A debriefing in the Negative Zone, a leader who blamed both sides equally

Negative Zone, the Bone Throne.

The air here seems perpetually frozen. There is no wind, no sound, only a silence that seeps in from all directions, a silence that can freeze you to the bone.

Lynn sat on the Throne, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest. The armrest was made from the ribs of some unknown creature, and it felt cold to the touch.

His gaze calmly fell upon what lay below.

Hela stood to one side of the Throne, like a silent statue; her very presence was an invisible deterrent.

Three people stood beneath the Throne.

Wanda, Jean, and Gwen Stacy.

They were separated by a subtle distance, forming an unstable triangle. Each of them had their head down, but the tense outline of their bodies betrayed their inner thoughts.

This was a meeting without a pre-set agenda, but everyone knew that it was not only a performance review but also an accountability process.

Lynn's knuckles stopped tapping.

The deathly silence of the entire space was shattered by this abrupt pause, and the pressure suddenly increased.

Gwen Stacy.

Lynn spoke, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.

Gwen Stacy's body stiffened. She raised her head, took half a step forward, and was about to report the significant information she had discovered. She believed that as the one who had broken the silence, she had the right to be the first to speak.

"Your job is to lead the resource survey in Sokovia," Lynn said, looking at her. "It's not a special investigation. I'll be reviewing your written report on the cause, process, and outcome of this matter."

He paused.

"Read the reports together with the others."

Gwen Stacy opened her mouth, then slowly closed it again. Her half-step forward seemed somewhat awkward. She understood. Lynn hadn't given her a chance to report privately or seize the initiative. This was a criticism of her for not following procedures and for her disorganized style.

She returned to her original position, lowered her head again, but her heart was in turmoil. Her supervisor had reprimanded her, but only raised the issue high before gently lowering it. This indicated that the supervisor was aware of the matter itself. The gesture of reprimanding her was meant to be seen by two other people.

Lynn's gaze shifted from Gwen Stacy to Wanda.

In that instant, Wanda felt the weight of the entire Negative Zone pressing down on her shoulders. Her face was even paler than the color of the space itself.

Wanda.

Lynn's voice remained calm, but Wanda detected a hint of coldness in it.

"The Technology Integration Department is responsible for maintaining internal order and managing technological assets. This is your job."

"In Sokovia, you discovered unregistered Mutants Survivor but failed to report them immediately. Not only did you fail to report them, but you also used Chaos Magic to attempt to convert them into your personal assets."

Lynn spoke slowly, each word like a precise Scalpel, dissecting Wanda's pretense and wishful thinking.

"I..." Wanda's lips trembled as she tried to explain, "I just wanted to... wait until their situation stabilized before..."

"Your ideas aren't the rules," Lynn interrupted her. "You've prioritized departmental interests, or even your own personal whims, over the bigger picture. That's parochialism, a lack of perspective."

These accusations were applied accurately and decisively, leaving Wanda with no room for rebuttal.

She felt dizzy. She knew her worst fears had come true. Lynn had not only seen through her little scheme, but was also going to settle the score with her in front of everyone.

"Mr. Lynn, I was wrong." Wanda's voice was trembling with tears, and her body was shaking slightly.

Lynn ignored her apology. He looked at Jean Grey.

"The zither."

"Yes," Jean Grey replied, her voice steady.

"Effective immediately, all five Mutants Survivor discovered in Sokovia, including Pietro Maximoff, are to be transferred to the Mutants Management Committee for unified capability assessment, political vetting, and subsequent resettlement by your department."

The order was swift and decisive, brooking no argument.

Wanda's body swayed violently, almost losing her balance.

It's lost.

Her carefully concealed trump card, the potential force she considered a counterweight to Jean Grey, was swept away with a single, casual remark. This wasn't just about losing a few subordinates; it was Lynn telling her in the harshest way that her selfish desires had crossed his bottom line.

Jean Grey nodded slightly. "Yes, my department will immediately organize a dedicated person to ensure a smooth handover."

Her face showed no joy, but a barely perceptible glint of shrewdness flashed deep within her lowered eyes. She did nothing; she simply appeared at the most opportune moment and naturally reaped the rewards of victory.

Gwen Stacy watched quietly from the side.

She understood.

Lynn's handling of the situation was an art. First, she lightly criticized herself as an "overstepping" parachuted-in cadre, depriving her of the opportunity to claim credit and appeasing the local faction. Then, Thunder dealt a heavy blow to Wanda, who was the most self-serving, making her pay the price for her actions in the most painful way.

It seems like both sides are equally at fault, and it's a case of trying to smooth things over.

In reality, every move was decisive and ruthless. It not only prevented Wanda from gaining any advantage by overstepping her bounds, but also conveniently eliminated the "private army" that Wanda was trying to build, and strengthened the authority of Jean Grey's Mutant Council.

Most importantly, Lynn's handling of this matter established an ironclad rule for everyone: any form of deception or cover-up will be punished.

"That's it for now." Lynn's voice carried an undeniable weariness. "I don't want to see anything like this happen again. Do your jobs well."

He waved his hand, indicating that they could leave.

Jean Grey and Gwen Stacy bowed and turned to leave the Throne room.

Only Wanda remained frozen in place.

A profound sense of loss and deprivation overwhelmed her like a tidal wave. But even more terrifying was the fear she felt towards Lynn. She felt herself losing Lynn's trust and being marginalized from his chessboard.

This panic was more unbearable for her than death.

As she watched Lynn's figure disappear into the darkness, a crazy thought surged into her mind. She couldn't just leave like this; she had to do something to salvage everything.

After Jean and Gwen Stacy's figures completely disappeared at the end of the spatial passage, Wanda suddenly turned around and knelt down heavily.

"Mr. Lynn!"

Her voice sounded particularly abrupt in the empty hall, trembling with a sense of desperation.

Lynn stopped walking, but he didn't turn around.

"I... I have another piece of intelligence." Wanda bit her lip so hard it almost bled. "An intelligence... far more important than a few Mutants."

She raised her head, her eyes flashing with a morbid fanaticism and a humble plea.

"It's about Tony Stark. He didn't stop after the Ultron Incident."

"He's secretly pushing forward a project, a... project targeting you."