Afterlife

"So you want me to hack the global communications satellites and find a specific signal?"

After receiving Old Wang’s call, Tony shrugged. "I have to modify the Quinjet, research virtual technology, and develop Mark 7. Where am I supposed to find that much time? You’re coming to me over something even a high school student could do? By the way, don’t you have a high school dropout right there with you? She’s pretty good with technology."

"Skye is missing."

Ignoring Tony’s usual showing off, Old Wang said coldly, "The signal I want you to find is from her communicator."

"Okay, give me ten minutes."

Tony did not hang up. He raised his voice by twenty decibels. "J.A.R.V.I.S., did you hear that? It’s yours!"

"Sir, it will probably take an hour," the AI butler replied.

"Wang, you heard that?"

Tony’s voice was lazy and weak. "Once it finds her, J.A.R.V.I.S. will contact you directly. Oh, don’t hang up. There’s one more thing."

"Go ahead."

"Uh, it’s like this."

Tony sounded a little embarrassed. "Wang, do you think it’s too late for me to start learning kung fu?"

Old Wang froze.

I finally crossed over into your universe. Did I come here to promote kung fu?

Buddy, you got it wrong. I came here to invade!

"Don’t you have an Iron Man suit? Why do you need to learn kung fu?"

Old Wang did not understand. "With your aptitude, reaching a level where you can contend with Mark 6 would probably take… a thousand years?"

Hearing the first sentence, Tony became even more embarrassed.

He had abstained for several months. At yesterday’s press conference, he had taken a liking to a female reporter. She was beautiful, and her voice was sweet and soft. Considering how hard it was for a girl like her to work in that industry, he thoughtfully brought her back to his villa for an overnight interview.

To his surprise, halfway through the interview, she had actually passed out from exhaustion.

He had been stunned at the time. Was she too weak, or was he too inefficient?

Only after checking had he discovered that not only was his physical condition much better than before, even that aspect had improved.

He had neither taken drugs nor worked out. The only possibility was Master Wang’s treatment.

Was True Qi really that effective? Just a tiny amount of residue had turned a blitzkrieg into a positional war?

He could not help but suspect:

Master Wang had probably already moved beyond positional warfare and entered the realm of protracted warfare plus attrition warfare—he was the one getting worn down.

Tony did not have many hobbies. Aside from science, there were only hamburgers and women, so naturally he cared greatly about this.

That was why he had asked just now.

"How about this? I have Essence Wine here. Drinking it can strengthen your body. I’ll give you a discount—only 9.98 million dollars per bottle, minimum order of ten bottles. Once you finish them, I guarantee you’ll cultivate True Qi and reach the peak of life."

"Too expensive. Making money isn’t easy. Do you think my money is drawn with a marker…"

"A K’un-Lun specialty. Buy it or don’t."

Bang!

Too lazy to deal with that playboy who never did proper work, Old Wang hung up and looked at Carl. "Mr. Johnson, don’t worry. Skye will be fine, I guarantee it. The people of Afterlife can’t hurt her. It would be more accurate to say she might hurt them."

"I’m not worried. I’m not worried." Carl was sweating profusely, veins bulging across his skin, which made Old Wang somewhat concerned.

Did he inject himself again?

Don’t go and kill yourself before we find your daughter!

He quickly asked, "You’ve been with Simmons these past few days. How has the treatment for the drug’s side effects been going?"

"Dr. Simmons is remarkable. She improved my formula and removed the harmful components, but the residue in my body is still there. It may take some time to disappear."

Carl gave a somewhat perfunctory explanation. "This drug cannot be used for now, because it does not actually enhance physical ability. It overstimulates the body and drains it instead. Every injection increases the risk—the risk of death. But Skye said Director Fury has already had it produced and injected into some willing agents."

"He can inject it if he wants. You shouldn’t."

Watching the veins in Carl’s neck gradually fade, Old Wang frowned. "The mental effects are still there?"

"That can’t be resolved."

Carl shook his head. "My mental problems don’t just come from the drug. There are other reasons."

Old Wang nodded. He understood.

His wife had been dismembered alive, then sewn back together by his own hands, stitch by stitch. His daughter had been taken away. His wife and child were gone, and his family had been destroyed. That kind of pressure was simply beyond what an ordinary person could endure.

It seemed Carl needed an outlet.

Then he would let him vent.

Let him vent properly.

"Mr. Johnson, get ready. Bring your scalpels, hemostats, and sutures. In an hour, I’ll take you to see Skye—and your wife, Ms. Jia Ying."

Old Wang sat cross-legged and meditated with his eyes closed.

Carl could not calm down at all and paced back and forth.

An hour later, his phone rang. It was a text message from J.A.R.V.I.S., containing a set of coordinates.

"So it’s there."

After checking the map, Old Wang understood. No wonder neither S.H.I.E.L.D. nor Hydra had been able to find it. Afterlife truly was isolated from the world. It ought to be called "Beyond This World" or "Departed World."

"Time to go."

Old Wang grabbed the half-dead Whitehall by the collar and opened the door.

Seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar environment beyond it, Carl could not wait any longer and rushed in first.

Old Wang followed close behind.

They crossed half the globe and arrived thousands of miles away.

Skye woke up.

But she did not open her eyes.

After wandering alone for so many years and then following Old Wang, she had long ceased to be a naive child or student. With her eyes closed, she released her senses and began to perceive everything around her.

If nothing unexpected had happened, this was Afterlife, the settlement of Earth’s Inhumans. It had existed for who knew how many generations—hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.

The blind man who had suddenly brought her here was clearly the Gordon whom Wang had specifically mentioned, an Inhuman who could teleport people instantly and create energy force fields.

Her mother’s most capable assistant, Afterlife’s liaison to the outside world and its guardian. He had been selected in 1983 and awakened through the Terrigen Mist.

He had also been the one who knocked her out. His ability was indeed terrifying.

Her Inhuman ability to create shockwaves, combined with the targeted training of the past few days, allowed her to vaguely sense everything around her. By detecting the frequency and amplitude of their vibrations, she could determine what they were, their size, their distance, and their expansion and contraction coefficients.

True Qi’s enhancement of the six senses had also strengthened this ability to some extent.

First, she could feel that her body was covered in stainless steel needles. Weak currents continuously stimulated her entire body, making her feel comfortable. There was even a familiar sense of pleasure, a feeling she had only experienced with Wang before.

Is this the pleasure of toys, the kind Wang has always wanted me to try?

If they’re all as stimulating as these needles, I really could give it a try.

The Inhuman ability in her body, which had been somewhat difficult to control, actually stabilized under the constant electrical stimulation.

Is this the mysterious Eastern art of acupuncture?

The Vibration Dampening Bracers Fitz had made were gone, placed on a table not far away. Wang had been right. Afterlife did indeed have methods to help those who had been selected master their Inhuman abilities. They had a legacy. They were professionals.

The stainless steel needles were not connected to any wires, yet they could produce electricity. Clearly, someone could manipulate electric currents.

It was Lincoln, an Inhuman who could control electrical charges and electrons.

Such a cool ability, and he used it for acupuncture?

What a waste.

This was an Eastern-style house. Its design was ancient, but it had no shortage of modern products. Wang would definitely like it.

Wang had said that Afterlife was cut off from the outside world. They could not make calls or access the internet. It was located somewhere in a mountain region whose exact location nobody knew. Leaving was not impossible, but it was difficult. She would have to cross mountains and ridges.

The subcutaneous micro-communicator had been specially made by Fitz. Once it detected a sudden long-distance change in coordinates, it would immediately shut down until she restarted it manually—

This was to prevent it from being discovered by Lincoln, who could manipulate electric charges.

Wang was always so thorough. It was nice having him.

I need to find a chance to restart it. I just need to avoid Lincoln.

Actually, it doesn’t matter if I don’t restart it. The communicator only shut down after arriving here, so it must have already transmitted a signal. Wang will definitely have a way to find me.

Take a deep breath. Don’t panic.

Wang said that as long as I don’t go too far, Mother will tolerate me and won’t harm me, because she needs me. She needs my ability to help her achieve her ambitions.

I can talk with them first and figure out the situation here. With their help, I can better familiarize myself with my ability.

As for everything else, I’ll wait until Wang arrives.

Skye went over everything Old Wang had said in her mind and resolved to follow his advice in dealing with her mother—

It was not that she was siding with an outsider. It truly was for her mother’s own good.

Skye slowly opened her eyes.

As though she knew nothing at all, her face was filled with confusion, though her gaze held caution.

The second update will be a little later. My sincerest apologies~~