A temporary manor on the outskirts of London.
The holographic projection in the center of the hall has switched from a three-dimensional globe to a set of near-Earth orbit analysis diagrams.
A dense stream of data rolled rapidly in mid-air.
Finally, the frame freezes, and a scene appears.
This is a deep blue ray.
The ray pierced through the atmosphere instantly and disappeared into the boundless depths of space.
Luca stood in front of the projector, holding a glass of red wine, his eyes slightly narrowed, a meaningful, cold smile playing on his lips.
" JARVIS, sync this footage to the monitoring room at the New York base. Connect to Thor's channel and unmute him."
"Okay, sir. You've been connected."
A few seconds later, Thor's slightly dissatisfied voice came through the communication channel again.
" Luca! Why did you mute my microphone?!"
"The search method I just described is absolutely the most effective way to find Loki! You're showing disrespect for Asgard art!"
Thor was waving a chicken leg over there, protesting loudly.
"Alright, put your chicken leg down, wipe the grease off your hands, and look at the screen in front of you."
Luca took a sip of red wine and calmly interrupted the other person.
" Thor, use your meager intelligence to tell me, is the energy trajectory on the screen the work of the Space Stone, as you claim?"
Inside the New York base.
Thor, who had been cursing and swearing, also saw the image and froze.
The half-eaten fried chicken in his hand fell onto the table with a thud.
Thor rushed to the screen, his nose almost touching the display.
"This... this is..."
"This is the contrail of a spatial warp!"
Thor said in a deep voice, his tone no longer carrying any hint of joking.
"Only when the Space Stone is activated for an ultra-long-distance teleportation across galaxies would such a high concentration of spatial law remnants be left behind!"
" Luca, you mean... Loki wasn't hiding in Midgard at all?!"
Thor suddenly looked up and shouted at the camera.
That's right.
Luca leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs and putting them on the coffee table.
"I knew it, with JARVIS's global surveillance network..."
"Even if he turned into a fly and hid in a crevice in the Siberia ice, it would be impossible for us not to detect even the slightest fluctuation."
"Therefore, the first thing a god would do after stealing a treasure capable of traversing galaxies would definitely not be hiding in a pigsty and crying."
"He must have used the Space Stone to jump directly out of Earth and escape to some corner of the universe."
Upon hearing Luca's analysis, Thor frowned and paced anxiously back and forth in the monitoring room.
"You're right, Luca. This is exactly like Loki's character!"
"I know him too well! He will absolutely not let this go."
Loki left Midgard; there must be only one purpose.
"That means going into space to find those outlaws or armies!"
"He has the Space Stone! If he's willing to use Space Stone as leverage, countless greedy warlords and tyrants throughout the universe would be willing to provide him with an army!"
Thinking of this, Thor looked anxiously at Luca on the screen.
" Luca, this is more dangerous than him hiding in the Midgard!"
"We don't know which galaxy Loki went to, or what kind of monster he'll bring back!"
"Once he's ready, he can open a portal above your heads at any time!"
In the manor.
Gwen Stacy and Wanda's expressions changed involuntarily upon hearing these words.
An unknown enemy, an interstellar army that could descend upon us at any moment.
This made the two women feel very uneasy.
However, Luca simply shrugged.
"Relax, big guy. If the sky falls, tall guys will hold it up, and on Earth, I'm the tallest person."
Luca smiled confidently.
"I was just worried that searching the whole world for him was such a waste of time."
"Now that he's gone out into space to contact suppliers for me, we don't need to wander around aimlessly like headless chickens."
All we have to do is wait for the fish to bite.
After saying that, Luca switched the channel back to the public band.
"Hey, all you employees currently on company-funded trips, I have some good news to share."
Luca's voice reached everyone's ears.
"Based on our deductions, Thor and I have determined that Loki is no longer on this Earth server. He used the Space Stone to travel to outer space to fetch reinforcements."
There was a two-second silence in the channel, followed by a burst of wailing and howling.
"Fuck! Boss, you mean I lay there for five hours on an ice field at minus forty degrees Celsius, and even my beard froze?"
"So you're telling me the target isn't even on Earth?!" Frank rarely swore.
"Waaaaah... So all those fourteen bowls of ramen I ate were for nothing?"
"I thought there would be a big battle at Tokyo Tower tonight!" Peter exclaimed, sounding aggrieved.
"Great! Thank God! I can finally leave this hellish place full of bikini-clad women!"
" Hulk, shut up! We're not going to the beach!" Banner cheered with relief.
In a Paris outdoor café, Jessica and Natasha exchanged a glance.
Both of them secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but a hint of seriousness appeared in their eyes.
Loki has gone to fetch reinforcements! This information must be relayed back to headquarters as soon as possible.
"Alright, stop complaining."
Luca laughed and cursed.
"All overseas travel expenses will be reimbursed at double the rate."
"Now, pack your things immediately and board your respective private planes to return to the New York base to await orders."
"From now on, get yourself into top shape. We have a big deal to do."
"Understood, boss!"
Everyone responded in unison, and then they all cut off the communication.
The hall returned to silence.
The holographic projection went out, leaving only the glow of the burning firewood in the fireplace.
Gwen Stacy walked over to Luca and asked with some concern.
" Luca, shall we go straight back to New York?"
"No rush."
Luca stood up, picked up his trench coat, and draped it over his shoulders.
Everyone else has gone back, but we have one last thing to take care of in London before we head back to New York.
Luca looked at Wanda and Gwen Stacy and smiled slightly.
"You haven't forgotten the secret we overheard in the alley, have you?"
"You mean... Sersi?" Wanda was slightly taken aback.
"Are you going to arrest her now? But there's an organization called the Eternals behind her, and that guy named Ikaris sounds dangerous..."
"Capture her? No, no, no, little witch, your thoughts are too violent."
Luca gently shook his finger, a gentle smile on his face.
" Stark Industries is a legitimate multinational corporation, not a criminal organization."
"How can we use such crude methods as arrest to deal with talented people who have lived on Earth for thousands of years and possess advanced technology?"
Gwen Stacy and Wanda were taken aback, somewhat confused.
Luca wasn't in a hurry and patiently explained.
Think carefully about what they said on the phone.
" Ajak said their mission was to eliminate the Deviants, protect the human race, and continue until the standard for Emergence was met, then to awaken Tiamut."
"What does that mean?"
"This means before the human population reaches the target, or before Tiamut is ready to hatch."
"These Eternals want Earth to be peaceful and safe more than anyone else!"
"If Loki comes with his fleet and destroys Earth, wiping out all of humanity..."
"Then all their seven thousand years of hard work will have been wasted. How will they explain this to that Arishem?"
Gwen Stacy's eyes lit up when she heard Luca's analysis.
"I understand! The enemy of my enemy is my friend!"
"Since Loki intends to destroy Earth, the Eternals, in order to protect their hatcheries, will absolutely not stand idly by!"
"Smart, just as I thought you were, my Spider-Man."
Luca patted Gwen Stacy's head approvingly.
"But the word 'friend' is too cheap. What I want are to turn them into free henchmen for Stark Industries."
" Sersi seems to have a kind heart and deep affection for humans."
"In the call just now, she clearly expressed concern about the destruction of Earth. This is her weakness, and also our entry point."
As he spoke, Luca walked towards the door.
"Come on, ladies, let's go pay a visit to this ancient relic who has lived for who knows how many years."
"Remember, this is a friendly business meeting. Put away your hostility; we'll use sincerity and money to win her over."
Half an hour later.
Downstairs from a Victorian-style apartment building in central London.
The cold night wind blew through the empty streets, swirling up a few fallen leaves.
Luca led Gwen Stacy and Wanda into the apartment building and arrived at a wooden door on the third floor.
Luca raised his hand and knocked lightly on the door a few times.
Thump, thump, thump.
A crisp knock echoed in the quiet corridor.
A slight noise came from inside the door.
Although the sound was very soft, it was audible to Luca.
You could still clearly hear Sersi suddenly jump up from the sofa in the room.
Immediately following was the sound of footsteps cautiously approaching the door.
After a good ten seconds, the door lock made a soft click.
The wooden door was opened a crack, and the security chain was still hanging on it.
Sersi's wary face appeared behind the crack in the door.
When she saw Luca and the others standing outside the door, she was dumbfounded.
" Mr. Stark..."
Sersi's expression remained unchanged, but the Cosmic Energy within her body was already quietly circulating.
She didn't understand why Luca would come to her door late at night after letting her go at the coffee shop!
What exactly is he trying to do?!
"Good evening, or rather, good morning, Ms. Sersi."
Luca smiled and held up a paper bag in his hand, which smelled of food.
"I apologize for disturbing your rest at this time. But I suddenly remembered that there are still some very important historical questions I haven't finished asking you."
Seeing the wary look in Sersi's eyes through the crack in the door, Luca spoke gently.
"What, is this how the United Kingdom treat their guests? Making the world's richest superhero stand in a cold, windy corridor chatting?"
Sersi stared at Luca, observing him without saying a word.
She didn't sense any murderous intent or aggression from Luca.
The other person acted as if they were genuinely just visiting.
Sersi quickly weighed the pros and cons.
If an attack were to occur here, triggering an energy explosion, all the ordinary people in the entire building would be harmed.
Moreover, her identity will be exposed to the whole world.
This goes against Ajak's recent order to keep a low profile.
Moreover, her intuition told her that even if she fought, she would be no match for Luca in front of her.
"Please come in."
Sersi took a deep breath, unlocked the security chain, and opened the door completely.
She wasn't the kind of weak person who would kneel down and beg for mercy after being intimidated a few times.
As Eternals has lived for seven thousand years, she possesses her own pride and confidence.
Since we can't avoid it, let's see what tricks they're up to.
Without hesitation, Luca led Gwen Stacy Wanda into the apartment.
He sat down on the sofa, with Gwen Stacy Wanda sitting obediently on either side.
Sersi closed the door and sat down on the sofa opposite Luca.
She straightened her back and placed her hands on her knees.
" Mr. Stark, there are no outsiders here now."
Sersi's gaze deepened, or rather... became cold.
"You've come so late at night, surely not just to invite me for a midnight snack? Please, speak frankly."
Seeing that Sersi had stopped pretending, Luca's smile became even brighter.
"I enjoy dealing with intelligent people; it saves me a lot of time."
Luca leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, his gaze fixed on Sersi.
"Ms. Sersi, I'll get straight to the point."
"I know you're not an ordinary person, in fact... you're not even from Earth, right?"
boom!
Although Sersi had prepared herself mentally, she still felt somewhat incredulous when it actually happened.
"I don't know what you're talking about..." Sersi tried to cover up one last time.
"Don't be nervous, like I said, I came with sincerity."
Luca raised his hand to interrupt her.
But he didn't intend to reveal what happened to Tiamut.
Because once the cards are revealed, it becomes a fight to the death.
What he needs now is to gain political support and win people over.
" Stark Industries possesses the world's most advanced surveillance satellites and technology."
Luca began spouting nonsense without batting an eye, attributing everything to science.
"When you use your abilities, my system has already performed a full analysis of you."
"Your ability is neither a superpower, nor magic, nor any genetic mutation currently known on Earth."
"And it's very ancient and pure; it's more like a creation from the universe."
Luca observed Sersi's reaction, his smile widening.
"And JARVIS also checked your resume."
"Although your disguise was perfect, nothing in this world is truly perfect."
"In the murals of Sumerian Civilization, in the ruins of Ancient Babylon, in the tapestries of King Arthur's time... there is a goddess who looks exactly like you."
"A person who has lived on Earth for thousands of years has never interfered with the succession of human regimes."
"Tonight, he even risked exposure to save several complete strangers."
After saying that, Luca leaned back on the sofa, spread his hands, and gave a sincere smile.
"What does this mean? It means that you and your companions are a group of friends who love the Earth, love humanity, and have been secretly protecting human civilization."
"Am I right, Ms. Sersi?"
After listening to the other person's analysis, Sersi was stunned.
She initially thought Luca had discovered the secrets of the Eternals or the truth about the Emergence, which was why he had come to settle scores with her.
But now it seems that Luca simply used the power of technology to find his own traces in history and regarded himself as a guardian who loves humanity!
In that instant, an inexplicable emotion welled up in Sersi's heart.
On the one hand, she was relieved that the secret of the Emergence had not been exposed.
On the other hand, Luca's words about loving humanity and protecting civilization stung her.
Yes, for the past seven thousand years, she has always believed that she is protecting humanity.
It wasn't until her conversation with Ikaris just now that she began to feel shaken and pained by the idea of using humans as nourishment in order to awaken the gods.
So, seeing Luca smiling gently, Sersi's tense body slowly relaxed.
" Mr. Stark, your wisdom and technology have truly exceeded my expectations."
Sersi sighed, tacitly acknowledging her inhuman status, but still firmly adhering to her bottom line.
"You're right, I have indeed lived on Earth for a very long time."
"I love it here, and I love people."
"But I have an oath I cannot break; we cannot interfere in human conflicts."
"Human internal conflicts are none of your concern. Whether it's Hydra or street criminals, the Justice League can handle it all."
Luca continued, following her lead.
"But, Sersi, what if the next crisis isn't an internal human conflict, but an invasion from space?"
At this moment, Luca's expression turned serious.
"Everything I told you before was true."
"Just now, I confirmed that Loki has left Earth with the Space Stone."
He went to space to find an army.
"His goal is to destroy life on Earth and turn this place into scorched earth."
"Just imagine, what if an alien fleet really arrives? What if human civilization is wiped out in this interstellar war? What if Earth is shattered to pieces..."
"Then, what you've protected for thousands of years, and your so-called vows... do they still have any meaning?"
This statement hit the nail on the head regarding Sersi's concerns.
If Earth is destroyed by an alien fleet, the humans she cherishes will die, and even the Tiamut inside Earth will perish!
Whether it's out of affection for humanity or out of a sense of responsibility for the mission to the Celestials.
She absolutely cannot allow an alien fleet to destroy Earth!
"But... my leader won't allow us to expose ourselves at this time..."
Sersi bit her lip, her eyes filled with struggle and hesitation.
"I don't need you to expose yourselves now, nor do I need you to immediately charge into battle for me."
Seeing that the time was right, Luca immediately stepped back.
He stood up, straightened his collar, and looked down at Sersi with a gentle expression.
"I'm here today simply to extend a friendly invitation to you and your friends."
"Come to New York in a few days. Come check out the Justice League's new headquarters."
We will not force you to join the Justice League.
"I just want you to see with your own eyes what kind of power humanity has mastered in order to protect its home."
"We would also like to have some... unofficial academic exchanges with you."
"After all, in the face of an impending storm, having one more friend is always better than having one more stranger."
"If the moment of life and death for Earth truly comes, I hope we can stand on the same side."
"This request shouldn't violate your oath, right?"
Luca's words were perfectly tactful.
They not only gave Sersi a way out, but also elevated the noble cause of protecting the Earth, while also offering the bait of curiosity about the Eternals' technology.
Sersi was speechless for a moment.
She knew Luca was dangerous, and that he was a shrewd businessman.
But at this moment, they face the potential threat of Loki and the alien fleet.
I just wanted to visit Stark Industries and find out what cards this most powerful force on Earth really had up its sleeve.
This was the right choice, both for her personally and for the Eternals.
"Good."
Sersi remained silent for a long time before finally nodding slowly.
" Mr. Stark, you've convinced me."
"I'll visit you in New York after I finish the handover process in the next couple of days."
"But I'm just going to take a look; I can't guarantee anything," Sersi added.
"Of course, you're welcome anytime. We'll reimburse your round-trip first-class airfare."
Luca snapped his the Snap, his smile widening.
Once the other party is willing to step through the doors of Stark Industries, whether they are molded or flattened will be out of her and those old fogies' hands.
"Well then, I won't disturb your rest any longer. Remember to eat the croissants on the table; they won't taste good when they're cold."
Luca nodded to Sersi, then put his arm around Gwen Stacy Wanda walked out of the apartment.
Walking on the empty streets.
Gwen Stacy looked at Luca, who was in a great mood, and couldn't help but give him a thumbs up.
" Luca, sometimes I really wonder if your superpower is just in your mouth?"
"You clearly want to use people as your free henchmen, but you can talk about it so righteously that you even moved them to come to your door on their own initiative."
Seeing this, Wanda covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
"And you even threatened her in the name of humanity, you're so mean."
"What you're saying isn't bad; it's the art of language, a negotiation skill."
Luca laughed heartily and hugged the two women even tighter.
"Alright, the bait has been cast. The Eternals will bite sooner or later."
"Now, JARVIS, bring the plane over here."
Luca glanced at the gradually whitening sky, a sharp, cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Let's go home, and then... do something adults should do!!"