Garbage Superpower

(Preface: The name "Lin Tiannan" was randomly generated using the Qidian Writer App's naming system. I bear no grudge against anyone named "Lin Tiannan." If your name happens to be Lin Tiannan, then please forgive the offense.)

On June 28, 2017, an unknown white light spread from the Arctic and blanketed the entire world. After that, "mutants" began to appear around the globe.

Mutants possessed all manner of abilities. Statistics showed that only one mutant appeared in every ten million people. A powerful mutant was like a nuclear weapon, and countries led by the United States promoted them as a form of "diplomatic leverage."

September 25 of the same year, Beichang City, China.

An armored transport vehicle moved slowly down the road, followed and preceded by over a dozen police cars. The vehicles were packed with special police officers wearing body armor and carrying shotguns and riot shields.

The convoy gradually left the city and arrived at a rudimentary military base on the outskirts of Beichang City.

Judging by the students undergoing military training within the base, it was clearly not some classified location. After entering the base, the convoy slowly came to a stop. The special police officers got out in orderly lines and surrounded the transport vehicle.

An entirely ordinary-looking young man stepped down from the transport vehicle. He was in his early twenties, 178 centimeters tall, with sharp brows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and well-defined features. Unfortunately, his single eyelids, thick lips, and slightly chubby build knocked several points off his looks.

The young man seemed somewhat timid as he was escorted into a building by dozens of special police officers.

"Does it really take this many people to escort him?" Two special police officers walking at the front discussed in low voices. "That 'mutant'?"

"When they discovered his ability, he sent a private car flying more than twenty meters with one hand. Do you think we're here to protect him?" the other officer murmured. The first officer turned to look at the young man in disbelief and swallowed.

The officers brought the young man into an enclosed room. It was bright and clean, with several instruments arranged inside. A woman in military uniform and a man in a white lab coat were waiting there.

The woman was around 170 centimeters tall and appeared to be twenty-five or twenty-six. Even beneath her uniform, her graceful, slender figure was apparent. Her phoenix eyes carried a faintly seductive charm, and her high nose bridge gave her an almost foreign look. With her cherry lips, fair skin, and soft black hair tucked beneath her military cap, even the uniform could not conceal her beauty.

As for the man beside her, he was 165 centimeters tall and in his forties. Balding, bespectacled, and clearly overweight around the waist, he held a stack of research materials and wore a white lab coat. He was obviously a researcher.

Soon, the young man was brought before them.

"Ma'am, we've brought him," a special police officer said with a salute.

"You may leave." The female officer nodded in satisfaction, then turned to the young man and looked over the file in front of her.

"Name: Xiao He. Born April 18, 1996. 178 centimeters, 80 kilograms. Ability..." The female officer frowned as she read further. "Can defeat anyone named 'Lin Tiannan'?"

As she spoke, the female officer shot Xiao He a glance.

Xiao He guiltily looked away.

He understood what she meant. He had thought the very same thing himself: What kind of garbage superpower is this?

Then the female officer turned to the researcher beside her and said coldly, "Explain."

The researcher adjusted his glasses. "According to our tests, when fighting ordinary people, his physical data is as follows: 8.26 seconds for the hundred-meter dash, a standing vertical reach of 4.68 meters, a 350-kilogram bench press, and 900 kilograms of force in a right hook."

"So he's only slightly stronger than an ordinary person, isn't he? At best, he barely counts as superhuman." The female officer asked displeasedly. The researcher hurriedly explained, "However, when he fights someone named 'Lin Tiannan,' his abilities can increase by roughly tenfold. With those figures, he can fully meet your requirements for an LV5 mutant..."

"Who is Lin Tiannan? What does this ability have to do with him?" the female officer asked in disbelief. The researcher lowered his head awkwardly. "When we first discovered the boy's ability, it was because a man named Lin Tiannan hit him with a car... That was probably the trigger for his power."

"So how exactly does this ability work?" the female officer asked with a frown.

Looking at the report, the researcher said, "Our research shows that although someone named Lin Tiannan must be present for his ability to activate, if the attacking enemies are a group, then as long as one of them is named Lin Tiannan, his power will increase."

"Then can't we just arrange for someone named Lin Tiannan to act as a bystander and boost his abilities?" A glimmer of hope seemed to appear in the female officer's eyes.

"Uh... no." The researcher said awkwardly, "Someone named Lin Tiannan must be among the people he regards as enemies in his Cognition for his ability to activate. Otherwise, he's basically just a relatively strong ordinary person..."

"That's it?" The female officer crossed her arms and asked angrily, "I told you to find an LV5 mutant. Out of a country with over a billion people, this is who you found? Do you know what that means? The United States already has two LV5 mutants! What use is this ability? Are we supposed to expect every enemy who comes after us to be named Lin Tiannan?"

Though Xiao He, the subject of the discussion, was quite unwilling to accept it, there was nothing he could do. When he had first discovered his ability, he had only had one thought: What the hell is this!?

But that white light had given him this ability. It was not as if he had chosen it himself, so there was nothing he could do.

"Officer Cui, please don't worry. There's a second mutant..." the researcher hurriedly explained. Then he anxiously beckoned to someone outside the laboratory window. After a while, a girl was brought into the room.

Xiao He sized up the girl. She was probably just over 160 centimeters tall, with a mushroom-cut hairstyle and a round face. Her features were rather nice: lively, sweet peach-blossom eyes, a petite, delicate nose, and cherry lips. Her impressive bust was probably at least a D cup, but she had a bit of baby fat, especially in her legs. They were not actually short, but because she was slightly plump, they looked somewhat thick.

Not my type, Xiao He thought without much reaction.

Compared to breasts, he preferred legs. Whenever he saw a girl with beautiful legs, he could not help feeling attracted to her.

The researcher introduced her. "Officer Cui, this is Ye Wanqing. Her ability is 'to modify other people's names.'"

Xiao He and the female officer: "..."

"What does that mean?" the female officer asked with a frown.

"It means..." The researcher explained, "As long as she brings up an identification document containing someone's real name—whether it's a driver's license, marriage certificate, or ID card—as long as it is their real name, this girl can use her ability to change that person's name into another one. Then, in everyone's Cognition, including all recorded information, that person's name will become the modified name."

The female officer immediately raised her brows. She looked at Ye Wanqing, then at Xiao He. "You mean..."

"Yes. If this girl changes an enemy's name to 'Lin Tiannan,' then sends this boy into battle..." As the researcher spoke, he slapped his right fist with his left hand. "Wouldn't that make him an LV5 mutant?"

"..." The female officer fell silent for a moment, then sank into thought.

"We've already confirmed that it works," the researcher added. "Previously, we used a test subject whose name had been changed to Lin Tiannan to trigger his ability."

Even Xiao He could see the struggle in the female officer's heart. But mutants had only appeared recently, and clearly she had not found anyone more exceptional yet.

"Fine. We'll make do with this for now." The female officer gritted her teeth and frowned, then turned to Xiao He and Ye Wanqing. "Since you're here, that means you've already signed the contract, correct?"

Xiao He nodded. Before he came, they had offered him a contract with an annual salary of ten million, along with all kinds of premium benefits. The only drawback was that his daily life had to remain under the supervision of the relevant authorities, and he could not violate the contract.

Xiao He naturally knew why these military personnel had sought him out. After all, mutants had only just appeared in the world, and every country was using ability users as a military asset worth boasting about.

The reason he had agreed without hesitation was that mutants had only just emerged. Any money he could make was money worth making.

Xiao He also knew that his ability was not particularly powerful. Perhaps, after some time, a better mutant would emerge and replace him. Then he could just lie back, earn a few million, and retire, right?

With such daydreams in mind, Xiao He signed the contract. However...

Xiao He glanced at the girl beside him. At the time, he had not known that a girl like her existed. Otherwise, he might have considered the contract more carefully.

But on second thought, with this girl around, wouldn't he be invincible? In that case, the risks did not matter!

"Since that is the case, I require the two of you to live together as a couple from today onward. The relevant authorities will use their authority to transfer you to the same school for easier management." As she spoke, the female officer extended her hand to them. "My name is Cui Man. From now on, I will be your guardian and will be responsible for assigning your missions. Please take care of me."

After a brief silence, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing asked in unison, "As a couple? Why!?"

"For a variety of reasons." Cui Man crossed her arms and replied calmly, "The main reason is that it will be easier to promote. After all, your abilities complement each other so well. When dealing with the public, claiming that you are a couple sounds much better than saying you are partners, doesn't it? With abilities like yours, the couple setup can reduce the risk of a third party driving a wedge between you. It's a bit like pairs figure skating."

Xiao He was somewhat unwilling. He had originally planned to enjoy romance during the rest of his university years, but...

"Don't worry. You only have to pretend. This is a temporary measure. Once we find stronger mutants, you can return to normal lives." Cui Man also seemed very dissatisfied with the current situation. "Now then, welcome to the Special Incident Response Department, or the Special Response Department for short."