Emma Frost said it's back.
Ye Mo's hand immediately stopped mid-air in front of the electrical box, the screwdriver stuck at the edge of the connector. He didn't turn around, his voice low. " Tony, is the shoulder cannon modified yet?"
"Four seconds of stability remaining." Tony crouched beside the armor, his fingers flying across the control panel. "EMP pulse compression complete, resonant frequency adjusted, just waiting for you to call 'start'."
Ye Mo nodded, pulled out the screwdriver and put it in his pocket. He walked over to Emma Frost, who was sitting against the wall with her eyes closed. Her face was still pale, but her breathing was more steady than before.
"Can it hold on?" he asked.
Emma Frost opened her eyes and glanced at him. "It's still three hundred meters away from us, and it's not moving fast. It seems to be testing the waters."
"That shows it's scared too." Ye Mo sneered. "Even a stray dog that's been beaten knows to take a detour."
Tony stood up and patted the armor shell. "I'm ready. Data link fully open. As long as there's a signal transmission behind it, we can pinpoint the source immediately."
"Then let's do it the way we just discussed." Ye Mo took out boxing gloves from his backpack; Vibranium fragments were already embedded in his knuckles, connected by a thin wire to a small energy storage block on his wrist. "I'll take the lead in offense, you control the battlefield, and Tony will cut off its neural signals."
"The order is crucial," Tony emphasized. "You have to wait for Emma Frost and me to make our move first, otherwise it will detect you as soon as you get close."
"I know." Ye Mo put on his boxing gloves, clenched his fist, and the metal clicked into place. "When it raises its right shoulder, that's a prelude to an attack. Emma Frost, when are you going to make your move?"
"The moment its muscles twitch, I'll send in the chaotic wave." Emma Frost raised her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly, but she didn't stop. "At most, it'll delay its judgment by half a second."
"That's enough," Ye Mo said. "Half a second is enough. Tony, what's your time window?"
"0.3 seconds of blindness, plus 1.2 seconds of neural interference, for a total of 1.5 seconds." Tony gestured. "During this time, its senses will fail, and its movements will not keep up with its brain."
"Then I'll pounce the moment it raises its shoulder." Ye Mo stretched his shoulders, his Steel Bone ability flowing slowly within him. " The Wall Phasing Technique has two minutes left on cooldown; I can just pass right behind it."
"Don't be greedy for close combat," Emma Frost warned. "Last time you got sent flying, it was because you were too eager to kill with one blow."
"This time is different." Ye Mo glanced at her. "I don't want to kill it in one go; I want it to remember the pain."
Tony snorted, "Your tone, did you learn that from the system notification sound?"
"The system won't teach me how to beat people up," Ye Mo said with a smirk. "It will only tell me where I can still hit someone."
The three fell silent for a moment. A slight tremor came from the distant woods, and the ground shook, as if something was slowly approaching.
Emma Frost suddenly widened her eyes. "It accelerated!"
"Here it comes!" Tony immediately jumped onto the armored platform, his helmet automatically folding in. "Ready to initiate the program!"
Ye Mo grabbed her wrist. "Wait, let's double-check the process— Emma Frost interferes with cognition, Tony cuts off the signal, I attack the node. If it fails, restart and use ground traps to stall for a second round. Got it?"
Emma Frost nodded. "Understood."
Tony gave a thumbs up. "Anytime."
Ye Mo took a deep breath, and the energy within his body began to concentrate. Deep within the Gene Spiral Tower, a warm current slowly rose, as if all the ability modules were simultaneously entering a standby state.
[Strategy formulated, energy focused in the Gene Spiral Tower ]
A notification sounded in my brain, very soft, but clear.
He knew this wasn't about unlocking a new level, but rather a kind of synchronization—his combat experience, Tony's skills, and Emma Frost's spiritual insight were all intertwined.
"Okay." Ye Mo released Emma Frost's hand and walked towards the high platform in the center of the ruins. "I'm positioned highest, so I can see its movements. You wait for my signal."
He looked up at the sky; the morning light had already spread across the entire battlefield, and the rubble and charred metal reflected a cold light.
Three hundred meters away, the ground began to crack.
"It's here," Emma Frost's voice rang out on the mental channel.
Ye Mo stared ahead, his right hand gripping his gauntlet tightly, his left hand pressed against the wall. The Wall Phasing Technique was still on cooldown, but he had already timed it perfectly.
"We'll start the plan once it's within fifty meters," he said. "I want it to see who we are."
Tony's armor emitted a low hum, and his shoulder cannons began charging, flashing blue light.
Emma Frost closed her eyes, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, but she didn't wipe them away. Her mental energy spread out like a net, slowly reaching into the distance.
Two hundred meters.
150 meters.
The Abomination finally appeared at the entrance of the forest, its steps heavy, smoke rising from its chest, the Vibranium fragment on the back of its neck still there, but at a crooked angle.
It stopped and looked up at Ye Mo.
Ye Mo was also looking at it.
"You dare to come back?" he said.
A low growl rolled from the throat of Abomination, and the right shoulder rose slightly.
Now!
" Emma Frost!" Ye Mo shouted.
Emma Frost suddenly opened her eyes, pushed her hands forward, and mental fluctuations surged out like a tide.
His Abomination movements paused, and his eyes went blank for a moment.
" Tony!" Ye Mo leaped off the platform, his Steel Bone Enhancement instantly activated, and the muscles in his legs swelled.
"Roger!" Tony's shoulder cannon burst forth with a blinding blue light, releasing electromagnetic pulses and resonant waves simultaneously.
Buzz--
The air seemed to distort for a moment.
Abomination wave of revulsion wash over him, his knees buckled, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ye Mo activated his Wall Phasing Technique, passing through half a broken wall and appearing behind Abomination.
He raised his right fist, Vibranium fragments crackled with electricity.
Target: The third cervical vertebra.
A punch lands!
Bang!
The electric current exploded, instantly paralyzing the entire right arm of the Abomination.
But it reacted extremely quickly, its left arm suddenly swinging back, the palm wind grazing Ye Mo's cheek, leaving a bloody mark.
Ye Mo landed and rolled, looking up to see that Abomination had turned around, his eyes fierce, but his movements were still hesitant.
"First attempt successful!" Tony shouted, "Due to nerve conduction damage, Regeneration rate has decreased by 40%!"
"One more time!" Ye Mo stood up, wiping the blood from his face. " Emma Frost, get ready for round two!"
Emma Frost, panting, nodded. "I can do it one more time."
"Don't force yourself." Ye Mo stared at Abomination. "When it raises its shoulder again, we'll do it all over again."
Abomination approached with a low growl, its steps unsteady, but its momentum undiminished.
Its right shoulder rose again.
"Now!" Ye Mo roared.
Emma Frost thrust her hands out, and the mental shock hit again.
Tony's shoulder cannon was fully charged, a flash of blue light, and EMP burst forth.
Ye Mo rushed forward, his gauntlets electrified, and struck straight at the back of the neck!
Another loud bang, Abomination's knee slammed heavily into the ground, smoke billowing from his back.
"It works!" Tony exclaimed excitedly, "The nervous system is in disarray, and the Regeneration tissue is beginning to die!"
Ye Mo didn't stop. He turned around and circled to the front, delivering an uppercut to the chin.
Abomination his head back and fell to the ground, struggling to get up.
"The third time." Ye Mo stood in front of it, his boxing gloves snapping. "You think you can stand up again?"
He glared at him with Abomination, making a hoarse sound in his throat.
Ye Mo looked down and saw a trace of pain in its eyes, not just physical pain, but more like a struggle of a manipulated consciousness.
" Emma Frost," he turned around, "Can you read what's in it?"
Emma Frost took a few steps closer, pressing her hand to her temple. "I'm testing... The signal source is still there, but the frequency has changed, like I'm remotely adjusting control parameters."
" Tony, record this frequency!" Ye Mo said, "Don't let it get lost."
"We're already tracking it." Tony pulled up the data stream. "The signal is shifting north; it's not on military frequencies, nor is it a band typically used by Hydra."
"Then it's not an Earth-based force." Ye Mo sneered. "It seems there really is someone behind Thaddeus Ross playing a much bigger game."
Emma Frost suddenly groaned and staggered backward.
"What's wrong?" Ye Mo helped her up.
"It... is scanning me from behind." Emma Frost gritted her teeth. "They've detected our link and are trying to locate me."
"Disconnect!" Ye Mo said immediately, "Don't let them find you!"
Emma Frost shook her head. "It can't be interrupted... If I retreat now, it will immediately regain its senses. I have to hold onto this moment of chaos."
"Are you crazy?" Tony yelled. "They'll track the signal to your brain!"
"Let them search then." Emma Frost looked up, her eyes resolute, "But I won't let them succeed."
She raised her hands again, her mental energy piercing deep into the depths of her Abomination like Blade.
Ye Mo saw blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, yet she persisted.
" Tony," he whispered, "Prepare a backup plan."
"The electromagnetic trap is activated." Tony nodded. "As long as it moves again, it will cause interference throughout the entire five-meter radius."
Ye Mo stood in front of Emma Frost, blocking the gaze of Abomination.
"Hang on," he told Emma Frost. "Leave the rest to me."
The Abomination began to struggle, muscles twitched, and Regeneration tissue frantically repaired the damage.
But with each movement, Emma Frost intensified her mental suppression.
"I saw it..." Emma Frost suddenly said, "It's not a program controlling it, it's a person. He's remotely controlling it using some kind of mental device, like... a puppet."
"Where is he?" Ye Mo asked.
"I don't know... the signal was encrypted, but I could sense his emotions," Emma Frost's voice trembled. "Greed, madness, and... hatred."
Ye Mo squinted. "Not Thaddeus Ross."
"No," Emma Frost shook her head, "This person... is more dangerous."
Abomination suddenly looked up, his eyes reddening, and forcefully broke free from some of the control.
Ye Mo immediately threw a punch, using his Steel Bone Enhancement and Regenerative Phasing to strike the back of the neck.
The electric current exploded, and the Abomination's head tilted to the side, temporarily paralyzed.
But Emma Frost couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed to her knees.
Ye Mo hugged her tightly. "That's enough, you've done more than enough."
Emma Frost leaned on his shoulder, her voice weak. "Don't... let it escape."
"No." Ye Mo gently placed her on the ground, stood up, and looked at Abomination. "We're not finished fighting yet."
He walked to the distribution box and pulled down the switch.
Within five meters of the ground, the buried wiring was instantly energized, flashing a blue light.
The Abomination caused his entire body to tremble violently, and his Regeneration abilities were completely interrupted.
Ye Mo walked over, squatted down, and stared into its eyes.
"Next time we meet, I'll find the person behind you," he said, "And then we'll settle things together."
The Abomination let out a final low growl from its throat, and then fell still.
Tony walked over. "The signal has disappeared."
"They severed the connection." Ye Mo stood up, took off his boxing gloves, and the Vibranium fragments inside had turned black.
Emma Frost sat against the wall, her eyes closed, her breathing shallow but steady.
Ye Mo walked over and took her hand.
Her fingers were cold.