Chapter 154: The Next Life (Part 1)

"So you want me to hack into the global communication satellites and find a specific signal?"

Receiving the call from Lao Wang, Tony shrugged. "I'm busy retrofitting the Quinjet, researching virtual reality technology, and developing the Mark VII. Where on earth would I find the time? Why bother me with a trivial task a high schooler could handle? Besides, isn't there a high school dropout right by your side? Her technical skills are actually pretty decent."

"Skye is missing."

Ignoring Tony's usual posturing, Lao Wang's voice was cold. "The signal I asked you to trace is the one emitted by her communicator."

"Okay, give me ten minutes."

Without hanging up, Tony raised his voice by twenty decibels. "Jarvis, did you hear that? It's all yours!"

"Sir, it will take approximately one hour," the AI butler's voice sounded.

"Wang, did you hear all that?"

Tony's voice turned lazy and weary. "Once it's found, Jarvis will contact you directly. Oh, and don't hang up yet, there's one more thing."

"Speak."

"Well, it's like this."

Tony seemed a bit embarrassed. "Wang, do you think it's still time for me to start learning kung fu?"

Lao Wang was stunned.

I went through all the trouble to cross over into your universe, and I'm supposed to be promoting kung fu?

Buddy, you've got it wrong, I'm here to invade!

"Don't you have an Iron Man suit? Why do you still need to learn kung fu?"

Lao Wang was puzzled. "Given your aptitude, wanting to cultivate to a level where you can rival the Mark VI would probably take... a thousand years?"

Hearing the first part of that sentence, Tony grew even more embarrassed.

Having practiced abstinence for a few months, he had taken a liking to a female reporter during yesterday's press conference. She was pretty, had a sweet voice, and spoke in a soft, tender tone. Considering how hard it was for a young woman to work in this industry, he had very thoughtfully brought her back to his mansion for an all-night interview.

To his surprise, halfway through the interview, she was so exhausted she fainted.

At the time, he was shocked: is your physical condition really that weak, or is my efficiency just that low?

Upon checking, he discovered that not only was his physical fitness vastly superior to before, but even *that* aspect of his life had improved remarkably.

He hadn't taken any drugs, nor had he been working out; the only possible explanation was Master Wang's treatment.

Was the effect of "Qi" truly this potent? Just a tiny bit of residual energy had turned a blitzkrieg into a protracted positional warfare?

This forced him to suspect:

Master Wang had probably transcended the realm of positional warfare and evolved into endurance warfare combined with a wheel-battle system—and he was the one being wheeled out by turns.

Tony didn't have many hobbies; besides science, he only cared about burgers and women, so naturally, he cared a great deal about this area.

That led to his question just now.

"How about this? I have some Elixir Wine here. Drinking it strengthens the body and builds health. I'll give you a discount: just 9.98 million US dollars per bottle, minimum order of 10 bottles. Drink them and I guarantee you'll cultivate your own Qi and reach the pinnacle of life."

"That's too expensive. Making money isn't easy, you think my money is drawn with a marker..."

"Specialty of Kunlun, take it or leave it."

Bang!

Not bothering to care about that unserious playboy, Lao Wang hung up the phone and looked at Cal. "Mr. Johnson, don't panic, Skye will be fine, I guarantee it. The people in Afterlife won't be able to hurt her; she's more likely to hurt them."

"I'm not panicking, I'm not panicking." Cal was sweating profusely, veins bulging on his temples, which made Lao Wang somewhat worried.

Had he injected himself again?

He might end up killing himself before even finding his daughter!

Lao Wang quickly asked, "You've been staying with Simmons these days, how is the side effect of the serum being handled?"

"Dr. Simmons is extraordinary. She improved my serum and removed the harmful components, but the serum residue in my body is still there, and it might take a while to disappear."

Cal explained evasively, "This serum can't be used for now because, fundamentally, it doesn't enhance physical strength; instead, it overdraws the body through stimulation. Every single injection increases the risk—the risk of death. But Skye said Director Fury has already had it produced and injected into some volunteer agents."

"He can inject himself all he wants, but you shouldn't."

Looking at the bulging veins gradually subsiding on Cal's neck, Lao Wang frowned. "The psychological impact is still there?"

"That can't be resolved."

Cal shook his head and said, "My mental issues don't just come from the serum, there are other aspects as well."

Lao Wang nodded and understood.

His wife had been brutally dismembered and then sewn back together by his own hands, stitch by stitch; his daughter had been taken away—his family torn apart and ruined. This kind of pressure was simply not something an ordinary person could bear.

It seemed Cal needed to vent.

Then let him vent, vent to his heart's content.

"Mr. Johnson, get ready. Bring your scalpel, hemostats, and sutures. In an hour, I'll take you to see Skye, and your wife, Mrs. Jiaying."

Lao Wang crossed his legs in meditation and closed his eyes to rest his mind.

Cal couldn't calm down at all and paced back and forth.

An hour later, his phone rang. It was a text message sent by Jarvis, containing a set of coordinates.

"So it's there."

Checking it against the map, Lao Wang had a sudden realization. No wonder even S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra couldn't find it; Afterlife was indeed cut off from the world. It should really be called "Beyond the World" or "Left Behind."

"Time to go."

Lao Wang picked up the wishing-to-be-dead Whitehall with one hand and opened the door.

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar environment beyond the door, Cal couldn't wait any longer and was the first to rush in.

Lao Wang followed closely behind.

Crossing half the globe, they arrived thousands of miles away.

...

Skye woke up.

She didn't open her eyes.

Having wandered alone for so many years, and then following Lao Wang—as the saying goes, stay near vermin and you get stained red—she was no longer a clueless child or student. Keeping her eyes closed, she released her spiritual perception and began to sense everything around her.

barring any accidents, this was "Afterlife," the sanctuary of the Inhumans on Earth, having existed for God knows how many generations, for hundreds or thousands of years.

The man without eyes who had suddenly brought her here was clearly the "Gordon" emphasized by Wang—an Inhuman capable of teleportation and generating energy force fields.

Her mother's most capable assistant, Afterlife's external liaison and protector, selected in 1989, and awakened through the Terrigen Mists.

He was also the one who knocked her out; his ability was truly terrifying.

Her ability to generate seismic shocks, combined with her targeted training over the past few days, allowed her to vaguely perceive everything around her. Through their vibration frequencies and amplitudes, she could determine what they were, their size, distance, and expansion-contraction coefficients.

And the enhancement of her six senses by Qi also reinforced this ability to a certain extent.

First, she could feel that her body was pierced all over with stainless steel needles, and weak electric currents were continuously stimulating her body. This made her feel quite comfortable, and she even felt a familiar pleasure—a sensation she had previously only experienced with Wang.

So this was the fun of toys, the kind Wang had always wanted her to try?

If all of them stimulated you like these needles, it was indeed worth a try.

The Inhuman powers inside her body that had previously been a bit difficult to control actually stabilized under the continuous electric current stimulation.

Was this mystical Eastern acupuncture?

Fitz's seismic suppression armguard was gone, placed on a table not far away. Wang was right, Afterlife truly had methods to help chosen ones master their abilities; they had a tradition and were professionals.

The stainless steel needles weren't connected to any wires, yet they emitted current, meaning someone was clearly manipulating electric charges.

It was "Lincoln," an Inhuman who could control electrical charges and electrons.

Such a handsome ability, and he used it for acupuncture?

What a waste.

This was an Eastern-style house, with an ancient design, but modern appliances were by no means lacking. Wang would definitely love it.

Wang had said that Afterlife was isolated from the outside world, where you couldn't make phone calls or access the internet, located in some mountainous area whose exact location nobody knew. Leaving from here wasn't impossible, but it was very difficult; you had to climb mountains and wade through rivers.

The micro-communicator implanted under her skin was custom-made by Fitz. Once a sudden long-distance coordinate change occurred, it would immediately shut down until she manually rebooted it—

This was to prevent discovery, specifically from being discovered by Lincoln, who could manipulate electric charges.

Wang's considerations were always thorough. Having him was truly wonderful.

"I need to find a chance to reboot it, as long as I avoid Lincoln."

"Actually, it doesn't matter even if I don't reboot it. The communicator only shut down after I arrived here; it definitely transmitted a signal already, and Wang will surely find a way to trace me."

"Breathe in, don't rush."

"Wang said that as long as I don't go too far, Mother will indulge me and won't harm me, because she needs me—needs my ability to help her achieve her ambitions."

"I can communicate with them first, figure out the specific situation here, and get better acquainted with my powers under their guidance."

"As for the rest, we'll talk when Wang gets here."

Skye replayed everything Lao Wang had said in her mind and made up her mind to follow Lao Wang's instructions in dealing with her mother—

It wasn't that she was favoring outsiders; she was genuinely doing it for her mother's own good.

Skye slowly opened her eyes.

Acting as if she knew nothing at all, she wore a dazed expression, her eyes filled with vigilance.