Black Widow, Explain What a Husband Is

Apocalypse deliberately teased, "Why do you care so much about him? And you even hid the fact that you have a husband from him. What exactly is your relationship?"

Black Widow's hurried breathing came through the phone. "Tang, Tang, show mercy. He's my good friend."

"Good friend? Don't tell me he's another one of your husbands."

"N-No... he... he's just my colleague. We had a fake marriage before, but... that was for a mission. Nothing happened between us."

Apocalypse said, "Our marriage started out fake too, but everything that should have happened did happen."

"Th-This... we... we..."

In her panic, Black Widow had no idea how to answer.

The lying techniques she usually trained in were all meant for assassinating targets. No one had ever taught her how to handle such melodramatic romantic entanglements.

And when she had married Apocalypse, they had indeed done everything they were supposed to do.

But with Hawkeye, they had supposedly entered a fake marriage and nothing had happened? Who would believe that? Put in his shoes, Black Widow would not have believed herself either.

Her bargain-bin "husband" had once stormed into S.H.I.E.L.D. and forbidden her from using her "seduction" skills. He was incredibly petty.

If she could not explain this clearly, Hawkeye might truly be in mortal danger. Apocalypse might even tear down S.H.I.E.L.D. afterward.

But the more anxious she became, the more her brain froze.

"Tang, listen to me... Hawkeye has a wife and children..."

"Oh... are you telling me to eliminate the roots? I'll only kill him. I won't kill women and children."

"No, no... that's not what I mean... Don't do anything yet... let me think..."

Hawkeye was somewhat dumbfounded. Was this really the Black Widow he knew?

Setting aside whether this "husband" in front of him was real or not, Natasha, the more you explained, the more suspicious it sounded.

There had been no danger to his life in the first place, but her "explanation" had explained him straight into danger.

Hawkeye had never seen Black Widow this flustered.

When they were carrying out missions, even at the brink of life and death, she was often calmer than he was. They had escaped death many times because of her composure.

He had a wife and children, so when his life was on the line, he naturally had concerns and could not stay perfectly calm. But she never wavered.

Yet now, while talking to this man, she was completely at a loss, terrified that he might misunderstand. Could he really be her husband?

Why had she never mentioned him before?

Seeing the mischievous smile on Apocalypse's face, Hawkeye immediately realized that he was deliberately teasing Black Widow.

"Ahh..." Hawkeye suddenly let out a "miserable scream" and shouted into the phone, "Natasha, if you don't explain this clearly, you'll have to take care of my wife and children."

"Tang... don't do anything. Hawkeye... Hawkeye's children call me their godmother. You're their godfather, so don't hurt their father."

After panicking for so long, Black Widow finally managed to squeeze out that excuse.

"Ahh... ahh... ahh..." Hawkeye's "miserable screams" continued without end.

The more Black Widow listened, the more something felt off. The screams were far too fake. Finally, she caught on. "You two planned this together to mess with me? Just you wait. Barton, I'll complain about you to your children."

"Hahahahahaha..." Apocalypse and Hawkeye burst into laughter together.

Black Widow was so furious that she gritted her teeth on the other end of the call. Still, the weight in her heart was finally lifted. At least she no longer had to worry that Hawkeye was in danger.

When she wanted to ask how the two of them had met, she discovered that the call had already ended.

Black Widow stood there blankly with the phone in her hand, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Her closest friend becoming friends with her husband should have been something worth celebrating.

But when she thought about how she had been the victim of their prank, she could not bring herself to feel happy.

Apocalypse felt thoroughly pleased with himself. Hmph... you scumbag woman, you have a husband and still didn't announce it all over social media. If I don't teach you a lesson, you won't know who's in charge!

Apocalypse extended his hand. "Tang Tianqi, Natasha's husband."

Hawkeye shook his hand. "Clint Barton, codename Hawkeye, Natasha's friend."

Compared to Apocalypse's knowledge of them, Hawkeye had countless questions in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, a roar suddenly came from the tent.

"No... Father, why? Why..."

Thor roared at the sky, his voice filled with despair.

Having never experienced setbacks, he had thought that once he reclaimed his hammer, he could become Thor again.

Who would have thought that after passing through layer upon layer of obstacles, when he finally gripped the hammer, there would be no response at all?

The blow hit Thor hard. It meant he was still unworthy of wielding the hammer.

At that moment, rain began pouring from the sky.

Thor knelt in the mud, completely motionless, allowing rainwater and dirt to splash across his body.

In the original story, Coulson had ordered his men to drag Thor back into the interrogation room. But after Apocalypse's warning, he politely invited Thor indoors and handed him a towel and hot coffee.

"Hey, buddy, where are you from?" Coulson asked.

Thor looked despondent and did not answer.

"Are you the owner of this hammer?"

Thor shook his head and murmured. It seemed like an answer, yet also like he was talking to himself. "I'm not worthy to be its owner yet. But I don't know what I did wrong. Why?"

After questioning him for a while longer, Coulson saw that Thor merely kept his head lowered in silence and had no choice but to leave.

Because Apocalypse was waiting outside.

Hawkeye followed him in. There was no time to ask about Black Widow for now; they had to deal with the matter at hand first.

The surveillance room.

Apocalypse, Coulson, and Hawkeye watched the surveillance monitor.

Coulson said, "Mr. Tang, is he the hammer's owner you mentioned?"

"Yes."

"Who is he?"

"Whatever kind of hammer it is, that's what kind of person he is."

"Uh..." Coulson was speechless.

That riddle was enough to drive anyone crazy, yet he did not dare press further.

This Eastern man before them put more pressure on them than even the director did.

If he refused to speak, who would dare force the question?

Since Coulson had not discovered that the hammer was Thor's Hammer, Apocalypse did not want to reveal Thor's identity yet, lest it create unnecessary complications.

Coulson and Hawkeye, however, were thoroughly frustrated.

Then Coulson remembered something. "Barton, why did you come in with Mr. Tang?"

Hawkeye said, "I fought him earlier..."

"Hiss..." Coulson sucked in a sharp breath. "You're actually still alive? Are you that strong?"

Hawkeye was speechless. Why did he sound exactly like Black Widow? The first thing out of his mouth was asking why Hawkeye had not died. That tone did not sound concerned at all.

But remembering Apocalypse's feat of catching an arrow with his hand, he could only say awkwardly, "Mr. Tang knew me, so he showed mercy."

"Oh..." Coulson came to what he assumed was an obvious realization. "Natasha told him about you, right?"

Then he added, "Since you've met Mr. Tang, submit a request to the director later and review Mr. Tang's file."

"Shh..."

Apocalypse suddenly pressed his index finger to his lips, signaling for silence.

On the surveillance monitor, Thor stood up and began speaking continuously to empty air.

Coulson and Hawkeye exchanged glances. Had this so-called hammer owner developed schizophrenia and started hallucinating?

But Apocalypse knew that Loki, the God of Mischief, should have appeared at this moment.

Loki was proficient in illusions; invisibility was merely one of his minor tricks.

But the cold, sinister energy signature he carried was extremely distinct.

Though it was faint and barely there, Apocalypse possessed three times the Hulk's strength, and his five senses had been greatly enhanced. He could barely detect it.

The moment Loki appeared, he delivered shocking news to Thor. "Father is dead."

"How is that possible? He was perfectly fine when I left."

"Father's natural lifespan had actually been nearing its end for a long time. To save us from Jotunheim this time, he used too much divine power. After returning to Asgard, he fell unconscious and never woke up. He passed peacefully."

Thor's eyes reddened. "I'm going back to attend Father's funeral."

Loki shook his head. "Exiling you was one of the conditions for the truce with Jotunheim. Mother has forbidden you from returning. I have succeeded to the throne as king, and I cannot risk a war between the two realms by bringing you back. I only came to inform you."

Hearing this, Thor convulsed with sobs. His massive body curled up, helpless like a child.

Not only was he unworthy of being Thor, but his father had died because of his recklessness, and he had nearly triggered a war between two realms.

Thor deeply regretted his immaturity and impulsiveness.

He could not even attend his father's final funeral. All of it filled him with unbearable grief.

But Thor never imagined that all of it was a lie!

He could not imagine it, nor did he dare to imagine it. His own brother Loki had used such things to deceive him!

For one thing, Odin, the Allfather, was not dead at all. He had merely fallen unconscious and was recuperating in a medical pod.

For another, the queen had never forbidden Thor from returning. It was all a lie Loki had fabricated for a massive conspiracy.

Although he could not hear Loki's voice, Apocalypse knew the plot well. Combined with Thor's words, he roughly understood what Loki had said.

Before long, Apocalypse sensed that cold energy leave Thor's room and head outside.

When Loki arrived where the hammer was, he tried to lift Thor's Hammer, only to find that he could not move it at all.

Somehow, Loki seemed to sense a mocking mental ripple. His eyes immediately turned sinister as he looked in Apocalypse's direction.

Apocalypse quickly closed his eyes. Seeing Loki try to lift Thor's Hammer, he had instinctively laughed at him in his heart. With Loki's character, it would be a miracle if he could lift it.

He had not expected Loki to detect even such a faint mental fluctuation.

The eyes were the windows to the soul.

The moment Apocalypse closed his eyes, Loki's perception immediately found nothing.

Apocalypse was not afraid of Loki. Loki's strengths lay in schemes and illusions; his direct combat power was not actually that high.

In the original story's Battle of New York, Hulk gave him a brutal beating.

Later, on Sakaar, when Loki saw Hulk in the arena, he was so frightened that he wanted to turn around and run.

It was easy to imagine just how great a psychological shadow Hulk had left on him.

Apocalypse possessed three times Hulk's strength and a calm mind. Even if Loki had illusions, he had nothing to fear.

It simply was not the right time yet.

Of course, if Loki came over on his own initiative, that would be another matter.

Fortunately, Loki was in a hurry to return and did not want to stir up extra trouble. He did not come over to investigate, allowing Apocalypse to avoid this disaster.

Apocalypse's strange behavior frightened Coulson badly.

Seeing Apocalypse act so cautiously and demand silence, Coulson thought he must have encountered an opponent.

If even a monster like Apocalypse had to be so careful around someone, then if a fight broke out, not a single ordinary person present would likely escape unharmed.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were not afraid of death, but that did not mean they wanted to become the small fish caught in the wake of a battle between superhumans.

Coulson unconsciously drew his pistol and watched the surroundings vigilantly.

After a while, Apocalypse said, "He's gone. Put the gun away."

Coulson asked, "Who was that?"

Apocalypse gave Coulson a strange look. In the future, Coulson would die at Loki's hands.

"The person who just came will be the one who kills you in the future."