At the time, Lin Feng had dispatched four clones to stake out Hela, with each clone guarding the location of a Cosmic Heart fragment.
Now that the Cosmic Heart fragments at two of the locations had been taken, the clones were no longer needed.
The two clones exchanged a glance. "You go to number three, I'll go to number four!"
After their brief exchange, the clones used their teleportation abilities and departed…
Not long after they left, another dark portal opened at the spot where the Cosmic Heart fragments had been stored.
Hela, the Goddess of Death, emerged from it.
By her side stood a man.
This man was someone Lin Feng had seen before, one of the leads to the Cosmic Heart fragments.
Hela circled the area, her expression turning grim.
"It seems things are worse than we imagined…"
"Didn't you expect this outcome?" the man shrugged, his attitude indifferent.
"So, are we going to check out the other places?"
"If he manages to collect them all, it won't be something we can handle."
Hela did not respond. After a moment of silence, she seemed to weigh the pros and cons.
Finally, she shook her head. "Didn't you hear what they just said?"
"The remaining two locations each have two of Lin Feng's clones."
"Though not as strong as Lin Feng, can you confidently deal with both of them combined?"
She had overheard the entire conversation between the two clones.
"Holding them off for a short while won't be a problem," the man spread his hands.
Hela shot him a cold glance.
"And then? Then we stall for time, waiting for Lin Feng's main body to arrive?"
Indeed, the two of them combined could hold off two clones, but what about afterwards? Lin Feng would arrive and deal with them all at once.
Lin Feng's rate of improvement was far faster than she had anticipated. Hela, who had initially approached this with a playful attitude, felt as though she had dug a massive pit for herself and now had to be completely alert and cautious.
There was no alternative; their previous actions had already created a deep animosity between them…
The man pursed his lips, deflating in frustration.
"Then what do you suggest we do?"
"Are we just going to watch him collect all the Cosmic Heart fragments?"
Their combined combat power was no match for Lin Feng.
If they were the ones to gather the fragments, they might still have a decent chance of winning.
But now, if Lin Feng succeeded, would they even have a chance to survive?
The man's mind raced, and for a moment, he regretted agreeing to Hela's proposal for cooperation.
Hela snorted, also annoyed, as she had partnered with a useless man.
She had no idea how such a person had obtained a Cosmic Heart fragment…
"There's still a chance. We'll go find the other person holding a fragment now…"
"Alright, whatever you say~"
The man shrugged again, acting as if she were the boss.
…
New York Sanctum.
A drizzling rain fell from the sky. It was evening, and the air had turned a bit chilly.
The Dark Doctor Strange sat by the window, gazing out at the scenery through the glass pane inlaid with a large symbol.
Behind him, Strange and Wong approached.
They held cups of hot tea, and Wong had thoughtfully brought a cup for the Dark Doctor Strange as well.
In the years the Dark Doctor Strange had spent on Earth, he had occasionally taught Wong some harmless dark magic.
Wong held a positive impression of the Dark Doctor Strange; to him, they were both Strange, with one having simply strayed down the wrong path.
"Uh… thinking of her again?" Strange sat in another chair, nursing his hot tea and reopening old wounds.
Wong gave Strange a peculiar kick.
If you have nothing good to say, then say less!
"Yes… I am…" the Dark Doctor Strange sighed, glancing at Strange's hands.
Their paths to magic had different catalysts, and at times, the Dark Doctor Strange envied Strange.
Strange's hands could be healed at any time, but his Christine could not be brought back by magic.
He had seen this universe's Christine, but he knew that it wasn't *his* Christine…
"So many years, and you still can't let go…"
The Dark Doctor Strange shrugged. It wasn't that easy.
It was because of Christine that the Dark Doctor Strange had embarked on the path of magic.
Every time he used magic, he would recall Christine.
It was like a curse, constantly accompanying him…
Wong remained silent beside them. In matters of the heart, he could offer no advice, only hoping that Strange's mouth would remain shut.
"Why not… ask Lin Feng if he has a way?" Strange peeked out, his suggestion tentative.
"Strange!" Wong, standing nearby, couldn't hold back any longer, his face darkening.
Strange was good in many ways, but sometimes his mind would go astray, leading him to do foolish things that left others utterly bewildered.
"Don't you yet understand the consequences of altering absolute timelines?" Wong said furiously.
Look at the Dark Doctor Strange; he had messed up the entire world.
"Alright, alright, I was just joking," Strange raised his hands, a smile of indifference on his face.
The Dark Doctor Strange also glared at Strange, exasperated.
Don't give him such faint, ethereal hopes.
He didn't want to destroy this world as well!
After a moment of silence… Strange's restlessness resurfaced.
"Do you think there's a possibility that Lin Feng can actually do it?"
"Even Thanos with all six Infinity Stones couldn't force him to go all out."
"The Watcher himself had to ask him for help. I mean, what if, what if Lin Feng really could?"
"You said before that the reason we couldn't reverse all this was due to insufficient strength. Now that an opportunity is presented, are you truly content not to try?"
Wong directly stood up, grabbed Strange by the neck, and began dragging him out.
"I'm going to teach you about the responsibilities of a Sorcerer Supreme!"
"Oh, Wong, give me a chance! Don't you think Lin Feng genuinely has a chance?"
"Silence…"
Their voices faded into the distance.
The Dark Doctor Strange quietly watched Strange being dragged away.
As he was being pulled out the door, Strange winked at him.
Hmph, mischievous!
Shaking his head with a chuckle, the Dark Doctor Strange turned back to gaze out the window at the people walking in the light rain.
But compared to the previous moment, his usually calm heart began to beat faster, his breathing growing somewhat rapid.
Strange's words echoed in his mind like an incantation, again and again.
That thought, which had lain dormant for so many years, quietly began to sprout anew…