Dr. Zola's motives remain a mystery, and Su Ming has no reason to come into contact with the targets of the 'Paperclip' Project; they are in a state of high isolation and sponsors cannot contact them.
Howard secretly observed Su Ming's expression through the gap in the handkerchief.
He insisted on involving Su Ming, actually for Steve's sake.
He knew that Su Ming's relationship with Captain America was like a father and son, and if Su Ming got involved, Steve would come back to help even if he was on his honeymoon.
Of course, Howard himself also had a good relationship with Steve, as he had made Steve's shield.
But the source of this news was difficult to admit; if Steve knew the news was from Zola, he would first use his shield to beat Zola up before thoroughly investigating Hydra's remnants in New York.
Zola, having tormented Baki, was number one on Steve's most hated list, even surpassing the Red Skull.
If things got out of hand, with everything as the cause, it would be difficult to keep anything hidden. If it got out that Charles was a mutant, wouldn't it be even less safe? How would the child live in the future?
Howard couldn't do that, he could only take a slightly convoluted route.
Actually, Su Ming understood Howard's little thoughts clearly. This playboy's tactical thinking was at a beginner level.
But from a certain perspective, Howard's thinking was correct; before the age of ten, Charles must be able to live well, as it would determine his attitude towards humanity in the future.
"You're just trouble, two-legged trouble."
Su Ming sighed; he was still on vacation now, and many things were handled by his subordinates.
"I beg you, Slade, for the sake of cat litter, save the child." The young man with a little mustache started to cutely plead, his facial features scrunching up but unable to squeeze out tears.
So disgusting.
"Let's go to the manor first to check the situation, and if it's really necessary, we'll find a way."
The nausea brought by the little cousin had not yet passed, Su Ming was most annoyed by disgusting attacks now.
............
Despite hurrying, they were still a bit late; by the time Su Ming and Howard arrived at the church, the soil on the grave had already covered half of the coffin.
The priest had already gone home, only workers and the deceased's relatives were there, watching the coffin in the pit with tears in their eyes, hearing only the sound of shovels contacting the soil.
Some of the departing people came up to greet Howard in a very official manner; these people were obviously SSR employees.
U.S. funerals don't serve food, not humane at all.
Howard casually responded and then, with an apologetic smile, bid farewell to others and took Su Ming to the grave.
The coffin was empty, only clothes and some items from the deceased, because Dr. Xavier's remains were gone, not even ashes, so only these were buried.
"Sharon, my condolences." Howard pulled out a small flower from who knows where, placed it on the grave, and stood to greet the widow.
"Oh, Howard, what should we do? What should I do?"
The woman referred to as Lady Sharon clung desperately to Howard's shoulder in agony, seeming to see her last hope, unleashing her fear and uncertainty about the future.
She wore a black suit and black veil, but tears and despair couldn't hide her delicate face. She was very graceful, a rarity among Westerners.
Howard awkwardly glanced at Su Ming, as Su Ming's gaze was filled with doubt and a probe into human nature.
'Could you have been having an affair with this beautiful married woman, and conspired to kill Dr. Xavier?', was the look his eyes seemed to communicate.
"Relax, Sharon, it's okay, everything will be fine, cough cough, I'm running out of breath." Howard awkwardly laughed, patting her shoulder and gently trying to separate them.
He had absolutely no thoughts for other men's wives; playboy Stark had his standards and choices.
"Oh, sorry, I... I'm just so scared..." Sharon also realized this was inappropriate; her husband had just passed and she was too close to another man too soon.
But back at the lab, she and her husband were very close to Howard, almost to the point of being bosom friends.
Seeing Howard now, she inevitably felt she had found a support, but there was a stranger with Howard, and she shouldn't behave this way in front of a stranger.
"Let me introduce you, this is my friend, the owner of Wilson Enterprises, Slade, he is a very energetic person."
Howard loosened his tie, he had almost suffocated just now.
Sharon looked at Howard with some confusion; why bring a stranger to the funeral? Besides, what good is being energetic? Bringing her husband back to life?
Though her mind was filled with such thoughts, she still politely shook hands with Su Ming, though crying caused her to tremble violently.
Su Ming merely nodded solemnly, shook her hand, and said nothing more.
Meeting someone for the first time at a funeral is the most awkward, you can't smile, nor can you frown.
But Stark didn't think much of it, after the introduction, he grabbed Sharon: "Let's go to the side to discuss something, very important."
"But Charles..." Sharon looked at her son by her legs, who was staring dazedly at the coffin.
"Slade can look after a child. Now let's find a quiet, open space. I have something to ask you," Howard said firmly, speaking quickly.
He didn't know when Zola's group would take action, but time was always precious.
Sharon rarely saw Howard's serious expression. Even when assembling a nuclear bomb, this guy would be humming a song, so she crouched down and touched her son's bald head.
"Charles, stay right here and don't leave, okay? Mom and Uncle Stark need to talk."
"Okay." Charles stared vacantly at the coffin, responding to his mother's words in a brief tone.
Sharon left with some unease, walking with Howard to a tree in the distance, her eyes constantly glancing back.
Su Ming looked at the two of them, then at Charles, who was only a few years old yet wearing a children's suit, before kneeling down on one knee: "Hello, my name is Slade. Your name is Charles, isn't it?"
"Yes, but you don't need to talk to me like you do with other children."
Glancing at Charles's bald head, Su Ming ground his teeth a bit.
Charles was also a genius, not only inheriting his parents' high intelligence but his mutant ability made him particularly mature from a young age, comprehending things with depth far beyond many adults.
"What are you thinking about?"
Su Ming brushed away some dirt near the grave, revealing the snow beneath, while cemetery workers continued their sweaty labor, the winter ground was hard as rock.
"I'm contemplating the relationship between life and death, pondering where those who have left have gone," Little Charles turned to look at him, his eyes not filled with sadness but with thought and deeper insight.
"That's not for you to think about. For some, death is simply a period."
"Then for some, isn't it?"
"Yes, for some, it isn't."
Charles turned his little head back, his bald head gleaming temptingly in the winter sun, making one want to flick it.
No more words were exchanged between them, while in the distance, Sharon and Howard seemed to be having a dispute, their voices low, but their body movements were large and animated.
The workers had filled the dirt, placed a wreath on the black soil, and the older ones even made the sign of the cross on their chests.
"Sir, we've completed our work."
"Thank you."
Su Ming took some small bills from his pocket and handed them to the workers. Unlike Howard, he was more interested in Little Charles.
Once the workers had moved away, Charles remained standing quietly, his gaze now shifted to the tombstone, which bore his father's name.
"I feel sad, but I can't cry. It's like there's something wrong with my brain, it keeps functioning very logically, suppressing all emotions."
Charles quietly explained to Su Ming, pointing to his head.
"Too logical? Or is it confusion from hearing too many inner voices?"
"It seems you know my situation. I find I can't see your thoughts, so I wonder if you might be like me. Can you tell me what I really am now?"
Little Charles asked calmly, but his eyes seemed out of focus.
"Mutant, a term not to be spoken openly."
"Not human? That word gives a bad feeling, like discrimination." Charles turned his head again, his face chilled blue from the cold wind: "I seem to have seen in the newspaper, many people say they want to burn us."
"I'm not a mutant. The ability to block psychic abilities is due to other reasons. Now some unknown forces plan to target you, can you understand?"
Su Ming couldn't resist in the end and reached out to touch his bald head. I must say, the tactile feel was truly satisfying.
Charles had no intention of resisting, letting Su Ming touch his head around: "For what? Just because we're different from others?"
"For power, mutants are seen by the ambitious as naturally gifted weapons, and they've been searching for ways to mass-produce weapons." Having had enough of the perfectly smooth bald head, Su Ming also withdrew his hand; too smooth did lose its novelty.
"Creating humans is God's work. People on this path only bring their own misery." Charles expressed his view.
Su Ming shrugged; that's indeed the truth: "Alright, if I get a chance, I'll tell them their understanding is even less than a four-year-old child."
"Five years old, sir." Charles held up his hands, breathed warm air onto his palms, and quickly rubbed them: "So what should I do?"
Su Ming tilted his head, indicating for him to use his ability on Howard: "Can you see what they're saying? That's the solution."
"Others' inner voices keep flooding into my brain uncontrollably, my ability can't stop at all... Uncle Howard is trying to send us to a place called Saudi Arabia, but my mother doesn't see it that way. She wants to stay and investigate my father's cause of death, and thus they argued."
Charles selectively activated his ability, attempting to hear sounds from that direction. But he quickly covered one temple, feeling a headache as the distance of several dozen meters exceeded his ability range.
Just because of different thinking, even if it's for the same purpose, conflicts still erupt, that's the sad aspect of humanity.
He felt relaxed about his interaction with Su Ming because when beside him, no thoughts invaded his perception, he felt quiet for the first time.