[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel":3,"chapter-my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-206":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","My Life as a Mental Mentor in Marvel",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2322774,4544,"Chapter 206: The Cosmic Demon Totem Shared Prosperity Project (Part 2)","my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-206",206,"\u003Cp>Although autumn had arrived, the afternoon in New York was still hot; the pull-tab of a soda can clicked softly, followed by a sharp “pssst,” and Peter lifted his head, gulping down a cold cola with a sigh of relief: “Ha...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Finished drinking? Then finish refining this section.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peter set the cola on the table in the prep room, then put his lab coat back on and returned to the workstation. He glanced around, then whispered to Dr. Connors: “Is this really going to work? I don’t think we can fool Mr. Stark—this is Stark Tower’s lab.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting in the prep room, Shearer said to Peter: “It seems you didn’t absorb a single bit of the psychology theories I taught you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peter scratched his head and asked: “I just didn’t remember much... but what does that have to do with us hiding this experiment from Mr. Stark?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m certain Stark won’t use surveillance equipment to monitor this lab. He’s a proud man, so even though he knows Dr. Connors holds several biotech patents, he wouldn’t resort to something as petty as spying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His pride prevents him from doing anything remotely resembling theft—even the slightest risk is something he’ll avoid.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stark is like a proud bird; his intelligence and wisdom are his most dazzling feathers. Any action that might soil them, even if it brings more food, he’ll steer clear of.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Connors added: “That’s why he’s more like a scientist than a businessman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peter nodded, signaling he understood, then looked up at the clock in the room and said: “Sorry, Doctor, I have to leave in an hour—friends are waiting for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Connors looked up and asked Shearer: “When is Strange coming?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Shearer reached for his phone to call Strange, a red slit suddenly appeared in the center of the lab, expanding into a circular portal—Strange stepped out, holding a crystal ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew...” he exhaled heavily. “You have no idea what I just went through. Good heavens! I never thought wizards would have to do this kind of work!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell us about your amazing experience,” Shearer said, glancing out the window—the time was still early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peter stared curiously at Strange, who carefully placed the crystal ball on the table, took a deep breath, and began his tale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story still begins at Kamar-Taj.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After becoming a student mage at Kamar-Taj, Strange embarked on his long journey to learn magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange had decent talent and learned quickly; soon he grasped the basics and could cast minor spells well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, through frequent visits to Kamar-Taj, he gained deeper insight into its interpersonal dynamics. Besides the Ancient One and the Grand Steward Wang, he met another person: Baron Mordo, the Ancient One’s senior disciple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange felt the one person he could never get along with at Kamar-Taj was his own senior brother—Mordo’s every gesture constantly reminded him he was an outsider, a self-taught amateur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Baron Mordo was simply too much like a true mage—even more so than the Ancient One.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was silent, solemn, mysterious; every word he spoke carried obscure, arcane meanings. Not only was his magical power strong, but his style of casting matched the traditional image of a mage perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time Mordo used magic, he floated midair, his robe gently stirring, mystic light particles swirling around him, chanting a stream of cryptic incantations, moving with effortless grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, Strange’s magic was far less elegant: crimson sashes tangled him into a burrito, teleportation portals vanished halfway, the Seven Rings of Lagadore went haywire and flew everywhere—common occurrences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, Strange had little knowledge of mysticism or philosophy; he could never speak in profound aphorisms like Mordo—words about the true essence of life, seeking tranquility, the source of power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time he heard the Ancient One and Baron Mordo converse, Strange felt certain the Ancient One was deeply impatient when speaking to him—he lacked both deep magical theory and obscure mystical lore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The topics Mordo and the Ancient One discussed revolved around the universe, truth, and origin; Strange’s conversations with her were all about loans, interest rates, and deficits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former sounded like a sacred temple instructing disciples; the latter sounded like a cold-call bank pitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Strange and Baron Mordo merely couldn’t connect, that might’ve been bearable—but because Strange had introduced the Ancient One to his financial fraud scheme, they frequently traveled between Asgard and other dimensions to prepare for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this time, the Ancient One took Strange on global trips, leaving her senior disciple Mordo behind at Kamar-Taj.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Ancient One’s sole disciple for years, Mordo had long considered himself the heir to both the title of Ancient One and Kamar-Taj. But now, watching this unorthodox junior brother win the Ancient One’s favor, he naturally grew resentful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What shocked Mordo most was that the Ancient One told him to contact Dormammu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Kamar-Taj, most magic used was white magic, drawn from Hogarth or other orderly realms; black magic was strictly forbidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because the definition of magic was vague, most mages didn’t use only white magic—for instance, Surtur’s Crimson Bands, powered by the Crimson Dimension, weren’t inherently violent, and many novice mages used them, yet Surtur was clearly not an orderly deity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, some mages who considered themselves powerful did use power from dark deities—and both the Ancient One and Baron Mordo knew this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ancient One turned a blind eye, as long as mages could control such power; she wouldn’t pursue them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But turning a blind eye was entirely different from openly arranging contact with dark deities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many mages at Kamar-Taj speculated: what was the Ancient One planning? Of course, they didn’t think she’d betray them to an enemy—they merely suspected she’d finally found a way to kill Dormammu and was luring him in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mordo was even more uneasy, because his connection to Dormammu ran far deeper than the Ancient One knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mordo had studied black magic in extreme depth, and he was certain the Ancient One hadn’t discovered it—until one day, she suddenly told him: “Go contact Dormammu, the dark lord of the most chaotic, violent dimension circling Earth, who dreams of invasion every day!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could Mordo not panic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had my secret dealings with the dark dimension been discovered? Was this a warning from the Ancient One? Or had she truly found a way to turn Dormammu into dumpling filling? What should I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As previously mentioned, Mordo had one defining trait: he was a profoundly traditional mage—in short, he truly believed in magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, a thought gradually formed in Mordo’s mind: after returning from the dark dimension, no one knew what he had discussed with Dormammu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, Strange also met Dormammu—not just Dormammu, but also the famed Crimson Dimension lord Surtur, the ruler of Hell, Mephisto, and a host of other legendary cosmic deities whose names could shake the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their meeting place was Xiangong, the celestial palace of Asgard; the meeting was convened by the All-Father Odin, initiated by Earth’s Ancient One, and beside her stood Strange, trembling at the sight of these titans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After relentless phone calls from the Ancient One, this stellar assembly had finally been assembled—and Strange never imagined he’d have to give a speech before these titans whose footsteps shook the universe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange was filled with regret—profound, crushing regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stood at the center of Xiangong’s palace, to his right was a swirling mass of black mist, within which a blurred humanoid form radiated endless darkness—just a glance made one gasp for breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To his left was a vast crimson vortex; behind it stretched an infinite world, and atop its peak sat an even greater monster, whose gaze alone could devour all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Strange burned the eternal flames of Hell; staircases paved with corpses led to a towering throne, where a shadowy demon sat, watching humanity from the depths of Hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside these three titans stood many grotesque, horrifying creatures that could drive a man mad with fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange stood among these demons and monsters, convinced he’d boarded a pirate ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the situation had gone too far—he couldn’t simply refuse to speak. He gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and forced himself to deliver that vile, shameless plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, recounting this experience in the lab, Strange looked exhausted. “...I was only halfway through when that demon rose from his throne—he appeared directly above my head. Can you believe it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The entire sea of hellfire materialized over my head—I could even hear the screams of souls trapped within...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange, utterly defeated, said: “Then Surtur stuck his head right out of the vortex. Do you have any idea how terrifying that was?! One of his whiskers was bigger than my entire body!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t even describe what those things were,” Strange said, pressing his palms to his forehead. “After this experience, I don’t think anything in this world could frighten me anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can't even describe to you what those things were,\" Strange said, pressing his hands to his forehead. \"After this experience, I don't think there's anything left in this world that I could fear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After I finished speaking, I returned to my teacher’s side. Until they began debating back and forth, the atmosphere was still terrifying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And then?” Connors asked, curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then...” Strange gave a strange expression. “They started arguing—and it got worse. Odin had to step in to mediate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At first, they reasoned. Then they just yelled louder. Finally, they started comparing who had the bigger fists.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At first they tried to reason, then it turned into a contest of who could shout louder, and finally it became a contest of who had the bigger fists.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Odin intended to mediate, but some demon insulted him—he unleashed a bolt of lightning. Within seconds, the sky above Asgard became a churning sea of sludge...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the end, most of the deities either fled or died; only the strongest remained to continue talking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the end, most of the demonic gods either fled or died, leaving only a few of the stronger ones to sit down and continue talking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Ancient One told me that’s how demon negotiations work—whenever they gather, they must fight first; only the survivors get to negotiate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange sighed and continued: “When they sat back down, I realized they hadn’t understood even a tenth of what I’d said.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They threw me a mountain of questions. I answered as best I could, but many remained—especially from Mephisto!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange’s tone turned angry: “He bombarded me with a mess of questions—some I couldn’t answer—and he called me an ignorant fool! I’m a neurosurgeon, not a financial professional! How am I supposed to know how interest rates are calculated?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange's tone grew angry: \"He dumped a pile of nonsensical questions on me—some I couldn't answer—and he actually called me an ignorant fool! I'm a neurosurgeon, not a financial professional. How am I supposed to know how interest rate benchmarks are calculated?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone who remained agreed to join and paid a deposit—this is it.” Strange picked up the crystal ball on the table. “It’s pure magical energy, stripped of all personal attributes—usable immediately, no repayment required.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the condition is, we must send professionals to answer their endless questions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s easy—I’ll have Nick find some financially experienced people with decent morals in prison tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But we can’t send these people to meet cosmic deities—they’d die of fright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shearer asked Strange: “Do you know what a telephone is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shieler asked Strange: “Do you know what a telephone is?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1915,"2026-06-20T16:39:20.726Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","02b544eb22ee8ea0d8bc951a6df04b6400fabe34f6b290b920033c8f469f3d61","my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-207","my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-205",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-cover.jpg"]