Chapter 4972

Carter didn't look like a winner either. Her eyes were full of exhaustion. Shiler poured her a glass of water and handed it to her, then said: "Agents aren't supposed to see therapists, but luckily I'm not one."

"Sorry. I originally just came to tell you that there's a city tour for multiverse visitors tomorrow..." Carter was already struggling to speak, and she took a few deep breaths.

"Maybe you need some alcohol." Shiler looked at Thor. Thor snapped his fingers, and several cans of beer landed on the table. Carter seemed to summon the last of her strength, picked up a beer, but her hands shook so badly she couldn't open the can, and Shiler ended up opening it for her.

She mechanically poured the beer into her mouth, drinking an entire can. The dizziness from the alcohol slightly eased her neurological symptoms, but it had no effect on regulating her mental state; it could only be said to slightly alleviate somatic symptoms.

"One day, Pepper found Hill. They knew each other, and their relationship was decent. She seemed to want to investigate Iron Man, that is, the two Iron Men that exist in this universe now."

"S. H. I. E. L. D. actually did investigate, but Hill wasn't responsible for the files, so Pepper came to me. Actually, I advised her: if it wasn't about feelings, then just deal with it objectively—accept the good, stop the bad; but if it was about feelings, then still follow your heart, no need to add unnecessary worries."

"But Pepper still decided to look. Nick also agreed. She then learned the origins of those two Iron Men, and decisively dumped both of them, and then flash-married a bodyguard."

Shiler paused. Carter seemed to expect him to ask something, but Shiler only said: "Are the origins of the two Iron Men that S. H. I. E. L. D. uncovered accurate?"

"They are accurate." Carter said.

"How do you guarantee that?"

"Because you told us."

Shiler understood—it must have been Greed who told them. After all, it was Greed's doing, and he would certainly clean up before leaving. The origins of those two Iron Men are actually simple: one is the white can from the good-evil axis, the other is just a backup consciousness, which also counts as the original Iron Man.

"Don't you find it strange?" Carter asked, "Why didn't she choose either of them?"

"She definitely wouldn't choose." Shiler said, "If Pepper Potts is indulging in love, then it's certainly her allowing herself to do so, not truly being unable to detach. In fact, her assessment of reality is certainly more accurate and cautious than many people's."

"As for that Iron Man just now, no need to say more—he's too evil and dangerous. Even if you don't look at what he did in his original universe, in this universe he hasn't done anything good either. Just as you said, he doesn't act like a superhero, lacking a steadfast sense of justice."

"What about the other one?" Carter asked, "The other one is the consciousness of her former lover."

"You also said it's a consciousness." Shiler said, "Leaving aside whether a backup consciousness can count as the person themselves, how would you date a consciousness? Only communicate online?"

"I believe Pepper definitely made efforts, just without success." Shiler continued, "She must have chosen to give up this relationship after comparing and weighing things."

"Actually, I can understand too. After everything Tony went through, he really did mature quite a bit, but that's still not enough to let him enter a stable long-term relationship, let alone start a family." Carter sighed again, "What truly puzzles me is why Pepper married that bodyguard. She and he do have some feelings, but not enough to reach flash-marriage level. How did it..."

"You must have thought she might be trying to get away from Tony Stark, but if that were the case, she wouldn't need to find a bodyguard, let alone one from Stark Industries." Shiler said, "That would only make Stark more paranoid."

Thor was obviously also interested in this, he asked: "Why is that? I don't discriminate against bodyguards, I just don't understand—after just ending a painful relationship, rushing into the next one, aren't you afraid of repeating the same mistakes?"

"That's probably only something she herself knows." Shiler lowered his eyes.

"Tell me your guess." Carter continued, "Mainly because Tony's mental state isn't very stable right now, if there's anything good to say, we could also persuade him."

"I really don't have many good words to say." Shiler laughed, took a sip of beer, then said, "Was it you who divorced first, or was it Pepper who broke up with him first?"

"They broke up first, but the timing wasn't too far apart. At first, Pepper was just investigating. After the New Earth Alliance was established, I married Captain America, and she still took no action."

"When the war broke out and the two sides split more and more severely, that's when she cut ties with both of them. This further stimulated Tony, making things irreparable."

"Some people criticize her for speaking up at that time. Actually, I also find it strange—why did she pick that timing? After all, she also knows that if she further stimulates Tony, it might trigger serious consequences, unless she could no longer bear it. But I also can't see what's different between their situation now and before."

"Of course there is a difference." Shiler said, "The difference is that you and Captain America had a falling out."

Carter slightly opened her mouth—he really hadn't thought of that angle. Thor immediately reacted, saying: "It's definitely because seeing you two like this, he thinks superheroes are fundamentally unreliable, marrying a bodyguard is probably just to make a statement, and from now on he'll have nothing to do with superheroes."

Carter thought for a moment and said: "Seems plausible, because the Renaissance Alliance sent her several job invitations, even if just as an honorary consultant, she refused them all."

"You should know, the Renaissance Alliance's series of constructions on Earth have gained considerable popularity among the public, and they're currently rising to fame. Even if it's to gain more goodwill for Stark Industries, taking an honorary consultant position wouldn't hurt. I thought she was avoiding Tony, but if that were really the case, there'd be no need to marry someone from Stark Industries. Now it seems, maybe she truly doesn't want to get involved with superhero affairs anymore."

"What about you?" Thor asked, "Are you disappointed in them?"

"Saying I'm not disappointed is impossible." Carter said, "But actually I know in my heart that what Steve said is correct. If they lack the ability to completely restrain those mad scientists, then it's better not to provoke them, otherwise the consequences could be worse. But emotions aren't something logic can solve—I've endured too long, and if I keep enduring, it will cause irreversible harm to my body and mind. We can only divorce."

Thor let out a long sigh, obviously he too has suffered emotional wounds. Carter countered him: "Have you had recent contact with Sif or Ms. Foster?"

Shiler asked curiously: "You didn't marry Sif?"

Shiler wasn't referring to the situation in Greed's universe, but in the main universe, where Thor and his earthly lover Foster were forced to separate, and later rekindled his childhood romance, seemingly saying they were going to marry.

"We were engaged." Thor said, "But because I was too attached to Earth, and Sif couldn't adapt to such a life, in the end she returned alone to the divine realm, and the engagement was dissolved."

Shiler then recalled that in the universe where Greed is, they could marry because Thor had inherited the throne in advance. Thor hasn't stayed on Earth too long like in many universes—he returned to Asgard and became the God King, so those two naturally ended up marrying.

As for this Thor in the main universe, he once moved the celestial palace directly to the top of New York's head because he didn't want to leave Earth, nearly causing a war between the two realms. To put it this way: if Earth had only one fan, it would necessarily be Thor. For staying on Earth, he'd give up anything, dare to cause any trouble. He and Sif have irreconcilable conflicts, so naturally they never got together.

"I haven't bothered Jane again." Thor said with a hint of sorrow, "The time we spent together was beautiful, but we two really aren't compatible. She suffered because I was kidnapped, attacked, questioned. This isn't what she should endure—no one should suffer these things just to prove they're worthy of being my lover. Now I only feel guilty toward her."

"Besides, I've always thought she likes Blake, that doctor who treats patients with care and gentleness, with excellent professional skills, not some god king's son or rain-making prince. And besides, she's living happily now—I can't keep bothering her."

"But you secretly helped her before, otherwise how would I have this question?"

"You guys found out?" Thor said without embarrassment, "I'm not really a doctor, so promotion opportunities mean nothing to me. On the contrary, Ms. Foster is a nurse deserving of respect, she should get better treatment. This is purely out of professional consideration."

"You say it is, then it is." Carter shook her head.

"Actually I think, compared to Jane forgetting me, her forgetting Sif is even more regrettable. Sif saved her life and became her teacher—they should have become good friends, but instead..."

Carter also sighed along.

Shiler was still sorting out this somewhat complicated relationship in his mind. The love-hate entanglements in the main universe are indeed far more complex than in Greed's universe. Thor's situation, simply put: when he came to Earth, he fell in love with Jane Foster, but Odin would never agree, so he set up various trials, angering Thor to the point of nearly breaking with him.

Later, Odin had actually softened, turned Foster into an immortal goddess, but Foster herself had some trouble adapting, wanted to return to Earth, and Odin, in anger, deleted her memories. Later, Thor felt so awful he wanted to die, so Odin deleted his memories too.

The result was that Foster got cancer, Thor sensed her condition was bad, restored his memories, and was overwhelmed with grief. Thor's childhood friend Sif couldn't bear to see him suffer like that, so she sacrificed herself to save Foster. The final outcome was Thor saving both of them back.

But the Foster who was saved back had amnesia—she didn't remember liking Thor, so she married her ex-boyfriend Jimmy Kildare. And Thor also rekindled his old romance with Sif, but unfortunately they still broke up in the end due to long-distance relationship problems.

One rather interesting point is that when the main universe's Thor came to Earth, he was in disguise. He disguised himself as an excellent surgeon named Donald Blake, and used that identity to court Foster.

Then came the classic love triangle problem: do you love my disguise, or my true self? Because when Thor worked as a surgeon, his personality was completely different from that of a thunder god—he was gentle, meticulous, approachable, had none of a prince's arrogance, and in relationships was also very thoughtful and caring. Otherwise Foster couldn't have endured being kidnapped again, Loki's pranks, and still put up with it.

All I can say is that this is a classic case of yin-yang mix-up. When they were passionately in love, Odin disagreed, then Odin agreed, but Foster still couldn't adapt—it can also be called a famous pair of resentful lovers.

Thinking carefully, the famous couples in the main universe—none of them are not entangled in love and hatred. This might also relate to popularity theory: the more famous a character is, the less they can have a fixed romance, otherwise there'd be nothing to write, so writers keep torturing them. Looking now, it's indeed true that Deadpool is the most self-aware.