Chapter 231 Edith Becomes Wiser
Of course, not a single one will be left."
Steve's eyes were deep, a glint of sharpness flashing within them. He knew that when dealing with these aliens who were stealing his business, he had to strike hard. These were no ordinary troublemakers!
Unexpectedly, after Edith's upgrade, her intelligence and thinking ability had increased significantly, and she had even proposed many suggestions.
"Master, I suggest not clearing them out completely, nor killing them all at once.
We can directly seize their goods, taking turns to monitor and harass them daily, letting those merchant caravans know that the transit station has neither the qualification nor the ability to protect their safety.
They think we won't strike hard, that we look easy to bully, which is why they are so brazen."
This move was quite ruthless. Killing them all at once would certainly be satisfying, but it wouldn't solve the problem once and for all.
A single full meal versus continuous meals—constant harvesting could cause them immense psychological panic.
Moreover, it wasn't about directly killing them; each time, it was a quiet harvest, like cutting meat with a dull knife.
Gnawing away little by little, yet not killing them, giving them the illusion that they could fight back, thereby continuously increasing their investment until the sunk cost reached an unbearable point.
They would be forced to put all their assets on the line, like red-eyed gamblers hoping to turn the tables.
At that time, it would be even easier to uproot them, requiring minimal procedures and even less effort.
If they were willing to withdraw their investments in time, it would signify a loss of market, making it even harder for them to compete with Chitauri Star in the future.
As expected of the Mind Stone, the effect of this upgrade was truly significant and absolutely excellent.
"Good, do as you suggest. Edith, it seems you have truly grown a lot. This isn't your limit, is it?
Do whatever you want. In urgent situations, you can make your own arrangements. I trust you; even if something unexpected happens, it doesn't matter.
All of this is external. As long as we are alive, there is always hope."
Steve was still very optimistic about Edith. This was the prospect and benefit of artificial intelligence.
In the future, flesh-and-blood creatures could be discarded. Their existence merely served to highlight their privileged lives through suffering, thereby creating a sense of superiority.
There was no need for ordinary people at the bottom; things like screwing in bolts could all be done by robots.
Some complex parts that required manual completion, or small parts that needed manual assembly, could also be improved.
They could be manufactured as a single unit, skipping the assembly step entirely.
It wasn't that manual labor was absolutely necessary. Many factories couldn't avoid it because there was no need to expend huge amounts of energy and financial resources to develop new technologies.
When calculated, it was more cost-effective to just use manual labor.
But a mechanized empire didn't need to consider costs; it only needed to consider convenience and how to achieve automation.
"Okay, Master, your trust fills me with motivation.
As you wish, any enemy who dares to defy you, I will crush them into dust.
Master, I am also planning to create a body to handle matters. Is that permissible?"
These words made Hill's expression a bit strange. She leaned languidly against Steve, her face still flushed and slightly intoxicated.
Creating a body—it sounded somewhat alarming.
But then she thought it was probably just overthinking. Perhaps a body created by artificial intelligence was a new direction for evolution?
"Yes, if you need materials, call for them yourself. If you need my help, just say so directly.
We are all family, and family doesn't need to be polite to each other."
Steve yawned after speaking, feeling a bit sleepy.
"I'm going to sleep now. You can handle everything else. Don't ask me; just give me the results later."
"Okay, Master, good night."
As Edith's voice faded, the lights also softened considerably, making the room more conducive to sleep.
Half a month later.
On Planet Earth, the Avengers were battling Ultron's robot army.
These robots were crude, yet they could already operate autonomously. They had no complex structure, were cheap, and didn't even need a humanoid appearance.
To conceal his true objective, Ultron dispatched his robot army to constantly harass various regions, drawing the attention of the Avengers.
Both sides were in a constant struggle. Ultron intended to use a meteorite to destroy most of the surface life, allowing the survivors to evolve and achieve what he called peace.
This was his understanding of peace: once humans were extinct, there would be no more conflict, and thus the World would be at peace.
As for the struggles of wild animals, in his view, this was a natural cycle.
Carnivores would fight each other, competing for the meat resources of herbivores, and overall, it could be maintained within a relatively good safety limit.
But humans were different. Humans would develop technology, possess higher intelligence and ambition.
This was unacceptable; it surpassed other life forms too much, a dimension-reducing strike, which was not allowed and absolutely impermissible.
Therefore, in summary, humans must die. Without their death, there would be no peace in the World.
Ultron's philosophy was precisely this. Integrated with the artificial intelligence foundation developed by HYDRA, it was inherently biased towards evil and radicalism.
Coupled with the Zola Algorithm, which calculated any personnel detrimental to HYDRA, if the underlying code became the entire Planet Earth, then undoubtedly, all humans would be blacklisted.
Especially the Avengers with superpowers, they were key targets that absolutely had to be eliminated. They must die; if they didn't, it would create oppression, leading the entire Planet into a state of exhaustion.
Green Goblin didn't think that way. He needed to leverage Ultron's plan to carry out a dimension-reducing strike.
After witnessing automated mechanical factories, he had the intention of building such a factory to maintain the production of daily consumables and technological mechanical materials.
There was no need for cattle and horses; the bottom-level cattle and horses still had so-called concepts of freedom and democracy, which were old-World order ideas and not allowed.
He had to strike hard, severely punish them, and change these backward notions.
Cattle and horses should peacefully remain cattle and horses. Constantly thinking about so-called freedom and democracy was unacceptable.
They should simply open their eyes, go to work, go home, and occasionally have some time to procreate, giving birth to the next generation of cattle and horses, who would continue to be cattle and horses.
Look at the old plantations; weren't they great?
It should be like this: docilely be slaves, without any thought of resistance. This is what slave owners loved most.
Thinking this way seemed a bit like a regression in time, and also very inhumane!
Inhumane?
Inhumane was exactly right. Green Goblin himself was an intensely evil personality; acting inhumanely was his style.
It was abnormal for him to be doing proper things as he was now.
When a bad person starts doing good deeds, it means he is definitely brewing a larger conspiracy, one that aims to overturn the World order and make a big splash.
When there are many people, there are many thoughts, and it's easier for troublemakers to emerge.
So, it was just right to use Ultron's plan to exterminate most of the people.
Leaving a small portion of obedient ones to be cattle and horses was enough. As for the lives of humans, what did that matter to a supervillain like him?
They wouldn't really think that he, a supervillain, was needed to save the World, would they?
No way! No way!
"Sokovia has already ascended; we must resolve this quickly."
Tony's mood was heavy. To be frank, he was responsible for this situation.
Operating on the principle of not being able to live with a guilty conscience, he still wanted to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.
The problem was that Ultron was now uncontainable, capable of escaping through the internet at any time, unless the entire World's network could be destroyed.
Otherwise, Ultron was unkillable. This kind of electronic life form feared nothing more than entering a primitive society.
Without any technology, it meant there was no way to perform resurrection operations.
Ultron wasn't actually afraid of death. As long as he completed his mission and proved that Tony, his creator, had the wrong idea, he would win.
He lifted the massive Sokovia into the air, using an anti-gravity device to forcefully ascend it.
With an area exceeding 500,000 square kilometers, once it reached an altitude of over 10,000 meters, it would suddenly accelerate in reverse, crashing towards the ground.
The effect would be no less than a stellar collision, enough to cause crustal movement and tsunamis, natural disasters that would completely exterminate most terrestrial life.
Once humans were extinct, other life forms would continue to multiply, with no high-level life forms to interfere.
"We are doing it, but unfortunately, the enemy has too many robots."
Green Goblin was inwardly excited. He had long since transferred all core materials underground. Although it wasn't completely safe, at least some could be stored.
In addition, some important personnel were in the sky, and the floating fortress he created could accommodate many people.
As long as some sparks of civilization were preserved, they could always slowly multiply and thrive.
Just thinking about his dream of a super-powered empire coming true, he couldn't help but get excited, almost shouting out loud.
Dr. Banner also went berserk and transformed into the Hulk, sweeping through the robot army, attracting most of the firepower.
A thick-skinned, tank-like figure, energy bullets hitting him didn't even leave a white mark.
The others followed behind, attacking. Even Super Soldiers couldn't withstand the robot's barrage.
Flesh and blood bodies couldn't endure laser weapons; even an enhanced body would be a dead end if hit.
Thinking of this, they could only advance slowly.
There was nothing they could do; they couldn't just die for themselves.
As for the civilians of Sokovia, they could only wish them good luck. As for saving civilians, there was no way to do that now.
They couldn't even save themselves, let alone other civilians.
Given the World situation, they didn't even know who they were. Saving them wouldn't earn gratitude; instead, they would blame these superheroes.
So, it was better not to save them and let them fend for themselves.
Pumpkin bombs were hurled, landing near the robots.
A dazzling light flashed, and a special electromagnetic pulse spread out, temporarily short-circuiting the circuit boards.
The robots also froze in place. Driven by programming, once their programs crashed, they were in a continuous reboot cycle.
During this process, they were sitting ducks, standing still, ready to be picked off.
The weakness wasn't in the head, but in the heart area, where the energy supply device was located. Destroying this device was equivalent to destroying the heart, a one-hit kill!
Bucky wasn't here this time, nor were the other Super Soldiers; they were all on patrol on Chitauri Star.
For Bucky, helping his childhood friend was a very good thing. And leaving Planet Earth meant he could abandon those unpleasant memories of the past, which was also quite good.
Without Steve's leadership, the Avengers, even with Green Goblin constantly mediating, always felt like something was missing.
They lacked that spirit, becoming less confident.
Without clear tactical guidance, they couldn't coalesce into a true alliance team.
Whiplash had already noticed something was wrong. According to his detection, the entire Sokovia had now risen to an altitude of 5,000 meters.
And it was still ascending at a rate of half a meter per second. At this speed, it would take 166 minutes and 40 seconds to reach an altitude of 10,000 meters.
That was two and a half hours, enough time for them to advance.
But was it really that simple?
Ultron, this robot, wouldn't make such a big blunder!
Just as he was thinking, a large number of robots surged out again. This time, they directly smashed numerous metal pillars into the ground.
Through an activation device, these pillars were connected, forming an impenetrable shield defense that blocked them out.
"Damn it, this is Wakanda's energy shield. How did it end up here?"
Tony looked at the dazzling blue chaos in front of him in surprise, finding it incredibly hard to believe. This was impossible, right!
If it really was a Wakanda shield, it could last until its energy was depleted before collapsing on its own.
Too strange, how could it be!
"Tony, what do we do now?"
War Machine tried to attack with gunpowder weapons. The bullets just pierced the shield and were instantly incinerated into molten iron by the scorching heat!
Clearly, this shield still had some destructive power. If they tried to force their way through, only the Hulk and Thor might be able to withstand it.
"Norman, Ivan, do either of you have a good solution?"
Tony couldn't think of a solution at the moment. His equipped artificial intelligence was still calculating, but that also took time; it wasn't a problem that could be solved quickly.
"Yes!"
Iron Man turned to look at Whiplash, his eyes filled with hope.
"We can just leave and fly out of the atmosphere. I've calculated it. Ultron wants to destroy humanity, but he won't destroy the entire Planet's ecosystem.
So, flying to high altitudes is safe; there isn't much danger."
Whiplash wanted to run away at the slightest disagreement, and he couldn't be blamed.
He was a Soviet, and the Soviet Union had dissolved; he was a ghost left behind by an era.
A person without national sentiment, expecting him to sacrifice himself, was impossible.
Extremely selfish, he would only think about his own well-being, not about saving the World.
"Hehe, my idea is pretty similar.
Unless we try to bombard it with nuclear bombs now, I think their energy should be low; they can't withstand many nuclear bomb attacks."
Chapter 232: Thanos who pretends to be a cup meets a meteorite
Two hours passed.
During this time, the Dark Avengers used various methods to bombard each other, even resorting to nuclear bombs, with twenty consecutive nuclear bomb strikes.
The surrounding area was rendered unshakeable, but they still couldn't find a solution, completely unable to break through the enemy's defenses.
This led to one thing: the entire Sokovia continued to rise, and the slowing trend couldn't be halted even slightly.
Tony was somewhat desperate; everything he could think of was no longer effective.
This meant he could only watch this tragedy unfold without any means to stop it.
This despair and powerlessness reminded him of Dr.Maya's death, a painful memory he would never forget.
"Norman, I'll support your Empire Project, but you must help me utterly kill Ultron and Killian!"
Tony changed, becoming darker; his heroic mindset completely shattered at that moment. Since he couldn't be a hero, he would retire from now on.
If this huge projectile were to fall, such a large city would be enough to destroy most life.
Green Goblin was naturally happy; if a veteran like Tonysupported him, then other Super Heroes would be much easier to persuade.
War Machine Rhodey watched from the side, opening his mouth but unable to say anything.
He also couldn't stop any of this from happening, and at this moment, he understood what it meant for fate to be stronger than man; no one could reverse everything, including the smartest Tony.
"Can't we ask Captain America for help?"
"Captain America won't come; he has his own matters to deal with.
Chitauri Star is our fallback; if things get really bad, we can still go to Captain America.
He was right; he knew long ago that this World was beyond saving, so leaving now is the wisest choice.
Hahaha! We all thought he was invincible, foolish, changed.
But now, we can't even see his taillights!
Steve Rogers, he is truly smart. I, Norman, have never admired anyone, but Captain America is the one I admire most, without exception!"
It's unclear whether Green Goblin's words were sincere or just flattery. Flattery here seemed to have no effect, but in reality, the effect was very good.
Don't think Captain America couldn't hear or didn't know what was happening here.
Green Goblin knew very well that Captain Americaknew but just didn't want to get involved, that's all; there was nothing he didn't know.
If he truly wanted to intervene, he had a hundred ways to do it.
Using the Space Stone, he could instantly reach Earthwith minimal delay, coming and going at any time.
Upon arrival, he could use the power of the Space Stoneto directly transfer the city in the air to outer space, and then there would be no problems.
But Steve didn't come. As Captain America, he simply didn't come and didn't care about the U.S.'s fate.
Now that the U.S. has disintegrated and no longer exists, whether Captain America comes or not is actually normal.
If even the U.S. no longer exists, why would he come for nothing?
And there's another point: don't engage in moral blackmail. This works on good-natured people, like Spider-Man and Iron Man.
But for someone without morals, moral blackmail is an extremely unreliable tactic.
It's despicable!
Why demand that others must come to the rescue? Captain America owes no one, nor does he owe this World.
He has already repaid his debt; he burned himself out during World War II.
During the New York Battle, he also burned himself out and even led the charge into outer space to fight aliens.
Thereby, he single-handedly destroyed the Chitauri Legion and saved the battle.
But what were those politicians doing?
They actually dropped nuclear bombs on this battlefield, even though civilians hadn't evacuated, the combat troops hadn't evacuated, and even Super Heroes were still fighting to the last moment on site.
They just moved their lips from behind, then decided things were out of control and thought of using nuclear bomb attacks to solve the problem.
Such beasts are beasts wherever they go.
Why protect such beasts? Just let them die.
Now they're thinking of Captain America, but when they were enjoying themselves, going to Magic Island, doing inhumane things, living in debauchery, why didn't they shout, "Captain America, want to come play with us?"
None!
Selfish!
From beginning to end, they only thought of others sacrificing while they reaped the benefits from behind. Such people, such behavior, are blood-sucking parasites, maggots!
Living is a waste of food, living is a waste of resources!
Precisely because he is a bad person, Green Goblinsupports Captain America's actions.
This kind of justice must not be made cheap. Superpowers are a gift, a direction of evolution, and luck.
Sometimes, such people are needed. The status and position of Superpower users cannot be lowered; this is unacceptable and not the correct approach.
Spider-Man fell silent. Even if he could stop a high-speed train with his bare hands, facing the massive city of Sokovia now, he felt his will was strong but his strength was insufficient.
Moreover, his wife was already out of danger, so even if a star collided with Earth, he wouldn't worry about being affected in the slightest.
He wouldn't let his wife be in danger. The premise of helping others is ensuring one's own survival; he, too, had become less pure.
"Are you wondering why Captain America isn't coming?"
Whiplash's voice rang out on the public channel. They had already moved away from Sokovia. The massive radiation from the nuclear bomb explosion even affected electromagnetic waves.
At this point, they could only retreat, not stay.
At this moment, Black Panther arrived in a Wakandan fighter jet.
After the earlier warning, Wakanda also activated its full aerial mode to prevent unnecessary casualties from violent crustal movements.
Although this would inevitably cause extensive damage and death to animals and plants, there was nothing that could be done.
First, survive. Only by surviving can one speak of, or discuss, so-called development.
If people survive, there will always be a way to continue creating food.
"Tony, you created this incident, and you must take full responsibility! Don't mess with such dangerous things unnecessarily.
Even if you're researching, you should take appropriate protective measures. Didn't you always use protection before?"
Black Panther was somewhat exasperated. He had finally reclaimed his throne and returned to Wakanda.
Everything hadn't even gotten back on track, and then he was told that a star was going to collide with Earth, an event that could wipe out most life.
Suddenly, it felt as if the sky was about to collapse.
Seriously, what the f*ck! Sitting at home, and trouble comes from the sky. Family, who understands this feeling!
"Sorry, I really never used that stuff."
Tony was provoked to laughter. Had he not taken protective measures?
He had, and they were layered heavily, but Ultron had bypassed them all. What could he do?
"Heh heh, then I wish you an early AIDS and syphilis!
F*ck you! F*ck you hard!"
Black Panther cursed incoherently. If it weren't for this, Wakanda should be in a period of recovery and recuperation, not emergency evacuation.
Many technologies weren't taken, many things weren't taken.
After this wave, Wakanda might really turn into an agricultural nation.
"Buddy, if you really do that, and he gets AIDS and syphilis, you'll get it too!"
"No, no! Absolutely not!"
"My friend, T'Challa, you are the true hero! Not afraid of AIDS or syphilis!"
With one word after another, the atmosphere in the channel suddenly became lively.
Tony's face turned from white to black at what was being said; he was almost furious.
"Enough, you bastards, I'm not sick! You're the ones who are sick!"
"Alright, we know, it's personal privacy, those who know, know!"
"Oh, damn it, Tony, last time you said we'd go to a hot spring together. Oh no, I hope I'm not infected!"
"Buddy, don't worry, you won't get infected from soaking in a hot spring together, as long as there's no contact, it's fine."
This only made things worse, but it was precisely this banter that dispelled much of the tense and serious atmosphere.
The sky was blackened by fear, and Ultron's mechanical army patrolled the city's edge, their metal bodies reflecting the sunlight, gleaming with a terrifying light.
"I will make humanity experience the extinction brought by meteorites," Ultron's voice echoed through every mechanical body. "This is the inevitability of evolution."
Ultron's main body let out a metallic screech in the church, pressing its hand onto the anti-gravity device.
With a loud bang, the entire city suddenly dropped dozens of meters, then was barely stabilized by the remaining anti-gravity devices. Buildings began to collapse, streets cracked, underground pipes burst, and gasoline and natural gas lines triggered a series of explosions.
A man crouched, hands over his head, trembling as the apartment building behind him collapsed, dust sweeping over him like a tsunami. On another street, an elderly person was trapped in a car, the surrounding ground completely shattered, and the vehicle slowly slid towards the abyss at the city's edge.
Sokovia began its final descent. This city of hundreds of thousands of people was now a death meteorite falling from the sky.
During the descent, the city further disintegrated. Entire buildings were torn apart by the airflow, fragments scattering like arrows in all directions.
Flames consumed the commercial district, thick smoke spiraling upwards, forming a black trail.
"I see the end of humanity, a beautiful purification," Ultron's voice still emanated from the remaining mechanical bodies.
Inside the city, chaos reached its peak. Remaining citizens were either trapped in collapsed buildings or thrown into the air, screaming as they plunged into the bottomless abyss.
The spire of a church broke off, crashing through the hospital roof below; a bus hung precariously on the edge of a broken bridge, passengers desperately clutching handrails, watching the vehicle slide inch by inch towards death.
A young teacher embraced his students, trembling in the school Underground Room, as concrete blocks continuously fell from the ceiling.
"Close your eyes, it will be over soon."
The air became thin due to the high-speed descent, and many began to suffer from hypoxia, falling to the ground unable to move, only able to watch death approach.
Just as this disaster raged, deep in the Universe, a massive fleet tore through the space above Earth's atmosphere.
"Earth, your Emperor has returned!
Steve! I will make you pay a heavy price; your people will be executed one by one!
I have always maintained a normal mindset when cleansing each Planet, ensuring their resources are balanced for sustainable development.
But with your Planet, I admit my mindset has changed.
Believe me, I will very, very much enjoy this delightful torment!"
Thanos landed on the ground, holding his double-bladed greatsword, speaking the cruelest words in the most contemptuous tone.
But he felt something was wrong; in the distance, a huge meteorite was descending from the sky. He widened his eyes. What was going on?
He had lost Corvus Glaive, and his daughter Gamora, and even Nebula was nowhere to be found.
The only ones he could still use were the Chitauri's high-ranking council Elders. Although they couldn't compare to Corvus Glaive and his group, they were still passable.
When Thanos's army fleet passed through the clouds, what greeted them was a falling floating city and countless fragments scattering from the city's edge, hurtling towards their fleet at an astonishing speed.
"Evasive maneuvers!"
The Captains shouted loudly, but it was already too late.
The first massive concrete fragment pierced the hull of a small warship, triggering a chain explosion.
An entire apartment building spun and crashed into one of Thanos's main warships, cutting it in half.
More building debris, cars, and even Ultron's mechanical soldiers became deadly shrapnel in space, penetrating the warships' shields and armor with astonishing kinetic energy.
Thanos stood on the ground, watching helplessly as his carefully cultivated army was destroyed by this unexpected disaster without even engaging in battle. On the screen, it showed that more than half of the fleet was already damaged or destroyed.
The Impact point formed a massive crater several kilometers wide, and the Impact swept an area hundreds of kilometers in radius. Nearby villages and small towns were flattened, forests uprooted, rivers diverted, and the entire ecosystem suffered a devastating blow.
The instantaneous crustal movement directly affected all of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The Mediterranean Sea was instantly flattened, and seawater rushed in, submerging villages.
Mountains collapsed, and falling rocks crushed animals and civilians who couldn't escape, leaving only a scream before they were buried alive.
The violent tremors lasted for half an hour, and the aftershocks had not subsided, with burning flames stretching for a thousand miles.
Even the underwater volcanoes erupted, continuously spewing out vast amounts of hot lava, melting all life in its path!
Thanos had no choice but to retreat to his warship, watching this tragic scene unfold from the sky.
"My Lord, according to the data, both the ascent and descent of this city were artificially controlled. It seems to be the masterpiece of some mechanical intelligence."
"Heh heh, interesting. Once things calm down, have the remaining tribes land and slaughter everything on this Planet!"
"Even a natural disaster cannot stop my progress. Also, immediately analyze the gamma rays and search for the Infinity Stones' whereabouts."
Chapter 233 Valkyrie
Even though half of his fleet's ships were destroyed, Thanos never once considered retreating. To reverse the situation now, he needed to get the Infinity Stones.
The crustal movement eventually calmed down, and the earth stopped violently shaking, settling into small aftershocks.
Half an hour had passed, and in that time, the starship had not detected a single trace of an Infinity Stone.
The only thing it could detect was the gamma radiation emitted by Hulk, but that was clearly a living creature, not an Infinity Stone, nor anything similar.
Thanos was somewhat incredulous; the information he received indicated there should be at least two Infinity Stones here!
One was the Mind Stone he gave Loki to test the invasion, which was embedded in the scepter.
The other was the Time Stone guarded by the local natives. This Stone was very strange, but he was confident he could deal with the Guardian and seize the Stone.
The Time Loop was difficult to deal with, but difficult to break did not mean impossible to break.
Prior agreement does not mean subsequent agreement; it's the same principle.
"My Lord, no whereabouts or information about any Infinity Stones have been detected. The calculation results show that the probability of this Planet having Infinity Stones is zero!"
Hearing the report from the officer below, Thanos felt his entire being falter.
He knew there was no mistake; despite his burly appearance, he was also a scholar, an academic more powerful and possessing more academic knowledge and insights than Tony.
If the detection said there were none, then there were none; there was no possibility of it being wrong.
"Who exactly? Was it that Steve? Or that so-called Captain Marvel?"
Thanos was momentarily lost. Relying on brute force for slaughter, even if his life reached its end, he might not achieve half of his goal.
Only the Infinity Stones could fulfill this wish the fastest and allow him to turn the tide.
While he was still deliberating, the Dark Avengers on the other side had already detected Thanos's invasion.
The massive fleet of sky ships was hard to ignore.
However, Sokovia's Impact with the ground caused a huge shock, leading to crustal tremors. Even looking down from the sky would cause dizziness and nausea due to the earth's shaking.
Most of the surface was destroyed by the Impact, and the flash floods and volcanic lava eruptions in various places turned the ground into a no-man's-land, submerging all life.
With the ground collapsing and land area decreasing, there would be even fewer places available for cultivation in the future.
Air quality changed, and land quality also changed. Whether cultivation could continue still remained a question mark.
There was no time to think about post-disaster reconstruction, as another alien invasion was underway.
"Damn it, the enemy seems to mean business. We should call Steve; we can't handle this wave!"
Whiplash knew immediately that things were bad. When help was needed, it was crucial to call for it decisively, not to stubbornly hold on.
This wasn't a matter of pride, but rather his doubt about whether they could withstand the first wave of Impact if the enemy launched a full-scale attack!
Superheroes could be used as mighty generals charging into battle, but not as ordinary soldiers.
Otherwise, a massive number of Outriders could overwhelm them; they simply couldn't kill a thousand or ten thousand each.
When quality hadn't reached a certain level, quantity was still very useful.
"Buddy, this time I agree with your point, I agree with what you're saying, Norman, quickly call Steve!
Hello, hello, Steve? It's Tony. Aliens are invading Blue Planet.
Lots of fleets and spaceships, we can't stop them. Come save us quickly, thanks.
Afterward, I'll treat you to barbecue, if that place is still open!"
Tony mocked, agreed, and called for help in one breath, seamlessly, without any hesitation.
War Machine Rhodey, having refueled and rearmed, said in a teasing tone,
"Did Captain's call go through?"
"No, it's just a rumor, but I believe he should hear it."
Tony was also helpless; calling him only led to leaving a message. What could he do?
Green Goblin also twitched his mouth. This kind of thing was truly a once-in-a-millennium event, an alien invasion!
And he encountered it twice!
One was the New York Battle, when Loki brought the Chitauri to invade, making him both excited and alarmed.
His proudly owned weapons and aircraft were simply unable to hold their heads high in the face of the enemy's technology, appearing as a mere Joker.
Now that he had finally upgraded, encountering them again on Chitauri Star, he still felt a sense of powerlessness. The level of Blue Planet's technology truly had no advantage in a Universe war!
Now it was happening again. This time, the enemies seemed even more formidable and exaggerated than the Nova Corps on Chitauri Star. This was simply unwinnable, they couldn't fight them!
"I also think we must call Captain for help. This isn't a question of whether we can win, but whether we can survive the enemy's first wave of attack.
Our empire will certainly be unparalleled in post-disaster reconstruction, but the biggest problem now is these aliens."
Without a response, they could only brace themselves for battle.
Above the former ruins of the U.S., Thanos ordered his ground forces to land.
Chitauri taxi soldiers appeared, and the ostentatious Leviathan whales also emerged, their external armor even more robust, a sight that could make one's scalp tingle.
Not to mention the countless Outriders, these monsters with four arms and two legs, each with strength and speed comparable to a super soldier.
So many super-soldier monsters, a glance revealed a number exceeding one hundred thousand!
Not to mention the mercenaries, humanoid insect monsters, armed with laser firearms, lined up in formation.
Thanos looked at the assembled Avengers before him; he didn't recognize these people.
"You are the natives of this Planet, aren't you!"
Iron Man, Spider-Man, Green Goblin, Thor stepped forward, followed by Dr. Octopus, Little Green Goblin, Whiplash, War Machine, Black Panther, and others.
Even Doctor Strange arrived, opening a portal.
A large number of Kamar-Taj magic users also followed, brandishing magic weapon shields, adopting a combat stance.
The remaining Wakandan army also came through the portal to the ruins, attempting to fight an alien army for the first time.
Aside from them, there was no one else.
No robot legions, no ordinary human armies, nothing at all.
The numbers seemed incredibly meager in comparison. These few people, even combined, didn't exceed thirty thousand.
Perhaps twenty thousand would even be a stretch.
"Buddy, this place is closed. You've come to the wrong place."
Iron Man, for some reason, felt that the purple sweet potato spirit in front of him was very familiar, but he just couldn't remember where he had seen him.
"You've come at a good time; it saves me the trouble.
Before that, I have a question to ask you: Where is Steve?"
Thanos suppressed his anger. He was furious; his subordinates were either missing or dead, and he had been ambushed.
He had campaigned across the Universe for many years and had never encountered such a thing. And one more thing that displeased him was that his daughter, Gamora, his favorite daughter, was now missing. All of this was related to Steve.
After investigating the rumors about the other party, he even worried about his daughter Gamora's fate. With that beast's behavior, could it be that he had made Gamora work on procreation as punishment?
The thought alone sent shivers down his spine. When dealing with enemy captives, nothing was too extreme.
This was a life-and-death struggle, a clash of planetary civilizations, destined to end with the complete failure of one side.
Tony and Green Goblin exchanged glances, immediately wondering if Steve had led this here.
"Buddy, you've got the wrong person. Steve is on Chitauri Star. We're not very familiar with him."
"That's right, he even invaded our Planet before. That scoundrel was too hateful and captured many of our women."
"He's an utterly evil bastard. If you want to find trouble with him, you'll have to wait in line; we're still waiting to get our revenge on him."
As soon as Tony spoke, Green Goblin immediately echoed him, both knowing what the other was thinking.
Let the friend die, not the poor monk. Since they came to seek revenge on Steve, they should definitely go find Steve. Why bother them?
A Doctor must be able to practice medicine, and a fire hydrant must have Water!
Hawkeye was indeed an ADC; following the team was smooth, and the last sentence was also his.
The others were still a bit confused. How did this suddenly turn into seeking revenge on Steve?
Spider-Man wanted to ask, but his teacher, Dr. Octopus, covered his mouth.
"That's right, you also want to seek revenge on Steve, don't you remember? Your Aunt Mei was taken by Steveand forced to have several children."
"I can testify, my wife was also forced to have several children by Steve."
Sandman also testified from the side, though he didn't seem angry, as it was his own choice. He was simply desperate, but that didn't mean he was an idiot. The important thing was to stall for as much time as possible while waiting for Captain's rescue.
What!
Everyone looked at Sandman with surprised eyes. They were also curious about Sandman's sandy body; wasn't he no longer a carbon-based life form?
Then how did his wife get pregnant?
So that was the truth. Well, now the truth was out, and everyone knew Sandman was wearing a green hat.
Although it was very shameful, no matter what, at least his wife was still his wife. If she dared to divorce, she would at least have to split half of his assets and cultivation!
Tony walked over and patted Sandman's shoulder, a slight smirk playing on his lips as he said with schadenfreude,
"Brother, don't worry, I'll definitely help you get justice from Steve."
"I did it voluntarily!"
Pfft!
He almost spat out a mouthful of old blood!
"What the hell! What are you talking about!"
Tony was a bit flustered. What did "voluntarily" mean? Was it voluntary, or forced to be voluntary?
"You don't understand. You can't understand this feeling, you gay man wouldn't understand."
Sandman pushed away Tony's hand, avoiding him with some disgust.
"Hahahaha! You're killing me! Oh, I can't, my stomach hurts from laughing."
Dr. Lizard kept laughing wildly from the side. After transforming into his Lizardman form, his rolling on the ground looked truly comical.
"Pfft! Yes, yes, that's exactly what you said, Tony.
Last time he said he wanted to go to a hot spring with me, and I immediately ran away, it scared me to death. So everyone, boys must be careful when they're out!"
Vulture was also fanning the flames from the side. In short, he understood one thing: they couldn't fight Thanos's army.
This wasn't a question of strength, but of sanity. Courage couldn't change this situation.
"Don't even mention it, last time Tony asked me to drink, and I actually got drunk!"
Dr. Banner also felt confused, not knowing if he was truly ignorant or just pretending.
"Hiss! Did you feel uncomfortable anywhere when you woke up the next day?"
Green Goblin secretly increased the communication strength to Steve, while asking curiously.
After a long time with an evil personality, it was gradually being assimilated and integrated by the original kind personality.
Not being thoroughly evil means being thoroughly not evil!
Dr. Banner blinked, looking up at the sky.
"It seemed a little, but at that time I turned into Hulk, and Tony's physical strength couldn't break my defense."
Cough, cough!
This was getting more and more ridiculous.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
Tony couldn't help but tap the table. Where was this conversation going!
"I'll reiterate, I'm not gay! You're gay, your whole family is gay!"
"Enough!"
Thanos roared. At first, he was somewhat amused, watching the show, but then he realized something was off.
Perhaps the other party was just stalling for time, waiting for reinforcements!
"Since you've come, then randomly choose half of you to die. Will you decide yourselves, or shall I make the decision?"
"This Planet only has this many people left. What do you think we can do?"
Tony said unhappily. He had long known that the other party wouldn't fall for it, so he stopped acting.
Thanos pulled out his double-bladed sword, a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Half of you must die. That is my principle. You must die!"
From the distant sky, an aurora flew, crashing into the battleship in the sky with lightning speed.
A portal opened.
The army of Asgard also emerged, forming battle formations, along with unique flying ships and powerful crossbows, and even winged horses.
A female knight with a dark complexion rode out on a winged horse. It was Valkyrie, who had returned from Sakaar.
She originally didn't want to return, but Steve had lectured her and threatened her that if she didn't obey, he would make her have ten children.
So she returned, back to Asgard.
Besides the Asgardian army, a massive robot legion also came through the portal.
Treant Groot, with Rocket Raccoon perched on his shoulder, also came to participate in the battle as part of the legion.
"Oh! This place is so desolate, Bucky, is this your homeland?"
"Yes, it seems to have gone through something."
Bucky was nearby, behind him were the original HYDRAspecial forces, who had also been teleported here for combat.
Chapter 234: A House Full of Daughters! (Finale)
Boom!
The warship overhead was instantly blown to smithereens, and the figure covered in flowing light passed through the warship before returning to crash into the massive command mothership.
This mothership, exclusive to Thanos, was a multi-functional vessel combining command, research, communication, upgrades, logistics, and fire support.
Its hull was forged from metal twice as strong as titanium alloy, making it resistant to easy destruction even under heavy fire, capable of withstanding a barrage of bullets.
Yet, it was now being rammed by an unknown woman!
This gave Thanos the illusion that it was made of paper.
Is she insane?
"What's that commotion?"
"Whoa, what is that? It looks like a woman!"
This instantly excited everyone, but the very next sentence quickly cooled the blood that had just risen in their hearts.
"Such a cool woman, we definitely can't handle her. Chances are, she's probably just another one of Captain's paramours!"
Thump!
A blue and white Iron Man Suit flew out of a portal, landing with an extremely elegant posture. This suit was exquisitely crafted, and from its curves, it seemed to be a woman's exclusive vehicle?
The moment the mask opened, Tony couldn't help but exclaim.
"Pepper!"
Pepper, who hadn't appeared in a long time, raised an eyebrow, her tone quite cold.
"Call me Potts. Pepper is not for you to call!"
That was an intimate address. If Steve hadn't intervened, Tony calling her that now would have been perfectly legitimate, as they were, after all, husband and wife.
But now things were different. Pepper was already Steve's wife and had given birth to two lovely daughters, the elder one named Morgan!
Tony awkwardly rubbed his nose, embarrassed, incredibly embarrassed, enough to squeeze out a three-bedroom apartment!
"P-Potts, hello, long time no see. This armor is really cool."
"Thanks, this is a rescue suit my husband designed for me, to save myself in critical moments."
"Enough small talk, focus on preparing for battle."
Pepper didn't know why she had to appear, perhaps just to make an appearance.
After all, other women had appeared; if she didn't show her face, she might not get another chance.
Wanda also emerged from the portal, dressed in a red coat, tight black jeans, and high-heeled boots, looking very heroic and spirited.
Beside her was Jean Grey, the Black Phoenix, who had awakened and mastered the Phoenix Force. Even without using the Phoenix Force, her own abilities were on par with Wanda's.
It was difficult to determine a winner between the two, as they both had their advantages.
Lorna, Polaris, walked out with a yawn. She could already see a slight baby bump. She was just here to make an appearance.
With so many metal objects and a familiar magnetic field, she alone could overturn most of the warships.
The daughter of a prominent figure would inevitably be a prominent figure herself!
Hill and Sharon also appeared, having been out of the public eye for a long time.
One was cold and noble, the other pure and approachable, each with her own merits. And they shared one similarity: they were both pregnant!
Upon learning of Fury and Coulson's deaths, Hillshowed no emotional fluctuation. They had strayed too far down the wrong path, leading to such a tragedy.
Agents operate by any means necessary. Regardless, as long as the mission is accomplished, it's considered a success.
This time, Fury and his team attempted to use a new artificial intelligence to challenge and oppose Green Goblin's empire. This itself was a gamble, hoping to reach the other side!
Unfortunately, they miscalculated this time, the gamble failed, and so they died. This was a very normal outcome.
Behind them were professional bodyguards, the MutantSand Dust Angel, a female tank with a rather neutral appearance.
She had also just given birth and returned. Such a muscular heavy tank truly required some skill to manage.
Heidi, the Super Soldier, was also an old-timer. Not old in age, but having followed Steve for a relatively long time, she was a veteran figure.
She was quite lucky; she had just given birth to her second child and was planning for a third, but with the war starting, she came to stretch her limbs.
Super Soldiers giving birth was incredibly smooth, from the onset of pain to the child's birth, it never exceeded five minutes.
She didn't even have to endure the pain for too long, and both mother and daughter were safe. It was highly efficient and painless. Why not have a few more with such an experience?
Even El, the female warrior injected with Extremis, was present. She had also just given birth to a daughter and was here to make an appearance.
Aunt Mei, Nissa, and Betty did not come. They were not professional combatants and were better off taking care of the children at home.
This was almost like a kindergarten. If there weren't a few people to help, it would be a headache.
Taking care of children is not easy; changing diapers, feeding, and coaxing are just the basics.
If a child had a bowel movement, that was a nightmare. If specialized robots hadn't been developed, it would truly be unmanageable.
A warship also appeared in the air, and three women could be seen through the panoramic windows.
One was Proxima Midnight, one was Gamora, and the other was the disappeared Nebula. They were all pregnant and were being forced to witness Thanos's defeat.
This was also fulfilling a wish for them, to make them give up hope and live quietly on Chitauri Star from now on, without thinking of escaping.
Proxima Midnight was no longer cursing; her eyes were downcast, and she had lost all spirit.
She knew defeat would not have a good ending, but she never expected it to be like this. Who could have foreseen such a situation?
The bad news was that she could never escape again, but the good news?
The good news was that she wasn't alone; at least Gamora and Nebula from the same faction had been captured.
Gamora was in a better state than Proxima Midnight, at least she held hope, still counting on Thanos, her adoptive father, to get her out.
But she had little chance, as she was already pregnant with Steve's child.
Although she disliked and even detested Steve, the child in her womb was innocent. She could not and would not allow herself to abort it; on the contrary, she had to give birth.
This had nothing to do with love, purely due to a mother's instinct and responsibility.
Seeing the all-female team appear, these were truly independent women.
Real women dared to go to the battlefield; only those who shouted about equality but only knew how to do light office work and yoga were useless.
"You guys wouldn't even be able to defeat Thanos, would you?"
Steve held his shield in his left hand and Mjolnir in his right, wearing a stealth suit, with the crimson Cloak of Levitation behind him. He could only be described as handsome.
"Look at you talking. If we could defeat him, why would we need to call for your help?"
Iron Man said grumpily. He and Steve were old acquaintances, but now there was a world of difference.
Compared to the other, he was still a small character. To put it nicely, he was a Super Soldier, but in reality, he was just an ordinary person with a low position.
Now he had grown to a point where Iron Man had to look up to him. He, a dignified billionaire and genius inventor, now could only look up to the other!
Watching someone inferior to himself gradually surpass him, this feeling was truly difficult to bear.
They were still chatting, but Thanos couldn't stand it anymore. He twirled the large sword in his hand and pointed forward.
No words were exchanged, but the taxi soldiers behind him understood and charged forward.
Suddenly, a great battle erupted!
Actually, this was not the best time to attack. If he could choose, Thanos would have preferred to wait a few years, or even more than a decade.
Haste makes waste, he understood this principle. Although his defense was high, that was only for physical defense, as he was naturally resistant.
But when facing magic, especially Chaos magic, he had no resistance at all.
Without any external pressure, Scarlet Witch Wandaalone could tear him apart.
However, the war was somewhat one-sided. Thanos's army was suppressed and couldn't lift their heads as soon as they made contact.
The massive robot army, coupled with Asgard's fleet ballistas, launched a dimensionality reduction strike from the sky. One round of artillery fire wiped out at least a third of them.
The flying Chitauri soldiers and Leviathans also flew towards the aerial fleet, encountering interception from Tony and others midway. Although their firepower wasn't strong, it was enough to disrupt their speed.
Splash!
A Leviathan was cut in half from bottom to top by Valkyrie, the female Valkyrie. The Vibranium spear in her hand carried plasma vibrations, easily cutting through the monster's defenses.
Pepper was not yet proficient in using her armor, but with AI assistance, she only needed to be responsible for firing.
Boom!
Those extremely fast, small single-person spacecraft collided with each other before they could get close, exploding into sparks in the air.
Lorna, Polaris, had a cold smile on her lips, her fair face filled with the cruelty of disregarding life, looking very heroic and spirited.
The Super Heroines each used their divine powers. Even Hill and Sharon aimed large sniper rifles into the distance. These sniper rifles were comparable to cannons, capable of blowing up a Leviathan with one shot.
It was then that the Blue Star's Super Heroes and villains were horrified. Steve had, without their knowledge, surpassed them so much that they couldn't even see his taillights anymore.
One person being powerful isn't scary, but what's scary is where he found so many women, and so strong, so devoted?
They were numb!
The Super Heroes were numb, and Thanos was also numb.
Less than twenty minutes into the battle, his forces were already in disarray. If there was somewhere to escape, they would already be making a victorious getaway!
"Die! I won't lose!"
Thanos had just roared, charged forward, and was punched to the ground by Steve, who then placed a foot on his face.
Breaking his exclusive weapon, the great sword, right in front of him, that ferocious smile made Thanos feel the breath of death for the first time.
"For Gamora and Proxima Midnight's sake, I won't kill you. And by the way, I'll tell you something: they're both pregnant."
Steve released his foot. After confirming that the Dark Order had been eliminated, he snapped his fingers and took all his people off the battlefield.
From the start of the battle to its end, it took less than thirty minutes.
They had just warmed up, and the war was already over. The disparity in strength was too great, coupled with practical experience from Chitauri Star and Edith's AI assistance, winning was not surprising.
Looking at this farce, in his eyes, it was just child's play.
As Steve and the others left, the battlefield suddenly became empty.
Tony felt like he was dreaming, always feeling unreal.
"What should we do next?"
"This person can be used. Perhaps our goal should also be placed on the vast Universe, not just on one Planet."
Green Goblin looked at Thanos, but the next second he was sent flying.
The enraged Thanos looked at the crowd with disdain. He could be defeated by Steve; that was a matter of inferior skill. But what was this guy in front of him?
"It seems someone is not convinced. Let's all go at him and beat him down!"
Iron Man had just finished speaking when his armor was shattered by Thanos's explosive punch. If not for his survival instinct kicking in, he would have died long ago.
Only then did everyone react, swarming forward to gang up on Thanos.
Ten years later.
Blue Star had repopulated and thrived, becoming an empire. Ordinary people worked in fair conditions, supporting the super-powered individuals.
Retired Super Heroes had retired, and those with families were raising children.
Only ambitious ones like Green Goblin had begun preparations for an expedition, and Thanos, who had been physically persuaded earlier, also decided to join.
Both sides were using each other, and as for how it would turn out, that depended on their respective gambits.
Chitauri Star was revitalized. The original factories were consolidated, and other areas were divided into tourist and commercial zones.
Space trade was still as prosperous, even more so, with robot legions patrolling outer space at all times.
Under ample security, it even led to a prosperity greater than before.
The eldest daughter, Corby, had grown up. Her chestnut hair was very much like her mother, Hill's.
As the eldest sister, she also had to pick up her sisters from school and usually studied. Compared to her sisters' wildness, she was more quiet.
As for how many younger sisters she had?
She couldn't remember, because every so often, her father Steve would add one or several daughters to the family.
"Phew!"
Stretching, Corby checked the time and closed her book. The cover clearly read "Time System Theory."
Sharon's daughter, Emily, walked in wearing high heels. Her height of 1.75 meters looked down on most men, and with an additional ten centimeters from her heels, she stood out even more. Coupled with her fair skin and athletic figure, she perfectly inherited her mother's advantages.
"Big sister, today is a family gathering! Liv and Elizabeth are all gathered at the beach. This time we're playing jet ski racing!"
"Wasn't it beach volleyball?"
Corby was a little confused; she shouldn't have misremembered.
"Hehe, it's the aunties and Dad playing volleyball. We're going to play jet skis."
"Or you could join Dumont and Famke for some fishing fun?"
Sharon laughed.
At this moment, Steve was relaxing under a parasol, looking at the bikini-clad beauties in front of him, feeling incredibly proud.
There was Hill and Wanda, both first-class beauties, and now they were all his.
And with a house full of children, what could be happier than this?
Not far away, there were also some alien bikini-clad pregnant women, also enjoying the harmless sunlight.
Proxima Midnight and Gamora wore sunglasses, lying on beach chairs, enjoying themselves.
As mothers of five children, they had already given Steve five children and had accepted their current life; there was no going back.
"Is this life good?"
"It's great! I like this life."
Gamora picked up her glass and clinked it with the other, everything conveyed in a knowing smile without words!