Releasing Abomination was a practical decision. Hong Fei wasn't planning any sudden departures, and with the ability to eliminate the creature if necessary, keeping it confined seemed pointless. Still, the first time Abomination's ferocious form appeared in the manor, it sent shockwaves through everyone present.
Dr. Helen Cho nearly screamed when she saw Abomination for the first time, though she managed to stifle it. "You disappeared that night just for him?" Hong Fei raised an eyebrow. "Technically, yes, but the way you said it makes it sound... odd." Helen chuckled, her gaze drifting back to Abomination's imposing figure. The bone spikes protruding from his spine were undeniably menacing.
"Is this... safe?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice. "You don't need to worry," Hong Fei reassured her. "As long as I'm here, everything's under control." As his operations expanded and his team grew more eclectic, Hong Fei began to realize that setting up the laboratory in the manor hadn't been the wisest choice.
Take the current situation, for example. While he could trust the security personnel with certain secrets, the researchers were another matter. They weren't obligated to keep secrets unrelated to their work. Non-disclosure agreements could be enforced, but there was always the risk of someone leaking sensitive information.
Abomination had already made a brief appearance before, and his reputation wasn't exactly stellar. After mulling it over all morning, Hong Fei sought out Dr. Helen Cho in the afternoon. "I'm planning to move the laboratory to a different location." She blinked in surprise. "Why?" "It's complicated, but safety is the main concern."
It wasn't just about protecting confidential information. More importantly, it was about safeguarding Helen and the laboratory itself. He hadn't anticipated developing a romance with her, nor had he expected to invest so heavily in the lab within a year. If someone decided to bypass the rules and attack the manor directly, the lab alone would be a devastating loss. And yes, he was definitely thinking about that one-eyed guy.
"Move where?" "Sokovia."
Sure, in the original timeline, Sokovia was decimated by Ultron. But things were different now. Whether Ultron would even be created was up in the air, and Vision might never come into existence. Hong Fei had his own plans for the Mind Stone. Even if history repeated itself, he could always find a way to eliminate Ultron beforehand.
The key was the Regeneration Cradle—it would be completed under their watch. Besides, everything purchased from Yuri would be delivered to Sokovia, and its future defensive and offensive capabilities would surpass even those of government forces. All in all, Sokovia was an excellent choice.
Helen fell silent, considering the feasibility of the move. Hong Fei pressed on. "We can offer the researchers higher salaries and more vacation time. Once the Regeneration Cradle project is finished, anyone who wants to leave can go. The castle there has quite a view."
She shook her head slightly. "That's not what's worrying me. I agree it's not ideal for the researchers to stay in the manor. What I'm thinking is... will we only see each other once in a blue moon after this?" Hong Fei laughed. "Don't worry, I'll figure something out. And it won't be long before I leave here too. Sokovia will become our main base."
Hong Fei didn't want to deal with a long-distance relationship either; it was too stifling. Whether it was through armor or a combat suit, there was always a solution. Besides, was New York really that great? Sure, it was impressive—but so were the aliens who kept attacking it. Dr. Helen Cho smiled. "Then I have no objections."
"Let me think... I'll go talk to them tomorrow and try to move in as soon as possible." "Thanks for your hard work."
With that settled, Hong Fei gathered an assortment of metals and started experimenting with Qi conduction. After meticulous testing and comparison, he reached a rough conclusion: the more expensive the metal, the slower the Qi conduction process—but the Qi released was significantly more powerful. He used "expensive" as a descriptor because he had no clue about the density or characteristics of specific metals or alloys, nor did he care to look them up.
Take the Cross-blade he'd used before, for instance. Its Qi conduction speed was lightning-fast, but the blade energy it released after charging wasn't much stronger than releasing Qi directly from his body. And compared to something like Stark's blade? It wasn't even close in sharpness. Once again, Hong Fei mentally tipped his hat to Mr. Tony Stark.
That evening, Hong Fei headed to the small woods. Jessica was already there, waiting. No words were exchanged—she charged straight at him. In an instant, Hong Fei sensed the raw power behind her fist. He opened his right hand, palm light as a falling leaf, and brushed against her fist. With a subtle shift of momentum, he redirected her force, sending her flying.
Jessica spat out a mouthful of grass and glared at him. Hong Fei commented, "Your strength has improved. Seems you haven't been slacking off." Jessica's face lit up with pride.
Then Hong Fei shook his head. "Too bad you're only growing in strength, not in intelligence."
Jessica's smile froze. Seeing Hong Fei's teasing smirk, she roared and charged again. This time, Hong Fei didn't toy with her. Instead, he engaged her in a proper sparring match.
From Hong Fei's perspective, Jessica's progress wasn't bad—she was solidly in the upper-middle tier of talented individuals. That was in terms of developing her raw strength, though. When it came to technique, even a few random thugs from a detention center could crush her under equal strength conditions.
As for willpower, Hong Fei didn't say much. He was satisfied with her progress there. Again and again, she got knocked down. And again and again, she stood back up, even though she knew the outcome would be the same. It might seem foolish from a results-oriented perspective, but it proved she was making strides in honing her willpower.
After all, between success and failure, the difference often boiled down to that tiny bit of persistence, that extra ounce of grit.
After knocking Jessica down once more, Hong Fei crouched beside her. "Do you think your current abilities are enough for revenge?"
Jessica, drenched in sweat, froze. Her clenched teeth slowly relaxed.
Hong Fei pressed on, "Don't think. Just answer me now. Do you think you're capable enough for revenge?"
"I..."
"I said don't hesitate."
Jessica stayed silent.
"Speak!"
One second.
"Are you mute?"
Two seconds.
"Scared?"
Three seconds. "Are you trash? You don't even dare to speak? You still want revenge like this?"
Jessica blurted out, "No, I'm not trash! I can! I think I can now!"
"Then how do you plan to take revenge?"
"Kill him!"
"How will you kill him?"
"I want to snap his neck with my own hands!"
Hong Fei smiled faintly. "Good. Then that's what we'll do."
Jessica stared at him, stunned.
Hong Fei rose from his seat with a lazy stretch. "Get some rest," he drawled, turning his back as he waved them off. "Pull yourself together before I call you again." His voice dropped to a dangerous purr. "If you can't keep your cool by then, you're not ready for payback."
He yawned dramatically, rubbing his eyes. "Saving the last two chapters for tonight—been up since yesterday." A hand pressed against his chest as he frowned. "Damn. Pulse is all over the place."
"I'll report the results to everyone tonight, thanks for your patience."