*Of course.*
*This was just Zhou Cheng's inner monologue.*
*Zhou Cheng would have to be out of his mind to take on a being like Galactus just because Nick Fury asked him to.*
*After all, Uncle Tun was no ordinary foe, right?*
*Winning would bring no benefit, and losing would be even worse. No matter how you looked at it, the risk far outweighed the reward.*
*Besides, Zhou Cheng already had enough money to last several lifetimes.*
*It was even more impossible for him to become a pawn in Egghead's game for a mere pittance.*
"If that's your plan..."
Zhou Cheng shook his head with a smile. "I'm sorry to tell you, but you've won the lottery for the few requests I refuse to accept."
"If it's you, I'm sure you know what kind of being Galactus is, right?"
"He has already devoured countless planets and destroyed countless civilizations."
"And Earth is his next target."
"We only have a few months left."
"Is all this really no problem for you?"
Nick Fury's voice continued to sound. Even though Zhou Cheng had already explicitly refused, Egghead didn't give up easily.
"Whether you believe it or not, I really don't care."
Zhou Cheng shrugged non-chalantly, then stood up. "Unfortunately, I don't think there's any point in continuing this conversation."
Egghead understood now.
It seemed Stark was right—this man truly was from another universe.
Otherwise, how could he be so indifferent to such a matter?
This was a question of Earth's survival, in other words, the life and death of every single person on Earth!
Anyone living on this Earth, if they knew about it, simply couldn't ignore it.
Although he hadn't received a positive answer from Zhou Cheng, it wasn't a complete waste for Egghead.
At the very least, it confirmed the intelligence Stark had provided.
"Mr. Zhou, please hold on a moment."
Nick Fury stopped Zhou Cheng. "If you're unwilling to accept this commission, no problem. We can still discuss cooperation in other areas."
"Like what?"
Zhou Cheng looked at Egghead with a questioning gaze.
"Perhaps you could offer us some advice on how to deal with Galactus."
Seeing Zhou Cheng's resolute attitude, Egghead knew he couldn't force Zhou Cheng to take action. He had no choice but to settle for a secondary option. "Of course, this is for a price."
For Zhou Cheng, this wasn't an unacceptable request, nor was it a difficult one.
Having read the comics, he naturally knew how this Galactus invasion was resolved. He just had to copy the homework.
"You've come to the right person."
Zhou Cheng sat back down. "Actually, even if I don't step in, Galactus isn't impossible to deal with. Others can handle this."
Seeing Zhou Cheng's absolute confidence, Nick Fury felt a wave of relief.
"What do we need to do?" Egghead asked, his single eye fixed on Zhou Cheng.
"You need two people," Zhou Cheng explained. "First, Professor X. Second, Mister Fantastic."
His words immediately struck a chord with Egghead. Because up to this point, everything Zhou Cheng had said was identical to what Stark had told him. Both had recommended Professor X and Reed.
Nick Fury had already been in contact with these two. But what should he do next?
Stark didn't know. Nick Fury could only rely on Zhou Cheng now.
"And then?" Egghead pressed eagerly.
"You need to build a super-massive Cerebro Enhancer—something that can project Professor X's consciousness deep into space. That way, we can establish a psychic link with Galactus when he arrives."
"A link?"
Nick Fury's brow furrowed. He looked at Zhou Cheng, surprised. "You mean... negotiate with Galactus?"
"No. Galactus isn't a biological entity in the way we understand it. His level of existence is so far beyond ours that comparing us to him is like comparing ants to gods."
"Any attempt by Professor X to communicate normally would be an insult to Galactus. It would only provoke him."
Zhou Cheng shook his head, explaining to Fury.
"So, provoking him is the goal?"
"Of course not."
Zhou Cheng shook his head again. "As I said, Galactus is a different kind of being. He possesses no human nature, and his thoughts and patterns of reasoning are completely alien to ours. He has no understanding of the sheer diversity of human nature."
"And that's exactly what will terrify him."
"Human thought, human creativity, human dreams, ambitions, greed, and all kinds of wild ideas—in short, every single thought."
"This is the most powerful weapon to use against Galactus."
"The thoughts and ideas of a single individual are insignificant to Galactus, but when they all converge..."
Nick Fury finally understood.
Sending Professor X to communicate with Galactus wasn't an attempt to negotiate. It was to project the collective consciousness of all humanity onto him!
He had to admit, this method completely caught him off guard.
The secret to defeating Galactus wasn't some superweapon, but simply the collective thoughts of Earth's people?
Could it really be that simple?
Egghead's spirits soared.
For the first time, he had a concrete plan and strategy to deal with Galactus.
He was no longer a headless chicken, running around aimlessly.
The thick fog that had shrouded Egghead's mind was suddenly swept away!
*As expected of a grandmaster from another universe—he's just that reliable.*
*This recruitment drive had truly paid off.*
Egghead couldn't describe how thrilled he was.
"So, what's next?"
"I'm guessing this is only the first step, right?" Nick Fury pressed further.
Zhou Cheng had mentioned both Professor X and Reed. Since Professor X could handle the current plan, it was obvious that Zhou Cheng's strategy must have a follow-up.
"Exactly."
"Galactus's fear of human minds stems simply from his alien nature; he just doesn't understand how we think."
"While that's enough to make him wary, it's not enough to make him retreat. But if we combine that with a powerful weapon, it will be."
"Given Galactus's sheer scale, every weapon on Earth is like a light drizzle to him—it would barely even tickle."
"Considering Earth's scientific framework and personnel, there's only one way: detonating an entire planet."
"And across the entire Earth, only Reed can pull that off."
*It all makes sense now!*
*So that's the real reason why they need Professor X and Reed!*
Nick Fury finally understood everything.
But why did Zhou Cheng know all of this so clearly?
Whether it was Galactus's weakness or Reed's capabilities, the most plausible and convincing answer was that Zhou Cheng came from another universe—a universe where he had witnessed all of this.
Nick Fury became even more convinced of the story Stark had told him about Zhou Cheng's origins.
Not only that, he was now equally convinced of the playboy's ability to predict the future.
With that settled, Egghead immediately began a series of urgent preparations, following the methods Zhou Cheng had provided.
None of this was a problem for him.
However, all of this had nothing to do with Zhou Cheng anymore.
He acted as if nothing had happened, starting to have his fun in the Ultimate Universe.
The whole Galactus affair had long been tossed to the back of his mind.
***
At the same moment.
Universe 199999.
Sanctuary One.
"Master, it is confirmed. Odin is indeed dead."
"Asgard is now ruled by his son, Thor."
Thanos remained arrogantly seated on his supreme throne.
Before him, his most loyal lackey, The Other, knelt on one knee, respectfully delivering his report.
Upon hearing this, Thanos's eyes instantly lit up, and he instinctively stood up.
His tower-like figure exerted an indescribable pressure on The Other.
"Is the news accurate? Are you one hundred percent sure?"
Because the matter was too important, Thanos repeatedly confirmed with The Other.
"Master, it is absolutely true. I can confirm it."
"Odin is truly dead."
The Other gave a definite answer.
"Very good!"
Thanos nodded in satisfaction.
"Master, do you truly intend to make a move on Asgard?"
Another voice spoke up. It was Ebony Maw, another of Thanos's lackeys, who was standing to the side.
This alone made it clear that The Other and Ebony Maw were on completely different levels in the hierarchy. At the very least, Ebony Maw didn't have to kneel before Thanos.
"I can't wait any longer," Thanos sighed, his voice heavy with resignation. "It seems this is our only choice."
If he had any other option, why would Thanos want to go head-on against a powerhouse like Asgard? Even if he were to strike, it would be far safer to secure at least one Infinity Gem first.
But as the saying goes, ideals are always full, while reality is always bony. No matter how much Thanos planned, he was helpless if he couldn't find the Infinity Gems.
He had set his sights on the Power Stone and even had a lead on its location, which he took very seriously. Not only did he dispatch his own men to search for it, but he also had Ronan help.
And the result?
A complete waste of effort.
The Power Stone had been snatched by Asgard.
To make matters worse, the Cosmic Cube had always been on Earth, and Loki—that useless brat who could only mess things up—had left his Mind Stone there as well.
That left only the Time Stone, the Reality Stone, and the Soul Stone for Thanos to lay his hands on.
And that was exactly what he did, pouring all his resources into the search for these three Stones.
Yet, his efforts had yielded nothing.
Even now, he had no clue to their whereabouts. In fact, he had received some rather unwelcome news.
It seemed the Reality Stone had fallen into the hands of Asgard!
As for the Time Stone and the Soul Stone, he remained completely in the dark.
Thanos was growing truly impatient.
Back when Odin still reigned, Thanos had never dared to entertain such thoughts. After all, the God King's power was so immense that even Thanos held him in great awe.
But now...
Odin was dead!
Thanos's ambition was now impossible to contain.
"Ebony Maw, relay my command: The Black Order is to assemble immediately!"
"And bring Gamora and Nebula back."
"From this moment on, we must prepare for a fierce war!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Thanos issued his orders to Ebony Maw and The Other.
"Yes, Master!"
The two immediately accepted their orders and departed.
***
"Time to visit another world."
In the Ultimate Universe, Zhou Cheng had just finished a meal at an upscale restaurant when he made this decision.
He had been in the Ultimate Universe for over two weeks now, and he felt it was time for a change of scenery.
Originally, Zhou Cheng had planned to return to the Naruto world to witness Orochimaru's Konoha Crush firsthand. But after calculating the timing, it seemed he was too early. According to the plot, it would be about another half a month before the event.
*In that case...*
"Let's travel to a random world."
Zhou Cheng made the decision with a sense of pleasant anticipation.
Without another word, he focused his mind and activated his dimensional travel ability.
*Whoosh!*
The next instant, Zhou Cheng's vision blurred, and his surroundings transformed completely.
There was no doubt about it: he had arrived in a brand-new world.
As far as he could see, it was another modern metropolis, bustling with traffic and filled with towering skyscrapers.
He couldn't tell which world this was yet, but he wasn't in a hurry to summon his AI for an investigation. Instead, he began to explore this new world with a mix of curiosity and excitement.
The process of gradually uncovering the mysteries of a new world was the most interesting and novel part of the journey.
But this process didn't last long—not even half an hour—before Zhou Cheng fully understood which world this was.
Because the surrounding area was plastered with incredibly obvious "clues."
"Queen Maeve's latest masterpiece is about to be released! Homelander makes an appearance at the movie press conference to show his support."
"The last movie before Lamplighter left The Seven. If you're a fan of Lamplighter, you definitely can't miss this."
Whether it was the giant LED screens on the buildings or other media outlets, similar promotional posters were everywhere.
Even the dazzling array of merchandise in the shops along the streets bore the mark of The Seven.
A-Train's endorsed running shoes, Deep Sea's signature goggles, the functional drink Homelander passionately recommends, and so on and so forth.
They were everywhere!
How could Zhou Cheng not know which world he had traveled to?
Without a doubt, it was the world of *The Boys*.
And to be honest, this was an extremely bizarre world.
The vast majority of the superheroes here were nothing but bastards.
Especially the most powerful and popular one, Homelander—he was the scummiest of the scum.
-----------------------
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