S.H.I.E.L.D.'s black SUV sped down the desert road, kicking up a cloud of yellow dust.
Chen Tian sat in the passenger seat, his fingers rhythmically tapping the edge of the car window. In the rearview mirror, Miss 2B sat quietly in the back, holding Chen Tian's first generation ghost cutter in her arms.
"So," Natasha Romanoff asked, holding the steering wheel with one hand and adjusting her sunglasses with the other, "why did you suddenly contact S.H.I.E.L.D. and ask to join the investigation in New Mexico? Even more mysteriously, how did you get Fury to agree?"
Natasha's voice was full of confusion. She had originally planned to use her charms to approach Chen Tian, as S.H.I.E.L.D. could easily investigate how Chen Tian had fought three heroes in one night.
Chen Tian shrugged and sighed, "There's no other way. The situation in New Mexico is something you guys can't handle on your own, and I just happen to need an official identity to get involved. I don't want to be labeled as an 'extremely dangerous uncontrollable target' by S.H.I.E.L.D. after intervening without permission."
Natasha's mouth twitched. "You don't need to intervene; Fury has already put you on that target list."
"Nat, isn't it strange to S.H.I.E.L.D. that a hammer fell from the sky, and no equipment or person can move it?"
Chen Tian was a bit curious. Are all S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents that foolish? They still thought it was some kind of artifact they could use, wrapping it up for study…
Natasha chuckled. She also thought it was a bit silly. If it was a meteorite, how could there be such a precisely hammer-shaped meteorite?
"You know, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s purpose is to protect the lives of people all over the World. So, you understand."
"Isn't it just for your own ambition? After all, snake… *cough cough*." Chen Tian spoke halfway, and Miss 2B covered his mouth from the back seat.
"Master, you're saying too much," Miss 2B whispered into Chen Tian's ear.
Her Master is kind, has a heartwarming smile, and an handsome face. (Miss 2B: I promise the author didn't force me to think this.)
He just sometimes speaks without thinking. Fortunately, Sorcerer Ancient One instructed Miss 2B to constantly monitor Chen Tian to prevent him from revealing more information, avoiding further danger for Chen Tian.
Sorcerer Ancient One's instructions were recorded by Miss 2B as her second priority, only after "Obey all Master's commands."
"Snake what? Are you saying there are a lot of snakes in New Mexico?" Natasha didn't quite understand Chen Tian's words.
Chen Tian took Miss 2B's hand from his mouth and gave her an exasperated look. "Yes, yes, we have a very delicious snake soup in our ancient Eastern country, especially with venomous snakes."
Natasha laughed, "Then when we get to New Mexico, I'll have my people catch some for you. Remember to cook it for me then."
Chen Tian turned to Miss 2B and said casually, "Did you hear that, Miss 2B? It's up to you then."
Miss 2B nodded slightly, her silver hair glowing softly in the sunlight: "Master, I will prepare the most perfect snake soup for you." Her voice was calm with a hint of indulgence, yet the sensors under her mechanical visor quietly recorded every subtle change in Natasha's expression.
Natasha glanced at the mysterious silver-haired girl through the rearview mirror, a playful smile on her red lips: "Your little girlfriend is so thoughtful."
Chen Tian looked at Natasha teasingly, "That's right, I'm also looking forward to you becoming as thoughtful as she is."
Natasha glanced at Chen Tian slightly, "Is that so? I'm looking forward to it too."
Her smile held an unclear meaning. Miss 2B observed Natasha's smile and frowned slightly, 'Is this one of the ripples Sorcerer Ancient One mentioned?'
As Chen Tian and Natasha chatted, the vehicle entered the New Mexico town at an extremely high speed, stopping in front of a bar.
As soon as the vehicle stopped, Agent Coulson approached with his characteristic gentle smile. He was wearing a sharp suit, his tie meticulously fastened around his neck, as if the desert heat had no effect on him.
"Agent Romanoff," Agent Coulson nodded to Natasha, his gaze then turning to Chen Tian and Miss 2B, "Hello, Mr. Chen Tian and… Miss 2B."
Chen Tian responded with a laugh: "Hahaha, hello, hello, no sniper rifle aiming at me this time, right?"
Agent Coulson's smile remained unchanged: "Please forgive our previous offense, after all, S.H.I.E.L.D. is for…"
Chen Tian interrupted: "The safety of people all over the World, I understand, I understand. Let's go in, shall we? I heard the drinks here are good."
Agent Coulson quickly made a gesturing motion, "Mr. Chen's information is good. The tequila here is indeed not inferior to what Tony's specially hired bartender makes."
Miss 2B's sensors immediately scanned the entire bar: 37 customers, 4 bartenders, 12 exits, and… she frowned slightly, at least 15 hidden surveillance devices.
"Master," Miss 2B whispered, "This place has been completely controlled by S.H.I.E.L.D."
Chen Tian patted her shoulder nonchalantly: "Don't worry, Miss 2B, we're considered 'unofficial personnel' of S.H.I.E.L.D. now, aren't we?"
As he spoke, he looked at Agent Coulson, who said nothing, but simply smiled as he pushed open the door, leading them into the bar.
The bar was dimly lit, and the air was filled with the smell of alcohol and roasted meat.
As soon as they sat down at a round table, the aroma of roasted meat wafted over. Chen Tian stared at the sizzling ribs, his eyes gleaming: "Wow, this service is too thoughtful, isn't it? It even saves us the trouble of ordering."
Agent Coulson elegantly unbuttoned his suit and sat down: "Everyone here is from S.H.I.E.L.D." He picked up a napkin and wiped his hands, "Compared to roasted meat, I recommend trying the tequila first. This is a local spec…"
Before he could finish, Chen Tian had already picked up a glass and chugged it down, then choked and coughed: "Cough cough… This stuff is even stronger than vodka!"
Miss 2B's mechanical visor flashed a blue light. She calmly took Chen Tian's glass, dipped a little liquid with her fingertip, and analyzed it: "Alcohol content 42%, containing trace amounts of capsaicin. Master, I suggest you drink slowly."
Natasha watched the scene with interest, taking a small sip from her own glass: "You two are really sweet."
"That's right!" Chen Tian proudly put his arm around Miss 2B's shoulder. Miss 2B didn't pull away; instead, she leaned into Chen Tian's embrace.
Even in Chen Tian's embrace, Miss 2B could precisely cut a piece of the tenderest roasted meat and place it on Chen Tian's plate.
Chen Tian put the roasted meat Miss 2B had cut into his mouth, chewing contentedly, a little sauce on the corner of his lips.
Miss 2B immediately wiped it off gently with a tissue, her movements so practiced as if she had repeated them thousands of times.
Agent Coulson maintained his professional smile, his fingers lightly tapping the table: "Mr. Chen, regarding that hammer…"
"Hmm… about that…" Chen Tian mumbled with a mouth full of food, and casually picked up another piece of roasted meat. Miss 2B timely handed him a glass of Water, and he gulped a few sips before continuing: "Emm, haven't you already caught a female Dr. named Jane Foster?"
Agent Coulson's smile faltered slightly, "Mr. Chen, we just found Dr. Foster, how did you…."
Chen Tian smiled, "As long as surveillance is connected to the internet, Tony won't be fooled."
Chen Tian didn't want to tell them that Miss 2B found it; he'd let Tony Stark take the blame.
Natasha put down her glass, her red lips parting slightly, "Is that female Dr. related to this hammer?"
"Emmm, to be precise, she's related to that muscular handsome man you caught together." Chen Tian put down his knife and fork, stood up, and looked at Agent Coulson. "Let's go, Smiling Assassin, let's go see that muscular handsome man who keeps saying he's Thor."
Agent Coulson's smile stiffened for a moment, but quickly returned to his characteristic gentle expression. He elegantly stood up and straightened his suit tie: "It seems Mr. Tony's intelligence network is more developed than we imagined."
Natasha's red lips curved into a playful arc: "What I'm more curious about is why Tony Stark would help you investigate these things."
Chen Tian grinned, revealing eight white teeth: "Hehe, is it because I have a video of him and Pepper kissing like two seals fighting over a ball?" He casually took the jacket Miss 2B handed him, "Let's go, if we don't go see that 'Thor' soon, I'm afraid he'll tear down your temporary Base."
Miss 2B quietly followed behind Chen Tian, her silver hair gleaming with a cold luster in the dim light of the bar. Her mechanical visor constantly scanned the surroundings, and she whispered into Chen Tian's ear, "Master, at least 12 snipers have been detected and are in position."
Chen Tian waved his hand dismissively, "Relax, Miss 2B. How could Agent Coulson, such a polite person, be against us?" He deliberately raised his voice, "Right, Mr. Smile?"
Coulson, walking ahead, smiled without turning his head, "Of course, Mr. Chen is now our honored guest."
Stepping out of the bar, the blazing desert sun immediately made them squint. Three black SUVs were already parked at the entrance, their engines humming softly.
Natasha Romanoff pulled open the passenger door, "Get in, it's a bit of a long drive."
Miss 2B suddenly reached out to stop Chen Tian, "Master, please wait a moment." She pulled a parasol from her small bag and snapped it open. "The UV intensity in the desert is too high; it will damage your skin."
Chen Tian, moved, put his arm around Miss 2B's shoulder, "See? As expected of my Miss 2B."
Natasha Romanoff rolled her eyes and got directly into the car.
The convoy sped across the desert highway, raising a cloud of yellow dust. About twenty minutes later, a temporary Base surrounded by barbed wire appeared in the distance. Dozens of military tents were neatly arranged, with a huge metal shed in the center, surrounded by fully armed Agents.
"Wow," Chen Tian leaned against the car window, "You've built this place like Area 51."
Coulson glanced at him through the rearview mirror, "Just security measures. After all, that hammer... is very special."
The convoy stopped at the checkpoint and, after strict identity verification, slowly drove into the Base. Chen Tian noticed that as they went deeper, the guards became denser, and he could even see several armored vehicles and surface-to-air missile launchers.
"Your equipment for preventing thieves is quite complete," Chen Tian quipped.
Coulson did not answer, merely smiled and led them towards the central metal shed. Two armed Agents stood at the entrance, and upon seeing Coulson, they immediately stood at attention and saluted.
"Is he inside?" Coulson asked.
"Yes, Officer," one of the Agents replied, "Our medical personnel are currently examining his body."
Chen Tian's expression suddenly became extremely serious. He grabbed Coulson's shoulder, "Listen, if you want the Agents here to live, immediately order them to evacuate to at least three kilometers away, and even that might not be enough."
Coulson's smile froze on his face, "Mr. Chen, that's not a funny joke..."
"Heh, Coulson, listen to me," Chen Tian sneered, looking at Natasha Romanoff, "Natasha, you go too."
Natasha Romanoff frowned, "Chen Tian, what do you mean?"
Chen Tian took a deep breath and reached out to Miss 2B. Miss 2B understood and placed the first generation ghost cutter in Chen Tian's hand.
"Natasha, there's going to be a big battle next, so you leave here first, and by the way," Chen Tian looked at Coulson, "Take the Smiling Assassin with you. After all, you two are rare flowers in the S.H.I.E.L.D. mess...."
After saying this, Chen Tian directly pushed open the door of the metal shed. Inside, a blond muscular man was restrained in a specially made metal chair. Although in a sorry state, he still held his head high, exuding an innate kingly aura.
A medical staff member was examining his body, which had been injured by Agents during his resistance.
Chen Tian held the first generation ghost cutter horizontally across his chest and slowly walked towards the restrained blond man. As soon as the medical staff left the room, the strong man struggled violently, and the metal chair screeched with a grating sound.
"Mortal! Release me!" His voice echoed like thunder in the small space, "I am Thor Odinson, Crown Prince of Asgard!"
Chen Tian did not respond immediately but walked around Thor Odinson, carefully observing the legendary Thor. Thor Odinson's golden hair was disheveled from struggling, and his blue eyes burned with the flames of anger, while the veins on his muscular arms bulged.
Chen Tian waved his hand at the medical staff, who quickly left the room; he had long since had enough of this madman shouting about being Thor for nearly an hour.
After the medical staff left, Chen Tian locked the door. He moved a chair opposite Thor Odinson and sat down, staring intently at the now quiet Thor Odinson.
"Mephisto, where did Thor go?"
Thor Odinson was first stunned, then tilted his head, his face suddenly contorted, his golden pupils gradually turning into snake-like slits, and the corners of his mouth stretched into an exaggerated, almost tearing, arc.
"Oh my, oh my~" His voice suddenly became hoarse and slick, carrying the unique sulfurous scent of hell, "My dear little Eastern friend, how did you find out?"
Chen Tian smiled and shrugged, "I don't know, I just said it casually. I just didn't expect the so-called Lord of Hell to be so easily tricked out."
"Hahaha--" Mephisto's laughter was as grating as fingernails scraping glass, and Thor Odinson's face contorted into an exaggerated demonic expression, "Foolish mortal! Do you think I was tricked out by you?"
Chen Tian's fingers lightly tapped the first generation ghost cutter's scabbard, a faint smile playing on his lips, "Otherwise?"
"My dear little Eastern friend," 'Mephisto' broke free from the handcuffs and stood up, making an exaggerated bow, "The special scent of soul on you can be smelled across nine planes." He suddenly leaned closer, the smell of sulfur wafting over, "Especially... that interesting little thing inside you."
Mephisto took a deep breath, then his expression suddenly changed to one of surprise, and he roared, "You actually deceived me! This is not your true body!"
Chen Tian grinned, and his body suddenly swayed like water ripples, gradually becoming transparent: "Bingo~" His voice carried a hint of playfulness, "As expected of a Hell Lord, a really keen nose."
Mephisto's expression instantly froze, and for the first time, genuine fear appeared on that twisted face. He staggered back a few steps, realizing his body had returned to his original form, not Thor Odinson's body.
"Eter... Eternity?!" His voice trembled, the arrogance of the Hell Lord completely gone, "This is impossible! How could you--"
Chen Tian's figure had completely dissipated, replaced by a magnificent existence that could not be accurately described by words.
The body of Eternity was composed of billions of stars, every contour constantly flowing and changing, as if it were a microcosm of the entire Universe. He had no specific face, yet He made Mephisto feel as if he was being watched by countless eyes simultaneously.
The surrounding space completely twisted, the bar, the Base, the desert all disappeared, leaving only a pure White void.
------
In the real World, Mephisto had transformed into the appearance of an old man in a refined suit. His originally hideous face was now bowed, exuding a gloomy aura.
Black energy chains, visible to the naked eye, coiled around his body. Each chain was covered with ancient runes, flickering with a ghostly blue light.
Beside Chen Tian, a man with flowing black hair and red armor stood with his arms crossed, his face full of arrogance.
"White, can you control him until Diablo sets up the seal?"
In White's eyes, a Sharingan slowly rotated.
"Hmph, this kind of small fry, I don't even need to activate my 'Rinnegan Sharingan'." Saying this, he glanced at Chen Tian with dissatisfaction.
"My Lord, I can clearly deal with this kind of trash myself, why do we still need that ugly red skin to set up a seal? It's redundant."
Chen Tian pouted, "It's an extra layer of insurance, and besides, Thor is still hidden somewhere by this guy."
"Hmph, My Lord, you underestimate me too much. Even a Demon Lord may not be worthy of being my dance partner."
"Also, My Lord, please don't turn me into your sword again next time. A ninja's transformation jutsu is not meant to be held in a woman's arms."