American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

“How did he kill him?” Carmen asked.

“By creating nightmares from which one cannot wake up,” Marcus explained, “victims experience such horrific things in their dreams that their hearts cannot withstand the pressure and they die. He claims this is ‘helping’ those suffering from insomnia to escape their pain forever.”

“What twisted logic,” Lynn commented.

“Indeed,” Marcus agreed, “the capture was also very difficult because he could affect our sleep. Ultimately, we had to use stimulants to stay awake and worked continuously for 72 hours before we succeeded.”

When it was Carmen's turn to share her experience: "The Miami case was more straightforward. A woman in her twenties was able to control the weather, especially lightning. She started by simply using her abilities to make money, such as bringing rain during droughts or providing good weather for outdoor activities."

“That sounds useful,” Lynn said.

“The problem was that she gradually became greedy and unstable,” Carmen continued. “She started threatening the entire city, demanding huge ransoms or else she would create hurricanes or thunderstorms. Miami’s economy was almost paralyzed because of her.”

"How did you deal with her?" Marcus asked.

“We used many strategies, including psychological warfare and technical means,” Carmen replied. “Ultimately, we discovered that her abilities required emotional arousal to function, so we weakened her abilities with sedatives.”

Lynn also shared some details of the New York case, of course avoiding classified information. The three hit it off and discovered they had similar experiences: initial confusion, the challenge of adapting to supernatural threats, and an awareness of the limitations of traditional law enforcement methods.

“It seems we all need this kind of specialized training,” Marcus concluded. “Traditional FBI training really doesn’t teach us how to deal with criminals who can control dreams or the weather.”

“Yes,” Carmen agreed, “and these kinds of cases seem to be on the rise. I’ve heard similar reports all over the country.”

“That’s why the FBI set up this training program,” Lynn said. “We need new knowledge, techniques, and tactics.”

At 7 p.m., the other trainees arrived at the restaurant one after another. Lynn, Marcus, and Carmen also interacted with the others and discovered that everyone had unique experience in dealing with paranormal threats.

An agent from Seattle encountered a thief who could turn invisible; an agent from Atlanta dealt with a spy who could read minds; an agent from Phoenix hunted down a fugitive who could teleport. Each story testifies to the real existence and complexity of supernatural threats.

“It looks like we really need to redefine the concept of ‘normal’,” Marcus joked.

“Indeed,” an agent from Dallas chimed in. “Six months ago, if someone had told me they were going to encounter a criminal capable of splitting himself in two, I would have advised them to see a psychiatrist.”

Everyone laughed. Although their work had become more complex and dangerous, being able to talk to colleagues with similar experiences made them feel less alone.

Halfway through the dinner, a military officer who looked to be in his fifties walked into the dining room. Everyone stopped talking, because his demeanor suggested he was an important figure.

"Agents, welcome to Eagle's Nest Base," the officer began. "I am Colonel Reynolds, the base commander, in charge of the overall arrangements for this training program."

He looked around at everyone. "Those of you here are elites selected from thousands of agents across the country, each with practical experience in handling supernatural threats. Over the next two weeks, you will undergo state-of-the-art counter-supernatural capabilities training."

"The training includes theoretical learning, combat simulations, teamwork exercises, and more," Colonel Reynolds continued. "You will learn the scientific principles behind various supernatural abilities, the corresponding tactics, the use of advanced equipment, and how to cooperate effectively in a team."

He paused for a moment. "This kind of training is unprecedented, even experimental in some ways. But given the realism and urgency of the threat, we must adapt and learn quickly."

"Is there a problem?" Colonel Reynolds asked.

An agent from Boston raised his hand. "Colonel, will actual superhumans participate in the training?"

“Yes,” Colonel Reynolds nodded, “we have several superhumans working with us on the research; they will assist you in practical training under safe and controlled conditions.”

This news made everyone feel both excited and nervous.

"Any other questions?" Colonel Reynolds asked again.

"How dangerous is the training?" Carmen asked.

“There will be some risks, but we have comprehensive safety measures in place,” Colonel Reynolds replied. “The medical team is on standby 24 hours a day, and all training is conducted under strict monitoring.”

"Very good. The first theory class will begin at eight o'clock tomorrow morning," Colonel Reynolds concluded. "I hope everyone gets a good rest tonight and prepares for the challenge."

After Colonel Reynolds left, the trainees continued their discussion, but the atmosphere became more serious. Everyone realized that the upcoming training would be completely different from their previous experiences.

“I’m a little nervous,” Marcus admitted.

“Me too,” Carmen agreed, “but I’m also looking forward to it. We really need this kind of training.”

“At least we’re not facing this alone,” Lynn said. “Having so many experienced colleagues to learn from makes it easier to adapt.”

At nine o'clock in the evening, everyone began to return to their rooms to rest. On their way back, Marcus and Carmen made plans with Lynn to have breakfast together the next day.

“I think the three of us work well together,” Marcus said. “Maybe we could form a small group during team practice.”

“Good idea,” Carmen agreed. “Our experiences complement each other, so we should be able to work well together.”

“Then it’s settled,” Lynn said with a smile. “See you tomorrow.”

At seven o'clock the next morning, Lynn was awakened by a piercing alarm. This was no ordinary alarm clock, but an emergency assembly signal for the base. He quickly got up, put on his workout clothes, and headed to the assembly point on the first floor according to the instructions he had received the night before.

At the rendezvous point, he saw that the other eleven agents had already arrived, each with a look of confusion and tension on their faces. Marcus and Carmen nodded to him, but there was no time for them to speak.

Colonel Reynolds appeared before them, accompanied by several technicians in white coats.

“Agents, welcome to your first day of training,” Colonel Reynolds said solemnly. “Today we will conduct a combat capability assessment, which will help us understand each person’s basic level and develop personalized training plans.” A technician stepped forward. “Please collect your specialized equipment in order. This equipment is specially designed to provide protection and tactical advantages when fighting superhumans.”

Each agent received a complete set of equipment: a specially made tactical vest, helmet, goggles, communication equipment, and some weapons and tools that looked very advanced.

“This is an EMF jammer,” the technician explained, “capable of interfering with certain types of superpowers. This is kinetic energy-absorbing armor, which reduces damage from physical attacks. This is a neural stabilizer, capable of resisting psychological attacks.”

Lynn carefully examined the equipment and found it to be more advanced than that used by the special operations team. Clearly, the FBI had invested heavily in counter-surveillance technology.

"Once you are dressed, please follow me to the training ground," Colonel Reynolds instructed.

They were led to a massive building at the rear of the base. The training ground was much larger than Lynn had imagined, about the size of a football field and over three stories high. The entire space was divided into several distinct areas, simulating various combat environments: city streets, indoor spaces, open terrain, and more.

“This is our main training ground,” Colonel Reynolds explained, “equipped with state-of-the-art holographic projection technology, force field generators, and environmental control systems. It can simulate any combat condition.”

In a corner of the training ground, Lynn spotted three humanoid figures controlled by special devices. They were dressed in standardized clothing, with glowing shackles on their wrists and ankles; clearly, these were the superhumans participating in the training.

“Let me introduce your opponents today,” Colonel Reynolds said, walking toward the three men. “They all volunteered for this project, working together to earn reduced sentences.”

The first was a young woman in her twenties who appeared calm. "This is Ava; she has telepathic abilities and can read other people's thoughts and feelings."

The second was a man in his thirties, with a robust physique. "This is Victor. He possesses superhuman strength and speed, but a control device limits his abilities to a safe range."

The third was a thin, middle-aged man with sharp eyes. "This is Rex. He can generate and manipulate electrical energy, but he's also subject to safety restrictions."

Hearing this, all the agents felt tense. Even with security restrictions, fighting a real superhuman remains extremely challenging.

“The training rules are simple,” Colonel Reynolds explained. “Each agent will face off against a superhuman for five minutes. The goal is to successfully ‘subdue’ the opponent, or remain undefeated within the time limit.”

"What are the standards for the uniform?" the agent from Boston asked.

“Use a specially designed stun gun to strike your opponent, or successfully subdue them with a restraint device,” Colonel Reynolds replied, “but remember, your opponents will also try their best to 'defeat' you.”

“What if we get defeated?” Marcus asked.

“The training attacks won’t cause real damage, but they’ll give you enough of a feeling that you’ve been hit,” Colonel Reynolds smiled. “Trust me, you’ll want to avoid being defeated.”

The first to take the stage is Agent Tom Wilson from Seattle, whose opponent is the telepath Ava.

Once the fight began, Tom immediately realized the ineffectiveness of conventional tactics. Ava was able to anticipate his every move and easily evade all attacks. Worse still, she seemed to be able to influence his emotions, leaving him confused and frustrated.

When the five minutes were up, Tom was covered in sweat, but he hadn't even managed to touch Ava.

“Telepathy is one of the most difficult abilities to deal with,” Colonel Reynolds commented. “It requires specialized psychological training and technical support.”

The second to take the stage was Agent Mary Jones from Dallas, facing off against the powerhouse Victor. Although Victor's strength was limited, it was still far beyond that of an average person. Mary used more tactics and equipment, successfully hitting Victor once with a stun gun, but was also struck in the shoulder by his counterattack.

"A good performance," Colonel Reynolds commented. "When facing a power-type opponent, skill and equipment usage are very important."

The next few agents reacted differently. Some focused on defense, trying to run out of time; others adopted aggressive attack strategies, hoping for a quick victory. But most of them discovered that dealing with superpowered individuals required a completely different way of thinking.

When it was Marcus's turn, his opponent was the electric manipulator Rex. Marcus demonstrated the experience he had gained from the Chicago case, using an EMF jammer to weaken Rex's abilities, then quickly closing in and successfully controlling his opponent with restraints.

“Excellent!” Colonel Reynolds praised. “The value of combat experience is evident here.”

Carmen also performed admirably against the telepathic Ava. She used a neural stabilizer to defend against psychological attacks and then employed unpredictable movement patterns, making her actions difficult for Ava to anticipate. Although she didn't completely subdue her opponent, she maintained a strong fight for five minutes.

"Excellent adaptability," Colonel Reynolds commented.

It was finally Lynn's turn. His opponent was the powerful Victor, who had already defeated the previous agents.

Lynn took a deep breath, recalling his experiences fighting the mutants of the "Vulcan Project." He knew that when facing superhumans, mental preparation and tactical thinking were more important than pure brute force.

"Begin!" Colonel Reynolds announced.

Victor immediately charged at Lynn with astonishing speed. But Lynn did not choose to confront him head-on; instead, he took advantage of the terrain of the training ground and hid behind an obstacle.

By the time Victor caught up, Lynn was already prepared. He used an EMF jammer to weaken some of Victor's abilities, then threw a flashbang. Under the cover of the bright light, Lynn approached from the side, but instead of attacking directly, he scattered some special slippery powder on the ground.

When Victor was temporarily blinded by the flashbang, he stepped on the slippery powder and lost his balance. Lynn seized the opportunity and used a stun gun to hit Victor from behind.

But Victor reacted quickly, turning to retaliate immediately even after being hit. Lynn anticipated this, rolling to the side and simultaneously activating a small smoke grenade to reduce visibility on the battlefield.

In the smoke, Lynn used sound to locate Victor's position, but instead of attacking directly, he circled behind his opponent and successfully controlled Victor's movements using restraint devices.

The whole process takes less than three minutes.

The training ground fell silent; everyone was stunned by Lynn's performance. He not only successfully subdued his opponent, but also demonstrated outstanding tactical thinking, environmental utilization, and equipment mastery throughout the process.

“Excellent!” Colonel Reynolds approached. “Detective Hall, would you like to challenge some other opponents?” (End of Chapter)