Chapter 126: Divergent Choices

After the disappearance of the Forest City from the satellite images, the Avengers once again fell into a heavy silence. Although Tony seemed to mutter to himself that it must be some sort of dimensional space, he knew all too well that he was utterly powerless against such phenomena at the moment.

Steve rose from his seat and left the conference room. Those remaining watched him go, understanding the weight of the captain’s inner turmoil, and none dared to disturb him.

Steve’s mind was restless as he wandered unknowingly into Qu Yizhi’s room. Since Qu Yizhi’s departure, Tony had transformed the room into a memorial chamber, preserving the last relics left behind by Qu Yizhi.

Snapping back to reality, Steve sighed quietly upon realizing where he was. He approached the holographic projection Tony had arranged; Qu Yizhi lay there as if they had just met for the first time, resting in a pristine crystal coffin.

Though Qu Yizhi’s body was a holographic projection, the crystal coffin itself was crafted by Tony using the latest technology. It was not only incredibly sturdy but also shimmered with a crystal-like brilliance. While it did not reach the original coffin’s hardness, it far exceeded that of typical metal alloys.

The sole relic left by Qu Yizhi was placed within the coffin by Tony. After Qu Yizhi’s earth-shattering ritual, everyone present recognized that this relic was a powerful and mysterious treasure.

However, since no one knew how to harness its power, Tony insisted on sealing it within Qu Yizhi’s coffin, a decision silently accepted by all.

After all, they had all witnessed the Thor’s Hammer incident. Given humanity’s current technological level, these mystical artifacts were beyond comprehension. It was more practical for Tony to focus his efforts on advancing the Iron Man armor rather than futile research.

“I thought Captain America was used to these farewells by now,” Tony’s voice came from the doorway, interrupting Steve’s reverie.

“Maybe I never will be,” Steve turned to face Tony. Though a World War II veteran, he still felt the sting of loss for each fallen comrade.

“Then perhaps I should congratulate you,” Tony said, sipping his red wine without entering the room.

Unaware of this subtlety, Steve’s anger surged, “So what does life mean to you, Tony? Just a string of cold numbers?”

After Qu Yizhi’s sacrifice, Tony had intensified his investment in the Ultron project. Meanwhile, Steve had noticed subtle clues during this brief lull.

To Steve, entrusting personal freedom and life to cold, unfeeling machines was a grave affront. In his eyes, Tony’s plan was no different from Hydra’s Insight project—both severely violated the inherent rights of every life.

Of course, Tony disagreed. Faced with humanity’s survival, sacrificing some personal interests was a small price to pay.

To put it simply, it was the classic trolley dilemma: Tony chose to pull the lever, sacrificing a few to save the many, while Steve chose not to pull it, striving to stop the train and protect everyone.

This was the root of Steve’s earlier question—it was not only about Tony’s disrespect for Qu Yizhi but a fundamental clash of ideals.

Tony raised an eyebrow, setting his wine aside as he stepped into the room. “Death is inevitable, but we must avoid unnecessary deaths.”

“Even if it means sacrificing innocent lives?” Steve clenched his fists. “There was once a king who thought the same.”

“Listen, Steve,” Tony rubbed his temples. “I’m not here to argue. Humanity’s survival is at stake. If sacrificing me can save this planet, I’d do it gladly.”

“Me too, Tony,” Steve met his gaze, conveying his conviction. “But we have no right to interfere with others’ choices. Every life is free.”

As they debated, a sudden blue glow radiated from Qu Yizhi’s coffin, cutting Tony off mid-sentence and drawing both men’s attention.

“What’s happening?” Tony immediately stepped forward, summoning a holographic panel to scan the phenomenon. “J.A.R.V.I.S., compare this energy data with Qu Yizhi’s previous readings.”

Steve fell silent, following Tony. There was no need for him to notify others within J.A.R.V.I.S.’s coverage.

“Yes, sir. Initiating data comparison. Please wait…”

Before J.A.R.V.I.S. could finish, the blue light engulfed the entire room. Tony and Steve barely closed their eyes in time. When they opened them again, everything around them had changed.

---

After the Ancient One pulled Forest City into a mirror dimension, she entered its depths, shrouded in red mist. Though the mist possessed the power to sever spacetime, it was no match for the Ancient One, who easily circumvented it at such close range.

Upon entering Forest City, the sight furrowed the Ancient One’s brow. Having not visited in a long time, she knew modern cities shared similar appearances, and as a frequent visitor to the three great sanctuaries, this version of Forest City was clearly transformed.

The once modern cityscape was gone, replaced by twisted, pitch-black trees forming a dark forest. Though called Forest City, it was not truly a forest, but rather a city renowned for its greenery. This sinister woodland was the work of the Dark Elves, and the strange trees reminded the Ancient One of several malevolent deities connected to such corruption.

Realizing this, the Ancient One flew toward the city center. The spacetime was in turmoil, so she refrained from using portals.

After the nuclear explosion, Malekith realized Midgard was not as weak as he had assumed, accelerating his slaughter. Now, only tens of thousands remained in the drastically altered city, barely clinging to life. The rest had either been transformed into energy or chosen by Malekith as sacrifices, bound to the altar.

The altar itself was Malekith’s mothership, enabling rapid construction and evading the Ancient One’s initial detection. Yet Malekith immediately noticed the Ancient One’s presence.

After all, the red mist was controlled personally by Malekith. When the Ancient One tore through it, Malekith detected a presence comparable to Odin entering this space.