The metal sheet of the abandoned bus was completely ripped open, and the moment the dark figure leaped out, Ye Mo raised his hand to rush forward. But his body simply wouldn't obey him; his muscles felt like they were filled with cement, making even the slightest movement difficult. His heart was pounding like a drum, and although his Regeneration abilities were still functioning, the healing speed of his wounds had slowed considerably.
He looked down at his hands; the cracks in his palms hadn't closed, and blood was still seeping out. This wasn't right. Before, no matter how tired he was, he could endure even the Regenerative Phasing severe injuries. Now, even his fingers were numb, and the system hadn't given any warnings.
Tony's vital signs were still alarming in the distance, Emma Frost's brainwaves were growing weaker, and Thor also had burns that hadn't been treated. He knew they were injured, but he couldn't even save himself now.
He gritted his teeth, preparing to forcibly reorganize his ability modules. Just as he activated his consciousness, a warm current suddenly surged into his body. It wasn't the stimulating sensation of an electric shock, nor the impact of an energy burst; it was simply heat, the kind that radiates from the very bones.
The heat traveled along his nerves, and wherever it passed, torn tendons automatically reconnected, and severed blood vessels were restored. He was stunned; he had never seen such a recovery method before. It wasn't like piecing together fragments; it was more like... his body repairing itself.
Even stranger, he sensed a change in the signals within his Telepathy range. Emma Frost's brainwaves stabilized, the alarms inside Tony's armor disappeared, and even Thor's burns were scabbing over. These changes weren't intentional, but he could feel the warm current spreading outwards, sweeping across the entire battlefield like ripples.
He didn't know what had happened; he only felt that this ability came out of nowhere. It wasn't from absorbing fragments of someone's ability, nor was it a newly combined skill. It just appeared like that, and even healed the injuries of those around it.
He crouched down, pressing his hand to the ground. The scorched earth was cold, and in the Ashes lay a broken plant stem. He stared at the stem and suddenly noticed that the base was slightly damp, from which a small Green Sprout emerged. It was tiny, but definitely new.
He paused for a few seconds, then whispered, "It really isn't a hallucination."
As he stood up, he glanced around. Smoke and dust were still swirling, and sirens wailed in the distance. He knew someone would arrive soon, but for now, the ruins were quiet. He didn't want to move; he just wanted to stay there a little longer.
Close your eyes and activate your Telepathy again. The seven red dots you marked earlier are all gone, and all life signals have returned to their normal rhythm. There is no pain, no violent fluctuations, only steady breathing and heartbeat.
He opened his eyes and said softly, "System, make a note of this. Today, I'm not just doing this to survive."
A breeze blew from behind, causing the hem of his hoodie to sway gently. The gash on his knee had healed, and his clothes were still torn, but it didn't matter anymore. He adjusted his glasses; the lenses reflected the light, obscuring his eyes.
--
Where did this ability come from?
He began to recall the battle. It wasn't triggered by a single contact, nor was it a fragment of a Mutants's ability. It formed slowly, gradually, as he sensed his teammates being injured time and time again.
When Emma Frost deflected the shell, he had only one thought in his mind: Don't let anything happen to her.
When Tony was thrown into the air by the explosion, his first thought was to get up as quickly as possible.
When Thor braved the thunderstorm, he didn't even think about himself; he only wanted the other side to hold on.
He didn't voice or express these emotions. But the system remembered them. The absorbed fragments—the emotional resonance of the Phoenix Force, Colossus's protective will, and Polaris's Mind Stone —were all automatically pieced together at that moment.
It wasn't something he controlled; it was a natural bodily reaction. It was as natural as pulling your hand back when it gets burned.
He tried adjusting it again, but there was no response. He wanted to check the ability description, but the system didn't provide any information. It seemed this wasn't something he could actively use, nor could it be summoned at any time. It only appeared once when it was most needed, and then it disappeared.
He wasn't in a hurry. Anyway, everyone was alright, and his teammates held on. That was enough.
--
The sky began to lighten; the sun was about to rise. He stood still, watching the light gradually penetrate the ruins. The outlines of the charred buildings became clearer, and the shadows of the rubble on the ground lengthened.
He recalled the time when he first transmigrated; all he wanted was to survive. He avoided superpowered individuals, stayed away from battlegrounds, and avoided taking action whenever possible. Back then, he thought that as long as he didn't die, everything would be fine.
Things are different now. He's still afraid, and he still gets tired, but he won't turn back anymore. He knows what he can do, and he's willing to do it.
Even if no one knows he was the one who saved them, even if this ability can only be used once.
He looked up at the sky. The last piece of mothership debris had long since fallen into the river; the water was calm, without even a ripple.
There was a half-burnt Vibranium plate at his feet. He picked it up and examined it. There were tiny cracks on the surface, but it was still usable. He stuffed it into his pocket and casually touched the silver half-rimmed glasses in his other pocket.
The temples of his glasses were a little bent, so he straightened them himself.
--
Footsteps could be heard in the distance.
He didn't turn around, but he knew who it was. Tony's footsteps were so distinctive; the sound of his armor joints grinding together was instantly recognizable. Then came Emma Frost's heels tapping the ground, not fast, but steady. Thor walked with a gust of wind, each step seeming to vibrate the floor.
They approached, but neither of them spoke.
Tony spoke first, "Are you standing here without moving, waiting for us to give you an award?"
Ye Mo turned to look at him. "If you want a prize, I can get it right now."
"No prize." Tony took off his mask, his face covered in grime. "But I can buy you a coffee. Black, no sugar."
"Sure," Ye Mo smiled, "But you have to treat me, I lost my wallet."
Emma Frost walked over and glanced at him. "You look better than before."
"Mmm." He nodded. "I just took a nap."
"Liar." She called him out on it directly. "What ability did you use just now? The fact that all three of our injuries healed at the same time is no coincidence."
"I don't know what it's called," he said honestly. "And it's not something I can just use whenever I want. It just appeared on its own."
Thor, clutching his hammer, frowned. "It sounds like the ' Symbiotic Will ' from Asgard legend. The power a warrior awakens to protect their comrades in Extremis."
"That sounds pretty mystical." Ye Mo shrugged. "Anyway, I didn't chant any spells or pray."
Tony circled him. "You don't have any new equipment, nor are you wearing any strange stones. Is that all you've got?"
"Probably." He touched his chest. "The fragments I'd accumulated probably reached their limit and exploded on their own."
"Could you give me advance notice next time?" Tony patted him on the shoulder. "I'm all set to make my heroic entrance, and then I find out everyone's healed. Who am I supposed to be performing for?"
"Sorry," Ye Mo said without changing his expression, "Next time I'll wait until you're there before I have my attack."
Emma Frost suddenly asked, "Have you been wanting to do this for a while now?"
He paused.
"Not every battle is about self-preservation," she said. "You care about us."
He did not deny it.
A gust of wind blew, lifting the hood of his sweatshirt. He pulled the hood down and bent over to adjust his cuffs.
"The system doesn't lie," he finally said. "It records my true thoughts. I just... didn't expect it to actually spell it out."
"What do you spell out?" Thor asked.
"Something I've never admitted," he looked up at the three of them, "I don't want to be just a bystander anymore."
Tony grinned. "So you're Mr. X now?"
"It's been that long," he said, putting on his glasses. "It's just that you're only recognizing it now."
Emma Frost smiled slightly, "So what are you planning to do next?"
"What else can we do?" He cracked his knuckles. "Just wait for the next problem to come knocking."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Can't you say something positive?"
"I'm stating the facts." He looked towards the edge of the city. "Look over there, the smoke hasn't cleared yet. There are definitely still people trapped, and fires are breaking out in other places. Are we going to wait for a press conference instead of going to rescue them now?"
Emma Frost nodded. "He's right."
Thor shouldered his hammer. "Let's go then."
Tony sighed, "You guys really... don't leave any room for romance at all."
The four of them started walking towards the city center. Ye Mo walked at the back, glancing back at the wrecked bus.
Half of the car roof had collapsed, and the dark figure was long gone. He remembered the guy's movements when he jumped out—quick, but he didn't attack him. It was like he was running for his life, not coming to fight.
He didn't mention it. Now is not the time to pursue the enemy.
We'll talk about it later.
He turned and caught up with the group.
The sunlight on my back felt real and warm.