Seeking Aid

Chen Tian woke up in his room. He didn't know what had gotten into Wanda last night, but she had been up all night, using all sorts of tricks—like the Eighteen Styles of Awei and the 108 Hands of Edo.

Even 2B, who was with them, was greatly shocked and marveled at the wonder of life.

He suddenly opened his eyes, sat up in bed, and found Natasha sitting on the single sofa in the room. She was sitting with her legs crossed, playing with a butterfly knife in her hand, and looking at him with a playful expression.

Natasha's lips curled into a mischievous smile. Chen Tian noticed Natasha, lay back down on the bed, and placed his hand on his forehead.

"Nat, it's you. I thought it was someone else." Chen Tian's voice was a little muffled.

"Oh, what? You're not welcoming me?" Natasha stood up, walked to Chen Tian's bedside, sat down, and slapped his blanket.

"Welcome, of course you're welcome," Chen Tian, slightly opening his eyes to glance at Natasha. "By the way, would you like to go outside for a bit so I can get dressed?"

"Shy, huh?" Natasha sneered. "I never expected that you would suddenly return while I was only in Dongjin and Hancheng with Barton investigating the Nightmare Cultists."

Natasha suddenly threw a dagger and stuck it into Chen Tian's pillow.

"Oh, Nat, what's gotten into you?" Chen Tian suddenly sat up.

"Exciting? After my memories were unlocked, I kept hoping you would give me a hug as I returned. But what happened? You didn't have any memories of me from that time. I thought you had been brainwashed too, but Melina said you didn't contact the Red Room or the Adjudicator either."

Natasha's face turned red with anger. "I was still playing along with your act, pretending we were old friends, and then you disappeared for three years."

"To be honest, you weren't there to help the Ancient One deal with any Dimensional Demon God, were you?"

Chen Tian sighed. "You figured it out?"

"Nonsense! Three years ago, apart from that one time you mentioned the Collapse Plan and talked about the Blood Bag Plan, weren't you always acting like a primary school student? Naive! Innocent! I genuinely thought you'd been brainwashed back then!"

Natasha's face flushed red, almost matching the color of her hair.

"You've traveled through time! Haven't you?!"

Chen Tian nodded, "I encountered some things and was transported to your time in 1995. That was my first time traveling through time, and that's why I disappeared for three years afterward."

Natasha clutched her heaving chest. "I knew it! You always lie!"

"I don't know if revealing that I'm a time traveler will cause a butterfly effect," Chen Tian said helplessly, spreading his hands like an older brother complaining to a referee.

"Then will you still be able to travel through time?" Natasha, slightly calmer.

"It shouldn't be like that, after all, we're back now, and that was just the overflowing energy of the Time Stone, it won't last long." Chen Tian wrapped the sheet around his lower body and stood up from the bed.

Natasha pursed her lips. "It would be best if you had time to take 2B back to the Red Room. Yelena misses you both."

"Okay, now that this matter is resolved, I'll go back." Chen Tian walked to an open space, snapped his the Snap, and a wardrobe rose from the ground. He then browsed through the items inside.

"Chen Tian, so how did you get Wanda to do it willingly, hehe?" Natasha chuckled mischievously.

"You've wronged me. She attacked me herself at night." Chen Tian put on a hoodie.

"That's possible. Wanda, that girl, I noticed the way she looked at you was different when she was little."

"Yes, yes, yes," Chen Tian replied perfunctorily, and quickly pulled up his pants while Natasha turned to face the sofa.

"Slow down, I'm not interested in you." Natasha sat back on the sofa, a mischievous look on her face.

"Hehe, I know, I know, you treat me like an older brother."

"Ha, if we're talking about age now, you're younger than me. You should call me 'older sister.'" Natasha pulled a dagger from her thigh and trimmed her nails.

"Once a brother, always a brother, Nat, call me brother and let me hear it."

The only response Chen Tian received was a dagger nailed to the wardrobe.

"I still prefer you when you were little, with that clingy attitude." Chen Tian glanced at the still trembling dagger.

"Shut up!"

Tony's voice came from the ceiling, with his usual lazy tone. "Kid, did you party hard last night? Come to the restaurant, I had the chef prepare soy milk, fried dough sticks, and steamed buns for you, plus something from Dragon Country, how should I put it? 'Douji'? You know, the one with a really unique flavor. By the way, have you seen Natasha? She 'Central City the building."

Chen Tian glanced at Natasha, who was playing with a butterfly knife, and replied without changing his expression, "I'll be right there. Didn't see you, probably went for morning exercise. Also, Tony, you can try that 'Douji,' it's good for the kidneys." As soon as he finished speaking, Natasha glared at him.

"Let's go, Tony's looking for us." Chen Tian grabbed his coat and headed for the door, one pant leg still rolled up. Natasha suddenly reached out and grabbed the back of his collar, the force almost making him fall backward.

"You're going to see Stark like this?" Natasha tugged at Chen Tian's wrinkled collar with disdain, then wiped the sleep from his eyes. "You haven't even wiped your eye boogers, and you haven't brushed your teeth. Can't you pay a little attention to your appearance?" She ruffled his hair forcefully like a boss.

Chen Tian slapped her hand away. "Save your breath, Nat. This trick might work on Yelena." He deliberately opened the door wide, and the surveillance cameras in the corridor immediately turned on their lights.

Natasha rolled her eyes, delivering a 'Mamba Elbow'—a technique she'd learned from a famous master—to his ribs. "At least he knows how to groom himself." Their playful banter was caught in the act by Banner, who appeared around the corner of the corridor.

"Uh... am I..." Banner pushed up his glasses and backed away, his lab coat almost hitting the fire extinguisher on the wall.

"Good morning, Doctor!" Chen Tian said, coughing as he put his arm around Natasha's shoulder. "Natasha is checking if I was injured by the Extremis Soldier last night."

Natasha deftly threw Chen Tian to the ground with an over-the-shoulder throw, the movement as practiced as if she had repeated it a thousand times, "That's right, this guy is being stubborn again by not reporting his injuries." Chen Tian reached out to Chen Tian on the ground and helped him up, just like she had done to him after training when they were kids.

"Baozi!" Chen Tian suddenly shouted and rushed into the restaurant, bumping into Tony who was walking towards him, causing the donut in his hand to fly away.

Iron Man glanced at the frosting stuck to the main control screen, then at Natasha slowly swaying towards him, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "So, you two..."

"Brother and sister fighting each other."

"The siblings are arguing."

Natasha and Chen Tian spoke in unison.

Tony shrugged and tossed his sugar-covered gloves into the trash can. "Fine, define our relationship however you like, but don't flip the breakfast table— Dante angered Vergil the other day and destroyed three tables."

He turned and walked towards the coffee machine, then suddenly seemed to remember something. He stopped making coffee, walked straight to Chen Tian, and put his arm around Chen Tian's neck.

"By the way, Chen Tian, do you know what package our building received this morning?"

Chen Tian was stuffing a steamed bun into his mouth when Tony suddenly hugged him, almost making him choke. "Cough cough... What the hell?"

Tony chuckled mischievously and called out to JARVIS, "JARVIS, bring that package over here."

The restaurant's automatic door slid open, and a wooden crate, at least two meters tall, was slowly pushed in by a robotic arm. The words "A Gift from Arbitrators Fans" were scrawled on the crate in red paint.

"What's this? Is it some kind of 'toy' you customized?" Chen Tian raised an eyebrow at Tony.

"Do I need that?" Tony rubbed his hands together excitedly. "This thing just showed up at the front door of our building this morning." He tapped the box. "I have absolutely no idea who sent it."

Natasha had already silently produced three throwing knives. "Do you need me to 'open the box' for it?"

"No need." Tony pressed the switch on the box, and the box panel crashed down, revealing a middle-aged man bound like a dumpling—it was Trevor, the third-rate actor who had appeared on television with Mandarin.

"Damn it!" Banner's sandwich fell to the ground with a thud.

With a rag stuffed in his mouth, Trevor's eyes widened when he saw the room full of superheroes, and he shook his head frantically, making "woo-woo" sounds.

Tony twirled the screwdriver smugly. "Surprised? This guy was dumped at the door this morning, with a note attached—" He activated the holographic projection, which displayed:

"A gift from a die-hard Arbitrators fan."

Tony snapped his the Snap, and the robotic arm immediately repacked Trevor: "Although we don't know which kind citizen gave us this 'gift,' at least we have an explanation to the outside world."

He turned to Chen Tian, a mischievous smile on his face, "You'll be attending the press conference with me at 11 o'clock."

"No!" Chen Tian refused decisively, almost spilling his soy milk. "Who knows if you're going to change your lines again this time?"

"Come on," Tony hooked his arm around Chen Tian's neck and lowered his voice, "You and I were standing on stage together at the press conference where we declared war on the Mandarin last time. You know, you have to finish what you started, right?"

Chen Tian sighed and waved his hand resignedly, "Fine, fine, but if there are any more bizarre segments this time, you'll find your armor covered in SpongeBob SquarePants."

"Deal!" Tony slammed his hand on the table excitedly, then frowned at the jam stuck to his palm. "JARVIS, inform the media that both leaders of the Arbitrators will be present today."

At 11:00 a. m. sharp, the media center on the first floor of the Arbitrator Tower was packed with people.

As the flashbulbs went off, Chen Tian was hiding backstage, frantically chugging Coke—because Tony had added a little bit of 'Douji' to his soy milk.

"You look like a raccoon that's been run over by a truck." Natasha appeared behind him at some point and smoothed out the wrinkles in his collar. She was unusually dressed today, her red hair tied up in a neat bun, but Chen Tian knew she was definitely hiding a weapon under her clothes.

Chen Tian was about to retort, Tony's signature opening remarks blared through the speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Truth Press Conference--"

With the sound of machinery turning, Trevor was wheeled onto the stage in a transparent, explosion-proof chamber. This imposter was dressed in a striped prison uniform, his face still covered in stage makeup, looking like Joker had escaped from a circus.

"Dear friends from the media," Tony knocked on the blast chamber, Trevor immediately feigned a terrified expression, "This is Mr. Mandarin, who has recently been performing stand-up comedy on television."

The audience erupted in chaos. A CNN reporter nearly crushed his own glasses, while Daily Bugle photographer climbed onto his colleague's shoulders to snap a picture.

"I know what you're thinking." Tony suddenly switched to holographic projection mode, and 3D images of Killian and Maya Hansen floated above Trevor's head. "The Ten Rings, the terrorist organization that has recently caused global panic, has actually always been a stage play."

"This Mr. Trevor Slattery is just an actor being paid to do something; the real Blackhand is AIM..."

He paused deliberately, waiting until all the reporters' cameras were focused on Maya's photo before continuing, "Ms. Maya Hansen, the chief developer of the Extremis Virus, is the one who researched the virus that makes the human body a destabilizing bomb."

"Aldrich Killian, the founder of AIM, and the mastermind behind all terrorist attacks."

The room fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Now, let's welcome my partner—" Tony suddenly pulled Chen Tian into the spotlight, "The other founder of Arbitrators, to say a few words."

Chen Tian, abandoning his previous laziness, smiled and said, "Thank you for your remarks, Tony. Now, after his introduction, what we knew about the Ten Rings was nothing but a joke."

Chen Tian clapped his hands, and the holographic projection transformed into Killian's corpse.

He said in a deep voice, "At four o'clock in the morning, members of the Arbitrators, acting on intelligence, went to Killian's hiding place and arrested Killian, but the scene was empty except for Killian's body."

Chen Tian stood under the spotlight, his expression solemn. He slightly raised his chin, his gaze sweeping over every tense face below the stage, his voice steady and powerful. "Ladies and gentlemen, although Killian has been killed, the threat of AIM has not been completely eliminated."

The holographic projection switched to the battle scene from last night outside the Malibu Villa and Arbitrator Tower, Extremis Soldier attack. The images of those twisted humanoid creatures burning and exploding in the air made the reporters gasp.

Chen Tian raised his hand to signal everyone to calm down. "Maya Hansen and the remaining Extremis Soldier have vanished without a trace, but I assure you all in the name of the Arbitrators— "

He suddenly slammed his fist on the podium, the metal surface denting with a resounding crash, and the entire hall fell silent. Tony, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting this impromptu performance.

"We will not let any scum who harms society get away with it," Chen Tian said, emphasizing each word. "Whether it's a terrorist hiding in the shadows or a mad scientist in a white coat, as long as they dare to threaten the lives of ordinary people, the Arbitrators will—"

Chen Tian glanced around at the reporters and media.

"-- Drag them out and display them to the world. This is not a threat, this is a promise."

Tony chimed in at the opportune moment. "That's right, just like my partner said, we Arbitrators aren't some Boy Scout organization."

A reporter from the Daily Bugle suddenly raised his hand in the audience. "Mr. Chen, what was the cause of death of Killian's body that you just displayed?"

Chen Tian and Tony exchanged a glance. Before Tony could speak, Chen Tian preemptively answered, "Cardiac arrest." He gave a meaningful smile, "They were terrified when they saw our assault team."

A burst of laughter erupted in the hall, instantly easing the tense atmosphere. Natasha, backstage, rubbed her forehead and muttered to herself, "When did this guy learn Stark's tricks..."

"One last question!" a CNN reporter asked on tiptoe. "There are rumors that the Extremis Virus has spread to the black market. What measures will the Arbitrators take in response to this?"

Chen Tian's smile faded. He turned to Tony, who nodded knowingly and pulled up a set of data on the holographic projection.

"We've developed Extremis Virus detection device," Chen Tian said, pointing to the rotating metal ring in the air. "Starting next week, the Arbitrators will set up testing stations in major cities around the world to provide free screening for the public. Meanwhile—"

Tony suddenly interjected, "At the same time, we're offering a ten million dollar reward for any information about Maya Hansen." He winked. "Of course, if any journalist friends can provide a lead, we can also include an exclusive interview."

The press conference ended amidst a flurry of camera flashes, and Chen Tian and Tony walked off the stage arm in arm.

"Hey kid," Tony nudged Chen Tian in the waist with his elbow, "Your speeches are getting more and more relaxed. It seems my teaching of you, Tony, hasn't been in vain."

"Tch, I wouldn't stoop to learning your ever-changing speeches," Chen Tian retorted with an elbow.

"But Killian's body?" Tony's expression turned serious. "Where did you find it?"

"Dante and Vergil ran out last night, not to fight. I sent them to find Killian," Chen Tian shrugged, flicking Tony's hand off his shoulder.

"They had just arrived in Miami when they discovered Killian's body."

"Miami? Killian is in Miami?" Tony raised an eyebrow at Chen Tian. "Yeah, you were tracking the TV signal the whole time, but you forgot to check AIM's backend."

"Fux! I'm such an idiot!" Tony slapped his forehead.

The two chatted as they entered the elevator.

Tony pressed the close button on the elevator, and just as the metal doors were slowly closing, JARVIS's British accent suddenly rang out. "Gentlemen, Captain Rogers requests an urgent communication."

"Bring him in." Before Tony could finish speaking, a haggard holographic image of Steve appeared in the center of the elevator.

This ever-upright super soldier now resembled a tree broken by a storm—his blond hair was stained with congealed blood, and beneath the torn fabric of his uniform on the left shoulder lay bluish-purple abrasions. Three claw marks pierced his right cheek, with fresh blood still slowly seeping out.

"Damn it!" Tony exclaimed. "Steve! What are you doing?"

"Tony, I..." Steve's face was exhausted, and his voice was hoarse, "I failed."

"Aren't the X-Men with you?" Tony asked incredulously. "They're incredibly powerful."

Steve's projection flickered, as if he were holding onto something for support on the other end of the signal. "The power of that suit of armor is too great, but we still surrounded him because his energy was clearly insufficient. But..."

Steve's eyes were a little red. "Just as we were about to capture Bucky, many Dimensional Demon God cultists appeared and relentlessly attacked us."

"The X-Men's Banshee, to protect my retreat, was..." Steve's facial muscles twitched, "... killed by Bucky."

"Cyclops and Beast are both badly injured," Steve's eyes were already filled with tears. "Tony, I need help. Bucky, he..."

"What's Bucky?" Tony asked, frowning.

"Bucky ... he's lucid. He said some things I don't understand. He told me I'd die by his hand, and my soul would be fed to Mephisto." Tears streamed down Steve's face. "I don't know what I did wrong..."

Tony glanced at Chen Tian, who maintained his indifferent expression, his eyes revealing no emotion.

Only Steve's heavy breathing echoed in the cramped elevator space.

"Steve," Tony took a deep breath, "the Arbitrators will be leaving soon. You and the rest of the X-Men find a safe place to hide, we—"

"We'll be there soon," Chen Tian suddenly interjected. He stepped forward and stood in front of Steve's holographic image. "Captain, send me your current coordinates."

Steve was clearly taken aback; he didn't want Chen Tian to get involved.

"I won't go. Tony will lead the team. Also, you can't handle Bucky on your own. There's something Tony can bring you." Chen Tian waved to Steve, then turned to Tony and said.

"Tony, have Dante go with you. With him there, you don't need to worry too much about demons or monsters."

"Where are you going?" Tony frowned.

"I'm going to find those followers of the Dimensional Demon God and have a good talk with them."