The Wanted Individuals

After a few encounters with the authorities, Bruce had learned a lesson: when cooperating with them, he couldn't be too straightforward, declaring, "I'm just here to do good deeds for free."

Instead, he'd tell them, "We're here to collect protection fees."

Without their protection, he'd explain, the world would face threats from numerous supernatural entities and crises. In the process, both sides could benefit from technical exchanges or economic cooperation, generating mutual profit.

When Batman, Iron Man, and others proposed this collaboration model, more straightforward heroes like Captain America and Superman felt uneasy. They couldn't help but think: Had their righteous, altruistic organization devolved into a mafia-style operation collecting protection fees?

But there was no other way. Experience had proven that high-minded and noble rhetoric often led to either outright rejection from the authorities or opportunistic attempts to exploit the situation. Not only would they refuse to help, but they'd also create unnecessary obstacles!

It seemed that dealing with such "naive and foolish" people without taking advantage of them felt like a missed opportunity.

After experiencing such setbacks, even the most idealistic heroes began to adopt more flexible approaches. They didn't mind using a few "white lies" when necessary. After all, they weren't puritans. Doing good deeds while earning some benefits wasn't entirely wrong.

After all, the Alliance needed to pay salaries. They couldn't work themselves to death with endless overtime and receive nothing in return, could they?

Of course, some stubborn heroes still felt uncomfortable. What had begun as a passionate, selfless mission for justice and greatness now felt tainted with personal interests and rewards.

The biggest concern was the younger members of the organization, whose values weren't fully formed and might be negatively influenced.

After much discussion, it was decided that negotiations with the authorities would typically be handled by more experienced or pragmatic heroes like Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark, or Natasha Romanoff.

However, even they didn't consider it an enviable task.

For instance, at this moment, Batman was exchanging tedious pleasantries with the president and other elites. Though already impatient, he had no choice but to play their games and endure.

After spending half the day, they finally established a preliminary agreement of trust.

As they left, Clark shook his head in exasperation. "My god, dealing with these people is far more exhausting than fighting Thanos for an entire day! Bruce, please don't drag me into this kind of thing next time."

Batman rubbed his temples, equally fatigued. "Clark, your image is much more trustworthy than mine. If you don't want to come next time, convince Steve to accompany me."

Tony chimed in with his usual sarcastic complaints. He griped about how all politicians were the same—either incompetent or greedy. What annoyed him most, though, was their habit of speaking seemingly innocuous words that required mental gymnastics to decipher their true intentions.

Suddenly, Tony clapped his hands as if remembering something. "Oh, by the way, do you remember Jean Grey? The one from the last round of the Quiz game? I think she'd be an even better spokesperson than Clark or Steve! She's a natural at dealing with politicians. It's obvious she's a pro."

Bruce shot him a sideways glance. "Sure. More likely, you just think she's attractive. Besides, the mutant world is already complicated enough. I wonder how Banner's plan is coming along."

---

The X-Men's World

Since Erik had returned, he hadn't rushed to seek revenge on Sebastian Shaw.

For one, Shaw's treachery had been exposed through the Quiz game, making him a global target. Intelligence agencies like the CIA and KGB were turning the world upside down to find him. Shaw and his group were hiding deep underground, and Erik couldn't locate them just yet.

For another, Erik himself was now a wanted man. Unlike Shaw, who had numerous hideouts and secret resources, Erik was on his own and had to move cautiously, often in a somewhat sorry state.

Fortunately, after mastering Observation Haki, Erik's ability to sense his surroundings had grown increasingly powerful and refined. He could often detect agents approaching long before they found him, giving him the chance to escape.

Moreover, in this era, surveillance technology wasn't as advanced as it would become in the future. As long as he remained careful, he wasn't too worried about being caught.

During this period, Erik unexpectedly crossed paths with Logan. The moment they met, Erik confirmed that this Wolverine wasn't the same teammate he'd encountered in the Eternal Space.

This Logan lacked the dog-like ears and Adamantium claws, further validating Erik's theory about parallel timelines.

Compared to Erik, Logan was having an even worse time. Despite not participating in the Quiz game, he had been implicated by another version of himself from a parallel timeline and was now also a wanted man, constantly on the run.

Erik had helped Logan out of trouble a few times, but Logan didn't seem particularly grateful. Eventually, he sought out Charles for assistance, much to Erik's annoyance.

Since his return, Erik had avoided any face-to-face meetings with Charles, harboring some concerns. Even when Charles tried to reach out, Erik would quietly slip away.

---

Meanwhile, at Charles' mansion, a group of guests from another world had arrived.

Bruce Banner, Diana, and Thor were warmly received by Charles himself.

The reason for Charles' enthusiasm became clear: Banner had voluntarily allowed Charles to read his mind, which instantly earned the telepath's trust and revealed the group's purpose.

"I'd be honored to join the Multiverse Defenders Alliance. Your grand and selfless mission is truly inspiring!"

Charles smiled warmly, his tone as gentle as an older brother's. With a playful wink, he added, "Besides, it seems you've arrived just in time to help me with some troubles."

Banner scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh… Mutant-related troubles aren't exactly my specialty. I doubt I can help you achieve peace with humanity."

Charles sighed deeply. "That's not what I'm asking for. The future of mutants depends on our own efforts. What I'd like to request is a bit more… personal. Since you can travel between worlds so freely, I assume you're also capable of relocating individuals from this one, right?"

Hearing this, Diana's expression hardened. "You're asking to run away?"

The fallout from the Quiz game had exposed mutants to the world earlier than expected. Because of this, many individuals who appeared in the game's future videos—whether it was Shaw, Erik, Logan, or even Charles himself—were now wanted by the authorities.

Some, like Shaw and Erik, were publicly declared enemies. Others, like Charles, were secretly pursued under the radar.

____________

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