Chapter Fifty-Eight: Natasha’s Unusual Behavior

Just as the members on Captain America’s side were clamoring, a golden circle sparking with energy suddenly appeared out of thin air. Yang Xin’s figure strolled leisurely out of the portal. Such a mysterious, supernatural means of long-distance teleportation left Captain America and the others too stunned to make a sound.

“I’m just here to watch the fight. Go on, battle as you wish. Pretend I’m not even here,” Yang Xin waved his hands repeatedly and moved to the side.

“Come on, you say you’re just spectating and we’re supposed to believe it? It’s obvious you’re favoring Tony Stark’s side. Do you really think we’re blind?” With Captain America at the lead, his companions all grumbled in protest.

“Hi, Mr. Yang Xin, you’re Mr. Stark’s close friend, right? Just now, you said my parents were a CIA agent and a data analyst. Is that true?” Even through his Spider-Man mask, Yang Xin could sense the hope in Peter Parker’s voice.

“Tony, you never told Peter about his parents?” Yang Xin frowned and looked at Tony Stark.

“I was too busy discussing his scholarship with him,” Tony shrugged.

“Come here, Peter. This is your Aunt Natasha. Once this is over, she’ll take you to SHIELD. All the details about your parents are on file there.”

“Oh, thank you!” The young Spider-Man sounded overjoyed.

But Yang Xin was far from happy—he suddenly felt a chill in the air, and a sultry, curvaceous figure pressed up against him as a sly, cold voice whispered in his ear.

“Aunt… Natasha?”

“Uh…” Before Yang Xin could explain, Natasha’s vivid red lips brushed his ear and she whispered, “Help me.”

As soon as she finished, Natasha spun around and threw a punch: “Diamond Stardust Fist!”

With the silver cosmos energy flaring around her, a freezing chill erupted from Natasha’s fist, instantly freezing Peter Parker in place. At the same time, she shouted, “Steve, run!”

“Silver cosmos… Looks like I’m not the only one making progress,” Yang Xin sighed.

At the instant Natasha made her move, Yang Xin’s eyes transformed into the kaleidoscopic Sharingan. Tony Stark, whose iron mask was still open, was instantly hypnotized. However, Yang Xin didn’t drag Tony into some unspeakable illusion. Instead, he revealed to Tony Stark the initial stages of Zemo’s plot—the man behind the Avenger’s civil strife—leaving the rest for Tony to uncover by tracking Captain America himself.

Using illusion to convey information—this was a new technique Yang Xin had devised.

With a wave of his hand, Yang Xin pulled War Machine, Vision, and Black Panther from Tony’s side, and Hawkeye, Ant-Man, and Scarlet Witch from Cap’s side, into the Mirror Dimension.

The world turned upside down, gravity lost all meaning!

The moment they entered the Mirror Dimension, War Machine, Vision, and Black Panther realized something was wrong. After a brief panic, they steadied themselves and tried to break out. Then Hawkeye, Falcon, Ant-Man, and Scarlet Witch also appeared in the space.

One group tried to shatter the mirror world; the other fought desperately to stop them. The two sides clashed evenly within the surreal realm.

“This place makes no sense—it’s even crazier than the Quantum Realm!” Ant-Man shouted, dizzy and disoriented, teaming up with Falcon to take on War Machine.

“Yang Xin himself is an unscientific existence, and anyway, you turning giant isn’t exactly normal either, so who are you to talk?” Hawkeye retorted as he attacked. “Still, the good news is, Yang Xin is on our side.”

Hawkeye was no longer the man he once was. With the Brewster badge at his hip, he could shift between the strengths of eagle, wolf, leopard, and bear at will, pressing Black Panther hard. If not for T’Challa’s vibranium suit, Black Panther would have been knocked out long ago.

“I feel like he’s on Natasha’s side,” Falcon said as he and Ant-Man easily suppressed War Machine.

“I think Yang Xin understands me better,” Scarlet Witch smiled radiantly.

Her smile was like a thousand blossoms in spring, and Vision felt a sharp pang in his heart.

“That’s gotta hurt, man!” Hawkeye grinned at Vision, flashed his teeth, and with a kick sent Black Panther flying toward Ant-Man, then leapt into the air and punched at Vision.

Vision dropped from the sky—not from Hawkeye’s blow, but because of Scarlet Witch’s chaos magic.

“Bear’s strength!” Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch pinned Vision down, while Ant-Man and Falcon traded blows with Black Panther and War Machine.

“It’s obvious Yang Xin’s just keeping us stuck in this space. This is clearly a magical ability, and only you, Vision, could possibly break it. But Wanda and I won’t let you, so…”

“So?” Vision managed to ask.

“So, we might as well sit down and wait. Whether we fight or make peace—it’s not up to us anymore, but to Tony, Steve, and Yang Xin out there.” Hawkeye pointed outside the mirror world.

Vision nodded slowly and sat down. Seeing this, Black Panther and War Machine also stopped fighting. The seven of them sat within the Mirror Dimension, watching what transpired outside.

They saw Captain America and the Winter Soldier fleeing into the distance, hijacking a plane and preparing to take off. Meanwhile, Tony Stark was locked in a silent standoff with Yang Xin and Natasha, and poor Spider-Man was still frozen—completely forgotten.

“Why did you do this?” Tony Stark glared at Natasha.

“Rationally, I support you. But emotionally, I trust Steve,” Natasha replied, meeting Tony’s gaze without fear.

“Xin, I thought we were friends.”

“Tony, we are friends. That’s precisely why I don’t want to let a moment’s rashness lead to regret for us and celebration for our enemies.”

“And everything you told me is true?” Tony asked again.

“Of course. When have I ever lied to you?” Yang Xin replied calmly.

“I believe you!” Tony said, then prepared to suit up.

“Wait, Tony, where are you going?” Yang Xin called after him.

“To follow that fossil and find out the truth, of course.”

“Uh… Can your nanotech suit turn invisible? If not, how are you going to tail Steve without being noticed?” Yang Xin asked.

Tony didn’t answer, just let out a disdainful snort. From the sound alone, Yang Xin could tell it was the kind of smug contempt a top student shows when crushing a slacker—scornful and proud, as if to say, “You just don’t get it.”

In a flash, Tony Stark vanished from Yang Xin’s sight. Yang Xin sensed, vaguely, that someone was now trailing behind Captain America’s plane.

“Did I just get looked down on?”