A Mixed Crowd

After living it up at a luxury hotel, Chen Xu still couldn't resist going to a bar. Whether before or after crossing over, bars in both worlds were a mixed bag. Men naturally went there to pick up girls and hunt for beauty, while women went there to catch rich husbands. It was a glittering, decadent world, and everyone was lost in it.

Chen Xu walked up to a small bar. Hearing the music drifting out from inside, along with the intoxicated sounds of men and women, he stepped in and found not a crowd of all sorts of people, but only a scattered few.

After asking around, he learned that the place had been booked out. Bars were supposed to be mixed, with all kinds of people coming and going, so someone renting out the entire place was indeed rare. Chen Xu turned to look at the people who had booked it.

There were two of them, both dressed in black leather jackets and styled like secret agents. It was obvious they were hiding more than they showed, though what exactly they did was unknown.

They walked toward someone sitting at the bar. Chen Xu looked at the man and found him somewhat familiar, yet he couldn't remember who he was.

Chen Xu had no chance to drink, so he turned and left. Just as he reached the door and was about to go, he heard the two men in black speak.

"Wade Wilson, perhaps I can cure your cancer. If you're willing to accept our experiment and cooperate with us, your illness may be cured."

Hearing the words of the two men in black, Chen Xu immediately stopped in his tracks and froze.

"What? Isn't that the mutant Deadpool? The foulest-mouthed superhero in all of Marvel, neither wholly good nor wholly evil. His healing ability surpasses even Wolverine's by far. Wolverine can only heal; if his head is cut off, he'll still die. But Deadpool is different. Even if you chop him into eight pieces, he can still regenerate—immortal and indestructible. But he also lost the person he loved most, and became completely despondent."

Chen Xu had a very deep impression of him.

Yet Wade Wilson was utterly disdainful, believing they were trying to deceive him.

Chen Xu knew what would happen to Wade next, but he didn't stop it or try to change his fate. Chen Xu had never been a good person, nor was he some saint. Other people's affairs were none of his concern, and he had no reason to take the initiative to help them.

After that, Chen Xu left without lingering. There was nothing here worth staying for.

Chen Xu didn't return through a portal. Instead, he walked around aimlessly, taking in the buildings and the different kinds of people passing by. As he passed a hospital—yes, the very hospital where he had stayed last time—someone suddenly rushed past him at incredible speed. He froze as a black blur streaked by, nearly crashing into him.

"Damn, is everyone's pace of life this fast now? No manners at all. He nearly ran right into me. Good thing I dodged in time. But are people's physical abilities really this terrifying now? Or are Americans just that strong? Could that guy be a mutant? Quicksilver, perhaps? But that speed wasn't even supersonic! If he ran a marathon, he'd definitely take first place."

After grumbling a few times, Chen Xu went back.

"Captain, sorry for putting on that performance for you just now, but we had no choice. We wanted you to slowly accept this world. This world is no longer the way you imagined it. You've been asleep for seventy years."

"What? I've been asleep for seventy years?"

If Chen Xu had been willing to wait a little longer and stop to look, he would have discovered who he was. That's right, he was Captain America, Stephen.

He crouched on the ground, clutching his head.

He looked around in confusion at the bustling buildings of all kinds. The smoke of war from the past was gone, replaced by peaceful tranquility.

Yet Stephen wasn't happy in the slightest. Instead, his face was filled with pain and sorrow.

Stephen knew they hadn't lied to him. Everything before his eyes was no longer the same as the world he once knew.

A bald, one-eyed man appeared, his questioning gaze falling on Stephen.

"Are you all right?"

"It's nothing. I just still owe someone a dance."

After Chen Xu returned to the New York Sanctum, his days once again consisted of reading and patrolling the dimensions. Ever since his battle with Dormammu in the Dark Dimension, Dormammu had not invaded Earth again. This was undoubtedly tremendous news for Earth. At last, they had dealt with one problem and eliminated a powerful being that wished to invade Earth. Ancient One was more excited than anyone else. She no longer had to remain locked in a stalemate with him at the New York Sanctum and could finally relax. It felt as though the burden on her shoulders had been cut in half, leaving her with an unprecedented sense of ease and freedom. Chen Xu, however, felt nothing much. His daily duties had simply decreased significantly. He slept in every day, patrolled the other dimensions, and even had fewer occasions to reinforce the Sanctum's magic.

For the first time, Chen Xu felt bored. The system showed no activity either, and he had no idea when Thor would come to Earth again. In truth, Chen Xu was waiting for the plot of The Avengers to begin.

Asgard

"Father, do you think Loki is really dead?"

A slightly plump old man with only one eye walked along the Bifrost, supported respectfully by Thor. Naturally, this man was Odin, awakened from his Odinsleep. Otherwise, who else could possibly receive such reverence from Thor, the God of Thunder, and have Thor personally support him?

"Well? How has it felt being king these past few days? Was it not as good as you imagined?"

Thor said nothing.

"Perhaps I'm not suited to be king. I'm better suited to be a warrior."

Thor looked toward a certain direction within the immaculate starry sky.

Odin naturally took in Thor's changes at a glance.

"What, are you thinking about that girl on Earth?"

Thor did not deny it, though a trace of embarrassment appeared on his face.

"That mage you mentioned before, Chen Xu, is on Earth too, isn't he?"

"Yes, Chen Xu from Kamar-Taj."

"This Chen Xu is no ordinary man. You must befriend him. He will certainly be of great help to you in the future, perhaps even to all of Asgard."

Thor was somewhat surprised to hear this. His father had given Chen Xu such a high evaluation.

"What? Did I hear that right, Father? Is he really that formidable? I thought he was merely an ordinary Temple Mage."

"An ordinary Temple Mage?"

"Thor, it seems you still have a long way to go before becoming a qualified king. You must possess exceptional vision and understand that there is always someone stronger out there."

"Do you know Dormammu?"

"Yes, the demon god who seeks to invade the multiverse."

"Yes. A few days ago, I received word that he had taken the soul of Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme."

"What? How is that possible?"

Thor naturally knew Ancient One, Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. She was a top-tier cosmic powerhouse who stood shoulder to shoulder with his father Odin.