181-185

Chapter 181: Re-entering the Cave

“This place looks completely different during the day,” Andrew remarked, scanning the area.

He had confirmed the night before that the legendary supernatural power he sought was hidden in the cave's underground pool.

Naturally, Steve and Matt weren't about to let this opportunity slip away.

The trio returned to the spot of last night's party, quickly retracing their steps to find the clearing again.

“I can’t believe I went into that tunnel with you guys last night without any preparation,” Steve muttered, looking toward the ominous cave entrance, which appeared just as bottomless in the daylight.

“You don’t have to go in, Steve,” Matt teased, turning to him with a smirk. “Andrew and I can claim the power and protect you. That should be enough.”

“Keep dreaming, Matt.”

Despite his earlier skepticism, Steve couldn't resist the allure of supernatural power.

“No way am I letting you two hog all the benefits.”

Andrew walked beside them, listening to their banter. A faint, pale smile flickered across his otherwise grim face.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, a piercing scream caused Andrew to clutch his head in pain.

“What’s wrong, Andrew?” Matt asked, noticing Andrew had stopped walking.

“It’s nothing. Just a sudden headache.”

The stabbing pain disappeared almost as quickly as it came. Andrew lowered his hand from his temple and glanced at the cave entrance.

“I’m going in first!”

Before Andrew could say more, Steve darted forward and squeezed into the cave entrance.

“Hey, Steve!”

Without hesitation, Matt abandoned the conversation and followed after him.

Seeing their focus entirely consumed by the cave, Andrew shook his head and silently followed them back into the darkness.

---

The tunnel led deep underground. Even during the day, very little natural light penetrated its depths.

Fortunately, with the experience of last night’s exploration, the group had come prepared this time, each carrying a flashlight.

Guided by the beams of their flashlights, they navigated the winding tunnels and quickly found their way back to the cavern they had visited the previous night.

Upon entering the cavern, Steve instinctively pointed his flashlight toward the cracks in the stone wall. He remembered being startled by shadows on the wall the night before.

Now, under the flashlight’s glare, he could clearly see the uneven surfaces and patches of moss—but nothing else. No faces, no shadows.

Relieved, Steve exhaled and redirected his flashlight toward the path ahead.

But he didn’t notice what happened next.

The moment his flashlight moved away, distorted faces appeared in the cracks of the wall, their twisted eyes brimming with hatred and greed as they followed the trio’s every step.

---

“Here it is!”

The group stopped in front of the pool, its surface flickering with an eerie, bluish glow. Their earlier lightheartedness faded, replaced by somber expressions.

“Are you sure this works, Andrew?” Matt asked nervously, glancing at him.

“You’ve already seen it for yourself,” Andrew replied, referencing the floating spoon he had demonstrated earlier.

“If you’re too scared, I’ll go first, Matt.”

Steve wasted no time teasing Matt again. Holding his flashlight in one hand, he boldly extended the other toward the glowing pool.

Spurred by Steve’s challenge, Matt hesitated only briefly before plunging his hand into the water.

---

“Should I call you brave or just ignorant?”

Watching the scene unfold through his system’s interface, Allen shook his head with a bemused expression.

Driven by the allure of Andrew’s demonstrated powers, the remaining two had willingly followed him into the cave. Allen didn’t even need to use *Plot Points* to nudge them along.

“Enjoy your newfound strength,” he murmured, as if blessing them through the screen.

---

SPLASH!  

In the system’s display, two ghostly blue hands emerged from the water, gripping Steve’s and Matt’s wrists.

“It’s happening!”

Andrew, who had been watching closely, immediately tensed with anticipation.

The spectral hands emanated an intense chill, their grip so strong that both Steve and Matt screamed in pain.

“Oh, shit!” Steve yelped as he yanked his arm free, staring at the ghostly handprints left on his wrist. Wide-eyed, he turned to Andrew. “What the hell was that?!”

“Who knows?” Andrew shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

He, too, didn’t fully understand the cave or the pool, but that didn’t stop him from seeking even greater power.

Determined, Andrew stepped forward.

“What are you doing, Andrew?” Matt asked, still clutching his wrist.

“I’m going to see if touching the pool again will give me even stronger abilities.”

Andrew’s current power—levitating objects like spoons—wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy him.

Without waiting for a response, he extended his hand and touched the water’s glowing surface.

SPLASH!  

Another blue hand emerged, gripping Andrew’s wrist with even greater force than before. Despite bracing himself, Andrew felt as if he might be dragged into the water. He steadied himself and pulled his arm free, gazing down at the ghostly handprints on his skin.

A pale smile crept across his face as he turned to Steve and Matt.

Before he could say anything, both men suddenly collapsed without warning, their unconscious bodies falling to the ground.

At the same time, Andrew’s mind was overwhelmed by the same piercing scream from before, plunging him into a blank void.

(End of Chapter)  .

*Chapter 182: Attending the Party*

“Oh, everyone...”

New York, at a fashion brand’s party.

Sofía Vergara, noticing the arrival of the Modern Family cast, immediately greeted them with a warm smile and hugged each of them enthusiastically.

“Everything going well, Sofía?”

After briefly hugging Sofía Vergara and sensing her lively energy, Allen casually asked.

“Everything’s great.”

Hearing Allen’s question, Sofía’s smile grew even brighter. She glanced back at the lively party scene, especially the media buzz, and spoke with an undeniable trace of satisfaction in her voice.

“The party turned out even better than I imagined.”

After chatting cheerfully with Allen and the others for a few moments, Sofía noticed more invited guests arriving. She quickly excused herself with a polite nod.

“I don’t like these kinds of parties.”

Watching Sofía Vergara’s figure disappear into the crowd, Sarah Hyland, who played the eldest daughter Haley Dunphy, muttered her complaint.

“What’s the problem? At least it’s a chance to unwind,” chimed in Ariel Winter, who played the younger daughter Alex Dunphy, her tone carrying a slightly confrontational edge.

In Hollywood, child stars tend to develop bold personalities.

Exposed to fame and fortune at a young age, they see the glamorous world for what it is and often mature faster than their peers.

Naturally, the friction between the two young actresses wasn’t lost on Allen.

But he didn’t care, as long as it didn’t interfere with the filming schedule.

After all, as someone holding ultimate creative authority over the cast, Allen knew that troublesome actors like Charlie Sheen were a rarity.

Rather than concerning himself with such trivial matters, Allen focused more on Andrew and his companions.

…

“Check this out, Matt!”

In the fragmented system interface, Andrew excitedly called out to the other two.

“Whoo~”

As his voice trailed off, Andrew took a deep breath.

Standing in place, he clenched his fists and held his breath.

The next second, his entire body began vibrating irregularly with the soil beneath him. Moments later, he awkwardly started floating off the ground.

“Oh, shit!”

“You can actually fly!”

Watching Andrew levitate, both Matt and Steve exclaimed in disbelief.

“No way!”

Under their astonished gazes, Andrew floated higher and higher.

Thud!  

Unfortunately, the levitation lasted only a few seconds before ending abruptly with a heavy crash to the ground.

Andrew knelt on one knee, clutching his head, wincing from the faint pain as he shook his head at his friends.

“I can’t maintain this state for too long. If I float for too long, my head starts to hurt like crazy.”

The side effects of using their abilities weren’t unique to Andrew.

Matt and Steve experienced similar phenomena. Ever since touching the glowing pool, they’d occasionally hear faint, eerie screams.

But compared to their newfound supernatural powers, these minor side effects seemed insignificant.

“Forget that, dude—you were flying!”

Matt dashed excitedly toward Andrew, his voice brimming with energy.

“That’s like something only superheroes can do in movies! And you just pulled it off!”

“Actually, it’s pretty simple...”

Hearing Matt’s amazement, a faint smile appeared on Andrew’s usually somber face.

“You just need to focus and imagine lifting yourself up, and it happens.”

“Let me try!”

Inspired by Andrew’s description, Matt couldn’t wait to give it a shot.

Clenching his fists, he concentrated and visualized himself lifting off the ground.

…

However, after several seconds, the only result was his face turning bright red with effort.

“Man, you’re hopeless,” Steve teased mercilessly, laughing at Matt’s failed attempt.

Then, eager to prove himself, Steve took a deep breath and concentrated hard, determined to outshine Matt.

But just like Matt, no matter how hard Steve tried, he couldn’t replicate Andrew’s floating feat.

“That’s impossible—I was totally focused!”

Frustrated by his failure, Steve’s embarrassment was somewhat hidden by his darker complexion, sparing him Matt’s level of humiliation.

“Maybe it’s because I touched the hand in the pool one more time than you guys, so I got more power,” Andrew speculated after observing his friends’ struggles.

“If it’s true, maybe we should revisit the pool. Then you guys might be able to float like me.”

“No way.”

Matt looked tempted at first but quickly shook his head.

“Don’t you think that place felt... unnatural?”

To this day, the three of them hadn’t figured out the mystery behind the glowing blue pool or the strange hand within it.

“Man, you’re such a wimp,” Steve dismissed Matt’s concerns.

His mind was entirely focused on figuring out how to float like Andrew.

“Think about it—if we could fly, we could be superheroes like Superman!”

“We’d become real-life superheroes, saving the world like Batman and Iron Man!”

Steve’s words were undeniably tempting.

Especially since the release of Iron Man last year had reignited Hollywood’s interest in superhero films.

“Superheroes...”

Hearing Steve’s enthusiasm, a spark lit up in Andrew’s usually brooding eyes.

“Maybe you’re right, Steve. We’re not ordinary people anymore. With our powers, we could become real-world superheroes!”

(Chapter End)

*Chapter 183: "Superheroes"*

"Superheroes?!"

"Hollywood really does have a big influence."

At a fashionable party in New York, Allen couldn’t help but twitch his lips as he watched the scene unfold on the system screen.

Of course, this wasn’t solely due to Hollywood movies. The concept of superheroes had been popular in America for six or seven decades, deeply rooted in the hearts of generations of American youth.

From comic books to animated series and now blockbuster films, this idea had undergone countless transformations, planting the dream of being a superhero in everyone’s mind.

However, in the real world, the chances of such a dream coming true were minuscule.

After all, to become a superhero, the most basic requirement was wealth—like Batman or Iron Man, with enough money to fund such extravagant ventures.

Otherwise, you’d need something like what Andrew and his friends had.

Though they didn’t have the immense resources of Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, they possessed something else: supernatural abilities that only existed in movies or comic books.

With these powers—and heavily influenced by Hollywood—they naturally began to associate their situation with the superhero ideal.

---

Cough, cough... cough, cough, cough, cough...  

"I feel awful!"

From his bedroom in their apartment, Andrew could hear his mother’s violent coughing coming from the next room, accompanied by the man’s helpless complaints.

But at this moment, his mind wasn’t focused on any of that.

Ever since his conversation with Matt and Steve about superheroes, he had been filled with excitement.

He wanted to become a superhero—just like in the movies.

In his bedroom, Andrew raised a hand and gave a slight wave toward the glass cup on his desk, making it float into his hand.

A pale smile crossed his somber face.

---

"Are you ready, guys?"

Andrew’s voice sounded muffled as he spoke, dressed in a crude, handmade costume with a rough mask on his head.

At the meeting spot, he looked at Matt and Steve stepping out of the car, unable to contain his excitement.

"I’ve been waiting for this for ages."

Steve grinned, flashing his pearly white teeth and giving a thumbs-up. He was also wearing a custom-made suit.

"Are you sure we should really do this, Andrew?"

Compared to the excited Andrew and Steve, Matt looked hesitant. But he, too, was wearing a custom outfit.

"You can sit this one out, Matt. Go on living your ordinary life."

Seeing Matt’s reluctance, Steve grew impatient. He had been looking forward to this night’s action for a long time and wasn’t about to let Matt ruin it.

"I’m just a little worried, that’s all."

"What’s there to worry about, man? We’re superheroes now. We’ve got supernatural powers. The ones who should be scared aren’t us—it’s the criminals out there. Superheroes have arrived!"

As a natural speaker, Steve’s rhythmic persuasion worked its magic. The hesitant Matt finally nodded.

"Alright, maybe you’re right."

Taking a deep breath, Matt placed the mask over his face.

"That’s the spirit, Matt. Now you’re my guy. Let’s save this city together. We’re going to be real superheroes, make headlines in the news... Maybe we should come up with a cool name first."

"How about ‘Super Squad’?"

"Come on, man. That name’s way too generic..."

---

"Why does it feel like this script is going off the rails?"

Allen frowned again as he watched the three enthusiastically discuss their next superhero move on the system screen.

His gaze swept over the "Plot Value" section of the system interface. He considered using it to correct the narrative but decided to wait and see instead.

Although the storyline was diverging somewhat from his original design, it might not necessarily be a bad thing.

Eventually, Andrew and his friends would come to realize that reality wasn’t a superhero’s world.

And their powers weren’t exactly what superheroes had.

---

New York, the bustling metropolis.

Beneath its glamorous surface lay an unrelenting high crime rate.

As a city built on immigration, New York saw violent crimes occur at all hours, especially in areas like the impoverished neighborhoods the police struggled to cover.

Brooklyn—a hotbed of crime.

A robbery was underway.

"Please don’t hurt me, sir. Here’s all my money..."

A terrified woman handed over her purse to two Black men surrounding her, hoping they wouldn’t escalate the situation.

Snatching the purse roughly, one of the men quickly rifled through it and pulled out a few crumpled bills.

Sharing a glance, the two robbers were clearly dissatisfied with their haul.

"If you don’t want to get hurt, hand over anything else valuable!"

One of them drew a knife, threatening the woman with a menacing glare.

"That’s all I have," she stammered, trembling.

"If I had more, I wouldn’t be living in a place like Brooklyn..."

"Hey, you two!"

A sudden shout interrupted the robbery.

Turning toward the voice, the robbers saw three oddly dressed figures under the streetlamp at the alley’s entrance.

"And who the hell are you supposed to be?"

The sight of Andrew and his friends didn’t intimidate them; instead, it left the robbers baffled.

Raising an eyebrow, one of them sneered, "You think dressing up like that’s going to scare us?"

Brandishing his knife, he grinned menacingly.

"If you’re here to play hero, you’ve picked the wrong guys to mess with. Hand over your cash, or this knife won’t be so friendly..."

Before he could finish his threat, Andrew raised his hand.

With a subtle motion, the knife floated out of the robber’s grip and into Andrew’s.

---

(End of Chapter)  

*Chapter 184: Surveillance Footage*

"What?!"

At the alley entrance, the sight of the dagger floating toward Andrew left the two Black men visibly shocked.

"What the hell are you people?!"

Instinctively taking a step back, they shouted at the trio, their bravado faltering.

"We’re superheroes."

Andrew’s gloved hand controlled the dagger mid-air. Beneath his mask, a faint smile appeared as he replied in a low voice.

"F**k, you think I haven’t watched movies? This is straight out of some Hollywood blockbuster!"

"Well, clearly, it's not just fiction anymore."

As Andrew's voice fell, Steve, who had been growing impatient, pointed a finger at one of the robbers.

*Bang!*

The robber was violently thrown backward as if hit by an invisible bullet.

"Dammit!"

Seeing this, the other robber's face twisted in fear, and he turned to flee.

They were just two petty criminals, ordinary robbers with no clue what they were dealing with. If superheroes actually existed, they’d only be the kind of minor villains who appear for a few seconds before being dealt with.

But no matter how quick the robber was, he couldn't escape Andrew and his friends.

As the fleeing robber's back grew smaller, Andrew bent his knees slightly and, in the blink of an eye, leaped into the air as if weightless, landing in front of the man and blocking his escape effortlessly.

"Calm down, man! I’m just a small-time thief. This doesn’t need to escalate to superhero-level intervention!"

Hands raised in surrender, the robber tried to plead for mercy.

Andrew, fully committed to his 'superhero' role, ignored the man's protests. Instead, he raised his hand and gestured with a twisting motion.

"Ahhh!"

In the next moment, the robber was yanked off the ground by an invisible force and thrown into the alley wall with a sickening crack of breaking bones.

---

*"Superheroes?!"*

Washington, D.C., BSI Headquarters.

Amanda raised an eyebrow as she scanned the file in her hands. Looking up at Agent Zhou across the table, she couldn’t help but confirm: "You’re sure this isn’t a movie plot, Zhou?"

"I wish it were, but unfortunately, it’s not."

Agent Zhou shook his head, his serious expression unchanging.

"So far, the NYPD has received over twenty reports involving these so-called ‘superheroes.’ Without exception, these calls have come from victims of various crimes, and each report describes the same individuals: two or three figures wearing strange costumes, claiming to be superheroes…"

"Isn’t that a good thing?"

Angela, seated nearby, interjected.

"They’re stopping crimes."

"If ‘stopping crimes’ means beating the perpetrators so badly they end up hospitalized with multiple fractures, then sure," Zhou replied coldly, turning to Angela.

Amanda flipped through the case files in her hands, her expression darkening as she reviewed the injuries sustained by the alleged criminals. Many were heavily bandaged, their injuries far more severe than expected.

"Three individuals have already suffered irreversible injuries due to these so-called ‘superheroes.’ The worst case is still in the ICU, and his condition could turn fatal at any moment."

"And his crime? Illegal street racing. That’s all."

"These ‘superheroes’ seem far more brutal than the ones we see in movies," Angela muttered.

Agent Phil frowned as he listened to Zhou’s description but couldn’t hide his confusion.

"If it’s just a few rogue vigilantes being overzealous, what does this have to do with us at BSI?"

"If that were the extent of it, it wouldn’t be our concern. However, the NYPD recently obtained surveillance footage that proves these ‘superheroes’ aren’t just delusional fans imitating Hollywood. They’re real… superhumans."

With that, Zhou turned his gaze to Angela.

Realizing the implication, Angela quickly opened her laptop and found the email from the NYPD containing the surveillance video.

"Alright, I’m playing the video now," Angela said, glancing at Amanda for confirmation.

Amanda nodded, and Angela clicked play.

The video began with a woman walking hurriedly down a street.

Moments later, a group of motorcyclists appeared, surrounding her and blocking her path.

Even though the surveillance footage had no audio, the aggressive circling of the motorcyclists was enough to convey their menace.

"Scum," Angela muttered under her breath, watching the scene unfold.

The video soon showed three blurry figures entering from the corner of the screen. Their crude costumes resembled low-budget imitations of superhero outfits from movies.

"Are those the ‘superheroes’?" Phil asked skeptically, his excitement visibly deflated.

But the next scene left him speechless.

In the video, after a brief argument with the motorcyclists, one of the 'superheroes' raised their hand. Instantly, one of the motorcyclists was flung off his bike as if struck by an invisible force.

The three then sprang into action.

They moved their hands in various gestures, and the motorcyclists were tossed around like ragdolls. Panicked attempts to escape were futile as the three vigilantes toyed with them, slamming them into walls or each other like playthings.

The video ended, leaving an eerie silence in the room.

*(End of Chapter)*

*Chapter 185: The Report*

"Interesting?"

Washington, BSI Headquarters.

As Amanda’s team focused intently on the surveillance footage, Spike appeared behind them without anyone noticing.

He sipped from the teacup in his hand, his gaze fixed on the monitor. With a slight raise of his brows and a hint of intrigue on his face, he commented, "Do you know what this is?"

Hearing his voice, Amanda turned and glanced at the relaxed man behind her before asking, "No. Do you?"

Spike shook his head lightly in response.

His piercing blue eyes stayed on the footage as he replied, "No, but the abilities these ‘superheroes’ are showing feel oddly familiar."

...

"Why is it that despite all the good we’ve done and the people we’ve helped, there isn’t a single report about us online?"

Searching the internet for news about superheroes, Steve and his companions found nothing about themselves. Instead, there were only updates on Warner Bros. inviting the writer and director of Paranormal Activity for Batman 3 and news about Iron Man 2.

"Clearly, we’re the real superheroes!"

Unlike the brooding superheroes depicted in movies and comics, Andrew and his friends chose the role of superheroes purely for the thrill and the honor of the title. After every crime they thwarted, they eagerly searched online and in media for any mention of their deeds.

"Maybe it’s because our actions have been too discreet?" Andrew speculated after hearing Steve’s complaint.

"The places where those criminals were operating didn’t have many people around. No witnesses, so no one even knows we exist."

"Then everything we’ve done so far has been for nothing?" Steve’s face immediately showed disappointment at Andrew's words.

"At least we stopped some crimes," Matt chimed in, noticing Steve’s discontent. "Besides, superheroes don’t act for fame. Batman didn’t become a superhero to see his name in the papers."

"I’d rather be Iron Man than Batman—let the whole world know my name," Steve retorted, clearly unfazed by Matt’s argument.

"So, are we going out to fight crime again tonight?" Andrew asked, watching as Steve and Matt debated their positions.

"Of course!" Both Matt and Steve replied simultaneously, their enthusiasm undeterred.

Whether aspiring to be Batman or Iron Man, the allure of being superheroes had captivated them. For these young men, steeped in superhero comics and movies, acting under the guise of heroes was an addictive, live-action role-playing experience.

...

"These guys are getting addicted to their superhero role-play."

On the set of Modern Family, Allen observed Andrew and his friends’ antics through his system’s screen.

His gaze shifted to the BSI, who had started noticing them.

"If you want fame so badly, I’ll give you a little push."

As he finished speaking, the system’s [Plot Points] began depleting.

Some events started to shift.

In New York City, a bank robbery unfolded.

The stage was set for the 'superheroes' to make their debut.

...

"Boss, we’ve got a situation!"

At BSI Headquarters in Washington, Amanda and her team were analyzing surveillance footage of the three 'superheroes,' trying to uncover their identities.

Agent Zhou entered, his face emotionless as he brought troubling news.

"Those ‘superheroes’ have appeared again—this time in the middle of downtown New York City."

"What did you say?!" Amanda’s brows furrowed deeply at the report.

"What are they doing in the city center?" Agent Phil interjected, lifting his head to join the conversation.

Before Agent Zhou could explain, Spike, seated in front of the TV, took another sip of tea and interjected, "If you’re curious about that, perhaps the latest news broadcast can answer your question."

Following his remark, everyone instinctively turned toward the television.

"...‘Superheroes,’ yes, you heard that correctly..."

On the screen, a news anchor delivered breaking news.

"...Something we once believed only existed in comics and movies is now happening in real life. And it’s taking place in downtown New York City..."

As the anchor spoke, the broadcast cut to footage of the scene.

"This is Kate reporting live on the latest developments in a bank robbery in downtown New York..."

The background hum of a helicopter’s rotors and the reporter’s voice filled the screen.

The shaky footage revealed a chaotic chase unfolding below.

"According to reports, New York City police responded to the bank’s alarm and mobilized officers to pursue the fleeing robbers..."

Unlike the dramatic standoffs depicted in movies, real-life police rarely surrounded banks during robberies. Instead, they typically allowed robbers to flee and then pursued them to minimize the risk to hostages.

The broadcast continued showing the chase.

"Wait! Something unusual is happening. Someone’s interfering in the police pursuit of the bank robbers..."

The reporter’s voice grew alarmed as the camera zoomed in on the scene.

Three oddly dressed individuals boldly stepped into the robbers’ escape route.

"Oh no! They’re blocking the getaway car!"

The footage showed police shouting at the trio, urging them to move out of the way.

However, the three figures remained rooted to the spot, seemingly oblivious to the officers’ warnings.

(To be continued)