Ian looked around.
The registration area had a long line, all people waiting for their entrance exams, noisy and chaotic.
He scanned the crowd, his gaze sweeping over them.
Then it stopped on a boy.
The boy stood at the edge of the lawn, wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans, with short hair and delicate but somewhat sharp features.
He was looking down at his phone, alone.
Ian recognized him.
Jordan.
The Supe from Gen V who could change genders.
In male form, his defense was astonishing; in female form, he was extremely fast and could launch energy attacks.
His defense was pretty good, but Ian wasn’t sure if the system could separate and duplicate the abilities of his male and female forms.
He walked over.
“Hey bro, seeing an Asian here is fucking rare.”
Jordan looked up.
His eyes were wary at first, but relaxed when he saw Ian’s face.
“Chinese, Ian.” Ian extended his hand.
Jordan looked at it, hesitated for half a second, then shook it.
“It really is rare.
My family’s Korean immigrants.
My parents forced me to come here, said it’s for polishing my credentials.”
The moment their palms touched, a panel popped up in Ian’s vision.
Target detected for duplication: Jordan.
Available abilities:
[1.
Super Physique LV2]
[2.
Body Modification LV3]
[3.
Shockwave LV2]
[4.
Physical Enhancement LV3]
Four abilities listed side by side.
This meant the system had separated the abilities of his male and female forms.
Ian hesitated for a moment, then directly selected Shockwave LV2—partly to test how long it would take to duplicate an LV2 ability, and partly to give himself an extra edge for the entrance exam.
[Estimated completion time: five minutes.]
He prolonged the handshake a bit, then temporarily let go and slipped his hand into his pocket.
[Duplication progress: 10%]
“You came alone?” Ian asked.
“My parents came with me, but they left temporarily after arriving at the school.
What about you?”
“Orphan.
Getting by on my own.”
The two stood at the edge of the lawn, watching the line of people.
His parents favored sons over daughters, demanding he maintain his male form in public, which made his life before always feel oppressive.
Now, just starting college, he hadn’t fully opened up like in the plot.
Jordan’s expression was a bit stiff, as if he wasn’t yet used to this kind of social interaction.
Ian glanced at his phone.
It was already noon.
He looked up at Jordan.
“Hungry?
My treat.
Anything good to eat around here?”
Jordan was taken aback.
“No need.”
“Don’t be so hesitant.
And in a place full of white and black people, seeing someone with yellow skin, it’s like meeting an old friend, you know?”
Jordan smiled.
“Alright, I know a Chinese food truck nearby that sells chow mein.”
They walked off campus.
The food truck was parked at a street corner, run by a Cantonese uncle whose spatula sent sparks flying.
Ian ordered two chicken chow meins, extra spicy.
They carried foam containers and sat on a bench by the roadside to eat.
The bench wasn’t big, so they sat close, their arms occasionally brushing.
The system’s progress bar notifications came intermittently:
[23%…27%…32%]
Jordan ate slowly, as if lost in thought.
“Where were you before?” Jordan asked.
“Queens.
Worked at a convenience store.”
“I’m from New York too.” Jordan poked at the noodles with chopsticks.
“My dad’s a doctor, my mom’s an accountant.
They wanted me to come here so I could join The Seven someday, or at least get into Vought Headquarters.
Bring honor to the family, you know.”
Ian chewed his noodles.
“You don’t seem that excited.”
Jordan put down his chopsticks, looking across the street at the school gate.
“My superpower is freely switching genders, but they want me to stay in male form.
Say it makes me look more like a hero, more intimidating.
They think my female form is just me trying to piss them off, being rebellious.”
Ian didn’t respond, just listened.
Jordan continued, “Ever since I was little, I’ve been told what to do.
What to wear, what hairstyle to have, what powers to use.
No one ever asked me what I wanted to be.”
Ian swallowed his last bite of noodles.
“In a place like this, everyone’s a commodity.
Vought packages you, the audience consumes you.
Whether you’re male or female, strong or weak, as long as you can sell tickets, you’re a good product.
If you want to get back at them, do something big in your female form.”
Jordan turned his head, looking at Ian.
“What about you?
What do you want to be?”
Ian crushed his lunchbox and tossed it into a nearby trash can.
He looked at the steel archway of Godolkin, his mouth twisting slightly.
“Be a good person?”
Jordan didn’t understand.
“What?”
“Never mind.” Ian stood up.
“If it’s convenient, could you show me your transformation?
I’m pretty curious.”
Jordan was silent for a moment.
“Sure, but we need to find somewhere private.
If my parents come back and see, I’m screwed.”
The two found a small grove on campus.
Jordan looked around and activated his ability.
He abruptly transformed from a handsome, masculine six-foot-tall boy into a 5’4″ girl.
Ian looked at her, stepped closer, and poked her arm.
“Even your muscle density changed?
[Duplication Progress: 78%]
“This is nothing, you should see Homelander.” Jordan awkwardly swatted his hand away.
“What do you think I look like?”
“Not bad.
Pretty cute.” Ian stared for a while, stroking his chin as he answered.
“Fuck, bro, you look like you want to hook up with me right now.” Jordan couldn’t stand the gaze and changed back to his male form.
Ian patted Jordan’s shoulder.
“Dude, after seeing your female form, I think your plan to get back at your parents has a pretty high chance of success.”
[Duplication Progress: 83%]
“Better take it slow.
They’re probably coming back soon.
I should go wait for them.”
“Go ahead.” Ian said, extending his hand again.
“One more handshake before you leave?
To our meeting.”
“Fuck, you don’t actually want to hook up with me, do you?” Jordan said, but still extended his hand.
“Let’s add each other on TikTok.
You’re a bit weird, but you’re still the first friend I’ve made since coming here.”
“OK.”
After adding each other, Jordan waved and headed toward the school gate.
Ian checked his panel.
[Duplication Progress: 100%]
“Worth acting like a creep.” Ian shoved his hands into his pockets, feeling the new power within him.
The sensation of compressing air in his palm felt like a bomb ready to explode at any moment.
Ian walked toward the registration point, looking at the crowd gathered there.
The line was still long, but he was no longer in a hurry.
Ian stood at the end of the queue, and it was an hour later when the number-calling system finally announced his name.
Behind the registration desk in Room B12 was a gymnasium, its iron doors wide open, emitting various noises.
Ian stepped inside, the air thick with the smell of rubber and sweat.
The space was divided into several sections.
Some people were running, others jumping, and one person was breathing fire at a sandbag, heating the surrounding area with waves of scorching air.
A staff member in a gray uniform sat behind a folding table with a tablet on it.
After checking his information, the staff member instructed him to begin the tests: an indoor track run and a striking power assessment.
When the results came out, the staff member frowned.
“Physical fitness is among the lowest tier for a Supe.
Barely passing.”
Ian gasped for breath, hands on his knees.
“But I have something else.”
“Show it then.
Don’t waste time.”
Ian walked to the center of the field.
Opposite him stood three blue rubber dummies with white bullseyes painted on their chests.
He took a deep breath and extended his hands.
Bang.
A Shockwave erupted from his palms, visibly distorting the air for an instant.
The Shockwave struck the rubber dummies, lifting them half a meter off the ground and sending them sliding backward three or four feet before they wobbled to a stop.
The field fell silent for two seconds.
The staff member leaned out from behind the folding table and whistled.
“Wow.
Shockwave?
Not bad.
Range and force are both decent.” It looks like you can apply to the Lamplighter Crimefighting Academy.
Congratulations, you passed the test.
Go pay the fees and wait for your dorm assignment notice.”