Chapter Twenty: Thor Concedes!

"You... mortal, wait until I retrieve Mjolnir, and I will certainly..." Thor, bold in words but timid in spirit, lay on the bed still boasting. Daisy walked past Hao Yun, raising her stun gun in her hand... The word 'revenge' was instantly swallowed by Thor. Hao Yun shook his head helplessly—truly, Marvel’s most notorious clown. How could Odin bear to send you to Earth? Was he not afraid of losing face?

"Alright, let’s get serious. Thor, why did you come to Earth?" Hao Yun put on a solemn expression and asked.

"Don’t you know? My father took away my divine power and threw me here," Thor glared, clearly displeased. Don’t pretend you didn’t hear—you told them yourself! Hmph, what a show!

Midgard’s people are so hypocritical. Except... except for that beautiful, kind girl.

Thor’s gaze involuntarily drifted toward Jane... Hao Yun covered his face—this fellow, even after being knocked down twice, never forgets to flirt. Worthy of an Asgardian god!

"Actually, your divine power is only sealed, not stripped..." Hao Yun was about to reveal the plot of the first Thor movie to him... But just as he was about to explain Odin’s plan, everything around him suddenly stopped moving.

Nearby, Daisy, cup raised to drink cola, found the liquid tilted but unmoving; beside her, Erik’s spinning pen hovered around his thumb... Everything seemed to freeze in time.

No—upon seeing the golden electric sparks of the portal before him, Hao Yun knew time had truly stopped!

The Ancient One stepped through the portal, hands forming a seal, a green glow flickering at her chest.

"Master Ancient One," Hao Yun stood respectfully to greet her. A guardian who has protected Earth’s life for millennia deserves respect from all.

"Hao Yun Potts, you must not tell Thor about Asgard," the Ancient One said, reaching out to ruffle Hao Yun’s hair.

"Why?" Hao Yun looked at her, puzzled.

The Ancient One smiled softly, "Asgardians are gods who guard the Nine Realms. Their every action entangles the lives of all realms, too many threads of fate. Odin’s current arrangement is the result of thousands of years of planning. If you interfere, you’ll attract the attention of powerful beings."

"But... Thor will become a member of the Avengers in the future..." Hao Yun hesitated, his meaning clear—a new ally is surely better than a crippled Asgard?

"No, he is a god. Gods pity mortals, but they never become one of them. Besides, the Avengers no longer exist, do they?" The Ancient One smiled. "Earth should have its own heroes and guardians, not place its hopes in other worlds."

She paused, perhaps sensing her words too detached, and continued, "Of course, if you insist on boundless compassion, and spoil Asgard’s future, I won’t stop you. I’ll even help you conceal it if necessary. After all, it’s for Earth."

With that, the portal behind her reopened... As the sparks faded, time resumed. Cola flowed again, the pen spun, everything continued.

Hao Yun sat in silence on the sofa. When he revealed Earth’s future, the Ancient One comforted him... Yet when it came to Thor’s future, she personally warned him. Clearly, Thor’s fate carried too much weight—any interference could disrupt her plans for the future.

But seeking Asgard’s aid was also part of Hao Yun’s strategy... In an instant, he was torn.

In the living room, Thor, frustrated by Hao Yun’s sudden silence, forgot Daisy’s threat and rushed over, roaring, "Where is my divine power?! Tell me!"

"Zap!"

"Crackle crackle..."

Triple kill! Three down!

Erik, Hao Yun, and Jane Foster all turned their gaze to Daisy. Daisy was about to explain, but the three quickly interrupted, "We know, he scared you!"

.....................

The third time he woke up, Thor immediately put distance between himself and Daisy. Yes, a safe distance!

Hao Yun made no move to speak with Thor, leaving Jane to approach him. After all, Jane would become Thor’s girlfriend, help him reclaim Mjolnir—what was the point in meddling?

He needed to seriously consider his approach to Asgard.

It was obvious: Asgard never regarded Earth’s people as equals, only as tenants under their protection, much like landlords to their tenants.

Life and death indifferent, their attitude full of contempt... This wouldn’t change until after the events of Thor: Ragnarok.

Perhaps he should approach Hela? Maybe, by revealing certain information, Earth could earn Hela’s approval—and possibly her aid?

Furthermore, as a ruler, Hela was clearly wiser and more suited for the throne, once she calmed down. That is, if one could defeat her!

Hao Yun pondered deeply in his room... Outside, to his surprise, Thor and Jane’s conversation grew increasingly harmonious. Colored bubbles seemed to float around them, and Erik and Daisy were thoroughly fed on dog food.

Just an afternoon, a lunch and dinner—Thor, having conceded, restrained his recklessness. His naturally cheerful personality and tales of Asgardian gods captivated the trio, winning their trust. Daisy even put away her stun gun, promising never to use weapons against friends.

When Hao Yun, still unresolved, stepped out for some air, Jane took the initiative to invite Thor for a walk.

Hao Yun smirked—going for a walk? Surely, they were off to see Mjolnir.

That suited him fine; he didn’t want much contact with S.H.I.E.L.D. anyway. Once the first Thor storyline ended, he could go sign in.

"Alright, go ahead. I’ll stay at the lab for a while. Don’t worry, I can cook. Let me know if anything comes up!"

After the pair left, Hao Yun called Tony to ask his opinion.

"You said a sorcerer stopped you?"

"Yes. Thor’s involvement is too extensive, with the God King orchestrating things. We’re advised not to reveal too much."

"Hmm... Listen to those sorcerers, after all, they’ve protected Earth for thousands of years." Surprisingly, Tony agreed with the Ancient One. "By the way, I’ll be in New Mexico tomorrow to check out the godly armor!"

"Be careful. You’re easily blown away in your current state," Hao Yun warned, then hung up and wandered freely about the town.

Sigh, there were so few places to sign in during the first Thor event—most were in Asgard. Looks like after the Avengers storyline, he’d have to consider a trip to another planet.