The Fifty-First Chapter

A few days later, the group returned to New York City from Asgard via the Rainbow Bridge. Afterward, everyone went their separate ways.

With the Green Goblin captured, Guan Heng's undercover mission at the school was over. However, he didn't move out of Peter's neighborhood, as he was still Spider-Man's supervisor. The two lived close by, making it easier to look out for each other.

Since he didn't have to go to school and Spider-Man was handling patrols in New York City, Guan Heng spent the next few days renovating Osborn Enterprises' internal facilities, turning the building into his private base. The entire automated security system and stringent facilities were handled by Stark Enterprises. Besides Guan Heng himself, only a few close friends like Iron Man and Spider-Man could enter. Guan Heng decorated the rooms uniquely, equipping them with everything from a gym with physical training and strengthening equipment to research labs for developing various biochemical items and superhero gear. This place could be considered Guan Heng's safe haven.

After a few busy days, the blueprints were completed, and the initial laboratory and gym were renovated. Guan Heng handed over the rest of the work to Stark Enterprises and the super butler Jarvis, planning to take a few days off. Just then, Peter arrived with a letter for Guan Heng.

"A letter for me?" Guan Heng was quite surprised. "I don't have many acquaintances besides you guys. Who would write to me?"

"Haha, you'll know when you read it," Peter said, tossing the letter to Guan Heng. "Take it."

The letter in his hand was written in Chinese. Guan Heng's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly tore open the envelope and took out the contents, then couldn't help but chuckle. There were two sheets of paper. The first sheet only had a few words: "Brother, I miss you so much! Come see me quickly!" A drawing of a crying, large-faced doll was also on the paper.

"She didn't know your current address, so she sent the letter to my mailbox," Peter explained with a shrug. "So it's from Qianhuan," Guan Heng chuckled. He then read the second sheet of paper, which detailed how Li Qianhuan missed Guan Heng and how she had made many friends at X Academy. It also included the academy's location, hoping Guan Heng would visit her as family.

"Since Qianhuan misses you, you should go," Peter said with a smile, putting a hand on Guan Heng's shoulder. "I'll keep an eye on things here in New York City. There won't be any problems... unless you don't trust me."

"Alright," Guan Heng smiled and nodded. "I'll go visit my sister and, while I'm at it, pay a visit to those famous X-Men."

After Peter left, Guan Heng knew he had to patrol more diligently during his absence to prevent any villains from exploiting the situation.

"Finally, I'm going to meet Professor X, Xavier, and his X-Men," Guan Heng muttered to himself. I wonder if they're as cool in person as they are in the movies and comics.

He closed his eyes and recalled the characters he knew well: Cyclops, Scott, had eyes like laser cannons that could emit high-energy rays. Storm, Ororo, was skilled at manipulating the weather, commanding wind and lightning. Oh, I wonder if Black Panther from Wakanda managed to woo her. Wolverine, Logan, had a body of steel and iron. Phoenix, Jean Grey, was the Omega Level mutant with the greatest potential.

Currently, ordinary humans and mutants were on the verge of a fragile peace, so X Academy was located in a remote and hidden place. The safety of the children in the school was ensured by the X-Men. The gifted school was considered impregnable. Many young mutant children like Li Qianhuan could receive proper protection.

Professor Charles Xavier, known as Professor X, had dedicated himself for many years to peace and balance between humans and mutants. He used his vast financial resources to found X Academy, a school that guided mutants in using their superpowers responsibly for the benefit of society. He also formed the mutant superhero team, the X-Men, most of whose members were his students.

Qianhuan, you must be living happily now, Guan Heng thought. Ever since he had Wolverine, Logan, take her away, he had always been concerned. Now that he had the chance to see his adopted sister, Guan Heng was very happy.

Beep, beep. Confirmed opener: Guan Heng. Security system disarmed.

"Hmm, the security system designed by the super-intelligent Jarvis and Tony is indeed impressive."

Guan Heng was walking into his private laboratory. He had previously entered his fingerprint and a multi-digit password at the entrance, followed by an iris scan, to disarm all the standby security systems. This was naturally to prevent unwelcome guests.

The private laboratory was very large, divided into many rooms: a gym for workouts, a training room, a potion-mixing room, and so on. Jiang Dabao usually trained his dual shields in the gym. All the equipment here was made from extraterrestrial satellite alloy that Guan Heng had salvaged from S.H.I.E.L.D., making it extremely sturdy, allowing Dabao and Guan Heng to train and roughhouse without worry.

Guan Heng was heading to the potion-mixing room this time. Upon entering, he took out several potions and stored them in the storage compartments of his belt. After spending a lot of time mixing, he had created a mixture of the blood of several superheroes – Frost Giant Blood, Hulk's Blood, Norman Osborn's body-strengthening agent, etc. – diluted with blood. This was the special plasma that Da Bao, Er Ni, and Huang Santai, the Half-Corpse Giant Insect, injected daily to maintain and restore their stamina. It was convenient to administer via injection at any time.

"Alright, everything is ready. Let's go," Guan Heng said. He slung the Chengying Sword over his back and released the giant insect Huang Santai on the rooftop of the building, heading directly towards X Academy.

Huang Santai flew at an incredible speed. It only took a few hours. Guan Heng arrived at the outskirts of the academy around three or four in the morning. This was a dense forest several kilometers away from the academy, serving as a natural barrier for X Academy.

"Hmm, flying ends here," Guan Heng ordered Huang Santai to land. He casually recalled it. "You look a bit scary. I'll walk the rest of the way."

The academy was located in a remote area, and there were few pedestrians on the road. The narrow forest path wound its way, appearing eerie and terrifying. The moon was obscured by gathering dark clouds, only allowing a hazy, dim halo of light to filter through the thick cloud cover. The wind rustled through the treetops, producing a slow, rustling sound. It was like a sea of trees moving overhead, contrasting with the quiet night. A distinct coolness could be felt in the wind, with hints of dew suspended in the air. It was hard to describe, but it sent a slight shiver down one's spine when it touched the skin.

Under the faint light cast by the bright moon, Guan Heng walked slowly, about to hum a tune when his ears twitched. He suddenly heard voices nearby and quickly ducked into the woods.

Peeking out slightly from behind a tree, he saw four or five masked figures in black not far ahead, fiddling with their firearms. The sound of guns being cocked echoed one after another. These men were strong, exuding a palpable killing aura, clearly seasoned mercenaries who had seen their share of bloody battles.

What were these guys doing here? The only building nearby was X Academy. Guan Heng's heart stirred. Could these guys be targeting mutants?

Chapter 0051: Starting From Here

Swish, swish. Two more burly men in black, carrying guns, emerged from the depths of the woods. They held a wriggling, distorted sack.

"Boss, we're back," one of them called out in a low voice. "We got lucky today. Caught some kid who snuck out to play nearby. He's definitely a mutant."

"Mmmph mmmph mmmph." Struggling sounds came from the sack.

"You little brat, shut up!" The man in black swung his gun and hit the sack hard with the butt. "Mmm, ooh." The person in the sack was clearly dazed by the heavy blow.

"Since we've already caught one mutant brat, why don't we just leave?" someone suggested.

"Coward!" scoffed a tall man in black. He stood nearly two meters tall, built like a stone pillar, clearly the leader. "Do you know what kind of mutant we caught? It's walking, talking cash."

The leader's eyes scanned his subordinates. "The brats in that academy up ahead, each one can fetch a high price. Circuses, research institutes, biological companies, and the military, they'll all pay us big money. If we hit the jackpot, we won't have to be miserable mercenaries anymore. We can take the money, go to the Maldives, become rich, and spend the rest of our lives with beautiful women."

He waved his hand. "Two more brothers haven't returned yet. We'll wait for them. I don't believe they'll come back empty-handed."

Guan Heng, hidden behind the trees, immediately grew serious, clenching his fists. Another bunch of scumbags trying to make money off mutant children. His anger flared, and he was about to jump out when he heard them mention two more companions hadn't returned. He immediately stopped.

Hmph, I'll deal with all of you when those two return, Guan Heng thought. Don't rush. I'll make sure not a single one of you escapes, lest any slip through the net and continue to harm the academy.

Guan Heng then wondered, How are these mercenaries moving so freely here, capturing children right under the noses of Professor X and the X-Men? He cursed their security measures internally for being too lax.

Just then, a sudden change occurred. Gunfire erupted from the distant woods: Da da da.

BOOM! Someone even set off a grenade. This was followed by horrific screams: "Ah, no, no!" Not only in that small area, but lightning flashed and strong winds raged.

"Oh no! Tom and Jerry have been discovered!" The leader of the men in black grabbed the sack from the ground and slung it over his back. "Let's go! A powerful mutant is coming!" With his long legs, he sprinted more than ten steps.

There were seven of them in total. Wearing the Exorcist Mask, Guan Heng suddenly moved, charging out from the side.

Three of the men in black were running almost in a line. Guan Heng unleashed a punch, the force tearing through their bodies. With a crackling sound, their flying bodies broke countless bones. They landed, spewing blood, clearly beyond saving.

Plop, plop. Three mangled corpses rolled into the grass.

"Damn it! Kill him!" The remaining four men in black were about to raise their guns to fire when Guan Heng suddenly executed two aerial backflips, landing right in the middle of the four.

The angle was incredibly tricky. If they aimed at Guan Heng, they would also shoot and kill each other.

In the half-second of hesitation, as they loosened their triggers, Guan Heng's fists, carrying a gust of wind, slammed into the chests of two men simultaneously. Their ribs shattered.

Next, a left whip kick transformed into a venomous afterimage, sweeping across one man's neck. With a crack, his neck bone snapped. His body flew sideways, immediately tumbling with his companions. Guan Heng lunged forward, his fists raining down. The last man spat blood and was finished.

This series of actions, from Guan Heng making his move to the end, took less than ten seconds, showing how powerful and overbearing Guan Heng's close-quarters combat was.

From the sack behind the leader of the black-clothed men who had been beaten to death, a bruised and swollen little boy drilled out. With black hair and black eyes, he looked at the corpses scattered on the ground. The boy's gaze was indifferent, as if he had long been accustomed to death accompanying him.

"You're actually a Huaxia child." Guan Heng took the rag out of his mouth and untied the ropes binding the boy's hands. "What's your name?" he asked.

"I don't remember," the boy said. "The bad guys who sold me to the circus beat my head and killed my friends. I was so scared that I forgot everything. But they left this mark on my arm with a branding iron."

The boy revealed the burn mark on his arm. It was actually a Huaxia dragon-shaped mark. "Before I personally get revenge, I'll give myself a name: Azure Dragon."

"Alas, poor child," Guan Heng patted his head. "Can you run by yourself now?"

"Don't look down on people," the boy said, sticking out his neck and looking up at Guan Heng. "I'm a man too."

The gunshots in the distance had long since ended. Guan Heng felt an invisible pressure approaching from the direction of the explosion within the academy. He knew that the X-Men from the academy were arriving, so he said to Azure Dragon, "You run towards the academy yourself. I won't escort you."

"Can you tell me your name?" Azure Dragon asked, tilting his little head.

"I'm called Exorcist," Guan Heng said. He was still wearing a red mask. He instructed Azure Dragon, "Don't tell anyone I saved you. A man should obey the orders of the person who saved his life."

After speaking, there was a sound of clothes fluttering. When Azure Dragon looked again, Guan Heng had already disappeared.

I can't meet the people from the academy now. Firstly, I don't want to explain beating up the black-clothed men. Secondly, I want to avoid causing misunderstandings. Guan Heng thought. As long as they know I saved the child and have no ill intentions, that's enough. If I have to meet them, I'll go in through the main gate of the academy openly tomorrow morning.

Azure Dragon, standing in place, muttered to himself, I really want to know what he looks like.

"Hey." A woman's voice suddenly came from behind Azure Dragon. "Did you sneak out of the academy to play again? Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"I'm sorry, Sister Ororo," Azure Dragon said, lowering his head. "I'll change."

"Strange." The woman looked at the corpses lying askew on the ground, a doubt arising in her heart. "Who killed these mercenaries?"

Ororo muttered to herself, "It seems they were killed by hand. Who has such strong close-quarters combat skills?" She turned to ask Azure Dragon, "Did you see what the person who saved you looked like? Was it a man or a woman?"

Azure Dragon shook his head. He remembered Guan Heng's instructions and didn't tell the truth. "I fainted at the time, so I didn't see."

A moment later, in Xavier's office at X Academy.

"Professor, I've brought Azure Dragon back," Ororo said as she entered. "The child suffered a bit. He was beaten black and blue. I think after this lesson, he won't dare to sneak out of school and run around so easily."

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