Tony's armor Scanning Wave swept across the ruins like a searchlight, cutting back and forth between the broken walls and rubble. Ye Mo huddled beside the entrance to a collapsed basement, his back pressed against the cold concrete wall. The muscle soreness from that hard-hitting moment hadn't subsided, and even his breath tasted rusty. He wiped the dust off his face, his eyes not on the laser beams still darting around in the sky, but fixed on a piece of broken brick at his feet.
"Don't stand still. The scanning radar is jammed, but the thermal imaging is still spinning." Emma Frost's voice rang directly in his mind, clear and crisp. "Thirty degrees to the left, there's a sniper setting up his gun. Ten meters to the right, there's an energy leak point. Don't go there."
Ye Mo didn't speak, but glanced in the direction she pointed. After confirming that there was no immediate threat, he stood up, bracing himself against the wall, moving as quietly as possible, like a thief scurrying along the basement wall. His target was clear: the basement entrance that was half-buried under the collapsed floorboards. The faint groans coming from there concerned him more than the explosions outside.
Pushing open the deformed blast door, a strong smell of blood and dust hit him. It was pitch black inside, with only a few faint blue lights shining through the cracks. Ye Mo groped his way in, his footsteps muffled by the thick dust.
There were seven or eight people lying in the basement. Some were dressed in superhero costumes, some were just ordinary Mutants, and there were even a few who looked like students who had been temporarily conscripted. They were covered in blood, some had broken arms, and some had sunken chests, curled up in pain. The air was filled with the smell of despair, a smell so strong that it made one's throat tighten.
Ye Mo crouched down, his fingers gently pressing on the ground. His consciousness sank into the depths of his mind, where the gray " Gene Spiral Tower " slowly rotated. He searched through the chaotic fragments of abilities until he locked onto a sequence that glowed with a pale green light. It was a fragment of " Life Resonance " that he had managed to obtain from a healing Mutants, and he had tried several times before finally stabilizing it.
"It's starting," he thought to himself.
He braced himself with his hands on the ground, a warm current spreading down his arms. A green halo emanated from his palms, enveloping the three people closest to him like ripples on water. The blood at the wounds quickly congealed, and the broken bones made a slight cracking sound as they reformed. The unconscious person's eyelids twitched, and they slowly opened their eyes.
Just as the treatment was halfway through, a large man covered in blood suddenly began to convulse violently. The intense pain caused him to lose his mind, and the energy within his body exploded out of control, sending a small shockwave straight towards Ye Mo's face. The force wasn't large, but it was enough to throw Ye Mo had just entered the treatment state, into a panic.
"Stay calm," Emma Frost's voice rang out again, this time with a hint of barely perceptible gentleness.
Ye Mo felt a cool spiritual energy envelop him, like an invisible hand gently soothing the big man's restless nerves. The painful screams around him gradually subsided, replaced by heavy breathing. The wounded fell into a deep sleep, and the previously chaotic energy field quieted down.
Ye Mo breathed a sigh of relief and increased his output. More green light shone, covering the entire basement. He could feel his physical strength rapidly draining away; each time he channeled energy, it felt like he was overdrawing his life force. But he didn't stop until he was sure that everyone he could save was temporarily out of danger, then he slowly withdrew his hands.
The basement fell silent again, broken only by the heavy breathing of a few people. The wounded, who had just regained consciousness, looked around in confusion, their gaze finally settling on Ye Mo. No one spoke, and no one asked who he was. Some nodded with difficulty, while others closed their eyes, tears seemingly glistening in the corners of their eyes. This silent exchange was more profound than any words of gratitude.
" Tony's armor is moving this way, in two minutes," Emma Frost warned. "The structure is unstable; this place could collapse at any moment."
Ye Mo stood up and brushed the dirt off his knees. He glanced at the exit; the secret passage leading to the subway tunnel was over there. This was a blind spot discovered during their previous reconnaissance, one that even S.H.I.E.L.D..'s surveillance couldn't cover.
"Let's go," he thought to himself.
The two emerged from the basement one after the other. The sounds of battle outside were still deafening, but inside the dark tunnel, it was eerily quiet. Cracks began to appear in the ceiling of the basement behind them, and rubble kept falling. As they ran to the surface and took cover behind the trunk of an abandoned car, a loud crash came from behind them.
Boom--
The building collapsed completely, burying the basement where the injured had just been treated. Dust billowed up, obscuring the sky.
Ye Mo leaned against the car, panting heavily. The metallic sheen on his arms had completely faded, and his skin was an unnatural pale white. He looked down at his hands; his fingertips were still trembling slightly.
Emma Frost stood beside him, tidying her slightly disheveled hair. Her face was also a little pale, clearly indicating that the mental intervention she had just experienced had taken a toll. But the look in her eyes as she looked at Ye Mo was less distant than before, and held something more indescribable.
"Thank you," Ye Mo said, his voice hoarse. This was the first time he had spoken those two words to Emma Frost.
Emma Frost paused for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on her lips, "You're welcome, we're partners."
The sentence was simple, yet it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples. Ye Mo didn't speak again, but turned his head to look at the still-burning battlefield in the distance. The wind swirled up the Ashes on the ground, which fell onto his shoulder.
"Where to next?" Emma Frost asked.
"Back to base." Ye Mo stood up and stretched his stiff limbs. " Tony won't give up the search; we need to leave this area first. Once things calm down, we'll figure out how to move these people out."
Emma Frost nodded and followed behind him. The two continued forward through the tunnel, their footsteps echoing in the empty underground space. In the darkness ahead, a faint light shone through, pointing towards the exit and their temporary safe zone.
Ye Mo's steps were slightly unsteady, but his straight back remained unbent. He knew that tonight's actions had changed something—not the situation, but people's hearts. Those who had been treated might not remember his face, but they would remember this kindness. In this world full of hostility and suspicion, this kindness seemed out of place, yet incredibly precious.
The light at the end of the tunnel grew brighter, and a familiar smell began to fill the air—the base's distinctive blend of disinfectant and engine oil. Ye Mo took a deep breath, feeling his tense nerves relax slightly.
"Watch your step," Emma Frost warned.
Ye Mo looked down and saw a puddle on the ground. He stepped over it without looking back. The darkness behind him was gradually replaced by light, and the road ahead was still long.