Ye Mo sensed the resentment

A night breeze blew into the safe house's ventilation openings, bringing in a bit of dust and cold. Ye Mo walked at the back, his steps steady, but his heartbeat was slower than usual. Tony and Emma Frost had already turned into the rest area, but he didn't follow. With his coat still draped over his shoulders, he turned and went into the control room, the door closing behind him with a soft click.

The screen was lit, displaying the blue glow of automatic standby mode. He didn't turn on the light, walked to the control panel, sat down, and tapped directly into the combat log. The screen popped up— Thor was leading Loki toward the Bifrost, the latter's head bowed, his shackles gleaming. Just as he was about to step into the pillar of light, Loki glanced up.

Ye Mo slowed down this part, going through it frame by frame.

That look in his eyes wasn't one of resignation, nor was it one of anger.

It's more like... someone who was interrupted halfway through their plan and is holding a grudge.

He closed his eyes and activated the "Memory Resonance" function in his telepathic Telepathy. He had only used this function twice before: once to extract intelligence from the mind of a dying agent, and once to read the lingering consciousness of Klaue before his explosion. Now he wanted to immerse himself in the mental remnants of that video recording to see if he could salvage some genuine emotions.

As consciousness sank, the scene changed.

He "heard" Loki's heartbeat—fifty-eight beats per minute, steady like someone who had just been captured. His breathing rhythm didn't match his state of fear either; instead, it was as if he was waiting for something.

Even stranger, the magical fluctuations still lingered. Although sealed, the mental energy pulsed rhythmically like a clock, occurring every seven seconds, like some kind of countdown.

Ye Mo opened his eyes and brought up the data panel.

He pulled out all the records of his three previous encounters with Loki and arranged them chronologically.

His first defeat Battle of New York. He was captured immediately after the defeat, but three days later someone discovered that he was drawing a formation in an underground temple.

The second time, Hydra used his name to cause trouble, but he was actually the mastermind behind it all, faking his death to fool everyone.

The third time, which was this time, they could have fought to the bitter end, but they stopped at the last moment, as if they deliberately left themselves an escape route.

It's always the same.

They don't panic when they lose, they don't lose their composure when they get captured; instead, they become stronger with each setback.

This isn't a madman, this is a gambler.

Moreover, he's a gambler who waits for others to let their guard down before making his move.

He recalled the day Loki was taken away, when the Vibranium shard suddenly became hot. At the time, he thought it was an illusion, but now he realized it was probably something the other party had buried before leaving.

It's not a physical trap, it's a psychological trap.

He knew they would celebrate, relax, and feel "it's finally over."

So he chose that time to leave, and that expression to leave with.

This was to put their minds at ease, and then rearrange the pieces where he couldn't see them.

Ye Mo leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table.

The system did not indicate a new threat level, nor did it display any warnings.

But that doesn't mean everything is fine.

Sometimes the most dangerous enemy is the one you think has already lost.

He opened the interface of the Gene Spiral Tower and searched his consciousness for usable ability fragments.

I once tried to "Self-Healing + Wall Phasing", which turned into "Regenerative Phasing". Although the cost was high, it saved my life in a critical moment.

Now we need to think about how to defend against magical mind control.

Loki isn't just good at fighting; he can also have ideas.

Last time, he almost got Hawkeye to kill his own men.

If they pull this stunt again, even Tony might end up on the wrong side.

He tried to connect the "Mind Shielding" and "Energy Perception" modules together.

As soon as I connected, a sharp pain shot through my head, like a needle piercing my temple.

System message: Combination unstable, cooling down.

He cursed and rubbed his temples.

This thing is really difficult to handle.

The Mutants ' abilities are not complete fragments; they have to learn through trial and error.

Some puzzles are useful when pieced together, while others give you a headache for three days after you finish them.

Last time he tried "Teleportation + Gravity Manipulation", he ended up getting stuck on the ceiling for two hours. Emma Frost had to use crystal Quake to shake him off.

But he couldn't wait.

His intuition told him that Loki wouldn't be resting for long.

Those kinds of people react the most fiercely when they are looked down upon.

Being arrested in front of the whole world this time is tantamount to tearing away his last bit of dignity.

He will definitely come back, and he will choose the most unexpected time.

Ye Mo retrieved the screenshot of Loki's eyes and zoomed in on the pupils.

An ordinary person wouldn't be able to see anything, but he scanned it with his Telepathy and discovered a very faint flow of energy within it.

It's not an offensive spell; it's more like a mark.

It's as if it's saying: I will remember every single one of your faces.

He turned off the screen, got up, and walked around twice.

The base was quiet, with only the low hum of the equipment running.

It was almost dawn outside, but he wasn't sleepy at all.

The laughter from the victory celebration still echoed in his ears, but he knew it was only temporary.

The real contest never takes place on the battlefield.

He sat back down and opened his communications log.

There is no new information, and S.H.I.E.L.D.. has not issued any emergency notices.

Everything was peaceful.

That's precisely why something seems even more wrong.

He started making plans.

The first step is to upgrade the Mind Stone defense module.

The existing shielding can only block ordinary spying, not prevent mental intrusion of Loki's caliber.

He needs to try to dismantle the defensive logic of the "Diamond Form." Although that's Emma Frost's ability, he's been to the scene of her battle and has taken some fragments.

Perhaps a similar structure can be imitated.

The second step is to investigate all unusual events related to Asgard.

Especially recently, has anyone been sleepwalking, suffering from amnesia, or suddenly becoming a believer in a certain deity?

Loki loves using this tactic: first brainwash a few ordinary people, then use them as pawns.

Last time, he opened the portal using a group of hypnotized scientists.

The third step is to focus on the Vibranium fragments.

This thing can sense Loki's presence, which means the two resonate with each other.

Perhaps it can be used for early warning in the future.

He took it out of his pocket and placed it on the edge of the console.

The surface was at temperature, and there was no reaction.

But he knew it was only a matter of time.

He stared at the screen, when suddenly something occurred to him.

Why does Loki insist on using Mjolnir?

It wasn't to fight Thor, but to prove that he deserved to be king.

His goal was never power itself, but rather "to be recognized."

No one treated him like a prince, so he insisted on seizing the throne; no one believed in his abilities, so he insisted on destroying the entire city.

Therefore, this failure is not the end for him, but a new beginning.

He will find ways to make himself more undeniable.

Perhaps they won't engage in a direct confrontation, but rather create chaos to remind people of him.

They might even impersonate someone else, instigate a war, and then appear as a "savior."

Ye Mo picked up a pen and wrote a word on the paper: Misleading.

This is Loki's trademark.

He's not afraid of losing; he's afraid of being ignored.

As long as people are still talking about him, he hasn't truly lost.

Therefore, his next move was definitely not revenge, but a performance.

A bigger and more complex drama.

And the audience consists of those who think they've won.

He crumpled the paper and threw it in the trash can.

We can no longer defend using conventional methods.

You have to guess in advance what he's going to do.

Otherwise, by the time the show starts, people will already be infected.

He re-entered the Gene Spiral Tower and retrieved all the fragments related to the mind.

"Telepathy," "Thought Shielding," "Emotion Recognition," "Illusion Resistance"...

One by one, permutations and combinations.

On the seventh try, I suddenly felt a surge of heat in my brain, as if a warm current was rushing through my nerves.

System notification: New combination attempt in progress, expected to last ten seconds.

He didn't move, waiting for the result.

Ten seconds later, nothing happened.

But he discovered that he could "see" a slight ripple in the air, as if someone had just spoken and left a trace.

This is a feeling I've never had before.

It's possible that the "Speech Residue Detection" capability was temporarily activated.

Although it's unstable, at least it's a direction.

He noted down the combination of parameters, preparing to try it again next time.

We dare not use it in actual combat yet, in case it breaks down halfway, it will expose our weaknesses.

He stood up and walked to the window.

The sky was beginning to lighten; the city was still asleep.

Car headlights could be seen moving in the distance; it was a volunteer convoy delivering supplies.

It seems everything is back on track.

But he knew that some things had changed.

Loki is gone, but his shadow remains.

And it will get longer and longer.

Until one night, it suddenly pounced and bit me.

He turned back to his seat, opened the encrypted document, and started a new page.

The title simply read: Contingency Plan.

He didn't write the next sentence, but he knew he would have to fill it in sooner or later.

At that moment, the Vibranium fragment in my pocket suddenly felt cool.

It's not that I'm getting hot, it's that I'm getting cold.

It's as if something is moving away from Earth.

It was as if it were reminding him not to forget that there were people watching over there.

He touched the shards but didn't say anything.

The data on the screen was still scrolling, and battle records were being automatically archived one by one.

The last line reads, "Enemy commander has been transferred; threat level downgraded to B."

Ye Mo clicked "edit" and manually changed it to: S-rank, currently in hiding.

Save and exit.

Then he placed his hand on the consciousness interface of the Gene Spiral Tower and took a deep breath.

A new round of simulations begins.

The first test: How to prevent a lie from becoming the truth.