Time passed quickly when Zhang Tianran was immersed in research, and all the disputes in the outside world failed to affect him in the slightest.
In fact, under the Department of Extranormal Operations' close "protection," hardly any aliens came looking to cause trouble for Zhang Tianran.
One day, while immersed in his research, Zhang Tianran suddenly sensed a familiar trace of the Speed Force and immediately realized that Barry Allen had arrived in this universe.
"So it has already reached this point? It looks like Barry has mastered the Superluminal Particle Generator." Zhang Tianran spoke thoughtfully.
As a Speedster, it was actually easy to lose one's sense of time, especially since Zhang Tianran had been using the Speed Force to assist his research into the genes he had acquired.
The results had been substantial, but the time spent had indeed been rather long.
Without paying any attention to the Flash who had unexpectedly arrived in this world, Zhang Tianran continued working on his experiments. The scattered technological creations piled throughout the room were enough to prove that his efforts during this period had been worthwhile.
Soon, Barry left this world. It seemed that Supergirl had not revealed anything to the Flash.
Sensing the Speed Force vanish from this world, Zhang Tianran relaxed slightly.
He did not know what Barry thought of other Speedsters. However, Zhang Tianran greatly disliked having another Speedster in the same world as him.
Speedsters could alter time far too easily, and that could ultimately leave everything around them utterly unrecognizable.
In any case, he did not want to wake up one day and find that the familiar people around him had vanished, while a whole host of strangers had appeared.
Just as Zhang Tianran was planning to abandon his research and travel to a point in the past, Kara came to find him once again.
"We need your help..." Kara immediately spoke the moment she saw Zhang Tianran.
Zhang Tianran looked speechlessly at the Supergirl before him. Kara's forced intrusion had already damaged quite a bit of his experimental equipment.
"Do you think... we have a good relationship?" Zhang Tianran asked unhurriedly, with no intention of helping whatsoever.
"Everyone in this city has been controlled. If we delay any longer, the entire Earth could..." Kara explained anxiously.
Zhang Tianran responded coldly, "Unfortunately, this is not the world I belong to. And I... don't actually want to help you."
Kara was furious at that moment, but the crisis before her left her with no choice but to compromise.
"Help me, and I can provide you with my genes. But you must swear that you will not perform any evil genetic modification experiments on them." Kara forcibly suppressed her anger and proposed the deal.
As for the reason... Kryptonian genes were not so easy to study. Without Kryptonian technology, researching Kryptonian genes could very well unleash another kind of monster.
Of course, not Doomsday. Just a similar sort of monster...
Moreover, Kara had prepared a backup plan, reducing the risks of this deal to the lowest possible level.
"Honestly, this deal is quite tempting... Fine, I agree. And once everything is done, I will leave this world." After thinking for a moment, Zhang Tianran gave his answer.
It could not have been better to obtain a Kryptonian's genes willingly. With Supergirl's genes, perhaps he could compare them with Superman's genes later.
That was right. Although Zhang Tianran had agreed, he still intended to return to the past and obtain the young Superman's genes.
Though Kara was deeply dissatisfied with those terms, she gave up resisting and allowed Zhang Tianran to extract her genes.
That was the limitation of being a superhero. There would always be a crisis forcing them to make sacrifices.
Very soon,
The Martian Manhunter, Supergirl, and Zhang Tianran arrived at Fort Rozz, the prison ship that had crashed with the Kryptonians aboard. "Is this the target? Quite a technological-looking ship. Would you mind if I took it apart?" The instant Zhang Tianran saw Fort Rozz, he wanted to pack it up and take it away, because it seemed to contain a great deal of information about Krypton.
But after thinking quickly, he gave up on that idea.
Although he was accustomed to collecting technological knowledge, that was merely a backup plan. Up to this point, Zhang Tianran's growth had still been centered around the Speed Force.
"Go ahead, as long as you help us resolve the current crisis." Kara hurriedly explained.
This so-called Great Purge was far too dangerous. They had to stop it by every means possible, which was why Kara had sought Zhang Tianran's help at the Martian Manhunter's instruction.
"Very good. Oh, right. I'll try my best not to kill anyone, but don't get caught in the crossfire." A faint smile curled Zhang Tianran's lips as his entire body transformed into a streak of silvery-white lightning and vanished. The next moment, he appeared above Fort Rozz.
Kara stared in shock at the sight. If Zhang Tianran's speed had previously still been visible to her eyes, with only her body unable to react in time—
Then now, Kara could no longer detect Zhang Tianran's whereabouts at all.
Kara looked at the Martian Manhunter beside her in astonishment, only to hear words she could hardly believe.
"Just now, that guy's speed surpassed the speed of light."
In truth, Zhang Tianran's raw speed had not yet surpassed light speed. However, his Speed Force could affect the time around him.
Well... in a sense, that counted as surpassing light speed.
At that moment, a mass of silvery-white thunderclouds emerged over Fort Rozz, dazzlingly bright!
Immediately afterward, Fort Rozz began to disintegrate. As if it had endured the passage of an immense stretch of time and gradually decayed, Fort Rozz crumbled apart at a visible rate.
Non, Supergirl's uncle, noticed everything. His eyes began to glow, but before his Heat Vision could fire, Zhang Tianran struck him with a metal rod and sent him flying far away.
Kryptonians were indeed physically powerful, and Zhang Tianran had not yet made any weapons, so he could only use a random metal rod.
He would not fight every enemy with his own body like the Flash did. Even with the protection of the Speed Force, he could still get injured.
"Damn it..." Non had only just cursed when a sharp pain erupted from his back.
Then, a section of his spine was forcibly ripped out by Zhang Tianran.
It had to be said, using the Vibrating Hand Blade to break through a Kryptonian's Bioelectric Field was indeed difficult, but not impossible.
After collecting the bloody spine, not a single drop of blood stained Zhang Tianran's body.
Two beams of laser shot toward Zhang Tianran, yet they struck nothing but an afterimage.
Non, lying on the ground, had not died. Thanks to a Kryptonian's formidable physique, and because Zhang Tianran had patiently cauterized his wound while removing his spine to reduce the bleeding.
"Rest easy. I don't like killing people casually." Zhang Tianran looked at Non's unwilling expression and directly dug out his eyes.
Likewise, while removing his eyes, he released a little lightning to lightly cauterize the wounds and reduce the bleeding.
"Not bad gains."
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