Chapter 36: Ambushed
"This mission might not be as simple as it seems. The other party is strong and likely to carry an air of superiority. I'll go in first to assess the situation. Don't act rashly outside," Natasha said through the wireless earpiece in her ear.
"Roger that," came the reply.
After taking a few deep breaths, Natasha pushed open the door. Over her many years in the field, she had interacted with all kinds of influential figures and met countless men. She had developed strategies to deal with boys of all ages.
As the door swung open, Natasha spotted a few people sitting inside. She was just about to use her usual opening line when the group broke into an intense discussion.
"Boss, grab the red buff first. They're unprepared. If we take it, they're done for!"
"Whoa, whoa, low health! We can kill him!"
"Come on! He escaped? How is that even possible?"
"Boss, why didn't you use your second skill? One hit, and he'd be gone!"
Han Yu wore an increasingly exasperated expression. Using his newly acquired multiverse phone, he was playing a MOBBA game. He'd just started his second match when Ultron and Quicksilver happened to walk by and caught a glimpse of his screen. Initially, they only glanced at it, but soon they were hooked.
They rushed over to ask what game this was, as they had never seen anything like it on the market. The mechanics, graphics, and gameplay were leagues ahead of anything currently on Earth. In comparison, Earth's games felt like they had been made on ancient landline computers.
As a transmigrator, Han Yu felt a sense of pride seeing something from his previous life gain recognition in this one. Even though he hadn't developed the game, their enthusiasm pleased him. Without saying much, he continued playing. But Ultron and Quicksilver grew increasingly absorbed, eventually starting to give unsolicited advice.
"Can you two backseat gamers shut up? Am I playing the game, or are you?" Han Yu snapped, throwing them a sharp look. In his previous life, he had at least reached the Master rank. While he didn't think his skills were exceptional, being criticized by two complete gaming novices was still irritating.
Ultron scoffed. "If anyone needs to quiet down, it's him. You're reckless and clueless."
Quicksilver retorted, "Hey, watch it! Who are you calling clueless?"
Ultron smirked and said, "Obviously, you."
"Fine, let's settle this! I won't let you trip me up this time!" Quicksilver shot back.
Ultron rolled his eyes, clearly uninterested in continuing the argument, and focused on watching Han Yu play.
"Um... I'm looking for Mr. Han Yu," Natasha finally spoke up timidly. She had been standing there for a good ten minutes, watching Ultron and Quicksilver bicker.
She couldn't reconcile the image before her with the powerful abilities these two had demonstrated in Sokovia. Among the Avengers, they were talents worth cultivating. Yet now, they resembled unruly teenagers addicted to online games.
"Ah, coming!" Han Yu tried to stand, but Ultron and Quicksilver pressed him back down firmly, unwilling to let him leave. Their intentions were clear: they wanted to keep watching him play.
"Alright, alright, here you go! Just don't break it, or I'll turn you both into smartphones!" Han Yu grumbled, tossing the phone to Quicksilver.
"Don't worry, boss! It's in good hands!" Quicksilver replied with a grin.
Only then did they release Han Yu, who shook his head in exasperation before walking over to Natasha.
"It's you. What do you need?" he asked.
On the day in Sokovia, Natasha hadn't managed to get a clear look at Han Yu's face. Now, standing face to face with him, she realized his appearance was strikingly attractive.
His was a classic East Asian visage, with impeccably balanced features. He wasn't movie-star handsome, but in any crowd, he would easily stand out. His stature and aura alone made it clear he wasn't an ordinary person.
"Hello, I'm Natasha Romanoff. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said confidently, extending her hand. A casual flick of her hair added a subtle charm that could make most men's hearts flutter.
Han Yu responded without hesitation, naturally shaking her hand, giving it a light squeeze before letting go. Smiling faintly, he said, "You're happy too soon."
"Pfft!"
Behind them, Ultron and Quicksilver, engrossed in their game, burst into laughter. Han Yu's unconventional response to her greeting was one of a kind.
Natasha felt a twinge of awkwardness and gestured inside. "May I come in and sit down?"
Han Yu glanced around the grocery store's interior, then back at Natasha in her polished attire. "I have no intention of getting involved with S.H.I.E.L.D., nor will I join you. If you're not here to buy something, please leave."
His bluntness caught Natasha off guard. She had been subtly exuding charm the entire time, yet Han Yu's expression remained unchanged.
In terms of physique, Wanda was not inferior to Natasha. As for skills, Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, far surpassed her, and her figure was enough to leave anyone speechless.
While Han Yu wouldn't claim to have "seen it all," he had encountered his fair share of remarkable women. Compared to them, Natasha's beauty wasn't particularly exceptional in his eyes.
Natasha hadn't anticipated such decisiveness from him. All the conversational strategies she had prepared suddenly seemed useless.
Unwilling to give up, she said, "I'm here to buy something. I'm serious about it. Is this how you treat your customers?"
Han Yu's eyes scanned her. In that brief moment, Natasha felt completely seen through. Then, Han Yu glanced out the window and chuckled.
"Serious? And those agents outside, are they here to help you carry your groceries?"
"Agents? I have no idea what you're talking about," Natasha replied, lowering her head slightly to hide the unease on her face. Her heart raced. How did he know she hadn't come alone? There weren't any visible cameras outside. Was he bluffing?
"There are twenty soldiers armed with fully automatic rifles surrounding my store, stationed by every window they think I might use to escape. On the rooftop of the building to the right, there's a sniper. Across from him, there's another. Do you need me to drag them all in here before you admit it?"
Han Yu smiled as he spoke. If he unleashed the full extent of his mental powers, he could cover the entirety of New York City, perceiving even the number of hairs on someone's body. These agents, who believed themselves to be well-concealed, were as obvious to him as Natasha standing right in front of him.
From the moment Natasha and her team approached, Han Yu had been aware of them. He simply chose not to care. Now, even as their positions shifted, he remained indifferent. No matter how they attacked, he couldn't be killed. Let them play their games.
Of course, if they dared to drop a nuclear bomb, they might actually manage to scratch him. But launching a nuke in the heart of New York City? That would end their careers—and lives—faster than they could imagine.
"Captain, we've got a situation! Someone's trying to breach the storefront!"
A panicked voice came through Natasha's earpiece, followed by the sound of something piercing flesh. Then, silence.
Suddenly, a cylindrical object shattered the window and rolled into the room. Natasha instantly recognized it and shouted in alarm.
"It's a stun grenade!"
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