Leech

"Professor, you’ve changed."

Wang Bert quipped, "Worthington’s idea may have been wrong, but he succeeded. Today, he successfully developed the Mutant Cure."

That was why Wang Bert had specifically brought the professor here. He had always had nanobots monitoring the experiment’s progress.

Professor X cried out in disbelief, "That’s impossible! There is no cure for mutants."

"Nothing is impossible in this world."

Facing Professor X’s shock, Wang Bert said calmly, "By the way, Worthington is a member of the Human Supremacy Organization. The reason he made such rapid progress was that the Human Supremacy Organization provided him with vast amounts of money and experimental materials."

"He’s a member of the Human Supremacy Organization?"

Professor X froze, then exclaimed, "They want to use the cure to eliminate mutants completely?"

"If Acton takes office, that is inevitable. They will quietly turn the cure into a weapon, then forcibly turn every mutant who refuses government control back into an ordinary person. After that, mutants will become tools in the government’s hands."

Wang Bert pushed Professor X to the laboratory entrance and said, "Professor, take a look at their cure."

"Damn it."

Professor X gripped his wheelchair’s armrests tightly. These humans were far more vicious than he had imagined.

Professor X took a deep breath and looked through the glass into the laboratory. Inside, a female doctor was injecting a potion into a mutant covered in multicolored skin. The potion took effect extremely quickly. In just two or three seconds, all the colors on the mutant’s body vanished, and he became an ordinary person.

"We succeeded! We finally succeeded!"

Worthington shouted excitedly, "I can finally turn my son back into a normal person! I can finally get revenge on that bastard Iron Man! I can finally save countless diseased mutants!"

As the female doctor drew the mutant’s blood to study the data, she said excitedly, "Mr. Worthington, although the specific data isn’t out yet, we really did succeed."

"We really succeeded?"

Professor X stared at the mutant inside, his expression turning grim. The "cure" was unquestionably a deadly crisis for mutants.

At that moment, Worthington ordered, "Make preparations. Begin mass-producing the cure immediately."

"Mass production?"

The female doctor was stunned. She hurriedly said, "Mr. Worthington, before the potion can go on the market, we need to conduct extensive experiments. Otherwise, we can’t confirm whether it harms the human body or whether its effects are permanent."

"We don’t have time. Start mass production immediately. We’ll deal with any problems later."

Worthington said. Wang Bert could not help shaking his head. It had been the same in the movie: the moment they succeeded, they immediately began mass production and even claimed it was permanently effective. Yet Magneto recovered his powers just a few months later.

Professor X said angrily, "How can they be so careless with such an important experiment? What if the cure is harmful?"

"What does it matter? The ones who die will be mutants anyway."

Wang Bert shrugged. "Professor, do you think these people really care whether we mutants live or die?"

"Damn it."

Professor X turned to Wang Bert and asked unhappily, "Bert, you knew about this long ago. Why didn’t you stop them?"

"Professor, don’t get angry. You’re such a good man."

Wang Bert smiled. "I didn’t stop them because some mutants need the cure, such as Rogue from your academy, as well as the mutants from Universe Recycling Company whose evolution failed.

"To them, superpowers are not a reward. They are a punishment."

Professor X said, "But this cure is dangerous. Once the government gets hold of it, mutants will become tools of the government."

"Don’t worry. This cure will only be in my hands."

Wang Bert smiled. "Don’t rush, Professor. Let’s go see the little friend you were asked to look after first."

"I really was a little too anxious."

Professor X took a deep breath and said, "Everything I just saw was terrible to me."

"That’s understandable, Professor. Most humans are good, but the Human Supremacy Organization is an exception. They do not have the slightest goodwill toward us."

As Wang Bert pushed Professor X toward the back, he spoke. Professor X nodded and sighed, "Bert, it’s fortunate we have you. Otherwise, who knows what would happen to mutants."

"I’m a mutant too."

Wang Bert smiled and pushed Professor X into a white room. Inside, a bald boy in white clothes was playing video games.

"Alter the cameras. Use yesterday’s footage to overwrite today’s footage. Also, take control of all laboratory systems."

Wang Bert instructed his intelligent system, which immediately complied. This room was monitored around the clock.

Once the intelligent system finished its alterations, Wang Bert brought Professor X out from the spatial layer. Professor X immediately sensed something was different and asked in shock, "Bert, what’s going on? It feels like my ability has disappeared?"

"This little mutant’s nickname is Leech. He can disable the abilities of most mutants."

Wang Bert smiled. "The Mutant Cure was developed through research on his blood."

Most, but not all. At the very least, Leech’s ability had no effect on Wang Bert. Who could possibly seal off the spatial abilities of the Space Lord?

As for Money Power, that ability had been bestowed by Wanda, and Leech could not seal that either.

"Leech? They actually used a mutant child’s blood to develop a cure?"

Professor X was both shocked and furious. Hearing the voices, Leech turned around and asked in surprise, "Who are you? Why are you here?"

Wang Bert asked, "You don’t recognize me?"

"Are you famous? They won’t let me watch TV. They only let me play games, so I don’t know anything about the outside world."

Halfway through, Leech suddenly thought of something and waved his hands. "I’m not blaming them. Actually, they haven’t treated me too badly. It’s just that I really want to go outside for a walk. Staying here all the time is so boring."

"Don’t worry. We’ll take you away."

Wang Bert said, "You’ll be free from now on. This is the teacher I found for you, Professor X, one of the two poles of mutantkind. He is the best mutant education expert."

Leech stared blankly. "I’ll be free from now on?"

"Child, I won’t let you suffer anymore."

Professor X said gently. He finally understood why Wang Bert had said this child was not suited to joining the Mutant Academy. This child’s ability would make every mutant afraid.

His true nickname was not the Mutant Cure, but the Mutant Bane.

"That’s great."

Leech was happy at first, then asked uneasily, "Um, is leaving here really okay? They gave my parents a lot of money. They bought me."

"Human trafficking is illegal. In a few days, I’ll arrest them all."

Wang Bert smiled. Without wasting time, he tossed a cluster of Nanoparticles into the air. They formed another Leech, who nodded to Wang Bert, sat down, and prepared to play games.

It was a simulated nanobot. With it here, they could fool Worthington Laboratory for a while.

Leech stared at his other self in astonishment. It felt incredibly magical.

Wang Bert said nothing more. He grabbed Leech by the arm and took him and Professor X back to the Resort Villa.

At the Resort Villa, Magneto and Mystique were greatly surprised after listening to Apocalypse’s introduction. "The first mutant, the Mutant God?"

"That’s right. I once possessed a vast empire, and all humans were my slaves."

Apocalypse nodded. "Unfortunately, I was later betrayed by humans and sealed underground for thousands of years. I only awakened recently."

"Humans cannot be trusted. They all deserve to die."

Magneto said. Mystique nodded in complete agreement. Both of them hated humanity to the bone.

"I will not give them another chance to betray me."

Apocalypse said, "Magneto, Mystique, I am preparing to establish a mutant empire once more. Are you willing to help me?"

"I am very willing, as long as you can get me out of here."

Magneto and Mystique nodded readily. Whatever came next could wait until they got out.

"Very good."

Apocalypse smiled. "Once I finish my arrangements, I will immediately take you and Professor X away from here."

Magneto frowned. "Professor X? You have your eye on him?"

"I am very interested in his ability."

Apocalypse did not hide it. "If he is willing to become my Horseman, I will grant him eternal glory. If he is unwilling, he will become my new body."

Apocalypse could take over other people’s bodies and acquire their abilities. That was why he was so powerful.

Magneto and Mystique were somewhat startled. Though they hated humanity, they had genuine feelings for Professor X.

"We’ll discuss that later."

After some thought, Mystique said, "Apocalypse, if you want to save us, you must first defeat Iron Man. With him around, even if we escape, he will catch us again."

"Iron Man is no match for me, but now is not the time for me to meet him. I will take you away without a sound. That is why I need several days to make arrangements."

Apocalypse shook his head. He had other plans for Iron Man, but that could wait.

Magneto and Mystique exchanged glances and nodded together. "All right. We’ll wait for your arrangements."

"Very good. You will not be disappointed."

Apocalypse smiled in satisfaction and vanished from the screen. Magneto let out a breath and said excitedly, "Heaven has not abandoned us mutants."

"That’s right."

Mystique was equally delighted. At that moment, Wang Bert returned to the villa with Professor X and Leech. It was Leech’s first time outside, and he was extremely excited, constantly looking around.

Hearing the commotion, Magneto and Mystique came out of the room. Mystique was about to speak when the blue skin and scales on her body suddenly receded, revealing her perfect figure. She froze for a moment, then hurriedly hid behind Erik.

Leech’s nosebleed was practically about to start. Wang Bert knocked him on the head. The kid sure knew too much for his age.

Wang Bert pulled a bathrobe from thin air and tossed it to Mystique, then asked, "I’m curious. You should be around the same age as Professor X and Old Magneto. Why do you still look young after losing your mutant ability?"

Professor X explained, "Because Raven’s lifespan is far longer than ours."

"Charles, what happened? Why did Raven’s ability suddenly disappear?"

Magneto asked with a frown, "Who exactly is this child? He feels very dangerous."

Leech was frightened by Magneto’s fierce gaze and hurriedly hid behind Professor X. Professor X comforted him, then explained everything to Magneto and Mystique in detail.

"The Mutant Cure? Mutants do not need a cure. Charles, Iron Man, haven’t you understood even now? Humans have never intended to coexist peacefully with us."

Magneto shouted furiously, "They have always wanted to wipe us out completely."

"Old Magneto, your biggest problem is that you’re too extreme. Some humans being wrong does not mean all humans are wrong."

Wang Bert shook his head. "How are you any different from men who were dumped by women and decide every woman in the world is bad?"

"Humans have hurt us more than once or twice. Do you know how many of my comrades died at human hands?"

Magneto shouted.

"I don’t know. I only know that, through my efforts, most humans are willing to accept mutants."

Wang Bert said, "You and Professor X are truly two extremes. One thinks the vast majority of humans are good, while the other thinks all humans are bad."

"My former thoughts really were a little too naive."

Professor X shook his head. "Erik, we’re already retired. There’s no need to think so much. Bert, Pietro, and the others will handle mutant affairs."

"You may be retired, but I am not."

Magneto stared at Leech with murderous intent. "This person must die. If he does not, mutants will eventually be wiped out by humans."

Leech was terrified. He hid behind Professor X and trembled nonstop. He was beginning to regret leaving the laboratory. He had no freedom there, but at least his life had not been in danger.

"Erik, you’re doing this again!"

Professor X said firmly, "I will never let you kill him. I will look after him from now on and teach him properly."

Magneto was about to say something else when Wang Bert said, "Killing Leech is meaningless. Worthington Laboratory can already mass-produce the Mutant Cure. Whether he exists or not makes little difference."

Magneto raged, "Iron Man, are you even still a mutant? You are actually standing by and watching this happen?"

"Don’t worry. I will resolve everything."

Wang Bert did not say more. He tossed a nano bracelet to Leech and said, "This will protect you. Put it on."

Leech hurriedly put on the bracelet. "Thank you."

Then Wang Bert said, "I’m heading out first. Professor, Leech is in your care."

Professor X nodded. "All right, Bert. I’ll leave the matter of the Mutant Cure to you."

"Don’t worry. Everything is under control."

Wang Bert smiled. As he was about to leave, he suddenly thought of something and transmitted his voice to Mystique. "If you become an ordinary person, will Magneto still consider you one of his own?"

Mystique froze, then snorted coldly. Of course he would. Erik was not only her comrade-in-arms, but also a close friend of decades. She believed in him.

Wang Bert shook his head and said nothing more. He teleported back to Worthington Laboratory, then asked his intelligent system, "How is it? Did you find the cure formula?"

The intelligent system asked, "It has been found. Should it be deleted?"

"No. Replace the formula in the system with a similar fake formula that has no actual effect."

Wang Bert said, "The potion made from the fake formula must have the same color and appearance as the real one."