He exhaled, and the dry, icy air instantly cooled the heat, causing water vapor to condense into white frost on his eyelashes, like black branches encased in winter ice. His fingers clutched the wooden ladder of the bookshelf tightly, the knuckles frozen to a bluish hue, as if even the blood vessels had stiffened. His obsidian-pure eyes stared down at his colleague beneath the ladder, his face filled with displeasure.
"I'm busy. I have a lot of material to go through." As he spoke, a cloud of mist once again shrouded his face.
"She's a prophet, Solomon! Even though her mind was scrambled by magic, her soul accepted magic without resistance," said little Mage Wong, pursing his lips, his voice triggering tiny resonances in the frozen dust of the deep archives. In this frigid place, only a few burning incense sticks offered a faint trace of warmth. "Her words and actions represent the will of some magical entity. That's why we call her a 'prophet.' I know it's hard to ignore her clumsy spells, but the magic she displayed actually worked, and that alone demands our vigilance."
"So the Ancient One let her run loose just to see what she would do?"
"You've already figured it out, haven't you? I just made good use of the time to grab some food. It's called efficient time management. How was I supposed to know she'd run straight into a police station!" Little Wong showed not the slightest hint of remorse, as if the insane woman being taken by police was nowhere near as important as freshly roasted orange-peel duck and barbecued goose. Smiling, he added, "To get her back, I'll need your worldly influence. Come on, I just forgot to bring you a portion. No need to hold a grudge."
Muttering words like "betrayal" and "hogging food," Solomon stretched his numb limbs and slowly climbed down the ladder. "You owe me," the tall mage said with a smile. "Take Wanda to the teahouse and get her something hot to eat. And I want some piping hot food too. I expect my share to still be warm when I get back."
"This spell alone will probably give me two pimples! But—" Little Wong didn't object. He instinctively looked around, then lowered his voice. "—you actually brought the Daughter of Chaos back," he said. "I thought you would train her outside!"
"That was before. Now I believe someone's watching Wanda…"
"You said her name. And naturally too!" Little Wong's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a solemn expression. "You have feelings for her—or maybe it's the other way around?" he said. "Your bond with the Scarlet Witch already caused enough unrest. They don't want to see the Daughter of Chaos enjoying the same privileges. The Witch and the Daughter of Chaos are both dangerous. Do you still have the resolve to kill her if necessary?"
"You're questioning me, brother!" Solomon glared at him, fully aware that Little Wong was speaking on behalf of others.
Mage families had always been an important pillar of Kamar-Taj, especially among the senior stewards, where hereditary mage families held the majority. The elder members of these families knew that as long as the Ancient One wished to live, the magic of the Vishanti could prolong her lifespan until the heat death of the universe, and thus they never attempted to usurp the Sorcerer Supreme's position. Only mages drawn into Kamar-Taj by fate attempted such foolishness. Still, mage families retained significant influence on certain matters, and the Ancient One respected their long-standing contributions.
"Are you questioning my resolve or my magic? The Scarlet Witch has no special privileges. They follow the same rules as before and have not asked for any power."
"Don't get emotional, Solomon," Little Wong shook his head. "You know their concern is reasonable. They would prefer you find a partner within the mage families. You are the Ancient One's personal disciple; the Witch has thus become one of us. To some, that means privilege."
"I'm not angry. I'm just surprised that some are still eyeing my bloodline potential, considering we're not a bloodline-based tradition." Solomon's expression remained calm. "The Ancient One allows healthy competition within Kamar-Taj, but to me, some are mistaking that tolerance for permission. I don't understand how anyone could think Kamar-Taj would spare traitors. Look around—many of these records document the execution of fallen mages. Does anyone think the Ancient One would show mercy to a mage who betrayed us? Neither would I."
"Excellent!" Little Wong said with a grin. "I've delivered the message. Now let's go retrieve the prophetess."
By the time Solomon arrived at the police station, New York's looting spree had ended, and the exhausted NYPD officers could finally breathe. Officer Carter had arranged for someone else to pick up her son and had volunteered to stay and work overtime. Many responsible officers did the same, but Carter's situation was even trickier—she had contacted her old friend Mr. Finch to use facial recognition to find the madwoman's identity. However, all the records were outdated. Carter only learned that the woman had been sent to a psychiatric hospital as a child, and that after a fire killed many patients, she had been mistakenly recorded as deceased. Carter contacted several mental health facilities, but without valid ID, no hospital could accept her. This left Carter stuck voluntarily working late, determined to find a place for the madwoman.
"Excuse me, are you Officer Carter?"
"Yes, what can I help you with?" Officer Carter looked up from her case files—and nearly jumped in shock.
Standing before her were a man and a woman, both tall and dressed in black suits, but with completely different styles. Their shared trait was their stunningly attractive appearances; almost everyone in the station was staring at them. The man had long, beautiful black curls and wore a three-piece British suit, complete with gleaming cufflinks and a pin—his clothes were immaculate, every fold precise and stately. The woman had stylish short hair and wore sharp glasses; she wore no tie, and her white shirt was unbuttoned all the way down to her midriff, half-revealing a beautiful curve. A fine chain adorned her fair chest, and triangular blue gemstone earrings dangled from her ears—a perfect blend of elegance and ruggedness. Their every movement radiated intimacy.
They looked like they had just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine, Carter thought.
The man smiled warmly and handed her his credentials. Carter's years of investigative experience made her instantly notice the dazzling light refracting off the three gemstone rings on his hand. She swiftly estimated that just one of those rings could buy an apartment in Manhattan.
"I'm FBI Agent Solomon Damonet. This is my partner, Bayonetta," he said with a relaxed smile, as if completely unbothered by the fact that government agents couldn't possibly afford such jewelry. "We're here to take someone into custody."
"As long as you have the proper paperwork." Carter felt a growing sense of suspicion.
"Of course, I do." The man produced the transfer order. Carter carefully examined it, and sure enough, the photo matched the madwoman's face. Her suspicion deepened. While pretending to scrutinize the document, she discreetly sent an email requesting a verification of their identities.
"We'll be taking her with us. Also, we require all surveillance footage involving her," Solomon said, maintaining his charming smile. "I heard you've been looking after her. Did she say anything? Did you take any statements?"
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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