While Natasha dealt with the Future S.H.I.E.L.D., Su Ming began his own actions.
Investigating the Element Zero, also known as Zero Element, Zero Matter.
However, it is more commonly known by another name: Dark Matter, which constitutes Dormammu's Dark Dimension and even his body, the kind of rolling dark cloud element.
Zero Matter is also currently the only type of magical material that can be explained by science.
It is sometimes called Neutron Element, referring to an element containing only neutrons without protons in its atom, or a matter composed purely of neutrons.
In 1926, Fur Bear physicist Andrea von Andropov first discovered this thing and coined the term, at a time when the concept of neutrons didn't even exist. Andropov placed Element Zero at the beginning of the periodic table to represent its proton count being even less than hydrogen.
It wasn't until neutrons were discovered that Element Zero mainly referred to a nuclide formed by many neutrons gathered together.
Of course, it has a dark nature, and when it enters the human body, humans will gradually be assimilated by it, showing symptoms like cracked foreheads and dark eyes.
While possessing a series of magic abilities, one becomes increasingly close to Dormammu's domain until eventually going completely insane and then being absorbed by the Dark Dimension as Zero Element itself.
Su Ming doesn't care if Leviathan wants to collectively commit suicide or worship Evil Gods, but they can't play with Zero Element, not only is it unacceptable, but it's also precisely within the realm of responsibility of the Supreme Mage.
If Leviathan did indeed dig this thing up from the underground, then it has to be managed. After hearing Zheng Xian's words, Su Ming couldn't relax during his vacation and finally decided to fulfill the duties of the Supreme Mage.
Whether Dormammu has found a way to bypass the defensive barrier or he recruited Kobolds as representatives in the Underworld, Su Ming must personally verify this.
Therefore, for this operation, he must bring a mage along.
However, when he braved the snow and arrived in London, United Kingdom to find a good tool-person, Magic Prince Monac refused to go, acting like a couch potato.
Even when Su Ming dragged him around his living room like a mop, Monac remained unwilling to come, reportedly planning to rest for a decade or so.
He stated that always acting with Deathstroke in the past was too taxing on his body; both in physical nutrition and Rabbit reproduction speed couldn't keep up.
Seeing his resolute refusal, with neither coercion nor incentives working, Su Ming did not persist. Eventually, he returned from London to New York to take Xiaowang from Zhongsi Academy.
Not expecting him to provide much energy output, just to act as a magic consultant is enough.
The young Wang was very happy to travel with the Supreme Mage, as the duties of the Guardian Race were supposed to be like this. He originally worried that he would end up like his father, guarding a library for most of his life due to the Supreme Mage's immense power, but now he no longer worried.
The Master was willing to take him on trips, which was great.
Su Ming thought for a moment and handed him a cloth to cover his face, as the current Xiaowang still had a 'handsome and delicate' look, lacking any intimidating presence. If engaging with the Dark Dimension, a fair-skinned, tender, and utterly delectable young mage clearly wouldn't be beneficial for the mission.
Arriving in Fur Bear Country, the next task was a rather tedious one: having the Magic Floating Cloak search from the Bering Strait to sense any Dark Magic activity, which required some time.
Fortunately, although searching all over the wilderness in winter was a bit cold, it didn't mean Su Ming and Wang had to act with the cloak; they just needed to find a mountain cave for camping and vacationing in the wild, then wait for news.
Bringing Xiaowang had more advantages than bringing Monac, one of which was his cooking skills. Xiaowang might have wanted to show the Master his Magic and culinary skills, so today's lunch for them was 'roasted whole reindeer.'
"Xiaowang, your cooking is much better than your father's," Su Ming said, holding a huge rib that looked like a scimitar, brushed with honey and roasted to a golden crispy fragrance.
"Thank you." Wang slightly smiled modestly and rubbed his hands vigorously, feeling a supreme honor yet attempting to appear like a humble child.
Sitting at the mouth of a mountain cave at the top of the mountain, looking out, all he saw was a snow-covered coniferous forest below, while overhead was a clear blue sky, vast and empty, as if the world consisted of nothing but this bonfire.
Enjoying the snowy scenery by the fire, Su Ming bit a piece of meat and, swirling the bone in his hand, he added: "It's just that the deer is too fatty; we should have some fruit afterwards, something sweet and sour."
The geography-savvy young genius knew exactly where to find sweet and sour fruits in this season, so without a word he opened a teleportation gate and headed straight for the West Indies Islands in the Caribbean, where it was cherry season.
He knew Deathstroke liked eating wild fruits, saying they were purely organic without fertilizers or pesticides, thus healthier.
Wang didn't understand the difference between organic matters, but the Supreme Mage's preferences were most important to him, so he entered the forest himself to gather wild cherries and berries. After washing them, he also presented them in pretty glass bowls to the Supreme Mage.
"Hmm, the cherries are nice, some ice cream would complement them well. Viewing the snow, cherries and ice cream pair perfectly," Su Ming started to eat a mouthful of meat followed by a mouthful of fruit, enjoying some treats during the boring wait, despite not needing to eat, he still enjoyed the sensation.
"As you command, Master." Wang left again to prepare the ice cream.
Su Ming began to understand what a decadent life Batman has with a butler. Having a butler is indeed enjoyable, continuously enjoyable.
Moreover, Wang was different from Hamir. Hamir was more traditional; he would only take care of the mage's life and meals, not the warrior's. Perhaps meditation worked for The Ancient One, but it didn't for Su Ming.
The Ancient One, whose body was hollowed by sacrifices, often needed to replenish with bizarre extradimensional creatures, but Su Ming didn't need that, consuming tentacle-covered insects from time to time, who could stand that?
And Hamir meant well, so Su Ming couldn't bear to refuse him. Such a sincere and taciturn man, what if he lost confidence as a butler and had his mind twisted?
However, perhaps Hamir himself realized this, so he voluntarily replaced himself with his son.
Wang, younger and more obedient, quicker in learning, would serve the Supreme Mage in the future.
But he probably didn't know that, at this moment, the Supreme Mage was already imagining Wang as a young Alfred in his mind.
Su Ming pictured coming home, Wang in a tailcoat giving a bow, smiling with a raised chin, in a perfect London accent asking:
'Master, did you have a good time tonight?'
Receiving any response, he would smile modestly, improvising with a few jokes and reciting the menu in English...
The thought alone felt quite dignified.
"Master, your ice cream, it's vanilla flavor from Sydney."
Wang returned swiftly, handing the ice cream to the Supreme Mage.
"Oh, thank you, let's share it, we'll each have half." Su Ming divided the ice cream and cherries into two portions, just halved: "I've thought about it; you shouldn't call me Master anymore, just call me Master."
Saying this, Su Ming even imitated Batman's classic expression, turning his mouth down 45 degrees in contemplation.
Wang tilted his head: ???
But upon some thought, such an address indeed wasn't wrong—the Guardian Race did rely on the Supreme Mage for livelihood, calling it a housekeeper clan wouldn't be wrong, just an Eastern style of household management.
"Alright, Ma... Master, but why the sudden change in the form of address?"
Wang agreed but was filled with confusion in his mind as it seemed abrupt and unrelated to the previous conversation.
Just as Su Ming was about to joke by saying because I am a White Man, the Magic Floating Cloak returned, having found the target's location.
Moments ago, he had been smiling and chatting with Wang when he suddenly turned serious. The black-yellow mask rapidly emerged from beneath his skin, as Deathstroke entered battle mode.
"Wang, put out the fire, Strangulation, eat up the remaining deer meat, we're moving out."
In the pitch-black symbiote, like a tide engulfing nearly an entire roast deer, Deathstroke, and his butler each holding a cup of cherry ice cream, sat sternly on the Flying Carpet, rising into the clear sky until they vanished.