The principal's office at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters on Staten Island, New York, was a blend of institutional formality and academic warmth.
Professor Charles Francis Xavier—the man Zhou Yi remembered as the formidable Dr. X—sat patiently, welcoming the new family. Having already heard their purpose, the renowned telepath greeted Zhou Yi, his mother, Zhou Lan, and the terrified Charisse with genuine warmth.
Zhou Yi felt a deep, instinctive tension in the Professor's presence. He couldn't help but admire this man, this spiritual leader of the Mutant community who devoted his life to the perilous dream of human-Mutant coexistence. Yet, he also harbored an intense need to keep his distance.
Professor Charles's power—his immense Mental Energy—was legendary. This wasn't just about willpower; it spoke to psychic abilities so profound that he could supposedly dictate life and death with a mere thought. Reading memories and subtly controlling minds were, for him, as effortless as drawing a breath.
For a man like Zhou Yi, who concealed a fundamental secret deeper than any X-Gene, meeting Professor Charles was an unnecessary, high-stakes gamble. Though he held a strange confidence in Charles's moral character and his own latent abilities, Zhou Yi would have avoided this encounter if he could have.
Perhaps sensing the spiritual tremor rippling off the young man, Professor Charles offered a slight, knowing smile. A palpable, powerful sense of goodwill and affinity instantly washed over the small group, designed to put them at ease.
"It seems, Mr. Zhou, that I frighten you quite a bit," Charles said with a playful lilt in his voice. "But please, relax. I'm hardly the disciplinarian dean."
Zhou Yi managed a strained, tight-lipped chuckle. "That's quite the joke, Professor. I imagine anyone who knows of your... profound reputation wouldn't feel entirely relaxed in your presence. It's a matter of immense respect, not fear."
"Respect is appreciated, Mr. Zhou, but your concern is entirely misplaced," Charles countered. He gently maneuvered his iconic wheelchair, gliding smoothly in front of Zhou Lan. "What you refer to are those who oppose us Mutants. But as a friend who treats us all equally, you truly have nothing to worry about."
He addressed Zhou Lan directly, his tone soothing and reassuring. "Ms. Zhou Lan, please be completely at ease. Xavier's School is built upon the dream of harmony between Mutants and humans. Since your daughter has become a part of our community, we pledge to do everything we can to educate her, guide her, and help her integrate into this very complicated world."
Zhou Lan tearfully embraced the small, timid Charisse, kissing her forehead. "I have absolute faith in you, Professor. My poor Charisse, don't worry, you'll find many new friends here, and Mommy and your big brother will visit you often."
Charisse remained silent, her only response being to tighten her small, desperate grip on Zhou Yi's clothes.
At that moment, Professor Charles, who had been patiently observing, spoke up again, his voice dropping slightly.
"Ms. Zhou, there is something I must discuss with you. Something that concerns your son, Mr. Zhou Yi."
"Yi? What about him?" Zhou Lan, whose emotional reserves were already frayed by the sudden family crisis, couldn't help but let her voice spike a few octaves. Fear, cold and distinct, gripped her heart as she felt a terrible premonition.
"Regarding Mutants, Ms. Zhou Lan, what is your understanding?" Professor Charles avoided answering directly. He paused, picked up his teacup, and began to slowly explain.
"Mutants are, biologically speaking, a natural evolutionary divergence from the human species. Compared to regular humans, Mutants have only one significant difference at the genetic level: the presence of an additional gene set, which we term the X-Gene."
"The X-Gene is the core factor that separates Mutants from baseline humans. Due to its existence, Mutants possess abilities that make them stronger, sharper, and far more miraculous. However, it is a common misconception that only those who display obvious powers possess this gene."
He gestured lightly. "In fact, our research shows that the X-Gene exists within the genetic code of a considerable portion of the population. In some, it is dominant, causing their abilities and Mutant characteristics to manifest, often during adolescence, such as with your daughter, Young Miss Ferguson."
"But there is a second, larger group. In these people, the X-Gene is recessive. This means their abilities and characteristics have not yet 'Awakened.' They appear perfectly normal, but genetically, they are inherently different from ordinary humans. And your son, Mr. Zhou Yi, is overwhelmingly likely a potential Mutant whose powers have not yet matured."
Zhou Lan's gaze, now joined by Charisse's, fixed entirely upon Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi sighed, meeting Professor Charles's unwavering eyes. "So, how did you discover that I already have superpowers?"
Zhou Lan gasped, instinctively covering her mouth, her eyes wide with sheer panic. The reality unfolding was far beyond her wildest, most anxious imaginings.
Zhou Yi, placing a steady, apologetic hand on his mother's shoulder, looked at her directly. "I'm sorry, Mom. I've kept this from you for too long. But you have to know, I only did it to protect you."
Professor Charles then smoothly intervened. "Indeed, Ms. Zhou. Anyone with extraordinary abilities who desires a normal life is forced to create a few necessary lies. I have witnessed too many tragic outcomes; believe me when I say you are one of the fortunate ones."
Hearing these carefully chosen words, Zhou Lan's stunned expression softened into a look of deep disorientation. Moments later, she slowly, silently slumped against the chair, falling instantly asleep.
Zhou Yi felt the almost imperceptible wave of Mental Energy that Charles had used—a powerful psychic suggestion to gently induce sleep. While he understood the necessity of protecting his mother from immediate shock, he didn't appreciate the violation. He fixed the Professor with a gaze of intense, silent warning.
"I don't want that to happen a second time," Zhou Yi stated, his voice low and dangerous, a subtle tremor running beneath the words. "Not to my mother, and certainly not to Charisse."
As he spoke, the air around him fractured. An invisible ripple of power, massive and compressed, expanded outward, as if an irresistible force had been slammed into the empty space. The carpet immediately around Professor Charles's wheelchair seemed to be struck by an unseen, tremendous hammer. It was visibly pulverized, crushed instantly into fine, sand-like particles that dusted the floor.
The control was terrifying: the force had only acted upon the specific area of the carpet, leaving the wooden floor beneath untouched.
Yet, the display was too overt. Just as Zhou Yi's power receded, the office door flew open, and two figures rushed in.
One of them, a striking red-haired woman, instantly extended her hand toward Zhou Yi. An invisible force—telekinesis—snapped into action, gripping Zhou Yi's body like a giant, kinetic fist and wrenching him off his feet.
Golden, incandescent light seemed to flare within Zhou Yi's eyes. A thought, cold and absolute, surged from him, instantly materializing into a powerful, opposing physical force. It acted like an impenetrable wall, not only neutralizing the woman's telekinetic hold but forcefully slamming both intruders backward against the wall, locking them rigidly in place.
"Please stop, Mr. Zhou Yi. Scott and Jean mean no harm."
The voice was Professor Charles's, but it wasn't heard through Zhou Yi's ears; it resonated directly within his mind. The tone remained as placid and composed as before, as if the small display of massive power had been nothing more than a passing sneeze. It was a subtle, yet powerful, demonstration of his authority as one of the most formidable Mutants on Earth.
Zhou Yi acknowledged the unspoken challenge. The old man in the wheelchair was certainly a figure deserving of respect.
The immense mental pressure dissipated, and the two individuals, released from Zhou Yi's forceful control, were free. Scott—the man wearing strange, ruby-quartz glasses—and Jean Grey—the red-haired beauty—had evidently received the Professor's psychic command. They made no aggressive move, silently moving to position themselves on either side of Charles's wheelchair, standing guard.
Their expressions, however, betrayed their internal displeasure.
Zhou Yi didn't care in the slightest. This was the fundamental law of the Mutant world, and indeed, the entire superhuman community: if his power was greater than theirs, their disapproval was irrelevant.
Professor Charles ignored the tense emotions circulating between the three of them, simply making introductions. "Scott and Jean Grey. They were both my students, and now they are instructors here. Your sister will be under their tutelage."
He then directed his gaze at Scott. "Scott, please escort Young Miss Ferguson and familiarize her with the academy. Mr. Zhou Yi and I still have important matters to discuss."
The man in the unique glasses nodded curtly. He first approached Zhou Yi, giving him a long, challenging glare from behind his strange lenses—a glare Zhou Yi felt, even if he couldn't see the man's eyes. Then, Scott knelt beside Charisse, speaking in a softer, professional tone.
"Please follow me, Young Miss Ferguson. From today forward, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters is your home away from home."
Zhou Yi gently patted Charisse's head. "Go on, Charisse. It's just a new school and a new place. Mom and I will pick you up on the weekend, I promise."
Since witnessing Zhou Yi's flash of power, Charisse's timid demeanor had visibly improved. She looked up at him, a flicker of something strange in her emerald eyes. "Alright, I'll listen this time. But you have to promise! You'll pick me up on the weekend, and don't you dare get into any more accidents like before!"
Zhou Yi chuckled, rubbing her hair affectionately. "Don't worry, little fellow. I'll bring you a gift then."
Charisse stopped worrying and quietly left the office with Scott.
It wasn't until the door clicked shut that Professor Charles smiled at Zhou Yi. "You clearly have a wonderful, close-knit family. And you love them very much."
Zhou Yi gave a slight, wry laugh, glancing at both Charles and Jean Grey behind him. "I'd assume that's a given, wouldn't you?"
Professor Charles sighed, turning his chair to face the window, watching the groups of young Mutant students passing outside.
"I've witnessed too many instances where the Mutant identity becomes an acidic rift in family bonds, causing families to shatter and destroy themselves," he lamented. "And far too many young Mutants go down dark paths because of that loss."
Zhou Yi remained silent, listening to the Professor's deep-seated sorrow. This was a complex, weighty issue. Mutant-dom was not just about the powers; a large portion of it involved frightening physical mutations. The transition from human to perceived monster was a profound trauma—for the family, for society, and for the individual psyche.
Without proper guidance, the distorted worldview of these young Mutants could easily push them toward destruction and reckless acts. And the human world, terrified and hostile, would offer no quarter.
The resulting living space for Mutants would only shrink and suffocate them. What the final outcome of that compression would be, Zhou Yi didn't dare predict. He only knew it spelled inevitable tragedy.
Professor Charles, this immensely powerful telepath, was undoubtedly playing the role of a saint here. He was spending his life force to carve out a viable living space for his people. Though the task felt like pouring a drop into an ocean, he persisted, inspiring others to follow this difficult, peaceful path.
His great character and noble morality were the one thing Zhou Yi respected without reservation.