Making Mutants

"It’s what I should do. No more talk, BOSS. I’ll follow that guy and find out who the Behind-the-Scenes Manipulator is."

Translucent nodded and followed the man secretly filming away. At that moment, the beauties crowded around Wang Bert, their blazing gazes practically wanting to devour him. As for Human Torch John? Who was he? How could a mere Human Torch John compare to Iron Man?

I finally understand how Tang Sanzang felt.

Wang Bert grumbled inwardly. He gestured for the beauties to step back, then said to the firefighters, "I have things to deal with, so I’m heading back to the company first. If anything comes up, the company will stand up for you. Don’t have any concerns or burdens."

The firefighters all nodded. "Yes, Mr. Wang."

Wang Bert said no more and teleported away. The beauties were deeply disappointed. If they had known, they would have been more proactive. At the very least, they could have asked for an autograph—signed on their chests, the kind they would never wash off for the rest of their lives.

After returning to the company, Wang Bert called Officer George and told him about the matter. Officer George was both shocked and furious. "Human Torch John actually wanted to burn those firefighters to death? How dare he?"

"This was a trap designed by someone else."

Wang Bert said, "Officer George, lead a team personally and bring everyone back to the station. Also, remember to bring back the alcohol Human Torch drank. I suspect there was something wrong with it."

Officer George hesitated. In his view, Wang Bert was trying to cover things up.

"If I really wanted to cover things up, I wouldn’t have called you at all. Handle this however you should."

Wang Bert said irritably, "Also, keep Human Torch under watch. Don’t let him escape, or things will become very troublesome."

"I understand what to do."

Officer George nodded, put down the phone, and quickly assembled officers.

"Those anti-mutant bastards are truly vicious. Good thing I made preparations in advance. Otherwise… otherwise, I’d have had no choice but to travel through time and change this."

Wang Bert possessed the Time-Space Watch, which was equivalent to having a cure for regret. If something truly irreversible happened, he could completely travel back and change the future.

However, Wang Bert would not do that unless absolutely necessary. Carelessly altering time could cause the world to collapse—Ancient One’s teaching.

Next, Wang Bert called Yuriko and instructed, "Have those bought-off TV Stations and newspapers go to the bar and report on this. Focus the coverage on me."

"Understood."

Yuriko nodded. Making Wang Bert the main character would reduce the public’s resentment toward mutants as much as possible.

"Also, speed up the acquisition of TV Stations and newspapers. We need channels of our own."

Wang Bert said, "And increase investment in the internet. The next era belongs to the internet."

Yuriko thought for a moment and said, "BOSS, I suggest letting White Queen handle this. Her charm is irresistible."

Wang Bert nodded. "She really is suited for it. I’ll talk to her."

Before long, Officer George arrived at the bar. At the same time, William, the owner of Happy Entertainment Company, also rushed over. He found Officer George and said, "I hope the police will keep this matter confidential. Also, I want to bail out Human Torch."

Officer George said coldly, "Human Torch is suspected of a serious crime. Bail is denied. Also, the police will not keep this matter confidential."

William shouted, "He’s a mutant! If Mr. Wang learns what you’re doing, he’ll be very dissatisfied."

"Mr. Wang told us to handle this impartially. Besides, the one who stopped Human Torch earlier was Mr. Wang himself."

Officer George sneered. William was stunned. How was that possible? Mr. Wang was actually refusing to protect Human Torch?

Officer George ignored William and personally took Human Torch back to the police station. He had prepared a special cell for Human Torch, an empty cell with no flames anywhere around it and no way to create any.

Human Torch John could not create fire. He could only control it.

"Damn it, John only knows how to cause trouble."

William cursed and called the Professor for help. The Professor cared deeply about his students. Upon hearing what had happened, he immediately had Hank contact Wang Bert.

Over the phone, Hank asked Wang Bert, "Bert, did you leave in such a hurry earlier because of John?"

"Yes, Hank. I know what you mean, but I won’t get involved in this matter."

Wang Bert said, "You shouldn’t get involved either. John must pay the price for what he did."

Hank hurriedly said, "Bert, John may have been set up."

"He was indeed set up. Someone was secretly recording him, but the fact that he wanted to burn the firefighters to death is indisputable."

Wang Bert said, "Hank, you still haven’t adapted to your identity. You’re no longer a scientist from an illegal mutant organization. You’re the director of the Mutant Affairs Department. You must consider matters from an official’s perspective."

"An official’s perspective?"

Hank froze, then said unhappily, "Mutant Academy isn’t an illegal organization."

Wang Bert scoffed. "It isn’t? Tell me, are the weapons you possess legal? And is that jet of yours legal?"

Hank immediately became embarrassed. Whether it was the underground base or the jet, neither had anything to do with legality.

"Hank, you can find a lawyer for John, and you can hire private investigators to help investigate, but you cannot use your authority to protect him, much less take people to break him out."

Wang Bert said, "Times have changed, Hank. You’re a director now. If you want to save John, fine, but you must use legitimate means."

"I understand."

Hank did not object, because Wang Bert was right. After thinking it over, he personally went to the academy to discuss the matter with the Professor.

After hearing Hank out, the Professor sighed and said, "Bert is right. We should help John through legitimate means. After all, we are no longer an illegal organization."

Storm said unhappily, "That brat is always spouting nonsense."

"It isn’t entirely nonsense. We’re an official organization now, and Human Torch truly bears responsibility for this matter."

After thinking for a moment, the Professor instructed Jean, "Jean, make sure to restrain the X-Men and the students. Don’t let them act impulsively. The situation is very complicated now. We cannot take the initiative to provide our enemies with ammunition."

"Don’t worry, Professor. No one should go rescue him. Human Torch isn’t well liked. The last time he returned to the school, he had a very unpleasant conflict with the students. Not to mention, he’s in the wrong this time."

Jean smiled bitterly. A small man triumphant became arrogant, and Human Torch was a typical small man.

The Professor sighed. "Human Torch changed too quickly. Perhaps I should have been firmer from the beginning."

Hank persuaded him, "Professor, it isn’t your fault."

The Professor shook his head and said, "Hank, John is in your hands."

"Don’t worry. I’ll help Human Torch as much as I can. In fact, this is within my scope of work."

Hank said, "Also, Human Torch absolutely will not suffer any unfair treatment. I can guarantee you that."

"Things are different now than before."

The Professor nodded. He knew clearly that all of this had been brought about by Bert Wang.

In a heavily guarded office somewhere in Queens, the man who had secretly filmed at the bar reported to his boss, a capable-looking man with hair cut so short he was nearly bald. "Boss, the recording is here, but the plan failed. Iron Man appeared in time and stopped Human Torch."

"It failed?"

The boss frowned and said, "Tell me exactly what happened."

"Yes, Boss."

The man began explaining in detail. "At first, everything went smoothly. Human Torch drank the spiked beer, and the firefighters came looking for him…"

"Iron Man must have had people watching Human Torch, otherwise it couldn’t have been such a coincidence."

The boss cursed, then thought of something and asked nervously, "Did anyone follow you?"

"Of course not, Boss. Did you forget? I’m a mutant too. I can see in the dark."

"He’s a mutant too?"

Translucent, who had been following the man the entire time, was astonished, then furious. This bastard was actually helping ordinary people deal with mutants. He truly deserved to die.

"You’re a failed mutant. You couldn’t even be sold for money, so I kept you by my side."

The boss snorted and said disdainfully, "Go wait outside. Oh, and leave the camera behind."

"Yes, Boss."

A flash of hatred passed through the man’s eyes, but there was even more fear. He nodded, placed the camera on the desk, and went outside to wait.

Once the door closed, the boss took out his phone and called his superior. Translucent quietly moved closer to check the number and record the conversation.

After hearing the report, the boss’s superior slowly said, "Although those firefighters didn’t die, the fact that Human Torch stole a firefighter’s girlfriend and wanted to burn the firefighters to death is indisputable. Have the media heavily report that aspect and damage the mutants’ image."

"I understand what to do."

The boss nodded. He asked, "General, things have been a little tense recently. Should we continue making mutants?"

"General? Making mutants?"

Translucent was stunned. Mutants could actually be manufactured? As for the other party being a general, honestly, Translucent was not surprised at all. The military had been eyeing mutants greedily for far more than a day or two.

"Why wouldn’t we make them? Our products sell very well in every country."

The general said, "Besides, we need more soldiers to deal with Bert Wang. Bert Wang must die. Otherwise, he may really unite the mutants. If that happens, ordinary people like us will have no way to survive."

The boss shrugged and said somewhat flippantly, "General, you seem to have forgotten that I’m a mutant too. My mutant ability is high-speed reflex nerves, along with an inability to feel pain."

"He’s a mutant too?"

Translucent was dumbfounded, then became even angrier. These damned scum.

"Not feeling pain is a side effect, not a superpower."

The general said, "Once this matter is done, focus on cultivating mutants. If you can cultivate a spatial mutant, I’ll reward you with a large sum of money."

"That won’t be easy. All powers are random."

The boss did not dare make any guarantees. The general did not force him either. After giving a few more instructions, he ended the communication.

"A spatial mutant? Those old bastards are more afraid of death than the last."

The boss snorted, then called the media outlets and gave them their instructions.

Although the boss was also a mutant, he did not like mutants gaining higher status at all, because that would affect his business. Mutants were better off as slaves—he was an artificial mutant.

Translucent quietly placed the recorder behind the television, then left the room to call Wang Bert.

"Mutants? Manufactured mutants?"

Wang Bert was startled. He said, "Send me a photo of that boss."

"Alright."

Translucent nodded and sent over a somewhat blurry photo. Wang Bert only needed one glance to recognize the man’s identity—Francis, the villainous boss from "Deadpool."

Francis was the head of an organization that manufactured mutants. He used special drugs and extreme pain to force ordinary people to awaken as mutants. Deadpool’s regenerative ability had awakened this way.

Francis was not a good man. His purpose in creating mutants was to sell them as weapons to warlords and gangs.

This man was scum on the same level as Stryker.

Wang Bert instructed, "From now on, stay by his side and monitor him. If you encounter any danger, immediately activate the wristband I left you and escape back."

"BOSS, aren’t we killing him now?"

Translucent asked hatefully. Traitors were more hateful than enemies.

"Not yet. We need to wipe out his entire organization in one sweep."

Wang Bert said, "Don’t worry. They will definitely die horribly, horribly."

"BOSS, I want to deal with that boss personally."

Wang Bert smiled. "No problem, but he can’t feel pain. If you want to torture him, you’ll need to come up with some new tricks."

"He can’t feel pain? That is troublesome."

Translucent scratched his head. How was he supposed to torture someone who could not feel pain? Waiting online for answers. Urgent.

Wang Bert put down the phone and narrowed his eyes slightly. "This is another huge piece of news."

The next day, news that Human Torch had stolen someone’s girlfriend and intended to burn the man to death spread across America. The public was furious. This was too outrageous, wasn’t it? He had not only stolen the man’s job and girlfriend, but had even wanted to burn him to death? Was he still human?

Newspapers, television, and the internet—everyone was cursing Human Torch. Fortunately, most people were only condemning Human Torch and did not drag mutants into it.

The reason was simple. Iron Man had stopped Human Torch in time, preventing any casualties, and Iron Man had impartially sent Human Torch to the police station.

Although the media outlets Francis had bought kept deliberately or subtly promoting the theory that mutants were a threat, no one had died in the end, so their propaganda had little effect.

Wang Bert was one of the people involved, and his reputation was the greatest among mutants. Therefore, the moment he stepped out of Rebirth Tower, he was surrounded by a group of reporters.

A New York TV Station reporter used her formidable assets to squeeze to the very front and asked Wang Bert, "Mr. Wang, what are your thoughts on last night’s incident?"

Wang Bert said casually, "I have no particular thoughts. It was just an ordinary bar fight that could happen anywhere."

"Mr. Wang, surely you can’t put it that way? If you hadn’t arrived just in time, those firefighters would all have been burned to death by Human Torch."

A reporter said, "The incident itself may be simple, but one of the parties involved is anything but simple."

"In other countries, this might not be simple, but what’s unusual about it in America? During a bar fight, one side suddenly pulls out a gun and goes bang bang bang. Isn’t that the most common thing in the world?"

Wang Bert shrugged. "Human Torch’s ability is no different from a firearm."