[Mysteries On Marvel] Chapter 98/99 (Patreon)

Corpses.

Bombs.

Police.

Alibis.

The series of words Eren uttered left Nannan's previously cold expression frozen stiff.

After escaping the "supervision" of the driver Eren had left behind, Nannan hadn't even managed to enter the villa when Eren appeared, carrying Aunt Feng and leaping down from the second-floor balcony.

As a result, Nannan had no idea what had transpired inside the villa.

It wasn't until Eren explained everything that she realized just how much had happened in that Celestial villa.

No wonder Eren had rushed to leave as soon as he rescued her mother.

Of course.

If there were bombs inside, who in their right mind would stick around and wait for them to go off, turning themselves to ashes?

Realizing she had misunderstood Eren, a faint trace of embarrassment flickered across Nannan's face.

She shook her head lightly and solemnly apologized to Eren, "I'm sorry. Earlier, I thought you were trying to..."

"Trying to what? That I'd make a move on Aunt Feng or something?"

Before she could finish, Eren interrupted irritably.

"Yes."

Nannan nodded seriously, showing no hesitation in admitting it.

After admitting it, she tilted her head in confusion and asked, "But even so, once we were out of range of the bomb, wouldn't it make sense to call the police? We're the victims here! My mom's current state is clearly tied to that Astronomical Sect!" (Astronomical Sect is better because Celestial kinda make one assume that has to be with the Celestials which is not)

Eren shook his head and replied:

"True, we are victims. But to some people, wouldn't it seem reasonable for the victims to plant a bomb as revenge against the Astronomical Sect?"

"Oh, and by the way, while rescuing your mom, I came across several so-called 'important figures' in that villa. If those big shots were all blown to pieces, under the pressure of various parties, what do you think the NYPD would do to us, who have clear motives and suspicions?"

"Forget the NYPD's response for a moment. Just think about the families of those big shots. Once they find out we knew about the bomb but didn't notify their loved ones or save them from the explosion, how do you think they'll react? Wouldn't they resent us for standing by and use their influence to retaliate against us?"

"They wouldn't care how dangerous the bomb was. All they'd know is their loved ones died in the blast while we survived..."

"Oh, and if you're wondering why I didn't save those big shots or at least warn them, maybe you should first guess what those so-called 'important figures' were doing when I arrived—and why your mom ended up in this state..."

As he spoke, Eren gestured toward Aunt Feng, who was still unconscious, her face flushed unnaturally.

"Mom..."

Piecing together Eren's words and noticing her mom's peculiar condition, the precocious Nannan's expression darkened.

She quickly grasped the subtext of Eren's words, and a flash of anger crossed her face.

"Those bastards..."

Seeing that Nannan understood his meaning, Eren nodded inwardly.

The moment she shook off the driver's supervision and appeared outside the villa, Eren realized he had underestimated this doll-like, delicate girl.

Her attempt to sneak attack him with a taser further confirmed her intelligence and resourcefulness.

Otherwise, Eren wouldn't have bothered explaining so much to a child.

"That's why, instead of dealing with the chaos calling the cops would bring, it's better for us to create an alibi before the bomb goes off. That way, we'll avoid a lot of trouble later."

"Since I carried Aunt Feng out without lingering too long outside the villa, and there aren't many surveillance cameras along the way, as long as we speed up, we can establish an alibi to avoid any potential issues. So..."

Of course.

Eren had confidence in this plan mainly because it was part of his foresight.

In his divination, this method was the safest and most feasible option.

After leaving the villa and noticing how few cameras were around the Astronomical Sect's estate, Eren felt even more assured.

It wasn't surprising, really.

The Astronomical Sect primarily catered to elite socialites and influential figures. If the area were filled with cameras, how would these individuals enjoy themselves without concern?

In fact, before every gathering, the Sect would bribe the police to shut down nearby surveillance under the guise of maintenance or other excuses to ensure secrecy for their high-profile guests.

But little did they know, their usual precautions would be exploited by Eren and that refined man tonight.

...

The Latino driver was skilled, bringing the cab to a halt at the entrance of a decent-looking hotel after two minutes of high-speed driving.

Noting the barely visible cameras in the hotel lobby, Eren nodded slightly.

Using hypnosis, he erased part of the driver's memory about the events involving him and implanted false ones. Only then did Eren and Nannan help Aunt Feng, now draped in Eren's coat, into the hotel lobby.

It was fortunate that the cold weather prompted Eren to wear a mid-length coat. Without it, he wouldn't have had anything to cover Aunt Feng's barely concealed disheveled appearance.

Once inside the hotel, Eren made sure to appear on the cameras before heading to the front desk to request a suite.

He had prepared several explanations for Aunt Feng's condition in case the hotel staff asked.

But surprisingly, as soon as Eren handed over the money, the receptionist quickly issued a room key without a single question.

It seemed they were well-acquainted with handling such situations.

This level of service...

Truly thoughtful.

...

The moment Eren received the room key, the countdown for all the bombs in the Astronomical Sect's villa hit zero.

Then, six bombs arranged in a hexagram pattern detonated simultaneously.

The massive explosion reverberated across a radius of several miles.

Under the starry sky, the blinding flames roared like a lit torch, burning fiercely.

(End of Chapter)

Eren stayed at the hotel until dawn.

Seeing no sign of the police coming for them, he escorted the now-conscious Aunt Feng and Nannan back to their apartment.

After receiving countless heartfelt thanks from Aunt Feng, Eren finally left the building.

By the time Eren returned home, it was almost noon.

As he entered, his mind involuntarily drifted back to the man they had encountered the previous night.

After entering the hotel, Eren was almost certain that the reason his divination failed on Aunt Feng was closely linked to that man.

He also suspected that the bodies on the first floor of the Astronomical Sect's villa and the timed bombs in the basement were the work of the same individual.

A spiritual warning.

A destined adversary, perhaps?

"This world seems to be getting more interesting, but I need to grow stronger as soon as possible," Eren murmured to himself.

After preparing himself a nutritious lunch, Eren once again entered the Balance Space.

Though Little Oddball's sudden phone call had interrupted him before, Eren hadn't forgotten the 10,000 Fate Points he still hadn't used.

Standing once more in the Balance Space, Eren gazed at the Fate Balance, which stood on the edge of the silvery River of Destiny, supported by a misty white glow.

With a thought, he called out silently:

"Manifest—Gemini!"

Ding!

Would you like to spend 10,000 Fate Points to manifest the special talent—Gemini?

"Yes!"

Ding! Manifestation successful. Transformation initiated!

In the next moment, a silver-white beam shot out from the Fate Balance and entered Eren's body.

In that instant, the Fate Balance vanished into the endless River of Destiny, extracting a unique soul talent from its depths and imprinting it onto Eren's soul.

The Gemini talent, which cost Eren a full 10,000 Fate Points, was far from ordinary.

Talent: Gemini
Ability 1 - Twin Body: Split half of your soul to permanently create a doppelgänger with all the abilities of the original.
Ability 2 - Twin Life: As long as one of you survives, neither will truly die. By paying a price, resurrection is possible beside the surviving counterpart.
Ability 3 - Gemini Fusion: When the split Gemini reunites, it unleashes unimaginable power.
Ability 4 - …

The extensive list of abilities highlighted just how powerful this talent was.

Particularly noteworthy were the Twin Body, allowing the permanent creation of a doppelgänger with the same abilities, and Twin Life, ensuring the survival of either the original or the clone.

This talent drastically increased Eren's survivability.

Even if Thanos's snap were to happen in the future, Eren's odds of survival would be double those of others thanks to Twin Life.

Moreover, with two bodies, Eren could accelerate his mastery of potion digestion through his acting method, effectively doubling his efficiency.

Of course, Eren didn't manifest this ability purely for self-preservation or efficiency.

It was also a way to probe the workings of fate itself.

...

Later that day, a section of brick wall beside Eren's home began to writhe eerily.

A second later, a figure wearing sunglasses and a hoodie was "spat" out of the wall.

Fortunately, dusk was falling, and the narrow alley rarely saw any foot traffic.

Otherwise, an ordinary person witnessing this would surely have been scared out of their wits.

The figure, however, didn't seem to mind.

Stretching lazily, Eren adjusted the oversized sunglasses on his face and patted the wall that had just expelled him.

In response, the wall spat out a bulging backpack.

Eren grabbed the black backpack, dusted it off, and slung it over his shoulder.

Under the flickering streetlights, he strolled leisurely out of Chinatown.

On the second floor of the house, another Eren stood by the window, his pale face watching the departing figure in silence.

...

The Eren leaving Chinatown was none other than the doppelgänger created by the Gemini talent.

Or rather, it would be more accurate to call him another Eren.

When Eren split his soul, if his original self embodied the orderly and virtuous aspects of his soul, the doppelgänger carried the chaotic and unrestrained parts.

This was why Eren let the doppelgänger roam freely after creating him.

...

Once out of Chinatown, the other Eren wandered the streets of New York. For a time, he had no destination in mind.

Carrying the backpack, he drifted through the city's alleys and streets like a wandering spirit, turning corner after corner.

By the time he fully regained his focus and grasped his own intentions, an hour had passed.

Perhaps to minimize interference with the doppelgänger, the original Eren had given him no specific instructions beyond a single goal: to grow stronger.

This lack of guidance left the doppelgänger feeling somewhat adrift.

Since he had no destination, why not let divination decide?

But first, he needed a divination tool.

Glancing around, Eren's eyes landed on a vintage suit shop not far away.

In the window display, mannequins wore meticulously tailored shirts, trousers, waistcoats, and ties. Even their feet were clad in polished leather shoes.

But what caught Eren's attention wasn't the clothing—it was the canes some of the mannequins held.

After assessing the shop, Eren's eyes glinted, and he walked inside.

A few minutes later, Eren emerged dressed in a black suit, complete with a bowtie, top hat, and a heavy black cane inlaid with silver.

Stepping outside, he swung the cane experimentally.

Feeling its weight and hearing the sharp sound as it sliced through the air, Eren nodded in satisfaction.

Not bad.

This cane would hurt if used to hit someone.

Yes, it carried a touch of class.

Of course, Eren hadn't bought the cane just for appearances. He intended to use it for divination.

Cane divination was a simple yet practical method for finding direction.

Since he had no goal, he would follow wherever the cane pointed.

(End of Chapter)

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