Chapter 4: Human Experiment Report

A stunning woman with an alluring chocolate complexion and silver-white hair walked toward them.

"Who is this?" she asked.

"This is Yi Zhou, a guest invited by the Professor," Jean Grey replied in a complaining tone, clearly treating the woman like her close friend.

Ororo Munroe's interest was piqued as she circled around Yi Zhou, observing him with a curious gaze. "A boy like this… is he really worth the Professor's attention?"

Jean adjusted the equipment while responding, "Based on his abilities so far, he's incredibly powerful. But whether he's a mutant or not still needs confirmation."

"So, if he's not a mutant, does that mean he's one of those mutated superhumans?" Ororo asked, still intrigued.

Many assumed mutants were just mutated humans, but over time, they had developed into a distinct race with a stable genetic trait— the X-gene. This was why governments worldwide treated mutants as a major threat. Their evolution into an independent species made them a potential danger.

On the other hand, superhumans—those who gained abilities through various accidents—were much rarer. Their scarcity made them more acceptable to governments, even to someone as knowledgeable as Professor Charles Xavier, who had scanned humanity with his psychic abilities. He was eager to recruit such individuals, including Yi Zhou.

Chen Ran wanted Yi Zhou in part for research purposes, but more importantly, he didn't want a potential power like his falling into the hands of an enemy. The best solution was to turn him into an ally.

As Ororo studied Yi Zhou, he also took a good look at her. Unlike most people with dark skin, Ororo lacked the thick lips and flat nose common to her ethnicity. Instead, she had a high-bridged nose and full, alluring lips. Her flawless complexion, coupled with her exquisite features, made her as stunning as any top model.

Her form-fitting leather outfit accentuated her fiery curves, making it impossible not to feel a rush of excitement. And that striking silver-white hair only added to her mystique.

At this moment, Yi Zhou couldn't help but acknowledge that the idea of mutants being biologically superior to humans wasn't entirely wrong—not just in terms of abilities but also sheer appearance. Of course, this was just a passing thought.

Ororo didn't seem offended by Yi Zhou's bold gaze. Instead, she stepped forward, extended her hand with a charming smile, and said, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhou. I'm Ororo Munroe, a teacher at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."

Yi Zhou naturally shook her hand, feeling her soft and delicate palm. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Ororo. Honestly, you're one of the most charming women I've ever seen."

Ororo smiled casually. "Oh? Well, I'm honored—though it's amusing to hear that from a big kid like you."

Yi Zhou glanced at their slight height difference and sighed inwardly. This in-between stage of adolescence made pursuing older women incredibly difficult. At this rate, he saw no hope of succeeding.

Still, that didn't dampen his enthusiasm. He gave it his all to keep the conversation going, but despite his best efforts, they merely chatted casually. Ororo, with her past experience—even as a former gang leader—handled his flirtations effortlessly.

As they exchanged playful banter, Jean ignored them, focusing on adjusting the equipment. Once she was ready, she interrupted, "Alright, you two. If you want to keep chatting, you can set up another time. Yi Zhou, take off your shirt. Let's begin."

"Of course!" Having already secured Ororo's contact information, Yi Zhou didn't push his luck. He casually removed his shirt and stood before Jean.

At just sixteen, Yi Zhou was still developing, like most Asians. However, his body was exceptionally well-built—his muscles and skeletal structure perfectly proportioned. Even by Western standards, he couldn't be considered weak.

Most strikingly, on his back, a blazing red emblem of a three-legged crow was etched onto his skin. Its golden eyes flickered with fire, exuding an air of dominance. The massive wings stretched to his shoulder blades, surrounded by swirling flames and wind. Its sharp talons clutched onto the sun, which was embedded in his lower back, with divine flames radiating outward. The intricate details of the sun's corona and flickering light made the golden crow appear almost lifelike, a breathtaking sight.

Both Jean and Ororo were momentarily mesmerized, their eyes filled with admiration as if gazing at a masterpiece. Yi Zhou, however, remained indifferent—after all, it was just two beautiful women admiring him. No harm in that.

But as experienced mutant mentors, Jean and Ororo quickly regained their composure.

Jean was the first to speak. "What is this? I can sense an incredible power within it."

"This is the Three-Legged Golden Crow, a symbol of the sun in Chinese mythology," Yi Zhou explained with a shrug. "It's my birthmark. My mother tried various ways to remove it, but she never succeeded. That's all I know."

"So, your powers are innate? A divine blessing, perhaps?" Ororo stepped forward, tracing her fingers along the markings on his back. "That's incredible."

"All I can say is, I have no idea. If I knew, I wouldn't have agreed to come here for testing."

"You'll find answers, and so will we," Ororo whispered in his ear, her fingers trailing lightly over his back. The soft touch sent a pleasant shiver through Yi Zhou, but he didn't like it.

Ororo was behaving like a curious cat, eager to uncover his secrets. He decided to shift the conversation, turning to Jean. "Shall we begin?"

"Of course," Jean nodded. She didn't want Ororo to push too far, as any conflict could be detrimental to both Yi Zhou and Xavier's school. She quickly arranged the experiment and turned to Ororo. "Could you cover my classes for two periods? I don't have time right now."

Ororo shrugged. "Fine, as long as you swap with me later." She then turned to Yi Zhou, flashing a playful smile. "See you later, big boy."

With a sway of her hips, she exited the lab.

"She's amazing," Yi Zhou muttered, then quickly turned to Jean with a grin. "Of course, so are you."

Jean rolled her eyes and forced a stiff smile. "Thanks, but let's focus on the experiment."

She gestured toward a hexagonal platform. "This is designed for testing mutants with enhanced physical abilities. It creates a controlled gravity field and has high-precision light sensors to measure your physical stats—strength, resistance, reflexes, and speed. I'll gradually increase the gravity. Try not to use any external energy, just your body's natural resistance. If you feel discomfort, say so immediately."

Yi Zhou nodded in understanding and signaled to start.

Jean activated the machine, her voice coming through the speaker.

"Starting at 1.2 times gravity… all normal. Increasing to 1.5 times… still normal. Now at five times gravity. Yi Zhou, how do you feel?"

Jean was growing increasingly shocked. She understood what five times gravity meant—not just added weight but a full-body pressure affecting every muscle, bone, and cell. A creature adapted to such gravity would be able to smash through a bus under normal conditions.

At Xavier's school, only Beast and Colossus could withstand this level due to their abilities. Yet Yi Zhou still looked comfortable.

He stretched and gave a thumbs-up. "I feel great. Keep going."

Jean hesitated but continued.

"Now at six times gravity… monitoring heart and lung functions… all stable… Experiment continues…"

Yi Zhou's endurance astonished her. By the time the gravity reached nine times—this machine's limit—he only showed minor strain, and even that was barely visible.

"Yi Zhou, can you try running?"

He nodded and started jogging effortlessly, soon accelerating to near sprinting speed. He ran for ten minutes before stopping, looking at Jean expectantly.

She didn't keep him waiting.

"Based on the data, your normal physical strength is between 50,000 to 60,000 pounds (22-27 tons). Your body can withstand about the same pressure, making you nearly immune to conventional firearms."

"Your speed exceeds Mach 4, and your reaction time is at the biological peak—around 0.0007 seconds."

Jean exhaled. "Simply put, your body is at an Alpha-level mutant tier… and that's without considering your other abilities."

Yi Zhou chuckled. "God's child? No. I'd rather believe I'm a human who will one day become a god."