Shakespeare in Africa, Coming Soon

Nighttime at an abandoned factory in Kyoto

Inside the dark factory, a dozen or so believers dressed in black robes stood in a circle. The ground in the center was covered with eerie runes that emitted a faint, ghostly green light. The air was thick with the smell of decay, as if some ancient being was peering into this world through a dimensional rift.

"The ceremony is about to be completed..." the lead believer chanted softly, "Great Dormammu, grant us strength..."

"Excuse me, may I bother you?"

A mocking voice suddenly came from the shadows.

The believers looked up sharply and saw Chen Tian slowly emerge from the darkness. He wore a Nuo mask, spoke in a flippant tone, but his eyes were icy cold.

"Who are you?!" The leader of the believers took a step back in astonishment. "Impossible, I clearly used the Dark God's..."

"A shielding array?" Chen Tian tilted his head. "You mean that thing made of a bunch of chicken bones pieced together into a shape that looks like overalls?"

Before he finished speaking, his figure vanished abruptly, and the next second, he appeared in front of the leader of the believers, grabbing the man's throat with his right hand and lifting him up.

"You insects, always hiding in dark corners..." Chen Tian's voice was disdainful, "Unfortunately, what I excel at is—"

"Clean up the pests."

"Snap."

The crisp sound of bones cracking was particularly jarring in the silent factory.

The remaining believers retreated in terror, some raising their weapons with trembling hands, but before they could react, a giggle rang out, and bullets flew from the shadows all around.

In just a few seconds, only corpses and still-wet blood remained inside the factory.

Her boneless body clung to Chen Tian's back once more, Bayonetta's seductive voice whispered in Chen Tian ear, "Next target?"

"No new targets at the moment. Vergil has eliminated the targets in the Golden Triangle jungle. Logan and Erik have dealt with the targets in Columbia. Melina and the Red Room agents are currently engaged with the targets in the East Gull region. It is estimated that the battle will be completely over in two minutes." 2B's voice came through Chen Tian's headset. "Master, Melina is asking if we should keep her alive for interrogation?"

"No need." Chen Tian stepped into the darkness. "Leave no one alive."

Daytime · Arbitrator Tower · Press Conference

Flashbulbs went off continuously as Chen Tian stood on the podium with a gentle smile on his face. Behind him was the symbol of the Arbitrators —a sharp sword hovering above the Blue Planet.

"Everyone, please rest assured." His voice carried immense power. "The Arbitrator Alliance will ensure the safety of every city. We will never allow those cultists to wreak havoc on public safety."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and the holographic projection behind him displayed documents showing the capture or extermination of these followers of the Heavenly Demon God.

"After these days of efforts, the number of cult members has decreased by 90%. Currently, only a very small number have escaped and are evading capture. But please rest assured, we have gathered enough intelligence, and the few cult members who escaped will soon be brought to justice."

The press conference was met with applause, and even ordinary citizens cheered from the back of the press area.

Reporters in the audience raised their hands to ask questions, "Mr. Chen, there are rumors that the recently appeared 'dragon' is related to the Arbitrators. Is this true?"

Chen Tian's smile remained unchanged, "Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that those creatures are directly related to us. But if they do exist, I believe they are more likely some kind of natural phenomenon, or..." He paused, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, "... some people's overly vivid imaginations."

A soft chuckle rippled through the audience.

Natasha stood backstage, arms crossed, and whispered to 2B beside her, "YoRHa, Chen Tian is a really good actor."

2B calmly replied, "Master said that's how a mature hero should be."

Natasha scoffed. "Him? Mature? He's clearly just a giant nerd."

2B covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

Arbitrator Tower - Tactical Command Room

In the spacious tactics room, a holographic projection slowly rotated in the center, displaying real-time dynamics from around the world. Chen Tian leaned lazily against the sofa, tossing a small basketball up and down in his hand, his eyes fixed on the projection.

2B stood next to the projector, his finger rapidly swiping across the tactical tablet, the data streaming like a waterfall.

"In the past 72 hours, 92% of the Demon God's followers' strongholds have been cleared, with the remaining 8% still on the run." With a wave of his hand, several red dots immediately appeared on the projection:

South African flax rainforest

East Oul Karl Mountains

Black Continent Desert

Southeast Asia - Borneo Rainforest

"According to intelligence analysis, they are constantly moving, and—" 2B paused, "Every time we are about to encircle them, local criminal gangs always secretly help them escape."

Chen Tian caught the basketball, tossed it gently, and the ball landed precisely in the corner basket.

"Tsk, these rats are pretty fast runners." He tilted his head, looking at the others. "What do you guys think?"

Natasha sat cross-legged at the tactical table, her fingertips lightly tapping the surface, a slight smile playing on her red lips, "Why don't we just charge straight in? They don't have many men left anyway."

Pietro leaned against the wall, an energy bar dangling from his mouth, and mumbled, "I'm fast, so I can travel all over the world and report anything that's wrong immediately."

Banner frowned, staring at the projection. "Yinsen and I have taken over Tony's positions and are currently putting the finishing touches on the Watcher Platform. We can't get away for the time being."

Chen Tian nodded. "Then let the combat robots cooperate with Pietro to continue the pursuit, try to corner them, and then we'll strike."

2B nodded slightly. "Mechanical units have been mobilized to block the main escape routes."

Chen Tian looked at Natasha: "Nat, as part of the mobile team, be ready to provide support at any time."

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "No problem."

Chen Tian narrowed his eyes. "By the way, what about Barton? Haven't heard from him in ages?"

Natasha shrugged. "He's been really low on work lately, staying home all the time, seems to be a bit depressed because of the S.H.I.E.L.D.. crash."

Chen Tian snorted, "Fine, then find a way to drag that Steve who's turned into a shut-in out of the room too, and let him vent his frustrations on the demon god's followers."

Natasha smiled knowingly. "Happy to help."

Pietro swallowed the energy bar and excitedly raised his hand. "Shall I go scout ahead first?"

Chen Tian nodded. "Go ahead, report any unusual activity immediately, and don't act rashly."

"Understood!" Before Pietro could finish speaking, he had already vanished from the spot as a silver blur.

Banner adjusted his glasses and looked at Chen Tian: "Do you need Yinsen and me to speed things up? Once the Watcher are debugged, we can provide more precise support."

Chen Tian waved his hand. "No need. The Watcher Platform is more important. You must ensure that the Watcher can operate stably after they go to heaven. Leave the matter of the Demon God's followers to us."

He stood up, hands in his pockets, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "The operation begins. Remember—"

"This time, don't let them escape again."

The group exchanged glances and nodded in unison.

After everyone left, only Chen Tian and 2B remained in the command room. The light from the holographic projection shone on Chen Tian's profile. He casually tossed the basketball aside, leaned against the edge of the tactical table, and crossed his arms.

"2B, what has Tony been up to lately?" he asked casually, his tone slightly nonchalant.

2B's mechanical eyes flickered slightly, data streams rolled rapidly in her pupils, and then she smiled gently.

"Master, Stark has recently become friends with Prince T'Challa."

Chen Tian raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his expression.

"Oh? Tony's willing to spend so much time with a stranger? Amazing."

2B's lips curled up slightly, with a hint of teasing.

"Yes, and he seems very interested in Prince T'Challa, constantly describing the Arbitrators's ideas to him, and Prince T'Challa... seems quite interested as well."

Chen Tian chuckled and shook his head.

"Tony, who usually acts like he's the best, is actually willing to patiently chat with someone now?"

2B blinked and added:

"Not only that, Master, Tony is now eager to go to Wakanda and see for himself."

Chen Tian narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.

"Oh? What did Prince T'Challa say?"

2B shrugged, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"Prince T'Challa is tight-lipped; no matter how Tony probes him, he won't reveal any specific information about Wakanda."

Chen Tian couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Ha! It's rare to see someone make Tony lose face."

He walked to the window and looked down at the city's night view, where neon lights reflected colorful hues on the glass.

"But... Tony's enthusiasm isn't necessarily a bad thing." He murmured to himself, then turned to look at 2B.

"Keep an eye on it. If Tony can actually convince Prince T'Challa, it would be a good breakthrough for us."

2B nodded slightly.

"Understood, Master."

Chen Tian stretched and turned to walk towards the door.

"Okay, I'm hungry, let's go get something to eat."

2B followed behind him and whispered:

"Would you like me to prepare a late-night snack for you?"

Chen Tian waved his hand.

"No need, I'm going to visit someone else."

A sharp glint flashed in 2B's eyes.

"Yes, Master, enjoy your meal."

Chen Tian turned around and smiled at her.

"I will, 2B."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and disappeared into the corridor lights.

A high-end club in Hancheng

The clubhouse's rooftop terrace is designed as a semi-open sky garden, surrounded by transparent glass curtain walls, offering panoramic views of the sunlit city.

Soft jazz music played in the background as waiters silently moved among the guests, providing them with the finest service.

Tony leaned back in a comfortable armchair, swirling a glass of amber-colored whiskey in his hand. He wore a well-tailored dark blue suit, the collar casually open, and his signature confident smile graced his face.

"T'Challa, seriously, I've recently made a breakthrough in commercial clean energy." Tony raised his glass, gesturing to T'Challa across from him. "If this can be scaled up on a large scale, global energy costs could be reduced by at least 40%."

T'Challa smiled slightly, raised his glass as well, and his eyes gleamed with interest. He was dressed in a low-key yet luxurious black suit.

"That sounds impressive, Stark." T'Challa took a sip of his coffee. "A 40% reduction is enough to change the energy structure of many countries."

"Yes, but that's the problem." Tony put down his glass and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"The problem lies in the stability of the materials. Stable materials are too expensive to allow this technology to be widely adopted." He paused deliberately, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over T'Challa. "If... there is a technology that is suitable for the general public and not too expensive, I think that would be a plan that could benefit the masses."

T'Challa's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes deepened slightly.

"Every technological breakthrough brings benefits to the people," he responded casually. "However, technological breakthroughs often take time."

Tony raised an eyebrow, about to continue probing, when he suddenly noticed the atmosphere around him subtly tense.

A tall, slender guard walked briskly over; she had a shaved head and a stern face.

She leaned down and whispered a few words in T'Challa's ear, her voice so soft that even Tony's enhanced hearing system couldn't pick it up. But Tony noticed that T'Challa's expression gradually became serious, and her brows furrowed unconsciously.

After listening, T'Challa took a deep breath, turned to Tony, and put on a polite smile again, "I'm sorry, Stark, I've enjoyed spending time with you lately, but I have some things to take care of at home, so I'll have to say goodbye now."

Tony keenly sensed that something was amiss. He put down his glass and leaned forward slightly. "Need my help? You know I'm speaking to you in a personal capacity, so Stark Industries' resources and connections can assist. If you need an Arbitrators..."

T'Challa shook his head slightly, a hint of gratitude flashing in his eyes, but he maintained his distance. "Thank you for your kindness, but this is a family matter." He stood up, straightened his suit, and said, "I hope we can continue this interesting conversation next time we meet."

Tony stood up and extended his hand. "You're welcome anytime. If you need any help, you know how to contact me."

T'Challa grasped Tony's hand. "Of course." With that, he turned and strode away, his bodyguards immediately forming a protective formation behind him.

Tony sat back down, tapping his temple lightly with his finger. His gaze still followed T'Challa's departing figure, but a playful smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"JARVIS," he asked in a low voice, "Have you deciphered their conversation?"

JARVIS's voice rang in my ears. "Sir, based on lip reading analysis, we can only determine the general meaning. The Wakanda dialect is not in my language database."

Tony took a pair of glasses from his inside pocket, put them on, and said, "Tell me."

"I can only confirm one word, Sir." JARVIS paused for half a second, "Father."

Tony raised an eyebrow and laughed. "JARVIS, is Chen Tian asleep?"

JARVIS's voice was a second late this time, "Mr. Chen is already resting, Sir. Should I inform Miss 2B to wake Mr. Chen?"

"No need. Let the kid sleep. I know he hasn't slept for three days, but have him contact me after the sun rises in Malibu tomorrow morning." Tony chuckled.

"Hmm, just tell him that the Black Continent version of Hamlet is about to begin."

"Okay, sir, what are your plans for the next part of the trip?"

"JARVIS, do you remember that project I funded in Han City before?"

"Sir, I have made notes on all your funded projects. The project marked as the highest priority in Hancheng is Ms. Helen Cho's 'Life Cradle' technology, is that right?"

"Hey JARVIS, you're cheating."

"No, Sir, to use the words you and Mr. Chen jokingly use, this is called making good use of resources."

"Haha, well done, JARVIS, please contact Miss Helen Cho for me."

"We have contacted you. You can come downstairs in three minutes, and the Arbitrators's driverless vehicle will arrive at the building's main entrance in four minutes."

"Ha, JARVIS, what will I do without you?"