Dream Persuasion

"Very good."

Wang Bert nodded in satisfaction. He tossed a bracelet to Yashida Shingen and said, "This is a teleportation bracelet. Once activated, it will teleport you to my side. It can also be used to communicate with me."

"Thank you, Mr. Iron Man."

Yashida Shingen was overjoyed. As expected of a legendary Super Hero—he had thought of everything.

"Be careful. Whether Yashida can be preserved depends on you."

Wang Bert nodded, rose to his feet, and vanished. Yashida Shingen bowed toward where Wang Bert had disappeared, his eyes full of excitement.

A crisis was both danger and opportunity. If he succeeded this time, not only would he officially become the family head, he would also gain Iron Man’s backing.

Yashida Industries was indeed a colossal enterprise, but it was nothing compared to Iron Man. The man was not only a major capitalist, but also a shadow president—everyone knew President Richard completely obeyed him.

Yashida Shingen shouted inwardly, Old man, I’ll show you that your son isn’t useless. I’ll preserve Yashida Industries and make the Yashida Family flourish.

After leaving the Yashida Family, Wang Bert went to the White House and told President Richard about the matter.

"The Doomsday Master is preparing to destroy God’s City and Tokyo?"

President Richard was shocked. He hurriedly asked, "Bert, can you handle them?"

"Of course, Mr. President. To divert our attention, the Doomsday Master will definitely have the Evil Believers cause trouble on Election Day."

Wang Bert said, "The problem is that on that day, the Security Company, the X-Men, the mutant team, and I will all be heading to God’s City and Tokyo. We won’t be able to stay in the country and suppress the Evil Believers."

President Richard hurriedly asked, "Then what do we do? If something goes wrong on Election Day, I’ll definitely be impeached."

"Relax. I have a solution."

Wang Bert pressed down with his hand and said, "Have the Mutant Brotherhood help protect America. We can clear their name in the process—killing two birds with one stone."

"Clearing the Brotherhood’s name isn’t a problem."

President Richard, who had previously accepted tens of millions of dollars from Wang Bert, said, "The question is whether the Brotherhood will be willing to protect America. Bert, nothing can go wrong with this. Otherwise, the consequences will be severe."

"They’ll agree. I’ll settle this over the next few days."

Wang Bert smiled. "Also, Mr. President, help me contact the island nation’s prime minister and President Basi. I need to meet them. We’ll need their cooperation for this matter."

President Richard said, "No problem. They’ll definitely cooperate with you fully."

Wang Bert instructed, "Good. Also, this matter must remain absolutely confidential. If the Doomsday Master learns that we already know, things will become troublesome."

"Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone about this."

President Richard nodded before saying sincerely, "Bert, everything is in your hands."

"As Iron Man, it’s my duty."

Wang Bert smiled, got up, and left the president’s office. He then teleported back to his own office and called Domino. "Tell Quicksilver to speed things up. In a few days, there’ll be a good chance to clear our name. We can’t miss it."

"Speed things up?"

Domino was startled. "Boss, how can something like this be rushed? We’re recruiting people to rebel, not inviting them to dinner. If we push too hard, people will notice something is wrong."

"We can adapt. Don’t you have a mutant named Sleep Dream? Have him pull Quicksilver and the others into dreams together to persuade them."

Wang Bert smiled. "Afterward, erase the memories of those who refuse. Make them forget what happened in the dream."

"That works too? Boss, no wonder you got rich. You’re incredible."

"Of course. For some of the more distant cities, I’ll help Quicksilver teleport. No matter how fast he runs, he can’t beat my Teleportation."

Wang Bert continued, "In short, before Election Day, the Brotherhood must change hands. Then, on Election Day, we’ll clear its name and have it formally integrate into society."

"It all has to be done before Election Day?"

Domino thought for a moment and said, "Boss, Sleep Dream’s stamina is limited. He can’t pull people into dreams every night."

"It’s a small matter. I’ll use Money Power to restore his energy. Besides, this counts as overtime. I’ll pay him one million dollars a day in overtime wages."

Domino’s eyes lit up. "One million dollars? Do I get some too?"

"Don’t worry. You won’t lack money in the future."

"Thank you, Boss. I’ll do as you say. Most Brotherhood members lean toward clearing their names anyway, so there shouldn’t be much of a problem."

"Good. If anything comes up, contact Wade and me."

Wang Bert nodded and hung up. Then he closed his eyes and sensed the Mutant Source within his heart. To thoroughly defeat Original Sin, his own strength was what mattered most.

"Franklin’s Mutant Gene can control time. I’ll focus on analyzing it first. Once I succeed, I’ll be able to control time myself. Then everything will be much easier."

Wang Bert thought for a moment, took out a stack of banknotes, and said, "Give me ten times the time."

Money Power activated. Time around Wang Bert suddenly slowed, and he nodded before focusing on studying Franklin’s Mutant Gene.

It was worth mentioning that this use of Money Power cost a full ten million dollars. Anything related to time was always especially expensive.

That was also why Wang Bert wanted to master Franklin’s Mutant Gene first. Otherwise, even a mountain of gold would not be enough to spend.

Mutant Brotherhood!

After hearing Domino relay the message, Quicksilver shouted in dissatisfaction, "It all has to be done before Election Day? Do you think I can create copies of myself? Persuading people is a huge hassle, okay? First, you have to test the waters, then slowly win them over. It can take days just to convince one person. In fact, I’ve only convinced two people over the past three days."

"Relax. Boss prepared a method for you."

Domino briefly explained Wang Bert’s plan, then said, "Pietro, although Boss didn’t tell me what this chance to clear our name is, knowing Boss, it must be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Rebelling in dreams?"

Quicksilver thought it over and said, "We can give it a try. Even if it fails, it doesn’t matter. Sleep Dream can erase memories of the dream."

"That’s right."

Domino said, "Let’s find Sleep Dream. We’ll act tonight."

Sleep Dream was a bleary-eyed fat man. After hearing Domino out, he repeatedly waved his hands. "I don’t have the ability to pull people into dreams every day. I can’t do this."

Just as Quicksilver was about to say something, Domino said, "Iron Man said one million dollars a night."

"One million dollars?"

Sleep Dream’s eyes flew wide open. He shouted, "When do we start? I can do it for as many days as you need. Please use me like a beast of burden."

Quicksilver and Domino were speechless. Quicksilver mocked, "Didn’t you say you couldn’t pull people into dreams every day?"

"I originally couldn’t. Now I can. At worst, I’ll get a little thinner."

Quicksilver was about to say more, but Domino said, "Enough. Time is limited, so we start tonight. Sleep Dream, Boss is a very generous man. If you perform well, you could get double the reward in no time."

"Double?"

Sleep Dream’s eyes bulged like a bull’s. "Don’t wait until tonight. Let’s start now. We must carry out Iron Man’s orders as quickly as possible."

"You dead fatso, are you really that obsessed with money?"

Quicksilver rolled his eyes. "Going into dreams now could arouse suspicion. We’ll wait until tonight. Fatty, eat well and don’t let us down."

"No problem. I’ll go fill up right now."

Sleep Dream nodded repeatedly and ran to the cafeteria to eat—his ability to pull people into dreams consumed a great deal of physical strength.

That night, within the dream, most of the mutants from the Mutant Brotherhood New York Branch entered the meeting room one after another.

It was most of them rather than all of them because Magneto, along with his diehard loyalists such as Toad, had not been brought in.

Fire Palm looked around and asked in confusion, "Why am I here?"

"Yeah, why am I here?"

The others were equally baffled. At that moment, Quicksilver entered with Domino and Sleep Dream and said, "You’re in a dream right now."

"A dream? Pietro, what are you playing at this time?"

Fire Palm asked in displeasure. The others also looked annoyed. Quicksilver’s reputation in the New York Branch was notoriously bad.

Quicksilver said unhappily, "I’m not playing around. I’m doing something serious."

"You’re doing something serious?"

Everyone froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. The psychic mutant said sarcastically, "You’ve actually started doing serious work? Did the sun rise in the west today?"

"Is my image in your minds really that bad?"

Quicksilver was speechless. He said, "Enough nonsense. I’m preparing to overthrow Magneto and lead the Brotherhood into Iron Man’s service."

The meeting room suddenly fell silent. Fire Palm darkened and said, "Pietro, that kind of joke is going too far. Even in a dream."

"I’m not joking. Iron Man promised me he would clear everyone’s names and let us return to normal lives."

Quicksilver took out a pardon order and slapped it onto the table. "This is a pardon signed by the president. It grants my old man a full pardon."

Everyone was stunned and crowded over to inspect the pardon. Fire Palm said, "Pietro, Magneto will never surrender. This pardon is meaningless."

"It’s a guarantee. If the government can pardon my old man, why not all of you?"

Quicksilver said, "Also, I have a video from Iron Man. He promised to clear everyone’s names, as long as you’re willing to join me in surrendering to the government."

Everyone fell silent. Domino’s eyes lit up. No one objected—this was a good sign.

"Pietro, this means betraying your father."

After hesitating, Fire Palm said, "Though I long for a normal life, Magneto saved my life. I won’t betray him."

Quite a few people nodded. Magneto had shown them all kindness.

"I’m not betraying the old man."

Quicksilver said, "I’m helping him. If this keeps going, once Iron Man takes power, he’ll be dead for sure. Iron Man promised me that once this is done, he won’t take the old man’s life. He’ll hand him over to the Professor for custody."

Everyone hesitated. "Is that so?"

Domino asked, "Iron Man is about to take control of the military. Once he succeeds, humanity will definitely demand that he deal with the Brotherhood. Do you think Magneto can defeat Iron Man?"

"Though it’s a little disrespectful to Magneto, he probably isn’t Iron Man’s match."

Fire Palm sighed. "Iron Man is unquestionably the strongest mutant."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Iron Man’s power was beyond doubt.

"Follow me, and not only can you return to normal life, you can also protect Magneto."

Quicksilver pressed on. "Don’t you want to shop, eat out, and watch movies like normal people?"

"If we had a choice, who would want to hide underground like rats every day?"

Fire Palm smiled bitterly. Everyone sighed at once. Being wanted criminals was no easy life—they did not even have the freedom to go out shopping.

"This is our best chance, and also our last chance. If we miss it, all that awaits us will be Iron Man’s fists."

Quicksilver said, "I sincerely invite you to join me in overthrowing Magneto and protecting the old man."

Everyone was greatly tempted. At that moment, Fire Palm asked again, "The problem is, we can’t beat Magneto."

"Iron Man will help us. Besides, given the old man’s pride, he probably won’t attack us."

"If Iron Man is helping, then there’s definitely no problem."

Fire Palm gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, Quicksilver. I’ll team up with you. But let me make this clear first—if anything happens to Magneto in the end, I’ll never let you off."

"Neither will we."

The others shouted as well, clearly agreeing to join Quicksilver.

Quicksilver said irritably, "Do I look like the kind of scum who trades his own father’s head for merit?"

The psychic mutant quipped, "You don’t look like it. You are."

Quicksilver gave him the middle finger. "All right, Sleep Dream. Stamp them and send them out of the dream."

Fire Palm asked, "Stamp what?"

"A special mark that lets us sense each other."

Sleep Dream said. In truth, the mark had another purpose: it could distinguish whether someone was telling the truth or lying. If they were lying, the stamp could not be applied.

Fire Palm held out his hand. "Fine, I’ll go first."

Sleep Dream reminded him, "Say, ‘I support Quicksilver.’"

"I support Quicksilver."

Fire Palm shouted. Sleep Dream pressed a wooden stamp onto the back of his hand, and a blue lightning-bolt symbol suddenly appeared, signifying that the stamping was complete.

Fire Palm asked, "Isn’t that way too conspicuous?"

"Don’t worry. It can’t be seen in reality. We can only sense each other."

"That’s good."

Fire Palm nodded. Then everyone stepped forward to receive the stamp. Not one of them was lying—they all supported Quicksilver.

The people’s will is on our side, Domino thought secretly. Of course, that was also because they had not brought in Toad and Magneto’s other diehard loyalists.

Moreover, the radicals within the Mutant Brotherhood had all been taken away by Human Torch last time. Otherwise, things definitely would not have gone this smoothly.

Soon, everyone except Quicksilver, Domino, and Sleep Dream left the dream. At that moment, Fire Palm appeared once more and smiled. "I played my part as the plant pretty well, didn’t I?"

That was right—Fire Palm was a plant. Over the past few days, Quicksilver had only persuaded two people: one was Sleep Dream, and the other was Fire Palm.

"More than well—you could practically win an acting award."

Domino praised him. "Boss promised to make me a leading actress. Fire Palm, if you’re interested, you can be the leading man. We can create a box-office miracle together."