Chapter 131: New Reactor (Part 2)
After cleaning up the messy workbench, Tony suppressed the internal injury caused by klein's snide remarks and dove back into the stack of vintage blueprints and equipment samples.
Over the next few days, Tony worked tirelessly, trying to piece together the secret his father had left behind from those seemingly unrelated design sketches and scattered data.
However, progress was frustratingly slow.
"This isn't right; it shouldn't be like this." Tony scratched his messy hair, his eyes bloodshot, and irritably waved his hand to disperse a holographic model.
"What exactly is the old man trying to tell me? Just these outdated gadgets?"
A sense of disappointment began to spread.
He began to suspect whether the clue Fury mentioned was a carefully designed hoax,
or if his father hadn't actually left any substantive solution back then, just some kind of symbolic relic?
"Hey, Stark."
klein's voice rang out abruptly, interrupting Tony's increasingly negative train of thought.
He had walked up to Tony at some point, tossing an old-fashioned square video cassette case in his hand.
"If you can't figure it out, take a break and clear your head. Sometimes, the answer comes when you least expect it. Come on, watch this."
With a flick of his wrist, klein sent the video tape in an arc, landing precisely on the workbench in front of Tony.
"Maybe it contains precious footage of you wetting the bed as a child or getting beaten until you cried by a little girl. Let me have a laugh to ease the pain of being around your stupidity."
Tony looked at the tape, which was labeled "Howard StarkPrivate Collection - Family Footage," and frowned.
He wanted to refuse, but days of high-intensity research had pushed his mind to its limit, and he desperately needed some other stimulus to clear his head.
Moreover, deep down, he also had a secret curiosity about the unreleased family footage his father had left behind.
"Fine, I'll take it that you're concerned about me." Tonymuttered, picked up the tape, and went up to the Villa's private cinema with klein.
The content of the first few tapes was warm and trivial, mostly scenes of Tony learning to walk, playing with toys, or being held in the arms of a young Maria Stark.
Tony looked at the carefree little tot on the screen with a complex expression, a mix of nostalgia and an indescribable sense of detachment.
Until the last tape was inserted into the player.
The image was shaky and snowy at first, then stabilized.
The background was no longer the cozy home, but looked like the interior of a massive industrial facility filled with pipes and instrument panels.
Howard Stark appeared in front of the camera, wearing a well-tailored suit with his hair perfectly combed—much more handsome than Tony was now.
Old Howard looked into the camera, his eyes filled with a rare sense of anticipation.
"Tony, my son." Howard's voice came through the speakers.
"If you are watching this, it means I am no longer here. It also means you are smart enough, or lucky enough, to have found these things I left behind."
Tony's body instantly stiffened, his eyes locked onto the screen.
"I have dedicated my life to exploring the future and pushing humanity forward. But I know well that some discoveries, when the time isn't right and the power is too great, must be handled with caution."
"What I have left you is not a solution, Tony. It is a possibility. A possibility that transcends our existing cognitive framework."
"Its core is hidden in the City of Tomorrow model I designed for the 1974 Stark Expo. The key is in your hands; whether you can truly realize it depends on you."
The video ended there, and the screen went dark.
"YES!!"
Tony sprang from his seat, the gloom of the past few days wiped away, replaced by ecstasy and sudden realization!
"Old man! I knew it! You wouldn't just leave behind a pile of scrap paper!"
Tony grabbed his car keys and rushed out.
"Hey, where are you going? I'll take you; it's faster than your piece-of-junk car." klein stood up leisurely.
"No need! I'll drive myself!" Tony walked out without looking back, unsure if he really didn't need a ride or if he was just afraid of teleportation.
"It's on the way anyway. I need to go to the company and buy something for Potts." By the end, his tone was subtly unnatural.
The two got into Tony's flashy Audi R8 and drove out of the Villa.
When passing a roadside stall filled with fresh fruit, Tonysubconsciously slowed down, his gaze drawn to boxes of bright red, succulent strawberries.
He signaled to pull over.
"Do you like strawberries?" klein spoke up suddenly, his tone a bit strange.
"No, I'm buying them for Potts. She seems to like fruit?" Tony's tone was uncertain.
"Strawberries?" klein raised an eyebrow, looking at him with the eyes one would use for an idiot. "Don't you know that Potts is allergic to strawberries?"
"Allergic to strawberries?!" Tony slammed on the brakes and turned to look at klein in astonishment. "How do you know that?"
"Last time at the Vertex Restaurant, when we were ordering dessert, the waiter recommended the strawberry tart. Miss Potts specifically mentioned she was allergic to strawberries and switched to the chocolate lava cake."
"You were right there flirting with that blonde waitress, didn't you hear?" klein's tone was filled with undisguised contempt. "You don't even know what your own woman is allergic to; you really are a 24-karat scumbag."
"I... that..." Tony was left speechless, his face flushing red and pale. He stammered for a long time, finally slapped the steering wheel in frustration, and slammed his foot on the accelerator.
The car soon arrived at the Stark Industries building. Tonydrove around the entrance of the parking lot twice but didn't go in, instead slowing to a stop on the side of the road.
He rested his hands on the steering wheel, staring at the flashing traffic light ahead, and remained silent for a few seconds before awkwardly asking, "Then... what do you think I should buy for Potts?"
"Are you a pig?" klein rolled his eyes. "When giving a girl a gift, it's either jewelry that makes her shine or a bag that can hold all her worries."
"Turn right at the intersection ahead; I saw a Tiffany's earlier. A bracelet, necklace, bangle, or ring—just pick something tasteful. Remember, don't buy anything related to strawberries again!"
"Fine." For once, Tony didn't retort and obediently turned the steering wheel to the right.
In the Tiffany's store, following klein's advice, Tonyfinally picked out a necklace set with sapphires.
After the clerk carefully wrapped it up, the two got back in the car and arrived at the top floor of Stark Tower.
When Potts saw the Tiffany blue box with a silver ribbon that Tony handed over, an expression of surprise appeared on her face.
And when she opened the box and saw the necklace shimmering with deep blue light under the lamps, her surprise turned into unbelievable delight, and her blue eyes instantly lit up.
"Tony? Is this for me?"
"Of course, who else deserves it besides you?" Tony tried to make his tone sound casual, but his slightly reddened ears betrayed him.
"Thank you, Tony! I love it!" Pepper's face bloomed into a brilliant smile, a smile so bright it almost made Tony lose his focus.
In her excitement, she stepped forward, stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around Tony's neck, and kissed him.
klein leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed, watching the scene before him, silently complaining to himself:
"Useless waste, you need me to plan and provide on-site guidance just to handle a girl. Did your reputation as a playboy come free with your phone plan?"
He waited for a full two minutes, and seeing no sign of the two separating, he finally couldn't help but clear his throat and coughed loudly twice.
"Ahem! Ahem!"
The two, immersed in sweetness, froze simultaneously as if someone had pressed the pause button.
Pepper was the first to react, pulling away from Tony like a startled rabbit and stepping back, her cheeks turning bright red. Only then did she notice klein standing at the door with a look of amusement on his face.
"Mr... mr. klein! You're still here? I'm so sorry, I... I didn't notice..." Pepper was shy and embarrassed, speaking incoherently.
"Was it that you didn't notice, or did you filter me out?" klein teased. "Fine, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I understand."
Tony, on the other hand, was annoyed at being interrupted.
"Alright, the gift is given. Potts, help me get that large conceptual model of the City of Tomorrow exhibit from the 1974 Expo sent to my car in the garage! Hurry!"
He turned back to klein: "Stop talking nonsense, let's go!"
Chapter 132 Whip
Back at the Malibu Villa underground laboratory, Tonycarefully placed the massive model of the City of Tomorrow onto the main workbench.
He took a deep breath and ordered Jarvis: "Scan the model, Jarvis. Filter out all unnecessary decorations and structures, and show me the core."
"Scanning, sir." A blue laser grid enveloped the model, and data streams cascaded down the holographic screen like a waterfall.
The complex buildings, landscapes, and road structures were stripped away and faded one by one, until only a three-dimensional structure composed of subtle energy channels and support skeletons remained at the center of the model.
The structure took on an elemental form, a new element.
Tony stepped back abruptly, clutching his head with both hands, his eyes fixed on the structure floating in the air as he murmured to himself.
"Old man, I never expected that even after being gone for so many years, you would still teach me a lesson, and in this way!"
Immediately, Tony clenched his fist, and the confusion in his eyes vanished:
"Jarvis! Mark all key energy nodes and connection methods of this heart-shaped structure! Generate a manufacturing blueprint immediately!"
"Yes, sir. Analysis complete, blueprint in progress."
"klein!" Tony turned his head to look at klein, who had been leaning to the side with his arms crossed, watching the show. He pointed to the mountain of various materials and equipment piled nearby.
"Stop just watching. There are no free lunches here. You've been freeloading for so many days, so come over and lend a hand. Assemble these things according to the blueprint!"
"Fine, fine. You certainly don't hold back when ordering people around." klein curled his lips, but he didn't actually refuse, as he was also quite curious about the new element.
He rolled up his sleeves and walked to the workbench, looking at the extremely complex 3D assembly diagram projected by Jarvis.
"Let's get this straight, I can assemble it, but if it blows up, I'm not taking responsibility."
"Don't worry, Stark products are quality guaranteed." Tonyhad completely entered work mode by now; klein would do the work, and Tony would be in charge of directing.
Thanks to klein's far-above-average strength, precise control, and spatial awareness, the complex equipment assembly that might have taken days or even weeks was completed rapidly with his assistance.
A day and a half later, a complex, futuristic ring-shaped device was successfully assembled in the center of the laboratory.
"It's done!" Tony stared intently at the device before him, grinning at klein.
"Now, let the great Tony Stark show you what a true miracle is!"
He took a deep breath, his expression becoming incredibly serious, and walked over to the main console, his fingers tapping rapidly on the virtual keyboard to input the final startup command.
As Tony pressed the final confirmation key, the entire ring-shaped device shuddered violently!
The blue light inside suddenly became blinding, and countless tiny particle streams, constrained by a strong magnetic field, began to accelerate crazily along the preset tracks!
At the groove reserved in the center of the device, space seemed to distort slightly.
The lights in the laboratory flickered, and the air took on a faint scent of ozone due to the high-energy particles escaping.
Tony held his breath, staring tightly at the device's core.
The entire process lasted about five minutes, but to Tony, it felt as long as a century.
Finally, the intense light inside the device began to stabilize slowly. The humming sound also gradually subsided.
In the groove at the core of the device, a silver-blue crystal of the brand-new element, the size of a fingernail, floated silently.
It emitted a pure, soft radiance.
"Success..." Tony let out a long, long breath, his voice trembling slightly.
He carefully operated the robotic arm to take out the new element crystal, holding it in his palm, feeling the surging yet gentle energy contained within.
Without hesitation, he immediately walked to the nearby console, opened the old reactor in his chest that was about to reach its limit,
used tweezers to remove the palladium core that had already grown dim, and then precisely placed this brand-new element crystal into the core slot.
Just as Tony was at the console, fully focused on observing the Miniature Arc Reactor with the newly installed element core,
testing the stability of its output power and, most importantly, the pollution index, a harsh cell phone ringtone broke the tense atmosphere in the laboratory.
Tony frowned, intending to hang up directly, but when he caught a glimpse of 'Unknown' on the screen, his heart skipped a beat for no reason. He hesitated for a moment before pressing the answer button and turning on the speakerphone.
"Hello?"
"Tony Stark. Long time no see. Thanks to you, my days in prison haven't been easy."
Tony's pupils constricted slightly: "Ivan Vanko?"
"That's right, it's me. Did you think sending me to prison would be the end of it? No, Tony, the game has only just begun.
That idiot at Hammer Industries got me out, wanting to use my brain to build weapons to surpass you.
Heh, he is too naive. I was just using his resources to pave the way for my real revenge."
"What exactly are you trying to say, Vanko?" Tony's voice turned cold. His gaze swept over the palladium concentration reading on the test screen, which had returned to zero, and the energy output curve, which was stable at a very high level, and he felt slightly relieved.
Ivan's voice became ferocious and excited, "I want to say that I have prepared a big gift for you, Tony. At the venue of the Stark Industries Expo! I'll be waiting for you to come settle this! This time, only one of us will leave alive!"
"Beep... beep... beep..."
The phone was hung up abruptly.
Tony stared at the darkened phone screen, then looked up at the perfect data on the test screen, his eyes filled with icy fighting spirit.
The new element core was running perfectly, and the palladium poisoning crisis was resolved.
klein, an outrageously strong helper, was right by his side.
And that persistent Whiplash dared to clamor on his turf, at the Stark Industries Expo?
"Jarvis!"
"Yes, sir."
"Initiate full system warm-up for Mark VI! Locate the main venue of the Stark Industries Expo! Mark all possible locations of Ivan Vanko and all abnormal energy signals for me!"
"Command received. Mark VI warm-up initiated. Coordinates locked. Scanning..."
Tony took a deep breath and looked at klein, who was rubbing his chin nearby, his face unprecedentedly solemn:
"klein, I have to go handle some personal business. There might be a tough fight at the Expo. While I'm gone, I'll leave Potts to you. I'm afraid some bastards might stop at nothing."
After speaking, he didn't even give klein a chance to argue, turning and walking toward the already warmed-up Mark VI armor.
"Jarvis, let's go!"
As soon as the words fell, the faceplate of the Mark VI armor closed instantly, and the thrusters on the soles and palms erupted with dazzling azure plasma streams, lifting Tony as he shot through the skylight of the laboratory like an arrow from a bowstring.
"Damn you!"
In the laboratory, klein spat toward the empty skylight opening in annoyance.
"Do I owe you anything? I'm truly speechless!"
Before the words fell, klein's figure had already vanished into thin air.
Chapter 133: The Great Battle Against Whiplash
When klein's figure reappeared in space, he was already above the chaotic main venue of the expo.
Below, screams and explosions blended into a chaotic mess.
The Hammer Industries' Iron Soldier humanoid robot swarm, originally meant for display, was now firing indiscriminately, attacking the venue's facilities and the fleeing crowds.
Potts was being protected by two Stark Industries security personnel in a relatively intact corner; her face was pale, but her eyes still struggled to remain calm.
Upon seeing her, klein flashed again. When she saw klein appear out of thin air like a ghost before her, she was startled at first, but then her expression turned to one of relief.
"mr. klein! You're here!" Potts asked urgently, her gaze instinctively scanning behind him. "Where's Tony? How is he? Where is he?"
"Him? He's still flying back there." klein curled his lip, his tone carrying a bit of disdain. "Moving slowly, like a tin snail."
Potts froze, looking at klein in disbelief, then looked at the distant night sky, which was still empty for the moment.
"You arrived so fast? Why isn't he with you? Weren't you together?"
"Maybe he thinks flying by himself in that tin can looks cooler, or maybe he thinks it makes him look like he's working harder. Who knows what that show-off is thinking?"
klein shrugged. "Alright, Miss Potts, now isn't the time to discuss your heartthrob. It's not safe here; I'll take you somewhere you can catch your breath."
He said no more, stepping forward and ignoring Potts' slight cry of surprise and the wary looks of the security personnel as he reached out into the void.
Space warped subtly once more, and in the next instant, the group appeared on a rooftop far from the main venue, a place that was relatively quiet and offered a wide view.
"Stay here," klein instructed quickly. Before Potts could ask anything else, his figure blurred and vanished from the spot again.
"mr. klein! Be careful!"
klein reappeared in the chaotic core area of the expo.
He didn't immediately start a massacre of the rampaging Steel Soldiers; they were Tony's targets. His goal was to save people.
For the robots blocking his path, he merely dealt out a casual finger flick of wind or a palm strike from a distance, disabling their critical joints or weapon systems. He turned them into piles of immobile scrap metal but didn't bother to destroy them completely.
However, the robots turned their muzzles one after another, aiming their shoulder-mounted machine guns and micro-missile pods at klein.
"Hmm?" klein raised an eyebrow and stopped his rescue actions. "So you've chosen the hard way, then?"
Before he finished speaking, several tongues of fire and micro-missiles trailing white smoke came whistling toward him!
klein didn't even bother to move his feet; he simply raised his right hand, spreading his fingers and pressing forward into the air.
"Bolts of Balthakk!"
A vast, majestic energy erupted with him at the center! Countless bolts of lightning spread like leaf veins toward the Steel Soldiers in front of him.
"Bang bang bang bang—!!!"
With a series of dull explosions, the Steel Soldiers that had initiated the attack were instantly blown into flying metal parts by the lightning, falling while engulfed in flames.
Just as the firelight from the explosions had yet to fully dissipate, a gold-and-red streak of light tore through the night sky. With a sharp piercing sound, it slammed into the ground near klein like an angry meteor.
It was the late-arriving Tony Stark.
The faceplate flipped up, revealing Tony's face, which was full of annoyance and anxiety: "What's the situation? Where's Potts?"
"She's in a safe place," klein said, pointing toward the distant rooftop, before adding irritably,
"You finally showed up! Hurry up and lure these pieces of junk away! If you fight here, are you trying to cause countless casualties?"
Tony also realized the problem. He looked at the chaotic scene around them and the still-increasing number of robots, then gritted his teeth.
"Understood! Jarvis, lock onto all Iron Soldier signals and lure them to the Memorial Park across the river! It's wide open there, and no one's around at night!"
"Yes, sir. Signals locked, route planning in progress."
Tony didn't hesitate anymore. The thrusters in his boots and palms fired at full power, and he soared into the sky.
At the same time, his shoulder and chest weapon systems opened fully. With a series of dazzling pulse blasts and micro-missiles acting as the most brilliant taunt, he drew the attention of most of the Steel Soldiers and the remotely hijacked War Machine.
For a moment, several streaks of light trailed exhaust flames in the sky, whistling toward the relatively secluded Memorial Park across the Hudson River.
klein watched the departing mecha squad and let out a sigh of relief, speeding up his evacuation of the remaining scattered audience and his clearing of obstacles.
A few minutes later, after confirming no civilians remained at the main venue, his figure flashed as he flew toward the park, intending to watch the show.
By the time he arrived above Memorial Park, the show had already begun.
On the park's open lawn, the laser beams from the mark vi's arms were cutting through a dozen Steel Soldiers like a hot knife through butter.
Rhodes had also returned to normal, clearly having his control regained by Black Widow.
He was piloting War Machine, using the Gatling gun on his shoulder and micro-missile pods to provide suppressive fire against the remaining Steel Soldiers.
Just as the two thought they could breathe a sigh of relief, a figure wrapped in two energy whips flickering with blinding electricity sent them flying.
It was the modified and enhanced whiplash armor piloted by Ivan Vanko.
klein found a spot with an excellent view and sat down leisurely. He even pulled out a bag of potato chips from the Kamui Dimension that he had swiped at some point and began munching on them, looking like a typical bystander.
War Machine stood up again, and the missile pods on his shoulders opened once more. Several micro-missiles trailed exhaust flames, darting out like hornets from a nest straight toward the whiplash armor!
The missiles hit Whiplash's thick breastplate one after another, exploding in bursts of fire and smoke.
However, as the smoke cleared, the whiplash armor only staggered back a few steps. A few more dents and scorch marks appeared on the breastplate, but the overall structure seemed largely intact.
The funniest part was that an "Ex-Wife" missile, heavily promoted by Hammer Industries, bounced off the whiplash armor like a dud firecracker and fell into the nearby artificial lake with a soft "plop," letting out a few bubbles before going completely silent.
"Pfft! Hahaha!" klein on the water tower almost choked on a potato chip, slapping his thigh and laughing wildly.
"Holy crap! It really is like an ex-wife; after leaving you, except for letting out a little pop for show, it can't do anything! That's hilarious! Hahahaha!"
He laughed until tears almost came out, feeling that this was much more interesting than watching robots fight.
The battle below did not stop because of this little interlude.
With the growing rapport between Tony and Rhodes, although the whiplash armor was fierce, it was outnumbered—not to mention the mark vi was high-end gear.
Tony used his speed to distract Whiplash, while Rhodeslooked for opportunities to blast his joints and the connections to the back's energy core with heavy firepower.
Finally, in a brilliant maneuver, Tony and Rhodes worked together, using a combined reactor blast to detonate the reactor on Whiplash's chest.
A violent explosion flared into the sky, and the whiplash armor completely disintegrated in the blast. Countless parts flew in all directions along with Ivan Vanko's unwilling howl.
On the water tower, klein finished the last potato chip, brushed the crumbs off his hands, and stood up with a lack of further interest.
"That's it? Boring," he muttered, feeling a little frustrated deep down.
Last time with iron monger Obadiah, he didn't trigger a gacha draw. This time with Whiplash Ivan Vanko, it didn't trigger either.
"Could it be that the villains on Iron Man's side really aren't in the same league as Spider-Man's in the eyes of the system?" klein rubbed his chin, watching Tony and Rhodes below as they began to clean up the mess and contact backup.
He looked at the helicopter lights faintly appearing in the distant night sky and curled his lip.
"Tsk, looks like if I want to draw more prizes, I'll have to find some higher-tier plot characters to hang around."
With that thought, he didn't linger, his figure quietly merging into the night.
Chapter 134: Captain America
Tony, having regained his composure, saw that klein was gone. He tried calling him, but after the call connected, the only thing he heard from the other side was a curt "I'm busy!" before klein hung up.
klein had no time for nonsense with Tony right now; he had found a hotel and was currently playing a friendly match with Black Widow.
The two of them were both lusting after each other's bodies.
Early the next morning, sunlight spilled into the suite's bedroom through the gaps in the curtains.
Natasha was already fully dressed, bending over to pick up her high heels scattered on the floor.
"Leaving in such a hurry? How about an overtime match?" klein's lazy voice drifted from the bed. He propped up half his body, his gaze unashamedly wandering over Natasha's gracefully curved back.
Natasha turned her head and gave him a seductive smile. "I can't! S.H.I.E.L.D. mission. There's something I need to handle over in Europe. Wait until I get back..."
Before she could finish, klein had already thrown off the covers, gotten out of bed, and walked up to her in a few steps.
Natasha instinctively backed away until her back hit the cold door panel.
"If I force you, it won't count as you voluntarily skipping work." klein propped one hand on the door by her ear, while the other already gripped the collar of her shirt.
"Fuck..." Natasha gave a symbolic struggle twice but couldn't break free; instead, klein pinned her hands down.
She looked up at klein, a flash of interest at meeting a worthy opponent flickering in those green eyes. "You really are the most ferocious man I've ever met..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a crisp'slap' echoed in the quiet room.
"Is it authentic? Say it's authentic! Speak! Are you an AMD dog slave?!"
"I am not a slave!" Natasha retorted sharply, only to let out a muffled groan from being hit.
"Oh boy! Still talking back? You stinking outsider, is this solid enough for you!"
Just then, the phone on the nightstand rang abruptly.
Natasha caught a glimpse of 'Fury' on the caller ID. Her expression changed slightly, and she reached out to grab it, but klein beat her to it.
"Agent Natasha Romanoff," Fury's voice came through the receiver, sounding clearly impatient.
"The plane has been waiting for you for an hour and seventeen minutes. I need an explanation."
"I'm. Busy!" Natasha panted, trying to make her voice sound normal. "Give me a little more time..."
klein roared directly into the phone: "Nag, nag, nag, are you chasing a soul? Is someone in your family dead and you're rushing to a funeral? We're busy! Tell those people of yours to wait. My taxes pay for them. If anyone has a problem, have them come to Congress to confront me!"
He hung up without waiting for a reaction and tossed the phone onto the carpet.
"You're crazy..." Natasha's words were cut off as her mouth was blocked.
klein leaned down, breathing heavily in her ear: "Hmm? Daring to speak to your Lord like that? Don't know the rules? Today I'll make sure you're completely submissive..."
Natasha could no longer hear what nonsense he was muttering.
She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. She couldn't resist, and... she didn't really want to resist anymore.
An hour later, Black Widow prepared to leave the hotel. Before going, she told klein that what Fury had promised him was ready and invited him to Washington.
klein took a shower, had breakfast, and prepared to head to Washington.
According to Fury's meaning, Captain America should have been dug up. If Captain America was dug up, the Space Stone should have also fallen into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands.
klein felt the Space Stone beckoning to him, and then disappeared with a flash.
Triskelion in Washington.
Nick Fury stood outside the observation window of a highly classified cryogenic lab, his single eye staring at the figure in an old military uniform on the thawing table inside.
It was indeed Captain America—Steve Rogers.
Scientists and medical staff in the lab were busy monitoring various vital signs and thawing data.
Maria Hill stood behind Fury, quietly reporting the latest analysis results sent back from New Mexico and Los Angeles.
"In summary, Thor has returned to Asgard. Analysis of the Destroyer's wreckage is underway, and a project for new equipment designed based on it has been initiated.
As for the Stark Expo incident, the technical source of the whiplash armor is related to Hammer Industries' illegal activities,
However, the energy circuit of the new reactor on Tony Stark shows a slight similarity to the energy signature of the Tesseract we are currently studying. It's currently uncertain if this is a coincidence or..."
Before Hill could finish, a sharp, piercing alarm suddenly rang through the entire floor and even the whole building!
"Warning! Abnormal energy readings! Repeat, maximum alert!"
Red alarm lights on the corridor walls spun frantically. Well-trained S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents and guards swarmed out from every corner, the sound of guns being cocked was crisp and dense, surrounding Fury and Hill in a protective circle.
Suddenly, the air distorted violently like ripples on water. The next second, klein's figure appeared without warning, as if surfacing from water, right under the gaze of the ready guns and Fury's single eye.
He appeared so abruptly that several of the nearest Agents almost pulled their triggers.
klein, however, acted as if he didn't see the dozens of black muzzles around him. He just looked with interest over Fury's shoulder, through the observation window, at the 'popsicle' inside the lab.
"Tsk, you really did dig him up," klein muttered quietly.
Fury's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. He raised his hand, making a gesture to stand down, and then ordered with suppressed anger:
"Turn off the alarm! All personnel, stand down and return to your posts! Hill, continue your report."
The sharp alarm stopped abruptly, and the red lights went out.
Although the Agents put away their guns, their eyes remained wary as they slowly backed away, though they did not go far.
Hill nodded to klein and continued her report.
After listening to Hill's report, Fury turned around, his single eye staring straight at klein, his tone filled with strong dissatisfaction:
"mr. klein. Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. However, I must remind you that even as a Level 6 Advisor, entering the core area of Triskelion requires prior reporting and passing through security checks.
Entering suddenly like this is very much against regulations and extremely disrespectful to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s security system."
klein picked his ear as if he found him noisy, then looked at Fury like he was an idiot. "Are you sick?"
"..." Fury's mouth twitched.
"Didn't you have that red-haired girl pass the message, urging me to get here quickly? I'm here now, and you still want a review? A report?
You're just taking off your pants to fart; are you that bored? It's completely unnecessary! In the time it takes for that nonsense, I've already finished a whole lap of the place."
Chapter 135: Space Stone
After being berated by klein, Nick Fury's face turned from black to a greenish hue; he was just about to retort.
"Beep, beep, beep!"
Inside the secret chamber, the urgent beeping of the Life monitor interrupted his "casting animation."
Through the observation window, Steve Rogers, lying on the thawing table, saw his eyelids twitch violently before he suddenly snapped his eyes open!
His deep blue eyes were momentarily blank before being replaced by instinctive alertness.
He practically bolted upright, subconsciously looking around at the vintage-style decor.
But Captain America was indeed Captain America; it only took a few minutes for him to sense something was wrong.
His arm muscles bulged, and the restraints—strong enough to secure heavy equipment—were snapped apart by sheer force!
Following that, he performed a nimble roll onto the floor and charged without hesitation toward the seemingly indestructible alloy door of the secret chamber.
"Stop him!" Fury growled into his communicator.
In the corridor outside, several fully armed S.H.I.E.L.D.Agents had already received orders and were standing by.
However, Steve used a brute-force method to forcibly dismantle the pneumatic lock and burst through the door.
These well-trained Agents were actually unable to do anything against this "antique" from the last century.
In the blink of an eye, Steve darted through the gap between two Agents like a cheetah, using a potted plant at the corner of the corridor as cover, and made his way out of the building in a few bounds.
klein leaned against the console with his arms crossed, watching leisurely as he spoke to Fury, whose face was growing darker by the second:
"I say, Director Egghead, do you think he's running so fast because he woke up, saw a black man as his superior, and experienced a little '1920s shock'?"
Fury whipped his head around, his single eye glaring intensely at klein, his voice squeezed through his teeth: "mr. klein, are you racially discriminating against me?"
"Ah, no, no, no," klein waved his hands repeatedly, his expression incredibly sincere.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm a very simple person; I just discriminate against you as an individual. It has absolutely nothing to do with your race or skin color. Really, I swear."
"You..." Fury was so choked up his chest felt tight, and he felt his blood pressure soaring.
"Director!" Maria Hill walked over quickly, timely interrupting the verbal spat that was about to escalate.
"The Captain has been stopped on the street; the situation is under control for now. But his emotions are unstable, so you might need to handle it personally."
Fury gave a heavy snort, seemingly using all his strength to suppress his anger. He turned and strode out, leaving behind a room full of researchers and Agents who were as quiet as cicadas in winter.
Hill then turned to klein, her face carrying a hint of helplessness and inquiry: "mr. klein, you seem to particularly enjoy provoking the Director? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment every time you make his emotions fluctuate with anger?"
"Not at all," klein shrugged with an innocent look.
"I'm just telling the truth. Seeing a black man as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. leading a group of elites just makes me feel disgusted."
Hill's lip twitched slightly, and she wisely chose not to continue this dangerous topic.
About half an hour later, Fury returned, followed by Captain America, who had changed into S.H.I.E.L.D. civilian clothes but still had deep confusion and alertness etched between his brows.
Fury whispered a few instructions to Hill, likely arranging the Captain's temporary residence and psychological evaluation.
Seeing that Fury's arrangements were nearly done but he hadn't mentioned the agreed-upon viewing of the Tesseract, klein immediately strolled over and blocked Fury's path.
"Hey, Egghead, you're not planning on reneging on our deal, are you?" klein got straight to the point.
"Hurry up and take me to see the Tesseract. I'm busy; I don't have time to chit-chat with you here."
Fury's single eye narrowed slightly, a sharp glint flashing through it: "You actually know about the Tesseract?"
"I know plenty of things. Do I need to make a list for you?" klein waved his hand impatiently.
"..." A vein seemed to throb on Fury's temple.
He took a deep breath, knowing that bickering with this guy would only cause him internal grief. He signaled Hillwith his eyes and then said stiffly to klein, "Follow me."
The group drove to the foot of a mountain, passed through security, and headed underground.
After getting out of the car, they took a dedicated elevator deep into a more secure underground area.
After passing through several heavy alloy doors that required iris, voiceprint, and dynamic password verification, they entered a massive underground laboratory.
In the center of the lab, on a specialized platform, the Tesseract was suspended in the air.
Dr. Erik Selvig, the astrophysicist recruited by Coulson in New Mexico, was leading a group of researchers, surrounding complex instruments to record data.
When klein's gaze landed on the Tesseract, he clearly felt a vast surge of spatial energy.
It was like the core of a living star, slowly rotating within a containment field, its light flowing.
He walked straight toward the Tesseract.
"Wait! mr. klein!" Dr. Selvig shouted in alarm to stop him.
"You can't touch it directly! Its energy is extremely unstable; unprotected contact could lead to unpredictable..."
klein acted as if he hadn't heard at all. Without stopping, under the tense gazes of Fury, Hill, and everyone in the lab, he reached out and grabbed the Tesseract in his hand.
The expected energy explosion, spatial distortion, or human annihilation did not occur.
The glowing blue cube lay quietly in his palm. Did it seem a bit more docile than before?
A system notification that only he could hear rang in klein's mind:
[Ding!]
[Detected high-dimensional energy aggregate—'Space Stone' (Tesseract).]
[Detected that the host already possesses preliminary affinity with the Laws of Space.]
[The following operations are available:]
[1. Absorb the current Space Stone energy to obtain a faint fragment of the Law of Space, slightly increasing the effects of space-type abilities.]
[2. Do not absorb for now. After collecting the energy fragments of all six Infinity Stones, a complete Law can be synthesized.]
After listening, klein had almost no hesitation.
A complete Infinity Law? That sounded much more exciting than a mere law fragment.
Collect all six stones? It sounded troublesome, but wasn't there a "Purple Sweet Potato" busily collecting these things?
When he finally finishes the hard work of gathering them, I'll just take them over. Wouldn't that save time and effort? Simply delightful!
"Choose not to absorb for now," klein muttered in his heart.
He weighed the Tesseract in his hand for a moment and then casually placed it back. The Doctor rushed forward to check and found the Tesseract unharmed; the energy readings were even more stable than before, leaving him dumbfounded.
"It's just so-so." klein brushed off non-existent dust from his hands and turned to speak to Fury, whose eyes were deep with thought.
"I'm done looking; it's quite boring. I'm leaving, going back to New York to eat some Jianbing Guozi."
With that, before Fury could respond, his figure rippled like a wave before everyone's eyes and vanished without a trace.
Leaving behind a group of scientists exchanging bewildered glances in the lab, and Nick Fury, whose single eye flickered with an uncertain light, plotting something unknown.
Chapter 136: Sokovia
After returning from S.H.I.E.L.D., life became a bit too leisurely.
This afternoon, klein looked at the grey New York sky outside the window and suddenly felt a bit bored of it all.
"Mei," he walked over to Aunt Mei, who was organizing the ledgers behind the counter, "I'm planning to head out for a bit, do some traveling, and clear my head. I'll leave the shop to you; you can handle it, right?"
Aunt Mei looked up and gave a gentle smile. "Go ahead. I can handle the shop, don't worry."
"Alright, then I'll pack up and head out." klein went upstairs, threw a few T-shirts, pants, and underwear into a bag, and sauntered back down.
Just as he pulled open the shop door, a flashy Audi R8performed a precise drift and came to a steady halt right in front of the entrance.
The scissor doors swung upward, and Tony stepped out wearing sunglasses.
"Hey! klein!" Tony took off his sunglasses and spread his arms toward klein. "Are you surprised to see me? Is it unexpected?"
"Surprised my ass." klein rolled his eyes and slung his backpack over his shoulder. "What are you doing here? I don't have time to shoot the breeze with you right now; I'm busy."
"Busy with what?" Tony was stunned for a moment, then started acting smug again. "Actually, I have news for you: I'm moving to New York!"
"Moving to New York?" klein stopped in his tracks and squinted at him. "Isn't your crappy company doing just fine on the West Coast? What happened? Did the California sun peel your skin off, so you want a change of scenery?"
"What do you mean, 'crappy company'!" Tony retorted indignantly.
"It's time for Stark Industries to make a clean break from the past. After shutting down the weapons division, our future is in clean energy!"
"New York is the true center of finance and technology; moving here is only right. We'll be neighbors from now on, so come over often!"
"Fine, fine. So, are you planning to buy an existing building, or are you going to labor away at building a new landmark yourself?"
Tony looked as if he had heard a joke. "Would the great Stark go through that much trouble? Stark Industriesalready has its own tower in New York. With a bit of layout adjustment, we can finish the move in a few days."
"When the time comes, you're welcome to have a party at my new penthouse. I guarantee the view will be ten thousand times better than this little dump of yours in Brooklyn."
"Got it, got it. Now go hurry up and move your house; don't block my way. I have to go!" klein bypassed him and continued toward the curb, preparing to hail a taxi.
"Hey, wait!" Tony took a few quick steps to block him and asked curiously, "You still haven't said what you're doing. Why the hell are you in such a rush?"
"I'm going traveling."
"Traveling? Where to?"
"I don't know," klein replied matter-of-factly.
"You don't know?" Tony was dumbfounded.
"Yeah. I'll decide when I get to the airport. I'll go wherever the next flight with an available seat is heading. It's a random trip, get it? It's much more exciting that way!"
Tony's lips twitched as he listened, and he finally squeezed out, "Impressive! I really envy you, having so much time to waste."
"Envy me?" klein looked at him as if he were an idiot.
"If you saved some of the time you spend chasing girls, partying, and doing performance art, you'd have plenty of time too."
"If all else fails, just cut the time you spend admiring your handsome face in the mirror by half. That would be enough time to travel around the World several times."
"Bullshit! I stopped doing all that ages ago! I'm a serious entrepreneur dedicated to clean energy now! I'm very busy!"
"Fine, fine, you're serious, you're great." klein couldn't be bothered to argue. He glanced at the flashy sports car, and his eyes darted as a thought occurred to him.
"Actually, I'm heading to the airport. I'll hitch a ride with you. This thing of yours is definitely faster than a taxi."
"..."
Tony was speechless, but seeing klein's rogue-like attitude—as if he wouldn't leave unless he got a ride—he finally conceded. He pulled open the car door irritably.
"Get in! Hurry up!"
Speeding all the way, Tony drove the car as if it were about to take off. As soon as they reached the departures level of JFK Airport and klein stepped out with his bag,
Tony jerked the steering wheel, and the R8 let out a violent roar before shooting off like an arrow. He didn't even bother to say goodbye, clearly not wanting to spend another second with klein.
"Tsk, stingy guy." klein curled his lip at the taillights and turned to walk into the terminal.
He sauntered over to the check-in counter and asked casually, "Is there a ticket for the next flight out, regardless of the destination?"
The ground staff member quickly checked the computer and looked up with a smile. "Hello, sir. The next flight departs in half an hour, direct to Sokovia. There is one last seat left in business class. Would you like it?"
"Sokovia?" klein ran the name through his mind. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it at the moment.
"Fine, that's the one. I'll take it." klein paid readily, took his boarding pass, passed through security, and boarded the plane.
After finding his seat and buckling his seatbelt, klein watched the airport scenery slowly move past the window, and the name popped into his head again.
"Sokovia? Sokovia?" He muttered it a couple of times, and suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit him!
"Holy shit! Isn't that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch's hometown?!" klein sat up straight abruptly, his eyes lighting up.
He remembered! In the plot of Avengers 2, Ultron caused trouble in Sokovia, then Quicksilver died, and Wandajoined the Avengers.
"That's right! Wanda!" klein licked his lips, a somewhat lecherous smile appearing on his face.
"That girl is truly gorgeous. Those long legs are way better than Black Widow's. Black Widow's legs are so short they can't even wrap around a waist."
"Olsen is still the best. I'll find an opportunity to spirit her away and make her my little wife."
The more he thought about it, the more he felt this random trip was a stroke of incredible luck.
Sokovia, here I come! Hehe...
The plane landed smoothly at the airport in the capital of Sokovia.
Carrying his backpack with only a few clothes, klein sauntered out of the airport with the crowd.
He hailed a taxi that looked somewhat reliable and, using a mix of English and gestures, told the driver to take him to the most luxurious-looking hotel in the city center.
The driver had originally intended to take a detour, but after being "moved" by klein's Iron Fist of Justice, he successfully delivered klein to the hotel and kindly declined the fare—though his car sped off a bit quickly afterward.
After checking in and tossing his backpack into the room, klein stepped out, rubbing his growling stomach.
The first priority of traveling is always to feed oneself.
He didn't bother looking at any guides; he just wandered down the busiest street in front of the hotel.
He was drawn to a small storefront where the aroma of sizzling meat skewers on an outdoor grill wafted through the air.
klein squeezed inside and, relying on guesswork and universal gestures, ordered a bunch of local specialties whose names he didn't recognize but looked delicious.
With skewers grilled to a perfect crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, accompanied by a glass of local, slightly sour home-brewed beer, klein ate until his face was greasy and he was completely satisfied.
"Tsk, Eastern European cuisine is actually pretty good!" klein let out a burp, settled the bill, and sauntered out of the shop while picking his teeth.
Full and satisfied, klein began to wander aimlessly, specifically picking narrow alleys where tourists were sparse.
Just as klein turned a corner piled with junk, a small figure in a grey hoodie brushed past him at extreme speed.
klein instantly realized he had been robbed!
There wasn't much cash in his wallet, but all his identification papers were inside.
"Hey! Little thief, that's quite a slick technique you've got there." Instead of getting angry, klein laughed, a hint of playfulness flashing in his eyes.
He was just worrying about having no entertainment after his meal, and here it was, delivered right to him. It was the perfect chance to stretch his limbs and teach this blind little thief a lesson in life.
He didn't hurry to give chase because the system's notification sound rang in his mind.
[Ding!]
Chapter 137: Wanda
[Detected key Marvel plot character: Wanda Maximoff(Scarlet Witch)]
[Identity: Chaos Magic user, Quicksilver's elder sister]
[Tip: The host has come into contact with a new plot character. Reward: +1 lottery draw! Would you like to start the draw now?]
klein narrowed his eyes, carefully sizing up the girl who had already run far away.
"Wanda?" The corners of klein's mouth curled up uncontrollably into an extremely delighted arc.
"Damn, it really is a case of'searching far and wide only to find it easily'! To think I'd catch the real deal just by running into a random thief?"
He had been wondering how to run into the twins in Sokovia, never expecting fate to deliver them right to him in such a dramatic fashion.
"Draw! Draw now!"
He was curious about what good things he could get from this future Chaos Witch. magic? Chaos Energy? Or... something even more interesting?
The golden, glittering lottery wheel emerged once again in the depths of his consciousness, and the pointer began to spin rapidly.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a new ability—Phoenix Force, one of the three great forces of the Marvel Universe]
After absorbing the Phoenix Force, a warm yet destructive and regenerative energy surged through klein's body, creating a wonderful resonance with his existing powers and beginning to merge with them.
His life level was on the verge of another breakthrough, with only a few blurry boundaries remaining.
klein suppressed his aura and followed Wanda from a distance.
He watched her use the stolen money to buy some simple bread, milk, and fruit, then watched her carefully avoid the crowds and duck into a dark alleyway.
She entered an underground clinic with a blurry sign. Inside, she spent almost all the money from klein's wallet just to buy a few bottles of specialized medicine.
After buying the medicine, Wanda hurried through the cluttered and dilapidated neighborhood, eventually slipping into an unfinished building that had clearly been abandoned for years, with hardly any door or window frames left.
This place was far from the city center, surrounded by piles of construction waste, and the air was thick with a damp, musty smell.
klein stealthily moved behind a broken wall, his gaze piercing through the dim light to look inside the building.
A crude shelter had been haphazardly constructed there using some broken wooden boards, old blankets, and cardboard.
A pale, blonde youth with chapped lips was curled up there, covered by a filthy blanket.
Even in his sleep, his brow was furrowed, and his body trembled slightly from time to time.
Wanda walked over quickly and knelt beside her brother. She gently lifted his head, unscrewed the medicine bottle she had just bought, and carefully fed it to him.
After a while, the medicine seemed to take effect. Pietrostruggled to open his eyes; his gaze was somewhat unfocused, but he clearly calmed down upon seeing his sister.
Seeing her brother wake up, Wanda took out the bread, tore it into small pieces, mixed it with milk, and patiently fed it to Pietro.
"Sister," Pietro's voice was hoarse. "Where did you get the money for all this?" He saw the medicine bottles and food packaging in Wanda's hands.
Wanda avoided his gaze and simply handed the remaining bread to his mouth. "Don't ask. Just eat. You'll only get better once you eat and take your medicine."
Pietro wanted to press further, but his weakened body left him without even the strength to speak, so he could only take small bites of the bread.
klein watched this scene from outside, pondering how to make a natural entrance.
Just walk in and pretend to be a passing Good Samaritan? Where would a passerby even come from in this godforsaken place?
Just as he was thinking, the sound of car engines approached from a distance. Judging by the noise, there was more than one vehicle.
klein completely concealed himself in the shadows. Several modified black SUVs came to a stop in the open space outside the ruins.
The doors opened, and a squad of soldiers in dark combat gear quickly jumped out, fanning out in a tactical formation.
Leading them was a tall, bald man. He made a gesture, and the soldiers immediately charged into the unfinished building like wolves and tigers.
"Target confirmed, it's them. Take them away, move fast!" the bald man ordered in a low voice.
Inside the building, Wanda and Pietro were instantly startled.
Wanda instinctively shielded her brother, a flash of panic in her eyes. Pietro struggled to stand, but his illness weighed him down, causing him to stumble.
"Who are you?! What do you want!" Wanda questioned sharply, her hands raised slightly. Invisible energy seemed to be stirring in the air, but she appeared unable to control it well yet.
The soldiers didn't answer. In pairs, they lunged forward fiercely.
Wanda tried to interfere with her unstable magic. A wave of dark red energy rippled out, causing the two soldiers in front to freeze and groan in pain from a headache.
However, being well-trained, they immediately overcame the effect and used specially-made insulated gloves and restraints to forcibly seize Wanda's arms.
She was still too green, after all, and her powers were far from fully awakened.
"Let go of my sister!" Pietro's eyes nearly burst with rage. He forced his body to try and rush over, but his illness held him back. Another soldier easily slammed a rifle butt into his abdomen; he groaned in pain and curled up, only to be pinned down firmly.
The siblings' struggles were futile against the professional soldiers.
Soon, they were tightly bound with special metal handcuffs and dragged toward the cars outside like cargo.
"Hurry up! Take them straight back to the Base!" the bald man urged, his gaze scanning the surrounding ruins warily.
Here comes the opportunity! klein laughed to himself.
Just a moment ago, he was agonizing over how to make an appearance, and now the script had been handed right to him!
A hero saving a damsel in distress—a classic that never goes out of style!
Especially appearing at the beauty's most desperate and helpless moment! This would leave a much deeper impression.
Just as the soldiers were about to shove Wanda and Pietrointo the vehicle.
"Stop!"
A loud shout exploded across the empty ruins like a clap of thunder!
Everyone was startled by the sudden noise and instinctively looked toward the source.
klein jumped out from behind a pile of broken concrete pillars, pointing at the group of soldiers and their bald leader.
"In broad daylight and under the bright sun! How dare you kidnap a young lady?! This is simply lawless and outrageous! Release them at once, or I shall carry out justice on behalf of Heaven!"
klein's appearance caused an immediate silence. The soldiers looked at each other, seemingly failing to realize what kind of act this was.
The bald leader sized klein up, looked at his empty hands, and his face showed undisguised contempt and impatience.
"Where did this idiot come from?" the bald man spat. Not bothering with words, he waved his hand. "Grab him! Perfect, the lab has been short on consumables lately!"
Several soldiers immediately turned their guns and lunged at klein like wolves and tigers.
Wanda's eyes widened in horror. Recognizing the man whose wallet she had stolen, she instinctively wanted to shout for him to run, but her mouth was gagged.
Seeing the man, Quicksilver struggled even more violently, but due to his illness and weakness, it was nothing but impotent rage.
However, what happened next left everyone stunned.
Facing the lunging soldiers, klein simply raised his right hand casually, fingers spread, and gave a light flick toward the two soldiers in front.
The two soldiers were sent flying as if hit head-on by a speeding truck. They screamed as they crashed into the concrete pillars behind them, dying instantly from shattered bones.
"What?!"
Chapter 138: Saving the Beauty
The bald man's pupils constricted sharply, the contempt on his face instantly replaced by horror.
"Go, kill him!"
The other soldiers were also frightened into a daze by this eerie scene. However, under the bald man's urging, they still raised their guns and fired at klein.
klein saw that instead of surrendering, the opposition dared to resist.
Without the slightest pause, his palms waved in succession. Every soldier opposite him was hit as if by an invisible heavy hammer, flying backward in various distorted postures and crashing against the wall behind them, their bones shattering as they died one after another.
The entire process took only two or three short seconds. The squad that had been aggressive just a moment ago was now lying all over the ground in disarray, except for the bald man who still stood in place.
The bald man's face was as pale as paper, and fine beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead.
He looked at the approaching klein and then at his men scattered across the floor; the hand holding his gun was trembling slightly.
He knew he had kicked a steel plate today—and a red-hot alloy steel plate at that!
"Who on earth are you?! Do you know who I am?" the bald man shouted, his voice blustering but lacking confidence as he aimed his gun at klein, yet not daring to pull the trigger lightly.
"I'm just a good citizen who helps those in need when I see injustice. You can call me Father, or Daddy!
As for you HYDRA, you're just a bunch of trash abandoned by the times. Trash should stay in the trash can, not parade around everywhere thinking about a restoration."
Looking at the bald man's terrified expression, klein stopped wasting words. He stepped forward and cleanly snapped the man's neck, sending him to reunite with his subordinates on the floor.
He turned and walked over to Wanda and Quicksilver, reaching out to grab the special metal handcuffs on their wrists. Without any apparent effort, the seemingly solid alloy shattered like rotten wood.
"Are you two alright?" klein asked casually, his gaze sweeping over the siblings, primarily focusing on Wanda.
"W-We're fine..." Wanda lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. Her hands nervously twisted the hem of her clothes, not daring to look klein in the eye.
Being caught by the victim while stealing a wallet and then being saved by them—this embarrassment and shame made her want to find a hole to crawl into.
Pietro, on the other hand, was even paler now due to his illness-induced weakness and the shock he had just received.
However, he knew nothing about the previous theft. He simply looked at klein gratefully and struggled to prop himself up, saying, "Thank you, sir. Thank you so much."
At that moment, the system prompt sounded in klein's mind again:
[Ding!]
[Detected key Marvel plot character: Pietro Maximoff(Quicksilver)]
[Identity: Super Speedster, younger brother of the Scarlet Witch]
[Prompt: The host has encountered a new plot character. Reward: Gacha draw count +1! Would you like to start the draw now?]
"Draw," klein thought silently.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a new ability—Speed Force!]
A sense of energy that seemed capable of transcending the shackles of time flowed through klein's body. The corner of klein's mouth quirked up imperceptibly; The Flash's signature ability—not bad.
"Alright, save the thanks for later." klein interrupted their thoughts, his gaze sweeping over the corpses scattered around and the abandoned, unfinished building.
"You can't stay here. Once their people realize they've lost contact, they'll definitely come looking again. Do you have anywhere else safe to go?"
Hearing this, Wanda hung her head even lower, remaining silent and nervously biting her lip.
Pietro looked at his sister, not understanding what was wrong with her. She used to talk a lot; why was she speechless now?
He shook his head and said to klein, "No, sir, we have nowhere else to go. This was already the best shelter we could find."
"If you can trust me for now, come with me. I'll get you two rooms in a hotel so you can settle down first. It's better than staying in these ruins."
"We can't, sir!" Wanda suddenly looked up, her eyes turning red and her voice filled with anxiety.
"I'm sorry, I apologize for stealing your wallet earlier. But we really can't go with you. We are unlucky people. Being with us will only bring you great trouble!"
"Unlucky?" klein raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," she said. "We were born different from others, with some special abilities. Those people came to catch us just to study this. Their influence in Sokovia is very large, and we don't want to involve you..."
"Special abilities? Just because of that?" klein acted as if he had heard something amusing.
He casually raised his right hand and made a grasping motion toward the rubble scattered on the ground.
In the next second, under the astonished gazes of Wandaand Pietro, those stone fragments rose as if pulled by invisible threads, quickly aggregating into an irregular sphere in front of his palm.
Immediately following that, the stone ball began to deform.
It stretched into a spear, flattened into a disk, and twisted into a spiral, as if an invisible pair of hands were sculpting it at will.
"If you're just referring to special abilities," klein controlled the stones to finally return to a smooth sphere before letting it drop back to the ground,
"then it seems I have quite a few of those special abilities myself. So, do you still think this is a problem?"
"Cool!" Pietro couldn't help but whisper, a flush of excitement appearing on his pale face.
The way he looked at klein was instantly filled with curiosity.
Wanda was also completely stunned, staring blankly at the rubble that had returned to its original state on the ground, then at the relaxed klein.
She already felt she owed him and had been saved by him; it was inevitable that some hazy feelings of goodwill and dependence would sprout in the young girl's heart.
Her previous refusal was out of fear of involving this kind person.
But now it seemed this mysterious man was even more extraordinary than she had imagined. Perhaps to him, these weren't even considered 'troubles' at all.
Under klein's half-insistent, half-forced attitude, the siblings, who were already grateful and had nowhere else to go, finally followed him out of the ruins.
On the way back, Wanda introduced herself and her brother to klein. "My name is Wanda, Wanda Maximoff. This is my brother, Pietro Maximoff."
"I'm klein. You can just call me klein."
klein chatted with the Maximoff siblings as they returned to the city of Sokovia. In the hotel where he was staying, he booked two adjacent rooms for them.
"Stay here for now and get some good rest. Especially you, young man—get over your illness first." klein handed the room cards to the siblings respectively. "We'll talk about other things later."
Chapter 139: About to Return to New York
After returning to the hotel, klein didn't take them to an outside restaurant but went straight to the hotel's buffet.
He considered it carefully; there might still be eyes from that gang on the streets, so staying inside the hotel was relatively safer.
This was the only five-star hotel in Sokovia, and those who could establish a five-star hotel in such a place were all people with immense influence.
That gang didn't dare to enter the hotel openly to seize people yet, and since klein used his own identity to book the room, the siblings' check-in couldn't be found via computer.
The buffet was abundant. Wanda and Pietro looked at the dazzling array of food stations, appearing a bit restrained, especially Wanda, who kept her head down, not quite daring to look at klein.
klein was quite natural, inviting them to take plates while he first helped himself to some roast meat and pasta.
The atmosphere during the meal was somewhat silent.
Because he was physically weak, Pietro didn't eat much, but his spirits were clearly better, and he occasionally peeked at klein with curiosity.
Wanda ate her salad in small bites, looking preoccupied.
klein didn't ask much, only occasionally recommending a good dish to Pietro.
After finishing the meal, klein sent the siblings back to their room to rest.
In the hallway, he seemingly casually patted Pietro's shoulder, using the Phoenix Force to directly "erase" the illness and pain within Pietro's body.
However, the weakness caused by the long illness still needed time to recover.
"Get a good night's sleep; you should feel much better tomorrow," klein said to Pietro, then looked at Wanda, "You rest easy too; it's safe here."
Wanda nodded gently, her voice weak: "Thank you, mr. klein."
Late at night, klein was sleeping in his room when he was suddenly awakened by a faint knocking at the door.
He instantly became alert, his energy perception extending outward. It wasn't the expected armed personnel; standing outside the door was actually Wanda, wearing only a thin nightgown.
He frowned slightly, getting up to open the door.
Under the dim light of the corridor, Wanda stood at the doorway barefoot, her long blonde hair draped messily over her shoulders, her emerald eyes flickering with a complex expression.
"Wanda? What's wrong? Do you need help?" klein stepped aside to let her in.
Wanda didn't speak, just kept her head down and walked quickly into the room. She turned her back to klein, her shoulders trembling slightly.
klein thought she was scared and turned to pour her a glass of water. "Sit down first, I'll get you some water."
However, when he turned back with the glass, the scene before him made him freeze in place, nearly dropping the glass.
The young girl had already shed that thin nightgown.
She stood there in the middle of the room without any cover, the soft light outlining the breathtaking curves of her young and beautiful body.
Her skin glowed like ivory under the light. Her hands were unconsciously folded in front of her, trying to cover up, yet it seemed futile; her natural advantages were too great, and even at a young age, she couldn't see her own toes.
Wanda's eyes were tightly closed now, her long eyelashes trembling violently, her cheeks so red they looked as if they might bleed.
"Wanda! You... what are you doing? Put your clothes on quickly!" After a couple of glances, klein turned his head away to avoid her gaze, while grabbing a thin blanket from the sofa nearby and stepping forward quickly to wrap her in it.
"No!" Wanda took a small step back, avoiding the blanket.
She finally opened her eyes, which were rimmed with red, yet exceptionally determined. "mr. klein... I have nothing to repay you with. I only have my body."
She took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, and looked directly at klein,
"You saved me and Pietro. Without you, we wouldn't know what would happen to us now. I know this is shameless.
But, please accept me. I am still clean; this is my first time. I only want to repay you."
Looking at the girl before him who was clearly trembling with fear yet forcing herself to stand there, trying to use her most precious possession to repay his kindness, klein felt a mix of emotions.
He sighed, firmly wrapping the blanket around her and holding her cold shoulders through the soft fleece, forcing her to look into his eyes.
"Wanda, listen. I saved you two simply because I wanted to and had the ability to do so. It wasn't because I coveted your repayment, let alone your body.
You don't need to repay anything this way. You don't owe me. Do you understand?"
"But..."
"No buts," klein interrupted her. "Although you are indeed very charming, if I did anything tonight, I would be a bastard taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable position.
That's not my style. Get dressed and go back to sleep. Your sentiment has been received, but this gift is too precious; I can't accept it."
Wanda stared at him blankly, wrapped in the blanket, as large tears suddenly began to roll down.
She suddenly took a step forward, recklessly throwing her arms out and tightly hugging klein's waist, burying her tear-stained face in his chest and sobbing loudly.
klein's body stiffened, then relaxed. After a moment's hesitation, he gently patted her thin, trembling back, as if comforting a frightened little animal.
"Alright, alright, it's okay. It's all over."
That night, Wanda ultimately did not return to her own room.
klein was no saint either.
When a beautiful young girl proactively offers herself, the so-called defense of a gentleman appears so fragile at that moment.
Refusing once is a gentleman; refusing twice is a true gentleman; but refusing a third time makes one a hypocrite.
To hell with being a hypocrite. klein was a normal man.
He lowered his head and kissed away the tears hanging from her eyelashes.
After three rounds of battle, klein, considering it was her first time, was extremely gentle and restrained. Even so, Wanda was already exhausted and fell asleep huddled in his arms, dazed.
The next morning, klein woke up feeling refreshed.
Wanda was still fast asleep, her long blonde hair spread across the pillow. klein tucked her in and stepped out of the room quietly.
Arriving at the restaurant, Pietro was already sitting there eating breakfast, his complexion looking much better than yesterday.
"mr. klein, morning. I wonder what happened to my sister? She hasn't come down for breakfast yet."
"Well, she might have been frightened yesterday and was too tired; she's probably still sleeping." klein picked up a plate to take some food without changing his expression, his tone natural. "I'll bring her some food later."
Pietro didn't suspect anything and just scratched his head. He didn't think at all about why klein was the one bringing breakfast to his sister instead of him going down to bring it himself.
From that day on, Wanda never returned to her own room.
Thus, in this hotel suite in Sokovia, klein and Wandaspent every day and night in constant intimacy.
Through rounds of gentle and intense intimacy, klein not only explored the young girl's innocence and beauty physically but also indirectly guided Wanda's Chaos Magic.
It wasn't until the afternoon of the fourth day that klein confirmed through some special channels that the overt search for the Maximoff siblings in the city had stopped, and the group had turned to more covert tracking.
klein realized it was time to leave.
In the evening, in the living room of the suite, klein said to Wanda, who was reading, and Pietro, who was fiddling with a new phone (klein bought it for him):
"We've stayed here for a few days, and you've rested enough. Sokovia is no longer safe for you. I plan to take you away from here."
The siblings looked up at the same time.
"Leave? To where?" Pietro asked, his eyes a bit blank, but also with a hint of anticipation for the unknown.
Wanda didn't speak, but her eyes were full of trust as she looked at klein.
"New York."
Chapter 140: Arrival in New York
Early the next morning, klein got into a taxi waiting for passengers at the hotel entrance with Wanda and Pietro.
"To the airport."
The driver was a middle-aged man who noticed klein's non-local accent.
He glanced in the rearview mirror at the back seat, his gaze pausing for a moment as it swept over Wanda's striking blonde hair and Pietro's somewhat pale teenage face.
His left hand, resting on the car door, moved almost imperceptibly, as if he wanted to reach for his phone.
At that very moment, an intangible and invisible mental force, like a tide, gently brushed over the driver's consciousness.
The driver's eyes instantly grew vacant, and then he started the car, driving smoothly toward the airport as if nothing had ever happened.
As klein had expected, there was no overt search for the Maximoff siblings. But covertly, not just taxis, but also buses, ships, and airports, people were constantly on the lookout for news about the brother and sister.
In the airport terminal, certain seemingly ordinary passengers or staff would cast subtly scrutinizing glances when they saw a young man and woman.
But the moment klein got out of the car with the Maximoff siblings, he enveloped them both with the Phoenix Force, distorting the perception of the surrounding crowd, making them subconsciously overlook this distinctive-looking brother and sister.
It wasn't until the plane's engines roared loudly, soaring into the sky, and the outline of Sokovia beneath the clouds gradually blurred outside the window, that Wanda and Pietro simultaneously let out a long, deep sigh of relief.
The nerves that had been taut for days finally relaxed a little at that moment.
Wanda turned her head to look at klein, who was resting with his eyes closed beside her.
"What can we do to help you when we get back? I can do laundry, cook, clean the house. Pietro, he runs fast, he can deliver packages or takeout, he can always do something."
klein opened his eyes, looking at her calmly, then glanced at Pietro. "At your age, what you should be doing isn't working odd jobs, it's going to school."
"School?" Pietro's face was filled with resistance. "No way! Too many rules, it's boring!"
klein ignored his complaint, explaining to Wanda, "In New York, at your age, what can you do if you don't study?
They won't even hire you to wash dishes because you're underage. Only by going to school, learning real skills, can you truly help me in the future, not just doing odd jobs. Don't worry, I'll handle the enrollment."
In the United States, money talks. As long as there's enough money, nothing can't be arranged. Just two university recommendation letters.
Hearing about school, Wanda's eyes flickered. She nodded softly. "Mm, I'll listen to you."
Pietro's face fell, but seeing his sister agree, he could only mutter quietly and turn his face toward the window.
New York, Brooklyn
The plane landed at JFK Airport.
After getting off the plane and stepping onto New Yorksoil, feeling the hustle and bustle so different from Sokovia, the siblings were both a bit dazed.
On the way back to the Brooklyn shop, klein had already used the Red Queen to prepare a complete set of legal, officially verifiable identity documents for the Maximoff siblings.
From now on, they were new residents of New York with legal status.
Pushing open the shop door of the office, a faint scent of sandalwood greeted them.
Aunt Mei was tidying something behind the counter. Hearing the noise, she looked up, saw klein, and a gentle smile appeared on her face. "You're back?"
Immediately, her gaze fell on the exquisitely beautiful blonde girl standing closely behind klein.
Almost instantly, Aunt Mei understood something. Her eyes dimmed slightly, but quickly returned to normal. She knew her own position and age.
She walked forward. "And who are these two?"
"Wanda, Pietro. Friends I met in Sokovia. They'll be staying here for now." klein introduced them simply, then said to the siblings, "This is Mei. She manages everything in the shop."
"Hello, Aunt Mei." Wanda greeted softly. At the same time, a woman's keen intuition let her sense the familiarity and rapport between Aunt Mei and klein.
A near-instinctive sense of crisis quietly arose in her heart, but she hid it well, only observing Aunt Mei with even more vigilant eyes.
Pietro, carefree, greeted her and curiously looked around at the shop's furnishings.
Aunt Mei, as if unaware of Wanda's subtle scrutiny, smiled warmly. "You must be tired from the journey. Come in and sit. I'll go buy groceries right away, make you a nice dinner tonight to welcome you!"
"Sorry to trouble you, Mei." klein said.
Aunt Mei waved her hand, picked up her handbag and car keys, and went out.
klein temporarily settled Wanda in a guest room on the second floor, while Pietro would make do on the sofa in the first-floor living room for now.
"In a couple of days, once the enrollment procedures are settled, Pietro, you'll have to rent a place on your own. A young man needs to learn independence." klein said to Pietro, who was curiously examining a bronze incense burner in the shop.
"Huh? Live by myself?" Pietro, thinking about being free from his sister's supervision, seemed a bit expectant.
Not long after in the U.S., Aunt Mei returned carrying two large bags full of ingredients.
As soon as she entered, Wanda proactively went up to her and took the things from her hands. "Aunt Mei, let me help you."
Her voice was soft, but her eyes held a barely noticeable scrutiny.
Aunt Mei took the lead in cooking, with Wanda assisting. The atmosphere seemed harmonious, but there was a faint spark of tension.
klein sprawled on the old sofa in the living room, chatting idly with Pietro.
Dinner was sumptuous. Wanda and Pietro hadn't eaten such a proper meal in a long time. Pietro ate with his head down, not looking up, while Wanda ate quietly, occasionally stealing glances at klein before quickly lowering her head.
After the meal, klein sent Wanda and Pietro off to sort out their simple luggage, while he himself wandered into the kitchen.
Aunt Mei, wearing an apron, was facing away from him, rinsing dishes at the sink, the sound of running water splashing.
klein walked over, gently wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on the crook of her neck, which carried a faint scent of soap.
Aunt Mei paused for a moment but didn't turn around, just continued washing the plates. "What is it?"
"Mei," klein tightened his arms, "don't overthink things. No matter what, I won't let you leave. Don't you know me? I'm capable, strong! One isn't enough? You're my first woman."
Aunt Mei had long known this day would come. But his words, at the very least, showed that in his heart, she always held a special place.
That was enough. For a woman her age, passionate love wasn't that important anymore.
Her face grew slightly warm, but her heart settled. She gently nudged him back with her elbow, chiding, "So improper! I'm busy here, don't fool around, I haven't finished washing the dishes."
klein chuckled, knowing this meant things were smoothed over. He hugged her tightly once more before letting go. "Alright, you get busy. Thanks for your hard work."
"Go on, get out of my way."