The concept of "stealth" immediately surfaced in Li Ye's mind, followed by a sly smile—attempting invisibility in his presence was like trying to fool an ancestor. With a swift, practiced kick aimed at the faint disturbance in the air, he struck home.
"Boom!"
A figure materialized in mid-air, flying back with force until it hit a wall, leaving a bloody mark.
"Move in!" came a terse command from a tall, fair-skinned man at the helm of the group. His order jolted the others into action, their faces tense and determined.
Suddenly, the scene turned chaotic. Weapons appeared—guns, submachine guns, even missiles. Men covered in spikes and sparks, some with flames breathing from their mouths, all joined the fray. It was a disordered mess of brute force and raw power.
"Whizz!"
"Snap!"
"Bang!"
Li Ye transformed into a bolt of lightning, darting through the crowd, leaving in his wake sounds of bodies hitting the ground. When he stopped, only the white-haired leader remained standing, looking as though he'd just seen a ghost.
"Can we have a civil chat now?" Li Ye asked, smiling.
The leader stammered, "You…you…"
Li Ye wasn't in the mood for lengthy negotiations. He took a step forward, his hand latching onto the man's throat. "Who are you? Who sent you?"
"Cough…let me go! I…don't know anything!" The man's defiance wavered as fear clouded his eyes.
"Last chance," Li Ye said, his grip tightening.
A sharp crack later, the leader slumped, lifeless in his hand. Li Ye dropped him, unbothered. From the shadows, however, came a slow clap.
"Well, well, well!" A new voice rang out, smug and entertained. Li Ye turned, eyebrows raised as a figure emerged—a man with red skin, looking every bit the devil.
"I'm impressed, Mr. Li Ye," said the figure, still clapping, with an expression of genuine admiration mixed with mirth.
"Another circus act?" Li Ye scoffed, unamused.
"Allow me to introduce myself—I am Red Devil. I've been sent to escort you, Mr. Li Ye. Magneto is expecting you."
Li Ye tilted his head, eyebrows raised in recognition. "Ah, Red Devil. That means…Magneto, of course."
The devilish figure's smile widened. "You know a fair bit, it seems."
"And here I thought Professor X would approach me first. A pity he's probably too cautious—no doubt unnerved by my actions against the American military. A pacifist to the bone."
The Red Devil chuckled. "Indeed, Charles is…a peculiar one, not always seeing things as we do. A saint at heart, one might say."
Li Ye rolled his eyes. "The kind of 'saint' who believes in 'living in peace with humans.' Tsk. Naive, as always."
The Red Devil nodded approvingly. "You're a natural, Mr. Li Ye. You belong with us."
"I'm not particularly inclined to join anyone," Li Ye said flatly. "But Magneto, I wouldn't mind meeting."
The Red Devil beckoned. "Very well then, let's not keep him waiting."
In an instant, Li Ye felt the jarring sensation of teleportation, as though space itself folded around him. The next thing he knew, he was on an island—a steel city floating amidst the ocean's waves. As he took in the sight, a smirk crossed his lips.
"Quite the base of operations," he muttered, impressed. The Brotherhood's headquarters sprawled across the island, a fortress of metal that Magneto had undoubtedly crafted himself, collecting resources from around the globe to create his domain.
"Welcome to our home," the Red Devil said grandly. A group of mutants surrounded them, their eyes studying Li Ye with mingled curiosity and mistrust. His smirk widened, undeterred.
"Is this how you treat all your guests?" Li Ye taunted, raising an eyebrow.
"Clear a path!" The crowd parted as a white-haired man with piercing eyes and a strange helmet approached. Li Ye's grin faltered, taking in the figure before him—the legendary Magneto.
"Greetings, my friend. You're among kin here," Magneto spoke softly, a touch of gravitas in his tone.
"Kin, is it? Just because we share a knack for the extraordinary?" Li Ye replied dryly, his smirk returning. "I assure you, I'm no mutant."
Magneto's face showed no surprise. "Deny it if you will, but powers like yours mark you as one of us, unique and set apart. You've been chosen by destiny."
Li Ye laughed outright. "I came here to see you, yes. But join your mutant crusade? Why would I? I'm quite happy living as a billionaire—hardly interested in becoming a fugitive."
Magneto's expression darkened. "So you refuse my invitation?"
Li Ye shrugged, unruffled. "I'm not interested in losing all I've built to become a pawn in your war."
Magneto's voice grew colder. "Your refusal could make you an enemy."
Li Ye took a step forward, meeting his gaze, unflinching. "An enemy? Magneto, if you understood half of my potential, you'd rethink that. Do you believe you can destroy me? Because if so, I'm curious to see you try."
The tension was almost tangible as they stared each other down, two titans poised to clash. But then, Magneto's face softened, his voice returning to calm. "Then we shall remain as we are. But know, you have an open invitation, should you change your mind."
Li Ye nodded, his smile thin. "I'll keep that in mind. But I think it's time I left."
Without further ceremony, the Red Devil appeared at Li Ye's side and whisked him away, leaving Magneto to watch, his face unreadable.
Chapter 15: Allies and Adversaries
Back in the halls of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury watched a satellite feed of Li Ye's confrontation with Magneto, his brow furrowed. Agents and analysts worked in hushed tones, monitoring every movement and calculating every risk.
"Status report on our Superman," Fury commanded.
"Sir, he's rejected Magneto's offer, but the encounter was…tense. We're monitoring him closely," Coulson replied.
Fury exhaled, his face hard. "Good. Let's hope he keeps his distance from both sides."
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