Volume 5: The Young Wolf Seeks Home Chapter 16 What? A blind man driving? Deduct 12 points! Revoke your driver's license!
The Houtley family farm was silent, except for the sound of the afternoon wind that blew across the land that had been severely desertified by the nuclear explosion. This noise masked the screams of the Hulk Gang trio who were being "taught a lesson" outside the door.
Inside the house, Mason is talking to the family.
The hostess of the Houtley family was obviously not as taciturn as her husband. Facing these outsiders who saved her family, despite the scarcity of supplies, she still tried her best to entertain them to express her gratitude.
Hallie has made friends with the two Hautley children and is teaching them how to feed their two giant circus dogs.
"Mrs. Hautley, don't bother. We are just passing by here and want to ask for directions."
Mason glanced at the old Wolverine who was busy in the kitchen. He knew that guy didn't want to talk much with strangers like them, so he focused his breakthrough on the lady in front of him who didn't look very healthy.
He looked at the glass of water of suspicious color in front of him, pushed it away calmly, and asked in a gentle tone:
"Is this large area around here the territory of the Hulk Gang?"
“Yes, they control all of Southern California, and they take up the clean water sources nearby, forcing the likes of us to pay rent every month to use them.
But their existence is not a bad thing. To the north, they are occupied by the more brutal Ghost Riders and monsters. Although the Hulks are barbaric, they will drive them away.
It's hard to live here, but at least you won't die violently."
Mrs. Hautley sighed.
She sat down next to Mason wearily and thought the young man was very polite, which was rare in this day and age.
The hardships of life have caused this once beautiful lady to have white hair, but when Mason noticed the abnormal bluish gray on her face, he realized that the ubiquitous radiation on this land had also harmed her health.
"You look like you need medical attention, and I happen to be a pharmacist."
Mason brought out his identity as a doctor and offered to check on Mrs. Houghtley. The lady did not think much about it. She just felt that the image of Mason in her mind had improved. She gladly accepted the captain's consultation and was prescribed a few bottles of medicine.
After taking it, he felt drowsy and went back to the bedroom to rest. Until this moment, old Wolverine, who had not shown up, walked out of the kitchen with anger.
“Get out of my house!”
He shouted at Mason rudely:
"Take your freaks and get out!"
"Dad! He's helping us. He's also treating mom's illness."
The teenage boy was probably in his rebellious period, and was very dissatisfied with his always cowardly father's sudden outburst, so he jumped up and argued with his father.
But old Logan ignored his inexperienced son.
He reached out and grabbed Mason's left hand and lifted it up, revealing the golden apple on the penguin umbrella that was still emitting a faint glow. He said in a sarcastic tone:
"Mind control, huh? If you have anything to say, come at me! You bastards!"
"This is just to let Mrs. Hautley have a better sleep. Her body is almost crushed by various diseases. Logan, your wife is not an 'immortal' like you, and she doesn't have a body like you that can withstand a nuclear explosion without any harm."
Mason didn't argue.
He looked up and down at the dispirited old wolf in front of him and said:
“The medicine I just gave her will make her feel much better for the next six months, but I suggest you take your family away from this nuclear desert immediately, or at least move to a place where you won’t get radiation sickness.
Both children, come here too. I have to help you and you two too. This disease cannot be delayed."
He turned around and waved to Old Wolf's two children.
The two children are not stupid.
After watching his father dismantle Mason's trick, the older boy grabbed the nearby shotgun.
But at this moment, a terrifying scream from the Hulk's son came from outside the house, which made the boy tremble. He suddenly realized that facing this group of people, an old gun with rifling that was almost worn out seemed to be a bit... uh, a slight disadvantage?
"Mr. K lets you pass, cuties."
Harry pushed behind them and shrieked:
“My sweetheart is the most conscientious person in Gotham City. He would never do anything bad. But Mr. K, I just checked the two little cuties. They are not affected by radiation sickness.
These two children are incredibly healthy, like superhumans!"
"Mutants?"
Mason looked at the silent but clenched fist old wolf in surprise.
In order not to provoke the hostility of the weird old Wolverine in front of him, he took out his Weapon X project identity card from his pocket and placed it on the table.
He took a step back and said to the old wolf:
"I'm also a mutant , but my situation is special. This thing can prove my identity, Logan. I'm not here to cause trouble, and I'm actually very happy to meet you when I first come here.
Believe it or not, you were one of the two people I admired most when I was a kid."
When he heard the word "mutant", old Logan's eyes jumped, and then he looked at the two cards on the table. As one of the former leaders of the X-Men, he could fully distinguish whether this thing was real or fake.
When Logan saw the Weapon X project card, the astonishment on his face was unmistakable.
He picked up the card and held it in front of his eyes, using a special technique to check some details. After a few seconds, he looked at Mason and said:
"I thought you were all dead... That night, I received a signal that a secret project was attacked by Hydra, but you disappeared! You disappeared seventeen years ago, and the transfer of the outsiders took everyone away.
They said you would never come back.
but why?
If you've already left this hell, why are you coming back here?"
"It seems that you are finally willing to talk to me, that's great."
Mason pulled out his chair and winked at Harley.
Ms. Robin immediately grabbed the two children and walked out the door. The children were reluctant to leave, but Harley dragged them away by the collar one by one to prevent them from disturbing the conversation between Mr. K and the old wolf.
"From what you said, Logan, no other outsiders have entered here in the past seventeen years?"
Mason asked.
Logan, holding the card in his hand, confirmed Mason's identity. He was no longer as aloof as before, but he was not very enthusiastic either.
Facing Mason's question, he nodded hesitantly and said:
“I have lived here for many years and have not had any contact with the outside world for a long time, but there is indeed no news of outsiders in this world. After all, the great migration seventeen years ago took away almost everything of value.
There are only a bunch of sinners left to rot to death in this hell."
"What about you?"
Mason asked:
"Why did you stay here? I asked Liana and Anna, and they both thought you were dead. Anna also asked me to investigate the tragedy that happened at Xavier College in 17 years.
She said that an unknown murderer slaughtered all the X-Men in the academy that night, leaving them with no chance to participate in the fight against nuclear war.
It even indirectly led to the defeat of the Avengers who needed support.
Do you know who did that?"
"I...I don't know."
The old wolf lowered his head, moved his lips, and said in a dry voice:
“I missed those.”
"Yeah, I guess you weren't there that night."
Mason sighed and said:
"If you were really there, with your character and vigilance, you would definitely not allow those criminals to slaughter your companions so cruelly..."
"Stop talking!"
The old wolf suddenly roared and interrupted Mason's words. Under the captain's surprised gaze, the old wolf panted as if he had lost all his strength at once and waved his hands. He said in a hoarse voice:
"That's not something that makes people feel happy. Let's not talk about it. Let's talk about you."
He picked up the card and bent it into a very special arc. At this arc, Mason could see a line of hidden text appearing on the card.
The old wolf said to him:
"They gave you a code name during the experiment. See, they called you 'Maia'."
"The god of wind and rain, one of the twelve gods of Olympus?"
Mason immediately thought of the special situation that it always rained during a war. He said with a strange expression:
"It's OK, it's just right, but I'm more used to you calling me Mason, Mason Cooper."
"Okay, Mason."
The old wolf sat down opposite Mason again.
He hardly looked Mason in the eye, but accepted the cigarette that Mason handed him. After lighting it, the gloomy former X-Man said to him:
"I can probably guess what you're coming back for. I did participate in the Weapon X project, which was re-created based on my evil project back then.
Despite the Weapon X name, it is not intended for nefarious purposes.
This plan was promoted by the Illuminati and was one of a series of preventive plans established after Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch and the Inhuman Prophet Ulysses successively predicted the 'end of the world'.
Its purpose is to cultivate Omega-level mutants through artificial intervention, thereby strengthening our strength to deal with unknown risks."
“Can this really be done?”
When Mason heard the words "Omega-level mutants", he sat up straight and asked:
"Has the technology in this world advanced to that level?"
"No, of course I can't do that, but that's how plans are. If you want to get enough funding from the Stark Group, you have to think in a positive way and exaggerate a little bit."
The old wolf shrugged and said with a curled lip:
"It turns out that the revived Weapon X project is exactly the same as the one I participated in back then. No matter how we set the conditions, the mutation ability of the X gene is highly uncontrollable.
Therefore, the plan finally turned into awakening as many mutants as possible before the end of the world to strengthen the population.
However, your nameplate number is relatively early, which means that you are one of the first three batches of experimental subjects, Mason, and you have reached the third stage, which is rare.
This means that if we can really artificially create Omega-level mutants, you are definitely one of the closest examples to our goal.
But unfortunately, this thing is just like opening a blind box.
Before you finally complete the third stage and unlock your abilities, no one knows whether you have gained a great power that can control all living things, or just a trivial trick. "
"Well, I knew it wouldn't be that easy."
Mason sighed. Well, he was just excited for nothing.
The question is, who wouldn't be excited to learn that they could become an Omega-level mutant? That's basically a step to heaven.
What Superman, what Wonder Woman? Look, I’m going to bury you all with just a wave of my hand.
"You must go to the site where the Weapon X project was built."
Old Wolf returned the card in his hand to Mason. He blew a smoke ring and said:
"It has been sealed off since . Given the current technological gap, no one should be able to open it. You must go there and complete the final stage of awakening your abilities.
That place is not far from the old site of Xavier College. I can draw you a map."
"No need, Anna gave me the complete map."
Mason waved his hand, looked at the old wolf and said:
"But the current situation is really bad. This new doomsday world seems a little too barbaric. So, if possible, I hope you can..."
"No!"
Before he could finish, the old wolf rejected him.
"I'm not leaving here again."
Logan threw the cigarette butt under his feet, stomped it out and said:
"Wolverine is dead, Mason. He died seventeen years ago that night when my wife pulled me back from the tracks. I am no longer the man you idolized as a child.
I'm too old.
I am too weak. Facing the provocation of the Hulks, I don't even have the courage to fight. Although this disappoints you, I think you may have to go on your own."
At this point, the old wolf glanced at Mason and said:
"But you have those three powerful bodyguards. You can probably roam freely in this wasteland. So there's no need for an old man like me to worry about your safety."
The refusal was firm.
His eyes revealed something that made Mason feel heavy. It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, so the old Logan in front of him was basically equivalent to closing the window and locking the door, refusing anyone to enter his soul.
Mason, who was familiar with Logan's character, knew that this matter was hopeless, but he still asked curiously before getting up and leaving:
"Why don't you ask me how those compatriots who left this world seventeen years ago are doing? You shouldn't be such a cold-hearted person."
"No need to ask."
Old Logan, who seemed to have no trace of wolf nature left, waved his hands and said:
“It’s definitely better than this hell.
Mason, look, I really just plan to die of old age in this place. I'm not interested in anything outside of this. I also thank you for your treatment of my wife and your intimidation of my children.
If you can, please stop disturbing us, okay?"
"What about the Hulk Gang?"
Mason said:
"Do you need me to do you a small favor and eliminate them?"
"Even if you kill them, there will be others coming. I've just told you, this is hell, Mason. Anyone who stays will suffer and rot to death.
We deserve this.”
The old wolf bent down.
The shadow cast in the dim light was like a broken spine, he said:
"I'll find a way to solve this. Let's kill those three guys. It's troublesome if they stay. Banner and I have some friendship. I'll go meet him and the matter will be resolved."
"Okay, if you insist, but at least I should help you pay the rent you signed."
Mason reached out from his bag and took out a small bag. He placed it next to Logan. Inside was a few golden precious metals. He said:
"There should be a black market here where I can exchange these things, right?"
"Well, I know what to do."
Logan did not refuse the gift.
Judging from the dilapidated state of his house, he really needed the money. After getting up and sending Mason out of the house, he whispered to this foreign compatriot:
"In this land, kindness is the most useless thing. When you go there, don't hesitate when you encounter something. Violence is the only language left in this world.
Finally, stay away from New Babylon."
After saying that, Logan patted Mason on the shoulder, ushered his children into the house and closed the door.
Harley walked up to Mason, chewing bubble gum and rolling her eyes as she whispered:
"This old man has a lot of things to hide and doesn't want to say. He is afraid to talk to you, sweetheart. He is afraid of something in you. He even avoids looking at you."
"Yes, he concealed a lot of information."
Mason nodded thoughtfully and said:
"We have to find a way to ask it."
"So we're leaving now?"
Batgirl leaned against the pillar of the farm and said:
"Go to a nearby city to get information, or?"
"You go first, Barbara will lead the team, I will stay here alone."
Mason took out the invisibility cloak that he hadn't used for a long time and put it on, then said to his teammates:
"It's so hard to meet my childhood idol, it would be a shame to leave without a few autographs."
"team leader!"
Just when he decided to split his troops into two groups, Jaime Reyes, the Blue Beetle who had been circling in the sky to familiarize himself with the newly adjusted Scarab combat system, fell from the sky.
He folded up his mechanical insect wings and pointed at the dusk desert in the distance, reporting to Mason:
"There's a strange car coming over there! The destination is this farm, but the driver seems to be blind..."
