Mutant Annie
Ten minutes later, Xu Mo received the dossier Hill had forwarded to his phone.
After scanning through the contents, he waved his hand.
A spatial portal shimmered into existence beside him.
Xu Mo stared at his palms in surprise. After advancing to a planetary-level psychic, the total volume of his mental energy hadn't increased much, but its quality had—several times stronger.
Casting spells now felt effortless.
Opening his system panel, he noted the changes:
[Name]: Xu Mo
Age: 20
Strength: 1,425,320 kg
Speed: 1360 m/s
Telekinesis: 1,260,000 kg
Special Ability: Space Freeze
Points: 23,420
Level: Planetary-Level 1
His telekinesis alone had improved by nearly 20%.
> "I wonder if I can finally attempt Dream Walking now…"
But he pushed the thought aside. Annie came first.
With a decisive step, he entered the portal.
---
Florida — Palm Bay
In a run-down hotel on a coastal street, two figures stood at the window.
Once certain they hadn't been followed, they sat down on the bed.
It was Annie—alive, though shaken—and Natasha Romanoff, the S.H.I.E.L.D. operative assigned to protect her.
"What the hell were those things? Why are they after me?" Annie asked, eyes wide.
Natasha holstered her sidearm. "Sentinel robots. Designed for one purpose—hunting mutants."
Annie froze. "But… mutants and humans are supposed to be living in peace now. That's what the accords said."
Natasha gave a humorless smirk as she dabbed at a cut on her cheek. "Do you really believe everything politicians feed the cameras?"
Annie lowered her gaze, then slowly lifted her hand. Moisture from the humid Florida air gathered at her fingertips, crystallizing into a jagged shard of ice.
Ever since her ability awakened days ago, she'd been hiding—everything she touched had frozen or shattered. She'd been terrified to contact her family. And when she finally gained some control, the Sentinels appeared.
"I can't… stop it sometimes," she whispered.
Natasha leaned back against the wall. "Then save your strength. Even with backup, we won't last long if they find us again."
Her words proved prophetic. Natasha stiffened, eyes narrowing. She crept to the door, peering out.
On the nearby beach, three five-meter-tall Sentinels descended from the skies.
"Damn it," Natasha hissed. She yanked open the window. "Move!"
Without hesitation, she vaulted out. Annie followed, her stunt-training from years of action films carrying her safely to the ground.
They sprinted for a waiting car, but the Sentinels had already locked on. Metal giants dropped onto the road ahead, one slamming its massive arm into the hood of the speeding vehicle. The car buckled, seatbelts snapping them back violently.
Natasha cursed under her breath as they staggered out, dazed but alive. The machines ignored her, eyes glowing as they fixed on Annie.
"Run!" Natasha barked, drawing her custom pistols. She unloaded round after round—not to harm, but to distract.
"Over here, tin-cans!" she shouted, sprinting toward the alleys.
The Sentinels split up. Two went after Annie. One followed Natasha, smashing through buildings in pursuit, scattering pedestrians in a panic.
---
The Beach
Annie dashed toward the shoreline. Here, where the air hung heavy with water vapor, she could fight on her terms.
But the Sentinels were fast. Within seconds, they loomed barely five meters behind her.
Her eyes flashed icy blue. Instantly, vapor condensed around them, sealing their hulking forms in crystalline frost.
Two towering ice statues stood motionless—until cracks spiderwebbed across the surface.
Panic surged, but Annie pushed harder, draining every drop of moisture within hundreds of meters. The armor of ice thickened to a meter deep, locking them down.
Her body trembled, weak from the effort, yet she didn't wait. She ran.
---
The Streets
Meanwhile, Natasha ducked and weaved through side alleys, forcing her pursuer to tear through tight streets. Each thunderous step crushed cars and storefronts, sending civilians screaming.
But just when she thought she had bought time, her blood ran cold.
Ahead—blocking the street—three more Sentinels dropped from the sky, boxing her in.
"…No way," she breathed.
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