The wind whipped up Ashes and swept past him, charred metal fragments swirling like snowflakes onto the molten ground. Ye Mo knelt on one knee, his knee slamming into the scorching rock with a muffled "hiss," heat rising up his trouser leg. He didn't move, his head bowed, his breathing intermittent, as if his lungs were stuffed with sand.
His left arm was just half a charred skeleton, still smoking. His right Steel Bone was completely destroyed, the metal joint stuck at a twisted angle, like a broken steel bar. The gash in his chest was so deep that you could see the pulsating tissue underneath, blood mixed with coolant dripping down, accumulating into a small pool of purplish liquid at his feet.
He raised his still-functioning hand, wiped the blood and ash from his face, and his fingertips touched the frame of his glasses—which was still on his face, the lenses cracked but not fallen off. He gently pushed it, the movement so slow it was as if he were afraid it would fall apart.
The distant hum of armor reactivating came through the comms, and Tony's voice squeezed out from the communication channel, crackling with static. " Mr. X... are you still alive?"
Ye Mo didn't look up, but pressed his fingers behind his ear, his voice hoarse. "The system says I'm tough."
"You don't call that being tough, you call it stubbornly holding on." Tony gasped for breath, a crack appearing in his mask that revealed half of his sweat-soaked face. "That wave just now... you stopped it?"
"Otherwise what?" Ye Mo grinned, blood trickling down his chin. "I can't just let you lie there waiting for it to come and collect your corpses."
As soon as he finished speaking, the ground trembled slightly. It wasn't an attack; someone was moving.
Captain America leaned against the broken pillar, using the edge of his shield to pry open the other end embedded in the rock, and pulled it out with a snap. His right hand was dislocated, and his arm hung limply at his sides, but he still stood up straight and glanced this way.
Thor knelt ten meters away, Mjolnir planted diagonally at his side, its lightning flashing weakly like a light bulb about to run out of power. He raised his hand to wipe his face, flicking away the blood from his palm, and muttered a phrase in Asgard, the meaning of which was indistinct.
Black Widow sat leaning against the crumbling wall, a bullet wound in her left leg, blood soaking her trousers. Her gun was empty, but she gripped it tightly. Hawkeye sat on an overturned concrete slab, blood seeping from a penetrating wound in his shoulder. His quiver was empty, with only a spare arrow tucked into his belt.
No one spoke.
The only sounds in the air were the crackling of metal cooling and the occasional Mars from a distant, still-burning fire.
Ye Mo closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the seventh level of the " Gene Spiral Tower." It was a chaotic mess, like a warehouse ransacked by dogs, with fragments of ability scattered everywhere, some still smoking. He quickly searched, finally stopping at a module gleaming with a faint golden light—[ Life Resonance Wave ]. The label below read in small print: Fusion of Phoenix Force Fragment + Healing Factor; Successful Trial Count: 1; Side Effect: 73% Risk of Neural Chain Backlash.
The first notification sounded in my brain, dry and harsh. "Warning: The seventh layer of the Gene Spiral Tower is at 97% load. Continued overload will lead to neural chain backlash."
"I know," Ye Mo replied softly, "But you said I could last 60%, and I'm already at 48 now. What's wrong with lasting two more seconds?"
He started the system without waiting for a response.
He slowly raised both palms, facing upwards. At first, nothing happened, and even he wondered if he had failed again. Three seconds later, a warm sensation suddenly welled up in his chest, as if someone had placed a hot water bottle in his heart. Immediately afterward, a pale golden halo emanated from beneath his skin, slowly spreading like morning mist.
The light waves spread along the ground, and wherever they passed, the scorched earth began to turn green. A few withered grasses sprouted from the cracks, standing trembling. A layer of dew condensed on the surface of the metal fragments, and the air was filled with the damp smell of earth.
The moment the light touched the teammates, it automatically split into six thin streams, which precisely fell into their bodies.
The cracks in Tony's armor began to repair themselves automatically, the internal life support system beeped and restarted, the mask closed, and the HUD screen lit up blue again. He looked down at his hands, then looked up at Ye Mo: "When did you unlock this ability?"
"I dreamt about it last night," Ye Mo said, his voice weak. "The system said it's a hidden item."
On Captain America's side, his dislocated arm suddenly twitched, then snapped back into place on its own. Muscle fibers visibly Regeneration, and the blood vessels beneath the skin refilled. He moved his wrist, frowning. "It feels... like I just took a nap."
The effect was even more pronounced on Thor's side. His divine blood flowed faster, and arcs of electricity re-formed at his fingertips. Mjolnir hummed as it rose half a meter, the lightning on its surface stabilizing. He stood up, dusted off his shoulders, and nodded to Ye Mo: "I'll remember this favor."
The bullet in Black Widow's leg was slowly expelled from her body by the tissue, falling to the ground with a "clink." The wound quickly closed, the scab fell off, and she tried to stand up. She didn't sway, reached out and touched her leg, her eyes slightly dazed.
Hawkeye's shoulder injury healed the fastest; the old skin peeled off, new flesh grew, and his breathing became much easier. He took a deep breath and grinned. "Damn, that's more effective than a shot."
The five people opened their eyes one after another, and their gazes all fell on Ye Mo.
He stood there, light still spilling out, but his face grew paler and paler, and blood began to seep from the corner of his mouth again. He raised his hand to wipe it, then casually took off his glasses, slowly wiping the bloodstains with the corner of his shirt, his tone light and airy. "Don't stare at me. I'm not a doctor, just a makeshift first-aid kit at best."
"Your 'first aid kit' is overkill." Tony walked over, the armor still automatically repairing its seams. "That last attack must have taken at least 80% of your strength."
"Not that much," Ye Mo shook his head. "Only about 60-70%. The rest is delayed pain sensation; it hasn't reached the brain yet."
After he finished speaking, his legs went weak and he almost knelt down, but Captain America, who had rushed over, caught him on the shoulder.
"Thanks." Ye Mo leaned against him, catching her breath. "But next time... could you make your move sooner? I really can't hold on much longer."
"You lasted longer than all of us combined," Captain America said in a low but clear voice. "That's enough."
Thor walked over and stood on the other side, saying nothing, but simply placing his hand on Thor's other shoulder. Hawkeye also got up and walked over. Black Widow put away her gun, stood outside the circle, and scanned the surroundings.
The six people formed a loose circle, back to back, guarding all directions.
The wind was still blowing, carrying the smell of burning and rust. The ruins were eerily quiet; not even the chirping of insects could be heard.
Tony glanced down at his wrist terminal. " Ultron's signal has disappeared. Its core is likely damaged; it's temporarily offline."
"It won't be long." Ye Mo leaned on Captain America's shoulder, paused for a moment, and finally stood up straight. "That kind of program, even if it breaks, will rebuild."
"So we have to move first," Captain America said. "We need to be ready before it recovers."
No one answered.
It's not that we don't want to, it's that we're all too exhausted to speak. Our bodies are better, but our minds are still stuck in that tough battle, like our souls have been ripped out.
Tony asked in a low voice, "Can we still fight?"
No one answered.
The wind whistled through the wrecked mechs, making a clanging sound. In the distance, a collapsed tower was still smoking, like a burnt-out candle.
Ye Mo shifted, brushed the pebbles off his trousers, and put his glasses back on. The lenses were cracked, making his vision a little blurry, but he ignored it.
"We can fight it," he said. "What else? Lie here and wait for it to respawn?"
His tone was still nonchalant, but everyone could hear the underlying sarcasm in his words.
Captain America glanced at him and nodded. "He's right. As long as we're still standing, we haven't lost."
Thor raised Mjolnir, a flash of lightning, and said, "Let it come again."
Hawkeye began organizing his quiver, drawing spare arrows from his tactical belt and inserting them one by one. Black Widow inspected the breech and reloaded. Tony's armor was finally repaired, and his shoulder cannons slowly deployed.
The six men stood in their positions again, but their demeanor had changed.
It's no longer a disastrous situation after being defeated, but a formation ready to fight again at any time.
Ye Mo looked up at the sky. The clouds hadn't dispersed yet, so the sunlight couldn't get in, but the wind had cleared. He said softly, "Break time... is almost over."
He had barely finished speaking when his right hand suddenly twitched, and the light in his palm flashed for a moment before going out. He frowned and looked down at his hand—his fingertips were white, as if all the blood had been drained from them.
The system notification sounded again, "Warning: The Life Resonance Wave has an estimated cooldown period of 47 minutes. Reuse is prohibited during this time. Neural chain damage level 12%. Rest is recommended."
"Okay," he replied in a low voice, "Don't make a sound, I still need to maintain my air of superiority."
Tony overheard this and glanced at him. "Your 'expert' act is quite a waste of electricity."
"Of course." Ye Mo smirked. "I'm a limited edition."
He stood ramrod straight. Although his left arm was still slowly healing and the tear in his breastplate hadn't closed, his aura remained unshaken. The wind ruffled the corner of his hoodie, revealing a patch of metallic-looking subcutaneous tissue at his waist, which was slowly extending outwards.
The six people stood in the center of the ruins, like six stakes driven into the earth.
In the distance, the last wisp of black smoke rose from the ground and dissipated in the wind.