Ch: 7-14
Chapter 7: The battle between gods (one-sided bullying) mode is started!
The Blackbird jet soared through the high-altitude clouds, and the atmosphere inside the cabin was so tense it could be wrung out.
Several young X-Men were fully armed, their expressions grim. Scott was repeatedly confirming the battle plan, Jean was meditating with her eyes closed, and Hank was checking the equipment. Everyone was like a taut string.
Except for Xiang Tianming.
He was huddled in a corner seat, his face pale, his hands gripping the seatbelt tightly, muttering to himself.
"...My name is Xiang Tianming, I live at... uh, now I live at Xavier's School. My personal savings are in a Swiss bank, the password is the serial number of the first video in the 'Tokyo Hot' series in my D-drive study materials folder. If I unfortunately sacrifice myself, please be sure to give this card to a woman named 'Teacher Bodo' and tell her I love her..."
This guy was seriously giving his last words.
Bobby, next to him, listened in a daze and couldn't help but ask, "Xiang, are you... are you okay?"
"I'm fine, small matter, small matter." Xiang Tianming waved his hand, forcing himself to be calm. "I'm just rehearsing my acceptance speech... oh no, my sacrifice speech, just going through the motions."
In his heart, he had already cursed Charles, that bald man, a million times.
What kind of situation was this! On his first day of work, before his contract had even warmed up, he had to go fight a World-class villain like Magneto. This black-hearted boss was even more ruthless than the one in his previous life who made him work 996! That one at least wanted money, this one wanted his life!
"We are about to reach the target airspace!" Scott's voice came from the cockpit. "Get ready, we're going to Breakthrough his magnetic field barrier!"
Xiang Tianming looked through the porthole and saw the military Base below, like a steel fortress, and the invisible but terrifyingly oppressive force field covering the Base.
His heart instantly jumped into his throat.
"Everyone pay attention! I'll use Impact to open a gap in the barrier first, Jean, you follow up immediately and use Telekinesis to maintain the passage!" Scott ordered loudly.
"Received!"
The Blackbird jet dived, Scott opened the hatch, and facing the magnetic field barrier below, he sharply took off his sunglasses!
"Boom—!!!"
A thick red Impact, like the spear of a God, fiercely struck the magnetic field barrier!
However, that energy, enough to level a mountain, upon contact with the barrier, was like a mud ox entering the sea, only stirring up a negligible ripple before being completely swallowed, deflected, and dissipated.
"No! My energy is completely deflected!" Scott's voice carried a hint of shock.
"My Telekinesis can't penetrate it either!" Jean's face also turned pale. "This power... it's too strong, it's repelling everything!"
Ice, Fire, wind, claws... the young X-Men tried everything, but the result was like a few flies trying to shake a glass cover, except for exhausting themselves, they caused no substantial Impact on that powerful magnetic field barrier.
"Charles, we can't get in!" Scott shouted desperately into the communicator.
"Don't rush, Scott." Charles's voice was still calm. "Let Xiang try."
Inside the cabin, everyone's gaze instantly focused on Xiang Tianming.
Xiang Tianming swallowed, feeling like he was being forced into a difficult situation.
"Professor, are you sure?" He was on the verge of tears. "My ability... its main function is to move bricks and patch walls!"
"Don't be nervous, Xiang." Charles's voice gently sounded in his mind. "Forget the magnetic field, forget the energy. Just treat it as... an unlocked door to your rented room. What you need to do now is reach out and push it open."
Push it open?
Xiang Tianming listened, completely bewildered. Why did he sound like he was coaxing a child?
But at this point, he could only try anything.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly extended his vast, ocean-like Telekinesis.
He didn't try to forcefully Impact the barrier, but instead, imitating Charles, used a "gentle" approach to lightly "touch" it.
Then, he silently uttered a word.
"Scram."
The next second, the formidable magnetic field barrier that had stumped the entire X-Men team, as solid as a fortress, silently... disappeared, like a soap bubble gently pricked by a needle, with a "pop."
Yes, it just disappeared.
There was no earth-shattering explosion, no colorful special effects.
It was as if it had never existed.
The entire cabin was deathly silent.
Scott, Jean, Bobby... everyone stared at Xiang Tianming with wide eyes, their gazes as if they were looking at a prehistoric beast in human skin.
"Is it... done?" Xiang Tianming himself could hardly believe it, he asked tentatively.
"...Land." Scott took several seconds to squeeze out two words... Meanwhile, at the center of the Base, next to the missile silo.
A man wearing a dark red helmet and a purple cloak was suspended in mid-air. He spread his hands, feeling the perfect magnetic field he had laid, capable of resisting thousands of troops.
He was Erik Lehnsherr, the future Magneto.
However, just as he was enjoying the thrill of controlling everything, his proud magnetic field barrier suddenly... vanished.
That feeling was like holding a hundred million in cash in your hand, and the next second, that money suddenly turned into ghost money.
Erik suddenly froze, his face showing an expression of shock and disbelief.
"What's going on?!"
Before he could figure it out, the Blackbird jet had already landed on a nearby tarmac.
Looking at the young people in uniform disembarking from the plane, a hint of disdain flashed in Erik's eyes.
"Charles, are these the... children you sent to stop me?" His voice was full of mockery. "It seems you're still as naive as ever."
"Surrender, Erik!" Scott took a fighting stance.
"Just you?" Erik sneered and gently raised his hand.
All the surrounding metal instantly stirred! The wreckage of destroyed planes, the rebar on the ground, even the metal buttons on the X-Men's uniforms, all groaned under the strain, ready to become the most deadly weapons.
However, Xiang Tianming merely glanced at him indifferently.
"Noisy."
As soon as he spoke, the air around Erik seemed to solidify instantly!
His proud, powerful Mutant ability to control all magnetic fields in the World, at this moment, completely failed! He felt as if he had been submerged in solidified cement; let alone controlling metal, even moving a finger became a luxury!
The metals that had just been restless instantly quieted down again, as docile as a flock of sheep.
"You... what did you do?!" For the first time, an expression of fear appeared on Erik's face. He could feel an incomprehensible, irresistible, God-like power locking him down. In front of this power, his proud magnetism was like a joke.
Xiang Tianming ignored him and walked straight up to him.
He looked up at the several intercontinental missiles that had entered their launch sequence nearby, then looked back at Magneto, who was suspended in mid-air by his Telekinesis, his face filled with terror.
He sighed, showing the unique helpless expression of an office worker facing a foolish client.
"I say, buddy." He spoke, his voice filled with weariness. "We're all just trying to make a living, can you stop always trying to cause a big sensation? You're making it very difficult for us workers."
"Who exactly are you?!" Erik asked with difficulty.
"Me?" Xiang Tianming pointed to his nose, thought for a moment, and said in an extremely calm tone, "Xavier's School, Special Security Consultant. Don't misunderstand, I'm not like their group of idealists who save the World; I'm just an employee."
With that, he snapped his fingers.
"Thud."
Magneto, hailed as one of the most dangerous men in Mutant history, fell from mid-air like a plucked chicken, without any dignity, landing face-first.
And those several intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of destroying the World, were gently lifted by an invisible force, slowly, one by one, put back into their launch silos.
The entire process was effortless and seemed like a miracle.
The entire X-Men team was petrified.
Xiang Tianming clapped the dust from his hands and checked his watch.
"Alright, time to go home. This counts as overtime, right? Professor, remember to pay me triple for overtime later."
Chapter 8: Boss, are you still missing any accessories?
The atmosphere on the return flight to Xavier's Mansion was extremely strange.
On the way there, the cabin was filled with the tragic solemnity of "the wind whistles and the Yi River is cold," and everyone faced death as if going home.
On the way back, the cabin was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
The young men and women of the X-Men were all secretly glancing at the man in the corner, who was yawning, with eyes that looked like they were seeing an alien.
Their gazes were a mix of shock, awe, curiosity, and a hint of… deep fear.
If before, Xiang Tianming was a powerful but eccentric "transfer student" in their eyes, now, this guy was practically a "walking natural disaster" and "human-shaped Divine Rank" in their eyes.
A single sentence made Magneto's proud magnetic field barrier vanish into thin air.
A single glance instantly immobilized the Mutant big shot who could overturn submarines.
A single snap of his fingers sent several nuclear bombs obediently rolling back home.
This had completely exceeded their understanding of "Mutant abilities." This was not a battle on the same Realm at all. They worked hard on tactics and coordination, but when the big shot appeared, he simply flipped the table and told them: "Sorry, I make the rules of this game."
Scott's expression was the most complex. He sat in the pilot's seat, silent, but his knuckles gripping the joystick were white. Pride, frustration, unwillingness, and an undeniable huge gap churned repeatedly in his heart. His proud leadership, his diligently trained combat skills, seemed fragile and laughable in the face of Xiang Tianming's unreasonable power.
And Xiang Tianming, the instigator, was completely oblivious to this.
He was leaning back in his seat, looking exhausted, his mind filled with thoughts of whether to take a hot shower or eat two bowls of rice first after returning.
"Um… Brother Xiang?"
A timid voice broke the silence. It was Bobby, the boldest of the bunch. He leaned over, his eyes sparkling with the kind of light a fan gets when seeing their idol.
"What?" Xiang Tianming opened his eyes weakly.
"Just now… how did you do that move? It was so cool! It was… it was like a god!" Bobby's face was red with excitement.
"What god or not, just messing around." Xiang Tianming waved his hand, an expression of calm indifference, like "basic operation, don't make a fuss." "Young man, you must believe in science."
His words almost choked Hank, the scholar next to him.
Science? Which one of the things you just did was related to science? Newton's coffin lid is about to be blown off by you!
"Mr. Xiang." This time it was Jean who spoke. Her voice was soft, but her eyes were bright. "I can feel… when you were using your power, your emotions… were very calm, even… a little impatient. As if, to you, it was just a trivial matter."
"It is a trivial matter, isn't it?" Xiang Tianming said as a matter of course, "I was almost off work, and suddenly got dragged into some anti-terrorism drill. You'd be annoyed too if it were you. Time is money, my friend. Overtime, gotta pay more."
Jean: "…"
All X-Men: "…"
They felt their Worldview was being repeatedly rubbed into the ground by this man.
Preventing a nuclear war, saving millions of lives… in this guy's mouth, it became… "overtime that delayed getting off work"?
What a mind-blowing Realm this was!
…When the Blackbird jet landed in the Mansion's hangar, Professor Charles was already waiting there.
He looked at Eric, who was being escorted out, looking dispirited, with empty eyes, as if completely broken, and sighed with a complex expression.
Then, his gaze turned to Xiang Tianming, who was the last to get off the plane.
That gaze was deep, bright, and filled with an unprecedented solemnity.
"Children, you did very well. Go and rest first." Charles first affirmed the X-Men.
The young Mutants, as if pardoned, dispersed. But as each of them passed by Xiang Tianming, they instinctively bowed, their posture extremely low. Especially Scott, who walked away quickly with his head down, as if not daring to make eye contact with Xiang Tianming.
"Xiang, please come to my study."
Inside the study, there was still that familiar scholarly scent.
"Sit." Charles motioned.
Xiang Tianming unceremoniously threw himself into the soft sofa and let out a long breath: "Professor, the job is done. Are you satisfied? If you are, shouldn't we talk about performance and bonuses?"
Facing this man who talked about money all the time, Charles's face showed a helpless yet amused expression.
"Xiang, do you know what you did today?" He said with emotion, "You prevented a potential Third World War; you saved countless lives."
"Mmm, got it." Xiang Tianming nodded and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "This is my bill. Travel allowance, hazardous duty pay, emotional distress compensation, and most importantly, triple overtime pay. Please review it. If there are no issues, please sign it so I can take it to finance for reimbursement."
Charles looked at the crookedly written but clearly itemized "reimbursement form" and was completely out of patience.
He felt like he wasn't talking to a Mutant with Divine Rank power, but rather negotiating with a meticulous senior accountant.
"All these… are fine." Charles rubbed his Sun. "But Xiang, I hope you understand. Your power is far more important than you imagine. You can use it to… create a new future for our fellow Mutants."
He started "lecturing" again.
But Xiang Tianming raised his hand and interrupted him directly.
"Stop, Professor." He looked at Charles with a serious expression. "We agreed before I joined. I am a special security Consultant, and I do things for money. My job responsibility is to ensure the safety of this school and the people in it. As for the rest, creating the future, saving the World, it's too big, too far, I'm not interested, and I don't have that ability."
He paused, then said in a very sincere tone: "Professor, my dream is not big; I just want to be a salted fish. A rich, leisurely, undisturbed salted fish. You hired me for my combat power, not my life. I hope you can understand."
Charles fell silent.
He looked into Xiang Tianming's clear eyes, which held no ambition, no desire, only a calmness that came from seeing through the ways of the World and… a hint of laziness.
After a long while, he slowly nodded, a complex smile appearing on his face.
"I understand. That's good… Perhaps, a god without ambition is the safest for this World."
"I will have someone process the bill."
"That's great!" Xiang Tianming instantly beamed, springing up from the sofa. "Then I won't disturb your catching up with old friends; I'll go check what's for dinner in the cafeteria."
With that, he slipped away without looking back.
Stepping out of the study, Xiang Tianming stretched, feeling completely relaxed.
He knew that his "salted fish declaration" just now had completely defined his future in this World. He was going to be a super powerful… security guard, detached from the main storyline.
Just as he was strolling towards the dining hall, he ran into Bobby and Hank.
Seeing him, both immediately straightened up, their expressions tense.
"Brother Xiang!" Bobby rubbed his hands, a fawning smile on his face. "Um… are you free tonight? I have some questions about the phase changes of ice that I'd like… to ask you about!"
"Ask me?" Xiang Tianming was taken aback. "I don't play with ice."
"No, no, no, powers are interconnected!" Hank, beside him, also adjusted his glasses and said earnestly, "Your microscopic control over energy has reached an incredible Realm! If you could give me some pointers, perhaps my physical enhancement could Breakthrough its current Bottleneck!"
Xiang Tianming looked at these two suddenly eager-to-learn "problem teenagers" in front of him, and a question mark slowly appeared on his forehead.
Before he could answer, Jean and Warren also walked over from the other side.
"Mr. Xiang," Jean's cheeks were slightly flushed, and she held a notebook in her hand, "Regarding the refined application of Telekinesis, I have many things I don't understand…"
"Big Boss Xiang!" Warren also chimed in, "Do you still need a leg accessory? The kind that can fly, fan the wind, and act as a backdrop!"
Xiang Tianming was surrounded by this group of original X-Men, looking at their eyes, full of curiosity and adoration, and was completely bewildered.
What is going on?
I just wanted to quietly eat dinner!
He suddenly felt that his "security guard" job… might not be so leisurely after all.
Chapter 9: Instructor Xianyu's First Class
Xiang Tianming felt he had made a grave mistake.
He shouldn't have acted so arrogantly in front of Magneto.
Now, he was surrounded by a group of "flowers of the motherland" (Mutant edition). Everyone looked at him with an eager gaze of "knowledge changes destiny, learning achieves the future," as if he wasn't just a security guard trying to make a living, but the ultimate guru who could predict all exam questions.
"Brother Xiang, how do you usually train your Mental Energy? Is it meditation? Or looking at some special geometric shapes?"
"Brother Xiang, your application of power has exceeded the scope of classical physics. May I ask how you construct your physical model?"
"Mr. Xiang, do you need someone to carry your bag? The kind that can fly!"
The chattering gave him a headache.
"Stop!" Xiang Tianming couldn't take it anymore and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, "Food, a person has to eat, right? The World is vast, but eating is paramount! Any questions, wait until I've filled my stomach!"
He just wanted to rush into the cafeteria and soothe his traumatized Soul with a steak drenched in gravy.
"We'll go with you!" Bobby said enthusiastically.
"Right, we'll help you get your trays ready!" Jean also chimed in with a smile.
Xiang Tianming: "..."
Well, now he couldn't even eat in peace.
Walking into the dining hall, Xiang Tianming received unprecedented royal treatment.
As soon as he sat down, Bobby brought him iced cola, Warren brought the most tender steak, Hankhelped him with a nutritionally balanced vegetable salad, and Jean meticulously laid out his napkin.
Even Scott, who had always looked at him with disdain, silently handed him a set of gleaming silver cutlery.
Xiang Tianming felt uncomfortable with this display, feeling like he wasn't eating dinner, but some Mafia "Last Supper."
He buried his head and ate furiously, trying to shut up these curious kids with food.
But clearly, he failed.
"Brother Xiang," Bobby was the first to ask, "What was your state of mind when you fought Magneto? Was it that Grandmaster demeanor of 'remaining calm even when a mountain collapses before you'?"
Xiang Tianming was struggling to cut his steak and, without looking up, said, "State of mind? At that time, I only had one thought: 'This idiot is delaying my knocking off work.'"
"Pfft—" Bobby almost spit out his cola.
"Then... how did you manage to dismantle such a powerful magnetic field in an instant?" Hank adjusted his glasses and asked rigorously.
"Oh, that." Xiang Tianming thought for a moment, "It's probably similar to turning off the TV with a remote control. Find the switch, 'click,' and turn it off."
Hank: "..."
He felt his scientific cognitive system, built over twenty years, was collapsing.
"Mr. Xiang," Jean's cheeks were flushed, full of a thirst for knowledge, "I... I want to ask you, how should Telekinesis be practiced to be as powerful and subtle as yours?"
Finally, she got to the point.
Xiang Tianming put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth, looked at the beautiful face full of curiosity in front of him, and then at the other expectant eyes around him. He knew that if he didn't give an explanation today, he wouldn't get any peace.
He sighed, deciding to give these "good students" a practical lesson from a "slacker."
"Jean, your problem is that you think too much, do too little, and always want to do something flashy."
"Huh?" Jean was stunned.
"I ask you, when you usually practice Telekinesis, do you always think about how to precisely control a feather, or how to keep the Water in a cup from spilling?"
Jean nodded: "Professor Charles said to start with the most delicate things."
"Bullshit!" Xiang Tianming cursed, startling everyone present, "That's how a bookworm practices! True pragmatism is about 'learning for practical use'!"
He pointed to the salt shaker across the table: "How would you get that salt shaker?"
Jean instinctively reached out, and with a slight movement of Telekinesis, the salt shaker flew steadily into her hand. The whole process was elegant and stable.
"See, flashy." Xiang Tianming shook his head, then glanced at an empty cola can next to a trash can in the distance.
"Whoosh—whoosh—bang!"
The cola can flew over instantly, faster than a bullet leaving a barrel, precisely bypassing Hank's head, and finally landed with a "bang," standing steadily on the table in front of Xiang Tianming.
"Do you understand?" Xiang Tianming said, "With your method, even if you practice for a hundred years, you'll only be a mobile cup holder at parties. My method is an essential Divine Power for home travel, slacking off, and being lazy. When you can lie in bed and use Telekinesis to get a cola from the fridge, precisely open the tab, and bring it to your mouth without spilling a drop, your Telekinesis will have reached Minor Achievement."
Jean: "..."
She felt a door to a new World slowly opening, although this World... seemed a bit lazy.
"And you, Bobby." Xiang Tianming then looked at Iceman, "With your ability, don't always think about making ice slides, ice sculptures, which are flashy but impractical. In a fight, will the enemy stand still and wait for you to build an ice castle?"
"Then... what should I do?" Bobby humbly asked for advice.
"Simple, crude, effective." Xiang Tianming snapped his fingers, "Instantly condense a ton of solid ice directly above the enemy's head, then let go. Done, job finished, go home and eat. What is art? Can it feed you? Efficiency is the Dao!"
Bobby's mouth hung open, as if he had seen a whole new, simple, and crude way of fighting.
"As for you all," Xiang Tianming's gaze swept over Scott, Hank, and Warren, "Scott, your optic blasts are powerful enough, but too straight. Learn some gun-fu from the movies, play with geometry. Hank, you have so much strength, yet you still think about calculating parabolas when fighting people. Do you think you're a trebuchet? Just go straight in, roll your face on the keyboard... oh no, just crush them with your body. Warren, your wings, besides flying, can also fan the wind, and be used as blades. Don't always cherish those few bird feathers of yours."
After he finished speaking, the dining room was silent.
The young elites of the X-Men were all stunned by Xiang Tianming's "Slacker Pragmatism Combat Theory," roasted on the outside and tender on the inside.
This theory completely subverted the combat philosophy full of idealism and heroism that Professor Charles had taught them.
The core of Xiang Tianming's theory was three words: easy, efficient, and never stand when you can slack off.
"Alright, class is over." Xiang Tianming patted his stomach, let out a satisfied burp, "Remember, abilities have no hierarchy, but laziness is the driving force behind human progress. Class dismissed!"
With that, he left his "students," who were still reeling in the wind, and strolled back to his room, content to enjoy his "after-work" slacker time.
In the study, Charles "listened in" on the entire lesson through telepathy.
He held his teacup, his expression incredibly rich.
He had expected Xiang Tianming to talk nonsense or simply refuse. But he hadn't expected that, in the most unconventional and "incorrect" way, he had unexpectedly... awakened these children who were somewhat stuck in their ways of thinking.
Yes, who said fighting had to be elegant? Who said abilities had to be used for the grandest purposes?
Sometimes, the simplest, most direct, and even the "laziest" method is the most effective.
"An... interesting Soul." Charles watched Xiang Tianming's retreating back and shook his head with a chuckle.
He felt that his decision to hire this "Special Security Consultant" with a hefty sum might be the most correct thing the school had done since its establishment.
Although... this Consultant's style was a bit off.
Chapter 10: The "Corporate Culture" That Has Been Shifted
Since the last 'class,' Xiang Tianming finally got to live the 'paid slacking' life he had always dreamed of.
Every day, he would wake up naturally, go to the restaurant to enjoy a breakfast more lavish than any five-star hotel, and then return to his presidential suite-like bedroom to play games and watch movies. In the afternoon, he would bask in the Sun in the garden and enjoy afternoon tea. In the evening, with Beast Hank's help, he would assemble a top-tier computer and dive into the ocean of the internet, performing 'dimensional reduction attacks' on ignorant netizens.
Life couldn't be more pleasant.
His only annoyance was that the first generation of X-Men were looking at him with increasingly strange eyes.
It was a gaze mixed with admiration, fanaticism, and the way one looks at a 'hidden master.' They always tried to interpret profound wisdom from his every move.
For example, when he yawned and said, 'So sleepy,' they would interpret it as, 'Mental EnergyCultivation requires a balance of work and rest.'
When he picked his teeth after a meal and said, 'I'm full,' they would interpret it as, 'Energy replenishment should be moderate; too much is as bad as too little.'
When he lost a game and cursed, 'Damn it, this noob support,' they would fall into deep thought, believing he was teaching them, 'How important it is to choose a reliable teammate in battle.'
To this, Xiang Tianming only wanted to say: Are you all sick?
However, as long as these little 'ancestors' didn't bother him, he was too lazy to correct their beautiful misunderstandings.
What he didn't know was that his 'slacker pragmatism' had, like a virus, completely changed the 'corporate culture' of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters... in the Danger Room.
Professor Charles sat in the observation room, holding a teacup, watching his students conduct team training with a smile.
He believed that after Xiang Tianming's 'guidance,' the children should have made significant progress.
However, three minutes later, the Professor's smile gradually froze.
The training ground was a mess.
"Bobby! How many times have I told you, don't always try to freeze enemies into ice sculptures! Just smash them with ice blocks! The bigger, the better! You're in a battle, not an ice festival!" Scott roared, while precisely exploding target drones with his optic blasts.
"I'm doing it!" Bobby, sweating profusely, waved his hands, and a truck-sized, extremely crude giant ice chunk fell from the sky, smashing three target drones into scrap metal with a "boom."
Simple, brutal, and devoid of any aesthetic.
On the other side, Jean was suspended in mid-air. Her task was to telekinetically dismantle a precise mechanical device.
Her brows were tightly furrowed, her Mental Energy highly concentrated. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"Found it! The core energy module!"
The next second, instead of carefully dismantling it, she used a raw telekinetic force to yank the fist-sized core module directly out of the mechanical device!
"Sizzle..."
The entire mechanical device sparked and crackled, short-circuiting and becoming instantly Waste. "Done!" Jean clapped her hands proudly. She had learned this trick from Xiang Tianming's 'lying in bed to grab a cola' technique—as long as the result is correct, the process... who cares?
Professor Charles's eye began to twitch uncontrollably.
What... what kind of nonsense is this!
He taught his students to revere power, to control it precisely, to be elegant, and to be full of humanistic care.
But now, these guys had all become reckless brutes who believed in 'miracles through brute force' and 'who cares how, as long as we win!'
Where did this twisted 'corporate culture' come from?!
Professor Charles's gaze subconsciously drifted towards the direction of Xiang Tianming's bedroom...
Just as the Professor began to deeply reflect on whether his decision to invite a 'wolf' into the house was a mistake, a real mission arrived.
"Professor, a distress signal has come from Queens, New York," Jean's voice echoed in the communication channel. "A newly Awakened Mutant, whose powers are out of control, has caused minor chaos."
Charles immediately entered Cerebro and locked onto the target.
It was a teenager who looked only fifteen or sixteen. His ability was quite interesting—his body could bounce between the ground and walls at super-high speed like rubber, leaving a trail of destruction wherever he went.
"The threat Rank is very low; it's just a child scared by his own abilities," Charles judged. "X-Men, deploy. Remember, our mission is to soothe and guide, not to fight."
"Received!" Scott's voice was full of confidence. "Don't worry, Professor, for a minor situation like this, we'll use Xiang... cough, we'll use the new efficient tactics we learned and solve it in three minutes!"
Listening to his words, Charles suddenly had an ominous premonition...
Queens, a certain commercial street.
A teenager was uncontrollably bouncing wildly between streetlights and shop signs, letting out terrified screams.
The X-Men descended from the sky.
"Alright, guys!" Scott waved his hand, with a bit of Xiang Tianming's flair. "According to our previous drills, Plan A! Simple! Efficient!"
Bobby was the first to act. He didn't create complex ice walls, but strictly followed the 'teachings,' instantly solidifying a large patch of incredibly smooth ice on the teenager's inevitable path of trajectory.
"Thump!"
The high-speed bouncing teenager landed on the ice, slipped, and fell flat on his face.
"Good job, Bobby!" Scott was overjoyed. "Hank, go hold him down!"
Beast Hank, too, had abandoned his usual calculations and gentleness, and like a true Beast, roared and charged forward!
However, the teenager, disoriented from the fall, lost control of his abilities again, and with a "biu," he bounced away at an awkward angle, crashing right into Hank's broad chest.
"Bang!"
Hank felt as if he had been hit by a speeding truck. The huge Impact sent him flying backward, directly into a bakery, leaving him covered in cream and flour.
"Damn it!" Scott cursed under his breath. "Jean, grab him with your Mental Energy!"
Jean immediately acted, her powerful Mental Energy locking onto the teenager. But the teenager's bouncing speed was too fast, and his kinetic energy too great. Jean felt like she was trying to reel in a stampeding rhinoceros with a fishing line!
"No! He's about to break free!"
"I'll help you!" Scott made a quick decision, opting to use his newly practiced 'lazy combat method'—geometric shooting.
He precisely fired an Impact wave at the glass curtain wall of an adjacent building, attempting to hit the teenager via a ricochet, thereby interrupting his bouncing.
The idea was beautiful, but reality was harsh.
"Boom!!!"
The Impact wave successfully ricocheted, but the angle... was just slightly off.
It grazed the bouncing teenager's backside and then... precisely hit an innocent... hot dog stand across the street.
With a loud bang, sausages, bread, and ketchup exploded everywhere.
The scene was completely out of control.
Xavier's Mansion, in the study.
Xiang Tianming was wearing headphones, fully engrossed in his game.
"Charge! Charge! Push the tower! Push the tower! Damn it, you noobs, can't you play..."
"Xiang."
Professor Charles's exhausted voice echoed directly in his mind.
Xiang Tianming's hand twitched, and his character on the screen died instantly.
"Professor? What is it? Can't you see I'm busy saving the World?" he said grumpily.
...Please open the monitor screen in front of you and see the 'excellent results' of your 'students.'"
Xiang Tianming suspiciously alt-tabbed out of the game and opened the monitoring screen.
On the screen were his familiar X-Men, chasing a bouncing figure all over a chaotic street. The scene didn't look like a heroic rescue; it looked more like... a low-budget disaster comedy.
Xiang Tianming looked at the destroyed hot dog stand, at Hank covered in cream, at Jean in a fluster.
He fell silent.
After a long while, he sighed a long, deep sigh, his face showing the expression of all 'experts mentoring noobs'—a mix of 'pity for their misfortune' and 'anger at their inaction.'
He turned off the monitor, slowly took off his headphones, and paused the game.
"A bunch of good-for-nothings."
He stood up and stretched.
"That's the downside of training interns. They mess up the work, and I still have to clean up their messes personally."
"Professor, tell accounting," his voice, lazy through telepathy, reached Charles's mind.
"This business trip counts as two projects. Also, the loss of that hot dog stand should be included in the project expenses."
Chapter 11: On-site teaching by "Masters"
New York, Queens, commercial street.
The scene was in chaos.
The young heroes of the X-Men were being led on a merry chase by a bouncing "Bouncy Kid." Their proud superpowers seemed so pale and powerless at this moment, even proving counterproductive.
Scott was furious. He felt like his face, and the face of the entire X-Men, had been thrown to the ground and repeatedly stomped on by that damned Bouncy Kid.
Just as he was about to disregard everything and use his Impact at maximum power to plow the entire street to force the target to stop, a lazy, seemingly half-asleep voice came from above their heads.
"Tsk tsk tsk, I can't watch this anymore. X-Men? I think you should just change your name to 'X-Demolition Team.' "
Everyone subconsciously looked up.
They saw Xiang Tianming, dressed in a loose T-shirt and beach shorts, with flip-flops on his feet, floating in mid-air. He had one hand in his pocket, and the other was holding a phone, seemingly replying to some important message.
He didn't come by plane.
He just… appeared in the sky above the battlefield, like a ghost, without any warning.
"Xiang… Consultant?" Scott struggled for a long time before squeezing out this title through gritted teeth.
"Don't call me Consultant, I find it embarrassing." Xiang Tianming put away his phone, his gaze sweeping over the ravaged street, finally landing on a hot dog stand that had only one wheel left from the explosion, and shook his head with heartfelt pain.
"Scott, is this your KPI? You didn't catch the target, but you casually destroyed a street food stall that the common people love? Do you know how much cheap joy a hot dog stand can bring to how many families? Doesn't your conscience hurt?"
Scott's face instantly turned a liver-like purple.
"And you, Bobby." Xiang Tianming's gaze turned to Iceman, "When I told you to throw ice, I meant at the enemy, not to create an ice rink for the enemy! Look at all this ice on the ground, how much effort will the sanitation workers have to put in to clean it up later? No public morality at all!"
Bobby lowered his head in shame.
Xiang Tianming called out each of the X-Men present by name, reprimanding them one by one with his unique "corporate drone supervisor" style of language. He scolded these proud prodigies until their faces were red, wishing they could find a hole to crawl into.
"Alright, all of you, go watch from the side." He waved his hand impatiently, "Learn what professionalism is."
After speaking, he finally turned his gaze to the culprit who was still bouncing frantically.
The X-Men immediately held their breath, staring at Xiang Tianming without blinking, wanting to see what earth-shattering method this "great master" would use to solve this problem.
Would he fix the opponent in mid-air with incomprehensible power, like he did with Magneto?
Or would he create an inescapable cage with telekinesis?
However, Xiang Tianming just yawned lazily.
Then, he gently… blew a breath at the young man who was bouncing towards him.
Yes, he just blew a breath.
The next second, something incredible happened.
The young man, whose bouncing speed was so fast that the naked eye could barely see him, suddenly… slowed down when he was less than ten meters in front of Xiang Tianming!
It was like a sudden switch to slow-motion playback in an action movie.
He seemed to have fallen into an invisible, viscous quagmire. He still maintained his bouncing posture, but every movement became incredibly slow, full of comicality.
Finally, he traced an elegant (?) parabola in the air, then landed with a "splat," like a deflated rubber ball, softly on the ground, unable to bounce up again.
The entire process took less than three seconds.
The scene once again fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone was stunned. The X-Men were stunned, and the rescued hostage (Bouncy Kid) was also stunned.
"What… what happened?" Hank adjusted his glasses, feeling like his brain's processor had burned out. He couldn't fully understand what physical phenomenon had occurred in that instant.
Xiang Tianming floated down, landing in front of the young man who was sprawled on the ground, kindly (?) enlightening these "interns."
"Is it that hard to understand?" He looked at them with a gaze that suggested they were intellectually challenged, "You people, besides fighting and killing, can't you have some scientific common sense in your heads?"
"The core of this kid's ability is kinetic energy conversion and elastic potential energy. The more you try to block him with brute force, the more you're 'charging' him, making him bounce even more happily."
"So, dealing with him doesn't have to be that troublesome at all."
Xiang Tianming pointed at the young man on the ground: "I just slightly changed the viscosity coefficient of the air around him, probably… similar to honey. You can imagine, if a person is swimming in honey, can he still swim fast? Without speed, what the hell can he bounce?"
Air viscosity coefficient… similar to honey… The X-Men looked at each other, their faces showing an expression of "I don't understand, but it feels awesome."
So… power can be used like this?
While they were still on the first layer, thinking about how to "block" with ice walls, telekinesis, and Impact, the big boss was already on the fifth layer, directly modifying "physical rules"!
Is this a dimensionality reduction attack? I love it, I love it!
Xiang Tianming ignored these fans whose eyes were becoming increasingly fervent. He walked up to the terrified Bouncy Kid and squatted down.
"Hey, kid." He patted the other's shoulder, "This superpower thing, isn't it quite annoying?"
The young man nodded blankly.
"Do you want to find a place to learn how to control it properly, and also get free food and lodging, with a salary?" Xiang Tianming showed a kind (human trafficker's) smile.
The young man nodded again, vigorously.
"Done." Xiang Tianming stood up and said to Scott and the others: "I've dealt with the person. You clean up the remaining mess yourselves. Remember to explain it well to S.H.I.E.L.D.… oh no, to the Police, especially that hot dog stand, not a single cent less in compensation!"
He pointed at the ashen-faced Scott, "You, Scott, as Captain, made a command error. This month's bonus is gone, use it to compensate the owner for his emotional distress."
After speaking, he didn't give Scott a chance to retort. Amidst the admiring gazes of the crowd, his body slowly ascended, preparing to go home and continue his interrupted game.
"Remember, you rookies." His voice drifted down from the sky, "When dealing with enemies, use your brain. Don't always think about working hard; think about how to be lazy. Because only the most efficient method can get you off work the fastest."
"This is the ultimate Profound Truth of our 'Slacker Style'!"
Chapter 12 Welcome to the core area of "Salted Fish" culture
Xiang Tianming hummed a little tune as he returned to his comfortable bedroom.
How could saving the World be more important than playing games?
He felt that his recent actions perfectly embodied the professional ethics of a gold-medal Consultant: use his mouth, never his hands; solve problems in three minutes, then dump the mess on his subordinates and clock out on time.
As for Scott's bonus for that month... consider it a small contribution to the street food industry of New York City.
What he didn't know was what a 'touching' scene was playing out on the commercial street in Queensafter he left...
"Sir, we are truly sorry!"
Scott Summers, the proud Captain of the X-Men, was currently bowing ninety degrees in apology to a hot dog stand owner with a beer belly and a face covered in ketchup.
"This is compensation, including your stall, ingredients, and... your emotional distress fee." Jean, standing by, handed him an envelope full of cash.
The owner looked at his hot dog stand, which had been blown into pieces, then at the group of strangely dressed but sincere young people in front of him, and finally sighed, accepting the envelope.
The remaining mess was handled meticulously by the X-Men.
Bobby used his freezing ability to turn the scattered debris into blocks for easy cleanup. Hank, leveraging his academic prowess, wrote a logically sound and well-reasoned accident report for the Police, attributing it to an 'accidental gas pipeline explosion.' Warren even made a direct call, instructing his family's corporate legal department to handle all subsequent insurance and municipal compensation issues.
They acted on Xiang Tianming's parting words: "Clean up your own mess."
Jamie, the Bouncy Kid they had rescued, watched it all, wide-eyed, throughout the process.
These 'Superman' with the power to destroy the World, after making a complete mess of the city, were actually... diligently sweeping the streets?
Was there something a little off about the vibe of this superhero organization?
...Back at Xavier's Mansion, in Professor Charles's study.
"Alright, everyone, tell me, what did you learn from this mission?" The Professor's voice was calm.
The atmosphere was a bit heavy.
Finally, it was Scott, the proudest Captain, who stepped forward first. He took off his sunglasses, revealing eyes that couldn't control their energy (of course, there were safety measures in the study), and his expression was unprecedentedly humble.
"Professor, I was wrong." He lowered his head. "I was too focused on using power to 'overcome' the problem, and didn't think about the 'essence' of the problem. Advisor Xiang... he taught us a lesson."
"Yes." Jean also nodded in agreement. "Mr. Xiang made me realize that control is not only reflected in precise operations but also in the insight into the root cause of the problem. We were all too... heavy-handed."
Hank adjusted his glasses and added, "Advisor Xiang's understanding and application of physical rules are beyond my comprehension. 'Changing the air viscosity coefficient'... that's something only God could do. But he solved the problem in an extremely 'economical' way. This made me deeply reflect on whether our previous combat methods caused too much 'energy waste'."
Listening to his students' 'after-action reviews' and 'summaries,' Professor Charles held his teacup, a satisfied smile on his face.
He found that Xiang Tianming's seemingly unconventional 'slacker philosophy' was, in a peculiar way, smoothing out the pride and sharp edges of these children, teaching them to reflect and adapt.
This was more effective than ten ethics classes he could have given.
"Very good." Charles nodded. "It seems this failure was a valuable asset for you all. As for Jamie..."
His gaze turned to the newcomer, the Bouncy Kid, who looked a bit flustered.
"Welcome to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. From today, this is your home."
...Jamie felt like Alice in Wonderland, oh no, a commoner who stumbled into a den of beauties.
This school was incredibly huge and ridiculously luxurious. Most importantly, everyone here was a 'monster' with extraordinary skills.
There were those who could shoot ice, those who could fly, and those whose eyes could emit red lasers... And these people, who seemed like gods to him, were always discussing someone he hadn't met.
"I wonder what Advisor Xiang is doing right now?"
"He must be engaged in some profound 'spiritual meditation,' right?"
"I bet he's reviewing our failure today and formulating a new training plan for us!"
As Jamie listened to these words, an image involuntarily formed in his mind:
It must be an otherworldly master, with an immortal demeanor, deep eyes, a serious expression, and a powerful Qi radiating from him! He must be the 'pillar of stability' of this school, the spiritual mentor of everyone!
With immense reverence, he followed Bobby, being led to 'meet' this legendary Advisor Xiang.
They arrived at a door with a sign on it—"Recreation Room."
Bobby pushed open the door, and a wave of heat, mixed with the smell of potato chips, cola, and otaku, washed over them.
Inside the room, the light was dim, with only a huge screen flickering with colorful lights.
Then, Jamie witnessed a scene he would never forget in his life.
The 'peerless master' in his mind was currently sprawled ungracefully on a beanbag chair, wearing greasy headphones, with half a french fry dangling from his mouth, roaring at the screen in an Eastern language he didn't understand:
"Idiot teammates! Are you all idiot teammates?! Can't you heal?! Mid lane has been pushed to high ground, and you're still farming in the jungle?!"
"Damn it! I'm dead! Where's the support? Support, save me! Useless!"
That image, that temperament... it couldn't be said to be identical to his imagined 'immortal demeanor,' but rather... completely unrelated.
Jamie's idol, the moment he met him in person, gloriously... shattered into a QR code.
"Um... Brother Xiang?" Bobby cautiously spoke.
Xiang Tianming didn't even turn his head, impatiently waving his hand: "Don't bother me! I'm in a team fight! Wait until I finish stomping these noobs before you say anything!"
"Oh, oh..." Bobby quickly shut up, then turned to the petrified Jamie, giving him an 'you know' look.
Jamie stood dumbfounded, looking at the man who was 'dominating' in the game World but 'slacking off' to an outrageous degree in the real World, feeling his worldview had been impacted like never before.
"He... he is..." Jamie struggled to speak.
"That's right." Bobby patted his shoulder, and in the tone of an experienced person, full of wisdom, he said earnestly:
"He is Advisor Xiang. Kid, you'll get used to it."
"Don't be fooled by his appearance. Remember, every word he says, even every punctuation mark, might contain the ultimate truth of the Universe. Especially those words that sound the laziest and most unreliable, often... are the shortcut to power."
"Welcome to... the core of 'Slacker Culture.'"
Chapter 13: New Employee Training: Starting with Understanding "Slacking Off"
Jamie Madrox, formerly known as Bouncy Kid, is Xavier's School's newest student.
He felt his worldview was repeatedly crushed, reshaped, and crushed again within twenty-four hours of his enrollment.
In the morning, he attended Professor Charles's "Mutant Ethics and Philosophical Thought" class. In class, the kind and amiable Professor taught them, in the most profound language, how to control their powers, how to treat the World kindly, and how to become a heroic Mutant useful to society.
Jamie listened, his blood boiling with excitement, feeling that his life was about to turn a glorious new page.
Then, in the afternoon, he participated in the "Advisor Xiang's Core Thought Study Seminar," spontaneously organized by the 'senior students.'
The tone, from here, took a sharp turn for the worse.
"Jamie, you must remember, what Professor Charles teaches is our 'theoretical limit' and 'moral standard.'" Scott, the serious-faced Captain, was holding a notebook, his expression solemn, as he gave Jamie a 'private lesson.'
"And what Advisor Xiang teaches us is the true 'combat skills' and 'Laws of survival.'"
"Theory and practice?" Jamie was a little confused.
"Yes." Jean, standing nearby, also leaned over, her expression serious, "Let's put it this way: Professor Charles teaches us how to become a 'Saint,' while Advisor Xiang teaches us how to make the 'bad guys' who want to kill us, turn into 'dead people' in the most effortless way."
Jamie: "..."
This makes so much sense, yet it also feels like something is wrong?
"Look!" Bobby pointed to Xiang Tianming, who was wearing sunglasses, lying on the lawn sunbathing, looking as leisurely as a retired cadre, "See? The Consultant is demonstrating the highest Realm of Mental Energy Cultivation for us through his actions—'Unity of Heaven and Man.'"
Jamie looked in the direction he pointed, only to see Xiang Tianming roll over, casually grab a can of cola from a nearby ice bucket, and mumble, "This damn Sun, my skin is almost peeling off."
This... this is also Cultivation?
"Look," Scott lowered his voice, as if imparting some secret knowledge, "The Consultant appears to be resting, but his Mental Energy must have already covered the entire manor. He is using this method to perceive the state of each and every one of us. This is a 'subtle and silent' way of teaching!"
Just then, Xiang Tianming seemed to sense their gaze, took off his sunglasses, and impatiently roared:
"What are you looking at? Haven't you seen someone slacking off? All of you crowding around here, affecting my photosynthesis with the Sun, you know?"
After roaring, he put on his sunglasses, rolled over, turned his back to them, and continued to sleep... oh no, continued his "Cultivation."
Jamie was utterly bewildered.
He felt that either he was crazy, or all of these senior students were crazy... The afternoon practical class was held in the Danger Room.
Today's topic was to help the new student, Jamie, familiarize himself with and control his "super-speed ejection" ability.
"Alright, Jamie." Scott stood in the center of the field, with the demeanor of a chief instructor, "Remember the Consultant's teachings: don't 'fight' your ability, 'understand' it, 'utilize' it, and master it in the 'laziest' way!"
"The laziest way?" Jamie looked bewildered, "But when I relax, I completely lose control!"
"No, you're just not lazy enough." Jean, standing nearby, looked at him with a wise gaze, "Mr. Xiang's 'laziness' isn't giving up control, but a higher-level 'Dao' that integrates control into instinct. Try to feel it again carefully."
Jamie felt like crying.
He understood every word these people said, but when put together, he couldn't understand a single phrase!
"Start!"
At Scott's command, Jamie took a deep breath, trying to make himself "lazy."
The result... "Bang bang bang bang bang—!!!"
Like a marble thrown into an iron box, he began a frantic, erratic, and indiscriminate ricochet between the four walls, ceiling, and floor of the Danger Room, at supersonic speed!
"Holy crap! Stop him quickly!"
"He's too fast! We can't track him!"
"Bobby, use ice!"
"No, he'll smash through the ice wall!"
The scene once again descended into a chaotic replay of yesterday.
The X-Men frantically tried to control Jamie, but the harder they tried, the stronger Jamie's kinetic energy became, and the faster he ricocheted.
They soon realized that they had once again fallen into the trap of "overexertion."
Just as everyone was at a loss, and Jamie was about to throw up from spinning, the Danger Room door opened.
Xiang Tianming walked in, yawning and carrying a steaming bowl of instant noodles.
"I say, can't you guys mess around somewhere else?" He looked at the chaos in the arena with a disgusted expression, "There's such a big lawn outside, but you insist on clanging around in here, making so much noise that I can't even take my afternoon nap."
Everyone looked at him as if they had seen a savior.
"Advisor Xiang!"
"Brother Xiang!"
Xiang Tianming ignored them, just looked up at Jamie, who had almost become a blur, and frowned.
"Tsk, what a hassle."
He didn't even put down the bowl of instant noodles in his hand, just casually waved his hand towards the center of the arena.
Mental Energy activated.
But this time, he didn't change the air's viscosity, nor did he freeze Jamie.
Instead... "Thud, thud, thud."
The extremely thick cushioning pads on the walls of the Danger Room automatically detached and, like building blocks, quickly spread out on the arena floor, forming a gigantic, soft "mattress."
Almost the instant the "mattress" was laid out, Jamie, who was ricocheting at high speed, landed right on it.
The anticipated high-speed rebound did not occur.
He sank deep into the soft pads, his immense kinetic energy instantly absorbed and dissipated. He was like an egg dropped into a pile of cotton, bouncing gently twice, and then... he stopped.
The entire room once again fell into an eerie silence.
Xiang Tianming, holding his instant noodles, walked over to Jamie, who was sprawled on the soft pads, looking utterly bewildered, slurped a mouthful of noodles, and then scanned the X-Men with a look of disdain, as if they were idiots.
"Where's your brain?"
He spoke.
"All of you, with your ice walls, Mental Energy, and physical interceptions. Did none of you consider the simplest method?"
"This kid's ability is to 'bounce,' right? So, if you just don't give him anywhere to 'gain leverage,' wouldn't that solve it?"
"Meeting force with force, that's what only an idiot would do. Find a soft persimmon to squeeze... oh no, find a soft place for him to land, doesn't that solve the problem?"
"Such a simple principle, and I, who was taking a nap, have to personally come down here to teach you?"
"Your Comprehension Ability is the worst I've ever taught!"
After speaking, he ignored the X-Men, who were being scolded mercilessly yet simultaneously showed fervent expressions of "So that's it" and "We've understood again," and turned to leave with his instant noodles.
"Alas, some people are beyond teaching."
His back, in the eyes of the X-Men, especially Jamie, was so unfathomable.
Jamie lay on the soft pads, looking at the man's retreating figure, and then at the "mattress" beneath him that gave him an unprecedented sense of security. In his mind, only Bobby's earlier words to him remained.
"Remember, what he says... especially the things that sound the laziest and most unreliable, are often... the shortcut to becoming powerful."
At this moment, Jamie Madrox, Xavier's School's newest student, finally... understood.
Chapter 14: The All-Around Victory of "Salted Fish" Culture
Ever since Jamie Madrox, the "Bouncy Kid," achieved "Dao enlightenment" on the spot during new recruit training, a mysterious "Zen" philosophy has swept through Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
This trend is historically known as the "Great Slacking Era."
In the past, the X-Men were all "kings of internal competition." Scott would go to the Danger Room for extra practice before dawn, Jean would meditate until late at night, and Hank wished he could devour every book in the library. The entire school was filled with a positive and striving atmosphere.
Now... Scott's figure, drenched in sweat, could no longer be seen on the morning lawn. He sat cross-legged in the middle of the grass, eyes tightly closed, completely still. Jamie, passing by, curiously asked him what he was doing, and he would reply profoundly, "I am calculating the refractive index of sunlight in the most energy-efficient way, so that in combat, I can cause the maximum optical interference with the least amount of energy."
Jean Grey no longer practiced lifting heavy objects. She would spend an entire afternoon lying by the lake, trying to use her telekinesis to retrieve a specific pebble from the bottom of the lake without disturbing any fish. She called this the Realm of "non-action power, where all things transform naturally."
The most outrageous were Bobby and Hank. Bobby discovered that by freezing himself into a block of ice, he could minimize his metabolism, thus achieving "the ultimate emptying of thought." Hank, on the other hand, announced that he would seek the ultimate answer to mutant abilities from quantum mechanics and string theory, and from then on, he locked himself in the laboratory, staring blankly at a blackboard every day, calling it a "thought experiment."
The entire school, from an elite training camp, was forcibly transformed into a bizarre... retirement home.
Professor Charles felt a throbbing headache because of this.
On one hand, he had to admit that this "slacker" attitude indeed brought benefits. Students no longer competed fiercely, and their relationships with each other became much more harmonious. Moreover, when thinking about problems, they indeed started to become more "cunning" and more "unconventional."
But on the other hand, all regular training had almost come to a halt! These future superheroes now acted as lazy as if they had osteoporosis, making him, a truly disabled person, anxious!
He decided he had to talk to the instigator of all this... Inside the recreation room, the arcade machine was emitting intense sound effects.
"Xiang," Professor Charles's voice, tinged with fatigue, echoed in Xiang Tianming's mind.
"Huh?" Xiang Tianming, eyes fixed on the screen, a chip in his mouth, responded vaguely, "Professor, what's up? Wait until I push their high ground."
"I hope you can see what 'results' your 'teaching' has brought to my students."
As he spoke, images of "students cultivating immortality" were forcibly injected into Xiang Tianming's mind.
Xiang Tianming's hand trembled, and his game character was killed on the spot by an enemy minion.
"Damn it!" He impatiently took off his headphones. "Isn't this great? Everyone has become more thoughtful and peace-loving. It shows my education is very successful!"
"Successful?" Charles's voice rose a few octaves. "They don't even participate in basic combat training anymore! They are 'thinking,' but if the enemy comes knocking, can they 'think' the enemy to death?"
"Professor, that's what you call 'rigid thinking,'" Xiang Tianming said, crossing his legs, beginning his twisted logic. "Your old way was elite education, 'spoon-feeding.' My way is 'heuristic.' Letting them 'enlighten' themselves is the only way for them to truly grow. Look, campus violence is gone, right? Everyone loves each other, how good is that."
"But..."
"There are no buts," Xiang Tianming waved his hand. "I'm just a Consultant, not the principal. Educational matters are not my responsibility. If you think I've corrupted the corporate culture, you can deduct my salary."
Professor Charles was choked by his words and couldn't speak for a long time.
Deduct his salary? Magneto, who was scared out of his wits by him last time, is still locked in the Underground Room, researching how to escape using non-metallic objects every day. Just for that, he had to treat him like an ancestor.
Just as the Professor felt like he was about to have a heart attack, even worse news arrived.
"Professor, we have a visitor outside the manor," Jean's voice came through the communication channel. "He says his name is Fred Duncan, and he's... an FBI Agent. He wishes to conduct an 'assessment' of our 'security capabilities.'"
FBI?!
Charles's heart sank. This was the first official contact from the authorities. This assessment would directly determine the future status of the X-Men and whether they could gain the government's trust.
He absolutely could not mess this up!
"Have him wait in the reception room. Everyone, assemble in the Danger Room immediately!" Charles's voice instantly became extremely serious. "Prepare for a top-Rank tactical drill! Show your most professional level!"
...Inside the Danger Room's observation room.
A serious middle-aged man in a trench coat—Agent Duncan—stood beside Professor Charles, looking down at the huge training ground.
"Professor, I've heard about your glorious deeds at Castle Corner. To be honest, we are both in awe of your power and... concerned," Agent Duncan said bluntly. "I need to see with my own eyes if your team is truly as well-trained as the legends say."
"Of course," Professor Charles said with a confident smile, but his heart was praying frantically.
He had already given a strict order to the children below via telepathy: forget all those messy "slacker" theories! Show your true abilities! Fool him in the most spectacular and shocking way possible!
The drill began!
Inside the arena, dozens of robots wielding heavy firepower were simulated.
Agent Duncan's eyes narrowed, ready to enjoy a splendid team battle.
However... Scott did not use precise Impact shots as he usually did. He closed his eyes, raised his hand towards the ceiling, and casually fired a beam of energy.
"Bang bang bang..."
That Impact bounced an incredible number of times between the ceiling and the walls, and finally... "smack," it hit a decorative lamp near Agent Duncan's foot.
Scott opened his eyes, looking annoyed: "Damn it, just a 0.03 Planck constant calculation error..."
Agent Duncan: "..."
On the other side, Jean faced a charging robot. She didn't use a telekinetic barrier, nor did she try to dismantle it. She simply extended a finger and lightly tapped the ground beneath the robot's foot.
An inconspicuous screw beneath the robot's foot suddenly loosened.
The robot, running, suddenly "splatted" and fell face-first due to a dropped screw.
Jean nodded in satisfaction: "Hmm, the ultimate application of the lever principle. Mr. Xiang truly did not deceive me."
Agent Duncan: "..."
The scene that followed made this veteran FBI Agent completely doubt whether he had entered some alternate dimension.
Bobby, facing a flamethrower robot, did not use an ice wall to block it. Instead, he precisely shot out a pea-sized ice pellet, successfully plugging the robot's flamethrower nozzle, causing the robot to explode on the spot.
Hank and Jamie, meanwhile, played "cat and mouse" in the arena, using bounces and parkour to overload the CPU of all the robots' auto-locking Systems, sending them into a dead loop.
Throughout the entire drill, there was no direct confrontation, no loud bang.
The X-Men, using a variety of incredibly bizarre "techniques" and "coincidences," disabled all the robots in extremely frustrating and comical ways.
The drill ended.
The entire room was silent.
Agent Duncan stood with his mouth open, staring blankly at the young people below who were high-fiving each other, celebrating "completing the mission with the lowest energy consumption."
He was silent for a long time before turning his head and looking at Professor Charles with an extremely complex expression.
"Professor... Is this what you call a well-trained... super team?"
"How am I supposed to write my assessment report? Say they... achieved an 'environmentally friendly victory' through metaphysics and luck?"
Professor Charles's face wore an awkward yet polite smile that was uglier than crying.
He now had only one thought.
Xiang Tianming's salary this month must be deducted! It must!!!