Tony arrived at Whiplash's workshop, speaking calmly.
The entire armor was paralyzed, immobile, and the whip had lifted the mask.
"Stark, I don't need you to lecture me. Save your fake moral high ground. If it weren't for your friends showing up, you'd already be in hell today, apologizing to my father!"
"In fact, I was the one who told him how to deal with you. I saw the weaknesses in your armor. After all, it was my knowledge that beat you—just like my father defeated yours!"
"You have no right to mention my father!"
Ivan Vanko spat on the ground viciously, a clear sign of his contempt for Tony Stark.
Qin Xiao twirled his Tang sword, ready to strike Whiplash. He had no interest in the pointless argument between them.
But Rhodes's cry for help interrupted him again.
"Hey… now that it's all over, can someone get me out of here?!"
Poor Rhodes—his armor model was based on the Mark 2, incapable of disengaging automatically.
Qin Xiao cut the energy circuit at his chest. Now, Rhodes couldn't even move a hand, let alone remove the armor himself.
"It's over. How do you plan to deal with him? I think he should be handed over to me!"
Black Widow and Pepper appeared just in time again, while Rhodes rolled his eyes from inside the suit.
Black Widow's comment came from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s perspective.
Of course, neither Qin Xiao nor Tony would let S.H.I.E.L.D. get their hands on the arc reactor tech—especially since Qin Xiao had long suspected that the organization should really be called Serpent Shield.
"Natasha, do you really think—"
Before Qin Xiao could finish, a loud laugh interrupted him.
"Hahaha! No one decides my fate. Come to hell with me!"
As Whiplash laughed maniacally, all the arc reactors in the surrounding armor suits linked together—including the three reactors on his own suit.
As long as they weren't destroyed, everything flashed with dangerous red lights.
(Though I'm describing it myself, turning on the red lights before an explosion is definitely a bit over the top!)
"Bastard!"
"Damn it!"
Qin Xiao and Tony cursed almost simultaneously, then rushed one after the other toward the two women standing beside them.
Tony grabbed Pepper and flew into the sky, while Qin Xiao lifted Black Widow from his waist and leaped toward the distant forest.
Before the explosion, only Whiplash's maniacal curses and the wailing sirens filled the scene.
Of course, a faint sound came from one of the armor suits on the ground.
"What's happening? Is it going to explode? Qin, someone help me! Where's Tony?!"
"Boom!!!!"
The explosions erupted one after another, like the finale of a bloody action movie. The two male heroes held their girls in their arms, standing at a distance, watching the symbolic explosion of victory.
"Boom!"
A piece of armor, torn apart by the blast, rolled a short distance in front of them.
Rhodes's angry groans came from inside.
Tony held Pepper by the waist, gazing at her tenderly.
"Missing last time was a shame. I think I should make up for it today!"
They slowly kissed.
Nearby, Qin Xiao still held Black Widow.
She gently reached out, wrapping her hand around Qin Xiao's waist, and asked,
"Before the explosion… what were you going to say to me?"
Qin Xiao glanced at the beauty in his arms, then at Tony and Pepper kissing beside him.
He grinned. "It doesn't matter anymore."
He lowered his head and kissed Black Widow.
"Hey! Why so quiet? The explosion's over—I almost got blown up. Qin! Tony! Get me out! I know you're nearby. What are you doing? Hey! Hey…"
"Silence!"
Qin Xiao kicked a rock at Rhodes's head, the impact reverberating inside the armor.
…
After Rhodes transformed into War Machine, the system automatically marked him as a superhero or Avenger, granting Qin Xiao 500 mission points.
Defeating Whiplash earned a bonus of 1,000 points.
Qin Xiao gained an additional 2,000 points.
With 2,000 points, aside from the already redeemed Asgardian God Body, Qin Xiao could only buy two more items.
After careful thought, he upgraded his Tang sword. After all, if the sword was sharp enough, Whiplash would be a sitting target.
Qin Xiao had expected to simply purchase a new Tang sword, but the system displayed an upgrade interface instead. He placed his E-grade Tang sword in and upgraded it directly to D-grade.
The upgraded Tang sword didn't look much different, but swinging it in his hand, he could feel the material was now far tougher.
Unfortunately, the folding function was removed—possibly due to material limitations.
This created a major inconvenience for Qin Xiao. He couldn't carry the sword everywhere. He wasn't Deadpool.
Desperate, he spent 1,000 points to acquire a space item.
There was no way to convert it into a regular trinket.
After consulting the system, Qin Xiao turned it into a small button on his pants.
Since the combat suit could be changed, the button wasn't part of the standard configuration.
If Qin Xiao switched to sportswear, it could appear as a tiny decorative accessory or logo on the waistband—depending entirely on his choice.
In short, Qin Xiao thought it best to hide the item somewhere unexpected. That way, even if outsiders were killed, they would never guess he had a hidden tool.
This could be considered a magical effect, similar to Doctor Strange and Loki.
Additionally, in future battles, drawing a Tang sword from under your waist would give you a lethal advantage.
After buying the two items, Qin Xiao still had 300 points left.
Once he stored the space item and a few daily essentials, he boarded a plane to New Mexico.
Qin Xiao had initially wanted Thor to follow him to New York, but the Asgardian said he couldn't leave his hammer. He felt safer staying close to it, so Qin Xiao let him go.
During this period, perhaps due to losing his position or Jane's influence, Thor—normally a naive and bumbling guy—truly let go of his obsessions and even made a solid plan for his life.
He rented a house in a small town and found work as a chef at a restaurant.
The ten thousand dollars Qin Xiao had given him last time, aside from a little spent on Jane and small gifts, went largely untouched. He lived entirely off the money he earned working.
Qin Xiao was genuinely surprised.
Watching the goofy guy bustling in the restaurant's open kitchen, that disheveled aura he used to carry had completely disappeared.
Jane stared at Thor, her gaze unwavering.
Qin Xiao suddenly realized that Odin's children, when grown, could hardly manage their parents.
Poor Odin—his children were far too dependent on him.
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