C7 A Metahuman

"Seeking revenge?" Xia Liang's pulse quickened.

Given his father's past as a "super-cop," Xia Liang always maintained a level of vigilance. Now, sensing trouble, he tensed up but kept his cool, feigning ignorance and continuing on his way.

The two ahead noticed his act and paused, pretending to chat while stealthily watching Xia Liang, biding their time to make a move when he drew nearer.

But as they waited for the perfect moment, Xia Liang burst into action, sprinting to the left like a track star. He dashed to the park's perimeter wall, leapt, and with a swift grab and flip, vaulted over the modestly high iron fence into the small park.

"Crap, get him! Don't let him escape!"

The short man, in cahoots with the yellow-haired one, yelled out, scrambling over the fence in hot pursuit.

The other two men, seeing this, followed suit, teeth clenched in determination.

"Thud!"

The chase came to a comedic halt as the overweight man tumbled from the fence, unable to scale it due to his girth.

"Egghead, block the west gate!" The short man, catching sight of the mishap, called out with a mix of frustration and amusement.

The fat man, unscathed, rolled to his feet and nodded, rushing off to his task.

Meanwhile, Xia Liang navigated the small park with ease. Having frequented the area in his spare time, he knew it well and quickly chose a path that would shake his pursuers. He ran for his life.

Before long, the sound of footsteps faded. Glancing back, Xia Liang saw only two figures a good hundred meters behind. He was nearing the park's east exit, and beyond that, a police kiosk awaited just a short distance down the tree-lined pedestrian path.

"They're likely after a quick score, not payback. Had it been a superpowered criminal my father once apprehended, they would've used their powers to stop me by now," Xia Liang reasoned as he ran.

His father belonged to the esteemed Cosmic Constabulary, the first of its kind in Rasnium. Tasked with border security and international disputes, they also handled domestic incidents involving supernatural powers.

Since the "dark energy well eruption" phenomenon appeared near Earth five years ago, people around the globe have been awakening to extraordinary abilities, becoming meta-humans akin to those seen in movies and comics.

These meta-humans initially caused significant chaos and destruction, but soon after, major nations established government-loyal "Metahuman Departments," quickly restoring social order.

These departments implemented a comprehensive system for managing and preventing meta-human incidents, awarding those who acted heroically and registering those who adhered to their duties, while also cracking down on superpowered criminals.

Despite most meta-humans being under national supervision, a few rogue individuals misused their powers for nefarious deeds.

Xia Liang's father was one such individual tasked with apprehending these superpowered criminals, known as a member of the Psionic Police.

As a result, Xia Liang and his mother had lived a life of secrecy from a young age to avoid retaliation from the criminals his father had crossed.

Consequently, Xia Liang had trained in combat from a young age and maintained a rigorous physical fitness routine.

This training paid off, allowing him to evade the encirclement of four mysterious individuals.

"Rustle!"

As Xia Liang reached the eastern exit, about to pass through the open iron gate and leave the park, a peculiar sound suddenly emanated from beneath his feet.

He was abruptly tripped by something, lost his balance, and fell forward. His quick reflexes allowed him to brace himself with his hands, narrowly avoiding a face-first fall.

"What on earth?"

The park was dimly lit, with streetlights few and far between, yet the concrete path was visible enough. What could have possibly tripped him?

Confused, Xia Liang examined his throbbing hand and looked down.

There, entwined around his feet on the concrete path, was a vine.

The vine originated from a cluster of orchids beside the path, snaking out like a serpent.

Xia Liang realized it wasn't an accidental trip; the vine had actively ensnared him. In the faint light, he could see the vine tightening around his leg, its grip burning into his calf.

Moreover, the vine was growing, creeping up his waist and abdomen, and beginning to coil around his shoulders and arms.

"Is this... supernatural power?"

Xia Liang's heart lurched as he quickly looked up and saw, a hundred meters away under the glow of a park streetlamp, the short man who had been tailing him. The man was reaching out toward Xia Liang with a hand outstretched, his fingers contorted as if manipulating something unseen.

It was clear that this individual was the one who had conjured and was now controlling the vines that had ensnared Xia Liang's feet.

In an instant, the vines, as sentient as serpents, stretched out and bound his hands as well. Xia Liang had tried to rip them apart, only to find the vines as tough as rope, impossible to tear.

As Xia Liang found himself completely entangled, a faint pulse of consciousness surged in the deepest recesses of his mind:

"Soul Power intrusion detected in the host's body, measuring 0.0023 equivalent, not currently a life-threatening level..."

"Host soul structure scan incomplete, premature exposure not recommended..."

"Warning level adjusted to minimum. Reactivation upon host's imminent death event..."

"Continuing scan of host's life entity and soul structure..."

"Life entity analysis 100% complete, soul structure analysis at 68.21%..."

The short man, observing Xia Liang now fully at the mercy of the vines, relaxed his grip and lessened his control. The exertion of manipulating the vines for barely twenty seconds had left him breathless and slightly dizzy.

Having awakened to his power less than a month ago, he was still unable to wield it without restraint.

"Run, go on, keep running!" he taunted viciously, a smugness in his tone.

"Boss, why'd you use your powers? If the Psionic Police catch wind, you're done for," a young man with bleached hair asked, his voice laced with alarm, standing beside the short man.

He was well aware that in Inont City, several Psionic Police, attuned to even the slightest supernatural disturbances, stood guard. Should anyone unleash their powers, causing an anomalous energy fluctuation, they would detect and pursue the source.

And if they stumbled upon criminal activity or an unregistered meta-human too formidable to confront, they'd call in the Psionic Police for backup.

"Nonsense, such a minor energy fluctuation won't even register with the Psionic Police. And even if they do pick up on it, by the time they get here, we'll be long gone. Who's to say it was me?"

"Boss, you're a genius," the blonde kid said, quickly buttering up the leader.

"Cut the chatter and move it. Let's check if that kid's actually packing a wad of cash," the short man snapped.

Together, they approached and stood before Xia Liang, bound tightly by the vines.