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"A dishonest fellow," Arthur mused to himself after a moment of thought. Yet it was precisely this intriguing dishonesty that inexplicably made him seem all the more precious.
After a moment's consideration, Arthur initiated a communication with Natasha.
The connection was established almost instantly. "You've probably already grasped the general situation, haven't you?"
This opening remark made it clear that she had been waiting for Arthur's call.
Since Tony had been able to directly contact Niðavellir from Earth, it was naturally impossible without Natasha's assistance. Before Arthur could even speak, she asked curiously, "What did he tell you?"
"Guess," Arthur rolled his eyes. "But before that, I still need to understand the current situation. You never mentioned the limited exposure of Camp Lehigh before."
"Since it's limited, it's still within safe parameters, of course."
Natasha smoothed her hair and said, "As things stand, no one suspects there's a massive entity lurking behind the Avengers. Our people in the US have played a crucial role. In fact, by blinding them, we've effectively blinded most people. So, there's virtually no chance anyone will pry into Camp Lehigh."
Arthur understood what Natasha meant.
Camp Lehigh had been steadily growing in power. Initially, it had quietly amassed wealth with SHIELD's covert assistance. Later, it began either bribing or threatening Congressmen into compliance. By now, its influence in the country was already considerable.
As long as the nation served as Camp Lehigh's umbrella, it could ward off most attempts to penetrate its defenses and uncover the truth.
"Keep all eyes focused on the Avengers themselves," Arthur said. "Camp Lehigh's not ready to be exposed yet."
Natasha nodded. "Of course, but..."
Arthur looked puzzled. "What's wrong?"
"Camp Lehigh can't stay hidden forever. One day, it will be revealed to everyone," Natasha said, looking at Arthur. "Just like heroes eventually remove their masks."
Arthur nodded. "But not now."
"Understood." Natasha smiled. "How's life in Niðavellir?"
"Even more fascinating than I imagined. The Dwarves' ingenious creations are captivating," Arthur said with a smile. "I even feel their weapons possess a spiritual quality, almost as if they have souls! It's something no science, no data, can replicate. They're not perfectly precise, yet they often surpass calculated results... that small 'something extra' shrouds these weapons in an aura of mystery."
"The data you sent back has already been submitted to the lab," Natasha said, pouring cold water on Arthur's enthusiasm. "But it doesn't seem to be well-received. Either it's beyond our current technological capabilities to replicate, or it's too crude to achieve the desired effect."
Arthur sighed. "Then let's focus on the most crucial aspects. I'll send back the overall conceptual design for the Teleportation Array later. Even if we can't fully replicate it, let's get as close as possible. With it, our operations will become far more convenient."
"Tony already proposed a similar plan, but the energy source..."
Various problems were raised, and the two engaged in a lengthy discussion. However, it remained largely theoretical, failing to resolve any concrete issues.
Many aspects still required the expertise of true professionals. Arthur could only be considered a half-expert at best.
When the call ended two hours later, Arthur realized he hadn't even noticed the time passing.
"Have I already grown accustomed to this routine?" he sighed, gazing out the window at the starry sky, lost in thought…
...
Another half month flashed by, and Eitri had finished the weapons he promised Arthur.
A warblade, a handgun, and a sniper rifle!
None of them had any extra abilities, but each weapon possessed exceptional energy absorption and amplification capabilities, allowing Arthur to unleash his full power.
When Arthur tested the warblade, he accidentally sliced through one of Eitri's forges. After that, the Dwarf King flatly refused to let Arthur continue such experiments.
"If you want to experiment, go back to Asgard and chop up their Bifrost or smash it to pieces, but please leave Niðavellir alone."
Eitri practically begged Arthur to leave.
During his time there, Arthur had also acquired a wealth of treasures, all of which he fed into the Disassembler, reaping countless rewards. Furthermore, the foundation for Niðavellir's Teleportation Array had been laid, and all that remained was to proceed with construction step by step.
Considering this, Arthur bid farewell to Eitri without hesitation and began his journey back.
This time, he didn't even linger in Asgard. After settling the Dwarves he brought back with him and exchanging greetings with Thor, he used the Teleportation Array he had left in his room to return directly to Earth.
...
In the quiet room, a radiant light suddenly bloomed from the floor, as if pulling up a colorful curtain of light. Then, a figure emerged from this luminous curtain.
It was Arthur, of course.
"I still remember the first time I teleported directly back from Asgard and nearly died from energy exhaustion..." Arthur marveled, glancing at the Teleportation Array behind him. Now, such consumption, while not insignificant, was entirely manageable.
More importantly, even if his internal energy reserves couldn't keep up, he had cosmic energy to replenish them.
The stillness of the room and the silence outside told Arthur that no one was home.
Yet Lily should have returned to the city a month ago.
"She must be at work," Arthur mused, glancing at his attire, which was probably unsuitable for Earth. He changed into a set of casual home clothes, stepped out of the room, and checked the time. It was around 3:30 PM on Earth.
"Come to think of it, I've never actually demonstrated my abilities in a real fight in front of Lily."
Arthur suddenly chuckled, picked up an apron, tied it around his waist, and sauntered into the kitchen...
(End Of This Chapter)