Coulson and Melinda looked at Oaks with horror in their eyes.
Hadn't he said before that his "ability" was telepathic communication with animals?!
What was this plant control?!
These were abilities on completely different levels!
"Mr. Oaks, how many 'abilities' do you... actually have? Is this also the result of your experiments?"
Coulson forced a smile as he holstered his pistol. He had already spotted the burly Latino man from the files among the distant crowd.
"I thought we'd already discussed this openly before."
"An accident. An experimental accident. This is an unrepeatable scientific miracle—my field of research is biology, not zoology."
Oaks wore a perfectly matter-of-fact expression.
"I only told you one because you were already taking it so seriously. If I told you more, would you take me back to slice me up?"
"No, no... of course not."
Coulson hurriedly denied it.
"We've encountered many Inhumans with unusual abilities, but unless they are uncontrollable and pose a major threat to society, we will determine the appropriate course of action based on our assessment—
At most, that means surveillance."
"Not surveillance in some deep-sea prison, I hope?"
Oaks quipped, though he wasn't referring to the one from the cartoon, but the one that had held several members of Captain America's faction after the Civil War.
"Your mind is certainly active."
Melinda tilted her head, giving Oaks a strange look.
"There really is a place like that, but not just any criminal qualifies to be imprisoned there."
In other words, one had to do something truly serious to get in.
"Still, I suggest we put this topic aside for now. That guy is practically about to cry."
Melinda nodded toward Blaze, signaling Oaks to handle it himself, then stepped back with Coulson to watch the show.
"It looks like this mission is getting more and more interesting."
Melinda quietly discussed it with Coulson.
"I'd bet Oaks has other abilities too."
"Why are you so sure?"
Coulson lowered his voice as well.
"These two abilities are already powerful enough. Telepathic communication with animals is still within the realm of understanding, but what even is plant control?"
He pursed his lips, unable to stop himself from complaining.
"He said it was an experimental accident. Do you believe that?"
"Why not? Is Hulk scientific? That was an experimental accident too."
Melinda did not want to dwell on that point.
"At the very least, his willingness to demonstrate his abilities means he is friendly toward us, and he is very restrained.
As for why I'm certain he has other abilities..."
Melinda narrowed her eyes. Just as Coulson put on a serious expression, ready to hear her analysis, she uttered one word.
"Instinct."
"..."
But Coulson had no time to mock Melinda's terrible joke, because Blaze had already confirmed Oaks's identity.
"I am Blaze Clark, sir. I cannot thank you enough for saving my life.
You are God's messenger, the great benefactor of more than three hundred poor people here!
Because of your blessing, at least a hundred people were spared from dying during the past two winters."
Blaze's expression was calm. Amid the crowd's cries of surprise, he threw aside his cane, braced himself with both hands, and dropped to one knee.
"Sir, if my unauthorized founding of the Benevolence Society has angered you, please punish me alone... At least, please let them survive this winter!"
"Mr. Blaze!"
"Sir! Please don't punish Mr. Blaze!"
"My lord! We are willing to be punished alongside Clark. Please do not vent your anger on these poor people!"
Only then did the poor people notice that the owner of this forest wore a cold expression—the ability to control the Little Rainforest's "living vines" was undoubtedly the most direct proof of Oaks's identity.
Oaks had never appeared before, but they knew more or less about Blaze's situation—he and the members of the Benevolence Society had initially been thrown into that forest as punishment for their crimes.
Blaze had been allowed to enter the forest again because he had nearly died at the time—this was mercy directed at him alone.
But Blaze had used that mercy to help unrelated people like them, which had undoubtedly gone against this lord's original intent.
"Do you know, Clark?"
Oaks's low voice rang out, and the entire crowd fell silent in an instant.
"Seven years ago, when I was not yet fifteen, not long after losing my parents, I was wandering around in a daze when I happened to come here."
Blaze's kneeling body trembled slightly. He knew very well what a chaotic place this had been seven years ago.
And what a teenage boy with Chinese and Celtic blood—two ethnicities at the very bottom of the racial discrimination hierarchy—would encounter when he came here alone.
"It seems you've thought of it. That's right, I was kidnapped back then... The men who kidnapped me intended to sell me."
Oaks's face grew even colder, and the poor people seemed to feel the temperature around them drop several degrees.
"But I was lucky. I escaped."
Naturally, he would not say how he had escaped. Coulson and Melinda were still watching.
"Later, after I had completed my studies and needed human test subjects, this was the first place that came to mind."
Sweat soaked Blaze's back. Sure enough, his feeling back then had been correct.
That truly had been a human experiment.
"You figured it out, didn't you? But those people from back then are gone now. I never intended to take revenge on everyone. I only took people like you, those with criminal records, but I never expected you to build such a great undertaking."
Blaze lowered his head deeply.
What could he say?
For someone more extreme, possessing such miraculous means and not wiping out half the neighborhood would already have been a blessing.
"You know it too. That winter when you came here because you were about to freeze to death, I was watching you from the shadows."
Oaks slowly crouched down, lifted Blaze's head, and looked into his eyes.
"From that winter onward, I saw you every day, and you... did not disappoint me."
Blaze's eyes widened in shock.
"Now answer me. Since then, have you committed any crimes again?"
"No! Sir, I swear it on my soul!"
"Have you used the Benevolence Society to commit crimes?"
"No! Sir, I swear it on my soul!"
"Have you used the Benevolence Society for personal gain?"
"No! Sir, I swear it on my soul!"
"Very good..."
At last, a springlike smile appeared on Oaks's face. A vine emerged from beside his feet, curled around Blaze's single crutch, and delivered it to his side.
"Then are you willing to help me eradicate hunger and improve humanity's living environment?"
"Sir, it would be my honor!"
Helping the tearful Blaze to his feet, Oaks loudly announced to the cheering poor people.
"I, Oaks Lin, owner of this forest, the Little Rainforest, hereby recognize the existence of the Benevolence Society from this day onward and will serve as its president!"
"And Mr. Blaze Clark will serve as vice president of the Benevolence Society. The Little Rainforest will continue to exist as well!"
"Oaks! Oaks! Oaks!"
"Blaze! Blaze! Blaze!"
"Benevolence Society! Benevolence Society! Benevolence Society!"
The cheers rang throughout the entire neighborhood.
Before you continue