Visitor from Another World

"This isn't my world. I can't go back..."

Lin Li muttered to himself. Right now, he had no idea how he should face this.

He slumped onto the floor, his pupils unfocused and his expression blank. No matter how many miraculous abilities this world possessed, how enviable it was, or how much evil and good existed within it, none of it had anything to do with him. He did not belong to this world. He was from the real world, and this world was merely a television show.

Just like Eobard Thawne—now Dr. Wells—he was from the future and did not belong here. Everything felt wrong, discordant, sickening enough to make one vomit. It was a kind of mental and psychological self-rejection. At its core, both he and this world rejected each other. He had originally come here only to kill The Flash, then leave after the deed was done. He had failed only because of interference from the future Flash, leaving him stuck here training The Flash so he could absorb enough Speed Force to run back home.

Lin Li's situation was even more severe than Eobard Thawne's.

This was no longer simply a matter of worlds or universes.

The Flash was a television show, a two-dimensional existence, a two-dimensional universe.

Because of his arrival, that two-dimensional universe had become a tangible three-dimensional universe. But what about the original three-dimensional universe? He did not know. He had no idea where it had gone. Perhaps it had vanished, or perhaps it had been overwritten.

Even more terrifying was the thought that he himself might have become a person from a two-dimensional universe, while mistakenly believing that everything he saw and felt here was a three-dimensional world.

His mind was a complete mess. Nothing felt right.

"Kid, where exactly did you come from? Why were you in the Central City Police Department laboratory that night?"

A middle-aged Black man walked in. He was tall and solidly built, with a ring of beard around his mouth.

Joe West, The Flash's adoptive father and future father-in-law. A detective with the Central City Police Department, he had extensive experience fighting criminals.

"Detective West, our Asian kid can't understand English."

Cisco teased.

Joe ignored Cisco and gestured to Dr. Wells, asking him to translate.

"Detective West, the patient has only just awakened, and his emotions are still unstable. I don't think questioning him right now is a good idea."

Dr. Wells did not translate. Instead, he spoke directly to Joe.

Joe was dissatisfied. "Dr. Wells, since when is interrogating suspects not a police officer's responsibility?"

"Besides, he may be the culprit who put Barry in that bed. Of course, Dr. Wells, you deserve plenty of credit for that too."

Dr. Wells said nothing.

He removed his glasses, rubbed his face with his left hand, and slowly let out a breath.

"How's Barry doing?"

Joe continued asking. He did not insist on having Lin Li's words translated. He could see that Lin Li was not in a good mental state, and decided to question him another time to determine whether he needed to be arrested or deported. Though Joe suspected it would be deportation. Lin Li was an unidentified Chinese man who did not even understand English and had no identification documents. Joe had checked travel and citizenship records, even cross-referencing information with several major Asian countries, but found no records that matched Lin Li. It was highly likely that he came from some remote region and had been smuggled into the city to work illegally, or perhaps commit petty theft. Joe had encountered plenty of people like that, but he had never seen one bold enough to sneak into a police station.

"Barry's blood pressure, pulse, and other readings are slightly elevated. Overall, though, his recovery is going well. He should wake up soon."

Caitlin took over, understanding Barry's condition after only a brief glance.

Joe silently watched Barry, his expression sorrowful. He had raised Barry for more than a decade and treated him as his own son. Seeing that kind, lively, intelligent young man lying helplessly in a hospital bed tore at his heart.

Joe did not grieve for long. He wiped away his tears, and his expression hardened with resolve.

He took out a pair of handcuffs, grabbed Lin Li's hand, and cuffed him to the hospital bed.

"Hey! That's inappropriate."

Dr. Wells called out. Handcuffing a patient before he had fully regained his senses could severely affect his emotions.

Cisco and Caitlin also looked at Joe West with concern.

"To make sure he doesn't escape, this is the only way. Keep an eye on him. Tomorrow, I'll file the paperwork and formally arrest him or deport him so he can go home."

Joe spoke coldly. If he had not been a police officer, he would have punched Lin Li long ago. This was already a very restrained response.

After saying that, Joe strode out with swift, decisive steps.

At the word "home," Lin Li, handcuffed to the hospital bed, snapped out of his daze because of Joe's actions.

I have to go back!

No matter how much time stands between us, I have to go back and see her. I still have an unfinished proposal to complete.

Once someone had conviction, they could unleash limitless will and move forward without fear.

Lin Li's gaze gradually became firm. He wanted to go home. He had to return. She was still waiting for him.

He looked around, his eyes sweeping over the three of them.

Caitlin Snow, a bioengineering expert. Killer Frost.

Cisco Ramon, a physics genius and inventor. Vibe.

Harrison Wells, Eobard Thawne in disguise. Dr. Zoom of the twenty-fifth century. Reverse-Flash.

At last, his gaze settled on Dr. Wells.

"Dr. Wells, this isn't my world. I want to go back. Please help me."

Lin Li had watched The Flash. In the entire series, if there were anyone who could send him back to reality, there were probably only two people: Eobard Thawne and Dr. Zoom. With the technological standards of the twenty-fifth century, along with his research into and use of the Speed Force, Lin Li might be able to use the Speed Force to return to reality.

It was only a possibility, because the real world had no such thing as the Speed Force. That meant there was no connection to the real world. The only link was Lin Li himself. He had come from reality, and that was the sole connection.

Then there was Vibe, whom Cisco would awaken as in the second season, capable of traveling between parallel worlds. Lin Li did not know whether reality might be a parallel world, but once Cisco awakened, he could have Vibe test him and see whether he could sense anything.

"Not your world?"

Dr. Wells lowered his head and slowly put his glasses back on. A strange light flickered in his eyes.

"I was supposed to be on my way to propose to my girlfriend, but the weather suddenly changed. A black sphere of energy flew above my head. Lightning struck it, and it turned into a vortex that pulled me inside..."

Lin Li briefly explained what had happened. It was the truth, so there was no need for him to lie. Besides, he wanted them to study how he could return. As long as it did not involve Wells's plan to return to the future, Lin Li did not think it would be much of a problem, nor did he see any need to conceal it.

As long as he did not reveal that Wells was destined to fail, Lin Li believed everything else could be kept under control.