The light from the portal faded, and everyone found themselves on solid ground in a spacious courtyard.
A faint scent of sandalwood filled the air, and the surrounding area was filled with antique-style oriental architecture. Many people dressed in the same style of mage robes were meditating or practicing spells in the courtyard.
This is Kamar-Taj, a holy site for sorcerers on Earth.
"Follow me." Without giving any further introductions, Wang led them through the courtyard and into a room that resembled a reception room.
The room was simply furnished with only a few cushions and a low table.
Wang gestured for everyone to sit down, then gently waved his arm in the air.
The next second, an antique teacup appeared out of thin air in front of everyone, filled with steaming tea.
Jean Grey was feeling a bit thirsty, so she picked up her teacup, took a tentative sip, found it tasted pretty good, and then drank it all in one go.
But when she put the empty cup back on the table, a magical scene occurred—the clear tea began to gush out from the bottom of the cup, filling it up again in the blink of an eye.
She paused for a moment, looking at the cup with a somewhat bewildered expression.
"Wang," Peter-B. didn't touch the teacup; his attention was entirely on the previous sentence, "You just said that, apart from Jean, all of us are being watched? Even Dr. Banner and I?"
"Yes." Wang nodded, his gaze finally settling on Peter-B. "And you're in a worse situation than them. To be precise, you're the real prey Mephisto has his eye on this time."
"Me?" Peter-B was completely dumbfounded. He pointed to himself. "Why? I... I've basically never dealt with magic, how could I be targeted by a Hell lord?"
He simply couldn't understand it.
He's just a neighborhood hero wandering the streets of New York. The most outrageous thing he's ever done was almost tearing a hole in the multiverse last time, but that was to solve the problem of his Spider-Man identity being exposed.
It should have absolutely nothing to do with Hell or demons.
Wang looked at him and explained calmly, " Mephisto's greatest skill is manipulating people's hearts. He will appear before those whose hearts are filled with longing, regret, or despair, using what you desire most, or even dare not hope for, as a bargaining chip to invite you to sign a Soul Stone contract."
"The thing I want most..." Peter-B murmured unconsciously.
Just then, Jean Grey, who had been silent all along, suddenly raised her head, a glint of light flashing in her reddish-brown eyes. She stared intently at the king and asked urgently, "Then this demon... can it resurrect people?"
Wang looked at her intently, as if he could see through all the pain in her heart. "Okay."
He gave an affirmative answer, "However, the price is usually your Soul Stone. Or even... something heavier than your Soul Stone."
"I'll pay any price to revive my sister!" Jean Grey's emotions surged instantly, her voice trembling slightly.
For her, it was like grasping at the last straw.
"The devil is the most cunning." Wang shook his head, shattering her illusions without mercy. "He can do what's written in the contract, but that doesn't mean he won't set up word traps and play word games with you."
"What do you mean?" This time it was Peter-A. who asked the question.
"That means he can indeed resurrect your loved ones," Wang explained.
"But he didn't guarantee that your resurrected loved ones wouldn't die again due to some 'accident.' If you want him to help again, you'll need to sign a new contract. But think about it, once you've already sold your Soul Stone to him, what else do you have left as bargaining chips?"
One sentence instantly dimmed the hope that had just been ignited in Jean Grey's eyes.
She understood.
Two choices were presented to her.
One option is to go to the city called Frost City and make a contribution to the other side before there is a chance to revive the sister.
This choice process is lengthy and highly uncertain.
The other is making a deal with the devil.
It has immediate effects, but the long-term consequences are endless.
The devil only cares about resurrection, not after-sales service.
After my sister is resurrected, she might get hit by a car as soon as she goes out, or choke to death while drinking water.
At that point, she will only fall into deeper despair.
Every path she chose felt like walking on a knife's edge.
"I knew this sounded familiar..." Just as the atmosphere fell silent, Peter-A suddenly slapped his thigh. He had just been having Karen search Mr. Stark's database.
"So Thor captured Mephisto from our universe and sent him to Lady Valeria as research material."
"..."
Peter-A said this very casually, as if he were saying, "My neighbor caught a mouse yesterday."
But to others, especially the king, it was like a bolt from the blue.
"What did you say?!"
Wang suddenly stood up from the futon, the movement so forceful that he almost knocked over the teacup in front of him.
His eyes widened as he stared intently at Peter-A, his voice filled with disbelief, "Someone can capture a dimensional demon? Imprison it? And... and send it to be used as research material?! Do you know what you're saying?"
Peter-A was startled by Wang's sudden reaction, instinctively shrinking back and softening his voice:
"You... you're a bit scary, Wang. I... I just saw this information in Mr. Stark's database..."
As a mage, Wang Tai knew exactly what the words "Dimensional Demon God" represented.
That is an existence on par with Dormammu, one of the embodiment of the rules of the universe.
The Sorcerer Supreme Ancient One, protected Earth for five hundred years, exhausting all her efforts, but could only manage to expel them from Earth's dimension. She never considered "capturing" them, let alone "researching" them!
This is not even in the same league!
"Then... can you contact that Stark you mentioned, or Thor?" Wang stepped forward and grabbed Peter-A's shoulders with both hands, his eyes filled with an unprecedented urgency.
"We can't get in touch with them!" Peter-A shrugged helplessly. "Besides, we came to you for help because we inexplicably ended up in your universe and can't contact them!"
He paused, glancing pleadingly at the tall figure beside him. "Besides, we still have Bob, don't we? He's very capable too."
The king then shifted his gaze from Peter-A. to Sentry Robert who had remained silent to the side.
He looked the other person up and down, and could feel the vast and powerful force within him, as immense as a star.
"Your friend is indeed very powerful." Wang released his grip on Peter-A's hand, regaining his composure, but his brows furrowed even more deeply.
"However, the power of the dimensional demons is also reflected in another aspect. The Ancient One once said that a being like Mephisto would never choose to fight you head-on."
He looked around at the crowd, his voice becoming low and solemn.
He will use every means to bewitch and seduce you, leading you to fall into depravity without your knowledge. He will become your closest confidant, saying the words you most want to hear, and offering you that fatal pact when you are at your most vulnerable.
"The seduction of a Hell lord is far more terrifying than a direct battle; it cannot be resisted by force alone."