Barry Allen

Barry wore jeans, a loose plaid shirt, and a black autumn jacket, looking spirited and sunny, with a head of golden hair that, under the sunlight streaming through the open door, shone with a pure, kind smile.

His nature was sincere, born with a goodwill toward the beauty of the world, so much so that anyone who saw Barry couldn't help but trust this honest young man.

"Barry, are you here to go to the police station with Alex?" Aunt Merri asked, delighted that Barry had come to see Alex.

Barry and Alex had been friends since childhood. Although they'd had a falling out in middle school over some things, Aunt Merri still held a good impression of Barry and firmly believed he remained Alex's good friend.

And today, on this important day, after graduating from Central City University, Alex was starting his first job—entering the Central City Police Department. Barry's arrival made Aunt Merri happy.

From now on, the two young men would be colleagues at the Central City Police Department, able to help each other.

Barry had already become a trainee in the evidence department at Central City Police Department during his senior year of college. After a period of experience, he officially became a forensic evidence technician, providing evidence support for the department.

Aunt Merri believed that with Barry and Alex working together, the two young men would surely rekindle their childhood friendship, cooperate better, and become good friends again.

"Aunt Merri, I'm here to go to the Central City Police Department with Alex."

Barry said with a sunny, cheerful smile. He had been looking forward to this day for a long time. Sure enough, Alex had chosen to enter the Central City Police Department—he was the most suitable person to be a police officer.

"I entered the Central City Police Department a year earlier than Alex, so I'm more familiar with the place. I thought I could show Alex around."

Barry said with a smile, his gaze unconsciously drifting past Aunt Merri, his heart stirring with faint excitement.

He had few friends—no, to be precise, he had none.

But the one person he considered a friend was Alex, a friend he'd known since Central City Elementary School. During the darkest times of his life, when his father was in prison and his mother had died, Alex had been by his side, helping him through.

Barry believed that no matter what, Alex was his childhood friend, his brother.

Even though they'd had an unpleasant falling out in middle school and once cut ties.

But today, with this opportunity, Barry felt he could change Alex's attitude, become good friends with him again, and work together at the Central City Police Department.

Hearing his wife talking with Barry at the door, Bert looked at Alex with a hint of strangeness in his eyes. Had he made up with Barry?

The morning sunlight slanted in through the window, casting half of Alex's figure into shadow. His black rectangular glasses made him look like a cold, emotionless schemer, the lenses reflecting light, hiding the eyes beneath, but making his jawline appear even more stern.

Silent. Wordless.

Alex stood up, the back of his knee pushing the chair, producing a faint scraping sound.

The room was quiet, only the sound of Barry and Aunt Merri's conversation drifting in from the door. Bert's deep blue eyes watched as Alex left the dining table, picked up his black jacket from the sofa, slipped it on, and still with a stern face, walked toward the door.

Alex's steps were steady and forceful. Each footfall on the wooden floor let Barry, standing at the door, clearly feel his own heartbeat sync with the steps.

Seeing Alex appear in his black rectangular glasses, even though they covered the signature, alluring tear mole, Barry still recognized him—this was his good friend, his childhood buddy, his brother.

Alex was still so outstanding, so remarkable, so capable of drawing everyone's gaze.

"Alex..."

Seeing Alex come out, Barry was overjoyed, revealing a sincere, bright smile. He stepped past Aunt Merri and hurried toward Alex.

Aunt Merri smiled at the scene, watching these two good friends, these big kids.

But then.

Just as Barry reached Alex.

Alex, his head slightly lowered, looked up. Through the lenses of his glasses, he cast a cold glance at the approaching Barry.

Bam!

In an instant, Alex took a large step forward with his right foot, stomping heavily on the wooden floor. The whole house seemed to shake, the dust in the air trembling in the sunlight as if stirred by the impact.

His upper body suddenly dropped. A sinking force rose from his foot, traveled up to his waist, and under his exquisite control over his body, transformed into a supple power. It looked as if Barry had stepped forward and Alex had fallen into his embrace.

Suddenly.

Thud!

In Barry's terrified, contracting pupils, Alex struck him with a Shoulder Charge, his shoulder slamming hard into Barry's chest.

Barry felt a surge of soft force hit his chest, like a high-pressure water cannon blasting him, making his chest go dark and his body lose control.

He was sent flying by Alex's shoulder, his feet leaving the ground, his vision blurring as he watched Alex grow farther and farther away in terror.

Thud!

Barry felt another pain in his back, his spine seeming to crackle joint by joint as his entire body was plastered against the wall like a starfish.

"Ooh..."

Barry groaned, eyes wide, stuck to the wall.

Every vertebra in his back felt like it was moving in a mix of pleasure and pain, leaving his entire spine aching abnormally.

With that single Shoulder Charge, Alex had sent him flying, slamming him diagonally onto the top of the door, shaking the wooden and concrete wall violently.

The dust, clearly visible in the sunlight, trembled and scattered as Barry's body stirred the air into chaos.

Alex withdrew his right foot, standing upright. He raised his right hand, pressing the tips of his middle and index fingers against the sides of his black-framed glasses on the bridge of his nose, adjusting the slightly crooked frames back against his skin. Through the lenses, he coldly watched Barry stick to the wall for about two or three seconds before sliding down and landing at the door.

Hitting someone so they hang like a painting—that was it.

Barry had hung on the wall for a few seconds before sliding off.

Alex had precise control over his strength. Barry's injuries were limited. That Shoulder Charge had used soft force, meant only to stick Barry to the wall for a few seconds. The real damage came from the fall itself.

But it wasn't serious—just a drop from about two meters, half a story high. At worst, Barry would have numb feet, scraped knees, and a sore body.

Aunt Merri was frozen in shock. It wasn't until Barry hit the ground with a loud thump, stirring up a cloud of dust, that she snapped out of her daze.

"Ah!"

"My god!"

"Alex, what have you done!!!"

Aunt Merri hurriedly rushed over to Barry's side, wanting to help him up but afraid that if she touched him after Alex's beating, she might cause a fracture. She paced anxiously around him, repeatedly asking if he was okay.

"Cough... cough... cough..."

Barry lay on the ground, his vision blurry, a lump stuck in his chest. He kept rolling his eyes and coughing, his body feeling numb and miserable, but nothing was seriously wrong. He could only wave his hand while coughing to tell Aunt Merri he was fine.

Bert, startled from the dining table, quickly ran over.

Alex's cold, stern face looked down from above as he approached Barry lying on the ground. Under the slanting sunlight at the doorway, his glasses reflected a cold gleam. His steps passed right by Barry's side as he walked out the door, leaving behind a receding silhouette and a voice laced with cold fury.

"Get lost. I have never forgiven you for what you did to me!"