The next day, at the crack of dawn, Li Ming, who had been snoring on a deck chair, was inexplicably awakened by the roar of an engine.
Rubbing his bleary eyes, Li Ming yawned and asked, "Natasha, is Fury here to pick us up?"
Banner, who had already woken up, pointed at the lake and said, "All I see is something hovering over the lake."
Nearby, Natasha nodded in response to Li Ming's question and added to Banner, "That's an invisible Quinjet."
Li Ming glanced at the increasingly rippling water on the lake's surface, guessing the Quinjet was descending. He stood up, stretched his back, and said, "Even though we have the convenient Portal, Fury insists on using a Quinjet to pick us up. What, is he trying to show off how much fuel S.H.I.E.L.D. can afford with all their resources?"
Natasha rolled her eyes at Li Ming as she led the group toward the lake, saying, "That's because we're not heading to the Triskelion this time, but to a mobile base. Your Portal probably can't lock onto a moving target, can it?"
Helicarrier—I know about that. Fury probably doesn't want me to know where this big thing is docked at the secret base, so he didn't send me any photos.
Even Natasha likely doesn't know where the Helicarrier is right now.
Too bad, aside from opening Portals, I also know the teleportation magic of the Magic Lamp Genie. As long as the Helicarrier is on Earth, I can find it anytime, even if it's hiding in an underground base hundreds of meters deep for maintenance.
Pretending not to know about the Helicarrier's existence, Li Ming shrugged at Natasha, tacitly agreeing that the Portal couldn't open to a moving base. As he stepped into the Quinjet, he suddenly rubbed his stomach and asked, "Does S.H.I.E.L.D. serve breakfast? You know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day."Natasha raised an eyebrow, unconsciously savoring the delicacies made by Kreacher, and said sincerely, "Compared to Kreacher's skills, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s breakfast is far worse."
Banner agreed with this. He had wandered around quite a bit, and although he hadn't tasted S.H.I.E.L.D.'s breakfast, he could easily imagine that finding a chef better than Kreacher in this world would be no easy task.
Most importantly, Kreacher wasn't just skilled at cooking a few dishes or cuisines from certain countries. As long as you named a dish, Kreacher could prepare it for you. A chef like that was as rare as a precious panda.
"Alright," Li Ming shrugged, sitting down obediently and fastening his seatbelt while grumbling, "I've already lost interest in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s breakfast. You guys are out there risking your lives day in and day out—who knows when you might bid farewell to the world. Couldn't Fury hire a few skilled chefs to comfort your stomachs? Or did he divert the chef budget to maintaining his own hair?"
Did Fury's shiny bald head even have any hair left? Natasha rolled her eyes and sat down wordlessly beside Li Ming. "You might as well accuse Fury of diverting the funds to buy shoe polish."
Amid the idle banter, the aircraft flew over mountains and seas, landing on a massive "aircraft carrier."
As soon as they disembarked, Li Ming excitedly pulled Banner to the edge of the deck, took a deep breath of the salty sea air, and said, "You know, my dream used to be sailing an aircraft carrier out to sea to fish for whales or giant squids. That must feel exhilarating. Now that we're finally out at sea, I've got to try some deep-sea fishing." Pausing, he turned to Natasha in the distance and shouted, "Hey, beautiful! Do you have any fishing rods here? The kind as thick as a cannon barrel. I want to fish—big fish."
What the hell kind of fishing rod is as thick as a cannon barrel, you idiot mage?
Hearing Li Ming's words, Natasha instinctively took a few steps back, wanting to stay as far away from him as possible. Who knew if stupidity was contagious?
Seeing Natasha pretending to be temporarily deaf, Li Ming scratched his head and asked in confusion, "What's up with her? Is it that time of the month?"
Banner shrugged, indicating he didn't know and also that he didn't want to offend anyone by making wild guesses.
Just then, a Quinjet landed in the distance, and Coulson enthusiastically stepped off with Steve in tow.
After disembarking, Steve habitually scanned his surroundings. Spotting Li Ming and Banner enjoying the sea breeze at the edge of the deck, he quickly excused himself from Coulson and strode toward Li Ming, calling out, "Hey, Austin."
Hearing his name, Li Ming turned toward the voice and, upon seeing Steve, enthusiastically shouted, "Steve? I thought Fury had let you enjoy retirement."
"I wish, but Fury obviously wasn't going to let me off that easy," Steve replied, then turned to Banner and extended his hand. "Dr. Banner, hello."
Banner smiled and shook Steve's hand. "Hello, Captain."After the handshake, Steve, who carried a military demeanor and prioritized the mission, eagerly asked, "They said you can locate the Tesseract?"
Banner glanced around, as if Li Ming beside him gave him a sense of security, shrugged, and asked casually, "Is that all they told you?"
"That's all I care about," Steve affirmed.
After a moment's thought, Banner didn't answer Steve's question. After all, he had just arrived on the 'Helicarrier' and hadn't even seen the equipment for tracking the Tesseract yet. Who knew what the odds of finding it were?
At that moment, Natasha, not far away, seemed to receive some notification through her communicator. She walked up to Steve and said, "Gentlemen, you'd better head inside. It won't be safe to breathe out here soon."
No sooner had Natasha spoken than a mechanical whirring sound rose from beneath the sea.
Instinctively, Steve looked toward the water and asked, "Is this a submarine?"
Curious, Banner leaned over to peer at the sea and shrugged nonchalantly. "Looks like they're planning to bury me like a tin can at the bottom of the ocean."
Inside, Banner sneered: A submarine? Sorry, but the Hulk isn't so easy to drown. Besides, I've got a mage friend who can open portals. What's there to worry about?
Only when the Helicarrier's submerged turbines pushed the water below the surface and slowly lifted the massive vessel into the air did Banner shake his head. "Seems worse than I thought."
As he spoke, Banner and Steve instinctively stepped back from the turbines—the wind pressure was strong enough to mess up their hair.
Natasha shot a glance at Li Ming, who was still staring at the turbines, and called out, "Mage, what are you looking at?"
"My fish," Li Ming pointed at the turbines and grumbled. "I haven't even tried sea fishing yet, and this damn thing starts up. Does Fury enjoy screwing with me?"
I shouldn't have talked to this guy. Natasha rolled her eyes and turned to lead Banner and Steve inside the Helicarrier.
Li Ming, his lips quirking slightly, quickly wiped the smirk off his face and replaced it with an innocent expression before following Natasha.
Soon, the three of them—Natasha, Banner, and Steve—arrived at the command center.
As for Li Ming? He was currently wandering around, pretending to be lost while scouting the Helicarrier's layout on his way to the mess hall.
Li Ming's real target was the Mind Stone. To get Fury to hand it over willingly, Barton—under Loki's control—was the perfect excuse.
So, Li Ming couldn't allow Natasha to knock Barton out first and break the mind control.
No, he needed to petrify the brainwashed Barton intact and then put on a show for Fury.
Playing the lost traveler, Li Ming meandered through the corridors before silently dissolving into black mist, drifting unseen through the Helicarrier.In no time, Li Ming had memorized nearly half of the layout inside the Helicarrier.
Just as Li Ming was enthusiastically touring the carrier, Fury's voice suddenly came over the intercom.
"Austin, come to the command center. I need to discuss something with you."
Discuss? Had Loki been found? Or... Li Ming scratched his head thoughtfully, narrowed his eyes, and reverted to human form before striding quickly toward the command center.
Inside the command center, Fury stood alone in a corner, gazing at the clouds outside the window.
Watching Li Ming saunter into the room while munching on a few slices of sandwich, Fury couldn't help but twitch his lips before gesturing for him to approach.
When Li Ming reached him, Fury crossed his arms, ignoring the smacking sounds from Li Ming's mouth, and asked, "Can you undo the spell Loki uses to control people?"
Suppressing his inner laughter while maintaining a calm expression, Li Ming nodded and said, "You're aware that Loki previously manipulated Coulson's consciousness, right?"
Fury replied, "I know. Coulson wrote about it in detail in his report and also mentioned that you were the one who lifted Loki's spell on him."
"I can do the same this time," Li Ming shrugged, curling his lips slightly. "Unless Loki's spell power has dramatically improved in this short period—which is practically impossible. Even for a god, there's no such thing as rapid advancement in magical prowess overnight." He paused, tilting his head as if deep in thought, then added, "Of course, if he used some artifact to amplify his power, then I might not be able to free Barton and Shavig right away."
"An artifact?" Fury stroked his chin, recalling. "I remember when he controlled Barton and Shavig, he lightly tapped their chests with a long spear in his hand."
"Uh—a long spear?" Li Ming feigned confusion, looking slightly embarrassed. "It should be a staff. After all, Loki is fundamentally a mage. A long spear seems a bit out of place for him."
Scratching his brow, Li Ming adopted an uncertain tone. "If possible, it'd be best to let me study the staff. Otherwise, I can't guarantee I can break Loki's spell. That staff can have an exaggerated amplifying effect on certain types of spells."
Fury rubbed his temples in frustration. Li Ming's request was somewhat contradictory. The prerequisite for obtaining Loki's staff was finding Loki himself.
But if they found Loki, the Tesseract would likely already be back in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands, and the whole incident would be over.
By then, his team would have plenty of time to slowly restore Barton's consciousness. What use would they have for an outsider like Li Ming?
After a moment, Fury decided to focus on locating Loki first before discussing Barton's recovery. He asked, "You can cast a nuclear bomb-level fireball?"
"What's the matter? Can't I develop my own spells?" Li Ming replied with a hint of pride, sneering at Fury. "Let me tell you, this is a mage's business. Don't even think about restraining me with some convention."
Feeling provoked, Fury's eye twitched, and his right hand involuntarily moved toward the gun on his thigh. Just then, Agent Silvert, who had crossed paths with Li Ming a few times before, called out from a distance, "Sir, we've found Loki!"
Hearing Silvert's shout, Fury took a deep breath to calm himself. He turned to Li Ming and issued a stern warning, "I don't care how you developed your spells. All I know is that you're now a walking nuclear bomb and must be placed under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s supervision."Fury patted the gun on his thigh and quietly threatened, "I know this thing is useless against you, but don't forget, your body is just as fragile as an ordinary person's. And I know how you react when faced with an energy weapon—hiding inside a van and letting the Abomination fight for you."
"What do you think would happen if I had a sniper take a few shots at you from a kilometer away with an energy weapon?"
After saying this, Fury patted Li Ming on the shoulder with a look that clearly said, "Think carefully," before hurrying back to the control console.
Li Ming watched Fury's retreating figure with a stony expression, his lips twitching slightly. But inwardly, he scoffed: Hah, an energy weapon from a kilometer away? Who are you trying to scare? Small weapons naturally have limited power, but they can't pierce my amulet. As for larger energy weapons—sure, they pack a punch, but do you think I'm blind? I'd notice something that big from a mile away!
After making sure his frightened expression was convincing, Li Ming rubbed his cheeks and schooled his face into a poker expression before walking over behind Silvert. "Where's Loki?" he asked.
This wasn't just Li Ming being redundant—aside from knowing Loki was in Germany, he genuinely had no idea about the specifics. No helping it. Back when I watched the movies, I was so casual about it—watch, forget, watch again. Who knew I'd end up in the Marvel world?
Silvert, with his shiny bald head, turned to look at Li Ming. "He's in Germany, on Kunning Street in Stuttgart," he said, then hesitated before adding with a puzzled glance at the surveillance screen, "Seems like he's not even trying to hide."
Meanwhile, Fury, back at the console, took a few glances at the video feed and called out, "Captain, it's your turn." Then he turned to Li Ming and said, "You go help too."
No great acting skills were needed—Li Ming naturally shot Fury a look of disgust without saying a word and silently followed behind Steve.
Soon, Natasha led Li Ming and Steve onto the Quinjet.
Steve was both confused and disappointed by Li Ming's behavior. He has a Portal that could instantly take us to the destination and quickly resolve the mess Loki's causing, yet he chooses to ride the Quinjet instead. This is clearly slacking off.
Watching Li Ming sit silently with a grim expression, Steve felt a headache coming on. On a small scale, we're in the middle of a mission. Whatever issues Li Ming has should be set aside for now. On a larger scale, Fury has already determined that aliens are stirring up trouble on Earth, preparing for war. We're on our way to execute a decapitation strike—this is about the survival of the planet. Nothing compares to the importance of this mission. So what's with Li Ming's bad attitude?
After a long silence, Steve sighed and asked as a friend, "Austin, what did Fury say to you that's got you so distracted?"Li Ming looked blankly at Steve, then turned his head to glance at Natasha, his face bitter as he said, "I've figured out a high-powered spell on my own, but Fury thinks I'm too dangerous. He's planning to monitor me 24/7—even when I eat or sleep—or just lock me up in a dark cell. He'd call me out for a chat when he needs me and leave me to rot alone in that cell when he doesn't."
Steve frowned. Freedom was practically the symbol of America, a sacred ideal on this land.
Just look at the Statue of Liberty, an iconic monument representing many things—among them, the people's struggle for democracy and the lofty ideals of freedom.
And now, Fury wanted to surveil a citizen based solely on personal bias? Worse, he intended to lock up his friend without any legal backing?
Natasha, piloting the Quinjet, instinctively glanced at Li Ming upon hearing his words.
As an agent, she knew exactly how "free" American freedom really was—cameras everywhere, phones in pockets, computers on desks.
Freedom where even the color of your underwear could be monitored? What a joke.
The Captain was just being naive, failing to catch the provocation in Li Ming's words. Natasha rolled her eyes at Li Ming. As a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, she had to keep up appearances, especially with the Quinjet's comms still active.
After a moment's thought, she decided to say a few words in Fury's defense—at the very least, she couldn't let the Captain's image of the righteous director crumble. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to show some loyalty to Fury.
With that in mind, Natasha smirked and said, "Captain, why don't you ask Austin what kind of spell he's mastered? It's not like we ever considered 24/7 surveillance on him before."
"Heh," Li Ming scoffed, countering, "Is it that you didn't want to monitor me 24/7? Or is it because I have a Portal, and you simply couldn't keep tabs on me?"
Natasha didn't deny his words. She also knew exactly why Li Ming had cut off Steve's line of questioning. Dismissively, she pressed, "Don't change the subject. I asked what spell you know."
"Yeah," Steve frowned, curiosity piqued. "Austin, what exactly did you come up with? What could make Fury go to such lengths—spending massive resources—just to monitor someone who can already teleport?"
Li Ming shot Natasha a subtle glare, then pointed upward. "A nuclear fusion fireball, modeled after the sun," he said, pausing before adding with a tilt of his head, "Though I haven't had the chance to study the sun's surface up close, so my fireball's based on nuclear bomb principles instead."
Steve's face stiffened at the mention of a nuke. Just as he was about to figure out how to dissuade Li Ming from using nuclear fireballs in the future, Li Ming suddenly asked, "Steve, how's that Genie Lamp working out for you?"
Steve was puzzled, unsure why Li Ming had suddenly brought up the lamp. Meanwhile, Natasha, who was busy piloting the aircraft, felt a sudden unease. Just as she began to grasp what Li Ming was implying, she heard him say in a low voice, "Is the Genie Lamp dangerous? Just make a wish, and you can reach the pinnacle of life. It can even alter laws according to the summoner's will."
Li Ming curled his lips slightly. "Perhaps you don't know, but I once lent S.H.I.E.L.D. a mask. That thing was incredibly powerful—it allowed an ordinary agent to beat a demon prince to a pulp while bare-handed." He paused, then emphasized, "Completely bare-handed."
After a moment of thought, Li Ming ignored Steve's stunned expression and continued, "Captain, if you get the chance, you can ask Stark. I have another artifact in my possession, and its power is even more astonishing. Calling it a 'regret pill' wouldn't be an exaggeration."
As for whether Li Ming was lying about the Devil, Steve wasn't foolish. Li Ming had mentioned an agent using it—he could always verify with Fury or check the records later. But with talk of demon princes and regret pills, Steve only felt more bewildered by the world's changes. He asked in confusion, "What kind of artifact is it?"
Li Ming smirked at Natasha, who was listening intently, then glanced at the communication device's operational indicator light before dropping a bombshell: "A time turner—an artifact that allows time travel. I once took Stark back to the past. As for what Stark experienced..." He shrugged. "You'll have to ask him yourself."
Damn it, time travel?! And Stark could vouch for it?! Natasha's grip on the control stick faltered, and she couldn't help but glare at Li Ming. God must be blind to let this troublemaker get his hands on a time-traveling artifact.
Feeling he'd said enough, Li Ming narrowed his eyes and asked, "Steve, between these magical artifacts and a nuclear fireball, which do you think would have more severe consequences?"
Without waiting for an answer, Li Ming concluded, "So Fury isn't actually worried about me being dangerous. He just wants to confiscate my artifacts. This time, he's using the excuse that my spells threaten public safety to force me under control—even resorting to armed threats."
Scratching his head, Li Ming feigned curiosity. "If I compromise this time, what's next? Hand over my artifacts? And eventually, the method of practicing magic?"
Unlike others' curiosity, Steve had once asked Li Ming why mages chose seclusion. Out of trust, Li Ming had made Steve swear secrecy before explaining the true reason behind their withdrawal.
Now, hearing that Fury wanted to uncover how magic was practiced, Steve—who knew full well the consequences of large-scale dimensional energy borrowing—instinctively objected, "No. If the fundamentals of magic practice are made public, the harm would far outweigh any war." Natasha glanced at Li Ming's expression, then at Steve, and asked curiously, "Are the consequences of practicing magic really that dangerous?"
Steve nodded silently. "I can't go into specifics, but I can tell you that war only leads to death or the destruction of nations. If magic were made public, given humanity's current technology and greed, it would only bring about the extinction of our species."
Steve's words successfully piqued the curiosity of Natasha and Fury on the other end of the comms. Unfortunately, Steve was a man of his word, and no matter how Natasha tried to pry, he chose to remain silent.
Eventually, realizing Natasha's attempts to fish for information, Steve simply closed his eyes to rest, adopting an attitude of "say what you will, I'm just listening."
Seeing this, Li Ming's lips curled slightly. He understood that by leveraging S.H.I.E.L.D.'s curiosity about magic and everything they had done, he had already sown discord between Steve and Fury. It was just that, due to the mission, Steve couldn't voice his objections.
However, Li Ming didn't widen the small rift between Steve and Fury—there was no need. Fury's attitude toward Steve might be decent, but toward Li Ming, it was far from friendly. The number of overt and covert tests Li Ming had endured was beyond count.
For now, as long as Li Ming harbored no world-ending intentions and maintained a firm friendship with Steve, he believed the small rift between Steve and Fury would only grow wider.
As the three fell silent, the Quinjet quickly arrived above the streets of Kuenig.
Li Ming unbuckled his seatbelt and walked to Natasha's side, peering through the cockpit glass at Loki, who was wearing a large horned helmet and delivering an impromptu speech below.
Natasha glanced at Steve, who had already jumped from the aircraft, and said coldly, "A crude attempt at sowing discord. What's your goal?"
Li Ming smiled and waved his hand to open a Portal.