Chapter 87

"Wait, do you know what you're saying?" Ororo suddenly grabbed his collar, her angry face almost touching his nose. "You want me to hide behind you, to pray that you won't be killed by Magneto while you fight, and to smile at your family, making up lies that you might come back late?"

"You selfish, arrogant guy, have you ever thought about my feelings? Have you ever considered my position?"

At this, she slapped Zhou Yi hard across the face and turned to storm out of the room without looking back.

Zhou Yi touched the spot where he had been slapped, a bitter smile on his face. A woman who could do this much must truly love him. But from his perspective, wasn't what he was doing also a sign of his love for her?

Turning to look at the other woman who was crossing her arms, Zhou Yi's bitter smile deepened.

"I don't think you'll say the same thing to me, right?"

Jean Grey sighed and walked over. She first touched Zhou Yi's face, then spoke with a regretful tone.

"You should know why Ororo slapped you. If I could, I would do the same, but I don't have the right. Honestly, I envy her."

"I know!" Zhou Yi held Jean's hand. "Jean, I know your feelings, so please understand me. I really don't want you to get hurt. You are too important to me. I would rather be hurt myself than see you in danger!"

"We feel the same way. We don't want to see you get hurt either." Jean Grey held Zhou Yi's hand and placed it on her chest. "You are also very important to us, so you should understand the decisions we make."

"Alright, alright! I won't say anything more. But I really hope you can protect my mother and the others. I don't know what kind of damage my battle with Magneto will cause to this city. With you protecting them, I will feel much more at ease!"

"Yi!" Jean Grey gave him a reproachful look, interrupting his words.

Zhou Yi laughed helplessly. He knew his little thoughts were useless in front of this smart woman. Between intelligent people, there didn't need to be much communication; sometimes a look was enough to solve many problems.

They smiled at each other, as if they could feel each other's intentions.

Meanwhile, Ororo quietly closed the door. She had intended to come back and try to persuade him again, but now she didn't know what to say. Her mind felt as if it had been hit by a heavy blow, completely losing its ability to think.

She quietly took two steps back, covered her mouth, and resolutely turned to leave, not looking back this time.

Everyone was waiting, waiting for Magneto's response. Once the response came, it would mean the start of a battle. This was a battle that would determine the fate of mutants. If Zhou Yi won, it would mean the failure of Magneto's plan. His crazy plan would be thwarted, and he himself would have to sit in front of Zhou Yi and reconsider his plan.

If that really happened, Zhou Yi believed that even as the leader of mutants, Magneto would have to seriously consider the feasibility of his plan. In front of the victor, the loser had no say. Even as the King of Mutants, this was still true. In their world, power was always supreme.

But if Zhou Yi failed, Magneto would obtain Rogue, the most crucial piece in his plan to spread mutations. The mutation of human leaders into mutants was a foreseeable result. But the next problem was unknown. The collapse of the leadership due to genetic breakdown could trigger a real war.

A war between mutants and humans. Once such a conflict began, individual power would be reduced to a negligible level. No matter how confident Zhou Yi was in himself, he didn't believe he could control the course of the war. From any standpoint, he would be in a difficult position.

This was why Charles hoped Zhou Yi would join in to stop Magneto. It was necessary. Zhou Yi also believed this.

Time passed quickly, and Zhou Yi waited for Mystique's return. He believed that with Magneto's confidence, he would not refuse his challenge. That would be the only chance to turn the tide of the plan. He was not fighting alone; he never had been.

After waiting for a long time, just as night was about to fall, a very bright woman knocked on Zhou Yi's door.

Zhou Yi opened the door, looked at the woman for a moment, and then asked uncertainly, "Are you, Mystique?"

The bright woman smiled at him, turned around gracefully, and asked, "How about it? This image is pretty good, right? My cute little man!"

"If you pay attention to the news, you'll find that this celebrity has had many plastic surgeries. Her entire appearance is false and strange." After staring at her for a while, Zhou Yi gave his opinion. Although he didn't know why this master spy had such an attitude towards him, in some ways, he couldn't treat her as an enemy. It was all because of that night.

"Is that so? Humans are indeed a hypocritical race, not even daring to acknowledge their true appearance?" In front of Zhou Yi, Mystique transformed into another form. This time, she became a stern-looking old man.

This old man had deep-set eyes and sharp, gray-blue eyes. His expression was very serious, and his tightly pressed lips revealed his resolute character. The wrinkles around his eyes, though deep, were always hidden by the vitality in his eyes.

His posture was extremely upright, his gait and stance so standard that they were almost perfect. This indicated his strictness, not only towards others but also towards himself.

He wore a coat that looked like a tuxedo, with a windbreaker that completely enveloped him. His silver-white hair was neatly combed back, and a deep red helmet, like a king's crown, was on his head.

"This is Magneto, the leader of mutants? Indeed, he is impressive!" Zhou Yi sighed, causing the old man to nod slightly.

"Thank you for your praise, young man." His words were as deep and powerful as his appearance, filled with an unshakable belief.

However, for Zhou Yi, who knew the true identity of the person in front of him, speaking to a disguised person was a strange and uncomfortable experience. He twisted his neck and asked, "Do you think it's necessary to do this? Or is this Mr. Erik's way of intimidating me?"

"You're overthinking it, dear." The Magneto impersonated by Mystique shook his head and said solemnly, "I believe this is a sign of respect. The power you possess deserves this. This is not only my opinion but also Erik's."

"Then I am truly honored. But if you want to respond to me this way, can I assume that Mr. Erik has agreed to my challenge?"

"Before that, dear. Erik wants me to ask you a question. He hopes you will answer honestly. Of course, I feel the same way."

"Alright, ask away!" Zhou Yi nodded, also curious about what Magneto would ask in such a situation.

"Erik asked me to convey to you, why not join our mutant family and fight for the future of mutants?" The disguised Magneto's eyes were sincere and powerful, exuding a captivating charisma. "If you are willing, a mutant as powerful as you can replace me and become the new leader of the mutant world, the new generation of mutant leaders."

Zhou Yi was not skeptical of Magneto's promise. Through Charles, he had a clear impression of Erik. Although he was extremely pragmatic, he could be selfless when it came to the future of mutants. For the future of the race, he was willing to sacrifice everything. A mere leadership position was not in his eyes.

However, Zhou Yi still shook his head.

"Please thank Mr. Erik for his kindness, but I am not a mutant. Many people can vouch for this! So I don't have the right to replace his position."

"Then why? Why do you want to get involved with mutants? As an outsider, you should have the awareness of an outsider. This is an internal issue for mutants. You are a hero of humanity, not a mutant. You shouldn't get involved."

"Is this Mr. Erik's opinion?" Zhou Yi was puzzled. Magneto shouldn't be so indecisive; it didn't match his impression.

"This is my opinion. After all, our relationship has progressed to an intimate level, hasn't it? I don't want you to die at Erik's hands." Seeing the old man-like Mystique wink at him, Zhou Yi couldn't help but shudder, feeling thoroughly disgusted.

"Please, don't talk to me like that." Turning his head, Zhou Yi tried not to look at her. However, he was still pleased with Mystique's words. "Thank you for your concern, but I have a reason to get involved. I am a superhero of humanity, and Magneto's plan is too dangerous. I can ignore the safety of the high-level leaders, but I can't sit by and watch a war break out, with innocent people being dragged into it. So, please tell me. What is Mr. Magneto's response to my challenge?"

"At the moment before sunrise, the Eiffel Tower!" Mystique regained her composure, returning to the solemnity of Magneto. "Defeating the strongest enemy in the most meaningful place in Paris is undoubtedly the best choice, for both you and Erik."

"Very well, please convey this to Mr. Erik. I understand. Before sunrise, I will bring Rogue there!"

Mystique changed her appearance again. This time, she appeared as a black-haired, shoulder-length beauty with skin so fair it was almost blinding. Compared to her initial appearance, this one was much more natural and beautiful. However, Zhou Yi was skeptical of this appearance. No one knew what Mystique's true form was, and who she was imitating. Even Magneto didn't know.

"I will convey your words to Erik." The black-haired beauty gave Zhou Yi a deep look. "And I will make sure Erik spares your life. I promise!"

"Thank you!" Zhou Yi shrugged, though he didn't know why so many people thought he would fail, he still thanked her.

The black-haired beauty blew him a kiss and turned to leave the room. Zhou Yi stood up at this moment. Black armor enveloped his entire body, and he was ready for battle.

Once dawn broke, everything would be decided. Would Magneto continue to rule the mutants, or would a new era begin? Everything would be determined in this battle.