If that Secretary of State hadn't shown up unexpectedly and interrupted, Hong Fei would almost certainly have faced lawsuits from those two countries. Never overestimate their sense of shame, and never underestimate their cunning.
London was already engulfed in total war. New York had taken precautions, but without understanding the significance of the Aether Particle, their situation wouldn't turn out much better.
Even if humanity emerged victorious again, those in power wouldn't be singing the superheroes' praises. On the contrary, their positions and political survival would demand they find a scapegoat to shoulder the blame for the losses in cities, population, and economy. At that point, Hong Fei would likely become the target of public outrage.
This was a consequence he'd anticipated before executing his plan. Earlier, he'd already resolved that even if he had to bear the brunt of it personally, he had to act in that moment. Being accused by those people wouldn't cause him any real harm, but the physical and energy enhancements he stood to gain from this mission would be off the charts.
Once everything was settled, would Hong Fei even care what those people said? And even if he did, wouldn't there be ways to counter it? What he hadn't expected, though, was that just as he was getting tired, someone would hand him the perfect pillow.
The moment he heard the other party was the Secretary of State, Hong Fei's entire plan flashed through his mind. He immediately decided to let the man take the fall. The Dark Elves' existence and their ambitions meant Earth's human side needed—no, had to—stand with Asgard.
After all, the Dark Elves wouldn't care whether you were Asgardian or Midgardian. As long as you weren't one of them, even if you betrayed your own kind, when darkness engulfed the Nine Realms, weak humans would perish all the same.
Under these circumstances, Hong Fei, as part of the human camp, naturally had an obligation to aid Asgard—and even more so to assist Thor, the Thunder God who'd once helped humanity repel the Chitauri. This was righteousness! Or, to put it another way, this was the moral high ground those bastards loved to claim.
The common interest of humanity and Asgard lay in preventing the Dark Elves from plunging the Nine Realms—and the universe—into darkness. Therefore, the two sides had no choice but to fight.
Hong Fei's consideration of Hill's words was thorough. Whether returning to London first or turning to New York, as someone on the frontlines of the war, he had to make swift decisions with battle imminent. It's just that this decision harmed certain individuals and nations—but isn't that par for the course in war?
If Hong Fei ultimately lost, this would undoubtedly become a weak point for the other side to exploit. After all, if you're the loser, every decision you made was inherently wrong. But if Hong Fei won, it would be hailed as "clear-sighted and decisive, making choices as fluid as a stream."
Because you won, every decision you made would be seen as a necessary step that led to victory—and as direct participants, they'd share in the glory. But again, don't overestimate their sense of shame. Even if he won, a handful of people would still emerge to attack him, and behind that handful, you could bet it was all of them.
Why? Because you're not "one of their own."
It's that simple. Don't bother thinking about contributions or consequences. When victory comes, they won't remember how much you sacrificed to achieve it. They'll only calculate how to extract more spoils from your hands—honor, prestige, and everything else.
When enemies vanish and wars end, those who aren't "one of our own" naturally become adversaries once more. If Hong Fei were a true superhero, he might have no choice but to swallow his pride and accept the Secretary of State's accusations, no matter how unjust they felt. But he isn't a superhero—thankfully.
Hong Fei is a strategist, and he thinks several steps ahead of his opponents. His current move? Ride the wave and clear his name. You think I'm plotting against you? Fine. I'll quit. Right now.
Dark Elves, alien invasions, the end of the world—none of it matters to him anymore. Don't want to fight in New York? Go complain to Thor. See if you've got the guts to offend the Prince of Asgard. Try convincing the Avengers to ignore Thor. After you've done all that, see if Thor decides to take the battle elsewhere.
And don't forget—Asgard might just drop a Bifrost Bridge on your heads, forcing you to kneel and call them ancestors. But what if Thor and the Avengers defeat the Dark Elves? After all, Thor managed it solo in the movie. So why did Hong Fei quietly send Xu Wenwu and Big Head back to New York to wait for him?
For a midnight snack? Hardly. There's more to come. Thor's task is to let Malekith extract the Aether Particle from Jane. But from humanity's perspective, Malekith can't be allowed to get his hands on it. Someone will inevitably argue to sacrifice the "few" for the "many." Jane is just one person.
Even if Jane dies, they won't let Thor hand her over to Malekith. At most, they'll mention her name in passing after the war, bestowing her the title of "one who sacrificed for humanity's survival."
This conflict isn't just between humans and Thor—it'll erupt among humans themselves, or rather, within the Avengers. If things go south, the civil war might start ahead of schedule. Though, with their current pitiful numbers, it won't be much of a spectacle.
"Frank, Jessica, stop fighting. Retreat immediately."
At Hong Fei's command, Frank and Jessica soon landed by his side. Frank pulled off his mask, frowning.
"It's almost over. The fight in New York can't start that quickly, can it?"
Jessica chimed in, "Yeah, Boss, I was just warming up!"
Hong Fei smiled and sent the recorded conversation to the team channel. Moments later, both reacted differently. Frank's face darkened, murderous intent radiating from him.
"People like that deserve to die."
Jessica clenched her fists, grinding her teeth.
"Boss, I'm going to kill him right now! I'll punch his head straight into his stomach!"
Hong Fei chuckled, calming them down.
"Alright, enough with the bloodthirst. If they think I have ulterior motives and even made a formal accusation, then to prove my innocence, I'll just have to withdraw."
"No way!" Jessica protested first. "That's letting them off too easy!"
Hong Fei sighed softly. "Letting them off is letting them off. As the saying goes, suffering a loss is a blessing..."
"Screw that!" Jessica snapped. "I don't agree. I'm going to kill him!"
She turned to fly off, but Hong Fei was quicker, grabbing her wrist. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free. Hong Fei turned back, his expression calm and relaxed.
"Alright, you're overdoing the drama here."
Jessica's anger vanished instantly, replaced by a playful grin.
"Boss, you've gotten stronger again. That really hurt."
She rubbed her wrist where Hong Fei had thrown her off.
Frank stepped forward, his voice low.
"Their accusations are serious. Are you sure we shouldn't respond? If they win this, we'll be cornered."
Hong Fei's smile didn't waver.
"Then let them win. If they do, I'll congratulate them. Aliens are our common enemy—any victory deserves celebration."
His eyes crinkled at the edges, the picture of sincerity.
Jessica rolled her eyes when his back was turned. Not a word of that was believable. Frank's expression said he felt the same.
"Go home," Hong Fei ordered. "Unless you hear from me, don't move even if the world's ending. Watch some TV. Train. Stay sharp."
Frank and Jessica exchanged a glance before nodding and turning away.
Hong Fei looked down at the city below. Night had fallen, but London burned. Only a handful of Dark Elf warships remained in the sky, their fighters dwindling to less than a hundred. Their defeat was inevitable—just a matter of time.
But victory didn't feel like victory. Fires raged across the city, thick plumes of smoke clawing at the sky. The glow illuminated ruins where buildings once stood.
The streets, where they weren't rubble, teemed with survivors. Police struggled to maintain order while military vehicles loomed at the edges. From this height, the scene looked unreal—like a disaster movie with too big a budget. Even London Has Fallen hadn't depicted devastation this complete.
And then there were the white sheets. Rows of them, spreading street after street. War meant death.
Hong Fei's grip tightened on his spear. His expression hardened, something cold flickering in his eyes as he spun the weapon behind his back. Then he shot upward, breaking through the clouds in an instant. The noise of the city faded, replaced by the quiet rush of wind and the steady beat of his own heart.
Frank's call cut through the silence.
"What are you planning?"
Hong Fei feigned ignorance. "What?"
"I've known you longer than anyone on the team. You don't just sit back when someone screws you over." Frank's voice was calm, certain. "You're not waiting to see them fail. You've got something else lined up."
"You know me too well."
"Too well?"
"Xu Wenwu does too, but he's got the same background. You? You're just observant."
"Keep talking like that and I'll puke in the suit."
"Fine. Yeah, I've got something prepared."
"Going alone?"
"Yes."
"Take backup. Xu Wenwu. Big Head. Either one."
"Wow. We really are in sync—"
Frank hung up.
A second later, Jessica's text buzzed through: Boss, were you and Frank plotting just now? Not that I'm jealous. But can I join the secret mission?
Hong Fei replied with only one word: "Get lost."
Frank and Jessica were sharp. Not asking in person showed they respected his authority. Asking privately meant they understood his methods—and were willing to follow him into hell. That slapped-together Avengers team? They weren't even close.