Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 294: Ch.293 Pyramid of Apocalypse

Chapter 294: Ch.293 Pyramid of Apocalypse

Su Ming hoisted Wade onto his shoulder like a python, carrying him around the exposed tip of the four-sided pyramid twice. The entire pyramid lay buried underground, with only its pointed tip visible above the surface. It seemed like they would need to dig a hole nearby to get inside.

"This kind of grunt work should really be done by someone like Colossus or the Hulk... Oh well, everyone, bring out the explosives and let's see what we have."

Su Ming casually started digging, but the further down the pyramid's tip went, the larger it got. The goal now was to avoid the metal portions and blow open a path through the stone parts, creating an entrance to wake up Apocalypse.

"I, I, I, I've got two grenades," Deadpool squirmed on Su Ming's shoulder, hinting for Su Ming to reach into his pocket.

"Why are you so unprofessional? How can a mercenary not carry C4 with them?"

Su Ming had no intention of sticking his hand into Wade's pants. Besides, what could two grenades do? Buried in sand, they'd hardly make a noise.

"What? I've been a mercenary for over a decade, and no one ever told me about these unspoken rules. Scary!"

Wade looked over at Cable and the others, and Cable shrugged, pulling a large chunk of explosive from his pack. While it wasn't C4, it was a 39th-century explosive he'd made himself, which packed even more punch.

Boomer, Journey, Shatterstar, and even Domino pulled out C4 from their gear.

Wade slid limply off Su Ming's shoulder, falling onto the yellow sand, staring blankly up at the sky. Dawn had just started to break, but Deadpool's mind was filled with darkness.

"I've lost... I've lost..."

It was as if a melancholy piano tune began to play. He thought back to that day, running under the setting sun—it was his...

"Turn off your MP3."

Su Ming closed his eyes and stomped on Wade.

Then, ignoring Wade's rolling and muttering on the ground, Su Ming handed all the explosives over to Cable.

"Dig down a bit, then blast a way in from the side."

Inside the pyramid, there were remnants of walls and ruins everywhere, showing that the Phoenix's methods back then weren't gentle at all.

Due to the enclosed space, the murals and carvings on the walls were well-preserved, showcasing the glory of ancient Egypt.

This was likely the pyramid where Apocalypse had once slumbered before being sealed back in by the Phoenix.

The murals depicted Egyptians performing those odd joint-bending dances, their heads adorned with strange ornaments, or bowing to what seemed to be flying saucers.

There weren't many extra deities depicted, but many of the carvings resembled aliens—though they were actually mutants.

"How weird, building a tomb for yourself while still alive," Wade commented, back on Su Ming's shoulder and glancing around. "But over there—do you see that pile of treasures? There's a gold cat over there."

Su Ming glanced in that direction before continuing on. "That's a gilded sarcophagus, meant for cats. Ancient Egyptians believed cats were messengers of the afterlife, so they mummified them and placed them in these coffins to accompany the Pharaohs."

"But Apocalypse wasn't really dead back then, so why did he need a pyramid?" Wade lamented, deflated.

"Conqueror Kang is a man from the future. With his personality, wouldn't he build himself the biggest, most luxurious pyramid after time-traveling to ancient Egypt? He even created a spaceship shaped like a Sphinx. As for Apocalypse, he just wanted to compete."

Kang had no real use for such things, but his vanity demanded a pyramid. Just advancing technology wasn't enough; he had to create wonders of the world!

After Kang altered history with his time-travel, he became the pioneer who built the first pyramid.

When Apocalypse drove Kang away, he saw this marvel and decided he needed a grander one to prove his superiority. So, he gathered workers and built an even bigger one.

From then on, every Pharaoh felt the need to construct a pyramid.

As for why tombs were shaped like four-sided pyramids and adorned with carvings of UFOs and strange figures—no one knew for sure.

It became tradition, passed down until Egypt's decline, when tomb robbers ran rampant, and Pharaohs opted for the more concealed Valley of the Kings for burial.

"I bet Apocalypse isn't going to be in a good mood. Who could stay cheerful locked in a dark place like this?" Wade whispered.

"Well, that's where you come in. When I wake him up, you jump in and keep him talking—make sure he can't think straight." Su Ming led the group deeper into the tomb's passages, heading towards the burial chamber.

"Uh, what should I say?" Wade, usually full of chatter, found it a bit daunting to influence someone with his words on purpose.

"Whatever you want—just tell him how badly Rama-Tut treated mutants, exaggerate if you have to." Su Ming thought for a moment and decided to let Wade improvise. "If you run out of things to say, talk about modern food or sing him a little tune."

"Oh, I'm good at that! I'll just blame everything Strucker and those jerks did on the Conqueror, right?" Wade grinned.

"Yeah, make it as bloody and dark as possible. Think about the vibe of being in the sewers," Su Ming said, showing a small gap with his fingers.

"Slow down, I need to get into character... What about saying that the Conqueror claimed Apocalypse is a gray-skinned freak with maggots growing out of his... uh... rear? And that he wants to, you know, 'do stuff' to all mutants, and dig up Apocalypse's parents' mummies for some 'fun'?"

Wade suggested cautiously, thinking that might be just dark enough.

"I meant to make the story grim and harsh, not 'go deep' into that kind of stuff, but whatever makes you happy."

Su Ming figured it might work. Even if Apocalypse suddenly lost his temper, he probably wouldn't be able to kill Wade. It wasn't a high-risk move.

Probably.

But no plan is ever foolproof, right? Everything carries some risk.

As the group progressed, the walls around them became more incomplete, with some of the massive stone edges turning brittle—like dried-out biscuits—disintegrating into dust with a gentle touch.

This was a residual effect of the Phoenix Force, whose flames could consume everything, reducing all to ashes. When the Phoenix had merely passed through this place, the giant stones had nearly been erased from existence.

Ahead, bright red light shone from within a chamber, and the group could feel the temperature rising.

"It feels like being inside an oven, and this oven has been running for nearly a hundred years. Now we're about to find out what a century-old roast duck tastes like."

Wade couldn't help but keep up his irreverent tone. He turned his head and began rambling to unseen "audience" members again.

Su Ming had the Cloak of Levitation grow larger, raising its collar. Such a dramatic cape added to the mutant vibe. If Apocalypse asked, he'd just claim to be a telepathic and regenerative mutant.

Apocalypse possessed some telepathic abilities—not as strong as Professor X's, but enough to read thoughts and memories.

The difference was that Professor X refrained from reading others' minds out of self-discipline, while Apocalypse refrained out of arrogance—he considered it beneath him.

In his eyes, his power was unmatched, and others were mere insects. If these insects tried to resist him, what trouble could they cause? At most, they'd just provide some amusement.

He enjoyed unexpected surprises.