Chapter Sixty-One: At Last!

Looking back at the battle of Wakanda in "Avengers: Infinity War," both sides possessed highly advanced technology and weapons, yet what unfolded was akin to a medieval clash. In fact, it was even less strategic than medieval warfare, which at least emphasized formation and tactics; here, both armies simply charged headlong, as if in a brawl.

This is interstellar warfare, not a scene from a high school drama!

If Yang Xin were to write the script, it would go like this:

Thanos’s vanguard would first deploy via stealth shuttles, landing silently and splitting into small reconnaissance teams to infiltrate the jungle, all without the Avengers' knowledge. Upon locating Wakanda, they would mark all military outposts on the shield’s perimeter. Around the predicted battlefield, at thirty-degree intervals every two hundred meters, they’d position heavily armored machines disguised as shield generators, employing advanced technology for concealment.

Once reconnaissance was complete, Thanos’s fleet in Earth’s orbit would break silence and unleash a saturation bombardment on Wakanda’s location, causing the shield’s energy to dwindle and shattering all external defenses in an instant.

Wakanda would respond swiftly, reinforcing the shield’s energy and raising vibranium bunkers in the jungle outside the shield. Concealed anti-aircraft fire would emerge from beneath these bunkers, launching a counterattack.

After an exchange of artillery fire, Thanos’s army would begin large-scale airborne deployment. Some units would be destroyed by anti-aircraft fire, yet the anti-aircraft batteries around Wakanda's shield would also be systematically marked and eliminated by the vanguard.

Upon landing, Thanos’s forces would quickly seize positions around the shield, forming an offensive front. Saturation bombardment would shift to precise strikes aimed at the shield’s edges, which would soon be breached under the relentless assault.

Captain America would urgently dispatch Falcon and others to form an infiltration team, flying Wakanda’s most advanced aircraft. With Thanos’s forces landing en masse and their rear exposed, the team would infiltrate Thanos’s air fleet, sabotaging the artillery ships.

The shelling would cease; the shield would suffer no major damage, but small breaches would appear. Thanos’s army would begin infiltrating through these gaps. Wakanda would raise heavy artillery from underground bunkers to bombard the invading forces. Captain America would command Wakandan troops to form defensive formations with electromagnetic spears, encircling the Thanos troops emerging from the artillery fire with intersecting firepower.

At this moment, Thanos’s vanguard would deploy twelve shield generators, advancing in a circular formation underground towards Wakanda. Defense sensors would detect subterranean vibrations, prompting Wakanda’s second echelon to engage, intercepting the shield generator units above ground and prioritizing attacks at the weakest points in their defenses.

Thanos’s army would be forced to prematurely raise the surviving shield generators, erupting in the center of Wakanda’s defensive lines. Both armies would be thrown together, and the battle would devolve into a brutal melee.

Captain America would command the third echelon to cover the withdrawal of the first and second echelons, constructing a secondary defensive line at the rear. At this point, the destroyed artillery ships from orbit would plummet to the battlefield, smashing through the shield and obliterating many troops who hadn’t managed to retreat.

With the shield gone, Thanos’s forces would launch an all-out assault, pouring out of the landing craft in numbers far exceeding Captain America’s estimates. Thanos’s commanders would join the fray.

At the critical moment, Falcon and his team would return to the surface and, under Captain America’s command, join forces with Scarlet Witch and others to form a powerful unit. Together with Wakanda’s heavy artillery, they would blanket the first defensive line with fire, striking Thanos’s troops en masse. Thanos’s army would deploy their final offensive force: elite units would air-drop directly behind Wakanda’s second defensive line, destroying heavy artillery and threatening Vision at the rear.

Captain America and Black Panther would personally lead the last elite royal guards to eliminate this group. Without heavy artillery support, the forward defense would be at risk of collapse. In the direst moment, Thor would descend from the sky, plunging directly into Thanos’s ranks. Captain America would seize the opportunity, ordering a full-scale countercharge and reclaiming the first defensive line.

Then, Thanos himself would arrive...

Orbital bombardment, ground artillery duels, space combat—this is what interstellar warfare should look like. Compared to what actually played out, calling it medieval warfare is almost too generous; even the arrow formations of the Warring States or the Qin Empire would outclass this. Perhaps this is why, upon meeting Black Panther, the Treasure System generated such items.

As Yang Xin marshaled all forces for battle, Wang, the stout guardian of the New York Sanctum, and Doctor Strange sent word: Dr. Bruce Banner had been teleported back.

"Inform Steve, Sam, Barnes, and T’Challa: the fishing plan is a go! Let’s move!" Yang Xin said to Natasha, activating a massive portal and bringing the entire Katay Majji sorcerer corps and the Huaxia ninja troops along.

Yang Xin had originally sent Vision to Wakanda early, hoping that with Wakanda’s advanced technology and Princess Shuri’s expertise, the Mind Stone could be safely removed from Vision’s forehead without harming him. But for reasons unknown—perhaps prejudice, arrogance, or a gambler’s hope shared by Vision and Scarlet Witch—Vision refused.

With Vision unwilling, Yang Xin could not force the issue. Instead, he had Captain America, Falcon, Winter Soldier, and Black Panther secretly monitor Vision and Scarlet Witch using Wakanda’s technology, letting the ill-fated couple experience the harsh reality of battle, thus initiating the fishing plan.

When Yang Xin, Natasha, and their forces arrived at the New York Sanctum through the portal, Doctor Strange and Wang were engaged in a heated debate with Bruce Banner and Tony Stark over contacting Steve.

“Wow—what a spectacle!” Tony Stark exclaimed, feeling Yang Xin’s approach was a bit over the top.

“This isn’t a street fight, it’s total war! I’ve already made arrangements for Steve. Tony, contact Pepper and Happy immediately—have them suit up and join us, and send Peter’s Spider Armor over as well.”

“Buddy, aren’t you being a bit dramatic? Are you saying Pepper needs to fight too?” Tony scrutinized Yang Xin’s expression, hoping he was joking. If even Pepper had to fight, the battle ahead would clearly be devastating.

“She won’t be fighting. But she’s safest with us; if we lose, it won’t matter where Pepper is.” Yang Xin replied, then turned to Bruce Banner.

“Hulk can’t beat Thanos?”

Bruce Banner shook his head sadly, “Xin, I can feel Hulk’s fear of Thanos—and... Thor is dead.”

Silence fell. Thor’s death cast a shadow of grief over them all, and it was this sense of loss that made Tony Stark heed Yang Xin’s orders. Everyone sensed the unprecedented danger.

“Thor isn’t dead. He’s gone to the Dwarf Star to forge a new weapon—the Stormbreaker axe…” Yang Xin quickly interjected, seeing morale waver. Pointing to Bruce Banner’s heart, he continued, “Do you know why Hulk can’t beat Thanos and fears him?”

“It’s because you and Hulk are beginning to merge as one. Hulk is becoming rational; this is both good and bad. The good is you can control Hulk’s power. The bad is the power ceiling isn’t what it was. The Hulk I remember feared nothing—he could shatter Earth with a punch.”

“Come! Let’s meet our enemy. They’re here!”