William felt as if his entire being was a sponge that had been drained of all water, only to be instantly refilled with scalding magma.
He collapsed onto the sofa, his shirt completely soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to his back, sticky and cold.
The chaotic images and data streams in his brain finally receded, leaving only two clear, branded knowledge modules.
Mechanical Induction.
Super Soldier Serum.
He slowly, somewhat stiffly, raised his hand and spread it out before his eyes.
His fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles, looking no different from a few minutes ago.
But an unprecedented sensation was quietly growing from the deepest parts of his body, from the crevices of every single cell.
It was a gentle, continuous warm current.
It wasn't as overbearing as an electric current.
Nor was it as scorching as fire.
It was more like soaking in a whole pool of warm water on a cold winter night.
The fatigue he had felt earlier due to intense concentration was receding at an incredible speed under the wash of this warm current.
Every corner of his body, every muscle fiber, was emitting a satisfied, stretch of humming.
William stood up, supporting himself on the armrest of the sofa.
His legs felt full of strength.
He tried to jump.
His body was incredibly light.
He even had the illusion that if he just pushed a little harder, he could easily touch the apartment ceiling.
Was this the effect of the Super Soldier Serum?
It wasn't an instant transformation, but a subtle, pervasive optimization and reshaping from the very root.
He was very satisfied.
This slow and steady growth was far safer than turning into a muscle monster overnight, and it also aligned better with his life plan of making a fortune discreetly.
Outside the window, explosions and screams rose and fell, pulling him back to reality from his visions of the future.
In his mind.
Locking on to the next client... Target locked: Thor Odinson.
Detecting ultra-high energy divine particle reaction!
This was a true god.
An Asgardian prince who had lived for thousands of years, the master of thunder and storms.
Extracting abilities from him was akin to stealing magma from an active volcano on the verge of eruption.
William's Adam's apple bobbed.
He looked out the window at the golden-haired figure suspended in mid-air, holding Mjolnir aloft.
A thick bolt of lightning, bright enough to illuminate the entire night sky, descended from the heavens, striking precisely at the edge of the spatial portal.
Countless Chitauri soldiers were incinerated by that divine power.
William's breathing became a little heavy.
Power.
This was true power.
Extraction initiated!
Boom!
William felt his brain turn to mush.
This time, it was no longer a data stream, but a pure, violent golden thunder.
He seemed to witness the birth of the Universe, the rise and fall of the Nine Realms, and heard the ceaseless war cries and feasts in Valhalla.
Ancient runes, the whispers of gods, the roar of thunder... countless vast and chaotic pieces of information attempted to completely tear apart and assimilate his consciousness.
The [Mental Resilience] ability was operating frantically, barely maintaining his last shred of clarity.
He gritted his teeth, feeling his soul tremble under the onslaught of this divine power.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Perhaps a century.
Perhaps only an instant.
That golden thunderstorm finally slowly subsided.
Extraction complete.
Congratulations, you have acquired the following abilities:
From client 'Thor Odinson' — Lightning Affinity (Elementary): Your body is slowly being transformed by the thunderous power of the divine realm.
Your perception and control over Electrical Energy have received a foundational enhancement.
Effect: You can now perceive changes in the electromagnetic field in your surroundings and can actively guide weak currents to flow on your body surface, producing a numbing effect.
Note: This ability has a linked synergy with 'Electrical Energy Absorption' and 'Palm Arc Pulse'.
It's done!
William clenched his fists suddenly.
A surge of ecstasy welled up from the bottom of his heart.
He could feel that the scattered Electrical Energy in the air was no longer vague energy points, but had become docile, touchable streams.
He even had an impulse.
He wanted to reach out and grasp the lightning bolt that tore across the sky outside the window.
Client file extraction continues.
Locking on to the next client... Target locked: Natasha Romanoff.
Extraction complete.
Congratulations, you have acquired the following abilities:
[From client 'Natasha Romanoff' — Interrogation Expert (Elementary):
You have mastered basic psychology, micro-expression analysis, and interrogation techniques.
You can now easily discern most lies.
And can, through linguistic guidance, cause the conversation subject to unknowingly reveal more information.
This is quite practical.
William calmed his emotions.
At least in the future, when selling insurance, he'll be able to tell if a client is bragging.
Target locked: Clint Barton.
Extraction complete.
From client 'Clint Barton' — Tactical Vision (Intermediate): Your sensory system has undergone deep restructuring, and your ability to analyze structural weaknesses and key nodes has achieved a qualitative leap.
Effect: You can now not only pinpoint 'core flaws' but also instantly construct at least three or more dynamic response plans in your mind, including environmental factors.
Analysis speed increased, mental energy consumption decreased.
William's eyes lit up.
If elementary Tactical Vision gave him a treasure map marked with an "X", then the intermediate ability directly gave him a complete action plan, including detailed routes, risk assessments, and backup plans.
Finally.
Only one name remained on the extraction list.
And it was the most dangerous one.
Bruce Banner.
Warning!
Detecting ultra-high concentration Gamma radiation source!
This target possesses an independent, violent, and uncontrollable secondary personality!
The extraction protocol has a 98.9% chance of permanently contaminating your mind with Gamma energy or assimilating your consciousness with the emotional storm of this secondary personality!
Warning!
This is the highest level of fatal risk!
Strongly recommend aborting extraction!
William looked at the 98.9% fatal risk probability and suddenly smiled.
He had nothing left to lose.
He had even acquired the power of a god; what could a big green guy do to him?
"Extract."
He calmly uttered a single word.
Initiating final extraction protocol... Isolating Gamma radiation... Evading emotional storm... This time, there was no grand spectacle.
William only felt a pure, indescribable rage, like a red-hot steel needle, fiercely piercing his mind.
Immediately after, an even more terrifying, primal power, capable of tearing apart Planets, surged into his limbs and bones along with that rage!
Muscles screamed, bones groaned!
Extraction complete.
Congratulations, your existing abilities have been enhanced!
From client 'Bruce Banner' — Superhuman Strength (Advanced): Your muscle fiber density, bone structure, and bioelectrical conduction efficiency have all received explosive reinforcement.
You can now easily lift approximately 100 tons of heavy objects, and a full-power punch is enough to shake mountains.
Your physical strength and endurance have entered the superhuman domain.
Warning: The increase in strength may lead to emotional instability; please use with caution.
William slowly exhaled.
He felt his body like a balloon blown to its limit, filled with power that could explode at any moment.
He could clearly hear the sound of every heartbeat, a heavy and powerful sound, like a war hammer striking a drum.
He stood up, walked to the refrigerator, and grabbed the refrigerator door with one hand.
With just a gentle squeeze.
"Creak—"
The thick metal refrigerator door, under his fingertips, was dented with five deep indentations, like tin foil.
William looked at his hand for a long time without speaking.
The war and roars outside the window seemed to become distant background noise.
He suddenly felt that this World, which had once made him feel fear and unease, seemed... not so dangerous after all.
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