Here's a question: why was there no system notification when Gwen evolved into Silk Gwen?
Was it because her favorability hadn't reached 100, or was it because Sharon Carter inherently belongs to this world, leading to different behavior?
The system didn't provide a clear explanation, so Su Ye will have to verify it himself.
Nevertheless, Su Ye was quite happy to gain a 100-favorability blue hero.
As the fish pond grows larger and fills with more fish, the importance of a loyal and handy pond manager goes without saying—every good man knows this.
In his joy, Su Ye even slightly relaxed the cable restraints on the White Queen.
This, however, drew a bit of dissatisfaction from the White Queen.
"Are you underestimating me? Not even willing to tighten the restraints—don't you know this makes me uncomfortable…?"
There's a phenomenon called Stockholm Syndrome, which refers to victims developing feelings for their captors and even aiding them.
It often occurs when captors subject victims to prolonged abuse and then suddenly act gentle.
The White Queen hadn't reached that point yet, but she was already showing signs of developing Stockholm Syndrome.
This phenomenon is a psychological disorder, and since it's an illness, it needs treatment, even if it's just a budding sign.
So, after perceiving the White Queen's thoughts through telepathy, Su Ye obliged her wish and tightened the cable restraints a bit more.
One of the cables, whether intentionally or accidentally, slipped into a particularly delicate position.
Perhaps due to the combined power of his telepathy and magnetic field manipulation, Su Ye developed a peculiar, hard-to-describe ability.
While controlling the cables, with the subtle influence of telepathy, he could also experience the sensation of touch through them.
Simply put, the cables were no longer just cables—they became an extension of Su Ye's sense of touch.
Like his hands, arms, and... well, you get the idea.
In short, at the moment the cable slipped in, Su Ye suddenly felt as if his hand had been pinched by a clam.
The unexpected pinch made Su Ye's hand twitch involuntarily, causing the cable to jerk unnaturally.
Then, the clam's grip only tightened!
At that moment, the White Queen instinctively activated her diamond form.
Her entire body transformed into a crystalline diamond state, not only halting the cable's movements but also forcefully suppressing the whimper that had nearly escaped her throat.
The result? Su Ye lost some amusement, but it also confirmed a theory for the readers.
The White Queen's diamond form truly works comprehensively, inside and out.
So, a word of advice for those tempted to take on the challenge: without a golden drill, don't mess with diamonds.
You'll break…
However, Su Ye wasn't someone who would back down from a challenge.
As a leader of super-powered mutants, a fusion of Professor X and Magneto, Su Ye refused to accept that there was any mutant ability in this world he couldn't handle.
What Professor X and Magneto couldn't achieve, he might just be able to.
Take the White Queen, for instance. She thought her telepathic abilities could block Su Ye's mental control, and her diamond form could make her invincible.
But Su Ye refused to believe it.
He was determined to spar with the White Queen, using mutant powers to grind away her arrogance and her loyalty and attachment to the Black King, forcing her to completely surrender.
Even if she knelt and sang about surrender, she wouldn't earn forgiveness—at best, he'd spit in her face.
Thus, along the way, Su Ye had it out with the White Queen.
He chipped away at her mental barriers with telepathy while using cables like a saw to wear down her diamond form.
For the White Queen, the two-hour journey felt like an apocalyptic disaster.
Both mentally and physically.
Her mental defenses were already on the verge of collapse, almost breached.
She also deeply suspected that if she weren't in diamond form, she'd already have been worn raw, as the saw-like cable could grind through concrete pillars.
The White Queen's ordeal could have easily turned into a dramatic breakdown, but she managed to hold it together.
"I knew I shouldn't have had any illusions about this bastard. He's a demon, a human sanding machine, the greatest terror in the world. I'm done! I want to go home!"
When the Quinjet landed at the Great Wall Guardians' headquarters in Los Angeles, Sharon picked up the White Queen like a chick. The White Queen felt so overwhelmed she nearly burst into tears.
Meanwhile, Su Ye, who had tormented her the whole way, casually gave Sharon a briefing as if nothing had happened.
"The leader's dead. Before he went, he set off a huge firework. We couldn't contain it, and part of the explosion spread out. Let Fury handle the fallout with the U.S. government."
Saving the world comes with collateral damage. The destruction can be blamed on the villains; the heroes will bask in the glory.
Though this country values freedom, if anyone criticizes the Great Wall Guardians over this, Su Ye will have Dong Zhang and the Joker pay them a visit.
If you have issues with protecting superheroes, then you can deal with the havoc caused by supervillains.
Go ahead, ask the Joker if he'll reason with you.
A gentleman may be deceived through righteousness, but sorry, we're heroes, not gentlemen.
Question us, and you'll find we're anti-heroes, not hypocrites.
Su Ye could easily use telepathy to kill the Joker remotely, but he deliberately refrains.
And it's at moments like these that the value of keeping the Joker around becomes clear.
The guy's unhinged—there's nothing he wouldn't do, and he never listens to reason.
With business out of the way, it was time for personal matters.
"This is a diehard follower of the enemy leader we captured. Take her, show her some proper hospitality, and make sure she fully understands the ideals of the Great Wall Guardians. Aim for her to reform and turn over a new leaf as soon as possible."
After Su Ye spoke, Sharon immediately understood.
She caught the key term in Su Ye's words: "as soon as possible."
"Understood, boss. Don't worry, I'll handle this neatly and thoroughly!"
Su Ye was about to leave but stopped in his tracks after hearing Sharon's words, which she had said in Chinese.
Though her pronunciation was slightly off, it was impressive for a foreigner.
"Your Chinese isn't bad. Who taught you? How long have you been practicing?"
Sharon's eyes gleamed with joy. "I learned from a translator under Officer Zheng. I've been at it for three months. Still a long way to go, but I'll keep working hard."
Su Ye shook his head. "You're already close. Your Mandarin is better than many Hong Kong and Taiwan entertainers who've lived on the mainland for over a decade. If you stay this modest, they'll want to bang their heads against a block of tofu…"
"Fine, those actors only care about money, not stuff like this. Forget I said anything."
"Keep it up. Also, find time to start Chinese lessons for the Great Wall Guardians. Otherwise, when we talk about virtues like 'benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith,' they won't understand a thing."
"You can keep working with Uncle Zheng on this. Set up both Chinese and moral education classes together."
"Not tonight—it's already late. Tomorrow, make sure the classes are scheduled."
Sharon stood at attention and gave Su Ye a Chinese military salute. "Yes, sir!"
Su Ye shook his head helplessly. "Forget about that. I'm just an international student from Longguo, no military rank, so don't call me 'sir.' Stick to calling me 'boss.'"
Sharon immediately dropped her serious expression, returning to a playful smile and even throwing in a flirtatious wink.
"Got it! Don't worry, boss, I'll handle it perfectly!"
Su Ye promptly made his escape.
Su Ye wasn't sure how much Sharon's combat ability had improved after her upgrade, but her charm and cuteness had definitely leveled up.
If he stayed any longer, he feared he might abandon his responsibilities and take immediate action on impulse.
A powder keg can't tolerate sparks.
After bidding farewell to Sharon and the White Queen, Su Ye headed straight to the lab to review Sharon's Extremis Virus injection data and physical assessment records.
After all, this could potentially be rolled out to the entire force.
General Ross had spent half his life searching for something akin to the Super Soldier Serum used by Captain America to enhance the entire military.
Having a super-soldier army essentially meant securing the future.
Unfortunately, the Super Soldier Serum had only worked on Captain America and Emil Blonsky so far, making widespread application impossible.
If the Extremis Virus could work, it would indirectly fulfill General Ross's dream—though its users certainly wouldn't be the U.S. military.
Naturally, Su Ye planned to send this technology back home.
While Old Su and his comrades might not need it, there would always be others who could.
An army of Extremis Virus warriors, impervious to injury and nearly immortal—then, every soldier would be a true Wolf Warrior.
In the lab, there were two unexpected yet unsurprising figures.
Hawkeye Clint Barton and Black Widow Natasha Romanoff.
Their goal was simple: they wanted to be Extremis Virus test subjects.
Unaware that Sharon had already successfully injected the Extremis Virus, they came seeking improvement after feeling sidelined in previous battles.
Unfortunately, the only special experimental strain of the Extremis Virus had already been used by Sharon.
The remaining samples were standard versions, useful for healing injuries or curing illnesses, but they wouldn't grant the superhuman abilities of an Extremis Virus warrior.
After all, Dr. Connors initially researched lizard genetics solely to cure his own severed arm.
Thus, after taking over the Extremis Virus research, he continued to focus on medical applications.
The sole warrior variant had been used on Sharon; the rest were purely for medical purposes.
"Can't you replicate that warrior variant to make more?" the Widow asked persistently.
She was anxious.
Initially, the Widow wasn't this impatient.
After all, the Great Wall Guardians had plenty of attractive men she could flirt with, and anyone could fall for her charm.
But in her heart, there was always a shadow—a memory of Batman pulling her out of a crashed car without a word before disappearing.
Like in the novels: "At Fengling Ferry, one meeting with Yang Guo ruins a lifetime."
Though the Widow didn't feel it as intensely, it still influenced her. Afterward, she couldn't help but compare Captain America or Thor to Batman.
In the end, she felt none of them were as captivating as Batman.
As they say, the unattainable is the most desirable, and the unseen is the most missed.
To the Widow, Batman was a fleeting white moonlight, a presence in countless lonely nights that left her restless and compelled frequent changes of bed linens and undergarments.
This feeling had been suppressed for so long, leaving the Widow sleepless night after night.
Until Su Ye appeared, and the part of her heart taken by Batman finally began to return.
In her eyes, Su Ye was an even more captivating man than Captain America or Thor.
Then, it was revealed that Su Ye was actually Batman.
At that moment, the Widow could no longer hold back—she wanted to make her move.
However, surrounding Su Ye were Gwen, Sharon, and the adorable Hinata—a lineup of superheroes, agents, and even a childhood sweetheart.
Compared to them, the Widow had no advantage in any aspect—she was outmatched.
More importantly, she wasn't even a complete woman. The Red Room's graduation ceremony involved the removal of her ovaries, permanently stripping all female agents of the ability to become mothers.
How could a Widow like that compete with the likes of Gwen and the others?
Fortunately, the Extremis Virus emerged. With it, she could not only enhance her combat abilities but also restore her lost organs and dignity as a woman, finally standing on equal footing with everyone else.
Thus, from the very beginning, the Widow's ambitions far exceeded Hawkeye's.
But now, the lab informed them that the experimental version of the Extremis Virus was a one-off and had already been used.
"I'm sorry," Dr. Connors said, shaking his head.
"That was an experimental strain, an accidental byproduct of research. It was unstable and inherently risky."
"I'm not afraid of risks!" The Widow stepped forward impulsively, but when her eyes landed on Dr. Connors' missing arm, she hesitated and stopped.
"Sorry, I got carried away. Your arm hasn't even healed yet."
"The standard medical version is ready, though. I was about to inject myself. If you're interested, I could administer it to you as well," Dr. Connors said casually, smiling.
The Black Widow glanced at Su Ye, who had just entered, and nodded. "Please go ahead, Doctor!"
Regardless, restoring her body to normal would be a step forward, ensuring she wouldn't fall further behind.
As for enhancing her power, she could figure that out later.
Su Ye wasn't privy to the Widow's specific thoughts. He maintained a basic level of respect for the Guardians' heroes, refraining from casually probing their minds—a principle he adhered to.
No one liked having their thoughts casually read, and that was a boundary everyone respected.
"Ye!"
When Gwen saw Su Ye enter, she leapt at him like an octopus, leaving the Widow envious enough to almost drool.
It was only after a while that Su Ye reluctantly pried Gwen off and walked over to Dr. Connors.
"Doctor, how's the research on the medical version of the Extremis Virus coming along?"
"It's essentially complete. We've developed both permanent and temporary versions. I'll have the data ready for you shortly," Dr. Connors said with a smile. "Agent Romanoff and I were about to administer our injections. Want to watch?"
The permanent version restores bodily injuries with a single injection.
The temporary version provides short-term recovery. Once the effect wears off, the body reverts to its previous state, requiring repeated injections to maintain full functionality.
Dr. Connors and the Widow would, of course, use the permanent version.
Su Ye glanced at the Widow. In that moment, without the need for telepathy, he could read much from her gaze.
This decorated female agent looked at him with an intensity that hinted at something deeper—a mix of admiration and longing.
"Alright, let's see how it goes."
Hearing Su Ye's words, the Widow visibly relaxed. She wanted him to witness her restoration to being a complete woman.
Soon, the Widow and Dr. Connors were seated on the examination table, while Su Ye and Hawkeye observed from outside the lab, peering through the glass window.
"Natalia's been waiting for this day for a long time. She never thought it would actually happen. Thank you," Barton said sincerely.
Su Ye shook his head. "You're all Guardians of the Earth. It's my duty to do whatever I can for you."
"Gratitude is still due. You know, Natalia's had it rough. She really longs for love," Barton said, suddenly taking on a motherly tone as he began to chatter to Su Ye.
"You know what she went through in the Red Room. For her, love is a luxury. I can offer her familial affection, but not romantic love. And I can see she's fallen for someone now, but…"
Barton seemed eager to talk. Perhaps his primary value in the Avengers was his impressive knack for persuasion.
However, Su Ye wasn't particularly interested in Barton's rambling.
While half-listening, Su Ye used his telepathy to locate Maya Hansen at Aldrich Killian's base.
She was the biologist who had a one-night stand with Tony Stark on New Year's Eve and hadn't been in touch since.
The Extremis Virus research was initially spearheaded by Maya Hansen and later refined with support from Aldrich Killian's Advanced Idea Mechanics.
Su Ye had neither eliminated Killian early nor rescued Maya Hansen, all in preparation for this moment.
He intended to give the Americans both a demon and a truth.
A demon could only bring fear to the Americans.
But in the face of a powerful state apparatus, fear originating from the people, no matter how intense, would ultimately be crushed.
Truth, however, was different.
A truth that lurked among the people, quietly spreading, captivating and driving them to madness and fanaticism—when it finally erupted, that was the true power capable of destroying a nation.
Just like how the U.S. once supported Li, the infamous cult leader.
This isn't even a secret—just look at the Chinese characters on the yellow dumpster in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and you'll see what I mean.
Now, Su Ye intended to turn their own methods against them.
If you can support someone like Li, then I can support Aldrich Killian.
And the medical version of the Extremis Virus is infinitely more effective than your nonsense cult. You talk the talk; I deliver tangible benefits.
Which one represents the real truth—does it even need to be said?
Using telepathy, Su Ye transmitted the data for the medical version of the Extremis Virus to Maya Hansen. Naturally, he shared the temporary version—perfect for distribution and promotion.
At the same time, Su Ye subtly guided Aldrich Killian through telepathy to embark on his own "Truth Plan."
Previously, Killian had borrowed the names of Trevor Slattery and the Ten Rings, even having someone impersonate Trevor to spew nonsense on live television.
After the fake Trevor was publicly executed, the Ten Rings name naturally couldn't be used anymore.
This gave Killian the perfect opportunity to establish his own cult-like organization under Advanced Idea Mechanics, perhaps called the "Tech Vanguard Church," abbreviated as "TechFaith." Its motto? "Technology changes the world," or something along those lines.
With the medical Extremis Virus offering unparalleled healing, the TechFaith's mission wouldn't just be empty words.
They would truly have the power to change the world.
When the time came, the Joker would spread terror, leaving the public in constant fear of explosions.
Meanwhile, Killian, with AIM's financial power and the Extremis Virus's medical capabilities, would continuously win over the people, expanding the credibility and influence of TechFaith.