Chapter 44: The Hour of Destiny Arrives

A marvelous thing occurred: even through the shattered fragments of the mirror, one could still clearly see the movements of the female disciple on the other side, as if watching a movie projected on a broken, giant screen.

“Follow me,” the Ancient One said, stepping into the mirror first.

As she entered, a sharp, chilling sound of shattering glass echoed, like someone leaping into a pool filled with shards. The effect was deeply unsettling.

Standing before this wall of fragmented glass, which had appeared out of thin air, Mei Mumu felt a strange sensation stirring within her. Even though she had seen such scenes in films before, experiencing it firsthand brought a thrill she hadn’t anticipated.

Once inside, she discovered that apart from the Ancient One, her entire field of vision was divided into countless fractured blocks, each seamlessly joined at the edges of mirrored panels.

“This is the Mirror Dimension,” the Ancient One declared, her voice clear. “It exists, but cannot be detected. Whatever happens here does not affect the real world. This is a rift, a seam between the real world and other dimensions. We use it for training, surveillance, and sometimes to contain dangers.”

As the Ancient One spoke, Mei Mumu experimentally reached out toward the female disciple pouring tea nearby. Her finger nearly touched the girl’s eye, but the disciple had no reaction at all.

Ah, if this Mirror Dimension were available to gentlemen of certain inclinations, it would certainly inspire a wealth of uses!

“Mei Mumu, pay attention: without the Sling Ring, you could be trapped in here for life.”

“Why? I already know teleportation,” Mei Mumu protested.

The Ancient One explained, “Teleportation relies on knowing your current position in space, as well as your destination. By connecting two known points with a portal, you can transport yourself. But in the Mirror Dimension, you have no way of knowing your precise spatial coordinates. Without a Sling Ring, which has been specially enhanced to automatically detect your position, you could easily become lost here forever.”

“I understand,” Mei Mumu replied.

“The soul magic you wish to learn—astral projection—is dangerous even for most sorcerers, and is strictly forbidden for apprentices. But you possess a special bloodline. To improve yourself, you must first understand yourself. Just as you seek to comprehend the boundless multiverse, you must prepare yourself to face infinite dangers and unexpected events.”

As she spoke, the Ancient One approached Mei Mumu and handed her a parchment scroll.

Mei Mumu glanced at the title: Mirror Dimension Spell.

“My library is open to you, save for the section on dark forbidden arts. I shall instruct ‘Wong’ accordingly.”

“Thank you, Master. Then… if you’ll excuse me?”

“Go ahead.”

Everything was going so smoothly! Without any obstacles or tests, Mei Mumu had received exactly what she wanted. The ease of it all made her feel as if it weren’t quite real.

With a casual wave of her hand, the Ancient One restored the surroundings to their original state. The two female disciples glanced at them, then returned to their own tasks.

Unexpectedly, as Mei Mumu turned to leave and was about to step through the doors of the sanctuary, the Ancient One suddenly called after her, “Merlin—”

“Uh… Master, are you calling me? That nickname isn’t particularly funny,” Mei Mumu replied, feeling a bit awkward.

“Oh, just slipped out by habit,” the Ancient One said, her expression enigmatic. “Time truly is a marvelous thing. Never mind, focus on your training.”

Mei Mumu was completely baffled. What on earth did she mean by that? Was this really how a master should tease her disciple?

In the days that followed, Mei Mumu chose not to tackle the Book of Cagliostro just yet. After all, she was still only at the level of a magical apprentice.

By day, she trained; at night, as her body slept, her soul left her body, hovering nearby, poring over various magical tomes. Even astral projection required a measure of mental energy—though small, it still affected her recovery. In her disembodied state, she dared not use the Kadgar character possession card while reading.

Her progress was no faster than that of an ordinary person. The obscure passages left her head aching.

If this were merely pointless cramming for exams—learning knowledge she’d never use, only to face the prospect of unemployment upon graduation—she wouldn’t have bothered at all. Cramming desperately three days before exams, sticking a “Pass Every Exam” charm on the dorm bathroom door; if she passed, great, if not, there was always a retake, and if she failed again, she’d just repeat the class. She knew all too well what it meant to be a struggling student, barely scraping by.

But this was a matter of life and death.

Driven by the will to survive, Mei Mumu, a self-confessed academic slacker, gnawed her way through dense tomes at a turtle’s pace, but with persistent determination.

Sheltered by the formidable presence of the Ancient One and Kamar-Taj, and with her defenses strengthened, Mei Mumu at last returned to the life of a diligent student.

Though many young women enthusiastically asked her about her hand speed, and some even hinted they wouldn’t mind discussing the trajectory of life together, Mei Mumu ignored them all. For example, there was a Hong Kong girl named Li Keling, who was especially charming.

But with death possibly lurking around the corner, who had time for such things? Apart from occasionally emailing Christine to assure her of her well-being—though her tone had grown suspiciously reminiscent of a charlatan, earning her a scolding—Mei Mumu devoted herself wholeheartedly to the study of magic.

On July 6th, it rained. Mei Mumu tucked the books she needed to return under her arm and made her way through the corridor to the library.

By now, she was a familiar face. Ever since she’d introduced Wong to the catchy tunes “Little Apple” and “Gangnam Style,” their relationship had improved significantly. Usually, a simple greeting was enough for Wong to let her come and go as she pleased.

Tonight, however, something was amiss.

The library was deserted.

Mei Mumu frowned, instantly alert to the likelihood that something was about to happen. Wong was not a rigid man, but he was surprisingly dutiful. For nearly twenty-four hours a day, he ate, drank, and took care of all his needs in the library. Even if he had to leave, he would always arrange for another sorcerer to stand guard.

Now, he was absent. On the desk where he usually sat, there remained a half-cup of oolong tea, steam still rising, and a half-eaten pastry.

The scene made it clear: Wong had left in a great hurry.

A realization struck Mei Mumu.

“Damn! Life’s been so pleasant lately, I nearly forgot about this!” The gears of fate continued to turn.

In a parallel world of the Marvel Universe, if destiny was not altered, it would inevitably continue on its predetermined course.

A shiver ran through Mei Mumu as she recalled the plot of the original film.

She immediately dashed to the Ancient One’s library, searching for the Book of Cagliostro.

But that alone would not suffice—the true key was another, far more important artifact: the Eye of Agamotto, which housed one of the six Infinity Stones—the Time Stone.

Mei Mumu’s gaze shifted toward the far end of the library…