Infusing Qi into objects operates on entirely different principles than releasing it directly from the body. The mechanics vary, the speed differs, and the effects diverge completely. Compounding the challenge, Hong Fei had to split his focus—dodging relentless attacks while simultaneously channeling Qi into the Cross-blade.
The process slowed dramatically compared to his earlier attempts, occasionally grinding to a halt. Worse, his Qi reserves were running dangerously low. He'd underestimated the situation. A fist came hurtling toward him, and even with his Eyes of Death active, he couldn't evade in time.
Hong Fei had no choice but to unleash his Psychic Power, halting Abomination's fist a mere centimeter from his face. He leaped back, steadied himself, and poured the last of his Qi into the Cross-blade. Sensing imminent danger, Abomination's psychic resistance surged with unprecedented ferocity.
Five seconds later, Abomination shuddered violently, breaking free from the psychic restraint. At the same moment, Hong Fei finished channeling the Qi. In one fluid motion, he raised the Cross-blade and slashed upward.
A silvery-white arc of light erupted from the blade, slicing through the air like a crescent moon. The alloy floor split beneath the blade's energy, leaving a clean, straight gash in its wake. Sparks scattered, and the air hissed sharply where the arc had passed.
To Abomination, it happened in an instant. Hong Fei swung the blade, and suddenly a blinding arc of light screamed toward him. The speed was terrifying, sending a chill down his spine.
Instinctively, he raised his left arm to shield his chest. His right arm, already mangled and slow to heal, hung useless at his side after his relentless assault. A crisp swish cut through the air, followed by an eerie sizzle. A heavy plop echoed as a severed arm hit the ground.
Abomination's left forearm had been cleanly severed a few inches below the elbow. A deep, diagonal gash tore across his chest, running from his right abdomen to his left shoulder. His skin and flesh were shredded, the mutated exoskeleton sliced clean through. Even the bone beneath was nearly severed, leaving only a thin connection.
His dark green heart, now exposed in his left chest, pulsed violently. With a resounding thud, Abomination collapsed to his knees, howling in agony. A shimmering crystal card materialized, rising into the air.
Hong Fei exhaled deeply, his steps unsteady as he caught his breath. In the monitoring room, Big Head's eyelids twitched uncontrollably, his face pale with horror. He instinctively touched his own chest, relieved to find his heart still intact. If that blade energy had struck him, he'd have been torn apart on the spot. "Someone! Get over here!"
Hearing Hong Fei's roar, Big Head spun around and bolted. He arrived on the second floor, scurrying forward to support Hong Fei's arm with exaggerated deference. "Boss, your strength is truly awe-inspiring!"
Hong Fei shook him off and pointed at the writhing Abomination. "Treat his injuries."
"Right away!" Big Head replied, though he had no idea how to even begin.
Big Head considered for a moment before turning to have someone fetch painkillers. There was no alternative—the heart lay exposed, the flesh stripped away. For an ordinary person, this would be untreatable, hopeless, a death sentence. But Abomination's regenerative abilities were working overtime; along both edges of the blade wound, fresh granulation tissue surged forward like eager reinforcements.
The agonized howls tearing from Abomination's throat weren't fear of death—just pure, unfiltered pain. When the painkillers were shoved into his mouth, he crunched them between his teeth twice before swallowing them whole. Gradually, his cries subsided, though his body still spasmed in involuntary twitches.
Hong Fei dropped to the ground where he stood, accepting the water Big Head handed him. He gulped half of it down in urgent swallows before upending the rest over his head. The fight hadn't looked particularly intense, but the toll it took eclipsed any real combat he'd faced before. In those final moments, he'd kept Death's Eyes active just to track Abomination's movements.
Every dodge had to be razor-precise, lightning-fast. Even then, he'd still needed psychic intervention to pin Abomination down. Channeling Qi into the blade had been grueling—nothing like the effortless flow he'd imagined.
Without that cutting edge, he'd have been locked in a brutal wrestling match, waiting for the accumulating wounds to outpace Abomination's healing. That would've been exhausting. Worse, drawn-out combat meant more openings for disaster.
One solid hit from Abomination, and who knew how many more Hong Fei's body could take? His Qi reserves barely covered two full-body shields.
Mutation's a hell of a shortcut for power boosts.
Fusion Card: Lesser Hulk Bloodline
"You too can become... Hulk's descendant."
Trash.
Judging by Abomination and Big Head—both Hulk serum recipients, both warped in wildly different directions—this fusion card suddenly seemed like a gamble. There was no predicting the outcome. Would he end up grotesque like Abomination, stuck in irreversible deformity? Or just partially enlarged like Big Head—oversized hands, feet, maybe an unfortunate backside?
The thought alone was nightmare fuel. For now, the card could stay shelved. But it sparked another dilemma: if he ever looted a complete Hulk Bloodline Fusion Card, should he take the plunge? Hulk Hong Fei? That had a distinctly unappealing ring to it.
An hour later, the gash across Abomination's chest had knitted itself into a thin, translucent membrane. Though the heart still pulsed visibly beneath, the sight was marginally less visceral. When Hong Fei rose to his feet, the weakened Abomination blurted, "No—don't lock me up again. I'll work for you. I swear I won't betray you. Not that I could, the way I am now."
"Oaths exist to be broken," Hong Fei said flatly. "Come on. Backyard. Sunlight."
Abomination froze, then scrambled upright, trailing Hong Fei with careful, measured steps. No reckless sprinting—not when his heart might escape before he did.
As they emerged from the underground chamber, sunlight and the damp earthiness of grass flooded over them. Abomination halted at the threshold, drinking in the sky with a shuddering inhale.
"Move it," Big Head snapped from behind. "You blocking the damn door?"
The grin spread across his face as recognition clicked. This was the biologist who'd pumped him full of Hulk serum years ago—the same man Hong Fei had just called "Big Head." Abomination stepped onto the lawn, his smile widening, though the expression looked downright monstrous on his already terrifying features.
At the center of the lawn, Hong Fei turned to face him. "Work for me, and there's just one rule," he said. "Obey." Abomination gave a silent nod. "That face of yours isn't exactly public-friendly. Outside of missions, you stay on the back half of the manor grounds."
The front housed a lab and living quarters for New York-based staff. Keeping them quiet wouldn't be easy—no good excuse to lock them up. Not that Abomination cared. Even without Hong Fei's orders, he wouldn't risk wandering. He knew General Ross' obsession with the Super Soldier program all too well.
If Ross found him, the hunt would be on—just like with the Hulk. "Big Head," Hong Fei called. The biologist scurried forward. "Boss?" "Start your research. Get him looking human again without compromising his transformation." "Yes, Boss." Big Head hesitated, then added, "What about my AI project—" "Do both." The biologist sighed. "Fine."
After Big Head left, Abomination paced back and forth on the lawn. Since his release, his healing factor seemed faster. He stopped abruptly. "If I'd won our fight earlier," he rumbled, "would you still have let me up here?" Hong Fei's lips curved. "Guess."