"Ding! Potential client 'Thunder God Thor' detected."
"Target characteristics: Asgardian deity, controls the power of lightning (disabled), possesses the artifact mjolnir (lost contact)."
"Current status: Divine power stripped, state of mind shattered."
"System recommendation: Can try to promote 'Deity Exclusive Risk Protection Plan' or 'Artifact Maintenance and Loss Insurance'."
The sea breeze blew across the pier, carrying a salty coolness, ruffling the corner of William's suit jacket.
Coulson's experimental quinjet had long disappeared into the skyline, leaving behind only him and a giant, walking problem.
William looked at the dejected, golden-haired giant not far away, who seemed to have been abandoned by the entire World, and the roar in his heart was about to burst through his skull.
The anger in his heart was burning, but William's facial expression management remained perfect.
He took a deep breath.
He temporarily suppressed all calculations regarding battle damage reports and reconstruction costs, putting on an impeccable business smile.
"Mr. Thor, is that right?" William walked over proactively.
"The wind is strong outside, why not come to my office and sit for a while? The view there is excellent, and the whiskey is perfectly aged."
Thunder God Thor slowly raised his head, his empty gaze sweeping over William's face without any focus.
He nodded, silently following behind William like a puppet from which the soul had been drawn.
The walk from the pier to the office building wasn't long, but it was exceptionally agonizing for William.
The former Thor beside him didn't say a word the entire time, only repeating a few words in a low, despairing voice, like a broken record.
"My hammer..."
"mjolnir..."
"Has she abandoned me...?"
William's professional fake smile was almost impossible to maintain.
He felt like he wasn't hosting a giant baby who had just lost his beloved toy.
Finally, the two arrived at the ocean-view office with its excellent view.
"Please sit."
William pointed to the visitor's sofa next to him, which looked sturdy but was definitely not Italian genuine leather.
He didn't want this big guy, who could lose control at any moment, to plop down and break his cherished property.
Thor sat down as instructed, continuing his dazed state, his eyes fixed on the sea outside the window, as if he could see his lost hammer there.
William sat down behind his desk.
He subtly picked up his phone and quickly typed a message under the desk, sending it to that familiar avatar.
"William: Tony, my dear friend. I have a 'guest' here, blond, big, and emotionally unstable. Most importantly, he might soon attract some uninvited 'party poopers' in metal cans."
"William: Keep an eye on my island's coordinates for me. I might need your 'fireworks' support very soon."
It was almost an instant reply.
"Tony Stark: What kind of weird client is it this time? Alright. But, if I need to show up in armor, you'll have to cover the dry-cleaning fees and a year's worth of cheeseburgers afterward."
Seeing the reply, William breathed a slight sigh of relief.
With Tony as a safeguard, at least he wouldn't have his home demolished and have nowhere to complain.
He put down his phone, cleared his throat, and decided to begin his actual work.
Regardless of whether metal cans would show up later.
The divine power wool in front of him was free for the taking!
William pulled out a contract from his briefcase.
"Mr. Thor, let's talk about your future."
He pushed the 'Deity Exclusive Risk Protection Plan' policy to the center of the table, his tone full of allure.
"A comprehensive risk management plan, a guarantee that gives you a trump card when facing any unpredictable disaster. We call it... insurance."
Thor, who had been in a daze, seemed to have had a switch flipped by the word "guarantee." His dim blue eyes, for the first time, truly focused on William's face.
"Insurance?"
He spoke hoarsely, his voice tinged with confusion.
"What is that?"
He reacted!
William's spirits lifted, feeling like a fisherman who had finally seen his float moving.
He immediately entered his best sales mode and explained to this visitor from another World:
"It is a contract, a great alliance of mortals against the whims of fate! You only need to pay a small 'tribute,' and in return, when misfortune strikes—whether it's physical injury, property loss, or even... when life is threatened, we will provide you with generous returns, help you rebuild your home, restore your strength, and help you rise again!"
He deliberately emphasized the words "restore strength" and "rise again."
Thor listened quietly, a subtle change appearing on his face.
He seemed to be seriously considering the value of this "contract."
Just as William thought he was about to successfully sign this first contract from Asgard, a hint of his former kingly pride and disdain flashed in Thor's eyes.
He snorted softly, slumping back into the sofa, his tone carrying a self-mocking arrogance.
"A God does not need a mortal contract."
After speaking, he reverted to his zombie-like state, continuing to stare blankly out the window.
"..."
William's smile froze.
His prepared sales pitch was choked in his throat by that one sentence.
God?
You're just an internet-addicted teenager whose dad confiscated all his gear and accounts and kicked him out of the house, okay?!
Still calling yourself a God!
William quickly calculated in his mind.
Since mortal concepts like "guarantee" and "contract" couldn't move this arrogant Thor, he needed to change his approach.
He needed to find a point of entry that could touch Thor's deepest pain point and also connect with his identity as a "God."
Strength?
Glory?
Revenge?
Or... loss?
He glanced at Thor's empty eyes and the words he kept repeating: "My hammer... mjolnir... Has she abandoned me...?"
William suddenly had an idea.
Perhaps he could approach it from the angle of "restoring past glory" and "regaining lost things."
The pride of a God is often greater than that of mortals.
And losing divine power, losing an artifact, might be the greatest blow to them.
Just as he was organizing his words to speak again—
A sudden change occurred!
A dazzling, indescribably colorful beam of light, without warning, descended from the sky.
Like a spear of divine punishment, it fiercely pierced through the clouds and precisely struck the neatly mowed lawn outside the office!
Buzz—!
The entire island seemed to tremble slightly under this immense energy, and the office's floor-to-ceiling windows groaned under the strain.
The light was so intense that it dyed the entire office in a dreamy yet deadly iridescence.
William and Thor were startled simultaneously, turning sharply to look out the window.
The colorful light beam rapidly dissipated.
In its place, a silver figure stood silently.
It had no facial features, no expression.
Its smooth metal shell reflected the cold sunlight.
Its burly physique exuded a destructive sense of oppression; this was the ultimate weapon born for war and slaughter.
The Destroyer!
William's blood almost froze.
His excellent, expensive, ultra-large floor-to-ceiling window became a 4K ultra-HD death live stream screen.
Perfectly framing that walking catastrophe in the center.
It came too fast.
His worst fear was thus laid bare before him without any buffer.
-------------------------------
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