The hero approached Luke and Lauren but slowed when he saw how tightly she clung to him.

"Ma’am, are you injured?" he asked.

His voice remained calm and carried none of the urgency filling the café.

Lauren opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her fingers tightened around Luke’s shirt.

"She wasn’t hit," Luke said. "At least, I don’t think she was. She stayed behind the counter."

The hero lowered himself slightly so he would not tower over her.

"I’m Jian Wu. Most people know me as Iron Meridian. You’re safe now."

Lauren gave a small nod, though she still refused to release Luke.

Iron Meridian touched the communication device built into his collar.

"We need a medic inside. One civilian appears to be in shock, and the suspect has multiple penetrating wounds."

Only after hearing those words did Luke look toward the deliveryman again.

Blood had spread beneath the man, though the other hero was already pressing thick pads against both wounds.

Luke’s stomach twisted.

"I didn’t mean to kill him."

"He’s alive," Iron Meridian said. "Stay where you are and keep your hands visible."

His tone was not accusing, but Luke obeyed immediately.

More officers entered and began securing the café. One photographed the broken entrance while another retrieved the crowbar from beneath the table.

A medic crouched beside Lauren. She managed to answer a few questions before her breathing became uneven again, forcing the medic to give her some space.

While the officers worked, Luke took another look at Iron Meridian.

Jian Wu had once been one of the Eastern District’s most active close-combat specialists. Old recordings showed him fighting inside train stations, crowded markets, and narrow residential streets where more destructive abilities would have endangered civilians.

His innate ability, Meridian Conduction, allowed him to sense, absorb, and redirect physical force through pathways running across his body. Combined with years of martial training, it had made him famous for stopping powerful opponents without bringing down the buildings around them.

In recent years, he had appeared less often in public battles. According to the news, he now worked with the bureau’s Ability Assessment Division, investigating unstable awakenings and unusual manifestations.

His presence in the café meant the authorities already suspected something beyond an ordinary break-in.

Once the immediate danger had passed, Iron Meridian turned his attention to Luke.

"You fought him?"

"Yes."

"With that?"

He pointed toward the broken mop.

Luke nodded.

Iron Meridian picked up the shaft with a gloved hand and examined the jagged end. His eyes lingered on the darkened wood around the point before moving toward the wounds in the deliveryman’s shoulders.

"These wounds are much deeper than this piece of wood should have been able to make."

He placed the mop back on the floor and studied Luke more carefully.

"You’re Luke, correct?"

"Yes."

"And you’re eighteen?"

Luke nodded.

"Your records show no innate ability and no abnormal physical traits."

Unease settled over Luke.

Iron Meridian walked toward the cracked tile near the entrance. The push from Luke’s rear foot had fractured its surface, leaving thin lines spreading outward from the point where he had launched himself.

Crouching beside the damage, the hero hovered two fingers over it.

A faint golden glow formed around his fingertips. It traveled through the cracks in narrow lines while the silver patterns along his sleeve shimmered in response.

Luke had seen Meridian Conduction used this way in old recordings. By sensing the residual force left behind after an impact, Iron Meridian could determine where it had come from, how it had traveled, and roughly how much power had created it.

After several seconds, the glow faded.

"You caused this when you charged him?"

"I think so."

Iron Meridian looked back at him. "The force came from your foot. There was no external impact or mechanical assistance."

Luke did not know how to respond.

"And the blue light surrounding your weapon?"

Luke glanced toward Lauren. She had seen it, and the security cameras probably had too, assuming they had survived the fight.

"That came from me."

Iron Meridian rose and adjusted one of the crimson panels hanging from his belt.

"Did you notice any signs of an innate awakening before today? Fever, heightened senses, sudden physical improvement, or uncontrolled energy?"

"I don’t know." Luke looked down at his bloodied hands. "I felt stronger this morning, and my bruises were healing faster, but I thought it was because I’d finally eaten properly and slept in a real bed."

Iron Meridian’s gaze sharpened. "When did you first notice the changes?"

"This morning."

"What changed before that?"

Before Luke could answer, a police officer approached. He gave Iron Meridian a small bow of acknowledgment instead of the casual nod Luke expected.

"Senior Wu," the officer said quietly. "The systems were purchased under Lauren’s name. Two users completed a synchronized session last night."

Lauren stopped trembling for a moment, and Luke felt her body grow tense against his side.

The officer had gone straight to check whether they owned Powerforge headsets. That meant the authorities had already connected the game to other strange incidents, or at least suspected a connection.

Iron Meridian looked down at the broken mop.

"Luke, what happened here doesn’t match your records. Either you experienced an unusually late innate awakening, or something allowed you to reproduce an ability you developed somewhere else."

He spoke carefully, watching Luke’s reaction.

"Have you played Powerforge Online?"

One of the nearby officers turned when he heard the name. Another returned to the patrol car and reached for his radio.

There was no point in lying.

Luke kept one arm around Lauren.

"Yes," he said. "I played it last night."

Iron Meridian showed no surprise.

"What class?"

"Spellblade."

"And the blue light?"

Luke looked at the broken mop lying among the damaged tables.

Inside the game, Arcane Thrust had channeled mana through his spear and released the energy during a piercing attack. The deliveryman’s wounds had been created the same way.

"Arcane Thrust," Luke said.

Silence settled over the café.

Iron Meridian’s hand briefly touched the white tiger insignia on his chest. The gesture was small, but the officers nearby immediately straightened.

He looked toward the officer beside him.

"Contact the Powerforge task group. Tell them we have a confirmed physical manifestation."

The officer bowed his head.

"Yes, Senior Wu."

Luke’s arm tightened around Lauren as the officer reached for his radio.

Only then did he realize how far the authorities had already gone. They had formed an entire team to investigate the game, and Iron Meridian had recognized the connection almost immediately.