Slave Chip
The sudden tremor instantly alarmed the residents of Death Island.
But under the White Queen's calm assurance, the islanders gradually settled down.
Emma Frost herself hadn't detected the source in time, which only confirmed her suspicion: this was Xu Mo's doing.
Xu Mo hadn't expected the Sky-Splitting Sword's power to be so overwhelming.
That technique had two distinct applications: impact and penetration.
Impact was the method he had just used. The instant the massive sword struck, the smaller blades lining its surface stood upright like overlapping fish scales, increasing resistance against the target. At the same time, spiritual energy radiated outward, unleashing a devastating shockwave. This approach prioritized wide-scale destruction.
Penetration, on the other hand, kept the sword streamlined, channeling force into a single point at the tip. Against large opponents, it could pierce clean through, maximizing single-target lethality.
Xu Mo nodded in satisfaction at the results. Moments later, he appeared in Emma Frost's quarters on the island.
"You've barely returned and you're already causing trouble," Emma said lazily, swirling the wine in her glass as she gave him a sidelong glance.
"By the way, a man and a woman infiltrated the island yesterday."
She handed him a dossier.
"The woman is Psylocke—Betsy Braddock. A mutant from our era. She once worked with the information broker Caliban, though I don't know how she ended up here… with him."
Emma paused before continuing, her tone more serious.
"The other is also a mutant, but I couldn't find a trace of his identity. His power was strong—strong enough that even I couldn't stop him."
Xu Mo opened the file. His eyes fell on a photograph: a man with blue skin.
"Apocalypse…?"
---
Egypt — Ruins of a Pyramid
En Sabah Nur, known as Apocalypse, sat in the shadows of his ancient prison, his expression twisted with disbelief.
After millennia sealed beneath stone, he had only recently been unearthed thanks to unsuspecting archaeologists. He had expected to rise, gather his Four Horsemen, and reclaim dominion over the world.
Instead, he had been humiliated—driven back before even assembling his Horsemen, reduced to hiding.
Apocalypse, the so-called first mutant, invincible for centuries, now found himself overpowered. Among modern mutants, it seemed only Emma Frost—having mastered her psychic sorcery—was capable of restraining him.
By sheer misfortune, she was the first he encountered upon awakening.
He scowled but did not despair. If his enemy's weapon was telepathy, then he would devise a way to overcome it.
---
Death Island Laboratory
Psylocke knelt on the floor, restrained by several collars suppressing her powers. Her sleek violet bodysuit made her look every bit the deadly assassin she was.
Xu Mo regarded her silently. There was no need for interrogation.
In the original X-Men timeline, Apocalypse would have been unearthed in the modern day, recruiting Storm, Psylocke, Angel, and Magneto to rebuild his Four Horsemen before attempting world domination.
But now… something had disrupted the flow. Apocalypse had appeared earlier, and after recruiting Psylocke, had come searching for Magneto—only to be forced back by the White Queen.
Xu Mo reached into his arsenal and produced a device: the Slave Chip.
Drawing a drop of Psylocke's blood, he let it fall onto the chip. The artifact absorbed it, then dissolved into a streak of light that sank into the center of her forehead.
> Slave Chip
Origin: Mechanical technology.
Once fused, the target retains all memories and abilities but becomes utterly loyal to the master, body and soul.
Redemption cost: 1000 points.
The fusion completed. Xu Mo gestured, and two lab technicians removed the suppressing collars.
Psylocke stood gracefully, stretched her limbs, then knelt again, bowing low.
"Master."
Emma Frost, who had followed Xu Mo inside, froze in shock. The absolute sincerity in Psylocke's eyes was undeniable. The chip had truly enslaved her.
Xu Mo dismissed Psylocke with a wave, ordering his men to prepare accommodations. He and Emma then returned to her chambers.
As soon as the door shut, Emma slipped onto his lap, eyes narrowing.
"What did you just merge into her?" she asked, her voice low, curious.
"Slave Chip," Xu Mo replied casually.
Just the name was enough for Emma to understand its implications. She exhaled sharply, marveling at the strange treasures Xu Mo always seemed to possess.
After a pause, her voice softened.
"Why not place such a thing on me? You know I control the entire island's power structure. Do you trust me that much?"
Xu Mo smirked, brushing his hand along her waist.
"I've already opened the path to your heart. Why would I need a chip?"
The truth, of course, was simpler—Emma was powerful, but compared to him, she posed no threat.
Emotion flickered across her face. "In that case, boss… would you like to explore my heart again?"
---
Two Hours Later
Xu Mo emerged from Emma's quarters, adjusting his cuffs.
Not far away, Anne stood with her arms crossed, glaring.
"I knew things weren't that simple between you two," she muttered under her breath.
But she didn't press the matter. She'd been Xu Mo's girlfriend for years; this wasn't the first time. Their arrangement had been clear from the beginning, and she had long since grown used to it.
"When did you get back?" Xu Mo asked, steering the conversation away.
"The day before yesterday. When I heard you'd returned, I came looking for you," Anne replied with a small smile.
Xu Mo nodded. Though he often secluded himself in accelerated time, he always resurfaced once every month or so. Anne had grown accustomed to his patterns, visiting Wanda during his absences and spending weeks at a time with her. Their bond had only deepened.
Back at the villa, Xu Mo presented Anne with a new piece of equipment: a customized Black God suit.
Overjoyed, she tried it on, cycling through designs before settling into a sleek black leather catsuit. With cat-ear headpieces perched atop her head, she arched her back over the sofa in a playful pose.
Removing the mask, she looked at Xu Mo with a teasing smile.
"Tell me, darling… do you want to relive the thrill of Batman and Catwoman?"
Visit patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters