A closed-door meeting in the Negative Zone, the heads of the three major factions
In Negative Zone, the flow of air is stagnant.
There was no wind, no sound, only a chilling stillness, as if all impurities had been drained away by absolute order.
In the center of the hall was a long, narrow conference table carved from the spine of an unknown cosmic Beast. Its smooth surface, like a mirror, reflected the empty dome above, gleaming with a chilling light.
The meeting hadn't even started, but the atmosphere around the table was already extremely tense.
Three figures had already arrived.
Hela, stood upright beside the first seat to the right of the head of the household, clad in a tight-fitting dark green War Armor, her hands clasped in front of her. She didn't sit down, but her innate arrogance and domineering presence, befitting the Eldest Princess of Asgard, solidified into a palpable aura that firmly held the bone chair in place. In any system, the first seat on the right is the closest to supreme power— the Executive Officer, the first deputy. Hela's actions proclaimed her undisputed position.
Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, stood quietly to the left of the main seat. Unlike Hela, she wasn't overtly assertive; her Scarlet leather coat wasn't conspicuous in the dim light. Yet, the space around her was undergoing extremely subtle distortions, imperceptible to the naked eye. The density of the air and the refractive index of light were irregularly disturbed around her. It was a silent, pervasive influence, a declaration of "my territory, my rules." To her left, also a core member, was responsible for internal order and Discipline, carrying considerable weight.
Jean Grey, who had just been entrusted with an important task, stood opposite Hela, on the other side of the conference table. She wore a simple black combat uniform, and her long, crimson hair cascaded down like a waterfall. She did nothing, simply standing there quietly, yet an invisible, powerful Psychic Power had already enveloped the entire conference table. She was like a silent, spread-out net, not directly colliding with anyone, yet making the other two people present feel a subtle sense of being spied on and scrutinized.
The three people's gazes met and collided silently in mid-air, stirring up invisible ripples.
This is a silent, covert war.
What they were fighting for was not just a seat, but the status, voice, and priority of future resource allocation for each faction after Lynn established the new order.
Hela's Undead Legion is the sharpest "knife handle" in Lynn's hands, in charge of conquest and deterrence; this is the source of her confidence.
Wanda's integration of Hydra's technological legacy and Chaos Magic serves as the "pen" for maintaining internal control, responsible for oversight and order—this is her reliance.
Jean Grey's upcoming consolidation of the global Mutants force is a "money bag" concerning the future direction of evolution, representing unlimited potential and new growth points—this is her bargaining chip.
The knife handle, the pen, the money bag—which should be closest to the head of the household?
"Heh," Hela broke the silence first, glancing at the piano opposite her, a disdainful smile playing on her lips. "Some of the newly promoted comrades still don't quite understand the rules. This position offers the best view, making it easy to grasp the Lord's strategic intentions immediately; not just anyone can sit here."
The "strategic intent" she refers to is military conquest. This is an emphasis on the irreplaceable nature of her "knife handle."
Wanda gently stroked her Scarlet fingernails, her voice ethereal, as if from another Dimension: "The stability and order of the meeting are the foundation for ensuring the smooth progress of all issues. Being too close, certain overly sharp auras might interfere with the Lord's thinking."
Her words were veiled in barbs, both pointing out Hela's aggressiveness and implying the importance of her role as a "maintainer of order."
Jean Grey didn't speak, but simply raised her eyelids slightly, her Dark Gold phoenix eyes calmly looking at them.
But at that very moment, Hela and Wanda simultaneously felt a massive surge of information washing over their senses—an assessment of the potential number of Mutants worldwide, a classification of Genes abilities, and a terrifying potential to be converted into combat power in the future...
Qin was showing them with facts that future wars would not rely on the undead and machines, but on an evolved new kind of humanity. She represented the future.
Three wills and three demands, set against the backdrop of a small conference table, have already foreshadowed a future power struggle.
Just as the atmosphere was about to shift from undercurrents to the brink of uncontrolled energy—
At the entrance to the hall, the door, made of pure energy, slid silently open to both sides.
Lynn walked in.
He was still dressed in his simple black casual clothes, his steps unhurried, his face expressionless. He seemed oblivious to the almost palpable tension in the meeting room, his gaze not lingering on the three of them, but heading straight for the Bone Throne at the end of the long table.
The moment he sat down, all the restless, conflicting, and tentative atmosphere in the entire Negative Zone seemed to be instantly soothed by an invisible hand.
Hela toned down her aggressive demeanor and lowered her head slightly.
The spatial distortion around Wanda quietly subsided and returned to normal.
Jean Grey's vast Psychic Network also instantly shrank and disappeared without a trace.
At this moment, the three powerful beings at the Skyfather-level all transformed back into subordinates awaiting instructions from their leader.
Lynn leaned back on the Throne, his long, slender fingers tapping lightly twice on the cold armrest.
Thump. Thump.
The sound wasn't loud, but it struck the three women's hearts like a heavy hammer.
He didn't look at them; his gaze was fixed on the empty conference table, as if he were examining an invisible blueprint.
A long silence.
This silence was more oppressive than any harsh reprimand. It made the three women's individual calculations and pride seem so childish and ridiculous. They couldn't fathom their master's thoughts and could only suffer in repression, reflecting on whether their behavior had crossed the line.
Finally, Lynn spoke, his voice so calm it betrayed no emotion.
"Today is the first formal closed-door meeting."
"Since this is a formal meeting, there should be formal rules."
He raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the three people for the first time, but his eyes seemed to be looking at three chess pieces that were out of place.
"From today onwards, seating arrangements at meetings will be fixed according to assigned responsibilities."
He wasn't criticizing anyone; he was simply stating an established fact and establishing a new system.
He raised his left hand and pointed to the first position to the left of the main seat.
"Wanda, you're in charge of integrating the technological legacy and building internal order and information Bastion. Sit to my left so I can report on internal stability at any time."
Wanda's heart tightened, followed by a surge of elation. She hadn't expected to outdo Hela. She bowed respectfully, replied "Yes," and quickly walked to her designated seat, where she quietly took her place.
Then, Lynn pointed with his right hand to the first position to the right of the main seat.
Hela's breath caught in her throat. She had thought this position was rightfully hers, but now...
"Hela, your Undead Legion is the strongest armed force against external threats. Sit to my right so I can issue military orders and launch conquests at any time."
Hela's tense body relaxed, and the disappointment in her heart was instantly replaced by a sense of satisfaction. Although she was not the only chief, she was on equal footing with Wanda, in charge of both internal and external affairs, and was also at the core of power. She straightened her back and said in a deep voice with an almost oath-like posture, "Yes, my lord." Then she stepped forward and sat down, her queenly aura restrained yet majestic.
Finally, Lynn's gaze fell on Jean Grey, who was still standing in the same spot.
Qin's heart was in her throat. Both her right and left arms had found their partners, but what about her?
Lynn tapped her fingers on the table directly opposite her.
"Jean, the Mutants affairs you're in charge of are a completely new field concerning the future, and there are many uncertainties involved. You need an independent reporting channel that allows you to communicate with me at any time, without interference from either the left or right wings."
He looked at the piano, and for the first time, his tone carried a hint of "work discussion."
"You sit across from me. If there are any new situations or problems, feel free to ask me directly."
In a single sentence, Jean Grey's status was instantly elevated to a transcendent level.
She wasn't his right or left hand, yet she possessed the power to speak directly to the Emperor!
This is a subtle and profound form of esteem!
The joy on Wanda and Hela's faces froze instantly. They looked up at Jyn with disbelief and a renewed sense of wariness in their eyes.
What appears to be a seating arrangement is actually a demarcation of power boundaries, and sows the seeds for a new round of competition. Lynn is impartial, yet he subtly instills in everyone the idea that "I am more important."
"Yes, I understand." Qin suppressed her excitement, walked to the seat opposite Lynn, and sat down respectfully.
Thus, a new power structure, with Lynn at its absolute core and the powers of death, order, and evolution separated and mutually checked and competed, was clearly established in a silent reshuffling of the seating arrangement.
Seeing that the three had all returned to their positions, Lynn showed no sign of satisfaction or approval.
He lightly swept his palm across the table, and a virtual document, Scarlet with a crimson header, appeared out of thin air in the center of the conference table.
The prominent text at the top of the document instantly drew all three people's attention.
Guiding Opinions on Conducting Self-Inspection and Rectification of Global Extraordinary Defense Systems at the Current Stage
Lynn's voice rang out again, cold and authoritative, devoid of any emotion.
"This is your first official mission. Hela will be in charge of the military units, Wanda will be in charge of the technological facilities, and Jean will be in charge of all registered and potential extraordinary individuals."
"I need a detailed research report. I need to know how many unstable factors on this planet are still hidden beyond my sight."
"This is also your new round of performance evaluation."