Rendezvous

Alex had just regained consciousness and was about to offer an explanation when the image of the cave entrance suddenly flashed through his mind. Maximus was charging in aggressively with a group of Inhumans.

There was no time to explain. Alex immediately released his Psionic Power to envelop everyone, activated Teleportation, and swiftly took them deep beneath the earth.

Due to the effects of the Terrigen Mist, spatial teleportation could not be used within the cave. However, after absorbing the Terrigen Mist for a second time, Alex had discovered that he could use his Teleportation.

With Alex’s Teleportation, the group reached the deepest part of the earth in the blink of an eye. They were now far beyond the cave’s boundaries. The Terrigen Crystals were nowhere to be seen, leaving only a few thin wisps of Terrigen Mist drifting through the area.

After passing through a long, narrow fissure that could only accommodate one person at a time, the group finally emerged from the earth and escaped Attilan.

"We’re out?" Alex was slightly surprised as he sensed the energy in the air. It felt completely different from Attilan.

His Highness Alex reached out and patted Alex on the shoulder. With a soft chuckle, he nodded. "Yes, we’re out." After a slight pause, His Highness Alex grew somewhat melancholy and murmured, "It’s been a very, very long time since I last came out."

"What are you planning to do?" Alex could hardly wait to find Emma and the others, but out of courtesy, he still asked, "How about coming with me? Medusa and Crystal are both there."

Black Bolt’s expression turned cold again. He slowly nodded, agreeing to Alex’s suggestion.

Alex curled his lip and looked down at Alex City, now completely buried beneath wind and snow. With a soft sigh, he said, "All right, let’s go!"

As he spoke, Alex activated Teleportation once more. He took the group and vanished from above Mount Everest, reappearing in China’s Snowy Region.

This was the place Alex had discussed with Emma long before Alex City fell. There was a mysterious valley here, where that powerful and enigmatic mage had once cultivated. With Alex’s current knowledge, that mage had been immensely powerful—so powerful that even Alex at the height of his strength would not have dared claim he could defeat him.

There was a mysterious formation outside the valley. Ordinary people simply could not enter without a special method. Alex had only stumbled inside back then by relying on his energy perception to find a flaw in the formation. While none of Emma’s people possessed energy perception, Crystal could barely manage it. With her here, Alex was not worried.

Seeing the marks left outside the valley, Alex could not help but smile. It seemed Emma and the others had truly gone inside.

"What is this place?" His Highness Alex frowned slightly, staring warily at the mist before them. He looked somewhat tense. "I have a very bad feeling, as though something is watching us."

"There’s an Eastern formation here. Follow me, and don’t wander off." Alex did not explain. Instead, he pulled His Highness Alex and the others into the mist.

Black Bolt and the others stirred at his words. Having lived on Earth for so long, they had naturally heard of the wondrous Eastern formations. They did not dare delay for even a moment and stayed close behind Alex.

Relying on his keen energy perception, Alex quickly broke through the formation and led Black Bolt’s group out. Before them lay a broad valley. Countless four-story buildings stood densely packed amid the grassy valley, and innumerable more covered the mountainsides surrounding it. Even from afar, they could hear the noisy clamor.

"Alex!" Alex was staring dumbfounded at the scene before him when Emma’s voice rang out. A figure immediately threw herself fiercely into his arms, followed by more and more people joining in.

Alex carefully comforted the women while constantly scanning the surroundings. Because of the mysterious mage’s presence, he did not dare use his Psionic Power for fear of disturbing him.

"Where is that mage?" Alex searched for a long time without seeing him. He then looked down at Crystal, who had come up beside him, surprise in his eyes.

When they had first discovered this valley and that mage, Crystal had been at Alex’s side.

Crystal shook her head, equally puzzled. "He isn’t here. Maybe he left."

Alex was somewhat disappointed. The reason he had asked Emma to settle here was partly because it was indeed relatively safe, but also because he had hoped to find the mysterious mage and ask for his help. With that mage’s assistance, Alex had absolute confidence in defeating Apocalypse.

While Alex and Emma’s group poured out their feelings to one another, Black Bolt was also speaking with Medusa and the others.

After a brief rest, Alex left alone again. A moment later, he returned, his expression extremely grim.

"What happened?" Seeing Alex’s expression, Emma’s heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding rose within her.

Alex remained silent for a long while before saying dejectedly, "Apocalypse has already completely taken control of Earth. Hydra, AIM, and every other force on Earth have all submitted to him!" As he spoke, Alex turned to Black Bolt and Medusa. After hesitating for a moment, he added, "Attilan is also making contact with Apocalypse. Maximus seems to want to cooperate with him."

"What?" Medusa cried as she sprang to her feet. Beside her, Black Bolt’s face turned livid, and his heavy breathing revealed the depths of his fury.

"It’s only an intention. Nothing has been officially agreed upon yet." Seeing their reactions, Alex hurriedly explained. "I saw an Inhuman in Apocalypse’s camp and searched his memories with telepathy."

Alex did not explain in detail, but everyone present understood the deeper meaning of his words. Alex had been born among the Inhuman race and knew them extremely well. On present-day Earth, no force could compare to the Inhuman race. If even they stood in the same camp as Apocalypse, then Earth truly had no hope of recovery.

"So what we need to do now is stop Maximus!" Seeing that Alex had yet to act, Emma could not help speaking up. She glanced at Black Bolt and Medusa, her expression grave. "At any cost!"

Medusa knew Emma was speaking to her. To stop Maximus, they would have to storm Attilan and overthrow him. Yet with Black Bolt and Medusa’s current forces, doing so would be extremely difficult. They would have to rely on the mutants’ strength. But that would mean opening Attilan to outsiders, challenging Attilan’s traditions.

After exchanging a glance with Black Bolt, Medusa fell into deep thought again. Only after a long while did she finally say, "We will give our full support!"

Hearing Medusa’s words, Emma let out a long breath, and her expression eased slightly.

"Since that’s settled, the sooner we act, the better." Alex had not interfered before; his special status made it difficult for him to take a firm position. Now that a decision had been made, he had no more reservations. "Pass the word. Make preparations immediately. We move at once."