In the shower, the showerhead sprayed scalding hot water. Steam rose through the room, enveloping Lin Li beneath it. The burning water streamed down his face, washing over his strong, lean body.
He closed his eyes and spread his arms, looking like a god. His body was slightly blurred, with arcs of electricity flashing and vanishing around him.
In an instant.
Within a three-kilometer radius, countless chaotic patterns—light and dark, rippling and linear, trembling at extremely high or low frequencies—
were all captured by Lin Li.
Electromagnetic fields. Electric fields generated magnetic fields, and magnetic fields generated electricity. The two cycled endlessly like cause and effect.
After absorbing enough electricity last night, Lin Li had thought it over and easily devised a way to sense Reverse-Flash.
Within the range of his electromagnetic field, he would at least no longer fail to see Reverse-Flash because of his super speed.
The frequency of an electromagnetic field traveled at the speed of light. No matter what, if Reverse-Flash entered its range, Lin Li would at least be able to "see" him. After all, Reverse-Flash could not reach light speed, which meant Lin Li would be able to perceive his movements. This was extremely crucial to Lin Li. Speed was the most important thing for a speedster; once he could predict a speedster's actions in advance, he could at least take some precautions.
Countless magnetic fields were "seen" and sensed by him.
Inside his mind, he constructed a colorless three-dimensional model—the full layout of STAR Labs.
Lin Li marked three red dots within the model.
Upon closer inspection, all three red dots had humanoid outlines.
There were two very small red humanoid outlines in the control room—the magnetic fields emitted by Cisco and Caitlin, which Lin Li had sensed.
The other red dot was four or five times larger than the other two combined, intensely releasing a biological magnetic field.
Grodd.
He was the gorilla Wells had worked with the military to use in experiments five years ago. After the Particle Accelerator exploded, the gorilla mutated and gained the abilities of mind control and telepathy.
Grodd had been living in STAR Labs' sewers, cared for and tamed by Wells.
A streak of electricity flashed.
Lin Li opened his eyes, turned off the showerhead, and switched on the exhaust fan. The steam spiraled out of the room like a tornado.
He picked up a white towel and wiped the droplets from his body.
Super-Speed Thinking gave him an extreme calmness in his thoughts. He considered what value Grodd's existence might have for him, as well as how he could obtain twenty-fifth-century technology from Dr. Wells' mind. More importantly, he needed Dr. Wells' knowledge. At the very least, it might offer a way home.
He longed to return home, to that real Earth, and continue the proposal he had yet to finish.
Coming to this world had not been his choice, and he had even fought a terrible battle.
He would not be as reckless as he had been last night. That had been a profound lesson.
He did not keep his electromagnetic perception active at all times. It consumed too much mental energy. Building a three-dimensional model inside his mind from countless frequencies, then distinguishing every type of frequency, was an exhausting task. Maintaining it for long periods would grind his mind to pieces. Only after he could easily recognize and memorize what each frequency represented would this ability display its greatest usefulness. He still had a long way to go.
After putting on STAR Labs athletic clothes and sneakers, he stopped Super-Speed Thinking, left his room, and headed to the control room.
Cisco and Caitlin had already prepared everything in the hall. They only needed to get in the car and leave.
"Strange. Why is Dr. Wells so slow today?"
Caitlin glanced at the exquisite watch on her wrist and asked in confusion. The doctor had always arrived early and had never been late before. She had no idea what was happening today, but his lateness puzzled her.
"Who knows? Maybe Dr. Wells is having a hearty breakfast before coming in. Hey, Lin Li, I still think that performance-art outfit you wore earlier looked great. If you put it on and ran around the streets once, I don't think I'd ask you to repay those seven dollars in cab fare."
Cisco shrugged, saw Lin Li emerge, and teased him.
Lin Li said with a dark expression, "That is a black mark on my history. Please forget it."
Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed toward them, blowing their hair back. Accompanied by yellow lightning arcs, Barry appeared in the control room in a leaning-back stopping pose.
"Sorry I'm a little late. The traffic lights took a while..."
Barry stammered out an excuse.
Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Wells finally arrived at the control room in his wheelchair.
"Sorry, everyone. I overslept a little."
Dr. Wells looked as normal as ever, his expression apologetic, as though yesterday's punch had never landed on him.
Lin Li remained impassive. He had no intention of exposing Dr. Wells as an enemy; he was making plans in his heart.
For Lin Li, who knew how the future would unfold, perhaps the important thing was not defeating Wells, but learning more and more from him to help himself.
Dr. Wells, it was time to see who could act better.
Lin Li thought to himself.
"Everyone's here. Let's go. Lin Li, Barry, you two had better put on a good performance today."
Cisco clapped and called out.
Ferris Air Testing Facility.
This was a long runway in the suburbs. The ground was slightly damp, and the morning mist had been evaporated by the sunlight, bringing warm, humid weather. A cool morning breeze swept by with a faint chill. It was the crisp height of autumn.
STAR Labs' research vehicle was parked at one end of the runway. Beneath a blue canopy, Dr. Wells, Cisco, and Caitlin adjusted three computers and several pieces of research equipment stored in silver cases. They were the equipment intended for testing Lin Li and Barry.
Meanwhile, Lin Li and Barry were in the vehicle, changing into the testing suits Cisco had prepared for them.
Barry had pulled his red bodysuit halfway on. He leaned close to Lin Li and said excitedly, "Lin Li, do you know what I did last night?"
Lin Li teased, "Did you lose your virginity? Barry, congratulations."
Barry grew even more excited. "Something even more worth celebrating than that."
Lin Li pondered for a moment. "Twice?"
Barry ignored Lin Li's nonsense. His eyes shone as he said, "Last night, I stopped a gang crime."
"Lin Li, do you know how powerless ordinary people are in the face of evil? Last night, I saw two girls nearly die under gunfire."
"If I hadn't been there, two young lives would have been snuffed out. They shouldn't have died."
"No one has the right to control someone else's life. No one."
"Some evil people hurt others without restraint. When I saved those two girls, do you know what? They were completely stunned."
"I'm so glad I have this speed, speed beyond that of ordinary people."
"I could save them."
"I had the ability. I should save them."
Before you continue