173. Submission.

173. Submission.

Alex's gaze lingered on Pietro, his expression somewhat unnatural.

Among everyone, Pietro was likely the closest to Alex. Not only had he been a companion of Alex since the moment he crossed into this world, but he was also the 'family' who had endured the most with Alex through thick and thin.

Pietro and Alex shared a bond forged through life-and-death experiences. If Alex were to lose Pietro, he likely wouldn't have been able to escape that universe. They were like brothers, close and understanding each other deeply.

Alex had placed almost all his trust in Pietro.

But now, the words from Venom made Alex reexamine Pietro, someone he had always thought he knew thoroughly, with a layer of strange mystery.

"Miss Minutes, can you check if there's anything else on Pietro?" Alex called out to Miss Minutes in his mind.

[Checking, please wait...]

[Check complete. No anomalies found. Would you like to review Pietro's soul light panel?]

"No need." Alex frowned, then couldn't help but ask again. "Are you sure there's no anomaly, maybe something attached to his mental world or some other area?"

[Sorry, I couldn't find any record of anything different on Pietro's body, soul, or mind, nor any signs of erasure, modification, replacement, or contamination.]

Frowning, Alex pondered for a moment and tentatively asked Pietro, "Pietro, since we met, have you experienced anything particularly bizarre?"

Pietro was stunned by the question. He didn't understand why Alex would believe the words of what was clearly not an organic being. However, since Alex had asked, he thoughtfully tried to recall. The windmill turned, the fragrance of grass and soil filled Pietro's nostrils. After a moment, Pietro slowly shook his head, his eyes clear as he replied, "No, I don't know anything."

Alex didn't respond, only sinking into silence as he thought. At this moment, the others wisely chose not to disturb him, especially Ashley and the Blood Baron. They knew the topic had moved beyond anything they could involve themselves in. The atmosphere grew heavy. After a while...

"Just shut up, would you?" Venom was already regretting attaching itself to this young girl. Her stubbornness was worse than the mindless Skrulls. "Don't worry, Master, we will fully comply with your orders, with no objections."

"Really?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Scout's honor," Venom said, controlling both Ashley and itself to speak in unison.

"It better be." Alex nodded indifferently. "As it happens, I need some help. While the villains in Osborn City aren't much, dealing with them swiftly and quietly isn't easy. With your assistance, things might go smoother."

Alex didn't care about Ashley's current thoughts, nor did he care about Venom's little schemes. Educating disobedient characters like these didn't require harsh punishment. Just keep them firmly in hand, and over time, they would naturally change.

This might be what people mean when they say you become like those around you. Maturity or change doesn't always come from some big event; you don't have to lose someone or experience a car accident to figure things out. More often, it's just waking up one day, or seeing something in someone's behavior, and suddenly understanding some things and letting go of what was holding you back.

"Rest assured, Wizard Master, your loyal servant will be the vanguard of your conquests. It's time to make that damned skull pay the price it deserves," the Blood Baron grinned sinisterly upon hearing Alex's words.

On the other side, Venom was also nodding vigorously. "We're with you too. You know me well, Master. I can fully understand my host's thoughts. This little girl is already in awe of you."

"I'm not...!"

Ashley opened her mouth, then, under Alex's gaze, turned her head with a cold snort.

"...Alright, but only for now."

........

????20 advanced chapters on p@treaon????

For advance chapters: /Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)

174. Have You Heard of Eric?

175. The Alliance of Villains.

176. Battle of Ultimate Evil.

177. The Enchantress.

178. The Sorcery Showdown.