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Chapter 7.
In a retro-style room, an old-fashioned radio sat in the corner, broadcasting a baseball game.
A man lay on the bed, his muscular physique evident even as he slept. He appeared strong, his body well-defined beneath the sheets.
At that moment, his fingers twitched slightly—he was waking up.
"The 'nurse' should be ready. As soon as he wakes up, go in and calm him down," Nick Fury ordered through his headset.
Slowly, the man on the bed opened his eyes, blinking as he adjusted to his surroundings. Confusion clouded his expression as he looked around the unfamiliar room.
Steve Rogers' last memory was of piloting a plane, crashing it into the ocean. Yet now, he found himself here. His gaze shifted to the radio in the corner, where a familiar baseball game was playing.
Just then, the door creaked open, and a "nurse" entered.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I feel fine but where am I?" Steve questioned, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
"You're in a hospital in New York," the nurse replied smoothly.
Steve's eyes narrowed as he listened to the radio. Something about the game struck him as odd. Then, realization dawned—he had attended this very game in person back in May 1941.
His expression darkened.
"Where am I? Who are you?" His voice was sharp now, demanding answers.
The "nurse" hesitated.
"I…I don't understand what you're saying..." she stammered.
Steve's gaze turned steely.
"This game was played in May 1941," he stated firmly. "I know because I was there."
The agent disguised as a nurse panicked and quickly pressed an alarm button.
Before the reinforcements could react, Steve sprang into action. In an instant, he overpowered two armed agents who burst through the door, sending them crashing against the wall.
Without hesitation, he rushed out of the room, dodging more agents attempting to stop him. His instincts guided him as he broke free and sprinted toward the streets.
Emerging onto the bustling city streets, Steve stopped in his tracks, his breath hitching.
The world before him was both familiar and entirely foreign. Cars of strange designs zoomed past, towering skyscrapers loomed overhead, and pedestrians dressed in bizarre clothing walked along the sidewalks. Enormous electronic billboards flashed advertisements he couldn't comprehend.
His heart pounded.
'Where the hell am I?'
Then, a deep voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Easy, soldier! No need to panic!"
Steve turned to see a tall, dark-skinned man with a black eyepatch approaching him.
"Where am I?" Steve demanded, his voice urgent.
Nick Fury exhaled, knowing there was no way to ease him into the truth anymore.
"I was hoping to break this to you gradually, but it looks like that's no longer an option," Fury admitted. "Captain, you've been asleep for a long time. When you crashed that plane, you didn't die. You were frozen in the ice... and now, you've woken up. The thing is—almost seventy years have passed."
Silence fell between them.
Steve's mind reeled, his entire world shifting beneath him. His breath came in uneven gasps as the weight of the revelation settled in.
Seventy years?
Nick Fury watched him carefully. "Are you okay, Captain?"
Steve didn't respond immediately. His blue eyes filled with quiet sorrow before he finally whispered, "I missed my date."
His voice was barely above a breath, filled with loss—he had broken his promise to Peggy Carter.
Meanwhile, in another part of the city…
Li Yue had just finished speaking to Louise when, without warning, he activated his power. Before Louise could even process his words, the world around her blurred.
She gasped.
One second, she had been standing at her doorstep—now, she was somewhere entirely different.
"Where… where are we?" she stammered, her eyes wide with shock.
"We are now..." Louise had just begun to ask Li Yue where they were when she felt something light land on her hair.
Instinctively, she reached up, plucked the delicate object from her head, and looked at her palm. A single pink petal lay there, soft and vibrant.
Curious, she tilted her head upward—and what she saw took her breath away.
Countless pink petals drifted from above, swirling gracefully in the air before descending gently to the ground. The sight was mesmerizing, like something out of a dream. Beauty—pure and enchanting—was the only word that came to mind.
"Do you like it?" Li Yue's voice was soft beside her.
Louise nodded–, her eyes still captivated by the scene. "Hmm!"
Though she was long past the age of childhood fantasies, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of joy. It was the first time she had ever witnessed something so magical.
That day, Li Yue used his superpowers to take Louise on a whirlwind adventure across the world.
They soared over the snowy peaks of the Himalayas–, where they watched the endless white landscapes stretch beneath them. They had lunch atop the Great Pyramid of Egypt, basking in the golden glow of the desert sun. They strolled through the romantic streets of Paris, the scent of fresh pastries and blooming flowers filling the air. And in China, they indulged in an array of mouthwatering delicacies, savoring every bite.
As the hours passed, Li Yue felt increasingly fortunate. The superpowers he had gained—without warning, without explanation—were proving to be an undeniable blessing.
By evening, the two SHIELD agents tasked with monitoring him finally spotted Li Yue and Louise reappearing outside her home.
The agents exchanged tired glances, unable to hide their frustration.
"Unbelievable," one of them muttered. "This guy's been traveling the world with a beautiful woman all day, while we've been stuck here doing nothing."
"Yeah," the other sighed. "Why is life so unfair?"
"It's getting late," Li Yue said, turning to Louise. "You should head inside and rest. I'll pick you up again tomorrow morning."
Louise smiled warmly. "Okay, Li Yue. Today was amazing. I had so much fun." She hesitated for a moment, then softly added, "Good night."
Li Yue hesitated too, gathering his courage. "Louise, I..."
But before he could finish, his phone rang, shattering the moment.
The timing couldn't have been worse.
"–Of all times," Li Yue muttered under his breath, feeling his frustration rise. Whoever was calling had impeccable timing—for all the wrong reasons.
Reluctantly, he pulled out his phone. It was a special device issued by Nick Fury, designed for one purpose only: receiving calls. No apps, no camera, no distractions—just a direct line to SHIELD.
Sure enough, Nick Fury's voice came through the receiver.
"Li Yue, I have an update for you."
Li Yue scowled. "Director Fury, this better be urgent. If not, I swear, I'll never let this go." His irritation was palpable. If Fury had been standing next to him, Li Yue would've seriously considered punching him—right in his only good eye.
Unfazed, Fury continued, "The Captain is awake. Your information was accurate. As promised, I'll be sending someone to pick you up tomorrow. You'll get what I promised you."
With that, he hung up.
Li Yue's frustration immediately turned into excitement. Finally, he was about to get access to the Tesseract—the Cosmic Cube.
But then, realization struck.
I just promised Louise I'd take her out tomorrow.
His excitement wavered as he glanced at Louise, feeling conflicted.
Before he could say anything, Louise smiled knowingly. "It's okay, Li Yue," she said gently. "If you have something important tomorrow, take care of it. Don't worry about me."
Her understanding only made Li Yue feel guiltier, but he nodded. "I'll make it up to you," he promised.
Louise chuckled. "I'll hold you to that."
With one last smile, she turned and walked inside, leaving Li Yue standing there, deep in thought.
"Thank you, Louise." Li Yue couldn't help but express his gratitude upon seeing how understanding she was.
Louise smiled. "Li Yue, ever since you saved me that night, I knew you weren't an ordinary person. I had already prepared myself for this, so you don't have to worry too much about me."
She paused for a moment, then added with a playful glint in her eyes, "Besides, I had an amazing time with you today. Consider this your reward...."
Before Li Yue could react, Louise leaned in and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Then, without waiting for a response, she turned and ran into her house.
Li Yue stood frozen for a moment, then touched the spot where she had kissed him. A soft sigh escaped his lips.
"So this is what it feels like to be... Not bad at all."
The next day, Nick Fury arrived on time. He wasn't alone—Agent Maria Hill, whom Li Yue was meeting for the first time, and Agent Phil Coulson, whom he was already familiar with, accompanied him.
"Mr. Li Yue, the information you provided was accurate. We have successfully rescued Captain Steve Rogers, and he regained consciousness yesterday. He's currently adjusting to his new life," Nick Fury informed him.
"Thank you, Mr. Li Yue!" Coulson added, his voice filled with gratitude.
Among everyone in SHIELD, Coulson was undoubtedly the happiest about Captain America's return. As a lifelong fan, he had long admired the legendary hero. If the timing had been better, he would've asked for an autograph without hesitation.
Li Yue waved off the gratitude. "There's no need to thank me. Without my tip, you would have found him in two years anyway. I just helped speed things up."
Then, with barely contained excitement, he said, "Alright, now take me to see the Tesseract."
Nick Fury nodded. "Let's go."
Without wasting time, they set off toward the secret SHIELD research base where the Tesseract was being studied.
Upon arrival, Li Yue couldn't help but be impressed.
The base was well hidden—without a guide, finding its exact location would have been nearly impossible.
They took an elevator down, descending deep below the surface. Li Yue had no idea how far underground they had traveled, but by the time the doors finally opened, he could tell they were in a highly secure facility.
"This place is massive," Li Yue thought as he scanned his surroundings. The base stretched endlessly in all directions, its full scale beyond his sight.
It was clear—this wasn't the same vulnerable facility that Loki would later infiltrate in The Avengers.
Despite being personally escorted by Nick Fury, strict security measures were still in place.
Fury had to pass multiple layers of authentication—fingerprint scans, retinal scans, and even a complex password entry with dozens of digits.
Watching this, Li Yue couldn't help but be impressed. "No wonder he's the king of spies... His memory is insane. I could barely remember a six-digit password back when I was an ordinary guy."
Finally, they arrived at the research lab where the Tesseract was being studied.
Inside, a white-coated scientist with gray hair was busy at work.
"Dr. Rila, any progress on the Tesseract research?" Nick Fury asked.
The doctor turned, adjusting his glasses. "Not much," he admitted. "The Tesseract is an energy source of immense power, but we've yet to develop a way to harness its energy effectively."
Nick Fury wasted no time. "Doctor, clear the lab. We'll be taking over from here."
Though he was clearly reluctant, Dr. Rila nodded and motioned for his team to leave. Within moments, the lab was empty, leaving only Li Yue, Nick –Fury, Agent Hill, Coulson, and one more hidden presence—Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, watching silently from the shadows.
"Mr. Li Yue, the Tesseract is right in front of you. What are you planning to do?" Nick Fury asked, turning back to face him after ensuring all researchers had left the room.
But something was wrong.
"Li Yue? What's happening to you?"
Before Fury could process the situation, Li Yue started walking toward the Tesseract, seemingly unaware of everything around him. His expression was vacant, as if he were in a trance.
"F***! Stop him! Don't let him touch the Tesseract!" Fury shouted in alarm.
Agent Hill and Coulson immediately sprang into action, chasing after Li Yue. From the shadows, Hawkeye loosed an arrow—one designed to paralyze rather than harm.
But before any of them could reach him, Li Yue simply vanished.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared—this time just a foot away from the Tesseract. His right hand was already stretching toward it.
"Li Yue, don't touch it! You'll die!" Fury's voice was filled with urgency. He knew that ordinary humans couldn't withstand the sheer energy of the Tesseract.
Yet, if anyone could hear Li Yue's thoughts at that moment, they would have heard him say:
"I don't want to move closer. I don't even want to touch the Tesseract. But I can't control my body!"
The moment he had entered the room, he had lost control. It was as if the Tesseract had a magnetic pull, dragging him forward against his will. It felt like being mesmerized—like a beautiful woman, unclothed, beckoning him closer. His mind screamed for him to stop, but his body didn't listen.
Nick Fury, Hill, Coulson, and Hawkeye could only watch in horror as Li Yue's index finger made contact with the Tesseract.
The instant his skin touched the glowing cube, a violent energy surge exploded outward.
Every research instrument left in the room shattered into fragments. A roaring energy storm erupted around the Tesseract, sending crackling blue lightning in every direction.
Fury and the others had no choice but to retreat to a safe distance.
At the center of the chaos, Li Yue's body was bathed in radiant energy. The Tesseract began to spin rapidly, and a steady stream of blue energy surged into Li Yue's body, flowing up his arm like a river of power. His veins and meridians glowed an eerie, crystalline blue, pulsating with pure cosmic force.
The process lasted for several minutes.
Finally, the Tesseract stopped spinning. With a soft clink, it fell to the ground. The storm began to subside, leaving behind a scene of utter destruction.
As the dust settled, Fury and the others cautiously approached.
There, lying still on the floor, was the Tesseract.
Li Yue, however, was gone.
Fury's expression darkened. "Does anyone know what the hell just happened? Where the hell is Li Yue?"
Hawkeye dropped down from his elevated vantage point, his face grim.
"Director… I saw it. The Tesseract was pouring energy into him, and then some kind of wormhole opened up behind him." Hawkeye paused, exhaling sharply. "Then, he just… vanished. And now, the Tesseract is completely stable."
Silence hung heavy in the air.
Nick Fury's gaze lingered on the Tesseract.
"Damn it. What did we just unleash?"
"The incident we just witnessed is classified as top secret. No one present here is allowed to disclose anything about it," Nick Fury stated firmly after a moment of contemplation.
"In addition, assign a team to search for Li Yue's whereabouts across the globe. We need to find him. And do not inform Stark about this," Fury added with a grim expression.
As Fury issued his orders, none of them noticed a peculiar event just a few meters away—space itself fractured like a shattered mirror. But before anyone could react, the cracks seamlessly healed, leaving no trace behind.
A Strange New World
Li Yue's unconscious body appeared at the entrance of a bar. If he had been aware of his current predicament, his first thought would have been:
'Did I travel through time and space again? And why does this keep happening to me?!'
Fortunately, this time he didn't wake up naked in the middle of the street like before. His clothes remained mostly intact—except for the missing sleeve on his right arm, the same arm that had touched the Tesseract. The missing fabric left him with an unintentional half-sleeve look.
His head felt foggy, a lingering side effect of the overwhelming energy surge he had just endured. Shaking off the dizziness, he looked up and saw the dimly lit pub in front of him. Without much thought, he stepped inside.
The atmosphere of the bar was old and rustic, likely a place for regular patrons. As soon as he entered, many of the drinkers turned to look at him. However, upon seeing a thin-faced Asian man, they quickly lost interest and returned to their conversations and drinks.
Ignoring the curious glances, Li Yue walked straight to the counter, ordered a few mild drinks, and paid for them. Surprisingly, the money he had brought from the Marvel Universe was still valid here. He also considered ordering food, but the pub didn't serve any.
Finding a secluded corner, he sat down and began piecing together his thoughts.
By now, Li Yue had confirmed one thing: he was no longer in the Marvel Universe.
He had tested his teleportation ability, attempting to transport himself to Tony Stark's villa. But nothing happened. After several failed attempts, it became clear—this was not the world he had known.
Now, the most pressing question was: 'Where exactly had he ended up?'
Lost in thought, Li Yue realized something strange—when he first arrived, the person he thought the most was Tony, not Louise.
"Am I someone who values friendship more than relationship?" he wondered. (Author's Note: Yes!)
"Wait… Who the hell just spoke? Never mind. Focus on figuring out where I am and how to return to Marvel."
As Li Yue sat in deep thought, he failed to notice a burly man who had entered the pub after him.
The man had a rugged, fierce appearance—his beard was thick, and his hair jutted out at sharp angles like spikes. His muscular frame strained against his clothes, making it clear he was no ordinary person.
Taking a seat at the bar, the man slammed down a wad of cash and ordered the strongest drink available. He then downed it in one go, unfazed by the burning sensation.
A few moments later, two well-dressed men entered the pub. They looked completely out of place in the rough environment. One of them had a slightly receding hairline.
Ignoring the stares of the patrons, they walked straight toward the burly man at the bar.
"Hello, my name is Charles," the man on the right introduced himself politely.
"And I'm Erik," the man on the left followed.
"We'd like to talk to you—" Charles began, but before he could finish, the burly man cut him off.
"Get lost!" he growled, his voice filled with irritation.
Charles and Erik exchanged a glance before reluctantly leaving the pub.
However, just as they reached the door, Charles suddenly stopped. He closed his eyes and focused for a moment, sensing something.
"What's wrong?" Erik asked.
"I feel something… There's another mutant here," Charles said in a low voice.
He turned around.
"Let's go back."
At that moment, Li Yue was still lost in thought, unaware of what was happening around him.
His mind had finally cleared, so he decided to check for any changes in his mental abilities. After all, touching the Tesseract had nearly cost him his life—if he didn't gain anything from it, that would be a huge loss.
Focusing his thoughts, Li Yue tried to sense any differences.
Then, suddenly—
A deafening roar echoed through his consciousness.
Li Yue's mind was overwhelmed, nearly forcing him into unconsciousness.
When he regained awareness, he found himself in a completely different place.
A vast starry sky stretched endlessly around him.
Then, to his horror, he realized something was terribly wrong.
"Where is my body?!"
He was floating in the middle of the cosmic void, yet he had no physical form—just consciousness, a mere thought drifting in the endless expanse.
Before he could process this strange phenomenon, an immense pulling force gripped him.
Though he had no body, he could still feel it dragging him forward, completely irresistible.
He had no choice but to be sucked into the unknown.
The stars grew closer and closer.
In mere moments, Li Yue had arrived at the very heart of the cosmos.
And then—
Everything went black.
In the middle of the starry sky, a sphere-shaped object was discovered, with countless streams of blue light continuously flowing across its surface. At first glance, it seemed chaotic, yet there was an inexplicable order to it—one that drew people in involuntarily.
Countless light spots radiated outward from the sphere, but two of them stood out—particularly clear and bright. Li Yue's attention was instinctively drawn to these two spots. Suddenly, one of them began to shine even brighter, growing more intense by the second...
Before he realized it, Li Yue found that his consciousness had drifted away from his body at some point. A cold sweat formed on his forehead.
Wiping his brow, he couldn't help but wonder—was what he had just experienced real? If it was, then why had he ended up in this situation?
At that moment, Li Yue became aware of two people sitting across from him. Looking up, he saw two strikingly handsome faces. Strangely enough, these faces felt very familiar. Could they be…?
"Hello, I'm Charles," one of them said.
"I'm Eric. We have something to discuss with you," the other added.
Sure enough, their next words confirmed Li Yue's suspicions.
"Hello, I'm Li Yue. What brings you here to see me?" Li Yue asked, suppressing his thoughts and pretending to be puzzled.
"Li Yue, right? You are not alone—we are the same kind of people!" Eric stated. As he spoke, he spread his right hand, revealing a coin resting in his palm. Slowly, it began to rise, as if an invisible force was lifting it.
"So, do you want to join us?" Charles asked, noticing the (pretend) surprise on Li Yue's face.
In the end, Li Yue agreed to Charles and Eric's invitation. It was then that he learned the truth—he was now in the world of X-Men: First Class.
.....