The morning after the rain carried an unfamiliar stillness. The air felt thicker, heavy with something Ethan could not explain. As sunlight broke through the clouds, he stood at the bakery's doorway, eyes half closed, breathing deeply. Each breath carried a faint pulse of warmth through his veins, like the city itself was feeding him energy.
Since the talisman vanished, his body had changed. His Qi moved freely, flowing like water instead of smoke. Even when he wasn't cultivating, energy circled naturally through his meridians. It was as if the world had begun to recognize him as part of its rhythm.
Inside, the smell of baking bread filled the air. Mr. Carter hummed softly while cleaning trays, and Evelyn arranged loaves near the front display. She glanced at Ethan and frowned slightly.
"Mister Ward," she said, wiping her hands on her apron. "You look different today."
Ethan turned to her, feigning confusion. "Different?"
"Younger, maybe," she said slowly. "Or healthier. I can't quite explain it."
He laughed lightly. "Must be the bread. Fresh yeast, good for the soul."
Evelyn crossed her arms, unconvinced but amused. "Then I'll have to eat more of it."
Her smile lingered for a moment before she looked away. But Ethan noticed her eyes—there was a faint flicker of light in them, a trace of awareness. She was beginning to sense things she couldn't describe, the aftereffects of being near him for too long.
Later that afternoon, as the streets grew crowded, Ethan slipped away into the back alley. He closed his eyes, reaching inward. The world around him blurred, and faint threads of energy began to appear—thin, silver lines weaving through the air like threads of light. They pulsed faintly beneath the ground, drawing toward the east.
"So it's real," he murmured. "The Lost Qi."
The system confirmed his suspicion.
[Energy Convergence Detected.]
[Source: Unknown anomaly beneath Brooklyn's foundation.]
[Distance: 3.4 kilometers.]
[Warning: Disturbance in local space structure detected.]
Ethan frowned. "Disturbance? As in unstable?"
[Affirmative. Energy fluctuation resembles temporal distortion.]
"Time itself?" he muttered. "So that's what the Guardian meant by sealed realms."
He adjusted his coat and began walking. Brooklyn's streets were alive with noise and chatter, but to him, they sounded distant. He followed the pull of energy like a faint heartbeat, leading him toward an abandoned industrial district near the waterfront. The air grew colder as he approached.
The factory stood silent, its windows shattered and walls blackened by time. A faded sign read "Rogers Ironworks," long forgotten. Ethan stepped inside. The air reeked of rust and damp stone.
At the center of the floor, he found something strange—a pattern carved into the concrete, faintly glowing beneath the dust. It resembled ancient runes, not human in origin.
[Residual Qi Signature Detected.]
[Estimated Age: Over one thousand years.]
[Energy Source: Incomplete Seal.]
Ethan knelt beside the markings and ran his hand across the cold surface. His Qi responded instantly, threads of blue and gold light weaving into the runes. The floor trembled softly, and a faint hum filled the air.
Then came the whisper.
A voice, distant and hollow, echoing through the space. "Who dares touch the remnants of the old world?"
Ethan froze. "Who's there?"
The shadows moved. From the far corner of the room, a figure began to take shape—a mass of mist and flickering energy. It had no face, only two burning lights where eyes should be.
[Warning: Hostile Entity Detected.]
[Classification: Residual Qi Construct.]
[Power Level: Qi Refining Peak (Corrupted).]
Ethan's instincts flared. The creature lunged forward, its form twisting unnaturally. Ethan leapt back just in time as a claw made of dark smoke tore through the floor where he stood.
He drew a deep breath, forcing Qi through his limbs. The air around him thickened, vibrating faintly.
"Let's see if cultivation can handle something like you," he whispered.
The creature struck again, its movements fast but chaotic. Ethan sidestepped, channeling Qi into his palm. A faint sphere of light formed, swirling with unstable energy. He thrust it forward, and it exploded on contact, scattering the mist. The sound echoed through the empty hall.
For a moment, silence. Then the shadow reformed, angrier than before. It rushed him, claws slashing. Ethan blocked with a burst of Qi, pain jolting up his arm. His barrier cracked but held.
[Damage Detected: Right Arm Contusion. Qi Flow Disrupted 14%.]
"Not enough power," he hissed. He reached deeper, pulling every drop of energy from his core. The air began to vibrate violently, dust rising in a swirl around him.
"System, assist manual focus," he commanded.
[Qi Resonance Activated.]
The world went silent. Then, a low hum filled the air, resonating through the walls and his bones. Qi rippled outward in waves, colliding with the shadow's essence. The entity screamed, its form unraveling as blue-gold light devoured it piece by piece.
When the noise faded, only silence remained. Ethan dropped to one knee, breathing heavily. The floor glowed faintly beneath him, the seal now fully visible.
[Seal Integrity: 32%. Energy Flow Restored.]
[Reward: Qi Resonance Skill Unlocked.]
Ethan clenched his fist, feeling the residual energy course through his veins. His body trembled, not from pain but from exhilaration. He could feel the resonance—the harmony between his Qi and the world around him.
He stood slowly, gazing at the glowing seal. "You were guarding this place," he said quietly, looking at the fading traces of the creature. "A remnant of what once was."
The system spoke again.
[Secondary Objective Unlocked: Trace the flow leading from this seal to the next.]
[Hint: The next resonance point lies near the Eastern Research Division of the Strategic Scientific Reserve.]
Ethan's expression hardened. "SSR. That means Howard Stark and the Super Soldier Project."
The realization hit him like a storm. The project that would create Captain America might be tied to the same energy he was chasing. The connection between science and Qi was deeper than anyone realized.
He turned toward the exit, but before he could leave, something caught his attention. A faint shimmer in the air—someone watching.
He called out, "You can stop hiding."
A moment later, a tall man stepped from the shadows. His coat was black, his expression calm but wary. He carried no weapon, but his presence radiated quiet authority.
"Impressive," the man said. "Not many can face a corrupted construct and survive."
Ethan's stance shifted slightly. "Who are you?"
"Colonel Phillips," the man replied. "Strategic Scientific Reserve."
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "SHIELD's predecessor."
Phillips nodded. "Let's just say we've been tracking unusual energy spikes in Brooklyn. You just caused one. Mind explaining what you were doing in a restricted site?"
Ethan met his gaze, unflinching. "Looking for answers. Same as you."
Phillips studied him for a moment, then smirked faintly. "You don't look like a spy, and you sure don't look like a scientist. But I can tell you're not ordinary. We could use someone like you."
Ethan shook his head. "I work alone."
"Everyone says that until the world forces them to choose a side."
The colonel turned to leave, but paused. "You've stepped into something big, son. Whatever you're chasing—it's connected to things this country isn't ready to understand. Be careful who notices you."
When he was gone, Ethan stood in silence. The factory felt colder now, but his resolve burned brighter than ever.
The resonance beneath Brooklyn was only the beginning. If the SSR was involved, it meant the world's first super-soldier project was far more than science—it was a fragment of the ancient Qi that once flowed freely across this universe.
He walked out into the open night, the city lights glimmering like stars reflected on water.
"Science, Qi, gods... everything's merging," he whispered. "Maybe that's what I was brought here for—to bridge them."
As he disappeared into the dark streets, the faint hum of energy lingered beneath Brooklyn's foundations, slowly awakening from centuries of silence.
To be continued.