Four Arms turned, his eyes narrowing. The disoriented Wildmutt lunged at him, snarling and dripping foul-smelling slime as it charged.
Four Arms planted his feet like a mountain, towering and immovable. He spread his massive arms wide and locked them tightly around the rampaging Wildmutt. Taking two steps back, he absorbed the full force of the impact and came to a steady halt.
The Wildmutt trapped in his grasp bristled instantly. Its senses were dulled, its mind a haze—it had no idea it was facing Four Arms.
"ROAR!"
Wildmutt let out a thunderous roar, baring its fangs and sinking them deep into Four Arms' arm. A sharp sting shot through him. Frowning slightly, Four Arms slammed the frenzied Wildmutt into the ground. The violent crash sent sand and pebbles flying, cracking the ground in a spiderweb pattern.
"Snap out of it, Ben!" Four Arms called out, stepping forward.
Wildmutt growled lowly, shaking its head. Even though its cold dulled its sense of smell, its hearing still worked fine—it could recognize the voice.
"Grrr..." It crouched low, no longer attacking.
Four Arms sighed. "Go home and drink the San Ju Yen Pien tea Grandpa made for you. That's the only way you'll get better."
He walked over, tapped the Omnitrix, and turned back into Ben.
"Oh man~ I actually bit Four Arms..." Ben slumped to the ground, completely drained. Looked like he was really sick—couldn't even tell friend from foe anymore.
Beep-boop! Beep-boop!
Sirens blared from the distance, growing louder as police vehicles rolled into the chaos of Chinatown. Under Lucian's orders, the fully armed enforcement team rounded up the thugs. A long prison term awaited them.
When the officers asked how the criminals were subdued, Lucian just shrugged and said he had no idea, then led Ben back to the Rustbucket.
"Hey, doofus! Where'd you disappear to? You had me and Grandpa worried!" Gwen stood waiting at the door.
"Relax, nerd. The big hero's fine." Ben sniffed, looking pale and weak.
Just then, Grandpa Max came over with a bowl of brown San Ju Yen Pien tea.
"Drink up, Ben. You'll feel better faster," Grandpa said kindly.
Ben took the bowl, sniffed it, and immediately gagged. "Ugh~ gross!"
"Come on," Lucian said, ruffling his hair. "If you don't, that cold will mess up your Alien Hero transformations. You don't want that, do you?"
"Of course not!" Ben pinched his nose and gulped the tea down in one go.
"Alright, kids," Grandpa Max said as he climbed into the driver's seat. "I heard there's a big lecture nearby—huge crowd, all about new city development. Thought we could check it out. Might be good for you."
No one objected, and they all got busy preparing.
About twenty minutes later, the Rustbucket stopped outside a packed venue. On stage, a young woman in professional attire was giving an impassioned speech about the city's future planning and reconstruction.
"Thank you, everyone, for supporting my urban renewal plan! We'll clear away all the old buildings in the city center and let new life bloom in our beautiful city!"
"There's still one rundown apartment that hasn't been demolished, but our team will do everything we can to bring everyone a better, more comfortable environment!"
"....."
Gwen pressed a hand to her forehead, peering at the stage through the sea of people. "Grandpa, there are way too many people. Do we really have to go in?"
"Since it's so crowded, let's just listen from here," Grandpa chuckled. "Then we'll grab lunch."
Lucian stood beside the Rustbucket, scanning the area. He remembered this scene—someone was about to stir up trouble, though he couldn't recall exactly who.
Inside the Rustbucket, Ben lay on the bed, game controller in hand, playing the latest Sumo Slammers. Even with a cold, the moment he started gaming, his energy returned instantly.
Clack!
A giant cockroach suddenly landed on the window, startling Ben so much he nearly dropped the controller.
"Just a cockroach." Ben let out a sigh of relief and stuck out his tongue at the creature. "Shoo, you little stinker. You can't get in!"
Clatter!
The next instant, a swarm of blood-red cockroaches swept past the window like a raging tide, surging straight toward the lecture stage ahead.
"Uh-oh." Ben's hands went slack, and the game controller slipped from his grip, hitting the floor with a dull thud...