Turning the Tables

Yukio’s words startled the professor somewhat. He said, "Yukio, your life is your own. Don’t speak lightly of dying. I can’t stay for long, so take good care of yourself. Iron Man and I will resolve this matter."

Yukio said, "Sorry to trouble you."

The professor nodded and left Yukio’s mental space. Once this was over, he had to arrange some counseling for Yukio. She had done nothing wrong and did not need to die.

Seeing the professor open his eyes, Cyclops asked, "Professor, what happened? You look a little unwell."

The professor sighed. "Very unwell. Kurt, we can’t stay here any longer. Return us to the academy immediately."

"Alright."

Kurt said no more and vanished from the empty room with the other two.

After returning to the academy, the professor explained everything to them in detail. Both were shocked. Evil Believers were actually preparing to destroy Tokyo.

Cyclops cursed, "Those Evil Believers deserve to die more and more."

"This is no small matter. We must seek Iron Man’s help," said the professor. Cyclops and Nightcrawler had no objections. Only Iron Man could contend with those messengers; there was no doubt about that.

After hesitating for a moment, Nightcrawler asked, "Professor, Scott, don’t you think everything today went a little too smoothly?"

Cyclops was puzzled. "Too smoothly?"

"Yes, too smoothly. Not only did we obtain the intelligence with ease, but they didn’t notice anything at all." Nightcrawler nodded. "Shouldn’t there have been some complications?"

"By ‘shouldn’t,’ you mean in movies. Reality isn’t as tense or exciting as a movie," the professor said with a smile. "Of course, perhaps we were simply lucky."

Nightcrawler laughed as well. "Maybe we should buy a lottery ticket."

The professor then stopped wasting time. He picked up the phone, called Wang Bert, and explained the situation.

"Yashida Industries? Destroying Tokyo?"

Wang Bert was stunned. Yashida Industries came from The Wolverine. Its patriarch, Yashida Ichirō, was an ungrateful old bastard who had wanted to devour Wolverine’s healing ability to gain immortality, only to be righteously stabbed in the back by his own granddaughter, Mariko.

I remember Logan and Mariko seemed to have a romance. If they meet, will there be sparks?

Wang Bert shook his head and said, "I’ll come over and discuss this with you in detail. Professor, don’t tell too many people about this for now."

"Alright, I understand."

The professor nodded. In the next second, Wang Bert appeared in the office. He nodded to everyone and said, "To stop the Doomsday Master, we must first figure out how Yashida Industries intends to destroy Tokyo."

Nightcrawler asked in confusion, "Why do we need to figure that out? Why not just send troops to attack the Yashida Family directly?"

"Yashida Industries is one of Japan’s strongest conglomerates. With their wealth and status, they can easily arrange countless methods of destruction throughout Tokyo," Wang Bert said. "If we rashly attack the Yashida Family, Tokyo will certainly suffer enormous casualties, because the moment Yashida Ichirō sees us, he will immediately activate those measures.

"Yashida Ichirō is the Doomsday Master’s messenger. Even I can’t kill him in a single blow, not to mention General Anthony is by his side."

"I see." Nightcrawler suddenly understood. "Sorry, I was thinking too simply."

"Bert, how do you plan to find it?" the professor asked. "With so little time, we can’t search all of Tokyo."

"Even if we could, it would be useless. Yashida Industries’ methods will certainly be very well concealed," Wang Bert said. "To uncover their methods, we must work from inside the Yashida Family. Destroying an entire city surely requires many people working together."

"Mr. Wang, are you suggesting we send in an undercover agent?" Nightcrawler’s eyes lit up. He loved this kind of spy drama: a handsome agent infiltrating the enemy’s organization, dismantling it from within, and incidentally running off with the boss’s daughter.

"There isn’t enough time. Sending in an undercover agent would be meaningless." Wang Bert shook his head. "What we need to do is turn an existing insider."

The professor asked, "You mean have Mariko investigate for us? No, that would put her in danger."

"Professor, if the Doomsday Master succeeds, not only will Tokyo be destroyed, but the whole world will be in danger." Cyclops held a different opinion. "I think we should let Miss Mariko try."

"No one should be sacrificed." The professor still shook his head, and Nightcrawler nodded in agreement. "That’s right. We shouldn’t casually sacrifice others."

"Don’t rush. I wasn’t talking about Mariko." Before Cyclops could say anything else, Wang Bert smiled and said, "In fact, Mariko isn’t a good candidate. She has never worked at Yashida Industries. Rashly asking around would only alert them. Besides, this is reality, not a TV drama. There’s no need for us to give the female lead extra scenes."

Cyclops asked in confusion, "Other than Mariko, who else can investigate Yashida Industries?"

"Yashida Shingen—Yashida Ichirō’s son and Mariko’s father." Wang Bert said, "He is the best candidate. On the one hand, he will be very willing to do this. On the other, he is the president of Yashida Industries. Nothing happening at Yashida Industries can be hidden from him."

Nightcrawler asked, "Why would he be so willing to do this?"

"Because he is greedy." Wang Bert said, "Leave contacting Yashida Shingen to me. You prepare for battle. Two messengers—this won’t be an easy fight."

Nightcrawler smiled. "With Iron Man here, what is there to fear?"

"The problem is, I may not make it to the battle in Tokyo." Wang Bert sighed. "Didn’t you notice? Only Jealousy and General Anthony are in Tokyo. The other four messengers aren’t there."

The professor froze for a moment, then sharply inhaled. "You mean they’ve targeted another city?"

"That’s right. Greed and the other three are in God’s City. This time, the Doomsday Master is attacking on two fronts, destroying two cities at once." Wang Bert nodded. "I’ve been scouting God’s City these past few days. If not for you, I wouldn’t have known the Doomsday Master had also made arrangements in Tokyo. It seems my luck is quite good."

Clearly, the two hundred million dollars had not been wasted.

"It’s this world’s luck that is good." After thinking for a moment, the professor said, "If that is the case, we must investigate both cities thoroughly and strike simultaneously. Otherwise, the other city will suffer terrible losses."

"That’s right. So we will split into two groups. My people and I will handle God’s City, while you X-Men and the Mutant Guardians handle Tokyo." Wang Bert said, "To be safe, I will send Iron Man Armor to support you."

Cyclops said, "Bert, you need the Iron Man Armor too. Leave Yashida Industries to the X-Men and the Guardians. At worst, we can hold out until you arrive."

"Bert, don’t worry about us. This time, I will go to Tokyo personally," said the professor. Destroying a city and killing tens of millions of people—he could not accept such a thing at all.

"You’re personally stepping in, Professor? Then there definitely won’t be a problem." Wang Bert smiled. "In any case, let’s gather intelligence and make preparations first. If nothing unexpected happens, we will fight the messengers of destruction to the death on Election Day."

The professor sighed. "I thought this election would be quiet."

"As long as the Doomsday Master lives, there will never be a shortage of this kind of excitement." A cold glint flashed through Wang Bert’s eyes. He had to find a way to deal with Original Sin as soon as possible—at the very least, severely injure or seal Him so He could no longer stir up trouble.

Wang Bert said, "Professor, I’ll go contact Yashida Shingen first. Tell Hank about this, but don’t tell anyone else yet. On one hand, we must avoid causing panic. On the other, this must remain absolutely secret. Original Sin must not learn that we already know."

The professor nodded. "Don’t worry. I will proceed carefully."

Wang Bert said no more. After nodding to Cyclops and Nightcrawler, he teleported to Yashida Estate in Tokyo.

Wang Bert then began searching for Yashida Shingen. No one could detect him because he was within a spatial layer.

Very quickly, Wang Bert found Yashida Shingen, drunk as a cat. Like a beaten dog, he was drowning himself in alcohol to escape reality.

Wang Bert shook his head, stepped out of the spatial layer, sat across from Yashida Shingen, and asked in English, "Are you planning to go on like this forever?"

Hearing someone speak, Yashida Shingen raised his head and gave Wang Bert a bleary-eyed look. "Who are you? Hmm, you look a little like Iron Man."

"I am Iron Man, Bert Wang," Wang Bert said.

"You’re Iron Man… What? Iron Man?" Yashida Shingen suddenly reacted. He scrambled backward in fright, sobering up instantly. Then he stammered in terror, "I’m not an Evil Believer. Don’t kill me. My father is the one who worships the Doomsday Master. He’s in the house behind us."

"What a filial son you are." Wang Bert scoffed. "Don’t be so nervous. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t be talking to you. Sit down. Let’s have a proper chat. I can guarantee that no matter how our conversation goes, I won’t lay a hand on you."

Yashida Shingen hesitated. After a moment, he walked back to Wang Bert and sat down again. "What do you want to discuss?"

There is a chance.

Wang Bert understood. Yashida Shingen had neither fled nor called for help, which meant he had some thoughts of his own.

Wang Bert said, "Why didn’t your father turn you into an Evil Believer? From what I’ve observed, most people in this estate are already Evil Believers."

"Because he looks down on me. He thinks I’m useless." Yashida Shingen spoke bitterly. Even the bodyguards had been turned into Evil Believers, but not him, his biological son. It was obvious how much that old man despised his own son.

If Yashida Shingen had truly been useless, that would have been one thing. But he was not. His swordsmanship was first-rate, and he was also excellent at managing a company. Otherwise, he could not have concealed the company’s true condition for so long. That was why he felt so humiliated, furious, and resentful.

"He hates you so much because you took his power." Wang Bert shook his head. "Power is truly terrifying. It can turn even father and son against each other."

Yashida Shingen was stunned. "You mean he looks down on me because I took his power?"

"Is that strange?" Wang Bert said. "Look through history. Of ancient emperors who lived long lives, how many of their crown princes met a good end? In your old man’s eyes, power is his real flesh and blood."

Yashida Shingen fell into thought. "No wonder he likes Mariko so much. Mariko won’t take his power."

"Perhaps." Wang Bert smiled and asked, "Mr. Shingen, what do you plan to do next?"

"My plans?" Yashida Shingen was stunned at first, then said bitterly, "I have no plans, Mr. Iron Man. My mind has been in complete chaos these past few days."

"Then let me analyze it for you." Wang Bert said, "If you do nothing, there are two possible fates awaiting you. First, your father successfully destroys Tokyo. At that point, the world will be destroyed, and you will enter Hell with your father, becoming an appendage dependent on him for survival."

Yashida Shingen clenched his fists tightly. Wang Bert acted as though he had not seen it and continued, "Second, your father fails. You, your daughter, and the entire Yashida Family will all be erased by me.

"From the current situation, the second possibility is more likely, because I already know about this."

"That may not be a bad thing." Yashida Shingen said, "I’d rather die than become a useless thing dependent on him."

"You have backbone." Wang Bert said, "But are you willing to accept it? Are you willing to die like this? Willing to let your daughter be buried with you? Willing to let Yashida Industries vanish into nothing and leave behind an eternal stench?"

"Of course I’m not willing!" Yashida Shingen was furious at first, then asked weakly, "But what can I do?"

It was worth mentioning that Wang Bert had already sealed off the area. No sound could escape. Otherwise, with Yashida Shingen’s voice, half the estate would have heard his roars.

"You can do many things." Wang Bert said, "Help me deal with your father. Then you will inherit the Yashida Family and become its true head."

Yashida Shingen’s gaze sharpened. "You want me to betray my father?"

"Why not?" Wang Bert said. "Only by betraying your father can you save both your and your daughter’s lives, and preserve Yashida Industries."

"Even if I betray him, I can’t save Yashida Industries." After thinking for a moment, Yashida Shingen gave a bitter smile. "After this, the government will definitely sanction us. Besides, Yashida Industries has long been insolvent. It has only been kept afloat by my false accounts."

The legendary king of cooked books?

Wang Bert silently mocked him, then said, "That’s not a problem. The Island Nation Government listens most closely to the American Government, and the American Government currently listens to me.

"As for assets, that is even less of a problem. Rebirth Group can invest in you or offer low-interest loans. However, I will only support you for three years. If Yashida Industries is still failing after three years, I will let go."

"Three years is more than enough." Overjoyed, Yashida Shingen knelt before Wang Bert and respectfully asked, "Mr. Iron Man, what do you need me to do?"

"Very simple. Find out how your father plans to destroy Tokyo," Wang Bert said. "Tokyo cannot suffer massive casualties. Otherwise, even I won’t be able to save Yashida Industries."

"I understand. I will investigate it as quickly as possible," Yashida Shingen promised. Having been president for over a decade, it would not be difficult for him to uncover the truth.