127. Nightclub in the Wasteland.
The multiverse is distinct in its variations; even parallel universes that seem incredibly similar still possess small differences. This is particularly evident in the sun of this world.
Throughout human history, the sun has symbolized hope and glory. Its rays illuminate the earth, banishing darkness and creating a world that seems bright and beautiful, where people live without worry, in happiness and peace. However, in this world, perhaps reflecting the wasteland on Earth, the sun in the sky appears to be in its twilight years. Unlike any other sun Alex had seen before, when he gazed at the rising sun, a phrase came to mind—"a candle flickering in the wind."
As Alex looked at the sun, which once symbolized hope, he felt a complex mix of emotions. That sun now resembled a matchstick burning furiously, trying to light up the land before it extinguished, desperately attempting to bring some warmth and light to this desolate place.
"My earlier suspicions were correct. In this world, I seem unable to exert my usual combat strength," Kara said, frowning as she stared at the rising sun. For some reason, this sun made her uncomfortable, both physically and mentally.
"To what extent are you weakened?" Alex asked calmly.
"About half of my previous strength, I guess," Kara thought for a moment before replying. "I can still release heat vision, but its destructive power is limited. I can use my bio-field, but I can't fly anymore. As for other abilities, I'm not sure yet."
"It's still acceptable. At least you retain some self-defense capabilities. This world's sun is even older than I imagined, and that's certainly not normal," Alex said, retracting his gaze and turning to Kara and Pietro. "For safety's sake, I hope you can refrain from using your powers as much as possible. We don't understand this world well enough, and revealing ourselves prematurely could bring unprecedented danger."
Kara nodded immediately, feeling a sense of urgency as she realized she had lost half of her strength. "Understood. I'll follow the plan," Pietro said, chiming in. Having experienced the desolation of the ruins universe, he knew the importance of following commands. "Honestly, Alex, coming here feels like coming home."
The trio quickly gathered their things and set out. In this vast wasteland, there was nothing useful to be found. They now needed to search for clues about this world to understand why this universe's Earth had become such a desolate place.
For Alex, who had read numerous superhero comics, this wasteland scene was familiar. Both Marvel and DC often featured such unique settings. A notable comic scene involved Batman walking through the sand with the Joker's head made into a lantern, searching for any hope in the wasteland. Since this universe belonged to Marvel, Alex mentally discarded half of the possible storylines.
In fact, Alex had a specific theory about this universe because the original work was quite famous. However, without interacting with anyone from this world, he couldn't determine if his guess was accurate.
Walking through the desert, the trio wore long robes to shield themselves from the sand and conceal their identities. Alex and Kara were fine since they were not characters from the Marvel multiverse. Pietro, however, was different. As Quicksilver, a member of the Avengers and a renowned superhero, his presence would attract significant attention if recognized.
Their journey was swift. By midday, they had crossed the desert and arrived at a dilapidated town with a western vibe. The town seemed abandoned, with broken-down houses and streets filled with filth, giving it a desolate appearance. If it weren't for a few drunkards lying on the dirty street, Alex would have struggled to consider this place a "sanctuary."
"Finally, some signs of life. I was beginning to wonder if this world had any survivors," Pietro muttered, pulling his hood down further to avoid being recognized.
As they traversed the desert, they hadn't seen any signs of life, making it seem like a dead zone.
"This place might be worse than we imagined," Kara said, looking at the dilapidated, lawless town.
Just then, a gust of wind blew by, carrying a flyer through the air above them. Alex reached out, and an unseen force caught the flyer, guiding it into his hand. The flyer depicted scantily clad women, seemingly advertising a nightclub. At the center was a large eye, likely the nightclub's logo.
It was hard to imagine that in such a barren and impoverished place, someone had established a venue for "pleasure." Resources were incredibly scarce in the wasteland, making mere survival a challenge for most.
Staring at the flyer, Alex's memories began to resurface. After practicing magic, his mental abilities significantly enhanced his memory.
"Just as I suspected. This should be from 'Wasteland'... fitting, I suppose," Alex muttered, a smile forming on his lips, albeit one tinged with irony.
"Alex, you're not seriously planning to go there, are you?" Pietro asked, seeing Alex's bemused smile as he stared at the nightclub flyer.
"I'm planning to check it out," Alex replied candidly.
"Seriously?" Even Kara couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"What's the problem?" Alex snapped out of his thoughts, confused by Pietro and Kara's strong reactions.
"We're in a wasteland, filled with dangers. We finally reach a place with some signs of life, and the first thing you think of is 'that'? I can't even say it out loud!" Pietro said.
In response, Alex lightly slapped the back of Pietro's head. "Don't tarnish my image in front of Kara. These places are usually good for gathering information. Remember Nick Fury? Don't play dumb."
....
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128. A Tender Trap in a Nightmare.
129. Orb.
130. The Gaze.
131. The Watcher's Eye.
132. Hammer Falls.