"Sir, are you absolutely certain this deep-level test is necessary right now?" Medusa's voice, devoid of inflection but laden with computational concern, resonated solely within the specialized earpiece now fitted to Zhou Yi.
"Medusa, the only crucible capable of validating theoretical truth is unfiltered action," Zhou Yi replied, tapping his finger against the discreet communication device. "And what we are about to achieve is vital. We cannot rely on simulations when the world is revealing itself to be far more dangerous than we previously cataloged."
"Sir, my structural models strongly advise against immediate deployment. Constructing an egress tunnel several kilometers into the sub-seafloor before the Dawn Type-1 prototype has completed its full stress-testing cycle presents an unacceptable risk. Should a structural failure occur 300 meters beneath bedrock, the complexity of a recovery operation escalates exponentially."
"Worry less about my fragility, and focus on your operational metrics. Proceed with the integration sequence, Medusa."
"Understood, Director. Initiating full integration sequence."
The massive, articulated machine occupying the center of the vault began to hum, emitting a deep, low-frequency sound that signaled its massive power consumption. Several flexible, multi-jointed robotic arms extended toward Zhou Yi's body. They moved with uncanny precision, attaching complex coupling devices—sleek metal nodes—to the primary joints: the knees, ankles, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and chest.
These devices were not merely protective; they were the haptic interface, designed to monitor the user's bio-kinetics and coordinate the controlled proliferation and molecular deformation of the coming nanometal.
Once the primary nodes were secured, a second set of robotic arms emerged. These terminated not in manipulators, but in syringe-like nozzles. The coupling devices on Zhou Yi's body opened discreet ports, ready to receive the payload.
The first phase began as the metallic substance was introduced. A shimmering, silver-gray liquid metal flowed from the injector nozzles. It looked like thickened mercury, but its spread was impossibly fast and silent.
Thin, microscopically organized hexagonal blocks spread outward from the injection points, coating Zhou Yi's body in a dense, invisible film—the innermost substrate layer, acting as a frictionless biosuit.
Then came the second phase: a massive influx of the viscous liquid metal. According to the programmed schema, the material began to thicken and delineate, selectively increasing its density in specific areas. The thin layer swelled, coalescing into defined structures.
The metal folded and locked into thick, articulated plates around the major muscle groups, while remaining streamlined over the torso.
The process took exactly sixty-eight seconds, transforming Zhou Yi from a man in simple attire into an armored titan. The Dawn Type-1 Nanoarmor, fabricated at immense cost and effort, stood complete.
The resulting armor was a testament to applied engineering and fluid dynamics. Its streamlined contours emphasized speed and power, avoiding the bulky, cobbled-together look of conventional armor.
Thick, overlapping plates at the joints offered maximal protection while maintaining full mobility, giving the suit an intimidating, almost mythological strength. The layers of interlocking nanometal plates gave the armor a complex, aesthetically sharp texture, reminiscent of the scaled hide of a legendary warrior beast.
The helmet was the most striking feature, a departure from the mythological look and a nod to pure science fiction. It featured prominent outer ear cups extending from the head, fabricated from crystallized nanometal.
The faceplate began at the chin and curved upward, terminating in a smooth, meteoric arch. The entirety of the visor was composed of a mirror-like metallic crystal, which, from the outside, only permitted a highly refracted, blurry silhouette of the face within, making identification impossible.
This crystal visor was designed with a key fail-safe: in controlled social situations, the protective field could retract entirely, leaving only a small, elegant earpiece. Zhou Yi knew absolute secrecy was an illusion in this world.
But starting as a mysterious figure, rather than an anonymous man in a hoodie, was essential for establishing his legend. He was not aiming to be a 'friendly neighborhood' vigilante; he was creating a terrifying, global deterrent.
A faint golden light ignited at the center of the helmet's futuristic crystal visor, marking the successful initialization of the internal systems. Zhou Yi's voice, now digitized and amplified, finally broke the silence.
"Medusa, the initialization felt protracted. That was closer to ninety seconds than forty-five." He ran a gloved hand over the smooth, jointed armor, listening to the solid, clear clink it made. "However, I will concede the engineering design is utterly superb."
"The initialization delay was caused by a minor anomaly during the nanometal's final structural adaptation to your unique energetic signature, Director. The system needed additional cycles to stabilize the molecular bond. The design team appreciates your compliment," Medusa replied.
"But this color… I dislike the subdued metallic gray," Zhou Yi mused, observing the dull sheen on his forearm. "Medusa, enact the aesthetic override. Change the primary plating to pure black, and incorporate an emblem. Something unforgettable."
The change was instantaneous and dramatic. Under Medusa's control, the nanometal executed a molecular-level color shift. The entire suit plunged into an intense, absorbing black—the color of a storm in deep space.
Then, across the thick shoulder plating and the center of the chest, a pattern emerged: a blazing, stylized sun, rendered in pure gold nanometal. .
The aesthetic transformed entirely, shedding its generic sci-fi look for a unique, intimidating majesty—a dark storm given a solar heart.
"Now this is functionally and aesthetically superior," Zhou Yi affirmed, flexing his hands, testing the flawless range of motion. "Medusa, plot the optimal angle for the tunnel trajectory and activate the hydraulic seals on the vault door. I have no desire for the subterranean pressure to transform this chamber into an Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool upon my return."
"Calculations complete. Trajectory set. Exit seals engaged."
"Very good. Let us commence the field test."
The crystals in Zhou Yi's helmet began to emit a blinding white light. This was not illumination; it was the refraction of his concentrated heat rays, focused through the nano-optic lens of the visor. The light was intensely energetic. Where it struck the floor, the metal and compacted soil instantly vaporized, leaving behind a smooth, glassy, crystallized trench.
Zhou Yi leaped into the air, launching himself into the newly bored hole. Combining the immense thermal energy of the focused X-ray vision drilling technology with Medusa's world-leading AI positioning system, his descent was staggeringly fast. He plummeted over 300 meters deep, passing through layers of densely packed rock and ancient silt in what felt like a breathless blur.
Twelve minutes later, Medusa alerted him: he had reached the precise boundary of the seabed near Long Island.
"Seabed rock layer breached in five meters, Director. Prepare for water pressure equalization."
Zhou Yi responded by punching through the final few meters of earth and stone. A massive surge of rock fragments and high-pressure foam exploded into the deep-sea water. Zhou Yi erupted from the tunnel, the Dawn Type-1 armor perfectly mitigating the sudden, catastrophic change in pressure and temperature. He quickly surfaced a few meters above the newly created exit.
To secure his entry point, Zhou Yi exerted an enormous, localized magnetic and kinetic pull, tearing several vast, multi-ton slabs of seabed rock from the ocean floor. He then maneuvered these colossal fragments, slamming them back into the tunnel exit, constructing a naturalistic underwater rock pile—a makeshift, ten-meter-high cairn that would appear to any casual observer or submersible as a natural geological formation, completely obscuring the passage beneath.
With his secret route finalized, Zhou Yi broke the sea surface and rocketed skyward. As he ascended through the dense Atlantic air, he registered the distance: the faint, receding outline of land was barely visible—far enough to thwart any conventional surveillance system operating near his home.
He allowed a chuckle to escape, amplified by the armor's speaker. He had an unpleasant, growing suspicion that the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents he'd been tracking around his property were presently staring at an empty mansion.
"Medusa, prioritize monitoring the New York City Police Department's internal communications network. Let's see what localized mayhem is available for immediate intervention."
"Sir, a minor diagnostic warning: the nanometal on your right gauntlet, specifically at the metacarpal joints, is registering a 3.8% structural compromise. We are initiating repair, but the recovery rate is currently suboptimal. I recommend deferring direct engagement until the integrity reaches 95%."
Zhou Yi glanced at his armored hand, noting the fine web of cracks that the sustained kinetic impact of shaping the enormous rocks had caused. The repair process was visible—like a slow, silvery tide attempting to close a fissure—but it was clearly struggling with the extent of the damage.
"Log the structural weakness for immediate prioritization in the Alpha Nanometal Type VIII R&D folder. We need to focus on compressive strength moving forward. As for the damage, consider it a battle scar, Medusa. We'll discuss the minor matter of recovery later. Now, focus on the NYPD channels."
"Affirmative."
The mundane background noise of the NYPD's daily operations filtered into his suit's comms:
"Unit 54-L, possible report of individuals moving without a traceable heat signature near Central Park. Low priority, likely a prank, but check the perimeter."
"Report of a high-value, organized theft operation in the Queens industrial sector. Requesting immediate tactical backup."
"Confirmed code-5 illegal street racing incident on the Manhattan bridge approach. Requesting immediate enforcement response."
"Sam, tell your mother Officer Josh wants to personally thank her for those exceptional double-chocolate chip cookies. I'm going to need the recipe."
"Amanda, tell Josh if he touches my mother's cookies again, I'm personally transferring him to Staten Island dispatch."
Zhou Yi listened for ten minutes, the banality of the police chatter standing in stark contrast to the existential threat of vampires and the covert operations of S.H.I.E.L.D. He felt a profound, dull boredom.
"Medusa, you have autonomy over the filter. Flag only high-priority alerts: threats to life, major structural damage, or confirmed superhuman activity. I am going higher."
He leveraged the immense kinetic energy stored in the nanometal, launching himself from the ocean surface like a thunderbolt, ascending at speeds that ripped a deep red contrail of heated, ionized air through the troposphere.
The unfiltered flight path instantly triggered alarms aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
"Commander Hill, contact alert! Unidentified Flying Creature—Codename 484—has initiated a high-velocity, near-vertical ascent. Trajectory confirms escape velocity breach!" The agent monitoring the sensor array barked the report.
Codename 484 was the internal designation for Zhou Yi, a classification so high (Level 7 clearance needed for any context) that the monitoring agents only knew they were tracking an unverified UFO, unaware of the billionaire's profile.
Commander Maria Hill, already on edge from Director Fury's pointed assignment, reacted instantly. "Upload the telemetry. Contact Field Team Eleven immediately, patch them into the direct tactical channel."
The satellite feed, struggling to keep pace with the hyper-velocity object, finally delivered a visual. A sleek, imposing black shadow passed into geosynchronous orbit, briefly eclipsing a surveillance satellite. The ultra-high-speed camera managed to capture a single, stunning frame: a figure encased in dark, highly reflective, sci-fi exoskeleton armor, soaring past the silent sentinel of the Earth.
And in that split-second image, the figure paused, tilting his head just enough to give a deliberate, utterly clear three-finger salute —the unmistakable gesture of a Boy Scout, aimed directly at the S.H.I.E.L.D. satellite.
Commander Hill's composure fractured. The provocation was blatant, intelligent, and maddeningly arrogant. "You think this is a game, you insolent creature?" she swore under her breath, before regaining absolute control. Her voice, when it came, was ice.
"Field Team 11, report in."
A crisp, controlled female voice responded instantly. "Commander, Field Team Eleven reporting. Agent Morse on the channel."
"Barbara, what is the status of the target at the Long Island residence?"
"The target, Mr. Zhou, has remained inside the villa for the last two hours, save for a brief instance an hour and a half ago when a delivery service brought what appeared to be a pizza. All exterior perimeter sensors are stable."
Hill's eyes narrowed, looking at the image of the armored man in space. "He is not inside. The target utilized an unknown secondary exit. Agent Morse, you are to secure a covert entry into the structure. Find the location and nature of that secondary exit. Immediately. Do not, under any circumstances, allow the subject's presence to be known."
The other end of the line was silent for a beat too long. Agent Barbara Morse—a stunning, athletic blonde with an imposing stature, easily topping 190 centimeters in her tactical boots—was sitting in a darkened, customized black SUV a block from the mansion. This was far beyond standard surveillance protocol.
"Commander, is this absolutely necessary? The target is not a common subject. Violating the perimeter without prior authorization is high-risk, especially if he is indeed Asset 484," Barbara challenged, carefully navigating the limits of her clearance.
Hill's reply was curt, final, and crushing. "Agent Morse, I am perfectly aware of the risk. You have your orders. Proceed, now."
Barbara sighed, her expression hardening with professional resolve. The command was explicit. She knew the magnitude of the target—only someone capable of unilaterally dissolving a known vampire clan and provoking a global security director would warrant this level of immediate tactical breach.
She exited the SUV, blending her striking profile into the shadows of the estate's perimeter, preparing to do the job the Director demanded. She could only hope her skills as a field agent were a match for the genius who had just drilled a multi-ton tunnel to the ocean floor.