Chapter 33
Helen Cho's Apartment Night
Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, New York's lights flickered and changed.
Helen Cho curled up in one corner of the sofa, cradling a cup of hot tea. Her gaze never left the man beside her.
"So."
She took a sip of tea. "Your powers really come from Kryptonian genes?"
Yang Jian's arm rested along the back of the sofa behind her; his fingertips played idly with her hair: "What else would it be?"
Helen Cho set the cup down and turned to face him: "But Kryptonians are from DC comics. That doesn't make any sense at all."
"No, Helen—what if…" Yang Jian cut her off, a playful glint in his eyes.
"…comics were based on some real existences?"
Helen Cho's eyes widened: "You mean—?"
"Got you." Yang Jian suddenly laughed.
"But I am Kryptonian."
"You—!"
Helen Cho grabbed a cushion and swung it at him. Yang Jian caught her wrist in one smooth motion and gave a light tug—pulling her straight into his lap.
"That's not scientific." Her protest was muffled against his chest.
"Magic isn't scientific either." Yang Jian rested his chin on top of her head.
"But you saw it with your own eyes today."
Helen Cho quieted. Her fingers gently traced the S emblem on his chest: "So… is Kryptonian physiology the same as human?"
Her fingertip was suddenly caught. A faint glow appeared in Yang Jian's eyes: "Want to find out?"
Before Helen Cho could answer, she felt her body lighten.
Yang Jian lifted her in a bridal carry and strode toward the bedroom.
"Wait!" Helen Cho cried out in surprise.
"I haven't showered yet!"
The bedroom door closed silently behind them. Only a dim yellow wall lamp remained, casting their shadows across the wall.
Late Night
Moonlight poured through the sheer curtains onto tangled sheets. Helen Cho rested against Yang Jian's shoulder, her fingertip lightly tracing the S-shaped house crest on his chest.
"Someone like you…" she suddenly spoke, voice lazy with post-intimacy softness.
"…probably has more than just me outside, right?"
Yang Jian toyed with her hair: "Guess."
Helen Cho laughed lightly and propped herself up: "Tony Stark's gossip could fill all of Twitter—what about you?"
Her finger tapped the tip of his nose: "Young, powerful, rich, with a face that makes women weak in the knees and a body no clothes can hide."
Yang Jian caught her wrist: "So… what are you thinking?"
"So?" Helen Cho flipped over and straddled his waist, looking down at him.
"I'm lying here right now—doesn't that answer your question?"
She leaned closer to Yang Jian: "Some charm really is impossible to resist."
Yang Jian suddenly produced a vial glowing with dark golden light out of thin air.
Helen Cho's pupils shrank: "Yang… what is this?"
"Genetic enhancement serum." Yang Jian shook the tube.
"Superhuman strength, extreme speed, terrifying regeneration, flame manipulation." He looked straight at her.
"And a lifespan as long as mine."
Helen Cho's breathing clearly quickened: "For me?"
"Of course—if everything you just said was sincere."
She snatched the vial and kissed him hard.
"Lab! Now!"
Laboratory
Helen Cho didn't hesitate—she plunged the needle into her arm.
The moment the dark golden liquid entered her bloodstream, her whole body trembled violently!
"Ahhh!!!"
Scorching energy surged inside her. Molten-like patterns appeared beneath her skin.
Yang Jian held her steady, watching her pupils gradually turn pale gold, her hair floating without wind.
"This feeling!" Helen Cho stared at her hands in disbelief. She suddenly punched the lab table.
BOOM!
The half-ton metal tabletop was punched through like paper!
She spun and pounced toward Yang Jian—moving so fast she left an afterimage: "This is practically a miracle!"
She raised a hand; flames danced in her palm. "I could fight for three days and nights now."
Yang Jian caught her flying body with a laugh. The bio-field instantly expanded, isolating the lab from the master bedroom.
Outside the window, snow suddenly began to fall over New York's night sky.
A single snowflake landed on the lab glass—and was instantly vaporized by the overflowing heat inside.
Next Morning
Morning light spilled across the dining table. Helen Cho bit into a piece of toast, eyes still glued to experimental data on her tablet.
Yang Jian set down his coffee cup: "Finished eating?"
"Mhm. Let's go!" Helen Cho put on her coat.
"Ready?" Yang Jian stood with a smile and placed a hand on her shoulder.
Helen Cho felt the world blur. Everything around her entered slow motion—streets rewinding, cars frozen, plastic bags floating in mid-air.
Whoosh!
By the time she reacted, she was standing in front of Stark Tower's glass revolving doors. Morning wind brushed her hair.
"That move is too unfair." Helen Cho touched her flushed cheeks and looked back at Yang Jian.
"Too fast—no helping it." Yang Jian shrugged.
"I'm going in?" Helen Cho pointed toward the lobby.
"Go ahead." Yang Jian nodded.
Helen Cho smiled and shook her head, then stepped into the building.
Yang Jian glanced around once more and vanished again.
Long Island Villa
Space rippled slightly. Yang Jian's figure appeared in the living room.
Wanda was floating above the sofa, scarlet chaos energy coiling around her like silk.
Sensing Yang Jian's presence, she slowly descended, red hair fluttering: "Back so soon?"
"Of course."
Yang Jian approached, fingertips lightly brushing the energy flow beside her cheek: "How's progress?"
Wanda gathered a scarlet rose at her fingertips: "Not bad, but it still feels like something's missing."
"Maybe you're missing some fun? Want to learn something new?" Yang Jian asked suddenly.
"Like what?"
"God-domain magic."
Wanda tilted her head: "God-domain?"
Yang Jian didn't answer. His eyes suddenly blazed gold.
His vision pierced through the material plane, locking onto a folded spatial dimension.
There, a rainbow bridge spanned the starry sea; golden palaces shimmered among the clouds.
Coordinates confirmed, Yang Jian took Wanda's hand. With the other, he drew a shower of sparks in the air—a portal opened.
"Hold on tight."
Beyond the door lay a breathtaking grassland.
Wanda's eyes widened. Before she could react, Yang Jian had already pulled her through.
Buzz!
Their figures vanished, leaving only the untouched coffee behind.
Asgard – Golden Sky
The golden sparks of the portal faded. Yang Jian and Wanda hovered in the brilliant morning light of the divine realm.
Beneath them, the entire Immortal Palace looked as though poured from molten gold.
Floating islands ringed the central palace; the Rainbow Bridge refracted starlight from the Nine Realms like crystal.
Farther out, stars seemed within arm's reach.
Colorful auroras streamed across the sky. The entire divine city shimmered with the light of metal and magic.
Wanda, floating in mid-air, stared wide-eyed—this was the first time she had seen such a sight.
Her voice trembled slightly: "This is… a god-realm?"
Yang Jian stood beside her, cape fluttering in the celestial wind: "Asgard—chief of the Nine Realms."
"Asgard? Gods… actually exist?" Wanda looked at him, eyes full of doubt.
He chuckled lightly: "So-called gods are just more powerful alien lifeforms."
Before Wanda could respond, a brilliant rainbow light shot straight from the distant palace!
"Who dares trespass on Asgard?!"
With a furious roar, a blond giant of a man soared into the sky, hammer crackling with lightning.
A red cape billowed behind him; electricity danced in his eyes.
"I am Thor Odinson!" He stopped in front of them; Mjölnir began to spin with thunder.
"State your purpose!"
Yang Jian raised a hand calmly: "Visitors from Earth. Our purpose is to pay a visit."
His gaze passed over Thor, looking directly toward the depths of the Golden Palace: "And to say hello to the All-Father."
Thor was stunned—clearly not expecting such composure.
At that moment, an ancient and majestic voice rang directly in Thor's mind:
[Bring them to me, Thor]
Thor lowered his hammer, eyeing the two suspiciously: "Father wants to see you. Follow me."
Wanda nervously grabbed Yang Jian's arm and whispered: "You know the king here?"
"I do now." A faint golden light flashed in Yang Jian's eyes.
"He's watching us right now."
Thor whipped his head around: "You can sense Father's gaze?"
Yang Jian only smiled without answering. He took Wanda's hand and followed Thor down onto the Rainbow Bridge.
Guards on both sides saluted.
Meanwhile, Wanda's chaos magic resonated strangely with the Asgardian energy in the air—leaving faint scarlet ripples beneath her feet.
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