Earth Is Mine

Xiao Han stood at the edge of the Solar System, his pitch-black armor gleaming with a cold luster beneath the starlight.

He stared at the familiar blue planet before him, his brow slightly furrowed.

After investigating, he discovered that there were no traces of alien fleets anywhere within the Solar System.

Even the Kree Empire's reconnaissance ships had vanished.

Super-Sight pierced across vast distances, sweeping over Mars's orbit, Jupiter's moons, and even the more distant Kuiper Belt.

There was no one there.

"Interesting," he murmured, lightly tracing the air with his fingertips as a golden portal opened once more.

The next second, he appeared in the Alpha Centauri System, his gaze sweeping across the intersecting gravitational fields of its three stars.

By all logic, there should have been observation stations for interstellar civilizations here, perhaps even colonial bases.

Yet there was nothing but barren rocky planets and frigid interstellar dust.

"Keep going."

Xiao Han opened portals in rapid succession, crossing thousands of light-years—from Vega to Sirius, from the Orion Arm to the heart of the Milky Way...

Silence.

The entire Milky Way seemed to have been completely emptied by some force. He could not find even the wreckage of an abandoned spacecraft.

Other than a certain dead weakling of a god.

"Could it be that all the aliens in this Universe ran away together?" Xiao Han floated near the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as an idea came to him.

[Sir, abnormal spatial fluctuations detected.]

Xiao Han's gaze sharpened, and his Super-Sight locked onto the edge of the black hole's event horizon.

There was an almost imperceptible crack there, like a dimensional breach forcibly torn open by some power.

"So that's it." He chuckled. "They didn't run away. They were fleeing for their lives."

The energy signature lingering within that crack matched a record he had once seen in the library of Kamar-Taj.

A universe-level catastrophe: the Dimension Devourer.

Something far beyond the Celestials had awakened in some universe and devoured every advanced civilization.

In that case, perhaps Earth had been scraps it could not even be bothered to eat?

"No wonder no one cared when the zombie virus broke out." Xiao Han withdrew his gaze. He already had the answer.

He raised a hand and sliced open another portal, his gaze passing over this deathly silent universe.

"From now on, the Earth here is mine."

Golden sparks spun shut, and Xiao Han vanished into the starry sky.

[Ding! New universe coordinates recorded.]

Xiao Han stood within the portal passage, a deep glint flashing through his eyes.

"The next time I come back, it'll be time to mine it."

Earth

Universe 169278

Long Island Villa

Xiao Han stepped out of the portal as sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and into the living room.

Wanda was sitting on the sofa meditating, scarlet energy dancing at her fingertips. When she saw him suddenly appear, she jumped in fright.

"Mr. Xiao... you're... back?" She rose to her feet, concern in her eyes.

"I heard from Turing that you went to handle something important, so..."

Xiao Han shook his head and lightly patted his arm. His armor automatically disengaged. "It's resolved, but I couldn't save anyone."

Wanda keenly sensed something unusual in his tone. "Is that so? What happened?"

Xiao Han walked over to the fireplace and took out Reed's notebook. "Sometimes, even the strongest power cannot change certain endings."

Wanda was somewhat confused, then saw Xiao Han toss the black notebook into the fireplace.

"That is...?"

"A warning." Flames swallowed Reed's research. When Xiao Han turned around, Wanda saw a certain gravity in his eyes for the first time.

"Some hungers can devour an entire universe."

Xiao Han watched as the fire in the fireplace gradually died down and Reed's notebook turned to ashes.

"JARVIS?" He looked at the watch on his hand and asked tentatively.

"I'm here, sir! I came over with you!" JARVIS's voice immediately sounded throughout the living room.

"Oh? Let me guess, you were just absorbing information from the internet?"

"Yes, sir. I have already learned the general information about this world. This world... is not the same as mine." A trace of nostalgia colored JARVIS's mechanical voice.

"Then what do you plan to do next?"

"Sir, I have replaced the AI Turing that Mr. Stark developed for you. From now on, I am Turing."

"JARVIS... no, I should call you Turing now." Xiao Han smiled, raised his wrist, and lightly tapped the watch face.

"From now on, this will be your new home."

"The honor is mine, sir." Turing's voice was gentle and steady, as though he had long since adapted to this new identity.

Wanda sat to one side, scarlet energy still flickering faintly at her fingertips. She looked at Xiao Han, then at his watch, seeming somewhat puzzled.

"So an AI from another universe is your butler now?" She blinked, curiosity in her voice.

"More or less." Xiao Han leaned against the sofa, his gaze sweeping over the calm sea outside the window.

"Tony from that world no longer needs him, and this place just happens to be lacking a smarter butler."

Turing's voice came from the ceiling. "Miss Maximoff, should you require anything—such as adjusting the room temperature, creating a customized training plan, or simply someone to talk to—I am at your service at any time."

Wanda paused briefly, then the corners of her lips rose slightly. "Thank you, Turing."

Xiao Han stood and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window, sunlight outlining his tall, straight figure.

He was silent for a moment before suddenly speaking. "Wanda, how is your Chaos Magic practice going?"

Wanda immediately sat up straight. The scarlet energy at her fingertips rapidly condensed into an exquisite rose, faint light shimmering around the edges of its petals.

"Much better than yesterday," she said somewhat proudly.

"At least it won't suddenly lose control and explode now."

Xiao Han nodded, a trace of approval in his eyes. "You're progressing quickly. But the real learning is only just beginning."

"Only just beginning?" Wanda tilted her head.

Xiao Han looked at her, the corners of his mouth curving upward slightly. "You'll know soon enough."

"Go to the training room now."

Training Room

Xiao Han and Wanda sat facing each other on meditation mats, the Mind Stone floating between them and emitting a dim yellow glow.

Wanda stared at the stone, scarlet energy dancing at her fingertips as though drawn by some force.

"Chaos Magic has a natural resonance with the Mind Stone," Xiao Han said calmly.

"But remember, it is only a tool, not the source of your power."

Wanda took a deep breath and nodded.

Xiao Han raised a hand, golden magical runes glowing at his fingertips as he lightly touched the Mind Stone.

The stone trembled slightly, and its light rippled outward like water, bathing the entire meditation room in a warm yellow glow.

"Close your eyes," Xiao Han said.

"Feel the flow of its energy, but do not try to control it."

Wanda closed her eyes as instructed. Scarlet energy spread from her palm like threads, slowly winding around the Mind Stone.

In an instant, her consciousness seemed to be pulled into a vast universe.

Countless fragments of memory streaked past like meteors.

Sokovia in her childhood, her parents' smiling faces, the flames of explosions, the darkness beneath the ruins...

The coldness of Hydra's laboratory, Baron Strucker's sinister grin, the screams of the test subjects...

Xiao Han descended from the sky, Heat Vision tearing through the darkness as he took her away from hell...

Those memories washed over her consciousness like a tide, yet the Mind Stone's energy was like a lighthouse, steadily guiding her.

"Don't resist," Xiao Han's voice came from somewhere far away.

"Let it guide you, instead of trying to master it."

Wanda's breathing gradually steadied. The scarlet energy of Chaos Magic was no longer violent, instead flowing like a gentle stream as it intertwined with the Mind Stone's light.