Shiller was currently on the No. 1 mountain range of the Arctic planet in Asgard. He was using the gray mist to expel resources. After unloading the supplies, he started wandering inside the hollow spaces carved out of the mountain.
The superluminal engine previously built in the Himalaya Mountains on Earth had eluded him. This time he could finally get a good look at it. Although most of the components were made on Earth and transported here, watching the installation process was still interesting.
To be honest, this thing wasn't as flashy as Shiller had imagined. It looked like a big furnace, and the special metals used were all painted a dull gray color, completely lacking in splendor. If it weren't called a superluminal engine, you might think it was a bathhouse boiler.
However, Shiller understood well that equipment of this type should indeed have this style. Those flashy light strips are too prone to issues, and maintenance is a hassle.
He had heard Stark complain countless times about the breathing lights on his Ark Reactor malfunctioning, either not blinking or flashing erratically, needing repairs almost every week. But for aesthetics, Stark was adamant not to change them, even though they were embedded in his chest. Even when he accidentally burned himself during repairs, gritting his teeth in pain, he insisted on keeping them. No wonder he's Iron Man.
After a tour, seeing those familiar texts and numbers and recalling childhood memories of red and blue waterproof cloth, along with the super machines completely mismatched with this simple style, Shiller was content and ready to return to the base for a rest when he got a call from Stark.
"What's up? Your breathing light broke again?"
Stark froze, glancing down at his chest; the light strip outside the reactor indeed wasn't lit. Stark almost jumped up and shouted into the phone, "Did you mess with it again?! You had your symbiote adjust the room humidity causing my lighting power line to short circuit! You bastard..."
"I'm half a planet away from you right now," Shiller said, "I just came from Earth and have been busy for over twenty hours. I was about to rest, so make it quick if you have something to say."
"Ahem," Stark cleared his throat and said, "Other Iron Men are planning to set up a research project and asked if we could provide resources. What do you think?"
"'What I think' doesn't matter; you need to submit it to the Command Center first for strategic assessment, then send it to the think tank for risk assessment. Once all that passes, it goes into the original materials coordination system, and the system will assign me the task to deliver it."
"I'm just worried the risk assessment won't pass," Stark said.
"So you're asking me to open the back door for you? But don't forget, my current identity is not Shiller, it's Fog Guest, just an ordinary second-tier hero without much say," Shiller replied.
"Can't you just be Shiller for a while?"
"I don't think this concerns me," Shiller thought for a moment and said, "It should pass. Although there are indeed risks, don't forget why we're fighting this battle. You have to give them a taste first, so they will want to come back more often, right?"
With those words, Stark felt much more at ease. On these matters, Shiller's judgment was usually quite accurate. If he said it would pass, it likely would.
Moreover, their universe did have quite a few special resources. While other universes might also have these resources, they clearly lacked conditions for extensive extraction. They hadn't even solved the minor issues on Earth yet; thinking of large-scale extraction in other star systems would take many, many years.
In other words, these resources could only be obtained from the Central Universe, and if using these resources to create battle armor or weapons, wouldn't they have to return for repairs even if they were highly durable and had low return factory rates? And after using this upgraded equipment, wouldn't they want more?
A full-powered Iron Man is definitely a resource-intensive entity, and most Earths with Iron Men simply can't support them. Even in the Central Universe, before humanity enters the era of interstellar exploration, Stark has no way to mass produce his design blueprints. No way, the things are good, but without enough resources, they can't be made.
Stark could manage a bit better; if in urgent need, he could use magic to create. But most Iron Men couldn't even use magic, which means from sprouting underwater to a great civilization, it's all relying on hammering, the veritable god of hammers.
So although giving these Iron Men resources now might seem like a loss, like a free taste, it's hard to draw customers without incurring some loss. Once they form a dependency, the profits will eventually be recouped.
Sure enough, the command center at the back thought the same, and even generously stated, "You can use the resources to make whatever you want and take them with you after you're done. We won't keep any, just consider it support for the Multi-universe development."
It's impossible not to feel moved, but in fact, most Iron Men and Captain America feel very conflicted.
"Responsibility" in the Western world is actually a very elusive concept. Most Europeans and Americans, from birth to death, don't pursue this and haven't seen such people. This is reflected in their political style.
During elections, they brag to the skies, but once in power, they realize nothing, and even regress. But from the voters' point of view, this is completely normal, and they wouldn't even use this point to attack anyone, as they see it as normal.
The Western world is not short of heroes who face difficulties head-on, but in their understanding, heroes overcome challenges out of bravery and passion, not out of any sense of responsibility to bear. The words spoken and promises made are just a way to win victory, and as long as victory is achieved, it doesn't matter whether the promises are fulfilled. Everyone understands and respects this idea.
Even though the strong sense of responsibility in the East can also lead to excessive personal pressure, the lack of responsibility in the West indeed causes their society to lack the belief that can support the entire society, as if the whole society is waiting for a few heroes with a sudden burst of courage to save them.
In the competition within the multiverse, most universes also adopt a typical Western election mindset, which is all about talk, making promises everywhere, socializing with people, showing toughness, passion, and leaving no room for compromise, hoping to gain status through this method.
But the fact is, this formula working in Western society on Earth is actually incidental, and it cannot even be said to work. Instead, it gradually shows how the social system is a drag on modern development, and this will become increasingly severe over time.
Applying this formula to all situations is absolutely unworkable, especially when it comes to the level of cosmic games. "Social victory" is not victory at all, because the position in the multiverse is not won by voting, but by fists.
When multiverse catastrophes come, talking is useless, only the ability to fight is the true way. If a universe is selected by votes to be the best at socializing, when those mysterious beings want to destroy the universe, can you expect these people to repel the enemy with words?
If there cannot be a leader who can truly shoulder the burden, and high-level figures who can bring out strong enough power to repel the enemy at critical moments, then the existence of the Multi-universe Alliance is meaningless.
In this situation, everyone must abandon the old "vote politics" mentality and instead contemplate the significance of "social responsibility" and what it can bring to them.
Only a universe that truly takes on responsibility out of a sense of social responsibility for the multiverse is the leader they need to guide them through difficult times. The way to take responsibility is not empty promises, but real solid gold and silver.
If a universe is truly willing to share its resources to build the multiverse, it proves it sincerely wants to enhance the multiverse's power to cope with disasters, and not use its power to engage in self-interest.
Even if we don't talk about theories, purely from the perspective of practical benefits, letting such a universe be the leader allows them to gain more advantages.
Most of the Iron Men began to calculate. They are not unaware that using the resources of the Central Universe to create things might create dependency, but so what?
My own universe doesn't let me create, nor does it provide enough resources for me to create. If someone else gives me favorable conditions, why shouldn't I use them?
Having too much power is the source of destruction? Screw that, most Iron Men, after experiencing the latest battle, fully understand how foolish the argument of the military and government is.
The human race is already so weak, and you're telling me we have too much power? It's like the last place student shuts their book and closes their eyes, saying, "Studying too much will confuse me, so I need to take it slow."
Actually, they weren't so panicked when the mecha was controlled by JARVIS; when space shattered and they had to flee all dizzy, they weren't overly terrified; and knowing that humans here had already popularized superluminal engine technology, they were just a bit amazed. But what shook them the most was hearing from the Main Universe Iron Man about how Asgard helped humans mine with the Rainbow Bridge.
The humans of this universe are already so strong, yet in the eyes of Asgard, they are still like children needing to be supported while walking. Asgard's behavior is like parents crushing food with a spoon before feeding it, fearing the pieces are too large for the child to chew.
It is the same on this side as it is on Batman's side, isn't it? The Avengers have been busy for so many years, yet in the end, the base they use is still on Apocalypse Star.
Everyone realizes that, in such a situation, Earth cannot be presented; it's not their proud home and stable rear, but their burden, their weakness.
This fact will severely blow the confidence of human supremacists, like Stark and Strange. The more excellent and proud they are, the more they feel crushed when they find themselves inadequate.
As for Iron Man here, his spirit has shattered into pieces; otherwise, he wouldn't have opened up to Stark like this. Because every Iron Man is proud, they once firmly believed their universe was not inferior, felt that on their own Earth, they could also create the best equipment without needing anyone's help.
And their decision to take action in this universe was actually a choice to partially abandon and reconstruct, setting aside those unrealistic idealistic notions, picking up the bowl of the real world, and first filling their stomachs.
It's hard to say whether this transition is good or bad, but at least for the Central Universe, it is advantageous. Although they can take their equipment away, it is made right under JARVIS's watch, the technology is transparent, and Iron Man, being such a genius scientist, is particularly prone to sudden inspiration to create some technology not found in this universe, so exchanging resources for it isn't too much of a loss.
The Iron Man side is sorted, but the Doctor Strange side is not that easy. Since the Asgard base was put into use, the Supreme Magician group's internal structure directly fractured.
"Quiet! Everyone quiet! Listen to me!!!" Strange shouted at the top of his lungs from the center of the meeting room, "I'll say it one last time! In this universe, Asgard is our steadfast ally, and Loki is not an enemy! Also, we are not completely reliant on them; using their base is merely a strategy!!!"
But from the skeptical expressions of the other Doctor Stranges, it was clear they didn't believe it at all. Strange felt like his head would explode.