Who Listens to Whom

"Black Queen?" At Alex’s words, everyone turned to look at him, surprised and worried.

The moment Joshua mentioned Energy Toxin, Alex remembered his battle with the Black Queen in Poseidonia. There had been something strange about that battle from beginning to end. Looking back now, it was obvious that the Black Queen had done it deliberately, all to poison him.

After hearing Alex’s explanation, Emma immediately rose to her feet, her face dark. A chilling glint shone in her narrowed eyes, and her voice erupted like a volcano on the verge of exploding. "Gather all the X-Men immediately. I’m going to level Poseidonia!" If Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters was Emma’s most cherished possession, then Alex was her soul. She, Emma, would never forgive anyone who dared harm Alex.

Seeing Emma like this, Alex quickly reached out to stop her, calling out to halt Tessa, who was about to summon the others. He shook his head. "Don’t rush. I’ll go meet the Black Queen!" Judging by the state of the toxin in his body, Alex knew that the Black Queen was not in a hurry to kill him. She definitely had some other objective.

"I’m going with you!" The moment Alex finished speaking, Emma impatiently cried out. Both hands gripped Alex’s arm tightly as she looked up at him, her expression resolute.

Alex hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. "I can take you, but don’t act rashly!" In the past, Alex had only been somewhat wary of the Black Queen. Now, however, there was fear mixed in. The ability to poison him without a sound, leaving him completely unaware, was no ordinary power.

"Can you take me too?" Joshua looked at Alex and Emma, who had separated again, and asked quietly. Before either could turn toward him, he explained on his own, "If that Black Queen was the one who poisoned you, then after I come into contact with her, I might find a way to cure you, Teacher."

At Joshua’s words, Emma immediately became excited and was about to nod without thinking, only for Alex to refuse. "Thank you for your kindness, Joshua!"

Noticing Joshua’s dejected expression, Alex chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Joshua, it isn’t safe there. It would be very dangerous for you to come with us."

"I’m not afraid of danger!" Joshua looked at Alex with utmost seriousness, his emotions slightly agitated. "I just want to cure you, Teacher!" Alex held an extremely high reputation at the X-Mansion. Especially among the first mutants, nearly all of them had been rescued from the flames of war by Alex alone. They were endlessly grateful to him, and Joshua was one of them. Back then, he had only been a child.

Alex was slightly startled, then shook his head again. "Joshua, thank you very much, but I’ve already copied your ability. So you’ll cure me. I believe it!"

Joshua stood blankly for a moment before understanding. He nodded with a disappointed look and shuffled off to the side.

Alex patted Joshua’s shoulder again. Without lingering, he took Emma and used Teleportation, instantly appearing in Poseidonia.

Since he had forgotten both invisibility and the Red Impact Beam, Alex was extremely cautious. The moment he arrived in Poseidonia, he used Teleportation dozens of times in succession before finally stopping in a hidden, safe location.

"This is?" Emma turned to inspect their surroundings. The expression on her face had not yet eased, and there was still a trace of anger in it.

Alex said nothing. He secretly locked onto an AIM soldier nearby and used telepathy to search for the Black Queen’s location. Unfortunately, the AIM soldier did not know anything, so Alex could only switch targets.

Noticing Alex’s actions, Emma also began searching with telepathy.

After searching three or four people, Emma was ultimately the first to find traces of the Black Queen. She even unexpectedly learned about the Gene Enhancement Fluid.

"So, this is what the Black Queen wants!" After receiving the information Emma sent him, realization flashed across Alex’s face. He thought of the Brotherhood mutants in the experimental area. "But I don’t think Strucker would ever give the Gene Optimization Fluid to the Black Queen."

"So she wants to find you!" Emma was sharp-minded and instantly understood the Black Queen’s plan. "She wants to join forces with us and turn around to deal with Strucker!"

Alex realized it as well, but the specifics would only become clear after they met the Black Queen.

After winding through more than half of enormous Poseidonia, Alex and Emma finally found the Hellfire Club’s foothold here—their real foothold.

Alex and Emma had previously gone to the location they had learned from the AIM soldiers. Aside from a scattered handful of insignificant people, there was no one of consequence, let alone the Black Queen. Left with no choice, they continued searching. Only after they happened upon a core Hellfire Club member out wandering did they find this concealed foothold.

Thus, when Alex and Emma openly walked inside, the entire hall descended into chaos. Nearly a hundred people emerged from every corner, each wearing expressions of shock and disbelief, their wariness unmistakable.

The standoff did not last long. The Black Queen soon appeared. Upon seeing Alex and Emma, she chuckled, dismissed the others, and led the two of them into a private room.

"I didn’t expect you to discover it so quickly!" After inviting Alex and Emma to sit, the Black Queen slowly seated herself across from them. She glanced at Alex and said with slight surprise, "I was even preparing to send someone to notify you!"

"What do you want?" Alex frowned, his expression turning cold as he asked in a low voice.

The Black Queen had not expected Alex to be so direct. By showing himself, he had already put himself at a disadvantage. Saying that only made it seem as though she had him completely under her control. But based on what the Black Queen knew of Alex, this was not like him at all.

Doubtful, the Black Queen did not answer directly and instead hedged, "Well, I don’t think I need to say it, do I?"

Seeing Alex start off like this, Emma could not help becoming anxious. At the Black Queen’s words, she wanted to speak first and seize back the initiative.

But Alex had already made his plans. He tightened his grip on Emma’s hand slightly, signaling for her not to speak. Only then did he turn to the Black Queen and ask candidly again, "What do you want to do?" Ever since learning about the Gene Enhancement Fluid, Alex had developed some ideas of his own. If the Black Queen’s demands were not excessive, he did not mind cooperating with her.

"Join the Hellfire Club. You and I will join forces and rule the world together!" Seeing Alex speak this way, the Black Queen was immediately delighted. She answered without hesitation, her face full of grand ambition.

Alex curled his lip, utterly unable to understand the baseless ambitions of people like them. He smiled noncommittally, then asked instead, "Do I listen to you, or do you listen to me?"