Chapter 4753: Imperial Household: Rebirth (Twelve)

Strange quickly brought the medicine. Indeed, there were no broad-spectrum antibiotics, but there were some fever reducers. After Stark took them, there was no noticeable change in the short term, so they could only keep watch.

"Who should go?" Shiler asked, "We really should send one person, otherwise it would seem too heartless."

"I'm not good at space combat," Matt said with self-awareness, "Although I can sense many things, movement is not convenient. You guys go, I'll stay here to guard him."

"Should I go?" Steve said. But after thinking, he added: "I also don't have any large-scale destructive means, so it's better for you two to go."

"But we are doctors," Strange said.

"Only one doctor is needed here," Shiler stood up and said, "Charles and Tony both need your care, so I'll go."

When he said he would go, the others were uneasy, but their unease was not about his safety, but about the safety of the front line.

"I remember you're not very good at fighting," Matt said, "Otherwise we should still go to the central universe and call a few more."

"No need. Ordinary people on this island feel uncomfortable staying, and mutants are too busy. Besides, who said I'm going to the front line?"

"The front line is urgent, if you don't go to the front line, where do you go?"

Shiler smiled and said: "Precisely because the front line is urgent, going to the front line is useless. Alright, you take good care of him here, I'll be back soon."

Shiler left the room, not heading straight to the front line, nor even leaving Clarkia Island. He went directly to the Clarkia totem and saw the Holy Five who were incubating bodies.

The Holy Five are the cornerstone of the resurrection plan. They are five mutants capable of incubating bodies, and have always stayed near the totem under strict protection. Mutants also greatly revere them, believing they are saints guarding the future of mutants.

However, Shiler was not coming to find them. Just now, the resurrected Magneto had already walked out of the totem.

He took clothes from a mutant beside him and put them on. Shiler looked at him and said: "I need to go to the Shi'ar Empire, possibly to solve the mutants' trouble, do you want to come together?"

"Of course. I won't let those who harmed Charles off." Magneto slightly narrowed his eyes, "Perhaps you're right. Mutants have never been too harsh, but rather not harsh enough. We worry too much, and always end up as victims."

The journey to the Shi'ar Empire was actually very simple—just go through the solar stargate directly; otherwise, it would indeed take some effort. Shiler again used Mephisto's skin and met Magneto on Yingyu Star.

"Go find Scott," Shiler said, "Soothe him or delay him. I need to talk to Gabriel."

Magneto did nothing and just did as said; now he and Scott have a good relationship, and Scott will listen to him, so delaying him is not difficult. However, he still had some doubts—what did Shiler want to talk to Gabriel about?

But thinking about it, it makes sense. If it wasn't Gabriel who tried to kill Professor X, then the attacker might also be Gabriel's enemy. So the enemy of an enemy is a friend, and cooperating with him is not unacceptable.

"Alright, you should calm down by now?" Shiler walked in from outside the door and said, "I know even if you didn't order it, you still allowed it."

"I don't need to do this," Gabriel turned around.

"Your argument about Scott doesn't work on me. If you were truly completely unemotional and only profit-driven, you wouldn't wait for me to help you before succeeding in usurpation."

Gabriel slightly widened his eyes. He stared at Shiler and said: "You look somewhat different, a devil with honeyed words."

"My friend is sick, I'm not in a good mood, no time to waste words with you. If you disagree, I'll push Scott to the throne. Don't you think this is a good solution for everyone?"

Gabriel narrowed his eyes, and Shiler continued: "Professor X worries that Cyclops will be controlled by you. But if he himself becomes emperor, there's no such risk. He is your brother, full of guilt toward you, and after ascending the throne he will surely do his best to compensate you, so you don't need to worry. For mutants, he is also a completely acceptable ally. And his own abilities can bear this position. What do you think?"

"Impossible," Gabriel said in a deep voice, "The throne can only be mine."

"Since you think that way, then obediently listen. Otherwise, how I push you to the throne is how I can push others to the throne. Your Majesty, every usurper's fate is to be overthrown in the same way."

Gabriel gritted his teeth, seeming to want to say something, but then realized Shiler was right. He fundamentally cannot suppress domestic rebellion. Those nobles, already during the Dekan era, had tendencies toward independence, and now they are even more reckless.

"Can you help me deal with them?" he asked.

"No," Shiler answered bluntly, "But mutants will want revenge, so you can cooperate with them."

"Then what are you here for?"

"To advise you on another matter." Shiler paused and then said, "Regarding the solar system's military strength, what do you think?"

"The news of rebellion has long spread, I cannot control them. If you expect me to make them retreat, you're overestimating yourself."

"I don't expect that," Shiler said, "Why do you think those soldiers still have a chance to return?"

Gabriel frowned at him, and Shiler continued: "Tell me the weaknesses of the weapons and soldiers, I'll tell the Earth government, and then let them swallow those soldiers whole. Just like I previously told you the weaknesses of the Avengers."

"Why do you think I would do this?"

"I said, you have no choice."

Gabriel looked into Shiler's eyes, feeling an unexplained fear. He didn't know where this feeling came from, but it suddenly arose in his heart. This devil began to not conceal his evil and cruel face.

"You don't care at all about anyone in the Shi'ar Empire, starting wars without burden, and creating slaughter is as natural as instinct. Because essentially, you hate them far more than any human. Even you think that time on Earth was the best time of your life."

Gabriel never expected him to point this out directly. His hand instantly went to the sword hilt, gripping it tightly. He took a deep breath and said: "They took me from Earth, then killed my mother. My purpose has always been only one—to destroy the Shi'ar Empire."

"Professor X's claims about controlling Cyclops to seize power are baseless; I don't explain it, I just want to see their misunderstanding deepen. I admit, I want to see that hypocrite who abandoned me suffer." Gabriel finally revealed his true purpose, "Being betrayed by my favorite student must be painful? But when he abandoned me then, he should have thought of this day. This is his retribution."

"You only need to think about one question now." Shiler completely ignored his words, "Do you still want to return to Clarkia?"

Gabriel's hand clenched again, exposing his inner anxiety and panic. His Adam's apple moved up and down violently, and he said: "Why should I return to a place full of my enemies?"

"Because that place is the mutants' home. They don't want to abandon any mutant, even including you. You also feel moved by this, don't you?"

"Not abandoning? All lies!" Gabriel finally broke down, he said, "Those people are complete hypocrites, outwardly equal to every companion and student, but they uniquely abandoned me. They even erased the memories of my closest ones about me. This can never be forgiven!"

"Alright. Then think about how to treat Cyclops. He will surely advise you to return, he won't give up."

"I won't go with him."

"Then you will surely hurt his heart. You know he is innocent, he has never harmed you in any way, and moreover, he is your closest person."

Gabriel turned away, not wanting anyone to see his expression, he also remained silent, no longer responding. But this itself is an attitude. After a while he said: "The combat forces' data is in the headquarters of the Imperial Guard, if you want it, go get it yourself."

"I don't want those ordinary data, I only want weaknesses that can kill with one blow."

"There is no such thing!" Gabriel roared.

"You definitely do." Shiler said, "Otherwise you would be more anxious than me to destroy them. Because once they return through the stargate, they will be the greatest force threatening your rule. You must have in your hand the complete weakness to counter them."

Gabriel pressed his lips together, took a deep breath, then said: "Source energy crystals can forcibly absorb the consciousness of marked soldiers. This was originally for resurrection, but can also be used for other things."

Having received this information, Shiler did not linger. He still went to the Imperial Guard headquarters to get the data, used for cleaning up the battlefield. After all, even looting needs a list.

After returning to Earth, he brought the information and data to Captain America. Captain America looked at him in surprise several times, but also considered it as him using his own intelligence system to uncover this within the unit. Still, he took it and immediately went to devise a plan.

Shiler had just returned when Matt told him, as expected, the virtual assets server of Clarkia Island had been attacked. However, they seem to have means to maintain server security, and hackers cannot attack it. It won't be long before sanctions likely begin.

"They also don't have much time left to negotiate terms." Shiler shook his head, "The Avengers have already obtained the fatal weakness of the Shi'ar imperial army, the war will soon end."

"Why do I always feel your original plan wasn't like this?" Steve turned back and said, "You should still have many other purposes, right?"

"Not many left." Shiler shook his head, "Originally I wanted to use this unit and the relationships between Gabriel, Scott, and Professor X to create a divided Shi'ar Empire, and keep the solar system's stargate permanently stationed, using another living island of the same origin as Clarkia, transformed into a movable territory that can shuttle between the two nations, to perfectly solve the mutants' problem. After that, there wouldn't be much left."

"Then what about now?"

"The Xia Empire might not fracture that severely, but it certainly won't be any better off. Let them find the living island themselves. I just want to get this over with as soon as possible and then take Tony home."

"There's no need to worry so much either." Matt said, "Tony's fever has broken, and his condition has improved a lot. The life support system in the armor can keep him unaffected by the island. Besides, from the look of it, he hasn't had enough fun himself yet."

Shiler let out a long sigh: "If it were up to him, he'd work himself to death. But you guys just got here too, so you definitely haven't had your fill yet."

"Everything should have a proper beginning and end." Steve said, "We still want to watch Clarkia develop. And afterwards, Bucky and Natasha and them might also have time; after seeing the scenic photos we sent, they want to come over and hang out too."

Shiler seemed to still want to insist on his own opinion. Only Strange stood up from the sofa and said: "Instead of worrying about them, worry about yourself. If Tony needs to recuperate, all his work can only fall entirely on you. There's a lot of work to be done building Clarkia Island — you have to oversee agriculture and develop industry; are you sure you can handle it all?"

"... Shiler developing industry? No no no!" Stark sat up with a start from his sickbed, "He absolutely must not touch anything! I don't want to spend the rest of my life stuck on this island!"

Everyone burst into laughter.