A Gun in Hand, a Cannon in the Mouth

Magneto was very familiar with Xiang Qian, and he truly "valued" him. That unexpected gunshot at the foot of the Statue of Liberty was something Magneto would never forget for the rest of his life.

Looking at Xiang Qian, who was chatting with him so nonchalantly, Magneto felt a faint, familiar ache beginning to throb in his left shoulder.

"I already said it just now," Xiang Qian pointed toward the next room. "Since that little boy is no longer here, there's no need for you to waste any more time. I suggest that once you leave this place, you go to the X-Mansion and have a proper talk with the Professor."

Magneto frowned. "What did Charles tell you, and what kind of whimsical idea has he cooked up this time?"

"Whimsical? Perhaps a little. But that idea isn't his—it's mine." Facing Magneto, Xiang Qian always felt a sense of frustration, as if he had a belly full of complaints but nowhere to start.

"Your idea? You, a mere ordinary human, want to offer advice to us mutants?"

"You know, I've studied the history of you and the Professor over these past few decades quite deeply. Do you know how I felt after reading through the files?" Xiang Qian wore a mocking expression. "I think you two are just playing house. Haven't you had enough of this childish game even now?"

Magneto raged, "You not only insult us, but you also insult the cause we have dedicated our entire lives to. Don't forget, this is Charles's cause as well."

"Yes, yes, your cause. I just want to confirm: is the 'cause' you speak of about securing a future for mutants?" Xiang Qian glanced at the control console; the copy program had just reached 60%. He felt there was still time for a little more chat.

Magneto corrected Xiang Qian's statement without a second thought. "It is not about securing a future; we are the future. Mutants are the future of humanity; we represent the next stage of human evolution."

"Heh heh heh..." Xiang Qian laughed without restraint. "The German Nazis killed your parents and relatives in the name of purging inferior races, and now you treat all ordinary humans as inferior beings to be eliminated—you really learned a lot in those Nazi concentration camps, didn't you!"

"The things that failed to kill you didn't just make you stronger; they turned you into one of them."

Magneto remained silent, but Pyro John, standing beside him, could no longer hold back. "You've said enough of your nonsense!"

Before the words had even left his lips, a ball of scorching flame rose from his palm, swirling like a fire dragon as it lunged toward Xiang Qian.

The moment Pyro John opened his mouth, Xiang Qian had already prepared himself. Facing the incoming fire dragon, he sneered and raised his hand, the muzzle of the P226 in his grip shifting slightly.

Bang.

With a single gunshot, the fire dragon instantly dissipated, and Pyro John collapsed to the ground, clutching his right hand and screaming in agony. This shot, fired later but arriving first, had precisely shattered the igniter hidden in his right sleeve before the bullet continued on to pierce his forearm, blood erupting from both sides of the wound.

Magneto turned a deaf ear to Pyro John's screams. He merely glanced at his lackey, then fixed his gaze on the all-too-familiar P226 in Xiang Qian's hand, the corner of his eye twitching involuntarily.

Xiang Qian moved quickly. After the shot, the muzzle immediately swung back toward Magneto, ensuring the man didn't dare to take advantage of the moment to strike.

"Mr. Magneto, what should I say? Look at these subordinates of yours—besides violence, is there even a shred of anything else in their brains? Even if you stuffed their skulls with tofu, it would be better than this. How exactly do you teach your children?"

Before Magneto could respond, Xiang Qian's sharp tongue turned toward the wailing Pyro John. "Kid, take a piece of advice from me: if you can, go back to school. Look at yourself now—you're as childish as a kindergartner who treats a lighter like a toy, only knowing how to set fires everywhere to show off."

Xiang Qian continued to provoke the unlucky kid who only knew how to play with fire, spitting out venomous words without regard for the hateful glare of the boy who looked ready to eat him alive.

"You know, in my country, there is a mutant with similar fire-controlling abilities. He awakened his powers at about the same age you were back then. Do you know what he did after he awakened? He went to college."

"To better utilize his fire-controlling abilities, he specifically chose to major in metallurgy. As soon as he graduated, he joined the metal materials laboratory under my name, and in just two years, he was promoted to deputy chief engineer. His mutant ability saves the lab tens of millions in testing costs every year, and I pay him a seven-figure annual salary."

"Oh, and just last year, he married his girlfriend, and last month, they welcomed a lovely daughter into their family. In the words of you Americans, he is a respectable, decent man."

"And what about you, John? Ever since you left school to follow Magneto, how do people describe you?"

"A thug? An arsonist? A terrorist?" Xiang Qian mocked the youth, who had lost the ability to fight back, without restraint. "Do you think these titles are cool? Is this what you want to pursue for the rest of your life?"

The more Pyro John heard, the more his rage flared, his face turning a deeper shade of red; meanwhile, Magneto's face grew darker with every word.

"Enough, James," Magneto barked coldly. "You won this round, but mutants will eventually triumph. If you insist on standing against us, I swear, you will one day regret it."

"I'm happy to wait for that day, but please hurry; after all, even if I'm willing to wait, your age might not allow you to see it."

Just as it seemed the two were about to continue their argument, someone else burst into the room.

"Hey, guys!" The newcomer was a mutant with an unremarkable face. "Time is tight; this isn't the time for bickering."

"Get out!" Magneto snapped, turning his head in annoyance.

The other person sighed helplessly. "Erik, when will you ever change that foul temper of yours?"

As the person spoke, their appearance and clothing began to shift; even their voice changed from a low, gravelly tone to something soft and melodic. By the time the words settled, a blue-skinned elf stood at the doorway.

"Raven!"

"Raven..."

Xiang Qian and Magneto spoke simultaneously—one with pleasant surprise, the other with the weight of years.

"I just came from the coast. A large number of Marines have gathered in the city. They've dispersed the mutants left on the other side, and it won't be long before they land on the island." Mystique brought news that was far from favorable for Magneto.

Magneto sighed in defeat. "I am destined to return empty-handed today, aren't I?"

"Stop now, Erik. There's no need to kill anyone else; it's completely meaningless—that child is no longer here," Raven urged.

Magneto said nothing more. He walked toward the door, unwilling to accept the outcome.

Xiang Qian suddenly called out, "Hey, I still suggest you find an opportunity to talk to the Professor."

Magneto looked back at Xiang Qian coldly. Upon seeing the hopeful look in Raven's eyes, he gave a stiff nod and pushed the door open to leave.

Once Magneto was gone, Pyro John didn't dare to act tough either. He could only endure his pain and limp after Magneto, hurrying away.

Pyro John only possessed the ability to control fire, not create it. Without the lighter in his wrist, he probably couldn't even handle an ordinary police officer at this moment.

Magneto's departure meant that the battle on Alcatraz Island was finally coming to an end. After a radical riot, the mutants would have to face the consequences that followed.