Until Strange stepped into the elevator, the word "sorcerer" kept echoing in his mind.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He lightly kicked the elevator door.
"Calling a doctor specializing in medicine a sorcerer? Do they think I'm some medieval quack who only knows how to bleed people?"
"If I'd known Tony Stark was this rude, I wouldn't have bothered coming here for these two million dollars!"
"Damn it, it's only two million. Why the hell am I coming all the way here for a consultation?"
"Damn capitalists. Damn Iron Man!"
"Sorcerer? Sorcerer! Damn sorcerer!"
Ding.
The sound of the elevator arriving reached Strange's ears.
He let out a heavy sigh, rubbed his face, and the displeasure on his features immediately disappeared, replaced by a polite smile.
A moment later, when he saw an armored figure walking toward him, his smile became even brighter.
"Hello, Mr. Stark. Or, since you're wearing the armor, should I call you Iron Man?"
"I am JARVIS, Mr. Strange. Please follow me."
JARVIS opened the faceplate, revealing the empty space inside the helmet.
Strange stared into the hollow helmet and swallowed.
These two million dollars really weren't easy to earn.
Then again, money from the wealthy was never easy to earn.
After suppressing the uneasiness in his chest, Strange took a deep breath and nodded at JARVIS.
"Alright, JARVIS. We... we can begin."
"Stark Group should have a complete set of medical equipment, right? Can I see the patient's medical records?"
"Mr. Strange, please follow me. The patient is resting inside the laboratory."
"However, I must inform you in advance that everything you are about to see must remain confidential."
"Today's patient is special. There are no existing medical records, but the laboratory contains all the equipment you might require."
"According to Mr. Axel's orders, you currently have permission to observe, but not to treat. If an emergency occurs, however, you may fully utilize your medical knowledge and abilities, Doctor."
After finishing his explanation, JARVIS continued toward the laboratory.
Strange followed closely behind.
He was already feeling somewhat nervous, so he carefully asked, "Okay, I understand the rules. I won't do anything unnecessary."
"But can you guarantee my safety?"
"After all, when the words 'secret laboratory' are put together, it tends to make people imagine something dangerous."
JARVIS paused.
He thought carefully about the question.
Although his intelligence had reached a level comparable to a human's, he still hadn't developed a complete understanding of human nature. More importantly, he hadn't learned the art of telling reassuring lies.
If Strange asked a direct question, JARVIS would give him a direct answer.
After carefully considering Axel's behavior, JARVIS replied.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Strange. I cannot prevent any of Mr. Axel's actions, nor can I guarantee what he will do in the next second."
"I only know that Mr. Axel is indeed a dangerous individual."
"The number of humans who have died at his hands is almost greater than the number of ants a child has ever killed."
"Therefore, please follow the rules and avoid doing anything that might anger Mr. Axel."
"If Mr. Axel becomes displeased with you, I have no ability to stop him."
JARVIS finished speaking and continued forward as though he hadn't said anything unusual.
Strange, however, stopped dead.
"Ah..."
"Wait. What?"
Strange felt his mind going blank.
Was JARVIS actually speaking English?
What did he mean by more people killed than ants?
Wasn't this Iron Man's company?
Wasn't this supposed to be a superhero's territory?
Had everything Captain America and Iron Man said on television been a lie?
Had New York never actually been reclaimed, but instead become some massive criminal headquarters?
And more importantly...
Was it still possible to leave?
Strange stopped himself with considerable effort before gathering enough courage to speak.
"Ahem, JARVIS, actually, my home has a bit of..."
"Whoa, whoa, look who it is!"
"Isn't this the famous Sorcerer Strange?"
"I'm Axel, buddy. You don't recognize me anymore?"
"But that's fine. As long as I recognize you, that's enough."
"Come on, come on. Let's have a drink together."
Before Strange could finish his sentence, the laboratory door opened.
Axel stepped through and walked toward him from a distance.
Strange immediately stopped talking.
He quietly turned toward JARVIS.
"Who is this?"
"This is Mr. Axel."
"Ah?"
Strange looked back.
"Oh... so it's him."
He suddenly understood.
Strange really did know Axel.
Axel had appeared in countless videos online. His abilities were extraordinary, but his appearance had also made him extremely popular.
Just seeing Axel's face on television was enough to make countless American women mentally rate his attractiveness.
With Axel's current popularity, there was no way Strange wouldn't recognize him.
After all, aside from spending most of his time in operating rooms, Strange spent much of his free time flirting with the nurses around him.
And many of those nurses happened to be fans of Axel and Thor.
So even if Strange wasn't particularly familiar with Axel, his face was impossible to forget.
More importantly, now that Strange knew who Axel was, JARVIS's warning suddenly seemed somewhat exaggerated.
Axel was a superhero.
Even if a superhero had a bad temper, surely he wouldn't casually kill people.
Most of the videos of Axel circulating online didn't contain anything particularly disturbing, so Strange had never seen Axel's darker side.
Based solely on what he knew from the internet, Strange relaxed considerably.
He even felt confident enough to argue with Axel.
After thinking for a moment, Strange smiled at him.
"So it's you, Mr. Axel."
"The nurses in my medical team really like your videos. They're all fans of yours, and I'm a fan too."
"Because, you know, Iron Man is basically a rich guy who's a little smarter than average."
"If another wealthy and intelligent person were willing to step forward, Iron Man wouldn't be particularly unique."
"But you're different."
"Your abilities are completely unique."
"We men appreciate uniqueness, don't we?"
"Haha, yes, yes. You're quite the talker."
"No wonder you've made so much money from your medical career."
Axel laughed heartily, patted Strange on the shoulder, and pulled him into the laboratory.
As Strange obediently followed Axel toward the observation platform, he gathered his courage and continued.
"However, Mr. Axel, I am still a highly skilled and extremely responsible physician."
"Therefore, calling me a sorcerer is genuinely irresponsible."
"Hmm?"
Axel stopped and looked at Strange with amusement.
"Are you sure you can take responsibility for what you're saying, buddy?"
The teasing question earned Axel a strange look from Strange.
"Of course I can."
"As a doctor who saves lives and treats the injured, I'm proud of my profession."
"How could I abandon science and turn to all that strange... what do you call it? Magic and theology?"
Strange's tone was exceptionally firm.
He really was a staunch believer in science.
Even the extraordinary individuals he had seen around the world, including superheroes with seemingly impossible abilities, were, in his mind, ultimately products of science.
Captain America had gained his abilities through the Super Soldier Serum.
Hulk was the result of gamma radiation experiments.
Strange firmly believed that science could explain everything.
At least, he firmly believed that now.
Looking at Strange's determined expression, Axel merely pursed his lips.
"Alright. If you insist, I won't say anything else."
"Come with me. We'll have a couple of drinks."
"Just consider it a paid break."
"Today's patient is rather special. JARVIS was simply desperate."
"You don't need to treat the patient. Just stay here for a while."
"It's easy money, and Tony has plenty of it, so there's no reason for us to save him any."
"Haha."
Amidst his laughter, Axel led Strange into the observation center.
Hearing the door open, Lex shifted his gaze from Gwen, who was suffering intensely on the observation platform, toward Strange.
After examining him for a moment, Lex smiled.
"It really is you, Strange."
"Uh, you are...?"
"Have we met before?"
Strange immediately assumed Lex was someone he had encountered previously.
He thought about it for a long time but couldn't remember him.
As for whether Lex might be a fellow doctor?
That was impossible.
Lex was wearing armor.
There was no way Strange would mistake him for another physician trying to steal patients.
Lex nodded slightly.
"Hello, Dr. Strange."
"I am Alexander Luthor, a scholar."
"Oh..."
Strange was slightly surprised before smiling and shaking Lex's hand.
After they separated, Strange exchanged pleasantries.
"Your name sounds familiar."
"Like a comic book I read when I was a kid."
"Have you ever read that comic about Superman's archenemy?"
"Haha, I've read it."
"I like it quite a bit."
"But Clark doesn't really like his comic."
"He always gets the short end of the stick in it."
Lex's smile widened.
Strange was completely baffled.
He stared at Lex as though he were looking at an idiot.
What did he mean by Clark didn't like the comic?
Did Lex actually know someone named Clark?
Was this some kind of group cosplay?
If they enjoyed cosplay that much, did their mothers know?
Why not dress up as Thomas and Martha Wayne and pretend to get shot in front of Bruce?
They could even bring a string of scattered pearls.
What strange people.
While complaining internally, Strange dutifully turned his attention toward the observation platform.
The moment he saw that the patient was a little girl younger than ten years old, his expression became serious.
"This child..."
"Her fever is extremely high."
"Let me see her data."
"Wow. Stark Group's medical equipment really is impressive. These readings are even more detailed than the equipment I normally use."
"Wait."
"Damn it!"
"Her temperature?!"
Strange stared at Gwen's medical data.
His expression changed immediately.
He pointed at the temperature reading in disbelief.
"Her body temperature has reached forty-seven degrees Celsius, and it's still rising!"
"Damn it, this is extremely dangerous."
"She's already at serious risk of brain damage."
"At this point, the possibility of her avoiding permanent neurological damage is extremely low."
"With a condition this severe, why hasn't she been sent to a hospital?"
"I can only observe here. I can't actually treat her!"
"What are you doing?"
"Are you experimenting on a child?"
"If that's what's happening, I can't participate in this."
"I'll stake my professional reputation and my entire career on exposing you!"
Strange's voice fell silent as he anxiously looked toward Gwen.
She was convulsing on the observation platform, her small body shaking violently.
The sight was heartbreaking.
At that moment, Axel happened to find two bottles of wine.
He handed one to Strange and kept the other for himself.
"Tsk, tsk. Strange, you're quite kind-hearted."
"But don't worry. Everything is still under my control."
"You don't need to do anything."
"Just watch."
Axel offered Strange the wine.
How could Strange possibly drink it?
"You'll control it?"
Strange glared at Axel.
"That's a child's life!"
"What right do you have to control it?"
"Damn it, what have you done to this poor child?"
"Being bitten by a spider doesn't cause symptoms like this."
"No neurotoxin from any known spider should cause such extensive damage to the victim's entire body!"
"This isn't ordinary neurotoxic spider venom!"
"You lied to me!"
"Are you experimenting on this child?"
"Damn it!"
Strange became increasingly furious.
His hair was practically standing on end.
He threw the bottle of wine aside and rushed toward the observation platform.
"This child can't stay here!"
"She needs to go to the hospital immediately."
"Fortunately, the Elder Council Hospital is close. We can get there in three to five minutes."
"I don't know how she's managed to hold on this long, but if she's survived until now, she should be able to endure another few minutes."
"I'll contact my medical team on the way."
"She'll receive emergency treatment the moment we arrive."
"There might still be a chance to save her!"
"I..."
"You're doing too much, buddy."
Axel interrupted him and casually draped an arm around his shoulder.
"There's no need to make such a big scene."
"I already told you."
"You're just a witness."
"You don't need to worry so much."
"Just watch."
"Damn...!"
Strange cursed loudly.
Before he could finish, Axel suddenly reached out and grabbed at empty space.
The next instant, a figure wearing a sorcerer's robe and a red cloak was pulled from somewhere beyond ordinary space.
The moment the figure appeared, he immediately covered Strange's mouth.
Strange froze.
He recognized the person who had suddenly appeared.
It was himself.
The other Strange, pulled out by Axel, kept one hand over Strange's mouth before turning toward Axel with a helpless expression.
"Axel, how did you do that?"
"You just pulled me out of the timeline?"
"How can anyone directly pull their future self from the timeline and bring them into the present?"
"That's completely absurd!"
"And how did you know I frequently observe this particular period of time?"
"Is it because you keep throwing me into strange dimensions whenever you want to punish me for insulting you?"