The Dead and the Vow

The following morning.

The cemetery within the 749 Bureau in the suburbs of Beijing.

The sky was overcast, and a fine drizzle was falling.

Sing Sing changed into a sharp black suit, the white paper flower on his chest wilted from the rain.

He turned his head and glanced at Storm and Riptide standing not far away.

Both of them were dressed in all black today.

The Riptide were looking up at the sky, their fingers twitching occasionally.

Storm's eyes gleamed white, the surrounding air pressure was so low it was suffocating, and the rain was clearly about to intensify.

"Hey, that's enough already!"

Sing Sing walked over and patted Riptide on the shoulder in an annoyed manner.

"I asked you two to liven things up, not to act like you're in charge. If it rains any harder, all these old, frail leaders will be in bed."

Riptide quickly withdrew his supernatural powers and explained, "Zhou Chu, this was just to create a somber atmosphere. Ororo said the rain had to fall in layers."

"Levels my foot! Hurry up and put it away, or you'll both catch a cold and that'll be considered a work injury!"

Storm looked over, the white light in her eyes dissipating, and the feeling of low pressure and lack of oxygen in the surroundings finally eased a lot.

"We just wanted to send our young comrade off in our own way. He left us too soon; we didn't even have time to say a proper goodbye."

Sing Sing patted the hem of his suit jacket. "There's no need for such a somber atmosphere. In China should rest in peace after death. We don't put on this kind of mournful show."

The rain gradually stopped.

Today, this cemetery is a gathering of heroes, a veritable meeting of radishes.

On the 749 Bureau side, Director Wang, wearing a dark gray jacket, had a solemn expression.

Uncle Biao was wearing a retro black Zhongshan suit, holding a few pages of manuscript paper in his hand.

Cao Dahua and Yu Suqiu stood side by side. Today, Cao Dahua had taken off his sunglasses, revealing his eye bags, and his expression was unusually serious.

Shi Xiaoyan was wearing a black training uniform, while Professor Jiang Si and Da Vinci stood together.

To appear taller than Jiang Si, Da Vinci kept standing on his tiptoes.

"Aren't your legs sore? At your age, still playing these vain tricks. Want me to lend you two prosthetic legs and just install them? I guarantee you'd be taller than a telephone pole."

Da Vinci stubbornly insisted, "Utterly vulgar! I call this a scientific foot meridian exercise method! Just lifting your heels off the ground by two centimeters can promote blood circulation to the brain."

"What do you know, you butcher who only knows how to dissect and dissect?!"

Secretary Xiao Liu was busy handing out small white flowers, while A Le had dark circles under his eyes.

The group of foreign friends was even larger.

Wolverine, with an unlit cigar dangling from his lips, stared at the tombstone with a complex expression.

Silver Fox deliberately kept a three-meter distance from him, her head down, seemingly lost in thought.

Daken and Ichirai Hisako stood respectfully to the side.

Daken had his hands in his pockets, his eyes constantly darting between his father and Silver Fox.

This kid is still arranging that family tree in his head, which is thicker than Xinhua Dictionary.

He was calculating which stepmother he should ask for his allowance if Mariko also got involved.

Li Qianhuan was wearing an exaggerated pair of black sunglasses. Even though the sunglasses covered most of her face, you could still see that the tip of her nose was red from the cold.

She was originally just there to "inspect" the area.

She wanted to see if this so-called 749 Bureau was just another cage that used Mutants as tools.

But now, she sees something different.

The Moon-Boy was wearing a tailor-made black suit with the sleeves rolled up several times.

Anton stood behind his older brother, staring blankly at the monument.

Jiafeite, Petra, Longneck newcomers all stood obediently.

The Magik and the Wandering Girl stood together, each holding a bouquet of white chrysanthemums.

The lead Colossus was wearing a custom-made, oversized sleeveless black suit today, and his shiny mechanical arm on his left arm was particularly eye-catching.

Just as the atmosphere was solemn and everyone was immersed in the grief of remembering the martyrs.

Uncle Biao cleared his throat and walked to the tombstone.

The tombstone bears no photograph, only the inscription. "Tomb of Mondo, Specially Appointed Officer of the Overseas Special Talent Recruitment Office of the 749 Bureau of China."

Today, we are here to bid farewell to a young comrade.

Uncle Biao's voice was deep and powerful, carrying a sense of world-weariness.

"He joined us very recently. So recently that we didn't even have time to create a complete file for him. The finance department didn't even issue him a salary card. But he fulfilled the duties of a 749 Bureau officer with his life."

Uncle Biao finished reading the eulogy with a heavy heart and stepped aside.

Colossus walked to the tombstone, his face expressionless, and raised his mechanical arm to stroke it.

"Mondo is a good lad..."

"He was only a teenager. He should have been going to school, having girlfriends, enjoying life. But... the Sugar Man's tongue pierced his chest."

Colossus turned around and looked at each of his fellow Mutants present.

"I used to think that we monsters, rejected by the world, could only eke out a living in the sewers. But here..."

He pointed to the ground beneath his feet, then to Sing Sing and Director Wang.

"They gave us a home. A home where, even if you die in a foreign land, they will bring you back, erect a monument for you, and tell you that you are not a monster."

"Mondo didn't die in vain. He died protecting our families! He's a hero!"

Colossus stood at attention, raised the Red Star Mechanical Arm, and gave a standard Big Brother-style military salute.

Li Qianhuan ripped off her sunglasses and vigorously wiped the water from her face with the back of her hand, unable to tell if it was rain or tears.

The Wandering Girl sniffed, her eyes red-rimmed.

Silver Fox stared intently at the tombstone, his expression slightly moved.

Wolverine stepped forward and placed the unlit cigar on the tombstone.

"Take care, kid."

Logan's voice was very soft.

This man, who had experienced countless wars and endured the torment of the Weapon X Program, knew better than anyone else.

For people like them, a tombstone where they can rest in peace is such a luxury.

This is also the highest respect that veterans can show to new recruits.

Half an hour later, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Only a few figures remained on the small slope. Director Wang walked over and stood next to Sing Sing.

Sing Sing took out his cigarette case, shook out one and handed it over, then lit one for himself. It took three tries to get a flame out of the lighter.

"Are you feeling bad?" Director Wang asked.

"This kid is too fat; he was incredibly heavy when I carried him back."

Sing Sing pursed his lips, his tone still as nonchalant as ever, but the fingers holding the cigarette trembled slightly.

"Boss, those bastards are still jumping around..."

Sing Sing squinted, looking at the gray sky in the distance. "Miss Sinister, and that damned Silver Peak, this isn't over."

"Of course it's not over yet."

Director Wang sneered.

"Do you really think our China 749 Bureau is a charity? Anyone who dares to touch our people, no matter how far away, will be punished!"

In the drizzle, Mondo's tombstone stood there silently.

The little white flower in front of the grave swayed gently in the wind.