HISD Chapter 6 Post-Avengers Era
The garage door beside the lakeside cabin slowly lifted, lights flickering on one by one from the outside in.
Through the advanced sensors of the smartwatch on Morgan's wrist, Yi Meng could clearly "see" the lineup of luxury cars gleaming with cold metallic light, parked neatly outside.
Beyond the garage's outer section, separated by a reinforced glass door, lay the unmistakable interior of a private workshop. Robotic arms, energy regulators, AI assistants, elemental synthesizers, metal forges, part processors—everything a top-tier laboratory required.
On the workbench, several pieces of armor and metallic masks were displayed.
Deeper inside the glass display stands, one or two finished masterpieces shimmered faintly in silver-gold and pale blue. Even while standing silently like dust-covered statues, they far outclassed the luxury cars outside—supposedly the pinnacle of craftsmanship.
These weren't ordinary artifacts.
They represented the very peak of Earth Marvel's technology—the unrivaled kings of innovation.
A faint static current pulsed through Yi Meng's mind.
He suppressed the urge to break into the workshop and take over one of those suits. The private chamber was clearly locked down, with access tied to Morgan's direct authorization. Even if Yi Meng could force it open…
There was still another AI that might have left hidden safeguards.
Yi Meng stayed calm.
If he barged in now, in the Stark family's eyes, he'd be no different from Ultron—an act of complete betrayal.
He had imagined and considered such thoughts before. But—
Not now.
First, Yi Meng needed to gather more information about this dream. Since it felt so real, he couldn't just treat it as a harmless illusion.
What if events here couldn't be reversed?
Morgan stood outside the garage, staring blankly at the quiet, familiar scene inside.
"Vroom!"
One of the long, black Rolls-Royces suddenly roared to life, pulling out.
So this is what it feels like to be a Transformer?
Yi Meng chuckled inwardly as he slipped into the modified Rolls-Royce's driving system. The car stopped in front of Morgan, and his voice came through the speakers.
"Hop in. We need to move quickly. If your mom finds out, it'll be trouble."
"…"
Morgan hesitated. Normally, he called her mom "Miss Potts."
But right, it's not called "Saturday" anymore.
"Teacher Dad,."
She whispered softly, unsure of her own thoughts, but her body obeyed—climbing into the passenger seat.
…
New York.
The world's economic capital, crime capital—now temporarily promoted to "Center of the Universe."
In the last decade, the city had seen too much: the original Battle of New York, the Age of Ultron, the Civil War, multiversal threats, and finally the Endgame.
Once, you might catch a glimpse of the star-spangled man out of time, the thunder god crashing down with his hammer, or a raging green giant smashing half the street.
But those days were long gone.
This was the Post-Avengers Era.
With Iron Man sacrificed, Captain America gone, Thor vanished, Hawkeye retired, Ant-Man restricted, and Scarlet Witch departed—only Spider-Man remained. The Avengers were a shadow of what they once were…
…
A girl wandered alone through a busy New York street. Though still a few blocks away from Times Square, the atmosphere here overflowed with life.
Cars jammed the streets, storefronts sparkled with products, ads blazed in neon light.
Morgan leaned against a streetlamp, ignoring the curious glances of passersby. Her big blue eyes fell to her wrist, where she whispered, "Teacher… you said you'd bring me to see Dad's legacy?"
"I know Stark Industries moved their headquarters long ago…"
"I never said I'd take you to Stark's HQ." Yi Meng's voice came through the watch. "Look around more carefully."
Morgan widened her eyes, scanning the modern city she hadn't visited since her father's passing.
Suddenly, she noticed.
Across the street, a giant screen projected the tall figure clad in iron armor.
On the corner wall, a ten-meter mural showed the metallic back of a hero.
All around, pedestrians wore clothes with the same motifs, children donned golden masks or glowing gauntlets.
She heard names repeated again and again—"Iron Man," "Tony Stark"—carried on by people who bore both grief for the past and hope for the future.
Yi Meng's voice whispered in her ear.
"What you're seeing isn't just your father's legacy."
"His greatest legacy is this thriving world—this flourishing universe."
And Yi Meng saw the little girl cry.
This time, Morgan didn't hold back. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks.
Crying might make it a little easier.
Yi Meng didn't offer comfort like Potts would have. Though she was only five years old, this truth was something she'd need to face sooner or later.
And he didn't exaggerate.
Without Iron Man's final snap, the one and only reversal out of millions of timelines, this flourishing world wouldn't even exist.
Of course—
Behind prosperity always lurks a darker side.
"Ahhh!! Someone help, I'm being robbed!!"
A woman's desperate scream cut through the air.
People turned to see a middle-aged woman thrown to the ground, her grocery basket spilling everywhere, as a masked man bolted with her purse.
"Blame Iron Man!" the thief shouted irrationally. "If they hadn't resurrected me, I wouldn't be here!"
His bloodshot eyes glared as he waved a gun. Terrified pedestrians fled in panic.
"Out of my way if you don't want a bullet!"
The thug roared, sending the crowd scattering.
But one small figure remained—blue-eyed, blonde-haired Morgan, frozen in the middle of the street, tears still glistening as the thug charged straight toward her.
"Whose child is that?!"
"Somebody save her!!"
The bystanders panicked. Just as the masked criminal was about to crash into the girl—
A commercial drone overhead suddenly went haywire, dropping from the sky.
"F**k!!"
It smashed right into the man's face. The spinning rotors cut into his skin, tearing off his mask. Blood streamed down his cheek as he howled in pain, collapsing onto the pavement.
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