Chapter 166: Erik's Farewell
At the peak of the Alps, the wind and snow had stopped.
Moonlight spilled over the snow, dyeing the peaks silver. Erik stood at the edge of the cliff, his back to Rorschachand Charles, gazing at the continuous snow-capped mountains in the distance. The cold wind blew through his gray hair, and the hem of his leather jacket flapped loudly. Below him lay a bottomless glacial canyon.
Charles sat in his wheelchair, with Hank pushing him. Rorschach leaned against a rock three meters away, hands in his pockets, an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth.
The silence lasted for a long time.
"You're still unwilling to stay?" Charles spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the silence, carrying fatigue and expectation.
Erik slowly turned around.
Under the moonlight, his expression was complex—weary, relieved, reluctant, and with a deeply hidden touch of softness. He looked at Charles, that familiar face, the old friend he had once fought alongside.
"Charles, we took different paths." His voice was low. "It was destined from that day on the beach in Cuba. You want to protect, I want to fight. You want peace, I want survival. No one is right or wrong, it's just... different."
Charles remained silent.
Erik looked at Rorschach, pulled a thin metal chip from his breast pocket, and tossed it over. The chip traced a silver arc through the air, and Rorschach caught it, its surface gleaming coldly in the moonlight.
"This is a list of all the 'high-risk Mutants' Mr. Sinister has studied," Erik said. "Gene sequences, ability analyses, weakness assessments—it's all in there. Some are still alive, and their genetic samples might still be in the labs. You need it more than I do."
Rorschach glanced at the chip, tucked it into his inner pocket, and nodded.
Erik continued, "Hellfire might not let this go. Shaw is dead, but his old subordinates are still around. They'll look for the next collaborator—Essex, Mr. Sinister's legacy, even the disobedient ones in my Brotherhood. You'd better be prepared. Also, in Mr. Sinister's database, there might be something about..."
He paused, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Rorschach looked at him but didn't press for more.
Erik suddenly laughed, a rare sense of ease in his smile. "You know, Rorschach, sometimes I really don't understand you. You kill more ruthlessly than I do, and you're more cold-blooded in your actions, yet Charles actually trusts you. This old man has always been a good judge of character, so I guess you still have a bottom line in your heart."
Rorschach said nothing, spat out the cigarette, and crushed it under his foot.
Erik extended his hand.
Rorschach shook it—it was rough, cold, and powerful. There were callouses on the knuckles, marks left by decades of manipulating metal. Their hands clasped together, like a silent understanding between two hunters.
Rorschach's expression remained unchanged as he released his grip.
Erik glanced at him, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. "On purpose?"
Rorschach didn't deny it. "It was convenient."
Erik laughed heartily. "You're a damn interesting person."
He turned and walked toward the helicopter parked in the snow. The rotors began to spin, kicking up a cloud of snow mist that looked like silver dust in the moonlight.
After a few steps, he stopped and looked back.
"Charles, be sure to protect those children!" Though his voice was low, it reached everyone's ears clearly.
Then, he paused for a moment, his tone becoming even more solemn. "Also, regarding the names on that list, some of them might still be alive. If you can find their whereabouts..."
He stopped and shook his head.
"Never mind. You know what to do better than I do."
Charles nodded. "I will."
Erik looked at Rorschach with a complex gaze—admiration, caution, and a rare trace of respect.
"Rorschach... don't die."
Rorschach also smiled. "You too. Next time we meet, maybe we'll have to have another fight."
Erik laughed loudly. "I'll be waiting."
He turned and boarded the helicopter. The cabin door closed, and the fuselage slowly rose into the air. It grew smaller and smaller in the moonlight, finally disappearing into the night sky, leaving only the sound of the rotors echoing through the valley.
The snow mist slowly settled, and silence returned to the mountain peak.
Charles pushed his wheelchair over to Rorschach, took the metal chip, and inserted it into a portable reader. On the screen, dense names and data scrolled rapidly; every page was a Mutant's nightmare.
His expression became increasingly solemn.
"Jean, Scott, and Ororo are on the list..." He looked up at Rorschach, a flicker of unease in his eyes. "There's also a name, 'Hope Summers,' with a note: 'Perfect vessel for the Phoenix Host'."
Rorschach's gaze turned cold. "Hope Summers? Who is she?"
Charles frowned in thought, then his pupils suddenly constricted. "I remember now. Ten years ago, Mr. Sinistertook a red-haired baby girl from an orphanage; the name she was registered under was Hope Summers. I tracked her with Cerebra back then, but the signal vanished quickly. I thought she was dead."
"She's not dead," Rorschach said. "Mr. Sinister kept her as a backup vessel. If Jean loses control or the Phoenix Forceneeds to be transferred, she is the replacement. The database marks her as 'Vessel activity being maintained'."
He looked toward the night sky, where the helicopter had long since vanished.
Another name, another target.
Charles said in a low, grim voice, "If she is still alive, and if that damned Hellfire finds her first..."
Before he could finish, Rorschach cut him off bluntly. "No need to worry! We will never let that happen! Give me that list; I'll personally go and investigate what's going on!"
Charles looked at him, and after three seconds, handed over the chip.
Rorschach tucked it into his pocket and turned toward the portal.
After walking a few steps, he stopped and glanced back at the snow-capped peaks of the Alps. Under the moonlight, the mountains stretched on, silent as a painting.
"Frenemies..." he whispered. "Sometimes, people like that are more reliable than friends."
He stepped into the light gate and disappeared from the mountain peak.
Charles sat alone in his wheelchair, gazing in the direction the helicopter had disappeared for a long, long time.
The wind blew, and snow dust rose, landing on his shoulders.
He whispered, "Take care, old friend."
In the distance, at the edge of the forest, a few glimmers of silver light were still observing, still recording.
But this time, what they recorded was a new name—Hope Summers.
Chapter 167: Abyss of Knowledge - Apocalypse's Legacy
In the secret room, Rorschach sat cross-legged.
His eyes were closed. Veins bulged on his forehead like countless earthworms writhing under his skin. Cold sweat slid down his cheeks, dripping onto the floor and quickly forming a small puddle.
Mr. Sinister's fragments of digital consciousness washed over his mind like a waterfall—it wasn't just simple information, but nearly a century of research accumulation and the genetic maps of countless Mutants.
The final frozen image: a massive void deep within the desert.
In the center of the void floated a brain a hundred meters in diameter, grayish-white and covered in convolutions.
Countless translucent tentacles extended from its Base, piercing into the surrounding rock walls. The end of each tentacle was connected to a Mutant's consciousness projection, like countless stars flickering in the darkness.
It was sleeping.
But its "eyes" remained open.
Watching the birth, growth, and Death of every Mutant.
Recording everything.
"The Sleeper."
Rorschach snapped his eyes open!
He gasped for air. His body was drenched in cold sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of water. His chest heaved violently, and his heart pounded wildly, as if it were about to jump out of his ribcage.
He took a deep breath, suppressed the dizziness, stood up, and pushed open the door of the secret room.
Charles and Jean stood outside the door. Seeing him come out, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's been three days."
Charles said, his voice carrying obvious exhaustion. "You sat there for three whole days. Hank has been monitoring your vital signs; several times your brainwaves were so chaotic they looked like they were going to explode."
Jean took a step forward, her eyes full of worry: "What did you see?"
Rorschach looked at her and remained silent for three seconds.
"Mutants are the products of the Celestials' experiments."
He spoke, his voice raspy. "Millions of years ago, the Celestials conducted experiments on Earth, burying the x-gene within some humans. It wasn't evolution; it was design. You were created."
Charles's expression became solemn.
Rorschach continued, "Phoenix is the only 4.0+ power in the Universe, born at the beginning of all things, the embodiment of life and emotion. It chose you, Jean. Not because you are the strongest, but because you can carry its emotions without losing yourself."
Jean's breathing quickened.
"Apocalypse is not the only god." Rorschach looked at her, emphasizing every word. "Deep in the desert, there is another 'The Sleeper.' It is Apocalypse's brother, but it chose recording over ruling. It can monitor the thoughts of all Mutants; every Mutant's consciousness has a backup there. Mr. Sinister wanted to use it to locate every Mutantand create the Ultimate Weapon, but The Sleeper refused—because it only obeys the Phoenix."
Jean turned pale: "So it's calling me... because it sensed the Phoenix?"
Rorschach nodded.
Jean was silent for a long time.
Her gaze shifted from shock to bewilderment, then to contemplation, and finally to an unprecedented determination.
"If it can monitor all Mutants, it can also monitor Mr. Sinister's remnants." She looked up at Rorschach. "We can use it to locate hidden threats—Essex, Hellfire, anyone who wants to exploit Mutants. It's willing to communicate, right?"
Charles frowned: "It's too dangerous. The Sleeper's level of consciousness far exceeds ours; once it wakes up, no one can control it."
"But it knows the Phoenix," Jean said. "It chose to sleep, waiting for the true Phoenix. Now the Phoenix is before it. It's willing to communicate because it trusts me. If even I am afraid of it, then why should it help us?"
She looked at Rorschach, a hint of plea in her eyes.
Rorschach looked at her, and after three seconds, he smiled.
"Once we settle the score with Mr. Sinister, I'll go with you."
Jean nodded, a trace of a smile finally appearing at the corners of her mouth.
Just then, rapid footsteps came from the end of the hallway. Those steps were too heavy and frantic, not at all like Hank's usual steady pace. The three of them turned simultaneously—
Hank rushed over, his face as white as paper. He held a tablet computer, the holographic map on the screen flashing wildly.
His glasses were crooked on the bridge of his nose, his blue tail was pulled taut with tension, and his lips were trembling:
"Rorschach! Charles!" His voice was out of tune, sharp and piercing. "Cerebra has captured the silver signal again! Seven backup Bases—all reactivated!"
On the holographic map, seven red dots lit up simultaneously.
Siberia. Tokyo. Switzerland. Nevada. North Sea. Sahara. Antarctica.
Those fluctuations were identical, their frequencies perfectly synchronized, like seven hearts beating at once.
[System Prompt: Multiple energy signals detected activating simultaneously, characteristics highly similar to Mr. Sinister's digital consciousness. Count: 7.]
Rorschach stared at the screen, his gaze as cold as Antarctic ice.
"Backup Protocol: Final Activation." Word by word, his voice held no anger, only cold killing intent. "In those 'dead' Bases, his true trump cards were hidden."
He turned and looked out the window.
In the night, the Academy was silent.
But at the edge of the distant forest, countless silver points of light flickered like innumerable eyes, quietly watching this place.
They were waiting.
Waiting for the Master to return.
A cold arc curved at the corner of Rorschach's mouth.
"Then let him come."
Chapter 168: Seven-Point Synchronization · Hunter and Prey
Seven hours later, global news exploded.
Deep in the Siberian snowfields, a mysterious energy burst forth. The permafrost was overturned for three kilometers, and a massive black crater appeared on satellite imagery.
Beneath Ginza in Tokyo, an entire subway line was paralyzed. Blue light gushed from cracks, and surface traffic was completely cut off.
In the center of the Sahara Desert, a sandstorm carrying silver specks of light blotted out the Sun, with the storm's radius reaching fifty kilometers.
Deep in the Amazon rainforest, a five-kilometer radius of jungle was instantly carbonized; that scorched scar could be seen even from space.
Militaries of all nations raised their alert levels. Videos went viral on social media, and the Mutant topic trended once again.
Conspiracy theorists claimed it was an alien invasion, while experts speculated it was nuclear testing.
But those who knew the truth were all staring at the same name—Mr. Sinister.
---
In the X-Mansion tactical room, seven red dots were flashing frantically on the holographic map.
Hank's fingers clattered on the keyboard, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his blue tail was pulled taut with tension.
He pulled up the energy waveforms, zooming in, comparing, and zooming in again, muttering to himself, "They're transmitting data in synchronization! The frequencies are identical, with an error of no more than 0.01 seconds!" His voice trembled, "This level of synchronization precision... it's impossible for multiple independent individuals to activate at the same time; someone must be in unified control! But all seven Bases were destroyed by us... how is this possible?"
Charles closed his eyes, his fingers pressed against his temples, his Psychic Power fully deployed, reaching out in seven directions across the globe simultaneously.
His brow furrowed deeper and deeper, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead. Three seconds later, he snapped his eyes open:
"No! These signals are too 'orderly,' as if rehearsed a thousand times—it's a trap!"
Rorschach stood before the holographic map, hands in his pockets, staring at the pulsing red dots. [Nanite Control 2.0] was operating at full capacity.
His consciousness traced back through the signal links, piercing through the flood of data to analyze the essence behind it—that was an ability Mr. Sinister had obtained from his original body in Antarctica, and now it had become his tool for counter-tracking.
Nanite perception surged out like a tide.
Crawling backward along the signal sources, it pierced through layers of firewalls and entered the core of the data transmission.
Those signals were empty.
There were only transmission protocols, no actual content.
"Decoys." Rorschach raised his hand and drew a circle on the map. "All seven are decoys. The real Mr. Sinister is elsewhere."
He closed his eyes. Nanite perception spread out with full force.
Countless nanite scout bugs had once spread across the globe; they had recorded every trace of Mr. Sinister's data transmissions, every startup record of backup servers, and every flow trajectory of consciousness code.
Following the traces, he tracked them all the way—Siberian ice fields, Tokyo underground, Sahara Desert, and Amazon jungle.
Finally, all traces pointed in the same direction.
Antarctica.
But not the three-thousand-meter clone Base from before.
Somewhere deeper.
Three seconds later, he snapped his eyes open!
"Found it!"
He tapped a point on the holographic map. The location of the Antarctic ice sheet instantly zoomed in. Eight thousand meters deep beneath the ice, a spherical space that had never been shown before emerged—three kilometers in diameter, ten times larger than the previous heart.
In the center of the space, a massive, beating heart was suspended.
Hank tremblingly pulled up the scanning data, not even bothering to push up his glasses as they slid to the tip of his nose: "This... this is... an energy reading of 3.2+! It's stronger than any previous clone! And it has complete vital signs—heartbeat, brainwaves, and metabolism!"
"Mr. Sinister's true original body," Rorschach said, his voice as calm as if stating a fact. "Everything destroyed before was just a shell. Clones, data consciousness, backup servers—all decoys. This is his 'core'."
[System Prompt: High-energy life signal detected, level 3.2+, suspected original consciousness body. Immediate elimination recommended, otherwise data integration will be completed within 72 hours.]
Rorschach turned to look at everyone.
"I'm going alone."
Charles pushed his wheelchair forward: "It's too dangerous! That's his home Base, there's no telling how many traps are inside—"
"Too many people are a burden," Rorschach interrupted him, looking at Jean. "If I don't return in three days, activate the'Sleeper' project. It can monitor all Mutantconsciousness, as well as Mr. Sinister's remnants. Use it to find him and kill him."
Jean's face was deathly pale, her lips moved slightly, but in the end, she just gritted her teeth and nodded.
Rorschach took one last look at everyone—Charles, Hank, Jean, Scott, Ororo, and Laura. Then he raised his hand, and [Space Control 2.5] was fully activated.
A golden light portal took shape before him. On the other side of the gate were the Antarctic ice fields, endless ice, snow, and darkness.
He stepped inside and vanished into the light. A dead silence fell over the tactical room.
Jean stared at the slowly closing light portal and whispered, "He'll come back."
Charles pushed his wheelchair to her side and gently patted her hand.
"He will."
Under the moonlight, the silver specks of light at the edge of the forest were still flickering.
Chapter 169: Deep Within the Heart · The Final Battle
Eight thousand meters beneath the Antarctic ice sheet.
In the center of a spherical space, a "heart" with a diameter of one hundred meters was suspended. It was not flesh and blood, but a complex composed of nanites, metal, and biological tissue. Its surface was covered with a dense neural network, and blue energy patterns pulsed like blood vessels. With every beat, the entire space trembled, causing layers of ice and rock to crumble and fall.
A crack opened in the center of the heart, revealing the man inside.
Mr. Sinister, the original body.
Mr. Sinister, the original body. He was bare-chested, his skin as pale as paper, and his body was covered in tubes connected to the surrounding pulsing "heart tissue." He opened his eyes, a ghostly blue flame burning deep within his pupils, and a strange smile curled at the corners of his mouth.
"You've finally come." His voice carried a metallic echo, vibrating through the space. "I have waited for a hundred years. From the past until now..."
Rorschach stepped out from a light gate, hovering in mid-air, fifty meters away from Mr. Sinister.
"A hundred years?" He laughed. "Just to wait for me to come and kill you?"
Mr. Sinister also laughed, his smile eerie and confident. "Kill me? Do you know why I chose Antarctica? Because it is isolated from the world, and because it is deep enough—it is the perfect trap. I have studied all Mutants, and I have also studied you outsiders."
He raised his hand.
Living tissue instantly deformed, and countless tentacles shot out from the surface of the "heart," piercing toward Rorschach like a rainstorm.
[Space Control 2.5] activated instantly. He vanished from his spot and reappeared to Mr. Sinister's left.
The moment his feet touched the ground, nanites surged from below, binding his ankles like living metal and spreading upward, reaching his knees in the blink of an eye.
"I even calculated your teleportation habits." Mr. Sinistersneered, his eyes full of mockery. "After every blink, you have a 0.3-second delay. I have observed you for ten years, Rorschach. Every habit, every weakness, and every combat pattern of yours is in my database. How you killed Shaw on the beach in Cuba, how you broke into the Base at Alkali Lake, how you killed Apocalypse at the pyramid—I know it all."
Rorschach looked down at the nanite chains on his ankles. [System Prompt: Nanite invasion, erosion speed 5%/second]. He looked up at Mr. Sinister and suddenly smiled.
"You miscalculated one thing."
Within his body, [Energy Nourishment 1.0 (Phoenix Fragment)] was fully activated.
Golden flames erupted from every pore. This was no ordinary energy; it was the afterglow of the Phoenix, a fragment of cosmic power at level 4.0+. The flame's temperature instantly soared to tens of thousands of degrees, causing the temperature of the entire space to rise sharply.
The moment the nanite chains touched the golden flames, they vaporized instantly. Not even Ash remained.
Mr. Sinister's smile froze.
"This... what power is this?!"
Taking a step forward, [Space Control 2.5] combined with [Super-speed Reaction 2.0] brought him instantly before Mr. Sinister. He pressed both hands directly against Mr. Sinister's bare chest.
"You studied all Mutants," he said word by word, "but you never studied—the Phoenix."
[Energy Control 3.0] + [Telekinesis Control 3.5] + Phoenix Fragment, full power output.
A golden torrent pierced through Mr. Sinister's body. His eyes bulged, his mouth hung wide open, and he let out a silent roar.
His body began to disintegrate—starting from his chest, his skin cracked, his muscles carbonized, and his bones shattered.
"No—!" Mr. Sinister finally found his voice, which was filled with indignation and despair. "I am immortal—I have backed up my consciousness a hundred times—I have studied for a hundred years—I—"
"Consciousness needs a vessel." Rorschach stared at him, his gaze as cold as a knife. "Once the vessel is gone, you are nothing. A hundred years of schemes, a hundred years of backups, a hundred years of cloning—all useless."
Mr. Sinister's body was completely vaporized in the golden flames. Rorschach's finger lightly brushed past the last drop of blood before it evaporated.
Boom!!!
The heart exploded completely.
Rorschach was sent flying by the shockwave, but in the instant before being blown away, his hand accurately snatched that last drop of vaporizing blood.
[System Prompt]
[Blood contact detected (Male target: Mr. Sinister - Original Body)]
[Obtained: Nanite Control 3.0—Can control nanite swarms on a large scale, coverage area expanded, control precision improved]
[Obtained: Knowledge Inheritance (Complete)—All of Mr. Sinister's research data, including Mutant origins, cloning technology, and secrets of the Celestials]
[Obtained: Cloning Technology 2.5—Mastery of cloning manufacturing technology]
[points +5000, cumulative 46200]
He slammed into the rock wall at the edge of the spherical space, creating a human-shaped crater. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, and [Immortal Body 3.2] operated frantically, healing his broken ribs at a speed visible to the naked eye.
He looked up at the shrinking energy storm—Mr. Sinister's 'heart' had completely vanished.
Only a floor of silver dust remained, swirling in the storm before slowly drifting down.
It was over.
Rorschach stood up and activated [Space Control 2.5], teleporting to the surface of the ice sheet.
The frigid Antarctic wind hit his face as a blizzard raged in the night sky.
He stood at the edge of the collapsing giant pit, looking down into the bottomless darkness.
The pit's diameter exceeded three kilometers, and the ice layers were still collapsing, letting out thunderous rumbles.
He took a deep breath of the freezing air and turned to leave.
[Kill Sense 1.5] suddenly stung!
He snapped his head down—deep within the ice, a purple light point flashed and vanished, transmitting a faint but clear signal into the depths of the Universe.
The frequency of that signal was something he had never seen before; it wasn't Mutant energy, nor was it anything from Earth.
The signal penetrated the ice, the atmosphere, and the starry sky, flying toward the infinite depths of the Universe.
[Coordinates sent. Target: Rorschach. Awaiting response from "Master".]
He narrowed his eyes, sensing with all his might using [Nanite Control 3.0]—the intergalactic distress pulse had already vanished, so fast that he couldn't track it.
"...Master?"
He stood there as the blizzard howled past, a thin layer of snow accumulating on his body. His gaze was as cold as the ice beneath his feet.
Mr. Sinister was dead, but he was only a pawn.
The true Master was still waiting in the depths of the Universe.
Three seconds later, he turned and stepped into a light gate.
Behind him, deep within the Antarctic pit, the last resonance of that purple light point vanished into the depths of the Universe. Countless light-years away, a certain sleeping existence slowly opened its eyes.
The blizzard continued to rage, burying all traces.
But the signal had been sent.
The wait had begun.
Chapter 170: Deep in the Desert · Whisper of The Sleeper
A helicopter circled over the Sahara Desert.
Below was an endless expanse of yellow sand, shimmering with a blinding gold under the midday Sun.
The dunes rolled on and on, like a frozen ocean.
Inside the cabin, Jean had her eyes closed. Her hands were pressed against her temples, and fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead.
Rorschach leaned against the cabin door, watching her.
Three hours ago, Jean had jolted awake from her meditation: "The Sleeper is calling." It was clear and direct, like a lone lamp in the darkness.
"It's right below us." Jean snapped her eyes open. A phantom image of the Phoenix flashed deep within her pupils, and golden specks of light flickered in her green eyes. "Five thousand meters underground. It's awake. It's waiting for us."
Rorschach nodded.
[Space Control 2.5] was fully deployed, locking onto the coordinates sensed in Jean's consciousness.
He raised his hand, and a golden light portal formed within the cabin.
"Let's go."
The two stepped through and vanished into the light.
In the next instant, they appeared in a massive underground cavity—golden flames instantly illuminated a spherical space about three to four kilometers in diameter.
The rocky walls were covered in blue light patterns, pulsing like veins and emitting a low, lingering hum.
In the very center of the cavity floated a massive... brain.
Over a hundred meters in diameter, it was grayish-white all over, its surface covered in sulci and folds.
Countless translucent tentacles extended from its base, piercing into the surrounding rock walls.
The end of each tentacle was connected to a Mutant's consciousness projection—those projections flickered like stars: clear, blurry, dissipating; fear, anger, sadness, calm; weeping, roaring, sleeping.
All of their consciousnesses had backups here.
The massive brain slowly "turned" toward the two of them.
It had no facial features, but a consciousness as vast as a sea of stars scanned them, from body to soul.
That feeling of being watched was older than Apocalypseand deeper than the abyss.
An ancient, deep voice rang out in both of their minds simultaneously:
"Phoenix... you have finally come."
Jean's breathing quickened, but she did not retreat.
Taking a step forward, the flames around her body transformed into tiny tendrils, lightly touching The Sleeper's tentacles.
Instantly, countless images flooded into their minds like a tide.
The ancient Celestials descended upon Earth. Hundreds of meters tall, their entire bodies were covered in ornate armor. They planted seeds within the genes of early Homo erectus.
The first batch of Mutants was born. The x-geneawakened.
Some controlled fire, some controlled ice, and some could read hearts.
Ordinary people viewed them as monsters, pelting them with stones and burning them with torches.
Apocalypse rose. He unified the tribes and called himself a God.
He built pyramids, enslaved his own kind, and sealed the consciousnesses of rebels into crystals.
Apocalypse fell into slumber. Mister Sinister sneaked into his pyramid and stole genetic samples.
He used those samples for experiments, cloning, and modification, attempting to create the perfect Mutant.
From then on, The Sleeper sank into a long sleep.
Myriads of tentacles, like a root system, connected to every Mutant's consciousness, recording the rise and fall of civilizations like a living library.
The shadow of the Phoenix swept across the sea of stars—it was the Embers of Creation and the Fuel of Reincarnation.
The final image froze on Jean—she stood amidst ruins, surrounded by burning golden flames, her eyes completely golden, with a massive phantom of the Phoenix spreading its wings behind her, blotting out the Sun.
Jean jolted awake, gasping for air, her body drenched in cold sweat.
The Sleeper's voice rang out again, still ancient and calm:
"I am 'The Sleeper'. Apocalypse's brother, but I chose to record while he chose to rule. The consciousnesses of all Mutants are backed up here with me. From the birth of the first Mutant to the Death of the last, I remember every single moment."
Jean asked with a trembling voice, "You... you called me? Why?"
"I have been waiting for the true Phoenix," The Sleepersaid. "The power within you is the only 4.0+ level existence in the Universe. It transcends Mutants, transcends the Celestials, and transcends this galaxy. When it fully awakens, I will respond. This is a pact between the Phoenix and me, a pact that existed before time began."
Rorschach stepped forward. "Mr. Sinister has been here?"
The Sleeper's tentacles vibrated slightly, and an image emerged: Mister Sinister stood before The Sleeper, surrounded by countless nanites, attempting to invade The Sleeper's consciousness.
With a gentle sweep of The Sleeper's tentacles, all the nanites were instantly disabled, falling as silver powder.
"He has come many times. Mr. Sinister's ambition stems from external guidance," The Sleeper said. "He wanted to use me to locate all Mutants and create an Ultimate Weapon. But I refused. I only obey the Phoenix. He is too insignificant to understand power that transcends his cognition."
Jean took a deep breath. "Tell us about Hope Summers."
The Sleeper's tentacles vibrated violently. "Recently, I sensed her mark activate due to a use of her ability, so I can locate her."
The scene shifted—a red-haired girl was locked in a cultivation pod, covered in tubes, her eyes tightly shut.
A label was pasted on the cultivation pod: Hope Summers, Phoenix Vessel, Spare Body.
In the image, Mister Sinister stood before the cultivation pod, tapping on the glass with his finger.
"Hope Summers," The Sleeper said. "A'spare vessel' created by Mr. Sinister, her genes modified to accommodate the Phoenix Force. She is your replacement should you fail, Jean Grey. If the Phoenix loses control within you, or if you refuse to accept it, she would become the new host. But she escaped. Three years ago, taking advantage of chaos in the laboratory, she fought her way out and went into hiding. She carries my mark; if she uses her ability, I can sense it."
Jean's face was as pale as paper.
Rorschach stared at the image, his gaze cold. "Where is she?"
The Sleeper's tentacles pointed southwest. "Near the U.S.-Mexico border, in a remote town, at an orphanage. But..."
It suddenly vibrated violently, all its tentacles tightening at once, as if disturbed by something.
"Warning..." For the first time, a tremor appeared in The Sleeper's voice. "I have detected a residual signal emitted by Mr. Sinister before his Death. It was stored while I was asleep and has only now been decoded... The recipient is..."
The scene shifted abruptly.
In the pitch-black starry sky, a massive shadow slowly emerged. Larger than a star, older than a galaxy, it was like a mass of living darkness.
Countless tentacles extended from its body, each one ten times thicker and a hundred times longer than The Sleeper's, their tips burning with purple flames.
In the center, two giant eyes slowly opened. Those eyes were like black holes, like the abyss, like the void before the birth of the Universe.
Across endless light-years, it looked directly at Earth.
"It is called... the 'Master'," The Sleeper's voice grew weak, as if barely holding on. "Mr. Sinister's research was inspired by it. It provided the initial genetic technology, guiding him to explore the origins of Mutants. It is waiting for the Mutant civilization to mature, and then... harvest. Like a farmer waiting for the crops to ripen."
Jean's body trembled slightly, the golden flames around her flickering.
Rorschach narrowed his eyes, staring at the shadow. "So Mr. Sinister was just a pawn?"
"Yes," The Sleeper said. "He thought he was creating evolution, but in reality, he was merely fulfilling the 'Master's' directives. Now, Mr. Sinister is dead, but the signal has been sent. The 'Master' will come sooner or later. Perhaps in ten years, perhaps in a hundred, but it will certainly come."
Its tentacles began to slowly retract, and the light gradually dimmed, as if it had exhausted its last bit of energy.
"Phoenix... protect yourself..." The Sleeper's voice grew weaker and weaker, like a candle in the wind. "It... will come... Before then... grow... be ready..."
The last sliver of light dissipated, all tentacles retracted into its body, and The Sleeper fell into a deep slumber.
The cavity returned to darkness, with only the golden flames around Jean still burning.
The two remained silent for a long time.
Jean turned to look at Rorschach, her eyes slightly red, but there was no fear in her gaze, only a strange calm. "Can we... really fight something like that?"
Rorschach gazed at her for a moment, then a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"I don't know," he said. "But when it comes, we'll just kill it. I've killed Apocalypse, I've killed Mr. Sinister; one more 'Master' is just a bit more effort."
He raised his hand, [Space Control 2.5] activated, and a golden light portal formed once again.
"Let's head back first. There's still a Hope to save and a whole mess to clean up."
Jean nodded, took one last look at the slumbering Sleeper, and stepped into the light portal.
The light vanished, and the cavity returned to a deathly silence.
In the darkness, Rorschach's nanites sensed a slight abnormal fluctuation—the remains of Mr. Sinister's nanites on The Sleeper's surface were attempting to activate a signal, but they were instantly annihilated by The Sleeper's own defense mechanisms.
Before the speck of light could escape, it turned to dust.
Chapter 171: Hope's Trace · Mexico Orphanage
Mexican border, San Diego Town.
Noon. The sun baked the asphalt until it was soft, and the air was mixed with the smell of tortillas and car exhaust.
Rorschach stepped out of the light gate and landed in the shadow of a dilapidated building.
The walls were covered in graffiti, and a few homeless men crouched in the corner, eyeing him with wary looks.
Gunshots and screams came from not far away. Children's crying, men's cursing.
Rorschach took a step, and [Space Control 2.5] instantly sent him to the source of the sound—
A dilapidated orphanage with mottled white walls and a crooked iron gate.
In the yard, five armed personnel in black held modified assault rifles, their muzzles aimed at the children huddled in the corner.
The bald brute leading them had a face full of scars, and a Hellfire Club logo—a burning skull—was tattooed on his neck.
"Hope Summers! Come out!" he roared, his muzzle waving over the children's heads, "Don't make it hard for me! I know you're here! Mr. Sinister is dead, but your value remains! Come with us, and these brats might live!"
In the corner, a red-haired girl tightly held two even smaller children.
Her body was tense, like a drawn bow. Small, dirty, wearing a tattered t-shirt and jeans, barefoot.
Those eyes—burning inside were golden sparks similar to Jean's, like two miniature flames.
There was fear in her eyes, but more so anger and alertness.
Rorschach didn't waste words.
[Super-speed Reaction 2.0] activated. Taking a step forward and spreading his fingers, [Nanite Control 3.0] was launched with full force.
Countless silver nanites surged from the ground, gushing out from the cracks in the pavement like living metal.
As if alive, they instantly entangled the firearms of the five men—barrels twisted, magazines fell out, triggers were welded shut, and scopes shattered.
Three seconds later, the guns in the five men's hands turned into a pile of scrap metal, clattering to the ground.
"What—" Before the bald brute could react, Rorschach had already appeared in front of him.
One punch.
The bald brute flew backward, hitting the wall five meters away and smashing a human-shaped dent. He spat out a mouthful of blood, slid limply to the ground, and fell unconscious.
The remaining four were about to pull out daggers when [Telekinesis Control 3.5] transformed into invisible heavy hammers, smashing into their chests simultaneously.
Bang bang bang bang.
The four fell to the ground, unconscious. Their daggers were instantly melted into molten iron by [Molecular Recombination 3.2], sizzling as they poured onto the ground.
Rorschach brushed off non-existent dust from his hands and walked toward the corner.
The children looked at him in terror.
Some were shaking, some were crying, and some covered their eyes.
The red-haired girl shielded the two children behind her, her body tense like a young beast ready to pounce at any moment.
Her hands were clenched into fists, and golden sparks flickered in her pupils.
Rorschach knelt down to meet her gaze.
"Hope Summers?"
The girl's body stiffened, and her pupils shrank suddenly. She tried to say something but only made a raspy whimper.
Her breathing was rapid, her body trembling slightly, like a wolf cub backed into a corner.
"Don't be afraid," Rorschach said, his voice calm, "I killed Mr. Sinister."
Hope's eyes widened instantly, and the golden sparks jumped violently.
"You... liar!" she hissed, her voice raspy unlike a child's, rough like sandpaper rubbing, "No one can kill him! He's immortal! He has clones, backups, shadows—I've seen him die three times and come back to life with my own eyes!"
Rorschach raised his hand, and an image appeared in his palm—projected from his memory by [Telekinesis Control 3.5]: the Mr. Sinister clone vaporizing in the Antarctic incubation tank, the Mr. Sinister data consciousness disintegrating in the Switzerland Base, the original Mr. Sinister body exploding in the Antarctic heart, and the last drop of blood evaporating in golden flames.
The three images played in sequence, every detail clearly visible.
Hope stared at the images, tears streaming from her eyes.
She covered her mouth, her body shaking violently, as suppressed sobs leaked through her fingers.
Then, she suddenly threw herself into Rorschach's arms, hugging him tightly and crying loudly.
In that crying, there was fear, grievance, and all the emotions accumulated during three years of fleeing.
Rorschach didn't move, gently patting her back.
After crying for a while, Hope finally let go of him and wiped her tears with her sleeve.
She looked up, the fear in her eyes diminished, replaced by a degree of fortitude unsuitable for her age—a maturity polished by life that didn't belong to a child.
"Are you... really here to save me?"
"Yes."
"Those people..." She looked at the unconscious guys on the ground, "They're from Hellfire. They've been chasing me for three years. I escaped three times, trying to blend in and hide, but they could always find me. They have trackers, Mutant Hounds..."
Rorschach narrowed his eyes: "How did you escape?"
Hope lowered her head and spread her hands. A faint golden glow appeared in her palms, flickering like flames.
She gritted her teeth, the light suddenly brightened, and she instantly disappeared from the spot.
The next moment, she appeared by the wall five meters away, gasping for breath and covered in cold sweat.
"I... I can teleport short distances." Her voice was weak, "I'm exhausted after using it once, dizzy. At most, I can use it twice in a row; the third time, I'll pass out."
Rorschach nodded and stood up: "That's enough. Come with me."
He turned to leave.
Hope was stunned: "Where... where are we going?"
"A safe place." Rorschach didn't look back, "Someone can teach you to control your abilities and protect you. There are people like you, teachers, friends, and three meals a day."
Hope hesitated for a second and looked back at the two smaller children behind her.
Five or six years old, a boy and a girl, still shaking, but with a hint of reluctance in their eyes.
Small sparks came from the boy's fingertips, and the girl's body flickered in and out of existence.
"They..." Hope said in a low voice, "They are my friends. They are Mutants too. One can control Fire, the other can turn invisible. The orphanage Dean was very good to us, but she died three months ago, and no one cares about us. If I'm not here..."
Rorschach stopped and turned around.
After a moment of silence, he said, "Take them along."
He walked back and picked up the two children, one in each arm.
The boy was startled, and the sparks on his fingertips almost burned Rorschach's clothes, but they were gently suppressed by [Energy Control].
The girl's eyes widened, and her body instinctively blurred, but Rorschach's arms were like iron pincers that couldn't be phased through.
"Don't be afraid," he said, "Let's go."
Hope was stunned, then quickly followed.
Just as the five of them reached the orphanage entrance, a sharp whistling sound came from behind.
His perception screamed in warning. Without looking back, [Space Control 2.5] was fully activated, and a golden light gate instantly formed in front of him.
He stepped in, and Hope followed closely; with the two children in tow, they rushed into the light gate.
Just as they disappeared into the light gate, a Rocket hit the orphanage.
Boom!!!
Flames soared into the sky, and the entire building turned into ruins. The shockwave overturned the walls, glass shattered, and thick smoke billowed. The light of the explosion reddened half the sky.
On the other side of the light gate, the X-Mansion lawn.
Rorschach stepped out, and behind him, Hope and the two children landed staggeringly.
They looked back, only seeing the last flash of fire before the light gate closed—the image of the orphanage collapsing in flames was frozen.
Hope's face was pale, her lips trembling: "They... they blew up the orphanage..."
Rorschach patted her shoulder: "It's good that you're alive."
Jean rushed out of the Main Building, followed by Charlesand Hank.
The moment she saw Hope, her body trembled violently—the Phoenix Force in her body fluctuated uncontrollably, golden flames overflowing from her pores, forming a faint layer of fire around her.
Jean sensed it and whispered: "Her teleportation... is an instinctive escape reaction of the Phoenix Force within an unawakened host."
Hope also clutched her head, let out a muffled groan, and staggered back.
Her eyes also glowed with golden light, echoing Jean's, like two flames resonating.
"She..." Jean's eyes widened, her voice trembling, "The genes in her body... are resonating! I can feel it, the Phoenix is responding to her!"
Charles pushed his wheelchair forward, closing his eyes to sense. Three seconds later, he opened his eyes, his face solemn: "Her genes have been modified specifically to adapt to the Phoenix Force. She and Jean... are of the same origin. Mr. Sinister created her just so the Phoenix would have a backup host."
Hope looked up at Jean, shock, confusion, and a hint of inexplicable closeness in her eyes.
Jean looked at her, slowly kneeling down to meet her gaze.
"What's your name?"
"Hope... Hope Summers."
Jean smiled, her eyes slightly red: "I am Jean Grey. From now on, no one can hurt you again."
Hank rushed over holding a tablet, his face pale and his tail stiff: "Rorschach! Intercepted Hellfire communications! They know Hope was brought to the mansion and are gathering personnel! Red Tank, Black Queen, Sebastian Shaw clones—at least thirty elite Mutants, three Level 2.5 combatants! Expected to arrive within four hours!"
Rorschach's gaze turned cold.
He turned and looked toward the forest surrounding the mansion.
The setting sun was sinking, stretching the tree shadows very long, like countless hands reaching toward the mansion.
"Four hours?" A cold arc rose at the corner of his mouth, "Then let them come."
He looked down at Hope and rubbed her hair.
"Kid, welcome to the X-Mansion. Tonight, I might have to let you see what's called—a defensive counterattack."
Hope looked up at him, golden sparks flickering in her eyes.
She nodded.
In the distance, at the edge of the forest, a few glints of silver light flashed and vanished in the sunset.
They had been observing. Recording. Waiting.
Chapter 172: Hellfire's Counterattack - Defense of the Mansion
At 4:00 AM, the alarms on the mansion's perimeter blared!
The piercing siren cut through the night sky, and the entire X-Mansion was instantly lit up.
Rorschach sprang from his bed, immediately activating [Space Control 2.5].
A second later, he was standing on the lawn.
Under the moonlight, three modified armored vehicles crashed through the mansion gates.
The screeching sound of twisting steel shattered the night sky.
In the sky, three black helicopters circled, their searchlights sweeping in a cross pattern.
Mercenaries jumped down from the armored vehicles—at least thirty of them, in black combat gear, wielding energy guns specially designed for Mutants.
Hank's roar crackled through the comms: "Thirty targets! East, south, and west directions! Heavy weapons, three Mutant elites—Red Tank, Black Queen, and a clone of Sebastian Shaw!"
Just as he finished, three figures leapt down from the helicopters.
The first one landed, smashing a crater five meters wide; turf flew and debris scattered—Red Tank, over two and a half meters tall, his muscles bulging like rock, wearing a metal helmet, his eyes burning with a frenzied battle intent.
He roared as he charged across the lawn, every step crushing the tiles, a sense of power shaking the earth like an out-of-control bulldozer.
The second figure landed gracefully, in a black bodysuit with long hair fluttering—Black Queen, a core member of the Hellfire Club, her eyes flashing with an eerie purple light.
Raising her hand, her Psychic Power stabbed like a blade toward the Main Building, aimed directly at Charles.
The third figure descended slowly, dressed in a suit and tie with a smile on his face—a clone of Sebastian Shaw, an Energy Absorber.
Spreading his arms, he sneered, "X-Men? Tonight, you all die! The Black King has returned!"
Rorschach took a step forward, fully deploying [Energy Control 3.0], a golden force field forming in front of him.
Red Tank slammed headfirst into the force field—BOOM!!!
The shockwave swept across the entire lawn, flipping turf and uprooting a dozen large trees!
The force field vibrated violently, cracks appearing on its surface, but it held firm against the Impact!
Red Tank roared, his fists madly pounding the force field, each punch widening the cracks, yet the field would not break.
"Scott! Ororo! Take your positions!" Rorschach growled.
Scott rushed out of the Main Building, took off his glasses, and his red Cyclops beam swept across, blasting three mercenaries away!
Ororo hovered in mid-air, summoning thunder as three thick bolts of lightning struck the helicopters—BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The three helicopters turned into fireballs and fell, lighting up the night sky!
Erik charged from the flank, raising his hand; all the mercenaries' firearms twisted and deformed simultaneously, and metal fragments reflected back like a rainstorm!
Screams rose one after another as a dozen mercenaries instantly fell to the ground!
Logan rushed out of the Main Building, bone claws popping from between his knuckles, piercing two mercenaries; covered in blood, he grinned widely!
Jean protected Hope as they retreated into the Underground Room, golden flames burning around her, deterring enemies trying to approach.
Hope hid behind her, watching the battle outside with fear and curiosity in her eyes.
But Red Tank was still frantically charging Rorschach's force field, each collision making it vibrate violently.
Black Queen hovered in mid-air, her Psychic Powerconstantly stabbing at Charles, forcing him to defend with all his might, veins bulging on his forehead.
The Shaw clone sneered as he spread his arms, absorbing the stray energy around him—the afterglow of Scott's laser, the residual lightning from Ororo, the shockwaves from the explosions—his body grew brighter, and his aura grew stronger!
"He's absorbing energy!" Scott shouted, firing a laser at the Shaw clone, "My attacks are useless!"
The Shaw clone absorbed that laser, his body swelling another size, as he sneered, "Come on! The more the better!"
Rorschach narrowed his eyes, his perception working at full capacity, locking onto the Shaw clone's core—energy absorption has a limit; overload means explosion. The fatal weakness of the Black King's ability.
"Erik!" he shouted, "Throw me over!"
Erik raised his hand, and metal fragments peeled off the ground, coalescing into a platform under Rorschach's feet, launching him like a cannonball toward the Shaw clone.
The Shaw clone sneered, "Good timing!" He spread his arms, prepared to absorb Rorschach's energy.
Rorschach pressed both hands against his chest, outputting [Energy Control 3.0] with everything he had.
A torrent of golden energy flooded madly into the Shaw clone's body.
It wasn't ordinary energy, but energy compressed to the extreme, enough to blow up the entire building.
The Shaw clone's smile froze, his eyes widening—
"No—stop—!"
His body began to swell, skin cracking, muscles tearing, and veins bulging.
Golden light leaked from every crack, like an impending volcanic eruption.
He tried desperately to stop the absorption, but Rorschachheld him tightly, continuing the injection.
"Can't you absorb it?" Rorschach stared into his eyes, "Then keep drinking."
The Shaw clone's body expanded to its limit, a blinding golden light shining through his skin—
BOOM!!!
He exploded.
The shockwave overturned half the lawn, blasting a crater ten meters in diameter.
A dozen mercenaries were sent flying, armored vehicles were flipped, and Black Queen was knocked back by the shockwave, coughing up blood!
Rorschach flipped in the air and landed heavily, three ribs broken and multiple internal organs torn. But [Immortal Body 3.2] healed him instantly, and three seconds later, he sprang up.
Seeing things go south, Red Tank turned to flee.
Rorschach raised his hand, fully activating [Nanite Control 3.0].
Countless nanites surged from the ground, entangling Red Tank's legs.
Red Tank roared and struggled, but the nanites wrapped tighter and tighter, spreading upward like living metal—around his waist, his chest, his arms.
Logan charged forward, his bone claws stabbing into Red Tank's shoulder.
Red Tank screamed, struggling desperately, but Loganheld him down firmly, his bone claws churning inside his body as blood gushed out.
"Don't kill him!" Charles's voice came through, weak but clear, "Keep him alive!"
Logan pulled out his bone claws and stomped on Red Tank's face, knocking him unconscious.
The battle ended.
Over twenty bodies lay scattered across the lawn, along with a dozen prisoners.
The wreckage of three armored vehicles burned, billows of black smoke rising.
Helicopter debris was scattered at the edge of the forest, flames reaching for the sky.
The air was thick with a mixture of gunpowder, blood, and the smell of burning.
Rorschach scanned the battlefield, confirming no one had slipped through the net, and breathed a sigh of relief.
He walked over to Red Tank, knelt down, and pressed his finger to his forehead—blood contact.
[System Prompt]
[Blood contact detected (Male target: Red Tank/Cain Marko)]
[Obtained: Strength Enhancement 2.3]
[points: +1000]
[Current Total points: 47200]
He withdrew his hand and stood up.
Charles pushed his wheelchair over, his face pale and bleeding from his eyes, nose, and ears—the Black Queen's mental attack had taken a huge toll on him.
He closed his eyes, his Psychic Power invading Red Tank's consciousness. Three seconds later, he opened them, his expression even more grim:
"Hellfire is just a pawn. The real mastermind is the 'Essex' organization; half of Mr. Sinister's research was funded by them. In Red Tank's memory, there is a hidden Base—the Swiss Alps, another valley, three hundred meters underground. There's a cloning lab, a genetic database, and... a secondary backup left by Mr. Sinister."
Hank queried quickly, his fingers clattering on the keyboard: "Essex Industries, registered in Switzerland, shareholders are all shell companies. The deepest controlling party—'Sinister Heritage Foundation'. Damn it, Mr. Sinister is still causing trouble even after he's dead!"
Rorschach sneered.
"He left himself a way out." He looked up at the night sky, his gaze cold, "Mr. Sinister, you really won't stay dead."
Turning, he looked at Erik, Scott, and Ororo. The three were covered in blood, but there was no fatigue in their eyes, only battle intent.
"Rest for two hours; we set out at dawn," Rorschach said. "Switzerland. We're going to wipe out the last rat hole."
Erik nodded, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his mouth: "Count me in."
Logan spat out a mouthful of bloody foam and grinned: "I'm going too. It's been a while since I've stretched my legs."
Jean walked out of the Underground Room, Hopefollowing behind her.
The young girl looked at the bodies and wreckage strewn across the ground, her face pale, but her eyes held a calmness that didn't match her age.
"I... Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked softly.
Rorschach walked over and ruffled her hair.
"Just stay alive," he said. "That's the biggest help."
He turned and walked toward the Main Building.
After a few steps, he stopped and looked back toward the edge of the forest.
A few glimmers of silver light flashed momentarily among the shadows of the trees.
The Nanite Scout Bugs were still there.
A cold curve formed at the corner of Rorschach's mouth.
"Watch," he whispered. "After this time, you won't get another chance."
Hank's voice came through the comms: "Rorschach, I've scanned energy fluctuations in the forest, consistent with the characteristics of those nanites from earlier, but they're moving south—the signal source carries an Essexencryption protocol—they're not fleeing, they're being remotely recalled."
"South?" Rorschach narrowed his eyes. "Toward Switzerland?"
"Yes."
Three seconds of silence.
"Let them go," Rorschach said. "The ones leading the way are always faster than the ones searching for it."
He turned and disappeared into the shadows of the Main Building.
The firelight on the lawn gradually faded.
In the distance, silver specks of light drifted south, like ghosts, like messengers.
Chapter 173: Shadows of Essex · The Final Lair
The Swiss Alps, another hidden valley.
The Egypt clues have been handled remotely by Charles, and The Sleeper's message has been archived for investigation.
Morning mist shrouded the snow-capped peaks as sunlight dyed the glaciers gold.
Rorschach, Erik, Scott, and Ororo stood at the edge of an ice cliff.
Beneath their feet was a bottomless canyon, the wind whistling past their ears.
There were no metal corridors, no traces of construction—only a seemingly natural snowfield.
Hank's voice came through the communicator, accompanied by static: "The coordinates are inside the mountain ahead, three hundred meters underground. Disguised as a Ski Resort, with a five-story laboratory beneath. S-Rank security, thirty guards, and... I'm scanning Mutant energy signals, at least twenty. Those signal frequencies repeat, like... clones."
Erik frowned. "Clones?"
"Yes," Hank's voice was tense. "Same as Mr. Sinister's cloning technology. They are mass-producing Mutants."
Rorschach raised his hand, and Energy Control condensed into a golden sphere of light in his palm. With a gentle push, the sphere shot toward the mountain wall.
Boom!!!
The ice layer shattered and rocks crumbled, revealing a vertical metal passage leading downward.
The inner walls of the passage were smooth as mirrors, shimmering with a faint blue light. Countless Nanitess clung to them, squirming like living metal.
Rorschach waved his hand, and Nanites Control was activated. Those Nanitess instantly froze and fell like raindrops.
"Go."
The four of them leaped down.
They traversed the three hundred meters in an instant.
At the end of the passage was a three-meter-thick alloy door, engraved with a familiar logo—a twisted Gene Helix. But this time, the center of the helix wasn't an eye, but a capital letter 'E'.
Essex Industries.
Rorschach pressed his hand against the door.
Molecular Recombination 3.2 activated.
The alloy door melted like a candle, revealing the Worldbehind it.
A modern biological laboratory.
Every Incubation Pod contained a Mutant—a red-haired version of Jean Grey, a version of Scott Summers with quartz glasses, a grey-haired version of Erik Lehnsherr, and even clones of Rorschach himself.
They floated in nutrient solution, covered in tubes, their chests rising and falling slightly like sleeping specimens.
"They want to mass-produce Mutants," Erik gritted his teeth, metal vibrating around him with a sharp hum. "Mass-produce us. There are seven of Jean, five of me, and three of you."
Scott's face was ashen. "Those are my faces..."
Ororo raised her hand, lightning dancing in her palm. "Burn them."
Alarms blared.
Red lights flashed frantically, and ear-piercing sirens echoed through the confined space.
Dozens of guards rushed out from various corridors, firing energy guns.
Scott took off his glasses, and the red Cyclops swept across, blasting the first wave of guards away.
Ororo summoned lightning, striking the second wave.
Rorschach didn't stop, walking straight toward the core control room.
Along the way, guards were either pinned to the walls by Erik's metal shards or knocked unconscious by Rorschach's Telekinesis Control 3.5.
Three minutes later, the four arrived at the core control room.
The door opened automatically.
Inside the control room, a middle-aged man in a suit sat in a leather chair, holding a glass of red wine and smiling at them.
Behind him was a wall of display screens, filled with flickering data—Mutant gene sequences, cloning progress charts, and Incubation Pod monitoring feeds.
"Welcome to Essex Industries." He stood up and spread his arms as if welcoming honored guests. "I am the CEO—Mr. Essex. Rorschach, I've heard much about you. You killed Mr. Sinister, but to be honest, I should thank you. That old fellow was too difficult to work with."
Rorschach looked at him without speaking.
Essex continued to smile, walking calmly to the display screens. "Mr. Sinister was merely our partner. He is dead, but his data remains. As long as there is a backup, we can continue. Did you know? His true legacy wasn't those clones, but..."
He pressed a remote.
The screen showed a coordinate—eight thousand meters deep in Antarctica, next to the ruins of Mr. Sinister's original body, a secondary server was activating. Data was being uploaded to a satellite, with the progress bar already at 91%.
"You destroyed the main body but forgot the secondary backup," Essex laughed, taking a sip from his wine glass. "Mr. Sinister was a paranoid man; he wouldn't leave just one contingency. Now it's being uploaded to the satellite; you can't kill data. Mr. Sinister's consciousness will exist forever, and we will use his technology to create a perfect Mutant army—without emotions, only obedience, answering only to Essex Industries."
Before he could finish, Rorschach raised his hand.
Nanites Control was fully activated.
Countless Nanitess surged from underground, following cables, ventilation ducts, and particles in the air, instantly invading the server.
On the screen, the progress bar receded frantically—91%, 87%, 76%, 54%, 32%, 0%.
Data was overwritten, deleted, and pulverized.
Essex's smile froze on his face.
"You... how is this possible—that's military-grade encryption—the satellite link has an independent power supply—"
"You forgot one thing." Rorschach walked up to him, looking down at him. "The abilities I took from Mr. Sinisterare more than you know. His Nanitess now listen to me. I know all of his contingencies."
"The core commands of the Nanitess were reconstructed by me. At most, you can only trigger a recall protocol; you cannot block my right to overwrite their underlying code."
Essex took a step back, the wine glass slipping from his hand and shattering on the floor.
Rorschach raised his hand, and Telekinesis Control was activated.
Essex was lifted into the air by an invisible force, his limbs twisting as he screamed repeatedly.
"Clear the area," Rorschach said. "Destroy all Incubation Pods, leave none behind."
Erik, Scott, and Ororo turned and left.
Three minutes later, the sound of explosions came from all over the laboratory. Incubation Pods burst, and nutrient solution flooded the floor.
Those clones quickly withered, carbonized, and turned to Ash after losing the nutrient solution.
Rorschach looked at the struggling Essex in mid-air, his gaze cold.
"Mr. Sinister is completely dead; it's time for you to join him."
He clenched his fingers.
Crack—
Essex's neck was snapped, and his body slumped to the ground.
He turned and strode away.
---
Ten minutes later, the four returned to the surface.
Rorschach raised his hand and blasted Energy Control toward the mountain, triggering a massive avalanche.
The entire laboratory was buried under three hundred meters of rock and snow.
Returning to the Academy, Hank was already waiting in the Tactical Room.
His face was pale, and his fingers trembled as he pointed at the screen:
"At the same time you destroyed the Base, a faint signal was transmitted from there to a satellite—not data, but a coordinate."
On the holographic map, a red dot flickered in the depths of space.
Countless light-years from Earth, in an unknown region of stars.
That direction was perfectly aligned with the signal Mr. Sinister had transmitted before his death.
"Mr. Sinister's 'Master'," Jean whispered, the golden flames around her flickering slightly.
Rorschach stared at the coordinate for a long time in silence.
Then he smiled.
"Let them come," he said. "When the time comes, I'll just kill them."
Rorschach looked out the window.
A system prompt sounded:
[Stable Cross-world Anchor detected, Return Permissionunlocked]
The setting sun was sinking below the horizon, dyeing the sky golden-red.
Behind him, the red dot on the holographic map was still flickering.
Distant and cold, like an eye, silently watching this place.
Chapter 174: The Eve of Farewell - Red Strings and Promises
Late at night, moonlight spilled into the training room.
Rorschach sat cross-legged, his eyes closed.
The system panel expanded in his consciousness.
[Current points: 47,200]
[Return to Black Robe World (carrying 1 person) cost: 10,000]
He had enough points. He would head back for a trip before setting off for the DC Universe.
In this World, from the beaches of Cuba to the battle at the White House, from Stryker's Base to Apocalypse's pyramid, from Mr. Sinister's Antarctic Heart to Essex's laboratory.
He had killed Shaw, killed Trask, killed Stryker, killed Apocalypse, killed Mr. Sinister, killed Gary, and wiped out Essex.
Those who needed to be killed were dead. Those who needed to be saved were saved.
It was time to leave.
The door was pushed open, and Raven walked in.
In her red-haired, blue-eyed human form, she wore a loose white shirt and was barefoot.
She walked to his side and leaned against his shoulder.
"Leaving?"
"Yeah."
"I'm going with you."
Rorschach smiled and reached out to wrap an arm around her waist. "Of course."
Raven looked up at him, her golden eyes shimmering with a gentle light in the moonlight. "Those women of yours... will they accept me?"
Rorschach said, "They are family. Once you meet, it'll be up to them."
Raven was silent for a few seconds before smiling. "You really are... quite free-spirited."
"What else?" Rorschach shrugged. "Having lived for decades, I've only learned one thing—don't overthink it."
He lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss onto her forehead.
"Let's go. There are still a few people I need to see."
In the study, Charles sat in his wheelchair, holding an old book.
Hearing the knock, he looked up and smiled.
"Leaving?"
Rorschach walked in and sat opposite him. "Can't hide anything from you."
Charles put down the book and rolled his wheelchair to the window.
Outside was the mansion's lawn; under the moonlight, a few students were still practicing on the Training Ground.
Bobby was creating ice walls, Kitty was playing by phasing through them, and Scott was guiding them from the side.
"You gave me a home," Charles said softly, his gaze falling on the children. "You gave these children hope. Thank you."
Rorschach walked to his side and looked out the window.
"It was you who gave me a home," he said. "I'll remember this favor."
Charles turned to look at him, his eyes gentle and deep. "You never belonged here, did you? I felt it the first time I met you. There's a barrier deep in your consciousness that I can't enter. That's not a Mutant ability; it's something else."
Rorschach didn't deny it.
Charles smiled, pulled a small box from his coat, and handed it to him.
He opened it—an X-Mansion badge, the golden X shimmering faintly in the moonlight.
"The badge is home; the blessing is the path," Charlessmiled. "Jean has already branded the coordinates for your return."
"By the way, I have linked with The Sleeper to establish an Early warning network. The signal sent to the Universewill be monitored in real-time. You can rest easy for now."
He closed the box and put it in his pocket.
"Understood. Take care, Charles."
"Take care, Rorschach."
---
By the lake. Moonlight. Jean stood barefoot by the water's edge, her red hair fluttering gently in the night breeze.
Wearing that old T-shirt and jeans, she stood barefoot by the water, looking at the reflection on the lake's surface. Hearing footsteps, she didn't turn around.
"Charles told me," she said softly. "You're leaving."
Rorschach walked to her side and stood shoulder to shoulder with her.
"Yeah."
"Will you come back?"
"Not necessarily."
Jean fell silent.
The lake surface was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the full moon.
A night bird skimmed past in the distance, stirring a circle of ripples.
Jean turned to face him.
In the moonlight, her eyes were bright, without tears, only a calm determination.
"You know," she said, "when the Phoenix Force resonated with me, it reflected your trajectory... it said there is light within you."
Rorschach raised an eyebrow. "Light?"
"Not the kind of light from a superpower," Jean smiled. "It's a light that puts people at ease."
She took a step forward and pressed her palm against his wrist.
A wisp of golden light flowed in silently.
His wrist felt slightly warm, as if something had been branded there.
He looked down; though he saw nothing, he knew a mark had been added there.
[System Notification]
[Unknown energy injection detected... Analyzing...]
[Obtained: Phoenix Blessing (Mark) — Serves only as a Cross-world coordinate anchor, no other effects.]
Jean withdrew her hand and smiled. "This way, no matter which World you're in, I'll be able to find you."
"A coordinate anchor? No, it's a trump card." He felt the warmth on his wrist. "If I encounter danger in the DC Universe, the Phoenix Force can tear through the Worldbarrier—this is the real backup!"
Rorschach looked at her, silent for a few seconds, then reached out to rub her hair.
"Silly girl."
Jean smiled, her eyes reddening slightly, but she didn't cry.
"Stay alive," she said. "No matter which World you're in, stay alive."
Rorschach nodded.
On the way back to the Main Building, Laura stepped out from the shadows and blocked his path.
She was wearing the mansion's training uniform, her Talons retracted, and her hands hanging at her sides.
Her head was lowered, her expression unreadable.
"Are you... leaving?"
Rorschach looked at her.
This former little Beast could now control her Talons, converse normally with others, and would even help Kittyget food in the cafeteria.
But in her eyes, that little girl huddled in the corner of a Mexican gas station was still hidden.
"Yeah."
Laura was silent.
She took a step forward and tied a new red string around his wrist—side by side with Kimiko's.
Tying the red string, Laura said, "Stay alive. Remember."
He looked down at the red string, then back up at her.
"Okay."
Laura looked up, her eyes slightly red, her gaze showing no plea for him to stay, only a stubborn pride.
She took a step back, turned, and ran, disappearing into the night.
He stood there, watching her figure vanish.
Two red strings were tied side by side on his wrist. One was dull, the other vibrant.
He smiled and turned toward the Main Building.
---
In the distance, at the edge of the forest, a silver shimmer flickered.
It watched the mansion silently.
Rorschach glanced at it but didn't stop.
Let them watch if they wanted to.
He was leaving.
Behind him, the lights of the Main Building were still on.
Jean's window, Charles's study, Laura's room.
Those lights were warm and steady in the night.
He glanced down at the red strings on his wrist.
"Kimiko," he said softly, "wait for me."
He pushed open the door to the Main Building and walked inside.
In the moonlight, the silver shimmer at the edge of the forest flickered more frequently.
The shimmer transmitted the image of the red strings into Deep space... while Charles's Early warning network had quietly spread out.
[Current Ability List]
[Total points]: 47,200