Chapter 135

Future chapters at patreon.com/FFAddict.

Additionally, I have many new works readers may be interested in. Go look, if you wish! 

Hmm, feeling confused and overwhelmed, aren't you? Not so all-knowing and powerful now, right? Seeing Zhou Cheng's confused tone written in the diary, a smug and satisfied smile couldn't help but appear on Tony Stark's face. It was one of his few pleasures to watch the always in-control owner of the diary taken aback.

Wait a minute! But a smile had barely started to form on Tony Stark's lips when it instantly froze. Iron Man realized an important issue. The events that had just unfolded—Zhou Cheng was aware of them already? Do you know where this is? This is not any ordinary bustling area, but a secluded, uninhabited place specially chosen by Nick Fury to deal with the coming threat of the Destroyer! Other than the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, there wasn't a soul in sight for miles. Under such circumstances, how could Zhou Cheng know instantly about the recent battle with the Destroyer? It truly lives up to the reputation of being the owner of the diary! It's indeed extraordinary!

Iron Man couldn't help but inwardly exclaim, realizing that Zhou Cheng's capabilities must be far beyond what was shown during his fight with the Hulk. He must have methods unknown to them, beyond what ordinary people can comprehend. 

This unexpected revelation further deepened the aura of mystery surrounding Zhou Cheng's image in Tony Stark's mind. Shaking his head with a sigh and putting thoughts of Zhou Cheng aside, Tony directed his attention back to the diary, and his brow furrowed slightly.

Captain America hid the truth about the Winter Soldier killing his parents? What's going on here? His parents' assassination was a flawless secret operation by Hydra, with no loose ends, and so much time had passed. How did Captain America find out about it? If not for the diary's spoilers, he, Tony Stark, would never have learned the truth in his entire life.

On the other hand, even if Captain America knew, how could a man like him defend a Hydra assassin? Is this the true face of Captain America? This is the Captain America who has been promoted by the U.S. government for years, worshipped by countless people?

Tsk tsk. Tony Stark couldn't help but shake his head, his esteem for the captain waning. Obviously, what was written in the diary hadn't happened since Iron Man had already taken out the Winter Soldier. So Captain America's morality wasn't flawed, enabling him to lift Thor's hammer? Is the key to lifting Mjolnir actually one's moral character and integrity?

"Moral reasons, then?" pondered Nick Fury, his eyebrows slightly furrowing. This was indeed not good news for them. After all, where could one find people without moral imperfections? Especially in this era, finding someone like Captain America as a role model was like searching for a needle in a haystack. And frustratingly, moral integrity cannot serve as a measurable standard to select suitable candidates. One can only observe a person's actions, but even with 24-hour surveillance by S.H.I.E.L.D., it's impossible to truly know what lies within someone's heart.

But to think that even hiding the truth about Stark's parents' deaths could be considered a moral flaw, it must be said that Mjolnir's standards for moral character are exceedingly high—unrealistically so. Fury didn't believe that aside from the Captain who had lifted the hammer, another "saint-like" individual could be found.

However, how could Black Widow from another universe lift Mjolnir? Could it be that this Natasha's moral integrity met the requirements and was flawless? No matter how he thought about it, it seemed absurd, considering Black Widow was a spy who had done plenty of dirty work.

For a spy like that to be associated with moral integrity felt ludicrous to Fury. Of course, as for Black Widow from this other universe, Nick Fury had no way to know. However, for the Black Widow in his own universe, whom Fury knew well, it seemed increasingly unlikely that she could also wield Mjolnir. So, the matter with the hammer required a longer-term strategy.

Settling on this, Fury didn't dwell further and turned his gaze back to the diary, his face immediately revealing suppressed astonishment. Captain America from the future traveling through time!? Could Captain America even do such a thing? Fury knew that Doctor Strange possessed time-travel abilities, likely tied to the Time Stone.

But Captain America? Just a soldier with a serum injection! How could he do such a thing? Was it with help from someone else or was it an unknown chance encounter? Without any clues, it was impossible for Fury to speculate further. But what was the purpose of Captain America's time travel? Was it just to keep a simple date with Peggy Carter?

As the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., of course, Fury knew the widely known story of the missed date, a regret in Captain America's heart. If Cap had the ability to time travel and decided to rectify this regret, Fury thought it would make sense. So in his universe, apart from the original Cap, the black Cap, secondary and tertiary Caps, and the counterfeit versions, there's also a Cap from the future?

And that Captain America had been living secretly with Peggy Carter until revealing himself during the Battle of New York? The man sure knew how to keep a low profile. But now, sorry to the future Cap, if Fury hadn't known about this, it would have been fine.

But since he did know, allowing such a remarkable individual to play a domestic role was too much of a waste, wasn't it?

"That's not right!" 

"After all, Captain America stood everyone up and stayed in the past on a whim."

"Because Captain America remembered Iron Man's advice to him to live his own life, which Captain America took to heart."

"Hence, Captain America stayed in the past for Peggy Carter!"

"Moreover, if Captain America had messed with the past, wouldn't the Time Variance Authority have intervened?"

"If Captain America had really interfered with major events in the past, it would certainly have wrecked the Sacred Timeline!"

"So is this Captain America not from the future but actually the original Captain America from this world?"

Stood everyone up?

This phrase is undoubtedly genuine Chinese slang, but after being translated by the notebook, its owners understood what it meant.

Tony Stark's brow furrowed immediately.

What did this imply?

It implied that Captain America's journey to the past wasn't a solitary decision but rather one made by "everyone."

Who is "everyone"? The notebook doesn't specify, but Iron Man suspects it could be the other Avengers.

After all, being from 70 years ago, Captain America's social circle would likely have been limited to the Avengers of this era.

Plus, with something as significant as time travel, Captain America would probably not involve ordinary people.

The notebook heavily implies it was a team decision.

Obviously, whatever the Avengers planned for Captain America in the past, they had an agreement for him to return.

But Captain America "stood everyone up"; he didn't do what was planned.

Instead, he listened to Iron Man's advice and stayed in the past!

"Could it be that in the future, my relationship with Captain America is this good?"

Iron Man was somewhat surprised.

After all, following such advice for a major decision says a lot.

But then Tony Stark became somewhat relieved.

The notebook made it clear: Captain America's time travel happened after the final battle!

By then, the Avengers must have fought side by side numerous times, deepening their bond and trust.

And why did Captain America's moral blemishes seem to vanish after the Civil War, making him worthy of wielding the hammer?

Why did the issue of the Winter Soldier killing his parents get passed over?

Could it be that Captain America ultimately did something that earned Iron Man's forgiveness?

Iron Man obviously wouldn't know this or pay much attention to it.

His focus was soon captured by another piece of heavy-hitting information.

The Time Variance Authority—what in the world was that?

It sounded like an organization dedicated to managing and protecting time.

What a joke!

Managing time?

We're talking about managing time, an invisible force that's one of the fundamental constructs of the universe, and there's an organization regulating it?

Even with the revelations from the notebook over time, Tony Stark still found this shocking.

The universe was truly more vast than he had imagined!

"Sacred Timeline?"

"And what is that?"

Iron Man's gaze was then drawn to the term "Sacred Timeline," sparking deep curiosity.

The word "timeline" was easy to understand—the sequence of events along the axis of time.

But what was the "Sacred Timeline" exactly?

If Captain America's meddling in the past would disrupt the Sacred Timeline, the Time Variance Authority would take notice!

So the "meddling" meant interfering with significant past events.

Hence, the Sacred Timeline is the original trajectory of this universe without Captain America's time travels?

The Time Variance Authority won't allow anyone to travel through time and upset this trajectory?

Why?

What does the progression of this universe have to do with the Time Variance Authority?

Why do they care?

Who gave them the authority to intervene in the development of this universe?

Tony Stark felt anxious and eager to have a direct word with someone from the Time Variance Authority!

Of course, he was just daydreaming.

"But if that's the case, then the deviation between this universe and Universe 199999 is way too great, isn't it?"

"Thor didn't pick up his hammer after defeating the Destroyer and didn't return to Asgard!"

"Wouldn't this mean that the great war between Thor and Loki never happened?"

"Loki wouldn't have fallen into the cosmic abyss and wouldn't have been manipulated by Thanos to invade New York?"

"The first true event in the Marvel universe, the Battle of New York, wouldn't have happened at all?"

"What the heck, that changes the entire face of Marvel!"

So this is the truth behind the Battle of New York?

Tony Stark stared intently at the notebook in front of him, a flash of insight in his eyes.

The notebook had spoiled the Battle of New York a long time ago, revealing Loki as the instigator and Thanos as the true mastermind.

But the actual details were unknown until now.

Finally, the notebook provided the answer.

Finally, it became clear how the war in New Mexico was connected to the Battle of New York.

Previously, it was wrong to assume the Battle of New York was a continuation of the New Mexico war; it was merely a catalyst.