Chapter Seventy-Eight: Contamination Level

As the words fell, a profound silence swept over the room, as if time itself had paused. Everyone around stood frozen until Tony broke the stillness first. “So, you’re saying all of us have already been mentally tainted by this dark god? Jarvis, run a full body scan on everyone immediately.”

“Understood, sir. Commencing full-body examination now; please hold on,” Jarvis responded promptly, dispatching several scanning devices from the Iron Man armor to assess the health of the assembled Avengers.

“Yes, Mr. Stark,” Qu Yizhi observed the tension in the room tighten once more, having seen the brief moment of relaxation vanish. She sighed softly. “According to my knowledge, the corruption caused by the dark god is divided into five levels.”

“The first level of corruption occurs when one gazes directly upon the true form of the dark god. Without protection from a deity of equal rank, one is instantly transformed into a servant, utterly corrupted from body to soul.”

“The second level is exposure to the dark god’s aura or remnants—traces left behind. Sometimes, this is even more terrifying than direct observation.”

“The third level involves direct depictions of the dark god—paintings or sculptures—usually created by cultists devoted to the dark god or inspired artists whose madness glimpses a sliver of truth.”

“The fourth level is secondary depictions of the dark god’s image, such as the files and photographs the S.H.I.E.L.D. compiled on that statue. Even though these are secondary representations, the evil power still invades reality.”

“The fifth level is the moment you become aware of the dark god’s existence—you are already tainted. This is why Odin’s writings never specify which dark god lies behind these servants, referring to them only collectively as dark gods.”

Having spoken at length, Qu Yizhi took a deep breath. “I apologize for recalling these details only now. I will try my best to remember the protective magic.”

Tony waved her off, signaling her not to blame herself. “This isn’t your fault. Even if you had remembered earlier, according to what you said, we would have been infected long ago.”

At that moment, Jarvis completed his scans. “Sir, based on the results, you and your companions show nothing abnormal aside from fatigue and heightened mental alertness.”

Tony stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Jarvis says everything’s normal except for fatigue and mental stimulation. Miss Qu, what symptoms does this mental corruption cause?”

Qu Yizhi considered carefully before answering candidly. “From what I understand, those corrupted gradually fall into terror. They experience numerous hallucinations and cannot distinguish reality from illusion. The monsters in these visions, if stared at, will kill them within the hallucination.”

Tony frowned deeply. “Sounds like a bad drug trip.”

Qu Yizhi nodded yet shook her head simultaneously. “I can’t say for sure, but it should be even worse than being high.”

Tony pondered this as Natasha, visibly anxious, pressed, “How severe are the fourth and third levels of corruption? Many people have come into contact with that dark god statue, many of them senior officials. If they all went mad, S.H.I.E.L.D. would collapse.”

Qu Yizhi shook her head with a wry smile. “I can’t say exactly how severe the corruption is, as everyone’s mental resilience differs. But from what I know, those with stronger willpower suffer less. Also, it’s best to keep artists away—they are more susceptible because they need inspiration.”

Natasha visibly relaxed but then furrowed her brow again. While S.H.I.E.L.D. has no such artists, many scientists are essentially artists in their own right. They also require inspiration, which means—

“Does that mean geniuses like me are the dark god’s prime targets?” Tony’s voice interrupted Natasha’s thoughts and refocused everyone. Both Steve and Barton secretly exhaled upon hearing that those with strong willpower are less affected—after all, none of the Avengers lack resolve.

Qu Yizhi hadn’t anticipated this and blinked, affirming, “Exactly, Mr. Stark. However, I must apologize—I cannot explain the reason behind this.”

Tony blinked, about to respond, but she quickly stopped him. “Please don’t speculate or think about it. Regardless of your guesses, I cannot answer.”

Recalling the five levels of corruption she described, Tony swallowed his curiosity. A wave of irritation rose within him. These dark gods’ attributes were the antithesis of his own nature, making him want to obliterate every one of them.

Suddenly, a chill ran down Tony’s back. He sensed an unusual fluctuation in his mental state—his usual calm shattered by an uncharacteristic urge to annihilate these entities. Clearly, the mental corruption was taking hold.

Dr. Banner, who had been quiet, finally spoke. “You all know my condition. Could this mental corruption affect the Hulk?”

A hush fell. Hulk was their ultimate weapon but also perpetually on the verge of losing control. No one knew how an already furious Hulk would change under this corruption.

Tony stepped forward and patted Banner on the shoulder. Their eyes met with silent understanding. The anti-Hulk armor project was still confidential—only they knew of it—but Tony’s message was clear: if things went sideways, the armor would hold.

Noticing the subdued mood, Steve cleared his throat. “Everyone, don’t lose heart. I believe there’s no enemy we cannot defeat. Since Miss Qu has knowledge of a protective magic, that means mental corruption is not invincible. As long as she can recall it, we can solve this problem. Besides, if magic can resist mental corruption, why can’t technology? I trust Tony can develop the necessary equipment, right, Tony?”

Tony paused briefly then nodded confidently. “Of course. I’m a genius. Jarvis, prioritize mental corruption research as Project One.”

“Sir, related information has been collected. Shall I classify individuals based on the levels of mental corruption?” Jarvis had already logged Qu Yizhi’s classification and was automatically sorting potential infections.

“Confirmed. I want to know how many are currently infected.” Tony’s expression turned grave. The biggest problem was how many people might be corrupted. Fortunately, this wasn’t a virus that spread automatically; infections were limited to within S.H.I.E.L.D. and government leadership—a mixed blessing.