As Star-Lord took Tony’s sleek sports car for a joyride with Gamora, Lin Rui and Tony stood on the edge of the rooftop platform of Stark Tower, watching as the blue streak swiftly disappeared into the various streets of New York below.
Initially, Lin Rui had been concerned that Gamora’s appearance might attract unwanted attention. However, his worry vanished when he witnessed Gamora instantly change her green skin to a deep brown, resembling that of an African-American.
It was evident that the technology integrated into both Star-Lord and Gamora from their time in the cosmos was beyond anything Lin Rui and Tony had imagined.
Whether it was Star-Lord’s ability to learn to drive multiple vehicles in just one minute or Gamora’s instantaneous change of skin color, they were more than equipped to handle Earth’s daily life.
Of course, both Star-Lord and Gamora were safe on Earth, given their formidable combat abilities and high-tech equipment.
Nevertheless, to avoid any unnecessary trouble, Tony informed SHIELD, ensuring they would keep an eye on Star-Lord and Gamora’s whereabouts to guarantee they didn’t unintentionally create problems due to their unfamiliarity with Earth’s current way of life.
“Jackson, you’ve saved Earth again,” Tony said with an inexplicable tone as the blue streak disappeared from view.
“I alone can’t save Earth; it’s a collective effort to protect it,” Lin Rui responded, shaking his head at Tony’s words.
In Tony’s eyes, Lin Rui always acted as a guard before each crisis arrived, capable of responding maximally when danger was imminent. Regardless of how dire the situation was, Lin Rui always found a way to avert disasters. Perhaps luck played a role, but luck was an integral part of any endeavor.
From Lin Rui’s perspective, he simply exerted his full strength to deal with each situation as it arose. Of course, his knowledge of the storyline was also a reason he could prepare for events in advance. However, the true key to his ability to plan extensively in every situation depended on the strength of his companions.
“Whether you admit it or not, you did save Earth. Although various news reports are now circulating, only ‘Phantom Knight Saves the World’ seems appropriate,” Tony continued, unsurprised by Lin Rui’s response.
J.A.R.V.I.S. had briefly reported the speculations about the conclusion of the Dormammu invasion event to Tony. Among them, there was a video taken by someone who had seen Lin Rui descend from the New York sky.
They had even given him an exaggerated name. While these videos and content weren’t gaining much attention yet, Tony felt that Lin Rui deserved the title.
“Let it be! These empty titles don’t matter. Moreover, Dormammu’s arrival this time might not be entirely a bad thing. As Captain Rogers mentioned before leaving, if the follow-up operations go well, our plans might accelerate,” Lin Rui said, dismissing the importance of public opinion.
Currently, Lin Rui was more focused on how to lead Earth into the Interstellar Age than completing the main quest of becoming a superhero. Especially after Star-Lord brought the Guardians of the Galaxy to Earth, Lin Rui’s determination in this regard had grown stronger.
Being powerful on Earth wasn’t enough; the universe didn’t revolve around Earth. To thrive, they needed to break free from Earth and reach the core of the universe. Only then, when Earth faced even graver crises in the future, would they possess the strength to confront them.
“Yeah, I’ll help too. After all, those who used to secretly oppose us or play tricks behind our backs must be dumbfounded now. We’ve created spaceships and even unveiled the Cosmic Gundams. What can they use to challenge us?” Tony nodded in agreement with Lin Rui’s statement.
“By the way, speaking of the Gundams, Jackson, how did you manage to enlarge my three super-armored suits so significantly? I vaguely remember this technology, but I can’t quite recall,” Tony asked suddenly as he thought about the Cosmic Gundams.
“Well, about that…” Lin Rui hesitated about whether to tell Tony that the technology for enlarging the suits was based on Pym Particles, originating from Dr. Pym. However, before he could make up his mind, they heard Peter’s voice from behind.
…
While Star-Lord and Gamora were exploring the bustling districts of New York in Tony’s sports car, Rocket, Groot the talking tree, and Drax the muscular warrior were stuck in the SHIELD branch where they had been left.
They also wanted to go out and explore, but their appearances were far from blending in with Earth’s population. Therefore, they had to content themselves with exploring the SHIELD facilities as arranged by Captain Rogers.
“That Peter! I knew he wouldn’t take us along!” Rocket grumbled as he wandered through the SHIELD branch.
“I am Groot,” Groot responded, swaying his branches behind Rocket.
“Haha, is this Earth? Just as beautiful as my homeland!” Unaware of Rocket’s complaints, Drax laughed heartily as he watched a travel documentary on his tablet, clearly enjoying himself.
For now, the Milano was placed alongside the E-grade Spaceship in the SHIELD branch, where engineers were conducting minor external repairs. The engineers were ecstatic and excited about the opportunity to get their hands on and repair a spaceship.
However, they did not have access to the internal systems, but what they were learning on the surface was already invaluable to them.
Leading Rocket, Groot, and Drax through the SHIELD base was an advanced agent. This agent was none other than Coulson, who had the highest level of access within SHIELD after the Avengers. Coulson’s high-level access made him the perfect choice to welcome these extraterrestrial guests.
“Little raccoon, a walking and talking tree, and a muscle-bound man with tattoos,” Coulson mumbled to himself as he walked, remembering the introduction Captain Rogers had given earlier.
“Three of you, this is our SHIELD weapons laboratory. If you’re interested, you can take a look,” Coulson smiled and introduced as they approached a sealed door.
“Hehe, finally something to see!” Rocket cheered.
…
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