The Enemy Is in the Dark, and So Am I

Punisher did not know what state he was in. He wanted to say something, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. His usually clear mind now felt like a clockwork mechanism glued shut, completely unable to think. He was trapped in a mire and could not pull himself free.

Likewise, Punisher did not notice that the hand gripping his gun was trembling slightly, as though he were desperately struggling against something. Yet the "spiderweb" tightly wrapped around him only made him sink deeper the more he resisted.

Worse still, his resistance might even draw the attention of certain entities.

"Then what should we do now? Something this serious has happened. We have to notify the others. Captain America has already ordered some heroes to gather together and stop acting alone, but now it seems that bringing the heroes together might be even more dangerous," Punisher murmured.

"It’s useless. We can’t determine how many heroes have been contaminated. We can’t even determine what the source of the contamination is. If they tampered with the timeline, then every move we make will be noticed by the enemy. They may have contaminated everyone without us ever realizing it."

Moon Knight’s expression was grim as well. Though his face was hidden beneath his mask, the emotions he revealed made the atmosphere feel exceptionally oppressive.

"What’s more, that thing may have already merged into certain people’s minds and replaced their original identities. The people we once trusted may no longer be the ‘them’ we knew."

"Fuck, is this another battle like a Skrull invasion!?" Punisher cursed under his breath. The three people present all understood that this time, their enemy was even more terrifying than the Secret Invasion.

"If the timeline has been contaminated, could it be Kang?" Moon Knight suddenly thought of something and spoke up.

"When we examined the Fantastic Four’s death scene before, we suspected him. If it’s Kang, he may have enough power to gather some powerful Divine Relics and defile history. And using Deadpool as a pawn to draw our attention also feels like something Kang would do."

Indeed, as a time traveler, Kang the Conqueror’s life had gradually become nonlinear. Every one of his invasions created different variants throughout the timeline, making his existence difficult for heroes to document.

"The possibility is low. Setting aside whether Kang still possesses that kind of power, one of his variants did do something similar before. For example, he stole Khonshu’s Divine Relics and fought Moon Knights across various timelines. But as far as I know, Kang has already left this dimension."

After a pause, Zhang Ye spoke seriously. "Besides, if that thing can influence your perceptions, then it would naturally make you overlook its existence. Since you still remember Kang, it cannot be him."

"That makes sense. Kang wouldn’t leave such an obvious flaw. But why haven’t you been affected by that thing?"

Moon Knight raised his head and looked at Zhang Ye beneath the Bird-Beak Mask, as though trying to see through his eyes.

Zhang Ye merely met his gaze in silence before slowly speaking.

"Because I’m not from this universe. I told you before, I’m a traveler from another world. My goal is simply to save your world, which is heading toward destruction."

"Do you have a plan?" Moon Knight asked.

"It’s hard to say for now. I don’t think that thing comes from your universe. Like me, it should be an invader from another universe, like Dormammu. But its abilities are far more terrifying than Dormammu’s," Zhang Ye replied quietly.

If a world like the Marvel Universe were compared to a sandbox, then beyond it there would inevitably be an "upper-level narrator" transcending everything. An upper-level narrator possessed absolute control over the lower narrative and had the means to freely alter any element of its affairs.

But from Zhang Ye’s broader perspective, any existence from outside this sandbox universe was a so-called "upper-level narrator," Zhang Ye included. The arrival of any being that did not belong to the Marvel Universe would cause tremendous contamination.

"Then how are we supposed to face an enemy we’ve never encountered before, especially when we don’t even know who they are?" Punisher could not help asking.

"As for that…" Zhang Ye sneered. "Perhaps that thing never expected me to arrive. Or perhaps there’s something special about me. It hasn’t affected me, and it hasn’t even noticed me."

"So the enemy is in the dark, and so am I. What are you afraid of?"

Zhang Ye’s words plunged Moon Knight and Punisher into silence.

Their gazes gradually sharpened, and the noise in their minds slowly faded. The two of them gradually came to their senses.

That was right. So what if the enemy was hiding in the dark? They were not without support.

"Then what should we do next?" Punisher clenched his fist and asked impatiently.

"Split up." Zhang Ye did not hesitate and quickly laid out his arrangements. "Punisher, go find Doctor Strange. He obviously knows more about matters involving other dimensions. His position is important, but this trip will also be dangerous. I can’t guarantee whether Doctor Strange is under Mental Contamination as well."

Punisher grinned at that. "Doesn’t matter. If I don’t come back within two days, assume I’m dead. Dying while resisting is far better than dying without knowing why. But remember this too: if I don’t come find you and contact you some other way, don’t believe it. That won’t be me."

Zhang Ye and Moon Knight looked solemnly at Punisher and nodded seriously.

As a genuine ordinary person, Punisher had already reached one of humanity’s greatest heights. His willingness to calmly accept such a dangerous mission showed that he had long since placed his own life and death aside.

After a moment, Zhang Ye turned to Moon Knight and continued.

"You come with me. I have someone who is seriously injured. I suspect she may have clues about that thing, but she’s in terrible condition. The divine power you possess may be able to save her."

"Fine. Who is the injured person?" Moon Knight did not refuse.

"I’m not sure. She should be a superhero who survived Deadpool. She’s an alien, and I need you to confirm her exact identity as well," Zhang Ye explained casually.

Moon Knight nodded, but quickly spoke again. "What about Deadpool? If we don’t deal with him, Jessica and the others will be in danger too."

"Don’t worry." Zhang Ye smiled faintly. "I have my own arrangements for Deadpool."