Spider-Man from Another Universe

Time always slipped away quietly when no one was paying attention.

December 31, 1999, Bern, Switzerland.

On the final day of the twentieth century, to welcome the coming new millennium.

Prominent figures from the global technology world had gathered for this technology conference, and Tony had been invited to attend.

Qin Yi had not planned to come, but then he remembered that Dr. Yinsen, who would have a major impact on Tony's life, had appeared at this conference. Maya Hansen and Killian, who would develop the Extremis virus, were also here, so he came along.

Qin Yi lounged on one side of the banquet hall, lost in thought as he reflected on the nine years since arriving in the Marvel Universe.

Since Captain Marvel left, he had barely involved himself in the other storylines of this world.

Girls occasionally came over to invite Qin Yi out, but he turned them all down.

Watching Tony hold Maya Hansen's hand, Qin Yi was still debating whether to turn Tony into Iron Man ahead of schedule.

As one of the few friends he had in the Marvel Universe, Qin Yi did not want to see that final snap.

However, during his conversations with Old Yao over the past few years, he had learned of the existence of absolute points in time.

These absolute points were inevitable paths leading to the ending. They could not be reversed or changed, or the current universe would collapse.

How powerful did he need to become before he could ignore this universe's absolute points in time?

Lowering his head to look at the system still dormant on his arm, Qin Yi was speechless. The thing had been dormant for nine years without showing the slightest sign of waking up.

There were still twenty-three years until that snap. There should be enough time.

"Happy, take Qin to his room. Stop following me around."

Tony held Maya Hansen's hand. Like a couple deeply in love, the two were completely absorbed in each other.

Qin Yi looked up at Happy walking toward him and quickly waved his hands.

"Happy, I'll look around downstairs. You should stay with Tony."

Hearing that Qin Yi wanted to look around downstairs, Happy hurried after Tony and Maya Hansen, who had just entered the elevator.

At that moment, a somewhat disheveled man hurried over to Tony with a cane. After excitedly introducing himself to Tony,

he took out a business card and handed it over. Tony tilted his head, signaling for Maya Hansen to take it for him.

Once the elevator arrived, Tony politely let everyone else go first.

Watching everyone leave, Tony turned to Killian.

"I'd really like to discuss working together. Once I shake these girls off, meet me on the roof in five minutes."

Killian excitedly said to Tony as he stepped out of the elevator, "Th-then... see you on the roof."

Downstairs in the banquet hall.

After talking with Dr. Yinsen for a long time, and after Yinsen declined Qin Yi's invitation to join Stark Industries,

Qin Yi left his contact information and headed toward the rooftop.

Killian was one of the two founders of the Extremis virus. The other was Ms. Maya Hansen, who was currently having a lovely chat with Tony.

In the comics, Killian stole a sample of the virus and sold it to domestic terrorists.

However, unable to face his guilt, he wrote a confession on a note and then shot himself.

In the movies, Tony stood him up tonight, humiliating him and making him swear revenge against Tony. He eventually became the man Tony called a demon.

Killian, who had been sweet-talked by Tony into meeting him five minutes later, stood on the rooftop.

He checked his watch again and again, repeatedly telling himself that perhaps Tony had been delayed by something.

When Qin Yi arrived, he saw Killian shivering in the cold wind.

Well, this was no different from one of those rabid celebrity-chasing fans from his previous life.

Killian obviously knew Qin Yi. According to the newspapers, Qin Yi was one of the founders of the ikong Phone, a genius scientist who had entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at fifteen. He had also proposed the concept outsiders called Ascension Theory: "The suffering of flesh, the ascension of machinery."

Although their research directions differed from the Extremis virus, it could not be denied that Qin Yi, like him, was a genius scientist.

"Mr. Qin, Tony..."

Facing the excited Killian, Qin Yi gestured helplessly.

"You know how it is... Tony got held up. Want to go inside for a drink and chat?"

Once inside the banquet hall, Qin Yi casually talked with Killian.

He listened as Killian openly expressed his admiration for Tony and his hopes for A.I.M.'s future.

The two soon reached a partnership agreement.

"Mr. Qin, thank you very much for your investment. Here's to our cooperation."

As Qin Yi raised his glass, he suddenly sensed a ripple in space nearby. He spread his psychic power across the entire banquet hall building and began investigating.

Qin Yi froze, staring motionlessly at the image fed back by his psychic power.

Tony, in the middle of a fierce battle with Maya Hansen... was startled by a Spider-Man in a spider suit stepping out from a spatial rift beside Tony's bed—the source of the spatial disturbance.

Maya Hansen suddenly screamed, while Tony shouted, "What the fuck?"

Happy, who had been standing outside the door to protect Tony, rushed in at the sound. He raised his pistol at the helpless Spider-Man.

Downstairs.

Killian raised his wineglass and asked Qin Yi, who was staring blankly ahead.

"Mr. Qin?"

Killian's question in the banquet hall broke Qin Yi from his speechless daze.

Qin Yi turned and glanced around the banquet hall. The entire place seemed frozen; everyone stood exactly where they were, completely motionless.

With a thought, Qin Yi followed the spatial disturbance and appeared in Tony's room.

Happy, startled by Qin Yi's sudden appearance, immediately pointed his pistol at him. "Don't move... Qin? You... you... how did you get here?"

Qin Yi glanced back at Tony, who was hurriedly putting on clothes, and Maya Hansen, who had wrapped herself in a bedsheet. She was pretty pale.

Qin Yi shrugged at Happy. "Relax, Happy."

Then he turned toward the teary-eyed Spider-Man, only to see Spider-Man throw himself into Tony's arms and cry out, "Mr. Stark, thank goodness! I never thought I'd get to see you again."

Ignoring the strange looks from Qin Yi, Happy, and Maya Hansen wrapped in her bedsheet.

"What the fuck! Can someone tell me what's going on with this pajama baby who suddenly appeared?"

Tony's exasperated shout made Spider-Man freeze. He let go and stared at Tony in confusion.

"Mr. Stark, it's me. Peter Parker..."

As Peter tried to explain, Qin Yi read part of Peter's memories with a thought and said,

"You came too early, Peter. It's the year 2000 now! Tony is still just Tony..."

After hearing Qin Yi's words, Peter helplessly looked at Tony and Happy. Then he slumped to the floor, buried his head in his arms, and cried on his own.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. I couldn't save you. I'm sorry!"

"So! You came to this universe hoping Tony would save your universe?"

The others froze at Qin Yi's words, staring at him in surprise, their wide eyes full of confusion.

"Qin, what do you mean? Is this pajama baby not from our universe? Are there other universes? Are you sure he isn't from another planet?" Tony pointed at Peter and asked incredulously.

Qin Yi waved his hand, and Maya Hansen, still wrapped in a bedsheet, fainted.

Then he glanced at Happy. Under Happy's terrified gaze.

Tony hurriedly shouted, "No, no, no, Qin! Happy is one of us. He's one of us!"

Happy was clearly frightened. Holding his pistol, he hid behind Tony.

"Peter, tell us."

Qin Yi sat on the sofa and looked at the confused Spider-Man.

Peter asked Qin Yi in bewilderment.

"How... how do you know why I came here?"

Qin Yi pointed at his own head.

"I can see part of your memories, but your mind is too chaotic. There was only one clear thought: find Tony and save your universe."

Peter thought for a while before explaining painfully.

"Our universe was invaded by a virus..."

After he finished speaking, a long time passed.

The group fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

Qin Yi rubbed his head. Why the hell is this so different?

In the memories, the zombie virus had been brought from an alien planet by Magneto to exterminate humanity. It was a virus specifically aimed at humans, but no one had expected even the Mutants to be unable to escape it.

As a result, the entire Avengers and most of Earth's population became starving zombies who only knew how to eat.

Most terrifying of all, even Galactus was infected and devoured by the zombified Avengers...

But according to Peter's account, it had changed. To save his lover trapped in the Quantum Realm, Dr. Pym entered the Quantum Realm. He did find his beloved wife, but before he could do anything, his wife, infected with the quantum virus, bit him and turned him into a zombie.

Fortunately, Wasp reacted in time and was not bitten by her parents emerging from the Quantum Realm like Ant-Man was.

Later, Captain America led a group of Avengers to suppress the zombie unrest.

Without question, apart from Iron Man in his Nano Armor and Spider-Man, everyone else was turned into zombies. Not even Doctor Strange or Scarlet Witch escaped.

After rescuing Dr. Banner, who had teleported back from outer space, Iron Man and Dr. Banner joined forces to develop a serum capable of curing the zombie virus.

However, before it could be used, Iron Man was eaten by Zombie Scarlet Witch, and the serum was destroyed in the battle.

In the end, Vision killed himself out of shame. With Hulk holding the rear, Black Panther, Spider-Man, and the others managed to bring the Mind Stone back to Wakanda.

With the help of Black Panther's sister Shuri, they opened a passage to other universes, hoping to find Iron Man from another universe to continue developing the serum and save their universe.

They had simply not anticipated that the first time they used the interdimensional passage, they would fail to precisely control the timing and arrive in the first hours of 2000.

This Tony was not yet Iron Man, and the Avengers existed only as the embryonic idea in some one-eyed man's mind.

"So... in your universe, I'm this Iron Man? That's pretty similar to Qin's theory of mechanical ascension. Iron Man! Heh, heh, heh. It suits my temperament."

Tony stroked his chin before asking Peter,

"Then what kind of superhero is Qin in your universe?"

"And me? What about me?" Happy had also recovered from his shock.

Peter looked at Happy, then at Qin Yi.

"Happy is Stark Industries' head of security... Mr. Qin, I don't think we ever met Mr. Qin in our universe."

Happy excitedly waved his fist at Tony.

"I knew it, Tony. I'm the best person to be Stark Industries' security chief."

It'd be weirder if your universe had me in it.

Qin Yi turned to Peter.

"So now, Wakanda is the only place in your world that hasn't been infected? Can this passage be closed at any time? Or could zombies come through it?"

After hearing Qin Yi's words, Peter hurriedly stood up.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. I... I... we didn't expect this. The passage can only be closed from our universe. I..."

Tony fell silent.

The spatial rift suddenly flickered several times, as though transmitting some sort of signal.

Peter looked at Tony painfully.

"Mr. Stark, I have to go back. The energy maintaining the interdimensional passage won't last much longer."

As if saying goodbye, Peter hugged Tony once.

Something seemed to stir within Tony. He suddenly made up his mind and looked earnestly at Qin Yi.

Fine! There's no way I can avoid going now. Qin Yi quickly weighed the pros and cons.

What if Shuri had also been turned into a zombie? The thought of a zombie capable of opening passages to other universes made his scalp tingle.

Even if Peter went back now to close the passage and continue searching for Iron Man from another universe.

It would be fine if they solved the problem. But what if they could not? As the first universe targeted by the passage,

there was no telling whether humanity on Earth would be wiped out before Thanos even arrived. Qin Yi tried to convince himself.

But this damn zombie virus... if Fairy Force devoured it, would he become a zombie too?

If it were anything else, he might be able to come up with a solution. This thing was simply unsolvable.

Forget it.

He would go over and take a look first. With his current strength, protecting himself and Tony should not be a problem.

Qin Yi then grabbed Happy, who was about to follow Tony.

"Happy, go back and tell Uncle and Auntie that Tony and I are going traveling for a while."

After giving Happy his instructions, Qin Yi sent a text message to his senior sister, Phoenix.

Then the three of them stepped into the interdimensional passage before them and vanished.

Happy anxiously paced back and forth at the passage entrance for a while. As Tony's bodyguard, he could not rest easy.

"No, I have to protect Tony!"

With that, Happy jumped in as well and disappeared.

At Kamar-Taj, Ancient One, who had been meditating, suddenly opened her eyes. Her wisdom-filled gaze turned toward the depths of a certain universe.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in."

Phoenix entered the room and bowed to Ancient One.

"Master, Junior Brother asked me to stay at his house for a few days. He said to wait for him to come back, but he didn't say what it was about."

"I understand. Go ahead."

Phoenix looked at Ancient One in disbelief. Was this really the master Junior Brother described as even more detestable than a wicked capitalist?

"Train well. Do not slack off."

Phoenix bowed.

"Understood, Master."

Watching Phoenix skip away to pack her luggage, Ancient One smiled and shook her head.