1991.
The dust settled on the fall of the Berlin Wall, and a warm rift was torn through the Iron Curtain of the Cold War.
People believed peace was the only theme of this era.
They were wrong.
Chicago, South Side.
An "unfortunate" leak occurred at a chemical processing plant belonging to a subsidiary of Vought International.
Several tons of industrial waste with unknown composition seeped into the water supply system of Illinois.
The news in the newspaper occupied only an inconspicuous corner, with a picture of several workers in protective suits taking samples by the river.
The headline was "A Wake-up Call for Corporate Responsibility."
Compensation was quickly provided, and the local government expressed satisfaction with it.
No one knew that it was not waste.
It was compound v stock solution, diluted several times over.
It was the first batch of seeds that Lynn sowed into the new World.
One month later.
Chicago, Roosevelt Public High School.
Kyle curled up in a narrow locker, pleading in a hoarse voice.
Outside the locker door were the unbridled jeers of the basketball team members.
"Reflect on yourself in there, nerd!"
"Remember to finish our homework by tomorrow!"
Darkness, despair...
A giant boulder pressed against Kyle's chest, and tears mixed with sweat slid down.
Why?
Why was it always him?
He clenched his fists, his fingernails digging deep into his palms.
An unprecedented burning sensation, accompanied by extreme rage, erupted from the depths of his chest!
The locker door melted.
Flames engulfed the entire locker room.
Los Angeles.
A dock worker got into an argument with a foreman over wages, and in his rage, he overturned an eighteen-wheeler truck fully loaded with cargo.
Washington D.C.
During a tense hearing, a congressional intern became so agitated that his skin suddenly hardened into a diamond-like crystal structure, dropping the jaws of all the congressmen present.
Panic spread rapidly across the entire country like a virus through television signals and telephone lines.
The media named it "S.O.M.S" — Sudden Onset Meta-human Syndrome.
It had no pattern and was unpredictable.
Your neighbor, your child, or even you yourself could turn into an uncontrollable monster in the next second.
The federal government's response was slow and feeble.
The quarantine zone that the National Guard tried to establish became a joke in front of a "patient" who could pass through walls.
When the entire country was shrouded in deep fear of the "unknown," Vought International stepped forward.
An unprecedented global press conference was held at Vought Plaza.
Under the spotlight, a figure who had been away from the public eye for a long time slowly walked onto the stage.
Hundreds of reporters in the audience whispered until they saw the person's face clearly.
"My God... is that... Lynn Morris?"
An elderly reporter with graying hair exclaimed, and the camera in his hand almost slipped.
"I saw him over forty years ago... how has he not changed at all?!"
A commotion spread through the press section, and countless flashbulbs lit up crazily.
Lynn Morris.
He was still young, his handsome face bearing a compassionate calmness.
He was wearing a well-tailored black suit, not looking at a script, just sweeping his deep eyes across the audience.
The noisy venue quieted down unbelievably under his gaze.
"Ladies and gentlemen."
"We are experiencing an unprecedented crisis."
"But, this is not a curse, nor is it a disease."
"This is a form of evolution, a forced, chaotic, dangerous... leap."
On the big screen behind him, a clear human genetic sequence map lit up.
That was the "research result" on compound v "rushed out" by Dr. Horton's team.
"Vought International has been secretly studying this phenomenon for the past few decades. We believe that power itself is not terrifying; what is terrifying is losing control."
"Today, I stand here, not to spread more fear, but to provide a solution."
He paused, giving the audience around the World time to digest this.
"Vought International will submit a 'superhuman registration and management act' to Congress."
"We will establish a brand-new department responsible for identifying, registering, training, and guiding all newly awakened super-powered individuals."
"We will teach them how to control their powers and how to become beneficial members of society, rather than threats."
"We will turn them from monsters into heroes."
As his voice fell, the venue fell silent.
Immediately, there was a tsunami of flashbulbs and questions.
Lynn did not answer any questions.
He simply announced another matter.
"Starting tomorrow, Vought's hero team—Starlight, Guardian, and Vi, will be stationed in Chicago to assist the local government in restoring order."
"We will prove with our actions that Vought has the ability to resolve this crisis."
This was a perfect performance.
Lynn had created the plague himself.
Now, he was selling the only antidote in the guise of a savior.
And the price of the antidote was the right to define the future direction of superhumans for the entire country.
In Lynn's office.
Dr. Hannibal Lecter was cutting a T-bone steak from Florence.
On the walls, dozens of screens were broadcasting images from around the World in real-time: the chaos on the streets of Chicago, the skyrocketing stock price of Vought, and live broadcasts from CNN.
A young senator was being interviewed.
Senator Robert Kelly.
A newly elected senator from Massachusetts.
Known for his tough style and uncompromising political stance.
"Handing the country's security over to a commercial company? This is the most ridiculous joke I have ever heard!"
Senator Kelly said to the camera, his words sharp.
"Vought International? They sell toys and make movies! By what right do they define who is a hero and who is a threat?"
"I suspect that there is a hidden agenda behind this so-called'Sudden Onset Meta-human Syndrome'!"
"Why is it that Vought International can always appear at the scene of a disaster in the first instance and come up with a 'perfect' solution?"
"I will propose the establishment of a special investigative committee led directly by Congress to thoroughly investigate Vought International and the true source of this crisis!"
"What we need is order led by the government! Not a future controlled by corporations!"
Dr. Hannibal Lecter used a silver fork to place a perfectly cooked piece of steak into his mouth.
After savoring it, he revealed a satisfied smile.
"An ambitious politician."
He commented.
"He has smelled danger, and he has also smelled opportunity. It is just that he has misidentified the prey and overestimated his own status as a hunter."
Lynn picked up his wine glass, gently swirling the deep red liquid inside.
He looked at the indignant young senator on the screen, a playful smile appearing on his face.
"A good script cannot have only one righteous protagonist."
Lynn's voice was very soft.
"It also needs a villain who is stubborn enough, inflammatory enough, and also... stupid enough."
"He will do me a big favor."
"He will use his questioning, his investigations, and his hearings to prove to the entire World over and over again—that the existence of super-powered individuals is an uncontrollable threat."
"He will use his strident efforts to rally all the forces that oppose me."
Lynn took a sip of red wine, the mellow fragrance of the wine blooming on the tip of his tongue.
"Then, I will let him, and all those who follow him, watch with their own eyes how I completely tame this threat and incorporate it into my system."
"When people realize that even their opponents have failed, only then will they truly be willing to accept the rules I have set for them."
"Have Ada Wong's people prepare some 'evidence' for him."
"Some 'evidence' regarding the remnants of HYDRA conducting illegal genetic experiments."
"Senator Kelly needs an enemy to fight, so we will give him one."
Dr. Hannibal Lecter bowed slightly.
"As you wish, Master."
"After all, preparing a perfect feast for a guest is the basic etiquette of a Master."
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