Volume 5: The Young Wolf Seeks Home Chapter 46 Hey, parents, don’t engrave my longing for your ex-boyfriend into my DNA!
"That Red Skull is crazy!"
In the passage leading to the underground area of the Spicy Palace, Harley, still wearing the Venom suit, held a baseball bat and walked forward cautiously, whispering to Mason:
"His extreme pursuit of self-destructive mental state is very abnormal, sweetheart. I can be sure that he is definitely suffering from a serious mental illness, such as paranoia or mania."
"He just looks like the Red Skull, after all."
Mason frowned as he looked at the dimmed Speed Force ring on his finger.
The energy stored in it was completely consumed by the activation just now. In this world without the Speed Force, the ring cannot be replenished, but fortunately, Barry had given him a Speed Force brick before.
He took off the dim pinky ring and placed it in the container where the Speed Force bricks were stored, letting it absorb power on its own. Then, in the dead silence around him, he whispered to Harley:
"That madman may have done something terrible to himself. His madness stems from the fact that he cannot fully control his brain. Perhaps there is a remnant of will that is fighting with him for control of that body, which is why he behaves so strangely."
"You're getting more and more horrible, Mr. K. It's like the beginning of a horror story used to scare naughty children, about putting someone else's brain in your own head or something..."
Harley felt a little creepy. She glanced at the brightening environment around her and whispered:
"Yeah, this underground base is fully automated. There's no one guarding here, which saves us a lot of energy."
Mason nodded, and he and Harley strode into the vast underground base.
This place is like a "breeding farm". Looking down from where they are, they can see densely packed biological tanks displayed, and a new mutant is being bred in each biological tank.
When the Weapon X project was launched, all known mutant genes were gathered here. It was like a "mutant incubation base". Unfortunately, due to the high degree of uncontrollability of the X gene, mature gene fusion has not been achieved until now.
It is estimated that Mason is among the group of fusionists who are closest to success.
"We have to destroy this place."
Harley took out a bomb with an evil clown painted on it and threw it up and down. She said to Mason:
"This place is so evil! But, sweetheart, are you sure you were born from a biological jar here? Can you still remember where you were born?"
"Don't make a fuss. I was less than a year old when I was sent away. How could I remember these things?"
Mason sighed. He didn't feel like he belonged here at all.
After all, wouldn't a normal clone miss the jar in which he was born?
He retracted his gaze and walked quickly along the corridor into the main control room at the center of the building above. A huge advanced instrument was placed in front of him, and multiple encrypted automatic programs were running to control the operation of the entire Weapon X project.
Mason could not find any data interface on the console, which meant that possible data intrusion was taken into consideration when it was built, so a kind of "super packaging" was made.
But there is no need to crack it either.
He reached out and took out the ID card he had brought with him when he was sent to the Gotham Orphanage, and inserted it into the only device on the console in front of him that could hold a card, which was similar to a punch machine.
A moment later, a screen lit up in front of them, and a large amount of green data flashed across the screen. Then, as Harry and Mason looked up, a large amount of information was translated.
"Weapon X Project·Doomsday Plan·Test Subject No. 13 of the Third Batch·Codename 'Maia'·End of the Third Phase of the Experiment·Waiting to be Awakened."
A line of large characters confirmed Mason's identity, and then a red command lit up, assigning Mason to go to Bio-Capsule No. 13 in Area A to carry out the "gene awakening" process.
But Mason, who got the key information, did not leave immediately.
Instead, he relied on his own experimental subject's authority to enter a line of search instructions on the console in front of him, and then began to search for relevant information in the local database according to the index directory.
Harley was still waiting to see the little sweetheart's mutant abilities, and when she saw Mason concentrating on finding information, she urged him sweetly:
"Logan and the Kryptonians may collapse at any moment, Mr. K. We have to hurry."
"I'll need a little more time."
Mason pushed up the frame of his glasses without lenses on his nose, stared at the characters on the screen, and said:
"I was concerned when Red Skull called the Grand Master of Warlock a 'traitor'. Perhaps that crazy guy blurted out some very serious truths.
This is probably the only super-large database still in operation in the world. There should be relevant information in it. If we miss it, we may never find it again... Ugh!
Found it! "
His finger pressed the enter key to release a document, which was a death record from S.H.I.E.L.D. The photo on it was a horribly burned corpse.
"The hero's code name was 'Doctor Strange'. The cause of his death was that he was accidentally burned by heavenly fire while manipulating the prophecy spell in the Sanctum Sanctorum?"
Mason narrowed his eyes.
He looked at the death report in front of him and noticed that the time was marked as one week before the nuclear war seventeen years ago.
This timing is very delicate.
Previously, he learned from Stark's program that there was a traitor in the Illuminati of this world, and Emma told him that the Weapon X plan was secretly promoted by that traitor.
The other five members of the Illuminati, including Professor X, Namor the Aquaman, Iron Man Tony Stark, Captain Steve Rogers and Mr. Fantastic Reed Richards, all died in that doomsday night.
Black Bolt escaped with his life and became the only surviving member of the Illuminati, but he also lost his own people.
Black Bolt's demise and pain cannot be faked, and the probability that he is a traitor is extremely small.
By this calculation, Doctor Strange Stephen Strange, who suddenly "died" for strange reasons a week before the end of the world, is very suspicious.
Coupled with the gloomy but spellcaster-like demeanor of the Grand Master Warlock and the Red Skull's crazy description, Mason couldn't help but come up with a bold guess when he put all these clues together.
"Warlock is the Doctor Strange who faked his own death and escaped from this world?"
In the dim place, Mason whispered:
"This is not only my hometown, but also the hometown of the sorcerer! This also explains why he could use his mentorship to snatch this world away from the swordsman who was most qualified to 'inherit' it, and cast a spell to hide this world among the dark stars.
Not only was he trying to avoid detection of the Weapon X program he had been running, he was also trying to protect his own identity from being blown.
etc!
We might as well make a bolder guess. The Ghost Rider's motorcycle worshipped by the Ghost Rider Gang, the magic fire that is my own, and the inexplicably missing Ghost Rider...
This may not only be the hometown of the warlock and me, but also the hometown of Lord Fate!
This is the world of the great devil Mephisto!"
Mason took a step back.
He rubbed his head and looked at the death report on the screen in front of him. At this moment, he felt both ridiculous and sad.
Everything was connected, but in ways Mason had never imagined.
Although there was no concrete evidence, all the clues could be pieced together to form an absurd truth, and he realized that he might have made a common sense mistake.
He always believed that the Council of Hope came first, and then the Star Society, a subordinate organization, came into being.
He also believed that Lord Fate, who was the foundation and source of the existence of the stars, that is, the big devil Mephisto who had a strange hobby of "supporting" racing drivers with his own money, must be from the same world as Old A and others in the Council of Hope.
This is easy to understand.
After all, only guys from the same world can establish the most basic unity and trust before the impact comes. Even if the two sides have different positions, they can work together in the face of existential issues.
But now that he had obtained these newly discovered clues, Mason's idea was overturned. He had made a mistake in the order in which the two were born.
"This withered world that has become a wasteland... is the birthplace of the Star Society. Have I been one of them since the beginning?"
Mason looked at the dead silent and cold underground base and the equipment that was still running around him. His clever brain started working, and he began to make bold associations and reorganize the logical chain based on this guess.
The truth about the union of these two organizations...
Perhaps it is very likely that the great devil sensed the signs of an impact in this world, so he first joined forces with Doctor Strange, the most powerful spellcaster in this world, to seek a way out.
After searching within in vain, we look outside for hope.
They built a makeshift team for the Star Society, and then by chance they came into contact with the Hope Council, which was also in its infancy at the time.
The two parties hit it off and reached a cooperation.
The great shift seventeen years ago was the first action of the Star Society.
This can also explain why Doctor Strange in this world had secretly colluded with Lord Fate before he defected, and the nuclear war seventeen years ago was just a means to force this world to accept the "assistance" of the All-Stars.
The Weapon X project was most likely designed by Lord Fate to demonstrate his sincerity to his allies.
Doctor Strange, as a member of the Illuminati, has enough ability to turn this plan into reality. In the end, he chose to fake his death and escape before the agreed date, making a stunning turn from the leader of the spellcasters in this world to a legitimate warlock mentor among the top leaders of the Star Society.
At this point, at the cost of the withering of this world, the two organizations finally completed their "fusion".
They formed their current structure through mutual adjustment. After the first impact, the first batch of conquerors and cleaners also appeared, and those cannon fodders were composed of experimental subjects of the Weapon X project.
Mason did not have complete evidence to verify the guess that emerged in his mind.
But from a purely logical perspective , it all makes sense.
"The truth is really shocking."
He held onto the operating table in front of him and felt a little dizzy. It was difficult for Mason to sort out his thoughts in a short period of time, but what was even more difficult to describe was the nature of the birth of stars.
This organization destroyed many worlds, but the darkness it emanated first invaded the place where it was born.
"Sure enough, there is no such thing as a 'white' moment for the Star Club."
Mason stroked the black devil tattoo on his arm.
He said in a complicated tone:
"This organization has been shady since its inception. Old A must know about this and was even one of the designers of the great transfer seventeen years ago.
But he chose to hide it.
Yes, of course he would hide it! Nick Fury is a spymaster full of lies, no matter which world he is in. Phew, I was almost fooled by his "sincere" speech.
Mutual benefit?
Pooh!
You can't trust a single punctuation mark that guy says. Of course, I'm not stupid enough to believe him. Phew, it turns out that Batman's 'distrust' strategy is effective at all times.
Thank you for your advice, sir, which saved me from falling into this trap."
"So, we took the right risk?"
Harley hadn't figured out the specifics of the logical chain that Mason had just discovered, but when she saw the rapidly changing expression on Mason's face, she knew that Mr. K had discovered something incredible.
She helped Mason leave the main control room and head to the A-Zone 13 wake-up cabin. On the way, she whispered:
"Then if this world is really the lair of Lord Fate, can we...ah! My head hurts so much, I can't say these things, I can't even think about them.
This damn curse!"
"It's okay, just listen to me, cutie."
Mason rubbed Harry's head which was aching from the curse and said:
"It's useless for us to confirm this. The devil has already left here. It no longer needs this world to provide it with some 'nutrients'.
Even revealing this secret would not harm it or the warlock in the slightest.
But the truth is the truth!
Understanding where they originated means we finally understand where the real enemy is.
I can use this to convince those who have been kept in the dark to completely turn to us, and even channel the hatred that destroyed my home world and turn it into a sharp blade that we can wield.
However, these are all things for the future.
Harry, you must remember that you can't tell anyone these things without my permission.
This will bring you danger and trouble.”
"Yeah, I've always been very obedient."
Harry nodded vigorously.
She and Mason quickly followed the marked route to Area A. In the fully automated base, a dark blue awakening cabin was already ready.
It is filled with a special azure liquid, waiting for Mason to lie in it in order to unlock the locked X gene fragment in his body, thereby giving him the innate abilities of a mutant.
There is not much danger in this process, Mason just needs to lie down and wait for the unlocking to be completed.
But Harley was worried.
She was suspicious and always felt that the instrument in front of her would hurt her sweetheart, but Mason was very frank. He took off his clothes and only wore tight shorts, then lay in the cold water under Harley's worried gaze.
He comforted his little cutie:
"Don't be afraid. Emma promised that there will be no danger. You can stay here or leave. Harley, it is said that when mutants awaken their abilities, there will be risks that they cannot be controlled.
I’m afraid I might hurt you.”
"No! I'm staying here."
Harley held Mason's clothes, she leaned over and kissed Mason's forehead gently, and said in a gentle but firm tone:
"I will wait for you here. Although I heard that some mutants will become very ugly, don't worry, sweetheart, no matter what you become after you come out, I will not abandon you.
I'll be here with you, and Quinn will be with you too.
If you are scared, call us.
We can hear it.”
"I'm not the child you think I am."
Mason rolled his eyes and said:
"I'm not afraid of the dark."
"Yes, yes, Mr. K is the bravest. He is already a big boy who is not afraid of anything."
Harley helped Mason lower the hatch of the wake-up cabin with her own hands, just like coaxing a child. She waved at Mason with a grin and said:
"Hurry up, you have to come out before I grow my first gray hair, do you hear me?"
"Um."
Mason responded.
The dark blue hatch was completely locked the next moment, and then a bone-chilling energy began to burst out from the water around Mason. At that moment, it seemed so cold that even the soul would be frozen.
The White Queen said that Mason's paternal genes, which showed signs of awakening, came from the Omega-level mutant "Iceman" Bobby Drake.
Since Mason's abilities are biased towards water, his energy awakening process must also be "tempered" by water.
He felt like he was freezing.
But just like the illusion of stars he witnessed last time when he gained power from Lord Fate, this time when the X gene was unlocked and awakened, Mason seemed to see a white world of ice and snow.
In the midst of the snowstorm, he could vaguely see a crystal clear ice sculpture standing in the dark white world. He felt like a piece of falling snow, as if he would merge into the flying snow scene at any time, or like a surging tide, with torrential rain covering the sky and the sun, causing ripples in the whole world.
However, these illusions from his heart did not make Mason feel too much panic, because this was his innate power, hidden on the day he was born.
Some say he is a destined hero born to save others, others curse him as a tool of evil to spread darkness from the very beginning, but these comments from others cannot define Mason's life.
After all, only idiots would deny themselves because of other people's opinions.
So, with a little expectation, a line of text quickly popped up on the translucent character card:
"Hidden gene fragment unlocked, determined to be harmless...Life form transformation in progress...Special bloodline·mutant·activated...Genetic path determined to be: 'Iceman' Bobby Drake/'Aquaman' Namor
Race changed to: Standard humanoid, human subspecies, Isu/mutant hybrid [Isu blood concentration 9.94%, X gene strength level: strong]
Identifying genetic abilities, please wait..."
"How come there are two paternal genes? No wonder I can use that damn trident. After all this fuss, I actually have the right to inherit Atlantis..."
Before Mason was frozen, he complained in his heart:
"Hey, Emma, how messed up is your personal life? Also, don't just carve anything into my DNA, asshole!"
