Chapter Thirty-Six: The Law of the Dark Forest

"The suit of iron is not only a way to become Iron Man, but it’s also a kind of shackle," Yang Xin remarked as he gave the order to the AI, instructing it to lock the armor onto Loki.

"This way, without my command, Loki won't be able to activate the suit at all. Not only will he be unable to escape, but it’ll also shield him from any ill-intentioned attacks. Ah, for Loki’s safety, I really do worry myself to pieces," Yang Xin said, clapping his hands.

"You’re something else—controlling a prisoner’s freedom in such an elegant and novel way," the group muttered, all the while feeling a deep surge of sympathy for Loki.

Wearing the iron suit was like being sealed inside an airtight metal can. Imagine being trapped in such a claustrophobic prison, unable to move an inch, with even the visual system deactivated by Yang Xin—this wasn’t just a dark room, it was a thousand times more terrifying.

Even solitary confinement allows for some movement, but in the suit there was none at all—not a chance of escape, and even basic needs would be a nightmare. Hopefully, Asgardian physiology was different from that of Earthlings, otherwise Loki might just expire from holding it all in.

"Now, all we can do is wait—wait for the foolish brother of the evil god Loki," Yang Xin said, taking a leisurely seat as the others looked at him as if he were a monster.

As his words faded, thunder and lightning rolled across the sky.

"Wow, here he comes! Pilot, find the nearest landing spot," Yang Xin ordered immediately; he had no wish to see Thor, the thunder god, wreck the Quinjet.

The Quinjet, capable of vertical takeoff and landing, didn’t need a special landing zone. It simply touched down in a clear area. As soon as it landed, the storm above intensified. Amidst the flickering light and shadow, a figure draped in a red cloak appeared.

Thor strode forward and grabbed Loki, intending to take off with him using his hammer. Unfortunately, with Loki weighed down by several tons of iron, Thor couldn’t even lift him.

"Well, another troublemaker has arrived. I’d like to see just how strong these so-called Norse gods are," Tony Stark said, raising his hand and blasting Thor away with a repulsor beam.

"Oh, so that’s all a god is," Tony remarked with disdain, turning to walk away.

"Watch out!" someone shouted. Thor’s hammer came whistling through the air. Tony had no time to defend himself, and just as he braced to take the blow head-on, a figure leapt in front of him.

Bang.

The hammer struck a round shield instead—it was Captain America. In Tony's moment of carelessness, he intercepted the incoming blow.

"A god really is nothing special. Besides arrogance, prejudice, and senseless rage, what else is there?" Captain America said coldly.

"For once, I completely agree with you," Tony replied, affecting a solemn tone, then charged towards Thor.

Two egotists clashed, fighting from ground to sky and back again, neither able to gain the upper hand.

Captain America played support on the side, only stepping in with his shield when Thor unleashed his lightning, earning not thanks from Tony, but harsh words.

But there’s no point stooping to a child’s level, Captain America thought to himself.

In Thor’s mind, mortals were weak and insignificant. Hadn’t the Midgardian defenders thrown everything they had at the Destroyer to no avail, while he, Thor, had smashed it to pieces with a single blow? Yet now, after a series of battles, Thor realized that not only this man of iron, but even the bystander with the shield, possessed strength he could not underestimate. Even Thor, in his stubbornness, now understood that Odin had gone easy during the battle with the Destroyer.

But the pride of a god would not let Thor lay down his weapon. Of course, what Thor called dignity looked like arrogance to everyone else. After all, it was they who had captured Loki—who was Thor to just appear and take him away without a word? Things weren’t that simple.

Still, this was no time for further conflict, nor for sparking a rift between Asgard and Earth.

"Enough! Stop this! Is the Prince of Asgard, First Warrior of the Palace, God of Thunder and Storms, the future King of Asgard, Ender of Ragnarok, wielder of Mjolnir, and future master of Stormbreaker truly so small-minded?" Yang Xin barked.

Though his tone was harsh, it offered Thor a way out.

"I only wish to retrieve the Cosmic Cube. It will be safest in Asgard, guarded by King Odin," Thor replied, seizing the opportunity to stand down.

"If you want to reclaim the Cube, you’ll have to get Loki to talk. Can you do that? You know better than anyone what Loki is like. Do you really think beating him will get you the location of the Cube? Don’t kid yourself! If you want that Cube, you’ll need S.H.I.E.L.D.’s methods. Thor, do you dare return to S.H.I.E.L.D. with me?"

The best way to handle such a man-child was to provoke him. Sure enough, Thor’s next words put everyone at ease.

"Why wouldn’t I dare? I’d like to see what methods you Midgardian defenders have," Thor shouted at once. No way would he let anyone think that he, Prince of Asgard, First Warrior of the Palace, God of Thunder and Storms, future King of Asgard, Ender of Ragnarok, wielder of Mjolnir, and future master of Stormbreaker, was a coward.

"By the way, what’s with ‘Ender of Ragnarok’ and ‘future master of Stormbreaker’?" Thor was thoroughly confused, but Asgardian pride would never allow him to ask a Midgardian for clarification.

"Are you really going to hand the Cosmic Cube over to that overgrown child?" Nick Fury whispered into Yang Xin's ear.

"It’s just an excuse—to get this man-child into our camp first. Besides, the Cube is indeed safer in Asgard for now. The universe is vast, and the Earth is small and weak. Weakness is a sin. Have you ever heard of the Dark Forest Theory?"

"I’d like to hear more."

That line, "I’d like to hear more," nearly made Yang Xin choke—it was Nick Fury, using clumsy Chinese.

"The universe is a dark forest. Every civilization is a hunter, armed and lurking like a ghost among the trees, pushing aside branches with utmost care, trying not to make a sound—not even breathing too loudly. He must be cautious, for there are other hunters everywhere, moving silently just like him..."

"If he discovers another life, there’s only one thing he can do: shoot to kill. In this forest, others are hell itself, an eternal threat. Any life that exposes its own existence will soon be destroyed. This is the true picture of cosmic civilization. This is the Dark Forest Theory."

"The Dark Forest Theory?" After the battle with the Destroyer, Nick Fury had discussed with the Council how to deal with aliens, but everyone had their own ideas and no consensus was reached.

Now, hearing Yang Xin’s words, Nick Fury felt compelled to teach the Council a lesson. The Dark Forest Theory—it was absolutely classic, and all too real.

To understand the Dark Forest Theory more clearly, Nick Fury asked again, "Why is it like this?"