Seeing Sharron pumped up to actually do some work, Ning and the rest did nothing but encourage her. "Go on. We will be around to protect you," Ning said. "Any idea how long you will be working for?"

"A few days," Sharron said without even thinking. "Maybe a week if I run into complications. The formula is complex, and I need to retrace every step carefully, so I’ll be here for a long time."

Ning looked at her in surprise. "You don’t plan on returning home?"

"No," Sharron said. "I have a power too. I can digest any food I eat and instantly convert it into energy and some low-grade healing. So, as long as I eat enough, I can work without sleep for a long time. That’s how I became as good as I have."

Ning raised an eyebrow. "Very well. Good luck."

Sharron entered the research facility and genuinely started working. She was only meant to be bait, but it appeared that she was quite angry about her information being destroyed. She wanted it all back.

Ning positioned himself near the door, where he could watch both the entrance and the room’s interior. He kept his senses sharp, listening for anything unusual. Frostveil and Godhood remained even further outside, watching anyone that would come in.

As Ning waited, he considered a few things. Since no one had come to attack Sharron’s apartment, it was likely that the person who had leaked this information was not anyone from the military or government.

If Ning wasn’t wrong, then it was likely one of the heroes. They had either been charmed or compromised, causing them to leak any new information they had gained.

Ning didn’t believe it was Frostveil or Godhood, but he couldn’t be sure until it was over. They were as much a suspect in his mind as anyone else.

Hours passed in no time. Sharron worked confidently, mixing compounds, running tests, adjusting ratios, and whatnot. She worked just as a scientist would, quite precise and methodical about the whole thing.

Sharron took maybe three small breaks in nearly eight hours. Twice she went to the bathroom, and once she gorged herself on her food. After that, it was back to work.

She had no assistants, so she was working all by herself. But halfway through, she started needing more hands than she had. So, she called for Ning to help her.

Ning’s jobs were simple ones, such as helping her crush some minerals into fine powder, watching the beaker of liquid until it boiled, and stirring mixtures until they became homogeneous. He was given simple tasks that required no scientific knowledge.

Ning put some test tubes in a centrifuge and started it. He watched the machine work, spinning at a rapid speed as it separated the compounds within the liquid. As he watched, something else took away his attention.

Something moved in the room.

He hadn’t seen it with his eyes, so whoever it was hadn’t noticed that he knew. But he could see him clearly through his back.

A man was within the wall itself, moving through it as if a fish in water. His entire body seemed to be made of stone itself as he silently glided up the wall, going into the ceiling and to the other wall.

To Ning’s surprise, the figure detached itself from the wall and yet still remained unidentifiable. It was as if his entire body was made of the materials that had made the wall itself.

His body moved toward the edge of the desk where Delton Shoults’ book lay, attempting to steal it.

Ning immediately charged toward the figure, grabbing his hand before he could do anything else. The figure looked back in surprise, having only just then realized that he had been caught. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Finally, you’re here," Ning said. "I hope you’ll stay around for a few questions."

The figure remained standing for a few seconds, seemingly stunned. Then, he opened his mouth. "That’s a surprise," he said. "I was sure I was quite silent. How did you notice me?"

"You were silent, but you weren’t invisible," Ning said. "So, who are you exactly? Number 4, maybe?"

"I’m at no liberty to say anything else," the man said. "My apologies, but you’ll have to find out the truth all on your own."

Ning raised an eyebrow. "Alright. You can answer me once you’re captured."

"Captured?" the man asked in a voice that nearly made him laugh. "I don’t think you understand who you are up against."

Ning narrowed his eyes. "What are you—"

Before Ning could finish speaking, the figure slipped away from his grip, as if melting away, returning to the floor below.

"What the hell?"

The man sank into the ground below them, disappearing. Ning frowned. "What’s below this?" he quickly asked Sharron, who stood far to the side, having realized now that someone was attacking them.

"What?" she asked, taking a moment to come out of shock.

"Below here. What’s down there?"

"Storage, I think," Sharron quickly said. "That, and—"

<Suppression field is generated>

Sharron felt the sudden buzz, and her heart fell. "The suppression field generator."

Ning narrowed his eyes. That more or less confirmed that the man could use his powers in this current situation. No one would be foolish enough to generate a suppression field while inside a military base if they couldn’t escape it.

Godhood came rushing into the room, looking around. "What happened? Why is the suppression field active?"

"We’ve got an intruder," Ning said. "I don’t know his power, but he can slip through walls and is made of the wall. We have to be careful. Where is Frostveil?"

"She went out to alert the soldiers. She should be—"

The floor wobbled for just a second, causing the smallest of noise. As it did, Godhood looked down below, just in time as the figure lunged out of the floor suddenly, a dagger in his hand, pointed directly at Godhood’s neck.