Chapter 181 The Avengers Reassemble
Steve Rogers stood in an alley in Shinjuku, Tokyo, rain streaming down his cheeks.
He didn't use an umbrella, letting the cold rain soak his clothes.
Several muffled thuds came from deeper in the alley, like heavy objects hitting a wall, followed by a suppressed scream.
He walked into the alley, stepping through puddles where neon lights reflected.
At the end of the alley, three bodies lay on the ground, their throats slit by a sharp weapon, blood mixing with rainwater and flowing into the drain.
A man in a black trench coat stood with his back to Steve, clutching a bloody katana, wiping the blade with his sleeve.
"Clint."
Steve's voice was soft in the rain.
Clint Barton's movements paused, but he didn't turn around.
He continued wiping the blade, his actions mechanical and practiced.
"You shouldn't be here, Steve."
"Natasha is worried about you."
"Then tell her not to worry."
Clint sheathed his katana and turned around.
His face had several fresh wounds, his left eye was bruised, his hair was cut short, stubble covered his face, and his eyes were as cold as ice.
"I'm doing just fine now."
Steve looked at the three bodies on the ground.
"This is what you call fine?"
"They were human traffickers."
Clint's tone was flat, "They abducted five children last night.
I just returned the children, and now I'm dealing with this trash.
Do you have a problem with that?"
Steve fell silent, looking at Clint, who was once the Avengers' most reliable marksman, now a ronin dispensing vigilante justice in the dark.
The snap five years ago took his wife and three children, but he survived.
"I need you to come back."
Steve said, "We have a chance to bring them back."
A flicker of emotion finally appeared in Clint's eyes.
He stared at Steve, as if judging the truth of his words.
"What chance?"
"Time travel.
Go back to the past, collect the Infinity Stones, and reverse the snap."
Steve's voice was steady, "Tony is working on quantum technology, Chu Hang is back, and we're gathering everyone."
Clint froze.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he just shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Time travel?
Are you kidding me?"
"I'm not."
Steve took a step closer, "Two days from now, assemble at the Avengers Base, Clint.
This is our only chance, and our last chance."
Clint lowered his head, rain dripping from his hair.
He remained silent for a long time, so long that Stevethought he would refuse.
But finally, he looked up, some of the coldness receding from his eyes.
"If this is a trap, or another failure."
Clint's voice was soft, "I'll kill all of you."
Steve nodded.
"I accept."
Norway, New Asgard.
This is a small fishing village built on a seaside cliff, where the Asgardian survivors, led by valkyrie, settled five years ago.
The village is not large, with only dozens of wooden houses and a small pier, but for the Asgardians who lost their home, this is a new beginning.
Natasha Romanoff stood at the village entrance, looking at the rolling dark clouds over the distant sea.
She wore a thick jacket, her hands in her pockets, the sea breeze making her hair messy.
valkyrie walked out of a wooden house, carrying a bottle of wine.
She saw Natasha and raised an eyebrow.
"It's you again, Romanoff.
The last time you came was three months ago, and I remember you said you wouldn't bother us again."
"I need to see Thor."
Natasha said directly.
valkyrie took a sip of wine and pointed to the largest wooden house deeper in the village.
"He's in there, but I advise you not to go.
You'll regret seeing him in his current state."
Natasha ignored the warning and walked straight to the wooden house.
She pushed the door open, and a mixed scent of beer, pizza, and sweat wafted out.
The house was a mess, empty beer bottles piled on the floor, and the trash can in the corner was overflowing with takeout boxes.
Thor sat on a worn-out sofa, holding a game controller, staring at the TV screen.
He wore a greasy tank top and baggy sweatpants, his belly bulging like he was eight months pregnant, his hair and beard a tangled mess, showing no trace of the God of Thunder.
"Thor."
Natasha stood at the doorway and called him.
Thor didn't respond, just stared at the screen, his fingers rapidly pressing the controller.
On the screen, two characters were fighting, their health bars constantly decreasing.
Natasha walked over and directly unplugged the game console's power cord.
"Hey!"
Thor suddenly stood up, the entire sofa creaking under his weight.
"I was about to win!
Do you know how long it took me to get to this level?"
"I don't care."
Natasha threw the power cord on the ground, "Clean yourself up and come back to the Base with me."
Thor paused, then sat back on the sofa and picked up a can of beer from the nearby table.
He opened the can, took a large gulp, and let out a loud burp.
"No.
I'm retired."
"We have a chance to bring them back."
Natasha's voice was calm, "Loki, Heimdall, and all those who disappeared."
Thor's hand stopped in mid-air.
He slowly put down the beer can and turned to look at Natasha.
"What did you say?"
"Time travel, collect the Infinity Stones, reverse the snap."
Natasha repeated what Steve had told Clint, "Chu Hang is back, Tony is working on the technology, and we're gathering everyone.
Two days from now, assemble at the Avengers Base."
Thor fell silent.
He lowered his head, staring at the beer can in his hand.
A smiling face was printed on the can, but at this moment, it seemed to be mocking him.
"The gems are gone."
Thor suddenly said, his voice very soft, "There's no point in doing anything.
Loki, Heimdall are gone, the gems have been destroyed."
"So you just hide here drinking and playing games?"
Natasha's tone remained calm, "What would Loki think of you now?"
Thor suddenly stood up, the beer can slipping from his hand and crashing to the ground, foam splattering.
His eyes instantly turned blue, tiny arcs of electricity flickering at his fingertips.
"You don't have the right to say his name."
Thor's voice was as deep as thunder, "You don't know what I've lost.
I lost my mother, my father, my brother, and nearly half the people of my entire kingdom.
I should have protected them, but I failed.
I protected nothing."
Natasha didn't back down.
She looked at the lightning in Thor's eyes, her tone still calm.
"You failed, I failed, all of us failed, but now we have a second chance, and you're hiding here wallowing in self-pity.
That's the real failure."
Thor's body trembled, the electric arcs becoming denser, and the light bulbs in the entire room began to flicker.
But a few seconds later, the lightning disappeared, and his eyes returned to their normal color.
He slumped like a deflated balloon, sitting back on the sofa, his hands clutching his head.
"I don't know if I can still do it."
His voice held a tremor, "I don't even know if I still deserve this title."
Natasha walked up to him, knelt down, and met his gaze.
"Whether you deserve it or not isn't up to you.
Two days from now, come to the Base, and let everyone see if you're still Thor."
She stood up and walked towards the door.
Before leaving, she looked back at Thor.
"By the way, Chu Hang's strength is many times greater than it was five years ago.
If you still want to prove yourself, you'd better not let him carry all the burden alone."
The door closed, leaving Thor alone in the dark room.
He stared at the beer can on the ground, watching the foam slowly dissipate.
Chu Hang stood in outer space, three hundred thousand kilometers from Earth's orbit.
He held a palm-sized golden beacon, inscribed with strange symbols, emitting a faint pulsing light.
This was an emergency call device that Carol Danvers had left for the Avengers.
He pressed the central button, and the beacon's light instantly erupted, a wave of energy spreading into the depths of the Universe at the speed of light.
Chu Hang's mental power explored along the direction of the energy wave, finally finding Carol in a distant galaxy. Her hair was slightly longer than five years ago, her eyes were still sharp, but they held an added layer of experience.
Chu Hang casually sliced open space and stepped through.
"Chu Hang." Carol was already used to Chu Hang's sudden appearances. In her view, there was nothing strange about the extent of Chu Hang's abilities. "You used the beacon. What happened?"
"We are going to reverse the snap." Chu Hang said directly. "Time travel, collecting the Infinity Stones, bringing back the disappeared people. I need your help."
Carol was silent for a few seconds. Her energy glow fluctuated slightly, showing her inner turmoil. "Are you sure this can succeed?"
"I'm not sure, but this is the only chance." Chu Hang looked at her. "It's been five years, Carol. How many Planets have you saved in the Universe?"
Carol did not answer immediately. She turned around and looked at the distant starry sky, where countless galaxies twinkled. She had flown in the Universe for five years, witnessing countless civilizations plunged into chaos because of the snap. Some Planets collapsed after losing half their population, while others rebuilt from the ruins. She tried her best to help them, but she knew the real solution was not here.
"Thirty-seven." Carol finally spoke. "In five years, I helped thirty-seven Planets overcome crises. But every time I left, I would think of Earth, and the people who disappeared. I told myself that the gems had been destroyed, that everything was irreversible, and I could only do what I could."
She turned back and looked at Chu Hang. "But if there really is a chance, even a slim possibility, I won't miss it."
Chu Hang nodded. "In two days, gather at the Avengers Base."
"I'll be there." A strong energy fluctuation erupted from Carol again. "But before that, I want to confirm one thing."
She suddenly rushed toward Chu Hang, moving so fast that even light warped. Her golden fist, carrying energy sufficient to destroy a small asteroid, smashed directly toward Chu Hang's chest.
Chu Hang did not dodge, merely raising his right hand and casually grasping Carol's fist. The moment the wild energy touched his palm, it was completely neutralized, as if hitting an invisible wall.
Carol's eyes widened. She felt her strength was as fragile as a toy in Chu Hang's hands. She immediately withdrew her fist, retreated ten meters, and raised her full body energy glow to its limit.
"You've gotten stronger." Carol's voice carried a hint of shock. "Ridiculously strong."
Chu Hang lowered his hand and looked at his palm. There was an extremely faint black pattern there, the residue of the power of nothingness. "I spent some time in another Universe and ran into some... trouble."
Carol stared at him, trying to sense more information from him. But Chu Hang was like a black hole; her senses could not penetrate him at all. Five years ago, she could clearly sense the cosmic energy in Chu Hang's body, which originated from the same source as hers, but now, that energy was suppressed by something deeper and more terrifying.
"What level are you now?" Carol asked directly.
"In terms of laws alone, I am Mid-Tier Heavenly Father Level." Chu Hang did not hide it. "But you know I possess multi-law power. Even if Thanos still had six Infinity Stones, I am ninety-nine percent certain I could kill him."
Carol fell silent. She knew what Skyfather level meant—it was the level of power held by Odin and Ancient One. Five years ago, although Chu Hang was powerful, he was still within the scope of her understanding. Now, he had crossed that threshold.
"Then why do you still need us?" Carol asked. "You could handle everything yourself."
"Because time travel requires manpower, and..." Chu Hangpaused. "Some things cannot be solved by power alone."
Carol looked into Chu Hang's eyes, and in those calm eyes, she saw something she couldn't understand. It wasn't fear, nor hesitation, but a deeper emotion.
"See you in two days." Carol didn't ask further, transforming into a golden stream of light and disappearing into the starry sky.
Chu Hang floated alone in space. He raised his right hand and looked at the black pattern on his palm. The power of nothingness was still eroding him; although temporarily suppressed by the Law of Death, it hadn't completely vanished. He could feel that power waiting for an opportunity, waiting for the moment he showed a weakness.
He clenched his fist, and the black pattern was pressed deep into his skin, hiding itself once more.
Avengers Base, Tony Stark's laboratory.
The entire lab was covered in holographic projections, with countless data streams scrolling rapidly through the air.
Tony stood in the center, waving his hands in the air, adjusting an extremely complex molecular model. It was the structural diagram of Pym Particles, with the position of every atom precisely marked.
Banner sat at a workbench nearby, staring at a sample under a microscope. He had been working for thirty-six consecutive hours; his eyes were bloodshot, but his spirit was unusually excited.
"Tony, look at this." Banner suddenly spoke. "Seventeenth synthesis, stability increased to sixty-three percent."
Tony immediately walked over and stared into the microscope. Under the lens, a light blue particle was suspended in liquid, surrounded by subtle energy fluctuations.
"It's not enough." Tony shook his head. "Stability must reach ninety-five percent or higher, otherwise it will trigger a chain collapse on the quantum level."
"Then we need to adjust the catalyst ratio." Banner quickly calculated on the tablet. "If we reduce the proportion of palladium by zero point three percent, while simultaneously increasing..."
"No." Tony interrupted him. "Palladium is the fulcrum of the entire structure. Reducing the proportion will lead to overall instability. We need to find another element to replace it."
The two fell into contemplation. Only the buzzing of machinery remained in the laboratory.
Ten minutes later, Tony suddenly looked up, his eyes lighting up. "Baldr Alloy."
"What?" Banner was stunned for a moment.
"Baldr Alloy, a rare metal from Asgard." Tony quickly pulled up a file on the holographic projection. "I collected some samples from Ultron's wreckage after the Battle of Sokovia five years ago. This metal has extremely strong energy conductivity and stability. If we add it to the Pym Particles synthesis process..."
"It can fill the gap created by reducing the palladium!" Banner immediately understood. "Tony, you're a genius."
"I know." Tony grinned. "Now, we have twelve hours left."
The two returned to work, and the atmosphere in the lab became tense again.
Outside the Avengers Base, Chu Hang returned from space and landed on the Base's roof. He stood there, overlooking the entire Base.
Weeds on the training ground swayed in the wind, and the quinjet on the tarmac was still covered in dust. Everything looked the same as when he left.
But he knew everything was about to change.
In two days, the Avengers would assemble again for an unprecedented adventure. They would travel through time, face past enemies, collect six Infinity Stones, and then use that power to fight fate itself.
This was a gamble, a gamble for the entire Universe.
Chu Hang closed his eyes, feeling the flow of the six laws within his body: Space, Power, Body, Mind, Time, Reality, and the newly acquired Law of Death and Speed Force. He was already powerful enough to challenge most enemies single-handedly.
But he wouldn't do that.
Because this wasn't his war alone; this was everyone's war.
Chapter 182 Quantum Testing
Tony Stark stood in front of the lab bench, watching the last drop of light blue liquid slowly drip from the test tube into the storage bottle.
The glass bottle already contained about two hundred milliliters of liquid, faintly glowing under the light.
He put down the test tube, took off his goggles, and turned to look at Banner, who was sitting at the other end of the workbench.
"It's done." Tony's voice was calm, but his eyes shone with a mix of exhaustion and excitement.
Banner looked up and pushed up his glasses. Strings of data flickered across the monitor in front of him, every value stable within the safe range. "Stability is ninety-seven point three percent, and energy output fluctuation is less than zero point five percent. Tony, we really did it."
Tony didn't respond, merely staring at the bottle of blue liquid. Forty-eight hours, one hundred thirty-seven failed attempts, three accidents that nearly blew up the entire lab —finally, they had cracked the formula that Hank Pym took decades to perfect.
It wasn't a complete replication, but rather a molecular structure rebuilt using Bardell alloy, creating a much more stable version.
"Friday, calculate the yield." Tony spoke into the air.
"Sir, based on current raw material reserves, approximately six hundred milliliters of Pym Particles can be produced, enough to support thirty complete round trips for time travel." The AI's voice echoed in the lab.
Banner whistled. "Thirty times. That's enough for us to collect the gems ten times over."
"Provided we make it back alive." Tony walked to the coffee machine, poured himself a shot of espresso, and drank it in one gulp.
The lab door suddenly opened, and Natasha walked in. She had changed into a black combat suit, and her hair was dyed back to its signature red. She looked considerably sharper than she had two days ago.
"Is the time-space gps ready?" she asked directly.
Tony pointed to a row of wrist-sized silver devices on the lab bench. "Twenty of them. Each one has a built-in quantum positioning system and a time anchor stabilizer. Put it on your wrist, input the target time and location, press the button, and theoretically, you'll arrive precisely."
"Theoretically." Natasha repeated the three words, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
"Science is theory." Tony shrugged. "But if you want to test it before the mission, I suggest you find Scott Lang. He's the only one who has been in the Quantum Realm and returned alive. He's the perfect guinea pig."
Natasha picked up a time-space gps and weighed it in her hand. The device was light and smooth, with a small screen and three buttons in the center. It looked like an expensive watch, but what it could do was far crazier than any timepiece.
"Where is Chu Hang?" Natasha asked.
"The roof," Banner replied. "He's been standing there for six hours, completely motionless."
Natasha turned and left the lab. Tony watched her silhouette disappear outside the door, then said to Banner: "Go call the others. Meet in the conference room in an hour. It's time to tell them the plan."
Banner nodded, turned off his monitor, and followed her out.
Tony was left alone in the lab. He looked at the bottle of blue liquid, and countless images flashed through his mind.
Pepper and Morgan in the cabin by the lake, himself lying in the rubble after the Battle of New York, and the moment Thanos snapped his fingers.
He knew the plan was insane —so insane that if it failed, they might be trapped in the past forever, or worse, erased completely from the timeline.
But he also knew that if they did nothing, the vanished people would never return.
Tony took a deep breath, picked up a time-space gps, and put it on his wrist.
The device automatically tightened, conforming to his skin. The screen lit up, showing the current time and coordinates.
He pressed the side button, and an input interface popped up on the screen.
Tony thought for a moment and entered a date: May 4, 2012, New York.
That was the day of the Battle of New York, and the day he first realized that threats far exceeding human comprehension existed in the Universe.
The screen displayed 'Calculating Path,' and a few seconds later, a green checkmark appeared.
Feasible.
Tony did not press the confirmation button. He just stared at that date, the day that changed everything.
Then he turned off the screen and walked out of the lab.
The conference room at the Avengers Base was filled with people sitting on both sides of the long table.
Steve Rogers sat at one end of the table. He had shaved his beard and changed into a dark blue combat suit, his shield leaning against the chair behind him.
Clint Barton sat beside him. His hair was cut short, and the injuries on his face had been treated, but his gaze remained stern.
Natasha sat across from Clint, her fingers lightly tapping the table surface.
Thor occupied the space of two seats. He was wearing a barely fitting Asgard armor, his stomach straining the chest plate.
He wasn't looking at anyone, just staring down, gripping stormbreaker in his hand, the axe blade reflecting a cold light under the lamps.
Carol Danvers stood by the window, arms crossed. She was still wearing her iconic red and blue uniform.
Scott Lang sat in the far corner, looking somewhat uneasy. He kept adjusting his posture, his fingers unconsciously drumming on the table.
Banner was the last one to enter. He carried a metal box, which he placed in the center of the table. The box opened, revealing twenty time-space gps devices neatly arranged inside.
"Alright, everyone." Tony walked to the front of the long table. The wall behind him lit up, and a massive holographic projection unfolded in the air. It was a timeline chart marking six crucial time points. "This is our objective: six Infinity Stones, scattered across different times and locations."
He swiped his finger through the air, and the first time node magnified. "2012, the Battle of New York. The Space Stone is in Stark Tower, the Mind Stone is in Loki's scepter, and the Time Stone is in the Sanctum. Three gems, same time, same location. This is our primary target."
"And then what?" Natasha asked. "Where are the remaining three gems?"
"2013, Asgard. The Reality Stone is hidden inside Jane Foster. Also that same year, Morag, where the Power Stone is still inside the Cosmic Orb." Chu Hang's voice came from the doorway. Everyone turned to look at him as he pushed the door open and entered the conference room. He was still wearing his ordinary black jacket, but everyone present could feel the subtle pressure emanating from him.
"The Soul Stone has a special acquisition requirement." Chu Hang walked up to the long table. "You must sacrifice the soul of the person you love to obtain the gem."
Silence fell over the conference room.
"Shit," Clint cursed under his breath.
Thor jumped to his feet, knocking his chair half a meter backward. "Sacrifice? Are you saying we have to kill someone we love to get that damn Stone?"
Chu Hang nodded. "Red Skull guards that location. He will tell you the rules. This is the gem's curse; it cannot be bypassed."
"Then we don't take that Stone." Thor's voice was loud, filled with suppressed anger. "Five gems are enough."
"It's not enough," Steve said gravely. "It takes six gems to complete the snap. One less won't work."
Natasha looked at Vormir on the projection. Her expression didn't change, but her fingers stopped tapping. Clint also stared at the Planet, his eyes becoming complicated.
"I'll go," Natasha suddenly said. "I don't have family, and no one I need to protect. This mission belongs to me."
"No," Clint immediately countered. "It should be me. My wife and children vanished. If I can bring them back, my life means nothing."
"Enough." Chu Hang interrupted their argument. "Discussing this now is pointless. We aren't even sure if the plan will succeed, or if the time-space gps is truly viable. Before that, arguing over who gets to die is just a waste of time."
Tony rubbed his temples. "Chu Hang is right. The first step is testing, confirming that time travel is actually possible. Scott, this mission is yours."
Scott froze for a moment, then slowly raised his hand. "Wait, you're saying I'm the guinea pig?"
"You are the only person who has spent time in the Quantum Realm." Banner walked over to him and patted his shoulder. "And this time is different. You have the time-space gps, you have Pym Particles, and we are here monitoring you. You just need to go back one hour and return immediately. If it works, we know the system is viable."
"What if it fails?" Scott's voice trembled slightly.
"Then you might be trapped in the past forever, or turn into a baby, or disappear completely from the timeline." Tony's tone was calm, as if commenting on the weather. "But the probability isn't high, only about twelve point five percent."
"Twelve point five percent!" Scott jumped up. "You call that not high?"
"Compared to what we have to do, this is already safe." Tony took a time-space gps out of the box and handed it to Scott. "One hour ago, this conference room. Go see where your past self was sitting, and come back immediately. It's that simple."
Scott took the device, his hand trembling slightly. He looked at the small device, remembering the five hours he spent in the Quantum Realm, recalling the feeling of weightlessness and chaos.
"If I die, remember to tell Cassie that her dad died saving the World." Scott took a deep breath and put the time-space gps on his wrist.
"You won't die." Steve walked up to him, his gaze firm. "We will constantly monitor your life signs. If something goes wrong, we will pull you back."
Chu Hang walked next to Scott. "One more thing: do not make contact with anyone in the past, including your past self. A temporal paradox could trigger a chain reaction, and the worst-case scenario is the collapse of the entire timeline."
Scott swallowed. "So I have to sneak in, take a look, and come right back?"
"Exactly." Tony walked to the corner of the room, where a massive quantum tunnel device was set up. A silver metal frame encircled a circular platform three meters in diameter. In the center of the platform was a recess, just big enough for one person. "Step onto it, input the coordinates, and press the button. Leave the rest to physics."
Scott walked onto the platform, his legs feeling weak. The device was surrounded by various sensors and monitoring equipment, with dozens of cables connected to Banner's workstation. He looked down at the time-space gps on his wrist; the screen was already lit up, displaying the current time and spatial coordinates.
"Target time, one hour ago." Banner rapidly typed commands at the workstation. "Coordinates locked, conference room. Scott, confirm on the screen."
Scott pressed the side button, and the input interface popped up. Trembling, he entered the time; the timestamp for one hour ago appeared on the screen. Then the location: Avengers Base, conference room.
The green checkmark appeared.
"Are you ready?" Tony's hand rested on the activation switch.
Scott looked at everyone present. Steve gave him an encouraging look, Natasha nodded slightly, Clint was expressionless, and Thor gripped stormbreaker tightly. Carol was still standing by the window, but she had turned around, watching Scott on the platform. Chu Hang stood at the very back, hands in his pockets, his expression calm.
"Wait," Scott suddenly said. "If I go back one hour, I was still on the road then, not yet at the Base. So the conference room should be empty."
Tony paused for a moment, then brought up the Base's surveillance records on the holographic screen, quickly rewinding to an hour ago. The conference room footage showed no one; there were only tables, chairs, and the projection equipment on the wall.
"You're right." Tony nodded. "That makes it even simpler. No one will see you. Go in, confirm the time and location, take a picture as proof, and return immediately."
Scott pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Use this?"
"Use this," Tony confirmed. "Remember to turn on airplane mode. I don't want the past communication networks detecting a signal from the future."
Scott set his phone to airplane mode and took a deep breath. "Alright, I'm ready."
"Ten-second countdown." Banner stared at the screen, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Ten, nine, eight..."
The devices around the platform began to glow; faint blue energy flowed across the metal frame, and the air filled with the smell of ozone.
"Seven, six, five..."
Scott felt the platform beneath his feet vibrating, and a strange sensation of weightlessness rose from his soles, as if he were being pulled by some invisible force.
"Four, three, two..."
"One."
Tony pressed the activation switch.
The quantum tunnel instantly erupted in blinding white light. Scott's body rapidly shrank, transforming into a speck of light that vanished from the platform. The white light lasted for three seconds, then suddenly extinguished, leaving the platform empty.
Silence reigned in the conference room; everyone stared at the empty platform.
Banner stared at the flickering data stream on the screen, sweat beading on his forehead. "Life signs... gone."
"He entered the quantum level." Tony's voice was tight. "Can you track his location?"
"The signal is too weak. We can only confirm he's alive, but we can't pinpoint his location." Banner rapidly typed on the keyboard. "The time-space gps quantum marker is moving, but the speed is unstable. It looks like he's... drifting."
Chapter 183 The Time Travel Plan is Established
The data stream on the screen suddenly stabilized.
Banner stared at the monitor, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Wait, the signal is locked. The time-space gpsshows he has reached the target coordinates."
Tony walked up to him, looking at the green light dot flickering on the screen. "What about the life signs?"
"Normal. Heart rate is 120, blood pressure is high, but within the safe range." Banner pulled up another monitoring window. "The quantum fluctuations are stable; he should be fully materialized."
Steve looked at his watch. "It's 3:17 PM now. The target time was 2:17 PM. How long was he in the past?"
"From our perspective, three minutes." Tony stared at the screen. "But for him, it could be a few seconds, or it could be several hours. The flow of time at the quantum level is unstable."
Chu Hang stood next to the platform, sensing the residual quantum fluctuations in the space. It was a very faint vibration, like a pebble dropped on a calm water surface, the ripples not yet completely gone.
He closed his eyes, using the Space Law and the Law of Time to probe the space-time structure around the platform, discovering an extremely subtle rift connecting to a certain point in the past.
"He's coming back." Chu Hang suddenly opened his eyes.
As soon as he finished speaking, the air above the platform began to distort. A pale blue light reappeared, rapidly spreading from a single point into a circular halo.
In the center of the halo, a blurry figure gradually became clearer, rapidly expanding from a microscopic scale.
A flash of white light passed, and Scott Lang fell heavily onto the platform, rolling twice before stopping.
He lay on the ground, panting heavily, his clothes soaked with sweat.
Natasha was the first to rush over and help him up. "Are you alright?"
Scott raised his head, his eyes showing a mixture of terror and excitement.
He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but his throat was so dry it felt scorched, and he could only manage a hoarse sound.
Banner immediately handed him a bottle of water. Scotttook the bottle, drank it all in one gulp, and then took several deep breaths before finally recovering.
"I did it." His voice was still trembling, but a smile appeared on his face. "I really f**king did it."
Tony stepped onto the platform and crouched in front of him. "Tell me, what did you see?"
Scott pulled his phone out of his pocket, his fingers still shaking from the extreme tension.
He unlocked the screen, accessed the photo album, found the latest picture, and handed it to Tony.
The photo showed this conference room: the empty long table, and the clock on the wall displaying the time as 2:17 PM.
"The conference room was indeed empty when I went in." Scott tried to steady his voice. "The time-space gps was precise, with an error of no more than thirty seconds."
"I took the photo, and then immediately pressed the return button. The whole process took less than a minute."
Steve took the phone and carefully examined the photo. The clock, the tables and chairs, the sky outside the window—everything perfectly matched the scene from an hour ago.
He handed the phone to Natasha, who passed it to Clintafter looking at it.
Chu Hang looked at the residual quantum fluctuations on the platform. The rift connecting to the past had closed, but it left an extremely minute scar on the spatial structure.
He could feel that if time travel was performed frequently, these scars would accumulate and could eventually cause space-time instability.
But now was not the time to worry about that.
Thor stood up from his chair, his axe hitting the floor with a dull thud. "So this thing really works? We can really go back to the past?"
"It looks that way." Tony turned to face everyone. "The time-space gps test passed, and the mass production of Pym Particles is complete. Next, we need to formulate a detailed action plan."
Steve walked up to the long table, looking at the huge timeline projection on the wall. Six time nodes, six Infinity Stones, scattered across different moments in the past.
"We need to divide into teams," he stated, his tone steady. "Manpower is limited, and time is limited. Every team must know their objective: go in, get the gems, and immediately evacuate. No delays, no exposure, no changing the past."
Natasha walked up to the projection, running her finger over the time nodes in the air. "New York in 2012, three gems. This should be the primary target; we need the strongest combat power to go there."
"I'll go to New York," Tony said immediately. "That's my home turf. I know every street, every building. Plus, the 2012 version of me just finished the Battle of New York; it's the most chaotic time, making it easy to operate."
"I'll go too," Steve said. "The 2012 version of me should still be dealing with the aftermath at S.H.I.E.L.D. If we need to interact with our past selves, I know best how to handle it."
Banner raised his hand. "Count me in. Back then, I had just turned back into human form and was still evading the Military's pursuit. If we run into the Hulk, I can figure out a way to calm him down."
Chu Hang looked at the New York coordinates on the projection and shook his head. "There are too many people in New York. The three gems are in different locations: the Space Stone is in Stark Tower, the Mind Stone is with Loki's scepter, and the Time Stone is at the Sanctum. You'll need to split into at least two teams, one going to the Tower, and one going to the Sanctum."
"That makes four people," Natasha said. "Tony, Steve, and Banner go to Stark Tower for the Space Stone and the Mind Stone. I will go to the Sanctum to find the Ancient One for the Time Stone."
Clint leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "The Ancient One won't be easy to deal with. Are you sure you can take the Time Stone from the Sorcerer Supreme?"
"I will convince her." Natasha's tone was calm. "She is a sorceress; she should understand the importance of the timeline. If she has seen the future, seen the consequences of the snap, she will give me the gem."
Chu Hang thought of the Ancient One, the woman who could see through the river of time. She indeed might have seen the future, seen Thanos's snap, and seen the Avengers' plan.
But she would also see more: the risks brought by time travel, and the price behind every choice.
"What if the Ancient One refuses?" Thor asked.
Natasha didn't answer, merely glancing at Chu Hang. Chu Hang understood what she meant: if the Ancient Onerefused, he would intervene. With his current strength, even the Sorcerer Supreme couldn't stop him.
"Let's move on to the other gems." Steve changed the subject. "Asgard in 2013, the Reality Stone."
Thor immediately straightened up. "That's my home. I'll go."
"You alone?" Carol walked over from the window. "Asgardis heavily guarded. How will you extract the Aether Particle from Jane Foster without alerting anyone?"
Thor tightened his grip on stormbreaker, the handle emitting a faint hum in his hand. "I have a way."
"You need help," Chu Hang said. "The Aether Particleinside Jane is unstable; forcibly removing it will kill her. You need someone who can take the gem out without harming her. Did you forget? Even I had to wait for the right moment back then."
"Then who goes?" Thor looked at Chu Hang.
"I will go," Chu Hang said calmly. "I possess the Law of Reality, allowing me to complete the extraction without harming Jane."
Thor stared at Chu Hang, remained silent for a few seconds, and then nodded. "Alright, we'll go together."
Steve marked the assigned tasks on the projection. Four people for New York, two for Asgard. Two gems remained.
"2014, Planet Morag, the Power Stone," Natasha said. "That Planet is deserted; only Star-Lord goes there to retrieve the Cosmic Orb. We can take it before him."
"I'll go," Rhodey suddenly spoke up. He had been sitting silently in the corner, but now he stood up. "Rocket and I will go together. The two of us are enough."
"Rocket?" Scott was startled. "The raccoon?"
"He's in outer space," Chu Hang said. "He left Earth after the Ultron battle and should be working as a bounty hunter in some galaxy now. But if we need him, we can use Carol's beacon to call him back."
Carol nodded. "I know Rocket; he's reliable. And he's very familiar with the Cosmic Orb. In 2014, he should be fighting Star-Lord for that orb."
"So, Rhodey and Rocket." Steve marked another team on the projection.
Now only the last gem remained.
Vormir.
The Soul Stone.
The air in the conference room suddenly solidified. Everyone looked at the remote Planet on the projection; no one spoke.
Natasha's fingers stopped tapping on the table. Clintlowered his head, his expression unclear.
"I'll go," Natasha broke the silence. "This mission should be mine."
"No, it should be me." Clint looked up, his eyes resolute. "I have a family to bring back; this is my responsibility."
"You have a family, which is why you shouldn't go," Natasha stood up. "I have no attachments, no one I need to protect. I am the most suitable person to go."
"Enough." Chu Hang's voice was not loud, but everyone heard it clearly. He walked up to the projection, looking at the Planet marked with the Soul Stone.
"Vormir, I will go."
Natasha turned to look at him. "You don't need to sacrifice yourself. You are more important than any of us."
"I know," Chu Hang said calmly. "That's why I won't sacrifice anyone, including myself."
Tony frowned. "Chu Hang, you just said that the Soul Stone requires the sacrifice of a loved one's soul. That's the rule; it can't be bypassed."
"That is a rule for ordinary people." Chu Hang turned to face everyone. "I am currently Mid-Tier Heavenly Father Level, with strength approaching a cosmic overlord. If Red Skull doesn't hand over the gem, I will take it directly from him."
Silence fell over the conference room again.
Steve looked at Chu Hang, remembering the days they fought side-by-side during World War II.
Back then, Chu Hang was just a Soldier with special abilities who needed to rely on the team to survive. But now, he had grown to a height they could not comprehend.
"Are you sure you can do it?" Steve asked.
"Certain." There was no hesitation in Chu Hang's voice. "Vormir's protection mechanism is based on Laws, but Laws also vary in strength."
"I have mastered seven Laws, including the Law of Death. If Red Skull doesn't cooperate, I will forcibly break the sacrifice ritual and take the gem directly."
Thor looked at Chu Hang, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
He thought of his father, Odin, the All-Father who had ruled the Nine Realms for thousands of years.
Odin was also Skyfather level, but the aura around Chu Hang was deeper and more dangerous than Odin's.
"What if you fail?" Carol asked.
"Then you proceed with the original plan and send someone to make the sacrifice." Chu Hang looked at Natasha and Clint. "But before that, let me try."
Natasha stared at Chu Hang, remained silent for a few seconds, and finally nodded. "Alright, you go first. But if anything goes wrong, I will immediately go after you."
Chu Hang didn't say anything more. He knew Natashawouldn't change her mind; she was already prepared for sacrifice. But he wouldn't let that happen.
Steve walked up to the projection and began marking the final team assignments. "To summarize. New York Team: Tony, Steve, Banner, Natasha. Objective: Space Stone, Mind Stone, Time Stone. Asgard Team: Thor, Chu Hang. Objective: Reality Stone. Morag Team: Rhodey, Rocket. Objective: Power Stone. Vormir Team: Chu Hang. Objective: Soul Stone."
"Wait a minute," Tony interrupted him. "Chu Hang is going to two places? Asgard and Vormir?"
"Time travel is not limited by physical distance," Chu Hangsaid. "I will go with Thor to Asgard first for the Reality Stone, and immediately teleport to Vormir after completion. Both missions combined won't take more than an hour."
Banner quickly calculated on his tablet. "Theoretically feasible. The time-space gps can set multiple jump points. As long as the Pym Particles are sufficient, you can move freely between different times and spaces."
"What about the Pym Particles consumption?" Clint asked. "How much will Chu Hang use by himself?"
"Double," Tony replied. "One round trip consumes two vials; two round trips is four vials. But we have a total of 600 milliliters, enough to support thirty round trips. Chu Hang uses four vials, and the rest is enough for everyone else."
Carol walked up to the long table, leaning her hands on the surface. "There's one more question. If Chu Hang runs into trouble on Vormir, who will back him up?"
"I will," Natasha said immediately. "After the New Yorkmission is over, I will set Vormir as a backup coordinate. If Chu Hang's life signal shows an anomaly, I will immediately teleport there."
Chu Hang looked at Natasha, knowing she meant what she said. But he didn't need backup. He had absolute confidence in his own strength. No matter how strong Vormir's protection mechanism was, it was only a single-Universe level Law structure.
And the seven Laws he currently mastered, coupled with the residual Void Power obtained from the Anti-Monitor, were enough to shake that structure.
Chapter 184 Time Management Bureau
"There is one more thing." Chu Hang looked around at everyone present, his tone becoming serious. "Time Variance Authority."
Tony raised his eyebrows. "Time Variance Authority? What is that?"
"An organization that transcends the timeline." Chu Hangwalked up to the projection, tracing the time nodes in the air with his finger. "Their mission is to maintain the so-called'Sacred Timeline' and prune all 'branch realities' that deviate from the main path. And time travel is the activity they despise the most."
Steve frowned. "Are you saying that as soon as we start moving, they will target us?"
"Not necessarily." Chu Hang said. "The Time Variance Authority's surveillance is not comprehensive. They only focus on events that cause large-scale timeline splits. If our actions are discreet and fast enough, they might not notice. But if we stay in the past for too long, or do anything that changes history, they will appear immediately and arrest all of us."
"Arrest us?" Clint sneered. "And then what? Throw us in jail?"
"Worse than that." Chu Hang's voice was calm, but every word hammered home. "The Time Variance Authority has the ability to directly prune your existence, completely wiping you from all timelines. You wouldn't be dead; you would have never existed. No one will remember you, and no one will mourn you, because in the new timeline, you were never there to begin with."
The temperature in the conference room seemed to drop a few degrees.
Thor gripped stormbreaker tightly, tiny arcs of electricity dancing on the axe blade. "Then how should we deal with them?"
"Avoid contact." Chu Hang said. "Get in, retrieve the gems, and evacuate immediately. Do not clash with anyone in the past, and do not change any significant events. Our only goal is the gems; nothing else matters."
"What if they still come for us?" Carol asked.
Chu Hang was silent for a few seconds, unconsciously clenching his right fist. He could feel the black pattern on his palm heating up slightly; Void Power seemed to sense his emotions and began stirring.
"Then we fight." Chu Hang finally said. "The Time Variance Authority is powerful, but not unbeatable. Their Soldiers are equipped with time-warping devices that can slow or accelerate the local flow of time. But those devices are only effective against Skyfather level and below; they are just toys to me."
Tony leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "It sounds like you've dealt with them before."
"I have." Chu Hang did not elaborate. "On the day of the Infinity War, they attempted to prune our timeline. When I fought against the laws of the pruning device, a Multiverse rift accidentally opened, and I was unexpectedly sent to the DC Universe."
"But you came back." Steve said.
"I came back." Chu Hang nodded. "And I learned their weakness. The Time Variance Authority's power comes from an entity called Eternity, who sits at the end of time and controls the entire Sacred Timeline. But he is not omnipotent; he has blind spots he cannot see and variables he cannot control."
"We are that variable?" Natasha asked.
"Exactly." Chu Hang looked at her. "Eternity saw countless futures, but he did not foresee us using time travel to reverse the Snap. Because in his plan, Thanos's Snap was a necessary event, a part of the Sacred Timeline. What we are doing now is breaking his plan."
Thor stood up, radiating suppressed rage. "Are you saying that bastard intentionally allowed Thanos to kill half of all life just to maintain his timeline?"
"Possibly." Chu Hang said. "Or perhaps he saw a future further ahead, saw what would happen after the Snap, and deemed this a necessary sacrifice. But whatever his reason, we will not accept it."
Steve took a deep breath and walked to the center of the long table. "So our plan is: move quickly, retrieve the gems, and evacuate before the Time Variance Authority can react. If they appear, Chu Hang will hold them off, and the others will prioritize completing the mission."
"No." Chu Hang shook his head. "If the Time Variance Authority appears, everyone retreats immediately. Do not try to fight them; you won't win. I will cover the retreat and buy you time."
"We won't leave you behind." Steve's tone was firm.
"You are not leaving me behind; you are completing the mission." Chu Hang looked into Steve's eyes. "Steve, you must understand, there is only one goal for this operation: retrieve the six gems and reverse the Snap. For that goal, any cost is worthwhile, including me. And trust me, with my power, I would be fine even if Earth exploded."
Steve fell silent. He knew Chu Hang was right, but as Captain and as a comrade, he could not accept anyone being abandoned.
"We will try our best to avoid contact with the Time Variance Authority." Tony broke the silence. "Friday will monitor everyone's quantum signatures in real-time. If any abnormal temporal fluctuations are detected, she will issue an immediate warning. When that happens, run as fast as you can, and don't look back."
Natasha looked at the projection on the wall, at the six time nodes, and at the six gems that would change the fate of the Universe. "When do we leave?"
Tony looked at his watch, then at the sky outside the window, which was gradually darkening. "In twenty-four hours. I need time to tune all the gear to optimal status, and Banner needs to complete the final physiological monitoring to ensure everyone's body can withstand the quantum-level tearing. Plus, we have to call Rocket back from the depths of the Universe; that raccoon is probably in some godforsaken place thousands of light-years from Earth right now."
Carol pulled the golden beacon from her pocket and weighed it in her hand. "I'll go find him. At my speed, I can make the round trip within twelve hours."
"Then it's settled." Steve marked the final time nodes on the projection. "Tomorrow night at eight o'clock, everyone gathers here. Bring all the gear you need, check your time-space gps, and confirm the Pym Particles dosage. This is our only chance; no mistakes are allowed."
Chu Hang walked to the window, looking out at the desolate training ground outside the Base. The setting sun dyed the sky dark red, like some ominous premonition.
He could feel the black pattern on his right palm starting to heat up again; Void Power was stirring within him, as if waiting for something.
He knew tomorrow's operation wouldn't go smoothly. The Time Variance Authority wouldn't stand idly by, and Eternity wouldn't allow the Sacred Timeline to be broken.
And the power within him, originating from the Anti-Monitor, could lose control at any moment.
But he had no choice.
People in the conference room began leaving one after another. Tony and Banner returned to the lab to continue debugging equipment, Rhodey went to the armory to check War Machine's ammunition reserves, and Scottreturned to his room to rest; he needed to recover from the lingering effects of the recent time travel.
Thor walked up beside Chu Hang and stood silently for a moment. "Are you really confident you can take the Soul Stone from Red Skull?"
"Yes." Chu Hang did not turn around, still looking out the window. "Red Skull is just the Guardian, not the Master. He has been trapped there by the gem's curse for over seventy years and has long lost his fighting capacity. The real problem is Vormir itself; that Planet is a massive sacrificial altar, and the entire Planet's Law structure maintains that sacrifice ritual."
"So how will you break it?"
"By overriding it with a stronger Law." Chu Hang raised his right hand, the black pattern faintly visible in his palm. "I have the Law of Death, Reality Warping, time manipulation, and this." He pointed to the black pattern. "The remnants of Void Power, a projection from the Anti-Monitor. This power can erase all existence, including the Law itself."
Thor stared at the pattern, feeling a chill deep in his bones. "That thing is dangerous."
"I know." Chu Hang clenched his fist, and the pattern receded back into his skin. "But I need it now."
Thor said nothing more, patted Chu Hang on the shoulder, and turned to leave the conference room.
Natasha was the last to leave. She stopped at the doorway, looking back at Chu Hang, who was still standing by the window.
"If something happens to you on Vormir, I will go." Her voice was calm. "Not to complete the mission, but to bring you back."
Chu Hang turned around and looked at her. Natasha's gaze was steady, without any hesitation.
"You don't need to do that." Chu Hang said.
"I know." Natasha pushed the door open. "But I will."
Chapter 185: The Eighth Law
Chu Hang stood by the window, watching Natasha leave the conference room. After the door closed, the entire space fell silent. He raised his right hand, and the black Texture on his palm writhed under his skin like a living creature. The Void Power would flare up every few hours, spreading from his palm to his arm, and each time it took a great deal of effort to suppress it.
This was not a long-term solution.
Chu Hang turned and left the conference room, walking down the corridor towards the teleportation platform outside the Base. He needed to go deep into the Universe, find Rocket Raccoon, and resolve the hidden danger of the Void Power within him. Carol said it would take twelve hours for a round trip, but with his current mastery of the Space Law, a few breaths would be enough.
He walked onto the platform, closed his eyes, and activated his super hearing. The sounds of the Universeflooded his mind, and billions of information streams were instantly filtered. He was searching for a specific frequency; Rocket Raccoon's spaceship engine emitted a unique energy fluctuation, a variation of Hank Pym's early technology, used only by Rocket in the entire Universe.
Found it.
Three thousand two hundred light-years from Earth, at the edge of the Orion Arm, a small spaceship was cruising through interstellar space. Chu Hang locked onto the coordinates, and the seven Laws within him operated simultaneously. The Space Law wove a complex network around him, each thread connecting to distant time-space nodes. He took a step, and his figure vanished from the teleportation platform.
The next second, Chu Hang appeared in a pitch-black starry sky. Five kilometers ahead, a dilapidated spaceship was cruising. The spaceship's hull was covered with laser burn marks and impact dents, looking like it had just been through a fierce battle.
Chu Hang did not hide his aura and flew directly towards the spaceship.
Inside the spaceship, red alert lights immediately flashed.
"Warning, unknown life form detected approaching, energy level unmeasurable," a mechanical female voice echoed throughout the cockpit.
Rocket Raccoon jumped up from the pilot's seat, grabbing the high-power energy rifle placed beside him. "Which blind bounty hunter is it this time? I'm in a bad mood today, whoever comes, dies."
Groot, sitting in the co-pilot's seat, slowly stood up, his branch-like arms making creaking sounds. "I am Groot."
"I know you're Groot, stop the nonsense." Rocket pulled up the external surveillance footage. The screen showed a humanoid approaching the spaceship at an incredibly fast speed, completely ignoring the vacuum of space.
Rocket narrowed his eyes and zoomed in on the image. When he saw the face clearly, he froze.
"Damn it." Rocket put down his gun, pressed a few buttons on the control panel, "It's Chu Hang."
Groot tilted his head. "I am Groot?"
"That's the Earthling who disappeared after the Battle of New York." Rocket quickly entered commands, shut down the weapon system, and opened the communication channel. "Listen, I don't know where you've been for the past five years, but it's best not to mess with me right now. I just took down three Kree who wanted my head, I'm all beat up, and I'm not in the mood for a reunion."
Chu Hang's voice came through the communicator, calm and devoid of any emotional fluctuation. "I'm not here for a reunion. Earth needs you, Rocket. Open up."
Rocket looked at Chu Hang on the surveillance screen. The guy was hovering five meters outside the spaceship, without any protective suit, not even an oxygen mask. This was unscientific; even a cyborg couldn't survive in a vacuum for so long.
"What exactly are you?" Rocket muttered, but still pressed the hatch switch.
The outer door of the airlock opened, and Chu Hang flew in. After the inner door closed, the compartment began to pressurize. A few seconds later, the inner door opened, and Chu Hang walked into the cockpit.
Rocket scrutinized him, finding that the guy looked no different from five years ago, perhaps even younger. "Do you know what's going on right now? Thanos snapped his fingers, and half the life in the Universe is gone. My teammates, Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Mantis, all turned to dust."
"I know," Chu Hang said. "That's why I came to find you. The Avengers have a plan to reverse the Snap, but they need your help."
Rocket froze for a moment, then laughed, a sarcastic laugh. "Reverse the Snap? Are you kidding me? That's the power of the Infinity Stones, the most powerful items in the Universe. How do you plan to reverse it? With prayer?"
Chu Hang didn't answer Rocket's sarcasm. His gaze went past Rocket and landed on Groot in the corner of the cockpit. The treeman stood quietly, about 1.5 meters tall, looking quite young.
"I am Groot." Groot looked at Chu Hang, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Chu Hang stared at Groot, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
In the original story, on Xandar, Groot sacrificed himself to protect his teammates, enveloping everyone with his body, leaving only a single branch.
This Groot could regenerate into a complete life form from a single branch.
A life form capable of dying and being reborn.
Chu Hang's right hand began to heat up, and the black Texture on his palm writhed more violently as if sensing something. The Void Power wanted to devour all life, and the life aura emanating from Groot was like the most delicious food to it.
Chu Hang suppressed the Void Power and walked towards Groot.
Rocket immediately stood in front of Groot, raising his energy rifle and aiming it at Chu Hang. "Don't move, what do you want?"
"Relax." Chu Hang stopped. "I just want to confirm something. Groot, would you mind if I touched you?"
Groot looked at Chu Hang, then at Rocket. Rocketfrowned, not lowering his gun, but not firing either.
"I am Groot," Groot said, extending a branch-like arm.
Chu Hang reached out and grasped the arm. At the moment of contact, a rich life energy surged from Groot's body, flowing through Chu Hang's arm and spreading throughout his body.
This energy was extremely pure, without any impurities, like the most primordial flame of life at the beginning of the Universe.
A system prompt sounded in his mind.
"S-Rank ability detected: Tree of Life. Do you wish to copy it?"
Chu Hang didn't hesitate and chose to copy it directly.
The next second, intense pain erupted from the palm of his right hand. The Void Power, sensing the invasion of life energy, immediately awakened from its slumber, frantically tearing at the green life force. On Chu Hang's arm, black Texture spread upwards at a visible rate, climbing all the way to his shoulder, then his chest.
Seeing the change in Chu Hang, Rocket immediately pulled the trigger.
An energy bullet flew out of the gun, but just as it was about to hit Chu Hang, space suddenly twisted, and the energy bullet vanished into thin air.
"Groot, run!" Rocket shouted.
But Groot didn't move. He still held Chu Hang's hand, and the life energy from his body continuously poured into Chu Hang. "I am Groot."
Chu Hang gritted his teeth, and the seven Laws within him operated simultaneously. The Space Law wove a cage, trapping the Void Power in his right arm; the Law of Strength transformed into chains, tightly binding the black Texture; the Law of Time slowed down the erosion speed of the Void Power; the Law of Reality attempted to erase its existence; the Law of Spirit built a defense line, protecting his consciousness from being devoured; the Law of Death confronted the Void Power, because Death itself is the end of life.
But these were not enough.
The Void Power was too strong; it could devour all existence, including the Laws themselves. Chu Hang could feel the cages, chains, and defense lines being disintegrated bit by bit.
Just then, the life energy surging from Groot's body suddenly erupted. The green light was like a burning sword, directly piercing into the core of the Void Power. Life and Void, two completely opposing forces, collided most violently within Chu Hang's body.
Chu Hang's body began to tremble, countless cracks appeared on his skin, and blood seeped from the cracks. Seeing this, Rocket pulled the trigger again, this time switching to explosive rounds.
But Groot suddenly moved. He blocked Chu Hang with his other hand, and his branch-like arm instantly swelled and thickened, forming a shield. The explosive rounds hit the shield, blasting a large hole, but failed to penetrate.
"Damn it, Groot, are you crazy?!" Rocket roared.
Groot didn't answer. He just quietly watched Chu Hang, continuing to transmit life energy.
Chu Hang could feel that the life energy was searching for some kind of resonance within him. He possessed a Healing Factor and the Celestial life form; these were all manifestations of life force. But they were scattered, fragments, not a complete Law.
And now, Groot's Tree of Life ability was like a catalyst, merging these fragments together.
Chu Hang closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his body. He saw those life fragments: Logan's Healing Factor, shimmering with green light; Ego's Celestial form, containing star-like energy. And now, the Tree of Life obtained from Groot, pure and primordial.
Chu Hang used the Law of Spirit to guide these fragments, bringing them closer to each other. Resonance began to occur between the fragments, and their frequencies gradually unified. Then, they began to merge.
The green light grew brighter and brighter, finally transforming into a giant Tree of Life, rooted deep in Chu Hang's consciousness. Its roots delved into the void, absorbing life energy from the Universe; its trunk was thick and solid, carrying the power of all life fragments; its crown was lush with branches and leaves, each leaf representing a form of life.
This was the Law of Life.
Chu Hang opened his eyes, and the black Texture on his body began to recede. In the face of the Law of Life, the Void Power was like darkness encountering light, gradually being dispelled. The Texture that had spread to his chest retreated to his arm, then to his palm, and finally disappeared completely.
His right palm returned to its normal skin tone, leaving no trace.
Chu Hang released Groot's hand and took a deep breath. The eight Laws within his body reached a new balance: Space, Strength, Body, Spirit, Time, Reality, Death, and Life. With the Law of Life as the core, these eight Laws formed a complete circulatory system.
Rocket put down his gun, staring wide-eyed at Chu Hang. "What... what just happened to you?"
Chu Hang flexed his right hand, feeling the abundant power within him. "I comprehended the Law of Life. Thank you, Groot."
"I am Groot." Groot smiled.
Rocket stared at Chu Hang for several seconds, then turned and walked back to the pilot's seat, tossing his energy rifle aside. "Law of Life, sounds impressive. So what are you now, a Cosmic Overlord level big shot?"
"Something like that." Chu Hang didn't deny it. "Now, can you tell me if you're willing to come back to Earth with me?"
Rocket leaned back in his chair, looking up at the cockpit ceiling. "You said the Avengers have a way to reverse the Snap. What exactly is it?"
"Time travel." Chu Hang walked to the center of the cockpit. "We plan to go back to the past, before Thanoscollects all the Infinity Stones, and take them all away.
Then, we'll use the power of the Stones to perform another Snap and bring back everyone who disappeared."
Rocket turned his head, a flicker of emotion appearing in his eyes for the first time. "Time travel? Are you crazy? That's theoretically possible, but the practical difficulty..." He paused, "Wait, you already have a concrete plan?"
"Yes. Tony Stark and Bruce Banner have developed a time-space gps that can precisely locate any past time node. We've also mass-produced Pym Particles, enough to support thirty round trips," Chu Hang said. "Now we just need people. You're the team member most familiar with the cosmic environment, and the 2014 Morag mission needs you."
Rocket fell silent, his claws tapping rhythmically on the armrest. The cockpit was so quiet that only the low hum of the spaceship engine could be heard.
Groot walked over to Rocket and gently touched his shoulder. "I am Groot."
"I know." Rocket sighed. "I know we should go. Star-Lordand the others are gone, Drax, Mantis, Gamora... If there's really a chance to bring them back, of course I'll go."
Chu Hang nodded. "Then pack up, we're leaving now."
"Wait." Rocket jumped off his chair, walked to a storage locker, opened the door, and pulled out a metal box.
He opened the box, revealing various modified weapons and equipment neatly arranged inside. "Give me ten minutes, I need to bring all this stuff. I found out last time I went to Earth that your weapon technology is pitifully backward."
Chu Hang didn't object. He turned and walked towards Groot. The treeman was standing by the viewport, looking out at the dark starry sky.
"I am Groot?" Groot felt Chu Hang approach and turned his head.
"Can you sense the changes within me?" Chu Hang asked.
Groot nodded. "I am Groot."
Chu Hang understood Groot's meaning; this was a new ability brought by the Law of Life. He could now perceive the state of all living beings, including their emotions, health, and even their life essence.
Groot was telling him that the eight Laws within his body were now in a perfect state of balance, and the Law of Lifewas like a central axis, connecting all the powers together.
Chu Hang raised his right hand, the skin on his palm as smooth as ever, without any trace of black Texture.
But he could feel that Void Power hadn't disappeared; it was merely suppressed by the Law of Life, sinking into the deepest part of his consciousness. Life and Void were opposing poles; as long as the Law of Life was strong enough, Void Power would never be able to rise again.
"It hasn't disappeared, it's just suppressed." Chu Hangclenched his fist, feeling the operation of the eight Laws within him. "The Law of Life restrains Void Power. As long as I live, it will never rise again."
Groot walked up to Chu Hang, extended a branch, and gently tapped his chest. "I am Groot."
Chu Hang understood Groot's meaning. The treeman was telling him that the Law of Life had not only suppressed Void Power but also repaired the hidden injuries he had sustained from forcibly merging multiple Laws earlier.
The subtle cracks caused by those Law conflicts were now completely filled with life energy, and his body had never been so complete.
"Alright, I'm packed." Rocket slung the backpack, almost as big as himself, onto his back, walked to the pilot's seat, and entered the autopilot command. "The ship will find a place to dock itself. Anyway, the Universe is so chaotic right now, it's no big deal if it gets lost."
Chu Hang looked at Rocket and noticed that although the raccoon spoke casually, there was fatigue hidden in his eyes. For the past five years, he had been wandering alone in the Universe, taking various bounty missions, but in Reality, he was just escaping Reality.
"Let's go." After Chu Hang finished speaking, he swiped his right hand in the air, and a Spatial Rift appeared in the center of the cockpit. Across the rift, the teleportation platform of the Avengers Base could be seen.
Rocket looked at the rift and whistled. "This move is even more convenient than the Bifrost Bridge. How strong are you now?"
"Strong enough." Chu Hang stepped into the rift.
Groot followed closely. Rocket took one last look at the spaceship that had accompanied him for five years, turned off the cockpit lights, and then jumped into the rift.
The three appeared simultaneously on the teleportation platform of the Avengers Base. Tony was debugging equipment next to the platform and immediately looked up when he saw them appear.
"You're really fast," Tony said, looking at his watch. "You crossed immeasurable distances across the Universe so quickly. Teach me how after this."
"That's not your path." Chu Hang stepped off the platform.
Rocket jumped to the ground, surveying his surroundings. "So this is the Avengers Base? It looks much smaller than I imagined."
"The armory is on the third underground level. You can go there to pick out weapons." Tony pointed to the elevator in the distance, then looked at Chu Hang. "Your aura is different."
Chu Hang didn't answer, he just extended his right hand for Tony to see. His palm was clean as if it had never been injured.
Tony narrowed his eyes, pulled out a handheld scanner, and scanned Chu Hang's palm. A few seconds later, a string of data appeared on the scanner. Tony looked at the data, his expression becoming solemn.
"Your internal energy readings are 47% higher than three hours ago, and there's a new energy waveform." Tony put away the scanner. "You've gotten stronger again?"
"I comprehended the Law of Life." Chu Hang said it very calmly, as if he were commenting on the weather.
Tony was silent for a few seconds, then turned and walked towards the lab. "Great, another over-spec power. Sometimes I really wonder if I chose the wrong profession, I should have studied magic instead of technology."
Chu Hang watched Tony's back, knowing that despite his complaints, he was actually re-evaluating the feasibility of the Time Heist plan. With the variable of the Law of Life, many original risks could be reduced.
Groot stood at the edge of the platform, curiously watching the staff coming and going in the Base. Rocket had already walked towards the elevator with his backpack, muttering something about Earth technology.
Chu Hang's communicator rang; it was Steve's voice. "Chu Hang, conference room, in ten minutes. There's something I need to confirm with you."
"What is it?"
"About Nebula." Steve's tone was grave. "She volunteered to participate in the Morag mission, saying she's familiar with Thanos's fleet layout. But I feel like something's not right."
Chu Hang frowned. Nebula, Thanos's adopted daughter, an assassin transformed into a cyborg. In the original timeline, she did participate in the Time Heist, but it was also because of her that the past Thanos was able to invade the current timeline.
"Don't take her." Chu Hang said directly, "Her mechanical systems carry the risk of establishing a connection with her past self. Once she returns to 2014, Thanos could see the future through that connection and know our plan."
There was a few seconds of silence on the communicator. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." Chu Hang said, "I'll explain it to her myself. See you in ten minutes."
After hanging up the communication, Chu Hang looked at the sky outside the teleportation platform. Night had fully fallen, and the starlight was sparse. In twenty-four hours, they would embark on this adventure that would change the fate of the Universe.
And he now possessed the power of eight Laws, already standing at the peak of Mid-Tier Heavenly Father Level. He was just one step away from Cosmic Overlord level.