The movie never made it clear what year it was.
Walking down the crowded Hong Kong street, Su Zhan frowned slightly, lost in thought. Time in this world was limited — which meant the story had either already begun or was just about to.
Three factions ruled this city's hidden war.
First, the protagonist and his small band of misfit allies.
Second, a secret organization obsessed with studying psychic powers — they sent in agents and super-soldiers, led by one particularly nasty boss.
And finally, the third faction — the local Hong Kong "vampires." A family of four. The father's powers were unknown; the two older brothers could unleash devastating sonic waves; and the youngest, the sister, Li Xiaolu — known in the movie as Lollipop Girl — was a clairvoyant who could see the future. Always with a candy stick in her mouth, always smiling like she knew everyone's fate.
"Main objective: acquire three or more abilities."
Su Zhan smirked at the mission prompt echoing in his head.
Plenty of gifted people in this world — getting three powers shouldn't be hard. The tricky part was the clairvoyants. If someone here could see the future... could they also see him?
"Better not take that risk," he muttered. "If anyone here can peek through fate itself, they're my first target."
There were two seers in this timeline: Lollipop Girl Li Xiaolu, and another — a second-generation psychic working with the protagonist to find a special serum that could save her mother's life.
"Who should I start with…" Su Zhan's lips curved into a dark, wicked smile as he strolled along the street.
Then — movement.
A flicker at the edge of his vision.
He turned his head and spotted a man — ugly, mean-faced, exactly like the sonic-wielding brother from the movie.
"Well, well. Speak of the devil." Su Zhan grinned. "Guess I'll start with you."
He walked straight up to the man and patted his shoulder casually.
"Hey, got a light?"
The man frowned, clearly annoyed.
"Oh, right," Su Zhan said with a smirk, pulling out John's lighter. A spark flared. "Almost forgot — I've got my own fire."
He clicked it open, the flame dancing between them.
"Your sister's the clairvoyant, right? I'm curious… did she happen to see how you're going to die?"
"You—"
The man barely got the word out. Su Zhan flicked his finger — and the lighter's flame shot straight into the man's mouth.
A guttural scream. The sonic mutant's throat blistered instantly. He clutched his neck, unable to make a sound, and Su Zhan grabbed him by the collar, shoving him into a narrow alley.
"Don't move," Su Zhan murmured. "Unless you want me to burn out more than your voice."
The man's eyes widened with terror.
Su Zhan simply smiled and said, "I'll give your sister five minutes to find you. If she doesn't show up… you can consider that fate's answer."
He leaned against the wall, idly flipping the lighter open and closed as the minutes ticked by.
Five minutes.
Silence.
"Guess she didn't see this one coming."
His hand tightened around the man's throat, and the familiar pull of the Devour ability surged through him.
The man convulsed — and then went limp.
Power flooded into Su Zhan's body like electricity.
Sonic energy. Vibration. Force.
But there was something else too — the devouring felt smoother, easier, as if something inside him had evolved.
"Strange," he muttered. "Did my Devour get stronger? Or is it the Dark Heart at work?"
He clenched his fists, letting the new energy hum in his veins. Then, with a grin, he turned toward the alley's exit.
"Let's test this out."
He inhaled deeply — and screamed.
A shattering wave of sound exploded from his throat, blowing out every window and streetlight in range. The air itself seemed to vibrate, glass raining down like crystal shards.
When the echo finally faded, the sonic mutant lay still, blood seeping from his ears and eyes.
"Not bad," Su Zhan said, nodding in satisfaction. "Not flashy, but it'll do."
He left the body behind and sat down at a nearby noodle stall, ordering a bowl and eating calmly, as if nothing had happened.
He was waiting.
If one of the brothers was nearby, the others wouldn't be far.
But even after finishing his noodles, no one came.
"Hmm. Either they're not in the area… or they already know something's wrong."
He considered. Lollipop Girl could easily have foreseen her brother's death — which meant she might be hiding instead.
"Clairvoyants," he muttered, shaking his head. "Always a pain in the ass."
He tossed a few bills onto the counter and walked off toward the apartment building he remembered from the movie — the protagonist's home.
Two foreign agents were already heading inside. Organization types. They were sniffers, able to track someone's memories through touch or scent. Su Zhan recognized them instantly.
"I'll let them live — for now," he murmured. "If they die too soon, the clairvoyant will sense it."
He slipped into the shadows, waiting. According to the plot, once those agents left, the other seer would appear — the little girl who tried to prove her precognition by bringing the protagonist a new toothbrush.
It wasn't long before he spotted her, standing alone near a dark corner, rainbow-dyed hair and a brand-new toothbrush in hand.
"Sorry, kid," Su Zhan whispered, stepping out. "But your future ends here."
The girl blinked, confused — until she saw his smile.
"Two options," Su Zhan said. "One, give me your ability. Two… die. You're just a kid, so I'll let you choose."
"Who are you?" she stammered, stepping back — and then bolted.
Su Zhan sighed and caught her easily, grabbing her wrist.
"Not the obedient type, huh? Then don't blame me."
She struggled, panic in her eyes.
"It doesn't matter who I am," he said softly. "What matters is — your gift belongs to me now."
He pressed his hand to her forehead. Darkness spread.
Within seconds, the future flashed before his eyes — countless scenes, countless possibilities unraveling all at once.
When it was over, the girl collapsed weakly to the ground, trembling, powerless.
Su Zhan exhaled slowly, eyes glinting with dark satisfaction.
"So it was the Dark Heart's doing," he murmured. "Didn't expect it to come with perks."
Visions flickered in his mind — the shape of things to come.
And for the first time, Su Zhan felt like he was truly seeing his story begin.