Chapter 236: Asgard

The enemy descended from the heavens via the Bifrost Bridge, an incident that undoubtedly exacerbated Earth's losses. The fault for this mishap lay with Asgard.

Clark stopped Thor from speaking recklessly, not to cover for Asgard, but because he didn't want Earth's politicians to know about this just yet. He needed to speak with Odin first and then decide how to handle this situation.

Whether to disclose this information publicly or keep it hidden would depend on the circumstances. If Earth's politicians learned about the Bifrost incident now, it would only lead to an uncontrollable situation, at least beyond Clark's control.

That was not the outcome Clark desired.

Before crossing over to this universe, Clark had read online that after the Chitauri war, the barbecue hosted had a miraculous effect of increasing one's fortune. Just a bite would ensure survival from Thanos' snap. Although there was no theoretical basis for this, and Clark was confident he could prevent Thanos from snapping, he invited all his friends and family to join in and witness how "ordinary" Tony's recommended barbecue was.

While grudgingly tasting the barbecue, Murphy suddenly entered, not waiting to join the "feast", and spoke to Clark: "Clark, I don't want to disturb you at this time, but... there's some trouble at SHIELD."

Clark, putting down his sandwich, stood up and said, "Let's go."

Murphy, surprised, asked, "You already know the trouble we're facing?"

As he spoke, his gaze unintentionally swept over Black Widow, who was eating nearby, and then shook his head. It's impossible, he thought, because even Natasha didn't know what he was about to discuss.

With doubts, Murphy asked, "Do you already know our trouble?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Clark responded matter-of-factly: "Today, the Chitauri aggressively attacked Earth. Although we won the war, the alien bodies are piling up in Manhattan. If you, as the Director of SHIELD, aren't urgently organizing the aftermath and instead come to me, it implies your trouble is more significant than handling bodies or dividing spoils."

Seeing Murphy nod, Clark continued, "An external invasion, heavy casualties in the U.S., and yet you think the trouble at SHIELD is more urgent than the aftermath. To me, it must relate to the Chitauri invasion. Otherwise, it's too coincidental, almost merging into the same issue."

"With these in mind, isn't SHIELD's trouble obvious?" Clark shrugged: "Loki escaped, as the key person SHIELD was responsible for in this war was Loki."

Pausing, he added, "And those who rescued Loki were probably the Superstars. Am I wrong?"

Murphy, hearing this, showed a look of surprise: "You even guessed that!"

"Obviously." Clark spread his hands: "First, Superstar didn't appear on the battlefield. Secondly, you know it's best not to mention certain things about the Chitauri, just keep them to yourself. Besides, since you came to me with this trouble, it must be something I can solve."

"Combining these points, it's not hard to conclude that Superstar infiltrated SHIELD, used her powers to control some agents, and quietly released Loki. After an internal battle at SHIELD, you subdued the controlled agents, but they're still under Superstar's control."

Murphy sighed and genuinely admired: "If you worked at SHIELD, you'd be an even better agent than Natasha!"

Clark shook his head: "Agents are about observing and gathering intelligence, and no one is better at that than Natasha. My strength lies in analyzing more information from existing intelligence, which isn't the main duty of an agent."

As they talked, Clark opened a portal directly to New York, and both the black and yellow leaders of SHIELD and Avengers stepped through.

Arriving in Murphy's office, he didn't immediately check the controlled agents but seriously asked Clark, "Was the method used by the Chitauri to invade New York really from Asgard?"

Thor initially freely used the Bifrost to come and go from Earth. Anyone else might be easily deceived, but not Murphy, and Clark had no intention of hiding it, simply nodding in affirmation.

"I have some understanding of the division of power in outer space. Odin or Asgard isn't our enemy. The enemy's arrival through the Bifrost should be Loki and Superstar's doing."

Murphy slightly shook his head: "Even so, the fact that the enemy bypassed our defenses using Asgard's technology is undeniable."

Clark calmly replied, "Besides the mountain of bodies, I also captured a Chitauri mothership, albeit damaged. Otherwise, part of the Chitauri wouldn't have turned into corpses instantly."

Murphy smiled satisfactorily and nodded, "Let's go check those controlled agents."

Following Murphy's lead, they left his office. Their conversation seemed disjointed but was a negotiation of interests and compromises.

Clark defended Asgard, not out of loyalty but because both he and Murphy knew it wasn't appropriate to publicly disclose Asgard's involvement, as the U.S. lacked the power to sanction Asgard for its mistake. Disclosure would only embarrass everyone.

Murphy insisted on analyzing Asgard's responsibility, meaning that since Asgard's mistake caused Earth immense losses, shouldn't Odin, as the God-King of Asgard, show some ally sincerity and compensate for the losses?

By mentioning the Chitauri mothership, Clark signaled his willingness to give it to SHIELD to silence Murphy, who in turn would handle questions from the government and others.

Whether Clark only captured one Chitauri mothership was irrelevant; Murphy wisely chose to believe him.

For Murphy, persuading politicians wasn't difficult. After all, even he had limited knowledge of alien methods, let alone the politicians. Although others saw Thor use the Bifrost to leave Earth, how could you prove other alien civilizations didn't have similar means?

Just like Germany has Mercedes and the indescribable ancient Eastern nation has Volkswagen, wouldn't an ancient person who has never seen a car think they're the same?

Clark, willing to part with some spoils to settle the matter, wouldn't suffer. As the saying goes, the wool comes from the sheep. Once in Asgard, he could discuss compensation with Odin.

The extent of compensation Clark would receive was then unrelated to Murphy.

Despite knowing Clark could gain resources far beyond his contribution, Murphy could only accept Clark's proposal.

After all, he couldn't meet Odin himself.

Both men found the negotiation acceptable, so with a smile, they proceeded to business.

Clearing Superstar's control was a simple matter for Clark. By snapping his fingers, the "Cleansing Chant" played, freeing all controlled SHIELD agents from mental domination. Their grateful gazes toward Clark didn't concern him; as their interactions deepened, he found Murphy's presence increasingly necessary, complementing what he lacked.

For instance, dealing with politicians, a task Clark disliked, was something Murphy handled with ease.

Thus, Clark abandoned his previous plan to let Murphy die in a disaster and instead support Hill's rise to power.

Pierce, knowing Murphy wouldn't join Hydra, still supported him, and it made sense.

For example, Clark guessed he might leave Earth for a long time for the upcoming Asgard mission.

In such a case, leaving Earth's affairs to Murphy allowed Clark to be completely at ease, unlike with Hill.

After leaving SHIELD, Clark immediately began arranging various tasks, like distributing equipment.

The four magic rings he captured from Mandarin no longer held much use for him, especially since he had mastered Blood Sky's abilities without needing the ring. Thus, he decided to give them to other Avengers before leaving.

Blood Sky went to Captain America, its power, combined with his shield, could be maximally effective.

Purple Star Galaxy, which converted energy into lightning for attacks, was given to Yi Long. Compared to other independent Avengers, Yi Long's empowerment best served Clark's interests, ensuring his family's safety.

Indigo Ocean Sea, controlling powerful winds, was given to Hope. After Pym's lab modified her Wasp suit, this ring, powered by the Moon Prism Reactor, would greatly enhance her flight and attack capabilities.

Emerald Ice Snow, used against Champion, was given to Hill. After three essence enhancements from Clark, Hill had developed Qi and could wield some of its power.

Distributing these equipments, Clark handed all Chitauri spoils to Pym for research, with outcomes being a bonus.

Clark left Nalan Bai in charge of Nirvana Corporation's affairs, with Daredevil handling contacts with underworld and legitimate businesses. Avengers were nominally led by Captain America, giving him equal footing with Tony and maintaining the team's delicate balance.

Pym would oversee everything, assuring Clark during his absence.

After these arrangements, evening approached.

Clark finally found a dejected Thor: "I've arranged everything here. Let's head to Asgard now."

To his surprise, Thor shook his head, "We can't return. After lunch, I tried contacting Heimdall but received no response."

Clark didn't immediately offer a solution but asked a lingering question, "Isn't Odin in Asgard?"

Thor shook his head: "A month ago, my father took my mother to Alfheim, instructing me to reinforce Earth if Loki came."

So, Odin knew everything about Loki's plot!

Thinking he must discuss this with Odin, Clark nonchalantly asked, "Do you know how to use the Tesseract?"

Thor immediately perked up, grasping Clark's shoulder, "Uncle Clark, I almost forgot, we can use the Tesseract to return to Asgard."

After his ordeals, Thor had matured as a king, but still primarily saw himself as a warrior, far from a true king's qualities.

Clark was about to lecture him when a woman's urgent call came from the wall, "Clark, if you're leaving Earth, can I come with you?"

Turning, Clark saw a young woman's figure phase through the wall before solidifying, anxiously looking at him.

Frowning, Clark asked, "Ava, your body?"

"Since that night, after eating... I can now gradually control my body's phasing. But I still need your Qi to maintain this state," Ava explained, then asked hopefully, "Can you take me with you?"

Hearing Ava's request, Clark looked at Thor.

The Tesseract could easily power any space spell or related device, but Clark's portals had limitations: he needed a clear concept of the destination, which meant he couldn't open a portal to Asgard based on his past movie knowledge.

Thor's response was reassuring, "With the Tesseract, I can activate a Bifrost-like ability, taking several people is no issue."

Nodding, Clark agreed, "Let's go together, without delay."

As they exited the villa and Clark handed the Tesseract to Thor, a blue light shot into the sky, enveloping them in a rainbow-lit space tunnel, swiftly traveling towards Asgard.

Upon arriving on a crystal bridge under Asgard, surrounded by many warriors welcoming them warmly, they encountered a muscular black man wielding a giant sword, leading the warriors to attack.

Thor, shocked, called out to Heimdall, but received no response, and turned to Clark for help.

Clark effortlessly used the "Cleansing Chant" to pacify the warriors. Heimdall, waking up, joyfully greeted them, leading them towards the palace where Loki and Superstar were, omitting his role in opening the Bifrost to Earth.

Clark didn't inquire; such matters were for Odin to resolve.

As Thor rallied the warriors to retake the palace, Clark subtly controlled the situation, remembering his mission was not just to aid Asgard but to negotiate with Odin for compensation.

The chapter presents a blend of strategic planning, alliance dynamics, and interpersonal relations, setting the stage for the impending confrontation in Asgard.

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