Barry, You Wouldn't Mind If I Became a Speedster Too, Right?

For a Speedster, even severe injuries could heal quickly.

Of course, they had to be injuries that could heal. Speedsters merely recovered quickly; they could not regenerate severed limbs.

In short, although he had nearly died, The Flash had still completed his mission. As for the fact that he would have been dead for sure if Wells had not intervened, it did not leave any psychological shadow on Barry.

Such optimism was an indispensable quality for becoming a superhero.

"It's fortunate that you survived this time, Barry. But you're too easily outmaneuvered by your enemies. If their attack had been any faster, we might not have made it in time."

While everyone else was celebrating the victory of this mission, Zhang Tianran spoke with a grave expression.

As soon as he said that, the smiles on everyone's faces gradually froze. It was as though they had finally remembered how Barry had nearly died this time.

"Dr. Zhang, I know that very well. I'll be more careful in the future... Besides, don't I have all of you helping me?" A faint smile bloomed across Barry's face, remarkably infectious.

Zhang Tianran frowned at that. He said nothing more...

Barry's actions were foolish, but perhaps it was precisely that foolishness that made him a hero. Still, was it really worth it?

At any rate, Zhang Tianran knew he could not do the same.

"I'm going to conduct an experiment. It may be dangerous. Don't contact me for the next three days. No matter how urgent it is, it can wait until then." With that, Zhang Tianran returned alone to his private laboratory.

The others exchanged glances, somewhat unable to understand what had happened.

Seeing this, Wells sighed and said, "Don't mind him. That's just Tianran's personality. He actually cares a lot about Barry's safety..."

After returning to his private laboratory, Zhang Tianran activated the artificial intelligence he had created.

"Shawna Baez's whereabouts have been located." As soon as the artificial intelligence activated, it displayed a message indicating that its task had been completed.

Shawna Baez was someone who possessed teleportation abilities. Though she was not particularly important, Zhang Tianran needed that ability.

"Mm. How do you feel in your current state?" Zhang Tianran asked as he worked.

Although the artificial intelligence's code was now complete, it was still only a semi-finished product. Furthermore, without a suitable "body" to function through, its capabilities were extremely limited.

But even the most limited artificial intelligence was still technology beyond the current era. It had no problem helping Zhang Tianran with minor tasks.

"I... need to evolve..." As though it had thought for a long time, the incomplete artificial intelligence finally gave its answer.

"No problem. Give it a few more days, and I'll get you a body. For now, stay put and don't let anyone discover your existence. I don't want to have to make up excuses..."

Zhang Tianran quickly assembled several devices from the parts on the table, but he did not immediately use them. Instead, his body turned into a bolt of lightning and vanished from the spot.

A few minutes later, Zhang Tianran reappeared in the laboratory with a cardboard box in his arms. Inside were wooden boxes of various sizes, looking like packaging for small figurines.

In reality, however, these were all advanced instruments and materials Zhang Tianran had bought from around the world.

The reason they had become so small was naturally thanks entirely to Ray Palmer's technology.

Ray Palmer would never have dreamed that his technology had been leaked the day after he developed it, and that it was a function he had yet to discover himself.

For a Speedster, stealing was simply far too easy. Especially in a place like Palmer Tech, which had practically no security.

It was like walking into an empty room. The technology was easy enough to obtain; the materials were a little more difficult. But only a little. With some effort, they were still easy to get.

After restoring the materials to their original size, Zhang Tianran nodded in satisfaction. The ability to shrink any object was simply too convenient.

"Decided. Once I'm done with this busy stretch, I'll steal a Time Ship. I remember the Waverider was destroyed once. I'll figure out a way to swap it out before that happens."

He continued working, but deep down, he began recalling all the good things this world possessed.

After all, he might be leaving soon. Naturally, he had to pack up all the good stuff and take it with him. What if he never got another chance?

In the Speed Force state, Zhang Tianran quickly completed his work. A large number of instruments had been assembled. All he needed next was a test subject.

He vanished from the laboratory again. When he reappeared a few seconds later, there was already a vial of blood in his hand.

As for the teleporting woman, Shawna Baez, who was suddenly wracked by excruciating pain, naturally no one cared about her situation.

With all the materials prepared, Zhang Tianran immediately began the experiment.

The first thing he needed to complete was Velocity 9, an inferior product Zhang Tianran had developed based on the remnants of the serum he had injected himself with.

This stuff could grant ordinary humans Super Speed, but its duration was short. Its only advantage was perhaps its relatively minor side effects; as long as it was not overused, it would not be life-threatening.

Next was the teleportation device. Although he had the Speed Force, teleportation was still an ability he needed.

Unfortunately, its development did not go very smoothly. Although the device he created could teleport instantly, the range was extremely short, only a few dozen meters.

And then there was...

Three days later, a massive burst of white lightning exploded from Zhang Tianran's private laboratory. In an instant, all the equipment at S.T.A.R. Labs stopped operating.

"Barry, something happened!" Cisco immediately pulled out his phone and called Barry as he ran.

A few seconds later, Barry appeared in Zhang Tianran's private laboratory.

At that moment, the place had been scorched black. Everything in the laboratory had been completely destroyed. Yet a figure stood in the very center, completely unharmed.

"Sorry, Barry. I secretly studied your abilities, but... I don't think you'd mind if I became a Speedster like you, right?" Zhang Tianran smiled at Barry Allen, then promptly collapsed unconscious.

Barry had only just arrived and had not yet processed what he was seeing when Zhang Tianran fainted. Without time to think about anything else, Barry immediately picked Zhang Tianran up and rushed him to Caitlin's medical room.

The moment Caitlin saw the unconscious Zhang Tianran, she immediately began manually examining his condition.

"Barry, hurry and restore the power with Cisco. No, take him to the hospital first... Dr. Zhang's heartbeat is about to disappear..." Caitlin said urgently.

As soon as she finished speaking, S.T.A.R. Labs' backup power activated. Caitlin had no time to explain and hurriedly began emergency treatment on Zhang Tianran.

Seeing this, Barry opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, but he did not know what to say.

Because he still had not figured out what had happened.