The Metahuman was far more impatient than anyone thought; just the next evening, an alarm from Stagg Tower was picked up by Cisco via satellite.
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh… Barry! The Flash, GO, GO, GO, Stagg Tower."
Cisco shouted excitedly, thrilled by the clash between Metahumans and the showdown between heroes and villains.
Joe and Caitlin looked at Cisco as if he were a lunatic, his eyes shining with excitement. Caitlin said, "Can you be normal?"
Cisco reacted, finding Caitlin's quietness strange. "Hey, this is a Metahuman battle! It's going to be an epic, world-ending fight! How can you be so calm? Everyone, let's get hyped!"
"Can you not be so calm? How can anyone be calm? This is a showdown between Metahumans, such an amazing event that hasn't been seen more than a few times in decades, and you're still so calm?"
Cisco was baffled. Earthlings shouldn't be able to stay calm in the face of something so cool.
Caitlin rolled her eyes at him. "This is just about a criminal and someone stopping a criminal."
She snatched the microphone from in front of Cisco and adjusted it to broadcast.
"Lin Li, prepare to head to Stagg. Metahuman sighted, Metahuman sighted."
Lin Li, who was in the lab working on a magnetic gravity device, reluctantly put down his work, put on his communication earpiece, and hurried to the underground garage.
Lin Li walked and spoke, "I haven't gotten my driver's license yet, Cisco, can I drive the Lightning War Cycle?"
Caitlin said, "This is an emergency. I think violating the rules once or twice, and getting a fine, is fine."
Cisco said, "It's not fine. If you get caught, the vehicle will be impounded. Once it's impounded, it takes several months for review, and all the paperwork has to be complete before you can get the vehicle back. The Lightning War Cycle is considered an illegally modified vehicle, so you won't get it back."
Caitlin rolled her eyes at Cisco again, helplessly. "Okay, Lin Li, you'd better run."
Joe, listening nearby, was speechless. At such a critical moment, dealing with a Metahuman, could they please stop messing around?
Joe said, "What are you two worried about? This is a minor issue, okay? Lin Li, go at full speed. I'm a police officer; this small matter is nothing."
Both of them looked at Joe in surprise.
Cisco seriously grabbed Joe's hand and shook it. "Joe, we're good friends… I have a…"
"I wouldn't dare drive at full speed."
Lin Li smiled, put on his helmet, and got on the Lightning War Cycle.
Instantly, the Lightning War Cycle sped through the night at 400 kilometers per hour, bright silver electric arcs occasionally flashing, truly like a bolt of lightning tearing through the street, weaving through the avenues.
400 kilometers per hour was the speed at which Lin Li could fully control the Lightning War Cycle. This full control meant being able to make perfect turns without slowing down and perform high-difficulty maneuvers at that speed. With him and the vehicle perfectly integrated, using electrical and magnetic control, this speed was the most perfect and suitable for weaving through streets and alleys.
However, this speed, clearly speeding through the streets, exceeded what patrol officers could tolerate.
The United States does not have traffic police as a separate police branch; traffic matters are usually handled by other police officers on a rotating basis.
Thus, Lin Li was targeted.
Paulson fiercely yanked the police car's communicator, notifying the on-duty officers: "Guys, attention, a motorcycle exceeding 350 kilometers per hour is speeding through the streets and alleys. It just turned onto 6th Avenue, black, with a bright silver lightning emblem, like a bolt of lightning, that damn Lightning Knight…"
Just now, he was by the roadside scolding some delinquents for abusing a pet dog.
Unexpectedly, a motorcycle whizzed past him, and the wind it generated directly knocked him to the ground, causing his palm to accidentally land on dog poop, which made the delinquents laugh loudly. They also kept praising the motorcycle with 'Cool, cool, cool…'
Damn it, this was unbearable.
He wiped his hand casually and drove with his partner to chase, but after two blocks, he was so far behind he couldn't even see it.
Therefore, he planned to notify other officers to heavily Encirclement and suppression him.
Lin Li glanced at the rearview mirror; two police cars had their red and blue lights flashing, and their sirens blared loudly, audible throughout the entire street.
"Lightning Knight ahead, stop immediately, or we will shoot…"
The police car's broadcast threatened.
Holy cow, how did you know the title Cisco gave me?
Because the title Cisco gave him was so apt, whenever Lin Li rode the Lightning War Cycle, speeding on the street, with the silver lightning emblem flashing past, the name Lightning Knight would appear in anyone's mind.
"Bang!"
A police officer fired a warning shot into the air, then aimed his gun at the moving lightning.
Lin Li glanced at it, not caring.
He tilted the vehicle, creating a silver glow, tearing through with a silver line, like lightning, turning and accelerating without slowing down, successfully shaking off the police cars.
It only stirred up a gust of wind, causing a chorus of angry shouts and curses from the crowd on the street, as many women's long skirts were lifted, and drinks and fries were splashed on themselves out of fright. The turn was near a movie theater, and the crowd there happened to bear the brunt.
Over the communicator, Barry's voice came through: "I've already rescued Simon Stagg. What should I do? The entire Stagg Tower is full of Metahumans; I can't find the main body, there are too many people."
Lin Li directed: "Barry, stall for a bit. I'll be there after I shake off two more police cars. Joe, you really need to communicate with the police department. They're treating me like a street racer right now; they just tried to Encirclement and suppression me and shot at me… Now, thanks to them, people on several streets know there's a street racer called Lightning Knight."
Cisco was very happy that something he created was so eye-catching: "Oh wow… It seems Lin Li, you should wear a suit of armor, just like an ancient knight. Otherwise, if people recognize you, it'll be over."
Lin Li's physique was quite different from Westerners in various aspects, and there weren't many Chinese people in Central City, so it wouldn't be surprising for someone to recognize Lin Li as the Lightning Knight.
The few people in the control room exchanged glances, their eyes finally settling on Cisco, as if to say, "Why did you make the Lightning War Cycle so flashy?"
Cisco shivered: "What? Why are you looking at me like that? The pursuit of coolness is human nature, see? Isn't Lin Li very cool now? Although he's causing a bit of a public disturbance and speeding, when it comes to catching Metahuman criminals and fighting crime, he's aligned with the police, so some minor offenses can be forgiven."
Lin Li agreed: "Cisco, you're absolutely right. Wearing armor might even help resist sonic boom shockwaves. I could drive the Lightning War Cycle at supersonic speeds."
"YES…"
Then Cisco and Lin Li actually started discussing the implementation of supersonic travel.
Barry was quite opinionated: "Can't you two focus on me and the Metahumans I'm fighting? I just got ganged up on again! More and more Metahumans are splitting off; I can't even turn a corner without getting caught and beaten up…"
Uh…
"My bad, I'm here…"