The Legend of the "Hammer" in New Mexico

The air conditioning on the long-distance bus had broken down. Hot wind reeking of diesel poured in, scattering Ted's snores. Lin Mo leaned against the scratched window and watched the desert race backward outside. The dunes looked like gold melted by the sun, rolling all the way to the horizon. The wristband on his wrist grew faintly warm, its screen occasionally flashing with a pale blue glow, as if responding to something.

"Two more hours to Pepper Town!" the driver shouted, jerking the steering wheel sharply and nearly throwing Ted out of his seat. The man jolted awake, drool hanging from the corner of his mouth as he blinked in confusion. "Are we in Las Vegas?"

Lin Mo smiled and handed him a bottle of water. "We're almost at Pepper Town. Your cousin's gas station is up ahead." He unscrewed his own bottle and took a large gulp. The icy mineral water flowed down his throat and into his stomach, but it could not suppress the heat building inside him—not because of the weather, but because the wristband's vibrations were growing stronger.

This was already their second day on the road. When they had left Queens, Martha had stuffed half a bag of cookies into Lin Mo's backpack, Aunt May had given him a thermos filled with still-warm braised eggs, and Peter had secretly slipped him a hand-drawn map with the "approximate location of the hammer" circled in red. When Carlos approved his leave, he had stared at Lin Mo's arm for a long time before tossing out a single warning: "Don't cause trouble, or I'll dock your pay when you get back."

"We're finally going to see the legendary hammer!" Ted rubbed his hands together and stared excitedly out the window. "Do you think that thing's really that incredible? Even tanks can't pull it? My cousin said some truck driver refused to believe it a while ago. He tied chains around it and tried to drag it out, but the chains snapped and even the truck bed got ripped off."

Lin Mo did not answer. He merely touched the wristband. Since entering New Mexico, it had not stopped vibrating. Messages flickered intermittently across the screen: [High-intensity Asgard energy field detected] [Energy source: approximately 10 kilometers away] [Recommendation: maintain a safe distance].

He knew what it was. The information Peter had compiled said that hammer was called Mjolnir, Thor's weapon. Only someone recognized by it could lift it. S.H.I.E.L.D. had cast a net around the area, Phil Coulson was personally overseeing the operation, and even Hawkeye had been transferred in—everything pointed to the fact that this hammer was far more than a mere "piece of metal that fell from the sky."

When the bus entered Pepper Town, the sun was directly overhead, baking the asphalt until heat shimmered above it. The town was even smaller than he had imagined, with only one main street lined by low houses. Most of the shops were closed. Only a small establishment with a sign reading "Hammer Bar" remained open, and several beer-drinking cowboys stood outside, pointing toward the distant desert.

"Is that the blockade?" Ted pointed toward the barbed-wire fence at the edge of town. Warning signs reading "No Entry" hung from it, while several soldiers in camouflage patrolled back and forth with rifles. White mobile laboratories could be seen farther away, with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s insignia printed on their sides.

Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat. The security was tighter than he had expected. The soldiers' equipment looked advanced. What hung at their waists were not ordinary handguns, but something resembling energy weapons—very similar to the S.H.I.E.L.D. components he had repaired before.

"Let's go to your cousin's gas station first." Lin Mo pulled Ted into town, deliberately avoiding the soldiers' gaze. Dynamic Vision let him clearly see the location of every surveillance camera, allowing him to easily avoid the hidden ones.

The gas station was on the other side of town. Its red canopy leaned crookedly, and the pumps were coated in thick dust, making it obvious that business had been slow. A bearded man was dozing against the register. Hearing them approach, he lifted his head, and his eyes lit up when he saw Ted. "Ted? What are you doing here?"

"Cousin!" Ted rushed over excitedly and gave the man a hug. "I brought you a New York specialty!" He pulled half a bag of moldy cookies from his backpack—Martha had insisted on stuffing them in there. "This is Lin Mo, my friend. He came with me to see the desert scenery."

The bearded man sized Lin Mo up with a hint of caution in his eyes. Only after Ted secretly whispered, "He's that guy who can do magic," did he smile. "I'm Dale. Make yourselves comfortable. Fill up on gas if you want. It's on me."

The gas station's break room was tiny, containing only a cot and an old television. The screen was replaying a news report about the hammer. A reporter stood outside the barbed-wire fence with a microphone, speaking excitedly to the camera. "...This mysterious hammer has drawn curious visitors from all over the world, yet no one has managed to move it even an inch. Witnesses claim that they saw a blond man attempt to lift it last night, only to be taken away by S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel..."

"That's the lunatic!" Dale suddenly said, spitting onto the ground. "He stands outside the blockade every day shouting, 'That's my hammer!' He's so loud he sounds like thunder. I can't even sleep." He pointed at the blond man who flashed across the television screen. "There he is. I heard S.H.I.E.L.D. arrested him, released him, then arrested him again. Like they were walking a dog."

Lin Mo's gaze settled on the blond man's face on the screen—a sharply defined jaw, blue eyes like glaciers, and even surrounded by soldiers, he stood with his chest raised like a proud lion. This was Thor? He looked much like his comic-book counterpart, only without that iconic red cape.

"I'm going to buy some water." Lin Mo stood up, pretending to head toward the convenience store when he actually wanted to get closer to the blockade. Dale did not suspect anything. He only warned him, "Don't get near those people in black. They're mean as hell."

The closer he got to the blockade, the more violently the wristband vibrated, as though a bee beneath his skin were frantically beating its wings. Lin Mo hid behind an abandoned barn and observed with Dynamic Vision. Beyond the barbed wire lay an open stretch of desert. In the center, a hammer was embedded in a rock. Its head was engraved with intricate patterns and glimmered with dark golden light beneath the sun. Even from several hundred meters away, he could feel the tremendous energy emanating from it.

More than a dozen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents surrounded the hammer. Some scanned it with instruments, while others installed additional surveillance equipment. Phil Coulson stood at the front in a black trench coat, holding a tablet with a deeply furrowed brow as he studied something on the screen.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out among the crowd. The blond man—Thor—had somehow appeared outside the blockade again. He was arguing with a bespectacled agent, his voice loud enough for Lin Mo to hear from behind the barn. "That is my hammer! You mortals have no right to guard it!"

"Sir, please leave the area, or we will take compulsory measures." The bespectacled agent spoke expressionlessly. His radio crackled, and more soldiers immediately surrounded Thor.

"Compulsory measures?" Thor sneered. Suddenly exerting force, he shoved aside the soldier in front of him and charged toward the barbed-wire fence. He moved with astonishing speed. The soldiers had no time to react and could only watch as he slammed into the fence—with a deafening crash, the sturdy wire mesh was smashed open with a huge hole!

"My god..." Lin Mo covered his mouth, nearly crying out. Was this the strength of an Asgardian? It surpassed his physical enhancement by more than a single level.

Thor stormed into the restricted zone and rushed straight toward the hammer embedded in the rock. Phil Coulson's expression changed. He shouted something into his radio, and the helicopters in the distance immediately started up, the roar of their rotors shaking the ground.

Just as Thor's hand was about to grip the hammer's handle, something strange happened—he seemed to be blasted away by an invisible force, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud. He could not get back up for a long while. The hammer remained embedded in the rock, perfectly motionless, as if mocking his overconfidence.

"What's going on?" Lin Mo frowned. Wasn't it supposed to be that only someone recognized by it could lift it? Why had Thor been thrown away too?

The wristband suddenly emitted a powerful tremor, and the words on the screen twisted: [Odinforce suppression detected... Energy conflict... Recommendation: leave immediately!]

Odinforce? Lin Mo's heart pounded wildly. Was this Odin's punishment for Thor? Was that why he could not lift his own hammer yet?

Thor struggled to his feet and stared unwillingly at the hammer, his eyes filled with anger and confusion. The soldiers seized the chance to rush forward, locking special handcuffs around his wrists and escorting him toward the mobile laboratory. As he passed Phil Coulson, he shot him a fierce glare. "You will regret this!"

Lin Mo was so absorbed in watching that he did not notice Ted until his voice sounded behind him. "Mo! What are you doing here? My cousin said he's treating us to barbecue!"

Startled, he quickly turned around. "Nothing. Just looking at the scenery."

"What's so interesting about scenery?" Ted pointed at the distant hammer, his eyes gleaming. "That's the legendary hammer? It doesn't look like anything special. It's about the same as the wrench in my toolbox."

Lin Mo followed his gaze. The hammer still radiated dark golden light beneath the sun, but in his eyes, it was no longer an ordinary piece of metal. It was a divine artifact containing immense power, a bridge linking Earth and Asgard.

"Let's go back and eat barbecue." Lin Mo pulled Ted toward the gas station, though his thoughts were in chaos. Thor's appearance, the hammer's energy, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s tight security, and the wristband's abnormal reaction... everything showed that peaceful days were about to end.

When they returned to the gas station, Dale had already set up the grill. Marbled beef sizzled over the charcoal, fat dripping and filling the air with a rich aroma. "Try our local specialty," he said, handing Lin Mo a skewer. "Way better than those garbage hot dogs in New York."

Lin Mo took a bite. Meat juices burst in his mouth, carrying a faint smoky flavor. It really was better than the frozen barbecue meat sold in supermarkets. Ted had already wolfed down two skewers, mumbling through a mouthful of food, "Cousin, if your barbecue's this good, why don't you hire more people?"

"Hire people?" Dale gave a bitter laugh. "Ever since that hammer fell, more than half the town's people have left. The ones who stayed either got hired by S.H.I.E.L.D. or spend every day circling around the hammer. Who's coming here for gas?" He pointed toward the distant blockade. "Those people in black look polite enough, but they're incredibly overbearing. Last time, I tried to bring them some water, and they drove me right back."

Lin Mo's heart sank. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s control was tighter than he had imagined. Getting close to the hammer would be harder than climbing to the heavens.

That night, they slept in the gas station's break room. Ted fell asleep the moment he touched the bed, his snores shaking the cot. Lin Mo, however, tossed and turned without sleep. The wristband's vibration had weakened, but that faint sense of resonance remained, like a thread with one end tied to his wrist and the other tied to the distant hammer.

He quietly got up and went outside. Desert nights were cold. Wind swept across the dunes with a mournful howl, like someone crying. Searchlights glowed along the distant blockade, their beams sweeping back and forth through the night sky like vigilant eyes.

Lin Mo activated his Phasing ability, and his body instantly became semi-transparent. He decided to take the risk and go have a look, even if only to feel that energy up close. Physical Enhancement made his steps light, almost soundless upon the sand, while Dynamic Vision helped him avoid every surveillance camera and patrolling soldier.

The closer he got to the hammer, the stronger the wristband's resonance became. He could even feel energy flowing through his body, like warm water washing over every limb and bone. He hid behind a massive boulder and stared at the hammer embedded in the rock. Beneath the moonlight, its patterns seemed to come alive, flowing with faint golden radiance.

Suddenly, the hammer trembled slightly and released a deep hum. Lin Mo's wristband vibrated in response, and a new message appeared on its screen: [Energy resonance intensity: 70%... Unknown energy source detected within host... Synchronizing...]

An unknown energy source? Lin Mo froze. Was it referring to his identity as a transmigrator? Or the wristband's own power?

Just then, a deep voice sounded behind him. "Who are you?"

Lin Mo nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around and saw Thor standing there, his blue eyes shining brilliantly in the darkness. He had no idea how this Asgardian prince had broken free from the handcuffs, nor when Thor had discovered him.

"I... I'm a tourist." Lin Mo forced himself to remain calm, though his palms were soaked with sweat. Physical Enhancement and Phasing were both ready to activate at any moment—he had no desire to fight the God of Thunder.

Thor stared at his wrist, frowning. "You carry its aura." He pointed toward the distant hammer. "You can feel it, can't you?"

Lin Mo's heart raced. How did Thor know? Could Asgardians sense this kind of resonance?

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lin Mo took a step back, prepared to flee.

But Thor smiled. There was no hostility in that smile, only a knowing sense of release. "It doesn't matter. When you can lift it, you will understand naturally." He turned to look at the hammer, his eyes filled with complicated emotions. "My father said that only the one most worthy of it could possess its power. Perhaps... he was not talking about me."

Watching his back, Lin Mo suddenly felt that this lofty prince was actually just like him—searching for something.

"Leave quickly." Thor glanced back at him. "Those people in black will be here soon."

Lin Mo nodded, turned around, activated Phasing, and vanished soundlessly into the night. By the time he returned to the gas station, the eastern sky had already begun to brighten. Ted was still sleeping soundly, drool soaking half his pillow.

Lin Mo lay on the bed and looked at the message on his wristband: [Energy resonance interrupted... Synchronization rate: 30%... Host, please continue approaching the energy source to complete synchronization]. He knew that his connection with this hammer had only just begun.

Early the next morning, they boarded the bus home. Ted was still complaining that he had not seen the hammer up close, but Lin Mo had no interest in listening to him ramble. He only watched the desert gradually recede beyond the window, a feeling rising in his heart: before long, he would return here.

The wristband lightly vibrated on his wrist, as if answering his thoughts. Lin Mo clenched his fist and felt the remaining energy within his body. Suddenly, the New Mexico desert made him feel his own existence more strongly than the alleys of Queens ever had.

Perhaps this was the meaning of his arrival in this world—not merely to protect the ordinary lives of Queens, but to encounter these extraordinary beings and uncover the connection between himself and this world.

As the bus drove away from Pepper Town, Lin Mo took one final look at the distant blockade. That mysterious hammer remained embedded in the rock like a silent vow, waiting for the day it would be awakened.