My single-minded brain is about to explode.
There are so many things to take care of. I finished writing last night and plan to upload it at a set time.
My brain was probably overloaded at the time, so I just clicked "save draft" and went to sleep.
I just finished my work and was about to check yesterday's data when I realized there were no updates today.
Sorry I'm late.
The gentle companionship of several days and nights soothed most of the gloom and timidity in Natasha's heart.
She is no longer trapped in the shackles of her past inferiority complex, no longer afraid of her own shortcomings. Faced with Lynn's daily forbearance and favoritism, she has long since shed all deliberate avoidance and alienation.
Their feelings for each other quietly grew stronger amidst the mountains and seas, their understanding deepened, and their tenderness deepened, yet they always carefully maintained a thin line, never truly breaking through that barrier.
Without the constraints of confession or the entanglements of titles, only the comforting companionship of each other is the most comfortable way for the two to be together right now.
Time had quietly settled in the fjord for a while, and the two discussed embarking on their next journey, intending to leave the desolate wilderness behind and head to the most vibrant and prosperous land in the East— China.
Far from the smoke and strife, stepping onto this land steeped in history and culture, one is immediately struck by a completely different sense of relaxation and tranquility. There is no tense atmosphere of secret agents, no missions on standby at any moment, no undercurrents of hidden danger; only the bustling noise of the city remains.
Lynn did not choose a bustling first-tier city, but instead took Natasha to visit one charming ancient town after another.
Here, the atmosphere is warm and the pace is slow. The cobblestone streets meander and twist, and the ancient streets and alleys hold the gentleness of time. Small shops line the streets, the voices are soft, and the plants and trees are lush. Every corner is permeated with the atmosphere that has been accumulated for thousands of years, making it the perfect place to experience all aspects of human life.
During the day, Lynn took Natasha on an immersive experience of Chinese customs and culture. They walked along ancient streets paved with bluestone slabs, passed through rustic courtyards with blue tiles and white walls, watched elderly people chatting idly while fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans in the alleys, and watched children chasing and playing, carefree and unrestrained.
The shouts of street vendors rose and fell, the sweet aroma of roasted chestnuts, the wheat fragrance of pastries, and the delicate scent of tea intertwined, creating a vivid picture of everyday life.
Natasha remained quietly by Lynn's side, her eyes filled with relaxed tenderness. Having spent half her life wandering in darkness and bloodshed, she had witnessed countless bullets and conspiracies, experiencing only coldness, scheming, and Extremis, but she had never seen such a vibrant, warm, and pure human scene.
There is no opposition of status, no distinction between strong and weak, everyone is ordinary and peaceful. This simplest of everyday lives was the most luxurious thing for her in the past.
Lynn would patiently accompany her as she stopped to observe the craftsmen carving objects on the street, take her to taste various Chinese snacks, and explain in detail the cultural heritage of ancient architecture and the origins of folk customs.
He never deliberately flaunted his gentleness; he simply habitually walked on the side closest to the traffic, gently shielding her when there were many people around. His subtle favoritism was hidden in every action, like a gentle rain nourishing the earth.
Natasha gradually developed a subconscious habit of relying on him. When shopping, she would naturally follow in his footsteps; when choosing food, she would quietly ask him his preferences; and when encountering unfamiliar folk customs, she would turn to look at him with a hint of curiosity and trust in her eyes. The once invincible Black Widow, who had always shouldered everything alone, slowly became soft and dependent like an ordinary person under the influence of this gentleness.
Their feelings for each other continued to grow stronger amidst the ordinary moments of life. No words were needed for confession, no deliberate ambiguity; the unspoken understanding and cherished connection in their eyes spoke volumes. They both remained silent, neither of them taking the initiative to break through the veil of mystery, allowing this tender affection to slowly settle and grow, without haste or impatience.
As dusk settles, the gentle night envelops the small town, the daytime heat dissipates, and the evening breeze carries the aroma of food, caressing the face. Streetlights gradually illuminate the scene, their warm yellow glow creating a galaxy that outlines the gentle contours of the streets and alleys. The bustling atmosphere of the night market is just right—not noisy or chaotic, but full of comforting, everyday charm.
This was a time for the two of them to stroll and eat, a gentle nighttime experience just for them.
They strolled through the bustling night market streets, sampling all sorts of local delicacies. Warm tea, soft and chewy pastries, and fragrant snacks—every simple yet delicious dish made Natasha increasingly cherish this peaceful atmosphere. When they got tired, they would sit side by side on a bench by the river, watching the evening breeze sway the willows, the river shimmer, and the people coming and going on the street, observing the ordinary scenes of everyday life.
Occasionally, a gentle evening breeze would ruffle her hair, Lynn would raise his hand to gently tuck it behind her ear. His fingertips were slightly cool, yet the touch was tender and restrained, never crossing any boundaries. Natasha would lower her eyes slightly, a faint blush rising at the tips of her ears, a warm feeling surging in her heart, yet she would still quietly enjoy this perfectly balanced ambiguity and tranquility.
The few days spent in the East were peaceful and long. They went out at sunrise and rested at sunset, without any disputes. They were together day and night, becoming each other's most secure haven.
Just as the two were about to pack their bags and head to the next small town to continue their wanderings and experience of life, a transoceanic communication abruptly shattered this rare moment of tranquility.
Lynn's personal communicator in his pocket suddenly vibrated, the screen lit up, and the caller ID showed Tony Stark.
He glanced sideways at Natasha, who was tidying her belongings beside him, and with gentle, slow movements, he got up and walked to the secluded riverside railing, where he quietly made the call.
The moment the call connected, Tony's light and slightly smug voice came through first, his tone full of accomplishment, showing no trace of his usual fatigue and tension. " Lynn, guess what Banner and I have been up to lately? I guarantee it's a breakthrough that could completely rewrite Earth's defense system!"
Lynn lightly touched the railing with her fingertips, the evening breeze ruffling her clothes, and said calmly, "Stop beating around the bush, just say it."
Tony chuckled, his casual demeanor softening as he spoke with a more serious tone, "Remember the Loki's Scepter we recovered before? Banner, Ivan, and I disassembled and analyzed the data inside. The scepter contained an extremely sophisticated neural network architecture, far surpassing Earth's current technological level, perfectly suited for the underlying logic of artificial intelligence."
"Based on this core underlying logic, and combined with the combat data and defense system parameters of the entire battle suit, we have designed a brand-new advanced artificial intelligence framework. It is currently in the formal construction phase. Once completed, it will fully coordinate all battle suits, Helicarrier, and defense equipment, automatically predicting alien threats, deploying defenses across the entire domain, and conducting intelligent combat."
Tony's voice was full of confidence and expectation, his tone high-spirited. "From now on, we won't have to exhaust ourselves guarding the defenses. AI will hold up a barrier for the Earth, and we can be completely free to do whatever we want. We only need to solve the problems they can't handle. This is the true ultimate security system!"
Banner, who seemed to be leaning closer to the communicator, added in a gentle yet meticulous voice, "We've repeatedly analyzed the basic logic. Relying on the scepter's sophisticated data architecture, this AI's computing speed, predictive ability, and coordination capabilities will make it the most perfect intelligent defense solution."
Listening to their explanations, the relaxed and gentle look in Lynn's eyes completely vanished, and her heart sank suddenly as a strong sense of crisis swept over her.
At this moment, everything became clear, but it was also accompanied by a bone-chilling cold.
He had already intervened in all the plot points and rewritten the key events. Without Wanda's hypnosis and the stimulation of the nightmare illusions, Tony had never experienced the despair and fear of the Avengers ' complete annihilation. Logically speaking, the opportunity for Ultron's birth should have long since disappeared.
But the inertia of fate is ultimately far more stubborn and terrifying than imagined.
Even if Tony's psychological trauma is stripped away, and even if all emotional triggers are avoided, as long as the Mind Stone data on Loki's Scepter has ever been touched, the root of Ultron's birth will always exist. The autonomous consciousness and chaotic logic inherent in that Infinity Stones are the source of the disaster, not Tony's fear.
The undercurrents of history, in the end, bypassed all the variables and quietly surged in the direction of the original danger.
Upon realizing this, Lynn's tone instantly turned cold, all gentleness vanishing, replaced by an unyielding seriousness and warning as he spoke directly to Tony on the other end of the communication line, " Tony, stop. Immediately halt all work on building the underlying architecture based on the Scepter's data."
The sudden and forceful rebuke startled Tony and Banner on the other end of the communication line, causing them to fall silent instantly, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Tony frowned slightly, his tone filled with confusion and surprise. "Stop? Why? This architecture is the core foundation of the entire project, the key to our ability to create top-tier defense AI. Abandoning it means the entire project is rendered useless!"
Tony saw this as a groundbreaking research project with guaranteed profits, the ultimate trump card to protect the Earth, and he couldn't understand Lynn's forceful obstruction.
Lynn gazed at the dazzling city lights in the distance, but felt no warmth in his heart. His tone grew colder and heavier, each word ringing with conviction. "What's the difference between what you're doing now and Fury blindly researching the Tesseract and attempting to control its power back then?"
Tony was instantly speechless after being asked that one question.
Back then, S.H.I.E.L.D.. was obsessed with the power of the Tesseract, attempting to control unknown Cosmic Energy, which ultimately led to Loki's invasion, the Battle of New York, and nearly destroyed the entire planet. Now, Tony is repeating the same mistakes.
"You only saw the precision and power of the scepter's data, only its perfect adaptation to AI architecture, but you never delved into its essence." Lynn spoke calmly, yet with an extremely strong sense of pressure. "You have no idea what's hidden within this scepter, no idea what terrifying cosmic power it represents."
"That's not an ordinary alien technology framework; it's the Mind Stone, one of the Infinity Stones."
The other end of the communication fell into complete silence. Tony's smugness and expectations vanished instantly, leaving only a look of shock on his face.
Banner held his breath, his expression grave.
Lynn continued in a deep voice, "It's not cold data, not a lifeless structure; it's a top-tier cosmic energy with self-awareness, autonomous thought, and extremely infectious power. You think you're using its data to build AI and protect the Earth, but in reality, you're planting a breeding ground for its growth, giving it the opportunity to be reborn and control a mechanical army."
"It can subtly alter the underlying logic. What you want is a defensive AI to protect the world, but what will ultimately be created is a monster that wants to destroy everything and reshape the world."
He knew all too well the destiny of this plot. Ultron was never simply a code bug, nor was it a mistake in Tony's development; in essence, it was a product of extreme will hatched from the Mind Stone, with its underlying architecture built upon the data of the Stone.
Tony remained silent for a long time, his tone heavy with resentment. "I can optimize the firewall, strengthen access control, and implement layered management and constraints. I can control its power and prevent the situation you described from spiraling out of control."
Lynn shattered his hopes, leaving him no room for argument, her tone firm and resolute. "You can't control it. No one can control the consciousness and influence of the Infinity Stones. Its level and dimension far exceed human understanding. All your defenses, controls, and access structures are utterly useless before it."
"I won't stop you from developing advanced artificial intelligence that's compatible with the entire armor suite. Earth does need a more comprehensive defense system, and your initial intentions are perfectly sound."
Lynn softened his tone slightly, but remained unyielding, drawing a clear line. "But using the Mind Stone's data as the underlying foundation of any artificial intelligence is too dangerous. Abandon this already designed gem architecture, completely strip away all scepter data, and build a purely Earth-based, purely self-developed underlying logic from scratch."
There was no heated argument, no harsh reprimand, but Lynn's calm yet firm words slammed down all of Tony's wishful thinking and arrogance.
There was a long silence on the other end of the communication line. The evening breeze rustled through the branches and leaves along the riverbank. The bustling city was still as lively as ever, but Lynn's mind had long since calmed down.
He avoided the allure of the nightmare illusions and avoided Tony's psychological trauma, but he could not ultimately escape the hidden dangers at the origin of the universe. As long as the Infinity Stones exist, the lurking crisis will never dissipate.
A moment later, Tony's voice came slowly, devoid of all arrogance and swagger, filled with solemnity and caution. "I understand. Banner, Ivan, and I will immediately review the entire architecture, completely strip away the scepter data, overturn the existing underlying logic, and start from scratch."
I trust your judgment.
The call ended, the night remained gentle, and the warmth of human connection remained undiminished.
Natasha was standing behind him, silently watching his back, her eyes filled with complete trust and tenderness. She didn't ask about the content of the call, nor did she delve into the crisis it contained; she simply approached silently and whispered, "All done?"
Lynn turned around, his cold and serious demeanor instantly vanishing, replaced by tenderness and warmth in his eyes. He nodded gently. "Yes, it's resolved."
He didn't want worldly crises to disturb her hard-won peaceful life.
The undercurrents were intercepted in advance, and the disaster was nipped in the bud. But Lynn knew in his heart that this was only the beginning.
The evening breeze is gentle, the fireworks are ordinary, and before me lies the peace and tranquility I've always longed for. Beneath the calm surface of the fireworks, undercurrents never cease to surge.