"Dragon Junior!" Dragon Junior’s brow furrowed as he locked eyes with Bai Hao.

"You’d best stay still," Bai Hao said. As he spoke, Winter Yang across from him mimicked the lip movements—but no sound came out.

Dragon Junior noticed. He turned to Winter Yang. "You’re controlling him?"

"Yes." Bai Hao’s voice echoed from Winter Yang’s mouth. "Unbelievable, isn’t it? Bai Hao’s S Rank too, yet I control him."

It was deeply unsettling—Winter Yang’s lips moved, but Bai Hao’s voice emerged.

"How?!" Dragon Junior’s face turned icy. "Release Lin Wan now, or you’ll regret it."

"Oh?" Bai Hao’s冷笑 cut through the air. "Did you really think my psychic control was only A Rank?"

Everyone except Doctor Qin gasped.

"Truth is," Bai Hao continued through Winter Yang, "I’m one of only three S Rank psychics on Earth. Even my Dong Family patriarch doesn’t know." He paused. "I can feel your tension. You care for this girl."

"If you’re truly S Rank," Doctor Qin challenged, staring at Winter Yang, "why use this machine? Overdeveloping the brain is lethal without precise calibration."

"Unless," Doctor Musk stepped forward smoothly, "I’ve already calibrated it perfectly. Imagine—an S Rank psychic evolving further through this device."

"Unthinkable," Doctor Qin whispered.

"Unthinkable," he repeated.

"We’ll create a Deity," Doctor Musk declared. "A being beyond SS Rank."

"Exactly." Bai Hao’s voice rang out. "I, Winter Yang, will become a Deity through this machine."

"You’re insane!" Lin Wan choked out, struggling in Bai Hao’s grip. "Don’t mind me—just stop him—"

Bai Hao clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Don’t move," his voice warned.

Dragon Junior’s face darkened. He knew Winter Yang—if he flinched, Lin Wan would die first.

While Dragon Junior stood frozen, Doctor Musk swiftly strapped Winter Yang into the experimental rig.

"You’ll regret this," Dragon Junior growled at the suited figure.

"No one regrets becoming a Deity." Winter Yang pulled on the helmet and signaled Doctor Musk.

The machine roared to life. Objects in the lab floated weightlessly.

Bai Hao’s grip on Lin Wan’s neck slackened.

*Cough! Cough!* Lin Wan dropped to her knees, shoving Dragon Junior aside as he rushed to help. She sprinted toward the control panel. "Shut it down!" A kick sent Doctor Musk flying—he crumpled like paper.

"Took you long enough!" Doctor Qin yelled.

"Huh? He—?" Bai Hao stared dumbfounded at Winter Yang seated in the device.

"Why won’t it stop?!" Lin Wan slammed her palms on the console.

"Let me." Dragon Junior’s fist shattered the panel into splinters. "Destroy all connected machines!"

As he spoke, Bai Hao lunged at Winter Yang’s core device—but rebounded violently. A psychic storm erupted from the machine, expanding rapidly.

Dragon Junior and Bai Hao unleashed their energy attacks. The moment their power touched the storm, it was absorbed, swirling into the vortex.

Trapped, the group fled the lab. The storm swallowed the building, its roar swallowing screams.

Outside, the entire city froze.

Cars drifted from parking lots. Beds floated from apartments. Furniture orbited the storm’s epicenter. Street fighters halted mid-swing. Silence fell like a shroud.

Atop the Xiao Corporation Tower, Doudou’s milk-dripping Stain Remover Rod floated from his grasp. Bu Feiwu watched the spherical storm swell on the horizon.

H City’s Hero Association abandoned battles to rescue civilians from the psychic whirlwind. Ouyang Family elites bombarded the storm’s core—their orders were clear: kill Winter Yang, retrieve the device. Their mission had failed.

Winter Yang’s retreating forces cheered, vanishing into alleyways.

***

Ouyang Estate lay in ruins.

Lin Jie’s Azure Dragon Crescent Blade flashed. B-Rank-defeating security robots fell like wheat stalks. Each slash silenced their repair systems with a dragon’s roar.

The Ouyang patriarch barked a command. Hundreds of robots merged into a colossal mech.

"Transformers?" Lin Jie smirked. "Too bad." He leapt, cleaving the giant mech vertically before it could react.

He turned to the patriarch. "Shall we talk?"

"Who *are* you?" the patriarch demanded. "No D Rank Super Hero has this power."

"Does it matter?" Lin Jie shrugged. "Let’s discuss terms."

"Wait—" The patriarch paled. "Could you be... from the Ancient Clan?"

*Huh?* Lin Jie thought. *Ancient Clan? That rings a bell...*

"Ancient Clan? Never heard of it."

But the patriarch saw Lin Jie’s micro-hesitation. *Of course—he’s hiding his identity per their rules!* He misread the blank-faced youth completely.

"My deepest apologies for our disrespect!" The patriarch bowed low. "Better to make peace than enemies. Our estate is ruined—please spare us."

*Did he get hit on the head?* Lin Jie wondered behind his red mask.

"Your attitude’s changed," he said aloud.

"I didn’t know you were *from there*," the patriarch said reverently. "Had I known, we’d never have clashed."

*He’s mistaken my identity.* Lin Jie realized. *No need to correct him—saves time. Wan’s in danger.*

"Enough talk," Lin Jie cut in. "How do we settle this?"

"Let bygones be bygones," the patriarch urged. "Better to make peace than enemies."

"Fine. What about Winter Xueer’s engagement?"

"Annulled. The Ouyang Family will never trouble her again."

"And my identity?"

"I’ll keep it secret."

"Deal." Lin Jie turned. "I’m leaving."

"Allow me to escort—"

"Too slow." Lin Jie vanished.

The patriarch exhaled. *An Ancient Clan scion... Even the Eight Great Families wouldn’t dare offend them.*

***

Nowhere was more complex than Sector C. Influenced by ancient Daoist traditions, its true masters shunned fame. Hermits lived in mountains or disguised as commoners. The "Ancient Clan" was one such group—true name: Primordial Legacy Clan.

Sprinting toward H City, Lin Jie recalled his days hunting monsters worldwide—three laps around Earth before breakfast.

"Ancient Clan..." he muttered. "Primordial Legacy Clan! I looted plenty of weapons from them. Full of chuunibyo wannabe world-conquerors... until I smashed them into hiding."

He glanced around. Penguins waddled past his feet.

"...Wrong direction." He scratched his head. "Earth’s round. Thirty seconds to correct course."

He accelerated toward H City.