Mystique Joins
The silver glow in Emma Frost's eyes gradually faded.
"Of course." She nodded, gesturing toward a group of mutants stumbling forward, their eyes glassy under her psychic control.
"These are the ones you asked me to find—their crimes are serious enough to warrant life sentences."
"Well done." Xu Mo's gaze hardened as it fell on the group.
While Xu Mo had battled Juggernaut and Magneto, Emma had been rifling through minds, sorting out the truly dangerous. For Xu Mo, low-level mutants who had used their powers for evil had only one value: to be turned into points.
Without hesitation, he struck. Throwing knives flashed like lightning, cutting through the group in less than ten seconds. Xu Mo earned over 20,000 points.
Meanwhile, Emma turned back to Magneto's unconscious body. The silver glow reignited in her eyes, brighter than before.
Within moments, psychic light flared from her brow, shooting into Erik's mind. A faint sigil flashed between his eyebrows, then disappeared. Emma opened her eyes, breathless with exhilaration.
"Success?" Xu Mo asked.
"Of course." Emma's lips curled into a smile. "This feeling is incredible. I can sense every thought he has… control every decision he makes. This isn't like surface-level possession—it's absolute."
Xu Mo nodded. He knew the difference. Telepaths like Emma or Xavier could override minds, but that was temporary, a form of psychic hijacking. What Emma had done now was deeper—an imprint on Magneto's soul itself. He would retain his sanity, but his will was no longer his own. Even death on command would be obeyed.
"Wake him, then. We should leave." Xu Mo seized one of Magneto's legs and flung him into the sea with a splash.
Emma's brow furrowed. "I could've woken him without that."
"Not necessary anymore," Xu Mo replied coolly.
Magneto soon surfaced, rising from the water under Emma's influence. His expression was conflicted, but the hatred he'd once radiated was gone, smothered by the seal.
"Erik," Emma said evenly. "Wait for us on the boat."
"Yes, Master." Magneto bowed his head, retrieved his helmet—now useless—and walked toward the yacht.
The soul seal not only bound him but protected his mind from other telepaths. No one on Earth could break it, Xu Mo believed.
As Erik disappeared below deck, several more figures emerged from the treeline: mutants Emma had deemed useful. Among them was Raven Darkhölme—Mystique—recently freed from confinement.
Emma had controlled Pyro to bring her out.
"I hope you keep your word," Raven muttered before striding toward the yacht.
Xu Mo raised a brow. "Mystique?"
Emma's tone was calm but deliberate. "Yes. You've heard of her. She'll be very useful to us."
Xu Mo of course knew her reputation. Mystique's shapeshifting made her one of the most dangerous infiltrators alive. Men desired her for obvious reasons, but Emma was thinking strategically—assassination, espionage, manipulation. She was perfect for the organization Xu Mo had envisioned: a unit dedicated to hunting down corrupt mutants.
Still, Xu Mo asked, "What exactly did you promise her?"
Emma's smile was faint but sharp. "Something simple. She hates Erik more than anyone. I promised her an hour with him now and then—to… vent."
Xu Mo blinked, then gave a short laugh. Trust Emma to weaponize grudges. Magneto, bound by the soul seal, couldn't resist anyway. Letting Mystique unleash her anger was harmless—and useful.
"Let's move. Xavier and his X-Men will be here soon." Xu Mo strode toward the yacht.
Emma cast one last glance at the island. With a wave of psychic power, she erased the memories of the remaining mutants before boarding the yacht beside him.
---
Ten minutes later.
The X-Jet descended on Nak Island. Professor Charles Xavier, Storm, Wolverine, Beast, and Iceman disembarked.
"Oh my God." Bobby Drake's voice broke as he saw the field of corpses.
"We're too late," Storm muttered, surveying the devastation. Nearly a third of the island lay in ruins.
Xavier closed his eyes, probing with his mind. A deep frown creased his brow. Normally, Nak Island was well within his range, even from the mansion. Yet he had sensed nothing—no minds at all—until just now. Someone with power equal to his had cloaked the entire area.
As the veil lifted, he brushed against the survivors' thoughts—but found only blanks. Their memories had been wiped clean.
"Eric's not here anymore," Xavier said quietly.
Logan clenched the plastic gun he'd swiped from Beast. "Then he's been taken. Kidnapped."
Storm's voice was steel. "Whoever fought him… was strong enough to win."
"And that," Xavier added grimly, "is what concerns me most."