At the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, the heavy silence of the underground office felt like it was pressing down on everyone's chests. Charles Xavier leaned back in his wheelchair, his fingers steepled, looking at his old friend Erik and the ever-watchful Raven.
He let out a long, weary sigh. "I'm sorry, Erik. The gamble didn't pay off. Huang Wen isn't just a man with fast hands; he's a force of nature. And worse, he's managed to secure political backing that makes a direct move against him a bureaucratic nightmare."
Raven's eyes flashed with a predatory yellow light. "So that's it? We just fold? Charles, he's a human. He has a school, students, a life. If we can't break him, we break the things he cares about. One well-placed threat and he'll give you back your powers just to keep his neighborhood from burning."
"And then what, Raven?" Charles's voice wasn't angry, just deeply concerned. "If we cross that line, there is no going back. Do you think a man who can vaporize a monster like David Banner would hesitate to turn this school into a graveyard? He knows Erik is powerless. If we push him, he'll broadcast that secret to every anti-mutant senator in the country before he even steps foot on our lawn. This isn't a game we can win by playing dirty."
The office went cold. Magneto, the man who had once moved mountains of metal, sat slumped in his chair, staring at his hands as if they belonged to a stranger. Mystique's jaw tightened, her knuckles turning white.
"The Brotherhood needs its leader, Charles," Raven said, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I won't let him sit in this chair forever. If you won't act, I will."
"Raven, be reasonable," Charles warned. "Logan is there. He knows your scent, your patterns. He is the ultimate counter to your abilities."
"I'm not going there to fight him, Charles," Raven replied, a cold smile touching her lips as she turned toward the door. "Logan is the key. He's the only one Huang Wen seems to actually trust. If I want to get to the Master, I go through the Wolverine."
As the door hissed shut behind her, Magneto finally looked up. "I'm starting to regret the initial strike, Charles. He wasn't our enemy. He was just... there. Now, even if Raven succeeds, we've burned a bridge that might have been our greatest path to survival."
Charles placed a hand on Erik's shoulder. "One man can't change the fate of our species, Erik. Not yet. Come on, let's get you used to the new chair. We have a long road ahead."
While the mutants were drowning in their own schemes, Huang Wen was leading a very different group back to Chinatown.
Bruce Banner, now clad in a set of oversized sweats that Huang Wen had "borrowed" from the underground base's locker room, looked like a man who had just woken up from a nightmare only to find himself in a dream. He followed Huang Wen into the Wing Chun Martial Arts Academy, his eyes darting around nervously.
The school was a mess. The shockwaves from the previous scuffles had cracked the floorboards, and the entrance was hanging by a single hinge. But the moment they stepped inside, a roar of excitement erupted.
"Teacher! You're back!" Jack and Reese Fisk practically sprinted across the room. Behind them, Max and a dozen other students crowded forward, their faces filled with a mix of relief and hero-worship.
Huang Wen caught Reese's eye and chuckled. "You look like you saw a ghost, Reese. Were you worried the school was going to collapse while I was out?"
Reese rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "I mean, the ground did shake a bit, Teacher. But I knew you had it under control. Mostly."
"Good," Huang Wen said, his tone turning a bit more serious. "Your instincts were right to stay back, but your speed still needs work. If things had gone south, you'd have been caught in the blast. Don't worry, though—as long as I'm around, I can fix whatever breaks. Even you."
Jack stepped forward, lowering his voice. "Teacher, we got word. The guy you fought... he was a Ross asset. And apparently, the 'Bald Professor' was pulling the strings from the shadows. Ross was ready to send in the cavalry, but my father had a... very persuasive conversation with him. The military is officially backing off Bruce Banner. For now, they're treating him as a 'non-hostile' as long as he stays under your roof."
Huang Wen raised an eyebrow. He'd used the Baozi Lei (Stuffed Bun Mine) technique specifically because of its terrifying, localized destructive power—a "deterrent" to show the world that he could produce nuclear-level force without the radiation. He wanted to scare them into staying away. He hadn't expected Jack's family to do the heavy lifting for him.
"Is that true?" Bruce Banner stammered from the stairs, his face pale. "I can stay? I can... can I call Betty?"
Jack looked at Huang Wen, confused. "Who's Betty?"
Huang Wen patted Jack's shoulder, a genuine smile on his face. "Don't worry about it, Jack. You did good. Tell your father I appreciate the assist. It's rare to find people in this city who can actually keep the 'big green machine' of the government at bay."
Jack beamed. This was the validation he had been hunting for. He felt his standing in the school solidify instantly.
Huang Wen then turned to the entire group, his voice projecting through the damaged hall. "Listen up! The Academy is officially closing for renovations starting tomorrow. The walls are cracked, the floor is trashed, and frankly, it looks like a dump. I'm taking this time to handle some personal business and travel a bit."
A murmur of disappointment rippled through the students, but Huang Wen raised a hand.
"But when I get back, things are changing. You lot have proven you aren't just here for a hobby. You stayed when the monsters showed up. Because of that, when the doors reopen, you won't just be students. You'll be the core of the Wing Chun Academy. I'll be tailoring specific Kung Fu styles for each of you based on your talent and how hard you work while I'm gone."
The room exploded. Even the students who usually struggled with the basic stances were suddenly standing straighter, their eyes burning with a new fire. In a world where monsters like the Hulk and David Banner existed, the chance to learn "miraculous" abilities wasn't just a dream—it was a survival necessity.
"Reese, the contractors?" Huang Wen asked.
"They'll be here at sunrise, Teacher," Reese said, already pulling out his phone to check the blueprints. "We're knocking through to the next building like you wanted. More space, reinforced floors, and a private floor for the 'inner circle'."
"Perfect," Huang Wen said. "I'll clear out my things tonight. Reese, you're in charge of the build. Jack, you and the NYPD keep Chinatown clean. If anyone tries to move in on our territory while I'm gone, show them why you're my students. And the rest of you—don't let those muscles get soft. I'll know if you've been slacking the moment I see your first punch when I return."
"Yes, Teacher!" the students shouted in unison, their voices shaking the dust from the ceiling.
Huang Wen nodded, satisfied. He walked upstairs, leaving the chaos of the excited teenagers behind. He looked around his small room on the second floor. It was simple, cramped, and soon it would be expanded into something much grander.
He didn't just want a school; he wanted a base. A place where he could train a generation of warriors who wouldn't blink when the next world-ending threat knocked on their door.
As he began to pack his few belongings, his mind drifted to his upcoming "travels." There were things in this world that needed investigating, and with the military and S.H.I.E.L.D. finally giving him some breathing room, it was time to see what else the Marvel universe had hidden in its shadows.