Underground laboratory.
Mjolnir was lifted onto the cutting table by a dozen robotic arms, surrounded by a ring of high-strength alloy locks.
The hammer did not react at all.
Tony stood in front of the control panel, rubbing his hands excitedly, all traces of sleepiness vanishing from his eyes.
An alien weapon that defies existing physical laws, cannot be scanned, and cannot be moved even by the armor at its maximum output.
For Tony, this thing was more attractive than a beautiful woman.
" JARVIS, prepare the plasma cutter."
"Sir, the target surface cannot be modeled using conventional methods."
"Then increase the power, starting with ten percent."
Tony brought up several virtual screens and said impatiently, "I want to see what's so special about its molecular structure."
Just then, the communicator next to the control panel lit up.
Nick Fury's name appeared on the screen.
Tony glanced at it and casually pressed the reject button.
A few seconds later, the communication rang again.
He continued to refuse.
The third time.
The fourth time.
Tony immediately muted the communicator.
Chen Mo lay on the sofa, picked up the communicator next to him, and pressed the answer button.
Nick Fury's dark face immediately appeared on the screen.
" Stark, you've finally agreed..."
It wasn't him.
Chen Mo pointed the communicator at himself, "Speak quickly, he's about to dismantle a hammer right now, he doesn't have time for you."
Fury was silent for two seconds.
The sound he least wanted to hear still came.
"Fifteen minutes ago, S.H.I.E.L.D.. detected a large-scale spatial energy reaction. A high-energy target broke through the atmosphere and ultimately crashed into Stark Tower."
Fury said coldly, "The target may involve an alien civilization. S.H.I.E.L.D.. needs to immediately take control of the unknown life form and its personal weapons."
Tony stopped moving.
He slowly turned his head.
"Whose turn to take over?"
"That alien life form, and that weapon."
"No."
Tony answered very decisively.
Fury frowned. " Stark, this wasn't a simple crash. That energy has triggered S.H.I.E.L.D..'s global alert system."
"Then you should turn off the early warning system."
Tony walked up to the screen, blocking Chen Mo's path. "You're going to rob someone with an unknown identity, owing 136 million dollars, and who doesn't even know how to use US dollars?"
He is not mentally ill.
He claimed to be a god and that his father lived in heaven.
Tony pointed to the safe room. "What's worse, he doesn't even know what a credit card is. By Earth standards, this is hopeless."
Fury's face darkened further.
" Stark, I have no interest in discussing his mental state."
"But I have."
Tony crossed his arms. "He smashed through my building and destroyed equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars. By collateral law, that hammer now belongs to me."
You have no right to seize alien weapons.
"Then you have it?"
Tony raised an eyebrow. "One-Eyed Man, is S.H.I.E.L.D.. so broke they can't even afford to eat? They just stole the Long Electrician, and now they're trying to steal the hammer."
" Ivan Vanko is a dangerous criminal."
"This is also a dangerous debtor."
Tony said seriously, "They're pretty much the same, the only difference is that this one is bigger and has worse financial knowledge."
Fury, suppressing his anger, said in a deep voice, "I need to send someone over to check the situation."
"Casual."
Tony turned around. "But if he wants to take anything, pay his bill first."
"Including that alien?"
Chen Mo peeked out from behind the screen, "You can take the person, but leave the hammer behind."
Fury looked at him.
Are you sure?
"Sure."
Chen Mo nodded. "Anyway, meat can be eaten anywhere. After you've cleaned it up, remember to bring the body back to me."
The communication screen went silent.
Fury suddenly realized that leaving the alien in Stark Tower might be safer than sending him to S.H.I.E.L.D..
At least Chen Mo hasn't said anything yet.
As for sending an armed squad to forcibly take over, Fury didn't even consider it.
That's not about carrying out a mission.
That was a buffet delivered to Chen Mo.
"I'll send Coulson over there."
Fury left those words and ended the communication immediately.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
Coulson had just sat down, his coffee still steaming, when his communicator rang.
He looked at the name on the screen, a familiar unease rising within him.
"Sir."
"To Stark Tower."
" Ivan's interrogation is not over yet."
"Leave it to someone else."
Fury said expressionlessly, "An alien life form has appeared there, along with an unidentified weapon. Go and confirm the target's status, assess the risks, and try to figure out the situation."
Coulson keenly noticed two words.
"Try your best?"
" Chen Mo is there too."
Coulson glanced at the freshly brewed coffee.
He suddenly had a strong urge to apply for a transfer to oversee Ivan's interrogation.
At least the long-time electrician wouldn't treat secret agents like dessert.
"Clear."
Coulson put down his coffee and picked up his coat again.
Half an hour later.
The alloy doors to the Stark Tower's underground laboratory slowly opened.
Coulson straightened his tie and wore a standard professional smile.
" Mr. Stark, Mr. Chen Mo, I have been ordered to come..."
He stopped halfway through his sentence.
The scene in the laboratory was completely different from what he had expected.
Tony, wearing goggles and holding a plasma welding torch, was frantically cutting at Mjolnir's Hammerhead.
Blinding sparks flew everywhere.
The hammer wasn't even scratched, but the three cutting machines next to it were already emitting black smoke.
" JARVIS, increase it to eighty percent."
"Sir, the cutter's temperature has exceeded the safe range."
"Then let's add another cooling system."
"The laboratory currently has no backup equipment."
"Take down the air conditioner from upstairs."
Coulson opened his mouth.
He turned his head to look in the other direction.
Chen Mo was sprawled on the sofa, a plate of grapes beside him, intently observing Thor in the safe room.
"Do you think the meat will become too tough if we stew it?"
Tony, without looking up, said, "I don't know, I don't study recipes."
" Asgardians lived a long time, so their muscle fibers must have been quite tough."
Chen Mo popped a grape into his mouth. "If all else fails, marinate it for two days first, then stew it in a pressure cooker."
"Don't discuss cannibalism in my lab."
"He's not human."
"Even aliens won't work."
That's regional discrimination.
Coulson shifted his gaze to the safe room.
The extraterrestrial being that triggered the global energy alarm is currently strapped to a steel chair by six mechanical arms.
Thor was disheveled, his eyes were red-rimmed, and he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
On the screen in front of him, an animated bear is holding a calculator, cheerfully explaining loan information.
Please read aloud with me.
"Loan principal multiplied by monthly interest rate, then multiplied by the number of repayment months..."
Thor gritted his teeth and remained silent.
A red light immediately illuminated next to the seat.
"Student uncooperative behavior detected; course restarted."
The screen returned to the beginning.
The animated bear holds up the credit card again.
"Children, today we're going to learn how to calculate compound interest."
Thor shuddered.
"No..."
Please read aloud with me.
"Loan principal..."
Thor closed his eyes, two streams of humiliating tears flowing down his cheeks.
"Loan principal multiplied by monthly interest rate, then multiplied by the number of repayment months..."
Coulson stood in the doorway, momentarily at a loss for words.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters is prepared to deal with an alien invasion.
The fighter jets are on standby.
Three rapid response teams have assembled.
The medical department even set aside an alien biological isolation room.
It turns out that this so-called alien invader is learning loan formulas at Stark Tower.
Coulson suddenly felt that all those preparations were somewhat unnecessary.
"You've arrived?"
Chen Mo pointed to the chair opposite him, "Sit wherever you like. There are no more grapes; I ate the last few."
"Thank you, but I didn't come here to eat grapes."
Coulson walked into the lab, glanced at the cutting table, and asked, " Mr. Stark, what are you planning to do with that weapon?"
"Research."
Tony turned off the welding torch and removed his safety goggles.
"Current research concludes that it's even more shameless than S.H.I.E.L.D.."
"Headquarters wants it tested."
"You can stand there and watch."
We need more specialized equipment.
My equipment is at least twenty years ahead of yours.
Tony pointed to the smoking cutter. "They're just a little hot for now."
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of sparks erupted from inside the cutter.
Completely scrapped.
Coulson looked at the plume of black smoke and wisely refrained from commenting.
He walked to the opposite side of the sofa, pulled out a chair, sat down, and prepared to take out the risk assessment form from his briefcase.
Just then, Thor in the safe room suddenly fell silent.
He stared intently at Coulson.
To be precise, it was staring at Coulson's hairline, which was somewhat reflective under the light.
Thor's pupils gradually contracted.
The next second, he suddenly struggled to sit up in his seat. The six mechanical arms creaked and groaned as they were pulled, and the shrill roar nearly shattered the monitoring equipment next to him.
"Is this your last resort?"
Thor roared in terror, "To pluck a man's head so bald, just to destroy the last vestiges of the Asgard crown prince's will!"
The laboratory fell silent instantly.
Coulson held the risk assessment form, and for the first time, the professional smile on his face vanished.