Phoenix's Omen

The message Lu Yifang brought back was ultimately accepted by Professor X. After all, the Level 5 access clearance Lu Yifang possessed was a generous gift. Professor X felt that he should show more goodwill, as well as his willingness to cooperate with S.H.I.E.L.D.

With Jean Grey's help, Tony's first surgery went smoothly. The extent of Jean Grey's abilities surpassed Fury's expectations—the original attending physician had been forcibly reduced to an assistant responsible for stopping the bleeding and bandaging wounds.

Tony was naturally delighted when he learned the news. However, once he found out that the surgery had taken place entirely because of his father, that joy turned into an enormous shock.

Of course, none of that had anything to do with Lu Yifang. He had merely delivered a message, then returned to his usual campus life. Fury did not bother him again during this time.

Inside the New York Museum, several adults led in a group of children dressed as students. As the largest museum in New York, student tour groups like this were not uncommon. Yet these students were somewhat unusual—some looked only seven or eight years old, while others were young men nearly twenty. It was a student tour group spanning from elementary school to university.

Ignoring the curious looks from the others, a woman with long white hair had already walked up to a prehistoric human from the Ice Age and begun the lesson.

"Students, please look. This is a Neanderthal. We once believed that Neanderthals had gone extinct when they encountered the more advanced Cro-Magnons. But recent research into our DNA suggests that these two human species intermingled..."

"Katie, how are you feeling now?" Lu Yifang stood at the edge of the group, with a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl beside him.

"It sounds unbelievable, but it's true. The doctor said I originally needed a month before I could be discharged, but now I've met the discharge requirements in less than two weeks." Katie clenched her hand, her voice carrying uncertain delight.

"That should be because you awakened as a mutant," Lu Yifang said thoughtfully.

In fact, even without a regenerative ability like Wolverine's, mutants were far stronger than ordinary people in every aspect of physical fitness. It had to be said that mutants really were much more exceptional than ordinary people.

"Yifang!" Storm's dissatisfied voice rang out.

"Can't you pay attention to the lesson?" As Storm spoke, her gaze involuntarily shifted to Katie beside Lu Yifang. Ever since Lu Yifang had brought this girl to Mutant School two days ago, she had been inseparable from him.

How could Storm fail to notice the ambiguity between them? She sighed inwardly and could not help glancing at herself. Am I getting old? Should I find a boyfriend, like Jean did?

"Ms. Storm, what are you thinking about?" a child asked when he noticed Storm spacing out.

"Nothing." Storm hurriedly shook her head, then looked back at Lu Yifang.

"By the way, Yifang, have you seen Bobby, John, and Rogue?"

"I saw them earlier. They should have headed toward Food Street," Lu Yifang answered after thinking for a moment.

"Those children really are a worry. Yifang, you and Katie go bring them back."

"Okay." Lu Yifang nodded, then turned and left with Katie.

"Hmm, which way was Food Street again?"

"We can just check the electronic map." Katie looked around, then walked up to an electronic map on the wall.

As Katie operated the map, Lu Yifang leaned closer as well. "Let me see, it should be... What is this?!"

"What's wrong?" Katie looked at Lu Yifang, whose expression had drastically changed. At that moment, the electronic map she was operating began to flicker.

A buzzing sound rose up. Lu Yifang felt as though countless mosquitoes were circling his ears, irritating him immensely. He was extremely familiar with that sensation—it was mental power, and incredibly powerful mental power at that.

Lu Yifang had only felt mental power this strong from Professor X and the White Queen. But compared to theirs, this mental power was more violent, and it was still growing stronger.

"Dammit, what is that thing?" Lu Yifang gritted his teeth and looked at Katie.

"Katie, take me through the wall."

"Are you sure?" Katie looked surprised. There were so many people here; using their abilities in public was not a good idea. But when Katie saw the serious urgency in Lu Yifang's eyes, she decisively grabbed him and passed through the wall. She trusted Lu Yifang and believed in his decision.

Katie moved quickly. Although several people noticed them, they merely rubbed their eyes instinctively, thinking they had seen things.

On the other side of the wall, a red-haired woman stood there blankly. She was Jean Grey, and faint electric sparks could be seen emerging from electronic devices around her.

But that was merely the surface. In Lu Yifang's real world, he could clearly see that the surroundings had transformed into an energy vortex, with Jean's body at its center.

Her body seemed to have become a black hole. Within it, a pair of blood-red eyes like those of a beast could vaguely be seen. The thing hidden within the energy black hole was struggling, seemingly trying to break free, yet countless chains appeared around it, binding it tightly.

As it struggled against the chains, it suddenly froze and turned its gaze toward Lu Yifang. It sensed an immense threat from him.

A powerful wave of mental power surged out, sweeping through the surroundings. Passersby clutched their heads and groaned in pain. Clearly, this was that thing's warning.

Yet Lu Yifang merely snorted and strode over to Jean.

"I am... Pho... enix!" Jean stared at Lu Yifang and spoke in an icy voice.

"So what? Whether you're a phoenix or a pheasant, stay obediently in your nest." Lu Yifang reached out and placed a hand on Jean.

At that instant, the power constantly pouring from Jean's body abruptly halted, then began rushing back into her body at an even faster speed.

"No... I... What did I just do?" After Phoenix let out an unwilling low growl, Jean's consciousness returned, and she began gasping for breath.

"Jean, what's wrong?" Cyclops, who had noticed Jean's abnormality from nearby, rushed over.

"Scott." Looking at Cyclops's worried face, Jean took a deep breath and said as calmly as she could, "Don't worry, I'm fine. My telepathy is just a little unreliable. Lately, I seem to be having trouble concentrating."

"Jean, I don't think this is just a problem with concentration. A month ago, when you focused your mental power, all you could do was make a book float in the air. Now, when you have nightmares, the entire room shakes."

"That's right. If your current condition is merely an inability to concentrate, then things are a little serious." Lu Yifang pointed meaningfully at the surroundings.

Only then did Jean notice the extreme terror in the eyes of the people around her. A woman sat trembling on the ground, and when she noticed Jean looking at her, she instinctively tried to scream.

But at that moment, everyone's movements stopped, as though time itself had been frozen.

"Looks like I wasn't too late." Professor X slowly wheeled himself over to the group.

"Professor, I..."

"It's all right, Jean. We can talk about everything slowly after we return." Professor X waved his hand.