Preparing to Depart

Earth, under the threat of nuclear bombs and death, and controlled by Loki’s magic, America’s Congress announced that Iron Man would take over as president.

The public was in an uproar. Then, as the new president, Iron Man loudly declared at a White House press conference, "From now on, America will follow my order. I will save you. I will save Earth."

"Iron Man!"

Strange, Nick Fury, and Black Widow stared at the cold figure on the television, their expressions complicated—Nick Fury and Black Widow had been rescued by Strange. As for the other Super Heroes, their prospects were grim.

"I never expected Tony Stark to become a supervillain. I always thought he would become a true hero."

Nick Fury sighed. It was worth mentioning that this Director Fury was the real one. The two Skrulls who had impersonated Director Fury and Hill on Earth had already been dealt with by Iron Man.

"He had already become a true hero, but now, he has gone dark."

Strange shook his head. Tony Stark had indeed been a bastard in the past, but crisis after crisis had gradually transformed him into the kind of person he once hated most—a hero willing to shed blood for the world.

"With Iron Man’s current power, we can’t possibly fight him."

Black Widow asked Strange, "Strange, will the other universe really come to save us?"

"They will. Iron Man’s methods can’t stop the Blood God. The Blood God will soon descend into this universe and restore everything."

Strange spoke with absolute certainty. Director Fury and Black Widow both sighed in relief. For now, all they could do was wait for the Blood God to descend from the heavens.

Main Universe.

Tony slapped the table and roared at Strange, "You trickster, are you smearing me again? Look at my face—thick brows, big eyes, a righteous expression. How could I possibly go dark and become a villain? I, Tony Stark, was destined to be on the side of justice from the moment I was born!"

"First, I have never smeared you."

Strange said coolly, "Second, I have always thought you looked like a villain. You can ask everyone else about that. I’m sure their eyes are clear."

Tony turned to the others and asked, "Do you think I would go dark?"

"Yes."

Everyone answered in unison, including Steve. Tony’s face instantly darkened as he snapped, "You bastards are all just jealous of me."

"Tony, I believe you won’t go dark."

Steve smiled. "But you get controlled by others quite often. This time might be the same."

Steve’s words made Tony so angry he nearly jumped up. That bastard was kicking him while he was down. When had he, Tony Stark, ever been controlled by anyone?

Coulson began listing examples as if reciting treasured memories. "When Loki descended, when we attacked the Inhumans…"

Everyone burst into laughter. Tony’s face was as black as a boiler, but he had no way to refute them. He had simply accumulated far too much embarrassing history.

"Anyway, I don’t believe my future self would go dark," Tony shouted. "He’s responsible and reliable. There must be some misunderstanding here, or maybe some trickster deliberately set me up."

"I have dozens of worlds to handle every second. I’m not idle enough to specifically set you up."

Strange snorted and said, "Future Time-Space is closely connected to us. We cannot ignore it, or it may end up affecting us."

"I agree with you, but we can’t travel to Future Time-Space. The Quantum Tunnel has been blocked. Dr. Richards has been researching it, but he still has no clue."

Steve sighed. "Our food supplies haven’t been transported over. There may already be a famine over there. Uh, could Tony going dark be related to this?"

"I’ll say it again: my future self has not gone dark."

Tony was starting to lose it. After thinking for a moment, he said, "There’s no point talking any further. The priority is to open the Quantum Tunnel and head to Future Time-Space. Steve, summon quantum experts in S.W.O.R.D.’s name. I refuse to believe we can’t break through those obstacles."

"There’s no need for that trouble. I’ve already informed Bert. He’ll be here soon."

Strange shook his head. "This is the fastest and safest method."

"Is that really necessary?"

Tony was a little dissatisfied. Did Bert have to solve everything? What were they even for? Strange said, "My intuition tells me this is serious. The sooner we resolve it, the better."

After a pause, Strange added, "Future Tony should have only recently gone dark. The sooner we go, the more likely we are to save him."

"He hasn’t gone dark."

Tony rolled his eyes, but said nothing more. Asking Wang Bert to act was indeed the fastest and safest method.

After a while, Wang Bert walked in through the door. The moment Tony saw him, he immediately mocked, "Well, if it isn’t our Iron Man. What took you so long?"

Everyone could not help laughing. They had already heard about what happened on Mutant Planet. Bert’s personality was as awful as ever.

Wang Bert smiled. "That’s right, I’m Iron Man. You over there, don’t casually use my name in the future, or I’ll sue you."

"Get lost. I registered the name Iron Man ages ago, okay?"

Tony gave him the finger irritably. Wang Bert did not care. He sat in the main seat and said, "Sorry I’m late. There were quite a few loose ends to deal with on Mutant Planet, such as helping God resurrect."

"Helping God resurrect?"

Everyone stared in shock. Wasn’t this game getting a little too high-level? Strange sighed. "Although I’ve always known you were a Creator God, it’s hard to associate you with those lofty gods."

Given Wang Bert’s status, helping God resurrect was perfectly normal. Wang Bert was Earth’s highest-ranking god!

Tony nodded in deep agreement. He had just given a Creator God the finger. Could that have been the brightest moment of his life? "I’m not a god. I’ve always been a human."

Wang Bert waved his hand. "Enough about that. I’ve already sent a projection to investigate the Quantum Tunnel. We’ll have news soon."

"That’s good."

Everyone sighed in relief. Although Wang Bert was often unreliable, he was quite dependable when it came to serious matters.

Wang Bert smiled. "By the way, I have some good news to announce. Wanda and I are getting married, so remember to prepare gifts."

"You and Wanda are getting married?"

Everyone was surprised. Thinking of something, Tony stood up, patted Wang Bert on the shoulder, and said gleefully, "Bert, I’ll teach you how to be a good husband. First of all, a good husband can’t go around flirting with other women."

Wang Bert said with a smile, "Wanda doesn’t mind."

"Wanda doesn’t mind? How is that possible? What woman wouldn’t mind that sort of thing?"

Tony was stunned, and everyone else stared at Wang Bert in disbelief. Wang Bert shrugged. "She really doesn’t mind. Maybe it’s because I’m rather handsome. You know, handsome men always have privileges."

"Scumbag!"

Tony said with envy, jealousy, and resentment. Wang Bert said, "I’ll send that expression to Little Pepper. I’m sure she’ll make you become a good husband again."

"I already am a good husband."

Tony spoke guiltily. Wang Bert teased, "A good husband who gets beaten by his wife every day?"

Everyone burst into laughter. Tony rolled his eyes and said, "She hasn’t beaten me in a long time, okay?"

"Yes, she hasn’t beaten you in a long time."

Everyone laughed even louder, and the office was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Just then, Wang Bert suddenly frowned. "My projection has destroyed the high-tech quantum equipment inside the Quantum Tunnel."

Tony was overjoyed. "So we can go to Future Time-Space now?"

"No. Behind the high-tech equipment is another layer, a Six-Colored Barrier."

Wang Bert shook his head. "According to my projection’s research, the Six-Colored Barrier is formed from the power of the Infinity Stones—Six Infinity Stones."

Everyone was stunned. "What? Infinity Stones? Weren’t the Infinity Stones in Future Time-Space destroyed by Thanos?"

"Could people from another universe have invaded Future Time-Space?"

Strange said, "If that’s the case, we’re in trouble. They may use Future Time-Space as a springboard to attack our universe."

Everyone’s expressions changed. Were they about to face a multiversal war?

"Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, nothing will happen to the universe."

Wang Bert said, "However, the matter in Future Time-Space must be resolved as soon as possible, or it could become very troublesome. I hate trouble the most."

Strange asked, "How do we solve it? We can’t break through the power of Six Infinity Stones unless we also have Six Infinity Stones."

"Those Six Infinity Stones seem somewhat weaker than the originals."

After thinking for a moment, Wang Bert said, "Wanda and I are both Creator Gods. If we team up to alter reality, we should be able to sneak in. However, since we’re sneaking in, anyone too powerful definitely won’t be able to pass through. I can only send a small avatar."

"Wanda has become a Creator God too?"

Everyone was deeply shocked. A whole family of Creator Gods.

Strange asked, "Will an avatar be enough?"

Wang Bert smiled. "The one I’m sending is Bert Invincible Wang!"

"The Invincible Bald Wang who defeated Chthon?"

Strange’s eyes lit up. "If you send him, there definitely won’t be a problem."

"I don’t care about anyone else, but I have to go," Tony shouted. "I refuse to believe my future self would go dark."

"I won’t go. The Sorcerer Supreme must protect the universe, and there is another me in Future Time-Space."

Strange said. Tony mocked, "You just want to slack off, don’t you? You’re just like Bert. Both of you love slacking off."

"Me, slack off? I don’t even have time to go on dates with my girlfriend because I’m busy protecting your reality, bastard!"

Strange cursed.

Wang Bert mocked, "Wake up. You don’t have a girlfriend. Christine still hasn’t agreed to get back together with you."

Strange’s face darkened. He stood up and said, "I’ll leave this matter to you. I’m going back to guard Kamar-Taj."

With that, Strange opened a portal and left. Everyone laughed. Steve said, "Bert, I really want to go with you to Future Time-Space, but Mutant Planet and Earth have just merged. There’s a mountain of work to do, and I simply don’t have the time."

"I understand. You’ve worked hard."

Wang Bert said.

Steve complained, "Why do I suddenly feel like punching someone?"

"Bert and I are enough. Just wait for our good news."

Tony said arrogantly. "Bert, there won’t be a problem with two people sneaking through together, right?"

Wang Bert smiled. "No problem. You only count as an accessory. Sneaking you through with me couldn’t be easier."

Tony’s face darkened a little. "An accessory? I have the power of one now, okay?"

Over the years, Tony had been cultivating qi. Although he still could not beat his wife, he was much stronger than an ordinary person.

Steve said unhappily, "Hey, don’t use me as a unit of measurement. By the way, who started this?"

Everyone looked at Wang Bert together. Wang Bert raised his head to look at the sky and said, "Tony, you have one hour to prepare. We leave in one hour. Uh, don’t bring too much stuff. We’re sneaking in, after all."

"Understood. I’ll go explain things to Little Pepper."

Tony said excitedly. He could finally escape those two little devils. This was wonderful.

After Tony and the others left, Wang Bert said to Steve, "Steve, I want to talk to you about your father."

Steve looked bewildered. "My father?"

"I mean God. Aren’t you God’s adopted righteous man?"

Wang Bert said.

"I’m God’s righteous man, not his adopted son. The meanings are completely different, okay?"

Steve complained. "Also, although I am a devout believer, shouldn’t you discuss matters concerning God with Strange?"

"Strange is single. He’ll never have children in this life, so what’s the point of discussing it with him?"

Wang Bert mocked. "You and Carter are preparing to have children, so you’re the most suitable person to discuss this with."

Steve was confused. "What does God have to do with having children?"

"I plan to have God reincarnate as the child of you and Carter. Uh, a daughter would work too. God has no gender."

Wang Bert said.

"What? Bert, that joke isn’t funny at all."

Steve was dumbfounded and hurriedly shouted. God was going to become his child? God’s righteous man was going to become God’s father? Wasn’t that far too absurd? What would Jesus call him?

"I’m not joking. Because of certain matters, God fell and became Original Sin…"

Wang Bert explained God’s situation in detail, then said, "Later, Original Sin was killed by Wade, and his soul fell into slumber. I plan to let him reincarnate and completely escape Original Sin.

"The reason I chose you is not only because of coincidence, but also because you and Carter are both good people. You won’t raise God badly. You and Carter are the best choice."

Steve took a sip of water to calm himself down, then said, "The problem is, that’s God. Carter will be scared out of her mind when she learns about this. I’m nearly losing my mind too."

"What’s the big deal? Tony’s child is Mephisto, the Demon King of Hell. You and Carter work for a Creator God every day. Strange’s Master once filled in as God."

Wang Bert shrugged. "Hela, the Goddess of Death, who is on the same level as God, is selling stinky tofu right now. And Odin walks around the streets every day with a huge belly, walking his dog—uh, his wolf."

"When you put it that way, it really doesn’t seem like a big deal… except it absolutely is."

Steve complained. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I need to discuss this carefully with Carter. This isn’t a small matter. There are several Bibles in my house."