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chapter 279 part 1
Chapter 275 Tony: Stephen, this punch of mine... (Two-in-one)
“Pangborn, your C7-C8 spinal cord was completely damaged. Recovery from that kind of paralysis is impossible. Tell me how you were cured!” Stephen asked hastily, lifting his trembling hands.
Through the chain-link fence of the basketball court, the patient named Pangborn eyed this somewhat down-and-out man with caution. His messy, greasy hair was a clear sign that he wasn't doing well.
“Who are you?” Pangborn asked Stephen after making an apologetic gesture to his teammates who had called out to him.
“My name is Stephen Strange, neurosurgeon—a former neurosurgeon,” Stephen replied, steadying his breath.
“Ha, I actually know you. When I was paralyzed, I came to you for treatment, but you wouldn’t even give me a second glance.”
Stephen fell silent for a moment before answering with difficulty, “I couldn’t save you.”
“Couldn’t save me? So you backed down from the challenge, afraid I’d ruin your reputation, right?” Pangborn said coldly, turning to leave. “You should go. Leave this place.”
“No, you found hope in despair and even created a miracle! I… I’m also trying to create my own miracle…” As he spoke, Stephen laboriously lifted his hands. Every time he glanced down at them, it was immense torture to his spirit and his pride.
“Hey, Pangborn, are you going to play or not?” someone shouted to Pangborn.
Pangborn hesitated for a moment, then nodded to his teammate. He moved closer to the fence and said to Stephen, “I had already given up back then. Just six months ago, the only part of my body that was still alive was my brain. I studied with some sorcerers, and then they sent me to a sacred place. There, I found my life’s mentor.”
“My soul was uplifted! You wouldn’t understand the feeling. Then, somehow, my body just…” The more Pangborn spoke, the more excited he became.
Stephen rushed a step forward, his face almost pressed against the iron mesh. “Your body was healed?”
“Yes. There are many, many secrets there, but the Sorcerer Supreme told me that my wisdom could not bear any more, so I obediently went home. A miracle had already occurred, what more could I ask for? I regained my health!” Pangborn said earnestly, his face filled with a pilgrim-like reverence.
“Sorcerer Supreme? Is he some reclusive great scientist?” Stephen swallowed hard and asked urgently, his eyes bloodshot. He might be closing in on hope.
“No, not a scientist. A sorcerer. The Guardian of Earth, the Sorcerer Supreme. Remember the war projection that covered half of Earth a year ago? The current Sorcerer Supreme was the one who fought that great battle. He defeated the demon that wanted to devour Earth,” Pangborn replied.
“A… a sorcerer…?” Stephen was stunned.
He had considered that some advanced surgical procedure had cured Pangborn, or even that some mad scientist had performed human experiments on him, but he had never considered the possibility of a sorcerer.
Stephen shook his head, somewhat bewildered. “You’re talking nonsense. How could there be sorcerers in this world? I have a doctorate. Science is sufficient to explain the rules of the world. Sorcerers and all that are just scams.”
“No, it’s true! The Sorcerer Supreme saved me!” Pangborn was suddenly enraged, slamming a fist against the iron fence and roaring in a low voice, “Don’t think I won’t beat you up just because you’re a patient! You’re just like those idiots, still thinking those images were some high-tech experiment by Official Agencies? Virtual reality technology under development? Wake up! How else did I recover my health! You don’t know anything at all, you’re exactly like those idiots!”
Stephen was rendered speechless.
He possessed a wealth of knowledge and had always scoffed at anything related to the mystical side. But at this moment, he was wavering. Or rather, he had no choice but to believe, because he had no other options left.
He had tried regenerative stem cells in Japan and organic reconstruction surgery in North America, but nothing had worked, and he had quickly spent all his savings.
He, Stephen, was at the end of his rope. If he hadn’t found Pangborn’s case report among his own files, he wouldn’t have even known what to do.
“Listen, doctor, telling you this much is my limit. I could have just said nothing at all. That place is called Kamar-Taj. Its master is called the Sorcerer Supreme, the Guardian of Earth, who protects us from the invasion of alien beings,” Pangborn said.
Stephen nodded silently. “I understand. Thank you. How do I find that place?”
Pangborn paused, then said, “Going there requires a great price.”
“How much money?”
“It has nothing to do with money… Good luck.” Pangborn told Stephen a rough address in a low voice, then turned and went back to playing basketball.
His nimble movements made Stephen incredibly envious. Stephen stared at Pangborn’s figure for a long time. For some reason, seeing this man whom he had given a death sentence become so healthy actually ignited a spark of confidence in his heart.
After watching for a while, Stephen turned to leave, but he never expected that Deathstroke had already been quietly watching him.
“Stephen Strange, I remember this person is on the A.R.G.U.S. mission list… Found it.” Deathstroke held a special phone, looked at the information on the top-secret internal A.R.G.U.S. website, and pulled up Stephen’s file.
“Secretly protect this person until it’s confirmed he leaves North America for the Himalayan Mountains? And I absolutely cannot reveal myself?! These A.R.G.U.S. missions are getting stranger and stranger, but the two-million-dollar price tag is quite good.”
Deathstroke’s emotionless face stared at the screen, weighing the pros and cons. After just a second, he made his decision to accept the mission.
This Stephen was clearly about to leave North America. He just had to wait patiently for a day or two, and the money would be his.
A.R.G.U.S. had many missions, but the number of people qualified to take them in the entire world was less than ten. It was bizarre; no one knew what A.R.G.U.S.’s selection criteria were.
Just as Deathstroke was about to tap the button, he was intercepted.
Seeing that obnoxious red avatar, an irrepressible anger rose in Deathstroke’s cold heart.
“Deadpool again. That bastard, I’ll kill that annoying guy sooner or later!”
…
Stephen spent the last of his savings and embarked on this path full of unknowns and uncertainties. He wanted to call his assistant, Nicodemus, but found the number had been disconnected. Stephen silently put down his phone and looked toward the unknown East.
According to Pangborn, even he didn't know the exact location of Kamar-Taj; he had been led there by someone. However, one thing was certain: the entrance was in Nepal and Tibet.
Considering the terrifying altitude of Tibet, Stephen, with his nearly useless hands, unhesitatingly bought a ticket to Nepal and journeyed across the sea.
After a winding journey that took half a month, Stephen finally set foot on the soil of Nepal.
The extremely low temperature and the biting wind that cut at his skin like a knife made the already disheveled Stephen look even more wretched. He tightened the sour-smelling overcoat around himself, looking at the bustling crowd with a sense of bewilderment and helplessness.
Sculptures symbolizing various deities were visible everywhere along the roadside, and many locals were kneeling in worship. Stephen headed to the market, holding a piece of paper with a note written in the local language, asking everyone he met, “Kamar-Taj?”
The passersby shook their heads, and Stephen would immediately grab the next person.
He had expected the place to be hard to find and was mentally prepared, but he hadn't anticipated that some people seemed to fear this place like the plague.
Sometimes when he stopped someone to ask "Kamar-Taj?", the person’s face would change dramatically, and they would wave their hands in panic, running away as if fleeing for their life.
Stephen grew even more confused.
He couldn't understand why the people who might know about this place were so afraid of it, which in turn made him feel uneasy.
Even when he was surrounded and beaten up by a group of thugs, he shouted “Kamar-Taj,” and the malicious gang of punks screamed in terror and fled.
Chapter 275 Tony: Stephen, this punch of mine... (Two-in-one)
“Pangborn, your C7-C8 spinal cord was completely damaged. Recovery from that kind of paralysis is impossible. Tell me how you were cured!” Stephen asked hastily, lifting his trembling hands.
Through the chain-link fence of the basketball court, the patient named Pangborn eyed this somewhat down-and-out man with caution. His messy, greasy hair was a clear sign that he wasn't doing well.
“Who are you?” Pangborn asked Stephen after making an apologetic gesture to his teammates who had called out to him.
“My name is Stephen Strange, neurosurgeon—a former neurosurgeon,” Stephen replied, steadying his breath.
“Ha, I actually know you. When I was paralyzed, I came to you for treatment, but you wouldn’t even give me a second glance.”
Stephen fell silent for a moment before answering with difficulty, “I couldn’t save you.”
“Couldn’t save me? So you backed down from the challenge, afraid I’d ruin your reputation, right?” Pangborn said coldly, turning to leave. “You should go. Leave this place.”
“No, you found hope in despair and even created a miracle! I… I’m also trying to create my own miracle…” As he spoke, Stephen laboriously lifted his hands. Every time he glanced down at them, it was immense torture to his spirit and his pride.
“Hey, Pangborn, are you going to play or not?” someone shouted to Pangborn.
Pangborn hesitated for a moment, then nodded to his teammate. He moved closer to the fence and said to Stephen, “I had already given up back then. Just six months ago, the only part of my body that was still alive was my brain. I studied with some sorcerers, and then they sent me to a sacred place. There, I found my life’s mentor.”
“My soul was uplifted! You wouldn’t understand the feeling. Then, somehow, my body just…” The more Pangborn spoke, the more excited he became.
Stephen rushed a step forward, his face almost pressed against the iron mesh. “Your body was healed?”
“Yes. There are many, many secrets there, but the Sorcerer Supreme told me that my wisdom could not bear any more, so I obediently went home. A miracle had already occurred, what more could I ask for? I regained my health!” Pangborn said earnestly, his face filled with a pilgrim-like reverence.
“Sorcerer Supreme? Is he some reclusive great scientist?” Stephen swallowed hard and asked urgently, his eyes bloodshot. He might be closing in on hope.
“No, not a scientist. A sorcerer. The Guardian of Earth, the Sorcerer Supreme. Remember the war projection that covered half of Earth a year ago? The current Sorcerer Supreme was the one who fought that great battle. He defeated the demon that wanted to devour Earth,” Pangborn replied.
“A… a sorcerer…?” Stephen was stunned.
He had considered that some advanced surgical procedure had cured Pangborn, or even that some mad scientist had performed human experiments on him, but he had never considered the possibility of a sorcerer.
Stephen shook his head, somewhat bewildered. “You’re talking nonsense. How could there be sorcerers in this world? I have a doctorate. Science is sufficient to explain the rules of the world. Sorcerers and all that are just scams.”
“No, it’s true! The Sorcerer Supreme saved me!” Pangborn was suddenly enraged, slamming a fist against the iron fence and roaring in a low voice, “Don’t think I won’t beat you up just because you’re a patient! You’re just like those idiots, still thinking those images were some high-tech experiment by Official Agencies? Virtual reality technology under development? Wake up! How else did I recover my health! You don’t know anything at all, you’re exactly like those idiots!”
Stephen was rendered speechless.
He possessed a wealth of knowledge and had always scoffed at anything related to the mystical side. But at this moment, he was wavering. Or rather, he had no choice but to believe, because he had no other options left.
He had tried regenerative stem cells in Japan and organic reconstruction surgery in North America, but nothing had worked, and he had quickly spent all his savings.
He, Stephen, was at the end of his rope. If he hadn’t found Pangborn’s case report among his own files, he wouldn’t have even known what to do.
“Listen, doctor, telling you this much is my limit. I could have just said nothing at all. That place is called Kamar-Taj. Its master is called the Sorcerer Supreme, the Guardian of Earth, who protects us from the invasion of alien beings,” Pangborn said.
Stephen nodded silently. “I understand. Thank you. How do I find that place?”
Pangborn paused, then said, “Going there requires a great price.”
“How much money?”
“It has nothing to do with money… Good luck.” Pangborn told Stephen a rough address in a low voice, then turned and went back to playing basketball.
His nimble movements made Stephen incredibly envious. Stephen stared at Pangborn’s figure for a long time. For some reason, seeing this man whom he had given a death sentence become so healthy actually ignited a spark of confidence in his heart.
After watching for a while, Stephen turned to leave, but he never expected that Deathstroke had already been quietly watching him.
“Stephen Strange, I remember this person is on the A.R.G.U.S. mission list… Found it.” Deathstroke held a special phone, looked at the information on the top-secret internal A.R.G.U.S. website, and pulled up Stephen’s file.
“Secretly protect this person until it’s confirmed he leaves North America for the Himalayan Mountains? And I absolutely cannot reveal myself?! These A.R.G.U.S. missions are getting stranger and stranger, but the two-million-dollar price tag is quite good.”
Deathstroke’s emotionless face stared at the screen, weighing the pros and cons. After just a second, he made his decision to accept the mission.
This Stephen was clearly about to leave North America. He just had to wait patiently for a day or two, and the money would be his.
A.R.G.U.S. had many missions, but the number of people qualified to take them in the entire world was less than ten. It was bizarre; no one knew what A.R.G.U.S.’s selection criteria were.
Just as Deathstroke was about to tap the button, he was intercepted.
Seeing that obnoxious red avatar, an irrepressible anger rose in Deathstroke’s cold heart.
“Deadpool again. That bastard, I’ll kill that annoying guy sooner or later!”
…
Stephen spent the last of his savings and embarked on this path full of unknowns and uncertainties. He wanted to call his assistant, Nicodemus, but found the number had been disconnected. Stephen silently put down his phone and looked toward the unknown East.
According to Pangborn, even he didn't know the exact location of Kamar-Taj; he had been led there by someone. However, one thing was certain: the entrance was in Nepal and Tibet.
Considering the terrifying altitude of Tibet, Stephen, with his nearly useless hands, unhesitatingly bought a ticket to Nepal and journeyed across the sea.
After a winding journey that took half a month, Stephen finally set foot on the soil of Nepal.
The extremely low temperature and the biting wind that cut at his skin like a knife made the already disheveled Stephen look even more wretched. He tightened the sour-smelling overcoat around himself, looking at the bustling crowd with a sense of bewilderment and helplessness.
Sculptures symbolizing various deities were visible everywhere along the roadside, and many locals were kneeling in worship. Stephen headed to the market, holding a piece of paper with a note written in the local language, asking everyone he met, “Kamar-Taj?”
The passersby shook their heads, and Stephen would immediately grab the next person.
He had expected the place to be hard to find and was mentally prepared, but he hadn't anticipated that some people seemed to fear this place like the plague.
Sometimes when he stopped someone to ask "Kamar-Taj?", the person’s face would change dramatically, and they would wave their hands in panic, running away as if fleeing for their life.
Stephen grew even more confused.
He couldn't understand why the people who might know about this place were so afraid of it, which in turn made him feel uneasy.
Even when he was surrounded and beaten up by a group of thugs, he shouted “Kamar-Taj,” and the malicious gang of punks screamed in terror and fled.
