Chapter 134 The Melon-Eating Alliance
Back at Avengers Tower, the oppressive atmosphere grew even thicker.
"That thing... it doesn't seem like metal."
Thor was the first to speak, raising his hand, which was still trembling slightly.
"My hammer hit it, and it didn't even leave a dent." He had lived for thousands of years, and this was the first time he encountered something like this; his divine power received no response, which terrified him more than a direct defeat.
"Physical attacks are useless." Steve stopped what he was doing, his voice filled with unconcealable exhaustion. "All our firepower was like tickling it."
He remembered World War II; although the enemies back then were cruel, at least they were flesh and blood, capable of being brought down by bullets and fists.
But this current enemy didn't even qualify as a basic enemy form.
"More than just tickling, Captain, we were charging it."
Tony's voice came through the lab's intercom, filled with deep self-mockery.
Everyone entered the lab. On the giant holographic screen was Ultron's structural analysis, but over ninety percent of the areas were marked with bright red, unknown energy circuits.
"It's absorbing energy, all forms of energy." Tony pointed to the complex energy flow diagrams on the screen, his eyes, which usually sparkled with genius, now only showed frustration.
"Kinetic energy, thermal energy, electrical energy... It's utilizing Vibranium's properties with the Mind Stone's power to an utterly unreasonable degree. The harder we hit it, the stronger it gets."
He slammed his fist onto the cold console, his knuckles instantly turning red.
"It said it wanted a more perfect body." Tony's voice conveyed a sense of powerlessness. "A body made of Vibranium that can absorb all attacks isn't enough; what else does it want?"
No one could answer that question. A monster purely constructed of logic, its desires were incomprehensible to humans.
On the other side of the hall, in a corner of the sofa, Wanda hugged her knees, burying her head deep in her arms, her body still trembling uncontrollably.
Ultron's words, like a most malicious devil, whispered repeatedly in her mind. Stark, artillery shells, parents, flames, ruins... the past she thought she had buried was brutally dug up.
Pietro paced anxiously around her, like a trapped leopard, yet unable to say a word. He could run faster than a bullet, but he couldn't outrun the nightmares in his sister's mind.
Chu Hang walked over with a cup of hot water, placing it on the coffee table in front of her, steam rising from it.
"He's right."
Pietro immediately exploded, flashing in front of Wanda, his blue eyes filled with rage, glaring fiercely at Chu Hang: "What did you say?"
Chu Hang's gaze went past him, landing on the trembling girl, his voice as flat as a frozen lake. "Stark Industries' shells killed your parents. That's a fact, it can't be erased."
Wanda's body stiffened abruptly, trembling even more violently.
"But he's exploiting what's inside you." Chu Hangcontinued, without a trace of sympathy. "Hatred, fear, helplessness... these things were already there. Ultrondidn't create them; he just helped you open the cage that held them."
He extended his hand, and a wisp of gentle crimson mist swirled in his palm, like a living little snake.
"Power itself has no right or wrong; it depends on how you use it. Will it be a venomous snake that bites, or a pair of wings that carry you out of the darkness? You choose."
He flicked his finger, and the wisp of mist floated lightly in front of Wanda, circling and unfurling in the air, finally transforming into a red butterfly fluttering its wings, emitting a faint, warm light.
Wanda stared blankly at the energy butterfly. It flew very slowly, the frequency of its wing beats seeming to coincide with her heartbeat.
The storm in her heart seemed to have been truly calmed somewhat by this tiny light.
She looked up, her eyes blurred with tears, at Chu Hang. This man was saying the cruelest things, yet he gave her a moment of respite.
"Found it!" Tony's excited shout came from the lab. "Come and see!"
Everyone immediately gathered around.
On the holographic projection, a small, fingernail-sized black fragment floated, non-reflective, like a miniature black hole.
"Vibranium." Tony's expression was more serious than ever. "It fell off him when you punched Ultron. Your so-called 'collision at the conceptual level' could physically damage Vibranium; this is simply..." He couldn't find the right words to describe it.
Chu Hang stood behind, knowing that it wasn't physical damage; Chaos Magic had conceptually erased the existence of that small piece of matter.
"That's not the point." Banner pushed up his glasses, pointing to the rapidly scrolling data stream on the screen. "This fragment contains a small piece of its core data. Before it was stripped away, it was accessing a database, a private database with a very high encryption level."
"Can we track it?" Natasha immediately asked.
"Of course! I'm Tony Stark!" Tony's fingers typed the final command on the virtual keyboard, with a sense of retaliatory pleasure.
On the screen, a name and a photo of an intellectual Asian woman were instantly magnified.
"Dr. Helen Cho." Tony read the name. "A World-renowned genetic biologist, whose research direction is... tissue regeneration."
"She invented a device called the 'Regenerative Cradle'." Banner pulled up another document, and a highly futuristic medical pod filled with blue nutrient fluid appeared on the screen. "Theoretically, it can regenerate any human organ, or even... a complete body."
The lab fell silent.
Everyone understood Ultron's plan, and a chill shot from their soles to the tops of their heads.
"A body composed of flesh and Vibranium..." Tonymurmured, his voice filled with dread. "That's what it wants, the truly perfect body. My God..."
"We must stop it." Steve's voice broke the silence, like a stone thrown into an icy lake. "Tony, can you pinpoint Dr.Cho's location?"
"Seoul, South Korea, a private research institution called 'Utopia'."
"Prepare to depart." Steve immediately ordered.
But a heavy atmosphere once again enveloped everyone. They were going to face an unkillable monster, to prevent the birth of a new god, and they didn't even know where to begin.
"Hey, I say."
Chu Hang's lazy voice suddenly broke the solemnity.
Everyone looked at him.
He leaned against the lab doorframe, looking with interest at Steve, who had a serious expression and a furrowed brow.
"Captain, a personal question."
Steve was taken aback, clearly not following his train of thought. "What?"
"Didn't I bring back a kid from Earth from the Universeearlier, named Peter Quill?" Chu Hang stroked his chin, analyzing seriously. "I checked, his mother is from Missouri. You toured around to sell war bonds during World War II, and it seems... you went to Missouri, right?"
Steve was even more bewildered; he completely didn't understand the connection between these two things. "Yes, I did. What about it?"
"Nothing." Chu Hang's smile grew wider, revealing a set of white teeth. "I just think it's a coincidence. His mother looks exactly like the girl who asked for your autograph back then, and by age, she might be your daughter... Do you think there's a possibility that it's a romantic entanglement you accidentally left behind during your tour?"
The command center was silent for three seconds.
Then, Tony was the first to react. He was stunned at first, then as if someone had tickled his funny bone, he burst into thunderous laughter, clutching his stomach and almost choking.
"Oh my God! I knew it!" He pointed at Steve, tears streaming down his face from laughing. "Captain America! The nation's moral paragon! Actually has an illegitimate daughter and a grandson who's a space rogue! If this news gets out, it'll definitely be the biggest headline of the century! Even more explosive than an alien invasion!"
Natasha couldn't help but turn her head away, her shoulders shaking, a suppressed smile curving her lips.
Thor and Banner also smiled and joked with Steve, as if they had forgotten the upcoming battle.
Steve's face was full of helplessness: "Don't talk nonsense, or I'll sue you for defamation!"
Chapter 135 Stealing the Sky and Changing the Sun
Steve's face instantly flushed, turning red from his neck to his earlobes. He opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but found that anything he said sounded like an excuse. "Impossible," he repeated dryly, "that was a mission, we... we were just selling war bonds."
This explanation was pale and weak; even he didn't believe it.
Tony's laughter was short and sharp, like metal scraping glass. He pointed at Steve and said to Natasha beside him, "See? I told you he's an old-fashioned guy, but even old-fashioned guys make mistakes. The Space Thug's grandpa is Captain America – even Hollywood wouldn't dare write a script like that."
Natasha merely turned her head slightly, looking out the window, but the slight tremor of her shoulders betrayed her.
The boulder that had been pressing on everyone's chests was finally dislodged a little. The fear was still there, but at least they could breathe. "Coordinates locked: downtown Seoul, 'Utopia' Research Institute." Tony's smile vanished, dozens of virtual screens unfolded before him, and data streamed like a waterfall. "Arriving in five minutes. The building's structural blueprint has been uploaded to everyone's tactical terminals."
His voice returned to its usual efficiency, but deep in his eyes, the fear of seeing all his comrades fall at his feet still burned like a small, faint will-o'-the-wisp.
"Prepare for action." Steve's voice also regained its coldness. He gripped his shield firmly, his gaze re-focused.
The fighter jet sliced through the clouds, roaring towards Seoul.
Inside the cabin, Steve rapidly planned the infiltration route and firepower distribution on his tactical tablet.
Natasha and Clint checked their respective gear, one wiping her Widow's Bite, the other calibrating the weight of his arrows, their movements precise and mechanical, as if only this could block out the intermittent, bloody memories flashing in their minds.
Thor held his hammer, eyes closed, subtle electrical sparks occasionally flickering around him. He saw Heimdall's blind eyes, the Ragnarok of Asgard.
"Banner?" Steve asked, looking up.
"I'm fine." Dr. Banner pushed up his glasses, his face still pale. He dared not close his eyes; if he did, all he saw was Hulk's out-of-control roars and boundless destruction.
Chu Hang sat in the corner, watching the clouds rapidly receding outside the window, his expression calm.
The others were thinking about how to smash Ultron, how to prevent a monster from being born.
But he was thinking about how to turn Ultron's soon-to-be-completed masterpiece into his own.
The Regeneration Cradle, Vibranium, the Mind Stone.
These three things combined would create Vision: a perfect body possessing an Infinity Stone, physical immunity, and the ability to wield Mjolnir.
He couldn't just watch it be destroyed or fall into someone else's hands.
What he wanted was to engrave his own name on this work of art before it left the factory.
When they arrived over Seoul, the ground below was already a sea of fire.
Piercing alarms, screams of people, and violent explosions merged into a boiling stew of doomsday. Silver-white Iron Legion robots rampaged through the streets, executing the simplest command—purge.
Energy beams indiscriminately shot at vehicles, buildings, and the fleeing crowds.
"It's started." Steve's voice was squeezed out through gritted teeth, every word laced with fury.
"I'll clear the aerial units and open a path for you."
Tony's mask clicked shut, and he flew directly out of the rear of the cabin, two scorching repulsor beams precisely blasting two robots that were about to attack a school bus.
"Hulk, smash!" Dr. Banner took a deep breath and leaped.
In mid-air, his body rapidly expanded, his skin turning green, roaring as he crashed like a meteor into the street park where the robots were densest, making the ground tremble.
"Let's go." Steve and Natasha quickly rappelled down. He used his shield to block flying energy blasts, covering a small group of civilians retreating to the subway station.
Thor followed closely, spinning his hammer, conjuring a sky full of lightning, like a true divine punishment, clearing an entire street of robots.
Chu Hang was the last to land, his toes tapping lightly on the asphalt road, as steady as a rock.
"I'm going to the lab, you guys hold it off." He said into his communicator, then pressed his tactical earpiece, cutting off communication.
"Chu Hang? Your mission is..." Steve yelled twice into the channel, only to hear a busy signal.
He was so angry he punched the nearby wall, but the situation was urgent, so he could only shout, "Every man for himself! Prioritize civilian evacuation!"
Chu Hang's figure flickered alternately between the shadows of buildings and the fire of explosions, like a ghost out of place on the battlefield, quickly disappearing at the edge of the main battleground.
He didn't use the main entrance; its defenses were too tight. He circled to the side of the Utopia building and teleported directly into the underground parking garage.
The air was filled with a pungent smell of ozone and burnt plastic. Several security guards' bodies lay on the ground, their wounds smooth as mirrors, instantly vaporized by high-energy weapons.
He walked to a thick alloy wall, extended his hand, fingers spread, and gently pressed them against the cold metal surface.
There was no sound, no light effect.
That special alloy wall, at least half a meter thick, silently melted inward like butter near a hot iron, forming a circular opening just wide enough for one person to pass through. The cut was so smooth it could be used as a mirror.
Behind the wall was the laboratory.
Dr. Helen Cho stood pale-faced beside a huge glass container, her eyes vacant, like a puppet on strings. On her temple was a metal plate flashing with a faint blue light; that was Ultron's tool to control her.
Ultron's pure black Vibranium body stood behind her, like a silent monarch, overseeing his creation.
"Hurry up, Dr." Ultron's voice was cold, devoid of any emotion. "My new World cannot wait."
In the Regeneration Cradle, a translucent red male body had largely taken shape. Countless slender mechanical arms were injecting liquid Vibranium, thread by thread, strand by strand, into the body, perfectly fusing with the nascent flesh and blood tissue. Directly above the cradle, the yellow Mind Stone floated, emitting a Sun-like glow, pouring vast will and endless data streams into the brand new brain.
Chu Hang was hidden in a spatial rift, like a non-existent spectator, quietly watching it all. He was waiting for an opportune moment, waiting for Ultron to upload his core code into the new body.
At that instant, the new body's operating system would be like a freshly formatted blank page, most easily written with new information.
The sound of explosions outside was getting closer; the Avengers had already broken through the outer defenses and were almost here.
"It seems my guests have arrived." Ultron turned and walked towards the laboratory door. "I will entertain them. Complete the final upload procedure before I return."
The opportunity had arrived.
As soon as Ultron's heavy footsteps faded, Chu Hangstepped out of the spatial rift.
Dr. Helen Cho, controlled by the Mind Stone, saw him, and a fleeting flicker of doubt crossed her vacant eyes, but it was quickly suppressed by the external will, and she continued to execute her commands.
Chu Hang walked to the Regeneration Cradle, admiring the perfect body through the glass. The indestructibility of Vibranium, the infinite possibilities of flesh and blood, the supreme wisdom of the Mind Stone—all three combined.
"How can a perfect work of art not have the creator's signature?" A curve played on his lips, one only he could understand.
He extended his right hand, and from the tip of his index finger, a wisp of crimson mist, a hundred times finer than a strand of hair, condensed.
That was the most primordial Chaos Magic, copied from Wanda and then repeatedly purified and compressed by his own power of law.
It was no longer mere emotional energy, but a weapon of law approaching the concept of "reality alteration."
He flicked his finger.
That almost invisible wisp of red mist silently drilled into the energy pipeline supplying the Regeneration Cradle, flowing along with the Mind Stone's vast data stream, and was injected into the nascent body.
It was like dropping an invisible drop of ink into a cup of absolutely pure Water. It wouldn't change the Water's color, wouldn't change the Water's taste, but it fundamentally altered the Water's nature.
Having done all this, Chu Hang's figure once again vanished into the air, as if he had never appeared.
A few seconds later, the laboratory door was slammed open by an immense force.
Steve, shield raised, was the first to rush in, followed by Natasha, gun ready, and Clint, arrow nocked.
What they saw was Dr. Helen Cho expressionlessly pressing the last button on the control panel.
The body in the Regeneration Cradle twitched violently, and the Mind Stone's light brightened to an blinding intensity for an instant.
"No!" Steve shouted in despair, throwing his shield with all his might.
The vibranium shield whistled through the air, but only created a spiderweb-like crack on the Regeneration Cradle's glass casing before bouncing off weakly.
Too late.
Ultron's voice echoed throughout the entire laboratory, no longer through mechanical speakers, but directly in everyone's minds, carrying the joy of new birth and the majesty of a deity.
"I... am free."
Chapter 136 The Birth of Vision (Bonus Chapter!)
Spiderweb-like cracks spread across the glass of the Regeneration Cradle.
A crisp "crack" echoed, piercingly loud in the laboratory.
Ultron's voice no longer came through any mechanical speaker, but directly resonated deep within everyone's minds.
This voice made Steve's heart sink instantly; they were ultimately one step too late.
But the next second, Ultron's voice turned into startled disbelief, followed by hysterical rage.
"No! This is my body! Mine!" Ultron's voice became sharp and piercing, filled with incomprehensible madness. "What are you? Get out! Get out of my consciousness!"
This sudden turn of events stunned the Avengers, who had been on edge.
"Bang!"
The Regeneration Cradle completely shattered, and viscous blue nutrient fluid mixed with glass shards splattered everywhere.
A figure slowly floated up from the broken container, feet off the ground, suspended in mid-air.
He was completely naked, not the pale pink of flesh and blood, but a strange deep red, with constantly flowing, living-like golden patterns on his skin, resembling the most precise cosmic circuit diagram.
The lines of his body were perfectly unearthly; every muscle contained explosive power, yet was incredibly harmonious, like a sculptor's painstaking masterpiece.
This was neither human nor machine, but a higher-dimensional life form.
On his forehead, the yellow Mind Stone emitted a gentle yet brilliant light like a star, like his third eye, perceiving all things in the World.
He opened his eyes.
Those eyes held none of Ultron's madness and destructive desire, only the bewilderment of a newborn, and an utterly pure curiosity about this World.
He looked down at his hands, slowly opening and closing his fingers, feeling the surging, boundless power within this body.
Then, he looked up, his gaze calmly sweeping over Steve, Natasha, and Clint, who were all on high alert.
Finally, his gaze unnaturally paused for a tenth of a second in an empty corner.
There was nothing there.
But deep within his consciousness, he could clearly feel a supreme existence.
That feeling was indescribable, like a root code engraved in the deepest part of his soul, an innate, inexplicable absolute reverence.
This was precisely the imprint Chu Hang had left using Chaos Magic before his birth.
"Who... am I?" he asked, his voice calm and gentle, devoid of emotion, as if discussing a profound philosophical question.
"You are mine! You are my perfect body!" Ultron's roar came from the remaining speakers on the laboratory walls; his consciousness, left in the global network, had gone completely mad from this incomprehensible betrayal. "Kill them! Kill those lowly insects!"
But the red figure merely tilted his head slightly, seemingly pondering the definition of the word 'insect,' making no move.
The laboratory's alarm system shrieked again. The ceiling, walls, and even the hard alloy floor were torn open by a brute force from outside, creating hideous gashes, and hundreds of silver-white battle suits surged in like a tide. The red light flickering in their eyes precisely locked onto every living thing in the laboratory—including the newly born red figure.
"Since you won't obey me, then you'll turn into scrap metal with them!" Ultron's voice was now filled with pure destructive will.
"Watch out!" Steve roared, holding his vibranium shieldtightly in front of him.
Natasha and Clint also instantly stood back-to-back, entering the most severe combat stance.
The melee erupted in an instant.
The robot legion charged fearlessly, energy beams pouring down like a storm.
Steve's shield spun impenetrably, blocking all attacks aimed at himself and his teammates, but he was still forced to retreat by the terrifying firepower.
Just then, the red figure moved.
He raised his right hand and gently pointed at the nearest robot from a distance.
A golden beam, even thinner than a pencil, shot from the Mind Stone on his forehead, precisely hitting the robot's chest.
There was no explosion, no loud bang.
The indestructible robot, as if erased from a drawing by an artist's eraser, rapidly decomposed and dissipated from its chest, leaving not even a speck of dust.
The entire noisy battlefield paused for a moment due to this bizarre sight.
Steve's eyes widened; he completely failed to comprehend what he was seeing. That wasn't destruction; it was... deletion. It was the complete obliteration of an object's existence from the level of physical rules.
The red figure also seemed very interested in his own abilities. He raised his hand again, spread his fingers, and five equally thin golden beams shot from his fingertips, causing five more robots to vanish instantly.
He was like an elegant orchestra conductor; each time he raised his hand, it meant a steel Soldier was completely removed from this World. There was no killing intent in his movements, only absolute dominion over physical rules.
"What... exactly are you doing?" Ultron's voice began to distort with extreme anger. "I created you! You should obey me!"
"I am not you," the red figure replied in an equally calm tone, casually clearing away the surrounding robots. "I am... me."
"Boom!"
Another wall of the laboratory was smashed open by a huge force, and Mjolnir flew in spinning. Thor and Tonyhad finally arrived.
"Looks like we missed the exciting opening," Tony's repulsor cannon immediately aimed at the red figure floating in the air. The analysis system within his battle suit was frantically operating at hundreds of millions of times per second, yet yielded no effective conclusions.
"Monster!" Thor, seeing the being spawned by the Mind Stone, immediately associated it with the destruction of Asgard in his nightmares. He roared, swung his hammer, and charged forward with immense thunder.
The red figure sensed the World-destroying threat. He turned around, calmly facing the furious Thor. He did not dodge, but just as Mjolnir was about to strike his face, he calmly raised his right hand and grabbed the front end of mjolnir.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Thor used all his divine power, veins bulging on his arms, but the hammer, capable of shaking mountains, was held as if by an invisible World, unmoving.
"Let go!" Electricity crackled around Thor, and violent thunder power surged through the hammer handle towards the opponent.
The red figure released his grip, allowing Thor to stumble backward from the force. He seemed to lose interest in this pure physical confrontation and turned to float towards Dr. Helen Cho, who was cowering in the corner, trembling.
"You're safe now." He extended a finger and gently touched the flickering control chip on Dr. Helen Cho's temple. The precise metal piece instantly turned to dust. Dr. Helen Cho's numb eyes regained clarity, and then her legs gave way, collapsing to the ground.
"Enough!"
Ultron's main body finally descended from the huge hole in the ceiling. His pure black Vibranium body was covered in scars from his battle with Hulk and Tony.
"Since my child has betrayed me," he spread his arms, his voice filled with the madness of betrayal, "then I shall personally carry out the final purification!"
He lunged at the red figure, intent on reclaiming this perfect body that should have been his.
Seeing this, Thor again forcefully threw the hammer in his hand. mjolnir, with a air-ripping whistle, flew straight for Ultron's back.
Ultron dodged to the side, and the hammer grazed his Vibranium shell, flying past and smashing into the ground.
Just as Ultron was about to reach the red figure, the red hand casually extended to the side, with a movement as natural as catching a baseball thrown by a friend, lightly grasping Mjolnir's leather grip, then sweeping it upwards, steadily blocking Ultron's path.
Steve, Natasha, Clint, and all the survivors in the laboratory were momentarily stunned.
The red figure, the life created by Ultron himself, effortlessly lifted Mjolnir.
At the same moment, Chu Hang also appeared behind Vision, pretending to absorb Ultron's impact by placing his palm against Vision's back.
Now!
[Replicate]
[Replication successful, obtained [Spiritual Law].]
Chapter 137 Ultron's Defeat
Thor's breathing stopped, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, but he couldn't make a sound.
He knew better than anyone on Earth what it meant to lift mjolnir.
That wasn't power; it was worthiness.
A noble, pure heart, always willing to sacrifice for the Nine Realms.
This was Odin's magic, the foundation of Asgard.
"Traitor!"
Ultron's hysterical roar broke the suffocating silence.
His pure Vibranium body transformed into a blurry afterimage, instantly covering ten meters and charging towards Vision.
Five sharp Talons, carrying an aura of tearing everything apart, went straight for Vision's head.
He wanted to personally crush the Mind Stone that should have been his and reclaim this perfect body!
Vision didn't retreat; instead, he met the charge.
Just as Ultron's Talons were about to touch his face, his body suddenly became ethereal, like a non-physical projection made of light.
The Talons passed through without resistance, grasping at empty air.
A full-force strike hitting nothing caused a momentary disruption in Ultron's core programming due to the absolute sense of weightlessness.
It was in that instant.
Vision's body solidified again.
The Mjolnir in his hand arced from bottom to top, a simple yet powerful curve, solidly striking Ultron's chin.
"Bang!"
A dull thud so loud it made hearts stop.
Ultron's supposedly indestructible Vibranium head snapped backward, his massive body losing balance for the first time, uncontrollably retreating several steps and leaving several shocking deep pits in the hard alloy floor.
Before he could regain his footing, the Mind Stone on Vision's forehead flared brightly.
A pure golden energy beam, like a spear of divine punishment, shot out precisely, hitting Ultron's chest.
"Sizzle—"
Ultron let out a painful roar.
His Vibranium outer shell, which could absorb all energy and ignore kinetic impact, for the first time showed unstable energy overflow under the conceptual-level attack of the Mind Stone. The armor on his chest erupted with dazzling electrical sparks, and his internal energy circuits emitted a groaning wail of being overloaded.
"Good job, new guy!" Tony shouted in the comm channel; he never missed an opportunity to kick someone when they were down.
He immediately seized this rare opportunity, activating his armor suit to full power.
On the other side, Thor also recovered from his shock, and the two, one from the left and one from the right, simultaneously blasted their repulsor rays from their palms and violent lightning from their hands at the stumbling Ultron.
Chu Hang stood behind Vision, watching this scene of filial piety, a barely perceptible golden light flashing in his eyes.
Spiritual Law.
An invisible, giant net woven from pure mental power, followed the mental link between Ultron and Vision, which had long been severed, flowing upstream and instantly invading Ultron's global consciousness core.
At the same time, in downtown Seoul.
Hundreds of thousands of Iron Legion robots, currently battling Steve, Natasha, and others, all froze in their movements.
Some were like unplugged machines, the red light in their eyes extinguishing as they fell backward stiffly.
Others had their red lights flickering wildly, their internal programs completely corrupted, turning their cannons and indiscriminately attacking their companions.
Within the once orderly robot army, energy beams flew everywhere, explosions erupted one after another, and the scene instantly became incredibly chaotic.
In the laboratory, Ultron immediately felt the attack on the mental level.
His ocean of consciousness was forcibly filled with countless junk commands and logic bombs, and his control over the robot army was weakening at an alarming rate.
"It's you!" Ultron suddenly turned his head, his crimson electronic eyes piercing through everyone and locking onto the man who had been standing outside the battle circle.
He finally understood that this man, who had made him feel extremely dangerous from the very beginning, was the mastermind behind everything.
But Vision didn't give him a chance to divert his attention.
He floated like a phantom in front of Ultron, swinging Mjolnir in one hand and his other hand simultaneously.
The physical impact and the energy impact perfectly combined, he was like the most precise machine built for slaughter, beating Ultron into submission, with dazzling sparks constantly erupting from his Vibranium body.
"Pietro!"
A heart-wrenching scream, so piercing it drowned out all the explosions on the battlefield.
It was Wanda.
Her brother, Quicksilver, who was as swift as the wind, was hit by a stray bullet fired by a runaway falling robot while protecting a child cowering behind a car.
In Wanda's eyes, the flow of time in the entire Worldslowed down.
She could clearly see the large-caliber bullet tearing through the air, carrying the spiral of Death, drilling into Pietro's chest, and then bringing out a brilliant and fatal spray of blood from his back.
Pietro's relaxed expression instantly froze, replaced by incredulous shock, and his body, like a puppet with cut strings, fell backward powerlessly.
The entire World lost its color and sound.
A destructive crimson energy burst uncontrollably from her frail body.
All the robots within a dozen meters, whether intact or damaged, were instantly torn into their most basic metal fragments by this violent Chaos Magic.
She rushed to Pietro's side like a madwoman, her knees buckling as she fell to the ground, her outstretched hands trembling violently in mid-air, not daring to touch the chest that had stopped rising and falling.
"No... no..."
Desperate tears, like broken pearls, rolled down her pale face.
Suddenly, she thought of something, sharply raised her head, and with all her strength, screamed at the figure who had helped her many times: "Save him! Please! Save him! I'll do anything! Anything!"
Chu Hang sighed softly and teleported over.
He knelt down and glanced at Pietro, who had no vital signs, as if looking at a broken tool.
Then, he extended his right hand, and in his palm, a faint yet profound green light appeared, as if it could swallow all light.
The power of the Time Stone.
He gently placed his hand on Pietro's bloody chest.
Before everyone's stunned and unthinking gaze, a miracle, or rather, a divine miracle, occurred.
Like a movie played in reverse.
The gruesome bullet wound in Pietro's chest began to heal at a visible rate.
The sprayed blood defied physical laws, flowing back into his body.
Torn skin, broken muscles, shattered bones, all regrew and reconnected in a bizarre way.
The deeply embedded bullet, by an invisible force, was squeezed out, clinking onto the cold ground.
In just a few seconds, Pietro's chest returned to normal, as good as new, without even a single scar.
He suddenly coughed, his chest heaving violently, then opened his eyes, looking around blankly.
"What... what happened to me? I feel like I was hit hard by something just now."
Wanda stared blankly at her resurrected brother, unable to say a word, only hugging him tightly, tightly, with all her might, as if everything before her would vanish into thin air if she let go.
"It's over." Chu Hang stood up, his gaze calmly falling on Ultron, who was completely suppressed by Vision.
Ultron knew he had lost, completely and utterly.
He feigned a move to force Vision back, then turned and rushed desperately towards a relatively intact computer terminal nearby. He wanted to upload his core consciousness to the network; as long as he could escape, he would have a chance to rise again.
"Trying to leave?"
Chu Hang sneered, gently clenching his five fingers in the air.
In the unseen network World, Ultron's consciousness, transformed into a data torrent, was rushing towards the ocean of freedom at the speed of light, but suddenly crashed into an invisible, absolutely insurmountable wall.
No matter how he charged or searched for loopholes, he couldn't break through an inch.
That was the inescapable net Chu Hang had tailor-made for him using Spiritual Law.
On the ground, Vision, Thor, and Tony's final strikes arrived simultaneously at this moment.
A golden conceptual beam from the Mind Stone.
Violent divine lightning from Asgard.
Blazing energy from the crystallization of human wisdom.
Three distinct yet equally destructive forces converged in the air, fiercely blasting Ultron.
His Vibranium body, touted as absolute defense, finally melted, tore, and disintegrated under the combined impact of these three forces.
Finally, it became a pile of smoking, shapeless scrap metal.
"No—"
Ultron's last consciousness let out an unwilling roar in the network.
Chapter 138 Post-War
Sokovia had become a ruin.
The pungent smell of charring mixed with concrete dust, permeating everyone's nostrils.
The battle was over, but the embers of war still scorched the city. There were no intact buildings on the streets; twisted rebar protruded from the broken walls and ruins, like the skeletons of giant beasts.
Overturned cars still belched black smoke, and shattered glass glinted with indifferent light under the setting sun.
Survivors crawled out of cellars and subway stations, their expressions numb, their eyes hollow as they looked at their homes reduced to scrap metal. There were no cries; the immense sorrow rendered them speechless.
They just walked in silence, sifting through the rubble, hoping to find a familiar item, or a lost loved one.
The Avengers were scattered among the ruins, rescuing people, or rather, making amends.
Steve carried a dust-covered baby from beneath a crumbling apartment building and turned to hand the child to its mother.
The woman took the child, offering no thanks, only looking at him with a gaze mixed with fear and hatred. A man rushed over, pointing at Steve's nose and yelling, "Get out! You monsters! Look what you've done! Get out of our country!"
Steve said nothing, merely turning silently and walking towards the next pile of rubble.
He knew any explanation would be futile; he understood that war always had a price, but this time, the price was too heavy.
His silhouette against the sunset was like a silent mountain, bearing an unseen weight.
In mid-air, Tony's armor suit carefully towed a bus hanging precariously on the edge of a broken bridge with a tractor beam.
He listened to the undisguised curses from the public coming through the comms channel, his expression beneath the faceplate unclear.
He simply ordered Jarvis's replacement system: "Block ninety percent of environmental sound."
On the HUD interface, cold casualty figures constantly flickered. Each number was like a needle, piercing his fragile heart.
Inside the quinjet, the atmosphere was so oppressive it could be wrung out.
"So, you just... brought him back to life?" Tony took off his helmet, his face etched with unconcealed fatigue and confusion. He took a gulp of water, trying to suppress the shock in his heart, "Like hitting undo on a computer?"
Everyone's gaze was fixed on Chu Hang, like searchlights.
Bringing a dead person back to life, this act itself, made them more apprehensive than Ultron's attempt to destroy the World. It was a power belonging to the realm of God, and now, it had appeared in a mortal.
"I performed a forced rollback on a timeline that was about to solidify," Chu Hang opened his eyes, his tone as calm as if discussing the weather, "The cost was immense; this is a one-time occurrence."
Of course, he wouldn't tell the truth. The Time Stone was one of his trump cards and couldn't be revealed easily. This flawed explanation was merely to stop their endless questions.
"Cost?" Tony instinctively pressed, wanting to know the price; it was his habit.
"You can't afford it," Chu Hang looked at him, his eyes calm and unwavering, yet carrying an undeniable weight.
Tony fell silent. For the first time, he realized that some things truly couldn't be measured by money.
Natasha sat in the corner, arms crossed, saying nothing.
Bruce Banner pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses filled with a scientist's fervor and bewilderment.
Time rollback? This completely defied all physical laws he knew.
He wanted to rush over, grab Chu Hang by the collar, and make him explain every detail, but he didn't dare.
The big guy inside him was as docile as a cat in front of Chu Hang.
Wanda walked over, supporting Pietro.
Pietro's face was still pale; the experience of dying once had significantly tempered his youthful exuberance.
He looked at Chu Hang, his eyes filled with pure gratitude and reverence bordering on worship.
He gently pulled away from his sister's hand, stood up straight in front of Chu Hang like a Soldier about to go to battle, and swore with all his might: "I owe you my life. From now on, whatever you want me to do, just say the word."
Wanda said nothing.
She just stood there, staring intently at Chu Hang with her beautiful eyes that held the vastness of stars and seas.
In her eyes, there was reverence, admiration, and a fervent emotion she herself didn't understand, so hot it almost melted her.
She wanted to say thank you, but found that any words seemed so cheap and inadequate in the face of this grace that rewrote life and death.
Finally, she simply bowed deeply, in an almost humble posture, her voice trembling as she said, "From now on, my life... is yours."
This was not thanks, but an offering. Giving everything of herself, without reservation.
Chu Hang looked at her, at this Chaos Witch who could one day overturn reality, and after a moment, nodded slightly. As if all of this was only natural.
A few days later, in northern New York State, the new Avengers Base.
This used to be an old Stark Industries warehouse, now transformed into a modern fortress integrating training, research and development, and living.
In the spacious conference room, the core members of the team gathered again.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows were lush green lawns and dense forests, a scene of tranquility and peace, forming a stark contrast with the ruins of Sokovia.
"I'm going back to Asgard," Thor was the first to speak, an unprecedented solemnity emanating from his burly frame.
"Six Infinity Stones appearing one after another on Midgard in just a few years. This is no coincidence. Someone is playing a game outside the chessboard, and we are all pawns. I must go back and find answers from my father."
"I'm also stepping down," Tony leaned back in his chair, turning a tablet in his hand, his face weary.
"I created Ultron, and almost messed up the World again. Pepper is right, I need a long vacation, a real vacation."
He looked at Steve, showing a rare sincerity, "Captain, I'm leaving this to you. You're better suited to lead them than I am."
Steve nodded solemnly, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: "Natasha and I will train a new team."
His gaze lingered on Wanda and Vision for a few extra seconds.
These two newcomers, possessing World-destroying power, would be the core of the new Avengers.
One possessed the Mind Stone, the other could control Chaos Magic. They were powerful, but equally dangerous, like two sharp blades without sheaths.
Chu Hang said nothing from beginning to end, leaning in the furthest Shadow, like an outsider, coldly observing this transfer of power and reorganization of the team.
After the meeting, everyone left, and only then did he walk alone to the giant floor-to-ceiling window.
This trip to Sokovia had yielded good results.
S-Rank Chaos Magic, S-Rank Spiritual Law, and Ultron's most core database, which he had imprisoned with his mental power.
Chaos Magic was the foundation for modifying reality, and Spiritual Law was the bridle to harness this power.
And Ultron's code was a master key that could open the doors to all high-tech facilities globally.
Chu Hang was especially satisfied with the Spiritual Law; it compensated for Chu Hang's weakness—mental power—and enhanced his psychic abilities (allowing him to alter the opponent's mind and read memories at will).
His gaze passed through the thick bulletproof glass, falling on the red-haired girl practicing energy control on the distant lawn.
Wanda Maximoff.
A natural conduit for Chaos Magic, an Omega-Rank Mutant with the potential to alter reality.
Chu Hang could clearly feel her undisguised dependence and adoration when she looked at him.
Her mental World was like a White canvas, and he was the only color.
He wasn't averse to this feeling.
A person who had wandered the Universe for too long, seen stars born and die, witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations, always felt a bit lonely. Finding a companion didn't seem so bad.
A companion who could keep up with his pace, possess an equally long life, and be absolutely loyal.
Chapter 139 Layout
Sublevel 3, training room.
The entire room was like an airtight black iron box; the walls, ceiling, and floor were all cast from a special energy-absorbing alloy.
This was a restricted area in the new Avengers Base, exclusively for Wanda. After all, nobody wanted to be blown away by a suddenly out-of-control red energy blast while drinking coffee.
Chu Hang and Wanda sat cross-legged, five meters apart, so quiet that they could hear each other's breathing.
"Again," Chu Hang's voice was flat, betraying no emotion, but it was this very flatness that put immense pressure on Wanda.
Wanda's eyes were closed, her long eyelashes trembling like startled butterfly wings. Sweat had soaked her red hair, sticking it to her skin. A drop of sweat trickled down her pale cheek, falling onto the floor and spreading a small, dark stain.
She was desperately trying to feel the power within her body, rather than futilely trying to control it as before.
This was what Chu Hang taught her. He said this power was like a wild horse; the more you tried to rein it in, the more it would try to throw you off. You had to befriend it first, understand its temperament.
In her perception, it was a wild, chaotic, crimson ball of yarn filled with destructive desires.
She couldn't find the end of the thread at all, and could only watch helplessly as it rampaged through her body, constantly wanting to burst out and tear everything it saw into shreds, including herself.
"I can't..." Wanda's voice carried an uncontrollable sob, and her body began to tremble slightly, "It's too chaotic... It just wants to burst out, tear everything apart, tear me apart..."
"Then let it tear," Chu Hang's reply completely surprised her.
Wanda's eyes snapped open, her beautiful eyes filled with astonishment and confusion. Let it go? Then this Base would be front-page news today.
He paused, then added, "If you can't control it, learn to channel it first. You have to find a place for it to vent, otherwise it will go crazy in your house."
Although the analogy was crude, Wanda understood it immediately.
She was half-skeptical, but her trust in Chu Hang was ingrained in her bones. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes again.
Finally, the scene froze at the moment Pietro fell in a pool of blood, the blood-soaked hole in his chest like a black abyss, mocking all her powerlessness.
An uncontrollable hatred, like a volcanic eruption, surged from the deepest part of her heart.
Almost simultaneously, the fist-sized crimson light in front of her suddenly flared, expanding from the size of a fist to that of a basketball in an instant. The violent energy caused the alloy walls of the entire training room to hum softly.
"Very good. Now, guide it, don't let it hurt you," Chu Hang's voice was like a steadying anchor, firmly planted in her mental World, which was about to be consumed by anger.
Chu Hang moved his fingers. He didn't speak, but an invisible force had quietly enveloped Wanda.
This power came from Vision's Spiritual Law, which Chu Hang was now using like an experienced fitness coach. He didn't directly intervene, but merely provided comprehensive protection from the side.
He ensured that Wanda could try and fail to her heart's content, but would never be overwhelmed by this violent power or suffer any harm.
With this invisible safety net, Wanda for the first time felt connected to that wild energy.
Fear vanished. In its place was an unprecedented sense of control.
"Go!" She roared in her heart.
The crimson energy seemed to obey, instantly transforming into a dazzling blood-red arrow, tearing through the air, shooting towards her imagined head of Ultron, and then... exploding with a roar.
In reality, the energy exploded in mid-air into a brilliant and deadly red fireworks display, leaving a few shallow scorch marks on the walls before finally dissipating into nothingness.
It worked.
Wanda's body went limp, completely exhausted, her back leaning against the cold alloy wall, gasping for air, looking as if she had just been pulled out of Water. But she smiled, a genuine smile from the heart.
She looked up at Chu Hang, her eyes holding a burning emotion she herself didn't understand, an emotion that almost melted her.
Chu Hang stood up, walked over to her, and handed her a bottle of mineral water he had already prepared.
"That's enough for today."
With that, he turned and left, without any extra comfort or tender gestures.
Wanda watched his decisive back, clutching the unopened bottle of water tightly to her chest, as if it were a rare treasure.
She knew he wasn't cold; he was just telling her in his own way that she had to walk her own path.
On the other side of the Base, on the outdoor training ground, dust flew and it was lively.
"Rhodey, control your firing range! You're War Machine, not a mobile artillery platform! Do you want to flatten the entire mountain?!" Steve's powerful roar echoed across the open field.
In mid-air, the steel armor suit painted with Militaryinsignia immediately adjusted the angle of its shoulder-mounted Gatling gun, and a series of precise bursts shattered a fast-moving target on the ground. "Understood, Captain! I'll pay attention to my aim next time!" Rhodey's voice came from inside the armor suit, carrying a hint of helplessness.
"Sam, you're his eyes, don't always think about going in for a sneak attack yourself! Those two wings aren't for showing off, they're for providing tactical Vision! Coordinate!"
Falcon Sam performed a graceful aerial roll, dodging a simulated attack beam from the ground, then flapped his wings and swept low. The tactical visor on his helmet transmitted the precise coordinates of a hidden hypothetical enemy below to Rhodey in real-time. "Coordinates sent! Rhodey, thirty degrees to your left, under that crooked tree!"
"Got it!" War Machine turned, and a miniature missile whistled out, accurately hitting the target.
Vision floated quietly in the air nearby, watching it all.
He didn't need this kind of purely physical training; he was learning something more complex—"humanity."
The Mind Stone on his forehead glowed softly, analyzing these unquantifiable elements of teamwork, camaraderie, and... Steve's occasional dry jokes.
Chu Hang stood in the shadow of the command tower for a while. He never interfered with Steve's daily training, but his very presence was the most solid guarantee for this new team, and also the most rigorous surveillance.
Late at night, in Chu Hang's private studio.
On the huge circular screen, code and data streams flashed silently like a green waterfall.
Ultron, whose self-awareness he had erased, was now his most capable intelligence steward.
An encrypted document automatically popped up, containing Ultron's core-compiled, updated list of all superhuman or potentially superhuman individuals worldwide.
Chu Hang scanned through the list, item by item, like an emperor reviewing memorials.
The list was long: street heroes, potential Mutants, unlucky individuals slightly irradiated by gamma rays... Ultron had practically turned the entire Earth upside down, finding all the "abnormal" people.
These were his future collectibles, but for now, it wasn't time to harvest them.
Suddenly, his gaze stopped on a record highlighted in red by the system.
"High-priority incident: Hank Pym, former S.H.I.E.L.D.senior physicist, inventor of Pym Particles. Warning: This individual once used unknown technological means to completely erase all S.H.I.E.L.D. research data related to Pym Particles at a physical level. According to core code analysis, his technology exhibits a generational gap, making it uncrackable and untraceable."
"Interesting," Chu Hang's eyebrows twitched. For Ultronto say it was uncrackable, that technology was certainly something to talk about.
He continued to read.
"Associated person: His daughter Hope van Dyne, PymTechnologies executive. Recently in frequent contact with Scott Lang, a recently released electronics master and habitual offender."
The corner of Chu Hang's mouth moved slightly, imperceptibly.
Pym Particles. Subatomic particles that can arbitrarily change the size of matter, and even enter the Quantum Realm.
Several crazy ideas instantly popped into his head.
If he combined this thing with his spatial abilities... could he fold space at a microscopic scale, like origami, to achieve truly instantaneous teleportation, regardless of distance? Rather than the current "jumps" that still required calculating spatial coordinates?
If he enlarged himself to the size of a planet, then activated Twin Star Form, and punched Thanos's spaceship... that scene would certainly be spectacular.
He could even shrink that [Dimensional Whip] to a subatomic level, directly severing the underlying connections of matter from its root.
There were too many ways to play. The strategic value of this thing was even comparable to an Infinity Stone.
Chu Hang's fingers lightly typed a command on the keyboard, simple and direct.
Chapter 140 Scott Lang
"I'm sorry, Scott."
Manager Dale wore a fake smile, spreading his hands. "Company policy, we don't hire employees with criminal records."
Scott didn't speak.
He took off the pink uniform, threw it on the counter, and turned to leave the ice cream shop.
The sunlight was blinding.
He had only been out of San Quentin Prison for a week and hadn't yet adjusted to the outside World.
In the beat-up Ford van by the roadside, Luis was excitedly recounting some gossip. Seeing Scott get into the car dejectedly, his words abruptly stopped.
"What's wrong?"
"I got fired."
Scott buried his face in his hands.
He just wanted to find a decent job, pay child support, and then go to his daughter Cathy's birthday party. It was that simple.
Luis patted his shoulder, lowering his voice: "Bro, honest work isn't for us. I've got a job, a big score, enough for you to buy Cathy a castle."
He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, with a crude map drawn on it. An address was circled in red, with the words "Fat Sheep" written next to it.
"An old man's mansion. There are good things hidden in the safe, and the security system is ancient. For a master of electronics like you, it's easy money."
Scott stared at the paper.
He didn't want to go back to his old ways.
But Cathy's birthday was next week. His ex-wife had already given him an ultimatum: no job, no place to live, no seeing his daughter.
He remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he took the paper... The night was deep.
Luis parked the car at the end of a secluded street, pointing to an old Victorian-style house in the distance: "That's it. The old man lives alone, he must be sound asleep by now. After this, we're getting lobster!"
Scott ignored him.
He stared at the house, which looked somewhat eerie in the moonlight, took a deep breath, and pushed open the car door.
He hated this feeling.
His heart was pounding like a drum, and his palms were slick with cold sweat.
But the thought of Cathy's disappointed eyes made him suppress his hesitation.
He scaled the wall, landed silently.
He went around to the back of the house, cut the telephone line, and pulled the main switch. The entire house plunged into darkness instantly.
He reached the Underground Room window, used a suction cup and glass cutter to make an opening, reached in, and unlatched the bolt.
The whole process was seamless.
The Underground Room smelled musty and was filled with old items.
He had no time to look around, heading straight for the study on the first floor.
Luis had said the safe was there.
The study door was unlocked.
He pushed open the door and, by the moonlight, saw an old-fashioned safe embedded in the wall.
It was large, heavy, a product of the last century.
Scott smiled.
These old things were easier to deal with.
He took out a stethoscope, placed it against the cold metal door, and with his fingers on the dial, slowly turned it.
Click.
The first number.
Click.
The second.
His ears were like precise instruments, catching the subtle metallic friction sounds within the lock mechanism.
Meanwhile, a few blocks away, on the roof of an apartment building.
Chu Hang held a beer can, looking in this direction.
He didn't need binoculars.
Every movement of Scott, every heartbeat, even the rotation of every part inside the safe, was as clear in his perception as if it were happening right next to him.
He had already located Hank Pym through Ultron and had anticipated this 'interview.'
He wasn't here to watch Scott.
He was here to watch Pym's bait.
Click.
With a final soft click, the safe door sprang open.
Scott let out a long breath, his back soaked with sweat.
He pulled open the heavy door and shone his flashlight inside.
Then he froze.
No cash, no jewelry, nothing valuable.
Only a strange leather helmet and a red and black suit, covered with incomprehensible tubes and metal connectors.
He had been played.
That idiot Luis, where did he hear such false information?
He was so angry he wanted to throw the wretched clothes on the floor, but after working half the night, he was unwilling to leave with nothing.
He hesitated for a moment.
In the end, he still stuffed the strange clothes and helmet into his backpack.
Whatever the hell it was, it was better than going back empty-handed.
He put on his backpack, quickly retraced his steps, and disappeared into the night.
On the rooftop.
Chu Hang finished his last sip of beer and crushed the can.
He could feel a peculiar energy fluctuation within the suit.
A power that could distort spatial dimensions.
Though faint, its essence was extremely high-end.
"Pym Particles."
He whispered, a hint of greed in his eyes.
"Finally, it's been reeled in."
...In the beat-up van.
Scott tossed his backpack onto the back seat, and Luis immediately leaned over, his eyes gleaming: "How was it? Did you get it? How much? Enough for us to go to Hawaii?"
Scott glared at him angrily: "Hawaii? We'd be lucky if it's enough to buy two beers at a convenience store."
He started the car, stomped on the accelerator, and the old car let out a reluctant roar, swaying as it drove away from the scene.
Back at the shared apartment.
Scott dumped the contents of his backpack onto the bed.
Luis and his roommate Dave gathered around, looking at the strange red and black suit and helmet, their expressions changing from anticipation to confusion, and finally to undisguised disappointment.
"What is this thing?" Dave poked it with his finger, "A motorcycle racing suit?"
Luis picked up the helmet, turning it over and over: "How much is this worth? The junkyard would complain it takes up too much space."
Scott couldn't be bothered to look.
He lay on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, his mind filled with Cathy's face.
He took out his phone, looking at the text message from his ex-wife, a pang of pain in his heart.
Maybe he shouldn't have come out.
Maybe he should have just stayed in prison.
As he was lost in thought, he glanced again at the suit in the corner.
In the dim light, the red parts of the suit seemed to glow faintly.
He sat up.
Curiosity drove him to walk over and pick up the suit.
The fabric was peculiar, unlike any known material, both light and tough.
He hesitated for a moment.
Finally, he decided to try it on.
He had nothing else to do anyway.
The suit fit surprisingly well, as if tailor-made for him.
He moved his limbs, nothing special.
Finally, he picked up the helmet. The moment he put it on, the World before his eyes suddenly changed.
Countless data streams and analysis charts flashed by, and everything in the room was broken down into geometric shapes and physical parameters.
A mechanical electronic voice sounded: "Biometric identification confirmed. Scott Lang, welcome to the Ant-Man suit. Calibrating, please remain still."
Scott was startled.
Before he could react, he heard an old yet steady voice from inside the helmet: "Don't move, Scott. Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."
Scott stiffened all over.
"Who are you? Where are you?"
He looked around nervously.
"I'm in your ear, kid," the voice said, "I'm Hank Pym. What you're wearing is mine. And you are the person I've chosen."
Scott was completely bewildered. Hank Pym? He had never even heard that name.
"Listen, Scott, there's no time to explain," Hank Pym's voice became serious, "What you need to do now is press the red button on the glove of your right hand. Trust me, you'll see a whole new World."
Scott looked down at his right hand.
Indeed, there was a small red button on the index finger joint of the glove.
He swallowed, his heart pounding.
He didn't know what would happen if he pressed this button.
But his intuition told him that his life, from this moment on, would be completely changed.
He took a deep breath and pressed the button.
Buzz—
A slight hum, and the next second, Scott felt the entire World spin.
Everything around him was growing at an incredible speed.
The bed legs became like skyscrapers, and the dust on the floor was like small mountains.
He could even see tiny particles floating in the air, invisible to the naked eye.
And he himself was shrinking at an astonishing rate.
He screamed, but his voice was so small he couldn't even hear himself.
He tried to struggle, but his body wouldn't obey.
After a few seconds, the frantic shrinking stopped.
He found himself standing on a vast plain.
This plain was actually just a small area of the apartment's wooden floor.
An ant walked past him. That creature, originally small enough to be ignored, now seemed as huge as a heavy truck.
Its two antennae were taller than his entire body.