Chapter 21: Loki Seizes the Tesseract
The Tesseract shone brighter in Loki's grip, resonating with the Mind Stone embedded in the scepter.
Blue tendrils of energy spider-webbed across the lab; every electronic device they touched died, lights went black, and only the glow of the cube and the scepter lit Loki's triumphant smile.
"What are you going to do with it?" Fury asked, forcing calm while edging toward the manual alarm on the wall.
"Do?" Loki tilted his head as if the question were childish. "Open a door, of course—one large enough for my… allies to stride comfortably into this beautiful, fragile World."
He tossed the cube up and caught it again with the casual air of a man playing with a toy.
"You humans are amusing—so primitive, such brief lives, yet you try to wield forces even gods respect. Infants waving razors: ridiculous and dangerous."
The scepter pointed at the lab wall; a lance of blue energy punched through the heavy alloy, revealing a tangle of conduits behind.
"No matter," Loki went on, conversational as weather chat. "Soon, something older and far stronger will take charge, and you… will kneel before true gods."
Hawkeye and Dr. Selvig already stood behind him like the most devoted servants.
"Director!" an Agent burst in, fired the instant he saw the scene.
The bullets froze a meter from Loki, spun lazily, then whipped back faster than they had come; the Agentdropped with a grunt.
"Pointless defiance," Loki sighed. "Still, I must be going. Consider this little drama the trailer before the main feature."
He raised the scepter; the cube flared anew, its light ringing the gem. Space at the center of the lab twisted violently, stabilizing into a larger, steadier blue vortex.
"Oh, one thing," Loki said, stepping toward the swirl, "the game just leveled up. If you're smart, find a hole and crawl in."
"Leveled how?" Fury demanded, but Loki was already through.
Hawkeye followed; Dr. Selvig followed.
The vortex pinched shut behind them, leaving only wrecked equipment, an unconscious Agent, and the sharp stink of ozone.
And Fury's face, dark as thunder… Base-wide lockdown.
Fifteen minutes later the first damage report was in:
The Tesseract was gone.
Agent Clint Barton—Hawkeye—taken, mind-controlled.
Dr. Selvig taken, mind-controlled.
The Base was crippled.
The intruder had carved runes into the wall: "Look up, mortals; your gods descend from the stars."
Techs analyzing energy residue found a spatial signature never seen before—no match for any indexed powered individual except one.
"Director," an analyst said hesitantly, "trace amounts of stealth-type spatial disturbance show 7.3 % similarity to the signature Lin Che left when he infiltrated Stark Industries."
Fury's single eye narrowed.
"Similar, but not identical?"
"Yes—like two applications of the same tech. Lin Che's version is subtler, personal. This one is wilder, door-like."
Fury was silent a moment. "Invite Lin Che and Angelaover. Say we need their help with an investigation."
"Shall I go personally?" Natasha's voice came over the comm.
"Do it," Fury said. "Use tact. Tell him the residue matches his earlier work and we need an analysis. Truth is… I want them against this so-called god."
"Understood. Think he'll agree?"
Fury snorted. "The kid's a pain, but he doesn't want Earthin chaos. And the Asgardian princess with him might know something about 'gods.'"
"On my way."
…Meanwhile, somewhere unknown.
Loki stood on the second floor of an abandoned factory, toying with the Tesseract; its blue glow painted satisfaction across his face.
Hawkeye and Dr. Selvig waited behind him, eyes vacant.
"Step one complete," Loki murmured. "Now for a little… preparation. Agent Barton, you know this World's defenses. Where is the best place to build a 'door'?"
Hawkeye answered mechanically, "S.H.I.E.L.D. has seven fallback command hubs, three orbital watch-stations, but the optimal site is Stark Tower. The rooftop Arc Reactor supplies stable, massive power and sits above a dense population—perfect strategic leverage."
"Stark Tower…" Loki mused. "New York's icon? Delightful. There it shall be."
He turned to Dr. Selvig. "Scholar, how long to calculate a stable spatial matrix?"
The doctor's eyes blazed with manic intellect, "Seventy-two hours with full equipment—but I'll need iridium as a stabilizer."
"Iridium," Loki repeated. "Where, Barton?"
"Stuttgart, Germany. Private lab of Dr. Heinrich Seyffert—the World's top iridium metallurgist."
"Excellent," Loki's smile sharpened. "Tomorrow we visit the good doctor in Germany. But first…"
He lifted the scepter; the cube's light danced inside its gem.
"To keep this World's Guardians from meddling, we'll need a contingency…"
"Agent Barton," Loki ordered, "you won't accompany me tomorrow. Infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D.; if the plan falters, correct it from within."
"Scholar, remain hidden in New York until the signal…"
Loki turned to the window, gazing at the distant city lights.
"Thor, dear brother, where are you now?" he whispered, a flicker of resentment, envy, and almost invisible sorrow in his eyes. "When you arrive and see the 'gift' I've prepared for this World… what look will cross your face?"
He tightened his grip on the scepter.
"This time, you will watch me—only me."
Outside, the first pale light of dawn crept across the sky.
But inside the derelict factory only the Tesseract's cold glow and the murmurs of the god of mischief remained, heralding the coming storm.
Chapter 22 – Bargaining with Nick Fury
New York, 178A Greenwich Village.
Six in the morning.
Urgent knocking shattered the dawn quiet. Lin Che, rubbing sleep from his eyes, trudged downstairs; through the peephole he saw the grim-faced Natasha, two figures behind her.
One was a blond man in a vintage leather jacket, Vibranium shield in hand; the other, red-and-gold armor hovering mid-air, faceplate open to reveal Tony Stark's thoroughly annoyed expression.
"Open the door, Lin Che." Natasha's voice came through the wood, brooking no argument.
Lin Che swung the door wide and yawned theatrically. "Wow, cosplay party this early? Captain Tight-Pants, Tin Man, and the Black Widow… is S.H.I.E.L.D. shooting a family portrait on my doorstep?"
Steve Rogers frowned, clearly unaccustomed to the "tight-pants" label.
Tony's armor touched down with a heavy metallic thud.
"Cut the chatter," his faceplate snapped shut, then open again, revealing tired, sharp eyes. "Last night a S.H.I.E.L.D.Base was wiped out—the Tesseract stolen, Barton and Dr. Selvig taken under control. The energy signature left behind… resembles your previous handiwork."
Lin Che's drowsiness evaporated. He stepped aside to let the trio in; Angela descended the stairs, pure-white eyes calmly sweeping the visitors.
"The Tesseract?" Lin Che echoed, mind racing. "That blue cube? Someone actually swiped it?"
"Don't play dumb," Natasha said, entering the living room and folding her arms. "You've got a record, the ability, and your whereabouts after eleven can't be fully verified."
"The Chinatown restaurant owner says you left at eleven; no one saw you for the next four hours."
Steve picked up, tone gentler but firm. "Mr. Lin, if you're innocent, please cooperate. The Tesseract's energy is extremely dangerous—if it falls into the wrong hands—"
"It'll trigger an end-of-the-World disaster; I know," Lin Che cut in, strolling to the kitchen for a glass of water. "But it really wasn't me. Angela can vouch—we came back and spent the night discussing Earth's weapons systems; I even taught her to look things up online."
Angela nodded. "He speaks the truth. We spent three hours on 'missile guidance principles' and comparing nuclear fission to divine-force detonation."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "You two have charming nightlife."
Then Fury's voice crackled from Natasha's comm: "Stark, Rogers, new results from the energy analysis."
"It's not Lin Che. Signature's similar but fundamentally different. The intruder calls himself Loki."
Angela's alabaster eyes narrowed slightly.
"Loki?" Steve looked at her. "You know him?"
"Odin's foster son, Thor's brother, self-proclaimed god of mischief," Lin Che rattled off. "Petty, vindictive, expert at illusions and mind control. That scepter of his can enslave minds—odds are Hawkeye's already under his spell."
Angela's brow creased at the name. "Thor said he fell from the Bifrost Bridge—should be lost somewhere in the Universe."
"Looks like he found his way home," Lin Che muttered, rubbing his temples. "And the first thing he does is pop to Earth and grab the Tesseract… this is bad. What does he want with it?"
"From what he said before leaving, he intends to open a bigger portal and usher in an army," Natasha replied grimly.
Lin Che and Angela exchanged glances.
"Abandoned chemical plant outside Stuttgart, Germany," Fury continued. "Thermal scans show major underground energy activity. Natasha, head there now. Stark, Rogers, coordinate. Lin Che—"
Fury paused. "If you want to clear your name, go with them. Bring back Loki and the Tesseract."
Tony rolled his eyes. "So we're teaming up with a suspect now?"
"Former suspect," Lin Che corrected. Instead of moving, he leisurely sat on the couch and crossed his legs. "But, Director Fury, you talk as though I owe you something."
Steve frowned. "Mr. Lin, this is an emergency."
"Exactly because it's an emergency that my value just skyrocketed, right?" Lin Che spread his hands, the familiar calculating grin appearing. "I'll help—but first, let's talk terms."
Natasha's gaze sharpened. "You want to exploit a crisis?"
"I want a fair trade," Lin Che countered. "S.H.I.E.L.D.treated me as a suspect all night, then barged in this morning."
"Okay, technically knocking, but the vibe was practically breaking-and-entering. Now you realize I'm innocent and it's just 'come with us'? That's not how you ask for help."
Tony folded his arms. "He's got a point. Fury, you could at least say please."
On the comm, Fury fell silent a moment. "What do you want, Lin Che?"
Lin Che raised a finger. "First, full-access S.H.I.E.L.D. files on the Tesseract, Loki, and every related incident—no redactions, no cover-ups, including your dirty lab notes."
"Impossible," Fury shot back. "Those are Level-Ten classified."
"Then handle Loki yourselves," Lin Che shrugged. "But a friendly heads-up: Loki's scepter controls minds. How many S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel are already compromised or about to be? Ever consider that?"
Everyone's face darkened.
"Second," Lin Che went on, "Angela and I operate independently. We're not under your command; we cooperate but keep autonomy."
Steve shook his head. "That undermines unified command."
"On the contrary, it prevents a total wipe-out," Lin Chelooked Captain America in the eye. "What's Loki best at? Illusions and mind control. If he's got someone inside S.H.I.E.L.D.—or controls a field Commander—centralized command becomes a fatal flaw. Angela and I act independently, providing outside support and a contingency if you all get compromised."
Tony nodded thoughtfully. "Obnoxious as he is, the kid's making sense this time."
"Third," Lin Che raised a third finger, gaze shifting to Natasha, "I want a promise from the Black Widow."
Natasha narrowed her eyes. "What kind of promise?"
"One unconditional favor," Lin Che said steadily. "No limits on time or place—whenever I ask, you deliver."
"Out of the question," Natasha refused flatly. "I won't make an open-ended pledge."
"Then add limits," Lin Che was ready. "Nothing that violates your core principles, no harming innocents, no betraying Earth's security. Beyond that, you honor it."
He paused, then added, "And it's personal—between Natasha Romanoff and Lin Che, no S.H.I.E.L.D.involvement. You'll owe me.
Chapter 23 – Loki's Speech
Natasha stared at him for a full ten seconds. "Why me?"
"Because you're the sharpest, most adaptable person here," Lin Che said frankly, "and you read people better than anyone else."
"You know I'm not evil—just a little… greedy."
That softened Natasha's expression a fraction.
Lin Che pressed on. "Fourth, once this is over S.H.I.E.L.D.gives Angela and me legitimate identities and clearances—not the disposable kind, but real, protected status. We live on Earth; we'd rather not be treated as illegal aliens every time we step outside."
He raised a fifth finger. "Fifth, temporary call-rights on a quinjet. You keep ownership; S.H.I.E.L.D. just provides transport when I need it… and I'll cover the fuel bill."
Tony whistled. "Big appetite."
On the comm, Fury stayed silent for a long moment.
Finally his voice came back, anger barely leashed. "Lin Che, you're blackmailing S.H.I.E.L.D."
"No, I'm contributing to Earth's safety and asking fair compensation," Lin Che corrected. "Without Angela and me, what are your odds against Loki? He's an Asgardian god with the Tesseract and the Mind Stone. Confident?"
No one answered.
Lin Che smiled. "So my terms are reasonable. You gain two powerful allies; we gain some security and freedom. Win-win."
Another stretch of silence.
"I accept points three, four, and five," Fury said at last. "But one and two get revised. File access stops at Level Eight—no top secrets. Independent operations are fine, but you sync intel regularly."
Lin Che considered. "Level-Seven files; completely off-book ops."
"We'll contact you when it matters. Spoils split fifty-fifty—we take half."
"You—!" Fury's voice nearly burst into flame.
"Director," Natasha cut in, "we're out of time. Loki could be planning something bigger."
Tony chimed in. "Honestly, Fury, give it to him. The kid's probably already guessed half your secrets anyway."
Steve looked at Lin Che, eyes conflicted, then nodded. "I agree to cooperate. But Mr. Lin, understand: this isn't a transaction—it's a responsibility."
"I'll shoulder the responsibility, and I'll still collect the benefits," Lin Che said, standing and pulling on his coat. "So—deal?"
Over the comm they heard Fury draw a slow breath. "…Deal. Move out—now."
Lin Che slipped on his shoes and glanced at Angela. "Ready?"
"Loki's actions violate the Nine Realms' accord; Asgard is obliged to stop him," Angela said calmly. "I'll assist."
She nodded, pure-white eyes glinting with anticipation. "An Asgardian traitor… worth meeting."
Lin Che turned to Natasha. "Agent Romanoff, our arrangement?"
Natasha met his gaze and inclined her head. "As long as it doesn't breach my principles, I owe you one."
"Good." Lin Che's smile turned genuine. "Then let's go greet the god of mischief."
He headed for the door, then looked back. "Oh—point six: if we pull this off, S.H.I.E.L.D. gets me a VIP pass to the Stark Industries Expo. I hear they've got some nice toys this year."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Starting to miss when he was a suspect."
"Former suspect," Lin Che corrected, already shrugging into his jacket. "First, a warning: Loki may be a weakling god, but he's cunning and that scepter is nasty. Your Agents are fodder—one mind-whammy and your own team turns on you."
"All right," Natasha said. "Follow me."
…Abandoned chemical plant outside Stuttgart, Germany.
The quinjet circled overhead. Tony's armor finished its scan. "Energy signature below, but only two or three life signs… feels off."
Lin Che closed his eyes to sense, brow creasing. "Illusion. Most of the underground area's empty; the real source isn't here."
Suddenly Natasha's comm crackled: "Director! Riot in downtown Stuttgart! A man in green robes with a scepter's attacking civilians—calls himself… a god."
"A diversion," Lin Che realized. "He shows himself downtown to draw us in. Angela, can you tell which Lokiis real?"
Runes flickered across Angela's pale irises. "The downtown surge is stronger… but the factory illusion's elaborate. He's using doubles."
"Split up," Steve ordered. "I'll take downtown; Stark and Natasha sweep the plant. Lin Che, Angela—"
"We're going downtown," Lin Che called, already sprinting for the jet. "We've got more experience with magic."
Steve frowned. "We should plan this properly—"
"Plan: don't let the scepter touch you," Lin Che shouted, moving west. "Keep up or run your own play—"
"But remember: Loki loves nothing more than screwing with 'people with plans.'"
Angela ghosted after him; both vanished into a pipe entrance.
Tony's faceplate snapped shut. "Well, he's confident, Cap."
"Natasha goes in front as distraction; I breach from above. Jarvis, tag all heat sources—non-lethal mode."
"Tagged, sir."
…Stuttgart central plaza.
When Lin Che and Angela arrived the sight was staggering.
Loki stood atop the central steps in ornate green robes and golden armor, the blue-gemmed scepter in hand.
Bit too shiny, Lin Che thought. Strip that getup off and you could probably trade it for a decent downtown apartment on the black market.
At his feet knelt dozens of civilians; overturned cars and shattered shop-fronts littered the square. Beyond, Policeand SWAT ringed the scene, afraid to move.
"Kneel!" Loki's voice rolled across the plaza, divine and icy. "This is no invasion—it is liberation. You were born to be ruled, and I will end your delusion of freedom…"
"Nice speech," Lin Che murmured to Angela. "But 'born to be ruled' wouldn't fool a middle-school civics teacher. Which outdated villain script did he crib?"
Angela's pale eyes stayed calm. "Asgardian court dramas. He loved playing the villain; Thor always beat him with a wooden sword."
"No wonder it reeks of teen edginess." Lin Che muttered.
"Sorry to interrupt."
Captain America's voice came from the side. Steve Rogers stepped from the shadows, Vibranium shield gleaming. "But I don't think anyone here wants to kneel to you."
Loki turned, amused. "Ah, a soldier. An obsolete creation living in the wrong era."
"Accurate jab," Lin Che said, crunching peanuts loud enough for nearby ears. "Though calling someone 'obsolete' when he thawed out less than a year ago feels… unfair, no?"
An elderly German woman stared; Lin Che offered her some nuts. "Want one? Plain."
Steve clearly heard, the corner of his mouth twitching, but his eyes stayed locked on Loki. "I've seen worse tyrants. You don't measure up."
"Well said!" Lin Che clapped, peanut shells spilling. "Cap, add: 'And your fashion sense is worse—green and gold? Christmas colors? It's June.'"
Loki's smile vanished. He shot Lin Che a glare, then raised the scepter; the blue gem flared. "Then taste the power of a god!"
Chapter 24 – Loki's Easy Capture
Energy lanced from the scepter in Loki's hand, but Steveraised his shield. The Vibranium ricocheted the beam skyward, where it burst into a blossom of blue light.
"Wow, that light show must've cost a fortune," Lin Chewhistled. "Angela, do all Asgard spells burn that much juice? On Earth's electric bill, that shot just ran about fifty bucks."
"He's only showing off," Angela answered calmly.
As Loki readied a second strike, a red-and-gold figure dropped from the sky.
Tony Stark's armor landed on the far side of the plaza, palm-cannon trained on Loki. "Show's over, Loki. Hand over the Tesseract."
"Another tin toy," Loki sneered. "You Earthlings always use these laughable things to make up for your weakness."
"Tin toy?" Tony's faceplate flipped open to reveal an irritated scowl. "Jarvis, make a note: alien god rates our armor as 'tin toy.' We'll use that in the next Stark Industries ad—'Even gods envy our toys.'"
Lin Che couldn't hold back a laugh. "Nice slogan; I'll invest. But Tony, are you sure about 'envy'? He looks more like sour grapes to me."
He raised the scepter again, but it suddenly shuddered violently. Loki's expression changed; he looked toward the edge of the square.
Angela stood there, white runes swirling in her eyes, disrupting the scepter's energy flow.
"Who are you?" Loki ground out. "Someone from the Realm?"
"I've never seen you. You stand against me as well?"
"Uh, that's your sister," Lin Che drawled, strolling from the crowd and brushing peanut crumbs from his hands. "Odin brought her back from the heavens a while ago."
He stepped between Steve and Tony, completing a triangle, but deliberately hung slightly back—close enough to act, far enough to avoid the first wave of any attack.
Loki's face darkened in disbelief. "Sister? Hmph! I'm not Odin's blood!"
"Blood isn't everything, Loki; you know that," Lin Chesaid, eyes scanning the battlefield. "Otherwise you wouldn't have iced Frost Giant King Laufey so neatly."
"Shut your mouth, insect," Loki snapped.
"Give up the Tesseract, Loki," Angela's voice was ice. "Now."
"The Tesseract?" Loki grinned, sly and dangerous. "Who says I have it on me?"
Before the words faded, he slammed the scepter into the ground. Blue energy shattered the flagstones; the plaza quaked. From the cracks climbed three metal constructs—abominations cobbled from scrapped cars and lampposts, their eyes glowing azure.
"Have fun, mortals."
Loki's figure began to fade—teleportation.
Tony fired instantly, palm-repulsors streaking through the illusion.
"Told you he was showing off," Lin Che sighed. "Could've just run, but no—summon a few mooks first. Is that, like, villain professional ethics?"
Steve was already charging the nearest metal beast; his shield smashed its head apart. "Less talk, Lin Che!"
"On it," Lin Che flexed his wrists and walked toward another monster. "Hey Captain, bet I can drop mine with fewer moves. Wager—scrape me a pinch of Vibraniumdust off that shield for research?"
"No." Steve's tone was final.
"Stingy." Lin Che shrugged, then burst forward.
He didn't use Hulk Power; instead he blended God-level Stealth with a touch of taiji. As the monster's arm swung down, he slid aside and tapped its joint.
No brute force—just guiding its own momentum.
The thing toppled; Lin Che stamped on its energy core. A faint shock wave rippled through its frame, collapsing the internals.
Three seconds, and it was a pile of scrap.
Tony took out the third from the air, landing with a raised eyebrow. "What was that?"
"Four ounces move a thousand pounds," Lin Che clapped his hands. "Chinese kung fu. Want lessons? Tuition—blueprints of your armor set?"
"Dream on." Tony rolled his eyes.
Angela spoke suddenly. "He's three hundred meters southeast, opening a stable portal."
Lin Che's gaze sharpened. "Done playing? So am I."
With God-level Stealth fully active, he appeared behind Loki like a ghost. A palm empowered by Hulk Powerslammed into Loki's back, shattering his spell mid-cast. Loki grunted, the scepter flying from his grasp.
"Hey, magician," Lin Che said, "the show's not over; actors can't leave early."
Angela leapt to catch the scepter just as Lin Che's second strike arrived.
A fist cannoned into Loki's gut, driving him to his knees.
The whole sequence took less than three seconds.
By the time Steve and Tony finished off the metal monsters, Loki was pinned to the ground by Lin Che, golden blood trickling from his lips.
"H-how…" Shock filled Loki's eyes.
"Let me tell you a secret," Lin Che murmured. "I've met your brother. Next to him, you're a baby."
Tony walked over, cuffs extending from his armor's arm. "Nice work. Next time, leave me some screen time? My new suit's recorder needs material—right now the footage's all you."
Steve scanned the surroundings, wary. "Too easy. With his abilities, he shouldn't have been caught this simply."
Lin Che nodded, eyeing the scepter in Angela's hands. "The energy in this thing… it's off. It's absorbing ambient power, yet something's capping it."
Angela's pure-white eyes fixed on the gem. "There's a seal inside. At full strength the scepter would be far stronger; right now only a fraction is released."
Loki, now cuffed, suddenly smiled. "Clever observations. But you really think catching me ends the game?"
He lifted his gaze to the night sky, a strange glint in his eyes. "This was just rehearsal. The real play… is only beginning."
Lin Che crouched to Loki's level. "You know what bugs me about villains like you? Half-finished lines. Spill it all or shut up—stop with the suspense. Earth soap operas are clearer than you."
At that moment, rapid footsteps echoed.
Nick Fury burst in with a squad of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents; everyone froze at the sight.
"Whatever you planned, you're just a prisoner now." Lin Che rose, waving the Agents over. "Take him away—lock him in a windowless room. Oh, and strip that flashy outfit; it hurts my eyes."
Fury studied the kneeling Loki, then Lin Che and Angela, a storm of emotions in his single eye. Finally he nodded. "Well done."
The Agents snapped on special cuffs—Vibranium-laced alloy made for super-humans.
As they led Loki off, he glanced back at Lin Che. The arrogance was gone, replaced by cold hatred.
"You'll regret this, mortal," he hissed. "You have no idea what you've provoked."
"I've provoked plenty; one more doesn't matter," Lin Chesaid with a wave. "Reflect in your cell, kid."
Loki was removed, the other mind-controlled victims handed over to S.H.I.E.L.D. medical for evaluation and treatment.
Fury stepped up and offered his hand. "Mr. Lin Che, on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D., thank you."
Lin Che shook it. "No problem—just reimburse my travel expenses. And process Loki fast; he's dangerous."
"We'll secure him," Fury assured. "But regarding his handling…"
"That's your headache," Lin Che cut in. "My advice: lock him airtight—the guy's maxed-out on escape skills. Best cell has no doors or windows."
Fury nodded and turned to coordinate cleanup.
Natasha approached slowly, regarded Lin Che, then said after a pause, "Thanks."
"Anytime, Agent Natasha," Lin Che patted her shoulder. "Next mission, we can partner again—just don't forget your promise."
"…Got it."
The group filed out of the underground space; Lin Cheand Angela brought up the rear.
"How was it?" Lin Che asked. "First real combat on Earth?"
"Opponent was too weak," Angela replied flatly. "Loki's illusions and talk are slightly tricky, but his physique is poor—no melee skill. In Heaven he wouldn't graduate boot camp."
Lin Che chuckled. "That's because you're overpowered. Still, an easy win saves trouble."
They exited the factory; dawn was breaking. The eastern sky paled, morning light washing over the desolate plant.
At that instant, a system alert sounded in Lin Che's mind.
Chapter 25: The Gem-Heart Mission
Ding! Mission issued: SSS-rank — Gem-Heart (Part 1).
Objective: During the Battle of New York, seize Loki's scepter (Mind Stone) and the Tesseract (Space Stone).
Lin Che couldn't help looking forward to the rewards.
Reward: SS-rank skill — Mind Master ("Hand over your heart"), SS-rank skill — Spatial Walk (from A to B in a whoosh).
Jackpot! Two at once — a double-yolk egg!
...S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, main deck.
As Lin Che followed Natasha down the quinjet ramp he couldn't help whistling.
"Wow, this thing looks way cooler than in the movies." He swept his gaze across the flying fortress hovering above the clouds, eyes glinting shrewdly. "Price tag starts at twenty billion? Director Fury, isn't S.H.I.E.L.D.'s budget a bit lavish? Do the folks on Capitol Hill know how their taxpayers' money's being spent?"
Nick Fury in front didn't even turn. "Mr. Lin, we're dealing with aliens. Focus on the mission, not the audit."
"Occupational habit." Lin Che grinned as he caught up, casually patting an Agent's shoulder. "So, buddy, how's the cafeteria? Buffet? Flying this high, pressure changes make a guy hungry…"
The Agent walked off stone-faced.
Angela walked beside Lin Che, white eyes calmly scanning. Her Asgardian casual wear stood out among the black uniforms, yet no one dared approach.
Natasha had already informed them via comms of the "Asgardian princess."
"Energy shields, triple-layer composite armor, anti-grav engine arrays…" Angela murmured. "Midgard's tech is cruder but practical."
"We call it 'brute force elegance,'" Lin Che whispered. "Humans excel at taking something crude and pushing it to the max. This ship? Basically a flying iron brick — load it with guns and missiles and most aliens think twice."
Through two airlocks they reached the main CIC.
Lin Che spotted that familiar figure at once.
Tony Stark stood at the holotable, fingers swiping through mid-air. He'd doffed the armor for a Black Sabbath tee, whiskey in hand.
"Ah, our 'ex-con' arrives." Tony lifted his glass. "Fury, sure you want him aboard? Last time he swiped a reactor."
"Stark, time and place," Fury said flatly.
Lin Che grinned, walked over and clapped Tony's shoulder. "Tone, don't be stingy. Returned your reactor, plus upgrade tips. Did you read my sticky note under the housing?"
Tony's face was priceless. "That was you?"
"Who else could spot your sloppy storage at a glance?" Lin Che shrugged. "No consulting fee, relax."
Another hatch slid open.
Steve Rogers entered, behind him a rumpled, nervous man — Dr. Bruce Banner.
"All here," Fury said, stepping to the center console, single eye sweeping the group. Then he looked to Angela. "And Princess Audrifa of Asgard, observing for the Realm."
Steve nodded respectfully. "Appreciate the help, Princess."
"Call me Angela. Loki broke Nine Realms law; Asgardmust act."
Banner pushed up his glasses, whispering to Tony, "She's… a god?"
"Per Lin Che, yep," Tony said, sipping. "You saw him in Harlem."
"Hulk saw. Me… I barely remember."
Lin Che cut in, "Speaking of pants, Doc — every time you Hulk-out they rip, yet human-shape you've spares. Super-power? Unlimited underwear generation?"
The room fell silent a beat.
Banner gaped, wordless.
Tony's shoulders shook suppressing laughter.
Fury's eye said: I'm throwing this kid off my ship.
Steve cleared his throat. "Director, where's Loki?"
"Deck B special cell," Fury said, pulling up a feed: Lokiinside a transparent Vibranium cylinder, eyes closed. "Vibranium lattice, suppression field — not even a mosquito escapes."
Lin Che studied the screen three seconds, then smiled. "Director, quick question: that suppression field — powered by Tesseract energy?"
Fury's eye narrowed. "How do you know?"
"Emergency protocol," he said grimly. "After the Tesseractwas stolen we tapped residual energy to boost security."
"Makes sense," Lin Che nodded. "Like a thief locking his loot in the very safe he cracked — ironic but logical."
Natasha cut in, "Less commentary, Lin."
"Yes, ma'am," he surrendered, winking at her.
The main screen flickered to an exterior feed.
A rainbow beam lanced through clouds, striking the deck. The carrier shuddered.
"Bifrost Bridge!" Angela said. "Thor's here."
Seconds later the CIC door burst open.
Thor strode in, blond hair flying, red cape billowing, Mjölnir in hand. Anxiety and anger warred on his face as he found Angela.
"Sister?" he blurted.
"Lin Che invited me to handle Loki," she said calmly. "You, Thor — did Odin permit your trip?"
Thor looked sheepish. "I… cleared it with Heimdall. Father doesn't know."
"So you sneaked out again," Angela sighed.
Tony interjected, "Save the family drama. Thor, here to spring your brother?"
Thor turned to Fury, demanding, "Where is Loki?"
"He's under arrest: twenty-seven counts, assault, theft, trespass," Fury replied. "No visitors until investigation ends."
"He's Asgard's prince!" Thor boomed. "Asgard judges him!"
"Crime scene's Earth," Steve said, stepping beside Fury. "Earth has its laws."
Thor eyed Steve. "The frozen soldier? Brave — but no match for me."
"Care to test that?" Steve gripped his shield.
Tension crackled.
Chapter 26: Loki's Plot Emerges
"Everyone, everyone..." Lin Che suddenly stepped between the two, raising both hands to separate them. "Quarreling won't solve the problem. Brother Thor, you want to see Loki simply because you want to ask him why he stole the Tesseract, right?"
Thor frowned. "How do you know?"
"Because I am your sister's landlord and life mentor, which makes me practically half a relative," Lin Che said without blinking. "How about this, I'll propose a plan... Let Thor see Loki, but it must be under surveillance, and all of us must be present. This satisfies Thor's familial needs while ensuring safety. How does that sound?"
Fury thought for a moment and looked at Thor. "Can you guarantee you won't try to break him out?"
Thor took a deep breath. "I swear by the name of Thor, Son of Odin, God of Thunder, that I only wish to speak with him."
"Deal." Fury pressed his communicator. "Bring Loki to the Level A interrogation room. Increase the guard."
Five minutes later, the interrogation room.
Loki was brought in by two Agents, his hands bound in special shackles.
Nick Fury said, "Let's get the unpleasantness out of the way first. If you so much as touch that glass, you'll fall 30,000 feet and turn into a puddle of mush. Understand?"
"Ant... boot. Does that sound familiar?" Fury sneered.
Loki glanced at the cage and curled his lip in disdain. "The cage is quite impressive, but unfortunately, it wasn't prepared for me, was it?"
Fury crossed his arms and sneered, "It's for a monster ten times worse than you. Consider yourself lucky."
Loki suddenly burst out laughing, his eyes dark and cold. "Oh—I see! You're talking about that big guy pickled in gamma rays, aren't you?"
In the crowd, Dr. Banner's face darkened.
Loki asked again, "What exactly do you want the Tesseract for?"
Fury's face went dark. "That's none of your concern. You should have a chat with your brother instead."
Hearing Loki's question, Stark and Steve couldn't help but ponder secretly.
When Loki saw Thor, a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Ah, my dear brother. Come to rescue me so soon?"
Thor took a step forward, his voice suppressed with pain. "Loki, why? Why have you taken this path again?"
"This path?" Loki chuckled. "Which path? The path of rule? The path of power? Or is it... because I chose a path different from yours, it's considered wrong?"
"You attack innocent people! You stole the Tesseract! You even controlled Agent Barton and Dr. Selvig!" Thorgripped his hammer. "This isn't ruling; it's tyranny!"
Loki's smile turned cold. "Tyranny? Then how many did you and Father kill when you conquered the Nine Realms? Is the blood on your hands any less than mine?"
"That was for peace!"
"So am I." Loki leaned forward, staring into Thor's eyes through the transparent containment wall. "I am simply ending this World's chaos in a more efficient way. Humans need to be ruled; they need a true god to guide them..."
"You are no god," Angela suddenly spoke up.
Everyone's gaze turned toward her.
Angela walked to the containment wall, her pure white eyes looking calmly at Loki. "You are just a lost prince, using power and trickery to mask your inner insecurity. A true god would not need to prove their value by conquering the weak."
For the first time, a crack appeared in Loki's expression. "Who exactly are you? Since when did Asgard have another princess?"
"Odette Odinsdottir, your sister," Angela said. "I grew up in Heven and only recently returned to Asgard. That is why you do not know me."
"Sister?" Loki was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha... How many bastards did Odin leave out there? Does Frigga know?"
Thor roared, "Loki! Watch your words!"
"What, am I wrong?" Loki's smile was cruel. "Father always spoke of maintaining the 'purity of the royal bloodline,' and yet? A Frost Giant foster son, a bastard daughter lost for thousands of years... how ironic."
Angela's gaze turned slightly cold, but she did not get angry. "Your provocation is childish, Loki. I have seen demons far better at manipulating hearts than you, and their ends were not pleasant."
"Is that so?" Loki sat back in his chair, resuming his lazy and arrogant posture. "Then we shall see."
Loki stopped responding, and seeing this, everyone had to leave... Lin Che leaned in the shadows, playing with a dagger between his fingers. Angela stood by his side, her pure white eyes looking through the observation window at the busy research area below—there, Loki's scepterwas placed in a special energy suppression device, its eerie blue light pulsing like a heartbeat.
"Oh?" Lin Che raised an eyebrow and tucked the dagger back into his pocket. "...That's interesting."
"Is there a problem?" Angela turned her head.
"Loki's glowstick," Lin Che gestured with his chin toward the golden scepter displayed in the glass case in the center of the research area, "is quietly'spicing things up' for everyone."
Angela's pure white eyes narrowed slightly, Runes flowing deep within her pupils. After a few seconds, she whispered, "Very subtle energy fluctuations... like ripples on water. It is amplifying emotions and inducing suspicion. The mental defenses of those human warriors are thinner than paper."
"Perfect," Lin Che laughed, his smile carrying a familiar playfulness. "Let's see just how fragile the hearts of these 'Earth's Mightiest' heroes really are."
The metal corridor glowed with an eerie green light reflected from the emergency lamps. Tony Stark's fingers slid rapidly across the holographic projection, Jarvis's calculation data pouring down like a waterfall. His brow furrowed tighter and tighter.
"Phase Two..." Tony muttered the keywords on the projection. "Energy weaponization... mass destruction platforms... coordinated orbital strike systems..."
Beside the projection were the design blueprints he had just hacked from the main database—not drafts, but weapon prototypes that had already completed 80% of their engineering verification. Some of the timestamps on the drawings even predated the Harlem incident.
"Found it."
Tony's finger froze on an encrypted memo. From: Alexander Pierce (World Security CouncilRepresentative). To: Nick Fury. Subject: Feasibility Study for Responding to Supernatural Threats.
The core content of the memo was simple: In light of the New Mexico incident (Thor's arrival), the destruction of Puente Antiguo, and various signs of "suspected extraterrestrial contact," the Council approved S.H.I.E.L.D.to initiate "Phase Two"—utilizing the Tesseract to develop a "Strategic Deterrent Force."
"Strategic Deterrent Force..." Tony scoffed. "Sounds nice. Isn't it just building bigger, meaner guns?"
Captain America held a stack of paper blueprints, his face livid.
He stormed in and threw the items onto the table.
"Stark," Steve's voice was suppressed with anger, "explain this."
Tony stepped forward, took the blueprints, and scanned them. They listed the models of all weapons in the warehouse, power estimates, and... estimated deployment dates.
"The estimated deployment date for some of these is next month." Steve stared into Tony's eyes. "This means that before Loki appeared, before the alien invasion, you were already using the Tesseract to build these things."
"Not me," Tony corrected, "it's 'them.' S.H.I.E.L.D. The Council."
"Is there a difference?!" Steve's voice suddenly rose. "You are recreating HYDRA's dream! Using infinite energy to create ultimate weapons! How is this any different from the Red Skull?!"
"The difference is we didn't intend to use it to rule the World!" Tony also got angry. "Captain, open your eyes and look! Aliens are already at our doorstep! Loki is just the first! Are we supposed to use your shield and my suit to fight an entire interstellar fleet?!"
"So we respond to danger with even more dangerous weapons?" Steve countered. "Stark, I've seen this logic before. HYDRA used the Tesseract to build weapons, saying it was to 'end the war.' And the result? The war escalated, and countless people died under those weapons!"
"This isn't—"
"Then what is this?!" Steve interrupted him, pointing deep into the warehouse.
There, in a separate glass display room, was not a weapon, but a design model for a set of... enhanced combat suits. Beside the model was a label:
[Project Code: Super Soldier Phase II]
[Objective: Utilize gamma rays and Tesseract energy resonance to achieve controllable physical enhancement with no side effects]
[Lead: Dr. Bruce Banner (Consultant)]
Steve's breathing became heavy.
"They... they are even exploiting Dr. Banner." His voice trembled. "Do they want to turn more people into monsters like the Hulk?!"
Tony fell silent. He looked at the combat suit model, looked at Banner's name on the label, and remembered the green light that had flashed in Banner's eyes in the lab earlier—it wasn't just anger, but deep-seated self-reproach and fear.
"We need to talk," Tony finally said, "everyone together."
The atmosphere in the research area became subtle without anyone realizing it.
Chapter 27: Confronting Nick Fury
Everyone sat around the conference table, along with Loki, who was joined via holographic projection from his confinement in the "Hulk Cage."
The cage was transparent; Loki could see everything outside, and everyone could see him. He sat leisurely in a specially made chair, a faint smirk on his face as if he were enjoying a meticulously choreographed play.
"So," Steve slapped the weapon blueprints onto the table, "can someone explain what 'Phase Two' actually is?"
Fury's single eye swept over the list, showing no surprise, only exhaustion. "Exactly what you see, Captain. Preparations to counter threats."
"What threat?" Tony pressed. "When you started these weapon projects, the only 'threat' was Thor and his brother having a scrap in New Mexico!"
"A town was destroyed," Fury said calmly, "thousands were displaced. And all that was done by just two 'gods' brawling with cold weapons. What if they used even greater power? What if it wasn't just one Loki, but an army?"
Thor frowned upon hearing this but did not speak up to refute it.
"So you decided to jump the gun and build weapons that could destroy the World?" Dr. Banner spoke up. His voice was soft, but everyone heard him clearly. "Using the Tesseract... using gamma rays... using my research..."
"Dr. Banner, your research was for peace," Hill tried to explain.
"Peace?" Banner laughed, a cold sound devoid of warmth. "Commander Hill, do you know what I'm best at? It's not controlling gamma rays or energy formulas. What I'm best at is destruction."
"You call this... deterrence?" Banner took off his glasses and rubbed his brow. "No. This is a blueprint for genocide."
"Enough!" Fury slammed the table. "These projects are still in the theoretical stage! We never intended to actually manufacture—"
"But you collected the data," Steve interrupted. "You ran simulations, you drew up blueprints. Director Fury, in my time, we called this 'combat readiness.' And when your enemy is a potential threat to all of humanity, such preparations are, in themselves, a declaration of war."
Loki clapped softly inside the cage.
"Marvelous," he smiled. "Truly marvelous. The ants are arguing over how big a stone they should use to crush another group of ants. And all of this is because of my emergence as a 'threat.' Should I feel honored?"
Everyone turned to look at him.
"Oh, don't look at me like that," Loki spread his hands. "I'm just a spectator. However... since the atmosphere is already so heated, I might as well add some fuel to the fire."
"Fury," Tony spoke up suddenly, his voice sharper than usual. "This research into weaponizing energy... the timeline shows that even before that, you were using the Tesseract to build weapons? While everyone else thought it was just a source of limitless energy?"
Nick Fury's single eye stared at him. "Stark, the Worldisn't a fairy tale. We need a deterrent."
"Deter who?" Steve Rogers stepped forward, his expression darkening. He held a report in his hand. "These design blueprints... energy cannons, individual armor, even regional destruction devices. Are you replicating HYDRA's dream?"
"To counter potential threats!" Fury's voice rose. "CaptainRogers, you just came out of the ice; you have no idea what this World is facing now! Alien invasions are no longer science fiction!"
Tony spun around and pointed at Fury. "You know what? When my father helped found S.H.I.E.L.D., he spoke of 'protection,' not 'arming to the teeth'! What's the difference between you and those arms dealers at Hammer Industries now? Oh, the difference is you're using taxpayer money while hiding behind the Banner of 'national security'!"
"At least we don't just hand over core technology to Terrorists!" Fury retorted sharply. "Stark, how many times has your suit technology leaked? Since you went public as 'Iron Man,' the global rate of copycat crimes has risen by 300%!"
Steve stepped between the two, his shield already in hand at some point.
It was a subconscious defensive move, but in the current atmosphere, it felt particularly jarring.
"Everyone, calm down!" Captain America's voice carried a tone of command. "Our problem right now isn't pointing fingers, but how to safely handle the Tesseract and Loki!"
"Safely handle?" Tony scoffed. "Captain, what's your plan? Lock it in another block of ice? Or hand it over to this big green guy who can't even control his own emotions?"
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, the temperature in the lab seemed to plummet.
Banner's body visibly stiffened. He took off his glasses and wiped them slowly—extremely slowly.
"Stark," Banner's voice was soft, yet it made the air vibrate. "What did you... just say?"
Tony realized he had misspoken, but his pride wouldn't let him back down immediately. More subtly, an inexplicable, magnified sense of irritation was surging in his chest.
"I said, we have an unstable element here who could blow up this entire Helicarrier at any moment!" Tony's finger almost poked Banner's chest. "And you, Fury, actually let him near the Tesseract! Do you think New York hasn't been torn apart enough already?!"
"Tony!" Steve barked.
But it was too late.
Banner's eyes began to glow with a faint green light. The gamma energy readings on the console surged wildly, and alarms blared shrilly.
"Hulk..." Banner gritted his teeth, forcing the words out. "Doesn't like... being blamed..."
Inside the glass case, the blue gem at the tip of the Mind Stone glowed imperceptibly for a fleeting moment.
Thor had been leaning against the hatch at the other end of the corridor, arms crossed and brow furrowed. He watched the Earthlings' bickering, his golden eyebrows knit together.
"Warriors of Midgard," he spoke, his voice rolling through the corridor like muffled thunder. "My brother is locked in your cage, the cosmic threat is approaching, and yet you are arguing over how heavy your fists should be?"
He shook his head. "In Asgard, when the enemy is at the gates, arguments are left in the banquet hall. On the battlefield, a warrior needs to do only one thing: fight side by side."
"That's because you have a hammer and some inexplicable divine physiology," Tony shot back without looking. "We mortals have to use our brains to figure out how to survive with limited resources."
"Oh, right, and we also have to consider if those resources will be used by our own people against us first."
The air was almost thick enough to solidify.
Natasha could feel the invisible pressure, and it wasn't just from the argument itself.
Her temples throbbed with a dull ache. She glanced at Fury and noticed a nearly imperceptible flicker of exhaustion in the Director's single eye.
Banner's breathing grew heavier. He took off his glasses and pressed the bridge of his nose with trembling fingers. A faint, dangerous green light flashed across his eyes.
Just then, a playful voice, completely out of place with the tension in the room, drifted over. "Wow, this scene... is even more exciting than I imagined."
Lin Che was leaning against the table like a ghost at some point. "I should have paid for this—front-row VIP seats to watch how the World's mightiest team implodes from the inside via verbal sparring."
Everyone was startled by the sudden voice and looked up.
Lin Che was holding a S.H.I.E.L.D.-issued energy bar, munching on it unhurriedly. Beside him, Angela stood with her arms crossed, her pure white eyes calmly observing everyone.
"Marvelous, truly marvelous." Lin Che took the last bite of the energy bar and flicked the wrapper, which landed perfectly in the recycling bin. "Iron Man vs. Captain America—The Ideological Clash Special. Want me to get you some popcorn?"
Tony narrowed his eyes. "Lin Che, this is none of your business."
"None of my business?" Lin Che said with a light chuckle. "Please, I'm the consultant you hired. And besides..."
Chapter 28: ※35⛬ vs. Thor
Lin Che walked between Tony and Steve, took the floating Control terminal from Tony's hand, and glanced at the Weapon blueprints. "With this level of design, I think you really do need a professional opinion."
Fury said in a heavy voice, "Mr. Lin Che, now is not the time..."
"On the contrary, now is exactly the time." Lin Cheinterrupted him, tossing the terminal back to Tony. "Because you're all about to be broken by that damn scepter, and you don't even realize it."
He turned around, pointing his finger at Tony, then at Steve, and finally at Fury.
"You, the genius arms dealer, a PTSD patient who hates it most when people hide things from you—that's why you blew up the moment you saw the Weapon blueprints."
"You, the moral paragon, just thawed out from an ice block, seeing HYDRA's ghost in everything—that's why you react to even a hint of 'control'."
"And you..." Lin Che looked at Fury. "The calculating, one-eyed Director, used to keeping everything under control. That's why you think building weapons is only natural."
He paused and looked around.
"You're all right, and you're all wrong. Because at least half of the thoughts in your heads right now aren't your own."
Lin Che's voice dropped, carrying a piercing quality. "That scepter is lying right down there in the Research area. It's not sleeping; it's working. Magnifying fear, nourishing suspicion, sowing discord... quite effective, isn't it?"
He walked over to the pale Banner and lightly patted his shoulder. "And our dear Dr., he's about to turn 'green' from all your arguing. Do you really think this is just a disagreement in philosophy?"
Almost as soon as Lin Che finished speaking, a cold, elegant, and infinitely mocking voice drifted from the cage. "What a... touching scene."
It was Loki.
"Ants who call themselves Guardians, in the face of true power, all you expose is fragile selfishness and suspicion. The Man of iron, fearing to be surpassed... the American soldier, wallowing in outdated morality... the S.H.I.E.L.D.Director, weaving a safety net with lies... and that poor wretch who cannot control the Beast within..."
Every word he spoke seemed to correspond to the emotional pain points Lin Che had just pointed out, maliciously magnifying them.
Banner suddenly covered his ears, his body trembling violently.
"See, this is your 'unity.' Pathetic. When I open the Heavens and the army descends, you will... fall apart from within, just like this."
The voice stopped abruptly.
Thor roared, "Loki!!!"
"Damn it," Tony cursed under his breath.
Tony clenched his fists. "Loki's trickery! We must stop him!"
"Stop him? How?" Thor asked. "Throw that stick off the ship?"
Fury pressed his earpiece. "Research area, immediately increase the energy shielding level for the Mind Stone."
Lin Che slowly wiped the cynical smile from his face, his gaze turning sharp. He looked at everyone. "Did you hear that? This isn't mind control; it's 'emotional guidance.' He's using your inner fear, anxiety, and ideological conflicts as fuel. That damn scepter is on this ship, like a malicious needle, constantly deflating this high-pressure 'team balloon'."
He pointed to his head and then to his surroundings. "Now, who still wants to be his puppet?"
A brief, dead silence fell over the room. Loki's provocation and Lin Che's bluntness were like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads. Although the roots of suspicion and disagreement remained, the realization of being manipulated by an external force began to dilute the pure antagonism.
But it was already too late.
Piercing alarms and a violent explosion from the Port engine instantly pulled everyone back to reality.
Just then, a shrill alarm tore through the air!
"Warning! Port engine under attack! Power down by 15%! Enemies have boarded the Helicarrier!"
Everyone's arguments stopped instantly as battle instincts overrode everything else.
"It's Barton!" Natasha reacted immediately. "He's being controlled and is carrying out Loki's plan!"
"I'll go fix the engine!" Tony's faceplate snapped shut.
"I'll cover you!" Steve followed closely behind.
"I'll go stop Barton!" Natasha turned and sprinted toward the Bridge.
In the chaos, Dr. Banner's breathing began to grow heavy, a green light flickering in his eyes. The power of the scepter had the most obvious effect on him; the tension of the ship being attacked and the aftermath of the argument were frantically stimulating the Hulk.
Lin Che and Angela shared a look.
"Angela, go help them stabilize the ship and see what Loki is up to," Lin Che ordered quickly. "I'll go 'take care' of our easily excitable big green friend and... deal with that troublemaking stick."
Angela nodded. A phantom of Golden light wings flashed behind her as she instantly turned into a streak of light, rushing toward the damaged engine area.
Her speed and spatial awareness allowed her to assess the damage and perform initial repairs faster than Tonyand Steve.
Banner's breathing was heavy, green light gleaming in his eyes. Seeing this, Thor tried to step forward to comfort him. "Dr., you need to stay calm..."
"Don't get near him!"
Lin Che's warning came half a second too late. In Banner's currently hypersensitive nerves, Thor's outstretched hand was magnified by the scepter into a threatening gesture.
"ROAR—!!!"
The suppressed Gamma energy finally exploded. Banner's body expanded and turned green at a visible rate, his clothes tearing apart. The Hulk was born amidst a roar, his eyes burning with a violent rage ignited by the scepter.
The first thing he saw was Thor, who was closest and holding a weapon.
This being who was marked as a "threat" in his subconscious.
"Hulk! Smash!"
A giant green fist accompanied by a sonic boom smashed toward Thor. Thor reacted quickly, raising his hammer to block.
"CLANG—!!!"
The deafening sound of metal clashing exploded in the narrow corridor, and the shockwave overturned nearby equipment cabinets. Thor was knocked back two steps by the massive force, the metal floor beneath his feet dented.
"Loki's lackey! Stay away from Banner!" Thor was also enraged; the influence of the scepter and his brother's betrayal had found an outlet for his anger.
He no longer held back. Mjolnir crackled with electricity as he swung the hammer into Hulk's chest.
The two powerhouses engaged in a primal brawl inside the Helicarrier.
Every punch and every hammer blow made the ship's structure groan, pipes burst, and electrical sparks fly.
The surrounding Agents retreated one after another, not daring to get close.
"Thor! Don't fight him head-on! Lure him to an open area!" Lin Che shouted, but the God of Thunder was fuming and couldn't listen.
Hit by the lightning, Hulk became even more frenzied. He grabbed a broken Metal beam and swung it at Thor like a baseball bat.
Thor dodged, and the beam smashed through the adjacent bulkhead, revealing the cold night sky outside and the howling wind at high altitude.
"Now's the time!"
A sharp light flashed in Lin Che's eyes. He stopped trying to dissuade Thor and turned his target toward Hulk.
God-level Stealth was activated. His presence dropped sharply as he became like a ghost blending into the background, silently cutting into the edge of the two giants' battlefield.
Hulk threw another punch at Thor, who leaned sideways and parried it with his hammer.
At that exact moment, Lin Che struck.
He didn't attack. Instead, he precisely "slapped" a force—a mixture of Hulk Power and Asgardian bloodline energy—onto the junction of Hulk's neck and spine.
That was the interface between the nervous and cerebral systems, one of Hulk's few relatively "sensitive" spots.
"Hey, big guy, look over here!" Lin Che deactivated his stealth the moment the energy triggered. Simultaneously, he used Hulk Power to strengthen his vocal cords, letting out a strange low growl with a certain resonant frequency.
This wasn't an attack, but a "call."
Hulk's massive body jolted, and the fist he was swinging at Thor stopped mid-air. He slowly turned his head, a brief flash of confusion appearing in his pure green eyes as he looked at this tiny human who radiated both a familiar and an annoying aura.
Lin Che seized this fleeting window, his face wearing a strange expression that was a mix of provocation and understanding.
He pointed his finger at the hole Hulk had smashed open, beyond which lay the cold night sky and the churning sea of clouds.
"It's too small in here! Not fun to smash! Outside! Bigger! More spacious! You can smash all you want!"
His words were simple and direct, accompanied by gestures that pointed straight to Hulk's core needs at the moment—destruction and venting.
At the same time, he quietly released a faint ripple of homologous Hulk Power, as if saying, "I understand you."
Hulk let out a low growl, the confusion in his eyes replaced by a new interest.
He looked at the narrow corridor filled with fragile pipes and walls, then at the vast, boundless sky and clouds outside.
The destructive desire and instinct magnified by the scepter told him that outside was indeed more "suitable."
Thor, not understanding what was happening, saw Hulkdistracted and thought an opportunity had come. He swung his hammer, ready to attack again.
"Thor! Stop! Let him out!" Lin Che barked sharply, while quickly retreating from the hole to clear a path for Hulk.
Thor was stunned.
Hulk made his choice. Ignoring Thor and Lin Che, he threw his head back and let out a deafening roar, his massive green body slamming into the edge of the hole.
"CRACK—BOOM!!"
The damage expanded, and the thin air and freezing currents of the high altitude instantly rushed in. Without hesitation, Hulk leaped out of the Helicarrier, his green figure tumbling through the air as he plummeted toward the sea of clouds below, soon becoming a tiny speck.
Chapter 29: Helping Black Widow Fight Hawkeye
The corridor instantly quieted down, with only the whistling wind and alarms remaining.
Thor, hammer in hand, looked at the hole in a daze. "He... jumped out?"
"What else? Keep him here to dismantle this ship into parts?" Lin Che walked to the edge of the hole, peered down, the strong wind rustling his black hair. "Don't worry, with his physique, he won't get hurt. At most, he'll make a crater on the ground and be fine after a nap. It's better than him getting us all killed here."
Lin Che patted the ice shards off himself. "At least he didn't tear this ship in half from the inside. It saved us a lot on repair costs. Director Fury should thank me.
He turned to look at the grim-faced Thor and the startled Agents around him. "Quickly seal this hole temporarily, unless you all want to be sucked out."
The fierce wind poured in through the hole, and the alarm shrieked. Lin Che glanced at the emergency repair of the breach, his gaze quickly sweeping over the chaotic corridor.
Thor opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing, putting away his hammer and beginning to assist the arriving engineers in dealing with the breach... When Tony Stark and Captain America Steve rushed to the damaged port engine area, the sight they saw was worse than expected: massive turbine blades twisted, broken pipelines spewed hot air, and structural frames groaned under the strain.
"Jarvis, scan structural integrity, I need replacement plans..." Tony's words were cut short.
A golden figure flashed through the damaged area at a speed beyond sight. Angela hovered at the external damage of the engine, Runes rapidly swirling in her pure white eyes. She pressed her hands forward, and a pure and stable golden divine power surged from her palms.
Instead of directly repairing the metal, it formed a dense, translucent energy force field, like the toughest colloid, forcibly "bonding" the most critical fractured structures and leakage points.
"The energy field can temporarily maintain the structure, preventing further tearing and leakage, lasting approximately fifteen minutes," Angela's voice came through Tony's armor's external receiver, clear and calm. "Internal detailed repairs need to be done by you."
Tony's eyebrows raised under his faceplate. "Wow, Angel-brand super glue? Thanks, that saved me a lot of trouble!"
He immediately adjusted the plan. "Captain, you fix pipeline three, I'll handle the main driveshaft!"
With the temporary stability provided by Angela's divine power field, Tony and Steve's repair work could proceed within a relatively "safe" framework, speeding up significantly and avoiding a greater disaster from a secondary structural collapse during repairs.
However, Loki's plan was interconnected.
Just as Tony and Steve were struggling to repair the first engine, and Angela was temporarily stabilizing the damaged structure with divine power, the controlled Hawkeye had already infiltrated the main control room and precisely shut down the power core of the second engine.
The entire Helicarrier suddenly plunged, lost balance, and began to tilt downwards!
"Jarvis! Calculate the thrust needed to maintain altitude!" Tony had to abandon repairs, flying beneath the Helicarrier, using his palm repulsors and thrusters at full power, acting as a temporary engine, firmly supporting the heavy hull.
Steve, meanwhile, worked to stabilize the internal chaos and evacuate personnel.
"Angela!" Lin Che shouted. "The engines and structure are up to you! I'll go help Natasha deal with the 'inside man'!"
Angela's golden figure paused slightly in the glow of the distant engine malfunction, then a concise reply came. "Understood."
Her pure white eyes locked onto the more complex stress fracture points, and the divine power condensed in her hands shifted from "bonding" to more delicate "weaving," beginning to guide Tony and Steve in emergency repairs of critical nodes... Lin Che, meanwhile, swayed, God-level Stealth pushed to its limit, like a wisp of smoke merging into shadow, speeding towards the main control room. He was already familiar with the Helicarrier's structure through hacking and his "tour" these past few days, and chose the nearest emergency passage.
At this moment, the corridor outside the main control room was a mess. Natasha and Clint Barton were engaged in an extremely dangerous close-quarters combat.
Both were top Agents, intimately familiar with each other's fighting styles, but Hawkeye now showed no mercy, every move lethal. His bow and arrows long abandoned, he wielded a tactical dagger and combat spike, his offensive sharp.
Natasha had blood on the corner of her mouth, and a deep cut on her left arm. Though her movements hadn't faltered, she was clearly at a disadvantage against his strength and unrestrained killing intent.
Hawkeye's eyes were hollow, filled only with cold execution orders.
"Clint! Wake up!" Natasha parried a thrust, gasping as she yelled.
Her response was a more violent knee strike followed by a horizontal slash of the dagger.
Just as the dagger was about to slash Natasha's neck, a hand wearing a tactical glove suddenly reached out from the shadow behind Hawkeye, precisely gripping his knife-wielding wrist.
Lin Che's figure seemed to "seep" out of the air.
"Excuse me," Lin Che's voice sounded in Hawkeye's ear, calm but with an undeniable force. "Arguing is one thing, but using a knife is not good."
Hawkeye reacted extremely quickly, twisting his restrained right wrist in a strange way, the dagger slipping from his hand, and his left elbow slammed backward.
But Lin Che seemed to anticipate his movement. While gripping his wrist, his body had already slid along the opponent's back, avoiding the elbow strike. His other hand, fingers together like a blade, swiftly struck Hawkeye's posterior neck.
That was the connection point between the nerve plexus and the spine, and also one of the key nodes where mental control energy might flow.
"Ugh!" Hawkeye's body stiffened, his movements momentarily delayed, and a fierce struggle flashed in his hollow eyes.
Natasha seized this precious opportunity, making a swift lunge, a hand chop infused with all her strength, striking hard on Hawkeye's other carotid artery. This was pure physical stunning.
The struggle in Hawkeye's eyes extinguished, and his body slumped. Natasha caught him in time.
"He'll be out for a while, but the effect of that scepter might not be completely gone, it's best to tie him up." Lin Che shook his hand; that precise energy interference just now was quite taxing for him at the moment.
"Thank you." Natasha quickly secured the unconscious Hawkeye with restraints, looking at Lin Che with a complex expression.
"You're welcome, remember you owe me a favor." Lin Chewaved his hand, but his brow suddenly furrowed.
His extraordinary perception caught a violent and strange energy fluctuation coming from the Helicarrier's lower-level prison area—Loki's, with an aura of deception and spatial distortion, suddenly became active, followed by Thor's roar, suppressed with anger and astonishment, and then the humming of an energy barrier closing.
"Damn it! Thor!" Lin Che instantly reacted. "Loki's goal isn't just to create chaos! Thor went to the prison!"
Almost simultaneously, Coulson's anxious voice came through the comms channel. "Director! There's an anomaly in the prison area! Prince Thor went in, and then the signal cut off! I'm on my way to check!"
"Coulson! Don't go alone! Wait for backup!" Fury's warning sounded.
But it was already too late.
Lin Che sensed Coulson's vital signs rapidly approaching that dangerous source of fluctuation.
"Natasha, keep an eye on him!" Lin Che dropped the words, God-level Stealth activated again, pushing his speed to the limit, transforming into a barely discernible phantom, rushing towards the lower-level prison area.
He chose a nearly vertical maintenance shaft, using both hands and feet. The physical prowess brought by Hulk Power made him as swift as a gecko.
Chapter 30: Saving Coulson
Detention Area.
Loki stood outside his specially-made cell, looking perfectly composed.
The cell door had been opened at some unknown point. In his hand, he held the Mind Stone that should have been under heavy guard, the gem at the tip of the scepterglowing with an eerie light.
Before him was a re-closed cage. Thor was trapped inside, furiously striking the inner walls with Mjolnir. However, the force of the blows seemed to be absorbed and dispersed by the cage, only creating ripples and failing to break through.
"Truly touching, my dear brother, to be so concerned for my safety." Loki smiled, his tone full of mockery. "Unfortunately, concern leads to chaos. Are you satisfied with this 'guest room' I prepared for you?"
Thor roared, lightning flashing within the cage, but it could not break out.
Just then, Coulson appeared at the entrance of the corridor, holding an Energy Pistol. "Loki! Put down the scepter and release the prisoner!"
Loki slowly turned around and looked at Coulson as if he were a beetle that had wandered onto a stage.
"Oh, another one, a persistent ant." He lightly waved the scepter. "But my patience for tonight has run out."
The gem at the tip of the scepter flared with blue light, and an Energy Beam, more solid and swifter than before, shot straight toward Coulson's chest!
This strike was ruthless, intended to silence him forever.
Coulson's pupils contracted as he pulled the trigger. The energy bullet fired out but instantly dissipated upon contact with the blue beam.
The aura of Death rushed toward him!
At the critical moment, a dark Shadow burst out from the ventilation duct above Coulson's side!
Lin Che arrived at the last second. Without time for any fancy moves, he channeled all his Hulk Power into his legs and back, throwing his whole body into Coulson.
"Bang!"
The two of them were knocked aside and tumbled away together.
Loki's Energy Beam grazed Lin Che's back, scorching his jacket and plowing a deep furrow into the metal floor, sending waves of searing heat rolling.
Lin Che and Coulson collapsed in the corner, and Coulson's gun flew out of his hand. Lin Che's back burned with pain, but fortunately, he had avoided a direct hit.
The cruel smile on Loki's face instantly froze, turning into shock and annoyance. He looked at Lin Che, who had ruined his plans, and turned the scepter toward him. "Meddlesome bug!"
"Cough, cough... It seems I arrived just in time." Lin Chepushed himself up, shielding the dazed Coulson.
He looked at Loki with a cold gaze. "Sneak-attacking an Agent with a pistol? The god of mischief's standards are really getting lower and lower."
A blue energy blade slashed out swiftly.
Lin Che had already used the recoil to leap backward, narrowly avoiding it. A scorch mark was left on the metal floor where he had stood. "Tsk, not even a greeting?"
His mouth didn't stop, and his movements were even faster. His figure left afterimages in the narrow corridor as he tried to close in on Loki, aiming directly for the scepter. "Your after-sales service is terrible. You just finished stirring up trouble and now you're coming to silence witnesses?"
Loki clearly hadn't expected Lin Che to be so fast and his fighting style so slippery. He swung several energy blades in succession, but Lin Che dodged them all with near-predictive positioning and flexible maneuvers.
Lin Che didn't attack head-on either; he just kept harassing and staying close, buying time for Coulson to crawl away and find cover while his mouth kept running. "What, did I hit a nerve? Getting angry because your little trick of amplifying emotions was exposed?"
"Does the god of mischief of Asgard only know how to bully an Agent with an energy gun?"
Loki's eyes were cold. He realized he couldn't deal with this troublesome opponent in a short time. He recognized Lin Che as the guy who had repeatedly sabotaged his plans.
After being entangled by the suddenly appearing Lin Chefor so long, the elegant smile on Loki's face finally vanished, replaced by a sullen anger. "You are as annoying as a fly, mortal."
"Better than a parasite like you, hiding behind illusions and conspiracies." Lin Che retorted, his mind racing.
Loki had the scepter, which could attack, defend, and control minds; a direct confrontation was unwise. Thorwas trapped and needed urgent rescue.
His goal was to stall and create an opportunity.
Loki clearly didn't want to linger. He raised the scepter, and stronger energy began to gather. At the same time, he glanced at the control console, preparing to activate the ejection of the cage trapping Thor.
"Angela! Thor is trapped in a cage in the Detention Area! Loki is going to eject him!" Lin Che shouted with all his might, sending a warning to Angela in the distance.
Almost as the message was sent, Loki's scepter erupted with blinding blue light. A thicker Energy Beam blasted toward Lin Che and Coulson, while his other hand slapped the red button on the console.
Lin Che pushed Coulson aside and threw himself in the other direction.
The Energy Beam hit where they had just been, causing a violent explosion and sending debris flying.
The console lights flashed wildly. The cage trapping Thor, along with its base, began to vibrate. The mechanical devices engaged to eject the cage!
At this critical moment—
"Hum!"
A brilliant golden sword light slashed from the other end of the corridor. It didn't target Loki or the cage, but instead struck with pinpoint accuracy at several key nodes connecting the cage to the ejection track!
It was Angela! Having received Lin Che's warning, she had abandoned some of the engine stabilization work and rushed over at maximum speed.
The queen of the hunt's combat intuition allowed her to instantly identify the most critical target.
Wherever the golden sword light passed, runes shattered and metal snapped.
The Ejection Device's operation came to a grinding halt; the ejection was forcibly sabotaged!
Seeing the change in the external situation, Thor let out a roar. His long-accumulated divine power erupted in full force. Mjolnir, carrying the weight of ten thousand thunders, slammed hard against the cracked inner wall!
"Crack! Boom!!!"
The cage finally shattered! Thor broke free, arcs of electricity swirled around him, his hair stood on end with fury, and his gaze locked onto Loki. "Loki!!!"
Loki's expression finally changed.
He hadn't expected Angela to arrive so quickly or to strike so precisely. Seeing Thor free, he found himself surrounded by Thor, Angela, and that troublesome mortal.
"Hmph, pointless entanglement." Loki did not linger. Without hesitation, he slammed the scepter onto the ground, and a pre-prepared small Portal rapidly expanded behind him.
"You got lucky this time!" Loki glared fiercely at Lin Chebefore falling backward into the Portal. "But the game is far from over! See you in New York, ants!"
With a flash of blue light, Loki and the scepterdisappeared together, and the Portal quickly closed.
Thor roared and charged forward, but he only hit empty air, his fist smashing into the wall and leaving a deep crater.
Angela sheathed her sword. Her pure white eyes swept over the messy Detention Area before looking at Lin Che. "The engines are temporarily stable, but they need to be completely repaired as soon as possible."
Lin Che grimaced as he climbed up from the ground, rubbing the scorched and painful area on his back. He helped up the shaken Coulson. "You alright, Agent? Don't be so brave next time. You need a bit of strategy when dealing with gods."
"I won't die..." Coulson gritted his teeth, looking at Lin Che gratefully. "Thank you... you saved my life."
"Don't thank me too soon; I'm keeping tabs." Lin Chehelped him up. "Can you find the Medical Team on your own?"
Thor turned around, the anger on his face not yet faded, but his gaze toward Lin Che and Angela was filled with complexity. "I... owe you both one."
He knew that if it hadn't been for Lin Che's warning and Angela's timely destruction of the Ejection Device, he might have been tossed out to drift in space.