Shortly after departing the tailor shop, Richard arrived at the entrance of another casino.
Just as he prepared to enter and secure some additional "living expenses," he abruptly halted and gazed upward toward a building several kilometers distant from the casino.
More precisely, he focused on the building's rooftop.
Someone was attempting to telepathically locate him!
Though uncertain of the telepath's identity, the moment they locked onto his mind, Richard could reverse-trace their exact position.
While psychics could detect and prevent mental intrusions, they remained perceptible to other telepaths. To illustrate more vividly, individuals with psychic abilities possessed a "mental firewall" that ordinary people lacked.
More specifically, only those with complete telepathy or Mental Shielding powers maintained such mental defenses.
Other psychic abilities—mental charm, illusion generation, hypnosis, and similar powers—provided no protection against telepathic invasion.
Although these abilities couldn't prevent telepathic intrusion, mutants possessing such psychic powers exhibited significantly greater sensitivity to telepathic contact than those lacking any psychic capabilities.
Enhanced Senses!
To clearly observe the rooftop scenario, Richard activated his enhanced visual powers.
It's actually them?
Through his telescopic and penetrative vision, he pierced the visual obstructions of intervening buildings and discerned two "familiar" figures.
One was a statuesque blonde beauty with azure eyes, wearing a form-fitting white skirt that accentuated her curves and elongated legs.
The other was a man in a black suit with crimson skin and a tail, whose demonic appearance set him apart from ordinary humans.
Richard recognized both individuals instantly.
The White Queen and the Red Devil!
Neither the White Queen nor the Red Devil possessed Enhanced Senses and couldn't perceive Richard through the buildings separating them.
Nevertheless, the White Queen sensed that Richard had detected their presence.
Though she couldn't visually locate him, she clearly discerned that he had halted his movement and was actively blocking her telepathic probe.
He truly is a telepath!
Despite Riptide's advance information, she had harbored doubts until confirming this firsthand.
Telepathy wasn't particularly rare among X-gene mutations, but neither was it commonplace.
Complete telepathy remained exceptional, and even single-effect psychic abilities weren't guaranteed during mutant awakening.
Additionally, a crucial factor in the White Queen's skepticism toward Black King Shaw's intelligence was Richard's demonstrated array of abilities.
Thus far, the number of distinct powers he had publicly displayed exceeded ten.
Moreover, these powers represented remarkably diverse categories.
Though some mutants possessed multiple different abilities simultaneously, the White Queen had never encountered anyone like Richard—a mutant commanding more than ten entirely disparate powers.
After realizing Richard had located them, the White Queen turned to her companion.
"I've found him, and he's found us."
"Where is he now?" the Red Devil inquired directly.
"In front of the Vasilis Casino, several kilometers from here," she replied.
"Very well. I'll transport us there."
With that, the Red Devil extended his right hand toward the White Queen.
Seeing his gesture, she raised her delicate left hand without hesitation.
Just as their hands were about to connect, the Red Devil's expression shifted dramatically. He withdrew his hand abruptly and unsheathed the twin scimitars at his waist, pivoting to scan behind them with heightened vigilance.
Teleportation!
He had detected the spatial distortion indicative of teleportation!
Unlike the Red Devil, the White Queen perceived nothing unusual.
Though both powers required mental energy, teleportation and telepathy represented fundamentally different applications.
Teleportation involved manipulating space through mental power, while telepathy encompassed various mental manipulations.
Though the White Queen hadn't sensed the spatial fluctuations, the Red Devil's reaction immediately placed her on high alert.
As they maintained their defensive posture, Richard materialized before them, appearing from thin air like a specter.
Recognizing the arrival, the Red Devil sheathed his weapons.
Simultaneously, the White Queen spoke.
"We harbor no hostile intentions. We're merely delivering an invitation."
With that statement, she extracted a black invitation from her handbag, approached Richard, and presented it to him.
Though he already knew the invitation contained only the dinner's time and location without additional valuable information, Richard accepted it and briefly examined its contents.
"I don't believe I have any connection to your Hellfire Club," Richard addressed the White Queen calmly.
"Just because no relationship existed previously doesn't preclude one developing in the future," she countered swiftly.
After this response, she regarded Richard with a subtly flirtatious glance and smile.
Despite having reviewed various reports about Richard and videos uploaded online, the White Queen found him even more striking in person than in recorded footage.
Most captivating was his lengthy silver hair—longer than most women's—silky and smooth as it danced gently in the breeze.
This young man is absolutely stunning! she mused inwardly.
Richard disregarded her appraisal and continued, "Even if future association were possible, I see no reason to attend a meaningless dinner at present."
"While I cannot divulge the dinner's specifics now, I assure you that your attendance will prove worthwhile," the White Queen replied with earnest intensity.
What exactly are they planning?
Richard doubted the Hellfire Club distributed invitations purely from boredom.
The caliber of invited mutants alone indicated substantial machinations—no minor affair.
Perhaps I should simply subdue them both?
Regarding the White Queen and Azazel before him, Richard contemplated his options seriously.
Though both possessed formidable abilities, he remained absolutely confident in his capacity to defeat them simultaneously.
For most individuals, the White Queen and Azazel's powers presented significant challenges.
For Richard, however, they posed negligible threat.
The White Queen's telepathy couldn't penetrate his defenses.
Her diamond form offered even less concern.
As for the Red Devil—his teleportation matched Richard's own ability.
Beyond that, the Red Devil's strength and physical constitution only marginally surpassed ordinary humans, incomparable to Richard's enhanced strength and physiology.
Unless struck directly in the eyes by the Red Devil's scimitar, Richard could withstand any assault even while remaining stationary.
Observing Richard's momentary silence, the White Queen and Azazel assumed he was considering the dinner invitation.
After several seconds' contemplation, Richard addressed the Red Devil directly:
"Let me ask you something. Have you ever raped Mystique?"
What?
Hearing these words, both the White Queen and Azazel frowned simultaneously.
"I'm not obligated to answer that," the Red Devil responded with visible hostility.
"You'd be wise to respond," Richard continued, "as your answer determines whether you leave here alive today."
...
...
==============================================
Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
=============================================