[Marvel's Hogwarts Professor] Chapter 581 - 585

Chapter 581: The Asgardian Arrival

Vientiane World, Teleportation Square.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Brilliant red flame-colored sparks suddenly emerged, forming teleportation apertures.

Masters from Kamar-Taj, New York, London, Hong Kong, and other places came out one after another.

They had been here countless times without paying any attention to the elf robots flying toward them with waving wings.

The robots seemed to know the personalities of the sorcerers and knew they didn't want to communicate much. These small mechanical creatures followed behind silently and did not speak—unless asked a question.

Otherwise, they would not provide any answers or guidance services.

It seemed they were truly afraid of offending the sorcerers.

These robots were the product of a combination of technology and magic.

At Lockhart's request, they established a file on each sorcerer or client.

Though not entirely thorough, they could infer the general personalities of all sorcerers who visited.

Therefore, these robots provided extremely personalized services.

This was also why the Vientiane World was a place where many sorcerers felt comfortable.

Sorcerers were different from ordinary people.

The older the sorcerer, the more eccentric their personality might become.

Studying magic, serving gods, physical hardships, fighting in different dimensions...

In such circumstances, no matter how good your personality originally was, it would change in unusual ways.

Many magicians in Kamar-Taj were withdrawn and didn't like to talk much.

If these robots kept introducing themselves and tried to extract information from the sorcerers, some with fierce tempers might simply blast them to pieces with a spell.

Even sorcerers with better personalities would cast spells to keep the robots from following them.

After all, they came to Vientiane World just to buy materials or use its channels to find and trade knowledge and intelligence.

They weren't submissive people. At most, for Lockhart's sake, they didn't cause much trouble.

Besides, some powerful sorcerers didn't even care about Lockhart's reputation.

They served the gods and guarded the world—personal grudges meant nothing to them.

Therefore, after one or two such incidents occurred in the beginning, Lockhart implemented strict requirements.

He utilized big data from the technological world and the Internet to synchronize all information promptly, ensuring such errors rarely happened again.

He paid attention to every small detail.

This was why Vientiane World became the first choice for many sorcerers.

It had naturally become another resource gathering center in a certain sense.

Today, many more sorcerers came to the Teleportation Square than usual—two or three times the normal number.

After leaving the teleportation area, many sorcerers stood or sat in nearby cafés, teahouses, and meditation halls.

They seemed to be waiting for something special.

If you looked at the entire Teleportation Square from high above, you would see the widest street leading to it was decorated gorgeously.

Along the edges of the street hung huge red banners at regular intervals.

Although the content of these banners varied slightly, their message was the same:

"Welcome Asgard to the World of Vientiane!"

Yes, so many sorcerers had come to the Vientiane World Teleportation Square today because they received news a week ago.

Master Lockhart, the founder of the Vientiane World, had an inseparable relationship with Thor, the great prince of Asgard.

Because of this, the Vientiane World would open a space channel to and from Asgard.

This wasn't a one-time event, but a lasting connection.

Although no one knew exactly how Vientiane World had reached an agreement with Asgard, they understood that Vientiane World would soon receive Asgard's resources, as well as more Asgardian warriors and sorcerers.

This was enough to attract many magicians from Kamar-Taj.

Although Asgard wasn't unfamiliar to older sorcerers at Kamar-Taj, for most ordinary sorcerers, especially apprentices, it was something entirely new.

It was like seeing an ancient kingdom from books come to life.

That was enough to grab their attention.

At this moment, Kaecilius from the New York Sanctum and Elder Byron from the enforcement division were sitting in a leisure tea room near the Teleportation Plaza.

They chatted while drinking tea.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Lockhart is such a generous person. I really don't know how he managed to establish a relationship with Asgard," Byron said admiringly after taking a sip of tea.

"I know something about this," Kaecilius said with a smile. "It's all thanks to the Asgardian God of Thunder."

"To be honest, it's beyond my expectation that Lockhart and Thor have such a good relationship. I thought they were just casual friends."

"I never expected they would open such a long-term space channel."

"The Great Prince of Asgard!" Byron exclaimed, seeming to savor the taste of the tea, or perhaps sighing in wonder. "I've long heard that Thor, the God of Thunder, is heroic and extraordinary."

Well, Thor's recklessness was also famous across many worlds.

But Byron never thought that this impulsive god could accomplish something so important—creating a trade route!

This involved countless complexities.

To be honest, Byron was still confused.

Everyone knew that Odin, the All-Father, ruled the Nine Realms, and Asgard was famous for its arrogance.

Not only were they heroic, but they were also proud.

To put it bluntly, they were wealthy and quite haughty. They looked down on weaker races, and only the strong could win their respect.

However, this was normal.

After all, this was how Asgard had risen to power.

They had killed countless enemies, defeated numerous invasions, and claimed immense wealth.

For example, the overlords of the universe were once defeated by a young Odin with the Rainbow Bridge right at their doorstep. In the end, they had to surrender territory and pay compensation to beg for mercy.

The Vientiane World opening a trade route with Asgard was remarkable.

This wasn't just waiting for wealth to come—it was like having riches pour into your home while constantly inviting friends over.

This was something Byron couldn't fully understand.

There weren't many obvious benefits for Asgard in opening trade routes, as they already possessed massive wealth.

At most, they might find some novelties in the Vientiane World.

But for the Vientiane World, the benefits were enormous.

This inequality between the two sides was truly puzzling.

And Asgard wasn't typically easy to negotiate with.

Could it really be just because the eldest prince of Asgard had a good relationship with Lockhart?

Good relationships didn't usually lead to such outcomes.

Despite his confusion, Byron could only accept this explanation.

Because he couldn't think of any other answer.

It could only be that Odin, the All-Father, loved his eldest son so much that he would agree to such an arrangement.

Otherwise, no matter what precious treasures existed in the Vientiane World, or for any other reason...

With the typical Asgardian character, they would normally just come and take what they wanted.

"Don't overthink it," Kaecilius said, taking another sip of tea. "The important thing is that we can now obtain Asgardian resources through Vientiane World's channels."

"If we play our cards right, we might even make some friends in Asgard."

Hearing this, Byron nodded and started discussing other matters.

However, from the way his eyes occasionally glanced toward the Teleportation Square, it was clear his interest in Asgard's arrival hadn't diminished.

Of course, all the sorcerers sitting in nearby teahouses, coffee shops, and libraries shared this interest in Asgardian affairs.

Asgard, Rainbow Bridge.

Just like its name suggested, the Rainbow Bridge glowed with colorful lights.

Thor, the God of Thunder, wore golden armor and held Mjolnir in his hand, surrounded by many Asgardians.

Among them were strong warriors in armor and female sorceresses in elegant robes.

"Your Highness, is the Vientiane World really that amazing?"

"Your Highness, how does it compare to Asgard?"

Those closest to Thor were a group of gorgeously dressed and delicate-looking young women.

When the surrounding soldiers saw these beauties, they politely stepped back like gentlemen.

As Thor stood in the middle, constantly being asked questions and trying to answer them, his face showed a smile that all men would recognize.

The eldest prince!

The soldiers understood what was happening and said nothing more.

At this moment, going closer would only make these women jealous.

No ordinary woman could stand on the Rainbow Bridge now.

Common people couldn't be here at all, let alone surround the prince.

However, not all the beautiful women surrounded Thor.

Lady Sif, the goddess of war who was recognized as Thor's betrothed, stood at a distance, watching him surrounded by admirers.

There didn't seem to be much jealousy in her eyes—she probably knew that no matter how these beauties tried, they couldn't truly capture Thor's attention.

What occupied her mind now was how to discuss business matters with Lockhart in the Vientiane World.

Yes, this time, she served as the messenger between the two realms.

To be honest, this was beyond Sif's expectation.

For this important mission, Odin, the All-Father, hadn't seemed to intervene much, nor had he sent veteran diplomats to handle it.

He simply let the younger generation, who had a better relationship with Thor, manage everything.

And she had become Asgard's representative.

As for Thor, his status as the crown prince was enough.

The key figure on the other side was Gilderoy Lockhart.

Sif had seen this sorcerer once before, when Thor was banished to Earth.

That was their only meeting, with no further encounters afterward.

Yet Thor mentioned him constantly.

What impressed Sif most was the magical potion in Lockhart's possession. Whether for healing wounds or restoring magical energy, it was truly unique.

However, her impression stopped there.

Like most Asgardians, she preferred warriors.

She particularly enjoyed fierce combat with powerful punches and aggressive moves—even as a woman, she appreciated such displays.

Friendship was built through fighting!

This was a truth every Asgardian warrior recognized.

And for sorcerers who lacked melee combat skills and could only attack from a distance...

Well, it wasn't so much rejection as a subtle contempt.

Unfortunately, Lockhart had such an image in Sif's mind.

Very much like the sorcerers who provided logistical support in Asgard.

But...

It was said that all the masters from Kamar-Taj on Earth were skilled in close combat, and their physical strength wasn't weak.

Perhaps there would be some surprises?

Sif pondered silently.

But she also knew she couldn't let her inner prejudices show.

After all, this was an official mission in Asgard's name.

No matter what, she couldn't embarrass Asgard, especially considering the good relationship between Lockhart and Thor.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look at Thor, still surrounded by admirers, and sigh.

Why did such a serious diplomatic mission feel different when she was in charge?

Why did it seem more like a large tourist group on vacation?

It was her fault for accepting the responsibility in the first place.

Perhaps it was because Thor was too charming.

At that moment, suddenly...

"Sif, it's time. Tell everyone to prepare," Heimdall's voice sounded.

Sif looked at the Rainbow Bridge's guardian with his all-seeing eyes and nodded slightly.

Immediately afterward, Sif raised her broad sword high, and her firm, powerful voice rang out:

"The space journey is about to begin! Honor guards, take position! All soldiers, gather!"

"Prepare to depart for Midgard!"

Her loud voice startled everyone present. After a moment, they immediately dispersed and took their positions.

The beautiful women surrounding Thor also moved to the edge of the Rainbow Bridge.

With slight hand gestures, the magic granted by Yggdrasil, the World Tree, flowed through them.

Bright flower baskets appeared in their hands, while garlands and blossoms adorned their necks and wrists.

The delicate fragrance of flowers spread throughout the air.

In an instant, two lines of honor guards stood on either side of Thor like goddesses among flowers.

Proud! Holy!

You could admire them from a distance but never approach casually!

This was the impression they gave now—completely opposite to the lively women who had been chirping and asking questions around Thor moments ago.

Women were quite changeable, or perhaps just skilled at adapting to circumstances.

At the same time, the Asgardian warriors who had been casually chatting with crossed arms now wore full armor with long swords at their waists.

They stood in orderly formation, looking solemn.

Their faces showed heroic spirit, appearing indomitable and unyielding.

Thor strode forward with Mjolnir in hand, standing side by side with Sif at the front.

Their positions illustrated their status for this mission.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The soldiers marched with uniform footsteps.

The honor guard of gorgeous, flower-bearing goddesses moved forward with their baskets.

Thor wore his red cape, and Sif, also in golden armor, strode confidently forward.

The procession displayed the majesty of Asgard.

Meanwhile, Heimdall raised the mighty sword in his hand and thrust it down forcefully.

The Rainbow Bridge activated.

BOOM!

In the sky, huge energy fluctuations appeared, and an enormous multicolored light descended.

It enveloped everyone, teleporting them to a distant realm.

Destination—Midgard, the Vientiane World!

Chapter 582: Diplomatic Relations

Vientiane World, Forest Avenue

The straight Forest Avenue divided the vast Vientiane World into two areas: east and west.

The West Zone focused on trading, with a variety of magical items, precious materials, magical creatures, magical animals, magical inheritances, and more.

The East District centered on leisure and entertainment—combat arenas, games, and movies, including ancient and modern games from both magical and non-magical civilizations. Everything was available here.

Well, it was expected that Asgardian games would be added to the mix in the future.

Vientiane World was a newly built large-scale city with a business theme. It was dynamic and constantly changing.

It was no exaggeration to say that things changed every day.

At this moment, red flags flew on both sides of Forest Avenue.

Signs welcoming Asgard appeared everywhere.

The shops on both sides of the street were open for business. A large number of sorcerers could be seen walking about, and magical robots moved back and forth.

They seemed excited too.

Yes, people from Asgard were coming, and they wouldn't arrive empty-handed.

Once they entered a store, they surely wouldn't leave without buying something.

It was said that Asgardians were very wealthy.

If shopkeepers didn't make a significant profit this time, wouldn't it be a huge missed opportunity?

Better to earn some of Asgard's unique magical resources.

At this moment, not only were sorcerers waiting on the streets, but also some ordinary people.

No, to be precise, it was S.H.I.E.L.D., a secret agency from the world of ordinary people.

They had a close relationship with Lockhart, the founder of the Vientiane World.

Even before Vientiane World officially opened, they had already obtained magic cards and even sent their own agents to learn magic.

Although their progress was limited, they had at least begun to enter the extraordinary world.

To be honest, many agents were already content with this.

They didn't want their souls extracted or tortured by dark sorcerers.

Completing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mission and witnessing magic firsthand was enough excitement to last them a lifetime.

At this moment, among the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents was a woman wearing dark blue clothes.

If Lockhart were to come over and see this familiar face, he would be quite surprised.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s biggest asset—Captain Marvel was back!

Carol Danvers was looking at the bustling shops around her with interest.

The banners with Asgard's name filled her with curiosity.

As the universe's version of a superhero, she knew the dominant civilizations in the universe very well.

Among them, Asgard, an ancient and powerful civilization, was naturally no exception.

But the more she knew about Asgard, the more Carol couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Asgardians were warlike, predatory, and often arrogant.

They always had only one word for weaker civilizations: surrender!

If you hadn't surrendered yet, you simply hadn't been beaten enough.

The younger Odin, the All-Father, had fully embodied this philosophy.

Throughout many battles, those who survived were those who surrendered.

As for those who refused to surrender, entire clans would be wiped out.

If the Vientiane World had surrendered to Asgard, this would be normal.

But now, Asgard had established diplomatic relations with Earth and the Vientiane World.

Carol couldn't believe it.

What was this?

A tiger befriending a cat?

Or perhaps a weasel paying New Year's greetings to chickens?

The more she thought about it, the more puzzled Carol became, and the more interested she was in the Vientiane World.

She had just finished handling a dangerous incident in another part of the universe when she received a message from Nick Fury asking for help.

If an old friend needed assistance, how could she not return to her home planet to visit?

What if something threatened the entire Earth?

This was her original home, after all.

So she rushed back as quickly as she could.

Then...

Nick Fury introduced her to the wizarding professor.

A series of information about magic, wizards, the Vientiane World, Kamar-Taj, and more came to her attention.

However, this seemed rather ordinary in Carol's eyes.

After all, extraordinary powers weren't unique in the universe.

Every race and every civilization had accumulated various forms of power.

Magic was no exception.

Carol had even seen an entire magical planet where the civilization was purely magical.

Therefore, Carol was no stranger to magic—it was just that the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had never seen such things before.

In other words, this was the first time they had witnessed the Vientiane World holding such a large-scale event.

A wealth of magical resources, numerous magical products, crowds of sorcerers...

The prosperous scene before her made Carol even more interested in Professor Lockhart.

According to the information provided by Fury, Professor Lockhart had only been in business for a year and had already achieved this much.

He had even begun to establish diplomatic relations with Asgard.

Anyone would be interested in this founder of the Vientiane World.

"Ms. Danvers, is there anything else you'd like to see?" Coulson asked as he followed Carol out of a magic shop.

This was someone his director had ordered him to take good care of, and Coulson did not dare to be careless.

"Let's go to the library and read some of their books," Carol said. "And then we'll wait to see Asgard's arrival."

She had just examined some magical materials and found many contained strange energies she had never encountered before. They all seemed fascinating and novel.

What impressed her most was an herb that looked like a baby.

This thing almost made Carol unable to distinguish between animal and plant.

She had just left that store, which was a Potions Materials Shop from the Harry Potter world.

The potions ingredients in the Harry Potter world were, as everyone knew, notoriously strange.

After hearing Carol's request, Coulson nodded and said nothing more.

Then he escorted Captain Marvel Carol Danvers toward the library.

For such an important event as Asgard's arrival, how could S.H.I.E.L.D. not send people to gather intelligence?

As for Carol's requests, he simply followed them.

After all, his own director had asked them to treat her well, especially anyone related to the wizard professor, so he basically gave everyone the green light.

Besides, he was just taking Carol to the library to read some books.

Teleportation Square.

BOOM!

Colorful streams of light flashed, and a huge torrent of energy descended.

Within the colorful energy, numerous figures appeared as silhouettes.

As the energy slowly faded like dispersing smoke, a heroic and organized formation came into view.

Thor, the God of Thunder, wearing his red cloak, stood proudly, and Lady Sif beside him was holding a long sword and wearing golden armor.

On both sides of them stood the honor guard of flower goddesses, their right hands slightly raised as pink petals slowly fell around them.

Behind Thor, the Asgardian warriors stood tall and proud.

They truly represented Asgard at this moment.

Seeing this scene, the sorcerers who had been waiting in the distance began chattering excitedly.

At the same time, Lockhart, along with several of his friends and students, slowly descended onto the teleportation square.

Compared with the magnificent and impressive arrival of Asgard, Lockhart's group seemed somewhat modest.

But, to be honest, when it came to creating a grand spectacle, with the resources now at Lockhart's disposal, he could have done anything he wanted.

He even had dedicated event planners available.

But it really didn't make sense to try to outshine his guests.

The protagonists this time were the Asgardians, so whether it was good or bad, they needed to be given enough prominence.

"Hello, Thor!" Lockhart strode forward and, according to Asgardian custom, gave Thor a big hug.

"Welcome to the Vientiane World."

"You must stay longer this time. I will show you the best hospitality."

Hearing Lockhart's warm welcome, Thor's face lit up with joy.

"Definitely, definitely," Thor laughed heartily. "This time I'm fully prepared to experience the Vientiane World."

Last time, Thor had said he wanted to explore the Vientiane World, but the royal family had pressured him to return directly.

However, Lockhart hadn't forgotten Thor's wishes and had spoken directly with Odin, the All-Father, and the royal family.

And now here they were.

"These sorcerers are also my friends, from Kamar-Taj," Lockhart said.

"Kaecilius, the guardian sorcerer of the New York Sanctum; Byron, an elder of Kamar-Taj; and my good friend Grindelwald."

Lockhart took the opportunity to introduce his friends.

People like Kaecilius and Byron had been sitting in the tea room enjoying themselves when Lockhart spotted them and invited them over directly.

Kaecilius and the others naturally wouldn't refuse, especially not Grindelwald.

He was now constantly eyeing the group of powerful Asgardian warriors.

"Thor, let's go. I've already prepared everything for your stay," Lockhart said with a laugh. "Fine wine and delicious food—everything is ready."

Hearing this, Thor smiled broadly and nodded without hesitation.

Sif, standing nearby, watched the exchange between the two and couldn't help being slightly stunned.

She had thought that the Vientiane World would follow formal protocols.

She expected the other party would take out a piece of parchment or a contract for them to exchange and officially establish diplomatic relations between the two powers.

But Lockhart's attitude was like that of friends catching up with each other, which caught Sif off guard.

"Sif, it's been a while," Lockhart said after chatting with Thor. "I just heard from Thor that you're the envoy for this mission to the Vientiane World."

"You and Thor were the first Asgardian friends I met. You're welcome to visit the Vientiane World anytime in the future. All travel expenses are covered."

Hearing this, Sif couldn't help but recall their previous battle where they had fought side by side against the Destroyer Armor.

A smile appeared on her face involuntarily.

Well, with warriors like Asgardians, you couldn't talk too much about benefits.

If you wanted to connect with them, it was better to talk about past battles and friendship.

Indeed, this approach was effective.

The Asgardian warriors behind them saw Lockhart, the master of the Vientiane World, having such a close relationship with their prince and the future queen Sif.

Their expressions changed slightly as their inner pride began to diminish.

After all, they couldn't be arrogant toward their crown prince's friend.

"Sif, since you're the envoy, here's the trade agreement between our realms that Thor and I discussed earlier," Lockhart said, taking out a piece of parchment and handing it directly to Sif. "I haven't really made any changes. Look it over, and if there's anything you want to modify, feel free to do so."

"Just let me know when you're finished."

Hearing this, Sif's eyes widened in surprise.

This was completely different from how she had imagined the establishment of diplomatic relations between two powers would proceed.

But then she understood.

Trust!

This was trust between friends!

Suddenly, Sif's favorable impression of Lockhart increased dramatically.

Thor, standing nearby, couldn't help but pat Lockhart on the chest after seeing such an easygoing attitude, with satisfaction in his eyes.

This was what friendship meant.

There was no need to scheme against each other for trivial benefits.

Lockhart showed complete trust in him.

He was indeed a good friend.

Lockhart sensed the change in their attitudes and was quite satisfied.

The agreement itself might seem important, but it wasn't really.

Because agreements could always be torn up.

For Lockhart, as long as he maintained a good relationship with Thor, the future King of Asgard, there was nothing to fear even if the agreement was broken.

Focus on what matters, focus on what matters.

The focus now wasn't on the treaty provisions, but on the relationship between the two parties.

With that in mind, Lockhart led Thor, Sif, and the others away from the teleportation square.

At the same time, Thor also said something to the honor guard behind them.

They would follow Lockhart and proceed forward.

As their prince and envoy left, this group of Asgardian honor guards who had just arrived in the Vientiane World were a bit stunned and uncertain.

But then, some of Lockhart's students came forward and began communicating with these warriors from Asgard and the beautiful honor guard.

Soon, the two sides seemed to be getting along, and the soldiers and beauties dispersed one after another.

Following Lockhart's students, they also left the teleportation square and walked toward Forest Avenue.

Captain Marvel, watching from a distance, didn't know what to make of the scene.

Is this how two powers establish diplomatic relations?

Why did it feel more like a casual reunion of good friends?

Compared to Captain Marvel's confusion, Coulson was filled with admiration.

He seemed to understand Lockhart's diplomatic strategy.

Seeing Captain Marvel's surprise, Coulson explained in a low voice.

"Ms. Danvers, Lockhart's approach is truly clever."

"He didn't even read the agreement and seemed to leave the decision completely to the Asgardians."

"However, you've seen how Lockhart's actions just now earned the trust of both the prince of Asgard and their envoy."

"With this kind of trust, the so-called agreement is just some words on parchment."

"Professor Lockhart is truly a smart man."

"He clearly understood the essence of this diplomatic relationship."

Chapter 583: The Rich Asgardians

Is Asgard powerful?

As the overlord of the universe, they are incredibly powerful.

On Earth, only the Sorcerer Supreme has the ability to challenge them.

In the Vientiane World, although Lockhart believed his strength was considerable, he was definitely not a match for Asgard.

This time, Asgard had chosen a very formal process for establishing trade and diplomatic relations.

To be honest, it was quite beyond Lockhart's expectations.

After all, with his current strength, unless the Sorcerer Supreme gave him backing, there was no way he could be considered Asgard's equal.

And yet Asgard had chosen to approach with the most dignified manner.

Lockhart, of course, could have chosen to treat the matter more seriously as well—perhaps summoning many students to form an impressive formation, or assembling a robot army to welcome the visitors.

At the very least, he could have created a specific grand scene by manipulating the Vientiane World itself.

But...

Would Lockhart be foolish enough to do this?

The power of Asgard was unquestionable.

If he had prepared to overshadow his guests or compete for attention...

It might suddenly arouse their competitive spirit.

No matter how good the relationship between Lockhart and Thor was, the subsequent trade negotiations would inevitably be affected.

Therefore, he chose the gentlest approach to handle things—talking about their shared past and emphasizing friendship.

Through this method of using softness to overcome strength, Asgard gained a good reputation.

At the same time, it brought the relationship between the two parties closer, ensuring that the subsequent trade process would not be affected in any way—or might even improve.

As for the prestige of the Vientiane World?

Frankly, Lockhart had always valued actual benefits the most. Face was nice to have, but not essential.

The large-scale research institute he had established dealt with real resources every day.

To be honest, the plan he was preparing to launch next would consume an even greater amount of resources.

Asgard's arrival at this time essentially gave Lockhart more confidence for his next venture.

The wealthy people of Asgard weren't called rich for nothing.

He remembered how Thor, that wealthy prince, had given him all the Destroyer armor fragments without a second thought.

And Lockhart had made a fortune from that.

Now, he was counting on the wealthy Asgardians to spend their money generously.

Open the doors and welcome them in.

Welcome, Asgard's big spenders!

At this moment, the Asgardian warriors and the beauties of the honor guard were following their guides through Forest Avenue, looking at the bustling shops on both sides of the street.

When they saw the red banners hanging above these stores, they couldn't help but nod with great satisfaction.

Everyone welcomed Asgard, and this gesture reflected the pride in their hearts.

Their favorable impression of the Vientiane World and its stores suddenly increased.

When the guide beside them noticed this, he immediately began to gently suggest that a particular shop sold wonderful and exquisite magical toys.

The Asgardian beauty nearby immediately blinked her eyes with interest.

In just a few moments, a charming scene unfolded—the beauty entered the shop, followed closely by several Asgardian warriors.

Then...

The metaphorical sickle was swung high, and the customers flowed in like a harvest.

These big spenders from Asgard walked out of the store carrying armfuls of magical weapons, toys, and potions.

The store owner followed them to the door, tearfully waving and inviting them to visit again.

Well, at that moment, he had made ten times his normal profit with tears of joy in his eyes.

What a mistake—he thought he should have doubled the prices again!

As expected of wealthy customers, every one of them exuded the aura of prosperity.

The Vientiane World was huge, and soon the beauties and warriors from Asgard spread out in different directions.

They were attracted by the various shops, leisure places, and restaurants throughout the Vientiane World.

Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, who was watching from the side, was stunned when she saw this scene.

So this was how you separated wealthy visitors from their money!

Coulson beside her couldn't help but look envious at the sight.

Then...

"Hey, Director, it's like manna from heaven!"

"Hurry up and bring the firearms, toys, and all kinds of goods we sell to the Vientiane World."

"Put them in our shop—these Asgardians are incredibly rich."

"Whether S.H.I.E.L.D. can profit from this opportunity depends on how quickly we move."

Ignoring Captain Marvel, Coulson made several calls in succession, reporting the news to Director Fury and giving orders to his agents.

Stock up quickly, stock up quickly!

Who knew when these Asgardians might be lured away by other vendors?

The sooner they could make sales, the sooner they would profit.

At the same time, Lockhart observed the enthusiastic shopping spree of the Asgardians through the Vientiane World's monitoring system and couldn't help but nod with great satisfaction.

However, he soon focused his attention on Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three seated across from him.

"Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun, it's been a long time, but you're still as impressive as ever."

At the dinner table, Lockhart greeted the three Asgardian warriors respectfully.

Hearing Lockhart's compliment, the three of them couldn't hide their smiles.

"Long time no see, Lockhart. I didn't expect you to create such a huge world in such a short period of time," Volstagg said, looking around the huge and luxurious floating restaurant with admiration.

"Just a stroke of luck, just a stroke of luck," Lockhart replied humbly.

However, Thor would not let Lockhart be so modest.

"There's no such thing as luck. Don't be humble, Lockhart," Thor said with a smile. "My father praised you not long ago."

"He said you are a rare sorcerer among the Nine Realms."

Hearing this, Lockhart's expression changed slightly. Odin, the All-Father, knew about him and had praised him?

Such a powerful being would never idly praise others without reason.

"Come, come, sit down and eat," Lockhart said, not pursuing the topic further. "Try the magical delicacies of our world."

"Many wizards love them."

"And the wine, of course."

At his signal, various robot servers carrying platters of food and bottles of spirits slowly descended to the dining table.

Smelling the strong aroma of the wine, Thor and the Warriors Three's eyes suddenly lit up.

There was no warrior in Asgard who didn't love good wine.

Thor directly picked up a bottle of strong liquor, opened it without bothering with a glass, and started drinking straight from the bottle.

The Warriors Three and Sif did the same.

Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!

The spirits in the bottles visibly diminished as the sounds of enthusiastic swallowing continued.

"Now that's good wine!"

CRASH!

After Thor finished drinking, he sighed in appreciation, then smashed the empty bottle on the ground with a loud bang.

The other warriors followed suit.

Well, that was the custom in Asgard.

Lockhart, of course, did as the Asgardians did, and after drinking, he also smashed his bottle.

Then, naturally, he invited everyone to eat, drink, and chat.

He had to admit that sharing food and drink was indeed the best way to build relationships.

The connection between Lockhart, Sif, and the Warriors Three obviously grew stronger.

Thor relaxed completely, drinking wine, eating meat, and talking loudly.

Soon, laughter filled the air.

Suddenly...

"By the way, Lockhart, we may have to stay on Earth a little longer this time," Thor mentioned casually.

"Father has given us a mission."

Chapter 584: The Art of the Deal

"Distinguished guest from Asgard, please take a look at these technological weapons from Earth, like this heavy machine gun known as the Death Vortex."

"Just press it lightly, and in an instant, a massive amount of bullets will spray out like a gust of wind, crushing all enemies in front of you."

"Dear guest, let's examine this Hell Grenade, a weapon from the same series. It doesn't require magic power or any form of energy. It only needs the touch of a button..."

"I'll take this, this, and... except for these two, I'll take all the others. Please send them to me."

The red-haired warrior from Asgard pointed at the various weapons, casually excluding only two small and exquisite ones.

"Of course, sir." In an instant, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's face lit up with ecstasy. "I'll prepare them for you right away."

As expected of a wealthy visitor from Asgard—they purchased everything without hesitation.

And that was even after the prices had been raised tenfold!

Agent Coulson was right—they deserved this good fortune.

Stock up, stock up quickly!

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent couldn't help but swallow when he calculated his approximate sales commission.

"Sir, your total comes to 1.6 million magic points." The agent's face showed deep satisfaction.

Since the shop's opening, their total sales hadn't reached even half this amount.

After hearing this, the red-haired warrior waved his hand dismissively, unconcerned about such a huge sum.

He placed some ore stones, herbs, and gold coins on the counter.

"Just a small token," he said.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's expression remained professionally pleasant as he watched the elf robot beside the red-haired man.

The robot immediately flew forward, its eyes glowing with silvery light. It hovered over the ores, herbs, and gold coins, gently touching each item.

Soon, the elf flew back up and announced loudly: "Peters, our distinguished guest from Asgard, has offered goods valued at 1 million magic points according to the Vientiane System."

The robot paused slightly before continuing: "According to Lord Lockhart's instructions, all guests from Asgard will receive a 20% discount on all purchases during the first three days of their visit."

"Mr. Peters, you only need to pay 800,000 magic points."

"Do you agree to this deal?"

The people of Asgard had just arrived in the Vientiane World and naturally wouldn't have magic points on hand.

If they had to apply for prototype cards individually and then redeem super rebate points, the process would be too cumbersome.

Therefore, the elf robots accompanying them naturally took on the important tasks of valuation and transfer.

This was all designed to encourage the Asgardians' enthusiastic spending.

After hearing this, the red-haired warrior Peters couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.

Lockhart, the Lord of Vientiane, was worthy of being the crown prince's best friend—he was indeed generous.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent heard this too, but his expression didn't change at all.

He still looked expectantly at this wealthy visitor from Asgard—no, this distinguished guest.

Before Asgard's arrival, everyone had received relevant notifications.

Because of this, almost everyone had raised their prices in unison.

Those who increased prices two or three times were considered conscientious, while S.H.I.E.L.D. had quietly raised them tenfold.

Even with a 20% discount, they would still earn five times their normal profit.

"I should have increased the price 100 times," the agent thought. "These big spenders would probably still buy everything."

That would have been true profit!

This thought flickered through the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's mind but disappeared instantly.

The Vientiane World had its own price supervision system.

Ten times was already the limit.

The last time he'd set prices at 50 times normal, he had received a serious warning.

"Agreed!" Peters, the red-haired warrior, waved his hand proudly.

It wasn't much money to him—just some ores, herbs, and gold coins. Asgardian gold coins alone were worth plenty here.

But who was he?

His father was an Asgardian fire deity, so this small amount was nothing but pocket change.

"Mr. Mordo, your store account has been credited with 800,000 magic points. Please verify," announced the Vientiane World system in the agent's ear.

The smile on S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Mordo's face grew even brighter.

"Thank you, distinguished guest! Please visit us again soon. Our store will be preparing even more powerful weapons for your next visit."

Standing at the door, Mordo waved enthusiastically as the red-haired warrior walked away.

At this moment, Captain Marvel looked at the scene before her and was speechless.

Although Earth's weapons weren't terrible, when compared to those in the wider universe, they were just basic items that still relied on chemical reactions.

Most advanced civilizations had moved on to energy weapons long ago.

Yet these Asgardians were throwing money around like it was nothing.

Coulson beside her couldn't hide his joy after witnessing the transaction. They had earned more in one sale than the store had made since its opening.

Sorcerers were usually just curious about technological weapons, and most looked down on them.

They might buy two or three pieces to try out, at most.

Who would have thought that these wealthy Asgardians would buy nearly everything in stock?

"Director Coulson, all the merchandise in our store is sold out. We've made at least 780,000 magic points this time. We need to restock quickly."

"We need support from headquarters."

"These Asgardians don't know market prices at all. We're making pure profit."

"I don't want to miss this opportunity. Who knows when we'll have another chance to earn so many magic points?"

Mordo approached Coulson and reported excitedly.

"Good, good. I've already contacted the Director. Additional resources are on the way," Coulson replied, trying to maintain a professional demeanor despite his obvious satisfaction.

Captain Marvel looked at the two of them wordlessly.

Walking to the door, she observed the Asgardians wandering around and the sorcerers shopping.

A strange feeling came over her as she gazed at the scene.

Earth, her homeland.

It seemed that its truest nature was being revealed before her eyes.

What a pity that such peaceful prosperity had been lost and destroyed in her own timeline.

Nick Fury's request came to mind.

Carol's thoughts cleared, her eyes sharpened with resolve, and she turned and walked back toward S.H.I.E.L.D.'s weapon store.

Approaching Coulson, she said firmly: "Let's go. I've seen enough."

"Arrange a meeting for me with Gilderoy Lockhart, the Master of the Vientiane World."

When Coulson heard this, his expression changed from joy over their earnings to serious professionalism.

Looking at this powerful female warrior, he nodded solemnly: "Of course, Ms. Danvers. I'll make all the necessary arrangements."

Chapter 585: Suspicious Vaccines

UK, London, a TV station.

"After discussions between the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the House of Commons, a series of strategies and decisions were recently announced to promote economic and cultural recovery."

"These include carrying out large-scale infrastructure construction projects to improve efficiency and sustainability in areas such as transportation, communications and energy."

"In terms of education, we will strengthen skills training and improve the education system..."

"To ensure the safety of citizens and increase the coverage of new vaccinations, they will be provided free of charge..."

"Cultural prosperity is an important part of spiritual construction. The government will invest 1 to 2 billion pounds in cultural promotion and cultural construction, striving to showcase British culture through movies, TV series, and other media, and promote the prosperity of the cultural market."

"Make Britain great again—this is the Prime Minister's ardent wish for the people and the future."

In the studio, two hosts—one male and one female—were delivering today's news report with serious expressions.

Although they had rich hosting experience and had read the speech script countless times in preparation, they couldn't help but become impassioned when promoting this news to the public under the camera's gaze.

It seemed as if they had glimpsed a bright future and a beautiful picture.

This initiative was truly unprecedented in recent decades.

Neither had expected that the gentlemen in the Cabinet and the House of Commons would be willing to spend so much money to promote the economic development of the United Kingdom.

Simply counting the amounts mentioned in the broadcast, the total approached hundreds of billions of pounds.

Although it was still in the planning stage, the words had been spoken publicly—there would be no backing down now.

Time passed, and today's news broadcast came to an end.

"That's all for today's news. We'll see you tomorrow."

Just as the words fell, there was a click sound inside the studio, and the two hosts breathed a sigh of relief.

They relaxed in their chairs and started chatting.

"Harrison, what day is your vaccine appointment? Mine is today."

"That's great. Mine is today too. I'm going to get vaccinated with everyone else later," Harrison said casually while organizing the papers on the table.

"Harrison, how much do you know about this vaccine? Why is it such a big deal? Everyone at the station is required to get vaccinated. It seems to be a political priority," female host Alicia asked with some confusion.

"I asked a friend about this specifically. It's said that a new type of influenza came from the United States. It's very dangerous. Many people even died in New York."

"I suppose that's a good reason for the urgency," Alicia nodded thoughtfully.

The two continued chatting.

After each broadcast, there was a short break where they cleaned up and rested while talking.

Soon...

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Harrison, Alicia, come out. The bus arranged by the station has arrived. Let's go get vaccinated."

The two who were chatting heard a knock on the door and someone urging them from outside.

They looked at each other, stood up, and walked out.

After the person who reminded them briefly told them the location, they hurried off.

After all, today was the first day of vaccination, and many people had signed up.

Harrison and Alicia walked toward the meeting place while chatting.

"Harrison, today's news must be explosive, but who knows how much of it will actually happen."

"You don't trust those politicians?"

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, it's better than nothing."

"As long as it doesn't affect our benefits."

"That's right," Alicia responded to Harrison's answer after a moment's thought.

Although those politicians were a bit unreliable, as long as they didn't cause any harm, there was no problem.

Otherwise, they could always join the union and go on strike.

Soon they arrived at the meeting place and saw several buses. Following the staff's instructions, they found their seats and sat down.

Harrison took out his mobile phone and started browsing the internet.

With practiced movements, he opened his browser, entered a series of URLs, and logged into an account.

Then...

"Welcome Agent James back to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. What valuable information did you gain today? Please submit your report."

"Attention: There are still two days until this week's work report is due."

A request for information popped up on his phone screen, along with a notification about the weekly report.

Harrison cursed inwardly.

His mental comments about S.H.I.E.L.D. were less than complimentary, with thoughts about their stinginess and unreasonable expectations.

However, his fingers didn't slow down, tapping rapidly on the screen.

"Today's news evaluation: average."

"Mostly well-known policy information."

"However, there is one exception. The British government seems to take the vaccination issue very seriously. Reason unknown."

After typing this paragraph, Harrison paused slightly, seemingly reluctant to continue.

Then he resumed typing.

"The director of the TV station may have further knowledge about the vaccine situation, but operational funds have been tight recently. I hope headquarters can provide more resources for investigation."

After typing this sentence, Harrison nodded with satisfaction and put away his phone.

Daily request for money: complete!

Then, Harrison looked outside the bus window.

Yes, he was an agent sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. to maintain surveillance in the UK.

His position at the TV station gave him access to a lot of first-hand information, especially regarding political developments.

However, just a few seconds after he turned his head to look outside, suddenly...

Buzz!

His phone vibrated, notifying him of new information.

Harrison immediately became alert and picked up his phone to log in to the previous website again.

"Agent James, message received."

"Latest operational mission: Get the vaccine while protecting yourself."

What, no money approved?

After seeing the mission, this was Harrison's first thought.

He finally got a mission, but it turned out to be just that—a mission with no operational funds or additional resources.

Perhaps headquarters felt that getting a vaccine was too simple to require funding.

America, S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters

Agent Hill stood in the research laboratory, watching experts and doctors conduct vaccine testing.

Soon, a director in a white coat came forward to report to her.

"Deputy Director Hill, we've examined the 56 samples sent from the UK, and there's no difference from standard vaccines. Nothing abnormal was detected."

"Their effectiveness appears to be enhancing immunity and making targeted adjustments for some common influenza strains."

Listening to the report, Hill nodded expressionlessly.

Recent analysis of British intelligence had suggested there might be concerning anomalies.

But upon inspection, nothing unusual had been found.

Was there truly nothing wrong?

Or was it that they couldn't detect it, or that they hadn't found the key factor yet?