Professor X

Over the next few days, Lu Yifang kept experimenting with his abilities in a secluded corner of the Orphanage—though doing it in his room would have been safer. His two original roommates had already been adopted, so for the time being, Lu Yifang had a room to himself.

But Lu Yifang quickly discovered that while Vector Control was powerful, it was also extremely difficult to control. Forces could cancel out or interact with one another, changing an object's direction of movement. A single mistake could cause conflicting forces to tear an object apart.

If he kept experimenting in his room, he would probably tear the place apart before figuring out his ability, then get kicked out of the Orphanage early by an enraged Ms. Emma.

After several days of experimentation, Lu Yifang had finally become roughly familiar with his ability, though fully controlling it would likely take a long time.

Lu Yifang remembered that Accelerator had been able to fully command Vector Control because, before using his ability, he performed massive amounts of simulated calculations in his mind. That allowed him to manipulate vectors at will and achieve whatever effect he desired.

Such formidable computational ability required specialized training and enhanced brain development. Lu Yifang, meanwhile, was currently just an ordinary person who happened to be decent at math.

Of course, while Lu Yifang could not manipulate vectors freely, he could take a shortcut: reflection. He could reflect back any force that posed a threat to him.

For example, if a bullet came at him, the instant it touched his body, the direction of its kinetic energy would reverse. It would be reflected back at the attacker along the same trajectory with the same kinetic energy. The same applied to fists, bullets, lasers, and missiles.

What reassured Lu Yifang most was that although he could control this reflection, more often than not, it was controlled by his subconscious, like breathing. Even if he failed to notice an attack, his subconscious would automatically ward off the dangerous threat for him. This undoubtedly greatly increased his chances of survival.

After all, the Marvel world was hardly a safe place. One moment, you could be taking your wife and children into the city, eating hotpot and singing songs, and the next, you might run into a huge green brute. He would be brawling with another shit-yellow brute in the name of free fighting while doing the work of a demolition crew, charging through the streets and tearing New York apart. At that point, you would definitely understand just how important personal accident insurance was.

That was the Marvel world. Ordinary people had an absurdly low safety rating. Now that he had become a mutant, the danger had not decreased—it had increased. Hadn't the news been talking about the Mutant Registration Act just a few days ago?

If he wanted to protect himself, he had to become stronger. Before, he had not possessed that ability. Just thinking about how to survive better in New York after leaving the Orphanage had already drained all his energy. As for the Green Giant, aliens, and the like, he could only leave them to fate. But now that he had power, he had to consider more.

"So you're here." Katie's voice rang out just then.

"What have you been doing? These past few days, it feels like you've been avoiding everyone."

"How could that be? That must be your imagination. Did you need something?" Lu Yifang hurriedly tossed aside the steel pipe in his hand, which had already been twisted beyond recognition, and smiled as if nothing had happened.

"I'm not looking for you. Ms. Emma is. A family claiming they want to adopt a child has come to the Orphanage, so Ms. Emma told everyone to gather in the garden. She specifically asked me to come get you."

"Why call me? I'll be eighteen in a few days. Have you ever heard of anyone adopting an eighteen-year-old?" Lu Yifang asked suspiciously.

"But after they heard about you, they suddenly asked to see you by name."

"Are you sure?" Lu Yifang looked at Katie doubtfully.

Adopters? Could they be traffickers in disguise? They might take in a young, able-bodied laborer like him under the pretense of adoption, then sell him off to some illegal coal mine for a quick profit.

"How would I know? Why don't you go see for yourself?" Katie said with a shrug.

Though he was suspicious, Lu Yifang still decided to take a look. If they really were an adoptive family, then so be it. But if they had ulterior motives, then Lu Yifang would, of course... be even more excited.

He was about to come of age and leave the Orphanage. Even as a mutant, making money was not easy. After all, all the ways to make big money had already been written in a little book called the U.S. Federal Constitution.

Besides, if he openly displayed his abilities while doing shady work, and S.H.I.E.L.D., the Military, mutants, or even some evil research institute found out, it would bring endless trouble.

So for Lu Yifang, who was currently short on money, if he could really run into one or two people with bad intentions and no background, it would be a blessing from heaven. His living expenses for the month after leaving the Orphanage would be settled.

With those thoughts in mind, Lu Yifang had not gone far before he nearly bumped into a blonde old woman.

"Ms. Emma, I'm sorry." Recognizing her, Lu Yifang hurriedly apologized.

"Yifang, you're far too slow. Mr. Charles is already impatient to meet you. Let me introduce you. This is..."

"Fuck, the old bald guy!" Lu Yifang's shout cut Ms. Emma off.

Lu Yifang could not be blamed. The moment he saw the bald old man in a suit sitting in a wheelchair, he instinctively recalled the terror of being tormented by nightmares for the past several days. Naturally, he lost his composure without meaning to.

As for the man in yellow-brown sunglasses and the white-haired woman standing behind the bald old man, although they looked even stranger, Lu Yifang unconsciously ignored them.

"Yifang, that was far too rude." Ms. Emma said unhappily after being interrupted.

"I'm sorry." Seeing this, Lu Yifang quickly apologized.

"It's all right." The bald old man before him waved his hand. His kind eyes studied Lu Yifang for a moment before he finally said with a smile.

"Child, we have finally met in reality."

What the hell did he mean, met in reality? Lu Yifang stared at the bald old man in shock. Wait, could this old bald bastard be the one who had caused him to have nightmares for days? Now that he thought about it, it really did seem likely.

"Who are you?" Lu Yifang was deeply unsettled. The reason he was so unsettled was that he wanted to give this old bald man a thorough beating. The only reason he had not acted was out of respect for the elderly and care for the young... well, all right, it was really just because Ms. Emma was here.

"Yifang." Ms. Emma had already taken hold of Lu Yifang's hand. She was truly somewhat dissatisfied with his behavior today.

She knew that Lu Yifang would soon be leaving the Orphanage, and she was deeply worried about how he would fare afterward. Though in all her years, this was the first time she had seen a family willing to adopt someone nearly grown, if it was true, then one burden in Ms. Emma's heart would finally be lifted.

"Mr. Charles, this child had a fever two days ago. It only broke today, so he's still a little muddled. Please don't take offense. Yifang is usually a very smart and kind child." Ms. Emma explained apologetically to the bald old man.

"Yifang, let me introduce you." Ms. Emma tried to make her voice as warm as possible, hoping to draw Yifang into the conversation.

"This is..." Yet Ms. Emma stopped abruptly halfway through. It was not just her—everyone around them had frozen as well, as though a movie had been paused.

At that moment, however, the bald old man suddenly wheeled himself over to Lu Yifang and said in a calm voice, "My name is Charles. I am the headmaster of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, though more people prefer to call me Professor X. The ones behind me are my students, Cyclops and Storm. They are the same as you and me."

Professor X looked at Lu Yifang with a smile. "You are not alone. We are your family, and we have come to take you home!"