I Created a Sanctuary in Marvel

Chapter 72 A Conspiracy Against Mutants, Goodbye Ancient One

Deep in the Rocky Mountains, in a secret laboratory hidden beneath a military base, Colonel William Stryker sat alone in the dimly lit control center.

Surrounding the room were gleaming computer arrays, and dozens of surveillance screens were projected onto the cold metal walls. The air was thick with the pungent smell of disinfectant mixed with machine oil, and the ventilation system hummed low.

Stryker stared intently at the news report in his hand, the headlines piercing his nerves like sharp blades:

Mutants have become highly sought-after talents by various countries.

The Value of Stable Superpowers in the New Era

From Fear to Acceptance: The Transformation of Mutant Social Status

"These foolish politicians and ignorant citizens—"

Stryker's knuckles turned white from the force he exerted, almost tearing the newspaper to shreds.

His eyes gleamed dangerously in the dim light, and veins bulged on his forehead.

The public opinion environment he had painstakingly cultivated over the years was crumbling, and the atmosphere of fear he had carefully created regarding mutants was being completely shattered by the sudden rise of the Pope.

What he found most unbearable was that some mutants with stable abilities had become objects of envy and admiration for ordinary people.

This completely contradicted his understanding of mutants, who were supposed to live in the shadows forever, like rats in a sewer, unable to see the light.

"Damn it! Damn it all!" Stryker slammed the reader against the wall, shards flying everywhere.

He paced back and forth in the sealed room like a trapped wild beast, his roars echoing between the metal walls: "Mutants should be wiped out, not a single one left!"

After a long while, he gradually calmed down, leaving only his heavy breathing echoing in the room. He walked to the control panel, his aged fingers rapidly swiping across the touchscreen to bring up a set of monitoring feeds.

The scene shows mutants captured from all over the world imprisoned in specially made reinforced glass cells. Many of them have empty eyes and have obviously been enslaved by the mind control of the illusion master.

"Since this world has forgotten the horrors of mutants—"

"Then let blood and death awaken this fear."

A cold glint flashed in Stryker's eyes.

His original plan was to use Professor X's global telepathic abilities to wipe out all mutants in an instant.

But this plan changed completely after he witnessed the Battle of New York. The power displayed by the Pope was terrifying; Charles was as powerless as an infant in his presence.

"However, your naiveté will be your greatest weakness." Stryker gave a sinister smile.

If the pope were a radical like Magneto, his plan would be impossible to implement. But the other party, like Charles, clearly still harbored naive illusions about humanity.

His gaze fell on a corner of the monitor screen, which displayed a special prison located deep in the Colorado desert.

Thanks to Charles's protection, Magneto Erik was spared death, but was imprisoned in the cage with the power suppressor that operated around the clock.

Using the powers of the Master of Illusions, Stryker had already infiltrated it, planting a seed within the most powerful mutant consciousness.

"Prepare to launch the purification plan."

Stryker spoke into the communicator, his voice as cold as ice.

"Colonel, should we wait for a more suitable opportunity?"

A hesitant response came from the other end of the communicator.

"Now is the best time."

"We must act before the suppressant is widely available, before those damn mutants are fully integrated into society."

Stryker said firmly.

He pulled up an encrypted file containing a detailed list of the controlled mutants and their respective ability assessments.

Each name was accompanied by a description of its expected destructive power and intimidation effect. This was the culmination of his years of hard work, and his last chance to prove to the world the threat posed by mutants.

Just as he was preparing to launch the plan, in his top-floor office in the Trask Industrial Building in New York, a young assistant gently placed an encrypted document on the polished mahogany table.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, neon lights had just come on, casting flickering light and shadows on the interior.

"Boss, Stryker's operation is in its final stages. Should we intervene?"

Bolivar Trask, the short but sharp-eyed genius scientist, put down his water glass, glanced at the documents, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "No need. His actions pose no threat to us, and... it's too naive."

He sat in his wheelchair, gazing down at the bustling cityscape at night: "The mutant landscape has long since changed. Now, it's not Charles or Eric who supports this group, but the Pope of the Vatican. Stryker's plan is doomed to fail."

The assistant thoughtfully adjusted his glasses: "But the government's suppressant..."

"That's exactly the cover we need."

"But we have already mastered even more powerful weapons."

Trask maneuvered his wheelchair to the control panel, which displayed the laboratory's monitoring system and the research progress of the Sentinel robots.

Inside the heavily protected isolation chamber, Mystique's Raven's genetic sequence is being precisely analyzed, with complex genetic codes constantly flashing on a 3D projection.

"She is a gift from God."

"Ordinary contact can only mimic appearance, but with blood and genetic samples... she can perfectly replicate the abilities of any mutant."

Trask's voice was filled with almost fanatical joy.

In just a few months, thanks to this talent, the development of the new generation of sentinel robots has broken through several key technological bottlenecks.

Trask pulls up a design blueprint, showcasing a three-meter-tall, silver-white robot whose surface is covered with a special material capable of simulating any mutant ability.

"Notify the R&D department to advance the testing of the artificial intelligence combat module."

"I want to see the finished product next quarter."

Trask gave the order, and the wolf's body trembled with excitement.

At this moment, it seemed that the long-cherished wish could finally be realized.

After his assistant left, Trask looked at Stryker's file again, chuckled, and shook his head: "Don't worry, I'll fulfill your dream after you die."

He naturally wouldn't tell Stryker that many of the mutants in the lab were actually sent there by him.

How could a mere U.S. Army colonel possess such vast resources?

Unaware of this, Stryker is making final preparations for his doomed plan. In a secret laboratory at the lowest level of the base, several controlled mutants are undergoing final adjustments.

The Illusion Master stood to the side, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead; clearly, maintaining such large-scale mental control was a tremendous burden for him.

"Remember your mission."

"To make the world realize the horror of mutants."

Stryker said via the broadcast system.

Meanwhile, at Kamar-Taj in the foothills of the Himalayas, Ye Feng once again set foot in this tranquil sacred place. The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the ancient courtyard, gilding the cobblestone paths with a layer of gold.

The Ancient One sat at the stone table in the courtyard, sipping tea as usual, as if he had never left. Upon closer inspection, the teapot in his hand seemed to float in mid-air, slowly pouring out emerald green tea.

"What brings His Holiness the Pope here today?"

Gu Yi raised his eyes, a hint of teasing in them, and pushed a freshly brewed cup of tea toward Ye Feng.

Ye Feng smiled and sat down, taking the teacup. His fingertips inadvertently touched the cup's rim, sensing a faint magical fluctuation within it: "I've come to visit you and also to ask you some questions."

Tell me about it.

Gu Yi gently waved her hand, and the surrounding air seemed to ripple slightly with her movement, as a few fallen leaves traced strange trajectories in the air.

"I want to confirm whether the Nine Realms system truly exists in our universe?"

Gu Yi set down her teacup, her gaze deep and unfathomable, as if piercing through the barriers of time and space: "You've come for the Uru Steel?"

"Is this the Saint Cloth you mentioned?"

"Unfortunately, the main pantheon of this universe is the Greek pantheon, and Asgard does not exist here."

Seeing Ye Feng's disappointed expression, he continued, "However, when you are strong enough, you can visit Hephaestus, the god of fire and forging."

"As the supreme sorcerer of Earth, even Zeus has to show you some respect."

"Hephaestus..." Ye Feng pondered.

This deity is the one who forged the Saint Cloths in the Saint Seiya legend.

In this world, the Destroyer armor he helped create even helped Odin defeat the Celestials, although its performance afterward was indeed somewhat underwhelming.

"When will I be able to see these gods?"

"When the Pantheon is reactivated." The Ancient One's gaze was profound.

"It will be soon. But you must be prepared. The Sanctuary and the Pantheon have never been allies. Modern humans lack reverence for the gods, which is an unforgivable offense to those self-important deities."

Ye Feng nodded silently. In the known sacred timeline, Earth has long been regarded by various races in the universe as a subordinate force of Asgard.

It wasn't until after Ragnarok, when the Asgardians migrated to Earth, that humanity truly gained a voice.

In addition, there are some sleeping deities on Earth, and once they awaken, they will have a huge impact on the current world order.

Moreover, the gods of this world have always held themselves in high esteem.

"Ancient One, I wonder if it's possible for humans to become gods?"

Ye Feng looked at the other person, wondering if he could obtain godhood through the gods.

"Of course there are, but it's best to avoid them."

Gu Yi looked at Ye Feng.

"Your power system is very special. I have traveled through many parallel universes and have never seen the power of a cosmos before."

There's no need to get involved in the gods' mess.

"The existence of the gods is essentially to assist the creator in managing and maintaining the balance of the universe."

"They may seem powerful, but they are governed by the Creator and are not as free as you might imagine."

He revealed some information.

"The Creator?"

"The Celestials?"

Ye Feng recalled the Celestials in the Pantheon, who made a stunning appearance in the Thor series.

The other party seemed to be guarding the pantheon, or supervising the gods.