Chapter 8.
Li Yue sat in a house with several young men and women. They were members of the mutant team recruited by Charles and Eric—just like in the movie—but now with Li Yue among them.
After gathering the team, Charles and Eric left to handle other matters, leaving the group to themselves.
"Since we'll be fighting side by side in the future, I think we should give ourselves codenames and introduce our abilities," suggested a shapeshifting woman.
"I want to be called Mystique!" she declared, claiming her nickname first.
"Hey, I was going to choose Mystique too, but you beat me to it," said a long-haired young man. Li Yue recognized him—he could emit ultrasonic waves and glide using the force of their backlash.
"Well, let's see who truly deserves the name," Mystique smirked before activating her ability. Before their eyes, her skin shifted, morphing into an exact replica of the long-haired young man. Even her voice perfectly mimicked his.
"Whoa, that's incredible!"
The group gasped in astonishment at her seamless transformation.
"Darwin, what about you? What do you want to be called?" Mystique turned to the young Black man sitting beside Li Yue.
"I think Darwin suits me well," he replied. "After all, survival of the fittest—that's what I do."
To demonstrate, he stood up, walked to a nearby fish tank, and dipped his head into the water. Instantly, gill-like structures formed on both sides of his face, allowing him to breathe underwater.
The group applauded as Darwin lifted his head, the transformation fading as he returned to his seat.
"My turn, my turn! Cover your ears!" The long-haired young man jumped up eagerly, unable to contain his excitement.
Crouching slightly, he focused on a cup sitting on the table. The others expected him to direct his ability at it, but instead, –he turned toward the window. Letting out a high-frequency ultrasonic wave, he shattered the glass instantly.
His teammates gasped in surprise, while Li Yue simply sighed—this guy loved showing off.
"I want to be called Angel, because…"
At that moment, the woman sitting next to Li Yue stood up. She had once been a prostitute before joining the mutant faction.
She removed her coat, revealing what seemed to be an intricate tattoo on her back. Then, as if coming to life, the tattoo transformed into a pair of transparent insect-like wings. With a rapid flutter, she lifted off the ground, hovering effortlessly before them.
"You can fly! That's awesome!"
"And check this out!" The woman spat towards the shattered glass window. Her spit landed on the statue outside, causing it to burn upon contact.
Li Yue observed her ability with a mix of curiosity and disdain. Even if you can kill, that power is just plain disgusting.
"Hey, Li Yue, what's your ability?" Mystique suddenly turned to him with a questioning smile.
"My ability? Well, watch this."
Without further explanation, Li Yue placed his hand on the black driver beside him. In an instant, they both vanished.
"What the hell? Where did they go?" The others exclaimed in shock.
"We're right here!"
The black driver's voice came from outside. He was now standing with Li Yue, observing the confused faces of their teammates through the window.
While using his powers, Li Yue felt an odd sensation—something unfamiliar. During the teleportation, it was as if he had momentarily returned to a strange, starry expanse. In that moment, a glowing blue star appeared on a dark orb. A massive, energy-formed hand reached from the blue star toward another brighter light, as if grabbing something. Then, as quickly as it came, the hand withdrew, and the scene dissolved back to reality.
Shaking off the strange vision, Li Yue focused on the present. He sensed something different within himself, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. With a flash, he returned himself and the black driver back to their seats.
"Wow, Li Yue! That was incredible! How did you do it? Was that teleportation?"
"I think we should call him Speed!" the long-haired young man suggested, his excitement evident.
"Speed? Come on, I'm not the Flash," Li Yue scoffed inwardly.
"No, I think Blink suits him better," Mystique countered, smirking. "It has a nice ring to it."
"Li Yue, which one do you like? Choose your codename!" Mystique pressed playfully.
"I don't like either. Just call me 'Transmitter.' Also, I'm feeling a little off. I'll head to my room for now."
Without waiting for any objections, Li Yue turned and left. The commotion of the others wasn't helping him concentrate on the strange changes he sensed.
"Come on, Li Yue, stay!"
He ignored their pleas and disappeared into his room.
"Alright, Alex, it's your turn!" someone called, trying to lift the mood.
Back in his room, Li Yue sat down and carefully focused on his body. He could feel it—something new within every cell.
Could it be?
To test his theory, he picked up the fruit knife from the table. With deliberate intent, he brought the blade toward his arm. Just before it touched his skin, a surge of mental energy pulsed through him. At that moment, his arm transformed—its surface hardening into a rock-like texture.
The knife struck his arm with a sharp ding, leaving no mark.
"Darwin's ability… I knew it."
A wave of satisfaction washed over Li Yue. However, a hint of disappointment followed. –Of all powers, it had to be Darwin's. In a matter of moments, he'll be the next to go. If only I'd copied Professor X's psychic powers or Magneto's magnetic control instead.
He shook his head. At least it wasn't Mystique's shapeshifting or Alex's hula hoop beam.
Li Yue clenched his fists. Next time, I'll test it on Magneto and see if I can replicate his abilities.
Meanwhile, downstairs, the other mutants were showcasing their powers in turn.
Laughter and cheers filled the room as the young mutants unleashed their abilities without restraint. But just as things got chaotic, Charles, Eric, and the CIA agent returned. The scene they walked into left them momentarily stunned.
"What on earth is going on here?" the agent roared, her voice cutting through the noise like a lion's roar.
The young man, who had been gleefully soaring through the air, abruptly crashed to the floor, startled.
"Who vandalized the statue?" the agent demanded, glaring at the scorched monument outside.
"That was Alex!" the Beast blurted without hesitation, betraying his rival without remorse.
"You all are completely out of control!"
Before the agent could continue, Mystique stepped forward confidently. "We thought it was time to give ourselves codenames. After all, Charles goes by Professor X, and Eric is Magneto now."
She gestured proudly to the others. "And now we all have our own codenames too!"
Eric's expression shifted from surprise to amusement.
"I like it," he said with a grin.
Just then, a sudden presence appeared next to him. Startled, Eric instinctively raised his fist, ready to strike.
It was Li Yue, having teleported without warning.
"Relax," Li Yue smirked. "It's just me."
Li Yue, hearing the noise from upstairs, couldn't wait to use his ability to appear by Eric's side. Without hesitation, he touched Eric, and the two vanished instantly.
After reappearing not far away, Li Yue carefully tried to sense that peculiar feeling from before. However, he didn't experience the same sensation. Disappointed, he concealed his emotions and quickly returned to his original spot with Eric.
Eric, having regained his composure, couldn't help but look at Li Yue with admiration. He deeply valued Li Yue's remarkable ability.
"He's Li Yue, codenamed Transmitter. What you just witnessed was his power," the shapeshifting Mystique explained to Charles and Eric, who were both visibly intrigued.
"Your ability is impressive, and you wield it with great skill!" Eric praised sincerely.
Li Yue responded with a polite nod, but Charles spoke next, his expression tinged with curiosity.
"Li Yue, I owe you an apology. The first time I saw you, I tried to read your thoughts, but I failed. I sensed that your mind possesses an immense mental strength, far surpassing my own, completely blocking my psychic powers. Can you explain how that is possible?" Charles inquired, clearly puzzled.
Though Charles adhered to ethical boundaries when using his abilities on friends, he had no reservations when encountering someone unfamiliar like Li Yue.
"Professor, how could that be? Are you saying Li Yue's mental power is greater than yours? Wouldn't that mean he possesses a stronger psychic ability than you? That's impossible!" Mystique exclaimed in disbelief.
Li Yue himself found it hard to accept. Professor Charles was a Level Four mutant, capable of using Cerebro to affect minds across the whole globe. While Li Yue believed his mental strength was above average, the thought of surpassing Charles seemed absurd.
"I don't feel like my mental power is particularly vast. My teleportation ability has certainly enhanced both my mental strength and physical endurance, but only by a few dozen times compared to an ordinary person. I've noticed that greater mental strength allows me to teleport heavier objects. Beyond that, I haven't experienced any other unusual effects," Li Yue explained honestly.
He wasn't entirely sure of the extent of his powers. The incident where he seemingly copied another's abilities only added to his confusion. Li Yue hoped that the brilliant Professor Charles could shed some light on his mysterious abilities.
"Charles, are you certain? If Li Yue's mental strength truly exceeds yours, it's beyond belief!" Eric expressed, clearly skeptical. Li Yue was still so young. If he not only possessed the power of teleportation but also commanded a mental force greater than Charles, he would become nearly unstoppable.
For the first time, Eric regarded Li Yue with a trace of caution. If Li Yue ever chose to act maliciously, he would need to be stopped — swiftly and decisively.
Unaware of Eric's thoughts, Li Yue quietly contemplated his own theory. He recalled the two times he had gazed into the starry sky. Perhaps it was this mysterious experience that shielded his mind from Charles' probing. Nevertheless, Li Yue felt fortunate. Despite Charles' reputation for kindness, the unexpected nature of his attempted mind-reading made Li Yue wary.
Fortunately, he failed to complete the invasion. Otherwise, the secrets of those not from this world would have been exposed. If Charles were to see them again, knowing they were merely fabrications, who knows if he would lose his mind on the spot.
There was a similar scenario in a comic on Earth. In it, the older Charles learned from the mind of Deadpool that he was merely a fictional character. Unable to accept this reality, his psychic powers spiraled out of control, harming many innocent people.
Of course, these thoughts only lingered in Li Yue's mind. Thankfully, Charles hadn't invaded his consciousness; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
"Forget it. Li Yue's situation can be studied later. Right now, the most important thing is to figure out how to stop Sebastian Shaw. Who knows what plans he has in store?" The female detective interrupted everyone's curiosity about Li Yue and brought their focus back to the urgent matter at hand.
Just like in the original events, Charles and Eric left for the Soviet military base, while the young mutants remained at the CIA base.
Sure enough, Sebastian Shaw arrived at night, accompanied by two of his men — one who could transform into a tornado and the Red Devil. The Red Devil's abilities were similar to Li Yue's, but with more limitations. While the Red Devil needed to be in contact with the people or objects he teleported, Li Yue faced no such restriction.
"What should we do now?"
–The group of young mutants huddled together, trembling as they heard screams, gunshots, and explosions from outside. They were just teenagers, under twenty, facing this kind of horror for the first time. Fear consumed them.
Hearing the commotion, Li Yue immediately used his powers, vanishing and reappearing in front of the frightened mutants.
"Li Yue, what should we do?"
Mystique asked nervously. She was not the ruthless woman she would become in the future but rather a young girl experiencing her first taste of fear. Despite her attempts to stay calm, she couldn't hide her anxiety.
Seeing Li Yue arrive without any trace of panic, the shapeshifting girl subconsciously relied on him for guidance.
"Don't worry. I'll take you all to a safe place first," Li Yue reassured them. He approached the group, touched them lightly, and disappeared with them.
"You stay here. I'll go back to check the situation. If everything's fine, I'll return for you," Li Yue said before vanishing once again.
When he returned, he saw Sebastian Shaw ruthlessly massacring the CIA agents. Li Yue followed his conscience. If there were people he could save, he would do so.
Thus, the scene turned into a strange contrast — three mutants slaughtering mercilessly, while Li Yue rescued anyone he could.
At first, this went unnoticed, but soon the Red Devil began to sense something was wrong. Despite hearing gunshots, upon arrival, there would be no one left, leaving him confused.
The pattern repeated several times. Eventually, the Red Devil could no longer ignore it. He quickly realized someone was secretly saving the agents and reported to Sebastian Shaw.
"Boss, someone's interfering and rescuing the humans right under our noses. It might be another mutant with teleportation abilities," the Red Devil informed him.
"Really? When did they find a teleporter? Can you detect his spatial trajectory?" Sebastian asked, his tone tinged with curiosity.–
"I'm sorry, Boss. I can't perceive anything. If not for the vanishing humans, I wouldn't have suspected anything. His control over his abilities is far superior to mine. I can't trace any spatial movement," the Red Devil admitted, frustration evident in his voice. He had honed his powers for centuries, yet now faced a mutant whose abilities seemed even more advanced.
"More skilled than you? That's concerning," Sebastian said, his disbelief clear. The Red Devil was his ultimate safeguard, ensuring his safety in any situation.
"I want to meet him. If possible, I'd like him to join us," Sebastian declared. "Tell the hurricane to stop. We'll wait for him here."
Raising his voice, Sebastian Shaw called out, "My friend, we are alike. Why not come out and have a chat?"
One second... ten seconds...
A minute passed, but no one responded.
Unbeknownst to them, Li Yue had already evacuated all the surviving agents. Now standing at a distance, he observed Sebastian Shaw and his men waiting in vain. The sight amused him.
"Did they really expect me to come out just because they asked?" Li Yue chuckled to himself.
Sebastian Shaw, growing impatient, spoke again. "Do you possess such an invincible ability yet lack the courage to face me? Are you overly cautious, or simply a coward?"
With those words, he attempted to provoke Li Yue.
"Oh, using a provocation tactic? Do you think I'll fall for that?" Li Yue thought to himself.
"Still, I can't resist responding to a challenge." Without further hesitation, Li Yue appeared about ten meters in front of Sebastian Shaw. True to human nature, even Li Yue couldn't escape the irresistible pull of defiance.
"Shouting like that, were you expecting me not to show up? Well, I'm here. If you've got something –to say, say it. Otherwise, let's get this over with," Li Yue said confidently, knowing full well that at this distance, he could teleport away instantly if necessary.
Sebastian Shaw smiled, his tone dripping with temptation. "With such an incredible ability, it would be foolish to follow Eric. Why not join me instead? Once my plan succeeds, you can have wealth, women, and power. Mutants will rule this world, and you can stand at the top alongside me."
"I'm not interested in money," Li Yue retorted flatly.
"As for women, I can –find them on my own. And power? I don't crave it. So your offer doesn't appeal to me. I refuse."
"Very well. You've made your choice, and I respect it," Sebastian Shaw replied, surprisingly calm despite the rejection. "But if you ever change your mind, my door will remain open. I welcome you to join us at any time."
–With that, he gestured to the Red Devil and the mutant known as Hurricane. They stepped to his side, gripping Sebastian's arms. In a flash of crimson light, the three of them disappeared.
"Phew, no danger after all," Li Yue exhaled, relieved.
But just as he relaxed, a sudden burst of red light flashed behind him. The three figures who had just vanished reappeared without warning.
Sebastian Shaw stood directly behind Li Yue, his palm crackling with energy, ready to strike.
Caught off guard, Li Yue's mental power instinctively responded. The moment Sebastian's hand made contact with his back, an unexpected sensation overwhelmed Li Yue. His mental power surged uncontrollably but then recoiled, snapping back into his mind upon touching Sebastian.
An eerie feeling spread through Li Yue's body, but before he could process it, the immense energy in Sebastian's palm bore down on him.
"If any other mutant refused my offer, I wouldn't be angry, nor would I harm them. But you're different. Your power is far too unique. It belongs in my hands. So, I'm sorry, but you must die," Sebastian said coldly, his voice laced with regret.
The Red Devil acted swiftly. A red light enveloped the trio, and they vanished once again, leaving Li Yue standing alone.
But to his astonishment, Li Yue felt no pain. In fact, the exact opposite happened. He felt invigorated, his body pulsing with newfound strength.
"What just happened?" Li Yue stood in disbelief. He had been certain he would suffer severe injuries, if not death. Yet, not only was he unharmed, but he felt stronger than before.
He instinctively touched his back, finding his skin perfectly intact. There wasn't a single mark. However, the back of his clothes had been completely disintegrated, most likely vaporized by the immense energy.
Still dazed, Li Yue couldn't help but wonder, "What kind of power did I just absorb?"
"But I didn't do anything. Why wasn't I hurt?"
Li Yue couldn't figure it out. For now, he decided to prioritize retrieving the survivors. It seemed unlikely that Sebastian Shaw would return.
Thinking back to the incident, a sense of frustration welled up within him. Despite his usual ability to outmaneuver others, this time, he had been caught off guard. The realization stung — the predator had become the prey, if only for a moment.
With that thought, Li Yue vanished and reappeared in front of the survivors. Among them were several mutants he had saved. After gathering them together, he ensured they were all accounted for.
"Li Yue, what happened? Why are your clothes torn? Are you injured? Is it serious?" Mystique was the first to voice her concern, her eyes filled with worry as she noticed the missing fabric on his back.
"I'm fine. I wasn't hurt. Sebastian and his men have left. I'll take you all back now. Everyone, hold onto your companions," Li Yue instructed, his tone calm and steady.
The survivors followed his instructions, linking hands for safety. Without further delay, Li Yue used his powers to teleport them back to the base.
Upon their return, the harsh reality sank in. The once bustling base was now littered with bodies, and several buildings lay in ruins. Of the more than one hundred people stationed there, only thirty or forty had survived. The rest had perished.
The air grew heavy with sorrow and shock. But amidst the silence, a lone voice rang out.
"If you had this kind of power, why didn't you fight back? Why didn't you act sooner? If you had, they wouldn't be dead!"
A CIA agent, overwhelmed by grief and rage, lashed out at Li Yue. His trembling finger pointed directly at him.
Li Yue's expression darkened. He had endured the trauma of the battle, saved as many as he could, and now faced accusations from one of the very people he had rescued.
"First, lower your hand. I don't like being pointed at," Li Yue said coldly, his voice steady but chilling.
"Second, I don't owe you an explanation. Say one more word, and I'll send you right back to those people you're so eager to confront. Don't doubt me — if I say it, I mean it."
The agent paled. The memories of the massacre were still vivid in his mind. The mere thought of facing those monsters again was enough to silence him. He quickly dropped his hand, not daring to utter another word.
"Li Yue, are you alright?"
Mystique spoke softly, noticing the lingering anger on his face. It was the first time she had seen this side of him.
"Some people will always mistake kindness for weakness. When you encounter someone like that, you don't have to tolerate it."
Li Yue's tone was firm, but the fire in his chest slowly subsided.
–"Let's go back to our rooms. They can handle the aftermath here. We'll wait for Charles and Eric to return."
Without another glance at the ruined base, Li Yue turned and walked away. The rooms they stayed in were among the few that had survived the attack. But Li Yue's mind was elsewhere — he needed to understand what had happened to him.
He couldn't ignore the strange sensation he had felt during the confrontation. Something had changed within him. And now, he had to find out what.
After a night of experimentation, Li Yue finally unraveled the mystery. The transformation was linked to the power he had copied from Darwin, the mutant with the unique ability to adapt to any environment for survival.
However, in Li Yue's case, the ability had undergone a mutation, influenced by his mental strength. Unlike Darwin's purely physical adaptations, Li Yue's mind now played a crucial role in the process.
He could analyze an opponent's abilities using his mental power, and his body would instinctively evolve in response.
That explained why, when faced with Sebastian Shaw's devastating energy attack, his body had adapted by developing the ability to absorb energy instead of being harmed by it. The energy had not only been neutralized but had strengthened him.
However, while he could absorb energy, he couldn't release it. Instead, the absorbed energy merely enhanced his physical capabilities.
Li Yue clenched his fists, feeling the subtle surge of power coursing through him.
"So, that's how it works," he murmured. Though the discovery brought clarity, it also raised new questions.
What else was his body capable of? And how far could this newfound ability take him?
Only time would tell.
.....
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