What If...

The Zahao streets have become a living hell.

Screaming crowds fled in chaos, followed by twisted figures—infected individuals who were once office workers, students, and housewives, now driven only by Bloodlust. Their skin was an unnatural bluish-gray, their pupils gleamed with an eerie golden light, and inhuman roars emanated from their throats.

A schoolgirl in a uniform stumbled on the sidewalk, scraping her knees and drawing blood. She turned around in terror, her pupils reflecting three zombies lunging at her—one of them was wearing a convenience store uniform, half his face was rotting, but his teeth were unusually sharp.

"Help! Help me--!"

Call out!

A laser beam pierced precisely through the convenience store zombie's head, followed by a second and a third. The girl looked up and saw several Arbitrators Reconnaissance Drones hovering in the sky, their weapon systems gleaming coldly beneath their wings.

"Civilians! Run towards the Giant Dome!" A mechanized voice boomed from the fighter jet. "Safe zone established! Repeat, run towards the Giant Dome!"

The girl staggered to her feet and followed the other survivors towards the Dome Stadium. A temporary defensive line had already been set up there— the Arbitrators's tactical robots and the Neon Ground Self-Defense Force stood side by side, the salvo of machine guns and the blue light of energy weapons intertwining to form a web of death, tearing the pursuing horde of zombies apart.

But there were too many zombies.

Civilians and soldiers who were bitten or scratched were constantly joining the zombie army, and the virus continued to spread.

Inside the temporary command post in the Dome Stadium, the air was so thick it seemed to crack. On the monitor screens, zombies surged towards the defensive line like a tidal wave, their golden pupils gleaming eerily under the night vision lenses. Sato of the Ground Self-Defense Force slammed his fist on the control panel, knocking over a coffee cup that spilled brown liquid onto the battle map.

"Gentlemen!" His voice was hoarse as he pointed to a corner of the screen—where it showed the eastern defensive line had been breached, three self-defense team members being dragged into the darkness by zombies, their screams instantly drowned out by gunfire. "How long can the Arbitrators's robots hold out? Ten minutes? Twenty minutes? The zombies are multiplying; those robots can't hold them off! And we're just the next human shield!"

The young Lieutenant Yamamoto abruptly stood up. "But the civilians haven't been evacuated yet! The women and children are still here—"

"Foolish!" Tanaka of the General Staff interrupted with a cold laugh. "Look at the real-time infection rate! For every person saved, there are likely to be three more zombies!" He pulled up the data; the red curve was climbing vertically. "The elite of the Great Nuclear Nation should not be buried with burdens destined to die!"

Suddenly, the surveillance footage shook violently. The camera in the west passage captured a horrifying scene—a horde of zombies were forming a human ladder, stepping on the corpses of their companions to scale a four-meter-high barrier. Even more terrifying, they began using their severed limbs to ram into the hydraulic hoses at the robot's joints.

"They're learning..." The technician zoomed in on the image, his voice trembling. "Ordinary zombies would never have this kind of tactical awareness!"

Tanaka seized the opportunity to slam his fist on the table and stand up. "Now! Immediately activate 'Operation Severed Tail'! Have the robots cover the rear, and all officers evacuate through the underground passages!" He glanced around at everyone, lowering his voice, "Don't forget... Tokyo has already ordered that military forces be preserved as a priority."

Colonel Sato's fists clenched so tightly they cracked. Outside the window, another wave of civilians rushed towards the security checkpoint, crying and screaming. The image of a mother holding her baby aloft flickered in and out of focus amidst the flashes of the explosion. A mechanical voice came through the communicator. "[Arbitrators airdrop pod has arrived, containing 12 x Vibranium protective nets. Please cooperate in establishing a second line of defense.]"

"So what if reinforcements have arrived?" Tanaka sneered, already packing up the battle map. "Let those foreign robots and lowly civilians go to their deaths." He led the way into the underground passage, followed by the other officers, leaving Sato standing alone.

Sato watched their hasty departure, then looked out the window at the crying civilians, and slowly drew his pistol. But in the end, he simply slumped down, put down his weapon, and turned to join the retreating troops—in the hearts of these officers, their own lives were indeed more important than anyone else's.

"As long as you're alive, you can meet again." (This is a proverb meaning that as long as you're alive, you can always make a comeback.) Sato murmured to himself as he disappeared into the dark passage with the others.

"Sir, the Zahao Ground Self-Defense Team is evacuating!" JARVIS's voice rang out inside the 'Deathwing' fighter jet, and a holographic projection simultaneously showed the rapidly shrinking defensive perimeter around the Dome Stadium.

Tony slammed his fist against the bulkhead, sparks flying from the dented metal. "Those cowards!" he gritted his teeth, scanning the live battle situation. "They actually—"

The cabin erupted in commotion. Natasha's knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white, Banner's pupils glowed green, and even the usually composed Steve jumped to his feet. Only Chen Tian remained leaning against the cabin wall, his long fingers tapping out some ancient rhythm on his arm armor.

"Anger won't solve anything, Tony," he suddenly said. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., calculate arrival time."

"At the current speed, it will take about 8 more minutes."

Chen Tian straightened up, blue magic flowing around him. "It's been too long." He raised his sword finger, a ghostly blue light emanating from its tip. "I'll go set up a defensive line first."

Before he could finish speaking, a spatial distortion swept through the cabin, and his figure vanished instantly under the influence of 'Azure,' leaving only his final words. "Spell Reversal - Hercules can unleash a three-kilometer repulsive field, enough to hold you until..."

An abnormal energy reading suddenly appeared on the tactical panel—a red dot representing Chen Tian appeared in the sky above the Dome Stadium almost instantly.

Meanwhile, on the east side of the Dome Stadium, a mother holding her baby suddenly felt the air freeze. She looked up and saw the sky dyed crimson—countless twisted ripples intertwined in the air, forming a huge repulsive field that violently bounced back the first wave of leaping zombies.

Chen Tian's figure appeared out of thin air, his black trench coat dancing wildly in the distorted space.

"Spell Reversal - He." He stretched out one hand, fingers spread, a small red ball spinning in his palm. A powerful repulsive field erupted from him, "He - Modified - Repulsive Field." The shockwave shattered all the glass within a radius of several thousand meters.

The red sphere expanded instantly, Zahao the Giant Dome, and a semi-circular red repulsive field appeared in the surrounding plaza.

The survivors stared blankly at the sky.

A crimson repulsive field descended like a canopy, violently repelling the horde of zombies. The twisted figures crashed into the invisible barrier, their bones shattering and limbs contorting, yet they continued their relentless assault, emitting chilling roars.

In mid-air, Chen Tian hovered quietly, the small red ball in his palm slowly rotating, maintaining a massive repulsive field large enough to cover the entire Giant Dome.

"That... that's... a god?" An old man covered in blood trembled as he knelt on the ground, clasped his hands together, and slammed his forehead heavily against the earth. "My lord god... please save us..."

"Angel! Angel have come to save us!" A mother holding her child cried, tears streaming down her face, tightly embracing her baby as if afraid it was just an illusion.

"No...that's the Arbitrators ..." a member of the self-defense team who hadn't yet evacuated muttered to himself. His right arm was bitten by a zombie, and the wound was beginning to turn an eerie bluish-gray. He stared intently at the figure in the sky, his eyes filled with both shock and despair. "But...is it really too late?"

Chen Tian did not lower his head. His gaze pierced through the battlefield, but his mind was racing—

(How's the progress on the Mind Stone... with Shuri?)

(Saitama should have arrived in Wakanda by now...)

(We need to hurry... otherwise... the whole world could fall.)

He frowned slightly, and the small red ball at his fingertip suddenly contracted, then expanded again, instantly increasing the intensity of the repulsive field. Zombies near the barrier were crushed, their flesh exploding in the air and turning into a crimson mist.

"Everyone, enter the Giant Dome immediately!" His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly echoed throughout the entire plaza. "The repulsive field will protect you as you enter the Giant Dome. Don't panic, enter in an orderly fashion. Those bitten or scratched by zombies, go to the underground parking lot. Don't worry, the Arbitrators are searching for the serum. We... will save you."

The survivors, as if waking from a dream, rushed towards the entrance of the Giant Dome. The remaining members of the Self-Defense Team, along with the Arbitrators robots, quickly formed a final defensive line to cover the evacuation of civilians.

Those who were bitten or scratched said goodbye to their relatives, friends, or comrades and entered the underground parking lot. The logistics robots had reinforced the blast doors at various key points in the parking lot to prevent people from turning into zombies and rushing out of the underground parking lot.

The night sky over Dongjin was dyed purplish-red by neon lights, and the skyscrapers under reconstruction rose like a steel forest. Logan stood on the rooftop of a half-finished building, the red glow of his cigar flickering in the darkness.

"Target?" he asked in a deep voice, the smoke from his cigar mingling with his breath.

Melina's cold voice came through the earpiece. "Shin-Kabukicho 3-chome, 'Elysium Bathhouse' club, basement level 3. The 'Dragon Claw Group' recently transported a shipment of 'special cargo'—thermal imaging of the Red Room shows at least five targets with abnormal body temperatures inside."

Logan scoffed. "Ha, gangsters, reckless bastards." He snapped his cigar in half, sparks arcing through the night sky. "I'm off now."

"Be careful," Melina replied in a low voice. "According to the real-time messages 'Katyusha' is transmitting from BHD, these Zombie Virus can even erode your healing factor."

Logan sneered, "Don't worry, the combat suit that Chen Tian sent back is a bit tight, but its sealing is still pretty good."

As he spoke, his face slowly disappeared into the darkness.

Moonlight streamed into the villa through the shattered French windows, and the Crystal chandelier swayed in the blood-soaked night wind, casting dappled shadows onto the corpses scattered on the floor. Each body had suffered a fatal blow to the head—either precisely pierced by an energy weapon or utterly pulverized by superhuman strength.

Dark red blood meandered across the marble floor, gleaming eerily in the moonlight.

"Tick-tock--"

A drop of blood fell from a crack in the ceiling.

Eric hovered in mid-air, his liquid metal helmet receding like a tide to reveal his face. "Cleanup complete."

Opposite him, Psylocke crouched on a table, flicking the blood from the blade of her black sword. Like Eric, she wore a fully enclosed 'Black Panther' suit, the suit gleaming with a faint purple light.

"Thirty-seven targets, all taken care of." Psylocke flicked her wrist, the residual energy from the psionic weapon causing a slight distortion in the air. "Easier than expected."

Eric didn't respond; instead, he pressed the button on his headset.

"Melina, 37 targets have been neutralized. Where is the next target?"

Melina's calm voice came through the earpiece. "Received. According to the latest intelligence, there is an unusual energy reaction at the Prime Minister's residence."

Eric simply grunted in response and hung up. He looked at Psylocke: "Psylocke, you heard me. Moving on to the next target."

Psylocke chuckled, "Very well, I haven't had my fill of killing yet."

As he spoke, he took a sphere from his pouch and threw it to the ground. The instant the two figures disappeared, the sphere exploded with a bright white light and then burst into flames. Soon after, the entire villa was engulfed in flames.

Beneath the Tenshukaku in Osaka Castle Park, the air was thick with the pungent smell of blood and gunpowder residue.

The underground research institute here has now been turned into a slaughterhouse.

The corpses lay scattered on the ground, some cut into countless pieces with clean, mirror-like cuts; others had metal feathers piercing their skulls and pinning them to the wall, their blood slowly trickling down the wall and pooling into dark red streams on the ground.

Vergil stood on the only patch of ground untouched by blood, his Yamato slowly sheathing, the blade humming. His fully enclosed battle suit gleamed with a cold blue light, and his eyes beneath the mask scanned this land of death without a trace of emotion.

In mid-air, the Angel — Worthington III —hovered, his metallic wings slightly unfurled, each feather gleaming coldly. He looked down at the corpses scattered on the ground, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"These Japanese are insane! They actually dared to bring out the Zombie Virus for research?" His voice came through the combat suit's communication system, tinged with mockery. "Do they think they can control this thing?"

Vergil didn't answer, but silently stared at one of the corpses—a researcher in a white lab coat, clutching a data chip tightly in his hand, the chip stained with blood.

"Burn this place down," he finally spoke, his voice like the biting winds of the Arctic.

The Angel grinned and pulled a sphere from his tactical pouch—a highly incendiary miniature bomb, its surface gleaming with a dangerous red light.

"Happy to serve."

With a gentle toss, the bomb traced a graceful arc through the air before landing precisely on the control panel in the center of the research institute.

Boom

The raging flames instantly engulfed the entire underground space, the intense heat charring corpses, equipment, and even the walls. The shockwave from the explosion caused the foundation of the Tenshukaku to tremble slightly, and rubble and dust fell from the ceiling.

Vergil and the Angel had already retreated to a safe area, standing in the night in Osaka Castle Park, silently gazing in the direction of the Tenshukaku. Raging flames erupted from underground, illuminating the historic building as if it were the Hell Gate.

"Mission accomplished," Vergil said calmly.

The Angel stretched out its metal wings and sneered, "I hope those lurking in the shadows understand—some things, if you touch them, you die."

Vergil turned and strode forward, drawing his Yamato and slashing it through the air. A cross-shaped portal opened. "Enough talk, there's another mission to complete."

The Angel folded its wings and ran happily toward the cross-shaped portal.

Outside the crimson repulsive field, the zombie horde continued its frenzied assault on the barrier. Their bones shattered with each impact, and their flesh exploded at the edge of the energy field, yet they relentlessly charged forward. The air was thick with the stench of decay and blood, a truly nauseating stench.

Suddenly, a dazzling blue light shone at the edge of the repulsive field—dozens of Arbitrators drop pods descended from the sky, landing precisely around the Giant Dome. The pod doors opened, and the Vibranium protective net unfolded as if alive, quickly merging with Chen Tian's repulsive field to form an even more solid barrier.

"The protective network is deployed." JARVIS's voice came through the communication channel. "Energy is stable and expected to last for 48 hours."

Chen Tian nodded slightly, the small red ball at his fingertip slowly rotating to maintain the stability of the repulsive field. His gaze swept across the battlefield, confirming that the civilians had basically evacuated into the Giant Dome egg.

Just then, a dark figure descended from the sky and landed lightly beside him. T'Challa, the Black Panther, raised his hand and waved his hand, firing dozens of small devices from his fighter jet, which landed precisely on the ground around the Giant Dome.

"This is a simplified version of Wakanda's energy barrier that Shuri asked me to bring. Although it's not as good as Wakanda's energy barrier, it should be enough for now," T'Challa said.

The device activated, and a pale blue energy barrier spread out like ripples, overlapping with the Vibranium protective net to form a double layer of defense. The zombies' attacks were completely blocked, and even their roars became indistinct.

"Thanks," Chen Tian said briefly, then deactivated 'Hercules' repulsive field. "Has Tony and the others arrived by F.R.I.D.A.Y.?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the roar of engines filled the sky. The Deathwing fighter slowly landed on the open ground outside the Giant Dome. The hatch opened, and Tony, Steve, Natasha, 2B, Kiana, Dante, Bayonetta, and Deadpool quickly stepped out, followed by dozens of Arbitrators combat droids.

"The situation is worse than we thought." Tony pulled back his mask, revealing a grave expression. "The infection rate in Zahao is over 60%. We must act immediately."

Chen Tian turned to face the crowd. "Listen carefully, this is not the time for morality. We have only three tasks: search and rescue survivors, eliminate all infected individuals, and burn all contaminated corpses and blood."

No one raised any objections. Everyone's expression was unusually serious; they knew that any hesitation could allow the virus to spread further.

"T'Challa, how long can your barrier last?" Chen Tian asked.

"At least 24 hours," T'Challa replied, "But if the zombies keep attacking, the time will be shorter."

"That's enough." Chen Tian nodded. "Kiana, you and Banner are in charge of directing the Arbitrators robots to establish the outer defense line; Tony, Steve, Natasha, Dante, you lead the robot squads to search for survivors inside Zahao; T'Challa, you, 2B, and Deadpool are in charge of eliminating any potential threats within the barrier."

Everyone nodded in agreement. The serious atmosphere made even the usually talkative Deadpool only dare to whisper in a voice he could hear.

Everyone donned fully enclosed Vibranium Suit similar to those worn by Black Panther, and then headed to their respective mission objectives, each fulfilling their assigned duties.

Chen Tian hovered in the Zahao night sky, ready to support the various teams at any time.

He gazed from the air at the main roads leading to other cities.

"JARVIS, how is the defensive line construction progressing at the key points of Zahao?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Mr. Chen, Vibranium protective nets have been deployed at all major entrances and exits, achieving a 100% blockade." JARVIS responded promptly, "However, according to satellite scans, the Neon Government has not yet taken any effective action; their troops remain on standby outside the blockade line, seemingly... observing."

Chen Tian sneered, a cold glint of anger flashing in his eyes. "Heh, just as I thought, a bunch of insignificant worms. We'll settle accounts with them after this disaster is over."

Just then, Yinsen's urgent voice came through the earpiece. "Chen Tian, found him! The first infected!"

Chen Tian frowned. "Where is it?"

"I'll send it to you! I don't know how to describe it, you'll have to judge for yourself!" Yinsen's voice was anxious; it seemed the information he had found shocked him.

Chen Tian's wristwatch popped up a holographic projection sent by Yinsen.

In the projection, in a dimly Zahao alley, the air was suddenly torn open, and a metal arm carrying a zombie threw it at a drunkard lying on the side. The zombie pounced on the drunkard and tore at him, and the drunkard let out a terrible scream.

None of this attracted Chen Tian's attention; his focus was entirely on the metal arm. He kept pausing and zooming in until he finally saw the different lights shooting out from the spatial rift.

Blue, yellow, red, green, purple, orange.

"The Infinity Stones..." Chen Tian took a deep breath, "Ultron / Vision?"