Meanwhile, Tony observed as Natasha walked into the common area with a somewhat nostalgic expression. He still wore his suit, clearly on guard after experiencing an assassination attempt by the same person not long ago.
"Time inside the Apex Empire's planets is dilated," she explained. "Where a single day passes here, a whole year may pass on those planets. To you, I've been gone a little longer than a week, but to me, it was over a decade."
"That's…" Tony's skepticism was clear from his expression.
"The Time Stone," Natasha said.
"Even Rogers would look a little different after a decade, Nat," he said. "You haven't changed a bit. Friday has run every single remote physical scan on you, and everything tells her that you haven't aged a single day."
"Because I share a symbiotic relationship with Apex, I am biologically immortal," she said. "I don't age."
Tony suddenly sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Every time, Nat. In the past month, every time we've talked, you've given me surprise after surprise. So what? In fifty or a hundred years, when everyone you know is dead, you will simply enjoy your life with that Apex?"
"You haven't heard anything yet," Natasha said. "Lifespan is a buyable commodity in the Apex Empire. For a million Gaia Credits, you can outright pause your aging for one year. He is currently developing a more complex product that can even reverse aging and make you younger."
"…" Tony frowned. "Why are you telling me this?"
"As you said, I don't want to be left alone after you all age over and die, Tony," Natasha said. "Apex is my soulmate, in a more literal sense than you might imagine, but the Avengers, you, Steve… you are all my family. I don't want to see you all die of old age as I live on with nothing but your memories."
"Do you…" Tony hesitated a little. "Do you want us to surrender to Apex?"
"I want you to support Apex," she corrected Tony. "Don't reject the files that I am sending you."
Natasha tapped her wrist as a blue light pulsed along the plain black bracelet that she was wearing. She spoke to it, "Gaia, share the brief I prepared with Tony."
"Hm?" Tony raised a brow, raising his palm and activating a hologram. "Crime rates, QOL stats, a decade of census data… What is all this?"
"Statistics," Natasha said. "I spent a decade on that planet. This is all data. The Apex Empire doesn't have war. Crime rates are as low as possible within the bounds of free will. The planet's overall population has quadrupled to almost thirty billion within a decade. And yet, metrics related to global quality of life have only increased. You can take your time and go through all that data before deciding."
"How…" Tony, for once, had to take a moment to think of a response.
"Gaia," Natasha said. "Gaia is what you wanted Ultron to be. It is completely under Apex's control, and if I understand correctly, Gaia's core programming originates from Apex himself. It is literally a part of him."
"Reassuring," Tony said flatly.
"He won't back down, Tony," Natasha said. "And truth be told, I support him in taking these extreme measures. I'm sure you aren't ignorant of those few war-torn planets. Especially the one with Asgardians on it. Their global population is barely over two billion at this point. Seeing the aggressive momentum of the assassins you've been dealing with, my home is about to be overrun by an inter-planet war. I want to protect it—preserve it. Don't fight me on this."
"Always like you to be playing both sides," he scoffed. "Are you planning to give Rogers the same spiel?"
"If it helps, yes," she said.
"How is this any different from what Hydra wanted to do?" Tony asked. "To monitor every single person in the world…who's to say he won't suddenly decide to start acting preemptively based on someone's intent? Rob people of their free will."
"Because I will be there to keep him in check," she said. "Also… he needs you."
"Of course he does."
"I'm serious," she said. "He needs you to help him make something."
"Little old me? Doesn't he have my alternate selves under his command?"
"In his words, they are self-destructive alcoholics. You are the only version of…you he's interested in working with."
"I'm flattered."
"Try to look the part as well."
"What's he up to with your…adoptive daughter?" Tony gave Natasha a weird look as he mentioned Xialing.
"Taking over the Ten Rings," Natasha said.
"The Mandarin?" Tony frowned. "They were just a front for AIM."
"AIM was merely borrowing the name of the Ten Rings," she said. "They are a real organization from China, led by a supposedly immortal warlord. Allegedly, his real identity might be that of Genghis Khan."
"Is this a joke?"
"Not in the slightest," Natasha shook her head. "His daughter was the one with us. And she's planning to take over the family business."
"First Wakanda becomes the richest country in the world, now this? Is Atlantis real too?"
Natasha showed a wincing expression at his words. "About that…"
"…" Wordlessly, Tony went over to the bar and poured himself a glass of whiskey, downing it in one go. "I'll consider it. But I need a day to talk things out. I'm not the only one here."
"Feel free," she said. "They will need some time to consolidate things over at the Ten Rings anyway."
…
On the other side.
Xialing and Wenwu's battle had reached a climax. After the initial shock, the man had gotten his bearings and was able to give Xialing a solid run for her money. She had already taken up five of his rings, one of which she used to anchor her rope dart to her wrist while using the other four to counter Wenwu's moves.
Despite the man's vastly superior combat experience and skill, he was on a steady back foot for the entire fight, unable to do anything as Xialing slowly inched closer to victory.
"Why are you throwing the match, old man?" Alex suddenly interjected from the side at the same time as Xialing kicked Wenwu, who blocked it with his forearm, forcing him to skid backward for a few feet.
"What do you mean?" Xialing frowned, not following up and instead looking at Alex.
"Exactly that," Alex said. "Feeling nostalgic, are we, Xu Wenwu?"
"Is there a point to all this?" The man asked. "You have already beaten me once before and kidnapped my daughter right in front of my eyes. Why play this cruel game with me?"
"You may find it hard to believe, but she really is Xu Xialing," Alex said. "And the only reason I'm even giving you the time of day is that she is full of resentment toward you because you were a shitty father."
"You may be correct," he said. "But believing you right now is not a risk that I am willing to take."
Xialing immediately felt an ominous premonition and leaped back to stand right in front of Alex, only to hear him sigh beside her ear. Before she could ask him, the ground started shaking.
"Really, my guy?" Alex asked, wrapping his arm around Xialing's waist and pulling her back to stand beside him. "Are you really willing to sacrifice everything you have built over the years to kill me? I brought your daughter back, didn't I?"
"I lost everything the day my wife died," he said. "I was long ready to destroy all of this. All that kept me going were my children and the slight possibility of bringing her back. As my final act of defiance, I will kill you."
"How dramatic…" Alex rolled his eyes. "Want me to save him?"
"…" Xialing held on to Alex's arm for support as the earthquake intensified, frowning for a moment before turning to look at Alex with a cutesy expression. "Neglectful as he was, he gave birth to me. Whatever he does, don't kill him, please, daddy…"
"Anything for my princess," Alex said, not looking particularly affected by the earthquake.
Wenwu growled in rage and punched the ground as the five rings that remained on his wrist all shot into the earth, forming a massive crack that extended toward Alex and Xialing. At the same time, a blue aura emerged from every single person around them, with Wenwu's glowing the brightest. The members of the Ten Rings all started panicking as they felt their very life force being sucked away as the misty blue aura coalesced toward Alex and Xialing, suppressing them.
Alex looked at the approaching crack with apathy as Xialing whimpered beside him, unable to handle the sheer force that seemed to be pressing down on her.
"Still want me to spare him? He wants to kill us both, you know."
"Please, daddy…" Xialing practically wheezed out, tightly clutching Alex's arm as her nails dug into his skin.
"He will be under permanent supervision, and I will get rid of all his powers," Alex said. "I'm not in the habit of letting enemies live. Especially the kind that would go for such a mutual destruction tactic."
Without waiting for Xialing's response, Alex raised his palm and tapped his finger in the air, releasing a raging torrent of crimson energy all around him. Xialing was freed from the suppression as the half-dead members of the Ten Rings collapsed all around them, the misty blue aura of their Qi dissipating into the air.
Wenwu coughed blood, staggering to his knees as he started heaving in between bloody coughs, yet his astonished eyes never left Alex.
"Perspective is everything, Wenwu," Alex said. "On a cosmic scale, my power is only barely enough to keep me safe, but your gaze has never gone beyond humanity. Among mortals, you are indeed one of the strongest. But when one can destroy entire planets with a mere flick of their finger, such power becomes entirely meaningless."
"Ugh…" Xialing cringed. "How awkward…"
Alex's expression faltered. "What?"
"It's fine, go on, Dad," she said, smiling sweetly. "Just try to tone down the dramatics. I feel second-hand embarrassment."
"After so long, you should have grown used to my habits."
"I will keep embarrassing you about it until you decide to stop saying such things."
"Ever thought your daughter could be so lively, Wenwu?" Alex asked with a smirk. "Enjoy your time as her prisoner."
Alex waved his finger and a crimson mist flowed into the holes in the ground. Moments later, the five rings that Wenwu had slammed into the earth emerged, surrounded by the red mist as they floated over to Xialing.
"Go on," Alex said. "They are yours from now on."
Glancing at Alex with some hesitation, she glanced at her father, who seemed to be in shock at Alex's display. Sporting a determined expression, she exhaled and raised her arm, immediately snaking it through the rings hovering in front of her.
***
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