A Reasonable Explanation

A few moments earlier, a fleet of Dongfeng Mengshi drove into the vast grounds of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

This time, there was no longer any exemption from inspection. At the gate checkpoint, each vehicle was inspected for documents and identity verification before being allowed to pass. From an extended military vehicle, a surprised question was uttered.

"Oh dear, are we heading towards Building 18?"

In the passenger seat, a young man in his early twenties raised an eyebrow in surprise. He was wearing white casual clothes and chewing gum. "Which deity are we going to see?"

Seeing no one answer, he turned and looked around. "Do you guys know who I am?"

A man and a woman sat beside him, both dressed as ordinary people, while across from them sat three People's People's Liberation Army, sitting upright with ramrod straight. An unspoken connection told them that they were all of the same kind.

However, they appear to be clearly distinct.

The middle-aged man sitting on the left was dressed in a Tang suit, with a beaded bracelet on his wrist, looking like a cultured person, but he was scrolling through Douyin on his phone, and bursts of breathless, maniacal laughter were coming from the speaker.

Although he wore a kind smile, he ignored the young man's question.

The woman sitting to the right was carrying a designer handbag, had wavy hair, and had just touched up her makeup with a small mirror. Her lipstick was as bright as flames, and she had a curvaceous figure. She was covered in luxury goods and jewels, and at that moment she was scrolling through Weibo on her iPhone, liking posts from her young idol.

--This person, naturally, didn't hear it either.

A hint of displeasure flashed in the young man's eyes. Even an ordinary person would be displeased if they were ignored or snubbed when asking a question, let alone him—he had never seen such rudeness, either in the institute or in society.

He raised his voice and looked at the three People's Liberation Army soldiers opposite him. "High-ranking officers, do you know?"

A soldier sitting in the middle frowned and said, "We are officers, but not high-ranking ones. Besides, I don't know. Our duty is to obey orders. Since the leaders don't say, we don't need to know."

The young man clicked his tongue and said, "Why so serious? -- But I'm quite curious, did you join the army first and then awaken, or were you called up after awakening?"

No comment.

"I guess it's like I joined the army first and then enlisted—like me, after I awakened to the truth, the country found me and gave me two paths: join the army or become a civil servant. Of course, I chose to be a civil servant. The army protects the country, which sounds good, but I don't want to be controlled or suffer that hardship."

The young man seemed quite talkative, grinning as he said, "Isn't it better now? I go to the institute every day, cooperate with research, and develop my abilities. I feel like I'm quite talented; I don't need to train hard, and my abilities improve very quickly. I guess I was born into a good family—after get off work, I can do whatever I want. The government provides housing, and I have more benefits than I can spend each month. I can buy and use whatever I want without spending money. They even provide luxury cars. I have so much money I don't know what to do with it, and I don't have to buy a house or take out a loan. What else is there to do?"

He stretched and grinned, "Of course I'm going to nightclubs to have some fun. My abilities are related to that area, so it's really exciting... Don't look at me like that. We're all adults. Everyone goes to nightclubs for what they need. I haven't broken any laws or regulations, and I'm not unpatriotic. We're all contributing to the country in our different roles."

At this point, the young man raised an eyebrow and said to the People's Liberation Army comrades, "Sigh, you guys have such high moral character. Military life is so tough and monotonous, yet you manage to endure it—how about it, if you have a chance to take leave, I'll take you somewhere fun! It's on me! Sigh, I bet your allowances aren't even as high as my salary, it's really too hard..."

The soldiers opposite them were also two men and one woman. The major in the middle did not answer, concealing the disdain in his eyes. The short-haired female captain next to him seemed not to hear, while the male captain on the other side seemed to be deep in thought.

"Wow, what a heroine, a young lady from the People's People's Liberation Army!"

Looking at her pure, sweet, and athletic figure, the young man's eyes revealed admiration and scrutiny. He asked, "Look at this girl next to me, she's a shopaholic and a fangirl. If she wanted to, she could probably chase after celebrities up close... What's the point of staying in the army?"

The female captain looked up at him, and a sweet smile suddenly bloomed on her usually calm face.

"Of course..." she smiled, "When someone like you breaks the law, I can be ordered to kill you."

--The temperature inside the car dropped suddenly, and even the two superhumans who were playing on their phones looked up in surprise.

The young man was startled. He saw a very real and pure primal desire in the other person's eyes—the gaze of a predator.

He chuckled awkwardly, "This... this young lady has quite a personality."

Just then, the car began to slow down.

A calm voice came from the front passenger seat. "Alright, everyone, prepare to get off the bus. It's time to visit our guest. I think your leader has already instructed you to maintain respect. You may be curious about who we're going to see. I can tell you, his name is Kang De."

After a pause, the colonel turned and said, "The world's most powerful superhuman."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the six extraordinary individuals inside the car all changed.

"Holy crap, that's incredible!" the young man exclaimed instinctively. "Who bestowed that title upon him? The state?"

"No," the colonel replied, "Himself."

Even the three soldiers, who were sitting upright and maintaining discipline, looked at each other, seeing curiosity, doubt, and disbelief in each other's eyes.

There is no first place in literature, but there is no second place in martial arts. This is an age-old truth. In the military, there is a reverence for the strong, a pursuit of strength, and a strong culture of challenge, breakthrough, and struggle. This is the instinct of every qualified soldier.

"Wait a minute, this name sounds familiar."

The beautiful, wealthy, and superhuman who hadn't spoken until now suddenly opened her mouth. She opened Weibo, searched for Kang De's name, and exclaimed, "Ah, sure enough, it's that unlucky guy! The one who went to Africa to save his dad! The one who stole my brother's number one trending topic!"

The internet has a long memory, and besides, the news of Kang De saving his father was a global phenomenon, trending on social media and sparking heated discussions both at home and abroad. There were even follow-up news stories to support it, especially since he not only traveled thousands of miles to save his father but also inadvertently saved the king of the other country, and was then appointed chief by the grateful king—this legendary experience, along with the title of "unlucky one," was naturally ridiculed by netizens.

"I knew it, that guy seemed to have awakened too."

The young man slapped his thigh, then raised an eyebrow and said, "No, I've seen those GIFs and videos, they are indeed pretty impressive, but is this the strongest superhuman in the world?"

The colonel did not answer; instead, he exchanged a glance with another officer, the driver.

His expression was meaningful.

"You'll find out after we meet."

As Qin Mengjin opened the extravagantly tall, ornately carved double door of the presidential suite, she was already waiting there.

"The comrades from the army have arrived."

She smiled and said, "Is now convenient? Or should we ask them to wait a while?"

Kang De shrugged. "Nothing's inconvenient. Let's go."

He casually closed the door and walked side by side with Qin Mengjin to the elevator.

The girl pressed the button, and a subtle fragrance wafted in.

Kang De turned his head and looked at the female civil servant. She was wearing square-framed glasses and holding a folder in her other hand. Her ponytail had been untied and coiled up, revealing her delicate neck and small earlobes. Compared to her previous dashing and lively demeanor, she now exuded an intellectual and composed air.

Seemingly noticing Kang De's gaze, Qin Mengjin subconsciously tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, then blinked. "What's wrong?"

"They actually changed their look."

What kind of person Kang De? He had already experienced countless battles in another world, and he had chatted and laughed with these stunning beauties: a princess who could topple kingdoms, two generations of Phoenix King with unparalleled elegance, and a noble dragon maiden.

Although he was still a virgin, his immunity had long since improved, and Kang De could remain unmoved by the close body language and eye contact of beautiful girls.

He politely complimented, "It looks good."

"Thank you." Qin Mengjin pursed her lips. "From now on, I'll be assisting you as your secretary. This is important work, so I need to take it seriously—that's why I got a new hairstyle to remind myself to get into the zone."

The elevator doors slowly opened, and Miss Qin followed Kang De inside.

"Oh, right, the colleagues from Institute 507 are here too."

Kang De turned around and asked, "What?"

"Institute 507," Qin Mengjin repeated, "The Imperial Capital Institute of Space Medico-Engineering, formerly known as the Institute of Space Medicine and Engineering... its abbreviation is Institute 507."

Kang De frowned and said, "Sounds like a place that trains astronauts?"

Miss Qin smiled and said, "It wasn't like that before, it was, but now it's more than that."

"That's a convoluted story." Kang De felt the name sounded familiar; Qin Mengjin seemed to have mentioned it before. He picked up his phone and searched it, his expression turning somewhat strange. "This place certainly has a story."

Qin Mengjin didn't continue the conversation, and instead said, "There are also several extraordinary individuals with government-appointed positions..."

As Kang De browsed the online rumors, some true and some false, he casually remarked, "I've seen them; they're all quite impressive."

He joked, "What, do we have to spar here?"

Qin Mengjin laughed and said, "You're overthinking it. This place is full of antiques; they can't withstand your hitting."

The elevator rang, the doors slowly opened, and Qin Mengjin led Kang De towards the meeting hall. At the entrance of the meeting hall, they saw the person standing there.

There were about fourteen or fifteen people, half of whom were soldiers, and the other half were wearing suits. Among them, the remaining three, dressed as civilians and with an odd style, stood out.

Upon seeing Kang De, they all came forward, their smiles tinged with curiosity and scrutiny.

"I've long admired your name, Comrade Kang De. It's quite an honor to have you as a guest in the capital."

Kang De shook hands with the colonel who was clearly the leader, and the colonel smiled sincerely, "Stay a few more days, let our troops do our best to be hospitable and have more exchanges, right?"

Standing beside Kang De, Qin Mengjin, with an intellectual and elegant demeanor and a polite smile, softly introduced, "This is Senior Colonel Tian from the General Office of the Military Commission..."

Kang De smiled and said, "Hello, leader."

"Hey, don't say that. I'm not your boss, it's awkward. Just call me Comrade Tian!"

The other person was all smiles, surrounded by a crowd like stars around the Kang De, each with a genuine smile on their face and eyes full of sincerity, friendliness and enthusiasm.

This reminded Kang De of his school days, when city and provincial leaders came to inspect the school. The principal, who usually talked a lot of nonsense at meetings, the arrogant and stern-faced dean of studies, and even the supposedly fierce and mean grade directors, would all surround the leaders with smiles as if female soldiers had met General Jin.

He looked nothing like his usual self; he was like a completely different person.

When she got home and complained to her mother, Teacher Li, who always regarded the director of the education bureau and the principal as "a bunch of pretentious idiots who just do whatever comes to mind and love to show off," gave a cold smile.

She said that, of course, everyone around the leader is a good person.

If you are powerless and insignificant, then everyone around you will be a lazy, cunning, selfish, greedy, and scheming person who wants to take advantage of you, scheme against you, and profit from you.

When you rise to the top and stand on the clouds, when you look down, everyone you see is a generous, kind, warm-hearted, honest, and trustworthy good person—they may even be the same group of people.

Sigh... this world.

How can it be so fucking awesome?

Comrade Tian introduced them one by one, and Kang De shook hands with each of them: comrades from the Army, comrades from the Rocket Force, comrades from the Institute 507... Each of them carried a star or a bureau-level official's hat, all with smiles on their faces.

Finally, it was the turn of a few fellow travelers.

Lu Zhengxuan.

A handsome and capable officer in the People's People's Liberation Army.

He was heroic and handsome, so dashing that he could have been featured in a five-second close-up shot during the National Day military parade.

"Wei Shuang."

She is about 1.64 meters tall, with a petite frame and a sweet appearance.

"Chai Ming."

Another People's Liberation Army captain looked at Kang De, his curiosity and envy completely undisguised.

"Song Xuejun."

The middle-aged man with the health-preserving bracelet—that name really screams "the era."

Li Xiaojie.

Amidst a sea of luxury goods, her ample bosom revealed a hint of cleavage. Even Kang De, a staunchly straight man, recognized the brand of her top. It was so outrageous that Kang De happened to see it being mocked and ridiculed online—it was a Gucci swimsuit, the designer advised against wearing it in the water.

Wow, people actually buy them...

Su Qingmo.

I shook hands with the last young man, who was dressed in a white casual outfit, and he told me his name.

"..." Kang De said subconsciously, "Changed the name?"

The other person was taken aback. "Huh? We know each other?"

Kang De glanced at the other extraordinary individuals and chuckled, "Everyone's names are strong and simple, just like mine. Only your name is extraordinary, a bit strange."

Su Qingmo's expression changed slightly, and then she felt a little embarrassed without realizing it.

Because his original Su Zhuangzhuang.

As an ordinary person, this name meant nothing, because he truly was an ordinary person. But now, as the nightclub tyrant of the capital, a wealthy and charismatic social elite, and a mysterious and successful individual working in a national secret service, if his name were Su Zhuangzhuang... he would be laughed at by the rich and beautiful women.

When Kang De laughed, everyone around him, whether they found it funny or not, joined in the laughter.

This was originally meant to be a response to Kang De's laughter, but to Su Qingmo it sounded different.

He recalled his past, a past he didn't want to remember: a withdrawn, insecure, introverted, and unremarkable person. After awakening his abilities and reaching the pinnacle of his life, he desperately tried to sever ties with his past self, unwilling to think about it, as if afraid it would shatter his beautiful dream... He celebrated youth, squandered his life, and lived like a rising star, but behind this compensatory mentality lay an unresolved inferiority complex.

He considered himself a chosen one of heaven, and adopted this new name for himself. His life went smoothly, everyone around him was kind, the country valued him and tried its best to meet his many requests. He even considered himself the protagonist—until recently, and even now.

Some time ago, he realized that things had subtly changed—his superiors seemed to be less accommodating to him, and many of his requests were being rejected.

Today in the car, the military leaders didn't give him much face. They didn't talk to him much, nor did they pay him much attention... They were indifferent to him, which made him feel frustrated.

Now they're all gathered around Kang De, who claims to be the world's most powerful superhuman.

He even laughed at me...

The moment he heard the laughter of the crowd, the mask of his wealthy and playboy persona shattered, revealing the sensitive and insecure soul hidden deep within.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Su Zhuangzhuang suddenly tightened his grip on Kang De's hand.

Ability activated.

The next moment, he came to his senses, a chill running down his spine. He wanted to pull back or let go, but he was in a bind. He gritted his teeth—whatever! Even if he really was stronger than me, would the country let him kill me? I'm a superhuman, an important member of Institute 507! My future is limitless!

He continued to unleash his power.

Just then, Kang De's smile faded, and he turned to Senior Colonel Tian: "--He's got a strong grip, he's still giving me a shock, may I shake his hand back?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Qin Mengjin subconsciously took a step forward, and then Senior Colonel Tian's expression changed drastically.

"Let go!" he yelled at Su Zhuangzhuang, "What are you doing!"

Su Qingmo felt that the other person's hand was as strong as a vise. The current transmitted through it, under the debugging and guidance of relevant experts from Institute 507, and with the help of specialized equipment, could even electrocute an elephant, but it seemed to have no effect on this Kang De!

He possesses a unique bioelectric ability, and electrical signals are one of the essential foundations of human and even animal life activities. Relying on the training program and policy guidance of Institute 507, he should be invincible with this skill, capable of many miraculous applications, and able to bring women to ecstasy in bed—but why isn't it working?

His face flushed red. "I... I..."

He tried to pull his hand back, but it wouldn't budge. Looking up, he saw that the other person's expression was calm.

But those eyes suddenly transformed into the shape of a phoenix taking flight.

"Friend," Kang De asked, "Do you use your abilities so casually?"

Just as Su Qingmo was about to reply, an indescribable sense of terror suddenly surged into her heart, as if she were facing the most terrifying monster imaginable in the world.

In the dim light, it seemed as if a dragon was roaring and howling at him!

The other five superhumans changed color at the same time, and even the soldiers were no exception. Their faces turned pale, and they subconsciously took a few steps back. Song Xuejun and Li Xiaojie were the most unwell and almost fell to the ground!

But this storm of the soul only targeted a select few; ordinary people were completely unaware of it. Senior Colonel Tian stepped forward and said sincerely, "Comrade Kang De, I'm truly sorry this happened. It was an accident! We will deal with him seriously; please don't hold it against him..."

Before he could finish speaking, Kang De released his grip, letting the man fall to the ground, bewildered, helpless, and terrified.

The Fire Thief turned to look at the colonel, then glanced at the astonished and bewildered Qin Mengjin, and said, "Enough with the formalities, let's find somewhere else to talk."

Senior Colonel Tian was taken aback, then calmed down and said in a deep voice, "Okay."

He waved to his deputy, signaling him to clean up the mess.

In the reception room, only Senior Colonel Tian and Kang De sat opposite each other, while Qin Mengjin stood beside Kang De.

"They don't know my background, at least they haven't seen Moyani's video, and they haven't even heard you mention this matter." Kang De looked at the neatly arranged tea set in front of him and said calmly, "I believe you wouldn't make such a basic mistake, so what just happened was most likely something you anticipated, or even allowed to happen. Senior Colonel Tian, I have a consensus with the country, and our cooperation on several occasions has been very pleasant, so..."

He said calmly, "Please give me an explanation."

"First of all, I still want to apologize for what just happened. We considered informing you in advance, but ultimately decided against it because prior notification would have given you some mental preparation, and your immediate reaction wouldn't have been as strong as it is now... Although this may cause your dissatisfaction, as you said, the Republic has had many pleasant collaborations with you, and you are a sincere patriot who will eventually understand our intentions."

Senior Colonel Tian paused for a moment, then slowly said, "Then please allow me to ask you a question—in your opinion, with the increasing number of supernatural events and the growing number of awakened extraordinary individuals, how should the state manage, guide, and assist these extraordinary individuals with miraculous powers, enabling them to coexist harmoniously with our billions of ordinary citizens, and doing its utmost to protect their lives, freedom, dignity, and equality?"

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PS1: Update...

PS2: I could have written more today, but I spent some time deducing and considering some things... Maybe I'm just too meticulous. Even though the focus of this book isn't on Earth, I still want to write a more realistic and reasonable picture of the ecology of superhumans on Earth, their relationship with the country, the country's policies and intentions, and the personal feelings, desires, and demands of these superhumans... This part is crucial and also related to the plot on Earth. I'll write more about it tomorrow.