Ye Mo had just closed the heavy blast-proof door of the base, and before he could even catch his breath of the oily air, the communication channels in his mind exploded.
"Stop playing dead. Tony just took Bucky away from the airport." Emma Frost's voice was as cold as ice, scraping right through his brain. " S.H.I.E.L.D. helicopters have sealed off three blocks. Those unregistered Mutants are lambs to the slaughter. The group you rescued earlier is still waiting in the abandoned industrial area."
Ye Mo wiped the dust off his face; his knuckles were still trembling slightly from enduring Tony's laser beam. He glanced at the gradually brightening sky outside the window, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "Looks like the show's over. Time to wrap things up."
Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and grabbed a dark gray tactical trench coat from the pile of equipment and draped it over his shoulders. Emma Frost followed closely behind, their movements perfectly synchronized as if they had rehearsed it a thousand times. This time, they weren't going to rescue anyone, but to cover their retreat.
The air in the abandoned industrial area was thick with the smells of burning and rust. In the distance, Captain America carrying the unconscious Bucky boarded a transport plane, a scene broadcast live online by drones. Meanwhile, Tony Stark stood on the tarmac, the reactor on his armor's chest flashing an angry red light, roaring clichés about betrayal and responsibility at the camera. Public opinion was completely divided at that moment, but Ye Mo had no time to pay attention to any of that. His gaze was fixed on a group of trembling figures deep within the industrial area.
"It's starting," Ye Mo said in a low voice.
Emma Frost closed her eyes, her mental energy spreading out like invisible ripples. She didn't directly attack anyone's consciousness; that would be too brutal and easily reveal her location. She did something more delicate—sensory distortion. To the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. the search, the once empty factory grounds seemed instantly shrouded in a thick fog. The wind became noisy and directionless, and the gravel path underfoot sounded like soft earth. This subtle cognitive interference caused the agents' search efficiency to plummet, and some even began to doubt whether their radar was malfunctioning.
"The one on the left in the black jacket took three steps to the right," Emma Frost reported in her mind, her voice calm and even. "I bought you four minutes."
Without wasting words, Ye Mo swiftly climbed to the top of a towering cooling tower. From there, the view was unobstructed, directly facing the low-lying section of road that the pursuers were bound to take. He took a deep breath and activated the ability unlocked in the middle layer of the Gene Spiral Tower. The moisture in the air seemed to hear some kind of command and instantly condensed.
This wasn't a massive, overwhelming blizzard, but rather extremely precise control. He instantly created a smooth, mirror-like layer of ice at intersections, stairwell corners, and beside the tires of several assault vehicles. Immediately afterward, waist-high ice walls rose from the ground, like transparent barriers, blocking the pursuers' path. These ice walls appeared fragile, but were actually incredibly hard, with extremely slippery surfaces; a slight misstep would result in a spectacular fall.
The pursuers below were indeed thrown into disarray. A vehicle attempting to force its way through the ice wall suddenly skidded, its tires spinning wildly with a screeching sound, and the vehicle veered off course and crashed into another ice wall, coming to a stop. The infantrymen tried to climb over, but found that their shoes couldn't hold onto the thin layer of ice, and one by one they slid down in a sorry state.
"Let's go!" Ye Mo gestured downwards.
The group of superhumans opposing the Superhuman Registration Act dared not delay. Taking advantage of the chaos, they filed in through the side sewer entrance. Their eyes were filled with fear and confusion, but a trace of gratitude flashed in their eyes when they saw Ye Mo. It was the faint bond established in the basement in the previous chapter that now served as the best cover.
Ye Mo and Emma Frost stayed behind. They were the bait, and also the last line of defense.
As the last group entered the underground bunker and the heavy iron doors slowly closed, the clouds in the sky were illuminated by the energy cannons of the armors. Tony Stark seemed to sense something, his red optical lenses scanning the direction of the cooling tower.
"Damn it, he's got his eye on us." Ye Mo frowned.
"Increase the interference." Emma Frost gritted her teeth, a fine layer of sweat beading on her forehead. She unleashed her full mental power, turning Tony's radar screen into a sea of static.
At the same time, Ye Mo quickly formed hand seals, using his Ice Manipulation Ability to create a small visual refraction mirror behind the cooling tower. Combined with the rising smoke and dust around it, it formed a perfect optical camouflage effect. Under Tony's armor scan, there was only a distorted thermal imaging signal and empty ruins.
The warning sound of the energy cannon charging rang through the night sky. A high-energy beam of light grazed the edge of the cooling tower, blasting the distant water tower to pieces. Water splashed everywhere, but it missed its target.
"Retreat!" Ye Mo pulled Emma Frost up, and the two of them disappeared into the night like two nimble cats, following a pre-planned concealed route.
As they returned to the base entrance, the sky was already beginning to lighten. The battle was over, and the world returned to a superficial calm, but the undercurrents were just beginning to stir.
Ye Mo leaned against the cold metal door, panting heavily. The muscle soreness in his arms returned, each breath feeling like pulling on rusty Iron Chain. Emma Frost stood beside him, tidying her slightly disheveled hair, her face pale, clearly having just endured immense mental strain.
The two exchanged a glance, said nothing, but smiled at each other. Their smiles held no joy of victory, only the relief of surviving a close call and a trust that needed no words.
"Go in." Ye Mo pushed open the familiar door.
The base remained quiet, the air thick with the mingled smells of disinfectant and engine oil. Ye Mo walked into the lounge, slumped into a chair, closed his eyes, and let exhaustion wash over him. He knew this was just the beginning. The shadow of the Superhuman Registration Act loomed over everyone, but they had already found their footing in the eye of the storm.