Die or Submit

Hearing Alex’s question, the Black Queen froze. After a long moment, she burst out laughing. "We’ll be equals. You’ll be the Black King, and I’ll be the Black Queen!"

"And what about the Supreme King?" Alex pressed relentlessly. The Supreme King held the greatest power in the Hellfire Club. Wasn’t the reason the Black Queen wielded such overwhelming authority in the Hellfire Club precisely because she also held the position of Supreme King?

The Black Queen had not expected Alex to be so difficult. After hesitating for a while, she put on a magnanimous expression and said generously, "For the Club’s stability, I’ll continue holding the position at first. Once things stabilize, I’ll give the title of Supreme King to you!"

Alex stared at the Black Queen for a long while, then suddenly sneered coldly. "Let’s speak plainly. If you have something to say, Black Queen, just say it. It wouldn’t be good if we had another falling-out later." Although he could not probe the Black Queen’s thoughts and motives, Alex was certain that her words were false. Stability? Who knew how long that would take? She simply did not want him to gain any real power. She might even cast him aside once he had served his purpose.

The Black Queen’s expression gradually darkened as well. She stared at Alex in silence for a long time before saying coldly, "I assume you have seen my sincerity. This is my promise. I will never go back on it."

"So you’re ready to tear off the mask!" Hearing the Black Queen say that, Alex knew there was no longer any room for negotiation. The Black Queen’s so-called promise was merely the position of Black King, perhaps even an empty title. How could Alex possibly agree? If Alex joined the Hellfire Club, the X-Mansion would be absorbed into it as well. The mere title of Black King was nowhere near enough to reassure him.

Seeing Alex shake his head and remain silent, the Black Queen’s expression turned completely cold. Her beautiful eyes slowly closed as she leaned back in her chair and said casually, "Last chance. The very last one!"

"You picked the wrong person!" Alex would not be intimidated by the Black Queen’s tricks. With a cold snort, he grabbed the somewhat dazed Emma and activated Teleportation, leaving directly. The astonished Black Queen was left staring at the empty space across from her in complete disarray.

In the Floating Temple, no one had left. They had all been waiting for news from Alex. When Alex returned with Emma, everyone hurried over and began questioning them at once.

"How did it go?" Nearly everyone asked the same question, anxious and flustered.

Only then did Emma come back to her senses. She looked up at Alex in confusion, unable to understand what he had done. Why had he not agreed first and bided his time?

Alex shook his head and said calmly, "There was no need."

"No need for what?" The others did not understand the unspoken exchange between Alex and Emma. Hearing Alex’s words, they all began asking questions, their faces full of confusion.

Alex calmed Emma, who was nearly on the verge of exploding, and persuaded everyone else to quiet down. Only then did he recount his conversation with the Black Queen. It had been a simple conversation, nothing more than terms and promises.

"Why not agree?!" Everyone shared Emma’s thoughts. With Alex’s strength and the X-Mansion’s foundation, even if they joined the Hellfire Club, they could completely assimilate it and replace it.

Alex shook his head, swept his gaze around the room with a grave expression, and said in a low voice, "You all think too highly of me and our strength." After a pause, Alex gave a bitter smile and said helplessly, "The Hellfire Club has never been solely a mutant force. The human faction within it is equally formidable."

Back then, even with Sebastian Shaw’s strength and influence, he had spent immeasurable effort trying to take control of the Hellfire Club. In the end, he had even used Alex’s hand to eliminate the human leader of that time. Although the Black Queen now controlled the Hellfire Club, the human faction remained deeply entrenched. After all, humanity’s numerical advantage was right there.

So even if Alex and the X-Mansion joined the Hellfire Club, it would be effortless for the Black Queen to sideline or even eliminate Alex. The humans in the Hellfire Club would be more than happy to help the Black Queen get rid of him. Their hatred for Alex far exceeded the Black Queen’s.

After hearing Alex’s explanation, everyone was stunned. Emma froze for a moment, then fell silent. After a long while, she looked at Alex in panic, a trace of hope in her eyes, and slowly asked, "Then… did you find a way to cure the poison?"

The distraught crowd jolted at those words. Only then did they remember that Alex had copied Joshua’s ability. Perhaps he had already found a way to cure the poison from the Black Queen. Seeing Alex’s calm, composed expression, they could not help but relax again.

But to everyone’s disappointment, Alex shook his head without hesitation.

"Then let’s join the Hellfire Club. It’s not such a big deal, really." Emma froze, stared at Alex for a long time, then spoke. Her expression seemed caught between laughter and tears, making her heart-wrenchingly pitiful.

Emma had poured countless efforts into the X-Mansion. It could be said that the X-Mansion’s present prosperity was inseparable from her contributions. Emma had been the first to oppose joining the Hellfire Club. But when she thought of Alex’s safety, she had no choice but to make such a decision, even though it felt like her heart was bleeding.

Alex gently embraced Emma and said solemnly, "Even if I really die, the X-Mansion must never join the Hellfire Club. And it certainly cannot throw in its lot with those ambitious schemers!"

Emma buried her head deeply in Alex’s chest. Before long, she began sobbing loudly.

Emma’s tears seemed to tug at everyone’s heartstrings. Monroe wrapped her arms around Alex’s waist from behind, threw herself against his back, and began crying along with her, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath.

Crystal stood to one side, watching the two women and Alex. She stopped herself from stepping closer, her eyes red with tears.

Listening to their grief-stricken sobs, everyone became increasingly agitated. Howard glared at Joshua beside him as if he had swallowed gunpowder and launched into a barrage of scolding. When he finished, he asked unwillingly, "Is there really no other way? Not even with current medical technology?"

"Forget current medical technology. Even a few decades from now, it still won’t be curable." Joshua did not get angry at Howard’s tirade. Shaking his head with a heavy expression, he said, "But my ability still has room to improve. Right now, it only works at the cellular level. As long as I can reach the genetic level, I’ll definitely be able to cure my teacher!"

Hearing Joshua’s words filled with confidence, everyone turned to look at him. More than a dozen eyes shone with deep hope, Alex included.

"Is that true, Joshua?" Emma lifted her head from Alex’s chest and turned to Joshua. Her tear-streaked face was filled with pleading, making her look unbearably pitiful.

Joshua hesitated for a long while, but ultimately nodded firmly. "I’m sure of it. My ability can definitely improve further!"