"The detailed construction plan for the Teleportation Array has already been transmitted to the system terminal. With your clearance, you can access it directly. Tony and the others don't have the energy to focus on this right now, but fortunately, Camp Lehigh no longer relies on just one or two people for research and development. So you can oversee and coordinate this mission as you see fit.
"As for the Teleportation Array on the other end, for now, we can only rely on the one I left behind, so there's no need to rush. Once the Teleportation Array on our side is completed, we can perform a one-time transfer, send over all the necessary equipment in one go, and build the Array there directly. After it's finished, we'll return."
After laying out his thoughts in one breath, Natasha's voice came back through the line. "Understood."
"Not going to ask why?" Arthur smiled.
"Your decisions don't require questioning," Natasha replied with a faint laugh, then changed the subject. "Does Mr. Scott meet your expectations?"
"He's rather slow," Arthur said, glancing toward the kitchen. "But not beyond saving. If he's someone Hank values, then at least in terms of overall direction, there shouldn't be any major issues."
"That's good." Natasha paused. "Anything else I should take note of?"
"Yes. Before transferring to Vormir, inform me. And don't make the Teleportation Array over there too conspicuous."
Arthur gently rubbed the rim of the cup in his hand. "Perhaps… everything will end there."
Earth truly ought to stay far from the battlefield. Arthur had no desire for someone like Thanos to set foot here, let alone fight here.
If possible, let it be Vormir. Or Titan. Anywhere but Earth would be acceptable.
After ending the call with Natasha, Arthur silently calculated his thoughts and let out a soft sigh.
…
…
The following days were relatively peaceful.
Arthur spent his time being lovey-dovey with Lily, while his main task during the day was staying with Scott.
Either launching ambushes or counter-ambushes, every night inevitably ended with Scott taking a beating. But as time passed, the guy was at least able to dodge a punch or two.
That surprised Arthur somewhat. Scott clearly had potential for growth, though how far he could ultimately go remained uncertain.
One evening, after picking Lily up from work and finishing dinner, she suddenly said, "Oh, by the way, there's a company gathering tomorrow. They said we can bring family members…"
"Oh?" Arthur asked. "What time?"
"After work." Lily looked at him expectantly. "Can you make it?"
"At least for the near future, my evenings belong entirely to you," Arthur said with a smile. "Besides, it's about time I got to know your colleagues a little."
"Exactly." Lily snorted lightly. "If you don't show up soon, they'll all start thinking I'm single."
"Is someone plotting something?" Arthur immediately grew alert.
"It would be weirder if no one were," Lily said, hands on her hips. "I'm this outstanding!"
Arthur laughed. "Can't argue with that. Full approval."
"Pfft…" Lily rolled her eyes at him. "Seriously, how many guys with bad intentions have I already dealt with? You big dummy, shouldn't you be more attentive?"
"Yes, yes, Lady Arthur speaks wisely. Here, have a piece of braised pork to calm your nerves."
Amid laughter and teasing, dinner came to an end.
And the night passed quietly.
The next evening, Arthur waited as usual outside Lily's company. When it was time to get out of work, he saw her coming downstairs with several young men and women.
Arthur stepped out of the car. He hadn't brought flowers or anything like that, he simply waved at her.
Lily immediately broke into a smile. After saying something to the people beside her, she quickly walked over to Arthur. "Have you been waiting long?"
"Not really." Arthur smiled, then looked at the group approaching them. "Aren't you going to introduce your colleagues?"
"Oh, right. They're all from our department." Lily pulled over a blonde girl in her twenties. "This is Penny. She's taken great care of me at the company."
"Oh my God, Arthur, the way you say that makes it sound like we've all been bullying you," said a blond young man wearing glasses, looking theatrically heartbroken. Then he turned to Arthur. "Nice to meet you, the legendary boyfriend. I'm Ilson, Ilson Percy. And for the record, I've taken good care of Arthur, too. By the way, your car is amazing. It looks fantastic."
"Thank you." Arthur shook his hand.
Lily stuck out her tongue at Arthur playfully, then went on to introduce the others one by one.
They were even more enthusiastic than Arthur had expected. But when they found out his car could only seat two people, they looked a little disappointed. Still, no one tried to compete with Lily for the front passenger seat.
After chatting and laughing for a while, they agreed to meet at the restaurant. Arthur and Lily then got into the car.
Once inside, Arthur let out a quiet breath. "Honestly, that wasn't easy."
"Dealing with people is always tiring," Lily glanced at him. "Did I make things difficult for you?"
"Not at all." Arthur looked at her, though there was a subtle undertone in his gaze. "They're all in the same field as you?"
"Yeah, they're all highly skilled professionals," Lily replied. "And they're really nice people. When I first joined the company, Penny helped me a lot. Ilson and the others also guided me in their respective areas so I could get up to speed quickly."
Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "Let's go. We shouldn't keep them waiting."
"Mm!" Lily fastened her seatbelt cheerfully. The joy in her heart was impossible to hide from her face.
Arthur smiled and started up Blackie.
…
…
The restaurant reserved by Lily's company was quite nice, warm yet luxurious. Whoever had made the reservation had clearly put in effort.
After meeting up with her colleagues in the hotel lobby, the group headed to a private dining room that looked very elegant.
"Has Ms. Bess not arrived yet?"
As soon as they sat down, Lily asked.
The others exchanged glances. Penny smiled. "She'll be here any minute."
As her words fell, footsteps sounded from the doorway. The door opened, and Natasha walked in, dressed in business attire and wearing glasses.
"Sorry I'm late."
When Arthur saw her, he quietly let out a breath. His expression didn't change much, but there was a faint feeling of… just as expected.
(End of Chapter)
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