Uncontrolled Superpowers

(Friends who don't like mutants can skip straight to Chapter 21; it won't affect the reading experience. Mutants don't have much of a role in this book.)

Stark Tower Laboratory

Tony Stark was staring intently at a nanoscale structural model in a holographic projection, his fingers constantly swiping through the air to adjust the molecular arrangement.

Various metal fragments and energy cores were scattered across his workbench, along with half a cup of coffee that had long gone cold.

"JARVIS, pull up the seventh set of parameters." Tony spoke without looking up, dark circles clearly visible beneath his eyes.

"Sir, you have been working continuously for thirty-six hours," JARVIS reminded him.

"According to health protocols..."

"I wrote the health protocols, JARVIS." Tony waved with a smile. "Now, the parameters."

The holographic projection immediately switched to a complex diagram of molecular structures.

Tony narrowed his eyes, then suddenly snapped his fingers excitedly. "Right here! The energy-conduction nodes need to be rearranged!"

At that moment, a voice suddenly sounded behind him. "You got the direction wrong."

"Ah!" Tony nearly jumped out of his chair, the tool in his hand clattering crisply to the floor.

"Damn it, Xiao! Can't you use the front door like a normal person?"

Xiao Han stood in the middle of the laboratory, the golden patterns on his black combat suit faintly gleaming beneath the lights.

A faint smile curved his lips. "Sorry, force of habit."

Tony rubbed his temples and picked up the fallen tool. "So where did the great Mr. Superman go?"

Xiao Han walked over to the workbench and glanced at the holographic projection. "Kamar-Taj, Earth's sacred land of magic."

Tony raised a brow. "Magic? I thought you'd had enough of those mystical tricks in Asgard."

"It's different."

Xiao Han shook his head, lightly running a finger across the holographic projection. The molecular structure immediately reorganized into an entirely new arrangement.

"Asgardian magic is more like a combination of technology and divine power, while Kamar-Taj's magic is pure manipulation of dimensional energy."

Tony stared at the restructured diagram, his eyes gradually lighting up. "Wait... this method of energy conduction..."

"More efficient, right?"

Xiao Han smiled. "At their core, magic and technology are both applications of energy. The paths are simply different."

Tony suddenly spun around and rushed toward another holographic terminal. "JARVIS! Record this structure! Recalculate the energy loss!"

Xiao Han watched Tony fall into a frenzy and gently shook his head. "You study it first. I still have something to deal with."

"Wait!"

Tony shouted without turning around, "You still haven't told me about that magical sanctuary! Can they really conjure fireballs out of thin air? Or teleport with a wave of their hands like in the comics?"

"More or less."

Xiao Han shrugged. "Though they need specific magical artifacts as assistance. Their Sorcerer Supreme wanted me to take over her position."

Tony whirled around, eyes wide. "What? You're going to become a sorcerer?"

"I turned her down." Xiao Han walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window. "I have my own plans."

Tony sighed in relief, then immediately asked curiously, "Is that Sorcerer Supreme powerful?"

Xiao Han recalled The Ancient One's eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through time itself. "Far more powerful than you can imagine."

"More powerful than you?" Tony pressed.

Xiao Han fell silent for a moment. "In some respects, yes."

That answer made Tony's expression turn serious. He set down his tool and walked over to Xiao Han's side. "Just how many powerful beings are there in this world that I don't know about?"

"Many." Xiao Han looked out at New York's nightscape. "That's why I need to become stronger."

Tony nodded thoughtfully. "So what's your plan?"

Xiao Han did not answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Do you know about mutants?"

"Mutants?" Tony frowned.

"You mean those carriers of the X-gene? I've heard some rumors, but there's almost no reliable information in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files."

"Because most of them live in seclusion around the world." Xiao Han turned and headed for the laboratory door.

"Perhaps I should go talk to them."

Tony took two steps after him. "Wait, why are you suddenly interested in mutants?"

Xiao Han stopped and glanced back at Tony. "Because in this world, mutants are one of the few groups that might pose a threat to me."

"I need to understand them, especially... someone who can manipulate magnetic fields." Xiao Han made it up on the spot. Magneto might be KO'd by a single punch from him.

Xiao Han paused, then suddenly smiled. "But before that, I need to teach a few troublesome kids how to use their abilities."

"Kids?" Tony looked utterly confused.

"A few kids who gained superpowers by accident." Xiao Han shrugged.

Tony wanted to ask more, but Xiao Han had already turned into a streak of black light, passing through the glass window and vanishing into the night.

"JARVIS," Tony said, staring in the direction Xiao Han had left, "pull up all information on mutants, especially those who can manipulate magnetic fields."

"It has been retrieved, sir. However, the information is extremely limited," JARVIS replied. "Would you like to contact Professor X?"

Tony raised his brows in surprise. "Professor X? You mean the headmaster of that mutant academy?"

"No, sir. But based on network trace analysis, he is very likely one of the mutant leaders."

Tony returned to the workbench, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Not yet. Let's figure out this structure Xiao gave us first. Once the nanotech armor is complete..."

He looked out at the night sky, a confident smile curling across his lips. "Perhaps I should go meet these mutants too."

New York

Xiao Han hovered a thousand meters above the ground, his super-hearing spreading like an invisible radar net, catching abnormal sounds from across the globe.

A minute earlier, his super-hearing had caught three voices arguing fiercely.

He adjusted his auditory frequency and locked onto the source: an abandoned industrial park in Brooklyn.

Abandoned Industrial District

The setting sun cast its lingering glow over an open lot, where three college students stood beside a pile of rubble, the atmosphere heavy.

Andrew crouched on the ground, absently fiddling with a piece of gravel, making it float several centimeters above his palm before gently lowering it again.

The dark circles beneath his eyes were severe, as though he had not slept well in a long time.

"We need to figure something out." Matt adjusted his glasses, his voice low. "That stone... there's something wrong with it."

"Something wrong?" Steve scoffed. "It gave us superpowers! That's a fucking miracle, okay?"

"So Andrew nearly throwing a car at someone last night was a miracle too?" Matt shot back.

Andrew abruptly looked up, pain flashing through his eyes. "I told you it was an accident! I just..."

His voice caught, his fingers trembling slightly as the rubble around him began to quiver.

"Hey, relax, brother." Steve frowned and reached out to press a hand on his shoulder, but Andrew violently shook him off.

"Don't touch me!"

The rubble suddenly exploded, scattering in every direction like bullets.

Whoosh!

A black figure descended soundlessly.

All the flying fragments instantly froze in midair, then slowly fell back to the ground.

All three froze at once and looked up at the tall figure.

Black combat suit, golden patterns, and deep eyes that held no anger—only calm scrutiny.

"You're... the Superman who was with Tony Stark today..." Matt murmured, the tablet in his hand nearly slipping to the ground.

Xiao Han did not speak immediately. His gaze swept across the three of them before finally settling on Andrew.

The boy's eyes were red, his fists clenched tightly, like a string stretched to its limit.

"What did you find here?" Xiao Han asked gently.

The three looked at one another. In the end, Matt spoke first. "A... glowing stone. Inside a cave."

Xiao Han nodded and looked toward the deep, shadowy mine tunnel. "Can you take me to see it?"