In the underground laboratory, in a side room protected by steel bars, Ethan watched from behind the safety line, flanked by the Hu brothers. On the other side, in the center of the space, Subject 6, Han Biao, stood still. He wore no shackles. Only his trembling body, alone in the silence. The Vespers surrounded the room in a tight formation, aiming steadily. The heavy machine guns were already ready. A single wrong move and the target would be eliminated without hesitation.
Han Biao didn't move. His gaze roamed the walls, the ceiling, the shadows between the soldiers... until it finally locked onto Ethan. He was still trembling, but not from weakness. It was fear. Tension on the verge of collapse.
Without delay, Ethan spoke with a firm voice:
"Begin."
AION projected a holographic timer.
[Phase 1: Basic mobility assessment]
"Jump."
Han Biao hesitated. He looked around, searching for a nonexistent exit. But before Ethan could repeat the command, one of the Vespers stared at him with inhuman coldness. That was enough. Han Biao swallowed hard and obeyed. He gave an awkward, unsure jump, almost stumbling upon landing.
Ethan did not react immediately. He just lowered his tone slightly.
"Jump again. Do not move from your spot. This time, use all your strength."
The voice was not aggressive, but carried absolute determination. An ultimatum.
Han Biao closed his eyes for a moment, inhaled deeply... and forced himself to move. His legs flexed quickly, muscles tightening like steel springs. The floor creaked slightly under his feet before his body launched upward. The jump was clean, powerful. Far beyond what any ordinary human could achieve.
He landed firmly. For an instant, he seemed surprised. He had felt the difference. He had felt the power.
Ethan observed the data floating in front of him, projected by AION.
[Vertical height: 218 cm]
[Lower body extension force: 4.1x average human]
Ethan nodded.
An average human, untrained, reaches between 50 and 70 centimeters in vertical jump. A trained one, an athlete, can reach 110 or more... Subject 6, with no prior preparation, had just soared more than double that.
"Run to the back and stop just before touching the wall," Ethan ordered.
Han Biao nodded and began running.
In just three steps, his body accelerated with a force unexpected for someone like him. The air whistled around him as he crossed the room in a straight line. One meter from the wall, his feet planted firmly, stopping precisely. No skid. No misplaced muscle vibration.
[Peak speed: 32.2 km/h]
[Acceleration time: 1.1 s to max speed]
Ethan read the data projected by AION without surprise, only confirming the obvious.
"Speed remains within estimated range. Nearly four times that of an average human," he murmured.
An average person runs between 8 and 15 kilometers per hour, depending on physical condition. Han Biao, before this, was a former bandit with years of vice and alcohol behind him. His body was deteriorated.
And yet, he had surpassed 30 km/h.
"An elite soldier or athlete barely reaches 35 or 40 km/h after training. This..." Ethan paused for a second.
"Keep running," he ordered. "From one end to the other. I'll tell you when to stop."
Han Biao didn't reply. He just obeyed.
For the next thirty minutes, he moved tirelessly from one end of the room to the other, back and forth without slowing or losing rhythm. His breathing remained steady, his body showed no signs of fatigue. Not a drop of sweat dampened his forehead.
Finally, when he stopped at Ethan's order, AION projected the results.
[Estimated physical endurance: 8.2 – 10.3 hours]
[Estimated lung capacity: 16.4 – 21.3 L]
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"Remarkable. The average physical endurance of an elite soldier is between 5 and 6 hours in continuous active state. Their lung capacity rarely exceeds 9 liters..." he paused. "And that's with extreme training."
He looked at the values floating before him.
"Sixteen to twenty-one liters... enough to maintain stable oxygenation even under prolonged effort or in low-pressure environments."
Ethan brought a hand to his chin, thoughtful. Then turned his gaze toward Han Biao.
"Hit the wall. Use all your strength."
Han Biao looked up. In front of him, a section of reinforced metal wall. He looked at his open fist, as if doubting his own limbs. Even someone without education would know that punching a sheet of metal with a bare hand was foolish.
He hesitated. Then he sought Ethan's eyes, as if hoping for mercy.
But Ethan didn't look away. His eyes narrowed with coldness.
"Do it."
The order dropped like a hammer. Around him, the Vespers watched him, unmoved, hidden behind dark helmets, full armor, and rifles with open safeties.
Han Biao swallowed.
Trembling, he closed his fist. Took a deep breath. Clenched his jaw. Took a striking stance, rotated his hips slightly, and launched his arm forward with all the force his body could generate.
BANG!
The impact echoed like a hammer against a beam. A dry, brutal sound, like stone against iron. The wall shuddered, and although it withstood the blow, a slight dent was left on the metal surface.
AION immediately projected the data.
[Estimated impact force: 4,802 N (equivalent to 490 kg of force)]
[Estimated bone density: 5.2 g/cm³ – no fractures or microcracks detected]
Ethan observed the results in silence.
"An average human can deliver between 500 and 1,000 newtons of force in a punch before getting injured. You..." he looked at Han Biao.
AION completed with a neutral voice:
[Bone integrity assessment: no structural damage. Impact absorption capacity confirmed. Structural enhancement stable.]
Han Biao held his fist for a few seconds, then slowly opened it. No blood. No swelling. No fracture.
Ethan crossed his arms.
"AION. Full report."
AION projected a final summary:
[Assessment complete. Comprehensive enhancement confirmed. Subject 6 presents:
– Muscle strength: 4.1x -> 490kg
– Speed: 4.0x -> 32.2 km/h
– Endurance: 4.1x
– Estimated reaction time: 58 ms
– Neuromuscular coordination optimized
– Improved impact absorption capacity (estimated 4,200 N)]
Ethan said nothing at first. He simply thought aloud:
"To think this was a man lost in alcohol. If this happens to someone untrained… what would happen if we applied the same method to an elite soldier?"
Silence.