"What is this?" Silvain subconsciously looked around and quickly realized the panel floating in front of him was visible only to himself.
"This can't be a hallucination."
After a few quick tests, Silvain discovered that he could control the panel effortlessly with just his thoughts.
At that moment, Queen Maeve was still beside him, striking various poses for the cameras.
"Analyze." As Silvain issued the command, the panel immediately projected a 3D image of Queen Maeve. At the same time, a line of small text appeared.
[Please select the ability to be analyzed]
What powers did Queen Maeve have again? Silvain couldn't quite recall, so he randomly selected strength.
[Talent Ability: Super Strength]
[Analysis Condition: Touch Queen Maeve's skin for two hours]
[After fusion, the player's genes will gradually change. When the player's strength reaches a threshold, other abilities will be needed to unlock the limit]
Silvain was stunned after reading the conditions. Touching Queen Maeve's skin for two hours? Forget two hours, two minutes would already be impossible.
Soon after, Queen Maeve said goodbye to her fans and headed off to begin filming.
Today's shoot seemed to be a standalone episode for Queen Maeve. The plot was straightforward and a bit crude: a bus hijacked by robbers, with Maeve rescuing the hostages.
Unfortunately, Silvain couldn't see the specific scenes being filmed. Otherwise, he might have had the chance to analyze her other powers.
By noon, the sun over New York grew even hotter. Most of the fans who had gathered earlier had dispersed. Silvain glanced at the watch on his wrist. It was twelve o'clock—lunchtime.
Silvain followed Blitz and the others to a shaded patch of grass under some trees. They began eating fast food delivered from a nearby fried chicken joint.
"Queen Maeve looks absolutely stunning."
As a die-hard fan of Queen Maeve, Blitz even admired the image of her printed on the fried chicken bucket as he opened it.
"If you're not gonna eat it, don't waste it."
Silvain grabbed a chicken wing from his own bucket and stuffed it into his mouth. After surviving on glucose for so long, the sensation of real food in his mouth was almost overwhelming.
At the same time, a look of determination formed in his eyes. As the saying goes, people yearn for what they've lost.
Silvain's only goal now was to grow stronger, so strong that nothing could threaten or destroy him again.
He had endured more than enough during those paralyzed years.
"Damn, my chicken wing!" Blitz cried out, trying to snatch it back.
But Silvain wouldn't let him succeed.
After finishing the fried chicken, Silvain gulped down the cold soda in one go.
"Burp... So good." Silvain lay back on the lawn and let out a burp.
Just then, a round of applause sounded in the distance. Ol, tall and solidly built, walked over to the group.
"Guys, the set says they're short on robbers. Anyone want to volunteer? There's an extra 120 bucks in it."
Blitz had always dreamed of acting alongside his goddess. He was just about to raise his hand to volunteer when Hank, a veteran team member beside him, quickly pulled him back.
"Boss, are you sure Asia doesn't just want more punching bags so Maeve can show off her strength?" Hank asked, his face filled with dread.
"Exactly. That's why there's a reward."
"No way, boss."
Ol ignored Hank's sour expression, scanned the group, and picked out three people—including Silvain.
"Boss, I volunteer!" Blitz raised his hand with excitement.
Ol looked him up and down. "Wipe that creepy smile off your face. Honestly, I'm tempted to hit you myself. If Queen Maeve punches you, you'll be in a hospital bed for half a month."
"Getting hit by the Queen is actually one of my dreams."
The second Blitz finished his shameless remark, everyone nearby shifted their seats away from him in silence.
Ol sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I really don't know how you got into the security team. Fine, you're in. But once we're on set, keep your eyes in check. If something really goes down, I won't be able to protect you."
With that, the group followed Ol to the set and changed into the robber costumes.
They were decked out from head to toe. Goggles on their faces, daggers at their waists. Silvain weighed the gun in his hand, the heft told him it was real.
"Damn, this is too hardcore," Silvain muttered.
Once everything was ready, the group boarded the bus, weapons in hand. To Silvain's surprise, there were already over a dozen "robbers" inside, all in the same getup. The real passengers, including the driver, totaled just three.
Wasn't this a bit excessive?
With this much firepower, wouldn't it make more sense to rob an armored truck than a city bus?
There were so many things to complain about, Silvain didn't know where to start.
"Action!"
A little girl clung to her mother, her expression full of fear, trembling as she said, "When will the superhero come to save us? I'm scared."
An actor playing a robber sneered and said with a crazed laugh, "With so many of us, even Queen Maeve can't save you!"
Hearing this line and the over-the-top delivery, Silvain felt a wave of secondhand embarrassment.
Suddenly, the ground shook, as if something heavy had just landed.
Silvain looked out the window.
Queen Maeve was kneeling with one leg down, surrounded by rising dust and fractured pavement.
It was definitely a dramatic entrance.
"That's definitely superhuman-level physique," Silvain muttered.
He quickly attempted an analysis and saw that the conditions for this ability were even more demanding than super strength. Not only did he have to touch her skin for two hours, he also needed ten milliliters of her blood.
Silvain couldn't help but wonder, could an ordinary syringe even pierce Maeve's skin?
As Maeve appeared, the robbers inside opened fire. Gunshots rang out. Bullet casings clattered to the ground.
Queen Maeve didn't dodge. She walked calmly through the hail of bullets toward the bus.
This wasn't a movie special effect. It was happening right in front of Silvain's eyes.
But the next moment surprised him even more.
Queen Maeve raised the sword in her hand and sliced the incoming bullets cleanly in half.
Analyze that!
[Talent Ability: Swordsmanship Talent]
[Allows the player to be more adept at using bladed weapons. Possesses extraordinary sword talent. Slightly enhances the player's reaction speed.]
[Analysis Condition: Touch Queen Maeve]
The comparatively easier condition lit up Silvain's eyes.
All he had to do was touch Maeve, even briefly, to analyze and acquire the ability.
Of course, being able to slice bullets like her was another matter. That would probably require him to stack superhuman reflexes and physique on top of sword talent.
But acquiring those would be easier said than done. For now, he could only wait for a better opportunity.