394. The Fantastic Four Corpses!!
"Reed, you better give us a reasonable explanation."
As Reed's wife, someone who spent every day with him, Susan could naturally sense that something was wrong with him.
Although Reed Richards had always been a rational madman, frequently making strange and inexplicable decisions, this time, it seemed like he had completely gone off the deep end.
"Explanation? Oh, yes, yes... of course, I'll give you an explanation."
Seeing that no one was willing to give him a hug, Reed slowly lowered his arms and revealed a kind smile.
"I'm thrilled that you all came, every single one of you. Before reporting my research findings to Nick Fury, I wanted to share this exciting news with you all."
"Research findings? If you're still talking about this so-called 'evolution,' then you really are insane, Reed," Susan couldn't help but shout.
When she had returned to the helicarrier earlier, Susan had specifically sought out Reed Richards. Originally, she wanted to check if Reed had made progress in developing a serum or cure for the zombie virus.
To her shock, she found Reed staring at the zombie test subject as if admiring a perfect work of art, muttering about evolution and the perfection of creation.
Susan couldn't understand why her husband would be so cold-blooded. After all, their children had died at the hands of these monsters, yet Reed seemed to have completely forgotten that.
"My dear Susan, your tone breaks my heart. My research is for the future of humanity, and you're here to witness it all."
The room's lights cast shadows over half of Reed Richards' face. The illuminated side appeared deeply sentimental and human, while the shadowed side began to twist subtly.
"My conclusion is this: all of us here must embrace the destiny that awaits us. Yes, we are about to become one with the savage creatures outside. Don't rush to refute me—I understand you're all shocked."
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting!?"
Ben Grimm, the Thing, widened his eyes in disbelief at what he was hearing.
"We cannot survive in this environment. That is my true conclusion. And the fact is, we cannot—and need not—solve these viruses because they represent evolution."
Reed Richards' mouth stretched into a grotesque grin, almost reaching his ears.
"I hope this wonderful transformation will be a gift from you to me. That's why I brought you all here. Now, it's your turn to do to me what I've done to you."
"Reed, Reed, what did you do to us!?"
Staring at the man who now seemed like a stranger, Susan stepped back repeatedly, her gaze filled with fear, as though looking at a monster wearing Reed Richards' skin.
"Only what I had to do. Haven't you wondered where the severed limbs and organs of that zombie test subject went?"
Reed tilted his head, grinning like a devil driven mad.
"I bet none of you even noticed the scratches on your bodies. That was my handiwork when you returned. And as for you, Ben, your rocky skin was indeed a challenge for me. But I knew, after such a long day, you'd all be starving, wouldn't you?"
As Reed calmly spoke these horrifying words, the expressions of the Fantastic Four turned to sheer terror.
"You... you can't do this! We're your friends! How could you—"
Before Ben could finish, a strange sensation surged through his body. His internal organs began to feel as though they were burning, searing with unbearable pain.
"What... what did you make me eat..."
Clutching his abdomen, Ben spat out blood.
To everyone's horror, the liquid was not red but a thick, viscous substance resembling oil.
On the other side, both Johnny Storm and Susan started to experience similar symptoms. Pain wracked their entire bodies, spreading rapidly and leaving their minds blank and paralyzed.
"You should all be feeling the changes in your bodies by now. The timing is perfect..."
Raising his arm, Reed glanced at his watch with a calm face and an expression brimming with eager anticipation.
"You're insane! Have you forgotten what those monsters did to our children? How can you do this!?"
Susan's force-field powers flared wildly, causing the lab's equipment to shake violently. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't expel the virus coursing through her veins.
"How could I forget? But think about it—our children now reside in a beautiful world, while this terrible one doesn't need them. Isn't that a good thing?"
Reed Richards leisurely removed his glasses and then shrugged off his white lab coat, revealing the Fantastic Four's iconic suit beneath.
"In truth, Susan, our way of procreation was flawed from the beginning. We are about to ascend into endless immortality. From now on, we'll have no need for offspring, nor will we suffer from aging, illness, or death. This is nature's course, and you will understand soon enough."
Before Reed could finish speaking, Susan lunged at him, biting into his neck.
And it wasn't just her—both Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm, corrupted by the virus, turned on Reed with eyes devoid of humanity. What remained was a violent and savage hunger.
Feeling the pain spreading through his body, Mr. Fantastic didn't scream or cry out. Instead, he smiled, opening his arms to embrace his three zombified teammates.
"Come on, yes, just like that. I crave this transformation. I long for the feeling of evolution, and receiving it from those I love most… this is the happiest moment of my life."
"You'll understand."
"They'll understand too."
------------------------------
On the other side of the lab,
Nick Fury and Tony Stark were urgently finalizing the last stages of data processing.
"My knowledge of time travel and parallel universes is limited," Tony admitted. "Or rather, during my years saving the world, I never had time to delve into this field."
"I get it. The entire world owes you a massive debt of gratitude, but right now, we have no other options," Nick Fury replied gravely.
"That's not my point. What I mean is, I can't be sure what kind of parallel universes surround us. Best-case scenario, we find a world similar to ours where the virus has already wreaked havoc, wiping out civilization entirely. The virus might either no longer exist or be locked away somewhere."
Hearing Tony's explanation, Nick Fury nodded thoughtfully.
"You're saying, like those ancient live bacteria or viruses sealed under the Arctic ice?"
"Exactly. Once everything is gone, we can take over that world, rebuild a new civilization, and become its rulers. As long as we don't 'disturb the ice,' nothing will go wrong," Tony affirmed with a firm nod before continuing.
"For now, you should start choosing people to bring along for the journey. Banner's a strong candidate—he'd be a tremendous help—but the Hulk is hard to control. It might be better not to include him."
"You're suggesting we leave behind those of our friends who haven't yet been infected because their powers could be a potential threat to us?" Fury asked.
"What else?"
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't S.H.I.E.L.D. created to monitor beings with extraordinary abilities? We're all on your list, Fury. So don't pretend to be sentimental around me. Besides, have you ever heard the saying, 'The poor have no choice'?"
"That's one of your father's 'golden rules,'" Fury remarked with a dark expression, though he didn't outright reject Tony's proposal.
In fact, Tony's reasoning was sound. The Hulk's raw strength posed a tremendous threat to the world. Leaving him behind might indeed be the better choice.
"Thanks," Tony said, then added, "But there's something we need to address: the issue of how many people and resources can be transported. Right now, we have just enough resources for one jump. We can't afford to act recklessly."
Tony took a sip of whiskey, then tapped the round, metallic device on the table in front of him and continued.
"Unless the new universe we land in has sufficient resources to replicate this device, we'll end up stranded there."
Nick Fury nodded solemnly. It was true—time travel was an unprecedented challenge for everyone involved. Even for a hero of Tony Stark's caliber, it was a first.
Rubbing his chin, Fury began to contemplate.
"In that case, we must—"
Before he could finish, the door to the mechanical room was violently smashed open.
Boom!
The deafening explosion startled both Nick Fury and Tony Stark. They instinctively turned to face the entrance, only to see the Fantastic Four burst in.
"Using a portal to a parallel world to find more humans to consume? What a brilliant idea!"
The Fantastic Four—or rather, the Fantastic Four Corpses—stood before them. Their lips were torn and decayed, leaving behind only bloodthirsty gums and razor-sharp teeth. Their eyes, devoid of any trace of humanity, were clouded over with milky whites.
"Reed… what happened to you!?" Fury exclaimed, eyes wide in shock.
"The bright future is right before my eyes. You'll see it too. With the right choice, you'll undergo this glorious transformation and walk the same path as us," Reed Richards said, stretching his elongated neck to get closer to the two men. His grotesque mouth opened wide, ready to bite down.
Tony Stark reacted the fastest. Grabbing a nearby bottle, he smashed it against Reed's head, sending it flying.
Immediately, Tony spun around and lunged for the case on the table—the one containing his Iron Man suit. With the suit, he could fight, even against the Fantastic Four.
But just as his hand was about to touch the case, Invisible Woman's energy field suddenly surged, knocking the case out of reach.
"No!"
Turning back, Tony saw the Thing and Human Torch rushing toward him.
He gasped, feeling his heart sink. As their gaping jaws closed in, Tony shut his eyes in despair. It had all happened too fast, leaving him no time to react.
--------------------------
At that critical moment, a golden streak of light suddenly appeared in the room.
And with it came the sharp, resonating sound of a snap.
Snap!
.....
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395. Tearing the Timeline!
396. Limited Echo Tony Stark!
397. The Time Bard!!
398. Zombie Sentry!
399. A Killing Spree!!