Su Zhan did not immediately devour Nick and Kira's abilities. Having just absorbed two powers in quick succession, he needed time to digest and adjust, ensuring he wouldn't lose control as he had in the past. This time, he felt a steady surge of power, but no wild darkness-only a deepening confidence as his system integrated the new strengths.
With their goal clear, the group left the chaos of Hong Kong behind and set out for the organization's secret base to rescue the remaining superpowered captives. In the original movie, the base's location was never explicitly revealed, but with Kira by his side-a survivor who had once escaped the facility-Su Zhan had a living map. Without her, even he would have struggled to find the hidden stronghold.
It took less than a day to reach their destination: a heavily fortified compound nestled on the outskirts of the city. Kira pointed to the imposing building, her voice low and tense. "This is it. Inside, the security is tight. There are at least dozens of superpowered guards."
Su Zhan's eyes narrowed, a calculating smile playing on his lips. "So many superpowered individuals… If I tried to devour all their abilities in just a day or two, it might be too much to process at once. But as long as I secure the gene serum, I'll have an endless supply of potential powers in the future. Even redundant abilities can strengthen what I already have or provide the system with energy for further upgrades." He glanced at his companions. "Don't worry about the guards. They're meaningless to me. Just stay behind and protect yourselves-I won't be able to watch out for you during the fight."
With that, Su Zhan strode forward, his presence radiating confidence and dominance. The others exchanged nervous glances before hurrying to follow.
At the main entrance, Su Zhan simply lifted his hand. The heavy steel doors shuddered violently, then tore away from their hinges and crashed to the side. Alarms blared as security guards rushed in, weapons drawn, but before they could fire, their guns were wrenched from their hands by invisible force, shattering as they hit the ground. The guards themselves were lifted into the air, flailing helplessly before being slammed into the walls, knocked out cold by Su Zhan's growing mastery of telekinesis.
He nodded in satisfaction. "Kira, take me to the serum. Nick, Cassie-you two go free the other captives."
Kira led Su Zhan down a labyrinth of corridors to the most secure vault in the facility, where the gene serum and its formula were kept. Along the way, they encountered more resistance, but Su Zhan dispatched every enemy with ease, his telekinetic power growing more refined with every use. What had started as a new, unfamiliar ability was quickly becoming an extension of his will.
At the vault, two superpowered guards stood ready. As soon as they saw Su Zhan and Kira, they prepared to attack, but Su Zhan was faster. In a blur of movement, he crossed the distance in an instant and incapacitated both with a single, precise strike each. Their powers, formidable against ordinary people, were nothing compared to Su Zhan's overwhelming strength and skill.
If it had been Captain America, Su Zhan mused, the fight might have been even easier -a single toss of the shield and the guards would be down in seconds. But brute force and superior abilities were more than enough for him.
Su Zhan's hands ignited with flame, and he hammered at the vault door. The reinforced steel glowed red and then white under the assault, warping and melting until it finally gave way. Inside, he found rows of vials containing the coveted gene serum, along with documents detailing the formula. He swept them all into his system space with a thought, the items vanishing before Kira's astonished eyes.
Kira turned to him; her expression wary. "Are you going to devour my ability now?"
Su Zhan only smiled, placing his hands gently on her head. Kira didn't resist, but instead of absorbing her power, Su Zhan erased her memories and implanted new, loyal ones. When she opened her eyes, her gaze was filled with respect and obedience.
"Go," Su Zhan commanded softly. "Take control of this base and prepare all available resources for me."
"Yes, Master," Kira replied, her voice calm and unwavering as she hurried away to carry out his orders.
Su Zhan then sought out Nick, Cassie, and Cassie's mother, who had just been freed from captivity. "Are you ready? I'm going to absorb your abilities, then alter your memories. After you leave, you'll be able to live normal lives."
Nick hesitated. "What about Kira?"
Su Zhan's eyes hardened. "Don't ask about things that don't concern you."
He reached out, absorbing Nick's ability and rewriting his memory in one seamless motion. He did the same with Cassie's mother, who, as it turned out, possessed an even stronger version of the precognition power than Cassie herself. Afterward, he erased both her and Cassie's memories, ensuring they would remember nothing of the ordeal or of Su Zhan's true nature.
With the final details handled, Su Zhan sent them away, free to live their lives in peace. Now, the base belonged to him. For the next two days, he rested and consolidated his gains, growing stronger and more confident. Finally, he set out to find Pop Girl, ready to continue his conquest of this world, his ambition burning brighter than ever.