Chapter 78: Well Done
In the living room, not long after Arthur finished syncing the intelligence about the Kree markings to Tony, the console beeped again.
This time, it was Tony's private encrypted video line, set to maximum priority.
Arthur raised his hand and connected the call.
Tony's face popped up. The background wasn't his familiar lab, but a place filled with metallic textures, where the starry sky was visible through an arched observation window. He didn't have his usual cynical look; he appeared quite serious.
"Finished chatting?" Arthur asked.
"No time to chat, let's get to work," Tony said. "That 'demolition notice' you gave me worked. I took it to slam on the table, and combined with the rumors Fury had heard, we decided we couldn't wait any longer."
Wanda leaned in to look at the screen. "Tony, where are you? The background doesn't look like Earth."
"Low Earth orbit. My newly renovated 'balcony,' codenamed 'Ark'," Tony pointed outside the window. "A secret experimental platform, just finished the prototype. I called you guys for this."
He pulled up a file projection.
"Earth Orbital Defense System, conceptual draft," Tonysaid quickly. "Stark Industries is leading it, in coordination with some Security Council members, with Furyrepresenting S.H.I.E.L.D. The goal is to deploy an interception array and energy shields in low Earth orbit to deal with potential alien fleet invasions—especially the kind you mentioned, where they draw a line and then drive the bulldozers right in."
Arthur looked at the simple diagram of the draft, a bunch of orbits and energy nodes. "Progress?"
"PPT stage," Tony said bluntly. "But the hardware prototype is ready. I need you guys to come up here, see it in person, and give some feedback. Especially... feedback from the magic side. I'm not confident relying solely on tech shields."
Wanda gently nudged Arthur's arm.
Arthur looked at her.
"He's very anxious," Wanda whispered, her voice audible only to the two of them. "He's under a lot of pressure. There's a sense of… being chased by a deadline in his communication."
Arthur nodded and said to the screen, "Fine, send the coordinates, and we'll head over."
"Now?" Tony asked.
"Otherwise what? Wait until you finish renovating the 'balcony' to host a housewarming party?" Arthur said.
Tony chuckled, his tension easing slightly. "Coordinates sent. I've set the Portal point to Docking Bay 3. I'll have Jarvis open the door for you."
The call disconnected.
The coordinate data streamed in.
Arthur glanced at Wanda. "Shall we?"
"Yeah." Wanda took his hand.
Arthur drew a circle with his other hand. Golden sparks crackled in the living room, quickly forming a stable Portal. On the other side of the door was a silver-white metal chamber with soft lighting, and the Stark Industries logo could be seen on the bulkhead.
The two stepped through.
The door closed behind them.
The air inside the chamber had a peculiar scent of metal and recycled air. The gravity felt similar to the ground; it must have been an artificial gravity field.
Tony was waiting by the hatch, dressed in casual clothes, not wearing his armor.
"Fast enough," Tony said. "Follow me."
He led them through several corridors to a massive circular observation platform. On one side of the platform was a huge arched transparent window, with the pitch-black space and the blue arc of Earth below outside. Floating in the center of the platform was a holographic projection, which was the detailed structural diagram of the defense system.
"Look," Tony pointed to the hologram. "Based on Starktechnology, partially reverse-engineered from the energy weapon technology during the Chitauri invasion. The plan is to deploy thirty-six interception turrets in low Earth orbit to form the first line of fire. At the same time, twelve large energy shield generators will be placed in synchronous orbit to form a shield covering the major urban circles around the globe."
He pulled up another demonstration animation.
In the animation, several rugged-looking alien ships (clearly Kree style) attempted to break through the atmosphere. The orbital turrets opened fire to intercept, and the shield generators deployed a pale blue energy barrier, blocking the ones that slipped through.
"I've already set up a prototype on the 'Ark'," Tony said. "Tested it at low power; it's no problem intercepting a few meteors or small reconnaissance ships. But…"
He paused and looked at Arthur.
"But it won't hold up against the Kree Empire's main fleet," Arthur continued. "Looking at the energy intensity of your shield, I estimate it can't withstand a volley from their capital ships. Plus, the energy source is an issue; maintaining a global shield for a long time consumes too much energy, and Earth can't supply it."
Tony didn't refute him. "That's why I called you guys. The tech limit is stuck here. Any ideas?"
"Add a 'private server patch'," Arthur said. "Combine the principles of magic circles with your tech shield. Use magicto build the underlying energy structure, stabilize the field, and increase intensity. The tech part will be responsible for precise control and energy output."
Wanda's eyes lit up. "I can try that. Chaos Magic is very effective at'shaping' and'stabilizing' energy fields."
Tony looked at Wanda. "A live demonstration?"
"Do you have a prototype?" Wanda asked.
"Yes, in the adjacent test chamber." Tony turned to lead the way.
In the test chamber, a ring-shaped device about five meters in diameter was running at low power, emitting a faint "humming" sound, with a layer of pale blue translucent energy film rippling slightly in the center of the ring.
"Single-node shield generator, Prototype One," Tonyintroduced. "At maximum power, it can support a shield the size of a football field. As for its strength... it can withstand continuous bombardment from a Mark 5 palm repulsor for ten minutes."
Arthur walked over and reached out to touch the energy film.
He felt a slight resistance on his finger, along with faint energy ripples.
"The strength is indeed average," Arthur said. "Wanda, try 'attaching' magic to it. Don't disrupt the structure; try to stabilize and amplify it."
Wanda nodded and stepped forward.
She extended her hands, and dark red Chaos Magic flowed from her palms like gentle mist, slowly drifting toward the blue energy film.
The moment the magic touched the energy film, there was no conflict. Instead, like water soaking into a sponge, it spread out evenly and began to weave more complex and stable dark red patterns according to the structure of the energy film itself.
The color of the entire energy film changed from pale blue to blue-purple; the light became more solid, and the humming sound became lower and steadier.
Tony stared at the energy reading screen nearby, his eyes widening.
"Shield energy stability increased by eighty percent... intensity reading is rising... one hundred percent, one hundred and fifty, two hundred... three hundred!" Tonylooked at the data as it settled. "Efficiency increased by three hundred percent! And the energy consumption curve has evened out!"
Wanda withdrew her hand. The blue-purple shield remained stable, with the dark red patterns glowing faintly within it like blood vessels.
"Success," Wanda said, frowning slightly. "But…"
"But what?" Arthur asked.
"When this system is running," Wanda pointed to the shield generator, "it's drawing energy from Earth's... 'background energy field.' It's very faint, but constant. It's like a high-power appliance plugged into the power grid. Although the grid is huge and you can't feel it, if such nodes were spread across the globe and running at full power simultaneously…"
She looked at Arthur and Tony.
"It might create a 'load' on Earth's own magic veins. In the long run, I don't know what kind of impact that might have."
Arthur and Tony exchanged a look.
"First solve the problem of existence, then solve the problem of quality," Tony said. "The current priority is to not let the alien fleet tear our home apart. The load issue can be optimized later."
"I agree," Arthur said. "Then let's start the joint test of the first hybrid node. Use this prototype, run it at full power, and simulate an attack. Wanda, you maintain the magic amplification the whole time, and let's see where the limit is."
"Okay." Wanda nodded.
Tony walked to the console. "Jarvis, initiate the 'Ark' test protocol, shield generator one, full power, simulate an energy impact at the 'Kree capital ship level'."
"Protocol initiated, sir." Jarvis's voice sounded.
The "hum" of the shield generator in the test chamber suddenly increased. The blue-purple shield expanded rapidly, becoming more solid.
Wanda pressed her hands into the air, continuously outputting dark red magic, tightly integrating it with the shield energy.
"Simulated impact, three, two, one." Tony pressed the button.
A thick, high-energy beam shot out from the emitter on the other side of the test chamber and slammed into the shield!
The shield vibrated violently, the blue-purple light flashing wildly, but the dark red patterns held the structure firmly in place, and it didn't shatter.
The energy reading soared and then stabilized at the peak.
Ten seconds later, the simulated impact ended.
The shield was intact.
"Test passed," Jarvis said. "The shield successfully withstood the simulated attack; energy consumption was forty percent lower than expected, and structural integrity was one hundred percent."
Tony let out a long breath, a smile finally appearing on his face.
"The first 'magic-tech' hybrid defense node, test successful." He looked at Arthur and Wanda. "Earth's defense has finally taken a substantial step forward."
Arthur smiled too and patted Wanda on the shoulder. "Well done, wifey."
Wanda smiled, but her brow didn't completely unfurl.
She watched the blue-purple shield slowly return to calm, and the lingering concern about the "load" in her heart sank down like a small stone.
Chapter 79: Since You're Already Here
The Portal closed in the living room, the smell of metal and recycled air still lingering.
Wanda rubbed her temples, looking at the icon on the main console representing the "Ark" space station's hybrid defense node; it was blue-purple and glowing steadily.
"The test was successful," she said, "but that feeling of 'load'... it's still there. It's like Earth is 'gasping for air,' though it's very faint."
Arthur poured a glass of water and handed it to her: "First we solve the 'whether it exists' problem, then we solve the 'how good it is' problem. At least now we have a usable'security door,' even if it consumes a bit too much power."
Just as he finished speaking, the main console began to beep frantically.
It wasn't a standard alert; it was a top-level red alert, as piercing as the last time Hulk appeared.
The screen automatically popped up and split in two.
On the left was Tony Stark's slightly tense face, with the "Ark" control room still in the background.
On the right, a long stream of data and a star map flashed, with a glaring red arrow drawn from the direction of Centaurus, pointing directly at Earth.
"Arthur, Wanda, are you still home?" Tony said rapidly, "Something's happened."
"Watching it now," Arthur walked to the screen, "What's the situation? Did your 'balcony' explode?"
"More exciting than that." Tony pointed to the star map on the right, "The early warning system and my Starksatellites caught something three minutes ago. In the direction of Centaurus, that Kree 'marker' signal source you interfered with earlier has come alive again. And..."
He zoomed into a corner of the star map.
Three almost imperceptible light blue dots were moving silently along a marked, dashed path. The starting point of the path was exactly the marker area that had been interfered with earlier.
"A small fleet, three ships, stealth mode, extremely fast." Tony said, "They've already broken through the Kuiper Beltand are using the solar wind as cover, sneaking toward Earth's orbit. Looking at this path, they are following the line they 'drew' before being interfered with."
Wanda stared at those three light dots: "So it went from 'drawing lines' to 'coming over to take measurements'?"
"Correct." Tony nodded, "The threat level jumped directly from 'marker' to 'close-range reconnaissance.' These Kreeare really impolite, sending 'packages' to our door without even saying hello."
Arthur laughed: "Isn't that perfect? We just installed the'security door,' and now we have 'thieves' here to test the lock. What's the configuration?"
"Small scout ships, Kree Empire standard, stealth coating, high maneuverability." Tony pulled up the blurry outline from the satellite scan, "Firepower probably isn't strong, but their reconnaissance equipment and communication capabilities are definitely maxed out. The mission is clear: verify if the 'marker' is still valid, and by the way, see if Earth's 'gatekeeper' is home and how their combat power is."
"We can't let them send back intelligence about 'how many people are in the house and if we have a dog.'" Arthursaid, "We have to keep them at the door."
Wanda thought for a moment: "Use the node we just tested."
Arthur looked at her: "What do you mean?"
"Doesn't that node emit a disguised Earth energy signature?" Wanda pointed to the "Ark" icon on the screen, "Let's use it as 'bait,' run it at maximum power, and simulate a signal saying 'there is a high-energy reaction here, come and investigate.' Lead them to the pre-set area, and then..."
She made a clenching gesture.
"Close the door and beat the dog."
Tony's eyes lit up on the other side of the screen: "Not bad, Wanda, this tactic is quite devious... quite smart. Using our'security door' as a 'mousetrap.'"
"Let's do it." Arthur decided, "Tony, are you still on the 'Ark'?"
"Yes, I haven't left, I'm watching the data." Tony said.
"We're heading over immediately." Arthur said, "Wife, contact Pietro, have him stay home and watch the early warning system, just in case this is a 'feint to the east while attacking in the west.'"
Wanda nodded and immediately sent a short message to Pietro via an encrypted line.
Arthur then said to Tony: "Send the coordinates for the pre-set ambush zone, pick a'space parking lot' that is far away from Earth's densely populated areas and convenient for us to operate in."
"Already picking one." Tony's fingers tapped rapidly on the virtual keyboard, "Sending you the coordinates. We'll discuss the tactics when you arrive."
"Alright."
The communication cut off.
The coordinate data stream came in.
Arthur held Wanda's hand: "Let's go, let's send the Kree'deliverymen' a 'bad review' package."
The golden Portal opened again.
The two stepped through.
The "Ark" space station control room.
Tony pointed to a marked area on the holographic star map: "Right here, far enough from Earth, no important satellites nearby, and the space is large enough. I had Jarvis adjust the node's energy output mode. Now, the signal it emits, in the eyes of the Kree, is probably like 'a secret Earth base is testing a large-scale energy weapon, and the signal has leaked.' It's definitely tempting enough."
Arthur looked at the three light blue dots approaching rapidly on the star map: "Have they taken the bait?"
"They are adjusting their course." Tony pulled up the real-time trajectory, "Look, they've turned, heading straight for our 'parking lot.' The stealth mode hasn't been disengaged, but they are clearly very interested in the 'bait.'"
"Good." Arthur said, "Tactical assignment: Wanda, you control the node, responsible for energy camouflage and barrier generation. Once they are all inside the ambush zone, instantly remove the camouflage, activate the high-intensity magic barrier, and trap them inside. Don't let any signals get out."
Wanda nodded: "Understood."
"I'll lurk in the space near the node." Arthur continued, "Using magic to stay hidden. Once the barrier is up, I'll rush in and disable their power cores and communication equipment as fast as possible. Tony, you stay on the perimeter, use your orbital turrets for electronic interference, and finish off any stragglers to ensure no one escapes."
"Leave it to me." Tony walked to another console, "Jarvis, charge all orbital intercept turrets, lock onto the space surrounding the ambush zone, and initiate the global electronic suppression protocol."
"Protocol initiated, sir." Jarvis's voice sounded.
Wanda had already walked to the control terminal of the hybrid defense node, her hands hovering, and dark red Chaos Magic flowed into the system.
On the holographic star map, the icon representing the node began to blink rhythmically, emitting a carefully disguised, strongly fluctuating energy signal.
The three light dots of the Kree scout ships accelerated toward the signal source without hesitation.
Five minutes later.
Three angular Kree scout ships, covered in dark blue stealth coating, glided silently into the pre-set ambush zone in a triangular formation.
They circled slowly around the node that was "leaking energy," the scanning arrays on their hulls clearly in a high-load working state.
"All inside." Tony said in a low voice.
"Now." Arthur nodded at Wanda.
Wanda's eyes narrowed.
Her hands suddenly pressed down!
On the holographic star map, the node icon emitting the bait signal instantly brightened!
The camouflage energy layer covering the node's surface receded like a tide, replaced by a thick, condensed magicbarrier flickering with dark red patterns, which, like an inverted bowl, instantly enclosed the three Kree scout ships!
Almost simultaneously, the stealth coating of the three scout ships failed, revealing their full hulls. They clearly hadn't expected this, their hulls shuddering violently as they immediately attempted to turn and break out.
But it was already too late.
Arthur's figure appeared like a ghost inside the barrier, at the side of one of the scout ships.
He didn't even use any fancy magic, just a simple punch, wrapped in a faint golden light, smashing into the power core area at the rear of the ship's hull.
"Bang!"
A dull, loud noise couldn't propagate in the vacuum, but the hull dented inward violently, the outer armor shattered, the internal blue energy light extinguished instantly, and the entire ship drifted away like a kite with a broken string, losing all power.
The turrets of the other two scout ships turned immediately, aiming at Arthur.
Arthur didn't even look, his figure flashed and appeared on top of the second scout ship, stomping down.
"Crack!"
The observation dome above the bridge shattered directly, and he dove inside. A few short, sharp noises similar to metal being forcibly torn apart came from within, and then the lights of the second scout ship also went out completely.
Seeing that the situation was bad, the third scout ship stopped trying to attack and instead concentrated all its energy on its bow, attempting to forcibly ram through the magic barrier to break out, while the communication array on the side of the hull lit up, clearly intending to send an alert.
"Want to send a message?" Tony sneered from the perimeter, "Did you ask me first?"
On the side of the "Ark," a large orbital ion cannon that had long been fully charged adjusted its angle and fired a precise blue beam.
The beam bypassed the magic barrier and struck the scout ship's newly illuminated communication array directly from the side.
"Zzzzt—"
A burst of energy overload sparks flashed, and the communication array exploded into a pile of scrap metal.
Almost simultaneously, Arthur appeared behind the ship's engine, thrust his hands into the engine nozzle, and pulled hard!
The entire engine assembly was ripped off the hull by him, and he tossed it casually into the deep space far away.
The third scout ship was completely paralyzed, floating quietly within the barrier.
From the moment Wanda activated the barrier to all three ships losing their ability to move, the entire process took less than ten minutes.
The inside of the barrier quieted down.
Only some tiny fragments and leaked energy fluid floated slowly in the zero-gravity environment.
Arthur hovered in the middle, brushing the non-existent dust off his hands.
"Done." He said, "It was even easier than dismantling Hydra's 'The Cradle,' at least I didn't have to go underground."
Tony's voice came over the comms: "Nice work. You can take down the barrier, Wanda. Jarvis, send engineering drones over to tow those three'space junk' into the 'Ark's' isolation chamber. Be careful, there might be a self-destruct sequence."
"Deploying drones, sir." Jarvis responded.
Wanda slowly withdrew her magic, and the dark red magicbarrier dissipated.
She let out a soft breath; there was a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, but her eyes were bright.
"How do you feel?" Arthur teleported back to her side.
"It's completely different from the tests." Wanda said, "The tests were about 'maintaining,' but just now it was about 'controlling.' Generating such a large barrier instantly, while ensuring the strength was enough to trap them without letting any energy leak out... the requirements for 'quantity' and 'precision' were a level higher. However..."
She smiled.
"I think I did it. And when the barrier was retracted, that feeling of 'controlling' the energy was much clearer than before."
"Not bad, wifey," Arthur put his arm around her shoulder, "Combat experience +1, skill proficiency skyrocketing."
Tony also walked over from the console, wearing a smile, but his eyes were serious.
"First victory, worth celebrating." He said, "But the work isn't done yet. Jarvis did a preliminary scan of those three ships. Power cores are paralyzed, communication equipment destroyed, but the main database seems to still be intact, and... it didn't trigger self-destruct. It's a bit strange."
"Not strange." Arthur said, "The scout ships' mission is to gather intelligence and transmit it back. If they encounter resistance, the top priority is to send an alert, not to self-destruct. We were too fast, they didn't have time. Keeping the database is perfect; let's see what these Kreeare up to."
Engineering drones had already towed the three paralyzed scout ships into the 'Ark's' isolation chamber.
The three of them teleported over.
Inside the isolation chamber, the three Kree scout ships lay on the fixtures like three dead fish, with the punch and kick marks left by Arthur still on the hulls, looking a bit pathetic.
Tony had Jarvis connect to the ships' data interfaces to attempt to hack them.
Arthur walked over to one of the ships, reached out to press his hand on the hull, and closed his eyes.
Golden magic runes spread from his palm, crawling over the surface of the hull like a dense spider web.
He was using magic for deep analysis, looking for potentially hidden magic marks, tracking beacons, or any unconventional energy structures.
A few minutes later.
Tony had results first.
"Database hacked." He looked at the data refreshing on the holographic screen, "The mission log is very clear: verify the validity of the 'energy marker' coordinates, conduct a preliminary combat power assessment of the target area (Earth), and collect energy characteristic samples of high-energy lifeforms (specifically you two). If resistance is encountered, assess the resistance strength, and attempt to send an alert. They even have a simple 'Earth Defense Rating Scale,' from A to F. Our performance just now... I estimate it would get a 'C' or 'D'."
"Only a C?" Arthur chuckled, "Who are they looking down on?"
"Because we didn't reveal many 'cards'." Wanda said, "We only used a barrier, plus you dismantling the ship in close quarters. They didn't see magic turrets, nor did they see a large-scale fleet. In their eyes, Earth might just be a place with 'Guardians with strong individual capabilities, but a weak overall defense system'."
"That's perfect." Arthur withdrew his hand from the magic scan, "I have a discovery on my side too. There are no extra magic beacons inside the ships, but in their main communication equipment, there is a pre-set, encrypted'scout report' template. If they had successfully sent the alert, this report would have contained all the energy characteristic data they collected, as well as... a suggestion."
"What suggestion?" Tony asked.
"Suggesting subsequent dispatch of 'infiltration-type' units, rather than 'assault-type' fleets." Arthur said, "They believe a direct assault might provoke strong resistance and cause unnecessary losses. Switching to 'infiltration,' 'division,' and 'internal disintegration' is more cost-effective. Typical imperial thinking, cost control."
Wanda frowned: "So this failed reconnaissance might actually make them change their strategy?"
"It's possible." Arthur nodded, "But at least their main fleet is still gathering several light-years away. This failure will make them re-evaluate, buying us more time."
He walked to the main console and pulled up the data streams of the three ships.
"However, since they're already here, we have to send a reply to their 'home base'." Arthur grinned, "Tony, can you imitate their communication protocol and use their equipment to send a 'customized version' of the scout report back?"
Tony's eyes lit up: "You want to send fake intelligence?"
"Yes." Arthur said, "The report content will say: Earthdefense rating F, energy marker failure caused by natural spatial disturbance, no high-energy lifeform reactions detected, suggest delaying further reconnaissance of this area, prioritize resources to other star sectors."
"Let's also create some 'internal conflict' for them." Wandaadded, "We can add a line saying that during the reconnaissance, they suspected detecting'Skrull Empire' camouflage signal activity, and suggest increasing vigilance."
Tony couldn't help but laugh: "You two are really passing the 'buck'... quite far. But I like it. Jarvis, analyze their communication protocols and encryption methods, simulate captain-level access, and prepare to send the 'customized report'."
"Analyzing, sir." Jarvis responded.
Arthur looked at the three Kree scout ships in the isolation chamber.
"The first battle is won." He said, "But as Wanda said, we also exposed some things. At the very least, the Kree Empire now knows that Earth has a 'barrier generator' capable of instantly trapping and paralyzing three scout ships, and a 'tough guy' capable of dismantling ships with his bare hands."
"We'll face whatever comes." Wanda leaned against his side, "Anyway, the'security door' is installed. Next time, whether it's a 'thief' or 'robber,' we can handle them."
Tony watched the busy engineering drones and Jarvis's data stream.
"The first step of the defense system has been taken." He said, "Although it was just a small test, it at least proves that our 'magic + technology' unconventional path works."
Arthur patted his shoulder: "Unconventional paths are the ones that work best; the light of the righteous path is sometimes too blinding. Alright, I'll leave the cleanup here to you. Wanda and I are heading out; we still need to go home and tell Pietro we're safe."
"Go ahead." Tony waved his hand, "After the report is sent, I'll send the complete data analysis to you both. Also, the captured ships are good stuff; they can be reverse-engineered to yield quite a bit of the Kree Empire's frontier reconnaissance technology. I need to study them properly."
Arthur nodded and took Wanda's hand.
Golden sparks lit up in the isolation chamber.
A Portal opened.
The two walked in.
The door closed.
Tony turned around, looking at the misleading "Kree Empire Scout Report" being carefully crafted by Jarvis on the holographic screen, and smiled.
"Earth isn't a pushover." He whispered, "Want to come and scout us out? First ask our home's 'friendly neighborhood citizens' if they agree."
Chapter 80: Leaving a Bad Review for Earth
The isolation chamber was very quiet, with only the low hum of equipment and those three Kree scout ships lying on the racks like dead fish.
Arthur pulled his hand away from the communication module of the last ship, the golden magic patterns on his palm slowly fading.
"I've figured it out." He turned to Wanda and Tony on the communication screen. "This thing is not simple; it's not just an ordinary 'dashcam'."
Wanda leaned over to look at the data stream refreshing on the main console: "What do you mean?"
"There's an 'Easter egg' buried in the core communication module." Arthur pointed to a particularly complex encryption protocol on the screen. "It's a multi-layered encrypted remote warning protocol. Simply put, even if we've taken this ship down, as long as the core module isn't completely physically destroyed, it will automatically try to send a 'heartbeat signal' plus the 'last known data packet' to the preset mothership or rear base every so often."
Tony frowned on the other side of the screen: "A self-destruct truck? Since we hit it so fast, did it send anything out?"
"Probably not." Arthur shook his head. "When I was parsing it, this protocol was still in 'dormant/pending activation' status. There are two trigger conditions: one is the ship completely losing power for over twenty-four hours, and the second is detecting continuous high-intensity energy containment—just like that barrier Wandajust used."
He paused.
"In other words, if we dragged them in and left them alone, or kept them covered by an energy field for over a day, it would automatically 'call home to complain' and send out all the reconnaissance data from before it was captured."
Wanda's eyes rolled: "Then... can we make it 'call home early'?"
Arthur looked at her: "Hmm?"
"Not sending real data." Wanda said. "We 'rewrite the script' for it. Using its equipment and its communication protocols, we send back a 'reconnaissance report' that we've fabricated. The content will say... Earth's defense level is off the charts, magic shields cover the entire globe, and we're colluding with Asgard—it's incredibly hard to chew. Suggesting headquarters re-evaluate, don't come here to throw your lives away."
Tony chuckled on the screen: "Not bad, Wanda. This counts as 'reverse marketing'—leaving a five-star bad review for Earth to discourage potential customers."
"This idea works." Arthur also laughed. "Since the protocols and links are ready-made, let's play the role of the Kree Empire's 'helpful netizens' and help them 'analyze rationally and consume cautiously'."
Wanda, getting confirmation, immediately perked up: "How exactly should we write it? I'll fabricate the data."
"It has to be professional." Arthur pulled up the Kreedata format template he had just parsed. "The report structure is divided into several parts: energy environment assessment, defense system scan, potential ally analysis, and action recommendations. We need to hype up the magic side to death and hide the tech side as much as possible."
He looked at Wanda: "Wife, you take charge of 'energy signature forgery'. Use your Chaos Magic to simulate a set of magic network energy fluctuation data that 'covers the globe, has ridiculous intensity, and carries the flavor of Asgard's divine realm', and stuff it into the report."
"Okay." Wanda nodded. She lifted her hands, and dark red magic began to condense and deform in her palms, gradually simulating various complex and fake energy waveforms.
Arthur continued, speaking to the screen: "Tony, you're in charge of the perimeter. Use the Ark's transmitter to amplify our forged signal and send it out along the Kreepreset communication links we just parsed. Ensure the path looks 'authentic' so they don't get suspicious."
"Leave it to me." Tony turned and started typing on his console. "Jarvis, access the isolation chamber's main control data stream and prepare the signal amplification and path disguise protocols. Use the Chitauri frequency-hopping technology we reverse-engineered earlier to wrap this 'fake report' in a layer of 'genuine delivery' shell."
"Protocols preparing, sir." Jarvis responded.
Arthur wasn't idle either.
He walked over to the scout ship, took a deep breath, and his eyes glowed slightly red.
His Krypton bio-field was precisely controlled, emanating from his body. It wasn't for attack or defense, but to simulate a background energy fluctuation that was extremely stable, grand, and seemingly originating from the planet itself.
This fluctuation was carefully guided and injected into the false data stream Wanda was weaving, serving as the "energy source evidence" for the "global magic network".
"Data stream weaving complete." Wanda said, with a constantly changing dark red orb of light containing vast amounts of forged information floating in front of her. "Energy signature simulation is ready. The coverage area is marked as 'interconnection of global major energy nodes', and the intensity is marked as'sufficient to deflect a full salvo from a main battleship's main cannons'. As for Asgard's divine power fluctuation characteristics... I followed the taste you let me feel earlier, the one on Thor's mjolnir, and mixed a bit of it in, making it'suspected energy resonance and protocol exchange'."
"Beautiful." Arthur maintained the bio-field simulation and looked at the main console. "Tony, is the path disguise ready on your end?"
"Done." Tony said. "Signal amplification is in place, disguised as the 'last complete data packet sent urgently after ship damage'. The transmission link is locked, pointing towards Centaurus along the Kuiper Belt relay points—consistent with the path they came from."
"Send it." Arthur said.
Wanda pushed with both hands, and that carefully forged dark red data stream orb was precisely injected into the Kree scout ship's communication module interface.
Almost simultaneously, the enhanced transmitter Tonyactivated outside the "Ark" shot a disguised and amplified signal wave along the preset cosmic link into deep space.
The whole process lasted about thirty seconds.
The transmission progress bar on the main control screen reached 100%.
"Signal transmission complete." Tony watched the monitoring data on his end. "Path feedback is normal; no abnormal alarms triggered. This 'Earth discouragement guide' should be on its way."
Arthur retracted his bio-field, and Wanda dispersed the magic in her hands.
The three of them watched the screen and waited for a few minutes.
No signals suspected to be a "receipt" or "challenge" were received.
"Looks like we pulled it off." Tony breathed a sigh of relief. "At least in the short term, the latest 'authoritative report' received by the Kree Empire's intelligence department regarding Earth will be this'science fiction novel' we wrote."
Wanda smiled, but then pointed to the three ships in the isolation chamber: "How do we handle these things? Leaving them is too dangerous; that warning protocol might have other backdoors."
"Simple." Arthur walked to the middle of the three ships and spread his hands.
A golden magic circle instantly unfolded beneath the three ships, and complex light patterns completely enveloped them.
"Complete formatting, from energy to structure." Arthursaid.
The magic circle's light flared brightly.
The hulls of the three Kree scout ships, starting from the outer armor, quickly decomposed and dissipated like pencil words erased by an eraser, turning into the most basic light particles and dust. Not even a single scrap was left behind.
A few seconds later, the magic circle's light receded.
The isolation chamber was empty, and the traces of the three ships' existence had been wiped clean.
"Done." Arthur clapped his hands. "Now not even a 'heartbeat signal' can be sent."
Tony whistled on the screen: "Your cleaning service is cleaner than a professional disposal company."
"Can't help it, occupational hazard." Arthur walked back to the main console and looked at Wanda. "How do you feel? The data stream forgery just now was quite intense."
Wanda flexed her fingers, her eyes bright: "Very good. It's different from just controlling or defending before; this time it was about 'imitating' and 'deceiving', and having to imitate well enough that even professional instruments couldn't tell the difference. The requirement for the precision of magic output was exceptionally high. However..."
She smiled.
"It seems that after doing it, my feeling for 'micro-control' of magic is clearer. It's like before I was grabbing things with my hand, but now I can hold an embroidery needle with my fingers to thread it."
"Nice, another branch on your skill tree unlocked." Arthur hugged her shoulder, then said to Tony, "How much time do you think this misdirection can buy us?"
Tony pondered for a moment: "Hard to say. But if the Kree Empire actually believes this report—or even if they just believe half of it—they will need to re-evaluate the risks and costs of invading Earth. It changes from a 'total stomp' to 'potentially biting a hard bone and breaking teeth'. Bureaucratic systems, you know, meetings, bickering, re-reconnaissance, formulating new plans... stalling for a few months shouldn't be a problem."
"A few months is enough." Arthur said. "Enough for us to strengthen the Ark's nodes a few more rounds, and by the way, find a more stable magic energy source. Relying on Wanda as a 'human battery' all the time isn't a long-term solution."
Wanda leaned on him: "I'm fine, I can hold up."
"I know you can hold up." Arthur said. "But we need sustainable development. What if next time it's not three scout ships, but thirty main battleships? We can't just rely on you going all out."
Tony nodded: "I'll keep an eye out for magic energy sources on my end too. In S.H.I.E.L.D.'s 'Sky Screen' database, there seem to be some records about ancient energy nodes, although most are classified as myths and legends. I'll find a chance to 'borrow' them and take a look."
"Alright, let's prepare separately." Arthur said. "We're pulling out first, we still have to go home. I'll leave the cleanup here to you."
"Go ahead." Tony waved his hand. "Contact me anytime if there are new developments."
Arthur held Wanda's hand.
Golden sparks lit up in the isolation chamber, and a Portalopened.
The two walked in, and the door closed.
Tony looked at the empty isolation chamber, then at the copy of the forged "Kree Empire reconnaissance report" that had already been sent out on the screen, and smiled.
"magic shields covering the globe, and having a thing with Asgard..." he muttered, "This bluff... I almost believed it myself."
He turned and walked towards the main control room.
"Jarvis, initiate the next phase of the Ark's defense node strengthening plan. Also, secretly search all non-classified and... hmm, classified information regarding 'Earth's ancient magic energy sources'."
"Very well, sir."
Tony walked to the observation window, looking at the blue Earth outside.
A few months.
Should be enough.
Chapter 81: Eat First
The Portal in the living room closed, and the smell of metal and recycled air finally dissipated.
Wanda walked to the main console. The screen was still lit, displaying the final data stream from the three Kree scout ships before they were completely formatted, along with a large green checkmark next to the words "Misleading signal sent successfully."
"Does Tony have any feedback?" she asked.
Arthur walked over with a glass of water. "Just received a message. He said the signal path was clean and didn't trigger a bounce-back. I estimate that 'Earth's over-the-top, boastful defense report' has already reached the Kree Empire leadership's office. That should give them enough to argue about in meetings for months."
"That's good." Wanda looked at the screen. "But... I always feel like something is wrong."
"Hm?" Arthur handed her the water.
Wanda didn't take it. Her fingers tapped quickly on the virtual keyboard, pulling up a section of collapsed underlying data logs.
"Look at this," she pointed to a few lines of fluctuation curves on the screen that were almost drowned out by noise. "The system backend recorded this when we sent the misleading signal. It's not the energy signature we simulated. It's... an extremely weak quantum disturbance fed back from the direction of deep space, resonating with the energy field here on Earth."
Arthur leaned in, his eyes fixed on those curves that were flatter than an EKG.
"What about the source location of the fluctuation?"
"Running now." Wanda tapped a few more times. A holographic star map popped up, with a red flashing dot marked at the edge of the Solar System, near the direction from which the Kree fleet had previously arrived.
But the next second, Wanda frowned.
"Wait... the location result is drifting." She pressed her hands lightly onto the console, and dark red Chaos Magicseeped into the system, beginning a more precise energy trace. "The fluctuation source isn't at that coordinate... It's... moving? No, the signal itself has been 'refracted' or 'relayed'."
Arthur didn't speak, watching Wanda operate.
A few minutes later, Wanda withdrew her hands, her expression a bit strange.
"Found it," she said. "The source of the fluctuation isn't in deep space; it's right here in the Solar System. The specific coordinates... are near a Lagrange point between the orbits of Jupiter and sparks, inside a very concealed micro-spatial fold."
"What is it?"
"I don't know." Wanda pulled up another analysis window. "But the fluctuation signature... I've seen it before. It has a 73% similarity to the imprint left by the'Shi'ar Empire' observer that we captured when we were mapping the star chart. It's not exactly the same, it's like... different applications of the same technological system."
Arthur rubbed his chin. "The'Shi'ar Empire'? The interstellar civilization that claims to be 'absolutely neutral, observing only and never intervening'?"
"Yes, the one Tony matched from the 'Sky Screen' database." Wanda nodded. "The observational imprints they leave behind are like'surveillance cameras' in the Universe. But this fluctuation right now... it's more like a 'backdoor' that came with the 'camera' that wasn't closed properly, or rather, a 'trace' left behind during data transmission that can be tracked in a specific way."
"So," Arthur understood, "the Kree fleet might not have reacted, but the'Shi'ar Empire', those 'onlookers', were actually'startled' because our previous move of sending a misleading signal was too big? Their 'cameras' left in the Solar System automatically recorded something, and then we captured the 'traces' of this recording process?"
"That's highly likely," Wanda said. "And this 'trace' is still continuing, which means their observation network is still running, and might even... have noticed the movements of the Kree fleet as well."
Arthur laughed. "Good grief, so not only did robbercome to our doorstep to scout, but there's also a reporter on the balcony next door taking candid shots with a telephoto lens? What a spectacle."
"What do we do now?" Wanda looked at him. "This 'backdoor'... or rather, 'trace', do we pretend not to see it, or..."
"We've already seen it, why pretend to be an ostrich?" Arthur walked to the main console and pulled up the detailed parameters of that fluctuation coordinate. "Since it's a 'backdoor', we can get in. Since they are also 'onlookers', their information must be more complete than ours. Let's ask them, how many people did those Kreebastards gather, and when do they plan to come and demolish our place."
Wanda was a bit worried. "Initiate contact? Won't there be risks? After all, they are a high-level civilization, and their attitude is unclear."
"Low-risk contact," Arthur said. "We won't 'knock on the door' directly. We'll just follow this 'trace' and use magicresonance to send a 'non-verbal information packet'. The content will say: 'Buddy, I see you're also watching the Kree fleet. What a coincidence, so are we. What's their configuration exactly? Can you give us their assembly coordinates? We're just curious, and we definitely won't disturb your spectating.'"
Wanda was amused by his phrasing. "If you send this information packet, will they be able to understand it?"
"If a high-level civilization can't even parse a 'non-verbal information packet', then what are they doing in the Universe?" Arthur said. "Besides, let's keep our posture low, just treat it like 'neighbors exchanging information about neighborhood security'. If they really are 'absolutely neutral', they'll likely give us some harmless information to brush us off. If they don't, or if they have hostile intent, we can cut the connection immediately. Anyway, we're using their 'backdoor'. If they want to come through the wire to hit us, they'll have to find the door first."
Wanda thought about it and felt it made sense.
"Then... shall we try?" she said. "I'll construct the magicresonance channel, you handle the protection and guidance. If anything goes wrong, we cut it immediately."
"Okay." Arthur nodded. "Let's just consider it grinding experience for our 'interstellar social skills'."
The two walked to an open area in the living room.
Wanda took a deep breath and slowly drew a circle with her hands in front of her. Dark red Chaos Magic began to condense, not with that explosive feeling of aggression, but very gentle and stable, rippling out like Water, gradually forming a dark red magic circle with a diameter of about two meters.
In the center of the magic circle, the energy was precisely simulated and resonated according to the fluctuation signature of the "Shi'ar Empire".
Arthur stood behind her to the side, his eyes glowing slightly red. His Krypton bio-force field expanded, forming an invisible protective shield that enveloped both of them and the magic circle. At the same time, his mental energy was highly concentrated, ready to deal with any reverse impact at any moment.
"The channel is stable," Wanda said in a low voice. "You can send the information."
With a thought, Arthur sent an "information packet" composed of pure intent, containing no Earth language structure, through the magic channel Wanda had constructed, along that faint "trace", silently sending it out.
The content of the information packet was simple: a simplified star map of the Solar System, marking the approximate direction of Earth and the Kree fleet; a universal intent symbol representing "inquiry"; and an emotional undertone representing "harmless, curious".
Sending complete.
The channel remained silent.
A few seconds later.
The dark red magic circle suddenly vibrated slightly, and a layer of pale golden light, completely different from Chaos Magic, rippled in the center.
An "information packet", also composed of pure intent, was fed back along the channel.
No language, only information.
Arthur and Wanda "read" and understood it simultaneously.
The information packet contained two parts.
The first part was a fragment of a star map much more accurate than what they had previously obtained, clearly marking the current assembly coordinates of the Kree Empire's main fleet—located in a remote star sector of the Orion Arm, about 4.3 light-years away from Earth. Next to it was a brief "observation record": fleet size "large", status "standby", recent activity "frequent tactical drills, clear target orientation".
The second part was a brief assessment of the "information source" (which is Earth). The translation of the intent was roughly: "Defense system detected signs of a new type of energy coupling (magic-technology hybrid node), individual combat power evaluated as 'high', overall civilization threat level 'low', observation value 'medium'. Recommendation: continue observation, no immediate need for intervention."
The information transfer was complete. The pale golden light dissipated, the magic circle returned to dark red, and the "trace" fluctuation that had been utilized calmed down completely, as if it had never existed.
Wanda slowly dispersed the magic circle and let out a sigh of relief.
"The other side... really seems to just be 'giving us some intel, then continuing to spectate'," she said. "They even detected our 'magic-technology hybrid node'."
"High-level civilization 'cameras', the resolution is certainly high." Arthur walked to the main console and entered the new coordinates of the Kree main fleet into the system. "But their assessment... 'overall civilization threat level low'? Who are they looking down on? When the Kree fleet actually comes, let them see what it means to be 'the strongest holdouts on Earth'."
Wanda smiled and walked over to look at the new coordinates on the screen.
"The main fleet is still in the observation phase," she said, "but inside the information packet... it seems there was something else attached."
She operated it a few times, extracting a fragment of data at the bottom of the information packet that had been almost ignored.
Zoom in.
That was a very brief additional record. The content of the intent was: "Note: Detected a small Kree infiltration fleet (Designation: Shadow-7) that changed course before standard time, detaching from the main cluster. New course coordinates updated."
A new coordinate was attached next to it.
The location this coordinate pointed to was much closer than the main fleet.
Arthur looked at that coordinate and raised an eyebrow.
"Yo," he said, "the big one is still behind, but the small one has already quietly snuck over? Are they trying to pull a feint?"
"Infiltration fleet..." Wanda murmured the term, "Are they trying to bypass the frontal defenses and sneak directly into Earth?"
"Highly likely." Arthur marked the new coordinates as well. "It seems our 'boastful report' was too effective. It fooled the Kree into not daring to attack directly, so they switched to sending'special forces' to raid our home. Fine, they know how to play."
He brought up the global map of the Earth's defense system.
"Perfect," Arthur pointed to several key nodes on the map. "The Ark's hybrid nodes need real combat stress testing, and you, Wanda, need to practice your new abilities in energy'simulation' and 'camouflage'. This'Shadow-7'... let's just treat it as a high-level sparring partner delivered to our doorstep."
Wanda looked at him, her eyes lighting up.
"How are we going to fight this time?"
"No rush." Arthur smiled. "First, let Tony's satellite keep an eye on this new coordinate and see which'sewer' they intend to crawl in from. As for us..."
He put his arm around Wanda's shoulder.
"Eat first. You need to be well-fed to have the energy to fight."
Wanda leaned against him, looking at the two Kreecoordinates on the screen, one far and one near.
The hidden danger hadn't disappeared; it had just changed form, quietly revealing its outline.
But this time, they saw it more clearly.
Chapter 52 Not Bad, Wife
"We'll eat later."
Arthur pulled Wanda back to the main console and pointed at the new coordinate that had just appeared on the screen, representing the Kree infiltration fleet.
"This'Shadow-7' has snuck over, so we need to figure out how it intends to'sneak'," he said. "If we wait until it's already at our doorstep to drive it away, we'll be on the back foot."
Wanda nodded, her fingers tapping a few times on the virtual keyboard to bring up the deep space scanning interface of the early warning system.
"We have the coordinates, but it's too blurry," she said, pointing at the blinking light. "The Shi'ar Empire only gave us a general area, not a precise location. To find these three cloaked'space loaches,' we'll need to use another method."
"Let's use our old trade," Arthur said, rubbing his hands together. "magic reconnaissance, combined with my 'human radar.' We aren't doing remote projection this time; let's play something more direct."
Wanda looked at him: "Direct? How direct?"
"We'll go take a look 'in person'," Arthur said. "Of course, not flying there physically. You use Chaos Magic to construct a super-stealthy 'perception channel' and'send' our magical consciousness near that coordinate area. I'll stay here at home, using my super senses to provide remote assistance, helping you filter out Universe noise and lock onto the target precisely."
"It's like... putting a pair of 'ultra-high-definition binoculars' on our magical consciousness?" Wanda understood quickly.
"Exactly, the kind with 'thermal imaging' and 'anti-stealth'," Arthur laughed. "This is what you call a 'husband-and-wife team; work isn't tiring, and peeping doesn't cost a thing.'"
Wanda was amused, but her hands didn't stop moving.
She walked to an open area of the living room and raised her hands.
This time, the dark red Chaos Magic didn't form an ostentatious magic circle, but instead spread out slowly in front of her like a layer of extremely thin, flowing mist, gradually outlining a nearly invisible, subtle energy channel.
One end of the channel was connected to her consciousness, while the other extended infinitely toward the direction of the deep space coordinates.
"Channel construction stable," Wanda said with her eyes closed. "Perception has been sent out and is approaching the target area. The Universe background radiation is a bit strong; it's like looking at something through frosted glass."
"Frosted glass, huh? Let me wipe it off," Arthur said, standing beside her, his eyes glowing slightly red.
His super senses—hearing, vision, and the ability to perceive various energy fluctuations—were elevated to the limit, then spread out like an invisible net along the magicchannel Wanda had constructed.
In an instant, the scene Wanda "saw" became ten times clearer.
It was no longer blurry energy clumps, but clear starry skies, floating debris, and the dazzling light of the distant sun.
"Whoa, the clarity is up," Wanda said in her consciousness. "This feeling... it's like jumping straight from 480P to 4K Blu-ray."
"Basic operation, don't be surprised," Arthur's voice also rang out in the consciousness channel. "Scan it, focus on finding 'unnatural' things. Kree ships, even when cloaked, will always have flaws—engine residual heat, subtle fluctuations in energy shielding, and the abnormal refraction of light by their paint..."
The two's magical consciousness, like a pair of invisible eyes, scanned the target coordinate area rapidly.
A few seconds later.
"Three o'clock position, about 120,000 kilometers away," Arthur said. "See that? Those three 'rocks'—their movement trajectories don't match the surrounding asteroid debris. They are performing very regular 'Z'-shaped maneuvers, and every time they change direction, there is an extremely faint, synchronized change in the reflectivity of their surfaces to the sun's light."
Wanda focused her mind and "looked" over.
Sure enough, on the surface of the three seemingly ordinary, slowly drifting "asteroids," she sensed the extremely hidden, artificial energy coating fluctuation that Arthur had mentioned.
"Lock onto them," Wanda said.
The magic perception, like tentacles, wrapped around them silently.
Clearer details were fed back.
Three angular, dark gray matte-coated Kree high-speed ships, in a tight triangular formation, were utilizing the dense debris in the asteroid belt as visual cover while performing complex maneuvering.
Their course was not pointed directly at Earth.
Instead, they were steadily heading toward a point in space near sparks' orbit that had no official markings.
"They're heading toward sparks?" Wanda wondered in her consciousness. "Not Earth? Detouring?"
"Doesn't look like a detour," Arthur said. "That direction... let me sense it."
He cast a portion of his super sensory attention toward the destination of the fleet's course.
It looked empty there.
But in Arthur's perception, the "texture" of that space felt wrong.
It was like a slightly twisted vortex hidden beneath a calm surface of Water.
"Wife, extend the perception channel a bit further toward that 'destination'," Arthur said. "Be careful, extend it slowly."
Wanda followed his instructions, controlling her magicperception like a probe, approaching that suspicious space point extremely slowly.
The distance closed.
The sense of distortion became more obvious.
That was not a naturally occurring spatial phenomenon.
It was a man-made, extremely weak spatial wrinkle, like a carefully placed invisible curtain, with something hidden behind it.
"It's a 'door'," Arthur judged, "or rather, a temporarily constructed 'tent.' A spatial anomaly point. The energy shielding is done very well, but it didn't completely cover the traces of the 'door frame.' Did the Kree build an... outpost here? Or a communication relay station?"
"Do you want to go inside and take a look?" Wanda asked.
"Just one look, then withdraw," Arthur said. "Don't alert the 'watchdogs.'"
Wanda controlled her magic perception, carefully "sticking" it to the surface of that spatial wrinkle, attempting to infiltrate the tiniest sliver of perception power inside.
Just as the perception power was about to touch the interior space—
"Beep! Beep! Beep!"
A harsh, high-frequency alarm sound suddenly surged back through the magic perception channel!
It wasn't sound; it was a pure energy alarm pulse!
The three Kree infiltration ships, which had been maneuvering quietly, simultaneously lit up with blinding red light!
They instantly stopped their camouflage maneuvers, the matte coating on their hulls fading away like ripples on Water, revealing the menacing turrets and full-power scanning arrays underneath!
"We've been discovered!" Wanda's heart tightened. "Their anti-stealth system has passive early warning! The perception touch triggered the alarm!"
"Withdraw!" Arthur reacted extremely quickly.
Almost at the same instant the alarm sounded, Wandaforcibly cut off the extended magic perception channel.
Like snapping a taut string.
The dark red magic mist fluctuated violently in front of her, then dissipated rapidly.
Arthur's super senses were also withdrawn simultaneously.
The living room fell quiet.
Only the log window on the main console, representing the reconnaissance operation just now, was still frantically flashing red words: "Connection Interrupted," "Alarm Triggered."
Wanda caught her breath, a layer of fine sweat appearing on her forehead.
"Cut it fast enough," Arthur patted her back. "Did they catch our tail?"
"Probably not," Wanda said, calming her breathing. "The channel was cut off very thoroughly, with no residual magic traces. They can only know that'something was peeping,' but they don't know who it was or where it came from."
"That's good enough," Arthur walked to the main console and brought up all the data streams and energy characteristics recorded during the reconnaissance. "At least we figured out a few things."
He pointed at the screen.
"First, this'Shadow-7' infiltration fleet, totaling three ships, has paint and style consistent with the Kree wreckage previously found in the Kuiper Belt. They are regular troops, not ragtag ones."
"Second, they didn't head straight for Earth; instead, they secretly built a 'nest' near sparks' orbit. That spatial anomaly point is 99% likely a temporary outpost or communication relay station. The Kree have already built a 'bridgehead' right under Earth's nose, outside our living room window."
"Third," Arthur paused, "their anti-stealth and anti-reconnaissance systems are a grade higher in sensitivity than the previous batch of reconnaissance ships. We just 'touched' the door, and the alarm went off. What does this mean?"
Wanda looked at him: "It means they are for real this time, and very vigilant. They aren't here to 'take a look,' they are here to 'take root.'"
"Right," Arthur nodded. "The main fleet that's 'repairing the plank road in the open' is still holding meetings light-years away, while the engineering team 'crossing the Chencang secretly' is already carrying cement and rebar, starting to lay the foundation in our backyard. Can we tolerate this?"
"Definitely can't tolerate it," Wanda said. "We have to tear it down before they pour the 'foundation' solid."
"Tear it down, we definitely will," Arthur rubbed his chin. "But how to tear it down, we need to ponder. They must be startled now, and the defense level of that outpost will probably be maxed out immediately. Attacking directly will easily turn into a siege; if they get desperate and send the alarm back home, we'll have 'flushed the snake out of the grass.'"
"You mean..."
"Let Tony's satellites watch that coordinate area closely first," Arthur said. "See what new actions they take after being startled. Are they continuing to transport supplies to the outpost? Or changing course? Or... calling for reinforcements?"
He brought up the communication interface and sent an encrypted message to Tony, attaching the precise coordinates and fleet characteristics he had just scouted.
"Also," Arthur looked at Wanda, "that moment you cut off the channel, it was very neat. How did it feel?"
Wanda flexed her fingers, her eyes bright.
"It's different from previous passive defense," she said. "This time it was active 'infiltration,' then being 'discovered,' then emergency 'escape.' Going through the whole process, the requirements for'switch' control of magicoutput, 'trace' cleanup, and 'calmness' when facing pressure were much higher. However..."
She smiled.
"It seems like after experiencing it once, I know how to do it cleaner and faster next time. It's like playing a stealth game; the first time you get discovered, you're flustered, but after playing a few more times, you know which corner can block their vision and when the right time to slip away is."
"Not bad, wife, you've started using games as analogies," Arthur chuckled. "Looks like this 'live-fire drill' earned a lot of experience points."
Wanda leaned on him, looking at the coordinate point on the screen representing the Kree forward springboard.
"The threat is closer," she said. "But at least our eyes can see more clearly than before."
Arthur put his arm around her.
"Only by seeing clearly can we strike accurately," he said. "Once we have feedback from Tony, we'll formulate a 'demolition plan.' As for now..."
His stomach growled at the right moment.
"Ahem, people need to eat to survive," Arthur said. "'Peeping' is also physical labor. Let's eat first; only when we're full will we have the energy to figure out how to issue a forced demolition notice for the Kree's 'illegal structure.'"
Wanda nodded with a smile.
The two left the main console and walked toward the kitchen.
The red coordinate on the screen was still blinking quietly.
Like a nail hidden in the Shadow.
But now, the person holding the mjolnir already knew where to strike.
Chapter 82 Mjolnir
"So, for that 'illegal structure' in sparks orbit, are we going to 'forcibly demolish' it tonight, or should we wait for Tonyto confirm the satellite data?" Arthur stood in front of the main console, his fingers tapping the red coordinate point on the screen representing the Kree outpost.
Wanda just opened her mouth to speak when her brow suddenly furrowed.
She raised a hand to signal Arthur to be quiet and closed her eyes.
Dark red Chaos Magic rippled slightly around her, like waves on the surface of water.
"What's wrong?" Arthur lowered his voice.
"Something... has entered." Wanda opened her eyes, her expression a bit odd. "It doesn't have that Kree vibe. It's more... reckless, more explosive, and it carries this... how should I put it, the heavy, 'classic' feel of a bowl of pickled cabbage beef noodles?"
Arthur chuckled. "With that description, are you a food blogger now?"
"Don't be cheeky." Wanda pointed to a golden, lightning-shaped mark that had suddenly lit up on the holographic star map. "Look, it just broke through the atmosphere, straight trajectory, target... New Mexico. The energy signature... wow, this fluctuation amplitude is like a roller coaster; one moment it's ridiculously high, the next it's barely detectable. But the 'drive' at its core is very intense, carrying a kind of... hmm, 'I am your father' level of divine majesty?"
Arthur leaned over to look at the mark, and a few seconds later, he smiled.
"Got it," he said. "This isn't 'pickled cabbage beef noodles,' this is 'Nordic Mythology Limited Edition — Thunder Crispy.'"
Wanda looked at him. "What does that mean?"
"Thor, the eldest prince of Asgard, Odin's own son, the guy who flies around swinging his hammer," Arthur said. "According to the script, he should have just been stripped of his divine power by his father and tossed down here along with his hammer to 'experience life.' I didn't expect that while we were trying to figure out how to deal with the cosmic 'demolition team,' a 'god descending to experience life' card would drop right on our doorstep."
"Thor?" Wanda recalled. "You mentioned him before, the... god realm prince with a hot temper, but not a bad person?"
"Right, that's him." Arthur watched the golden mark on the star map rapidly approaching the ground. "Once this guy arrives, it won't be quiet. That hammer of his, mjolnir, is a treasure. The folks at S.H.I.E.L.D. have noses sharper than dogs; they'll definitely swarm it immediately. If Thor is in a bad mood, or if those S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents operate too 'professionally,' it might cause some friction..."
He paused.
"The Kree outpost is a 'chronic poison' that can wait a bit. But Thor is like an 'acute gastroenteritis'—if not handled well, it could cause immediate dehydration. The divine power sealed within him, plus the Asgardian rules inherent in that hammer, are the'same model' as the fluctuations of Odin's seal we sensed earlier. If they resonate, it might trigger those 'old wounds' in Earth's dimension..."
Wanda understood. "So we deal with this 'acute illness' first?"
"Right." Arthur nodded. "For the Kree, let Tony's satellites keep watching. We'll go to New Mexico to check out the situation. If necessary... we'll act as 'peacemakers' or 'firefighters'."
Wanda had no objections. "Fine, I'll listen to you. How are we going? Flying there or..."
"Portal, it's faster." Arthur held her hand. "Let's observe from the periphery first, don't go straight in. Thor is a 'mortal' now, but S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't know that. If we appear suddenly, we might be mistaken for 'accomplices' or a 'new threat,' and explaining that would be too much trouble."
Golden sparks lit up in the living room, and a Portalopened.
The two walked in.
The door closed.
---
New Mexico, edge of the desert.
The evening wind kicked up sand, making faces feel dry.
Arthur and Wanda appeared behind a low shrub, covered by invisibility magic, blending into the surrounding environment.
Looking ahead, about two or three kilometers away on a flat stretch of sand, a shallow crater with a diameter of over ten meters had been smashed into the ground.
In the center of the crater was stuck a short-handled hammer with an ancient, square-headed design.
Around the hammer, several layers of barbed wire and caution tape had already been set up. A dozen black SUVs and several large engineering vehicles surrounded it. Agents in S.H.I.E.L.D. uniforms and researchers in white lab coats were busy, and various detection instruments were buzzing around the hammer.
"High efficiency," Arthur whispered. "It's been at most half an hour since the hammer fell, right? The prototype of a base is already built. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s enthusiasm for 'finding treasure' is comparable to the midnight shopping spree on Double Eleven."
Wanda's attention, however, was not on the hammer.
She looked toward the edge of the isolation zone, at a temporarily erected detention tent.
Two armed Agents stood outside the tent, and inside...
"Thor is in there," Wanda said. "The energy fluctuation... it's very weak, almost imperceptible. But deep inside his body, it feels like a volcano is being suppressed. On the outside, he looks like an ordinary person, maybe even a bit... depressed? But the core of that thunder power is locked tight by a very powerful golden seal. Just its existence alone is causing 'rejection reactions' with the surrounding space."
Arthur sensed it too.
The divine power inside Thor, although suppressed by Odin's seal, was of too high a "quality." It was like forcing a red-hot branding iron into a block of ice; even if the iron stopped heating, the ice's structure would still be damaged.
Earth's dimension, especially this region in New Mexico, was already a bit "brittle" due to the previous fluctuations of Odin's seal. Now that this "source of divinity," Thor, was sitting right here, it was like putting a solid iron ball on glass that already had cracks.
"We need to reinforce the surroundings," Arthur said. "Otherwise, if Thor gets emotional later, or if those S.H.I.E.L.D. folks use instruments to stimulate the hammer, a slight leak of divine power might 'poke a hole' in this space."
"How do we reinforce it?" Wanda asked. "Set up a formation directly? Won't S.H.I.E.L.D. notice?"
"Use a'silent and subtle' method." Arthur pressed his hands in front of him, and golden magic patterns spread from his palms, quietly burrowing into the sand beneath their feet like tree roots.
The magic patterns spread outward from their position, forming a huge, invisible, and extremely stable reinforcement array with a diameter of about five kilometers.
The array didn't attack or defend; it simply "stabilized" the dimensional structure of this area, increasing its "toughness."
"Done." Arthur withdrew his hands. "This place now has an 'extra-thick bulletproof vest.' As long as Thor's father doesn't come to smash the place himself, or Thanosdoesn't crash his ship into it, it should be able to contain ordinary energy impacts."
Wanda nodded, her gaze turning back to the detention tent.
"They are interrogating him," she said. "I can 'hear' a little... it's very blurry. Thor is shouting that he is the prince of Asgard and wants them to return his hammer. The interrogating Agent... seems to be named Coulson? He doesn't believe it at all, thinking he's a delusional patient or high on drugs."
"Normal." Arthur said. "If you suddenly caught a blonde hunk and he insisted he was the Thunder God and the hammer was his, you'd think he had a mental problem too. But this guy Coulson... is reasonable enough and won't do anything reckless. As long as Thor doesn't lash out and hurt anyone, he'll probably just go through the motions, then transfer the person to a mental hospital or a local police station."
He thought for a moment.
"Wife, you stay here and keep an eye on the interrogation remotely. I'll get closer and take a look at that hammer. After all, it's a divine artifact. Feeling it up close will give me a better baseline in case we have to deal with it later."
"Be careful," Wanda said. "The energy field around the hammer is a bit strange, it seems... to have a 'Masterrecognition' mechanism."
"Understood."
Arthur maintained his invisibility magic and, like a gust of wind, silently crept toward the center of the isolation zone.
He avoided the patrolling Agents and detection instruments and quickly reached the edge of the shallow crater.
Mjolnir was stuck at the bottom of the crater, with half of the hammer buried in the sand.
Up close, he could more clearly feel the terrifying power contained in this hammer—it wasn't about the intensity of the energy, but a kind of extremely heavy, ancient power of "rules." It felt as if it itself represented "Thunder," "Storm," and "Absolute Power."
Around the hammer, space was slightly distorted, forming an invisible force field.
Several researchers who didn't believe it tried to use a robotic arm to grab the hammer, but as soon as the robotic arm entered the force field's range, it hit an invisible wall and couldn't advance a millimeter, no matter how much they increased the power.
"Sure enough, apart from Thor or someone with enough 'qualifications,' no one can pick it up." Arthur muttered to himself. "This setting is just like'soul-bound' equipment in a game."
He released a tiny, extremely weak bit of magical perception, like a tentacle, and gently touched the hammer's force field.
The force field didn't move, but the hammer itself seemed to... "look" at him.
It wasn't really looking, but rather the feeling of being "observed" by a higher-level existence.
Arthur immediately retracted his perception.
"Okay, I know you're sentient." He said silently to the hammer. "Stay here properly, wait until your Master'reforms himself' enough to be qualified, and then come pick you up."
He didn't linger and turned to walk back.
He returned to Wanda's side.
"How was it?" Wanda asked.
"The hammer is fine, the rules are complete, and Odin's seal is very sturdy." Arthur said. "What about Thor?"
"Still arguing." Wanda said. "But Coulson seemed to receive a call and went out. A female Agent replaced him to continue the questioning... her attitude is tougher. Thor is a bit anxious but hasn't taken action. He seems... really starting to doubt himself? There's a sense of self-doubt and confusion in his energy fluctuations."
"Normal process." Arthur said. "Losing power, being exiled to a completely strange world where no one believes him—anyone would be confused. Letting him experience it is good, otherwise he'll always be an immature'spoiled god-child'."
He looked at the sky, then at the brightly lit temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. base in the distance.
"That's it for today." Arthur said. "Thor can't run, and the hammer can't run either. S.H.I.E.L.D. will keep an eye on them. Our task is to ensure that while these two 'Asgardian specialties' are in our backyard, they don't set the yard on fire."
Wanda nodded. "Then... the Kree outpost?"
"We'll talk about it tomorrow." Arthur put his arm around her shoulder. "Today, let's handle the 'Asgardian guest' first. And..."
He smiled.
"I suddenly have an idea. Thor coming here is like 'registering' Earth. Asgard's gaze, or at least Odin's gaze, will definitely be cast here more often. For the Kree Empire, does this count as a kind of... 'deterrence'? After all, they probably don't want a 'property security guard' carrying a hammer to suddenly fall from the sky while they are trying to demolish the place, right?"
Wanda also smiled. "The way you're calculating this, Asgard could probably hear it from the other side of the Universe."
"Resource sharing." Arthur said. "They came down to experience life, and it's only reasonable that they help us hold the fort while they're at it."
Golden sparks lit up again.
The Portal opened.
The two walked in and disappeared into the evening wind of the desert.
In the distance, inside the detention tent, Thor was still trying to explain to the expressionless female Agent that he was the Thunder God and needed his hammer.
And Mjolnir in the crater lay quietly in the sand, as if waiting.
Waiting for its Master to truly understand the meaning of "Thunder."
And also waiting for the ripples that this uninvited guest was about to stir up on this planet.