After Chen Mo left, the booth fell silent again.
Thor sat in the chair, staring down at his hands.
The solid wood dining table, which he had just easily broken in half, now lay overturned beside him. The broken piece of wood was still in his hand, its rough grain pressing against his palm, yet it gave him no sense of strength whatsoever.
" Erin, I hate that I'm just a weak mortal now."
Thor's voice was deep.
Erin didn't say anything.
"I can't even get my own weapons back, let alone break into Midgard's prison." Thor slowly tightened his grip. "But Loki may have done many wrong things, he's my brother. I can't just watch him stay there locked up."
He paused here.
It's not that I'm afraid of death.
He had faced countless enemies on the battlefield and witnessed his comrades fall before him. Death was not frightening to the Asgardians, or at least it shouldn't be.
What he truly feared was failing even after charging forward.
In that case, he would not only fail to rescue Loki, but he would also squander his last chance.
More importantly, he had already lost his glory once.
If he can't even save his own brother, what right does he have to call himself the Son of Odin?
So what? Are you planning to give up?
"Erin asked softly."
Thor looked up, his face grim. " Erin, I didn't say that."
"But you keep saying you can't do it."
"That's true."
"The truth is, you sit here, look at your own hands, and tell me you can't save your own brother."
Erin stood up, walked to Thor's side, and took his large hand in hers.
Thor's hands were trembling slightly.
He himself was unaware, but Erin sensed it very clearly.
Do you know what I hate most about you?
Thor paused for a moment.
"You always exaggerate your abilities," Erin said, looking at him. "You say you're God of Thunder, the Prince of Asgard, the most valiant warrior on the battlefield. You talk about your exploits every day, how many enemies you've defeated."
She paused, then her tone became more direct.
"But when faced with failure, all you have left is this phrase."
Thor frowned. "Which sentence?"
"I have no power, so I can't do anything."
The restaurant lights shone on the two of them.
Thor opened his mouth, but did not refute.
After being banished by Odin, he waited for Mjolnir to return to his hands. As long as he could get the hammer back, he could regain his divine power and become the all-powerful God of Thunder once again.
But while waiting, he forgot everything he could do.
He forgot that he had faced giant beasts with his fists, forgot that he had led the charge before he was granted Mjolnir. He was God of Thunder, not Hammer God.
"The fool in my heart who would practice confessing his love to the toilet all night long," Erin squeezed his hand, "Would never be a coward who abandons his own family."
Thor's expression froze.
Why are you bringing this up too?
"Because that's the Thor I know."
Erin looked up at him.
He wouldn't be afraid to express his feelings for fear of losing face, nor would he pretend not to care because he wasn't sure.
Thor's Adam's apple bobbed.
Aren't you afraid I'll fail?
"Afraid."
Erin answered quickly.
"Of course I want you to stay, to continue having meals with me, accompanying me to interviews, and discussing next month's rent with me. These days are peaceful, and I like them very much."
Her eyes dimmed for a moment.
Then, Erin looked at Thor again.
"But if you stand by and watch your brother get locked up because you're afraid of losing these things, I'll look down on you."
Thor gripped her hand, his grip gradually tightening.
" Erin..."
"Remember this: you are the Son of Odin."
Erin didn't give him a chance to escape.
"If you really are God of Thunder, you shouldn't rely solely on a hammer. Even if your power disappears, you can still fight. Even if your divine power vanishes, you can still make decisions. Even if you die there in the end, it's better than sitting here waiting for someone else to save you."
Her voice wasn't loud, but every word she said touched Thor's heart.
"To abandon one's family out of fear of failure is the greatest shame."
Thor looked down at their clasped hands.
After a long while, he slowly stood up.
The dejection on his face had vanished.
"You're right."
Erin breathed a sigh of relief.
Thor raised his head, his eyes regaining their light.
"I can't keep waiting for Mjolnir or the divine power to return, nor can I wait for someone else to rescue Loki. Even if I'm just a mortal now, I'm still Thor."
What are you planning to do?
"First, confirm the location of the prison, then find out the guards and shift change times."
Thor pondered seriously, " S.H.I.E.L.D..'s human weapons are formidable, but their bases shouldn't be as fortified as the Asgard palace. If I can find the entrance, I can..."
"You're planning to rush in alone?"
"Of course not."
Thor looked at Erin: "I need you to get me a car."
"You want to drive your car into S.H.I.E.L.D.."?
"That's one way."
"Is there any other way?"
"I can drive the car to the wall first, then jump in."
Erin stared at him for a few seconds.
"Do you have absolutely no idea how to infiltrate?"
Thor remained silent for a moment.
"The warriors of Asgard never infiltrate."
"Then you'd better start learning now."
The two quickly began discussing the plan.
Thor was tasked with memorizing possible S.H.I.E.L.D.. defenses, while Erin took out her phone to check nearby roads and surveillance camera locations. In the end, they even decided to ask Tony for help first.
As for whether Tony is willing to help, no one is considering it for now.
Anyway, Thor has already made up his mind.
He's going to rescue Loki.
Even without divine power, even without a hammer, even if only one life remains in the end.
The restaurant is across the street.
In a dark, narrow alley, Chen Mo squatted next to a trash can, holding a half-empty glass of iced cola he had swiped.
His gaze swept across the street and landed on a window seat in the restaurant.
The Ancient One stood beside him, calmly watching Thor and Erin inside, who were earnestly discussing their prison break plan.
"Isn't this some kind of feel-good, cheesy drama script? How are you going to get this stubborn mule with no power to save people now?"
Chen Mo took a sip of his cola.
The ice cubes bounced softly against the side of the glass.
"Old Master, why do you speak so rudely?"
I was simply stating a fact.
"First of all, Thor is no longer a stubborn mule."
Chen Mo looked at Thor.
"He's a stubborn mule with no ability, ready to drive his car into S.H.I.E.L.D.."
The Ancient One's brow twitched slightly.
What's the difference?
"There's a big difference."
Chen Mo said earnestly, "At least he has learned how to use transportation."
The Ancient One remained silent for a moment.
So what's your plan?
"Let him try it first."
"He will die."
"No, it won't."
Chen Mo shook the can of cola in his hand.
" S.H.I.E.L.D.. won't kill him, and neither will Loki. Even if he does drive his car into a prison, at worst he'll be arrested and locked up with them. I've already arranged everything."
"So, how is this different from my plan?"
"Of course there's a difference. He was going to find a way to rescue Loki anyway; this was just a convenient step."
Chen Mo stood up and finished the rest of his cola in one gulp.
"This is the first step of the plan: to make this stubborn mule realize how incompetent he is. The second step is to give him some experience and challenges."
The Ancient One looked towards Thor in the restaurant.
"So you were prepared all along?"
Chen Mo casually tossed the empty cup into the trash can.
"I already said everything was arranged, there's even a team-building activity planned!"
The Ancient One did not press the matter further.
He had already seen it; Chen Mo's gaze was fixed on the imposing tower in the distant night sky.
A slow smile crept onto Chen Mo's lips.
"For something like a prison break, you definitely need to hire professionals."