Plan Complete

"Welcome back, His Highness Beckett."

Dark Order, base.

After revising the two self-criticisms nearly ten times, Beckett’s graduation thesis finally passed his adoptive father Thanos’s plagiarism check, allowing him to graduate smoothly from the punishment grounds.

Gates, an apron tied around his waist, stood respectfully beside Beckett, beaming with joy.

"His Highness Beckett!"

The Other, who had been dozing against the wall with the Mind Stone scepter in his arms, jolted awake. He rose to his feet and hurried over to Beckett.

"Why are you still here?"

Beckett frowned.

The Other was the leader of the Chitauri. In theory, as Beckett’s subordinate, he could not remain in the Dark Order for extended periods.

Those were the rules.

Even the trusted subordinates of the other Black Order generals received the same treatment.

"His Highness Beckett, please do not misunderstand. I only arrived here not long ago."

"I came to deliver a message to you."

How could such a loyal lackey as The Other possibly violate the Dark Order’s rules? As he spoke, the fingertips of his right hand touched the Mind Stone in his arms.

With a ding, a beam of light shot from the Mind Stone. Beneath the Dark Order’s sky, a massive screen slowly took shape before Beckett’s eyes.

A massive screen stretched beneath the heavens.

Upon it, a towering pyramid stood out prominently. Pharaoh Menis, dressed in magnificent ceremonial robes, stood beneath it.

Led by Pharaoh Menis, the people of Egypt prostrated themselves devoutly on the ground. On the altar at the pyramid’s entrance, a bronze cauldron forged from the magic within the Eye of Horus burned with blazing firewood.

"Today!"

"Under the protection of our saviors!"

"Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt have officially united!"

The man who worshipped Beckett and Hela as saviors lifted his gaze, his eyes fixed on the pyramid with fanatical fervor.

As Menis’s words fell, mysterious magical runes began to bloom with dazzling flames. Scarlet fire soared into the sky, illuminating every Egyptian face.

Their expressions were impassioned, their lips constantly moving.

Tens of thousands prayed in unison.

The earth-shaking sound traveled through the endless heavens and reached Beckett’s ears with perfect clarity. Along with it came countless golden rays of light.

"These are…"

Beckett reached out, wanting to touch the golden light surrounding him. The instant his fingertips made contact, the golden radiance that had lit up the entire Dark Order surged into Beckett’s body and vanished without a trace.

"Faith."

A steady voice came from beside him. Thanos, clad in golden armor and standing with his hands behind his back, answered Beckett’s question.

"Faith in you has been born within those humans of Midgard."

"Fanatical, pure faith."

"Father."

Beckett turned to look at Thanos as he slowly approached. Hearing this, he closed his eyes and sensed the power within his body, yet found no changes at all.

"The power of faith is not so easily obtained, Beckett. This is merely a seed."

"Only faith that remains pure after being tempered by time can be fully transformed into power that belongs solely to you."

"In terms of increasing your power, it is an extremely inefficient method. But it is exceptionally suitable for you right now."

After all, Beckett was an undocumented outsider.

Even with Thanos’s adoption and assistance, gaining this universe’s recognition would not be easy. Yet the faith of these Midgardians could undoubtedly erode this universe’s rules imperceptibly through inheritance from generation to generation.

Faith, in a sense, was immensely terrifying.

Once the power of a Super Saiyan was accepted by this universe, the universe’s original rules would all undergo unknown changes.

Changes whose direction even Thanos did not know.

As long as the civilization founded by Pharaoh Menis did not perish, then given the lifespan of ordinary Midgardians, the number of sparks of faith this civilization could provide Beckett would be so vast that it was practically immeasurable.

"I had some reservations before, but now it seems that the two of you really are well suited."

Smiling as he stroked his adopted son’s forehead, Thanos’s deep voice immediately put Beckett on guard. "I will not marry that woman Hela, Father!"

Even if he died, even if he jumped from the cliffs of the Dark Order, he would never marry that woman!

He had not yet helped his father save this universe. How could he get married?

Beckett looked utterly serious.

What woman could possibly be more important than a career?

"Do not be nervous, Beckett."

"I will not force you."

"Then prepare to depart."

Thanos was not surprised by Beckett’s objection.

After Odin left, it was Asgard’s queen, Frigga, who took over communication with him regarding their children. From Frigga’s account, her daughter Hela’s attitude was not much different from Beckett’s.

Thanos reached out and patted Beckett’s shoulder, then turned and left under the latter’s gaze.

"Going to Xandar?"

Asgard, royal palace.

After Odin’s departure, Queen Frigga temporarily held royal authority and maintained the operation of all Asgard.

The rebel forces of the Nine Realms, intimidated by Odin’s reputation, did not dare make any rash moves. Frigga, temporarily seated on the throne, could naturally rest easy.

"Yes, Hela."

"Your father sent word that Laufey seems to have reached an agreement with a faction on Xandar." Dressed in magnificent robes, Frigga wore a worried expression as she described the terror of Xandar’s Nova Corps.

"But it is only one faction. It should not be enough to threaten us, should it?"

Hela instinctively felt that something was wrong.

Not to mention how far Xandar was from the Nine Realms, she was already skeptical about how Laufey had become involved with Xandar in the first place.

She was also one of the upper ranks of Asgard’s military, yet she had never heard any news of this.

With Frigga brainwashing her every day about the benefits of marriage, Hela’s first thought was that there might be a trick involved.

It was a woman’s sixth sense, without any reason behind it.

"Hela, Laufey has fought your father for centuries. He is not so simple."

Frigga’s face was filled with sorrow as she sighed.

"Take the Casket of Ancient Winters with you. It can help you quickly identify those on Xandar who possess Frost Giant bloodlines."

"…I understand."

Though Hela was full of doubts after having her destination decided in just a few words, she still nodded in agreement. She turned and left the royal palace, heading for Odin’s treasury to retrieve the Casket of Ancient Winters that had previously been traded from Beckett.

Once Hela’s figure had completely disappeared, the sorrow on Frigga’s face instantly vanished. She then opened a communication channel with Thanos.

"Hela is ready to depart."

"I understand. Beckett will be leaving soon as well."

Inside the Dark Order base, Thanos sat upon his throne. He lifted his eyelids and immediately saw Beckett’s personal warship, marked with the symbol "B," rise into the air.

"Meow!"

The orange cat, boarding Beckett’s personal warship for the first time, was so excited that it leaped about wildly. Its soft pink paws constantly pawed at the interior of the Dark Order’s fastest and most stylish warship.

Boom!

The thrusters suddenly engaged. Beckett and The Other, who had already fastened their seat belts, were unharmed. Only the orange cat, which had been jumping around, slammed headfirst into the glass. Its tail shot straight up in pain, its eyes brimming with tears.

"Meow…"

Hurting, the orange cat obediently returned to the small seat beside Beckett and sat down steadily. Imitating Beckett, it curled its tail around its waist and stopped misbehaving. Its two paws hugged its round little head as it pouted in extreme grievance.

Yesterday, I was dragged off on another blind date. Two dates in two days, one a day. Apart from the Mid-Autumn Festival, when everyone was peaceful, my family nagged me every day I was home…

One moment my dad said his elementary school classmates had been grandfathers for two or three years already, the next my mom said her middle school classmates had become grandmothers. Then my grandma would occasionally add a comment too. Who could withstand that…

I grabbed a bag and fled back to Guangzhou…

I’m on the light rail now…

Being alone is still more comfortable…

Terrifying, absolutely terrifying…