201-205

Chapter 201: The Missing Superheroes

"Steve... cough, cough..."

Clutching his injured chest, Matt gazed at the direction where "Steve" had finally flown off.

Although it was unclear why the other party had ceased attacking at the last moment, the cry "Steve" uttered as he left filled Matt's heart with unease.

"Can you tell me what exactly is going on here?"

Dragging his gunshot-wounded leg, Jonathan approached Matt, glancing down at the young man whose face still bore traces of youthfulness, and asked, "Mr. Superhero."

"..."

Jonathan's voice pulled Matt's thoughts back to the present.

He clutched his chest, feeling the dull ache radiating from his ribs—so intense it might even indicate a fracture. After a long silence, Matt finally rasped out a response to Jonathan’s question.

"I'm not entirely sure what happened. I only remember Steve being injured a few days ago..."

---

"How's it going?"

New York City, hospital.

Amanda arrived in the hospital corridor, glanced into the ward at "Andrew," who was by his mother's bedside, and turned to the agents outside the door, Zhou and Phil.

"Everything is normal," Agent Phil shrugged in response to Amanda's question.

"If I didn’t know the truth, I might’ve thought it was just a loving mother and son inside."

Thinking about the real situation, where "Andrew" had been replaced by a spirit, the scene in the ward left Phil feeling a mix of absurdity and horror.

"Where’s Spike?"

Ignoring Phil's complaint, Agent Zhou looked at Amanda, who had arrived alone at the hospital, and asked, "He said he doesn’t like the somber atmosphere of hospitals, so he’s staying in the car."

Relaying Spike’s excuse, Amanda glanced back at the ward.

"So, boss, what’s BSI's plan for dealing with 'Andrew'?"

Noticing Amanda's expression, Phil’s curiosity got the better of him. He leaned in and lowered his voice.

As a federal department dedicated to supernatural cases, the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations (BSI) obviously had jurisdiction. Given that "Andrew" was one of the few supernatural entities they could communicate with—besides Spike—Phil was naturally curious about BSI's strategy.

"Continue observation."

Amanda simply shook her head, hinting at BSI's current stance.

"Why?"

Phil looked perplexed. In his view, while "Andrew" was dangerous, he also represented an opportunity. If BSI could convince him to assist, like Spike, it would greatly aid future investigations.

"I understand your thoughts," Amanda said. "In fact, some within BSI share them. But 'Andrew's' nature is too unusual. We can’t determine if he’s truly 'harmless.' Besides, if anything happens to his mother, we have no way to control him."

Much of BSI's understanding of "Andrew" came from Spike's analysis, and while Spike’s judgments had proven accurate, the agency couldn't afford to base everything on assumptions. Dealing with beings like "Andrew" demanded caution.

Hearing Amanda's explanation, Phil nodded in reluctant agreement.

---

"I’ve confirmed with Spike that as long as his mother is alive, 'Andrew' should remain stable. Anything beyond that is up to the higher-ups. Our immediate priority is locating the two missing 'superheroes.'"

During questioning, "Andrew" had cooperated fully, revealing the existence of the mysterious pond and providing information about his two companions, Steve and Matt, who had entered the tunnel with him.

With this lead, Amanda and Spike visited their addresses but found nothing.

Family members reported that Steve and Matt hadn’t been home or to school for days. From all accounts and news reports, it was as if the two had vanished.

New York's newspapers even conducted investigations into the disappearance of the "superheroes," confirming the unusual nature of their absence.

"Maybe BSI’s actions spooked them," Zhou speculated, furrowing his brow.

Tracking down two supernatural beings in a city as vast as New York was no small task.

"Can’t Spike locate them? Isn’t he a medium?" Phil asked.

"Being a medium doesn’t make him omnipotent," Amanda replied. "Especially when spirits anchor themselves to physical bodies."

"That’s what Spike said."

Clearly, Amanda had considered the possibility of using Spike’s abilities, but it wasn’t that simple.

---

End of Chapter.

*Chapter 202: Crisis Unfolds*

The relationship between BSI and Spike was not as seamless as it appeared.

Although Spike had agreed to temporarily join BSI as a consultant at Amanda’s invitation, the arrangement came with conditions.

In exchange, Spike was granted partial access to BSI’s case files, including the confidential investigation into Father Mo Lin’s death in Springwood Town and…

Amanda’s thoughts briefly flashed to the terms Spike had set for joining BSI. However, before she could continue her conversation with Agents Zhou and Phil, the phone in her pocket suddenly rang.

Hearing the urgent ringtone, Amanda instinctively glanced toward Andrew's hospital room to ensure she hadn’t drawn his attention. Satisfied, she quickly answered the call.

“This is Amanda.”

A slightly raspy voice came through the line.

“This is Agent Jonathan, assigned to guard [BSI-013: The Psychic Lagoon]. The situation is critical. The lagoon has just been attacked…”

Clenching his teeth against the searing pain of his gunshot wound, Jonathan gripped the wheel, steering his car toward downtown New York. He stole a glance at his passenger, Agent Mite, and shouted into the phone.

In New York, at the hospital.

As Jonathan relayed the dire news, Amanda’s expression grew graver by the second.

“I understand.”

She frowned, her gaze shifting toward Andrew’s hospital room. Hanging up the call, she turned to her team.

“What happened, boss?”

Agent Zhou immediately noticed the change in Amanda’s demeanor and spoke up.

“Agents guarding [BSI-013: The Psychic Lagoon] were attacked. We need to evacuate immediately…”

From Jonathan’s call, Amanda grasped the severity of the situation.

There was no time for detailed explanations. Amanda was about to issue orders to evacuate Andrew and secure the hospital when a deafening explosion shook the building.

*BOOM—*

The blast rocked the hospital. Windows shattered into fragments, and the building’s power flickered erratically for a moment.

“It’s too late… He’s already here.”

“He? Who?”

The explosion caused Amanda and her team to stagger momentarily. Regaining her footing, Amanda’s face was grim as she responded.

“Steve.”

Amanda slowly turned toward the source of the explosion. A gaping hole had appeared in the hospital wall. Suspended in mid-air at the opening was a grotesque, bloated figure radiating an eerie blue glow.

“The missing superhero…”

Hearing the name from Amanda’s lips, Agent Phil blurted out his thoughts, only to fall silent when his gaze landed on the enormous hole and the ominous figure floating there.

It was alarming—they were on the top floor of the hospital.

“This is Steve, the missing superhero?”

The explosion had evidently damaged some of the hospital’s circuits. Lights around the blast site flickered, emitting a sharp electrical buzz. In the erratic light, Agent Zhou frowned at the sight of Steve’s bloated, grotesque figure.

“He doesn’t look anything like the reports.”

According to media coverage collected by BSI, Steve had appeared ordinary, even fit, despite his costume. But now, his bloated, monstrous form and the blue glow surrounding him bore an uncanny resemblance to the phenomena observed at the Psychic Lagoon.

“…According to reports from the agents at [BSI-013: The Psychic Lagoon], Steve had attempted to draw strength from the lagoon, similar to Andrew’s case. However, he accidentally fell into the water and only recently emerged.”

“So his grotesque appearance is due to being submerged in the lagoon for too long?”

Phil glanced at Steve again after hearing Amanda’s explanation and nodded in reluctant understanding.

As Amanda, Zhou, and Phil spoke, Steve’s glowing blue eyes flickered. Controlling his bloated body, he floated into the hole and landed in the hospital corridor.

Water dripped from Steve’s body, leaving a trail as he began walking forward.

Seeing Steve approach, Phil instinctively reached for his gun, but Amanda quickly stopped him. Under Phil’s confused gaze, Amanda kept her eyes locked on Steve and spoke in a low voice.

“Bullets won’t work on him. That’s what Agent Jonathan said during the call. The agents at the lagoon tried shooting him, but the bullets were all deflected back, causing significant injuries.”

Hearing this, Phil lowered his gun reluctantly. If a fully equipped BSI team couldn’t harm Steve, his handgun wouldn’t fare any better.

“What should we do, boss?”

As Steve drew closer, tension gripped the group. Lacking any means to fight back, Phil’s face was etched with worry.

Amanda subconsciously touched the mysterious necklace around her neck, a trinket she had acquired from a vagrant. It had saved her more than once.

Unnoticed by Amanda, Agent Zhou subtly adjusted his shirt sleeve, pulling it down to cover the faintly wooden texture creeping up his forearm.

The transformation in Zhou’s arm had been a recent development.

His arm had been injured during an earlier case involving the attack of the Marionette Man. After revisiting the haunted house linked to Mary Shaw’s case, the pain intensified, and his arm began to gradually turn wooden. The process was slow and confined to the injured arm, so Zhou had kept it a secret.

He suspected the transformation was linked to the unresolved mystery of Mary Shaw’s house and the lingering curse of the Marionette.

---

(End of Chapter)  

Chapter 203: Confrontation

"So, it seems the only one who truly has no means to resist 'Steve' is Agent Phil."

In front of the system panel, Allen observed Amanda and Agent Zhou’s actions closely.

His gaze lingered briefly on Agent Phil, the only ordinary person among the three.

The wooden puppet curse on Agent Zhou's arm was something Allen had deliberately left in place. Naturally, it served as a setup for the eventual appearance of the circus, but it also had the purpose of enhancing the combat strength of the BSI.

After all, as the script evolved, Allen knew he would interact with the BSI for a long time.

If he didn’t leave some survival measures for the BSI, he worried they wouldn’t last through the increasingly frequent supernatural cases and clashes involving extraordinary forces that he had crafted.

Without the BSI’s involvement, the level of participation in the script would undoubtedly decrease significantly, and so would the *[Plot Value]*.

Thus, whether for his own sake or for the overall appeal of the evolving script, Allen had ample reason to bolster the BSI’s strength—at least enough to ensure they wouldn’t die easily in the upcoming supernatural investigations.

Of course, such enhancements weren’t without cost.

Whether it was Amanda's *[Guardian Necklace]* or the curse on Agent Zhou’s arm, their very existence carried a price.

This design naturally aimed to prevent Amanda and her team from recklessly disrupting the storyline under the protection of these enhancements.

As the script's designer, every story Allen created was the result of painstaking thought.

Therefore, he didn’t want to see his carefully crafted plots hastily dragged to a conclusion, disregarding the intricately woven foreshadowing, causes, and developments.

---

On one side, Allen used the system panel to plan the BSI agents' future careers in greater detail.

On the other side, inside a New York hospital…

Facing the steadily approaching 'Steve,' Agent Phil swallowed nervously.

At such a close distance, he could even see the nearly bloodless scars on 'Steve's' bloated body and the water dripping continuously from him.

Amanda had mentioned that 'Steve' had been submerged in a pool for several days—this seemed to confirm it.

As 'Steve' stopped an arm's length away, Agent Zhou instinctively clenched his cursed arm beneath his sleeve. Amanda held her breath and gripped the necklace around her neck, preparing to charge forward.

However, just a moment before they reacted…

'Steve,' who had been steadily advancing, suddenly halted. Then, he turned his bloated body, redirecting his attention away from Amanda’s group toward another direction.

“Phew…”

Seeing 'Steve' abruptly change direction, Agent Phil, who had been holding himself motionless with tense nerves, instinctively let out a sigh of relief.

Beside him, Amanda and Agent Zhou exchanged glances. Noting each other’s halted movements and gestures, a flicker of curiosity crossed their faces. Yet, they knew this wasn’t the time for questions. Nodding to each other in understanding, they turned their focus back to 'Steve.'

Amanda frowned deeply as she observed his bloated body.

There was no relief in her heart despite 'Steve' turning away.

Because the direction 'Steve' turned toward was none other than Andrew's hospital room.

Standing before the room, 'Steve' gazed at the tightly shut door with his eerie blue eyes.

“…Andrew… Andrew…”

He opened his mouth, letting out an indistinct, hoarse call.

As he did so, the blue light in his hands began to pulse, and distorted faces emerged across his body, glaring at the door with vengeful eyes.

Amid the continuous calling, 'Steve' raised his hand, pointing it toward the door.

*Boom!*

The next moment, an invisible force exploded from 'Steve's' fingertip, slamming into the hospital room door with tremendous impact.

Under this force, the fragile wooden door shattered almost instantly. The entire door, along with the surrounding walls, crumbled as if struck by an explosion.

Even Amanda and the others near 'Steve' were forced several steps back by the resulting shockwave.

“It looks like he gained more than just that physique from the pool.”

Blocking the flying debris with his hands, Agent Phil took in the scene of destruction before him and couldn’t help but suck in a cold breath.

He now understood how the massive hole that had appeared in the hospital earlier came to be.

Amanda and Agent Zhou, standing behind 'Steve,' struggled to maintain their footing amidst the blast’s force.

The room that bore the brunt of the explosion surely faced an even more devastating fate.

Yet, as the smoke from the explosion cleared, what appeared before Amanda and the others was a pristine, untouched hospital room.

Inside, Andrew's mother lay quietly on the bed.

Andrew himself raised an arm, having blocked the explosion’s full force and deflected the wooden splinters and debris.

Clenching everything into a compact ball with his hands, Andrew swung his arm and hurled it like a projectile.

*Bang!*

The ball struck 'Steve,' sending him flying uncontrollably. The impact propelled him through several walls and out of the building.

Unlike Matt, whose body was merely possessed, the spirit that inhabited Andrew could unleash its full power.

"Protect my mother for me."

After sending 'Steve' flying, Andrew didn’t display any satisfaction.

Glancing at his mother, he gave Amanda and the others this instruction before floating out through the hole in pursuit of 'Steve.'

Due to Andrew's memories, the spirit placed his mother’s safety above all else. Naturally, it refused to fight in the hospital, where any stray attack could harm his fragile mother—even if it came from himself or 'Steve.'

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 204: Out of Control*

Flying out of the hospital.

In midair, "Steve" regained control, halting his descent. He hovered in the air, turning his body toward the hole he had made, a ghostly blue light flickering in his eyes.

“Steve…”

Following the path of destruction "Steve" had created, "Andrew" stepped outside the hospital. Looking at the grotesque and bloated figure of "Steve," his expression turned grim.

“You look like you’ve gained that power from the pool too,” Andrew said darkly.

“I already warned you—the pool is extremely dangerous. If you were so determined to gain strength from it, why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve gone with you.”

Andrew’s face grew even darker as he gazed at the grotesque figure that barely resembled the "Steve" he once knew. Glancing back at his mother’s hospital room, Andrew tried to reason with the floating "Steve."

“If you leave now, I’ll let this go. For the sake of our past friendship, Steve, I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”

“…An…Andrew…Andrew…”

Under the influence of Andrew’s memories, the spirit within him hesitated.

But "Steve" seemed to have no intention of stopping.

Just as Andrew had said, while "Steve" had gained the overwhelming power he had always desired from the pool, it had come at a tremendous cost—one far greater than what Andrew had paid.

"Steve" opened his mouth, staring at Andrew, who floated before him. Twisted faces began to emerge across Steve’s bloated form. They struggled as if trying to escape but were held back by some immense force, unable to break free. Their expressions of hatred and jealousy were fixed on the spirit that resided in Andrew alone. They let out ear-piercing screams.

Andrew clutched his ears, a pained expression on his face, as the shrieking from Steve's body overwhelmed him.

“Why…why are you so lucky? Why wasn’t it me…?”

In the midst of the agonized screams, "Steve" finally spoke, his voice filled with venom. The sharp, grating tones sounded like the cries of countless tormented souls.

With a sudden motion, "Steve" raised his arm. An invisible force erupted from his fingertips, hurtling toward Andrew, who was writhing in pain.

“Damn it!”

Despite his agony, Andrew gritted his teeth and raised his arm. With a forceful gesture, the invisible attack veered off course midair, slamming into a distant building instead.

*BOOM!*

The redirected energy struck a high-rise, causing a massive explosion.

Debris rained down, leaving craters and fractures across the ground below.

“Oh my God!”

Outside the hospital, New Yorkers, drawn by the explosion, screamed as they watched the two blurry figures in midair and the devastation their fight caused.

“Oh, shit!”

“I can’t believe what I’m seeing! Look at this!”

Not everyone was terrified by the chaos. Some excitedly pointed their phones at the sky, filming the battle between "Steve" and "Andrew." The excitement in their voices revealed their disbelief at witnessing such a spectacle.

Through a surveillance system, Allen observed the scene.

Around the hospital, countless people were recording with their smartphones. The accessibility of these devices made capturing such moments easier than ever.

“Excuse me, coming through…”

Squeezing past the crowd, Spike looked up at the two figures in midair.

As a medium, Spike could see far more than the ordinary onlookers. His eyes discerned the countless spirits writhing and screaming across Steve’s body.

The number of spirits possessing "Steve" was beyond imagination.

---

“...As you can see, the long-lost superhero has reappeared at the hospital. But what’s happening here is far from the heroic justice we once knew. During their battle, a building was destroyed…”

The live broadcast captured the fight between "Steve" and "Andrew" in vivid detail, including the destroyed building in the background, emphasizing the danger of the ongoing clash.

“There’s a large crowd below the hospital. The falling debris might’ve caused casualties. Emergency response teams are needed!”

A helicopter arrived at the scene, responding to the situation.

The pilot, observing the two figures hovering effortlessly in midair, couldn’t help but tremble as he spoke.

He was just an ordinary pilot—never had he imagined he would one day find himself amidst a superhero battle.

---

Under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, "Steve" made his next move.

Spotting the helicopter in the distance, the nervous pilot kept a safe distance, hovering several dozen meters away.

But that distance meant nothing to "Steve."

He raised his arm and made a pulling motion. Instantly, the once-stable helicopter began spinning out of control.

“He’s got me! I can’t control the helicopter—help!”

Inside the cockpit, the pilot frantically wrestled with the controls, trying to escape Steve’s grasp. But his efforts were futile. Helpless, he screamed into his radio for help.

“Oh my God!”

“The helicopter’s out of control! It’s heading straight for the hospital!”

Cameras captured the entire event. Steve’s gesture was followed by the helicopter tumbling toward Andrew.

If the out-of-control aircraft crashed into the hospital, the casualties would be unimaginable.

But just before impact, an invisible force stopped the crash.

Under this force’s influence, the helicopter stabilized. Amidst the gasps of the crowd surrounding Spike, Andrew extended his hand, pulling the terrified pilot from the cockpit.

Then, with a powerful motion, Andrew hurled the now-empty helicopter at "Steve."

The metallic screech of twisted metal echoed as the helicopter flew toward "Steve," who floated motionless, waiting to meet the attack head-on.

(Chapter End) \

Chapter 205: Disparity

*Boom—*

The spinning helicopter, accompanied by a roaring gust of wind, instantly lunged toward "Steve."

Faced with the perilous scene, "Steve" raised his swollen face, his eyes flashing with an eerie blue glow.

In the next moment, the helicopter before him was dismantled into countless fragments and wreckage. Without the pull of "Steve's" power, the debris scattered and rained down toward the ground.

“Get out of the way!”

A panicked cry rose from the crowd as they saw the helicopter wreckage falling.

New Yorkers screamed and scattered, scrambling to avoid the debris crashing down around them.

“Watch out.”

A young man stumbled as he fled but was yanked to safety by Spike. Looking at the wreckage that had landed mere inches from his feet, the man cast a grateful glance at Spike, who only nodded lightly before turning his attention back to the battle in the sky.

---

“Hold on tight!”

Andrew tossed the pilot he was carrying into the gaping hole of the hospital. Casting a glance toward the wards, he turned to face the unrelenting "Steve," his expression darkening further.

“If you’ve decided to attack me, Steve, I won’t hold back.”

As Andrew’s voice fell, he controlled his body and began to descend.

Seeing this, "Steve" wasted no time and dove straight down after him.

*Thud!*

Andrew landed on the ground, creating two shallow craters beneath his feet.

The nearby crowd of New Yorkers, drawn by the spectacle of the superhero fight, immediately scattered in all directions. While they had come for the excitement, none wished to become part of the chaos.

Ignoring the panic around him, Andrew raised his arm without hesitation and hurled a nearby car at the descending "Steve."

*Boom!*

The flying car struck "Steve" squarely, sending both him and the vehicle crashing into a nearby building, leaving a massive crater in their wake.

Moments later, amidst the rubble, "Steve" opened his glowing blue eyes. Brushing aside debris and the crushed vehicle, he stepped forward without hesitation, stomping down heavily.

Using his immense bulk like a battering ram, Steve lunged at Andrew, slamming into him with full force. Their bodies collided violently, sending them crashing into a storefront behind them.

Such an intense impact would have been fatal for an ordinary human like Mike.

However, neither "Steve" nor "Andrew" could be called human anymore. Possessed by spirits tethered to reality, they were capable of unleashing their full, devastating power.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The two combatants barreled through one building after another, their ferocious battle engulfing an entire city block.

---

*Boom—*

Another thunderous explosion echoed as "Steve" manipulated a dozen cars into the air. The vehicles, twisting and screeching under his control, were crushed into a massive metal ball, which he hurled at Andrew with immense force.

Andrew barely managed to dodge, narrowly avoiding the destructive projectile. As the wreckage settled, "Steve" loomed above, his face flickering with spectral, distorted visages. These faces shrieked in unison, their agonized cries disrupting Andrew's movements.

Momentarily frozen by the haunting screams, Andrew couldn’t react in time. Seizing the opportunity, "Steve" sent the enormous metal ball hurtling toward him.

The impact sent Andrew crashing into the cement ground, forming a large crater.

*Cough, cough, cough…*

Struggling to his feet, Andrew wobbled unsteadily, glaring at "Steve" above him.

Though Andrew was fully possessed by a spirit, there remained a significant disparity between him and "Steve."

After all, Andrew's body was controlled by a single spirit from the pool, whereas "Steve" housed an overwhelming number of spirits.

Even though these spirits' conflicting wills prevented them from fully utilizing their power, their sheer numbers alone made "Steve" a far more formidable opponent.

“I will... destroy… destroy... your body… Andrew...”

"Steve" muttered incoherently, his voice echoing with the rage and jealousy of the countless spirits within him.

Controlling the massive metal ball, he raised it high above Andrew, casting a dark shadow over the crater below.

Fragments of metal and glass fell from the ball, scattering across the ground.

"Steve" remained expressionless, his lips murmuring the same chilling words as he stared blankly at Andrew.

Gritting his teeth, Andrew tried to rise from the pit, intending to escape.

But before he could act, the spectral faces on "Steve" opened their mouths again.

The piercing shrieks resounded, causing Andrew to collapse in agony, clutching his head.

Without hesitation, "Steve" released the metal ball, letting it crash toward Andrew.

*Boom!*

The enormous sphere, formed from a dozen crushed cars, plummeted with immense force, its impact generating a powerful shockwave. If it struck, even the spirit controlling Andrew's body wouldn’t survive. And without a host, the spirit would be banished.

---

From a distance, reporters rushed to the scene, their cameras capturing the final moments of the fight between "Steve" and "Andrew."

However, the conclusion of the battle was one that no one watching could accept.

“It seems… the superhero has failed. All we can do now is pray that this tragedy can somehow still be reversed...”

(End of Chapter)