Chapter 21 The Future is in Alaska
That's right, Mystique had infiltrated Du Wa's team long ago. Possessing a shapeshifting ability, she had expended considerable effort to gather all sorts of intelligence on the Xenomorphs to avoid any slip-ups in her appearance or behavior.
She succeeded, slipping in when the Xenomorph hive had just increased by a few members.
The only thing to worry about was that Du Wa could precisely perceive the mental state of every single Xenomorph. In that case, she would surely be exposed. But for now, everything was normal.
And fortunately, from the riddle-like conversation between Du Wa and Coulson, she had obtained the most crucial piece of intelligence she needed—that Flyman was a Deviant!
Indeed, the Brotherhood had dealt with all sorts of Mutants and naturally came into contact with those old-timers who had lived for thousands of years, gathering some fragmentary information.
In the past, this information was basically useless. It was only brought up to provide some meager ammunition during public opinion campaigns against Mutants, arguing that Mutants and ordinary humans were fundamentally not the same.
But now, things were different.
"The reason for the appearance of the Mutants' progenitor race is unknown, but after confirmation from Du Wa and S.H.I.E.L.D., it's highly likely that Ikaris is a Deviant!"
Mystique frantically tapped the keys of a palm-sized device, her fingers flying.
Even she was experiencing obvious emotional turmoil, unable to hide her shock.
The Deviants… the origin of the Mutants, had they really appeared?
But on second thought, since some Mutants could live for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, the appearance of a Deviant who had lived for tens of thousands of years wasn't that surprising, was it?
A Mutant's X-Gene could awaken all sorts of bizarre abilities, to say nothing of the Deviants' infinite mutation gene. Awakening a superpower of longevity seemed perfectly normal.
She didn't know about the Celestials, much less that the Celestials had ganged up to personally wipe out the Deviants. It was impossible for any of the sentient Deviants who had built a powerful civilization twenty thousand years ago to have survived to this day.
Before long, a new message came back.
"Raven, is this intelligence reliable? Are you sure those two aren't just playing you?"
"I can't rule out that possibility, but this is completely worth the risk. If the way the Xenomorphs obey Du Wa's commands isn't the worst-case scenario—telepathy—but through visual recognition, heat perception, or pheromones, then there's no way Du Wa can discover me."
Raven was very confident in her shapeshifting ability. As long as it wasn't an issue related to the mind, spirit, or thought, nothing else could go wrong.
She urgently reported her major discovery to the person receiving the information—Magneto.
"Alaska? I understand. I will go personally to find our true ancestors! As long as the news is true, we Mutants can separate ourselves from humanity on a genetic level. This will greatly unite our brothers and sisters across the globe!"
Many Mutants, including the X-Men, still identified as members of the human race to some extent, which was why they were unwilling to stand in opposition to humanity. It was no different from killing their own kind.
But if it could be confirmed that Mutants and Deviants were one and the same, it would be an absolutely earth-shattering event, one that would directly rewrite the entire history of the Mutants!
On a certain Steel Island in the Pacific Ocean, Magneto closed the communication link, his emotions in turmoil.
He sat on his throne, thinking alone for a very, very long time, even recalling the painful memory of the moment he first awakened his ability.
"Decades of effort are finally paying off... For the future where mutants are destined for extinction, I have found a breakthrough!"
Magneto suppressed his inner excitement and summoned Destiny.
Destiny was an extremely special Mutant. Her entire face was covered by a mask with no eyes, and she possessed the powerful ability to see through Fate.
With a single glance, she could see through countless futures.
Within the Brotherhood, Destiny's position was very special. She took no part in the vast majority of operations, only appearing when Magneto needed her to provide crucial intelligence.
The last time she appeared was a few years ago when she informed Magneto and Professor X that the only path for the future of mutants was extinction, with no other possibility.
"A new fate has appeared," Magneto's voice rose. "Our ancestors, the origin of the X-Gene—the Deviants—have appeared in this world once more. I believe he is definitely not alone; there must be other Deviant kin!"
"As a leader, you shouldn't be overly emotional. This will become your fatal weakness," Destiny's voice was icy.
Magneto calmed down. "I need you to prophesy the future again."
"I have already prophesied. What do you want to know? That the appearance of the Deviants will bring the Mutants a rebirth?"
"Is that not the case? Or are you saying the news about the Deviants in Alaska is false?" Magneto retorted.
"It's true. I saw new images. There is indeed a group of Deviants in Alaska," Destiny stated indifferently.
She had also seen that the reptilian-like Deviants appearing on Earth over the past millennia were fundamentally different from the sapient Deviants Magneto hoped for—the ones who had supposedly built a civilization tens of thousands of years ago. Nevertheless, both were indeed Deviants.
Destiny saw some things, but she didn't want to say them. Because for the future, the outcome was the same. If there was any difference at all, it was...
Ever since that man named Du Wa appeared with his Xenomorphs, the time of the Mutants' demise seemed to have been moved up significantly.
But considering it was the path to extinction either way, there was no difference between dying sooner or later.
"Among the countless, shattered futures, the overall trend hasn't changed. The ultimate fate for the Mutants is still to vanish. If you're expecting some changes along the way, however, there are indeed a few."
Destiny said coldly, "The way the Mutants perish has become more peculiar. They change into another form."
Magneto's brows furrowed slightly, a little irritated. He wanted more specific information, but Destiny herself could only see fragmented, chaotic, and even chronologically reversed, but immensely numerous images. How could she possibly tell Magneto everything in detail?
She could speak until her dying day and still not be finished.
She didn't have the patience for it either.
Destiny, the mutant who could see through fate, had a natural estrangement from other mutants. It was a perception of the present world born from having seen the only certain future.
Destiny left, paying Magneto no further mind.
"At least there has been a change. To perish by changing into another form? In that case, I will find a way to lead my people down this path! With my active intervention, turning Mutants into Deviants also fits the future of mutant extinction!"
Magneto stood up and flew into the sky, looking in the direction of Alaska, his eyes burning with the flames of Delirium and deep anticipation.
Based on the intelligence leaked by Du Wa, Magneto was certain that the future of the Mutants was very likely in Alaska!
As for the possibility of it being a trap… A joke. Even if he knew it was a trap, Magneto believed that with his own strength, he was more than qualified to walk right into it.
(end of chapter)