Chapter Twenty: The Plan to Rescue the God of Thunder

“There are two ways: The first is to pass the trial set by the All-Father Odin. The All-Father has not abandoned you; this exile is merely a test. Thor, what sorrow is there in life, what suffering in death? When you truly understand the meaning of sacrifice for righteousness, you will return to sing this song with me—only you, by my side on the journey west, only you, to slay monsters and banish demons…”

“Ahem… Sorry, wrong script, pay no mind to these details. Let’s continue. I call this first method Enlightenment—enlighten yourself, God of Thunder. The second method I call Awakening, which means awakening the divinity of the Thunder God within you. You are the Thunder God, the god of lightning, not the Hammer God. When you truly awaken your divinity, lifting the hammer will be nothing. Of course, if you truly awaken your divinity, you might no longer need Mjolnir…”

“How can I pass my father’s trial? How do I reach enlightenment? Or how do I truly awaken the divinity of the Thunder God?” Thor’s eyes shone with hope as he looked at Yang Xin.

“You’re the Thunder God, not me. How should I know?” Yang Xin shrugged.

Thor’s gaze dimmed instantly.

“Rather than thinking about how to lift Mjolnir, what you need most right now is a hot bath and a good night’s sleep. Who knows, things might look up in the morning.” Yang Xin patted the God of Thunder’s shoulder.

Thus, Thor, under Coulson’s arrangements, took up residence in the base.

Yang Xin turned to Nick Fury and suddenly said, “I want Peter Parker’s file.”

“Peter Parker? The kid who just got bitten by a spider?” Nick Fury replied offhandedly.

“Just got bitten by a spider?” Yang Xin mused. “S.H.I.E.L.D. even keeps tabs on such trivial matters?”

“It concerns Oscorp; hardly trivial. And S.H.I.E.L.D. oversees the world—anything related to superhuman events is under our watch,” Nick Fury said, meaningfully. Then, with practiced nonchalance, he asked, “What business do you have with Peter Parker?”

“No business with him. What I seek is one of his elders,” Yang Xin replied coolly.

Nick Fury glanced at Yang Xin in surprise but did not press further. Instead, he immediately issued the order, and before long, Natasha arrived with a stack of files.

What Yang Xin wanted was Uncle Ben Parker, that wise old man. Since he wasn’t certain if this timeline in the Marvel universe had such a person, he decided to make use of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s powerful information network.

Flipping through the files, Yang Xin found that in this timeline, Uncle Ben was indeed still alive. Judging by the dates, Peter Parker had yet to become Spider-Man, and Uncle Ben was still living. But… his days were probably numbered.

“Could you bring this man here?” Yang Xin asked, pulling out Uncle Ben’s file.

“Benjamin Parker? An ordinary citizen?” Nick Fury glanced at the unremarkable résumé.

“Yes, just an ordinary man. But perhaps this ordinary man can help Thor resolve his inner turmoil and complete Odin’s trial. You don’t want this Asgardian prince, a ticking time bomb, lingering on Earth, do you? Matters of Asgardian succession are best settled in Asgard,” Yang Xin replied calmly.

“Oh, and get Captain America here too. We may be facing a small-scale interstellar skirmish tomorrow.” Yang Xin added.

Nick Fury understood immediately. The acting All-Father of Asgard had suffered a setback on Earth; he wouldn’t let that go easily, revenge was only a matter of time. That’s human nature.

Yang Xin’s goal was to quickly help Thor overcome his inner obstacles. Relying on Jane Foster for Thor’s enlightenment, as in the original story, would be too slow. After today’s incident with Loki, it wouldn’t be surprising if Loki sent the Destroyer tomorrow.

Don’t be fooled by how unimpressive the Destroyer looked in the movie—it’s said to be the ultimate battle armor of Asgard’s king. Who knows how powerful it truly is? It’s best to have Thor regain his strength as soon as possible.

To help Thor quickly pass Odin’s trial, they needed someone with persuasive words. Who better than Uncle Ben, the man who coined “with great power comes great responsibility”?

Yang Xin laid out his plan, and after a moment’s silence, Nick Fury agreed. He, too, didn’t want a godly prince—someone beyond his control and more powerful than the combined might of Earth’s nations—lingering on the planet, stirring up medieval power struggles.

Can’t scold him, can’t fight him—better to send him off as soon as possible.

In less than an hour, a Quinjet landed at the camp. Benjamin Parker, accompanied by two agents, disembarked and was quickly briefed by Coulson. Uncle Ben was not at all intimidated—he cheerfully accepted the task and, with Coulson, went straight to Thor’s quarters to begin his heart-to-heart campaign.

“Will this work?” Nick Fury watched as Benjamin Parker left.

“Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Regardless, we must be prepared for battle. Director Fury, are you interested in showing your skills?”

“Show my skills? I haven’t fought in years!” Nick Fury touched his eyepatch, a hint of endless memories and a spark of anticipation flickering in his lone eye.

“Get some exercise—it’s good for body and mind. And with superhumans joining, as S.H.I.E.L.D.’s top man, demonstrating your strength at the right moment helps steady the troops.”

“Childish provocation.” Nick Fury scoffed, turning away.

“So, are you in tomorrow or not?” Yang Xin called after him.

“In!” Nick Fury’s voice drifted back, faint yet firm.

Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, dawn arrived.

While S.H.I.E.L.D. staff bustled about, a sudden Bifrost bridge arched down from the sky. When it vanished, four figures stood before them, clad in medieval armor—three men and one woman.

“Are these Loki’s agents?” Nick Fury asked coldly.

“No, not Loki’s. These are Thor’s comrades-in-arms. The three men are Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun, known as the Warriors Three of Asgard.”

“And the woman?” Nick Fury pressed.

“She’s no ordinary warrior. In Norse legend, she’s the goddess of earth and harvest—and Thor’s betrothed. Her brother is Heimdall, guardian of the Bifrost, who possesses the all-seeing Heimdall’s Eye. Perhaps our conversation is already under his surveillance,” Yang Xin explained.

Nick Fury, long accustomed to Yang Xin’s encyclopedic knowledge—or rather, his mysterious sources—simply responded, “Their arrival means they’re here to help Thor vie for the throne. Does that mean Loki is about to make his move?”

“Yes. An interstellar conflict is at our doorstep. Are you ready?” Yang Xin asked, looking at Nick Fury.

Nick Fury didn’t answer directly. Instead, he pressed the comm in his ear. “Proceed as planned—evacuate!”

With a rush, logistics agents began swiftly breaking camp and withdrawing. The combat agents quickly took up their positions, advanced weapons were rolled out, and their camouflage cloaks were shed. Especially the rows of heavy-caliber grenade launchers, their menacing barrels now exposed…