Maggots!

"How am I supposed to get out of here?" As Carolina listened to Zhang Ye’s explanation, the fear in her heart eased somewhat.

For so long, she had been alone in this bizarre space. Now that someone had appeared to keep her company, Carolina no longer felt as helpless as before.

It was like a drowning person finding a life preserver. Right now, Carolina only wanted to cling tightly to this being who could save her. Though she still could not confirm his identity, this might be her only chance to escape.

"Strictly speaking, this is your mental world. When you realize you’re in a dream, it usually means you’re about to wake up. But the contamination is still there. Getting out won’t be nearly as easy as you imagine," Zhang Ye said flatly, looking around.

"But you came in here from outside. You found me and saved me when those words were drawing me in. Can’t you just take me out of here directly?" Carolina did not understand.

Seeing Carolina’s puzzled expression, Zhang Ye smiled and shook his head. "Taking you out would be easy, but if we don’t eliminate the contaminated cognition, you’ll remain in danger even after waking up. Not just you—you might hurt other people too."

"You can think of it as a kind of brainwashing. Something invaded your consciousness without you knowing and left an ‘instruction’ inside. It’s like a ticking time bomb. If we can’t remove it, you might become the next Deadpool."

"You mean something is hiding here right now? It’ll change what I see and perceive, then take control of my body?" Carolina frowned deeply, her voice uncertain.

"Yes." Zhang Ye nodded. "Have you considered this? If your body is moving normally in reality, what do you think the things you did here—killing those illusions—would translate to in the real world?"

Carolina shuddered at his words. That was right. She was trapped in this world, but her body was still in reality. If her attacks against those illusions corresponded to her physical body, then what difference would there be between her and the Deadpool who slaughtered heroes?

With that thought, Carolina immediately understood Zhang Ye’s implication. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "That thing contaminated Deadpool! That’s why he slaughtered heroes like a madman, and now it has contaminated me too!"

Zhang Ye did not answer, but his reaction was enough to confirm that Carolina was right.

Overcome with emotion, Carolina breathed lightly. She had never imagined that all those days and nights spent in this space had been so difficult and dangerous.

At that moment, Carolina was even a little grateful—grateful that she had held on until someone came to save her. At the same time, she felt lingering fear. If she had truly given up resisting and lost herself in this space, what would she have become?

The best outcome would have been her body dying. But if she were still "alive," then she would surely have become another executioner raising a blade against heroes.

Meanwhile, Zhang Ye slowly raised his head. He had suddenly sensed something, and his gaze pierced upward through the lenses of his mask.

Noticing Zhang Ye’s movement, Carolina looked over curiously as well. Yet all she could see was an utterly ordinary ceiling. Though she did not know what Zhang Ye was looking at, Carolina understood that his gaze had not been deceived by these illusions.

And indeed, in Zhang Ye’s eyes, everything around them had become countless chaotic black shadows. The books, desks, even the walls were all shifting black liquid, like clumps of twisted, interwoven filth.

Beyond this space, within endless, chaotic darkness, an enormous and terrifying phantom was constantly writhing. The dark phantom, like a Worm, twisted and rose and fell without end. Streams of ink-black gas burst from its body, staining everything around it.

That was a living creature!

Zhang Ye’s expression turned grim.

When he first entered Carolina’s mental world, Zhang Ye had not noticed this thing. But after he interrupted the contamination of Carolina’s consciousness and gradually tried to awaken her, the gigantic creature hidden beyond the space finally revealed itself.

Compared to its colossal body, the space Zhang Ye and Carolina occupied was as tiny as dust. Even Zhang Ye had not grasped its full appearance at first glance.

It hid in the darkness, beneath this world made of illusions. It existed in every shadowy corner of this world, behind every mirror, within every fragmented streak of light and shadow.

It silently watched everything, like a god toying with ants, pouring forbidden knowledge into this already shattered mental world.

"What did you see?" Carolina asked.

"…I saw the one behind all this," Zhang Ye replied hoarsely.

Within seconds of seeing that thing, Zhang Ye recognized it. Or rather, it had left too deep an impression on him for him to ever forget it.

A canopy like eternal night, blanketing countless stars; darkness pressing in, invading, and attempting to contaminate the universe.

Ever since Zhang Ye had experienced that scene firsthand, it had remained deeply etched into his mind. And the Starlight Giant being devoured by countless maggots had haunted his heart like a nightmare.

Perhaps the distance had been too great back then, or perhaps he had never expected this thing to be so enormous, but Zhang Ye had not immediately connected the two.

But soon, Zhang Ye realized that this "creature" gave him exactly the same feeling as the maggots on the Starlight Giant.

Sanctum Sanctorum.

Bang!

The Punisher held a submachine gun as he kicked open the door connecting the two worlds.

He knew he was only an ordinary man. He was unfamiliar with supernatural powers like magic, and with his abilities, let alone sneaking in, if Doctor Strange did not want him to enter, then even blowing this place up would not give him a chance to see him.

Rather than waste time trying to sneak around and find a way in, he might as well walk in openly.

The Punisher’s rough entrance quickly caught Doctor Strange’s attention. Or rather, Doctor Strange had sensed his presence the moment the Punisher entered the range of the Sanctum Sanctorum.

"Frank, what a rare guest. What brings you here?" Doctor Strange set down the spellbook in his hand and looked toward the doorway with interest.