[Side Quest "Victor Langdon" Completed!]
[Reward 1: Self-healing ability upgraded — Regeneration of severed limbs unlocked!]
[Reward 2: A deeply hidden secret — please check the video!]
Hearing the familiar mechanical prompt from the system, Linen raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
The first reward alone made him quite satisfied — his self-healing ability had now advanced to full limb regeneration. That was a massive leap in survivability.
But what truly piqued his curiosity was the second reward — "a deeply hidden secret."
After all, as a time traveler familiar with the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, and even much of the comic lore, there were very few secrets in this world that could surprise him anymore.
So, what kind of secret could the system possibly be hiding from him?
Opening the system interface, Linen clicked on the reward video.
The screen lit up, showing a vast, star-filled sky — the quiet expanse of the universe.
As the camera zoomed in, two figures appeared, engaged in a serious conversation.
One bald-headed man in a flowing blue robe with glowing white eyes — unmistakable.
The Watchers.
Specifically, the scene showed Uatu the Watcher and another member of his kind, Yuri.
Linen's eyes narrowed slightly. "Uatu and Yuri... what are these two discussing?"
In the video, Uatu's face was solemn as he held his hands before a circular device.
"Yuri," he said gravely, "you know very well that we Watchers are forbidden from interfering with the natural development of the universe."
"I'm sorry, Uatu," Yuri replied apologetically. "I didn't expect that one small mistake would cause a leak of magical energy from the Ultimate Eraser... leading to the death of the Wallkeeper."
Uatu's expression hardened. Yuri continued, voice trembling slightly,
"Now that the Wallkeeper is gone, Earth has drawn the attention of countless cosmic eyes. It could even face premature destruction — just like the Cancerverse."
Yuri bowed his head. "I'm willing to take responsibility for my mistake. Let me become the new Wallkeeper of Earth — until the next one is chosen."
Uatu shook his head slowly. "No, Yuri. As members of the Watcher race, we cannot intervene in the natural course of any world. If you take up that position, the Ancient One will come for you."
He turned his gaze toward Earth, eyes glowing brighter.
"To minimize interference, I'll choose two new Wallkeepers in advance — successors to replace the fallen one."
Raising his hand, Uatu summoned a faint, radiant energy — the essence of the Ultimate Eraser — floating in his palm.
"Though they are only mortals, with this power... they will be able to sustain the balance until the next Wallkeeper is born."
With that, Uatu vanished, leaving Yuri behind in silence.
The camera shifted.
Now, it was a cold winter night on Earth.
A familiar scene played out — the assassination of Howard and Maria Stark.
The Winter Soldier, masked and expressionless, had just completed his mission. After dragging Howard's lifeless body from the car, he turned and left — leaving only the bloodied corpses behind.
But then, across the street, another Howard and Maria Stark appeared.
Maria gasped softly. "That... that's us..."
Howard sighed, holding her hand tightly. "I know. I used my own technology to create those replicas. With the current level of science on Earth, no one will ever know they're fake."
He looked toward Uatu, who had materialized beside them.
"This way, the timeline remains stable. The world will believe we're dead."
Uatu nodded slowly. "Mr. Stark, you understand the responsibility you're taking on?"
Howard took a deep breath, then smiled faintly. "Perfectly. I just didn't think I'd end up living on the moon with my wife, protecting the Earth in secret."
Then, his eyes gleamed with curiosity. "But I've seen the creatures you showed me — demons from Hell dimensions, monsters from other realities... If I become this 'Wallkeeper,' I'll be allowed to dissect them once they're dead, right?"
Uatu actually smiled. "Of course. As Wallkeeper, their remains are yours to study. But from this moment forward, no one will ever know of your existence, or what you've done for the Earth."
"In the eyes of the world," he said solemnly, "you both die tonight — and will remain dead until the next Wallkeeper takes your place."
Howard nodded gravely. "Understood. But before that... can my wife and I take one last look at our son? Tony is the only person I still worry about."
Uatu paused for a moment, then gave a small nod. "You may. But he must never see you."
The video ended there — the final image showing Howard and Maria Stark in another dimension, standing among the corpses of monstrous entities, their faces calm and determined.
When the screen went dark, Linen sat frozen for several seconds.
His mind was spinning.
"Howard Stark and his wife... faked their deaths and became the Wallkeepers?"
He exhaled slowly, a mix of awe and disbelief flashing across his face.
He had to admit — this was one hell of a secret.
In his understanding of Marvel lore, the most famous Wallkeeper was Nick Fury.
Not only because he once uttered a single sentence that shattered Thor's confidence and made him unworthy of Mjolnir...
But because, in the comics, Nick Fury killed Uatu the Watcher himself, taking his place as the next Wallkeeper.
After him, the title passed on to the Winter Soldier.
But now, according to this secret—Howard and Maria Stark were the first Wallkeepers all along?
Linen leaned back, deep in thought.
"This... could make for one hell of a video," he murmured, glancing at his system's creation points.
The concept alone was gold. But how exactly should he craft it?
After a moment, a sharp grin curved across his lips.
He already had his next masterpiece in mind—
"The Art of Deception."
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