653. He's Probably Really Dead (Two-in-One)

He Shenyan took another sip of the alien cocktail. He had to admit, the way those complex flavors mingled together and exploded across his taste buds was wonderful. Star-Lord's words made him smile. "I've heard your name, Mr. Star-Lord."

He swirled the liquor in his glass. The lights above the dance floor had yet to switch back to normal mode, still casting that ambiguous, multicolored glow. The liquid in the glass refracted rainbow light, echoing the view of the universe beyond the porthole.

"You've heard my name?"

"When I was dealing with the Skrulls, the Nova Corps came to see me. They thought what I'd done was far too appalling, that genocide was absolutely not something a person with a normal sense of morality or a sound mind ought to do. It was an act of utter madness."

He Shenyan took another sip. Star-Lord's smile turned a little awkward—the past the Mage had just brought up was known to everyone in the universe. Besides, he had no idea how he himself was connected to the Nova Corps.

"So I asked them what should be done about the Skrulls kidnapping Earthlings, even setting up human laboratories on Earth to carry out all kinds of experiments while plotting an invasion. I still remember what the guy the Nova Corps sent said."

He laughed. The strip of cloth over his eyes made it impossible to see his gaze, but that smile alone was enough to send a chill through anyone.

"He said the Nova Corps would intervene and have the Skrulls provide compensation. So I asked again, what about the dead Earthlings? That guy looked at me like he was looking at an ungrateful idiot."

"He was extremely shocked, extremely confused—then told me that the technology the Skrulls would compensate us with would