Quarantine on the Forward Bridge, Preliminary Arrangements for the Special Zone Representative
The air on the Bridge seemed to freeze.
The Psychic Storm that had burned through the starry sea had just subsided when a more substantial and chilling atmosphere of confrontation quietly descended.
Wanda's Scarlet magic at her fingertips reformed as if alive, emitting a faint crackling sound.
Hela's hand gripped the Night Sky Sword, the veins on the back of her hand bulging slightly, a faint black Aura of Death swirling around the hilt.
Natasha remained seated at the Audit Seat, her fingers hovering over the Data Pad, but her gaze, like the most precise Scalpel, slicing back and forth between Lynn and the unfamiliar Red-haired Woman.
Jean Grey was oblivious to everything around her.
The golden flames burning in her eyes reflected only Lynn's image.
She walked through the void, step by step, until she finally stopped in front of Lynn, so close that they could almost feel each other's breath.
I've found you.
Her voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable certainty, as if stating a predetermined fact.
As she spoke, she naturally reached out to shake Lynn's hand.
This action ignited the powder keg.
"Let go."
Wanda's voice wasn't loud, but it was as cold as polar ice. The space around her began to distort silently, and the Scarlet Chaos Energy caused the Bridge lights to flicker violently.
Almost simultaneously, Hela took a half-step forward, the tip of the Night Sky Sword slightly lowered, pointing at Jean Grey. The immense Death Force transformed into a tangible pressure, causing a thin layer of frost to cover the surrounding metal floor.
A conflict powerful enough to tear this Undead Flagship apart is about to erupt.
Jean Grey paused. She finally shifted her gaze from Lynn, glancing briefly at Wanda, then at Hela. The golden flame in her eyes flickered, and a more vast and ancient will began to awaken.
However, Lynn made a move.
He didn't try to mediate anyone's emotions, nor did he say any words of comfort.
He simply took a half-step back calmly, just enough to avoid Jean Grey's outstretched hand and also to remove himself from the center of the convergence of the three energy fields.
This action stunned everyone.
Immediately afterwards, Lynn turned to the central control console on the Bridge.
"Commander."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire Bridge.
The Nibelung officer jumped to his feet and stood ramrod straight.
"Exist!"
"Retrieve the 'Regulations on Transdimensional Biological Quarantine and Reception of Foreign Assets,' and project it holographically."
Lynn's tone was as flat as if he were ordering someone to look up a weather forecast.
Without the slightest hesitation, the adjutant immediately began operating the control panel. A deep blue holographic screen unfolded in the center of the Bridge, covered with dense, cold official text.
The cold light from the light curtain shone on everyone's face.
Lynn didn't look at anyone; his gaze was fixed on the light screen, as if confirming some work detail.
"According to the regulations, Chapter 3, Section 7, Paragraph 2," he pointed a finger at the screen, and the text there enlarged and was highlighted in red, "Any high-risk life form originating from Timeline that has not undergone a safety audit by the Management Committee and whose energy reading exceeds the Class A threshold must undergo mandatory quarantine observation for no less than 48 hours before formal acceptance."
He paused, and finally looked away from the screen, his gaze falling on Jean Grey.
That look wasn't that of someone looking at a lost friend who had been found again, but rather like someone examining an asset that had just been put into storage and hadn't yet been labeled.
"Stability Maintenance Office Enforcement Team."
Lynn's voice suddenly turned stern.
Two Undead Warriors, clad in heavy armor and wielding Runes Long Halberd, emerged silently from the shadows and knelt before Lynn on one knee.
"Immediately move entity 'XN-734-01' to the Forward Isolation Cell One."
"Initiate the highest level of biosecurity procedures and conduct a 48-hour compliance observation period."
"During this period, all physical and energy connections between this entity and the outside world shall be severed. No department or individual may contact it without my personally signed written permission."
The command was cold and resolute.
The entire Bridge so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The Scarlet magic at Wanda's fingertips slowly subsided. She looked at Lynn with a complicated expression. She had expected a fierce emotional outburst, but a cold, hard rule left her speechless.
Hela loosened her grip on her sword. She looked at the two Undead Warriors had stepped forward, a barely perceptible, mocking smile playing on her lips. She couldn't refute the order issued by the Director according to regulations; in fact, she found the order... rather amusing.
The golden flames in Jean Grey's eyes flickered violently.
She looked at Lynn, her eyes filled with confusion, and even a hint of grievance.
"Lynn?"
She called out softly, seemingly not understanding why this reunion had happened.
"This is the procedure, Ms. Jean Grey."
Lynn's address was polite but distant.
"The Negative Zone Management Committee is a place that follows rules. Your Political Demands to establish Independent Special Zone is a major organizational issue. Completing the compliant quarantine and identity registration is the first step you, as the applicant, must take."
He packaged this cold isolation into an essential onboarding process, one that was for her own good.
Two Undead Warriors stood up, walked to either side of Jean Grey, and gestured for her to proceed.
Jean Grey stared intently at Lynn, as if trying to find even the slightest trace of personal emotion in his expressionless face.
But she failed.
What she saw was only an absolutely rational and calm Management Committee Director.
Finally, the fire in her eyes subsided, and she nodded.
"Good."
She did not resist, but calmly turned around and followed the Undead Warriors toward the heavy alloy door on the side of the Bridge.
The door closed slowly behind them, cutting off all sight.
The tense atmosphere on the Bridge finally eased.
Lynn didn't look at anyone else; he turned to face the now-calm void on the main screen.
"Send a letter to the Liaison Office requesting a detailed report on this S-rank security incident and the initial contact with the assets in Timeline 'XN-734'."
He gave new instructions to his adjutant.
"Yes, Director."
"Furthermore, notify the Internal Affairs Inspection Office that I need to see a draft accountability report within 72 hours regarding the command errors and asset losses incurred by the Stability Maintenance Office and the Department of Technology in this operation."
Natasha nodded silently upon hearing this, a barely perceptible glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.
Wanda and Hela's expressions both darkened.
Inside the Forward Isolation Cell One, everything was pure white.
Jean Grey stood in the center of the room, looking out the heavy observation window at the massive Undead Flagship.
She could feel countless scanning rays analyzing her body, and she could also feel that every inch of this room was filled with rules and shackles strong enough to imprison even Deity.
There was neither anger nor anxiety on her face.
She simply watched quietly, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She doesn't mind following his rules.
Because she knew the game had only just begun.
In the Central Monitoring Room outside the Isolation Pod, a line of bright red data labels was marked next to Jean Grey's image on a screen.
[High-risk entity, ID XN-734-01.]
[Status: Under quarantine/isolation]
[Potential Risk Assessment: Extremely Dangerous.]
[Note: This entity exhibits unexplained and abnormal psychological tendencies towards Director Lynn. Long-term isolation and observation are recommended, or... its destruction.]
The preliminary assessment report, automatically generated by the system, was transmitted directly to the Director's Private Terminal less than a second after it popped up, encrypted with an invisible access code.