at the same time.
177A Bleecker Street, Manhattan, New York.
This is an old-style building sandwiched between bustling streets.
The New York passing by were in a hurry, and no one gave the house a second glance, as if it didn't exist at all.
Inside the building, the hall was empty, with only a few rays of sunlight shining on the ancient wooden floor.
Sudden.
"Sizzle sizzle..."
A ring of golden sparks lit up in mid-air.
The sparks rapidly expanded, forming a rotating portal.
Wang, carrying a somewhat old canvas duffel bag, stepped through the portal and entered the New York Sanctum.
As he entered, the portal behind him instantly shrank, turning into sparks and disappearing.
Wang put down his luggage bag and dusted off his monk's robe.
Then, I looked around the old house, which was unusually quiet.
"My God, this place is even more deserted than the Vault of Books in Kamar-Taj."
Wang sighed and walked to a chair in the center of the hall, where he sat down.
Touching her slightly chubby belly, the image of the hamburgers and pizzas promised by the Ancient One involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
"What's a little loneliness compared to delicious food?"
Wang consoled himself with a thought, then picked up the remote control on the table and turned on a somewhat old-looking television set in front of him.
He felt that since he had come to New York, he should first learn about the local customs and culture, and also figure out how to make contact with the two target individuals.
The TV screen lit up, and it happened to be a morning news channel.
In the picture, Luca Stark, dressed in a suit, stands among a group of reporters with a charming smile on his face.
"I am not a lofty hero, much less an omnipotent God. I am just an ordinary person who doesn't want to see anyone fall into trouble."
On TV, Luca spoke sincerely, his gaze fixed on the camera; anyone who saw him would think he was a true superhero.
Wang was stunned, his brows furrowing tightly.
"This is the person the Sorcerer Supreme asked me to teach magic?"
He began to question the meaning of life.
This guy doesn't look like a meditating monk who can calm his mind and meditate; he looks more like a villain who's always ready to pop champagne at a party.
And what did this guy just say? An ordinary person?
He had seen the news about their battle against the monster team before.
So they're called ordinary people?!
"For Vishanti's sake, this mission is even more outrageous than dealing with Dormammu."
Wang leaned back on the sofa helplessly and rubbed his temples.
The other party is a high-profile Playboy who seems to want the whole universe to know about him.
I'm just a librarian who has to be careful with money even when buying a hot dog.
So, how do I strike up a conversation with them?!
"Hey, Mr. Stark, would you like to learn magic?"
He figured the other party would most likely have their bodyguards throw him into the Hudson River.
"Forget it, let's order takeout first. We'll figure something out after we've eaten."
Wang touched the few dollar bills he had in his pocket and fell into deep thought.
Shift in gaze.
Washington, D.C.., the Triskelion.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, Director's Office.
The atmosphere here is completely different from the desolation of the New York Sanctum.
At this moment, Nick Fury was sitting behind his desk.
His face, which was already dark, was now as dark as if two fields of cotton had just been harvested.
His only remaining eye was bloodshot, staring intently at a report on the table.
Coulson stood in front of his desk, holding two cups of hot coffee, and carefully placed one of them in front of Fury.
"Chief, have some coffee. You haven't slept for two days."
"Coffee? Do you think I can drink coffee right now?!"
Fury slammed his hand on the table, splashing coffee everywhere.
"Two days! Coulson! A full two days!"
Fury was filled with impotent rage, his teeth clenched.
"I am Nick Fury! Director of S.H.I.E.L.D..! The world's highest-ranking intelligence chief!"
"We were treated as terrorists who committed crimes against humanity by the Los Angeles military and locked up in that military prison where even the toilets leaked for two days!"
"Have you forgotten what we've been through these past two days? We've been eating cold sandwiches and sleeping on hard metal beds!"
Coulson coughed awkwardly, trying to soothe his boss's emotions.
"Director, on the bright side, at least the military didn't treat us like alien spies and take us for autopsies. Besides, didn't Secretary Pierce already get us out of there?"
Don't mention Pierce to me!
Fury's one eye widened even more.
"When he picked us up from jail, he looked at us like we were idiots! He even asked me if I'd gotten drunk in Los Angeles and run naked in the street, which is why I got arrested!"
Fury took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger, but the thought of the culprit made his temper flare up again.
" Luca Stark! That damn bastard!"
"He knows perfectly well who I am! He knows perfectly well that those monsters were there to help him! And yet he turns around and accuses me in front of the entire world's media!"
Fury paced back and forth in his office, furious.
" The Stark Family are all lunatics! Howard is a lunatic, Tony is a lunatic, and Luca is a ruthless villain with no moral bottom line!"
Coulson sighed helplessly.
"Chief, I've said it before, the Stark brothers don't play by the rules. They have no moral compass in the traditional sense."
"They don't care if you're S.H.I.E.L.D.. or any other agency, as long as they're unhappy."
Fury snorted and sat back down in his chair.
He knew the Stark brothers were difficult to deal with, but he didn't expect them to be this difficult.
The original plan was to go to Los Angeles to flex S.H.I.E.L.D..'s muscles and recruit them into the Avengers Initiative.
As a result, they failed to demonstrate their strength, the Howling Commandos was defeated by Luca's team, and they themselves became prisoners.
This is a complete disaster, a double loss.
"Chief."
Seeing that Fury had calmed down a bit, Coulson changed the subject at the opportune moment.
"Regarding Tony Stark, the intelligence department has just sent us an updated analysis report."
Coulson opened the folder in his hand, his expression turning serious.
"Based on the analysis, Tony Stark's Arc Reactor is likely slowly killing him."
Fury raised an eyebrow; he knew that much.
Palladium poisoning?
"Yes." Coulson nodded.
"While palladium is releasing energy, toxins are entering his bloodstream. At the current rate of deterioration, he is estimated to have only a few months to live."
"Furthermore, Tony Stark hasn't found New Element to replace palladium yet. We've tried all known elements, and all have failed."
Upon hearing this news, Fury's one eye narrowed slightly.
"A few months? It seems our invincible Iron Man is about to turn into a piece of scrap metal."
Coulson glanced at Fury and asked tentatively.
"Director, do you remember the relic Howard Stark left behind at S.H.I.E.L.D..? It was that futuristic city model from the Stark Expo."
"We all know that the model contains a hidden structural diagram of a New Element. And this New Element can perfectly replace palladium, resolving Tony's crisis."
Coulson paused, then continued.
"Since our relationship with the Stark brothers is so strained right now, should we hand this model over to them?"
"We can use this as leverage to get them to reconcile and willingly join the Avengers Initiative."
In Coulson's view, this is a win-win situation.
By saving Tony's life, S.H.I.E.L.D.. also gains two powerful allies.
However, Fury shook his head without hesitation.
"Give it to him? Now?"
Fury chuckled coldly, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
" Coulson, you're still too naive. You don't understand the Stark Family at all."
"If you send the model over now, Tony Stark won't be grateful; he'll take it for granted."
"He'll think of this as something left to him by his father, and that we're just deliverymen."
As for Luca?
Fury scoffed.
"He'll just laugh at S.H.I.E.L.D.. for being a free storage locker, and might even try to extort money from us for mismanagement!"
Coulson was stunned.
Thinking about it carefully, given Luca's personality, he really is capable of doing something like that.
So you mean...?
"Keep this message."
Fury narrowed his one eye slightly.
"No one is to move without my order."
" The Stark brothers are riding high right now; they think they're invincible Superman and Iron Man. We have no leverage to negotiate with them at this point."
"But as Tony Stark's palladium poisoning worsened, as he realized technology couldn't save his life, as he reached a dead end..."
Fury looked at Coulson and gave him a knowing smile.
"At that time, I will give him the answers that Howard left behind."
"At that point, he'll not only have to obediently join the Avengers Initiative, but he'll also have to be grateful to us!"
After listening, Coulson nodded silently.
The bureau chief's plan was indeed very shrewd.
Offering help in times of need is always more valuable than adding to someone's already good fortune.
"But, Chief," Coulson still had some concerns.
"What about Luca Stark? His power is insane. What if he heals Tony using some method we don't know about?"
"He?"
Fury curled his lip in disdain.
" Coulson, you need to understand, strength and brains are two different things."
" Luca Stark is indeed a formidable fighter; he can Abomination flying with a single punch and fire lasers. But so what?"
Fury pointed to his head.
"Can he punch palladium out of a vein? Can he burn a New Element out of a laser?"
"Technological problems can only be solved by technology. And in this world, apart from the answers left by Howard Stark, no one else can solve this problem."
With that thought in mind, Fury picked up his coffee and took a leisurely sip.
"No matter how strong Luca is, he's just a reckless brute. He can't save Tony."
"Therefore, we just need to patiently wait until they are cornered, and that will be the time for S.H.I.E.L.D.. to close the net."
Fury confidently drew his conclusion.
He felt he had completely grasped the situation and was certain of victory.