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"What about the Cosmic Cube?" Shen He asked sharply. "What about all the people Loki manipulated and controlled? Thor, the Earth is governed by its own laws. If he keeps refusing to speak, we won't be able to hold him much longer."
"Yes." Tony suddenly grasped Shen He's implication. "In just the past 48 hours, Loki has caused the deaths of over 80 S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and 20 civilians. The global council is demanding we turn him over."
Thor, the once-mighty God of Thunder, was speechless. His fists trembled, but not a word escaped.
He knew Shen He was right.
Loki's crimes were clear and grave. Earth had borne the brunt of his madness.
"Thor." Shen He rose to face him. "I understand your bond with Loki. And I know he's merely a pawn—used by a greater power. But we don't have the authority to pardon him on behalf of Earth's people. The world's fury is rising. You must be prepared. We can't protect him forever."
It was harsh, but true.
If the U.S. government enforced international law, the Chaldeans would have no legal ground to withhold Loki.
After all, in the eyes of Earth's nations, Chaldea was still a civilian organization.
"Loki will be judged in Asgard," Thor finally muttered, clenching his fists.
Shen He wasn't surprised.
This was the pattern of Marvel's so-called heroes. Even Captain America, the symbol of idealism, had defied international law to protect Bucky Barnes.
So Tony and Steve said nothing.
They understood the burden of loyalty.
"In that case," Shen He said calmly, "there's only one solution—diplomatic immunity."
In a world of supposed legal equality, exceptions were made. Diplomats and foreign envoys had long been protected from prosecution under Earth's laws. If Thor invoked his status as the Prince of Asgard, it would hold under international law.
Thor nodded, grasping Shen He's meaning instantly. His trust in Shen He ran deep.
"Can Asgard send a diplomatic delegation?" Shen He asked.
"The Bifröst is still damaged," Thor replied with a shake of his head. "Just getting me here exhausted the dark energy Father had saved. And I must find Jane quickly."
"I see." Shen He pressed a palm to his forehead. "Then allow Chaldea to negotiate in Asgard's stead."
"You'd shoulder Loki's burden?" Thor's voice trembled slightly.
Loki's name was synonymous with terror on Earth. For Chaldea to stand as his protector invited massive public outrage.
"I'm not doing this just for you," Shen He said, brushing off Thor's concern. "Loki's pain stems from his belief he was never truly loved. But we both know Odin treated him as his own. And you—" Shen He's eyes locked with Thor's "—you've always called him your brother."
He continued, his voice low but firm. "I also have to consider whether your father, Odin—given his age and condition—could withstand the loss of another son. Asgard needs its king. Earth needs Asgard's strength. I'm not willing to let either fall."
"Shen He..." Thor was truly moved.
Even he hadn't considered Odin's fragile state, yet Shen He had.
"And Jane," Shen He added, raising his hand and producing a solid-state transmission scroll. "My wife, Jeanne, has a gift for locating people. She'll help you find Jane. But you must act swiftly. I have a feeling the crisis Loki triggered isn't over yet."
"I understand."
Thor grasped Mjolnir, turned to leave, but paused—then stepped back and enveloped Shen He in a sudden embrace.
"Thank you, Shen He. Chaldea and Asgard will always be allies."
"Now go."
Shen He smiled and guided the thunder god to the exit.
Despite what he said, none of Shen He's words were empty.
There was strategic value in aiding Asgard.
To the public, Chaldea would now appear as Earth's de facto liaison with extraterrestrial powers. This alone was enough to solidify their authority in cosmic diplomacy.
"Tony, how long can we stall?" Shen He asked, turning.
"Rhodey says three days—tops—before the military executes forced extradition," Tony replied. "And he's got people sniffing around Loki's scepter. They see it as a mind-control weapon. Whoever owns it holds leverage in psychological warfare, same as nukes."
Of course, humans never stopped chasing death and control.
Even in the original timeline, the Tesseract was taken by Thor only because Fury made a unilateral decision.
And now, once again, shadowy forces were circling.
"Stick to the plan." Shen He's voice hardened. "Push the blame for this alien incursion back on them. Earth must reclaim the narrative. Greater threats are still coming."
"Right," Tony nodded. "They made the first move."
He didn't mind sabotaging politicians—especially those who thought they were untouchable.
As the day unfolded, events played out exactly as expected.
Chaldea had operated within legal bounds. Their VR company was clean. Stark Industries backed them. On paper, no fault could be found.
But now, the system was out for blood.
Media outlets and government officials launched a wave of accusations:
—Harboring Loki, a known criminal.
—Possessing unauthorized fighter-class vehicles.
—Deploying armed forces over New York airspace.
Even trivial matters were magnified—like Guardians damaging rooftops, scaring pets, or Spider-Man's webs on city windows.
Public sentiment shifted fast.
In just one day, while Guardians were out fighting crime, protestors took to the streets. Spider-Man was pelted with eggs. Captain America's posters were defaced.
It hit the young heroes hard.
By the next day, Steve sent a message: the Guardians refused to patrol.
"As expected," Shen He sighed. "They weren't ready to wear the mantle of 'hero'."
Reluctantly, he went to their residence.
Inside, the mood was grim. The Guardians clustered together. Crystal, red-eyed and shaking, was being consoled.
"What's going on?" Shen He asked, striding forward.
"Shen He!" Skye stood up, clearly furious. "It's those reporters! They're tearing us apart!"
"Address me as 'sir', Skye. I'm not Coulson."
Shen He chided her gently and took the tablet from Pietro's hands.
The headline read: This World Doesn't Need Superheroes.
It all felt... familiar.
The article was emotional, logical—and devastating.
Its central target: Crystal. The writer accused her of naivety, ignorance of Earth culture, and implied she endangered civilians through childish mistakes.
"This piece," Shen He murmured, eyes scanning, "is well-written."
"Sir?! How can you say that?!" Skye exclaimed.
It painted all their efforts as reckless, glorified failures.
"It's the truth." Shen He's expression remained unreadable. "The article exposes what the world sees. Steve wasn't called a hero because of his courage—it was propaganda. Your fame? Manufactured."
"Then what have we been doing?" Skye's voice cracked. "We've saved so many lives!"
"Are you doing this to be heroes?" Shen He asked quietly.
"But... I—" Skye faltered.
"You've spent every day with true heroes," Shen He said, turning to Steve. "Yet you've learned so little. Steve, did you enlist to be a hero?"
"I had no such dreams," Steve replied softly. "I was just a frail man who wanted to protect others. Everything else... came later."
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