When one has experienced countless blood-soaked battles on the battlefield and witnessed the magnificent splendor of countless planets across the cosmic void, returning once more to Earth makes this life-bearing mother planet feel so peaceful and serene.
Yes... even though on Earth, superheroes and supervillains constantly clashed in games of capture and escape, with occasional deaths followed by cycles of revenge and counter-revenge.
But compared to the cold, silent vastness of the universe, Earth... with its many powerful protectors... felt incredibly desirable.
In this world, the past few centuries had been guarded by the Sorcerer Supreme. From now on, people were gradually realizing there was also a powerful leader named Adam here, commanding a formidable race of Xenomorphs stationed on this planet.
Sometimes, people wondered what Earth's future fate would be. With an individual as powerful as Adam existing... and one who commanded the Xenomorphs, a race with astonishing potential and such a ruthless, unique method of expansion... what would Earth's future look like? Would every living person, without exception, eventually become a Xenomorph one day?
Perhaps. But that would likely be many years from now. These were concerns for those at the pinnacle of power and strength. They had already glimpsed the violent fluctuations coming from the cosmos and, through various channels, learned one after another what had happened on the World Tree.
Well, this time Adam hadn't just driven back some demon god... he had directly slain a sky-father.
A sky-father whose name had appeared in human historical legends.
But most of these people with first-hand information, to be honest, had no real concept of what a sky-father level being was or what kind of power they possessed. They couldn't even imagine what it meant to destroy a planet with a single punch.
Because from the birth of humanity until now, no one had ever stepped forward to smash Earth or the other planets in the solar system with a fist. Otherwise, whether humanity as a civilization would even exist today would be questionable.
But Nick Fury knew very well.
"Laufey is dead? The strongest of the Frost Giants is actually dead? Is this information reliable?"
Fury could hardly believe his ears. He instinctively looked up at the sky outside the window, wondering if his brain had been invaded and he was hearing hallucinations. Otherwise, how could something so absurd and bizarre have happened?
Hill reported loyally, "I believe it's true, sir. The source is the people from the Spear of Destiny. We all know they have connections with the gods of the Great Luo Heavens."
The Spear of Destiny…
The moment Fury heard that name, he instinctively turned his head away. He didn't like dealing with those people... especially after his own failed attempt to establish contact with Asgard.
If only Thor hadn't been captured and recruited by Adam in New Mexico from the very beginning. Fury had originally thought that if he could bring Thor into the Avengers, it would absolutely be a world-changing event.
"The Bifrost has been appearing frequently around the Weyland Building. Every transmission brings new Xenomorphs. Based on our deductions, those Xenomorphs should be ones that parasitized various giant races from Jotunheim," Hill said.
Speaking of which, every time Fury heard or thought of the name Adam, his head would throb with pain.
He had watched with his own eyes as Adam went from a nobody leading the Xenomorphs... creatures initially dismissed as mere products of biological experiments... to rapidly snowballing in just one year into the force he was today.
Even the giant god race had been defeated by Adam's army, and a sky-father had fallen. It was simply too unbelievable.
"A sky-father… A being at that level is probably stronger than Carol…"
Fury made up his mind. It was time to mobilize those dangerous reserves he wasn't even entirely sure he could control. The harsh reality made it clear every moment: if he didn't start using these things soon, it might be too late.
"Hill, accelerate the Mother Mold project. Complete the new Mother Mold platform as quickly as possible and send it into solar orbit. We need to start producing the kind of war machines we envisioned. I want us to have enough war machines to face Adam's Xenomorph army on the battlefield if that ambitious madman ever tries anything crazy."
Fury quickly issued orders. "But we can't put all our hopes on one project. I'll take charge of another sealed plan. It's time to wake up those symbiotes that have been stored away since the 1970s."
Hill's expression shifted. "Symbiotes? But those things have significant side effects…"
"I know. But we have no choice. It's impossible to get everything we want without taking risks. Even someone like Adam achieved his victories and rapid growth through one aggressive action after another, navigating between various dangerous parties. We can't just sit on our laurels anymore."
Fury thought of that strange black dragon. For some reason, the creature had inexplicably fallen from outer space and lain motionless after sinking into the ice. But the black substance on its body remained active. Extracted, it could quickly form a writhing species existing between life and non-life. If used properly, it could greatly enhance the combat effectiveness of human soldiers.
Unfortunately, these symbiotes separated from the dragon had an instinct to corrupt the mind. Before long, they could turn a mentally stable human into a raving lunatic.
In the 1970s, Fury had personally used a symbiote. He knew what the parasitism process felt like and how the innate evil within the symbiote would erode one's thoughts.
But there was no time to worry about that now. Fury could confirm one thing: if he didn't take multiple strong measures to create powerful soldiers, what would he use to fight Adam's Xenomorph army? What would he use to resist Adam's rapidly expanding forces?
And it wasn't just Adam. There were the mutants too.
Those mutants had already announced the founding of their nation on Krakoa.
"We need more capable and sharp-witted helpers, sir. The Dum Dum Dugans who joined Kamar-Taj haven't sent back any new messages in a long time," Hill reminded him.
At the mention of that, Fury had no patience left. He had no idea what had happened to the Dum Dum Dugans. Those several hundred Dugans had joined Kamar-Taj after the Ancient One and Adam teamed up to drive back Dormammu, only to disappear overnight without a sound.
"Damn it. The Dum Dum Dugans swallowed countless funds to frantically cultivate clones and finally produced several hundred qualified ones to join Kamar-Taj. And this is the result? They just vanished without a word? I refuse to believe the Ancient One ate them!"
Weyland Building.
"Oh? Faster than I expected. Looks like Professor X and Magneto are making good progress. They might have already recruited some decent talent."
Adam, who had just returned to Earth, received this news with no surprise on his face.
The founding of the nation of Krakoa meant Earth's situation had become even more delicate. The conflict and opposition between humans and mutants was now laid bare on the table.
Krakoa was a living island... and also a mutant. The two had ultimately made the smartest choice by establishing the mutant nation on Krakoa. It was a safe and ingenious idea.
"Apparently, more and more mutants are crossing oceans to join them. But I think that's not enough. We should also step forward to recruit mutants. If these mutants are properly trained and combined with the Xenomorphs inside them, they could serve as excellent mid-level combat forces for us."
Druid had returned to Earth with Skurge and offered his suggestion to Adam. "I personally witnessed these mutants struggle for so many years with no improvement, only to finally resort to war to solve their problems. If that's the case, we might as well thoroughly incorporate this race into our own from the very beginning. That would solve the issue at its root."
Druid truly looked down on mutants. Strictly speaking, aside from Xenomorphs, he looked down on everyone.
If all mutants became Xenomorphs, there would be no more disputes involving mutants.
"Mutants? You mean those Midgardians with superpowers? They're nothing special. Their strength is pathetically weak... they can't even withstand my bullets. There's no need to waste time on them."
Skurge, seeing Adam for the first time, was impatient. He spoke in a deep, rumbling voice, promoting his greatest skill... killing. "Why not launch a direct attack on the mutants? Those who survive the war will be qualified and worthy of joining us."
But Adam shook his head. "This isn't a question of whether we can defeat the mutants. It's a question of whether it's necessary. Rather than starting an entirely new war that drags on endlessly and forces us to devote massive amounts of energy to it, it's better to determine a more valuable direction from the beginning."
Adam turned to Druid. "Also, you've trained Skurge very well. The fact that he can say something like that shows he's adapting well to his new identity."
"If you're willing to give me a mission, I'll adapt even better. I'll prove with my actions that I have value. Don't let my small size fool you... my small body contains enormous power."
Skurge stood tall, his exaggerated muscles bulging. At just over two meters, he was indeed small among the Xenomorphs.
"Very well. I'll give you a target: the Hand. I'll also give you thirty Xenomorphs as guards. Go deal with those annoying ninjas. Cut off the heads of those who call themselves the 'Five Fingers' and bring them to me."
Adam thought for a moment and spoke casually.
This top-tier global assassin organization could sometimes be quite irritating. From the very beginning when he had sent Elektra, right up until now, there were always ninjas attempting to infiltrate the Weyland Building or secretly launching attacks on the Xenomorphs.
Everyone knew how valuable the Xenomorphs were. On the black market, a complete Xenomorph corpse could fetch tens of millions of dollars.
Skurge left in high spirits. Though he had no idea what the Hand even was, that didn't matter. No matter who the enemy was, he would kill them all with the firearms in his hands.
Skurge, eager to prove his loyalty and demonstrate his abilities, was in too much of a hurry. Even in Jotunheim, he hadn't truly built a world-shaking reputation. His path to rising had just gotten on track when he fell in the war, and the entire world had been crushed.
No one craved success and fame more than Skurge, who had suffered humiliation since childhood.
That was why Druid understood Skurge's mindset so well.
"This guy's strength is very high, and his mind is filled with a mad love for battle. He will become a sharp blade in our hands," Druid said. He clearly had high hopes for Skurge.
"His future will be no less than Thor's," Adam commented, surprising Druid.
Regarding their conversation, Moira understood most of it but not all.
She naturally knew about Thor. She also knew that, in the normal course of history, he would eventually stand on the side of humanity. Because every time the mutant nation tried to do something, hero teams... including the Avengers... would always step forward to stop them.
But in this life, Thor hadn't joined the Avengers. From the moment he descended on Earth, Adam had led him down a different path. This left Moira deeply shocked and confused.
Now, Adam had even killed Laufey? And used Laufey's body as an incubator to birth a terrifyingly powerful Xenomorph?
The more she knew, the more lost she felt. Moira discovered that many of the differences in her understanding could ultimately be traced back to Adam.
"Moira, I remind you once again: control your thoughts. Wasting too many brain cells on meaningless matters isn't smart. It will only trap you in a dead-end loop of logic and eventually drive you mad."
Adam suddenly shifted his gaze to one of the several Xenomorphs beside him.
It was a rather beautiful Xenomorph. But aside from that, whether in build or aura, there was nothing particularly striking about it. It was completely ordinary in every way.
Yet Adam was especially fond of her. When he had nothing to do, he kept her by his side. When he had matters to attend to... like the campaign in Jotunheim... he left Moira in an absolutely safe place under heavy guard.
The towering, imposing Laufey Xenomorph was also among this group of Xenomorphs.
Adam would never casually send out special individuals like the Laufey Xenomorph or the Moira Xenomorph. If some stray aftershock from a fierce battle happened to hit and destroy these special Xenomorphs, Adam knew he would be heartbroken.
The Laufey Xenomorph was fine. That one only needed some time to grow. Before long, it would be able to stand on its own. While it might not match Laufey at his peak, it wouldn't fall far short.
At the very least, it would be comparable to Deathstrike... an individual capable of trading several blows with a sky-father level enemy.
But the most fragile and most special was undoubtedly Moira. If this woman died, who knew where she would reincarnate next.
At the very least, Adam had no confidence that the next reincarnation would still bind her to a Xenomorph.
This was a rare specimen. As for how to use her, Adam had some preliminary plans in mind. If one day he was truly pushed into a corner, Moira might play an unexpectedly crucial role.
No matter how great or small its use, as long as something wasn't confirmed useless, Adam would eagerly incorporate it into his emergency contingencies. His favorite thing was creating counter-plans for all kinds of possible major events... both real and hypothetical... and keeping them firmly stored in the depths of his mind. That way, if trouble truly arose, he wouldn't be caught completely unprepared and forced to rely solely on brute force.
"I'm just a little lost about my future. I don't know what I am now… The foresight my memories from the first two lives gave me has almost lost its effect in this life. The mutants don't need me anymore. No... I'm not even human anymore. I've become a Xenomorph…" Moira's face showed deep confusion. Even though she had been a Xenomorph for some time now, she still occasionally experienced crises of identity.
To someone like Druid, this was simply incomprehensible. Others cried and begged for the chance to embrace the truth. And yet this woman, who had inexplicably become a Xenomorph through reincarnation, dared not to carry sincere faith?
"You can hand her over to me. I'll teach her what gratitude means," Druid said to Adam.
"No need. I believe you would succeed, but I would also worry that repeatedly washing Moira's brain would eventually turn her into an idiot."
Adam sent Druid away. Since this zealous believer was so loyal, he might as well do something meaningful... like causing trouble for people who had once offended Adam.
"I'm different from the others. I don't have any special abilities, and my personality isn't suited for scheming or making decisive calls. I'm probably useless to you," Moira said softly, her voice growing quieter.
"No one is born successful. Conversely, no successful person succeeds forever. It's simply that the time for you to display your talents hasn't come yet. But at the very least, you can explore your abilities."
"Explore my abilities? But my ability is reincarnation after reincarnation. I don't even know how many times I can reincarnate. Especially this time... reincarnating as a Xenomorph. My God, this is the kind of plot even the craziest novel writers couldn't come up with. I don't know why it happened to me. Maybe my power malfunctioned."
Moira continued, "Maybe if I die again, it will be eternal sleep."
"But conversely, maybe it won't. You just need to find a way to manifest your ability differently within my sight. For example, you could trap your enemies in an endless time loop. I don't think there's any weapon more suitable for you. You will truly become a Xenomorph with powerful abilities." Adam offered guidance.
Moira was special. Adam truly had high hopes for her, even though the current Moira was no different from an ordinary Xenomorph... pathetically weak in strength.
Moira's ability was clearly related to time. If she could train and master it properly, she might become a nerfed version of the Time Stone... a nightmare for any enemy unable to escape the flow of time.
All things considered, another Deathstrike capable of briefly stalling powerful enemies.
"Time loop…" Moira looked dazed. She had roughly found a direction, but she still needed some time to figure out exactly how to do it.
Adam didn't disturb her further.
"Gloria, issue a new round of recruitment notices. Our forces are expanding rapidly. We need more capable people."
Adam called over an ordinary human assistant responsible for documentation.
Gloria Grant had originally been Peter Parker's friend in the West Side Apartments. After Peter's inexplicable death, Gloria had been deeply saddened. She had originally planned to join the Daily Bugle but ultimately chose to join Weyland Corporation instead.
Gloria, dressed in a standard business suit, held a file in her hands and walked in with meticulous professionalism. She was already able to look calmly at the Xenomorphs clustered around Adam.
After all, many ordinary people came and went through the Weyland Building. They came from various companies and organizations, attempting to reach agreements with Adam.
"Boss, recruiting personnel has never been a problem. The question is what kind of personnel. Superpowered individuals? Mutants? Or scientists and engineers with special abilities?"
Gloria efficiently showed Adam a series of personnel lists. "Last month, the company recruited seventeen people... all specialists in management and documentation. So when we deal with other companies, we won't have a shortage of manpower."
"Trust me, Gloria... even if it wasn't people but Xenomorphs dealing with those guys, they would still force themselves to smile and try every possible way to curry favor with us. We have what they want. Who would choose to go against longevity? Who would choose to go against safety?"
Adam watched as the woman poured him a glass of hot water and nodded slightly. "Focus on one person in particular: Jane Foster, a young astrophysicist."
"Understood, Boss." Gloria searched her mind and confirmed she had never heard of this woman. Though puzzled, her professional demeanor kept her from questioning her boss.
Just as Gloria was about to carry out the order...
"I hear Peter Parker was an outstanding high-school student. Smart, cautious, low-key. He had all the qualities of an excellent scientist," Adam said casually, as if chatting, mentioning the person.
Gloria's expression darkened. "Yes, but unfortunately he's already dead. I even attended his funeral."
"Life exists in more than one form. A person may die, but they might be reborn in another form," Adam said, taking a sip of hot water and savoring the warmth in his mouth before speaking comfortably.
Gloria was smart. Her mouth fell open in disbelief as she understood what Adam meant.
Having risen quickly in the Weyland Corporation, Gloria was no naive innocent unaware of the darker side of things.
"A Xenomorph? Is that even possible?" Gloria muttered. Her mind pictured Peter Parker's lifeless corpse suddenly bursting open with a Xenomorph possessing Peter's genes, and she felt her scalp tingle.
She knew that if it were Druid, he would fully approve of such a transformation. But she still found it hard to accept.
Adam didn't care what she was thinking.
Last time, after learning from Mordo that the Inheritors had killed Peter Parker, Adam had already sent Xenomorphs to Queens to search for Peter Parker's remains... and they had succeeded in finding them.
If Adam wanted, he could easily create a Peter Xenomorph. But there was clearly no need to do so right now.
A Spider-Man whose spider-totem had been completely devoured by the Inheritors, and who hadn't unlocked the shedding ability for self-resurrection... even if Adam forcibly created a Xenomorph with the same genes, it wouldn't mean much.
At least not until that major event erupted.
Since among the Spider-Men there were Dinosaur Spider-Man, Pig Spider-Man, Toei Spider-Man, and Mecha Spider-Man, it only made sense that an Alien Spider-Man would eventually join their ranks in the future.
When the Spider-Verse sent out recruitment notices to all Spider-Men across the multiverse, that would be the time for Adam to manually create an Alien Spider-Man.
…
In an RV on the edge of the desert.
Jane Foster was staring intently at her computer.
"You're still waiting for a reply to that email? I really don't understand why you're so interested in a monster company like Weyland. With your abilities, I wouldn't be surprised if you joined Stark Industries in the future. Why are you so fixated on Weyland? Even if you're interested in a biotech company, Oscorp would be a good choice."
Her friend Darcy clearly couldn't understand Foster's decision.
She found it hard to comprehend why an outstanding, promising astrophysicist would be so focused on a company that should be in the biological sciences field.
"I just feel like I missed an opportunity, Darcy. Can you understand that feeling?"
Foster hugged her knees, curled up in her chair, and gazed dreamily at the computer screen that showed no changes.
Darcy exclaimed, "You're still obsessing over that? That was definitely not an opportunity! Even though the god who descended to Earth that night passed very close to where we were... practically right by us... that's not something we could get involved in! Have you forgotten what happened afterward? That stretch of desert was torn apart by a terrifying battle. We went there many days later and saw the traces of the fight with our own eyes!"
Foster simply shook her head silently. She had replayed it countless times in her mind. If only their car had driven a little faster or a little slower that night and they had managed to speak with Thor, would their fates be different now?
They definitely would have been.
Foster was filled with a desire to understand the World Tree. This young scientist wanted to know how different dimensions were structured, the layout of the Nine Realms, and the detailed diagram of the World Tree.
For an astrophysicist, it was a fatal temptation.
But unfortunately, a missed opportunity was a missed opportunity. Foster hadn't met Thor. Like helpless ordinary people, when they realized dangerous beings were fighting, they had driven away frantically in the opposite direction.
"This company... or rather, this organization... controls the Xenomorphs and is willing to share them with its employees. They've also formed a close collaboration with Asgard and can use the Bifrost frequently…"
Foster's eyes sparkled. "If I can join them, maybe I can become a Xenomorph too. I'd have a powerful body, endless strength and time, and I could explore the unknown beyond Earth as I please."
"You're completely insane!"
"I'm not insane. This is a reasonable deduction based on logical reasoning. Look... my waiting wasn't in vain. Weyland Corporation replied to my resume. I succeeded!!"
Foster jumped up suddenly, banging her head on the roof without caring, bouncing around with joy.
She immediately packed her things, bought the soonest plane ticket, and rushed to New York.
When Foster entered the Weyland Building, the magical scene she had imagined... of a Xenomorph sitting at the front desk, using fingers capable of tearing through steel to rapidly type on a keyboard and process her onboarding... did not appear.
There were Xenomorphs passing by, of course, but the one handling her paperwork was still an ordinary human.
"Jane Foster, your security clearance is higher. You need to go to the 92nd floor." The ordinary receptionist's standard fake smile changed the moment she checked the files. It was replaced by respect and awe.
Foster was puzzled. When she reached the 92nd floor, she became even more confused.
"What does this mean? I just got here and you're already having me parasitized? I heard this is supposed to be a very valuable opportunity with limited slots. Why am I… the moment I arrive…"
Foster stared dumbfounded at the enormous Xenomorph egg before her, filled with fear. This was life's instinctive reaction to the unknown.
But as the saying went, once she had entered here, there was no other path for her.
"I knew it. This place was never some humanitarian rescue organization… Looks like I have no choice."
Foster half-reluctantly accepted the parasitism. Though this was a scene she had dreamed about... gaining the opportunity countless people desperately wanted and leaping to superhuman status in one bound.
But what happened next left Foster utterly bewildered. She followed a woman into a sealed room and stared in shock at the hammer placed before her.
"What? You want me to lift this hammer? Don't try to trick me. This should be the God of Thunder's weapon! I refuse to believe you'd have the twisted sense of humor to make a fake one just to deceive a newcomer!" Compared to lifting the thing, Foster was more interested in studying it... as a scientist.
"Yes, it is the God of Thunder's weapon. But if you can lift it, you are the God of Thunder. From then on, it becomes your weapon." Gloria spoke with absolute certainty, as if she had complete confidence in Foster. But that was a lie.
She was wondering to herself why this woman would be qualified to even touch Mjolnir.
After all, the incredibly powerful Sentry had tried it that morning and couldn't lift it at all!
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