Chapter 105: Breakthrough on a Date
Ryan sat in a leather armchair, beer in hand.
He calmly addressed Wanda, who sat across from him. "You've probably heard where I came from."
Wanda nodded without speaking.
Ryan continued, "I was brought here by Strange from another universe. The current time in that universe is 2008—before the Battle of New York and before Vision's creation. If you can return to that universe with me, you'll naturally see Vision again."
"What about my other self?"
Every universe contained another version of herself, but Ryan was unique. There was only one Ryan across countless timelines—perhaps that's precisely why he could become a Destroyer.
According to Ryan's logic, if Vision could exist in that universe, then Scarlet Witch could too.
But two Wandas existing in the same universe seemed problematic.
Ryan said casually, "Just give her a normal life, or relocate that Wanda to another universe. It's not complicated."
Wanda felt strange discussing how to displace her alternate self with someone else.
Furthermore, Ryan's proposal was so tempting it was nearly impossible to refuse.
Then another thought occurred to her. "How do you guarantee Thanos won't harm Vision again?"
Ryan threw his head back and laughed. "You already know the future timeline, so why would you fear Thanos?"
Wanda considered this and realized he had a point.
Ryan had noticed something interesting: the more powerful these superheroes became, the less they used common sense.
"Alright, tell me your plan."
Wanda mentally agreed with Ryan's proposal. Now came the execution.
Ryan set his beer aside. "There are two sacred books in the mystic arts: the Book of Vishanti and the Darkhold. If you want to traverse universes, you must first obtain the Darkhold."
Wanda was momentarily stunned. "You're saying I should learn universe-traversal magic? And then take you with me?"
Ryan shrugged. "You can't accomplish it alone. Two heads are better than one. Cooperation benefits us both."
"Where is the Darkhold?"
"I don't know, but I know who does."
After seeing Wanda off, Ryan was in better spirits than he'd been in days.
Arriving at Cassie's private laboratory, he found her tinkering with a small electronic component.
Seeing Ryan come to visit, Cassie's face immediately lit up with joy.
"Why weren't you in the main lab today?"
"I haven't seen you in a few days, so I came to check on what you're working on."
Ryan casually picked up an electronic module, and Cassie explained, "It's a signal receiver, capable of detecting transmissions from the Quantum Realm."
Ryan only had basic understanding of quantum physics, with virtually no advanced knowledge in the field.
"I heard a woman came to see you earlier? Seems like you're quite popular," Cassie said, raising an eyebrow and glancing at Ryan.
Ryan chuckled but offered no explanation, simply saying, "I'm not interested in other women."
"Oh? Then who are you interested in?" Cassie feigned ignorance, continuing to adjust the instrument with her screwdriver.
After a long pause without Ryan's response, Cassie turned her head in confusion, only to find him staring at her intently. She immediately looked away, pretending she hadn't noticed.
"So, uh, I heard things are pretty chaotic out there right now."
Cassie had been young before the Snap, and after losing her family for five years, she'd had no interest in romance.
After the Blip brought everyone back, her family returned, and she'd wanted nothing more than to spend time with them and compensate for the lost years. With her father constantly hovering, she'd had no opportunities for dating.
Then, with zero dating experience, Cassie had arrived on Celestial Island.
Ryan was arguably the person outside her family she'd spent the most time with. Attracted by his appearance and intellect, Cassie genuinely liked him.
She was just too shy to admit it.
Ryan smiled slightly and invited, "A shipment of fresh produce just arrived today. How about dinner at my place tonight?"
"Sure! Uh, I should probably tell Dad and Hope."
This was just Cassie's excuse. If she actually told her family, Scott would be the first to object, so she had no intention of mentioning it.
Ryan pretended not to understand. "Alright, finish up here. I'll head back and prepare the food."
"Yeah, I just have a little work left. Almost done."
The setting sun cast long shadows across the ocean.
The afterglow bathed Celestial Island in warm hues. From the residential areas to the magnificent palace, the entire island was painted in golden tones.
Some residents chose this time to sit outside with cold drinks, enjoying the last rays of sunshine—a bottle of beer and some cured meat with fresh vegetables.
After a busy day, the Lang family returned to their residence. Hope and Janet prepared dinner together in the kitchen.
Dr. Pym, wearing reading glasses, sat on the sofa reviewing research documents. Only Scott paced around the living room anxiously.
"Scott, can you sit still for one minute? You're making me dizzy."
Dr. Pym removed his glasses and rubbed his temples.
"No, I can't sit down. Cassie always comes home at this time for dinner with us, but she hasn't shown up today. She's late."
"Cassie's an adult. You're being overprotective," Hope said soothingly from the kitchen, stirring a pot.
Scott ignored her completely, hands on his hips, shaking his head. "I know she's an adult, and I know she deserves to have relationships, but I absolutely won't allow her to date that guy."
Dr. Pym chuckled. "I'd advise keeping your voice down. If the patrols hear you, they'll probably come rushing in to defend their boss."
Ryan was no tyrant—he barely concerned himself with Celestial Island's daily management—but that didn't stop his operatives from treating him like royalty.
Excessive loyalty bordered on fanaticism, and Ryan clearly hadn't realized it yet.
Across the central plaza, not far from the Lang residence, Ryan could be seen through the kitchen window preparing food.
Cassie, approaching from a distance, adjusted her hair and jacket, took a deep breath, and walked over slowly.
"Hey Ryan, what's for dinner tonight?" Cassie called from the porch.
Ryan had just finished cooking the last dish.
Wiping his hands with a towel, he smiled. "Come on in! Everything you like. Wash up and we'll eat."
Just as Ryan and Cassie were settling in to enjoy their meal, Maya Hansen suddenly burst through the door unceremoniously.
"Dr. Ryan, I've found a way to inhibit the virus!"
Maya Hansen slapped a report down in front of Ryan. "The virus transmits through contact. The infectious agent is a filamentous virus. It's not actually in the infected blood—it's in their epidermal tissue."
As she spoke, Maya Hansen was suddenly drawn to the food on the table. Without asking permission, she began helping herself.
Between bites, she continued, "Once we understand the virus's structure, we can develop a specific blocking agent based on its transmission mechanism."
Blocking agents would only prevent infection, not cure those already infected.
In Ryan's assessment, blocking agents weren't particularly useful. An ordinary person taking them would still die if attacked by the infected, and those powerful enough to fight the infected didn't need protection anyway.
Ryan closed the document and returned it to Maya Hansen. "Dr. Hansen, gamma radiation can prevent viral invasion. Bruce Banner won't turn even after being bitten. Are you suggesting we turn every survivor on Earth into the Hulk?"
"Uh... is that so?"
Maya Hansen's excitement deflated immediately.
Ryan nodded. "What the world needs is a cure for the zombie virus, not just a preventative blocker. Perhaps focus your efforts there."
"Alright, I'll think about it when I get back to the lab."
Maya Hansen stood and left. As she reached the door, she suddenly turned back. "The food's delicious, and Cassie's beautiful too."
This comment made Cassie blush deeply.
Ryan was speechless. "Don't mind her. Let's finish our meal."
He paused mid-bite, staring into the distance.
Cassie asked curiously, "What's wrong? Did you think of something?"
Ryan nodded slowly. "I think it might actually be possible to develop a cure."
Filoviruses were characterized by high infectivity, ease of transmission, close-contact spread, and cross-species capability.
A prime example was the Ebola virus, whose complex structure made it extraordinarily difficult to treat.
From another perspective, almost all enhancement serums were essentially viruses that invaded human cellular genetics and forcibly rewrote genetic programming to achieve enhancement properties.
The cellular reanimation serum Angus developed could also be classified as an enhancement virus—but instead of enhancing the living, it reanimated the dead.
Understanding this fundamental principle, Ryan's path to developing a cure became clearer.
After dinner, Ryan had originally planned to watch a movie with Cassie and spend the evening together, but Maya Hansen's interruption had completely derailed their date.
Cassie, being understanding, took the initiative. "Ryan, would you mind if I came to the lab with you?"
"Of course not."
After clearing the dishes, Cassie didn't go home. Instead, she accompanied Ryan to the laboratory.
Ryan's lab was undoubtedly the most advanced facility on Earth, with comprehensive equipment. The reagents, raw materials, and serum samples were unique in the world.
Upon arriving, Ryan immediately immersed himself in experiments.
Cassie played with the laboratory mouse nearby, occasionally glancing at Ryan as he worked intently on his research.
Meanwhile, after leaving Celestial Island, Wanda immediately sought out Strange to demand the location of the Darkhold, but was naturally refused.
Strange himself didn't dare use it—how could he possibly give the Darkhold to Wanda?
Strange explained carefully, "Wanda, the Darkhold is extremely dangerous. You understand that."
"I don't care. I only know that you banished me to the Dark Dimension and nearly killed me. If you're sorry for what you did, just give me the Darkhold. Don't force me to take it."
Strange with two hands had been no match for Wanda. With only one hand, defeating her was impossible.
Strange raised his remaining hand in a placating gesture. "Wanda, I need you to calm down. Our priority right now is protecting Earth and eliminating the infected, not fighting each other."
Wanda didn't back down. "I am calm. I just want the Darkhold. Give it to me, and I'll help you save the world. It's that simple."
End of Chapter 105
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