Inhumans and Mutants

Texas, located in the southern United States, covers approximately 700,000 square kilometers and has a population of nearly 30 million. It originally belonged to Mexico and became the twenty-eighth state of the United States on December 29, 1845.

It was prosperous and affluent, and had always been an important oil-producing region, petrochemical industry center, and trade hub in the United States, with an importance that consistently ranked among the highest of all the states.

But recently, a severe epidemic had broken out there.

It was a strange disease that spread through respiration and was extremely deadly. In the end, the lungs of every patient who fell ill would petrify into black rocks.

Those who were infected but did not die in the end had it even worse—they would transform into monsters. Moreover, the monster each patient eventually became was different.

The medical system had reported the situation to its superiors from the very beginning. Then, it was passed up the chain until it reached President Rogers. Steve had already gained experience with strange incidents like this. After a casual investigation, he found that yet another Snake Head was behind it.

Moreover, because the local forces in Texas were extremely powerful and had never been particularly willing to submit to the Federation’s authority, Alexander was more than happy to sell this region outside his sphere of influence to Hive in exchange for the things he needed.

Naturally, the matter was suppressed once again.

Besides, Steve was now worried all day about Shao Ji Carter’s health, not some distant epidemic in Texas.

After Shao Ji had coughed up blood last time, she had soon returned to work, appearing as though she had fully recovered. But Steve always felt that Shao Ji’s body was gradually growing weaker.

Yet whenever Steve brought it up, Shao Ji would either change the subject or put on a stern expression and keep him at arm’s length.

Steve had once secretly gone to the hospital specifically to look at Shao Ji’s medical records. But according to the examination results, Shao Ji’s body was a model of youthful health, with absolutely nothing wrong.

In the end, Steve could only assume that his concern had caused him to overthink things and misjudge Shao Ji’s condition.

With no interference from the Federation, Hive’s plan in Texas proceeded extremely smoothly. Countless particles of Terrigen Crystal were carried by the wind into cities throughout the region.

The Federal Government had not completely failed to respond to the epidemic, either. At any rate, only the people at the top knew the truth behind it, or whether these measures were effective.

All the necessary epidemic-prevention supplies and medical aid were provided. Every required procedure was carried out, and nothing that should have been distributed was withheld.

The various pharmaceutical companies, in particular, had practically begun stationing personnel in Texas. Trucks loaded with masks, medicines, and other supplies were constantly sent there.

But these things were completely useless. Those who were supposed to die still died.

In the end, as the disease grew more severe and spread farther and farther, the entire city of Houston was paralyzed before Hydra finally sent down an investigation team as a token gesture.

Then the blame was thrown onto the Mutants.

Because those who had not died eventually transformed into Inhumans. Without genetic testing, it would be extremely difficult to distinguish Inhumans from Mutants.

With their ugly, strange appearances and powerful, uncontrollable superpowers, it was hard not to suspect that they were Mutants!

Because of this, even the X-Men made a special trip there to see whether a mass awakening among the Mutants had truly caused the catastrophe that brought all of Texas to ruin.

However, they were much bolder this time than before. With Magneto, the world’s most powerful man, standing guard, no one dared show the Mutants the slightest disrespect.

Even ordinary citizens suspected that the tragedy had been caused by a Mutant awakening, but they did not dare say so aloud, fearing that Magneto would come and slaughter them all.

Two million deaths in Texas might sound like a lot, but compared to the souls that had perished at Magneto’s hands, it was nothing!

Scott led a team of X-Men off the plane. After shaking hands and exchanging a few polite words with the state government officials he had contacted in advance, they got into a car and headed for a hospital in the city.

To facilitate the infection of Inhumans, Hive had specifically had Malick use his connections to send all the infected "patients" who had not died to this location.

When they arrived at the hospital, Scott saw the ordinary people around them glaring at his group with hatred, and his heart sank.

He said quietly to Blink behind him, "Look at the way they’re looking at us. The hatred between us and ordinary humans is becoming harder and harder to resolve."

Pyro cut in from the side, "Why resolve it? We came here to take our fellow Mutants away. Otherwise, who knows whether they’ll be treated unfairly?"

Scott sighed and said nothing more.

Because of Magneto’s existence, the Mutant Nation could suppress all opposition in the world, and the Mutants’ sense of identification with their own race had consequently reached its peak.

But for that very reason, the Mutants’ identification with ordinary humans had fallen to rock bottom.

The people of the Mutant Nation now acknowledged only non-Mutants with whom they shared blood ties—that was, the ordinary people living on Paradise Island. As for ordinary humans outside the island, many of them felt nothing at all toward them and regarded them as another species.

But there were some things Scott could not tell them, lest loose lips among the group leak the information.

He silently shook his head and walked into the hospital.

A young doctor was waiting to greet them at the entrance. Through his perception, Scott also knew that this man was a powerful Magnetic Field Warrior.

Naturally, Scott assumed that this Magnetic Field Warrior had been sent by the Federal Government to monitor this group of newly emerged Mutants.

But he had always belonged to the dove faction, so he did not object to such preventive measures. As long as there was no actual harm, he could simply ignore them.

"Welcome. I’m the director of this hospital. You can call me Edison."

Scott shook his hand and said politely,

"Hello, Director Edison. I’m Scott, the leader of the X-Men. We’d like to see the people who awakened superpowers."

"Of course. They’re all here. The several buildings nearby are filled with them. Where would you like to start?"

Scott frowned. "Several buildings? There are that many? I hope they haven’t been treated unfairly."

"Don’t worry. They’re completely free here. They have plenty to eat and wear, and they’re living happy lives. Even if we asked them to leave, they might not be willing to!" Edison smiled somewhat strangely.

"I hope so."

Scott walked into the building first, with the X-Men following behind him in single file.

Director Edison stood behind them, watching them enter the building.

Once the X-Men had gone far enough, Edison—or rather, Hive—threw back his head and laughed.

"What a surprise. This is truly an enormous delight!"