Captain America listened carefully as Su Zhan introduced his team: Blink, Marrow, and Chan Ho Yin. The group was small, but each member had a unique and valuable ability.
However, what truly concerned Captain America was Su Zhan's motivation. He did not know Su Zhan well. They had only briefly interacted during the Human Torch incident.
Still, from what he had observed, Su Zhan was both capable and strategic. The way he handled the Human Torch situation was nearly flawless. Even if it was intentional, no one could fault him. By feigning weakness and only responding when forced, Su Zhan absorbed the Human Torch's power without creating unnecessary conflict. That was a clever move.
Now, Captain America wanted to understand why Su Zhan was gathering his own team and risking a confrontation with S.H.I.E.L.D.
"You gathered these people and formed your own team. Why?" Captain America asked directly.
"Simply put, I need strength to protect myself and those around me. On a larger scale, I want to prepare for future crises," Su Zhan replied.
"What kind of crisis?" Captain America pressed.
"Many. More than you can imagine," Su Zhan answered calmly.
"Even so, you could have handled Chan Ho Yin differently," Captain America suggested.
Su Zhan shrugged. "Maybe, but the result would be the same. I don't need to prove anything. Time will tell. Captain America, I admire your spirit, not just your abilities. If you ever need help, you can always come to me."
"I'll remember that. Now, could you have someone send me back? I didn't even bring my wallet," said Captain America, sounding a bit helpless.
"No problem." Su Zhan nodded at Blink. "Send Captain America to the S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft carrier. That way, he won't have to make another trip after getting home."
"Is this the future you predicted?" Captain America asked curiously.
"No, just common sense. The director wants to see you," Su Zhan replied with a smile.
Captain America realized he had asked a silly question, so he spread his hands in resignation. The portal closed, and the next second, Blink and Captain America appeared on the S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft carrier.
The agents on board were surprised to see them appear out of nowhere. Soon, Nick Fury and Maria Hill arrived. Nick Fury looked at Blink curiously. "I know you, Clarice—a free mutant. I didn't expect you to be working with Su Zhan."
"My name is Blink now," she replied.
"All right, Blink. Thank you for bringing Captain America back."
Nick Fury wanted to say more, but Blink had already opened another portal and teleported away.
"Mutants' abilities are really powerful," Nick Fury sighed. Then he turned to Captain America. "So, how did it go?"
Captain America shook his head. "He said there will be many crises in the future, so he's forming a team. He also said that time will prove everything. I don't think he's lying."
"Hopefully," Nick Fury replied with a sigh.
Meanwhile, in an abandoned neighborhood in London, a ball of fire fell from the sky. As the flames disappeared, Su Zhan looked around. Nearby, there was an abandoned box truck surrounded by crates arranged in a strange way. Su Zhan walked over, reached out curiously, and gently lifted the truck. It floated up as if it weighed nothing.
"This should be the right place," said Su Zhan, who was pleased but not surprised.
He went upstairs and, halfway up, casually dropped a stone into the gap in the stairwell. The stone fell quickly, then suddenly vanished—only to reappear above and fall again and again in an infinite loop. Su Zhan tried to hold the stone in place with his telekinesis, but each time the stone fell, his hold would disappear.
"Interesting," he remarked, continuing upstairs until he reached the top floor.
He sensed something unusual about the room on the left. It felt like the source of spatial chaos. Just as he was about to approach it, a sudden gust of wind stirred up dust. The room far away turned into a black hole, and a powerful suction instantly pulled Su Zhan in.
Snap!
Su Zhan landed and looked up. The scene had changed completely; he was now in another dimension.