Stryker pulled out a syringe from his pocket.
Inside the syringe, the transparent liquid glowed with a mystical light.
X-Gene inhibitor serum.
As everyone knows,
Mutants possess diverse and remarkable abilities, each unique in its own way. Among them, some mutants have learned to play with fire, some have learned to fly, and some can absorb the mutant energy of others.
Similarly, where there is absorption, there is suppression.
The liquid in the syringe Stryker held was derived from a serum that could nullify mutant abilities.
This mutant was unexpectedly found by the Sentinel Special Service Bureau.
Moreover, the Sentinel Special Service Bureau, based on the study of this mutant whose blood could incapacitate mutant abilities, developed the so-called X-Gene inhibitor and the serum in hand, which, once injected, would completely strip a mutant of their abilities.
So—
"Die!"
"Damn mutants!!"
Stryker's expression twisted into a snarl. He moved like a maddened rabbit, almost in an instant, before Hawk could react, and jabbed the syringe at Hawk's neck.
Of course.
This was what Stryker assumed.
Bang!
The moment the needle touched Hawk's neck, it was like an egg meeting a rock; it didn't even penetrate, and the needle shattered.
Stryker's ferocious expression froze.
Wanda tilted her head, watching Stryker as if observing a circus play.
Hawk's eyes remained calm as he looked at Stryker, who had rushed up to him.
Their eyes met.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
The next second.
"Hiss!"
"Ah!"
Stryker's feet left the ground, and his hands instinctively grabbed Hawk's arm, his legs flailing desperately.
Hawk gripped Stryker's neck with one hand and held the syringe of X-Gene inhibitor serum with the other.
He glanced at the syringe in his hand, then looked up at Stryker, whom he was gripping, then turned his gaze to General Ross and the others of this Cosmos.
The expressions of General Ross and others were as colorful as a dye workshop.
From the initial thrill of Stryker's last-ditch assault, to the shock when the needle shattered, and then to quickly regaining calm.
It must be said.
No matter which Cosmos you are in, first-rate actors are always in politics.
With such swift expressions changing, Hawk felt inferior.
As Hawk thought about this, he glanced at General Ross and weighed the X-Gene inhibitor in his hand: "General Ross, congratulations. You've just raised my intention to wipe you out by five levels."
General Ross and the other generals' faces changed at the words.
Just as General Ross was about to speak.
"Crack!"
Hawk exerted force with his right hand, which was gripping Stryker's neck, snapping it instantly. Then he tossed Stryker at Wanda's feet: "Extract his soul and take it to my Nether Prison; I want him to suffer for eternity!"
Merely a Stryker, an entity with no personal strength; there was no need for a dramatic death.
For Hawk, crushing Stryker was as simple as squashing an ant.
Wanda said nothing, her hands surging with Crimson Chaos Power. Soon, under General Ross and others' gaze, a screaming soul was forcibly extracted from Stryker's corpse by Wanda.
The soul screamed.
The soul wailed.
General Ross and others' faces changed color.
Death is not scary.
What's scary is that death isn't the end but the beginning of torment.
Among Wanda's surging hands, Stryker's soul was instantly assimilated by Crimson Chaos Power, then disappeared into the void amidst a piercing scream.
The next second.
Hawk closed his eyes, his figure beginning to levitate.
"Since you don't want to negotiate, let's go to war..."
"Wait!"
General Ross looked at the levitating Hawk, his soul terrified, and shouted: "We can negotiate, we can negotiate. We can discuss."
Already in mid-air, Hawk reopened his eyes, looking at General Ross, whose expression at the moment didn't seem fake, and spoke calmly.
"Negotiate?"
"Yes, we can negotiate."
General Ross quickly replied, glancing at Stryker's corpse, which appeared drained of its soul and pale: "I assure you, Mr. Phoenix, we have no ill will towards you, nor will we entertain any inappropriate thoughts."
Hawk showed no expression.
"Once again, your assurances mean nothing to me."
"But..."
Hawk turned his tone here, hovering in the air without landing, and moved before General Ross, looking down coldly at him: "However, I can give you a chance to live. If you prove to be reckless, remember, I've given you the opportunity, and if not cherished, when I come again, I won't offer you any chance to speak."
General Ross nodded urgently: "Of course, certainly."
Hawk heard this and chuckled lightly.
But he didn't take General Ross's assurances to heart.
After all...
A politician's mouth is full of lies.
Frankly, the credibility of a politician isn't much better than Mephisto's.
It's fine, though; it's just another trip.
Hawk's thoughts spun.
"Charles Xavier!"
"Xavier?"
General Ross heard the name Hawk mentioned, froze for a moment, then realized: "Professor X?"
Hawk nodded.
"Yes."
"You want him?"
"Hmph."
Hawk looked at General Ross, chuckled softly: "Charles Xavier, Jean Grey, I want these two."
Actually, he only wanted Jean Grey.
But...
Calling Jean alone would be too obvious.
Better to bring Professor X along.
Hawk's thoughts whirled, then he looked at General Ross: "Before the sun sets, I want to see these two mutants. Give them to me, and I will leave immediately, not interfering in anything else in this universe. But if I don't see them before sunset, you die."
General Ross listened to Hawk's words, the cold and emotionless word "die" struck him with a chill running up his spine.
He swallowed, looking up at Hawk.
"...Alright, but you must guarantee."
"Heh."
Hawk calmly looked down into General Ross's eyes: "Once again, at sunset, you are in no position to negotiate any terms with me. Either give me these two mutants, or you die!"
As everyone knows.
Negotiations are based on equal strength.
Right now?
Barbarians, afraid of might but not of virtue!
Humiliation, apply it however you can.
General Ross's face changed continuously.
The next second.
He turned his head towards Adia, who had been silent after bringing Stryker over: "Adia..."
Just as General Ross was about to ask Adia to notify the New York Sentinels to go to the X-Mansion and arrest Professor X and that Jean Grey, suddenly.
A soldier ran out of the base building in a panic.
"Sir, the nukes..."
"The nukes have been launched."
"What!"
General Ross's face changed dramatically, and the other generals looked at the soldier who ran out with disbelief: "Who authorized it, where were they launched from, what's the target?"
The soldier looked panicked.
"From the sky, straight up!"
"Holy shit!"
"Look quickly."
"In the sky."
Everyone in the base seemed to hear something, instinctively looked up through the crimson dome towards the sky.
In view.
Nukes!
Nukes!
Nukes soaring into the sky!
It almost seemed, at this moment, that the entire Federation's nuclear arsenal was launched all at once.
General Ross and the others stared in disbelief at the scene.
Hawk had returned to Wanda's side, looking up at the soaring nukes.
Wanda furrowed her brow.
"The trajectory of these nukes seems..."
"Outer space."
Hawk responded, then seemed to realize where this universe's timeline had progressed.
He had thought the timeline in this universe should be just ten years after Days of Future Past.
But now, seeing these nukes soaring upwards, scenes from few mutant movies flashed in his mind, realizing the current timeline.
Mutant Apocalypse's resurgence.
Clearly at this moment, Mutant Apocalypse had controlled Professor X, using the chance with the Cerebro headset, took control of the global nuclear arsenal, then unleashed all the world's nuclear weapons, dragging them into space to detonate in an epic scene.
After all, Mutant Apocalypse intended to rule the world, not destroy it.
Obviously, from Mutant Apocalypse's perspective, nukes striking Earth would be detrimental to his rule.
After all, if the world were filled with radiation and humanity died out, who would he rule?
Rule over sand?
Play the Sand Emperor?
But...
That's not the main point.
The main point is, Hawk felt his plan might have to change again. If nothing unexpected happened, Professor X wouldn't be able to come over with his daughter.
After all, Professor X was being abducted by Mutant Apocalypse.
So—
With a swoosh!
Hawk stepped forward, reappearing in front of General Ross.
"The address of the X-Mansion."
"X..."
"I don't want to repeat it a second time."
"Westchester County!"
Adia quickly responded, looking at Hawk: "The Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters is at this address."
Upon hearing this, Hawk glanced at Adia, then at Ross: "Remember, I gave you a chance to live; don't waste it."
With that!
Hawk turned, reappearing beside Wanda, wrapping his arm around her waist, not hesitating, looking up directly.
The next second.
Boom!
Accompanied by the emergence of a sonic boom cloud, General Ross and others were blown to the ground by the sudden sonic boom.
And after they regained their footing.
The crimson dome over the Quantico Military Base had disappeared.
Likewise.
Hawk and Wanda had also vanished from the spot.
...