The time rewound to about a month and a half earlier. There were still more than ten days until Steve's birthday. In an office in the Congress building of New Shangdu's capital on Earth in the Solar System, Charles set down the phone and said with a smile, "Zheng Xian said they're ready. Now we're just waiting for Schiller to make his move. The Doctor has never kept us waiting long. The US Congress, Stark Industries, and Kamar-Taj will probably reach a consensus soon. Earth is ready to depart."
Across from Charles, Erik calmly took a sip of tea and said, "I'll call Polaris and the others back later. Officially, it'll be for Steve's hundredth birthday banquet. But in reality, we need to prepare for Earth's Departure and the Asgardian banquet afterward. Whether we can strike straight at the heart of the matter amid such chaos depends on this."
"Honestly, when they proposed the 'Earth's Departure Plan,' it really shocked me. I didn't expect our neighbors to have even more nerve than we imagined. But no matter what, this is a good thing for Mutants. Our country on Earth is too close to them. Geopolitically speaking, it's nearly impossible to sever ties with them. If the faster-than-light engine is built on our side, then even if you openly show up at a United Nations meeting, they'll have no choice but to swallow their anger."
Erik merely curled his lips, but he did not seem to be smiling sincerely. Charles lowered his gaze, and silence briefly settled over the room.
"Honestly, I don't care anymore." Erik shook his head. "Now we have our own country. My nationality is New Shangdu, and my race is Mutant. None of that old business counts anymore."
"You're really generous." Charles sneered as well. "Doesn't count?