387. The Only Hope.

387. The Only Hope.

Walking out of the alley, Alex turned and entered a nearby eyeglass store.

A zombie spotted Alex and lunged at him, claws outstretched. However, Alex merely raised his hand, and several steel rods shot out like arrows, piercing the zombie and turning it into a sieve.

If the corruption only targeted ordinary humans, it wouldn't have caused such chaos. A single nuclear bomb could have wiped out all sources of contamination in one fell swoop.

But what if the corruption was all-encompassing, capable of infecting heroes, extraordinary beings, and even gods?

From the moment this plague began, it was unstoppable. No one knew where it came from, and no one had any idea how to deal with it. This world had become a petri dish, fermenting uncontrollably.

Picking up a pair of sunglasses, Alex murmured an incantation before snapping them in half. The next moment, the sunglasses dissolved rapidly into smoke, and Alex's body disappeared into thin air, leaving no trace behind.

This was a form of optical magic that used specific objects to achieve an invisibility-like effect. However, mere invisibility wasn't enough—zombies were deeply drawn to the scent of flesh.

To counter this, Alex summoned the demonic aura of the Seven Deadly Sins to mask his human scent. This allowed him to move undetected in the open.

Of course, these spells only worked against regular zombies. If he encountered another magic practitioner, things wouldn't be so simple.

But it didn't matter. If someone capable of seeing through Alex's disguise appeared, he would be the first to detect their presence.

As Alex left the optical store, a series of sonic booms echoed through the air.

Looking up, he saw several glowing figures streaking across the sky, heading toward the other side of New York.

[Energy signatures detected: Thor, Nova, and the Fantastic Four] Miss Minutes reported.

Even without the reminder, Alex recognized them. If his guess was correct, the Fantastic Four had just fallen, and their two children had likely been devoured by She-Hulk.

How tragic. It seemed that, outside the main universe, Franklin Richards in alternate universes was either a sacrificial lamb or on his way to becoming one. In major events, Reed's children were often the first to die.

[They're heading toward the Helicarrier. It looks like S.H.I.E.L.D. has already taken action, gathering all the heroes who haven't yet been turned into zombies.]

Although Alex was a bit rusty on the original storyline, his advanced mental faculties, honed through magic, allowed him to recall many details as long as he had some time to think.

[It seems they haven't been infected yet. With so many of them together, perhaps you could reach out to them, Sir] Miss Minutes suggested.

"Precisely because so many are gathered together, I won't approach them. Remember, I can't alter the flow of this world's timeline."

Alex watched the figures grow smaller in the distance and sighed deeply.

He had come here to find a way to defeat the source of corruption, not to save the world. Any interference with history could cause catastrophic consequences.

For example, in this world, Reed Richards had not yet turned into a zombie. This meant he hadn't sent any messages across the multiverse.

If Alex changed this event, who would the Reed in the Wasteland have received the message from?

After a moment's pause, Alex turned and walked in the opposite direction, immersing himself in this hellish landscape.

-------------------

After a long silence, Tony Stark finally spoke.

"I'll figure something out. You go calm the people outside. If possible, do your best to bring back any survivors."

"What are you going to do?" Nick Fury asked, his tone filled with doubt.

"I'm going to build a device for interdimensional travel. Think of it as an escape pod. I don't believe creating a cure will solve everything. Besides, I'm no expert in virology like Reed is—my expertise lies in engineering."

Tony pointed to his chest, where his arc reactor emitted a faint glow.

"With this device, we can leave this universe and find a way to live in another one. As long as I can figure out how to avoid landing in other apocalyptic universes, we can take the remaining survivors and escape."

Hearing this, Nick Fury took a deep breath, unsure of what to say.

He knew Stark was right. This world was beyond saving. Given the speed and adaptability of the virus, it was only a matter of time before Earth became a wasteland.

Even with the remaining superheroes gathered, it didn't matter. The zombified heroes retained their powers, and any mistake could result in more infections.

This was never a fair fight. Every fallen comrade would rise again as an enemy. With the balance constantly tipping against them, it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed.

But if they followed Tony's plan, it would mean abandoning those who had already become zombies. These monsters might still have a chance at salvation.

"Tony, I once swore to fight for the protection of all humanity and the continuation of human civilization."

Nick Fury's voice was hoarse and low.

"So what?"

Tony frowned.

"Are you planning to stop me?"

"No."

Nick Fury shook his head, slowly raising a hand to pat Tony on the shoulder.

"I mean, do what you think is best. But I'll still have Reed and the others work on a cure or a serum. As long as there's even a one-in-ten-thousand chance, I have to try to save this world."

At this, Nick Fury raised his head, fixing his one good eye on Tony's face.

"But if all hope is lost..."

Nick Fury tightened his grip on Stark's shoulder.

"Then you are our only hope."

.....

????30 advanced chapters on p@treaon????

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388. Zombie Sentry.

389. Traces of Contamination.

390. Chaos!

391. Contamination and Counter-Contamination.

392. The Grave Situation.