The Phoenix's First Cry

Deep in the Sahara, the sun baked the sand until it was scorching hot.

Chu Hang stood atop a dune, clenched his right hand, and kneaded the three Laws of Life, Death, and Time into a ball that spun in his palm.

Jean knelt ten meters away, both hands pressed against the sand.

She could feel the power inside her stirring, like a Beast that had been caged too long and wanted to come out and tear something apart.

She took a deep breath.

Don't fight it head-on. That was what Chu Hang had said. She had to talk to it.

The Phoenix's cry rang in her mind. It was no longer piercing; it even carried a hint of anticipation.

It was waiting for her.

Chu Hang tossed the energy sphere into the sky. It exploded, scattering into motes of light, and the law fluctuations within several kilometers fell into complete chaos.

Anyone with keen senses would think that a powerful new mutant had been born here.

Apocalypse had definitely noticed.

Sure enough, less than thirty seconds later, a black dot appeared on the horizon. It grew larger as dark clouds gathered from every direction, and the sky abruptly darkened.

Jean rose to her feet and looked up at the clouds.

A powerful energy hid behind them—the amplified power of Apocalypse's Horsemen.

Thunder rumbled.

A bolt of lightning struck the sand fifty meters away, instantly fusing it into glass.

A white-haired figure descended from the clouds, her eyes glowing white.

Ororo Munroe, Storm, Apocalypse's First Horseman.

She hovered in midair, looking down at Chu Hang and Jean.

"My master sensed abnormal energy fluctuations here and sent me to investigate."

Chu Hang turned to Jean and said,

"She's yours."

Jean clenched her fists, pale golden flames flickering at her fingertips.

The