Inside the Avengers Base
"Are you ready?" Xiao Han asked in a low voice.
Tony swallowed nervously. "God… let's hope our calculations weren't wrong."
Steve tightened his grip on the shield. "We trust you."
Dr. Banner's eyes were glistening with tears. "For Natasha…"
Thor raised Mjölnir high. "For Asgard!"
Rocket Raccoon hid behind Thor's leg. "Hurry up already, I hate this waiting feeling!"
While everyone was fully focused, Nebula quietly backed away a few steps, turned around, and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway.
Xiao Han caught this movement, but he only curled his lips slightly and didn't expose her.
He knew that even if he stopped her, it would still lead to even bigger trouble.So letting her act—so he could solve everything at once—was actually better.
"Then…"
Xiao Han took a deep breath and slowly raised his right hand, which wore the Infinity Gauntlet."Let everyone come back."
A crisp snap echoed through the laboratory.
In an instant, six-colored light erupted from the gauntlet—blindingly bright.
A wave of energy spread outward from Xiao Han, passing through walls, through the atmosphere, through the entire universe…
Xiao Han could feel the power reshaping reality.Countless erased lives were returning.
His super hearing picked up cries of shock from around the world.
A missing family member suddenly appeared beside a dinner table.Empty streets were instantly crowded.Patients who had vanished reappeared on hospital beds.
"We did it!" Clint trembled as he pulled out his phone—the screen showed a missed call from his wife.
Banner's monitoring devices flashed wildly. "Global life-sign index is skyrocketing! They're back!"
But just as everyone was celebrating, the entire base suddenly shook violently.Lights on the ceiling fell one after another.
"What's going on?" Tony quickly activated his armor. "Friday, scan the outside!"
"Sir, detecting a large-scale spatial distortion—" Friday's voice was drowned out by a deafening explosion.
The eastern wall of the base was torn open by some massive force, revealing the stormy sky outside—and a colossal fleet hovering in the air.
"That is…" Steve's pupils shrank sharply.
A ring-shaped mothership larger than a mountain hung above the base.Surrounding it were countless Chitauri fighters.
And on the open ground outside the base, a purple-skinned giant sat on a rock, his golden double-edged blade planted beside him.
"Thanos," Thor growled, hatred overflowing in his voice.
But what shocked them even more was the person standing beside Thanos—Nebula, the same Nebula who had just slipped away.
"You humans really think you can change fate?" Thanos' deep voice rumbled.
"I reshaped the universe, and yet you dare attempt to reverse it."
Tony rapidly analyzed the situation. "Friday! Energy readings!"
"Time-distortion detected—Thanos' fleet arrived on Earth via time-jump!"
Thanos raised his dual-bladed sword, pointing it at the Avengers."Today, you will watch as this universe is completely purified.Not half—but all of it."
With his declaration, endless Outriders cascaded down from the mothership like a tide.The sky filled with Chitauri flyers, dense as a swarm of locusts.
Steve immediately entered combat stance. "Everyone, prepare for battle!"
Thor summoned lightning. "For vengeance!"
But at that moment, Xiao Han slowly lifted his right hand again.The Infinity Stones on the gauntlet lit up once more.
"You all—step back."
His voice wasn't loud, yet everyone stopped moving.
Even Thanos narrowed his eyes, staring warily at this unfamiliar human.
"Who are you?" Thanos demanded.
Xiao Han didn't answer.He only looked up at the massive fleet in the sky, then glanced at the vast army behind Thanos.
"Just this?"
Thanos froze. "What?"
"I said…"
Xiao Han vanished.
The next second, he was already in front of Thanos, his gauntleted right hand gripping Thanos by the throat.
"This is all the army you brought?"
Thanos reacted quickly, slashing his blade at Xiao Han's neck—but the moment the blade was one centimeter from the skin, it was stopped by an invisible force.
Xiao Han let go.A red gleam flashed in his eyes, and his heat vision pierced straight through Thanos' shoulder.
"ARGH!"
Thanos roared in pain and swung his left fist at Xiao Han's face.
A punch that could knock out the Hulk—yet the moment it touched Xiao Han's skin, it was Thanos' own knuckles that cracked with a sickening snap.
"This is impossible!" Thanos stumbled back, horrified.
Xiao Han didn't pursue him.Instead, he looked up at the fleet in the sky.
"Since everyone is here…"
He raised the Infinity Gauntlet.All six stones erupted with dazzling brilliance.
"Then disappear together."
A snap louder than the previous one echoed across the battlefield.
In that instant, Thanos' entire fleet dissolved like a sand painting blown by the wind.Tens of thousands of Outriders and Chitauri soldiers turned to ash.
Thanos lowered his gaze, staring at his own body as it slowly disintegrated.His eyes filled with disbelief.
"I… am… destiny…"Before he finished his last word, he too crumbled into dust.
The battlefield fell into utter silence.
The Avengers stared blankly at everything before them.
The enemy they had risked their lives to defeat—defeated by Xiao Han…with a single snap?
Xiao Han slowly landed.The stones on the Infinity Gauntlet had dimmed.
He looked at the stunned Avengers."Problem solved."
Tony was the first to snap out of shock."Oh my god… Who the hell are you?"
"I already told you."Xiao Han smiled lightly."You can call me Superman."
[Ding! Mission complete! Growth points acquired! Random reward drawing...]
[Reward obtained: New ability — Touch of Gold.The ultimate money-making ability—just like the name says, turns stone into gold.]
Xiao Han: "???"
Steve walked up and extended his hand."Whoever you are… thank you for saving this world."
Xiao Han shook his hand. "No need to thank me."
Banner glanced at the gauntlet on Xiao Han's hand."The stones…"
"As agreed, the Space, Mind, and Time Stones are mine."Xiao Han removed those three stones and returned the gauntlet—along with the remaining Power, Reality, and Soul Stones—to Tony.
"You can deal with these."
Tony carefully accepted the gauntlet."We'll secure them properly.Wait—are you leaving?"
Xiao Han nodded."My mission is complete. It's time to return to my own universe."
Thor strode forward."Wait, friend! At least tell us where you're going?"
Xiao Han didn't answer.Instead, he waved his hand and created a shimmering golden portal.
On the other side, the Avengers saw New York of the year 2012.
"The Time Stone needs to be returned.If fate allows, we'll meet again."Xiao Han turned and stepped into the portal, his figure slowly fading.
The battle had ended so quickly that Doctor Strange hadn't even opened his own portals yet.
Just before Xiao Han fully disappeared, Tony shouted:
"HEY! If our world runs into trouble again—can we call you?"
Xiao Han's voice drifted out from the portal:
"Find Strange. He knows what to do."
The portal closed, leaving the Avengers staring at each other in disbelief.
"So…"Scott scratched his head."We were just… saved by a Superman?"
Clint looked at the photo on his phone—him and his family."No matter what, he brought our loved ones back."
Tony stared at the Infinity Gauntlet, deep in thought.
"Friday, record all data related to Superman.Something tells me… we're going to need him again."
Meanwhile, high above 2012's New York of the movie universe, Xiao Han reappeared.The system chimed again.
[Ding! Host has completed all missions. Claim extra reward?]
Xiao Han smiled faintly."Claim."
[Reward obtained: Parallel Universe Locator (Allows free travel between previously explored universes)]
Xiao Han stared at the device in his hand, unsure where to even begin complaining.
This thing allowed him to return to the previous universe anytime…but with portal magic, he could already do that.
"Looks like… my journey is just beginning."
He glanced toward the city below.His figure turned into a streak of flowing light, heading toward the New York Sanctum.