The One Behind It All

In a dilapidated theater, Deadpool was connected to a video call. This was one of the Safe Houses he had established. After years in the mercenary business, Deadpool had kept places to lie low in many locations, and this was one of them.

"You did a great job with the M.O.D.O.K. mission, Deadpool. It reminded me that perhaps the Extraordinary Avengers should have a more responsible leader." Captain America smiled and gave Deadpool a thumbs-up.

"HAHAHAHA, it was nothing~" Deadpool proudly placed his hands on his hips. Though he tried to appear humble, almost everyone could tell just how pleased with himself he was.

"Alright, brother, congratulate your team for me. Of course, I mostly mean congratulations to you, but I don’t want the others to feel left out."

"You really know how to talk, Sam. I completely supported you inheriting the shield back then!" Deadpool burst out laughing, without the slightest trace of modesty.

"The invitation still stands." Captain Marvel Carol’s image appeared on the screen as well. "Our Alpha Squad needs someone like you. At the very least, I do."

"Thanks, Carol, but right now, I think this place needs me more." A wide grin spread across Deadpool’s face. "Hahaha."

Bzzzt, bzzzt.

Static like frosted glass filled the monitor, yet Deadpool showed no reaction. He continued conversing with those "people."

". Ha. Hahaha. Yes, just like that."

There was no awareness in his eyes. His vacant gaze made him look like a madman who had lost his mind. But "madman" seemed rather fitting for Deadpool, because to everyone else, he had always been a genuine lunatic.

But things were different now. The madman had gone mad again—or rather, he had sunk even deeper into madness.

With a strange expression, Deadpool smiled at a television filled with static and constantly buzzing. Soon, he picked up the only appliance on the table that still worked—a landline telephone.

". Nick Fury? Yes, yes, encrypted line and a special mission. I like missions."

"Enough! You damned bastard, get on the ground!"

A deafening crash rang out as Punisher burst through the door of Deadpool’s Safe House with two loaded pistols in hand. His violent entry smashed the already dilapidated door to pieces, exposing the cramped interior of the Safe House to everyone.

"Relax, Frank. Deadpool isn’t an enemy yet. He’s only a suspect. We can’t attack our teammate without evidence." Moon Knight tried to stop Punisher from going on a rampage and spoke quickly.

"I don’t see much difference between the two. Deadpool is a criminal by nature. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how many crimes this asshole committed as a mercenary. Besides, the kid is an expert with blades and firearms. Who else could silently kill so many people but him?"

"Stop arguing." Cable cut off their dispute and silently stared at the empty room. "No one’s here. I’m afraid we’re too late again. Deadpool has already left."

The Safe House was far smaller than they had imagined. Its interior could be seen at a glance. Trash littered the floor, and the stench of rot filled their nostrils, making them all frown.

It was hard to imagine that the Safe House Deadpool had prepared for himself would be such a filthy, chaotic place. Judging from the furnishings, calling it a temporary dump would have been perfectly appropriate. God knew how Deadpool endured such a disgusting environment.

"Deadpool has time-space teleportation technology. Catching him is extremely difficult. He could be anywhere right now. More unusually, he may no longer even be in our timeline." Cable spoke calmly.

Though Cable did not voice any extreme opinions, everyone knew that he and Deadpool had worked together for a long time and were especially close. Now that Deadpool was very likely the murderer slaughtering heroes, Cable could not have been feeling good.

"I’m afraid the person we’re looking for received a very important call, then left." Jessica Jones examined the phone, whose receiver had not been hung up, then checked the line before looking up at the others.

"Do you think someone told Deadpool we were coming?"

"Then we still can’t jump to conclusions about Deadpool." Cable tried to defend his friend, but the next moment, Moon Knight placed a file in his hands.

"Don’t rush to defend Deadpool, Cable." Moon Knight said coldly. "Look through these files first. They contain detailed reports on certain heroes: Thing, Human Torch, and the Luke Cage file in your hands."

"I haven’t uncovered all of them yet, but I believe we’ll soon find files on Gambit, Rogue, Quicksilver, Doctor Voodoo, and the others. These reports document their weaknesses in detail, as well as strategies for fighting them and even killing them."

"Ha, I knew it." Punisher sneered coldly, tightening his grip on his guns. "Deadpool started all of this. We just need to find him and kill him."

"I’m afraid it isn’t that simple."

Jessica Jones spoke then. She silently opened a takeout box on the table, and beneath it, several strands of spaghetti had been twisted into two crooked words.

It was another message Deadpool had left for them—

HELP ME

"My friends, our initial-stage experiment has been a complete success."

Inside a Hydra base, Red Skull hid within the shadows as he conducted a video call with the leaders of various evil organizations.

Behind Red Skull stood an enormous electronic display recording every target Deadpool had pursued during this period, along with the vast majority of superheroes who had yet to be attacked.

"Our agent is highly creative and exceptionally efficient. In a short time, he has helped us eliminate a great many obstacles."

As Red Skull spoke, countless superhero portraits appeared on the massive screen. Each had been marked with a blood-red X, while photographs of their deaths popped up one after another.

"And we have completely controlled him. As long as we can maintain his split personality, he can help us kill everyone who stands in our way."

Red Skull smiled faintly and reached out to touch one of the photographs. It showed a man with his head blown apart—Spider-Man 2099 from the future timeline!

". As for those among you who doubted his abilities, I believe his recent target has erased your doubts."

As he spoke, the image on the massive screen changed again. On an island in the Aegean Sea, countless shattered statues and sculptures came into the villains’ view.

From the remains of those statues, their identities could vaguely be discerned: Loki, Hercules, the female Thor, Ganesha, and numerous other gods of legend.

Even more destroyed statues stood in the island’s central region, including powerful gods such as Beta Ray Bill and Hermes.

As the camera continued moving forward, everyone soon discovered what had caused all of this. It lay at the very center of the statues, as if someone had casually discarded it on the ground.

It was a woman’s head covered in snakes for hair.

"Now the question is."

"Who is next?"

"Who?"