Marvel: Xenomorphs

The vampires were in deep trouble.

Logically speaking, major organizations around the world had, to varying degrees, participated in operations to exterminate vampires. As a result, vampires were well aware of their place in the food chain and generally didn't act too brazenly.

Perhaps it was Frost, who had wanted to become the "Blood God" but was killed by Blade, who had made things too high-profile, drawing renewed attention to vampires from all sides.

The vampires racked their brains trying to figure out why, of all the organizations in the world, the damn Duncan had set his sights on them.

Nighttime in New York was a place where prosperity and crime were inextricably intertwined.

In some quiet alleyways, eerie shadows flitted by silently and swiftly.

Occasionally, a drunkard, stumbling around looking for a place to relieve himself, would rub his eyes, thinking he had seen something wrong.

Ordinary people were ignored, but the vampires had nowhere to run.

Bang!

The door was violently torn open, and a group of Xenomorphs stormed in, launching a brutal cleansing of one vampire stronghold after another.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"It's not the Daywalker? What the hell are these things?!"

"Xenomorphs! These damn things are Xenomorphs! Run!"

"Run my ass! Do you know how much these things are worth on the black market? The price has skyrocketed to tens of millions of dollars!"

"Get them! Just catch one, and we can retire!"

Chaos erupted. Most of the vampires turned and fled, while a few stared intently at the Xenomorphs, pulling out weapons with a fanatical gleam in their eyes, eager to capture one.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Rat-tat-tat!

"Idiots, hold your fire! What if you kill it? Dead bodies aren't worth anything!"

"Hmph, these Xenomorphs are strange. They're not killing the fleeing idiots, just cutting off their limbs..."

Some vampires, confident in their physical strength, sneered and discarded their firearms, attempting to take on the Xenomorphs bare-handed.

The existence of Xenomorphs had already spread worldwide. Any organization with some level of influence knew about them. Moreover, the Xenomorphs that had appeared weren't the monstrous Abomination Xenomorph, which only fueled their madness.

However, no matter how grand their ambitions, they needed the strength to back them up.

In the face of the mechanical, ruthless Xenomorph squad, the complex building environment quickly turned into a bloody slaughterhouse.

The Xenomorphs moved like terrifying ghosts, appearing and disappearing in any area, their coordination seamless. From the start, without any communication, they executed tactical maneuvers as if they had been calculated by a computer countless times.

Admittedly, Xenomorphs weren't invulnerable. Firearms could inflict some damage on ordinary Xenomorphs, but such losses were acceptable.

Don't forget, the vampires were using 21st-century Earth firearms, not the advanced weapons from decades in the future seen in movies or comics.

One vampire, carrying a rocket launcher, was about to fire at a Xenomorph wreaking havoc in the crowd.

But in the next second, his hands were severed by a blade.

"You're making this difficult for me. If too many vampires die, I won't be able to deliver."

Elektra landed lightly on the ground, and not a single Xenomorph attacked her.

Immediately, some vampires turned their guns on her and opened fire.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

With just one knife, Elektra deflected all the bullets with precise strikes, showcasing her superhuman abilities.

"Damn it, who is this woman? Why aren't the Xenomorphs attacking her?!"

In the chaotic scene, the vampires howled, cursed, and begged for mercy, falling like wheat under a scythe. These blood-sucking creatures now had their own red blood gushing out like waterfalls, painting a macabre masterpiece across the area.

Elektra showed no mercy. She had no fondness for these vampires and led the Xenomorphs in a relentless harvest.

What was even more astonishing was that most of the vampires attacked by the Xenomorphs didn't die.

The Xenomorphs severed their tongues and transported them like cargo. Some used their tails to skewer several vampires like kebabs, while others simply grabbed a few by the collars and hauled them away.

In New York City, a trail of bright red blood stretched out.

Pairs of eyes watched this scene unfold, silently observing.

"Another stronghold destroyed. I went to take a look—nothing but severed limbs, with a few unlucky corpses left behind. Tsk tsk."

"Who's that girl? She's ridiculously strong. A mutant? A mutant who's joined Duncan?"

"Hmm, it seems Xenomorphs can only parasitize living hosts? That's crucial intel. Next, we need to figure out how the Xenomorph embryo grows inside the host, whether it can be surgically removed, and if a superhuman with regenerative abilities can survive after the chestburster emerges..."

As long as they were normal humans, they had no fondness for vampires. These creatures were nothing but parasites on humanity.

Now, seeing the vampires face an even more terrifying group and the prospect of being parasitized, those who witnessed this scene felt a strange sense of absurdity.

After all, vampires were expendable. How many died didn't matter. But had Duncan's methods become so brutally direct? Was he no longer even bothering to pretend?

"I remember that idiot Blonsky was parasitized, right? And then he died? He had Hulk-like strength, so he must have had powerful regenerative abilities, yet he died."

"Blonsky might have been killed in the end. That doesn't prove superhuman regeneration is ineffective."

In a world where superhumans weren't rare, there were naturally many smart people who logically deduced the characteristics of the Xenomorphs.

These creatures, capable of parasitizing hosts to gain their powers and seemingly becoming stronger than their hosts, were utterly fascinating. For some ambitious individuals, the impact was unprecedented.

Who could have imagined such a creature? Now they existed.

So, what was the upper limit of this mysterious creature's abilities?

And... where did they originate? Were they really created by that guy Duncan?

S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters

Fury faced five screens, each displaying one of the most powerful people in the world.

"Nick Fury, you've done well."

The five praised Director Fury.

One of them said, "The invoice for 200 million US dollars that you submitted earlier made me think you were playing a low-level joke. Are you really going to spend 200 million to deal with an ordinary young man and the toys around him? We even suspected that you were trying to take advantage of the situation to defraud funds."

Another chimed in, "But facts have proven, Fury, you're still the world's best agent with the sharpest instincts! That man is worth every penny!"

"So, Fury, when will you bring him into S.H.I.E.L.D.? After he's wiped out all the vampires in the world?"

"Wiping them out isn't realistic, but we want to know—what's the reproduction rate of the Xenomorphs? How do they reproduce? What's their social structure? Is there a queen-like role dedicated to breeding? Can we control them like Duncan does?"

Fury: "..."

Motherfucker!

How could he have predicted that, in such a short time, Duncan's "simple" actions would cause a global stir?

He certainly hadn't expected Xenomorphs to have such terrifying racial abilities and growth potential, nor such an unprecedented, insane method of expansion...

At this moment, Fury fully demonstrated the professionalism of a top spy. He remained expressionless, calm and composed, as if he had anticipated this outcome all along. He said gravely, "It's nothing. This is just my duty. However, to take the next step in dealing with him, I'll need more funding."

After the meeting...

"Dum Dum, report the latest situation."

Fury gathered his team and issued orders.

"I successfully infiltrated Kamar-Taj..."

"Not that," Fury interrupted the Dum Dum in front of him. "Besides, it was one of your lucky clones that joined Kamar-Taj. Their success isn't your success. Moreover, I highly suspect your so-called 'infiltration' was orchestrated by the Sorcerer Supreme herself."

Dum Dum shook his head repeatedly. "At least it shows my talent has been recognized by the Sorcerer Supreme, right?"

"Are you sure? Why is it that after years of effort, you couldn't even find the door to Kamar-Taj, but now you're succeeding at everything without fail? Don't you think she knows your identity? If not, I'd have to question her competence. Or is it that she, a ruthless figure who's guarded Earth for centuries, is about to die and has decided to take in disciples out of the goodness of her heart?"

"Maybe I've awakened a magic-learning gene—like magic affinity or something."

"You should go wash your brain with Himalayan ice water. While we haven't fully deciphered the mysteries of magic, it's likely there's no such thing as 'affinity.' You don't need to absorb wind or earth elements from the air into your body."

"Boss, not having cracked it yet only means one thing—not enough funding! You could allocate a more generous budget to me, and I'll take on this monumental task. With enough money, I could even take this question straight to the Sorcerer Supreme herself."

Fury coldly stared at the Dum Dum in front of him. He was certain this clone, ignorant of sensitive information, wasn't the Level 10 original. This meant the original Dum Dum had skipped work again.

Had the original joined Kamar-Taj to study magic under the Ancient One? If so, Fury wouldn't feel proud or delighted at his subordinate's capabilities. He'd just think Dum Dum had lost his mind and should be eliminated at the first opportunity.

A Level 10 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, tasked with global responsibilities, joining Kamar-Taj to learn magic? In Fury's eyes, that was idiotic.

Kamar-Taj's strength lay in the Ancient One and her few disciples, in their powerful magic and artifacts, in their vast mystical knowledge and global magical network—not in their cheap magic apprentices!

Over the years, how many magicians had left Kamar-Taj after learning some magic and returned to human society? And how many of them had mastered teachable, inheritable magic? Or wielded artifacts while roaming the streets?

S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't short on magicians!

If they really wanted to recruit, they could easily gather a group from around the world—though some would undoubtedly be black magicians with hidden agendas.

Oh, if Fury needed a reason to nod, it would be if Dum Dum were a once-in-a-century magical prodigy, worthy of the Sorcerer Supreme personally taking him under her wing.

For Fury to believe that, he'd sooner believe Duncan would announce tomorrow that he'd developed a miracle cure for mutants—just like the reason Duncan gave when applying for government subsidies while establishing Weyland Corp.

Dum Dum, as always, was only good at asking for money, swallowing up who knows how much funding every year. It was enough to make Fury's hair fall out.

A third of the $200 million funding he'd secured from the five major powers had been eaten up by Dum Dum!

"Dum Dum, my patience has limits. The next time I ask, you'd better give me something truly valuable—what have you achieved after all these years of spending endless money?"

"Understood, boss. I'll hold a brain cloud meeting with my other clones."

Dum Dum's expression turned serious. He paused, then said, "As for Duncan, I've made some discoveries. I've roughly calculated the Xenomorphs' egg-laying efficiency. The daily increase is definitely no more than five! He's captured a lot of vampires, but not all are for parasitism. Some are kept as food reserves..."

Everyone present remained unfazed. They'd seen all sorts of madness—cults worshipping cosmic entities or demons, conducting sacrifices—Duncan's actions were small potatoes in comparison. Besides, vampires weren't even human. If vampires could hunt humans, why couldn't humans hunt them?

"Duncan's current total forces shouldn't exceed twenty Xenomorphs," Dum Dum said.

Fury glanced at him. "If he let you calculate that, it means your calculations fall within his expectations. I don't believe Duncan would be so transparent about his strength."

"Perhaps the Xenomorphs have a higher reproduction rate. So far, we haven't found any Xenomorph larvae or eggs. We're not sure how long their growth period can last. Duncan's actions are very cautious. He's never sent Xenomorphs out with eggs, preferring to go through the trouble of crippling vampires and capturing them."

In other words, Duncan might have a batch of intentionally unhatched eggs or Facehuggers, possibly to be used at a critical moment?

"Find some vampires likely to be targeted by Duncan and implant listening devices in them," Fury ordered. "We need to be ready to move at any moment. We can't allow him to grow unchecked like this."

A dozen Xenomorphs, aside from the Abomination Xenomorph, weren't too difficult to deal with. Heavy firepower could handle them.

But if their numbers increased, it would be a disaster. S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't tolerate such an uncontrollable force—or rather, species—operating outside their control.

This wasn't about Fury's personal character or lust for power. It was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s duty, plain and simple.

Not thinking and acting this way would mean they lacked even the most basic professional competence.

"We've got trouble," Dum Dum's expression suddenly changed, and he tapped his head.

"I already know. A T0-level threat has arrived in New York's suburbs, carrying several metal boxes across the sea," Fury's face turned grim.