American comic: Checking in, Gwen in black stockings rolls her eyes.

Lin Feng nodded and approached the container.

He closed his eyes and held his hands above the container.

A pale blue energy flowed from his fingertips, swirling around the container.

0 ..... ...

The lab instruments began to display data changes, and Reed and Susan quickly recorded each change.

"look here!"

Susan pointed at the screen.

"The mutation points in the DNA are responding! They are recombinating!"

Lin Feng continued to concentrate, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

This kind of precise molecular manipulation is far more difficult than forming a protective shield, requiring an extremely high degree of concentration.

A few minutes later, Lin Feng took a step back, breathing softly:

"This is the limit of what I can do."

Reed examined the data:

"Incredible. You've successfully influenced the activity of the mutation point. This gives us a direction on how we can design a drug that mimics your energy effects."

....superior.

239: When in doubt, quantum mechanics!

"How much longer?"

He asked, his voice filled with hope.

Reed thought for a moment:

“A few days, maybe a week. We need to make sure it’s safe.”

Johnny tried to control his flames, creating a small firebird that flew through the air.

"To be honest, I'm starting to like superpowers! They're so cool!"

.

In the following days of "083", the laboratory became the main battlefield for the Fantastic Four and Lin Feng.

Lin Feng's energy is like a universal key, unlocking one long-sealed door after another in gene research.

They discovered that the exact mechanisms by which cosmic rays work are more complex than they initially thought.

It doesn't simply "rewrite" DNA; it's more like implanting some kind of "superpower instruction set" into DNA.

Each person's body has its own inherent biological characteristics.

These instructions were "compiled" and "executed" in different ways.

"Look at this,"

Reed pointed to a complex three-dimensional gene model, some of which was emitting a faint glow.

“These glowing spots are the ‘super pheromones’ implanted by cosmic rays. They have formed a peculiar entanglement with our original gene sequence. Lin Feng’s energy is effective because his energy frequency can temporarily untangle this entanglement, reducing the activity of the ‘pheromones’.”

"So, the key to reversing this lies in completely eliminating these 'pheromones' or permanently inhibiting their activity?"

Susan speculated that she was becoming increasingly fascinated by these microscopic changes.

"In theory, yes,"

Reed nodded.

"But these 'pheromones' are so tightly bound to our genes that forcibly removing them could lead to a complete collapse of the gene chain. Our current goal is to find a 'neutralizer,' a substance that can neutralize these 'pheromones' without damaging our own genes."

Johnny, bored, conjured various flame shapes with his fingers, and a small fire phoenix hovered and leaped at his fingertips.

"So, we're back to square one? Or are we still searching for a magic potion?"

"Not entirely,"

Lin Feng spoke, his voice carrying a unique calmness...

“We now have a deeper understanding of ‘why.’ It’s not just about chemical reactions; it’s about energy balance. The energy from cosmic rays is unstable and aggressive, and what I can do is guide and soothe it with a more stable and controllable energy. But this soothing is temporary unless we can fundamentally change the nature of this energy or find a harmless outlet for it.”

Ben Grimm, the Stone Man, clumsily tapped the table with his rock-like fingers, producing a dull thud:

"Speak like a human, kid. Can we change back?"

Lin Feng looked at Ben, a hint of sympathy in his eyes:

“I understand your desire, Ben. But change is the norm in the universe. What we need to do now is understand this change and then try to guide it in the direction we want it to go. Completely ‘reverting’ might mean erasing a part of the reality that has already happened, which would come at a huge cost in terms of the conservation of energy.”

.....

240: Fireman? Isn't that Captain America?!

"I don't care about the cost!"

Ben growled, and the glassware in the laboratory trembled slightly.

"Book!"

Susan gently stopped him, walked over to Ben, and patted his rough, stone-like arm lightly.

“We are all working hard. Lin Feng is also doing his best to help us.”

As time went by, the space station's resupply and scheduled stay time were approaching their limits.

They gained unprecedented insight into the mysteries of superpowers and even deduced a complex "reverse gene compilation algorithm".

In theory, "super pheromones" can be converted into harmless inert energy and their alterations to body shape can be repaired.

However, converting this algorithm into a stable and safe biological agent has encountered a bottleneck.

Each simulated compound exhibits unpredictable side effects in the computer model, some of which may even lead to more serious gene mutations.

"Time is running out,"

Reed rubbed his temples wearily, his eyes sunken.

"We must return to Earth within three days. The space station's life support system cannot sustain us any longer."

"So... you're just giving up like that?"

Johnny's flame died out, and his voice was filled with resentment.

While he enjoys the thrill of superpowers, he also misses the carefree life on Earth.

Susan looked at Lin Feng, a pleading look in her eyes:

"Lin Feng, is there really no other way?"

Lin Feng remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head:

"With the technology and resources we currently possess, it's difficult to find a perfect solution in such a short time. Forcing an immature reversal procedure is too risky."

Ben sighed heavily, the sound like a mountain collapsing and rocks splitting:

"I knew it... I knew it would be like this." His enormous body looked particularly desolate.

Helplessness was the only emotion permeating the laboratory at that moment.

With a deeper understanding of superpowers and a blueprint for an immature reverse gene technology, they boarded the spaceship returning to Earth.

The spacecraft landed smoothly at the designated location.

However, before they could even step out of the landing capsule, they were surrounded by a tidal wave of reporters and flashing lights.

Clearly, news that they encountered cosmic rays in outer space and mutated has been leaked through some channel.

"Dr. Reed Richards! What exactly did you experience in space?"

"Ms. Susan Stone! Have you noticed any changes in your body?"

“That…that rock man! Are you Ben Grimm?”

"Fireman! Give us a performance!"

Johnny almost instinctively reached for his finger to light, but was stopped by Reed's stern gaze.

083 Susan instinctively wanted to become invisible, but she knew that running away at this moment would only make things worse.

Ben stood there stiffly, letting countless cameras be pointed at his rock-like body. He could feel the curiosity, fear, and even a hint of... disgust mixed in those gazes.

"Please calm down, everyone!"

Reed tried his best to maintain order.

"We will hold a press conference later to answer everyone's questions."

With a difficult escort from security personnel, they finally returned to Baxter Building—Reed's private research facility.

.....

241: The mutants' world has collapsed!

But the area outside the building was still packed with reporters. The news headlines spread at an unprecedented speed:

Fantastic Four: Heroes or Monsters?

"A super-powered mutant created by cosmic rays!"

"The Stone Man's Lament: Am I still human?"

The atmosphere in Reed's office was heavy.

"I told you long ago, this horrible look would definitely cause trouble if I went back to Earth!"

He paced irritably, each step causing the floor to tremble slightly.

"Look at the way those people are looking at us! They think we're monsters!"

Johnny slumped on the sofa, his usual flippancy absent for the first time:

"Hey, at least the name 'Fantastic Four' sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? Although the name 'Fireman' is a bit too direct."

"That's not cool at all, Johnny!"

Susan's voice trembled.

"We've become monkeys in a circus!"

Looking out the window at the reporters who refused to leave, she felt a wave of helplessness and panic.

Reed took a deep breath:

"We must face reality. The most important thing now is to continue our research and find a way to reverse it. Until then, we need to adapt... adapt to all of this."

Lin Feng, who had been quietly standing to the side, finally spoke:

"The public's reaction was expected. The unknown always brings fear, but it also brings curiosity and hope. How you guide this emotion depends on your next steps."

The days that followed were undoubtedly agonizing for the Fantastic Four.

They tried to continue their interrupted research in the laboratory in the Baxter Building, but external pressures and internal divisions became increasingly apparent.

Johnny Stone, after his initial struggles, gradually discovers the "fun" that comes with superpowers.

He sneaked out a few times, using his fire control abilities to create some minor commotion.

For example, drawing a giant ghost face in the night sky with flames, or helping the fire department extinguish a small fire "ahead of time".

Although the method was a bit too flashy.

He began to enjoy the attention and even fantasized about becoming a superstar, attracting the attention of countless hot girls with his fire performances.

“Hey, I said, Reed,”

One day, Johnny was playing with a leaping flame when he said this to Reed, who was engrossed in his microscope.

"Why do we have to change back? This ability is so cool! Just think, I could become a stuntman in Hollywood, or... or form a super-powered circus! I could definitely make a fortune!"

Reed didn't even look up: