Chapter 289: Endless War II (Part 2)
[On your way home, you also saw some strangely deformed people, but they didn't look like radiation victims. If it weren't for the fact that everyone here spoke English, and that you saw the desolate, vine-covered Hudson Bay and the Statue of Liberty, you would have had every reason to suspect this was another world.]
[April 29, 2030. You returned to your home, a house in the suburbs of Flushing. Your so-called father seemed very busy—he only greeted you briefly before rushing off. In a way, that was a relief. Since you had taken over his son's identity, you originally thought you'd have to tread very carefully to avoid exposing yourself. But with your father absent, as long as you don't say anything suspicious, it's difficult for others to see through you.]
[April 30–May 7, 2030. Over the course of this week, you followed the principle of "the less you say, the fewer mistakes you make," gradually blending into this world. With your natural ease around people, you quickly improved your relationships with those around you. Through some probing, you learned that your so-called father's name is Daniel Zhou—a coincidence, since you share the same surname. He leads a large survivor organization called the Caribou Gang, and your name here is Serent Zhou.]
[Since you hadn't gone out at all this week, and with television signals unavailable most of the time, you only picked up fragments about this world: it is far harsher than your previous life, its main theme being revenge and struggle. In New York alone, six survivor organizations are fighting over resources. Your family doesn't seem to be aligned with any of the major super-villain groups, leaving your situation rather precarious—or so you suspect. With this sense of crisis, you asked family members to obtain a large supply of tools, materials, and a computer, hoping to learn more about the world.]
[May 11, 2030. By manually modifying signal wires, you managed to pick up a few new television broadcasts. What you saw gave you your first real glimpse of this world's truth: a familiar green monster, wearing a suit and tie, giving a speech and claiming responsibility for an energy weapon attack on Manhattan. Although the signal was quickly cut off, you recognized him instantly—wasn't that the Hulk from Marvel? And not just the Hulk, but the hyper-intelligent Professor Hulk? You couldn't help but be stunned. Since when did Marvel become like this?]
At this point, Zhou Ning's lips twitched. It was already obvious—this was indeed the follow-up world connected to the Mad Clown's crossing. In this world, the Mad Clown's intrusion had corrupted nearly all the Avengers, including the Hulk and even Vampire Zhou Ning himself. No wonder the simulator had described this as a hidden continuation map. He couldn't tell if his luck was good or bad.
The simulation continued.
[May 12–25, 2030. Driven by a strong sense of crisis, you used the materials at hand to create a sophisticated AI, which you named "Genwes." It wasn't especially powerful, but you were confident you could gradually improve it.]
[Using Genwes to gather information, you learned more of this world's truths: it is essentially ruled by super-villains. Two massive villain organizations control most of the Earth—the Joker Gang and the Illuminati. The Joker Gang includes Bruce Banner, Hydro-Man, the Lizard, Doctor Octopus, and others. The Illuminati is more complicated; its founder is unknown, but its main members include "Injustice Superman" Steve Rogers, "Venom Black Widow" Natasha Romanoff, "Lizard Archer" Clint Barton, "Ironwoman" Peggy Carter, Doctor Zola, and more. The world's technological path was also shocking—no longer focused on civilian use, but divided into three branches: Mech, Enhancement, and Weapons. Simply absurd.]
[In this world, nearly all famous scientists study one of these three branches. The Joker Gang focuses on Enhancement and Weapons, mastering mass production of Lizardmen and Mutants. Those bizarre people you saw earlier were likely their creations. They also wield terrifying long-range weapons, rivaling nuclear arms in power. The Illuminati, emerging from S.H.I.E.L.D. twenty years ago, was built from the former Avengers. They control mass production of Iron Man suits and the third- and fourth-generation Super Soldier serums. What concerned you most was that Tony Stark—someone whose talents mirrored yours and whose personality was somewhat similar—was nowhere to be found. It was as if he had vanished, leaving no trace that even Genwes could uncover.]
[June 12, 2030. Faced with this utterly transformed Marvel world, you had no choice but to try to adapt. Thanks to your sociable nature, it wasn't too difficult. After demonstrating some ability, you gradually won the trust of your so-called father and began to take part in family affairs. From what you learned, the Caribou Gang truly had no allegiance to either villain organization. Instead, they seemed to be secretly pursuing research, research that may have threatened the Joker Gang's interests. You suspected that the original Serent Zhou had been killed by Mutants.]
[June 21, 2030. While Genwes was combing the net for data, you accidentally detected traces of another AI, one searching for "swimsuit beauty pictures." Its design was somewhat similar to Genwes, and you guessed it was likely Tony Stark's J.A.R.V.I.S. After a brief clash, it successfully concealed itself, but you still caught some clues suggesting it was hiding near Malibu.]
[June 30, 2030. You found no further trace of Tony Stark, but on the afternoon of the 21st, you gained access to the Caribou Gang's secret research: several scientists who had defected from the Joker Gang brought with them the methods for creating Lizardmen and Mutants. As a scientific genius, you couldn't help but be intrigued.]
[July 5–September 5, 2030. Their methods turned out to be real. Although they withheld much information, with your and Genwes's reverse-engineering, you spent two months reconstructing the original formulas. Creating Lizardmen required no real skill—just drinking the Lizard serum. Making Mutants, however, required the serum combined with gamma radiation. You suspected this was a by-product of their attempt to mass-produce Hulks. When your so-called father asked if you wanted to become a Mutant, you firmly refused, replying with deep meaning: "Instead of chasing brute strength, wisdom is my true weapon." (You have learned the hidden alchemy recipe: Lizardman Elixir) (You have learned the hidden alchemy recipe: Mutant Elixir)]
[September 11, 2030. Through secretly manufacturing Mutants, the Caribou Gang's power rapidly grew. Thanks to your charisma and formidable scientific ability, your position also rose quickly. Once seen only as Daniel Zhou's heir, you had now become the Caribou Gang's second-in-command. And after tracking four times—August 20, August 29, September 7, and September 11—you finally pinpointed Tony Stark's location. Perhaps it was time to pay him a visit.]
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