Chapter 80: If I Don’t Make It, I Won’t Go Back!

Damn! Damn, damn, damn, damn! The sun rises in the west... Well, there is no sun in the Dark Dimension, it rises wherever it wants. In this moment, Mei Mumu’s heart was stirred. Truly, his heart was stirred!

For a normal person with no extraordinary circumstances, who would willingly risk their life to fight to the death? Earth in the Marvel Universe is off the charts in terms of danger. Cities get blown up every three days, the world nearly ends every five. Mei Mumu almost instinctively wanted to agree to Dormammu’s offer without thinking. Never mind the promise of vast wealth—even if there were no extra conditions, he longed to return to his own world, to that warm doghouse he called home.

Here, he had no family or friends; if not for a powerful survival instinct driving him, he would have long since been consumed by loneliness. Back home, at least he could see his parents again! Ordinary as they were, could anyone’s parents compare to his own?

Dormammu watched Mei Mumu’s expression and grinned, knowing he had struck the right chord. Mei Mumu’s arrival was a complete accident. Only after receiving a warning from another parallel Dormammu did he learn he needed to deal with a man named Stephen Strange ahead of time, because this so-called Doctor Strange would prove to be his biggest obstacle in conquering Earth.

Who could have predicted Mei Mumu’s sudden appearance? Just seeing the activated Eye of Agamotto told Dormammu this would not be easy.

Through Kaecilius’s investigations, Dormammu learned of the stark difference in character between Doctor Strange and Mei Mumu: Doctor Strange was arrogant, proud, and fiercely determined—once he set his mind to something, nothing could stop him. That stubborn, perfectionist streak forged his brilliance in both medicine and the mystic arts.

Mei Mumu, on the other hand, was just an ordinary youth; perhaps a little clever, with some magical talent, but obviously lacking unwavering conviction and willpower.

If he could persuade Mei Mumu to leave, it would be victory without a fight.

Dormammu could almost see the beautiful scene of himself easily devouring this world.

Not only Dormammu, even Lady Fate’s Scales was beginning to feel anxious. As the embodiment of the scales, she could sense Mei Mumu’s wavering heart like no other.

“Host! I must warn you. If you abandon your destiny in this world and choose to return to your own, at the very moment you decide, Fate’s Scales will be unbound from your soul.”

“Will unbinding kill me?”

“No. The system will do its utmost to send you back. It’s just that I will…”

“What will happen to you?”

“I can’t say…” Even Lady Scales sounded deflated, her voice on the verge of tears.

“Well, that’s that then.” Mei Mumu seemed even more at ease.

Just as Lady Scales was about to cry, and Dormammu was grinning in anticipation, Mei Mumu, with an expression as if possessed, gave his answer—

“I refuse.”

“You agree, very good, now I will… Wait! What did you say?!” Mei Mumu’s tone was so obsequious that Dormammu didn’t catch it at first, but when he realized, disbelief and fury overtook him: “Say that again!?”

“I refuse.” This time, not only was Mei Mumu’s expression composed, but even his once-dazed gaze sharpened: “Do you really take me for a fool? You’ve wanted to kill me from the start. If I choose to give up and remove the Eye of Agamotto, you’ll kill me instantly, won’t you?”

Dormammu: “…”

“Even if, a thousand times over, you managed to suppress your murderous intent, you would just send me back to my world empty-handed. No wealth, no benefits, right?”

“…”

“Sigh, I knew it… Trusting a villain is as reliable as pigs climbing trees.”

“…”

While Dormammu simmered in a silence ready to erupt like a volcano, Lady Scales in Mei Mumu’s mind was jumping and cheering in delight: “My god! How can you make such a resolute decision?”

“It’s all those ‘wonderful’ things in real life that I can’t let go!” Mei Mumu’s gaze seemed to pierce time and space, returning to his own Earth, to the life that was truly his.

If he slunk back home, after graduation he would never compare to those who went to top universities. He’d end up, like his seniors, living the happy life of all-night overtime.

One sleepless night, not much;
Two, just right;
Three, fantastic,
And the boss says, keep it up.

Every day, joyfully battling scheming colleagues three hundred rounds. Every weekend and holiday, as a single man, he’d cheerfully attend friends’ and long-lost classmates’ weddings to hand out red envelopes.

He’d toil day after day, letting his monthly salary climb from three thousand… to three thousand and one, then face the newspaper’s reported single-digit inflation (which is really double digits) with a brilliant smile.

Perhaps, in such circumstances, his love of reading novels would lead him to become an online writer, venting through stories, hoping to become a big name and earn a little extra for the family.

By accident, the protagonist in his book might live a wonderful life. Then he’d be torn apart by orphan trolls.

If the protagonist is single, the author is called gay.
If the protagonist has a girl, he’s accused of poisoning single readers.
If the protagonist has a harem, the author is a sex maniac.

No matter typhoons, earthquakes, illness or family crises, whether it’s New Year’s Day or a relative’s birthday, dare to miss updates and the trolls wish death upon your whole family.

Even without favorites, rewards, recommendations, or kind comments, he’d keep updating regardless!

Just graduated, he couldn’t afford a car—so what? Couldn’t afford a house—so what?

Even after thirty, forty, fifty years of hard work, by seventy when he finally retires… still couldn’t afford it!

He didn’t know how many years he could keep his ‘original intentions’ alive, maybe one, maybe ten, but before he became the greasy middle-aged man he despised, he’d hold on as long as he could.

Returning to the point…

For this clear, predictable life, where you can see the next fifty years from a glance, simple and straightforward happiness, how could he make the choice to risk ‘accidentally leading Dormammu or Thanos to his hometown, putting his parents and loved ones in mortal danger’?

“Hey, Lady Scales! In my world, there’s no Iron Man—just an actor named Robert Downey Jr. No Captain America, only Chris Evans. Maybe I will never be a true hero who sacrifices everything for others, but at least I won’t be a traitor to humanity. If I can’t make it here, I won’t go back!”

If I can’t make it here, I won’t go back!

That is the heartfelt cry of countless wanderers forced away from home by life.

At some point, Lady Scales’ voice became choked with emotion.

In that moment, Dormammu’s pent-up rage finally erupted.

“I want you dead ten thousand times over!”

Mei Mumu smiled and spoke a single word: “Come!”