Chapter 119: Prelude to War
"Mr. Demon, that certainly doesn't include me. I once issued a statement saying I wouldn't join any official organization!"
Tony said slowly. Suddenly, he raised his hands, and the sound of machinery whirred. In an instant, all the weapons on the Iron Armor Mark7 were activated by Tony!
Palm cannons, cutting lasers, chest arc pulse cannons, miniature armor-piercing rounds, right shoulder heavy missiles... all activated weapons were aimed at Arthur. Tony said firmly:
"If you put down the Tesseract in your hand..."
Tony knew the importance of the Tesseract, and he also understood the danger of the demon. If these two combined, he couldn't imagine what would happen... "Wow!" Arthur exclaimed, smiling indifferently: "Are you threatening me, Mr. Stark, my friend?"
"Apparently, yes!"
Tony, inside the Iron Armor, said cautiously. He gave Jarvisinstructions to constantly monitor the demon's movements, including energy changes. Tony had recorded several of the demon's combat scenes and specifically developed a combat mode to deal with the demon.
At this moment, the demon hadn't made any moves, yet Tony's nerves were already highly tense. The reason was simple: the demon's track record was too glorious... for example, easily severely injuring the Asgardian Thor. Although Tony often mocked Thor's resemblance to the point break protagonist, he had to admit the other party's power.
Of course, the demon also had an astonishing feat... during the Demon Project live broadcast, he destroyed a Sky Carrier in front of hundreds of millions of viewers!
In the demon's hands, even a sturdy and massive aerial fortress was as fragile as a sandcastle.
Just as Arthur was about to say something, he suddenly felt an attack shooting at him from the side at extreme speed... Thor had once again thrown his Mjolnir, which came hurtling with a whistling wind!
Arthur didn't turn around. He suddenly raised his right hand and clenched it in the air, fully activating the power of the Rooster Talisman!
The flying Mjolnir began to slow down, but the decrease in speed was very slight. At this point, Mjolnir was only a dozen meters away from Arthur.
Arthur didn't even look at the incoming Mjolnir. He once again fully activated the Dragon Talisman, supplying infinite energy to the Rooster Talisman!
The "drip-drip-drip" of the alarm kept ringing. Dr. Selvigsubconsciously said, "That's the environmental energy detector in the lab..."
Before he finished speaking, the instrument suffered a small explosion, constantly emitting sparks and white smoke from burnt-out circuits.
Between Mjolnir and Arthur's outstretched hand, it was pitch black. Space itself was torn and collapsed under the collision of the two energies, and a sonic boom-like roar echoed through the laboratory.
Mjolnir, flying through the air, had almost stopped. It was moving at a slow pace... The Dragon Talisman possessed infinite energy, and the psychokinetic power Arthur had after activating the Rooster Talisman also greatly increased, and it was a continuous output!
"Boom!"
The two energies exploded, and a wave of Impact spread out. Arthur's clothes fluttered, and everyone else was knocked head over heels.
Mjolnir completely stopped, as if Arthur had gripped it in the air.
"What..." Thor's shocked expression was indescribable.
On the other side, Tony no longer hesitated. The sounds of several weapons firing mixed together, aimed precisely at Arthur, who was confronting Mjolnir.
Arthur calmly extended his other hand. The energy of the Dragon Talisman surged out, forming a yellow spherical energy shield that enveloped Arthur and Dr. Selvig.
The first attack to arrive was the palm cannon. It shot at Arthur's Dragon Talisman energy shield and directly disappeared without making any ripples.
The cutting laser arrived instantly. The continuous high-energy laser attack stirred up ripples on the energy shield. The cutting laser weapon had strong destructive power against the energy shield, but the Dragon Talismancontinuously supplied energy to repair the shield, while the high-energy cutting laser could only last for a few seconds.
Next, the chest arc pulse cannon arrived. The power of this attack was even greater. The energy shield Arthur had erected shook violently, but the arc pulse cannon's penetration power was not strong and failed to break through the shield Arthur had put up.
Tony did not fire heavy weapons like the right shoulder heavy missile, otherwise the entire laboratory would have collapsed.
"Is your turn over?" Arthur suddenly asked.
Arthur used the psychokinetic power of the Rooster Talisman to firmly grasp Mjolnir. He swung Mjolnir, smashing it towards Tony, who was clad in his armor!
Mjolnir, controlled by psychokinesis, seemed even more powerful than when in Thor's hands. Arthur's speed was boosted by the Rabbit Talisman, and before Tony could react, Mjolnir had already swung over!
"Clang!"
A loud metallic clang echoed in the empty laboratory, causing both Falcon and Dr. Selvig to instinctively cover their ears.
Tony flew out, crashing into the wall and creating a large hole. Several components of his Iron Armor fell off due to the violent Impact... "Your hammer is quite useful," Arthursaid, looking back at Thor.
"No..."
Thor's body trembled slightly, as if he couldn't believe this scene was actually happening... From then on, Thor never dared to throw his Mjolnir in front of the demon again!
Under Arthur's control, Mjolnir arced in the air and continuously accelerated, shooting straight towards Thor!
The Rabbit Talisman was activated by Arthur, who applied the extreme speed of five times the speed of sound to Mjolnir, controlled by the Rooster Talisman. Mjolnirinstantly flew dozens of meters and struck Thor's chest!
The Impact sound only reached them after Thor had flown a considerable distance, continuously collapsing walls at high speed, connecting several underground laboratories... After easily dealing with the two strongest combatants, Arthur turned to scan the remaining few people, finally landing on Captain America: "Captain Rogers, do you want to try too?"
Before he could answer, Dr. Selvig stood in front of an alarming machine and said, "This place is about to explode. Hundreds of feet of Earth above will collapse, and everyone will be buried alive!"
Dr. Selvig pointed upwards, and everyone's attention was drawn. They then discovered that directly above the space portal opened by the Tesseract, a blue energy mass was gathering, like a rotating vortex.
Arthur raised an eyebrow slightly. He could feel the powerful energy contained within the vortex, as well as its instability.
"The energy cannot be monitored and is extremely unstable, with a very high risk factor!" Dr. Selvig said somewhat excitedly, "The passage opened by the Tesseract is collapsing. If we don't leave in two minutes, we'll die here!"
Arthur waved his hand, and Dr. Selvig came behind him. He turned to look at Loki, who had been hiding in the corner, waiting for an opportunity, since the battle began.
"Want to come along? You somewhat polite, but not overly so, alien tourist?"
"I plan to live on Earth permanently!" Loki gestured for Hawkeye, whom he controlled, to follow, and the two also came to Arthur's side.
"Thank you for your help, Earth Overlord," Loki said with a smile, his gaze inadvertently falling on the Tesseract in Arthur's hand, "So how do we leave?"
Arthur smiled dismissively without responding. He looked at Captain America and his group and said, "I look forward to our next meeting!"
Arthur activated the Snake Talisman's ability for group deep stealth spatial displacement, and the four were instantly teleported to safe ground.
During this process, the Tesseract felt the spatial power being ignited... Captain America glanced at the spot where the four had instantly disappeared. He turned and walked towards the pit Tony had crashed into. As soon as he reached it, Tony climbed out of the hole. Captain Americaand Falcon helped him up.
"We need to go quickly!"
"One minute and forty seconds left. I have a countdown here," Tony said. "Thanks, but I can get up myself."
Tony's armor's propulsion system restarted. He flew at low altitude, while Captain America and Falcon sprinted on the ground.
"Are we not bothering with Thor?" Falcon said.
"He has a hammer, he'll be fine!" Captain America said.
"You're still thinking about that Asgardian?" Tony quipped, "You escape first! Countdown... fifty-eight seconds!"
With that, he entered the underground vehicle lane. Tonyincreased power again and flew to the front, while Captain America and Falcon also got into an SUV and sped off!
Until the countdown ended, a huge explosion occurred in the underground laboratory. Its astonishing power instantly spread throughout the entire Base, and the ground continuously collapsed!
Tony flew out of the Base's underground passage, then accelerated and ascended. From above, he witnessed the entire Base collapsing.
Tony hovered steadily. "Jarvis, global scan!"
The SUV carrying Captain America and Falcon also safely drove out of the Base. At this moment, Hill's call came through the public communication channel in their earpieces.
"Captain? Captain, are you safe?"
"Safe, Sam is with me," Captain America said, pressing his earpiece. "The Tesseract was stolen by the demon. He seemed to have used its power to take Loki, Barton, and Dr. Selvig, just like Red Skull disappeared before me years ago... And Thor, have you seen him?"
"We haven't seen the Asgardian yet," Tony replied from above. "But many people are buried in the Base. Life form detection shows 17 in the East Sector and 31 in the West Sector. I'll send you the data map. Luckily, the evacuation order was issued in time, otherwise there would be more people..."
"Sir, abnormal target detected," Jarvis suddenly reminded.
Tony watched as a scanned life form continuously ascended, meaning it was moving through the Earth... "I think I see Thor..."
Suddenly, lightning flashed and thunder roared in the sky. A figure burst out of the ruins, flying at high speed—it was Thor.
Thor stopped dozens of meters from Tony. Tony could even see the electric arcs flickering on him.
"Where's the demon?" Thor asked menacingly, holding his hammer.
"He ran off... 'ran' isn't quite accurate. He achieved his goal and left leisurely, like you're coming home loaded after shopping," Tony said discontentedly. "Why didn't you use your big move earlier?"
An SUV sped along a highway near the Base. Hill, in the passenger seat, continued to issue commands: "All staff, guards, and Agents below Level 4 are to begin rescue operations. Mr. Stark will send you the rescue map."
"The rest of those not involved in the rescue are to return to the Base, enter Level 7 alert, and search for the demon with all your might!" Hill paused slightly, and the demon mask reappeared in her mind. "Also Loki, Agent Barton, Dr. Selvig, use all methods to find them! The war has begun..."
After giving all these instructions, Hill leaned back in her seat. The cold wind blew against her face, and a smear of blood had congealed on her cheek.
"Lucky break!" Natasha exhaled, "If we'd been a second slower, we'd have been buried."
Hill didn't respond. After a long silence, she finally said, "I thought I would die here tonight. I didn't expect him not to kill me..."
"Not surprising at all!" Natasha said. "It's reasonable for us to survive tonight, or to die together in the Base. The demon acts without any pattern, like a capricious madman! Unless you are his target, then you're dead for sure..."
Natasha looked at Hill beside her. "I've often thought about this question, and the conclusion I've reached is that the demon is too powerful. No one can pose a danger to him, not even cause him trouble, so he doesn't care if he leaves behind future problems."
"I'll make him regret it," Hill said calmly, "make him regret letting me go tonight..."
Chapter 120 Monkey Talisman
The starry sky hung low over the plains at night, and a desolate, cold wind blew through.
Suddenly, a blue light illuminated the plain, as Arthurteleported here, bringing Dr. Selvig, Loki, and Hawkeye.
The Tesseract in Arthur's hand flickered; it had been illuminated since he initiated the spatial displacement, and only returned to its calm state after the relocation was complete.
"It is hard to imagine that someone on Earth is actually capable of using the Tesseract!" Loki's eyes were shining. "And you are so proficient; the spatial displacement is accurately positioned and extremely stable... It is as if you are the Master of the Tesseract!"
Arthur did not answer, but instead looked at the Tesseract. He was already familiar with the spatial displacement ability of the Snake Talisman, but during that recent relocation, he seemed to have experienced something unprecedented.
Take, for instance, the accurate positioning and stability that Loki mentioned; before acquiring the Tesseract, when he used the Snake Talisman's displacement ability after entering deep invisibility, the positioning had zero error during short-distance displacement. However, when performing long-distance displacement, the teleported location often varied slightly from his intended destination, with the largest single error approaching one thousand meters.
There was also the matter of immediacy; the Snake Talisman's spatial displacement was instantaneous, yet there was a delay during long-distance displacement. This feeling of delay was especially clear when relocating multiple targets simultaneously. During long-distance movement, Arthur could perceive himself traveling through space for close to a second.
Yet this time, when he held the Tesseract to perform the spatial displacement, even though he did not utilize the Tesseract's power, the effectiveness of the displacement experience saw a noticeable improvement.
Zero positioning error, extremely stable without any fluctuations, zero delay... This was merely the initial amplification. If Arthur truly mastered the Tesseract's power, the Snake Talisman's spatial displacement would likely be able to send him accurately to any corner of the Universe, smoothly and without delay... Arthur looked at the Tesseract in his hand; it seemed that even if all his Twelve Talismans were maxed out, he would still be able to enhance his abilities.
He did not need to worry about the conflict of multiple energies; the Tiger Talisman could help him balance any energy within his body, be it the power of the Twelve Talismans or the power of the six Infinity Stones... Arthurlet his gaze fall upon the Mind Stone in Loki's hand... However, at this stage, one Tesseract was already sufficient for his research.
"Alien tourist?" Arthur looked at Loki. "It is time you stated your intentions, isn't it?"
"First, I am not a tourist; I plan to reside permanently on Earth from now on," Loki said with a smile. "I came to Earthbearing a sacred mission; I will bring freedom to humanity..."
"Isn't it destruction?" Arthur suddenly interrupted. He naturally knew about the conspiracy between Loki and the Chitauri. "Freedom granted by others is meaningless. If it is destruction, I might actually be interested."
The usually clever Loki was slightly confused. Arthur said lightly, "Agent Hawkeye, introduce me to your alien Boss."
Loki nodded, signaling Hawkeye.
"The Demon, currently the most renowned and powerful villain on all of Earth, representing evil and slaughter," Hawkeye said. "Sir, I was formerly affiliated with the Anti-Demon Alliance, the organization Captain Americaassembled Superheroes to fight the Demon."
Arthur smiled, as if he were savoring the honor.
Loki's smile was brilliant. Since Hawkeye was controlled by his Mind Stone, it was naturally impossible for him to lie or deceive him.
"Alright, Mr. Demon! I state my purpose: like you, I came here for destruction... I think we can cooperate and achieve this goal together!"
Loki almost wanted to give Arthur a hug. He had just arrived on Earth and already gained such powerful assistance; the Goddess of Fortune was clearly favoring him.
The Demon in front of him seemed capable of controlling the Tesseract. If this was true, then things would become very simple!
"What are you going to use for destruction? You can't even beat those righteous Superheroes," Arthur mocked. "If it weren't for me, you would already be buried deep underground tonight."
"I am never alone; I have a powerful alien army," Loki said, looking at the Tesseract in Arthur's hand. "I only need you to use the Tesseract to help me open a portal, and I can lead that alien army to attack Earth and eliminate humanity! You can do it, right? You just used the Tesseract's power."
Arthur shook his head, and Loki's smile faded. He did not know if the Demon meant he could not do it or if he was unwilling to help... Regardless, he had been rejected by the Demon.
"You came to Earth via the Tesseract, so you can also open a spatial portal to allow that alien army you speak of to reach Earth," Arthur said lightly.
Arthur would not prevent the Chitauri invasion of New York from happening. This matter was irrelevant to him and would not bring him any harm... He might even secretly help Loki successfully complete his plan.
As a Demon, he could gain a greater sense of achievement and pleasure from this disaster, and he could also transmit negative emotions to the alien Chitauri... Arthur had been hypnotizing Scarlet Witch for some time, and the Battle of New York was a perfect opportunity for him to test the results. He hoped Scarlet Witch would bring him a surprise, rather than making him feel that everything he had done was a waste of effort... Currently, Arthur was still missing two Talismans to unseal. The Ox Talismanwould most likely be unsealed by Hulk, and Arthur had no leisure to search the entire World for Dr. Banner, so he would just wait for him to deliver himself during the Battle of New York.
The current Arthur had no intention of removing the demon mask in front of the World. Gwen's reaction after the reveal would be troublesome enough. The powerful Arthur did not fear these things; he simply wanted to avoid trouble, and maintaining the status quo would be a good solution.
"Of course I can open a spatial portal," Loki said with a smile. "But I need the Tesseract. For our common goal, you will help me, won't you?"
"Certainly," Arthur nodded. "When you have prepared everything, I will arrive with the Tesseract."
"I apologize, but that is not my style!"
Loki smiled. Without Arthur noticing, he had already raised the Mind Stone and pressed it against Arthur's chest, and a yellow beam of energy shot into Arthur's body.
"I know you are powerful, but what about now?" Lokilowered the Mind Stone. "Servant, obey my command, give me the Tesseract."
The power of the Mind Stone was in Arthur's body for less than a second before it was removed by the purification power of the Horse Talisman. Now, Arthurlooked at Loki as if he were watching a Joker performing.
"The Tesseract is a no-go. I will give you something else."
Arthur's answer stunned Loki. Was there someone who could resist the power of the Mind Stone?
The next moment, Arthur activated the Dragon Talisman, and the erupting blast of fire sent Loki flying dozens of meters away. The Mind Stone also flew out of his grasp.
Seeing this, Hawkeye immediately drew his bow and arrow from his back, but Arthur easily dealt with him using the psychokinesis of the Rooster Talisman.
Arthur waved slightly, and the Mind Stone flew into his hand. He looked at the Tesseract floating in the air and instantly had an idea.
Arthur picked up Loki to conduct an experiment. He attempted to use the Tesseract to amplify the spatial displacement ability of the Snake Talisman, teleporting Loki from dozens of meters away to stand before him.
The Snake Talisman alone did not possess this ability; it could only displace targets near the user, and could not independently cause a target to undergo spatial displacement, much less a target that was not near Arthur.
A blue light enveloped Loki nearby. The next moment, the blue light dissipated in front of Arthur, and Loki appeared before him.
Arthur nodded in satisfaction; the experiment was successful. If he truly mastered the power of the Space Stone, he could probably teleport anyone in the Universeright in front of him... "Perhaps we can talk again..." Loki's face was crumpled in pain.
Loki was extremely disheveled at this moment. The direct blast of fire had left a bloody, mangled wound on his chest, and his green and black robe was largely damaged. None of his previous elegance remained.
Loki tried to climb up, but Arthur mercilessly kicked him back down onto the ground.
"Loki, God of Lies, do you think your words have any credibility?" Arthur held the Mind Stone upside down with one hand, the spear tip pointing directly at Loki's heart.
Arthur released his hand, and the Mind Stone floated in the air.
"We do not need trust; having a common goal is enough!" Loki said, looking at the chillingly sharp spear tip. "Masterof Earth, give me one more chance, I truly can summon a powerful alien army..."
Arthur smiled without speaking. He gently raised his hand, and the Mind Stone shot straight up into the sky, emitting a soft, whistling sound.
"On the gallows, your lies and tricks are useless."
As Arthur spoke, he pressed down with one hand, as if issuing a decree, and the Mind Stone, which had risen high into the sky, accelerated its descent!
The piercing shriek of the Mind Stone tearing through the air entered Loki's ears. For the first time, Loki felt death was so close to him!
"You cannot kill me, I am the son of God-King Odin, the future King of Asgard!" Loki stammered incoherently. "Do you want to start a war with Asgard?"
But the falling Mind Stone showed no signs of slowing down until it was about to pierce his chest... Suddenly, the Mind Stone stopped, its tip already having pricked his chest!
Loki had already sensed the fate of death, but at the last moment, the rapidly falling Mind Stone actually stopped!
Arthur grabbed the Mind Stone and pulled it out. Neither Loki's pleas nor his threats were enough to make him change his mind... [Monitored 'Anti-Hero · God of Mischief Loki Laufey's son', the 'Monkey Talisman' has been unsealed. Available for upgrade using villain points.]
[Try to make Loki Laufey's son generate negative emotions. More surprises await your exploration!]
Loki helped Arthur unseal the eleventh Talisman... [Monkey Talisman Lv1: grants the holder the ability to transform into any ordinary animal.]
[Monkey Talisman Lv1: requires 300,000 villain points to upgrade to Lv2. After upgrading, you can apply the power of transformation to other living targets. The strength of the target will affect the effect and duration of the transformation power.]
The power of the Monkey Talisman can be enhanced through system upgrades. After upgrading, the transformation power provided by the Monkey Talismanwill be stronger and can be applied to multiple targets. As the Monkey Talisman's level increases, it will also bring the following functions:
Monkey Talisman Lv3: The range of the transformation power is increased. You can change your clothing and appearance based on your impression or imagination.
Monkey Talisman Lv7: You can transform yourself or other living targets into more powerful cosmic creatures.
Monkey Talisman Lv9: You can transform yourself or the target into simple non-living objects.
Monkey Talisman Lv11: Your transformation power carries a seal. If you cast the transformation power on other targets, they will be sealed in that form.
Monkey Talisman Lv12: You will possess unlimited transformation power. You can transform yourself or the target into any living being or non-living object, ignoring volume, mass, energy, and rules.
Arthur spent 3.45 million villain points to upgrade the Monkey Talisman to Level 11. While gaining the various benefits and abilities brought by the Monkey Talisman, his Talisman panel status was also updated.
villain points quantity: 21.244 million;
Rabbit Talisman Lv11, Dragon Talisman Lv11, Rat Talisman Lv11, Snake Talisman Lv11, Tiger Talisman Lv11, Rooster Talisman Lv11, Dog Talisman Lv11, Pig TalismanLv11, Horse Talisman Lv11, Sheep Talisman Lv11, Monkey Talisman Lv11. Cannot be upgraded status.
At this point, only the last piece of the puzzle remained for Arthur's Twelve Talismans—the Ox Talisman!
Barring any surprises, the Ox Talisman would be unsealed during this Battle of New York, accompanying the appearance of Hulk. That moment would also be the time when all twelve Talismans would be unsealed and upgraded to Lv12!
"Your fate has been changed," Arthur reached out and pulled Loki up. "I will give you another chance. I hope you do not disappoint me."
The Demon's mercy: After a certain Superhero or anti-hero helps Arthur unseal a Talisman, Arthur will not kill him on the spot.
"Thank you! Mr. Demon," Loki said excitedly. "I am willing to join your ranks and complete our common goal... Please, you must trust me!"
No one knew whether this was Loki's excitement at regaining life after hovering near the edge of death, or a brilliant performance.
"I gave you a chance, so of course I will trust you," Arthursaid with a smile, placing one hand on Loki's forehead.
Loki's expression instantly froze. He felt a powerful force rushing into his body, as if trying to plunder everything... Arthur was activating the Tiger Talisman's ability to divide power.
"As punishment for your assassination attempt, which power should I take?" Arthur said casually. "Is it the power of your Frost Giant bloodline, or your sorcery and transformation ability? Or should I completely erase all your power and turn you into a mortal?"
"No..." Loki struggled weakly. He could not imagine what he would look like as a fragile mortal.
After a moment, Arthur still halted the Tiger Talisman's power, because Loki's individual powers were not strong. After all, he was the God of Mischief; his strategy far surpassed his combat ability.
Arthur handed over the Mind Stone, and Loki respectfully took it with both hands.
"Prepare everything, and I will come with the Tesseract. I hope your alien army is not so fragile and can make this game a little more fun." Arthur said, turning around and walking away with the Tesseract. Without looking back, he added: "Actually, I quite enjoy seeing you play those tricks and games, like a Joker's antics, but next time it will not be as simple as a scare..."
A blue light flashed, and Arthur directly teleported himself to that secret manor.
Loki was expressionless. He watched the Demon disappear in the flashing blue light...
Chapter 121 Dawn
The streets of Queens, New York, were wet in the early morning after a light rain fell last night.
A figure in White and Black swung across the street, turning a corner and disappearing, causing passersby to exclaim, "It's Spider-Woman!"
Just as they were regretting not pulling out their phones in time to photograph Spider-Woman swinging her webs, Spider-Woman suddenly returned from that corner.
Gwen landed gracefully and walked to the entrance of a large store, calling out to a shifty-looking man.
"Hey, are you stealing a bicycle?" Gwen said, putting her hands on her hips. "You know, flying around up there, I was moving too fast to see clearly..."
"Does swinging webs count as flying?" the man asked, momentarily stunned.
"Of course!" Gwen's face under the mask darkened. "That's not the point. The point is, what are you doing? I see the bike is locked. If you're the owner, please unlock it and ride away. Otherwise, I find it hard to believe you'd be riding a pink women's bicycle to go shopping!"
The man didn't speak or make any move to attack or run. Everyone in Queens knew Spider-Woman now.
"Alright, I know the answer now." Gwen leaped up suddenly. "Look up!"
The man instinctively looked up, and a web line struck him, hoisting him into the air. The man swung continuously in front of the "Rainbow" store sign.
Passersby had been watching since Gwen first appeared, but only after seeing her deal with a criminal did they boldly gather around.
"Spider-Woman, I'm a fan! Can we take a picture?"
"Of course!" Gwen looked at the crowd and had an idea. "Everyone gather around... Miss, may I borrow your phone? OK, everyone look at the camera, 3, 2, 1... Cheese!"
Gwen rapidly took several shots and returned the phone to the young woman.
"Beautiful lady, please post this photo on Twitter so everyone can save it! Everyone remember to follow her..."
With that, Gwen shot a web upward and swung away from the crowd. After only a few steps, she landed back on the ground and returned to the intersection she had just left.
"Grandma, are you trying to cross the street?" Gwen asked an elderly woman. "I'll help you."
"No, I want to go to 13 Atlantic Avenue. Could you tell me how to get there?" the old woman said, adjusting her reading glasses.
"Uh..." Gwen was momentarily speechless. She was from Manhattan, and in Queens, she only knew the route between her home and Arthur's home. "Let me check my phone first!"
Soon, Gwen found the location on her map app.
"You don't need to cross the street. Go straight down this street, then turn left. Go straight across one street at the intersection, and you'll be there!"
"Alright, thank you very much. May I ask who you are?" the old woman asked.
"No need to thank me!" Gwen jogged a few steps and swung away on a web. "I'm your friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman!"
... Just as Arthur brought the fried eggs into the dining room, he saw Spider-Woman, mask off, attacking his ham and milk.
"If you plan on eating breakfast here, you could mention it on the phone the night before, instead of eating my portion." Arthur placed a ceramic plate containing two fried eggs on the dining table.
"I didn't eat it all; I only ate half!" Gwen pushed the remaining half-sandwich toward him. She cut her fried egg with a knife and fork. "I already ate breakfast at home... I just feel hungry again now. Maybe swinging over here consumed a lot of energy."
"Swinging webs isn't flying; it's more like a simple pendulum motion in physics," Arthur said casually.
Arthur cut his sandwich. He picked up the remaining half-glass of milk, and just as he raised it, he saw a lipstick mark on the rim, slightly slanted and very clear.
He looked at Gwen. Gwen was propping up her chin with one hand and looking back at him. Gwen smiled and winked: "A good morning kiss."
Arthur put down the glass, reached out to cradle the back of Gwen's neck, pulled her into his arms, and slowly lowered his head to kiss her lips.
"Did you have bread with butter this morning?" Arthurasked after they parted from the kiss.
"Who eats bread without butter?" Gwen embraced Arthur's head and continued kissing him.
After a while, Arthur whispered, "Want to get some morning exercise?"
"Maybe not..." Gwen said, blushing. She stated seriously, "Swinging webs is more strenuous than running."
"Alright then. Next time you want to exercise at night, you can go out and swing webs," Arthur said with a smile.
Gwen gave Arthur a resentful look... When the first ray of morning sunlight pierced the clouds and streamed through the window onto the floor, the two of them ended their game.
Arthur sat on the sofa, and Gwen lay on the sofa, resting her head on his leg. The television was broadcasting the news.
"It's been a wonderful day: sandwich and coffee for breakfast, catching a bike thief on the street, taking a picture with fans, and giving directions to a grandma." Gwen's face was full of happiness. "I hope New York can remain peaceful forever!"
Arthur smiled, thinking of the approaching Battle of New York. "It will remain peaceful... but a little excitement now and then isn't bad either."
"Arthur, do you have any plans for the holiday?" Gwenasked. "Traveling, internships..."
Midtown School of Science and Technology had already started its break before Christmas.
"My plan is just to spend every day with you," Arthur said casually. Currently, his plan was to unseal the twelve talismans as soon as possible, and it would be great if he could also control the power of the Tesseract!
News came on the television:
"Two nights ago, on Christmas Eve, Lizard Man attacked Osborn Tower and intended to use a device to turn all of New York's population into ugly Lizard Men like him. Fortunately, Spider-Woman and a You-Know-Who arrived in time..."
"Do you know? That night, you not only saved a dying police officer, but also a patient with late-stage cancer—he was also cured under the Canary device's reaction cloud!" Gwen, who had been enjoying the afterglow, suddenly remembered. "You're practically a savior..."
"She was too young then; she did not know that all gifts given by fate are already marked with a price in secret..." Arthur read the quote aloud. "My knowledgeable Miss Spider, you must know where this quote comes from, right?"
"Of course, it's a famous quote from Zweig's *Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman*." Gwenreplied, sensing something ominous.
Arthur's hand stroked her head, then slid down her delicate cheek.
"There is no such thing as a free lunch in this World. When someone gains, someone must lose," Arthur said in a calm tone. "Just like when a rich man gives money to a poor person, his wealth decreases... When I bestow life upon others, my life decreases as well."
Gwen froze, the smile instantly vanishing from her face.
Arthur continued without changing his expression: "They are all just strangers. I never care about their lives or deaths; the lives of even some friends are not worth exchanging for mine—that day, I originally only intended to save Mr. George, but who told me my girlfriend is a meddling Superhero..."
Arthur's lie: To make his highly righteous girlfriend feel guilty. Otherwise, every time she saw an injured or dying person, she would look at Arthur with tear-filled eyes, causing Arthur endless trouble. He didn't have the leisure to solve other people's suffering!
"Arthur..." Gwen sat up, tears welling in her eyes. She didn't even dare to think the worst; Gwen was terrified of losing Arthur.
Arthur nodded and pulled Gwen into his embrace. Arthurheld Gwen tightly, lest she see the smile on his face... "Are you alright?" Gwen asked, listening to Arthur's heartbeat.
"I'm fine," Arthur comforted Gwen, refining his persona. "I should say, nothing major... My life force has been greatly diminished, though. Each time I use that forbidden power, the amount of life force drawn is different. Sometimes it's a lot, sometimes very little. Maybe next time I save ten thousand people, I'll only be weak for a few days, or maybe the time after that, saving just one person will drain me completely and kill me..."
"It's alright, Gwen. As your boyfriend, I will support your Superhero career, even if it means dying..."
Before Arthur could finish, Gwen covered his mouth
Chapter 122 The Leader
Eastern Europe, Sokovia, HYDRA Research Base.
This was a hidden valley, and even if a reconnaissance plane flew over, it would not discover the HYDRA troops stationed within.
In the outer layer of the forest were hidden many HYDRAsecurity checkpoints and fortress works. Following the road upward, castle-like buildings were constructed around the mountaintop.
Inside that tallest building, Quicksilver looked up at the person standing on the high platform with his back to him... Baron Strucker, currently the supreme leader within HYDRA.
The interior layout was somewhat strange. The walls were covered with silver-gray humanoid battle armor, which looked like weapons of war manufactured to imitate Iron Man, but it was unknown if they could be put into use... As soon as Quicksilver saw these mechas, the name "Stark" involuntarily surfaced in his mind; that was the beginning of a tragic memory for him...
"Is there still no news of Wanda?" After a while, Quicksilver finally couldn't help but ask.
"Since the day she and the demon disappeared in New York, there has been no news. Yesterday, your sister and the demon appeared together in a small town outside New York." Baron Strucker waved his hand, and a video began playing on a nearby screen.
"This is the surveillance video from the scene. She and the demon were very close; they were shopping arm-in-arm. I've seen the bill; they bought household items, like a newly married couple..." Baron Strucker turned and smiled at Quicksilver. "They even teamed up to teach a lesson to criminals who robbed a department store. It seems your sister has changed sides."
"No, this can't be true!" Quicksilver looked at the surveillance video, his face full of disbelief. "Wanda must have been controlled by the demon!"
"Controlling other people's minds is her unique ability. Can anyone control her?" Baron Strucker laughed aloud. "Moreover, I only see happiness on her face. I have never seen that kind of smile on her before. I believe that even you, as her younger brother, haven't seen this kind of genuinely joyful smile for a long time, right?"
"You ran all over New York trying to find her, but your sister has fallen in love with the demon..."
"Shut up!" Quicksilver yelled at Baron Strucker. This was a heavy blow to him. "This can't be true! They've only known each other for a few days, and the demon kidnapped her..."
Baron Strucker merely smiled faintly. A moment later, Quicksilver turned to leave, but Baron Strucker stopped him.
"Our mole in S.H.I.E.L.D. sent intelligence that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret Base researching the Tesseract was destroyed last night. Now S.H.I.E.L.D. has lost the Tesseract, and the Tesseract has fallen into the demon's hands... I have a premonition that a war is about to happen."
"What does that have to do with me?" Quicksilver replied, turning around.
"Aren't you going to New York too? I'm just giving you a heads-up..."
"You want me to snatch the Tesseract from the demon's hands? That's impossible. Even in the domain of speed, where I excel, the demon surpassed me. I am completely defenseless against him." Quicksilver interrupted. Although he hated the demon, he would not deny the demon's power.
"No, the demon has never been HYDRA's enemy!" Baron Strucker said seriously. "If the foolish Pierce hadn't ordered the Sky Carrier to attack and kill the demon, the 'Insight Project' would already have succeeded, and HYDRA would have conquered the whole World by now!"
"But he turned around and destroyed your plan, and Piercealso died by his hand..."
"The demon is not a good partner, but he is a powerful one! Moreover, he now possesses the Tesseract." Baron Strucker raised his mechanical right claw. "HYDRA rarely cooperates with others, and we never suffer losses... I told you all this just to warn you not to provoke the demon. That would be a waste of effort, and HYDRA will not provide you with assistance in this matter."
Quicksilver stared at Baron Strucker. "Wanda is still in his hands... She is my sister. How many things have we done for you over the years? How many dangerous missions have we executed? Now Wanda is in crisis, and you are going to abandon her?"
"That was merely realizing your value. HYDRA is never short of brave Agents!" Baron Strucker looked down at Quicksilver, his eyes full of indifference. "And she is very safe now, deeply in love with the demon. If one Scarlet Witch can be exchanged for the demon's help, no one would refuse such a profitable deal."
"A deal? Is everyone in HYDRA just merchandise that you can discard?" Quicksilver asked angrily.
"Of course!" Baron Strucker held his head high. "If it helps realize my plan."
Quicksilver's chest heaved violently from deep breaths. He knew anything further he said would be a waste of effort, so he turned and left.
"I have already warned you... Pietro!" Baron Struckershouted after his retreating back...
Inside a secret Base belonging to S.H.I.E.L.D. in Eastern New York.
"So, are you ready to join the Anti-Demon Alliance now?" Sam said excitedly. "Mr. Stark, the technology you possess will become the main force in eliminating the demon!"
"Retired soldier, your learning ability is pretty good. You learned how to manipulate people after just a few months with Captain America." Tony mocked, continuing to operate the screen.
This was the office S.H.I.E.L.D. prepared specifically for Tony, filled with various instruments and supercomputers, with holographic screens covering the walls, enough to help Tony complete his daily work and research.
"So, what's the answer?" Sam pressed.
"Underground, I unleashed full firepower on the demon. I used every weapon except missiles. I remember you were there." Tony raised his hands and made the gesture of firing a repulsor blast at Sam. "Honestly, if I didn't have a choice, who would willingly join your utterly idiotic organization? Besides you few lunatics..."
"That's great, Mr. Stark! From now on, we are teammates fighting the demon together. Captain will definitely be happy to hear this news!" Sam said excitedly. "So, can you help me upgrade my flight pack? I always feel like the redesigned Steel Wings don't fit very well..."
Tony, speechless, turned around and tapped away on a virtual keyboard. "Jarvis, have the shoulder missiles been replaced with tranquilizer darts?"
"The replacement is complete, Sir!"
"Good. Remind me to shoot Legolas in the butt next time I see him!" Tony said resentfully.
Suddenly, the office door was pushed open, and Hill and Captain America stood outside.
"Ladies and gentlemen, could you please knock next time?" Tony complained. "Companies that don't respect employee privacy always run into problems."
"Apologies, Mr. Stark, I will be mindful next time." Hill said, crossing her arms. "Can you put down your work for a moment? We have a new friend arriving soon. Would you like to come meet them? We'll also have an all-hands meeting."
"No problem, Commander." Tony took off his glasses and placed them on the desk. "I happen to have a new friend arriving too."
"Sam!" Captain America called for Sam to follow.
The four walked down the corridor toward the elevator. For reasons of secrecy and security, this secret Base was built a hundred meters underground.
"Are you getting used to staying here, Mr. Stark?" Hillasked casually.
"Not bad. The network is great, and I can maintain my armor. The lounge and activity room are spacious. It's just a bit stuffy."
"That's good. You will be staying here for quite a long time, and I hope you can adapt."
"No, it won't be for long. You might never find the Tesseractagain, but I definitely won't stay in this Underground Roomforever," Tony refused.
"Both your residence and Stark Tower are dangerous. The demon could show up at any time," Captain Americainterjected.
"Then let him come!" Tony's attitude was resolute. "I can't move everything I care about underground. The demon can always threaten me, and this place isn't necessarily absolutely safe either..."
"That is your freedom, Mr. Stark. Even if you leave, you can contact us anytime for help," Hill said.
"Thanks!" Tony shook his head.
Sam seized the opportunity to interject: "Captain, Commander Hill, what conclusions did you and the big shots reach in the secret meeting just now? Do we have reinforcements?"
Captain America looked toward Hill. Hill said, "The meeting just now was not related to the war caused by the Tesseract..."
"Then what did you talk about?" Tony also looked astonished. "The demon might use the Tesseract to destroy the Earth. Is there anything more urgent than that right now?"
"Have you heard about what happened at Osborn Toweron Christmas Eve?"
"Are you talking about the 'Holy Light' incident?" Tonylooked at Captain America.
"'Holy Light'?" Captain America sounded confused.
"There are many names for it, such as 'God's Gift' and so on... They all refer to the same thing," Hill nodded.
"Alright, the 'Holy Light' incident. That Holy Light saved many people on Christmas Eve. All those dignitaries regretted why they hadn't located their residences south of 54th Street, within one kilometer of Osborn Tower."
"So they could also bathe in the 'Holy Light'? And thus eliminate all their ailments." The clever Tony instantly understood everything.
"Dignitaries from various countries unanimously demanded that we find the boy who stood next to Spider-Womanthat night," Hill said helplessly.
"Don't tell me S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't know who that boy is!" Tony said sharply.
"Of course we know." Hill handed the work tablet she was holding to Tony. "But we also know that his ability can save many people, and it could also indirectly cause conflicts or even war, leading to the deaths of even more people..."
"No need, you hold onto it." Tony refused.
Sam, standing nearby, felt it was strange. "I'll take it."
Tony's expression changed slightly after glancing at the photo... "Mr. Stark?" Sam glanced at the photo on the work tablet. "This picture is quite handsome."
"Stark, do you know him?" Captain America and Hill both stopped and looked at Tony; they had noticed Tony's unusual reaction.
"To be precise, I don't know this handsome young man, I just saw his file when investigating Spider-Woman." Tonyappeared calm. "Ricardo M. Luo... I remember he is Spider-Woman's boyfriend, right? I didn't expect him to be a superhuman as well, capable of unleashing an astonishing ability like 'Holy Light'."
"Yes, Spider-Woman's boyfriend. His identity is largely confirmed. He is also very powerful in combat, capable of magic attacks and the like..." Captain America introduced in detail.
But Tony wasn't listening to anything Captain Americawas saying now. His memory flashed back, and he suddenly thought of a certain night... The demon had told Tony, who was drinking chlorophyll to suppress palladium poisoning, that he could cure Tony...
The scene shifted, and the demon had also said that night that he hadn't reached the legal drinking age.
Tony didn't know what necessary connection existed between these events, but they served to corroborate his guess.
Tony's finger slid across the work tablet, reaching the last page, the introduction to Arthur's superpowers and speculative description:
Holy Light: Powerful regenerative ability, capable of healing people who are near death or suffering from illness.
Telekinesis or some kind of magic energy: Can be used to attack targets, easily dealt with Captain America and Black Widow, and violently disassembled a Glock pistol...
"Perhaps you could add a lot more things to the 'Ability' section," Tony said, taking a deep breath. "Maybe he can also shoot lasers or something..."
"What?" Captain America looked at Tony.
"Uh... I was just joking. It's all based on speculation." Tonysmiled.
The group arrived at the elevator. After the elevator started, it slowly ascended. Feeling the sensation of increased gravity as the elevator accelerated, Tonysuddenly felt uneasy.
"Captain, you collecting this boy's information, don't tell me..."
"You really are smart, Mr. Stark!" Sam interrupted. "Captainheld a meeting specifically for this earlier. Everyone believes the Anti-Demon Alliance needs Arthur. Even the arrogant Thor fully supports Captain's proposal. But it seems this isn't a simple matter. People with stronger abilities seem to have personality flaws... Sorry, I wasn't talking about you, Mr. Stark. I mean Arthur doesn't have a sense of justice."
Captain America nodded, confirming Sam's statement. "Do you have any differing opinions, Mr. Stark?"
Tony shook his head. He instantly smiled, but the smile seemed slightly forced.
"Fantastic!" Tony patted Captain America on the shoulder. "I believe everyone will agree with this approach, right? I'm no exception. This will be the most correct thing you've done as the leader of the Anti-Demon Alliance!"
"Stark, I am not the leader. The Anti-Demon Alliance is completely democratic, and I think you would do better than me..."
"I have personality flaws. I've said it many times; everyone knows it." Tony was slightly agitated. "Then let the new member take on the responsibility of leadership?"
"Spider-Woman?" Captain America actually seemed to be considering the question. "She is very suitable
You really are smart, Mr. Stark!" Sam interrupted. "Captainheld a meeting specifically for this earlier. Everyone believes the Anti-Demon Alliance needs Arthur. Even the arrogant Thor fully supports Captain's proposal. But it seems this isn't a simple matter. People with stronger abilities seem to have personality flaws... Sorry, I wasn't talking about you, Mr. Stark. I mean Arthur doesn't have a sense of justice."
Captain America nodded, confirming Sam's statement. "Do you have any differing opinions, Mr. Stark?"
Tony shook his head. He instantly smiled, but the smile seemed slightly forced.
"Fantastic!" Tony patted Captain America on the shoulder. "I believe everyone will agree with this approach, right? I'm no exception. This will be the most correct thing you've done as the leader of the Anti-Demon Alliance!"
"Stark, I am not the leader. The Anti-Demon Alliance is completely democratic, and I think you would do better than me..."
"I have personality flaws. I've said it many times; everyone knows it." Tony was slightly agitated. "Then let the new member take on the responsibility of leadership?"
"Spider-Woman?" Captain America actually seemed to be considering the question. "She is very suitable
-smart, resourceful, and possesses a sense of justice and responsibility. She has the basic qualities of a leader, but she still needs to learn how to manage a team or formulate combat plans..."
"No, no, no, I meant Luo, Arthur!" Tony interrupted Captain America. "I will definitely cast my vote for him!"
The elevator door opened, and Tony walked out. He looked back and said, "Oh, right, can I still quit the Anti-Demon Alliance now?"
Chapter 123: The Glowing Sapphire
"It's so beautiful," Wanda said, staring intently at the Tesseract on the table.
The Tesseract emitted a faint blue light, with deeper shades of blue flowing within its core, seemingly ready to spill out, resembling a magnificent gem.
"Want to try it out? Hold it and play with it," said Arthur, lying on the sofa while wearing the demon mask.
Arthur didn't mind at all if the Scarlet Witch, who possessed Chaos Magic, touched the Tesseract, even if the two might react in some way... "Is that okay?"
Wanda looked calmly at Arthur. She slowly brightened, revealing a charming smile that was somewhat cold, yet still radiant.
"Of course, feel free."
Arthur snapped his fingers, and the Tesseract on the table floated up, adding a touch of fantasy to its already technological appearance.
Wanda cautiously approached the Tesseract. Possessing Chaos Magic, she could sense the immense energy contained within the blue cube before her.
Wanda rose from the sofa and knelt on the floor. She leaned down, slowly moving her hands toward the Tesseract until she held the glowing cube before her.
Arthur immediately deactivated the levitation power of the Rooster Talisman. After a slight wobble, Wanda firmly grasped the Tesseract. She carefully rubbed its surface and held it up to gaze at it.
Arthur sat quietly watching the scene. He certainly couldn't place the Tesseract inside the detached Villa in Queens, or else the perceptive Miss Spider would discover the glowing cube within a few days, and he wouldn't be able to explain it... So, he had to keep the Tesseract in this secret manor. Since the Devil Group stole the Tesseractfrom S.H.I.E.L.D., and Arthur consistently presented himself to Wanda as the Devil, there would naturally be no trouble.
The fluorescent blue light emitted by the Tesseract shone on Wanda's face, as if a soft filter had been applied. Arthur reached out and touched Wanda's cheek with his fingertip.
"I'm glad you two can get along harmoniously," Arthursaid, giving Wanda's cheek a pinch. "Do you like it?"
Wanda tilted her head up to look at Arthur. There was some confusion in her eyes, but she still answered obediently, "I wouldn't call it 'like,' but girls generally don't dislike shiny things."
Arthur reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind Wanda's ear. Looking into her eyes, he said, "From now on, you will keep it safe. Remember, it is called the Tesseract."
This was just a spur-of-the-moment decision by Arthur. Perhaps because he could only keep the Tesseract in this manor, Wanda naturally became its Guardian.
Or perhaps it was simply because the Tesseract's light shone on Wanda's face in that second, making him feel that the combination of these two exquisite things was captivating, prompting him to make this sudden decision.
He didn't dwell on whether putting Wanda, who possessed Chaos Magic, together with the Tesseract, which contained the Space Stone, would lead to negative consequences... After all, after Asgard acquired the Tesseract, they entrusted the Reality Stone, which existed in the form of the Aether Particle, to The Collector, fearing that two powerful forces gathering together might produce catastrophic results.
But Arthur was not afraid. He was immortal. Even if Wanda were harmed because of this, he could use the Horse Talisman to instantly heal her injuries. As for causing a crisis or destroying something, he cared even less... There was another possibility when entrusting the Tesseract to Wanda: Wanda might awaken from Arthur's Sheep Talisman hypnosis and escape with the Tesseract.
Arthur wasn't worried about that either. He didn't particularly covet the power contained within the Tesseract. Once he fully unsealed the power of the Twelve Talismans and leveled them up, his strength would be comprehensive enough.
Even if Wanda brought the Tesseract back to HYDRA, it would be extremely easy for Arthur to retrieve it.
At that point, Arthur might be sad, but not because of losing the Tesseract, but because of losing Wanda... Arthur would not let that happen.
"Alright, I will keep it safe," Wanda said softly. "But I don't like the name 'Tesseract.'"
"Then what do you want to call it? Anything is fine. It belongs to us now," Arthur said, looking down at Wanda.
"The Glowing Sapphire, or maybe the Glowing Blue Cube..." Wanda said after thinking for a moment, tilting her head up to seek Arthur's approval. "Is that okay?"
"It's fine."
Arthur looked down at Wanda. Her snow-white neck was raised high, like a white swan, and below that was a faintly visible sight.
Wanda looked at the Tesseract for a while longer, as if trying to familiarize herself with it completely.
After a moment, she sat up straight, held the Tesseract in her arms, leaned sideways against Arthur, and rested her head on his lap.
Arthur quietly watched this scene, his hand stroking Wanda's head. Suddenly, he asked, "Wanda, has it been a long time since I gave you a head massage?"
Arthur clearly remembered the entire process of hypnotizing the Scarlet Witch. He had used the Sheep Talisman to hypnotize Wanda a total of five times. The second hypnosis was six hours after the first, and the subsequent intervals gradually increased.
Three days had passed since Arthur's fifth hypnosis session on Wanda, and his hypnotic progress remained only at the level of a boyfriend identity.
Chaos Magic had strong resistance to the hypnotic power of the Sheep Talisman, even protecting Wanda's mind from the intrusion of other consciousnesses. This was why Arthur continued to deepen the hypnosis on Wanda, as he didn't know the extent of her hypnotized state, nor could he sense if she woke up, forcing him to continuously hypnotize her.
Wanda froze for a few seconds after hearing this. Then she got up, looked at Arthur, and shook her head, saying, "A massage? It has been a long time. I really miss that feeling. Do it now..."
Arthur's face was expressionless. He helped Wanda rest her head on his lap.
A reflection of a sheep appeared in Arthur's eyes, and white spiritual energy continuously flowed into Wanda's brain... Wanda kept her eyes open, staring calmly ahead. A white porcelain vase sat on the corner of the table, holding an unbloomed spring peach blossom that she and Arthurhad picked together in the manor earlier... Suddenly, Arthur stopped everything.
Wanda turned her head and looked at Arthur in confusion. Arthur looked down at her exquisite face and said indifferently, "Next time."
"Sit next to me," Arthur said.
Wanda got up and sat beside Arthur. Arthur held the back of her hand and together they lifted the "Glowing Sapphire."
"Wanda, now I will teach you how to use it," Arthur said. "If you master the Tesseract... no, if you master the power of the 'Glowing Sapphire,' you will become much stronger. For example, you could travel anywhere in the Universe."
Wanda shook her head, seemingly indicating that she wasn't interested in becoming stronger.
"Where are we going now?" Wanda asked.
"New York, the Devil Group's Base..."
As Arthur spoke, a brilliant blue light erupted, instantly enveloping the two of them... "I really missed the sunlight..."
"Only fourteen hours," Captain America said lightly.
"Only fourteen hours?" Tony glanced at Captain Americabeside him. "Oh... I forgot, Captain, you spent seventy years without seeing the light of day. This is normal for you!"
The group was gathered near the heliport. After only a brief chat, a transport plane quickly flew in from the distance.
"Pretty punctual!" Tony looked at the two people beside him. "Who did you trick into coming this time?"
Hill maintained a polite smile. Captain America crossed his arms and said, "I don't know him. As you said, my social circle stopped seventy years ago. Back then, I was the only Superhero."
The transport pilot's skills were excellent; she managed to decelerate over a short distance and finally hovered above the Heliport before slowly descending.
The deafening engine sound disappeared, the transport plane's rear hatch opened, and the sound of footsteps on steel plating rang out.
"Time for the reveal." Tony first saw a pair of straight legs. "Agent Romanoff went to pick him up personally?"
"Yes, an unforgettable intercontinental trip, flying across the Pacific Ocean twice in one night!" Natasha's voice sounded.
Tony finally saw the person behind Natasha. He looked like a middle-aged man in his forties, with light stubble, wearing a purple shirt and brown trousers, with the shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
"Dr. Banner?" As a fellow top scientist, Tony naturally recognized Banner. He extended his hand and walked forward. "I heard you went to Asia. I didn't expect to run into you here."
"Yes, Stark. Recently, I settled in Kolkata, India. I can still be useful there, and it helps me avoid losing my temper." Banner shook hands firmly with Tony. "What about you? Did they drag you here too?"
"I wouldn't call it 'dragged,' and few people can catch me anymore." Tony looked at Natasha and said, "It looks like Agent Romanoff used some unfriendly methods on you, just like she did to me back then..."
"When I arrived, Dr. Banner was providing medical aid to the poor; the healthcare resources there are very weak..." Natasha looked at Tony. "Unfriendly? I even served as your Assistant to the Chairman for a while, helping you share the workload."
"Psychological deception is more hurtful!" Tony protested.
Hill, Captain America, and Sam also shook hands with Banner to welcome him. The group returned to the Base.
"Captain, the news of your revival was quite shocking back then. I heard about it even in Kolkata."
Captain America nodded and steered the conversation back on track. "Dr. Banner, Commander Hill said you might be able to find the Tesseract?"
"I never made any guarantees to anyone," Banner replied, shaking his head.
"Director Nick told me. Since he became an Artificial Intelligence, he has access to more data, and his data processing capability surpasses many supercomputers. Everything he says has been calculated," Hill explained. "That's why I believe you can find the Tesseract, Dr. Banner."
"I can only do my best," Banner said helplessly.
"Is Director Nick now acting as an artificial secretary for S.H.I.E.L.D.? Like my Jarvis?" Tony asked.
"He serves no one," Hill simply replied.
The group arrived at the massive Central Control Room. There were many staff members inside, and even the central corridor required queuing.
The group took seats at the circular conference table beneath the screens. Banner greeted Thunder God Thor, whom he had just met, while Tony walked over to the Commander's station.
"What a crowd. Standing here gives you a feeling of controlling everything." Tony scanned everyone. "Everyone needs to work hard... I'm talking to you, the one still playing Spider Cards! It might be due to your negligence that the Devil Group sneaked in without being noticed!"
Banner glanced at Tony's back and asked, "AgentRomanoff explained the current situation to me in detail on the plane. So, our mission is to recover the Tesseract, right? What is the current progress?"
"Through our work, we successfully eliminated some areas," Hill said, meeting Banner's gaze. "Alright, progress is virtually zero. We haven't found anything yet."
"This efficiency is far inferior to Heimdall's. He's a professional at finding people..." Thor grumbled from the side.
"Commander, so what exactly is your work process?" Banner inquired.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. scans wireless cameras globally—phones, iPads, laptops, street corner electronic eyes—anything connected to the network becomes S.H.I.E.L.D.'s eyes," Natasha answered for Hill. "But we can only wait for the Devil Group to show up. The Devil Group's movements are never regular, so they can't be tracked."
"That method is a bit cart before the horse," Banner said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Our goal is to find the Tesseract, not the Devil Group."
"Do you have a better method, Dr. Banner?" Captain America asked.
"On the way here, I looked through Dr. Selvig's work notes. Once activated, the Tesseract continuously emits gamma rays spontaneously. The areas where these gamma rays are currently active are likely where the Tesseract is located." Banner looked at Hill and Captain America. "Contact all labs, have them put Spectrum Analyzers on their roofs, and calibrate them to search for gamma rays."
Applause rang out, and Tony walked over. As a fellow genius, Tony naturally understood Banner's idea, unlike Thor and Falcon, who looked confused.
"Finally, a professional has arrived. This method is much smarter than spying on citizens' privacy." Tony patted Banner's shoulder. "I'll be responsible for writing the program to filter out erroneous data and the tracking algorithm. The Devil Group usually operates in New York, so we can set the search area to New York, which will eliminate many regions and even pinpoint a specific street! Dr. Banner, I invite you to share an office with me."
"That would be my honor, Stark!" Banner said happily. He picked up the suit jacket Tony had placed on the chair and handed it over. "Your jacket."
"Uh... could you put it down first, and then I'll pick it up? Even though that's a bit strange," Tony said hesitantly.
Banner, confused, did as instructed, and only then did Tonytake the jacket.
"He won't take things handed directly to him," Natashaexplained, seeing the surprised looks of the group. She had served as Tony's Assistant for a period. "It's strange, I think so too..."
Chapter 124 Central Park
Downtown New York City, on the top floor of a building.
Blue light flickered in the empty room, and Arthur and Wanda, holding the Tesseract, appeared on the central sofa.
Wanda squinted at the warm sunlight, raised a hand to block it, and then surveyed the entire space.
The walls and ceiling were made of glass, allowing direct sunlight and a view of the light blue sky.
The space utilized a tiered layout, with functional areas clearly demarcated; a massive floor-to-ceiling window in front offered a view of Central Park, while behind it was a curved corridor and steps, leading to a large wall with doors on either side.
"The Devil Group's Base, not bad, right? The back is their living area. If you like it, you can come visit often, but remember to go home every night," Arthur said, getting up and taking a few steps.
The central area where they stood extended forward into a semicircular platform with a curved sofa.
This Base was purchased by Arthur from the System Shop for 300,000 villain points. The premium was entirely due to its commercial value in a prime location. Other than that, it didn't possess the 'undetectable from the outside' rule power like the manor where Wanda resided.
"This is Downtown New York City, right?"
Wanda also got up and walked over to Arthur's side. She leaned on the railing of the semicircular platform, her gaze passing through the floor-to-ceiling windows below, settling on the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.
"Of course," Arthur knew what Wanda meant. He pointed to his front left, "That's Fifth Avenue, between West 33rd and West 34th Streets. The building behind that is Stark Tower."
"Stark..." Wanda repeated the name, then after a moment, she said, "Will it be unsafe here?"
"With me here, they are the ones who should feel unsafe," Arthur said indifferently.
Arthur was never afraid of his Devil Group Base being exposed. Only Vampires feared sunlight and walked in shadows and darkness; Devils were unrestrained. Even if some forces or individuals might dare to launch an attack or raid... he wouldn't be living there anyway.
But Arthur would make those people regret it afterwards. After enough instances of killing a chicken to scare the monkeys, everyone would gradually adapt to the existence of a Devil's Base in the heart of New York, whether it be the government, the public, or those Superheroes...
"It's a bit crazy, but it has a lot of style..." Wanda exclaimed.
"Is that how you describe it?" Arthur smiled, "I'm a crazy person to begin with."
"I will protect this place..." Wanda suddenly said.
"No, you don't need to protect anything here. If the Base is gone, I can rebuild it. It's easy for me," Arthur said after a slight pause, "You just need to protect yourself."
Wanda looked up at Arthur, her eyes seemingly sparkling, filled with affection.
"We have guests," Arthur said.
The door on the left side at the back opened, and the two initial members of the Devil Group, Snake Woman and Fallen Angel, appeared. Snake Woman danced down the steps with her snake tail, while Fallen Angel spread her wings and glided onto the central platform.
"Boss!" The two members of the Devil Group bowed slightly.
After the Base was established, Arthur conveyed this information through their mental connection.
"I remember there was also a green rhino," Wanda said, looking at the two.
"He doesn't live here. He's thriving in the gang territory of Brooklyn," Snake Woman said.
Arthur gave Wanda a deep look, "I also have no interest in keeping a rhino by my side; I feel like he could break a lot of things at any moment."
"Boss, may I ask who this is?" Snake Woman asked, gesturing towards Wanda.
She and Fallen Angel both recognized Wanda as the person who was taken away by the Devil from the underground Base that day. Before that, she and the Devil had a great battle.
But now, the Devil and Wanda seemed to be getting along splendidly, even like a couple in love... they couldn't understand what was happening.
"Scarlet Witch," Arthur said indifferently, "When I'm not here, she is your Boss..."
The Fallen Angel behind them bowed slightly in respect, while Snake Woman remained unconcerned...
"Algorithm optimization completed for the seventh time!" Tony operated quickly on the panel.
"Just now, a gamma-ray spectrometer in Manhattandetected dense gamma rays. It's highly probable that someone used the Tesseract to arrive there," Dr. Bannerobserved carefully. "It's probably the Devil you mentioned who stole the Tesseract's power. What is the Devil doing in Manhattan with the Tesseract? Is there anything there that attracts him?"
"Hmm... I don't think the Devil has any specific purpose in going to Manhattan. He lives in New York, and the entire city is like his backyard; he comes and goes freely," Tonysaid. "Maybe the Devil is committing some crime? The Devil won't secretly hide just because we're all looking for him..."
"That sounds very bad..." Banner nodded.
Tony fed the new input into the model for calculation. Soon he said, "Dr. Banner, we can now precisely pinpoint the target area to Manhattan, New York City..."
"At this rate, we'll have an answer very soon. I'm looking forward to seeing the famous Devil with my own eyes!" Banner said.
Captain America and Thor on the side could only remain silent, watching the two technical personnel work non-stop. Natasha and Sam, however, could assist with simple tasks like data analysis and processing.
But one of them had been out of touch with society for seventy years, and the other was an Asgardian, unfamiliar even with the use of electronic products, let alone operating these complex and difficult instruments.
The office door opened silently, and Commander Hillwalked in. She looked at the scene and said, "It seems victory is in sight... or perhaps the real war is about to begin?"
"My hands are already itching..." Thor said, looking at Mjolnir placed on the table.
"A major battle is inevitable," Captain America frowned, "but is it too risky in New York City? The Devil possesses very powerful destructive capabilities. Once a battle begins, many people will die."
"Is there any other way, Captain!" Tony said without turning from the screen, "Who else can take the Devil out of the city and fight him? Or even if we find the Devil this time, for this reason, should we let him keep the dangerous Tesseract until someday in the future when we finally discover the Devil in the suburbs and can then take action?"
Captain America remained silent. At this moment, Bannerhad made a discovery.
"Through the latest wave of gamma-ray dispersion analysis, I've narrowed the scope to near Central Park!" Banner said, looking at everyone, "I think everyone can go prepare."
Captain America immediately looked at Hill and said, "Immediately evacuate all civilians in that area, and order the police to blockade the intersections."
"Are you sure doing this won't tip him off?" Dr. Bannerasked doubtfully, "The Devil will also receive your evacuation notice. If he slips away, everything will be in vain... Of course, I'm not saying the safety of the public isn't important; we also need to consider that aspect."
"No, the Devil won't leave. He will smile and stand there waiting for us," Tony said at this point. "The Devil never runs away."
Natasha echoed, "Indeed, that's the Devil's style..."
"You all seem to know him very well, like the ultimate Boss in a movie. Now I'm also looking forward to meeting the Devil," Banner said, "but I obviously can't participate in the fight..."