The Possibility of Cooperation?

"You know, I'm from the future..." Wells dismissed his many Time Remnants and was the first to explain.

"Shut up. Don't try to fob me off with that kind of lie. If you really understood me, you should know what I'd do." Zhang Tianran cut Wells off directly. Though he didn't know what had happened, Zhang Tianran had plenty of confidence in himself.

It was precisely that confidence that let Zhang Tianran make his decision without hesitation. No matter how drastically the timeline had changed, there was no way he could have exposed his identity as a transmigrator.

Though a mere transmigrator wasn't exactly a secret in this universe.

Wells's expression changed sharply at those words. He seemed to have thought of something amusing, but a smile soon appeared on his face.

"Listen carefully until I'm done. I don't remember you being this impatient." Wells waved a hand and actually stopped using the Speed Force.

This... was a perfect opportunity for a sneak attack. A Speedster who didn't use the Speed Force was basically no different from an ordinary person.

But Zhang Tianran didn't make a move. The numerous Time Remnants behind Wells slowly merged together, as though they had never existed.

In truth, Time Remnants weren't exactly a good ability for a Speedster. This ability could trigger countless complications and was a hidden danger not only to the world, but to the Speedster himself.

After all, so-called Time Remnants were created when a Speedster traveled through time. When the future you traveled to the present, there would be two versions of you at that moment.

And however many Time Remnants there were, that was how many times the Speedster had traveled through time. Such madness would naturally bring about a chain of changes.

If not for the protection of the Speed Force, the appearance of two identical selves would be enough to tear apart a section of space. It wasn't even impossible for it to erase an entire world.

Over in Legends of Tomorrow, they often had to fix this kind of chaos. Though most of the time, they were the ones who caused the temporal chaos in the first place.

"In the future, you were known as the Time Doctor. Your research into time was exceptional, but it was rejected by mainstream science..."

"No, it wasn't rejection. It was simply fear. After all, if what was in your manuscripts could truly be achieved, disrupting a world—or even reshaping one—would be as easy as making a cup of tea..."

As Wells said this, a trace of fanaticism flashed through his eyes. It was quickly replaced by anger, though he concealed it well.

Zhang Tianran paid no attention to Wells's expression. At that moment, he was considering the information Wells had revealed.

Time Doctor. The title sounded rather strange, but it wasn't impossible. After all, he had already obtained the Ultimate Speed Serum through time. With further research into time in the future, he might accomplish even greater feats.

"Go on. That can't be all, can it?" Zhang Tianran prompted when Wells didn't continue.

Wells continued, "I once searched for traces of you, but I found no clues. At no point in time did you seem to exist at all. It wasn't until I was trapped here by an accident that I finally found you as a child."

"That's why I raised you. As for why..."

Suddenly, Zhang Tianran interrupted Wells. "Because I have value to you. Just say it. What do you want me to do? I don't like beating around the bush."

"Though there are all sorts of reasons, you did raise me for more than ten years. If it isn't too difficult, I should be willing to help you."

Zhang Tianran's words didn't make Wells happy. Instead, Wells said somewhat wistfully, "You'll find out that reason soon enough. But there's one thing you're wrong about..."

"The reason I sought you out wasn't because there was something I needed you to do. On the contrary, you need me, just as I need you. Ours is an equal partnership."

"As for the reason, you'll know soon. Even if I explained it now, you wouldn't understand."

Wells's words carried a sense of sincerity and sounded extremely convincing. No matter how much Zhang Tianran warned himself inwardly, he still chose to believe Wells's words by seventy or eighty percent.

This was very strange to Zhang Tianran. Even if the man before him had raised him for over a decade, after learning his identity, Zhang Tianran shouldn't have trusted him so easily.

"It's a little strange. I should be suspicious of your excuses, but I don't know why I keep feeling that what you're saying makes sense..."

Zhang Tianran honestly voiced his feelings. As long as Reverse-Flash didn't intend to kill him, Zhang Tianran wouldn't do anything unnecessary either.

In fact, aside from Wells's identity as Reverse-Flash, there wasn't much conflict between them.

Especially since Wells was Zhang Tianran's adoptive father. More than ten years of familial affection couldn't simply vanish overnight.

"Because I've never lied to you. Nor do I have any ulterior motives toward you. Of course, I had a purpose in raising you, but that purpose won't affect you. On the contrary, it will help you."

"More precisely, that purpose will also be what you ultimately seek..."

Wells's tone remained gentle. There was no sign at all that he was currently being influenced by the Negative Speed Force.

But Zhang Tianran knew very well that while Reverse-Flash possessed speed equal to The Flash's, Reverse-Flash was entirely The Flash's other side. The Negative Speed Force also contained endless negative energy.

"I actually hate beating around the bush, but since you put it that way, I'll wait a little longer... I hope you aren't plotting anything against me. Otherwise..." Zhang Tianran considered it for a moment and decided on a temporary truce.

Time Remnants still weren't reliable enough. Though he had confidence in himself, if he encountered an enemy that was too strong, there was still a chance they could all be killed.

I should try using the Speed Force to travel through time. At worst, I can go to another world. If I remember correctly, the Speed Force makes traveling through time—and between worlds—pretty easy...

The conversation between Zhang Tianran and Wells soon ended. The two walked out of the Time Vault as if nothing had happened, as though everything before had never occurred.

Although Zhang Tianran didn't fully trust Reverse-Flash yet, his life didn't seem to be in danger for the time being.

Even if he couldn't win, he should be able to escape. Even in the worst-case scenario, he could probably use Time Remnants to fight the other man to the death.

Though he didn't show it, Zhang Tianran didn't stay at S.T.A.R. Labs for long. He merely got a basic understanding of Barry's condition before taking some documents with him.

Zhang Tianran's excuse was that he was used to working from home. In reality, he simply didn't want to keep acting with Reverse-Flash.

Cisco was currently busy organizing Zhang Tianran's materials. He could be considered a top-tier scientist too, but unfortunately, he still worked at a normal person's speed. Zhang Tianran's materials would be enough to keep him researching for quite a while.

Caitlin, meanwhile, kept a cold expression as she busied herself with her own work, having no intention of saying anything to Zhang Tianran, her new colleague.

S.T.A.R. Labs was practically bankrupt by now. Although most of its equipment was still intact, aside from Cisco and Caitlin, there was hardly anyone left.

Still, this situation wasn't bad for Zhang Tianran. When he had first returned, he had planned to save S.T.A.R. Labs and investigate the cause of the Particle Accelerator explosion.

But now... the matter of the Speed Force was far more important.