Lin Xiu's fingertips lightly brushed across the faint spatial ripples in the air. The tactile sensors of his Nano Armor sent back a subtle sting—the residual magical energy was scorching the metal lattice.
The Oracle System's red alert flashed across his retinal display. Within the data stream, a string of garbled code synchronized with the spatial fluctuations twisted into a snake-like shape at the edge of his vision as he moved.
"Thor." He turned to look at the God of Thunder, his Adam's apple shifting beneath his mask. "Could you temporarily seal off the magical fluctuations in this area?
"The traces Loki left behind... aren't right."
Thor's brow furrowed into a blade-like arc. Mjolnir spun once in his palm, lightning dancing across its surface in a dark blue web.
As the hammer's power enveloped the ruins, a sharp sound like paper tearing suddenly rang in Lin Xiu's ears—the edge of the spatial ripple split open, revealing strands of silver light wrapped within.
"It's surveillance data." His pupils contracted.
The Oracle System instantly retrieved records from every electronic device within a three-kilometer radius. A holographic projection unfolded between them: in the footage, the back of Loki's raised left hand gleamed faintly in the shadows, its light synchronized with the armor's energy frequency.
"He was recording my Nanocore fluctuations." Lin Xiu lowered his voice, his knuckles unconsciously tapping the core in his chest. The burning trace of Loki's appraising gaze still lingered there. "Mind Stone fragments need a specific frequency to activate, and he..."
"Is looking for the key." Thor took over, thunderclouds gathering behind him. "Asgard's ancient texts say that the God of Mischief's patience is thicker than a Frost Giant's ice.
"He won't try only once."
Wind swept scraps of paper past Lin Xiu's shoulder armor. Looking at the fading