A café near Trafalgar Square in London.
It was already late at night, and there were explosions and gunfights in the nearby streets.
This coffee shop, which usually requires reservations, was completely empty at the moment.
Or rather, Luca booked the entire stadium.
The café owner immediately spotted Luca's face, which seemed to be worth more than a credit card.
So, quite sensibly, they cleared out the staff, leaving only a pot of freshly brewed coffee.
In the booth by the window.
Luca sat in the main seat, his gaze intently scrutinizing the woman sitting opposite him.
This person's name is Sersi.
The other person held a cup of hot tea, their eyes lowered.
Despite the chaotic battle just now, her gentle and elegant temperament remained undiminished.
Gwen Stacy and Wanda sat on either side of Luca.
Wanda's gaze remained fixed on Sersi, a hint of wariness in her eyes.
As someone who also possesses supernatural powers, Wanda could sense it.
The energy within Sersi is ancient and extremely pure.
This is not quite like mutation; it's more like an innate divinity.
Gwen Stacy was also observing Sersi with curiosity.
She was utterly astonished by the ability to turn the road surface into a shield.
"So, Ms. Sersi."
Luca put down his cup, breaking the silence.
"Since you recognize me, let's skip the pointless formalities."
"The skills you just demonstrated on the street were... truly amazing."
" Stark Industries ' Life Sciences Division has always been dedicated to studying the limits of human evolution. And you are clearly a good evolutionary sample."
Luca stared into Sersi's eyes, his tone tinged with a hint of probing.
Are you a superhuman? Or have you undergone genetic modification?
Upon hearing this question, Sersi's hand tightened slightly.
But she managed her facial expressions perfectly, showing no sign of panic.
" Mr. Stark, you're joking."
Sersi met Luca's gaze, her tone calm and gentle.
"I'm just a history researcher working at a natural history museum. As for my abilities... I don't know where they came from."
"Perhaps it was an accidental radiation exposure, or perhaps it was a genetic mutation."
"To be honest, I rarely use it. I only revealed it today in a moment of crisis to save someone."
Sersi could lie without batting an eye.
As a member of the Eternals, she has been living secretly on Earth for over seven thousand years.
They witnessed humanity's journey from the primitive era of drinking blood and eating raw meat to the technological civilization we have today.
I have also seen countless emperors, generals, and scientists as arrogant as Stark.
Therefore, she knew all too well how to hide her true identity from a human.
"We absolutely cannot let him know about the existence of the Eternals, and even more importantly, we cannot let him know about Eternals plans."
Sersi silently reminded herself of this.
According to what I understand, Luca Stark is a madman with no bottom line.
Sersi had already heard about what he had done in Wakanda.
If the other side knew that the Eternals possessed cosmic technology far surpassing that of Earth.
She was certain Luca would get to the bottom of things!
Therefore, I must keep a low profile.
"I'm just an ordinary superpowered person who hates trouble."
Thinking of this, Sersi lowered her head slightly, deliberately feigning weakness and fear.
" Mr. Stark, I really don't want to get involved in superhero trouble. I just want to live a normal life. Please don't tell anyone about my situation, okay?"
Sersi looked so pitiful.
If it were a typical superhero, they might actually believe it, and might even swear on their honor to protect her privacy.
But who is Luca?
He could sense the frequency of Sersi's heartbeat.
The other person's heartbeat was too steady.
How could someone who has just experienced a hail of bullets have such a steady heartbeat?
This woman's acting skills are professional.
"Oh, you don't want to get involved in trouble? That's a regrettable decision."
Luca chuckled softly, but did not expose the other party's lie.
"However, Ms. Sersi, the Earth these days is not a place you can simply hide from."
Luca paused deliberately, leaned forward slightly, and stared intently into Sersi's eyes.
You probably don't know this yet, do you?
"Just a few days ago, a guy claiming to be Thor, the God of Thor from Asgard, fell into the desert in New Mexico."
As Luca spoke, he carefully observed the changes in Sersi's expression.
"Furthermore, his brother, Loki, known as the God of Mischief, also came to Earth and stole a Tesseract containing infinite energy from S.H.I.E.L.D.."
"It is said that the Loki Cube, a backup Tesseract, opened a portal, summoning an alien fleet to invade Earth."
Upon hearing these words, Sersi's pupils changed in a very short time.
Although she quickly regained her composure, this fleeting change did not escape Luca's heightened senses.
" Odin's son from Asgard?"
A storm raged within Sersi's heart.
"How did they get involved? Didn't Odin swear an oath long ago that the Nine Realms would not interfere with each other?"
Sersi, of course, knew of the existence of Asgard.
Thousands of years ago, she had seen Odin, the All-Father, from afar.
"If an alien fleet were to launch a large-scale invasion of Earth, wouldn't that affect the process of Emergence?"
"If Earth is destroyed prematurely, Arishem's plan will fail! I must inform Ikaris and Ajak immediately!"
Although Sersi was extremely anxious inside, she still pretended to be bewildered and shocked on the surface.
Aliens? Asgard?
Sersi covered her mouth, making an incredulous expression.
" Mr. Stark, what are you saying? This... this sounds like a myth."
"I'm just an ordinary person who studies human history; these things are too far removed from my life."
Sersi remained stubbornly defiant.
Luca gave a cold laugh.
"Keep pretending, keep pretending."
Sersi's demeanor changed when she heard about Asgard and the alien fleet.
This is definitely not a reaction an ordinary person should have.
When ordinary people hear about an alien invasion, their first reaction is usually panic or suspicion.
Sersi's reaction, however, seemed more like worry and calculation after learning the inside story.
This woman is definitely not an ordinary person.
The other party not only knows about Asgard, but also likely has some knowledge of other forces in the universe!
It seems that there are more hidden secrets on Earth than I imagined.
Luca's smile deepened.
"It's alright, Ms. Sersi. I was just sharing a piece of gossip."
Luca leaned back in his chair and picked up his coffee.
"Since you only want to live a normal life, Stark Industries will certainly respect your wishes. We are very committed to human rights."
"However, as a reward for your courageous act of protecting civilians tonight..."
Luca took a business card out of his pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of Sersi.
"This is my private number."
"If you encounter scientifically inexplicable problems while researching history, or if one day you change your mind and want to switch to a job with a multi-million dollar annual salary."
You can call me anytime.
Sersi looked at the business card and hesitated for a moment.
She knew that refusing would only arouse Luca's suspicion.
So she put the business card in her bag.
"Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Stark. I will if needed."
Just then...
The door to the coffee shop was suddenly pushed open in a hurry.
"Jingle!"
Accompanied by the crisp sound of the doorbell, a man who looked somewhat refined ran in.
He was panting heavily, covered in sweat, and his eyes were filled with anxiety.
" Sersi! Are you alright?!"
The man spotted Sersi immediately and ran over excitedly.
This man was Dane Whitman.
He currently works at the Natural History Museum in London, where he is Sersi's colleague.
However, at present, Dane is just a scholar who knows nothing about the supernatural world.
" Dane? What brings you here?"
When Sersi saw Dane, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she quickly stood up to greet him.
"I saw on the news that there was a terrorist attack on this street!"
Dane grabbed Sersi's shoulder, looked her up and down, and only after confirming that she was not injured did he breathe a long sigh of relief.
"Oh my god, do you know how worried I was about you! I kept calling you but you didn't answer, I thought something had happened to you!"
"Sorry, Dane. It was so chaotic just now, I might have dropped my phone on the street."
Sersi patted Dane's hand with a hint of guilt.
As a non-human with Eternity life, her feelings for Dane are complex.
She liked this gentle and considerate mortal, but because of her hidden identity, she could never be completely honest with him.
"It's alright, it's alright."
Dane breathed a sigh of relief.
Only then did he notice the people sitting in the booth.
When he saw Luca's face sitting in the main seat, Dane's eyes widened instantly.
"Lu... Luca Stark?!"
Dane stammered out the name.
Who in this world doesn't recognize this face that dominates the news headlines almost every day?
The world's richest man, a genius scientist, the leader of the Justice League, and hailed as the most powerful superhero on Earth— Superman!
"My God, am I dreaming?"
Dane rubbed his eyes.
" Mr. Stark, how... how did you end up with Sersi?"
Luca observed the other person with great interest.
"No superpower fluctuations. Physically, he's just an ordinary person who doesn't exercise much. His heart beats very fast, and he gets emotionally agitated."
Luca gave Dane an initial assessment.
"It seems he's just an ordinary person blinded by love."
Luca smiled slightly and raised the coffee in his hand.
Good evening, Mr. Whitman.
"There was a little disturbance on the street just now, and I happened to be passing by, so I helped Ms. Sersi out of the blue. Seeing that she seemed a bit shaken, I invited her in for a cup of tea to calm her nerves."
Luca lied without batting an eye, completely covering up the fact that Sersi used her superpowers to save people.
When Sersi heard Luca say that, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems the other party doesn't intend to expose her for the time being.
"I see! Thank you so much, Mr. Stark!"
Dane excitedly stepped forward to shake hands with Luca.
But seeing that Luca had no intention of reaching out, he awkwardly withdrew his hand.
"You not only saved the world, but you also saved Sersi today. You are truly a great hero!"
"You're too kind. This is just part of the Justice League's job."
Luca waved his hand, looking righteous and awe-inspiring.
"Now that Mr. Whitman is here, I won't disturb your time together."
Luca stood up and put on his coat.
Wanda and Gwen Stacy also stood up.
"Ms. Sersi."
Luca walked over to Sersi and lowered his voice.
Remember my words. The Earth is very unsafe right now.
"If one day you feel that trouble lurking in the shadows is coming your way, or if this friend of yours is in danger..."
Luca glanced at Dane and smiled slightly.
Don't forget, my business card is in your bag.
Stark Industries is always happy to provide protection for its valuable customers.
After saying that, Luca didn't wait for Sersi's reply.
He led the two women out of the coffee shop amidst Dane's adoring gaze.
Watching the three figures disappear into the night.
Sersi gripped the business card tightly, her brow furrowed.
She knew that Luca had her eye on her.
Moreover, this person is not only incredibly powerful, but also extremely cunning.
The other person's words just now clearly implied that they had seen through my disguise.
" Sersi, what's wrong? You don't look well."
Dane noticed Sersi's unusual behavior and asked her with concern.
"Were you scared? Come on, I'll take you home."
"I'm fine, Dane. I'm just a little tired."
Sersi forced a smile and took Dane's arm.
But in her heart, a storm was brewing.
"It seems that Earth is no longer a place where we can quietly hide."
"I must contact Ajak Luca Stark as soon as possible; his rise will definitely be a variable in the Emergence Project!"
On the other side.
Luca led Gwen Stacy and Wanda down a quiet street.
" Luca, do you really believe that woman is just an ordinary person?"
Gwen Stacy couldn't help but ask.
"Her abilities cannot be explained by mutation alone."
"Of course I don't believe it."
Luca chuckled softly.
"She's not only lying, she's lying professionally."
"She seemed somewhat surprised when I mentioned Asgard and the alien fleet."
"This shows that the other side not only knows these things, but may also know more about these forces than we do."
At this point, a glint of light flashed in Luca's eyes.
"A woman who disguises herself as an ordinary person but possesses supernatural powers and has an in-depth understanding of extraterrestrial civilizations."
"What do you think her background is?"
Wanda frowned.
"Could she be an alien too? A spy lurking on Earth?"
Who knows?
Luca shrugged, appearing indifferent.
"No matter what she is, as long as she's on Earth, she can't escape our grasp."
I gave her my business card to plant a seed in her heart.
"When she or the organization behind her encounters problems they can't solve, they'll naturally come to us obediently."
Luca stopped, put his arm around the two women, and looked up at the gloomy night sky.
"Let's go, it's time for us to go find Loki."