate them somewhere far away to attract his attention."
"What about you?" Hughie asked.
"I'm going to have a friendly meet-and-greet with him," Lu Chen said.
"Hughie, looks like you need to come with me to handle the body, otherwise you'll see your Superhumansbodyguard on the Vought Tower news tomorrow," Butcherbeckoned to Hughie.
Lu Chen got out, closed the car door, and patted his pockets; there was only a phone and a folding knife bought from a convenience store. The knife was useless against Homelander, but the phone was useful.
Lu Chen turned and walked toward Homelander's direction. The car made a U-turn in the alley and rushed back to the factory.
He walked to the end of the block where the factory was and stopped under a lit streetlamp. He pulled his phone from his pocket, opened the front-facing camera, and checked his face. There was a bruise on his temple, left from the fight with Translucent earlier. Good. This made him look like a victim, or a witness.
He took a deep breath and looked up.
Homelander hovered fifty meters in the air, his red cape flapping in the night wind. He looked down at the ground, his ears twitching slightly, as if catching every subtle sound.
Lu Chen ran quickly to the vicinity, raised his right hand, and waved at him.
"Hey! The superhero up there! Sir! Help me out!"
Homelander's head turned. His gaze fell on Lu Chen, and Lu Chen felt an invisible pressure descending from the sky. Homelander descended slowly with his hands behind his back.
"Who are you?"
"Oh my god, Homelander, please forgive me for not recognizing you just now. You know, you were flying too high and I couldn't see clearly. My name is Lu Chen." Lu Chen panted, as if he had just finished running, "Sir, I was jogging nearby just now and heard a dull thud over there." He pointed in the direction of the factory, "It sounded like an explosion, or something collapsing. I was just about to go check it out when a few people rushed out in a gray Honda and almost hit me. They... they even snatched my backpack on their way."
Homelander's eyes narrowed. His super hearing was working; he was scanning Lu Chen's heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure.
"How many people?" Homelander asked.
"Three, or four," Lu Chen's voice trembled with lingering fear, "It was too dark, I couldn't see clearly. One was very tall, and another was very thin, a Black man, carrying a toolbox or something."
Homelander didn't respond immediately. His head turned toward the factory, and his ears moved again. He was listening. Listening to the sounds in the factory, the flow of water in the sewers, the footsteps of a mouse running across the floor.
Lu Chen's heartbeat stayed at 130 beats per minute. For a jogger who had just been robbed, this heart rate was very normal. This was the second skill he learned at the orphanage: when lying, fool yourself first.
"Where did they go?" Homelander asked, turning his head back.
"Seems like the nearby docks," Lu Chen said. "I saw them turn onto Highway 278 and head west. Sir, are they Terrorists? My student ID and wallet were in my bag."
"Why did you call me?" Homelander interrupted, a hint of scrutiny in his voice. "You should have called the police. Or the Vought Tower hotline."
"I tried!" Lu Chen pulled out his phone, unlocked the screen to show the dial interface, where there were indeed several missed calls to the police, "The hotline was busy, and 911 was on hold. Then I saw you flying in the sky... I thought a superhero could help me. When I realized it was Homelander, I was thrilled. After all, you are the pride of the United States, the strongest superhero."
Homelander stared at him for two seconds. Lu Chen's gaze didn't dodge, carrying the kind of shine a young person has when seeing a savior, mixed with fear and anticipation.
Homelander nodded. The nod was slight, as if acknowledging Lu Chen's cooperation.
"Stay where you are," Homelander said. "If I find out you're lying..."
"I won't leave!" Lu Chen said hurriedly, "I can wait for you to come back and help me file a report or something. I... I just want my bag back."
Homelander's lips curled up slightly, revealing eight teeth, perfect like a toothpaste commercial.
"Very well," Homelander said. "Thank you for the tip, citizen. Vought will—"
Homelander's smile suddenly vanished.
Before the nodding motion had completely ended, the corners of his mouth dropped, his pupils contracted, and the whites of his eyes began to turn red.
"Your heartbeat is too stable," Homelander said.
The temperature of his voice plummeted, as if dropping directly from room temperature into an ice cave. He moved forward half a meter, less than a meter away from Lu Chen. That pressure felt like a physical wall, pushing Lu Chen backward.
"A jogger who just got robbed would indeed have a fast heartbeat, but it wouldn't stay this fast," Homelander said, the red in his eyes growing brighter. "You are controlling it. You are training yourself. You are not an ordinary student."
"Sir, I don't understand—"
"You don't need to understand," Homelander interrupted. His eyes had completely turned blood-red.
"When I sever your limbs and bring you back to Vought Tower for interrogation, everything will be clear. You will tell me who you are, who you work for, or what you did in that factory. You will cry and beg me to let you die."
Chapter 19: Actually, I'm a Streamer
"You will cry and beg me to let you die." In Homelander's eyes, the red light had already brightened to a blinding intensity.
The surrounding air began to distort from the high heat, and a smell of burning drifted into Lu Chen's nostrils.
Lu Chen did not retreat.
His LV5 Carbon Skin should be able to withstand Heat Vision, but he didn't intend to gamble on it.
Besides, this man-child's emotions were extremely unstable. If he made a move, even if he didn't die, he would expose his abilities.
Moreover, he could throw him directly into the stratosphere.
He had to interrupt his casting wind-up. His hand moved inside his pocket.
His movements were fast, but Homelander was faster.
Homelander's left hand shot out like lightning, grabbing Lu Chen's wrist, his five fingers tightening like five steel clamps.
Lu Chen felt his wrist bone groaning, nearly shattering.
But his phone had already been pulled out.
The screen was lit. However, the interface wasn't the dialing screen from before, but a live streaming interface.
The TikTok logo flashed in the top right corner, the red "LIVE" text was pulsing, and the comment section was scrolling.
Stream Title: "Night Run Encounter with a Big Star!"
Online viewers: 26.
This was the result of his efforts at Godolkin University. One of the most important metrics for student rankings at Godolkin was follower count; he hadn't expected the account he managed casually to have such a miraculous effect now.
Lu Chen used his other hand, or rather, the fingers of the hand that was being grabbed, to tap the screen.
The front camera flipped, aiming at Homelander's face.
"Guys! Look who I ran into!" Lu Chen's voice suddenly pitched up, carrying that exaggerated short-video blogger tone, as he shoved the phone camera directly between his own face and Homelander's.
"Night run encounter with a big star! Oh my god, it's really Homelander!"
TikTok stream, title: Night Run Encounter with a Big Star. The number in the top right corner jumped: 47.
These 47 people were Lu Chen's get-out-of-death-free card.
The red light in Homelander's eyes was extinguished instantly, as if doused by a bucket of ice water, disappearing without a trace.
The face that had been slightly distorted by rage saw its muscles rearrange at an incredible speed, switching in less than half a second to that flawless, signature smile printed on thousands of posters.
"Good evening, everyone." Homelander even waved at the camera, his voice as gentle as a late-night radio host, completely devoid of any killing intent.
"It's a pleasure to see such energetic young people out at this hour."
Lu Chen sneered inwardly.
Homelander's current public image and approval ratings were his life, the air he relied on to survive.
As long as one person was watching, he had to keep wearing that perfect human skin.
"Mr. Homelander, are you still patrolling so late? Oh my god, my hands are shaking!"
Lu Chen pulled the camera back a bit to ensure Homelander's whole body was in the frame, while deliberately making his voice sound shaky with excitement.
"Of course. Protecting the safety of citizens is my responsibility." Homelander said with a smile.
He took a step forward, reached out his right hand, and slapped Lu Chen's shoulder heavily.
Bang.
This seemingly friendly pat had an astonishing amount of force.
Lu Chen instantly activated his Carbon Skin, forming an indestructible molecular structure beneath his skin.
Even so, the immense impact left half his body numb, and the asphalt road beneath his feet even cracked slightly.
"However, there is an emergency mission here now." Homelander leaned close to Lu Chen's ear, his voice lowered so only the two of them could hear.
"You're smart, kid. But I will remember your face."
He straightened up and again flashed an eight-toothed smile at the camera: "Hurry home, young man. Stay safe on your night runs."
After speaking, he bent his legs slightly and shot into the sky with a bang.
His red cape left an afterimage in the night sky as he flew in the direction Lu Chen had previously bluffed about.
Lu Chen did not lower his phone.
He held up his phone, the camera pointed at the empty night sky, his face still maintaining that enthusiastic expression of a fanatical fan.
"Wow! Guys, did you see that? He flew away! So cool! This is the best birthday present of my life!"
The number of people in the stream rose to over eighty, and comments began to drift by sporadically.
"It really is Homelander!"
"Homie, Mommy loves you!"
"Still patrolling in the middle of the night, so dedicated."
"The streamer is so lucky, I want to be patted on the shoulder by Homelander too."
Lu Chen looked at the comments, his back already soaked with cold sweat.
He knew very well that Homelander might not have gone far.
That pervert had super vision and super hearing; perhaps he was hovering above the clouds right now, staring fixedly at him.
As long as he showed any flaw, or immediately turned off the stream and ran toward the factory, that red laser would instantly slice his head off.
He had to stall. When it came to patience, he had plenty.
He held his phone and began to walk slowly along the street, like a real night runner, chatting nonsense to the camera as he walked.
"I can't believe it, I was actually that close to him. Did you see the logo on his chest? It was glowing!"
Time passed second by second. One minute. Two minutes.
Lu Chen's attention was highly focused, catching any slight strange sound in the night sky.
No sound of wind breaking, no sound of a heartbeat, nothing at all.
Just as the stream reached the third minute.
Boom!
Three blocks away, a huge ball of fire suddenly erupted.
Orange-red flames shot into the sky, illuminating half the night sky.
Immediately following was a deafening explosion, and even the ground beneath Lu Chen's feet trembled.
Frenchie had succeeded. That guy probably detonated a small array of propane tanks.
This commotion was big enough; it would definitely attract Homelander's attention completely.
Lu Chen let out a long breath. Safe.
"Guys, something seems to have happened over there, an explosion! I have to get out of here, see you later!"
He cut off the stream cleanly and decisively.
Stuffing his phone back into his pocket, Lu Chen turned around and sprinted at full speed toward the previous factory under the cover of night.
Pushing open the ajar iron door of the factory, a thick smell of blood and some kind of pungent chemical agent rushed into his face.
Butcher and Hughie were busy in front of the workbench.
"Unbelievable, you're actually still alive?" Butcher didn't even look up, holding a huge plastic bucket in his hand, pouring something into a stainless steel vat.
"Almost died." Lu Chen walked over and took a look at the stainless steel vat.
Butcher and Hughie were standing in front of the workbench.
Where Translucent had originally been lying, there was now a large pool of viscous, yellowish-brown liquid emitting a pungent odor.
"The hydrofluoric acid mixture is indeed powerful, but this guy's skin is too tough."
Butcher spat, using a metal shovel to poke at the remaining skin fragments.
"Even the bones have dissolved, yet these few pieces of skin are still left."
Lu Chen stared at those fragments.
The LV5 Carbon Skin inside his body was heating up slightly, seeming to resonate in some strange way with those homologous substances.
"Then what do we do now?" Hughie stood in the back, his face deathly pale, his hands gripping his shirt tightly.
"If these things are discovered, we'll all have to sit in the electric chair. No, Homelander will tear us into pieces directly."
"Shut up, Hughie." Butcher interrupted him roughly.
He walked to the corner and dragged out a heavy gray metal box.
The surface of the box had a dull, matte gray finish and looked exceptionally heavy.
"Zinc box." Butcher kicked the box with his foot.
"Homelander's eyes can see through everything, except zinc. I specifically looked for this. Put all the skin and bone fragments that won't dissolve inside."
Lu Chen stood to the side watching.
His gaze landed on a pool of residue at the edge of the workbench.
Among those charred residues, there was an extremely tiny metal object.
It was a micro-tracking chip. The positioning device that Vought Company implanted under the skin of every member of The Seven.
It hadn't been destroyed by the strong acid.
This military-grade chip used an extremely expensive casing, and it was mixed in a pile of pitch-black residue, completely inconspicuous.
Butcher and Hughie clearly hadn't noticed it.
They were busy using shovels to load the remaining skin fragments and mucus into the zinc box.
Should he remind them?
No, maintaining the original plot's trajectory would allow him to keep control over the future, and besides, this wasn't what Lu Chen wanted.
What he needed was chaos.
If The Boys and Vought Company remained in this state of groping in the dark, when would he be able to collect enough Superhuman abilities?
Only by making both sides completely clash, and letting the conflict erupt fully, could he, the third hand hidden in the shadows, reap the greatest benefits from the chaos.
Vought Company must discover that Translucent is dead.
They must follow the signal from this chip to find this box, and then discover that this is a murder targeting The Seven.
"Lu, give me a hand." Butcher shouted without looking back.
"Lift this thing inside."
"Coming." Lu Chen replied.
He walked forward and used his rubber-gloved hands to help Butcher hold the edge of the zinc box.
Butcher used a welding torch to begin welding the lid of the zinc box.
Blinding sparks flashed in the dim factory.
The intense smell of melting metal masked the original acidic odor.
Hughie watched from the side, his body still trembling slightly.
"Can we really pull this off? I mean, this is a member of The Seven."
"He's just a box of trash now, Hughie." Butcher took off his protective mask, revealing a face filled with ruthlessness.
"And the final destination for trash is the ocean."
"Let's go, lift it into the car." Butcher patted the box.
The three of them worked together to lift the heavy zinc box into the trunk of the car.
The car started and drove back into the dark streets.
Chapter 20: This Is Reality
The trunk of the Honda made a dull metallic clanking sound. Butcher patted the trunk lid, "Alright, this piece of trash belongs where it's going."
Lu Chen glanced at his phone. "I'll get going then. I have a Macroeconomics class at eight tomorrow morning."
Butcher's hand, which was pulling open the car door, froze. He turned his head and stared at Lu Chen as if he were an alien. "You just helped us kill a superhero, and now you're telling me you have to go to class?"
"Life goes on, Butcher." Lu Chen shoved his hands into his pockets. "Besides, I'm on a full scholarship, and missing class will cost me credits."
Hughie swallowed hard in the passenger seat. "Lu, are you really... just going back like that? Aren't you afraid that Homelander will suddenly show up and burn you to a crisp?"
"He should still be at the docks looking for that non-existent Honda." Lu Chen said, "Have fun disposing of the body."
Butcher grunted, biting down on an unlit cigarette. "Whatever you say, kid. Keep your phone on; we might still need that mouth of yours that can fool Homelander."
The car started, and its taillights disappeared into the night.
Lu Chen stood where he was, watching the taillights melt completely into the Brooklyn traffic. He knew Butcher still didn't trust him, but that didn't matter. The tracking chip left in the box was his true masterpiece tonight. Vought would soon follow the signal to find it. As long as they found the remains of Translucent, the war would officially begin.
The muddier the water, the easier it is to catch fish.
Lu Chen shoved his hands into his pockets and walked toward the subway station. In the Brooklyn night, the air was a mix of the stench of urine and the smell of stale, overnight burgers. His Level 1 Super Senses made him exceptionally sharp; he could hear a homeless person turning over from half a block away.
"Let go of me! Help!"
A sharp female voice suddenly entered Lu Chen's ears.
The sound came from a dead-end alley to his front left. It was about fifty meters away.
Lu Chen had just stopped when he heard another sound: an extremely faint, high-frequency electrical noise, like the buzzing of an old CRT television turning on.
Lu Chen turned into a dark fire alley, moving forward under the cover of the wall's shadows. At the end of the alley, three thugs in leather jackets were cornering a young girl. The girl's dress was torn, her hands were clutching her chest tightly, and her face was covered in tears.
But what caught Lu Chen's attention wasn't them, but the figure standing at the entrance of the alley.
Someone wearing a hoodie, looking like a female college student who had just finished class—Starlight.
Why is she here?
Lu Chen leaned against the brick wall, not in a rush to go out.
"Let her go." Starlight's voice echoed in the alley, carrying the suppressed rage of an entire day.
"Get lost, bitch. If you want to play superhero games, go to a comic con." One of the thugs turned back and cursed, pulling a switchblade from his waist; the blade glinted coldly in the moonlight.
Starlight didn't waste any more words. She raised her hands directly.
"Hum—"
The two streetlights on the alley walls flickered instantly, and a blindingly intense light erupted; the three thugs screamed, covering their eyes.
Starlight rushed forward and punched the thug with the knife in the chin. The sound of cracking bone was crisp and clear. The thug flew out like a broken sack, hitting a trash can and lying still. The remaining two hadn't even reacted before she kicked them both to the ground, where they wailed while clutching their stomachs.
Clean and efficient.
Lu Chen stood in the shadows, watching this scene.
He remembered. Starlight saved someone in this alley, but what she didn't know was that someone nearby had recorded a video. The video was edited and uploaded online, titled "New Vought Hero Beats Innocent Citizen in Street."
Cyberbullying followed. Vought's PR department scolded her relentlessly. And when Starlight, full of hope, went to find the girl she had saved, hoping she would testify and clarify things, the girl refused on the spot out of fear of retaliation from the thugs, even pretending not to know her at all.
Should I help her smash that phone?
Lu Chen calculated in his mind. He dismissed the idea.
Better not.
Annie January was still a good girl dreaming of being a superhero. Even if he had given her a hint at the entrance of Vought Tower, that only made her wary of The Deep. Deep down, she still believed in the whole superhero thing, believing that Vought was a good place that punished the wicked and rewarded the good.
Only this kind of shitty situation, being betrayed by the person she saved and being cyberbullied by the public, could completely wear away her shell of innocence. It was better for her to suffer a loss. It would help her see reality more clearly.
Lu Chen shoved his hands into his pockets, preparing to leave quietly.
"Are you okay?" In the alley, Starlight helped the girl up. "Hurry home, and don't walk down dark paths like this anymore."
The girl mumbled a few thanks, then scrambled away toward the exit of the alley. She was running too fast and bumped straight into a trash can at the alley entrance. The trash can tipped over, and a few empty wine bottles rolled out, clattering against the brick wall at Lu Chen's feet.
A crisp sound of breaking glass.
Lu Chen's footsteps stopped.
Starlight turned her head sharply, her palms lighting up with a blinding glare again, illuminating the corner where Lu Chen stood.
"Who's there? Come out!" Starlight shouted sternly.
The light was too bright; Lu Chen tilted his head slightly and raised a hand to block his eyes.
Can't hide anymore.
He decided to just walk out of the shadows openly. "Relax, I'm just passing by. I heard a commotion and came over to see."
The light in Starlight's palms dimmed. She stared at Lu Chen's face for a few seconds, then suddenly froze.
"It's you?"
"It's me." Lu Chen lowered his hand and shrugged. "The old fan who asked for your autograph at the entrance of Vought Tower. What a coincidence, do superheroes also need to grab a late-night snack in Brooklyn?"
Starlight took a deep breath, and the light in her palms extinguished completely. Her tense shoulders relaxed, and she walked quickly to Lu Chen.
Without the glare, Lu Chen could see her face clearly in the streetlights. She wasn't wearing makeup, her eyes were a bit red, and she looked like she had just cried, or was still in the aftermath of some extremely heightened emotional state.
"The things you said to me earlier..." Starlight began, her voice a bit raspy. "Who exactly are you? How did you know about The Deep?"
"Didn't I tell you? I'm your die-hard fan. To follow you, I've scoured all kinds of Vought trivia and internal forums." Lu Chen lied casually. "What, did that idiot with gills bother you?"
Starlight bit her lip. She seemed to be hesitating about whether to tell these things to a "fan" she had only met twice. But she had experienced too much today, and the feeling of being isolated and disgusted desperately needed an outlet.
"He wanted to force me to give him..." Starlight's voice carried a suppressed tremor, and she stared intensely at Lu Chen. "Right there in The Seven's conference room. He said if I didn't do it, he would kick me off the team."
Lu Chen whistled internally. The inertia of the plot was truly powerful; that idiot really couldn't keep his pants on.
"So, did you do it?" Lu Chen asked deliberately.
"Fuck that!" Starlight suddenly cursed, the swear word sounding strongly incongruous coming from her. "I was standing there, watching him get ready to take off his pants. Can you imagine? The pride of the United States, the Lord of The Seven Seas, standing in front of me like a horny baboon."
She paused, her chest heaving violently. "I remembered the image you showed me, and your words. I made an excuse to go to the restroom and went straight to Queen Maeve."
"And then?"
"Queen Maeve didn't want to get involved at first. She told me to just endure it, saying that was the rule." Starlight sneered, her eyes showing a fierce determination. "But I told her if she didn't do anything, I would start a live stream and leak this whole thing online. Worst case scenario, we all go down together."
"Queen Maeve compromised. She went back to the conference room with me." Starlight spoke faster and faster. "You really should have seen The Deep's expression at that moment; he looked like a dead fish thrown onto dry land. Queen Maeve warned him to stay away from me, and I also told him that if he dared to come near me one more step, I would send his dirty secrets to the New York Times."
Lu Chen smiled. This was unexpected.
He hadn't expected that his single reminder during the day, combined with the image of mental suggestion, would directly trigger her resistance mechanism.
The ruthlessness in this woman's bones had been forced out ahead of time.
"Well done." Lu Chen nodded appreciatively. "To deal with that kind of person, you have to be a bigger asshole than him. As long as you hold his leverage, he can only be your dog."
Starlight looked at Lu Chen, her eyes filled with an indescribable, complex emotion. There was gratitude, curiosity, and a hint of wariness.
"You did me a huge favor." Starlight said. "If it weren't for your reminder, I might have really... I don't know. I might have broken down. My dream since I was a child was to join The Seven. I thought this place was heaven, but it turns out it's a sewer filled with perverts."
"Welcome to the real World, Annie." Lu Chen called her by her real name.
Chapter 21: Light Manipulation
Starlight froze for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. She looked down at a broken brick in front of her toes. "The real World is fucking bullshit."
"It has always been this way." Lu Chen put his hands in his pockets. "Do you need me to call you a car?"
"No." Starlight looked up at him with red eyes. "Are you underage?"
"I just turned eighteen not long ago."
"Alright then." Starlight took a deep breath. "Keep me company for a drink. My treat."
The two found a 24-hour bar on the street corner with its neon lights still on.
Pushing the door open, there were only a few drunks snoring on the bar counter inside, and the air was filled with the sour stench of cheap beer and aged cigarette oil. The bartender was a bearded man who didn't even look up, simply pushing a few bottles of Budweiser and whiskey toward them.
Starlight grabbed a bottle, didn't even use a glass, and tilted her head back to gulp down half of it.
Lu Chen didn't rush to drink. He leaned against the leather sofa of the booth, watching the girl opposite him. She didn't look like the shining superhero in the spotlight at all right now; she looked more like an unlucky college student who had just been dumped by her boyfriend.
"Do you know what the most ridiculous part is?" Starlight slammed the bottle onto the table. "I thought I beat The Deep, and I thought I had held my ground. But then the PR department called me for a meeting this afternoon."
She opened another bottle, her voice filled with heavy self-mockery.
"They designed a new uniform for me." Starlight gestured in front of her chest, indicating an exaggeratedly low neckline. "Right here, cut down to my stomach. And underneath, shorts that don't even cover the tops of my thighs. They call this 'female empowerment' and say that today's audience loves to see this. Madelyn Stillwell didn't even want to hear my explanation."
"That is very much her style." Lu Chen took a sip of beer; it tasted as bland as Water.
"How do you even know Madelyn?" Starlight's eyes widened.
"I'm a hardcore fan, remember?" Lu Chen lied without changing his expression. "Vought is essentially a pharmaceutical company and capital conglomerate wearing the guise of entertainment. You aren't heroes; you are products. Products don't need self-esteem; they only need selling points. What you wear depends on market research data, not your own will."
This statement was harsh, but surprisingly, Starlight did not refute it.
She took another large gulp of alcohol, her eyes reddening further. "I've been involved in beauty pageants in Des Moines since I was a child. My mom spent all the family's money to get me into The Seven. I practiced smiling every day, practiced how to appear pious and approachable in front of the camera. I thought that as long as I got into The Seven, I could truly save people."
Starlight slumped over on the table, her voice gradually fading. "What on earth am I even doing this for..."
Lu Chen looked at her. "In this World, having the ability itself is a form of luck. As for how you use it, that is your own business."
Starlight did not answer. She was already drunk.
Although a superhero's physique is stronger than an ordinary person's, after a whole day of extreme mental tension, alcohol could still numb her nerves.
Lu Chen sighed.
He stood up, walked over to Starlight, and patted her shoulder. "Annie, wake up. It's time for us to go."
Starlight mumbled, her head lolling to one side, completely passed out.
Lu Chen paid the tab, draped one of Starlight's arms over his shoulder, and half-carried, half-supported her out of the bar.
His LV1 Super Senses allowed him to clearly feel the warmth from Starlight, as well as her steady breathing. Honestly, this woman had a great figure; even wearing a loose hoodie, one could feel the firmness that came from years of training.
But Lu Chen only had one thing on his mind right now: the progress bar.
Supporting Starlight, he found a motel in the next block that didn't require checking IDs.
The sleepy Indian uncle at the front desk glanced at them, asked nothing, and tossed over a key. "Second floor, 204. Checkout is at noon tomorrow."
Pushing open the door to 204, a musty smell rushed out to meet them.
Lu Chen tossed Starlight onto the double bed, whose springs were already somewhat deformed. Starlight rolled over, pulled the quilt to wrap herself into a ball, and mumbled an indistinct curse at Vought.
Lu Chen didn't take off his coat; he pulled over a worn-out chair and sat by the bed.
Then, he reached out and grasped the wrist Starlight had left exposed outside the quilt.
The moment their skin touched, that familiar translucent panel popped up in the corner of his vision.
[Copyable Ability Target Detected]
[Target: Annie January (Starlight)]
[Ability Assessment: Light Manipulation LV4 (Flight Ability Undeveloped)]
[Time Required to Copy: 6 hours]
[Current Progress: 0.01%]
Lu Chen's breathing paused for a brief moment.
LV4.
This was the second-highest level ability he had encountered so far. More importantly, this was an offensive skill. "Looks like I won't have to be a turtle anymore."
Light Manipulation could absorb surrounding electricity to convert into high-intensity light blasts and Impact, which could not only blind but also cause physical destruction. Most importantly, the system prompt also included the phrase "Flight Ability Undeveloped."
This meant that as long as he obtained this ability and developed it properly, he would be able to fly.
In this World full of perverts and lunatics, being able to fly meant having an extra life. A large part of the reason why Homelander possessed absolute dominance was that he held air superiority—he could fight when he wanted and leave when he wanted.
Lu Chen adjusted his sitting posture to make himself more comfortable. His right hand gripped Starlight's wrist tightly, as if he were holding a ticket to a new World.
Brooklyn outside the window was still noisy, with sirens and the shouting of drunks rising and falling.
Lu Chen glanced at the progress bar.
[Current Progress: 15%]
He closed his eyes and began the long wait.
The first ray of morning sunlight shone through the gap in the motel's poorly drawn curtains onto Lu Chen's face.
He opened his eyes.
His right hand was still maintaining the posture of holding Starlight's wrist. In the corner of his vision, the progress bar had finally jumped to the end.
[Copy Completion: 100%]
[Ability Acquired: Light Manipulation LV4 (Flight requires development)]
[Ability Solidified.]
A strange, warm current surged through his right arm and into his limbs. Lu Chen could feel as if a brand-new organ had been added to his body. His skin felt like it was breathing, able to keenly capture the faint electric current flowing through the wires inside the room's walls.
As long as he wanted to, he could drain all the electricity from this run-down motel right now and blow this building to the sky.
Lu Chen let go and rubbed his stiff wrist.
He stood up, walked to the window, and pulled the curtain open a little.
Chapter 22: Debut
"Mmm..."
A pained groan came from the bed.
Annie January rubbed her temples and slowly opened her eyes. She stared blankly at the yellowed ceiling for a moment, then sat up abruptly and lowered her head to check her clothes.
Her clothes were intact, and she hadn't even taken off her shoes.
She let out a sigh of relief and turned to look at Lu Chen, who was sitting in a chair.
"You sat here all night?" Starlight's voice was still a bit hoarse from the hangover.
"What else? Should I have dumped you on the street for some homeless person to pick up?" Lu Chen turned around, facing her with his back to the Sun.
Starlight ruffled her messy hair, a complex smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Most people wouldn't pass up such a good opportunity. A drunk superhero, lying on a motel bed. This is the plot many men dream of."
"In most countries, doing that without permission is called something else, you know?" Lu Chen retorted expressionlessly.
Starlight froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.
This was the first time she had truly laughed in the past two days. The exhaustion that had seeped into her bones seemed to dissipate a little.
"You're really interesting, Lu." She climbed off the bed and stretched. "Thank you. Not just for last night, but also for what you said before."
"You're welcome." Lu Chen glanced at his phone. "It's seven in the morning. Do you need to go back to Vought Tower? Or do you want to experience a Brooklyn-style breakfast here?"
"No, I have to go back." Starlight's expression turned serious again. "Madelyn Stillwell still wants to talk to me about my new costume today. I can't run away from it."
"Have you figured things out?"
"I have." Starlight took a deep breath, her eyes sharpening. "If this place is a cesspool, then I'll be the one holding the shovel. I won't let them push me around easily."
Lu Chen nodded inwardly.
This was how Starlight should be.
The two walked out of the motel and onto the street. The morning air in New York was crisp and cold, and the coffee carts on the street were already open for business, emitting an enticing aroma.
Lu Chen hailed a taxi for her.
Starlight opened the car door and stepped inside, then suddenly stopped.
She turned her head and looked at Lu Chen. "Take out your phone."
Lu Chen raised an eyebrow, took out his phone, and handed it to her.
Starlight quickly entered a string of numbers and dialed. The phone in her pocket began to vibrate.
"This is my private number." Starlight handed the phone back to Lu Chen. "Nobody else knows it, except for my family. If... if you ever run into any trouble, or just want to find someone to grab a drink with, you can call me."
"Okay." Lu Chen took the phone and looked at the string of numbers on the screen.
"Goodbye, Lu."
"Goodbye, Annie."
The taxi merged into the morning rush hour traffic and quickly disappeared at the end of the street.
Lu Chen stood in place and tucked his phone into his pocket.
He raised his right hand, a thought crossing his mind.
With a soft "pop" sound.
The backup bulb on the nearby streetlight pole instantly went out, and a blinding white light flashed across Lu Chen's palm, disappearing as quickly as an illusion.
Lu Chen smiled.
This feeling was really good.
Lu Chen withdrew his right hand and shoved it into his jacket pocket. He walked along the streets of Brooklyntoward the subway station, his mind already calculating his next step.
Light Manipulation LV4, this card was too big.
Starlight was a new member of The Seven, and her ability characteristics were fully recorded in the Vought database. If he performed a light burst in front of others, anyone with a bit of a brain could link him to Starlight. Translucent's Carbon Skin was fine; at least it wasn't visible on the surface.
It seemed that this card of Starlight's had to be kept hidden. At least it couldn't be revealed for now.
The subway car was packed with office workers. Lu Chenfound a corner to stand in and pulled out his phone to check his class schedule.
Two o'clock in the afternoon, practical demonstration day.
Godolkin University held this kind of event twice a semester; simply put, it was for Superhuman students to show off their muscles in front of the school's top brass, making it easier for the school to evaluate their "commercial potential."
During last month's entrance test, his data was Super Physique LV1 and Impact LV2. Within the school, that was roughly in the "has some talent but still needs training" range.
But not today. Performing too weakly would lead to being marginalized. It seemed he needed to keep his Physique performance just above LV2. A reasonable rate of progress wouldn't arouse suspicion.
He ran the plan through his mind once. Lu Chen turned off the screen and closed his eyes.
The Godolkin University combat training ground was indoors. It was the size of half a football field, and by the time Lu Chen changed and walked in, there were already over thirty people in the arena.
Most were freshmen, with a few upperclassmen scattered here and there. The freshmen were in small groups, stretching their joints and whispering, while the upperclassmen leaned against the walls, their whole demeanor screaming "boredom."
In the second-floor observation gallery, a few figures were standing.
Professor Brink. Deep blue suit, tailored elegantly, hands crossed in front of his chest. Beside him was Dean Shetty, and the two were talking in low voices.
A teaching assistant wearing headphones walked to the center of the field and held up a tablet computer.
"Today's practical demonstration will be random pairing. The system has matched opponents based on entrance assessment data. When you hear your name, enter the central area. Each match is three minutes. Knocking the opponent out of bounds or incapacitating them counts as a victory. Lethal attacks are prohibited."
The first few matches were unremarkable. Two strength-type LV1s were pushing each other around in the center, and Shetty in the observation gallery shook her head repeatedly.
Lu Chen stood in the corner, silently recording the ability characteristics of each person.
The seventh match.
"Lu Chen, freshman. Versus — Jason Walsh, junior."
The arena was silent for a few seconds.
Freshman versus junior?
Lu Chen walked toward the center, catching the schadenfreude on the faces of a few freshmen in his peripheral vision. Jason Walsh was already standing on the opposite side.
He was over 1.9 meters tall, his shoulders wide enough to block half a door, and the muscles on his arms stretched his training uniform tight. It looked like he was at least Super Physique LV3.
Walsh looked down and scanned Lu Chen.
"Are you sure you didn't walk into the wrong arena? There's a yoga class next door."
A few laughs came from the surroundings. Lu Chen didn't respond. He rolled his neck a couple of times and lowered his center of gravity slightly. The teaching assistant raised a hand.
"Begin."
Walsh charged straight over.
The explosive power of LV3 allowed him to close the distance to Lu Chen in a fraction of a second, his right fist whistling through the air as it smashed down, aiming straight for his temple.
Lu Chen sidestepped.
The fist grazed his ear. Lu Chen didn't retreat; instead, he stepped forward and slammed his right elbow into Walsh's ribs.
Bang.
A dull thud. Walsh's body swayed for a moment, but he didn't retreat. With LV3 bone density and muscle thickness, his elbow, after he had deliberately controlled his strength, couldn't hurt him.
Walsh seized the opportunity to grab Lu Chen's forearm and yanked it back.
Lu Chen's feet left two white marks on the ground as he was dragged stumbling forward. Walsh's other fist was already swinging around, aiming straight for his chest. If this punch landed solidly, at least two ribs would break. Lu Chen gritted his back teeth and used all his strength.
The fist slammed into his chest, and Lu Chen's body jerked back two steps.
Pain. But he could take it.
Walsh's fist paused for a split second. Based on his experience, an average Superhuman should have been sent flying by this punch. But the person in front of him only took two steps back and was still standing. This moment of stunned silence lasted less than half a second.
But it was enough.
Lu Chen steadied his heels amidst the inertia of his retreat, lowered his center of gravity, and pressed the heel of his right palm against Walsh's abdomen.
Impact.
Boom.
Walsh was sent bouncing back a distance. He didn't fall, but the thrust of the Impact created a gap in his defensive stance, leaving his right side completely exposed.
Lu Chen didn't give him time to adjust. He stepped forward, feinted with his left fist, and forced Walsh to raise his hands to block his left side.
His right hand fired a second Impact, accurately hitting the right ribs.
Walsh's body flew sideways. The 1.9-meter-tall giant flipped half a turn in the air and crashed heavily onto the edge of the arena — with half his body pressing outside the white line.
Out of bounds.
The training ground went completely silent.
The teaching assistant glanced at the data on the tablet, then looked up to confirm the landing spot.
"Lu Chen, winner."
Chapter 23: Professor Brink's Interrogation
The cold water in the locker room washed the sweat from Lu Chen's body.
He turned off the faucet and grabbed a towel to dry his hair.
The noise from the combat demonstration arena was blocked out by the heavy soundproof door.
The locker room was filled with the pungent smell of sweat and liniment.
Lu Chen looked up at himself in the mirror.
His breathing was steady, and his heartbeat was normal.
That duel just now didn't even count as a warm-up for him.
But the acting was good.
Displaying strength slightly above LV2, combined with a precise tactical counterattack, was enough to make those old foxes sitting in the second-floor observation gallery take notice, without being too dazzling.
The door hinges emitted a harsh grating sound.
A man wearing glasses with a teaching assistant badge pinned to his chest walked in.
He didn't look at the other students changing clothes and walked straight to Lu Chen's locker.
"Lu Chen." The teaching assistant pushed up his glasses, his tone stiff, "Get dressed. Professor Brink is waiting for you in his office. Now."
The few freshmen bragging nearby instantly went quiet, all turning their heads to look this way.
Professor Brink?
That was a powerful figure at Godolkin University, the Dean of the School of Crimefighting, and the mentor to several superstars in The Seven.
Being called to his office meant something that went without saying.
Several jealous gazes pricked Lu Chen's back like needles.
Lu Chen ignored those gazes. He grabbed his hoodie, put it on, and zipped it up.
"Lead the way."
The fish had taken the bait. And it was a big one.
Meanwhile.
The Dean's office of the School of Crimefighting.
Richard Brink leaned back against the large leather chair, holding a thin paper file in his hand.
On the tablet in front of him, the surveillance footage of the combat demonstration just now was playing on a loop.
In the footage, Lu Chen took a punch from Walsh head-on, then blasted the 1.9-meter-tall guy out of bounds with two precise Impact shots.
Professor Brink pressed the pause button, freezing the frame at the moment Lu Chen attacked.
He stroked his well-trimmed beard, his eyes appraising it like a commodity waiting to be sold.
This card is interesting.
He looked down at the file.
Appearance, nine out of ten. Sharp features, fitting the cold, handsome aesthetic that young girls were currently obsessed with.
With just a little packaging and a few sets of photos, he could definitely make those adolescent girls scream and empty their pocket money.
Asian. That's a good label.
Vought Company had been struggling for years with how to develop the new immigrant market.
Traditional white heroes lacked a sense of relatability for those people.
If they pushed an Asian superhero out there, those immigrants working early and late in laundromats, Chinese restaurants, and nail salons would absolutely go crazy buying his merchandise, taking out every last cent in their pockets to support their compatriot.
Political correctness, combined with national sentiment—this was simply an unmined gold mine.
More importantly, his background.
An orphan, abandoned in Queens eighteen years ago, grew up in a Vought Company orphanage.
No background, no attachments, extremely desperate for money.
This kind of person was the easiest to control.
As long as you gave him a bone, he would be as obedient as a dog.
If he dared to resist, you could find any excuse to ruin his reputation and send him rolling back to that slum that smelled of urine.
Professor Brink's fingers tapped lightly on the desk, making a clicking sound.
The only problem was his ability.
The data from the entrance test was clearly recorded: Super Physique LV1, Impact LV2. Garbage data.
At this level, under normal circumstances, he wouldn't even be able to touch the threshold of the School of Crimefighting.
But today, he knocked Walsh, a junior, out of bounds.
Walsh was a solid LV3 Physique, and although his brain wasn't very good, his physical strength was there.
This didn't make sense.
The door was knocked on.
"Come in." Professor Brink put away the tablet and quickly put on that iconic, fatherly, benevolent smile.
Lu Chen pushed the door open and entered.
The office was large, and the walls were covered with photos of Professor Brink with various superheroes.
A-Train, Queen Maeve, The Deep... Each photo silently displayed the terrifying influence this old man had within the Vought Company system.
"Sit down, kid." Professor Brink pointed to the chair opposite his desk.
Lu Chen pulled out the chair and sat down.
He kept his back straight, hands on his knees, his eyes appropriately revealing three parts vigilance, three parts awkwardness, and four parts desire for power.
He had to play the part of a poor kid desperate to get ahead. He knew exactly what an old fox like Professor Brink wanted to see.
"A very brilliant match." Professor Brink handed over a glass of sparkling water, "That kid Walsh is used to being arrogant, relying on his brute strength to bully freshmen. Today, he hit a snag. However..."
Professor Brink paused, leaned forward, crossed his hands on the desk, and stared intensely into Lu Chen's eyes.
"I'm very curious about one thing. In last month's entrance assessment, your data was LV1 Physique and LV2 Impact. With such data, Walsh could break three of your ribs with one punch."
Professor Brink smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes, "But today, you took a punch from him and even knocked him flying. Lu, did you hide your true strength during the entrance test?"
Lu Chen's hand holding the water cup tightened slightly.
This old guy's eyes were sharp.
"I didn't hide anything, Professor." Lu Chen looked at Professor Brink, his tone sincere with a hint of perfectly timed humiliation, "I used to live in a run-down apartment in Queens, working at a convenience store until the early hours every day. I ate sandwiches that were about to expire and drank discounted milk. I never had systematic training, and I couldn't even afford the cheapest gym membership."
Lu Chen took a deep breath, as if suppressing some kind of excitement, "But after coming here, I can eat my fill every day. High-protein nutritional meals, professional training equipment. I feel... I feel like I'm getting stronger every day. My muscles are growing, my bones are hardening, and I can feel the power inside me constantly surging out."
Professor Brink narrowed his eyes.
No systematic training? Started to explode after nutrition caught up?
A rare acquired growth type?
Professor Brink felt a burst of ecstasy inside. Superhumans' abilities were usually fixed when they awakened after injecting Compound V; only a very few freaks would continue to grow with physical development and extreme acquired stimulation.
If this kid was really an acquired growth type, then his commercial potential wasn't just that of an Asian vase. His current ceiling was completely unknown.
He could become the next top star.
"I see. Hardship is indeed the best whetstone." The smile on Professor Brink's face deepened, and his tone became incomparably gentle, "Lu, you are a talented kid. But talent is like an unpolished diamond; without a good craftsman, it will eventually just be a stepping stone."
"I understand, Professor." Lu Chen nodded.
"Godolkin University has many students. Dean Shetty is a good person, but she is a politician; she only looks at overall data. She cares about how to report to the board of directors." Professor Brink stood up, walked around the large desk to Lu Chen's side, and patted his shoulder heavily.
"But I am different. I've trained A-Train, I've trained Queen Maeve, I've trained The Deep. I know how to turn a poor kid with potential into an idol for all of the United States. I know how to make those high-and-mighty rich people beg you to endorse their products."
The old guy started painting a picture. Lu Chen sneered inwardly.
"I want to invite you to join the School of Crimefighting." Professor Brink walked back behind the desk, opened a drawer, took out a thick file, and pushed it in front of Lu Chen. "And, I intend to take you on personally."
Chapter 24: How Is Everyone a Vampire?
Lu Chen took the document and opened it.
"Personal Agency and Training Agreement".
"This is a private contract," Professor Brink's voice carried a demonic temptation. "It bypasses the school and that old bureaucrat, Shetty. I will use my personal resources to arrange the best tactical trainers, the best PR team, and even help you plan your future hero persona. In return..."
Lu Chen glanced at the profit-sharing terms.
A 90/10 split.
Professor Brink gets ninety, he gets ten. The term is twenty years.
What a fucking nerve.
Even capitalists would shed tears of shame at this. Twenty years—this is about sucking the marrow from his bones and leaving nothing behind. By the time the contract expires in twenty years, a superhero's golden age will have long passed.
"Professor, this profit-sharing ratio..." Lu Chen deliberately made his voice sound a bit dry, his brows furrowed tightly.
"Lu, look at the big picture," Professor Brink interrupted, his tone earnest, like a heartbroken father. "You have nothing right now. Ten percent of millions, or one hundred percent of zero—which do you choose?"
He tapped the table. "I am investing in you, and investment carries risks. This contract buys your future class mobility. If you don't sign, take a guess: how far can an Asian kid with no background go in this dog-eat-dog school? Maybe after graduation, you can work as a security guard at a supermarket in some third-tier city?"
Lu Chen was silent.
He lowered his head, staring fixedly at the numbers on the contract. His hands clenched into fists, veins bulging on the back of his hands.
Professor Brink didn't rush him; he picked up his coffee and took a sip, confident of victory.
He knew these poor kids crawling up from the bottom too well. Their hunger for money and status was like a starving wild dog seeing meat. As long as you give them a ladder to climb into the upper class, never mind a 90/10 split—they would sign an indentured servitude contract without hesitation.
Lu Chen laughed wildly in his heart.
A private contract? Bypassing the school?
Perfect.
The legal department of Vought Company is a behemoth. If he signed an official school contract, it would be very troublesome to get out or stir up trouble later, as one move could affect everything.
But this old greedy ghost, Professor Brink, actually set up a private contract just to hog the profits for himself.
As long as it's a private contract, once he drains all the value from Professor Brink, absorbs all his abilities, connections, and resources, and kills this old thing, it won't immediately trigger Vought Company's official alarms.
This is practically meat delivered to his door.
"I'll sign." Lu Chen looked up, his eyes filled with ambition and determination born from being pushed to the edge.
He picked up the pen on the table and, without the slightest hesitation, scribbled down his name.
"A smart choice, kid." The wrinkles on Professor Brink's face blossomed into a smile. He quickly snatched the contract, glanced at the signature, and carefully locked it in the safe.
"Starting tomorrow, you don't need to attend those boring basic theory classes. Report to my private training room at eight in the morning. I will arrange the first phase of special training for you." Professor Brink sat back in his chair and assumed the air of an elder.
"Thank you, Professor." Lu Chen stood up and bowed slightly.
"Go on, get some good rest. Your good days have only just begun."
Lu Chen turned and walked out of the office.
The door clicked shut behind him.
In that moment, the awkwardness, gratitude, and humiliation on his face vanished without a trace.
Replacing them was a cold mockery.
A 90/10 split?
Old thing, you need to have the life to spend it if you want to take it.
Since signing the contract, for the following week, Lu Chenspent every day in Professor Brink's private training room. Superpowers are great, but fighting skills are equally important; he didn't want to end up only knowing how to throw wild haymakers when encountering someone of the same level later.
Just as he was thinking about which fighting style to practice, a new punching bag arrived.
This guy was named Marcus, and his ability was "Local Metalization" LV2. To help him quickly adapt to high-intensity combat, Professor Brink had specifically brought in this high-level punching bag from the senior year.
The old guy really invested heavily.
After the collision between the two, Lu Chen panted heavily. He couldn't appear too relaxed; he had to make Professor Brink feel that this "investment" was worth it and completely under control.
"Again." Lu Chen gritted his teeth and rushed forward, deliberately leaving an opening.
Marcus delivered a hand blade strike to Lu Chen's shoulder.
A sharp pain shot through him. Lu Chen used the momentum to roll away and create distance, as the familiar mechanical voice sounded in his mind.
[Superpower: Local Metalization LV2.]
[Copy successful.]
A strange stream of heat spread along his spine. He could feel his bones and muscles undergoing a subtle reorganization.
This was the third ability he had copied this week.
Professor Brink's private training room was simply a treasure trove. Every day, different types of Superhumanswere arranged to be his sparring partners. Speed-types, strength-types, defense-types. Although most were low-level goods around LV2, for Lu Chen, these were the best puzzle pieces.
Once he fused and upgraded these basic abilities, his physical strength would ascend to the next small stage.
"That's it for today." Professor Brink's voice came from the control room on the second floor.
The old fox walked down holding his coffee, his face full of kindness: "You're making rapid progress, Lu. At this rate, you'll definitely get a good ranking in next month's selection competition."
"Thanks to your guidance, Professor." Lu Chen grabbed a towel to wipe his sweat, his tone respectful.
"Go take a shower. Take this access card." Professor Brinkhanded over a black magnetic card. "The internal database of the School of Crimefighting is now open to you. Watch more of the seniors' combat footage; it will be good for you."
Lu Chen took the card with both hands.
This was the thing he truly wanted. With this card, he could access more of the resources that Vought Companyhad hidden in the school, and even look up the files of those special ability users.
A 90/10 split? Old thing, I've even swiped your card.
Meanwhile, in the New York Bay Area, at a foul-smelling sewage outlet.
The Deep pinched his nose, looking at the murky, greenish seawater at his feet, his face full of resistance.
"Are you sure it's around here?" He complained into the communicator.
"The last place the signal disappeared was that sea area." The cold voice of the Vought security supervisor came through the communicator. "Search carefully, Kevin. That box contains Translucent's tracking chip."
"I am the Lord of the Seas! Not a fucking sewer cleaner!" The Deep gritted his teeth.
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the communicator: "This is a direct order from Ms. Madelyn Stillwell. If you don't want to do it, I can replace you."
The Deep immediately shut up.
He held his breath and dove into the water.
Underwater visibility was extremely low, with plastic bags and unidentified excrement floating everywhere. The Deep closed his eyes and emitted low-frequency sound waves.
A few mutated sea bass with tumors swam over.
"Have you seen a glowing metal box?" The Deep asked in his mind.
The sea bass blew a few bubbles, conveying a pile of chaotic images: a huge iron-hulled ship, stinking rotting meat, and The Deep's shiny scales.
A bunch of idiots.
The Deep irritably waved his hand to drive the school of fish away.
The progress was too slow. That damn box seemed to have vanished into thin air. What made him even more frustrated was that hardly anyone in the company actually cared whether Translucent lived or died.
He surfaced, climbed onto the shore, and took out his waterproof phone. The number one trending topic on Twitter was still that glaring headline: Starlight Abuses Violence.
In the video, that country bumpkin who had just joined The Seven was wearing casual clothes, in a dirty alley in Brooklyn, using a strong light to almost blind the eyes of two punks who were trying to rape a girl.
The video had been cut and uploaded to the internet. Netizens went crazy, talking about how Superhumanswere abusing violence and asking if there was any safety left in the U.S.
The top brass at Vought were about to explode with anger. Because Starlight hadn't reported it before the action and didn't have a camera crew, and now the girl refused to appear on camera to clarify things.
Madelyn Stillwell was putting all her energy into handling this PR crisis. As for Translucent? The life or death of an invisible pervert had nowhere near the commercial value of a rising star of The Seven.
The Deep kicked an empty can at his feet. He laughed; this was the only good news in these past few days.
Chapter 25: The Boys Begin to Assemble
Outside the juvenile detention center in Brooklyn.
Butcher leaned against the door of the black Chevrolet, a half-smoked cigarette dangling from his mouth as he watched the gate.
Hughie stood beside him, rubbing his hands nervously. "Are we really going to recruit him? He looks... like a decent guy."
"A decent guy?" Butcher scoffed, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "There are no decent guys in this world, Hughie. Only people who haven't been pushed to the edge yet."
The gate opened.
A burly Black man in a detention center uniform walked out. He was carrying a thermos, his steps steady.
Mothers Milk.
Seeing Butcher leaning against the car, Mothers Milkstopped abruptly. The expression on his face instantly shifted from exhaustion to extreme disgust.
He turned and walked away.
"Hey! M.M.!" Butcher shouted, quickening his pace to catch up.
"Don't f***ing call me that." Mothers Milk didn't turn back, his voice low and laced with warning. "I warned you, Butcher. Don't ever show up in front of me again."
"Just a quick chat. Two minutes." Butcher stepped in front of him, raising his hands in surrender.
"I have nothing to talk to you about." Mothers Milk stared into Butcher's eyes. "I have a real job now. I have a wife and a daughter. I go home for dinner on time every day. I don't want anything to do with your bullshit crazy plans ever again!"
"Translucent is dead. The kid and I did it." Butchersuddenly lowered his voice.
Mothers Milk froze. He scanned his surroundings, confirming no one was paying them any attention.
"Are you insane?" Mothers Milk grabbed Butcher by the collar and shoved him against the wall. "You killed a member of The Seven? Vought will turn New York upside down looking for you!"
Mothers Milk looked at Hughie, then back at Butcher, as if staring at two dead men.
"This has nothing to do with me." Mothers Milk let go and straightened his uniform. "I'm out. Completely out. You guys are looking to die, just don't drag me into it."
"I need you, Marvin." Butcher dropped his joking demeanor, his eyes turning exceptionally serious. "We need someone with a clear head to plan our tactics. We need you."
Mothers Milk looked at the thermos in his hand; it was a birthday gift from his daughter.
"No." Mothers Milk gritted out the word, bypassed Butcher, and strode away.
Butcher didn't follow. He leaned against the wall, watching Mothers Milk's retreating back, a confident, cold smirk playing on his lips.
"He refused." Hughie walked over, looking somewhat disappointed.
"He'll be back." Butcher threw his cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it with his foot. "He's not a law-abiding prison guard at heart. He needs this, just as much as I do."
11:00 PM. Godolkin University, second basement level of the School of Crimefighting.
Lu Chen swiped his card to open the door to the archives room.
The corridor was silent, save for the humming of the servers.
The access level Professor Brink gave him was high—high enough to surprise Lu Chen. The old guy was clearly eager to have him understand Vought's operational model so he could become a cash cow as soon as possible.
Lu Chen sat down at the terminal, his fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard.
He didn't bother looking at the files of the star students. Those people were too conspicuous, and messing with them would easily lead to trouble. He searched for records of "dropped out," "missing," or "power out of control" fringe students.
These people were the best prey.
Dozens of files popped up on the screen.
Lu Chen flipped through them one by one, until suddenly, his fingers stopped.
An encrypted file titled "Codename: The Woods" caught his attention.
Insufficient permissions to view details.
But the file summary contained a keyword: behavioral correction.
Lu Chen narrowed his eyes. This was the research facility from the original work. If he could get into this "The Woods," there would be a large number of defenseless Superhumans imprisoned inside. It would basically be a free buffet tailored just for him.
Looks like I'll have to play hardball with the old man.
In class the next day.
"Bang!"
The dull sound of flesh colliding echoed through the tactical training room, making the soundproof panels on the ceiling tremble.
Lu Chen sidestepped the electrified fist swinging toward him. His left hand precisely cut into the opponent's defensive blind spot, grabbing the collar of the boy with the mohawk.
This kid's power was high-voltage discharge, which, combined with enhanced muscles, made him a bit of a troublemaker. But in front of Lu Chen, all that electricity was as laughable as static.
Lu Chen exerted force from his waist, his muscle fibers tightening like steel cables under his skin. Shoulder throw.
The mohawk kid's body traced a violent arc in mid-air before slamming hard onto the special floor mat.
With a "boom," the mat indented into an exaggerated curve. Electricity crackled on the mat for a few moments before extinguishing completely. The mohawk kid rolled his eyes back, fainting without even letting out a scream.
"Twelve seconds." Andre sat on the metal railing at the edge of the arena, tossing an iron water bottle in his hand. The bottle spun two inches above his palm, controlled by magnetic force like an obedient toy. "Lu, have you been taking something lately? That's an Electric Kid from the junior year, and you're throwing him around like a punching bag?"
Lu Chen grabbed a towel hanging on the fence and wiped the sweat from his neck casually.
"His movements are too slow. His shoulders habitually drop before he throws a punch; the opening is big enough to drive a truck through." Lu Chen walked over to the bench and picked up his water bottle.
During the combat classes these past few days, he had deliberately loosened some restrictions. For instance, he quietly used Carbon Skin to withstand some attacks; an old fox like Professor Brink needed to see a return on investment.
The result was that his school ranking shot up like a Rocket, jumping straight to thirteenth.
Top 13.
This was an extremely subtle position. The top ten were the domain of Golden Boy and his crew—the stars heavily marketed by the school and the company, watched by countless eyes. Thirteenth place was enough to pique the interest of the higher-ups and secure better resources, yet not enough to be immediately pushed into the spotlight as a target.
"You're too modest, man." Golden Boy walked over and handed Lu Chen a sports drink, his smile still that perfect curve printed on posters. "Professor Brink was praising you again yesterday, saying your progress has broken the academy's record for the last five years. At this rate, you'll be in the top ten next month."
"I'm only interested in credits." Lu Chen took the drink but didn't drink it, setting it aside casually.
People like Golden Boy were sunny on the surface, but deep down, they were thoroughly pickled by Vought's star-making machine. He approached him to chat for no other reason than to weigh this sudden dark horse up close and see if he would threaten his position.
Lu Chen had no interest in playing hypocritical social games with this group of greenhouse flowers destined to break down. His gaze drifted past Golden Boy's shoulder, landing directly on the furthest corner of the training room.
Cate Dunlap.
She was still in that "stay away" attire. A baggy gray hoodie, huge noise-canceling headphones, and those black leather gloves she never took off. She was looking down at a thick psychology textbook, showing zero interest in the fighting in the center of the room.
In this university overflowing with hormones, where everyone was dying to carve their superpowers onto their foreheads, she was as reclusive as a ghost.
Lu Chen narrowed his eyes, his gaze lingering on those leather gloves.
These past few days, he had encountered her in almost every class. She was always alone, and the surrounding students avoided her intentionally or unintentionally, as if she carried some kind of plague.
The more he observed, the trickier Lu Chen felt it was.
This woman's guard was up too high. She not only rejected physical contact but even avoided eye contact. Anyone who tried to get close to her would be pushed away by her extreme, resistant coldness.
Walk up and strike up a conversation directly? Too deliberate.
Create an accident and bump into her? She was wearing gloves; he couldn't touch her skin at all. And once he alerted her, getting close again would be harder than ascending to heaven.
Based on the mind control abilities she displayed in the show, the system assessment was definitely LV5. This meant that to fully Copy and solidify her ability, he would need twenty-four full hours of continuous skin-to-skin contact.
Twenty-four hours. This wasn't something he could pull off by getting a girl drunk at a bar and taking her to a hotel room. A mind controller's subconscious was extremely sensitive. Forcefully hold her down? As long as there was a 0.1-second slip-up where she touched his skin, he would instantly become a dog in her hands, willingly jumping off a building.
He had to make her willing. Was he really going to have to sell his body? Whatever, screw it. He'd find an opportunity to test her.