Early the next morning, news that Wells's home had been attacked reached STAR Labs, and Cisco and Barry even concernedly asked Dr. Zhang about it.
However, Zhang Tianran had not been home for a long time.
Therefore, he was not entirely clear on the specific details of the matter, but in order to better hide his identity, Zhang Tianran still made a trip back home.
At home, Wells was dealing with some police officers who had come to handle the case. Meanwhile, Zhang Tianran went into his own bedroom to retrieve some things he deemed important.
After all, no matter what happened in the future, he was very likely to leave, and being able to pack some luggage in advance was a decent decision.
By the time Zhang Tianran emerged from the bedroom, the police outside had all left. The broken glass fragments in the house had already been cleaned up, and someone had come to install a new skylight.
"Packing things... preparing to go out?" Wells noticed that a few items were missing from Zhang Tianran's room, and instantly guessed something.
"No, just to guard against accidents. I've learned about some uncertain futures recently, so I'm getting ready just in case I leave something behind in a rush." Zhang Tianran said calmly.
Wells immediately recalled what Zhang Tianran had said last night about the Flash traveling through time.
It was actually quite common for speedsters to travel through time, and although there were things like Time Wraiths, not everyone could resist the temptation of traversing time.
It was just a pity that the consequences brought by altering time mostly turned out worse and worse.
"As for your future, it is indeed about time. But the future Flash is still alive, so it looks like our plan seems to have failed." Wells guessed with a furrowed brow.
"No, actually you and I are not the same kind of person. If there really is any cooperation between us, I won't allow you to kill Barry." Zhang Tianran shook his head and added.
Wells did not retort further, nor did he say anything more about cooperation.
In the afternoon, having just returned to STAR Labs, Zhang Tianran learned the name of the person who had attacked Wells last night—Hartley.
This fellow was a former employee of STAR Labs, but had been fired by Wells. This attack looked like a simple act of revenge, but it was somewhat different.
Zhang Tianran was listening to Cisco recount this former Hartley's working state at STAR Labs when the alarm device built by Cisco suddenly rang out—it was precisely the metahuman alert.
And the one triggering the alarm was naturally that very Hartley.
Cisco hurriedly notified Barry, while Zhang Tianran did not care much about such matters and went straight back to his private laboratory.
However, Zhang Tianran did not stay long in his private laboratory. A few hours later, news of Hartley's prison break arrived.
Pulling a future-style pistol from the drawer, Zhang Tianran left the private laboratory and began searching for Hartley's traces.
But clearly, this fellow's escape speed was much faster than Zhang Tianran had anticipated.
"Dr. Zhang, what happened?" Martin Stein was startled by the piercing alarm sound, and his whole body became somewhat uneasy.
Although life these days had been relatively comfortable, Martin Stein's condition had not improved much. Instead, because he frequently saw Caitlin, Ronnie's soul inside his body was becoming somewhat restless.
"A metahuman criminal escaped from prison; there shouldn't be any problem for the time being." Zhang Tianran put away the pistol, because the Flash had already received the warning and returned to STAR Labs.
"Is everyone okay?" Barry appeared before the two of them and asked. Before he could wait for an answer, he once again transformed into a streak of lightning and vanished.
Soon, Barry's voice came into Zhang Tianran's ears.
"Cisco is injured,
and Caitlin is unconscious. I need help right now..." Barry appeared somewhat flustered at the moment. Although he confirmed immediately that there were no enemies in STAR Labs, he did not know how to deal with his injured companions.
"Bring him to the infirmary and leave it to me. I know a thing or two about medical knowledge, although not quite as much as Caitlin." Zhang Tianran sighed and spoke.
Hearing this, Martin Stein also spoke up: "I can provide some help, temporarily..."
Because his mental state was unstable, Martin Stein was accustomed to staying alone.
Soon, Zhang Tianran treated Cisco's wound, and Caitlin also woke up from her unconsciousness.
Just as Barry let out a sigh of relief, Hartley walked out onto the street once more. He began destroying things everywhere, attempting to lure the Flash over.
"Barry, don't chat with him. This guy's power is dangerous. Take him down in the Speed Force state at the very first moment, otherwise your life will be in danger." Zhang Tianran spoke to Barry through the communicator.
Ever since he learned that Hartley had appeared in town, Barry had set off immediately, pausing almost not at all.
Zhang Tianran's reminder was very timely, and Barry obediently snatched away Hartley's weapon—that pair of gloves capable of emitting sonic waves.
Yet, only after the gloves were removed did Hartley's true plan unfold. As the gloves activated, Barry instantly collapsed limply to the ground.
"To acquire your vibration frequency, I really spent a great deal of effort. Suffer through it slowly; these sonic waves will shatter your internal organs..." Hartley watched Barry spitting blood, the expression on his face extremely excited.
In the current status quo where not many metahumans had emerged, the Flash was the sole challenge. As long as he defeated the Flash, he could practically do whatever he pleased in this city.
Hartley's intellect was indeed exceptional, and if it were just Barry alone, he would probably have no room for a comeback by now.
Yet Hartley could never have imagined that the Flash actually had a creator and watcher existence.
Wells discovered that Barry's life was hanging by a thread and immediately stepped into the field himself. It was merely a paltry Hartley, requiring no exposure of Wells's Reverse-Flash identity whatsoever.
"We have to do something; Barry's life is hanging by a thread right now." Caitlin had been monitoring Barry's physical state and was frantic with worry by now, yet she had no better way.
Wells hurried to the computer, activated the satellite to control the satellite loudspeakers on all cars near Barry, and began broadcasting certain sonic waves.
"Caitlin, don't panic. Wells has already found a way. It's just sonic waves, nothing too difficult."
As soon as Zhang Tianran's voice fell, Hartley's weapon immediately exploded, rendering him unconscious on the spot.
"Barry, can you still hear me?" Caitlin perceived from the monitor that it was over and hurriedly asked.
"Barely..."
Before you continue