Reward Preview: Speed Force

Taiping Prefecture time: 9:30 a.m.

It was a Saturday, and also the day of the Reynolds Group's press conference for its new controlled nuclear fusion technology.

They claimed that the Reynolds Group would take the most crucial step toward achieving controlled nuclear fusion for human civilization.

After breakfast, Mo Zhen rode in Mo Chou's car to the Reynolds Group.

He had wanted to bring Mo Xiaochuan and Bai Xiaoxiao along, but both of them were still sleeping in, and he couldn't get them out of bed.

After he got out of the car,

Mo Chou rolled down the window. "Do you need me to pick you up tonight?"

Mo Zhen shook his head. "No need."

He said goodbye to his dad and reached the entrance. There were already quite a few reporters and teams in the Reynolds Group's lobby, as well as students from other schools.

Adam, who had been waiting there, waved at him. "Hey, Mo Zhen, over here!"

Mo Zhen started toward him, but halfway there, Little Reynolds left the businesspeople beside him and walked over.

He seized Mo Zhen's hand.

"I'm so glad you could make it to the press conference, Mo Zhen. Formal wear really suits you. I'd bet there'll be at least five, six, seven, eight girls surrounding you at the banquet."

Little Reynolds smiled warmly.

Standing before him, Mo Zhen wore a deep black suit. Since he wasn't wearing his glasses today, he had shed that trace of youthful awkwardness and student air.

With his supermodel-length legs, refined features, sky-blue eyes, and composed bearing, he had a stronger presence than any young master Little Reynolds had ever met.

"Really? Thanks, but I think someone over there is calling you?"

Mo Zhen smiled back and shook Little Reynolds's hand, raising his other hand to gesture toward the assistant behind him.

Little Reynolds could only nod regretfully. "It's my father calling me again. I'll see you in the lab later."

With that, he hurried out of the lobby after the assistant.

Only then did Adam sidle up to Mo Zhen, sounding a little sour.

"Seriously, Mo Zhen... why do guys and girls both like you? Okay, I admit you really are good-looking. I'm just a little jealous."

Mo Zhen picked up his ID badge from the front desk and hung it on his chest, grabbing a handful of mints while he was at it.

He handed Adam one. "Here, have some candy and sweeten up."

Adam was easy enough to placate. He unwrapped the mint and ate it, then immediately began telling Mo Zhen how impressive the Reynolds Group was in the field of nuclear power.

But Mo Zhen had no attention to spare for that.

His system had just sent him a notification.

[Dear Miss Witch, you have triggered a personal event involving the superhero "Scarlet Spider." From this point on, all your actions will permanently affect and alter the development of the main universe.]

[Personal event: "Scarlet Spider: The Birth of Thunder Demon"]

[Event summary: At its latest technology press conference, the Reynolds Group announces that it has successfully verified Dr. Chen Xue's related papers and used nebula alloy to construct a controlled nuclear fusion device.]

[However, during the public experiment, a terrorist attack by Joker Man and others causes an accident involving the device. The high-energy quantum particles inside it strike Old Reynolds, chairman of the Reynolds Group, allowing a demon from subspace to take over his personality. Thus, Thunder Demon is born.]

[Please note: A "personal event" is part of the superhero Scarlet Spider's predetermined chain of cause and effect. An event such as the birth of Thunder Demon is bound to occur in every timeline. Even if you interfere and disrupt it, it will correct itself.]

[Stage mission 1: Defeat Joker Man's team as a third party.]

[Stage mission 2: Kill Thunder Demon/Scarlet Spider.]

[Mission deadline: Long-term.]

[Final mission reward: Speed Force · Thunder Demon Version/Spider Powers · Scarlet Spider Version.]

[Note: A single stage of a personal event can also count as completion of the beginner mission.]

Seeing this, Mo Zhen bit down on the mint in his mouth.

The more he read, the more familiar this plot seemed.

He grew a little excited.

As long as he completed stage one, he could get his hands on Domain Expansion. It was a genuine trump card, one that could give him a sense of security.

The final mission reward was even better: a choice between Speed Force and Spider Powers.

At that thought, Mo Zhen glanced at Adam, who was still taking photos beside him. The guy probably had no idea that he was one of the two options.

Of course, Mo Zhen would never sacrifice his good buddy, so Mr. Thunder Demon would just have to suffer instead.

Before long, he and Scarlet Spider entered together. Led by company employees, they first toured the Reynolds Group's various laboratories in different sections.

As a publicly traded group, Leinuo had actually signed a few superheroes of its own, but none had a high danger rating. They were generally E- or D-rank.

The strongest was only a C-rank hero in a high-tech battlesuit, codenamed "Shockwave." His ability allowed him to unleash powerful electromagnetic shocks.

There weren't many superhumans above C-rank to begin with, and the vast majority were monopolized by the Colossus Company.

So the Reynolds Group's hero was already considered quite formidable.

The company had to spend a fortune on him every year.

The tour lasted until two in the afternoon. After stuffing himself at the refreshment break, Mo Zhen finally got to see the technology press conference begin.

They followed the crowd to a sunlit testing area beneath a dome, covering at least as much ground as a soccer field.

In the center of the area, the Reynolds Group's team of scientists was working together to calibrate a massive nuclear fusion device.

"Everyone, sorry for the wait!"

Old Reynolds emerged from an exit on the other side, dressed in formal attire. He could barely contain his excitement, and his voice carried across the area through the microphone.

"Next, we will witness a miracle together."

Old Reynolds gave the team a sweeping wave.

At his command, the team officially activated the device.

The enormous nuclear fusion device sprang into motion like a miniature Dyson sphere, rotating continuously and erratically.

Gradually, a mass of searing energy formed at the center of the device, making everyone present hold their breath.

Was that real controlled nuclear fusion? The legendary little artificial sun?

Camera flashes went off nonstop.

Just then, an assistant in a white lab coat among the team of professors quietly activated the clown bomb in his hand.

Then, while the others weren't looking, he hurled the bomb at the nuclear fusion device.

Seeing this, Shockwave raised his hand and activated an electromagnetic shock to stop it, but he was a step too late.

No one could have imagined that a terrorist had infiltrated the team of professors.

"Boom!!!"

The instant the bomb touched the mass of energy, the extremely unstable matter spiraled out of control and exploded in every direction.

Scarlet Spider's pupils contracted. He had no time to think; he instinctively pulled Mo Zhen close and shouted,

"Get down!"

"Boom!!"

The explosion and flames shattered the dome, sending glass raining from the sky and knocking everyone in the area to the ground.

The scene was a mess, with countless people dead or injured.

Before that happened, Old Reynolds had thrown himself over his son.

As the blast wave gradually subsided,

Scarlet Spider gritted his teeth, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and called to Mo Zhen in his arms.

"Urgh... Mo Zhen!"

"Are you okay?!"

Mo Zhen clutched his head, which had struck the ground, and stared at him in shock. "...You!"

He hardly knew what to say. He hadn't expected Scarlet Spider to choose to protect him first at a moment like that.

Why does this guy's favorability toward me have to be so high? Are we really that close? Aren't we just ordinary classmates and friends?

He didn't need to look to know that Scarlet Spider's back had surely been horribly burned, because he had shielded him from all the flames and the blast.

Damn it, he really is a guy with an overflowing sense of justice. Serves you right to be a superhero for the rest of your life.

Scarlet Spider grimaced. "Enough. Run outside!"

Mo Zhen wasted no more words. He turned and ran.

Scarlet Spider tore open his suit, revealing the skintight battle suit underneath. The nanomaterial on him rapidly repaired the burns on his back.

He took a deep breath and put on his mask.

"Hey, look who it is?"

"It's our dear Spider-Boy!"

At that moment, Joker Man strolled in with his men through an exit on the other side, still wearing his baggy suit.

As for the terrorist who had thrown the bomb, he was a reckless fool whom Joker Man had duped. He had already been wiped out along with the team of professors closest to the device.

"Power King, I'll leave him to you. No problem, right?" Joker Man asked, one hand in his pocket as he shrugged and looked at Power King behind him.

"I'll turn him into spider paste!"

Power King's eyes filled with killing intent toward Scarlet Spider. Without the slightest hesitation, he charged like a tank.

"Joker Man...!"

Shockwave, grievously wounded by the explosion, struggled to his feet. His battle suit was charred black. He took a deep breath and shouted to Little Reynolds.

"Run, young master! Run!"

Little Reynolds was dizzy and disoriented.

Seeing his father, who had shielded him from the entire blast, at death's door, his eyes instantly turned red. He hoisted him onto his back and raced for the exit.

Bald Eagle saw them and pulled the trigger, aiming at Little Reynolds.

But the badly wounded Shockwave caught and intercepted the bullet in midair, making Bald Eagle narrow his eyes in annoyance.

"Looking for death."

He aimed at Shockwave and quickly fired his revolver four times in an instant, applying his Telekinetic Enhancement to the bullets.

Shockwave, however, was still gravely injured from the close-range explosion and no longer had the strength to withstand this attack.

At that critical moment,

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Four invisible slashes split the bullets in two in midair in an instant.

"Who?!" Bald Eagle cried in alarm.