Foundation

The fact that they could avoid fighting made Xiao He breathe a sigh of relief. He did not mind maintaining this kind of peace forever, but deep down, he knew that was unrealistic. White Light had only appeared recently, and there were still relatively few Mutants. Once enough time passed and Mutants began emerging all over the world, even the international order would likely change.

This change would happen gradually. As a Mutant himself, Xiao He did not think he could stay out of it.

Soon, several soldiers led a man inside.

The man looked about twenty-six or twenty-seven. The stubble on his face gave him a somewhat weathered appearance.

He had heavy dark circles and noticeable eye bags, making him look a little sickly. But his features were actually quite refined: sharp brows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and well-defined cheeks that made him look especially masculine. He was just a little thin. Judging from his expression, he seemed like a very gentle man.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Xie Haining, and I'm twenty-eight this year," the man introduced himself. His voice was low and gentle as well. "I look forward to working with you."

"His Superpower is time control, right?" Cui Man said with a smile.

"That powerful!?" Xiao He asked in surprise. Was this Za Warudo!?

"Not really..." Xie Haining smiled bitterly. "More precisely, I control my own perception of time, because I'm affected when I control time. When time slows down, my own speed slows down too."

Isn't that garbage? Xiao He frowned inwardly. He could control time, but he got slowed down too. What was the point?

"What about your physique?" Xiao He asked tentatively. "Is it at the level of an LV1 Superpower user?"

"I have an ordinary person's physique," Xie Haining said with a smile. "My Superpower is only time control."

"..." Everyone fell silent. Cui Man explained, "Don't underestimate this Superpower. It can still be very powerful if used properly. Theoretically, he has unlimited time to deal with the current situation, so he can always choose the optimal response. His physical abilities are simply limited. Otherwise, this Superpower would be invincible."

"I don't know whether my Superpower is powerful or not, but I'll do my best," Xie Haining said with a smile.

"Still, according to the international standards for rating Mutants... he should only count as an LV1 Mutant," Cui Man said, patting Xie Haining on the shoulder. "But in reality, his Superpower can create infinite possibilities."

After a pause, Cui Man added, "As long as you receive enough training."

"Yes, I'll work hard," Xie Haining nodded, then bowed. "My wife and daughter... I'll have to leave them in your care. Please make sure you take good care of them..."

"Don't worry," Cui Man replied. "But you need to understand that your Superpower is like walking a tightrope. Although you have unlimited time to handle the current situation, you yourself are still too fragile. You have no room for error."

"I understand. I'll fully cooperate with your training," Xie Haining said firmly.

This is bad. Everyone is so motivated. Why does it seem like I'm the only slacker... Xiao He thought to himself.

"You four are the Mutants we've been able to find so far," Cui Man said as she looked around at the four of them. "More Mutants will continue to appear in the future. They may not all be friendly, and we may also face problems from overseas targeting Mutants. We'll have to solve all of that together. You four will be the foundation supporting the Special Response Department."

Xiao He felt there was a deeper meaning behind Cui Man's words. Her thoughts probably coincided with his own. Although all countries were temporarily at peace for now, no one knew how things would develop in the future.

What if, one day, a Superpower user powerful enough to shatter the balance appeared?

Of course, Xiao He was not particularly worried about that, because as long as the other person was named Lin Tiannan, no matter how powerful his ability was, Xiao He could suppress him... provided Ye Wanqing was still partnered with him by then.

Thinking of this, Xiao He glanced at Ye Wanqing. Maybe this was why Cui Man had them pretend to be a couple?

Ye Wanqing suddenly glanced back at him too. Then her eyelids lowered slightly, and she turned her face away.

After finishing today's training, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing left the Special Response Department.

"Why were you sneaking glances at me earlier?" Ye Wanqing asked as soon as they entered, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.

"What's wrong with looking at my cute girlfriend?" Xiao He retorted unhappily. "Can't I say you looked good in that outfit?"

"Really? That's all?" Ye Wanqing looked at him suspiciously.

Of course, that was not all, but Xiao He did not want to explain the deeper meaning behind it, so he simply nodded. Ye Wanqing began muttering, "Actually, I don't really like dressing like that. It's uncomfortable when everything is squeezed so tight, and I'm worried about accidentally exposing something from an awkward angle... But it is convenient for exercising. My chest doesn't bounce around either."

Since they could not confirm whether improving his physical fitness would enhance his Superpower, Xiao He's dietary restrictions had been lifted. He no longer had to follow the running and walking schedule on that list either. But he still had to learn martial arts, which meant he could not neglect physical training. He simply would not be restricted outside the Special Response Department.

After returning home.

"Could you keep running and taking walks with me in the future?" Ye Wanqing suddenly mumbled as she opened the door.

Xiao He raised his brows and turned to look at Ye Wanqing curiously. Then he put a hand beside his ear, wanting to make sure he had not misheard her.

"Hey! I'm asking whether you can keep running and taking walks with me!" Ye Wanqing shouted angrily.

"That doesn't sound like you," Xiao He said, looking at her in astonishment.

"Because running alone is kind of embarrassing... I always feel like everyone is staring at me," Ye Wanqing said, covering her face.

"You could have just said you don't like doing things alone," Xiao He said dismissively. "Fine, as long as you're responsible for killing the cockroaches."

"Deal." Ye Wanqing agreed readily, then rolled up her sleeves and asked, "Where's the menu? Are you still eating dinner with me tonight?"

"Of course," Xiao He immediately replied. After all, compared to takeout, Ye Wanqing's home-cooked meals were delicious even when they were diet food. Hearing this, Ye Wanqing immediately smiled brightly. It was the first time Xiao He had seen her smile so happily in front of him.

"Alright, then. I'll go cook," Ye Wanqing said with a beaming smile, turning toward the kitchen.

Half an hour later, a plate of stir-fried veal, a plate of smashed cucumber salad, and a plate of kung pao chicken were served.

"Kung pao chicken without chilies..." Xiao He fell into deep thought as he looked at the dish, then took a bite.

It's fucking delicious... Xiao He roared inwardly, then began wolfing it down. Ye Wanqing sat across from him, smiling like a kind old mother. After watching him eat for a while, she finally began eating too.

"I'm full." Ye Wanqing soon put down her bowl and chopsticks. "You can finish the rest."

Seeing that there was not much left, Xiao He simply dumped all the remaining dishes into his bowl, then went to get another half-bowl of rice.

"Ah, mixing all the dishes into rice is the best..." Xiao He said with a smile as he continued stuffing himself.

Ye Wanqing sat across from him with her chin resting on her hand, watching him eat. She looked even more satisfied than if she had been eating herself.