Chapter Sixty-Eight: An Unexpected Strike from Huaxia

“Wakanda places great importance on the traditional warrior spirit.” After a long pause, Black Panther finally managed to utter this single sentence, which was to say, they had none.

“After this battle, it’s time to develop heavy military industry. Whether it’s to face future enemies or to strengthen our own defenses, developing military industry has become inevitable,” Yang Xin said.

Black Panther nodded repeatedly. After this battle, Wakanda had been thoroughly exposed to the world’s gaze. If they did not wish to be bullied, their only choice was to greatly advance their military industry.

China’s ocean-going missile destroyers were still gleefully firing missiles when, suddenly, bursts of energy beam cannons hid behind the missiles and launched a surprise attack!

These energy beams easily pierced the shields of the Vanguard Tunneling Machines, then destroyed them one by one.

“What a clever surprise attack!” The crowd gasped in astonishment.

“That’s the energy cannon of Asgardian starships. How does China have an Asgardian warship?” Tony Stark exclaimed.

“This is support from China. I handed over Asgard’s interstellar warship to them for the final strike,” Yang Xin admitted openly.

Tony Stark and the others fell silent. S.H.I.E.L.D. possessing an Asgardian starship was tantamount to America possessing one. Now China also had an Asgardian warship, and once again the balance of power became subtly poised.

“End the battle and prepare with all your might for Thanos!” Yang Xin ordered.

With those words, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique. He had already marked both Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive with the Flying Thunder God seal. In a flash, he appeared beside them and knocked them down with a few swift punches and kicks.

Dragging their incapacitated bodies, Yang Xin teleported back, sealed them, and handed them over to China’s ninja squad for imprisonment.

With their leaders captured and the tunneling machines destroyed, the Vanguard were like rootless weeds. Under Long Wenzhang’s organized assault, each surviving Vanguard soldier was devoured one by one.

When Long Wenzhang’s Sichuan Corps had completely swept the field, they began to gather as many weapons as they could. Even if the heavy artillery couldn’t be carried away, they gripped whatever they could for dear life.

With a wave of Yang Xin’s hand, the previously shredded cross-dimensional wartime summoning card reformed, and before everyone’s eyes, it transformed into dazzling golden light. When the light faded, the Sichuan Corps and everything they touched vanished without a trace.

They departed as quietly as they had arrived, waving their hands and taking with them some equipment, leaving behind only the corpses of the Vanguard.

“Clean up the battlefield and dispose of the bodies, lest a plague break out,” Yang Xin instructed, handing the fourth-dimensional pocket to Natasha to collect the leftover weapons and equipment—after all, even a small mosquito is still meat.

The King’s Guard and tribal warriors of Wakanda found themselves at a loss for words. They had expected a bloody battle, never imagining they would end up doing menial work. But with so many corpses piled up, there was no choice; if left unattended, there really would be a plague. With no better solution, they cleared an area, dug a large pit, lit a fire, and set up a temporary crematorium to burn the bodies of the Vanguard.

Just then, the sky erupted with thunder and lightning. Everyone was startled, thinking Thanos had arrived, and instinctively formed a defensive formation. But it wasn’t Thanos—it was Thor.

“Where are Thanos and his minions?!” Thor roared, his voice thick with frustration, like a punch thrown with all his strength landing on cotton.

“Thor, you’re alive?” Dr. Bruce Banner said excitedly.

“I’m alive, but Loki is dead. The people of Asgard are all dead…” Thor said sorrowfully, sinking into painful memories before growling fiercely, “Thanos, I will kill him!”

“Thor, Thanos hasn’t arrived yet. His minions are already here.” Dr. Banner pointed at the blazing pit, where Wakanda’s warriors were tossing in the bodies of the Vanguard.

“I’m too late?!” Thor said in anguish.

“You’re not late. Thanos hasn’t come yet. We’re waiting for him!” Banner reassured him quickly.

“Good!” Thor’s face was ferocious, his whole being radiating a deathly aura that made everyone uneasy. They all knew he was ready to die.

Thor had lost too much—his mother, his father, Mjolnir, Loki, and now the people of Asgard. Other than himself, he had nothing left to lose.

Well, perhaps in the near future, he would also lose the physique he was so proud of.

“Sorry to interrupt your reunion, Thor, but there’s a mistake I need to correct,” Yang Xin interjected.

“I remember you—the leader of Asgard’s defenders,” Thor said, looking at Yang Xin.

“Deputy leader, actually… but don’t mind the details. There’s something I must tell you: Asgard was not entirely wiped out. Led by Valkyrie, part of Asgard’s fleet escaped Thanos’s onslaught,” Yang Xin said.

“Really?!” Thor’s eyes lit up, and amidst the deathly gloom, a spark of hope appeared.

“It’s true—truer than vibranium. They’re wandering the stars and will soon arrive on Earth. Rest assured and wait. The glory of Asgard’s rebirth depends on you, so first, you must survive.”

“To live…” Thor murmured.

“To live, that is the way. Though there are many hardships and painful days, life is still a wonderful thing…

Today, you have worked hard—how did you get through it?
Did you have a drink today? Even if things didn’t go your way,
Don’t be sad, even if you sigh, for who knows which cloud carries the rain?
To live, to live… One day, good things will come my way…”

As Hong Jin-young’s “Alive” softly played, though none present understood Korean, they all felt the meaning in the music. Listening, tears streamed down Thor’s face.

Yang Xin patted Thor’s shoulder and was about to leave when he found his hand seized by Thor. This Norse god, so proud and fierce, now let a hint of pleading show in his resolute eyes. “Help me.”

“I’ll send Thanos to hell!” Yang Xin promised solemnly. In the plan devised with Sorcerer Supreme Ancient One, Thanos was indeed destined for the underworld.

“Send Thanos to hell!” Thor echoed, filled with hatred.

Everyone looked at Thor and sighed deeply. They all felt a kinship with the fallen, a shared grief for the loss of their kind, and all shouted together: “Send Thanos to hell!”

Yang Xin began preparing the battlefield, first finding a broad, flat area with a clear view—so that they could surround and attack Thanos as a group. The mages of Kamar-Taj began constructing a spatial array, while China’s ninja squad drew sealing formations to prevent Thanos from escaping with a space stone.

Finally, Yang Xin pulled Doctor Strange aside and whispered a few words. Strange immediately handed over the Eye of Agamotto—the Time Stone—hanging from his neck. Yang Xin took it, hung it around his own neck, and began casting time magic. Once all preparations were complete, Yang Xin stood side by side with Captain America, surrounded by the rest.

Why did Yang Xin stand with Captain America? Because Captain America bore the Mind Stone, and Yang Xin bore the Time Stone. By putting the stones together, their resonance would attract Thanos.

Sure enough, as soon as the preparations were complete, waves of spatial distortion rippled through the air, and a black spatial vortex appeared.

Thanos had arrived!