We're Different

Li Feng took the steak, glanced at the clothes on the ground, then at the large bundle containing the alien bodysuits. Realizing Uncle Ben clearly had no use for those green outfits, he let out a sigh of relief. "Yes, hiking. But as you can see, it's my first time traveling far from home, so I don't have much experience. I even forgot to bring a razor."

Ben sat beside Li Feng and said with a smile, "Isn't that how people grow into handsome young men? By regretting things, getting lost, and forgetting to bring something time and again?"

Li Feng bit into the juicy steak and gave Ben a thumbs-up, both praising Aunt May's cooking and praising Ben for recognizing that he was a handsome young man. The man really had good taste.

Ben asked, "Do you have a destination in mind?"

Li Feng froze. He really had never thought about that. He had simply picked a direction and started walking. He didn't want to talk to anyone, didn't want to step into human society, and only wanted to find somewhere sparsely populated where he could quietly develop himself. That was all.

Looking somewhat lost, Li Feng shook his head. "My parents died three years ago. Two years ago, I got amnesia after a car accident. I even forgot how to speak English. I still haven't recovered my old memories, so how could I remember what interesting places there are nearby? I just plan to wander around and take a look. When I get tired someday, I'll find a place to settle down."

Seeing Li Feng's current disheveled appearance, Ben felt that Li Feng must have had a hard time these past two years. After all, he had even forgotten the language needed for basic communication. How could life not have been difficult?

Ben could also clearly hear the uncertainty in Li Feng's words. He felt that Li Feng was like an ant separated from its colony, completely lost about the future.

With a trace of apology, Ben sincerely said, "I'm sorry."

He had also been lost for a time when he was Li Feng's age, but the blows he had suffered had not been nearly as severe as Li Feng's.

It was only a brief period of confusion. It was not such a serious problem. Since Li Feng had relearned English, that meant he could withstand the pressure and keep living. Once Li Feng understood how much the bread needed for survival cost every day upon opening his eyes, he would no longer be lost. And once he had a family, he would understand what a sweet burden was.

After sharing some of his life experience with Li Feng, Ben saw his wife waving to him from afar, signaling that his dinner was ready. Ben got up, patted Li Feng on the shoulder, and said, "When you feel ready to settle down someday, you can come live in Queens, New York. I've lived there for most of my life, and I think it's the best neighborhood in the United States."

Li Feng paused, looked up at Ben, and smiled. "Thank you. I will."

Ben waved goodbye, but after taking a few steps, he suddenly returned. He pulled a razor from his pocket and handed it to Li Feng, shrugging as he said, "I almost forgot this little thing. It's yours. If we meet again someday, you're welcome to visit my home. Goodbye, you confused little guy."

Watching Ben walk away, Li Feng rubbed his brow. In the more than two years since coming to this world, Li Feng felt that aside from Ancient One, who treated him like a son, only Ben had spoken to him as a friend.

The United States loved to boast about equality for everyone, but in reality... heh. Apart from Chinatown, where Li Feng could still feel some warmth, outsiders usually looked down on him somewhat whenever they saw him wearing slippers all day.

What's wrong with wearing slippers? I liked wearing slippers in my previous life too. They're cool and comfortable, and I can get into bed faster than you guys. Unlike you, who still have to take off your shoes and socks. By the time you're done, I've already had a nap.

After silently finishing the steak, Li Feng looked once more toward where Ben's family was camping and thought, For treating me to steak, giving me a razor, sharing your experiences with me as a friend, and inviting me to your home, I'll save your life. As a Mage, I'm putting my word on the line: other than dying of old age, you won't die any other way.

Under the cover of night, Li Feng cleaned himself up. He lay on the grass with his hands behind his head, gazing up at the stars. For some reason, whenever he heard Little Peter laughing in the distance and calling Richard Dad, he would think of what his own child in another world looked like. I wonder how the little one is doing. Was the first word learned Dad or Mom? It should have been Mom. After all, I wasn't there with you.

Wiping at his reddened, moist eyes, Li Feng got up and packed his belongings. How could he possibly sleep after that? Especially with the sounds of playfulness in the distance. Forget practicing magic—he could not even sleep peacefully. Since that was the case, he might as well take the hint and get out of there.

After walking some distance, Li Feng felt that Ben's family could no longer see him cast magic, so he struck a pose and reached out to open a Portal.

Where on Earth could he modify a longsword, obtain modified materials, and learn how to forge artifacts? Only Kamar-Taj.

Moreover, Kamar-Taj not only knew that aliens existed in this world, but also knew about magical creatures living in other realms. They probably would not even show a hint of surprise at the Kree spoils Li Feng had seized. It was the perfect place to hide these alien tools.

Kamar-Taj, reception hall.

Ancient One sipped her tea, repeatedly examining every word in a spellbook. Suddenly, she sensed something and looked toward the center of the reception hall. A second later, an orange-yellow Portal gradually took shape.

Ancient One ignored Li Feng's sharp appearance. Instead, she looked through the Portal at the pitch-black outskirts of New York, and the corner of her eye began twitching uncontrollably.

After stepping through the Portal, Li Feng clasped his hands together and bowed to Ancient One. Before he could greet her, he heard Ancient One, who had her back to him, rise and pour tea as she said, "You opened a Portal directly from the outskirts of New York to here?"

Li Feng scratched his head and nodded. "Yes, Master. Is there something wrong with the Portal I cast?"

Something wrong? There was a huge problem.

Ancient One handed Li Feng a cup of tea, gestured for him to sit and talk slowly, then said, "Although a Portal can take us anywhere, there is a prerequisite: you must have the ability to open it. It is like an adult holding the Key to a door and easily opening it, while someone who has only recently stepped into the realm of magic is more like a human child. Do you think that just because you give a child a Key, he has the strength to turn it and open the door? A Portal is not some toy latch designed specifically for children."

Holding the teacup, Li Feng thought for a moment before blankly saying, "So, based on my Mana, I shouldn't be able to open a Portal that far away? At most, I should only be able to use it within a city?"

That doesn't sound right. The first time I cast a Portal, I opened one directly to Argentina, thousands of miles away. Could it be that I have a special talent for Portal spells? No wonder opening Portals has felt easier and easier lately. I thought it was because I kept grinding my Portal proficiency.

Ancient One sat back down, raised an eyebrow, and said, "What else would it be? If Mages could easily use Portals to go wherever they wished, why would I build three Portals in the library leading to New York, Hong Kong, and London? Wasn't it so apprentice Mages like you could reach the three Sanctums as quickly as possible?"

Li Feng rubbed the bridge of his nose. From Ancient One's words, he felt that perhaps he could be a little proud.

After all, counting from the time he had transmigrated to the Marvel Universe, along with the time he had spent traveling to other worlds, how long had he really been here? Not even three years.

And if the first two years spent dealing with the fusion of his soul and body were excluded, how long had he actually been studying magic? Yet now, he wanted to shout, Who else can open a Portal anywhere on Earth? We're different.

"It seems I underestimated both your understanding of space and your talent for Space Spells." After praising Li Feng, Ancient One glanced at the tablecloth-wrapped bundle beside him and said, "And it seems you have encountered some opportunities lately. I can sense spellcasting materials inside your bundle. Are you here to become a merchant?"

With a grin, Li Feng opened the bundle and told her about meeting Carol. Pointing at the scattered weapons and clothes, he said, "If possible, I would like to forge a Magic Longsword and a piece of clothing. The remaining materials can serve as tuition for learning the techniques of forging Magical Artifacts. Would you agree, Master?"

Ancient One looked at the green clothes and narrowed her eyes. "Equipment from a Kree Elite squad. Perhaps I should not keep my attention focused only on otherworldly magical creatures that want to invade Earth. I should also pay attention to these highly aggressive alien races, at least those aliens who want to destroy Earth."

Li Feng had no opinion on that. Fury had most likely already obtained the Kree Cruiser. Once scientists deciphered part of its technology, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s technological reserves would surpass those of most countries on Earth. At that point, even if Ancient One turned her attention to those aliens, she would only be watching them rather than taking action.

Although S.H.I.E.L.D. would become extremely corrupt internally in the future, it would still unite against aliens. After all, Hydra's goal was to rule Earth. Who would they rule if aliens destroyed the planet? They might even end up as the aliens' slaves themselves, and that was not something Hydra wanted to see.

So, when it came to protecting Earth, the two sides worked rather well together. They had done a pretty good job protecting the planet.

Ancient One clapped her hands, summoning Master Hamir, who had lost his left hand, from outside the door. "Master Hamir, put these materials into the warehouse. While you are at it, bring Li Feng several books related to forging Magical Artifacts."

Then Ancient One said to Li Feng, "You can stay in the room you used before. Oh, right, I have some things I need to discuss with you. Considering that it is nighttime where you just came from, would you prefer to rest first, or talk now?"

Li Feng picked up the longsword and a green outfit so green it made him uneasy from the bundle. He smiled at Hamir, then turned to Ancient One and said, "Now. I'm not in the mood to sleep."

What Ancient One wanted to discuss was not much. Mainly, she wanted to see whether Li Feng had listened to her warning and avoided casually coming into contact with Dark Energy, and she also wanted to ask about Balthazar Blake's spell for altering the flow of time.

During the days Li Feng had been away, Ancient One had devoted herself to studying time and achieved quite a few results. At the very least, she could now alter the flow of time around living beings.

As Li Feng's Astral Body appeared within Merlin's Ring, Ancient One saw that Li Feng's growth potential had increased again. She also saw that during that energy impact, not only had his talent for space increased, but his talent for time had deepened as well.

After Li Feng finished displaying the results of his training, Ancient One thought for a while before explaining time in a way Li Feng could understand. It gave Li Feng the feeling that it was time for him to practice spells related to the passage of time.