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*****
"This is..."
Staring at the white ceiling, a look of confusion flashed through Crystal's eyes.
Immediately afterward, as if remembering something, she sat up abruptly.
Wasn't she on her way to find the Avengers? Where was this? What happened? What was wrong with her?
A series of questions surfaced in her mind.
"You're awake!"
Daisy walked into the ward, looking at Crystal with pleasant surprise.
Crystal smiled at Daisy, then asked in confusion, "Where am I?"
"You got sick and fainted at the Avengers Tower. Do you remember?"
Daisy walked to the bedside and set the medical report in her hand aside.
Crystal frowned. "I remember now."
Then, she asked anxiously, "What happened? Did the Avengers agree?"
Daisy looked at Crystal speechlessly. "You aren't even going to ask about your own condition? Do you care so little about your own body?"
Crystal was stunned. "Um, what is wrong with me?"
Seeing the blank expression on Crystal's face, Daisy couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"You really are adorably silly."
Daisy gently pinched Crystal's cheek and said with distress, "The Avengers helped examine you. They said you have an infection."
"Infection?"
Crystal was puzzled. "How is that possible?"
She hadn't done anything, nor did she have any wounds. How could she be infected?
Hearing Crystal's question, Daisy looked pityingly at the girl who was two years younger than her. "It's because of the environment here."
"The environment? What do you mean?"
Crystal was even more confused.
"Your physiology is quite unique, making you very susceptible to pollutants," Daisy explained with a pained expression. "Attilan's environment is much better than here, which is why you've always been fine. But the environmental pollution in the outside world is severe compared to Attilan. Plus, the place we appeared in was near a factory, so you got infected."
"Wait, you mean to say that just some dirty things in the air made me sick and even caused me to faint?"
Crystal looked at Daisy in disbelief.
Daisy nodded.
Crystal covered her face in speechless exasperation, mocking herself, "I really have become a crystal—breaking at the slightest touch."
Daisy couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't worry. The Avengers are already figuring out a solution for you. With Iron Man and Dr. Banner here, it shouldn't take long."
"I hope so," Crystal murmured, then hurriedly added, "Can we talk about business now?"
In her heart, the matter of Attilan was far more important than herself.
Daisy sighed helplessly. "Fine, fine. I'll tell you the results from two days ago."
"Wait! Two days ago? I've been in a coma for two days?"
Crystal's mouth fell open in shock.
"Yes."
Daisy nodded. Ignoring Crystal's annoyed expression, she continued, "That day, after you fainted, we sent you to the medical bay. Once your condition stabilized, I had a meeting with the Avengers."
Hearing this, Crystal sighed with resignation.
She had really missed a lot of things.
"I told them everything that happened in Attilan—Maximus controlling Black Bolt, usurping the throne, as well as our conjectures."
At this point, a look of helplessness appeared on Daisy's face.
"After listening, they said they would investigate."
"Investigate? They didn't believe what we said?"
Daisy nodded and said helplessly, "Because based on Maximus's current performance, he doesn't seem malicious. On the contrary, he is helping to solve the problems of Inhumans. As for what he plans to do next, since we are only guessing, we don't have any evidence."
"If the Avengers just believed us immediately based on our word alone, that would be what's abnormal."
Crystal nodded. "That makes sense."
"What do we do next? Go look for other help? Are we just going to watch Maximus slowly complete his conspiracy and accumulate power?" Crystal said unwillingly.
She didn't like this feeling of being unable to do anything.
"I want to join the Avengers temporarily!" Daisy suddenly said.
"Huh?"
Crystal looked at Daisy in surprise.
Daisy said seriously, "I want to join them temporarily and investigate Maximus alongside them."
"Right! With us joining, they will be able to discover Maximus's conspiracy very quickly!" Crystal said excitedly.
Daisy smiled.
"This is an Inhuman matter, after all. We can't just watch and place all our hope on others. At the very least, we have to get involved and contribute our own share of strength."
Crystal nodded in agreement.
"Besides..." Daisy smiled sheepishly. "There is also a more personal reason."
"Becoming a superhero has always been a dream of mine..."
"Becoming a superhero?" Crystal looked at Daisy curiously.
Daisy seemed to be provoked by that gaze and said with feigned anger, "What? Is that not okay?"
"It is! It is! Of course, it's okay!"
Crystal nodded rapidly. Suddenly, she frowned and looked at Daisy pitifully. "I'm hungry."
"Pfft!"
Daisy couldn't help but laugh. "I'll go buy you something."
"Mhm!"
Sizzle!
Accompanying the pleasant sound of cooking, a rich aroma wafted out of Mike's kitchen.
"I say, aren't you guys being a bit too much? You even dare to come to the house now?"
"What's the big deal? No one else saw us."
"Exactly, we came over very secretly."
"Is secrecy the issue here?"
Mike looked helplessly at the three elderly figures standing at the kitchen door.
"Don't look at us like that, as if we're here to mooch a meal."
Odin spoke leisurely, then slowly pulled a peach out of his pocket.
The corner of Mike's mouth twitched. Seeing the Ancient One also take out a packet of tea leaves, he couldn't help but say, "You two shameless old coots."
Odin and the Ancient One: ?_?
"Pfft, hehehe!"
Frigga laughed happily from the side.
Just then, Raven's voice came from the living room.
"Everyone, leave the kitchen to Mike."
Hearing this, Odin and the Ancient One gave Mike a smug hmph and turned to leave.
Mike: (?益?)
Half an hour later, Mike served the dishes.
Odin and the other two swiftly sat down at the dining table.
"Hm? Why is there no braised pork elbow?"
Odin looked dissatisfied at Mike, who was just bringing out a dish.
A red light flashed in Mike's eyes. He took a deep breath, suppressing the dangerous red glow.
Good grief, he thought. It's bad enough you interrupted my alone time with Raven, but now you're being picky?
Do you think you're still the God-King Odin?
Mike looked at Odin with annoyance. "If you keep this up, do you believe I'll poison you?"
Odin: "I am Odin, King of the Gods. I will not be threatened by such things."
"Eat! Or I'm taking it away!"
"I... will eat!"
"Pfft!"
Raven and the others couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Mike also revealed an imperceptible smile.
Ever since Odin and the Ancient One laid down their burdens, while they had become more relaxed, they had also become much more interesting.
Of course, to be more descriptive... they were goofballs.
Picking up his utensils, Odin casually took out his phone. He started scrolling through it while eating, occasionally letting out a laugh or a curse.
The Ancient One glanced at him and said to Frigga, "Aren't you going to manage him?"
Frigga said helplessly, "He is Odin. How can I manage him?"
Mike added, "No, right now he is just an old man who runs a fruit stand."
The Ancient One nodded in agreement. A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes as she whispered, "Don't forget, the fruit stand is currently being propped up by you. You control the financial power!"
"Think about it. That is Odin. Don't you want to try what it feels like to manage him?"
Manage Odin?
Frigga looked at Odin, who was immersed in his own world and hadn't heard a word they said. A look of eagerness flashed in her eyes.
She had never done such a thing before. Now, it actually felt somewhat... thrilling?
"Odin!"
"Hmm?"
Odin looked up at Frigga in confusion.
Frigga said somewhat nervously, "Eat first, look at your phone later!"
Odin nodded and continued looking at his phone.
"Odin..."
"Be tougher!" The Ancient One whispered encouragement in Frigga's ear.
Frigga raised her voice a bit. "Odin! Eat first!"
Odin: "What's wrong with you?"
Frigga's momentum weakened.
The Ancient One gave Frigga a look.
Frigga coughed lightly. "I said eat first. Did you not hear me?"
Odin shook his head. "Didn't hear you."
Frigga: "!"
Seeing Odin about to lower his head to his phone again, Frigga spoke quickly, "I said eat!"
Odin: "Oh!"
He obediently put down the phone.
Frigga: "!"
She hadn't even brought out the ultimate weapon of financial power yet, and he agreed just like that?
She didn't feel a sense of accomplishment at all.
Was Odin this easy to talk to now?
Just then, Odin sneered and looked at the Ancient One. "Do you really think I didn't hear anything?"
The Ancient One looked calm. "Eh? Did I say something?"
Odin: "Shameless!"
The Ancient One nodded. "I am very magnanimous. I can pretend I heard nothing!"
Hearing this, Odin was so angry his beard went crooked.
"Hahahaha!"
Mike laughed happily.
Odin took a deep breath and flashed a brilliant smile at Frigga. "My dear, don't listen to that damn baldy's instigation. As long as you need it, I can do anything for you."
Hearing this, Frigga blushed. She gave a soft hum of acknowledgment and began to tackle her lunch.
Odin hmphed lightly and glanced triumphantly at Mike and the others.
Mike and the other two: ?_?
Fine, they thought. We'll swallow this mouthful of aged dog food. (Note: "Dog food" is slang for Public Display of Affection).
Watching their expressions, Odin ate his lunch in a cheerful mood. Then, he suddenly said, "I was watching the news just now. That Inhuman King who came out a few days ago is establishing diplomatic relations with various countries on behalf of the Inhuman Kingdom, Attilan. Did he go to Kent Star?"
Mike shook his head. "I don't care about that kind of thing. Charles and the others will handle it."
Odin nodded, then suddenly said, "I wonder how they are doing."
"They are very strong."
Mike's face was full of admiration.
Odin nodded. "Of course. They are Asgardians."
"Speaking of Attilan, they've been making a lot of moves lately. Do you think they will become a second Kent Star?" Raven asked curiously.
Odin and the Ancient One didn't even think before shaking their heads decisively.
"Although, judging by the power Attilan has displayed so far, it is already a powerful nation... compared to Kent Star, it is far behind," Odin stated with absolute certainty.
"Hopefully, the appearance of Attilan will be a good thing for the entire Inhuman population," Raven couldn't help but sigh.
Mike gently patted Raven's hand, knowing she was remembering the treatment of mutants in the past.
Raven smiled and held Mike's hand in return.
The Ancient One: "Are you two done yet? Do you want to eat or not?"
"Hahaha!"
Attilan.
Maximus stood at the highest point of the Royal House, overlooking Attilan, a fire seemingly burning in his heart.
He had finally become the Inhuman King.
Next, what he had to do was change the world, making it a world where only Inhumans existed.
Of course, before completing this goal, he needed to eliminate those superheroes and clear away these obstacles.
He looked up at the sky and murmured, "Kent Star... mutants. For this world, having only Inhumans is enough..."
"It is time to depart."
At this moment, Hive appeared behind him.
Maximus acknowledged him and asked, "How is it? Among the Inhumans who have joined Attilan recently, are there any with strong abilities? For example... anyone reaching the level of Black Bolt?"
Hive looked at Maximus with cold eyes, as if looking at an idiot.
"You should know that I can hear what you are thinking, right?" Maximus suddenly said, his eyes full of dissatisfaction as he looked at Hive.
Hive responded, "Then you should be even clearer on how low the probability is of possessing power reaching Black Bolt's level."
"I was just asking."
Maximus shrugged, then said, "Fine, consider my question superfluous."
"Get ready. We move out! This is Attilan's first display of power. It is very important for the plans that follow."
They had tracked down some organizations that were persecuting Inhumans.
Hive gave his instructions and turned to leave.
Watching Hive's retreating back, a cold glint flashed through Maximus's eyes.
Hive... sooner or later, he would have to eliminate him. He was also a threat.
During their first meeting, if Maximus hadn't used his ability to read the Kree's thoughts—that they wanted Hive to control him—and proposed cooperation first... and if the Kree hadn't feared Hive breaking free of their control and needed someone to limit him...
He might have already been controlled.
The Kree, Hive, mutants, superheroes...
Maximus rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
Minutes later, he sighed and quickly left.
Meanwhile, Gwen and her group were happily enjoying their trip.
Although only ten or so days had passed, their journey north had already taken them far from New York.
At twilight, they stopped in a small town and found a restaurant. As they were eating, they overheard something that made them very curious.
"Another person has gone missing. That's the third one this month."
(End of Chapter)