Chapter 139: The Stone Man

With Su Yan present, combined with the gentle natures of Gu Zhongyan and Father Langdon, Argyle soon accepted these two as his new family.

Afterward, Gu Zhongyan rearranged the house, adding a significant number of protective spells on top of the already ineffective Muggle-Repelling Charms. Dealing with Argyle’s still-uncontrolled mutant abilities made the setup difficult, but it was precisely because of this challenge that Gu Zhongyan’s magic became all the more refined.

While Argyle was settling into home life, things were in a miserable state for the Fantastic Four. At this point, the group was not yet the famous heroic team they would eventually become in the Marvel Universe; instead, they were fraught with internal conflict.

Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman remained deeply anxious about the cosmic rays they had absorbed. Uncertain whether this mutation was a blessing or a curse, they spent their time constantly testing their bodies and calculating ways to reverse the process.

The Human Torch, possessing top-tier looks and a physique to match, worked as a stunt motorcyclist—much like Ghost Rider—and was a notorious playboy in the Marvel Universe. With his handsome face and sculpted body, he had frequently appeared on magazine covers even before; now, with his superpowers, he had become an instant "top-tier" celebrity, at times even overshadowing Tony Stark. He was young, dashing, and stylish, and his powers—controlling fire and flight—were undeniably cool. Since the other three members disliked the limelight, the peacock-like Human Torch became the face of the Fantastic Four. If he didn't appear in the day’s news, a media outlet could barely survive. For him, life after the mutation was like a fish in water; he was enjoying himself immensely and had no desire to return to being just a regular motorcyclist with a handsome face.

Of the four, the Thing suffered the most. While all four had mutated, the other three appeared essentially normal when not using their powers, and their good looks meant their abilities were merely an enhancement. The Thing, however, had transformed into a massive monster made of rock. Not only did people fear him, but his fiancée had left him as well. On the Brooklyn Bridge, after they had finally saved a fire truck and become heroes in the eyes of the public, his fiancée had silently dropped her engagement ring on the ground. Poor Thing, with his thick, stony fingers—rough and completely lacking in dexterity—could not even manage to pick the ring back up.

Being ugly, losing his fiancée, and struggling with basic daily tasks were bad enough. To make matters worse, the Human Torch was a hedonistic playboy. Even before the mutation, he had enjoyed teasing the Thing, and now he took every opportunity to taunt him. With one reveling in his success and the other wallowing in despair, the constant provocation from the former only deepened the Thing’s fury. Furthermore, with the Human Torch being the brother of the Invisible Woman, and she being Mr. Fantastic’s fiancée, the three of them were connected by family and shared a bond that made the Thing feel even more like an outsider.

Eventually, the hero team, which had barely officially debuted, fell apart.

In Luke’s bar, the Thing sat alone in a booth, gloomily downing whiskey. Because he couldn't control his strength after his mutation, he accidentally squeezed the thick bottle, shattering it into a pile of glass. His already depressed mood darkened, but before he could leave, a crisp voice reached his ears.

"Reparo!"

Instantly, the Thing watched as the shattered bottle seemed to rewind time; shards of glass pieced themselves back together, returning to their original form in a heartbeat. Not only was there not a single crack, but the spilled liquor also flowed back into the bottle, leaving no trace behind.

The Thing’s pupils constricted, and he turned around in surprise. Behind him stood a young man of Asian descent, wearing a taupe trench coat and possessing a stature as impressive as the Human Torch’s, looking at him with a gentle expression.

"Mr. Ben Grimm, is it? I am Sean Gu. May I sit here?"

Hearing a voice that matched the tone of the spell he had just witnessed, the Thing was startled again. He couldn't help but look at the bottle in his hand and ask, "What was that just now?"

"Just a bit of minor magic. Please, excuse my display, Mr. Grimm." Gu Zhongyan smiled casually, appearing as if the scene he had just created was nothing extraordinary.

Seeing Gu Zhongyan admit it, the Thing stared at him for a moment before picking up the bottle, confirming it was indeed the one he had just crushed. "I'm not dreaming, am I?" the Thing muttered.

With that, he balled up his soccer-ball-sized fist and slammed it hard against his basketball-sized head. A loud thud echoed as he struck himself. He hadn't held back, and although his rocky body was incredibly tough, the blow left him dizzy with stars dancing before his eyes.

"What are you doing, Mr. Grimm?" Although Gu Zhongyan knew the Thing was usually humorous and would eventually become the most amiable, lighthearted member of the Fantastic Four after getting through these difficult times, he couldn't help but find the scene both amusing and pathetic.

"Is this real? I'm not dreaming?" The Thing shook his head, realizing it was all real and the bottle in his hand had truly been restored. He stared at Gu Zhongyan in utter astonishment.

Gu Zhongyan laughed. "Of course it's real. If people can turn into rubber men, invisible people, fire-beings, and rock monsters because of cosmic rays, what’s so strange about magic?"

"Magic? You're saying that was magic? Does magic really exist in this world?" The Thing was shocked and couldn't help but press for an answer.

Gu Zhongyan nodded and smiled. "Just a small restoration charm. This world is far more complex than we imagine."

It took a while for the Thing to process this. After looking at Gu Zhongyan for a moment, he hesitated before speaking.

"Magic or not, you came to find me and showed me this skill. Is there something you want?"

Within the Fantastic Four, Mr. Fantastic was the academic brain, the Human Torch was the playboy, and the Invisible Woman was a scientist of sorts. If the Human Torch was the face of the group, the Thing was the one who handled the mundane affairs. He was the one who managed most of the Fantastic Four's social engagements; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him their housekeeper. After his initial shock, he realized Gu Zhongyan had come specifically for him.