Chapter 97 You're Charging It, Right?

Stark and Polaris soon departed for Hydra's base in Sokovia.

Once they left, Wanda spoke up. "You told me to wait, took me into your home... Was it just so I could learn the truth about Hydra's conspiracy?"

"Yes," Luo Bai nodded. "When I found out you were being subjected to human experiments at Hydra's base, I knew you had been deceived. That's why I brought you out."

"I understand now. I admit I joined Hydra because they tricked me. What they claimed was completely different from what they actually did. They said they wanted to protect the Earth, yet they kept provoking wars over and over again..." Wanda murmured.

Her eyes clouded with uncertainty, a deep sense of helplessness washing over her.

She had once believed Hydra was the only organization she could trust. But now, she realized they were the true villains—the ones who started the war, the ones responsible for every tragedy.

At this moment, Wanda felt utterly lost. Other than Quicksilver, she had no one she could rely on.

It felt as if the entire world had abandoned her, leaving her with no idea of where to go or what to do next.

Perhaps it was because Luo Bai had been kind to her. Perhaps it was because of Polaris.

Either way, with no one else around, Wanda finally confessed, "To be honest, I don't really want to learn magic. I agreed to come with you just to get closer to Stark. I've thought about killing him countless times—until just now."

"I know," Luo Bai nodded.

He had known Wanda's true intentions for a long time.

In fact, he had even spoken to Stark about it privately.

But Stark's stance on the matter had been clear—he was not afraid of death.

If Wanda truly wanted revenge, she could act whenever she pleased.

That was why Luo Bai never tried to stop her. He simply hoped that, in time, Wanda would come to see the truth for herself.

"The reason I brought you back is simple," Luo Bai continued. "First, I wanted you to understand the full truth of the situation. Second, I wanted to teach you magic so that you could control your own power. But learning magic is a choice—you have to want it. I won't force you."

"Now that you know the truth, if you no longer wish to stay here, you're free to leave. I will respect whatever choice you make."

Wanda fell silent, clearly hesitating.

She and Quicksilver had no home to return to. There was nowhere else for them to go.

That uncertainty made her hesitant.

After what felt like an eternity, Wanda suddenly asked, "If I knew the truth but still decided to kill Stark, would you stop me?"

Luo Bai wasn't surprised by the question at all.

He immediately responded, "No."

Wanda seemed startled. "He's your friend. Wouldn't you try to protect him?"

"No," Luo Bai replied seriously. "But as his friend, I also can't promise that I wouldn't bring him back to life."

At this, Wanda finally understood.

She chose to remain silent.

Luo Bai could tell she wasn't in a good mood, so he didn't press her further.

"You should rest," he said. "Since you don't want to learn magic, I won't force you. If you decide to leave, you don't have to tell me—but at the very least, say goodbye to Lorna. She considers you a friend."

With that, Luo Bai opened a portal, preparing to leave for the New York Sanctum.

But just as he was about to step through, Wanda suddenly stopped him.

"Before, you said that if I stayed here, I could find stability. That Quicksilver and I would never have to wander again. That no one could hurt us. Does that still hold true?"

"Of course," Luo Bai nodded.

"I have to admit, the magic book you gave me was useful," Wanda admitted. "It feels like it unlocked something inside me. I can sense the magic flowing through me now, and I feel like I can control it freely. Can you give me another book?"

Then, she handed back the book she had been reading.

Her intentions were clear—she had decided to stay and learn magic.

Seeing this, Luo Bai took the book from her and handed her another one. "Here, study this. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me."

Wanda let out a small sigh. "I wouldn't even know where to find you."

She had been living here for so long, yet she had only seen Luo Bai two or three times.

This so-called Supreme Sorcerer was always too busy.

"Call me. Lorna knows my phone number. Or you can come directly to the New York Sanctum to find me," Luo Bai said.

"The New York Sanctum? What kind of place is that?" Wanda asked.

"You'll find it. The New York Sanctum may not exist for ordinary people, but for someone like you, it's right in front of you." Luo Bai replied seriously.

With that, he turned and left.

Wanda didn't say anything. She simply shrugged, opened the magic book, and began reading.

After returning to the New York Sanctum, Luo Bai had originally planned to absorb dark energy immediately.

After all, he needed to recharge.

However, the moment he arrived, he unexpectedly ran into Mordo.

Clearly, Mordo had been waiting for him.

"Master Mordo, is there something you need to discuss with me?" Luo Bai asked.

As soon as he saw Luo Bai, Mordo gave a respectful bow before explaining his purpose.

"Supreme Sorcerer, I came to see you because I have a suggestion. Lately, I've noticed that Wong has been... inattentive," Mordo said, a note of complaint in his voice.

The moment Mordo brought this up, Luo Bai already had a rough idea of what was going on.

Just as he was about to respond, Mordo continued, "I've been to the library several times recently, and every time, I saw him either sleeping with an eye mask on or watching TV shows while listening to music."

"Worse, the banned books that were supposed to be locked away on the top floor... he's put them in the most conspicuous places!"

"If that were all, I wouldn't have mentioned it. But lately, I've noticed mages wandering around the library—not borrowing books, just loitering. There's something strange about them, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

"And the worst part? Wong doesn't care! He's the librarian! I warned him, but he just ignored me, rolled his eyes, and went back to sleep. Supreme Sorcerer, I'm genuinely concerned about the books in the library."

Mordo's frustration was evident—he clearly had no patience for Wong's careless attitude.

Luo Bai considered telling Mordo the truth.

But given Mordo's overly straightforward nature, it probably wasn't a good idea.

What if Dormammu caught wind of it and decided not to show up?

With that in mind, Luo Bai immediately responded, "You're right. That's unacceptable. I will reprimand Wong for this, Master Mordo."

"He definitely needs to be reprimanded. This is outrageous," Mordo agreed firmly.

As one of the senior sorcerers of Kamar-Taj, Mordo was of similar rank to Wong—perhaps even higher—so he had every right to voice his concerns.

However, Luo Bai still offered a gentle reminder, "I will handle this, but Wong is still the current administrator of the library. Master Mordo, it would be best if you didn't interfere too much."

Mordo seemed to understand and immediately replied, "I'm only making a suggestion. I'll take my leave now."

With that, he turned and left.

Once Mordo was gone, Luo Bai began to ponder.

It seemed he needed to lure Dormammu to Earth as soon as possible—before any more problems arose.

With that thought, Luo Bai wasted no time and rushed up to the second floor at lightning speed.

Opening a mirror dimension, he began absorbing dark energy from all corners of the multiverse without restraint.

Meanwhile, across the dark dimensions, Mephisto, Dormammu, and Chthon all sensed something unusual.

A deep, collective frustration rose among them.

"Is this ever going to end?!"

"Are you serious? Again?!"

"You've got to be kidding me! You're back at it?!"

"Fine once or twice, but this is the third day in a row!"

"Do you think we're power banks? That you can just come and charge whenever you feel like it?!"

"This is outrageous! This is way too much!!"

"No! Enough! Absorb less, damn it!!"

"HELLO?! HELLO?! STOP!!"

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