Chapter 1: Initial Superpower
If you gained superpowers, how would you spend the rest of your life?
Many people have fantasized about this—imagining themselves acquiring extraordinary abilities, ruling the world, surrounded by beauty, and living a life of luxury and indulgence. Some people may have different fantasies but in essence this is what most dream of.
Of course, this was once Li Yue's dream as well.
But why "once"? Because a dream that has already come true is no longer a dream.
It all happened a year ago, on an otherwise ordinary morning. Li Yue was deep in sleep when he was suddenly awakened by the urge to use the bathroom. Half-asleep, he stumbled out of bed, intending to relieve himself and go back to sleep.
Suddenly—!
A sound like a gust of wind rushed past his ears, or perhaps a thunderclap echoed in his mind. His once drowsy thoughts cleared instantly, his hazy vision sharpened, and his pupils contracted in shock.
Because he found that he was no longer in his bed.
He was standing in his bathroom.
Right in front of the familiar toilet, one he had used countless times before—there was no way he could be mistaken.
"But I was just in bed! How did I get here as soon as I opened my eyes?"
Before he could process what was happening—!
Li Yue felt another jolt, and in the next instant, he found himself lying back in bed as if he had never moved.
To confirm whether he was dreaming or not, he pinched himself. It hurt.
It wasn't a dream.
'At my desk…' As soon as the thought formed, another buzz rang in his mind.
In the blink of an eye, Li Yue was sitting at his computer desk, staring at his familiar monitor. He hadn't moved his body an inch.
He turned back toward the bed and saw faint, irregular blue particle like energy fluctuations lingering in the air. Within moments, they vanished completely.
"Did I just gain the ability of the protagonist from the movie 'Jumper'?"
Li Yue couldn't help but think so. After all, he had just watched Jumper before going to sleep last night, and now his situation seemed eerily similar.
The film tells the story of a young man who, after falling into a frozen river while trying to retrieve a crystal ball, unexpectedly develops teleportation abilities. He soon indulges in his newfound power—traveling across the world in an instant, visiting famous landmarks, and even robbing bank vaults to sleep on piles of cash.
However, unbeknownst to him, an organization led by a man who believes that teleportation should only belong to God is hunting down people like him. The villain notices the protagonist's abilities during a bank heist and begins to pursue him. In the end, the protagonist joins forces with another teleporter, defeats the antagonist, and wins the girl.
The movie's plot wasn't particularly groundbreaking, but the protagonist's ability was undeniably enviable. Who wouldn't daydream about gaining such power?
But now that Li Yue had actually acquired it, his excitement was mixed with fear.
'What if such an organization truly existed in this reality too?'
What if there were people secretly hunting down individuals with superpowers?
What if, one day, he returned home only to find a group of men in suits waiting for him in the dark?
Just the thought of it sent chills down his spine.
Even if superpowers don't exist on Earth and there's no secret organization hunting people with abilities, the mere thought of a group of scientists in white coats grinning at him sent chills down Li Yue's spine.
Even though his power made him seem impressive, it wasn't actually that dangerous as it had no offensive capability. At best, it was a means of escape in case of trouble. If someone truly wanted to capture him, he wouldn't be able to fight back.
But what was the point of worrying? What was done was done. Rather than fearing the unknown, he might as well embrace his newfound ability. At the very least, if danger ever came knocking, he could instantly teleport away.
With that thought, Li Yue decided to test his power once more. He teleported around his apartment several times, ensuring that this wasn't some kind of hallucination. Once convinced, he quickly freshened up, got dressed, and headed straight to work.
One Year Later
Deep within an old mountain forest, a shadow flickered rapidly between the trees. One moment, it stood still, in the next, it appeared a hundred meters away, only to vanish again in the blink of an eye.
The figure moved like a ghost, weaving effortlessly through the dense forest at an inhuman speed, leaving behind nothing but gusts of disturbed air.
"Hah... hoo..."
Li Yue finally came to a halt, taking deep breaths to steady himself. He glanced at his watch, a small smirk forming on his lips.
"Not bad. Lasted a few minutes longer this time. With full concentration, I can push past an hour now."
He looked up at the darkening sky.
"It's almost evening. That should be enough training for today–. Time to head back."
With that, he disappeared. The forest fell silent once more, as if no one had ever been there.
Back in his rented apartment, Li Yue headed straight for the bathroom, washed up, and again teleported to his bedroom. He grabbed his phone from the desk and ordered takeout.
He never carried his phone while training. The GPS tracking on modern devices was a security risk—if someone ever discovered his ability, it could become a problem.
Half an hour later, the food arrived. After eating, he booted up his computer and played games for a few hours. Over the past year, constant training had not only enhanced his teleportation skills but had also strengthened his mental focus. His reaction speed had improved so much that time seemed to slow down while playing. In reality, his thinking had just become significantly faster.
His physical body had also changed dramatically. It was as if he had been training in ancient martial arts techniques like the "Golden Bell Shield" or "Iron Skin." His strength had increased, and his resilience had reached an inhuman level—he could no longer be cut by a simple blade, only leaving a faint white mark when struck by it.
This wasn't something shown in the movies, but it made sense. Instantaneous space travel must put immense strain on the body. Without enhanced physical endurance, how could he possibly sustain such power?
As he glanced at the clock, he realized it was already 10 PM.
"Man… I rewatched 'Avengers: Endgame' last night," he muttered to himself. "Iron Man sacrificed himself to save the universe. Black Widow died on Vormir to obtain the Soul Stone. No matter how many times I watch it, I just can't accept it. Damn you, Marvel… Damn you, Russo brothers… I love Iron Man! I love Widow!"
A nostalgic sigh escaped his lips.
"Ten years of Marvel… ten –years of my youth. The original Avengers have taken their final bow, and my own youth is over too. From now on, it's all about working hard, earning money, and surviving in the real world."
But then he shook his head with a chuckle.
"That's the life of an ordinary person. And I, I'm no longer ordinary."
Li Yue gazed out of the window at the night sky, a feeling of anticipation creeping into his heart.
He didn't know what the future held, but one thing was certain—his life was bound to be anything but dull.
The peace he had now?
It was merely the calm before the storm.
Li Yue wasn't afraid.
Over the past year, he had mastered his ability to near perfection. By focusing his mind, he could teleport more than ten times in a second and maintain continuous teleportation for an hour. At such speeds, no one could hit him—not even with a sniper. His ability to escape was practically invincible.
His teleportation worked just like in the movies—it required either a place he had already been, a location within his line of sight, or even a place depicted in a photograph. He had once tested this by teleporting to the North Pole using a reference photo. The aurora was breathtaking, and the polar bears were surprisingly adorable, but the cold was unbearable. After returning, he caught a nasty cold that lasted for days.
Li Yue also experimented with offensive applications of his ability.
He replicated the high-speed teleportation attack from the movies, where he repeatedly teleported forward to build up momentum, doubling his striking power. Another method involved teleporting to a location, grabbing a heavy object, and then dropping it on his target. His tests revealed that he could carry objects weighing up to 50 tons –within a ten-meter radius around him—matching the feats shown in films.
However, Li Yue believed the most effective attack was far simpler.
Just take someone high up into the sky… and let them experience free fall.
Back to the Present
"I rewatched Avengers: Endgame yesterday. Tonight, let's go back to where it all started with Iron Man."
That had become Li Yue's routine—training his powers during the day and watching movies at night, always searching for films and shows that featured superpowers.
It was only natural. Ever since he had awakened his abilities, he had been obsessed with the idea of acquiring more. In the past six months alone, he had rewatched 'Man of Steel' dozens of times, hoping—however unlikely—that he might awaken Superman's abilities.
But no matter how many times he watched, it never happened.
Still, no matter how small the chance, Li Yue refused to give up.
Tonight, however, he just wanted to enjoy Iron Man. After all, money did itself count as a superpower?
The movie started playing. Tony Stark was kidnapped by terrorists, built the clunky Mark 1 in a cave, and blasted his way to freedom. Eventually, he stood at a press conference and boldly declared:
"I am Iron Man."
"No matter how many times I watch this, Tony's –first test flight in the Mark 2 always gets me hyped," Li Yue murmured to himself. "That pure joy on his face—like a kid playing with his favorite new toy—is infectious. After that, we rarely saw him smile like that in the armor… not until the very end, when he risked everything to snap his fingers."
A wistful sigh escaped his lips.
"Man, if I ever got the chance to fight alongside him, that would be amazing..."
Then he shook his head.
"What am I thinking? Time for bed."
Li Yue turned off his computer. With a mere thought, his body vanished from the chair and reappeared on his bed.
"Having superpowers is so convenient," he muttered before drifting off to sleep.
But what Li Yue didn't know was that as he slept, faint blue energy slowly began to emerge around him. It wrapped around his body, forming a glowing elliptical sphere.
Time itself seemed to shift.
An hour passed. The blue light grew brighter, distorting the surrounding space, rippling as if reality itself was bending. Then, in an instant, the brilliant glow collapsed inward—sharpening, shrinking, fading—until it vanished completely.
And with it, so did Li Yue.
Elsewhere…
John was not having a good day.
Early that morning, he had received a call from Pete, the magician at his theater. Pete's voice had been anxious—his mother had fallen gravely ill, and he needed to return to his hometown immediately.
There was no way he could perform tonight.
John had no choice but to accept the situation, expressing concern for Pete's mother. He couldn't force the man to stay, after all.
But there was a major problem.
Pete was the only magician in the entire theater.
And all the tickets for tonight's magic show had already been sold.
As John walked down the street, his mind was clouded with worry. He had no idea how to handle the crisis at the theater tonight. Pete, the only magician in the show, was gone, and there was no replacement.
As he mulled over his predicament, his eyes caught sight of something unusual—a man wearing nothing but a pair of pants, lying on the sidewalk.
John had seen plenty of homeless people before. Sometimes, when he was in a good mood, he'd give them food or spare change. But this man was different.
First, he had an Asian face—uncommon among the local homeless. Second, he had no visible scars, and his body was completely clean. How could a homeless person be this spotless?
Curious, John approached the man, crouched down, and gave him a gentle shake.
"Hey, wake up, man."
Li Yue was in the middle of a deep, comfortable sleep when he suddenly felt someone nudging him.
"Where am I? Ugh, my head hurts..."
As he slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was blinding sunlight. Squinting instinctively, it took him a few seconds to adjust. Then, out of nowhere, a splitting headache hit him–—a deep, dull pain, as if he hadn't rested in days.
But that didn't make sense. With his current physical condition, even if he skipped sleep for days, he wouldn't feel this exhausted.
"Why do I feel like this right after waking up?"
Before he could dwell on the thought, a voice reached his ears.
"Hey, man, put on this jacket first."
The speaker was using English. Fortunately, aside from training his powers, Li Yue had also spent the past year learning many language. His enhanced mental abilities made memorization effortless, and with his habit of watching Hollywood movies and TV shows, he had no trouble understanding or speaking English.
Looking toward the voice, Li Yue saw a bearded older man standing before him. The man didn't look threatening—his warm smile instantly gave away his kind nature. He held out a jacket, clearly offering it to Li Yue.
"Thank you, Uncle," Li Yue responded in English, accepting the jacket and putting it on. Thankfully, the man was larger than him, so the oversized fit was enough to cover his body.
As Li Yue wore the jacket, John watched him with curiosity.
"Why were you sleeping on the street with nothing but pants on? Were you robbed?"
Li Yue frowned, still trying to process the situation himself.
"I'd love to know the answer to that too. I went to sleep in my own home, and now I wake up half-naked on a random street. And to make things worse, I'm in another country. Did I start sleepwalking? I've never had this problem before."
He was more confused than John, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
"Uncle, could you take me somewhere quiet where I can rest and get my thoughts together? Also… if you happen to have some spare clothes, that would be great."
John nodded without hesitation.
"I was just heading to my theater. You can tag along."
Li Yue followed him, and as they walked, he tried to gather more information.
What he learned on the way completely shocked him.
He was in Las Vegas, USA.
That alone was bizarre, considering he had never been there before. But what truly made his mind reel was what John said next—
It was the year 2008.
Li Yue froze in his tracks.
"That's impossible. I was in 2019… That means… I've traveled 11 years into the past?!"
Silently, he accepted this terrifying truth.
To confirm things, he used a small teleportation test. He went somewhere secluded, activated his ability, and attempted to teleport back to the forest where he used to train. It worked.
But something was wrong.
There was no trace of his past presence—none of the marks he had left behind existed.
He tried teleporting to his old home, both his childhood house and his rented apartment.
Nothing.
He couldn't reach them.
Which meant…
"This version of the world never had those places. Never had me."
With no other options, Li Yue returned to Las Vegas and continued following John.
The theater wasn't big—just a small, family-owned venue that had been passed down from John's grandfather to his father, and now to him. Business wasn't great, but John was determined to keep it running.
Upon arriving, he led Li Yue backstage to a small lounge area.
"I've got a lot of work to do, so you can rest here for now," John said before leaving Li Yue alone with his thoughts.
Li Yue's head was still aching, but there was nothing he could do about it. Everything had already happened, and there was no way to change it, not that he knew of. The best thing to do was rest and recover. As the saying goes, "The road will appear when the car reaches the mountain."
He didn't know how much time had passed when a loud noise jolted him awake. Sitting up, he quickly realized –that the commotion was coming from outside the room. Curious, he stepped out to investigate.
The backstage area was bustling with people—actors and performers preparing for their roles. With so many voices overlapping, it was impossible to sleep any longer. Fortunately, he had rested enough, and his energy was nearly back to normal. Instead of going back to bed, he decided to take a casual stroll around the backstage area.
"Uncle John, the magic show is in two hours! Mr. Pete isn't here, and we still haven't found a replacement magician?"
A young, handsome man asked anxiously, his face filled with worry.
John sighed. "No, I've made countless calls, but no one is available. Either they're too far away or they're already performing in another theater. No one is willing to help."
His expression was filled with helplessness.
Meanwhile, Li Yue was leisurely walking around, enjoying the sight of the beautifully dressed performers passing by. It was a visual feast of colorful costumes and elegant figures.
As he happened to pass by John, he overheard their conversation.
"Uncle John, what's going on?" he asked.
Uncle John turned to see Li Yue. "Oh, lad, you're awake. How are you feeling?"
Li Yue had already gathered the gist of the situation from their discussion. Seeing that John was still hesitant to explain, he smiled and said, "I'm feeling much better, thank you for asking. But, Uncle John, if there's something troubling you, maybe I can help."
Uncle John hesitated for a moment before finally relenting and explaining the problem.
After listening, Li Yue quickly understood the situation.
"A missing magician, huh?"
His mind started working.
Over the past year, his superpowers had brought him many benefits, one of which was an immense boost in mental strength. His memory had become so sharp that he could recall things with perfect clarity. He had watched countless magic performances in his previous life and understood the principles behind most tricks.
For simple magic, he could easily replicate what he had seen.
And with teleportation at his disposal, some magic tricks would be laughably easy.
With a confident smile, he turned to John.
"Uncle John, I'll be honest with you. I've learned a bit of magic myself, and I think I can perform a show. Since we're in a bind, why not let me try?"
John's eyes widened in surprise. "Lad, are you serious? I don't mean to doubt you, but… this theater is my life's work. If tonight's show turns into a disaster, it'll be even harder to keep the business going. I hope you understand my hesitation."
Li Yue nodded. "Of course, Uncle John. I –completely understand your concerns."
He chuckled and continued, "But in China, we have a saying: 'A dead horse can still be treated like a living horse.' It means that even if things seem hopeless, it's still worth trying. If I succeed, great! If not, what's the worst that can happen? At least you gave it a shot."
His confidence was unwavering. With his abilities, pulling off a stage performance would be effortless.
John exhaled deeply, clearly struggling with the decision. But in the end, he had no better option.
"Alright… Let's do it," he finally said.
Turning to the young man beside him, he instructed, "Barry, take Li to get changed and familiarize him with the props. Also, introduce him to Ayres."
Then, looking back at Li Yue, he added, "If you need anything, Barry is the prop master. He can prepare whatever you require."
With that, John hurried off—he still had a mountain of tasks to take care of before the show.
Li Yue turned to Barry, who extended a hand with a grin.
"Li, am I saying it right? Your Chinese names are seriously difficult to pronounce!" Barry chuckled, "Anyway, nice to meet you. My name is Barry Allen, but you can just call me Barry. I'm Mr. Pete's prop master. First time meeting you—pleasure to work with you!"
"Hello, Barry. Has anyone ever told you that you're quite handsome?" Li Yue said with a teasing smile.
Barry chuckled. "Well, I don't mind hearing it again!"
But Li Yue wasn't just joking—he was genuinely surprised. No, very surprised.
"Barry Allen…? If I remember correctly, that's the name of the protagonist in The Flash TV series."
Now that he looked closely, Barry bore an uncanny resemblance to the actor who played the role, about an nine out of ten match. He looked slightly younger, though.
"Did I somehow cross into the DC Universe? But that doesn't make sense… In the show, Barry Allen is a forensic scientist, not a prop master in a small theater."
Li Yue had no answers. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind for now. Maybe he'd figure it out later.
He shook Barry's hand firmly and said, "Alright, let's get to work. Time is running out—I hope we can put on a show that amazes the audience tonight."
As they walked toward the prop room, Li Yue casually added, "By the way, can you prepare two large boxes, about the size of a door? I'll need them for one of the tricks."
Barry flashed a confident smile. "No problem, Mr. Li Yue. Leave it to me!"
Backstage
John approached Li Yue, his face still filled with concern.
"Li, are you ready? It's almost time for the show."
Li Yue placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Uncle John. The performance will be a success, and it'll be amazing. You have nothing to worry about."
Turning to his partners, he asked, "How about you two, Barry? Iris? Are you ready?"
Barry, always confident, nodded. "Absolutely. I've checked the props multiple times—everything's in perfect condition."
"I'm all set too, Mr. Li Yue."
The –voice belonged to Iris—a stunning blonde with exquisite features and an elegant figure.
She was Pete's assistant and would be partnering with Li Yue in the performance.
Li Yue couldn't help but feel a little excited. Who wouldn't be thrilled to perform alongside such a beautiful woman?
The previous act on stage was wrapping up.
The host, standing in the spotlight, announced enthusiastically, "Next, we have a special magic performance by our talented magician, Li! Let's give him a warm round of applause!"
He was aware that tonight's magician was a last-minute replacement.
He had no idea how good Li was, but as the host, it was his job to set the mood and get the audience excited.
Taking the lead, he clapped loudly, encouraging the crowd to do the same.
Meanwhile, backstage, Li Yue adjusted his black tuxedo and straightened his top hat.
Thanks to his superpowers, his natural charisma had subtly intensified, making his presence feel effortlessly captivating.
With a confident smile, he stepped onto the stage.
As the host called his name, Li Yue stepped forward without hesitation, making his way toward the center of the stage.
The audience, led by the host's enthusiasm, applauded as he approached. However, some of the regular theatergoers found the situation strange.
"Wasn't the magician's name Pete? Why is there a different performer today?"
"Li… sounds like an Asian name. I wonder if he's good."
Despite their murmurs of curiosity, Li Yue maintained a steady, unhurried pace. Within seconds, he reached the middle of the stage. With a graceful motion, he removed his top hat with his right hand while placing his left hand behind his back, then bowed deeply to the audience.
Some members of the crowd exchanged whispers.
"This isn't the magician we usually see, but he has a certain charm. He looks calm and confident… Hopefully, his magic is just as good."
Meanwhile, backstage, John and the others anxiously observed the audience's reaction. Seeing that no one was complaining or loudly objecting to the last-minute replacement, they sighed in relief. As long as Li Yue's performance was decent and he didn't make any major mistakes, everything would be fine.
Li Yue straightened up from his bow and addressed the crowd with a confident smile.
"Good evening, everyone. My name is Li Yue, and I'm from China. Some of you may have noticed that I'm not Pete, but I hope my performance tonight will leave you with an unforgettable experience. Without further ado, let's begin. I hope you enjoy the show!"
There wasn't a trace of nervousness in his voice.
Even Li Yue himself was surprised by his reaction—this was his first time performing in front of hundreds of people, yet he felt completely at ease.
The show began with small tricks—classic sleight-of-hand magic using hidden props.
With a simple gesture, a rose appeared in his hand.
With a flick of his wrist, a white dove flew from his palm.
Though his sleight-of-hand skills weren't at a master level, his calm demeanor and elegant performance style captivated the audience.
Slowly, the murmurs of doubt faded, replaced by growing applause.
The atmosphere became more and more lively.
Soon, it was time for the larger-scale tricks—the kind that required elaborate props and, of course, his stunning partner, Iris.
By now, the audience had completely forgotten about the last-minute magician change. They were fully immersed in the performance, reacting with frequent gasps of amazement and bursts of applause.
For every successful trick, there were murmurs of disbelief and excited whispers among the spectators.
And as the show progressed, it was time for the grand illusions—human levitation, disappearances, and transformations—each executed with perfect timing.
With each passing moment, the magic only became more breathtaking.
As the grand illusions concluded, the stagehands began clearing the props, signaling the end of the show.
Some of the regular audience members, familiar with the theater's –routines, assumed that the performance was over. Though a few still wished for more, they began gathering their belongings, preparing to leave.
But just as they were about to stand, a large box was wheeled onto the stage.
The box was taller than an average person—clearly large enough for someone to fit inside.
Seeing this unexpected new prop, those who had stood up quickly sat back down.
"Wait, is the show not over yet?"
Their curiosity was piqued.
What was the magician planning next?
Standing at the center of the stage, Li Yue smiled as he waited for the staff to finish setting up.
He turned to the audience and asked, "How did you enjoy the performance?"
"Great!"
"Amazing show!"
"Encore! One more trick!"
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause.
Li Yue chuckled. "Since everyone seems to be having such a great time, how about one more trick?"
The audience roared in approval.
"This is a brand-new magic act and also my first time performing it. I hope you'll enjoy it," he announced. "But for this trick, I need a volunteer! Anyone willing to come up on stage?"
The moment he finished speaking, a sea of hands shot into the air.
Excited voices rang out, each person eager to be chosen.
Li Yue glanced around the audience, scanning for a suitable volunteer.
Then, his eyes landed on a young boy, no older than ten.
The boy's small hands were raised high, his eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.
He sat between a middle-aged couple—likely his parents—who, despite not raising their hands, watched him with warmth in their expressions.
Seeing this, Li Yue's eyes lit up.
He hopped off the stage and walked straight toward the boy.
The audience, now captivated, followed his movements eagerly, wondering who he would choose.
Kneeling in front of the boy, Li Yue smiled and asked softly, "Hey there, kid. What's your name? Would you like to help me perform some magic on stage?"
The boy's eyes widened with excitement.
"My name is Peter… Peter Parker!" he said enthusiastically.
Then, turning to the middle-aged man beside him, he hesitated, silently asking for permission.
The man smiled and gave a small nod of approval.
Peter turned back to Li Yue, practically bouncing in his seat. "Yes! I want to!"
Seeing the boy's enthusiasm, Li Yue grinned.
He took Peter's hand, then extended his right hand toward the man, introducing himself.
"Hello, my name is Li Yue."
The man firmly shook his hand and returned the greeting. "Hello, Mr. Li Yue. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ben Parker. Your magic show was incredible—it truly amazed me!"
Li Yue froze for half a second.
"Peter Parker… Ben Parker… Could it be—?"
...…