If one day you discovered that time travel really existed, what choice would you make?
At that moment, Zhang Tianran was facing just such a choice.
Not long ago, Zhang Tianran, a transmigrator, had suddenly discovered that the world he lived in was actually based on a comic from his previous life.
For a moment, aside from being stunned, Zhang Tianran couldn't find any words to describe how he felt.
After living in this world for more than a decade, Zhang Tianran had suddenly realized that this familiar world was so strange.
All the hard studying and research, the doctorate he had worked so hard to earn, and the honors he had received suddenly seemed unimportant.
Zhang Tianran silently watched Barry Allen, Caitlin Snow, and Cisco Ramon enthusiastically discussing something nearby... and couldn't stop a wild idea from surfacing in his mind.
If time travel really existed, then...
"Dr. Zhang... are you all right?" Cisco happened to turn around just then and noticed that Zhang Tianran looked a little off.
Zhang Tianran came back to his senses and said, "I really didn't expect to run into something so unbelievable right after getting back. The appearance of metahumans is an absolute earthquake for traditional science..."
He made a casual remark to brush it off. The excuse he had come up with in such a short time was surprisingly apt.
Cisco didn't press him. He was just as curious about the changes that had happened to Barry Allen, and as a scientist himself, he understood how Zhang Tianran felt.
Nearby, Wells watched it all with a knowing smile, apparently quite pleased with how things were going.
Zhang Tianran didn't stay long at STAR Labs. He wandered the streets until late into the night.
Everything around him was peaceful, as if this were an ordinary world. There was no sign of any supernatural powers.
No matter how slowly he walked, Zhang Tianran eventually reached home. But as he stared at the familiar front door, he found himself unable to go inside.
Because... his adoptive father in this world was Harrison Wells, the founder and head of STAR Labs... and... the Reverse-Flash, Eobard Thawne.
It was hard to believe. He had lived in this world for more than a decade without noticing anything unusual.
After all, even as a transmigrator, he wouldn't suspect anything about the world around him without seeing supernatural powers with his own eyes.
"Afraid to come in? That doesn't sound like you. I still remember that little boy arguing with me about his name." Wells's voice came from behind the door, as calm as ever.
Zhang Tianran gave a bitter smile and reached out to open the door. Inside stood Wells, already transformed into the Reverse-Flash, dressed in his yellow suit.
"Were you the one who kept me away from all those supernatural powers? Otherwise, I shouldn't have waited until now to figure out what kind of world I'd ended up in." Zhang Tianran managed a weak smile, but felt little fear.
If the man in front of him, his adoptive father, had really wanted to hurt him, he wouldn't have waited until now.
In other words, even if things went as badly as they could, he must still have some value to Wells.
If he didn't... then he would die.
There was no way he could escape anyway!
"No. In this era, most people will never encounter them in their entire lives. Barry Allen spent more than a decade investigating supernatural phenomena and came up empty-handed." Wells explained, then sat down on the sofa as he always did.
If you ignored the glaring yellow suit Wells was wearing, Zhang Tianran might have thought this was just a heart-to-heart between an adoptive father and son.
"I'm curious. How did you know about me? Or rather, how did you know that I'd recognize you?" Zhang Tianran sat awkwardly across from Wells.
Wells didn't answer. He simply stared at Zhang Tianran in silence.
For a moment, it was as if the air had frozen. Even Zhang Tianran, who had more or less accepted his fate, couldn't help feeling nervous.
"When I first saw you, I just thought you were a little strange. But then I noticed traces of the Speed Force lingering on you." Wells was silent for a long time before he finally spoke.
Zhang Tianran felt a wave of relief and listened quietly as Wells recounted his past. Seeing what had happened to him in this world from another perspective, he couldn't help feeling lucky.
"You adopted me because of those traces of the Speed Force?" Zhang Tianran asked, puzzled.
Wells didn't answer. There was even a hint of... tenderness in his gaze.
Looking at Wells's trademark yellow suit, Zhang Tianran's mind raced. In an instant, all sorts of ideas came to him.
"No, that can't be it. For someone like you, who possesses the Negative Speed Force, Barry Allen, whose Speed Force truly gave birth to yours, is the only one you need to pay attention to."
"The Negative Speed Force was born from the Speed Force. So you became Barry Allen's opposite reflection. Only when Barry Allen has the Speed Force can you possess the Negative Speed Force that opposes his..."
"But in that case, you've still focused your attention on me... That can only mean I'm almost as valuable as Barry Allen."
"There are other possibilities, but the most likely one is that I can help you..."
"But so far, I don't seem to have that ability."
As Zhang Tianran pieced things together, one possibility came to mind. Based on what he knew, it was the most likely explanation.
After all, if he really had no value at all, someone like the Reverse-Flash would never have played "father and son" with him for so long, much less revealed his true identity now.
"Clap! Clap! Clap!" Wells began to applaud, looking just like a proud father watching his son grow up. His face shone with approval.
"Given how little information you had, you managed to see this much. You're even more impressive than I thought." Wells said.
Hearing this, Zhang Tianran immediately understood. His guess hadn't been entirely right; he must have overlooked something. But judging by the situation, his life was probably not in danger.
"Stop beating around the bush. I'm really not in the mood for this right now." Zhang Tianran said impatiently.
In a single day, his entire world had been turned upside down. Everything he'd known had vanished into thin air. If not for his strong self-control, he would have already lost control and made a reckless decision.
"Right now, you're of no use to me. You're impressive, but still far from good enough. Work hard to change that! When you have the same speed as me, you'll understand the problem we share. Then I'll need you." Wells blurred out of sight, and in the next instant his face had become indistinct, leaving him with the standard appearance of the Reverse-Flash.
Seeing Wells about to leave, Zhang Tianran hurriedly called out, "Wait. Tell me first—how did you know about me?"
Wells vanished completely, leaving only a few words behind.
"Tianran, you're not the only one in this world who understands time..."
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