Even Superheroes Need to Chop Wood Sometimes

The Quinjet glided silently through the clouds like a wounded giant bird, struggling to find its way home.

The atmosphere inside the cabin was so oppressive it felt like water could be wrung from the air.

Bruce Banner was wrapped in a gray blanket, curled up in the darkest corner of the cabin. Even though he had changed back into human form, his body was still trembling uncontrollably.

A few meters away, Natasha Romanoff held a damp towel, watching Banner with a complicated look in her eyes. Several times, she wanted to get up and walk over, but whenever she saw the evasive, terrified, guilt-ridden look in Banner's eyes, she had no choice but to sit back down.

It was profound guilt over the beast within him losing control. He was afraid of hurting the people closest to him again. That invisible barrier was harder to break than his green skin.

"The news is still playing."

Gwen Stacy sat beside Jiang Li, looking down at the tablet in her hands. Her voice was dry. "They're calling us monsters. They say the Avengers are... an uncontrollable nuclear bomb hanging over everyone's heads."

On the screen, the ruins of Johannesburg were still smoking, while furious civilians held signs that read, "Get Off Earth."

"Turn it off." Steve Rogers lowered his head, staring at the shield in his hands with its broken straps.

"But this is what we did." Tony Stark sat in the copilot's seat, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "We went there to help, and instead turned it into ruins worse than a battlefield."

No one argued.

Because it was the truth.

Jiang Li sighed and glanced at Natasha and Banner, locked in their stalemate. He stood, took a bottle of ice water from the cooler beside him, and walked straight to the corner, his body conveniently blocking their awkward line of sight.

"Have some water, Doctor." Jiang Li handed it over. "Don't act like we've already lost."

Banner looked up, his eyes flickering. "I hurt so many people... Hulk... he lost control."

"That was Wanda's magic, not your intention." Jiang Li patted Banner's shoulder, his tone calm but firm. "Besides, as long as Ultron hasn't blown up the Earth, we still have a chance to turn this around. Guilt won't save anyone, but action can."

After comforting Banner, Jiang Li walked over to the cockpit and patted Clint's chair.

"Hey, man, how much longer are we flying? My stomach's already protesting. I hope wherever we're going has hot food."

Hawkeye turned around and looked at his dejected teammates. A rare, gentle smile appeared on the face of the agent who always looked so tense.

"Don't worry. There'll be plenty to eat. And... it's the one place Ultron can't find."

Two hours later.

The Quinjet slowly landed beside a field of golden wheat.

The setting sun cast its glow over a white two-story farmhouse. Wind chimes hanging from the porch tinkled in the breeze. Everything here seemed so peaceful and serene, completely out of place beside the smoke-stained Avengers.

"Where is this?"

Thor stepped off the plane with Thor's Hammer in hand, warily surveying the surroundings. "A secret S.H.I.E.L.D. safe house? Its defenses look a little lacking."

"This is my home."

Hawkeye slung a canvas bag over his shoulder and strode toward the farmhouse.

The next second, the farmhouse door opened. A woman with a visibly pregnant belly stepped outside, her face filled with a warm smile. Behind her, two children came running out with joyful cheers.

"Dad!!"

Hawkeye opened his arms and scooped up his charging children, his face showing a tenderness the Avengers had never seen before.

Watching this heartwarming scene, everyone but Natasha and Jiang Li collectively had their jaws hit the floor.

"This has to be an agent's cover..." Tony removed his sunglasses and muttered, "If it's real, then Agent Barton hid this better than I ever could. Does Fury know?"

"Fury helped me arrange it." Hawkeye introduced them while holding his children. "This is Laura. And these are... my little agents."

The oppressive, heavy atmosphere miraculously dissolved on this farm filled with the warmth of ordinary life.

"Wow."

Gwen stood beside Jiang Li, watching the two children circling Hawkeye. The lenses of her mask narrowed into crescent shapes. "This is really cool. I thought superheroes' lives were all... you know, either fighting or getting ready to fight."

"This is what we fight for, isn't it?" Jiang Li said with a smile, leaning against the doorframe.

But not everyone could fit into this peace.

"Jiang."

Thor walked over. He had not gone inside, and his expression was grim.

"I'm leaving."

"Where to? Back to Asgard?"

"No. That witch... she planted visions in my mind." Thor clenched his fists. "I saw the Infinity Stones. I saw destruction. I need to confirm some things. I'm going to find Doctor Eric Selvig. Maybe he can help me understand those visions."

Jiang Li looked at Thor. He knew this was a crucial clue leading toward Thor 3 and the Infinity War.

"Go, big guy." Jiang Li did not stop him. "But remember, if you get lost, just repeat my name in your heart. I'll use Feedback to suck you back."

Thor shuddered, then swung Thor's Hammer with a bitter smile and shot into the sky as a streak of light.

Night fell, and the farm air filled with the scent of soil and firewood.

The Avengers began dividing up the work. Steve chopped wood, every swing of his axe carrying the force of pent-up frustration.

Meanwhile, beside the barn not far away, Tony was scratching his head in front of an old tractor.

Tony's face was smeared with grease, and parts were scattered all around him. He held a rusty piston with a look of disgust. "This isn't science. This is garbage from the Industrial Revolution."

"I tried to install a miniature electromagnetic recharge system in this antique to replace its inefficient combustion chamber. But this hunk of junk has such low tolerance that it's practically falling apart before it even starts."

"Why can't you be normal and just replace the spark plug?" Steve complained while chopping wood nearby.

"I'm a futurist, Captain. I don't repair antiques," Tony said stubbornly. "That's like asking you to start a fire with rocks."

"Need a hand, genius?"

Jiang Li walked over leisurely, holding a slice of apple pie.

"Don't tell me you're planning to lift it with Four Arms." Tony wiped his hands.

"Who said I was going to use brute force?"

Jiang Li smiled, stuffed the apple pie into his mouth, and pressed the Omnitrix with his left hand.

"For antiques like this, you need a little 'magic.'"

"It's Hero Time!"

A flash of black-green light passed, and Jiang Li instantly transformed into a mass of flowing liquid metal.

"Galvanic Mechamorph—Upgrade!"

Upgrade lunged at the rusty tractor. Black fluid instantly engulfed the entire front end, and glowing green circuit patterns lit up.

"Bzzzt—!"

Under Tony's stunned gaze, the old tractor seemed to come alive. Its rusty gears automatically shed their rust and meshed together, its clogged fuel lines cleared in an instant, and even its worn-out exterior became bright and new, gaining several green sci-fi-looking thrusters.

"Rumble—!!"

The tractor let out a roar, its engine sounding as powerful as an F1 race car.

"Done."

Jiang Li changed back into human form. "I upgraded it while I was at it. It can plow about five times faster now, and it comes with automatic navigation."

Tony stared at the modified tractor in silence for a long while before finally forcing out a sentence.

"...You cheated."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the porch.

Gwen sat on a swing, watching Natasha inside finally gather the courage to sit beside Banner and quietly say something to him.

"What are you thinking about?" Jiang Li walked over and sat on the railing beside her.

"I was thinking... I wish my father could see this." Gwen turned to look at Jiang Li. "Jiang, thank you. Even though we've been fighting and running these past few days... I feel like this has been the most real time of my life."

"Because there are companions here." Jiang Li reached out and tucked a strand of windblown blonde hair behind her ear. "And as long as I'm here, you'll never be alone."

Gwen blushed.

Suddenly, Jiang Li's ears twitched. The Omnitrix had not sounded an alarm, but his battle-hardened instincts told him something was wrong.

"Shh."

He stood and clapped his hands, breaking the intimate atmosphere.

"Everyone! Stop what you're doing."

Jiang Li looked toward a dark corner of the farm porch, where an empty rocking chair sat.

"We have a guest."

Everyone instantly went on guard. Steve grabbed his axe, while Tony put on his armored gloves.

"Relax, children."

A deep, raspy voice suddenly came from the shadows around the rocking chair.

Everyone spun around.

Nick Fury was sitting there, holding a sandwich Laura had just brought out and eating it with obvious enjoyment. He seemed like a part of the shadows themselves. No one knew how he had slipped past all their senses.

"Looks like you're doing well."

Fury swallowed the last bite of his sandwich, brushed breadcrumbs from his hands, and his one eye gleamed shrewdly in the night.

"Though your awareness of security could use some work."

Tony snorted. "Fury, if you're here to sell us 'Insight Plan 3.0,' the door's to your right."

"I'm here to pull you out of the mud."

Fury stood and stepped into the light, his expression turning grave.

"Ultron is evolving. It's cut off network tracking. It's building itself a body. A stronger, more perfect body."

"Vibranium," Steve said grimly.

"That's right. And it needs something that can give life."

Fury looked at Jiang Li.

"Consultant, you should know what I mean."

Jiang Li crossed his arms, the Omnitrix giving off a faint green glow in the darkness.

"The Regeneration Cradle." Jiang Li slowly spoke the words. "Seoul, South Korea. Doctor Helen Cho."

He straightened up, his gaze sharpening like a blade.

"Pack your bags, everyone. Vacation's over. We're going to South Korea to steal a... not-yet-born 'baby.'"