I Really Am Not What You Think

Sif's face paled upon hearing this.

Frigga, however, said, "Asgard is not strictly monogamous, so it doesn't conflict with you already having a wife."

"This..." Apocalypse wore a troubled expression.

To say he wasn't tempted would be a lie.

Facing a peerless warrior goddess like Sif, any normal man would have some thoughts, let alone with her being offered up on a silver platter.

It was just that it wouldn't be easy to explain this back to Black Widow.

After all, not long ago, he had stormed S.H.I.E.L.D. and forbidden her from using her alluring abilities, only to turn around and bring another beauty home.

A person couldn't be that double-standarded.

At this moment, Thor spoke up, "Mother, I'm afraid this puts Brother Tang in a bit of a difficult spot. He loves his wife very much."

The three of them looked at Thor, including Apocalypse, inwardly puzzled. Did I ever talk to Thor about Black Widow? It didn't seem like it, let alone anything about love.

Thor tossed his flowing golden hair and said with a smug expression, "My girlfriend Jane has a student named Daisy. She's a gorgeous, fierce babe who is completely smitten with Tang, practically throwing herself at him."

"Jane even secretly discussed with me whether we should just play matchmaker for them to save herself the annoyance of watching. It's just that our coming and going on Earth was too rushed, so we didn't get around to it."

"Yet Tang didn't even give her a second look, and didn't even touch her hand."

"At first, I thought he liked handsome men..."

The Queen lightly slapped the back of his head and said, "Mind your tongue."

"Ahem, I originally thought Tang just wasn't into that type."

"Now, hearing him say he has a wife, I realize Tang is a man of honor. Even in the face of temptation, he steadfastly upholds the path of marital loyalty. Therefore, I'm certain he loves his wife very much."

Following this lengthy speech, Thor felt his deduction was flawless, and a punchable expression appeared on his face.

Apocalypse listened in dumbfounded amazement. In other people's eyes, am I really that noble?

Back then, he had been running around with no time to deal with Daisy. Right after beating the Destroyer, he hadn't even had a chance to sit down and rest for a bit before rushing to Asgard, not even having the time to test his own moral character.

The Queen sighed and said, "That being the case, it seems we are the ones who have been impolite."

Seeing Sif's pale face to the side, the Queen felt a pang of sympathy and asked again, "Is your wife from the Eastern God Clan or someone else?"

"No, she... she's pretty much an ordinary Earthling."

To Earthlings, Black Widow was a superhero, but to Asgard, she could indeed only be considered an ordinary person.

The Queen said, "If that's the case, Earthlings only live for a hundred years. Once you've accompanied her through this lifetime, a century from now, you and Sif can be together. That wouldn't violate your own principles."

Asgardians generally had lifespans of several thousand years, and the lifespans of the strong and the weak could sometimes differ by one or two thousand years.

Not to mention the pair Thor and Jane; barring exceptional circumstances, Jane would only be able to accompany Thor for a hundred years or so.

Let alone whether Thor would seek out a new lover afterward, at least according to Asgardian values, companionship had a time limit—unless both parties had comparable lifespans.

Sif tightly twisted the fabric of her dress with both hands and murmured, "Tang, I have at least three thousand years left to live. I am willing to wait a hundred years for you."

A divine warrior of such peerless beauty had thrown herself at him, and he still wanted to wait a hundred years? No man could resist that.

Apocalypse hardened his heart. Maybe I should just be a scumbag this once, to avoid a lifetime of regret.

"No need to wait..."

Before he could finish, Thor interrupted, "Tang is right, there's no need to wait. If he were eating what's in his bowl while gazing at what's in the pot, his affection for his current wife wouldn't be pure."

"And as for Sif, why waste a hundred years of youth just in case she meets someone she likes in the meantime? Love requires giving both parties freedom, hoping that the other finds happiness."

Thor flicked his hair. Ever since meeting Jane, he felt he had grasped the true meaning of love.

Queen Frigga sighed and said, "Prince Tang is truly admirable. As a woman, I truly envy your wife. If I were to say any more, it would show disrespect for your love."

Apocalypse's mind was in turmoil. Don't! I really am not what you guys think I am.

Frigga glanced at Sif and asked, "Sif, is there anything you want to say?"

Sif raised her head, her face resolute as she said, "Tang, being willing to wait is my business, and I won't disrupt your lives. A hundred years from now, no matter what decision you make, I will respect it."

With that, her eyes red, she hurriedly ran off.

The Queen stood up. "Sigh... The matters of you young people should be decided by you young people."

With those words, she also left.

This time, failing to matchmake Apocalypse and Sif meant the recruitment plan wasn't entirely perfect.

Still, seeing that her newly conferred Prince Tang possessed such a noble view of love, the Queen was quite satisfied.

Pushing too hard and forcing someone to violate their firm convictions would be counterproductive instead.

Watching the two leave, Apocalypse stood frozen in shock on the spot. My second half sentence was supposed to be "...a hundred years is too long, we can do it right now."

At least let me finish my sentence, you guys.

Sif, at least try to tempt me a little bit.

Daisy would at least say things like "it doesn't count if you aren't wearing a ring," couldn't you just say "it doesn't matter if she's in another realm"? I might have just given in then.

Now that this goofball Thor had portrayed him as so noble that even the Queen and Sif believed it,

even with a thick skin, Apocalypse couldn't flip out on the spot and transform from a romantic saint into a scumbag. He could only swallow his words back down.

Seeing Apocalypse's poor complexion, Thor gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder and said, "Come on, let's drink, no need to thank me! As your junior, it really wasn't convenient for you to directly refuse the Queen and embarrass her. Brotherly love made me say it all for you."

You motherfucker completely blocked off my path to becoming a scumbag, and you expect me to thank you?!

Apocalypse said through gritted teeth, "I thank your whole family."

Thor replied, "Just thank me and my father and mother; you don't need to thank that jerk Loki."

Apocalypse and Thor downed a round of drinks, feeling a bit emotional.

If Thor hadn't interrupted him, would he have actually accepted the Queen's recruitment?

Sigh, human nature truly couldn't stand up to testing.

Yet, thinking of Sif's martial and peerless allure, he couldn't help sighing again:

Dammit, animal nature stands up to testing even less.

After drinking for a while, Apocalypse remembered the energy fluctuations he had sensed earlier. Since they hadn't dissipated yet, he decided to just go outside and check them out, lest he get too drunk and end up beating Thor up on the spot.

He strolled casually as the surrounding people bowed to him one after another.

Arriving at the plaza, he saw a translucent cuboid standing on the ground, glowing faintly with yellow light.

In front of the cuboid stood a middle-aged Black woman with a plump figure, wearing a tight-fitting riot suit and holding a clipboard.

The people around her didn't seem to notice this translucent cuboid or the Black woman at all, unconsciously walking around her when they reached her spot.

Seeing Apocalypse approach, the Black woman said, "Mr. Tang, you're finally out."

At the sight of this setup, Apocalypse's heart skipped two beats.

It was people from the Time Variance Authority!

In one timeline, Loki had been put through the wringer by these people from the Time Variance Authority.

Although he had tried his best to maintain the original plotline, he had changed so much after all that it was impossible for them not to know.

"Are you here to arrest me?"

The woman quickly said, "I wouldn't dare, Mr. Tang, you misunderstand. Your nobility far exceeds my clearance level; I'm just here to deliver a message."

"What message?"