19

After chatting with Peter for a few more minutes, Peter asked why he was carrying luggage.

"What's going on? Why are you leaving again?" Peter asked. "We've only been neighbors for a few days. Where am I supposed to find you later?"

Guan Heng said, "I was just about to tell you. Qianhuan was picked up by her uncle, and I'm moving to a new place too. I'll take you there sometime so you know the way. With your current speed, no distance is more than a moment away anyway."

Peter smiled. "That's true. I have to hurry home for lunch, and I have class this afternoon. See you." With that, Peter hurried off.

"Hehe, a young, energetic, and still innocent Superhero has been born." Guan Heng waved Peter goodbye and chuckled.

Carrying his simple luggage, he returned to the entrance of the S.H.I.E.L.D. lobby, where a short, shifty-looking young man hurried over to greet him. "Are you Mr. Guan Heng? I'm Simon Aleshek, a Level Four Agent. I'm responsible for delivering these things to you."

As he spoke, Aleshek handed Guan Heng an ID and a set of house keys. Looking at the eagle-and-shield emblem on the ID's cover, Guan Heng muttered, "Don't move, Villain. S.H.I.E.L.D. Exorcism Team, Section Six."

Simon had not heard clearly. "Hm? What Section Six? Mr. Guan, do we have a department like that? How come I don't know about it?"

Guan Heng patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. It's a covert agency in charge of extraterrestrial affairs. Remember the confidentiality rules: don't ask about things you shouldn't."

Simon promptly clamped his mouth shut, then finally said, "Then I'll take you to the residence so you can get settled first. Please follow me."

The two got into Simon's car. After driving for less than half an hour, they ran into New York City's famous endless traffic jam.

Guan Heng grew impatient from waiting, and his stomach was growling as well. He said to Simon, "Let's find somewhere to eat first. I'm starving to death."

The two then entered a restaurant. Guan Heng ordered a huge pile of Set A and Set B meals and wolfed them down, only to notice that Simon had not ordered anything. He merely took two sips of the bottled purified water he had brought with him.

Curious, Guan Heng asked, "Why aren't you eating? Didn't bring money? I can treat you."

Simon waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no, no, that's not it. Actually, I can't eat things casually." Then he fell silent, looking somewhat nervous.

Guan Heng stared into Simon's eyes until the other man felt uneasy. "Simon, hiding things from your Superior is a major taboo among agents. That kind of behavior could be entered into your file." Of course, he was no damn superior at all—he was simply bluffing. But Simon was only a rookie and had no idea who Guan Heng really was. He genuinely believed that rank could crush a person.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Simon said to Guan Heng in a Low Voice, "Actually, I'm a Food Spirit User."

Guan Heng asked strangely, "What's a Food Spirit User? Is that some kind of title? Do you have a special ability?"

Simon said, "I can't eat anything, because the moment I take a bite of food, my mind relives that food's entire life. For example, if I bite into an apple, I'll experience everything from it growing from a sapling into an apple tree, to being picked, transported by car, delivered to a supermarket, and bought by someone. All of it reappears in my mind. But those flashbacks come too suddenly. My head often feels like it's splitting because it can't absorb that much information at once. That's why I don't dare eat most foods. I can only drink purified water produced in the same place."

Guan Heng asked, "You really don't eat anything? What do you do when you're hungry? Drinking water can't solve hunger."

Simon said helplessly, "I can only eat beetroot. It's the only thing that doesn't cause flashbacks in my mind. It's strange, but I really don't know why."

Tsk, that's amazing. Guan Heng thought. This is an incredible ability. I should spend more time with this kid. If I need to investigate something later, I can just have him bite the relevant object, and everything will become clear.

Guan Heng immediately put on a beaming smile. "Simon, where do you live? I think colleagues should get to know each other and visit more often. I'll come see you when I have time."

Simon smiled. "There's no need to go to such trouble. We live in the same villa. It's spacious and secluded, with plenty of rooms. It felt too empty living there alone, so they arranged for you to move in too."

"We're living together? That's fantastic!" Guan Heng looked utterly ecstatic, startling Simon.

"M-Mr. Guan, I don't have that kind of preference," Simon said softly.

"That's fine, because I'm straight too." Guan Heng gave an awkward laugh and hurriedly smoothed his delighted expression. "But we Huaxia men are warm and friendly. We like making friends. We'll be brothers from now on. If you have any problems, tell me. We should help each other." As he said the last sentence, a horned demon holding a pitchfork nearly leaped out of Guan Heng's sinisterly grinning heart.

Simon nodded. Seeing that the other man merely wanted to be friends and had no orientation issues, he finally relaxed. How could he know that Guan Heng was a wolf in sheep's clothing? He would not necessarily screw you over completely, but he would absolutely use you until every last drop had been squeezed out.

After lunch, Simon drove them to the villa where they would be living.

After setting down his luggage in his room, Guan Heng wandered around to familiarize himself with the place. In the kitchen, he saw a mountain of Beetroot Cans—probably several hundred of them—and muttered, "Damn, Aleshek was telling the truth."

Late at night in New York City, one side glittered with lights and revelry, while the other lay in endless darkness. A burst of hurried footsteps drew nearer. A middle-aged woman ran rapidly along, clutching a swaddled infant in her arms.

She was already panting heavily, cold sweat soaking through her clothes and dripping onto the ground with every step. Though she was running for her life, she did not dare pause for even a second. Lost in panic, she paid no attention to where she was going. She only wanted to carry the child forward and keep running.

Her vision blurred and doubled. The middle-aged woman was nearly collapsing from exhaustion when the sound of leather boots striking the ground—tap, tap, tap—came from behind her again. Those footsteps had followed her at an unhurried pace the entire time. No matter whether she ran fast or slow, she could not shake them off.

The woman was terrified out of her wits. Her panic affected the child in her arms, and the baby suddenly began to cry. The wailing stirred the strength of motherhood within her. Gritting her teeth, she continued sprinting. Remembering the horror of the person behind her, she dared not stop for even an instant. One step slower would mean utter ruin for both her and the child.

Yet the footsteps behind her continued at the same leisurely pace, as though they intended to drive the woman and child into a dead end.

Gasping for breath and bracing herself against the wall, the woman staggered forward. Suddenly, she raised her head and saw the scene ahead by the dim streetlamp. Her face twisted in despair. Before her was a dead end.

The filthy, dark, narrow alley reeked. Several pools of murky sewage lay on the ground, beside rusted garbage cans. Three sides were blocked by steep, unclimbable walls. Behind her was the way she had come, along with those footsteps that carried despair, cruel coldness, and the savor of a cat toying with a mouse, drawing closer bit by bit.

"Ah!" The woman grabbed her hair with One Hand and let out a desperate, piercing scream. The child continued crying in terror, nearly hoarse. Looking at the baby in her arms, a flicker of resistance suddenly appeared in the woman's Eyes. She groped around wildly and finally grasped an iron garbage-can lid.

"Don't come closer!" The woman held the iron lid across her body, especially shielding her child. Her cry was hoarse with exhaustion.

Her trembling hands clutched the iron lid tightly, hoping it would provide the last shred of safety and frighten off the approaching person. This was the woman's final struggle. Then the sound of boots hitting the ground abruptly stopped. The man had arrived before her.

From behind the iron lid, she caught sight of him: a tall, gaunt man with a body like a concrete pipe. He wore a trench coat, and his back was slightly hunched because his arms were unusually long. His Eyes gleamed coldly, and a cruel sneer flickered at the edge of his collar. "Hehehe, the game of hide-and-seek ends here. I'm hungry and don't want to wait any longer. I'm tired of playing too. Surrender obediently."

The woman cried out in panicked despair, "Y-you, don't come any closer!" She waved the iron lid with One Hand while still clutching the child tightly.

The tall, thin man gave another harsh Sinister Laugh. Looking at his frightened, helpless prey, his narrow, coldly gleaming eyes were filled with cruel madness. "Woman, I can spare your life. This has nothing to do with you. Put down the child, and you can get lost."

He looked over the infant in the woman's arms, wearing a drooling expression. "I like tender little children best. They have an excellent texture when eaten. I'll say it one more time: leave the child, and I'll spare your life."

"No! I'll never abandon my child! Y-you're a demon!" the woman screamed in terror. Asking her to give up her own flesh and blood was clearly unbearable.

"Then die!" The tall, thin man snarled, raising his thick, long arm to kill the woman.

Just then, someone lazily called from behind him, "Hey, don't turn around."

The man was not an obedient little boy. He whirled around, and a fist had already slammed viciously into his face. His body flew backward at high speed and crashed into the wall with a bang.

"I told you not to turn around." It was Guan Heng who had struck the tall, thin man. He said, "You're so ugly that you shouldn't wander around at night. Scaring women and children is one thing, but if I accidentally see you, I'll be so disgusted I'll throw up my dinner. What bad luck."

As Guan Heng spoke, he casually pulled the woman holding the infant behind him. Seeing Guan Heng send the Villain flying with one punch, the woman was no longer afraid. She even wanted to Watch the Fun and vent the frustration she had built up while fleeing.

Picking his ear with his little finger, Guan Heng looked utterly impatient. "You're one of those genetically mutated Experimental Subjects who escaped from the Fifth Biological Research Institute in New York City, right? Where are your other four accomplices? Tell me where they are, now. If you're itching for a beating, I'll beat you up first and ask again afterward."

The tall, thin man shook his aching face and climbed up from the ground. "Damn it! I'll kill you! Kill you! Aaaah!"

Seeing the man get up so quickly as if nothing had happened, Guan Heng nodded in mild surprise. "I only used half my strength, yet you took that hit. This mutant body of yours is pretty tough. Interesting. Not bad."

No ordinary person could withstand one of Guan Heng's punches. Escaping with only broken bones and torn tendons would already be a miracle; they would likely lose most of their life in a single blow. Yet this tall, thin fellow, though grimacing in pain, had not suffered much injury. His body's resistance to blows was vastly greater than an ordinary person's. Genetic modification really did have something to it.

Guan Heng casually ordered the woman behind him, "If you don't want yourself or your child hurt, get farther away." Hearing that, the woman hurriedly carried her child off into the distance. At that moment, someone gently tapped her shoulder.

At this moment, the tall, thin man's eyes turned blood-red, as if blood might drip from them at any instant. His already thick arms suddenly swelled another size. He clearly possessed the power to control his arm muscles. The tall, thin man growled, "I'll kill you! I'll tear you apart!"

Guan Heng laughed disdainfully. "Kill me? I estimate you have no chance in this lifetime. Why don't you go kill some bugs instead?"

With a furious roar, the tall, thin man lunged forward and drove his huge left arm straight toward Guan Heng's chest. Guan Heng lightly brushed it aside with his palm. "Hm, you have some brute strength, but it's still not enough." After Saying That, he grabbed and pulled. The thin man stumbled, his body helplessly falling past Guan Heng.

Bang! His face kissed the concrete wall hard. Then, scraping down the wall with a squeal, he slowly slid to the ground.

"Urgh!" The tall, thin man covered his face, which was a bloody mess, his nose bridge broken. "Damn it! Die!" He lunged at Guan Heng again, wildly swinging both arms in horizontal and vertical strikes like a mad tiger.

Guan Heng dodged left and right, as light and elusive as drifting willow fluff. The other man could not even touch the corner of his clothes. Guan Heng muttered, "Too slow. Faster. Your speed is far worse than my Dabao's. At this rate, I'm going to fall asleep. There's really nothing to see."

After Saying That, he kicked the thin man behind the knee. The other man's body swayed before he dropped to his knees. Guan Heng took two steps back, folded his arms, and said coldly, "Get up. At your level, I don't even need Iron Fist. I could easily take on eight of you."

The thin man supported himself with Two Hands, his body trembling slightly. Guan Heng's contemptuous attitude caused his rage to erupt completely in silence. Ever since gaining strength beyond ordinary people, when had he ever been mocked and toyed with like this? Thinking of that, his entire body began to shake unnaturally. His joints cracked, and his gaunt body suddenly expanded into a muscular frame.

"Aaaah! I'll kill you! You bastard, die!"

Seeing the thin man's transformation, Guan Heng's eyes narrowed. "Hm, now this is more interesting. By enraging him, his power actually increased. This mission can finally show me something worthwhile. It wasn't for nothing that I ran around on such a fine night."

The thin man—no, he should now be called a tall, burly monster—suddenly bent forward and charged. In an instant, he closed in on Guan Heng and threw more than a dozen punches in rapid succession, at least five or six times faster than before.

Yet Guan Heng continued dodging unhurriedly, enjoying the cool breeze stirred by the punches. "Hm, much faster than before. Now it finally feels like standing in front of an electric fan. Nice and cool."

The enraged tall, burly monster's eyes sharpened. He threw a Full Power piercing punch through the air, driving straight at Guan Heng's face.