The edge of the Andromeda Galaxy. A black car was quietly parked in the dark cosmos, almost blending into the lightless environment. Bruce extended one hand from the passenger seat, resting it on the window edge, and said, "Have you figured out how to destroy the Cerebro?"
Arkham Batman was sitting in the driver's seat, studying the Star Map, and responded without looking up, "Don't ask too much, just do your job properly."
"Then what are you waiting for?" Bruce asked.
"Waiting for our teammates. You don't really think just a few people are enough to charge into the Mutants' base, do you?"
"Teammates? Who?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Green Lantern Teleportation Gate appeared in front of them. Two figures emerged from the portal; it was the agent and Constantine.
"Good evening, gentlemen," Arkham Batman said. "Our primary objective now is to destroy the Cerebro being used by this universe's Professor X. Martian Manhunter has already gone ahead to scout, but under normal circumstances, this thing must be in the center of their headquarters. This is likely a one-way battle."
"How do you plan to destroy it?" Shiller asked.
"I've made some Magic Bombs," Arkham Batman said. "Once they explode, they're enough to destroy any mechanical structure..."
Before he finished speaking, the voice of Martian Manhunter sounded in his mind: "Bad news, Batman. That thing isn't a simple machine; it's a planet."
"What?"
"Preliminary observations show that it's about the size of the Moon. Plus, they've installed a Magical Defense Network on this planet. Your bombs might destabilize the Magical Defense Network but might not completely destroy the planet."
Arkham Batman's face darkened. He squinted and put his fingers on his lips to think.
"I have a thought," Constantine said.
"Let's hear it," Arkham Batman looked at him.
"The mutants have strong abilities; it's both their advantage and disadvantage. If they weren't such unstable destructors, the command center wouldn't keep them in the Andromeda Galaxy. There's got to be a reason they aren't at the frontline base."
"You mean..."
"According to the intelligence I've gathered," Shiller also spoke up, "although most mutants in the Central Universe are fairly stable, there are still so many from other universes. They're like big ticking time bombs. If they go crazy, forget the Moon, even the Sun would be extinguished."
Arkham Batman's fingers lightly tapped on the steering wheel, clearly in thought. He said, "Stirring up their internal conflict is indeed a method. But with our limited understanding, finding their weak point is an issue."
"I have an idea too," Bruce said. "Although it seems that the most ill-tempered mutant is Magneto, this guy is actually very cunning and not an easy target. The most unstable ones are the young mutants."
Arkham Batman gave him a look, signaling him to continue. Bruce continued, "From what I know, Magneto's daughter Polaris, Quicksilver, and Iceman Bobby have been trapped in a cyclical love entanglement. At least two of them have rather explosive tempers, making them a good target."
"Even so, their destructive power is very limited," Arkham Batman said with a frown. "Perhaps they're strong, but I don't think these three can shatter the Magical Defense Network's Shield with one strike."
"What about the Phoenix?" Shiller spoke again, "The love triangle between Cyclops Scott, Wolverine Logan, and Phoenix Jean Grey is also quite sensational. The Phoenix's state has always been unstable, and she possesses enough destructive power."
"But with Professor X around, and given there are so many of him, how could Phoenix lose control so easily?"
"Though Professor X is a strong mind power user, he's not the only one among the mutants. Have you heard of the White Queen?"
Arkham Batman turned to look at Shiller. Shiller, leaning against the car door, continued, "She's also an extremely powerful mind power user, reaching Omega Level. More importantly, she's a member of the Hellfire Club, which is known for extreme elitism."
"I understand, the same ideology as the Bright Sect, right?" Arkham Batman smirked.
What Arkham Batman referred to as the Bright Sect is actually the Illuminati, but not the Marvel Illuminati — rather, a legendary group said to have existed in the Western world since the Middle Ages. Essentially, it's based on the idea of a shadow government, believing that an organization entirely composed of elites secretly controls the world.
This gathering might have truly existed at some point in history, but in reality, it didn't have that strong of an influence. After all, it's obvious that the world's elites aren't a common interest group, which goes against the Western zero-sum game philosophy. Even if it once existed, it was mostly just a networking and friendship-building organization, never capable of controlling the world's direction.
However, the Hellfire Club actually exists in the Marvel world and has significant influence. Because its members are incredibly powerful mutants, they have the ability to influence the direction of the mutant world. Moreover, membership isn't limited to mutants alone; even human elites like Tony Stark have been invited.
Whether it's the Hellfire Club or the Illuminati, they all uphold elitism. To summarize, they believe most people in the world are too foolish, lacking the capacity to take responsibility for the world, so it's up to these elites to decide the world's direction. With such a theory, these organizations have done some outrageous things that make people speechless, the most famous being the expulsion of The Hulk.
Because of their peculiar brain circuits, they don't quite get along with the Mutant Brotherhood or the X-Men, and they even think they can be the referee when these two organizations fight. Although many of them jump ship among themselves, overall they still look at each other unfavorably.
Hoping such people have a multiverse macro perspective is wishful thinking. Most who believe in elitism are obsessed with controlling the populace and excluding dissenters. But precisely for this reason, they can be exploited. Having served as President for a long time, Arkham Batman is well aware of the harm caused by these individuals—they excel at harming others without benefiting themselves.
Despite the formidable reputation of the Mutant Brotherhood, Magneto's theories and actions are essentially aimed at achieving higher status in the world, granting mutants greater power. It's a self-serving approach.
However, organizations like the Hellfire Club or the Illuminati harm others merely for the sake of harm. They believe that as long as others suffer losses, their side is already successful, whether or not any tangible benefits are gained. This can also be considered a form of Cold War mentality in a different sense.
Therefore, inciting these people is relatively straightforward. Their extreme thoughts and lack of foresight combine to form a powerful means of annihilation.
Arkham Batman immediately made up his mind, and he looked at Shiller, asking: "A frontal assault is unwise; we need to find a way to infiltrate them. Who do you think would be a good breakthrough point within the Hellfire Club?"
"Their personnel changes frequently, and it's hard to say who has come for this war. But I suspect the White Queen has arrived. As a powerful mind power user, she would be a great asset."
"What kind of person is she? Is there a way to get her to help us?"
"It's not necessary for her to willingly help us; as long as she loses control, it'll suffice." Shiller's voice revealed an inexplicable coldness as he said, "Emma Frost herself isn't very stable. She has a mysterious connection with Phoenix, which will be our breakthrough point."
At this point, in the capital of the Andromeda Galaxy, Sky Island. A tall blonde woman briskly walked through the bright corridor. She pushed open the office door and walked in, looking towards the doctor sitting behind the desk.
The other party wore a white coat, holding a pen in one hand and a medical record in the other, with a thick stack of psychological assessment reports piled on the desk. She knew hers was among them.
"Hello, Ms. Frost. May I call you that?" The doctor looked up at her and said, "I am Schiller Rodriguez, the invited psychological consultant of S.H.I.E.L.D. from this universe, responsible for helping superheroes adjust their mindset and solve psychological problems during this war."
The woman referred to as Frost kept a stern face, nodded towards Shiller, and said, "Hello, Dr. Rodriguez. Has my medication approval come through?"
"Just call me Shiller, ma'am. I read your application report. You want to apply for 1000 milligrams of propranolol, but the section concerning the causes of arrhythmia is left blank. That makes it difficult to approve. I suppose it's precisely because you refuse to fill in the reason that your application was sent to the psychiatrist's office."
"Yes, but I think it's my personal privacy." The blonde woman folded her arms and said, "I just need a bit of medication to relieve tachycardia, which helps me focus on my work. Is there a problem?"
"Sorry, but without examination and treatment, no doctor can prescribe medication for you. Moreover, the dosage you're applying for isn't small. Without a definite diagnosis certificate, you have absolutely no chance of obtaining such a large amount of medication."
"I have a diagnosis certificate; it's just on Earth, and who knows where Earth has gone." She continued to hold her arms, raising her chin, and looking out the window.
"Alright, Emma, may I call you that? You should know we utilized Quicksilver to establish a very stable transportation channel between the Andromeda Galaxy and Earth. And if you regard this as your privacy and don't want to seek other mutants, I can help you fetch the diagnosis report. I swear by my medical ethics that I will never disclose it."
Emma tightly pressed her lips, glaring at Shiller with some hostility. Suddenly, a flash appeared in her eyes, and then her eyes suddenly widened. Shiller smiled at her and said, "Sorry, ma'am. Do you guess why I'm able to work as a psychiatrist at S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"How are you immune to mind interference? Did Professor Xavier provide you with a mind shield?"
"Let's just say that's the case, ma'am. I'm more than willing to interpret your recent behavior as non-aggressive, just an overly bold joke, but I don't wish to see it happen a second time, alright?"
The other party turned her eyes to one side. Shiller continued, "If you indeed need a prescription, then bring the diagnosis report, or get a physical examination done. Otherwise, there's no way to get a prescription from me. Is there anything else?"
"I just..." Emma paused briefly before continuing, "I couldn't find anything."
"What?"
"I went for an examination, and they said I'm in good health. But I have arrhythmia, yet nothing showed up during the check."
"No wonder your application report was directed to me. Have you considered if your arrhythmia is psychological?"
Emma sneered and said, "I'm a mind power user. Are you telling me I have psychological issues causing arrhythmia?"
"It's not impossible. The Professor is also a mind power user, which doesn't stop him from being bald."
"Are you saying he has stress-induced hair loss?"
"Otherwise, why would he gradually become bald after his falling-out with Magneto?"