Chapter 101: Betty's Hands Kept Trembling.
Did Hulk want to return to human society? Actually, he didn't, because they didn't like Hulk. Their eyes made Hulk hate them.
What Hulk wanted was acceptance, not loathing.
Just like in the original plot, he fled Earth because he knew humans didn't like him, the Avengers didn't like him—no one liked him.
That's why he was so happy on Sakaar; the people there didn't hate Hulk, but instead, they adored him.
But now, Hulk hadn't experienced those happy times on Sakaar yet, so he was willing to try and trust this man who was stronger than himself.
After chatting for a while, Hulk was no longer nervous and gave the body back to Banner.
Banner felt his consciousness return and was a bit nervous; he hadn't expected Homelander to be so strong that he could even suppress Hulk.
Seeing Banner emerge, Sean spoke up:
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has something they need your help with. They want you to return to New York. I've already talked to Hulk, so you can rest easy."
Banner slowly stood up, still somewhat in disbelief about what had just happened. He swallowed hard and said, "Is there anything that even you can't solve?"
"Uh, I didn't ask. It's probably something technical."
Before coming here, Natasha really hadn't said what it was. Maybe she was too tired.
When she pulled Betty through the door, she just said she hoped he could bring Banner back and keep Hulk quiet. That was it.
Such a simple request for him, yet it cost Betty quite a price; she couldn't even make it to her boyfriend's birthday.
But Banner seemed a bit skeptical. "Are they looking for me, or for Hulk?"
Sean didn't explain. He pulled a stack of documents from under a wine crate and handed them over. "Here, see for yourself."
Taking the documents, Banner began to read seriously, his expression growing increasingly solemn.
"What does it say?"
"Uh, they want me to find something called the Tesseract. They say it has the energy to destroy the World, but it's missing now. Perhaps I can track the Gamma Rays it emits."
Banner studied the documents carefully; if true, it was indeed quite serious.
Hearing the word 'Tesseract,' Sean finally remembered the Battle of New York. It seemed Loki had already arrived.
What should he do now?
Sean was a bit troubled. With his current strength, even if he held back significantly, it would be impossible for Loki to successfully start the Battle of New York.
In that case—hehe—he'd just have to give him a little help himself.
While Banner was focused on flipping through the documents, a letter suddenly fell out of the last page. The signature was actually Betty's.
Seeing that name, he froze.
Memories of the past flooded back. Previously, to avoid dragging her down, he had sent a letter to break off their relationship. Now, she had sent one back.
The content of the letter was simple, generally telling him to maintain a good mindset and that Homelander would help him reintegrate into human society, so there was no need to worry.
Betty had specifically asked Sean to bring this letter to Banner, fearing the two might clash.
But Sean had forgotten about it, and it turned out to be unnecessary anyway.
"Is Betty sick? Why does it look like her hands were shaking when she wrote this?"
Banner was a bit anxious. He could recognize the handwriting as Betty's, but the traces of trembling made him very worried.
"Oh, she's fine. She probably wrote the letter in a car."
"I see. That's a relief then." Banner felt much better knowing she wasn't sick, then asked another question:
"How has she been lately?"
Sean gave a faint smile. "Pretty good, I think. Just a bit busy. Yesterday was her boyfriend's birthday, and she didn't even have time to attend."
"...Is that so?"
Now Banner remembered that Betty seemed to have found a new boyfriend; he had even seen him the last time he went.
He sighed silently, realizing that even if he could truly reintegrate into society, there was likely no future for him and Betty.
As long as Hulk was in his body, he could never be with a woman.
If he became emotional and turned into Hulk, the consequences would be unimaginable.
After being sad for a short while, Banner pulled himself together. Since he couldn't be with her, he would create a safe Planet for her to live happily.
"When do we leave?"
Sean looked around and shouted. Immediately, many soldiers appeared and surrounded them.
"Just go with them. I'll see you in New York."
With that, Sean flew straight back. He needed to cool down a bit; he wondered if they had finished resting.
...
"We're forty minutes away from headquarters, Officer."
On the S.H.I.E.L.D. plane, Coulson was seeing his idol in the flesh for the first time—or rather, seeing him alive.
"Is Dr. Banner trying to replicate the Serum in my body?" Steve asked.
"Yes, many have tried. After all, you were our first Superhero."
"And the weakest one too?"
"No! How could you say that!" Coulson said hurriedly.
Could his tone just now have been poor, causing the Captain to misunderstand something?
Steve raised a hand and laughed. "Don't be nervous. I just don't know if I'm still fit for the role of a Superhero. I didn't mean anything else."
"You definitely are! Without a doubt!" Coulson said firmly.
His level of trust in the Captain was higher than the Captain's trust in himself.
Steve didn't want to let down that trust and nodded. "I'll do my best."
Coulson breathed a sigh of relief and quickly changed the subject. "We've made some modifications to your uniform. Ahem, of course, I provided a lot of input. I hope you like it."
"My uniform? Isn't the stars-and-stripes style a bit... old-fashioned?"
"Considering the current situation and the impending war, I think people need a little bit of the old-fashioned spirit."
The plane landed on a carrier in the middle of the ocean. Many crew members were busy around them, and the soldiers didn't waste a moment, intensifying their training.
"Agent Romanoff, this is Captain Rogers."
Coulson introduced his idol to her with a face full of pride, his smile stretching from ear to ear.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" Steve pointed to his neck.
Natasha rubbed her neck unnaturally. "It's fine. It was required for the mission. A few marks are nothing."
Hearing it was for a mission, Steve didn't ask further.
After finding a somewhat flustered Dr. Banner on the deck, the group walked into the Bridge together.
The carrier began to take off, reached its designated altitude, activated its Reflective panels, and vanished from sight.
Inside the carrier, Fury briefly welcomed Banner and the Captain before they began discussing how to quickly locate the Tesseract and Loki.
They had already accessed wireless cameras globally, using data comparison to find Loki's whereabouts, but they hadn't found anything yet.
Banner offered a suggestion; he could eliminate several regions to make the search more efficient.
While they were brainstorming and in the heat of discussion, a vibration came from the deck.
"What's the situation?"
"Officer, it's Homelander. He landed on the deck and brought someone with him... it looks like Loki!"
Steve and the others looked at each other, none of them knowing what had happened.
Hadn't they just been preparing to start looking? How was he already caught?
Fury glanced at Natasha and saw that she also looked confused, clearly unaware of what was going on.
Sean didn't make them wait long. He strode in carrying Loki and tossed him aside.
"I've caught the guy."
"What about the Tesseract!" Fury hurriedly asked.
"It's here too."
Kicking the box by his feet over, Sean then asked Natasha to go prepare some fruit for him.
Fury hurriedly opened the box to check. He hadn't expected it to actually be the Tesseract; how could something so important be kicked with a foot?
Natasha looked delighted. She didn't rush to ask questions; instead, she went to get some fruit and fed it to him herself.
"Then, did you see Agent Barton?"
"Uh... who's Barton?"
Chapter 102: Who is Loki!
Let's rewind time a little.
That morning, after Sean left Banner and returned home, he found that they hadn't left yet.
Perfect, he started the second round, and took the opportunity to tell Betty the good news personally; she was so happy she trembled all over upon hearing it.
While they were busy together, Sean began to think about the upcoming Battle of New York.
This battle had to happen. New York City had been peaceful for too long; people had forgotten the fear of outsiders, and even the Hulk was nearly forgotten by them.
Especially after Sean took Max away last time, he heard from the crowd while in the sky that they seemed very disappointed, everyone asking why he hadn't been killed on the spot.
They even dared to complain about Homelander while others were around.
Although they were eventually targeted by the Vampires arranged by Hess, it was clear they were simply too well-fed and bored.
New York... it's time for some chaos!
...
The next day, Sean appeared near the ruins of the Pegasus Research Base.
A bottomless crater had appeared here, with many people conducting rescue operations around it, but with little success.
Since they disappeared here, they shouldn't have gone far.
Although Sean couldn't remember what they looked like, the energy emitted by the Tesseract was as dazzling as a bright moon in the night sky.
In less than an hour, Sean found two "bright moons" deep underground.
One blue light, one yellow light.
"Right, I think there are two Infinity Stones."
Without hesitation, Sean punched through the ground and descended directly in front of them from above.
The armed personnel underground couldn't react at all; without any warning, a figure appeared amidst the dust.
Just this silhouette alone terrified them to the core; it was far too familiar.
Sean clapped his hands, and a gust of wind blew through, instantly dispersing the surrounding dust as if it had never been there.
Loki also emerged from his meditation. He had just been arguing with the leader of the Chitauri, and upon hearing the noise, he immediately stood up on guard.
"Who are you?"
The people around swallowed hard, not even daring to fire their guns. They hadn't expected this boss to be so stupid, daring to cause trouble without even recognizing Homelander.
Looking around, Sean ignored them, found the Tesseract, and picked it up as if no one else were there, putting it into a case.
Loki, standing to the side, only found him somewhat familiar. He had only seen him through the Destroyer's perspective last time, so he didn't recognize him immediately.
Seeing how arrogant he was, Loki's face darkened, and he struck out with his Mind Stone.
This move terrified the people nearby; even Barton, who was under his control, didn't dare to join the attack because he knew it was useless.
Sean didn't dodge. After packing the Tesseract, he fired a blast of Heat Vision in the direction of the attack, then looked at everyone present and shouted:
"Who is Loki!"
No one dared to speak, fearing the next Heat Vision target would be themselves.
But Sean was getting a bit angry. He originally wanted them to stay alive to start the Battle of New York, but they had the nerve not to answer his question.
His eyes glowed red as he asked again.
"Who! Is! Loki!"
This time, everyone could hear the displeasure in his tone.
In the crowd, someone brave pointed, "Just... the one you just killed was Loki."
"Hmm? Really?"
Sean's gaze turned clear again as he walked over to Loki on the ground, finding that he had no heartbeat.
Suddenly, Sean swung his right hand back into the void, and a figure was sent flying, crashing into the wall.
"Don't play dead in front of me, or I'll make sure you're actually dead."
Embedded in the wall, Loki felt like every bone in his body had shattered. This punch also made him remember who this person was.
Homelander, the God of Midgard.
Just now, as he had done before, he had turned into a clone to play dead, circling behind to try and control him with the Mind Stone.
Loki was a master of this trick, but he hadn't expected to fail against Sean.
Illusion Magic was completely useless against Sean's Super Hearing; it was as if it didn't exist.
Sean picked up the Mind Stone from the ground. A strange sensation kept bothering him, almost making the efforts of the women last night go to waste.
"Interesting thing."
The Mind Stone—Sean remembered that in the movies, it was taken by HYDRA for experiments, successfully creating two very powerful superhumans.
The reason he remembered was partly because the classic elevator scene was iconic, and partly because Wanda was very beautiful.
Seeing Homelander dazed while looking at the Mind Stone, Loki thought this was an opportunity and prepared to slip away first, then look for another chance.
He felt that the first time he was caught might have been because his killing intent was too strong; this time, if he only wanted to escape, there should be no problem, right?
Sean didn't even move his eyes; he casually kicked a small pebble.
"Ah!"
Loki screamed and appeared on the ground not far away, while the version of him on the wall slowly vanished.
"You'd better not move again; otherwise, I can't guarantee you'll stay alive next time."
Loki turned his head and saw that Sean was still ignoring him, his gaze still fixed on the Mind Stone.
This treatment of him as an ant made the highly prideful Loki extremely angry.
Struggling to his feet, he summoned his armor and shouted loudly:
"Enough! What are you all supposed to be? A bunch of ants! I am Loki! I am a god!"
As he wished, Sean glanced at him.
This emotionless gaze made Loki feel a bit numb inside, but Asgardian pride wouldn't allow him to beg for mercy.
"Uh, of course, you are also a god. When I said 'you all,' I meant the humans, not including you. You... should be able to understand that explanation, right?"
Sean smiled slightly. "Of course I can. I understand perfectly."
Loki breathed a sigh of relief and returned the smile.
He knew it; how could a god be willing to live as an equal with these ants?
However, this God of Midgard surely hadn't seen much of the world, having stayed here without ever leaving; otherwise, his name would certainly be known in the Nine Realms.
This was fine too; he would stabilize this god first, then find an opportunity to let Thanos deal with him.
Just as he thought of the lines to persuade Sean, he realized he was upside down.
Loki sensed the gravity of the situation but asked with a glimmer of hope:
"Is... is this a welcoming ceremony between gods in Midgard?"
"If it makes you feel better, you can look at it that way."
"Hehe, I— Ah! Oh! Urgh... Urgh..."
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A lot of dust was shaken down from the ceiling, and since they were underground, the people watching this brutal scene were terrified that the place would collapse.
After a few simple slams, Loki went silent. Although he wasn't dead, his spirit was no different from being dead.
Once he was quiet, Sean carried him and arrived inside the helicarrier.
As for Natasha's question, Sean really hadn't remembered it.
However, considering her excellent way of feeding him fruit, Sean still gave her the location of the Basefrom earlier.
Natasha immediately had Coulson lead a team to pick up Barton and the Dr. and the others, while she herself was currently unable to get away.
Chapter 103: I Have a Suggestion, Should We Proactively Open the portal?
Inside the helicarrier, in the glass cage, Loki lay spread-eagled on the floor, motionless, not even saying the words he had prepared to provoke Hulk's emotions.
Beside him, Fury, Steve, Banner, and the newly arrived Tony looked at each other, not knowing what to say.
"Uh, does this mean the matter is resolved and I... can leave?" Banner asked somewhat awkwardly.
Not just him, the other three were also very awkward, especially Fury.
He had prepared to take this opportunity to make the council members understand the importance of the Avengers Initiative, and had called all these freaks over with great fanfare.
But who would have thought that before Dr. Banner had even been on the ground for a day, the matter was over? Who could he even argue with?
Did Fury want to let Banner go? Of course not. This was his designated Avenger; saying that before was just to stabilize him.
He also wanted to use this opportunity to truly integrate this group of unruly Avengers into a single collective.
He had planned a lot and thought a lot, but he just didn't expect that Sean would solve everything as soon as he arrived. Didn't he hate trouble?
Tony was also speechless. When Coulson came, the materials made it sound so serious, saying that if he didn't go, the World would be destroyed.
Then, by the time he rushed over, the culprit had been caught.
"Are you sure this person lying on the ground, whose gender is indistinguishable, is the god who wants to invade Earth?"
"Probably," Fury replied.
Although he had seen Loki in person, today he looked nothing like his previous arrogant self.
At that moment, Loki, who had been lying motionless, suddenly stood up and looked overhead without saying a word.
Fury immediately warned, "You'd better not move. Even if you just brush against the glass, this prison will fall from an altitude of nine thousand meters. Understand?"
Opening the floor beneath the prison, a strong wind blew up from below, accompanied by bursts of thunder outside.
Loki glanced at them and smiled disdainfully. "I hope your ship can withstand the lightning, because my rescue has arrived!"
Sure enough, the next second Fury received news that the deck had been struck by lightning, and another man had landed on the deck along with the lightning.
Tony and Steve exchanged a look and immediately ran toward the deck.
Banner thought about it and didn't follow, feeling that going would only be a hindrance.
Although Fury didn't know who would come to rescue Loki, the person who came should not be simple.
He quickly contacted Hill to ask about Sean's whereabouts.
"Director, our ship is very big. He and Natasha have left. Are you sure you need to find him now?"
Fury pondered for a moment. "Forget it, let's see if those two can deal with the enemy first."
If he went to disturb Sean now, Fury felt he would take the opportunity of killing the enemy to cut off a part of the carrier with Heat Vision to vent his anger.
The wind on the helicarrier's deck was very strong, and even the oxygen was thin.
But in such an environment, a strangely dressed man stood there without the slightest feeling of discomfort.
Tony and Steve arrived in their gear and saw a man holding a hammer on the deck.
"Where is Loki?"
Steve was much more polite; at least he should ask for a name before fighting.
"Who are you?"
"I am Thor. I'll ask you again, where is Loki?"
But Tony didn't bother with pleasantries, immediately popping out the weapons of his Iron Armor and shouting at him, "Put down the hammer, Viking!"
These words immediately enraged Thor. He was already very angry, and it was only for the sake of Sean and Jane that he hadn't struck immediately.
"Heh, you want me to put down the hammer? Fine!"
Thor swung his hammer down, shaking the helicarrier slightly.
Several bolts of lightning also shot out from the hammer, rushing toward the two in front of him.
The battle broke out instantly, and the three were soon embroiled in a chaotic melee.
Among the three, Steve's combat awareness was the best. He used his Vibranium shield with great finesse, and combined with Tony's offensive, he was very much in his element.
Thor had been fighting for years, but he mostly relied on the divine power within him, so he was a bit behind the Captain in terms of skill. Also, because he didn't have the heart to kill, he really couldn't shake the two of them for a while.
While they were entangled, Sean suddenly rushed over and gave each of them a punch.
"There are over three thousand people on this helicarrier. Do you want to be buried with them?"
Sean was very angry. The reason for his anger was naturally not out of concern for these three thousand people, but because the noise of their fighting was too loud and had disturbed him.
The feeling stirred up by the Mind Stone earlier was just about to be suppressed by Natasha when he heard them arguing constantly. Arguing aside, the helicarrier was also shaking, which really affected his mood.
"Sean, you're here!"
Thor's depressed mood instantly vanished, and he walked over with his hammer.
Seeing this, the other two stopped fighting and gathered around as well.
After throwing a few punches, Sean's mood had mostly improved. He said helplessly, "We all know each other, why fight? Let's go inside and talk."
The three looked at each other and didn't speak, but the previous tense atmosphere was gone.
Leading the three of them to the conference hall, they all sat around the round table. Fury and the others had also been waiting for a long time.
"Shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"
Seeing them all staring at him, Thor said generously, "I am Thor, the God of Thunder, from Asgard."
"And Loki is...?"
The smile on Thor's face vanished, and he said seriously, "Loki is my brother. I don't know what he has done on Earth, but he will always be an Asgardian!"
On the other side, Natasha came out of the room and said to another exhausted crew girl:
"Thank you for your contribution to this country."
"No... you're welcome. When a contribution is needed next time, please be sure to call me again."
When she walked into the conference hall, she happened to hear Thor say those words.
"Loki killed over eighty people in two days."
"He's adopted."
Steve asked a question with some confusion: "How exactly does Loki intend to rule Earth? Just by himself, a single god?"
Based on Loki's current strength, many people present could deal with him. It didn't seem like he had the power to rule Earth at all.
Thor explained, "He has a Chitauri Army. They are not Asgardians; they come from an unknown sector of space."
"He probably intends to lead the army to attack you and then use the Tesseract in exchange for ruling Earth."
"An army? An alien army at that."
Dr. Banner also realized, "So that's why he wants to use the Tesseract to open a portal and bring the army to Earth."
This explanation made everyone understand Loki's plan, and they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Loki was stopped in advance and the Tesseract was found. Otherwise, Earth would have been overrun by an alien army.
But at that moment, what Sean said made everyone's hearts tighten again.
"Cough, I have a suggestion. Should we proactively open the portal and let that alien army come over?"
Chapter 104: Someone translate for me, what the hell does Skyfather level mean!
"Do you know what you're saying, Sean?"
The others looked at him with disbelief, even wondering if he had been controlled by Loki.
Sean naturally understood their thoughts. He walked to the box containing the Tesseract, opened it, and said, "We've already confirmed that the alien army is determined to get the Tesseract, right?"
"Then even if Loki fails this time, next time they'll find another chance to come, or even appear directly near the Solar System and bombard us with long-range fire."
This made sense; since their target was the Tesseract, they would surely come again.
"Uh, let me interrupt." Thor raised his hand. "If you're worried about the Chitauri Army, why not let Asgard take care of the Tesseract? We're not afraid."
"Hmph, impossible." Fury refused immediately.
The Tesseract was an important part of his plan, specifically intended to prevent alien invasions.
And to them, Asgardians were also aliens.
Thor was a bit embarrassed. He thought this was a good opportunity, but since he didn't know how to play mind games, he could only tell the whole truth.
"Fine, to be honest, I'm not just here to take Loki back, but also to borrow the Tesseract to repair the Bifrost Bridge."
"Bifrost Bridge?" Natasha suddenly remembered something. "Is that the Bifrost Bridge Sif called out to for so long with no response?"
Thor nodded. "Yes. The Bifrost Bridge is shattered. Asgard can no longer oversee the Nine Realms. Now, except for this place, everywhere else is engulfed in war."
"Asgard needs the Bifrost Bridge to maintain order in the Nine Realms. Just like this time—if the Bifrost Bridge were fine, you wouldn't have to worry about any Chitauri."
The Bifrost Bridge is shattered? To Fury, this might actually be good news.
After all, no one feels comfortable with a Sword of Damocles hanging over their head.
"Sean, why do you want to open the portal?" Fury asked.
Everyone focused their gaze on him again. Thor also understood that taking the Tesseract only required Sean's consent; he didn't really care about anyone else's opinion.
"It's simple: shut the door and release the dogs; catch a turtle in a jar."
"We need to see the strength of the alien army to win future wars."
"And since the key is in our hands, it means we have control. Even if things get out of hand, we can close the portal in time."
After Sean finished speaking, they fell into deep thought, calculating whether this was worth it.
If the portal could be closed at will, then maybe it could really be done. Fury also wanted to see the technological level and strength of the alien army, wondering how they compared to the Kree.
Since they were targeting Earth, they had to be completely wiped out. It was also necessary to learn about the opponent's information.
As a master spy, he naturally understood the importance of information in war.
"Wait!" Tony spoke up. "If they come to Earth, won't Earth's coordinates be exposed?"
"Right now, they can only come using the Tesseract. Once they've been here once, next time they could just fly an Interstellar Fleet over. How will we stop them then?"
Everyone thought this made sense too.
Currently, Earth doesn't have ships capable of interstellar travel. Once they attack from outside the Planet, Earth's countermeasures won't be enough to solve it.
But Fury knew in his heart that Earth's coordinates had long been exposed. He didn't know how many groups of aliens had already come; many had even married and had children.
Sean also laughed, saying a bit apologetically, "Actually, Earth is quite famous in the Universe. Of course, it's famous among the powerful, because there's a Skyfather level powerhouse here."
"Wait, what's Skyfather level?"
"Wait, Earth has a Skyfather level too?"
"What is Skyfather level? Can someone explain?"
"Someone translate for me, what the hell does Skyfather level mean!"
"My father Odin is Skyfather level!"
The people present shouted loudly because terms they found hard to understand had appeared.
Fury's expression became even more solemn. Was there another powerhouse on Earth he didn't know about? Or did Sean know about Carol's existence and think she was Skyfather level?
Countless questions took root and sprouted in his heart. He wished he could talk to Sean all night and ask everything he knew.
Tony was breathing heavily; his anxiety was acting up.
"Sean, the Skyfather level on Earth is you, right?"
To be honest, he desperately hoped Sean would nod. It was hard to accept too many unknown powerhouses appearing on Earth.
Sean shook his head. "If I go all out, I'm probably around Sub-Skyfather level."
With insufficient Affection Points, that was indeed the case.
"That's still impressive," Thor praised. "Also, why didn't I know there was a Skyfather level person in Midgard?"
"You? You're still a bit weak right now. But your father should know her."
Her? A girl. Fury breathed a sigh of relief; he must be referring to Carol.
Sean added, "The alien army Loki brought is actually just small fries. I could handle them alone."
"Letting them come is mainly to make everyone stronger, instead of being stuck in simple matters every day."
"Think about it yourselves. It's fine if we don't open the portal; I can still hold the line."
After saying this, Sean stood up and walked out, leaving them with a back that seemed to bear everything alone.
Fury gave Natasha a look, and she understood instantly, following him.
The others were silent for a long time. Thor was also a bit irritable.
"This is your business. If you want to open the portal, I'll stay on Earth to help. Take me to see Loki, thank you."
"Hill, take him there."
Hill, still in shock, snapped back to reality and led Thor to the Glass Prison.
"I agree to open the portal," Steve suddenly said, then walked to a room to rest.
He knew very well the feeling of facing everything alone and didn't want Sean to bear it by himself.
Tony only felt a sense of powerlessness. The last time he felt this way was in the cave.
He originally thought his Mark Armor could face any danger. He didn't expect he was just a frog in a well.
Leaning back in his chair, he stared straight at the Tesseract and the Mind Stone on the table, wondering what he was thinking.
Only Dr. Banner didn't offer any opinion, knowing his opinion wasn't important.
On the deck of the Helicarrier, Sean leaned on the railing, feeling the wind at nine thousand meters.
Natasha staggered over, looking like she was struggling.
But for some reason, after she reached Sean's side, the surrounding wind stopped. Perhaps he was like this, silently shielding Earth from the wind and rain.
"Sean, you don't have to bear all this alone. Speak up, we can help you."
Sean smiled helplessly and reached out to pull her into his embrace. "They can't. You're probably the only one here who can help me."
"Then Kitty can't?"
"Who is Kitty?"
"The girl who was in the room with us earlier."
Chapter 105: Creating a Stage Fit for Heroes
The next morning, everyone returned to the conference room once again, with a breakfast set at every seat.
Two more people joined the meeting this time, Barton and Coulson, who had also rushed back overnight.
After a night of consideration, everyone felt that the portal could be opened, but...
"I don't think the council members will agree to this decision. Even if they do, they would never choose downtown New York City as the arrival point."
Fury thought Sean had truly gone mad. Not only did he want to lure an alien army here, but he also wanted to place the arrival point in New York; surely no one would agree to such a decision.
"That depends on your eloquence, Director. As long as we evacuate the public in advance and have Tonyposition Iron Armor in areas that are hard to clear, nothing will go wrong," Sean said quite casually.
The arrival point had to be New York, of course. Who would watch if it were anywhere else? Even if it were live-streamed, many people would probably think it was just a movie.
"I still hold the same view. Not only must we have confidence, but we must also give confidence to all the people, letting them know that we can easily handle even an alien army."
"That way, even if a similar situation arises in the future, it won't cause a panic."
As he spoke, he had Tony pull up the statistical chart of the causes of Death from previous incidents.
Everyone could clearly see that in the Iron Monger and Abomination incidents, most were accidents caused by stampedes and fear.
"If we give them enough confidence, then even if an alien fleet stops over New York City, they will remain unfazed because they know that superheroes will rush over to save them!"
The atmosphere in the room was oppressive because this decision was extremely risky; if anything went wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Fury rubbed his face and sighed, asking, "What does Dr. Erik say?"
Coulson replied, "We only need Iridium to stably open the portal."
"And closing it?"
"He said a safety device can be added, and it can be closed using Loki's scepter."
Fury tapped his fingers on the table while the others sat quietly; no one else offered an opinion, except for Sean, who yawned occasionally.
After a long wait, Fury's expression grew solemn, as if he were about to issue a critical command.
"I'll go talk to the council members." After saying that, Fury had Hill contact the council meeting.
He walked to an empty room and waited for a while before the screen in front of him lit up. Facing several council members, he briefly explained the situation.
After hearing Fury's words, they all fell silent, not questioning the authenticity of the matter.
Instead, they were wondering if Fury took them for fools. Why would he think they would agree?
"Director Fury, we are indeed tempted by alien technology and interstellar ships. It's not out of the question to let them come to Earth, but how could the location be set in New York?"
"Exactly. This kind of thing could be tested in other states just as well—like New Mexico, for example. There are fewer people there; wouldn't your team be able to perform better?"
Fury also knew the possibility was low, but he still tried to push for it.
"We only need three blocks around Stark Tower; we can control the combat range."
"And if you can't?"
"There are no 'ifs'!"
Fury's firm tone did not convince them. After a short deliberation, the council members still rejected the proposal.
Hearing their refusal, Fury sighed, unsure whether it was regret or relief.
In truth, he didn't want the aliens coming to New York either; they could get what they wanted just as well in another location.
This way, they could acquire a vast amount of alien technology without any losses. There was no reason for them not to choose this plan.
Fury returned with a dark expression; of course, he could only have a dark expression.
"They agreed, but the location is set for New Mexico."
Phew~
Everyone else, except for Sean, breathed a sigh of relief.
In their hearts, they didn't want the location to be New York either; the risk was too great.
If it were in New Mexico, it would be more convenient for them to act, and even if something went wrong, there wouldn't be much loss.
Sean gave a stiff smile, stood up, and raised his hand, saying:
"Fine then. Since you don't agree, let's forget it."
Tony and the others didn't speak; they could all see that Sean wasn't very happy.
Just as Fury was about to offer a few words of comfort, he saw Sean picking up the Mind Stone, preparing to leave.
"Hey, hey, Sean, where are you taking that thing?"
"Hmm? Isn't this my trophy?"
As he spoke, Sean even spun it around in his hand a few times, making Fury's and Barton's hearts skip a beat.
They had seen the scepter's power; not only was its destructive force immense, but more importantly, it could control others—a truly terrifying ability.
"It is your trophy, that's true, but this thing is too dangerous. It's best kept in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody."
"I won't."
"What?" Fury hadn't expected him to refuse.
"I said, NO!"
The hearts of everyone who heard those words skipped a beat.
Homelander's dissatisfaction was practically overflowing.
The conference hall was actually right next to the command center. If their voices were even slightly raised, the other Agents could hear them.
Even without knowing the context, they could feel that Homelander was truly angry.
While everyone else was nervous, Fury became even calmer.
He knew Sean's actions were an expression of dissatisfaction, though he wasn't entirely sure why he was dissatisfied or why he insisted on New York.
"Tell me your reasons, Sean."
Sean smiled faintly and said with a hint of disappointment:
"If opening the portal is to broaden everyone's horizons and accelerate our technological development..."
"...then placing the location in New York is for myself, or rather, for all superheroes."
"Listen, my identity is first as the Superhero Homelander, and only then as the Avenger Sean. I must look out for them."
"This is the honor they deserve, though it is also a form of constraint."
Fury sighed deeply and rubbed his head, saying, "Even if it's not in New York, I guarantee you will receive the honor you deserve."
Sean shook his head. "You should know better than I do that the weight of New York and New Mexico is very different."
"Sacrificing the property of three blocks to create a stage fit for heroes—I think it's very necessary!"
There is a huge difference between an alien army descending on downtown New York City and descending on the outskirts of New Mexico.
In one, they can feel the danger firsthand; in the other, they will comfortably watch TV and criticize all the heroes on Facebook.
Only by letting them witness the destructive power of an alien army will there be awe and gratitude in their hearts.
Fury understood this very well.
"I... will go ask again." With that, he walked back in.
Inside the room, the council members asked with displeasure:
"Director Fury, I believe we have already made a decision on this matter, haven't we?"
"Loki brought a weapon called the Mind Stone that can control anyone. One of my Level 10 agents was controlled."
The council members frowned. A weapon that could control people?
"Wait, does this have anything to do with the alien army?"
Fury snorted. "Sean said that if you don't sacrifice three blocks of New York, he will take the Mind Stoneaway, because it's his trophy."
Fury didn't even want to deal with this anymore. He was caught in the middle, pleasing no one.
Afterward, the council members also understood the reason why Sean wanted to do this.
It was simply to let these superheroes get the honor they deserved.
Did they care? No. What did superheroes have to do with them?
But they cared about the Mind Stone. This weapon that could control people absolutely could not fall into the hands of an outsider, not even Homelander.
The council members entered a private channel to deliberate, leaving Fury standing there alone.
After five minutes, the council members returned.
"Sigh. Director Fury, introduce the personnel participating in this Battle of New York."
Chapter 106: Everything I Do is to Make My World Better.
Fury returned with a dark face, but this time his expression was clearly much better.
"Everyone, there's no time for small talk. We need to formulate a plan for the Battle of New York."
Hearing this, they finally breathed a sigh of relief, showing long-awaited smiles.
The tense atmosphere just now had made them very uncomfortable as well.
Sean also sat back in his seat and put the Mind Stone back.
"I know this idea sounds strange, but you will understand how important it is later."
Tony was somewhat dismissive. "I personally think this bit of honor is useless. I hope alien technology can give me a little surprise instead."
Sean laughed. "You, Steve, Thor—the three of you naturally don't care, but for the Hulk and the Superheroes who appear in the future, it is very important."
The three looked at each other; it was indeed true.
Captain America and Thor were both accustomed to public support, being surrounded by praise every day, so they didn't feel much.
As for Tony, it was because he was too rich. Although many people scolded him online, most people who met him in person liked to flatter him, hoping to get his support and live a life of luxury.
But Banner was different; he had almost tasted all the malice of the human heart in this World.
From his father dying during Gamma Experiments to being reviled after turning into the Hulk, even Betty, the last comfort in his heart, had found a new home.
He was also the first person among everyone present to have nothing left.
The others also noticed that Sean specifically mentioned Banner and, understanding his past, spoke up to comfort him:
"Don't worry, Dr. Banner, we will definitely let you show off your skills in this battle!"
"That's right, we will also arrange for the media to see if we can change your image in people's hearts."
"Right! Maybe you can even find a second spring of youth. I know a few sumo girls, do you want me to introduce them to you?" Tony added.
Listening to everyone's joking words, Banner just smiled faintly.
"Heh, when the time comes, I'll definitely smash Stark Tower to smithereens. I believe that will attract a lot of fans!"
Everyone looked at Tony's deflated expression and laughed loudly; the previous tense atmosphere was dissipated by the laughter.
Fury felt a lot more relaxed seeing everyone getting along reasonably well.
Although it didn't go according to his plan, as long as the goal was achieved, it was fine.
Afterward, the group began to discuss tactics and other details.
For example, in places that could not be evacuated, such as some nursing homes and hospitals, Tonywas to arrange for wirelessly controlled Iron Armor.
Pay attention to the safety of some factories or power stations; it's best not to let the battle spread there.
And how to quickly evacuate the masses.
"Captain Rogers, Sean, the task of persuading the public to evacuate is left to the two of you," Fury said.
Steve gave a bitter smile but did not refuse.
One was responsible for those under forty, and the other for those over forty.
It had to be said that among the population over forty, Sean's fame really wasn't as great as Captain America's.
"This battle must be resolved in a crushing manner, otherwise it will become negative publicity. You understand," Fury said seriously.
Banner raised his hand and asked, "Is it just us participating in this battle?"
Fury nodded. "Yes, the military will only maintain order. The only ones truly fighting are you all, plus a person who can discharge electricity named Max. He will also participate then."
Sean said with some surprise, "He can already control the electric current?"
"Pretty much. He could control it naturally; before, he was probably just a bit nervous and afraid because he had just awakened, so he couldn't control it."
Now that Max could come out, wasn't it also time to choose a new Brave Guardian? Sean thought about it, and there was indeed a good candidate.
"Discharge electricity?" Thor also took some interest. "Then I'll be in a group with him when the time comes, and I'll teach him a bit for you while I'm at it."
The others didn't have much of a reaction; they had gradually become accustomed to such things. It was estimated that it would be difficult for anything else to happen in the future that would surprise them.
Fury gave a few more instructions. This was Earth's first interstellar war, and it had to be perfect; no detail could be overlooked.
Thor said with a relaxed face, "Don't worry, I fight these kinds of battles often and have a lot of experience. You can follow my command when the time comes."
Natasha suddenly burst out laughing and quickly raised her hand. "Sorry, Sif said that on the battlefield, you can trust Thor, but you must never listen to his command."
Thor, having been undermined by one of his own, was a bit depressed. Was it like that? He clearly felt that he had commanded those few battles very well.
Fury thought it over and felt there was nothing else to instruct.
"Then that's it. Everyone get ready. Once the people are evacuated, we will begin this... Battle of New York!"
Except for Thor and Sean, everyone else present became much more nervous.
They had a clear understanding of their own strength. For them, they had to give their all in this battle, otherwise they might all die in it.
The cooperation Fury mentioned earlier was also mostly aimed at them, to fight while ensuring safety as much as possible.
Seeing that there was nothing else, the people in the conference hall prepared to disperse. They still needed time to prepare for the battle and to digest everything they had heard today.
Thor had nowhere to go, and it wasn't good to go find Jane before a big battle, so he asked:
"Sean, where is that Skyfather level powerhouse you mentioned? Should I go pay a visit on behalf of Asgard?"
Natasha's eyes lit up, and she quickly hugged Sean's arm. "Do you want to persuade this powerhouse to join the battle while you're at it?"
Sean gave her a look, naturally understanding what she meant by 'persuade'.
He pinched her and said, "A bald woman who plays with magic? I'm not interested. Besides, she only protects Earth from Dimensional Invasions and doesn't ask about anything else."
"Hmm? What is a Dimensional Invasion?" Even Thor was a bit confused this time.
Fury stared at Sean with wide eyes. The person he mentioned was actually not Carol, which meant that Earth still had super-powerhouses he didn't know about.
It was over; he was going to have insomnia again tonight.
Not far away, Tony, who hadn't left yet, clutched his chest and shouted, "I'm begging you, can you wait until I've left before chatting? I still have shrapnel in my chest; I can't take this kind of blow!"
Sean didn't care about that and snorted with a sneer, "Now you understand why the more you know, the faster you die."
If he didn't strike at them a bit, they would really think he had some ulterior motive.
"Everything I do is to make my World better. This point hasn't changed even now!"
What Sean said was not wrong; this was something he had emphasized many times.
Just like this time, he felt that fighting an alien army in New York would be very fun, would help increase his fame, make the public need him more, and consolidate his image.
Therefore, this portal must be opened!
Chapter 107: Witty Gwen
In the early morning, Gwen was tidying herself up in front of the wardrobe mirror.
She was picking out her clothes for the day. Although she would definitely be wearing her uniform on the outside, there were many choices for what to wear underneath.
Sean had sent a message last night saying he was coming, so what should she wear under there? Or should she wear nothing at all?
Just as she was hesitating, she suddenly felt someone behind her.
She immediately closed the wardrobe and saw the person behind her through the mirror.
"You're here too early."
Before Gwen could even turn around, Sean hugged her from behind.
"Hmph, what, trying to kick me out?"
He reached out and pinched her cheeks from both sides, gently pulling them outward.
"No~ there are still others at home."
Even though Sean wasn't pulling hard, she still lowered her voice.
Sean let go, preparing to move to a different spot, but Gwen seized the opportunity to quickly turn around and block his hands.
It wasn't a good time to continue right now; she had to go to work.
Sean feigned confusion and said, "What do you mean 'no time'? I'm here on official business this time."
But Gwen, standing before him, pursed her lips, not believing him at all. Who comes through a window for 'official business,' especially into a girl's bedroom?
She glanced at the time. Since she couldn't delay any longer, it was best to speed things up.
She slowly crouched down.
Perhaps dazzled by Gwen's swaying nightgown, Sean didn't notice anyone approaching until the moment the doorknob turned.
This was where the advantage of speed showed. Sean quickly adjusted his clothes and retreated to the window, looking as if he had just arrived.
Although Gwen's reaction was a bit slow, she could still sense the feeling of fullness vanishing, especially when Sheriff George's voice came from the doorway.
"Gwen, it's time for breakfast. There's an emergency mission today. Why haven't you come dow— Why are you here?"
As soon as Sheriff George pushed open the door, he saw Sean standing by the window, seemingly about to close it, while his daughter was... tying her shoelaces?
Gwen was panicking inside. How could she have forgotten the time? Sigh, luckily she had quick reflexes. Before she could even stand up, she bent over to fiddle with her shoes. This way, she could hide her strange posture and cover her blushing face—killing two birds with one stone. Perfect!
Sean cleared his throat and said, "Ahem, Sheriff George, I have something very important to discuss with you."
"And you also have something very important to discuss with Gwen?" George's tone was very displeased.
Nonsense, who could maintain a good mood seeing a man in their daughter's room first thing in the morning?
Sean pointed out the window quite openly. "No, I just flew over from The Capitol overnight, so I didn't use the front door."
Hearing about The Capitol and recalling the news he had received, George realized the situation was serious and didn't ask further.
"Next time, remember to use the front door. Come and have breakfast together." Sheriff George turned and walked out, but he didn't close the door.
Gwen glanced sideways and only dared to stand up after confirming that her father had indeed gone downstairs.
With a mix of embarrassment and anger, she shot Sean a glare.
"You're still laughing? Get down there!"
Sean really couldn't hide the smile on his face because Gwen was wearing slippers.
Of course, he didn't point it out. If he did, Gwen probably wouldn't dare go to work today. Besides, Sheriff George had long discovered their relationship; he just hadn't said it explicitly.
By the time Gwen went downstairs, the two of them had already discussed a lot at the dining table. She only saw that her father's expression was very grim.
Sitting opposite Sean, she leaned in and asked, "What happened?"
Sheriff George sighed deeply and didn't answer; he hadn't yet recovered from the shock.
"It's nothing, just that an Alien Army is about to descend upon New York, and we need your help to evacuate the citizens."
Gwen's hand holding the bread and her feet under the table both froze. Like George, she found this answer hard to process.
After confirming with a look, Gwen immediately stood up and shouted, "Then what are we doing here? Let's get moving!"
Sean quickly raised his hand to signal her to sit down, saying calmly, "No rush. The key is in our hands. They can only come if we want them to."
"I only came here for one thing, and that is to invite you, Sheriff George, to serve as the pilot of the Brave Guardian and participate in this operation. Tell me, are you willing?"
George looked up, his eyes filled with determination.
Just as he was about to speak, Gwen stood up again and shouted:
"I am!"
"What does this have to do with you? If someone proposes next time, you can shout then," Sean teased.
For some reason, these words had a built-in silence effect, causing Gwen's face to turn red as she fell speechless.
In her mind, the scales were tipped: on one side was national security, and on the other was a grand wedding. It was such a hard choice.
These interruptions actually calmed George down quite a bit. He nodded and said, "I'll do it."
Sean smiled happily, stood up, and extended his hand. "I believe you will become a very responsible Superhero and make the name of the Brave Guardian even more renowned."
George also stood up and shook his hand. "Although I don't know the specifics, I know you must have agreed to let the Alien Army come. I don't trust the people up top, but I trust you."
"And I will never fail to live up to the name of the Brave Guardian."
George had already prepared himself to die in battle. He even felt that Sean only sought his help because there was no other way.
Hearing Sheriff George's tone, which sounded like he was giving his last words, Sean knew he had misunderstood something. Even Gwen, beside them, was on the verge of tears.
"Uh, don't misunderstand. It's just having you pilot the armor to facilitate the evacuation of the public. You don't need to join the actual fight. This battle will be very easy; you don't have to worry."
"Isn't it... an Alien Army?"
Sheriff George was very confused. Since it was an army, the numbers surely wouldn't be small.
"It is an Alien Army, but there probably won't even be enough of them for our group to kill. Currently, the most troublesome thing is just evacuating the citizens, nothing else."
It was a good thing that he didn't have to sacrifice his life for the country, but Sheriff George actually looked a bit disappointed.
"Is that so? That's good. Then when this is over, the armor..."
"I won't take it back. I believe you were already a qualified Superhero; you just didn't have superpowers or armor. Now, this is just making you a bit stronger so you can handle more incidents."
"As my Dean said, with great power comes great responsibility."
Hearing this, George finally felt relieved.
He was naturally willing to pilot the armor, because that way he could save more people. Whether it was the public or his colleagues, he could save many.
During his years as a police officer, George had seen many people die before his eyes for various reasons—both bad people and good people.
But more often, it was the colleagues around him. He attributed all of this to his own lack of ability.
If he had been piloting the Brave Guardian back then, they would probably all still be alive.
Whenever he thought of his fallen colleagues, a surge of power in George's heart motivated him.
"I'm done eating. Now take me to see the Brave Guardian!" George couldn't wait any longer.
Sean smiled slightly. "I knew you wouldn't refuse, so I sent it to the police station in advance. It should have arrived by now."
George's eyes lit up. He grabbed his car keys and ran out.
"I'm leaving first. Gwen, head over there yourself later!"
Gwen wiped her eyes. She had been about to cry, but now she was amused by her father's behavior.
"Then... then I'm also getting ready to leave."
Gwen realized that only the two of them were left at home. If she didn't leave now, she might find it hard to handle the situation.
Sean hadn't expected Sheriff George to be so impatient, but that was fine too.
He reached out and pulled Gwen, who was trying to leave, into his arms, whispering in her ear:
"The guest hasn't finished eating yet. As the food... no, as the host, how can you leave early?"
"Then, be quick. I haven't been late in a month and don't want to break that streak."
Chapter 108: Welcome Back, Captain
"Gwen? You're still at home, why haven't you gone to work? And why are the chairs in the dining room all broken?"
"Mom, I... today... will go... over... in the afternoon~"
The sound of water in the bathroom was very loud; Helen didn't suspect anything and could only wait for her to come out before asking more.
Actually, Sean wanted Gwen to take the day off today so she wouldn't be late.
But today in Manhattan, New York City, all armed forces were ready and waiting to evacuate the masses.
Although it was only a few blocks around Stark Tower, the number of people was definitely not small, making the evacuation task very severe.
Passersby saw a group of fully armed soldiers surrounding the vicinity of Stark Tower and thought they were going to move against Iron Man; rumors spread instantly.
That evening, the number of soldiers around didn't decrease but increased instead. Even the most obtuse people living nearby noticed something was wrong, and the smart ones packed up and left with their families overnight.
People who could live in such a place were well-off and naturally valued their lives.
The next morning, commuters in New York City went to work as usual, and parents drove their children to school; life seemed calm.
A squad of soldiers blocked off the main road nearby, sealing the path ahead with wire mesh, creating a scene filled with a somber atmosphere.
"Sorry everyone, this road won't be open for the time being. You either take a detour or please go back!"
The same thing was happening at various intersections. The people outside were fine—at worst, they just wouldn't enter—and office workers received messages from their companies saying they had a week off, with someone covering the losses.
But those trapped inside were panicked, completely unaware of what was happening, not knowing whether to run out or stay home.
Amidst the public anxiety, a vehicle with a loudspeaker drove through the streets, broadcasting a message.
"Residents, please pack your valuables briefly and board the vehicles we have prepared for evacuation. It is dangerous here. Repeat, it is dangerous here!"
All the big screens and speakers along the streets were repeating this message, making the people inside even more nervous.
No one organized it, but they all coincidentally walked onto the streets, blocking cars and loudly questioning the people inside.
"What are you trying to do! What on Earth is happening?"
"Are you going to move against Iron Man? If so, I have no objection."
"The truth! The truth!"
More and more onlookers gathered, all seeking the truth, wanting to know what caused such a massive mobilization.
The soldiers in the cars were also a bit nervous; they were also in the dark about this mission and knew nothing.
"Relax, open the door and let me out," the person in the back seat consoled.
The soldier driving didn't know what this person dressed like Captain America wanted to do, but he opened the door anyway; after all, it was an order from above.
Seeing the door open, the crowd retreated slightly, as no one could guarantee whether a person or an AK-47 would emerge.
When they saw a man wearing a blue uniform and holding a shield, they were all stunned.
Even the young people found him familiar, let alone the older crowd.
"Why are you dressed up as Captain America? Don't tell me they've chosen another Captain? Are you worthy? You're not!"
"Put down that shield; you're not worthy of holding it!"
No one could understand Captain America's status in the hearts of the middle-aged and elderly, just as they didn't understand Homelander's status among women.
Steve smiled faintly and took off his mask: "It's been a long time since I've heard you cheer my name, although it doesn't sound very friendly right now."
"Steve Rogers, officially reporting for duty. I'm back."
With that familiar face and tone, everyone except for a few protesting young people went silent.
The young people didn't know what was going on. Weren't we all protesting together just now? Why aren't you saying anything now? Say something!
The atmosphere at the scene gradually became strange. The young people wanted to continue protesting, but the elderly next to them were silently weeping, making them feel awkward and unsure if they should keep shouting.
Fortunately, Sean arrived quickly, landing gently in the middle of the crowd and standing next to Steve.
"Everyone, have you all welcomed Captain America's return?"
"Is he... really Captain America?" an elderly lady murmured.
Sean waved his hand, signaling the cameras to get ready.
"That's right, the man beside me is the Captain America from seventy years ago. You all know he eventually sank into the Arctic Ocean with his plane, but he didn't die; instead, he slept for seventy years. Now, he has put on his uniform again to fight alongside us!"
Everyone who saw this was extremely excited. Just a moment ago, they were only speculating, even doubting if the government had found a look-alike to deceive them.
But now, hearing Homelander testify for him, they were willing to believe that Captain America had returned to life!
Because he really looked like him!
In the crowd, a white-haired old man stood straight, slowly raising his right hand to his ear, suppressing the joy in his heart as he spoke:
"Cap... Captain, welcome back."
Hearing this, Steve also smiled knowingly. Although he had many regrets after waking up, seeing the people he risked his life to protect living well brought a sense of comfort to his heart.
"Alright, everyone, hurry back and pack your things. Trust me!" Steve guaranteed, patting his chest.
The elderly, of course, trusted Captain America unconditionally and left immediately without hesitation, leaving only some emotional young people.
They looked at Sean with eager eyes, wanting to hear what he had to say. After the Broadway incident, their trust in Homelander was very high.
"You want to know the truth, right?"
"Yes!" the crowd echoed.
"Then do you trust me?"
"We do!"
Sean stood with his hands on his hips, looking at them with satisfaction. These people were alright, unlike those old fogies, hmph!
Seeing the broadcast vans from various TV stations ready nearby, Sean adjusted his hairstyle, spread his arms, and said with a smile:
"Since you crave the truth so much, how could I hide it from you?"
People nearby who were about to leave stopped in their tracks. All cameras were aimed at Sean in the crowd, and the surrounding big screens displayed his confident and handsome face.
"Seven days from now, an Alien Army will descend upon New York, and I will lead all the superheroes to crush them head-on, leaving none of these scum who covet Earth alive!"
The crowd was slightly flustered and didn't echo excitedly at first. After all, hearing about an alien invasion, their first reaction was to think they were the weaker side.
But seeing both Homelander and Captain America looking relaxed, they were somewhat conflicted, with fear and trust swirling in their hearts.
"Is everyone in New York evacuating? I asked my colleagues, and it seems only the people on our side are leaving," someone asked.
Sean smiled, pointed to the construction site not far away, and laughed:
"Please remember, this is not an evacuation, but an invitation for you to go to a safe place to watch this grand performance."
"When the performance begins, Mr. President will also bring a group of people to watch. Everyone, remember to maintain order then."
Chapter 109: The Battle Begins
The news of an alien army certainly made ordinary people nervous, and the fact that the American government was arranging an evacuation made it look like they were preparing to flee because they couldn't win.
But now that Homelander said this wasn't an evacuation but a performance, the fear in their hearts dissipated significantly. Especially seeing the spectator stands being hurriedly built nearby, they weren't afraid anymore; instead, they were somewhat excited.
"The... alien army, are they very weak?" The tone sounded like he was asking if he could take a gun and kill a couple of them, so he could brag about it for the rest of his life while drinking.
Thinking back to that year, I was in New York with a rifle, bang bang, and two hideous, sharp-toothed aliens were killed on the spot by me. I dragged their corpses from the south end of Broadway all the way to the north, and during that time, their kind didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
Sean looked up, thought for a moment, and said: "They should be quite strong; since they dare to invade other Planets, they must have some level of strength."
"However, for me, there is no difference."
He flew into the air, the cape behind him fluttering in the wind.
"Everyone, let this group of death-seeking aliens add a touch of fun to our upcoming Christmas Eve, and let's welcome Christmas with their blood!"
...
Captain America's resurrection gave the American people great confidence, and with Sean stepping forward, the evacuation work proceeded in an orderly manner.
The spectator stands were also being built with intense urgency, not stopping for a moment, just to be able to accommodate more people when the time came.
The evacuated masses didn't have any feelings of dissatisfaction; instead, they bragged to friends and family every day, saying they were invited to great spots where they could see clearly, and maybe even some alien corpses would fly over.
The Avengers were also stepping up their preparations, and the busiest people were Tony and... Pepper.
Tony was busy upgrading the Iron Armor and arranging for them to fly to various locations; he even placed one at some of the important spectator stands.
Ivan's previous remote-controlled armor had given him some inspiration, knowing that doing so indeed had its benefits.
Ivan's group of armors were weak because no one was controlling them, so they were very weak.
But he was different; he had Jarvis. No matter how many armors there were, he could control them perfectly and arrange for them to cooperate with each other to maximize combat power.
Pepper was busy because Stark Industries had to mobilize a lot of power, and she had to arrange everything. She also worked with the higher-ups to establish the Department of Damage Control to recover all the alien equipment.
It was also because Tony wanted to understand alien technology that she put so much effort into this matter.
As for the high-level officials of America, Pierce, the leader of HYDRA, had put in a lot of effort.
He directly activated all the sleeper agent congressmen to get them to agree to this and convinced the President and a group of officials to go to the scene to watch.
He worked so hard also for the sake of the Mind Stone and alien technology.
As long as this matter proceeded smoothly, the Tesseract and the Mind Stone would eventually be kept in S.H.I.E.L.D.
And things in S.H.I.E.L.D. were his things; there was no doubt about that.
Then HYDRA would be the biggest winner of this war, so he had no reason not to work hard to facilitate this outcome.
Meanwhile, Sean had been comforting them over the past few days, saying that this battle was not dangerous and telling them not to worry.
As for other things, he didn't care; as long as he could kill happily in the end, his goal would basically be achieved.
Since he couldn't get a hearty battle, then let there be a wanton Carnage.
He hoped no one would come out to cause trouble; he had been looking forward to this battle for a long time.
Time passed quickly, and with the efforts of various parties harboring their own hidden agendas, the Battle of New York officially began.
The streets near Stark Tower were empty, and not a single person could be seen in the originally bustling plaza.
Although no ordinary people could be seen on the surface, Sean still saw many households of people who didn't listen to advice and stayed home through his X-ray Vision, wondering what they were thinking.
If they wanted to seek death, Sean wouldn't go out of his way to stop them, let alone drag them out. A few deaths could also serve as a warning to people in the future to listen to Homelander.
A dozen temporary spectator stands were built a few hundred meters away from Stark Tower, crowded with people. There were even waiters selling snacks and drinks, completely treating this alien invasion as a performance without a hint of worry.
Many cameras were linked inside the stands, having been placed in advance throughout the streets just to obtain more information.
Of course, reporters would not be missing; this time, it wasn't just New York reporters but reporters from all over the World who had traveled through the night to verify the truth.
Over the past few nights, Millis had secured a prime live-streaming location through her own efforts. The screens in the middle of each stand also corresponded to her live broadcast feed.
On the roof of a certain skyscraper, Millis and a group of company staff were hurriedly preparing, with an Iron Armor standing beside them—a protective measure that no other reporters had.
Who could blame them when Millis also had a good relationship with Pepper?
"Viewers, we will soon be able to see the grand scene of the alien invasion. I believe everyone is curious: which heroes will participate in this battle? Will there be new Superheroes? As for the answer, hehe, Millis doesn't know either. Let's look towards Stark Tower and countdown together!"
At the top of Stark Tower, there weren't many people; the other Avengers had scattered to various locations.
Loki had also been released, and it was Sean who had spoken up for it.
"Hmph, you simply don't know what a true god is. Only after witnessing that person's power can you understand your own insignificance."
Tied to the lightning rod of Stark Tower, Loki still spoke boastfully.
"Sean, I know you are strong, but you haven't seen how vast the Universe is. Once you've seen the Worldoutside, you'll understand how small Earth is and how insignificant everything here is."
Sean turned his head and looked at him carefully. Tsk, he also wanted a sycophant like this who would brag about how strong he was every day; it seemed like a pretty good feeling.
Seeing that no one was paying attention to him and he couldn't escape, Loki stopped talking. Anyway, once the Chitauri arrived, everything would end.
He actually didn't understand how a tiny Midgard dared to actively let the Chitauri in. Who gave them the courage? Homelander?
No matter, once the army enters, everything will be set in stone. At that time, hmph, if they come to beg me, I might just let them off, jie jie~"
Loki, a person who used Illusion Magic, it was only natural for him to like fantasizing.
Sean looked at the time. "We can start now, Dr."
Dr. Erik nodded and pressed a button. A beam of blue light shot straight into the clouds, punching a large hole in the sky. The opening gradually expanded, revealing a void-like scene inside.
Everyone's hearts were in their throats. Although they were watching a performance, they still felt excited when seeing such a shocking scene.
As the first Chitauri descended on a flyer, it signaled that the war had officially begun!
This was one small step for a Chitauri, but a giant leap for Earth.