Chapter 207 Bant: No, you want me to do multiple-choice questions again?
Sokovia.
A small Eastern European country that only exists in Marvel.
Many Roman architectural styles are preserved here. It looks full of history but also a bit old.
Steve and Peter had been here a few months ago and destroyed the Hydra base in Sokovia.
At that time, Hydra had not yet obtained the Mind Stone, so Wanda and Quicksilver did not join Hydra.
They are only 19 years old now, which is the right time for them to go to college.
Of course, going to school was out of the question.
Unlike most people's stereotype of developed European countries, Sokovia is as poor as the countries in South America or Latin America. A large number of residents live in slums. They are pale and thin, with sunken cheeks and eye sockets.
There is only one international airport in the entire country, and it was built by Hydra that stayed here.
I have to say, it's really ironic.
Wakanda should distribute the international relief grants they receive to Sokovia. The people here are the ones who really need help.
For example, those older sisters who are too poor to wear clothes, standing outside their homes scratching their heads because of hunger, or covering their bodies, looking at everyone passing by, hoping that they can give them some protein to supplement their nutrition...
They need help so badly!
Of course, Bant did not dare to go, for any other reason than that he was a little worried.
He followed the address Eunice gave him and searched for Wanda and Pietro's home.
Along the way, there were many "kind-hearted people" holding knives to help Bant find the way. After Bant beat them with fists and feet to express his gratitude, he finally found his target.
This is a shabby-looking house. Many parts of the outer walls have aged and fallen off. There are sticky oil stains everywhere at the door, and there is a turbid smell in the air.
It was so shabby that a house like this would be out of place even in Hell's Kitchen, but here, it was just one of the thousands of Madam Sora's houses.
Bant stood at the door of the house and knocked gently. He was not an impolite guy like Nick Fury who couldn't even knock on the door.
There was no response from the house, but with Bant's hearing, he could hear slight noises inside.
He knocked three more times in succession, and then waited patiently.
He heard light footsteps from inside the door, moving towards the main door and then stopping. The footsteps were silent for a long time, separated by a broken door that could be removed with a little force.
Bant did not show any impatience.
He could feel that the person inside the door was probably observing him.
It was Wanda inside the door. Just as Bant had guessed, she was indeed observing the other person with great vigilance.
Although Bant's young face looked harmless, girls of her age would be more likely to be attracted to his appearance.
But in a place like Sokovia, especially in the backward neighborhood where she lived, the sudden appearance of a man like Bant meant something was abnormal.
The children living here are all dirty. If there is a pretty girl or boy in a family, their fate is destined to be miserable.
Otherwise, if she had mastered some witchcraft since she was a child, it would be impossible for her and Pietro to grow up together safely.
She felt something was odd, but no matter how Wanda looked at him, she didn't feel that there was anything special about Bant. Instead, he looked like an ordinary boy from a wealthy family.
In addition, she had witchcraft as a means to save her life, so after hesitating for a while, she slowly opened a crack in the door.
"Squeak-"
The wooden door made a sound of being overwhelmed.
Bant looked over when he heard the sound and happened to meet Wanda's exposed eye.
"who are you?"
"Bant Parker." Bant handed her a business card.
Wanda took it, glanced at it casually, then put her hand on the door and said, "Sorry, I don't know you..."
After saying that, she was about to close the door again.
Seeing this, Bant quickly held the door and said, "I know you don't know me, but I'm here to look for you and your brother."
Wanda was stunned.
I wondered if my brother would get into trouble again.
In order to make a living, Pietro joined a local small gang, which made Wanda very worried about him, fearing that he would be in danger.
Therefore, when Wanda heard Bant mention Pietro, she immediately became nervous and said quickly:
"What happened to my brother?"
"Don't hurt him!"
"I can give you whatever you want!"
Bant: ???
This line sounds a little wrong, doesn't it?
Should I say next: Wanda, you don’t want anything to happen to your brother, do you?
This is American comics, not Japanese comics!
Savor the taste!
"Ahem, you misunderstood, Ms. Maximov," Bant said. Maximov is Wanda's last name.
"I know that you and your brother have some special abilities, so I want to invite you to join us... I think you should know about the Battle of New York a few days ago, right?"
After hearing this, Wanda immediately understood.
The war of the Chitauri invasion has long been known to the whole world.
Since the war ended in Manhattan and the only place destroyed was New York, it is still called the Battle of New York. "So, you are an Avenger?"
Wanda's expression became complicated.
On the one hand, she did know that the Avengers were protecting Earth, but on the other hand, Tony Stark was also among the Avengers.
It cannot be said that Sokovia’s current poverty and backwardness have nothing to do with Stark. When Stark Industries was still selling weapons, Sokovia had been plagued by war.
Her parents and neighbors died in the war, and even she and Pietro were almost killed by a missile. To this day, she can still remember the English words on the missile.
Stark!
He was just a murderer, but now he has transformed into a superhero who saves the world.
Maybe Tony Stark did pay a lot, but all this is too absurd and ridiculous for those who died under the missiles made by Stark Industries.
"Go away. I won't join the Avengers."
After saying that, Wanda immediately closed the door.
"Wait, I'm not here for the Avengers."
Bant said, covering his face.
"Not an Avenger?"
Wanda was stunned for a moment, and then she heard Bant say: "The Avengers played a big role in the New York War, but don't forget that it was the Heavenly Association that decided the outcome of the war."
"Tian Gong?"
Wanda slowed down her movement to close the door and asked in confusion, "I know about the Tiangong Society. The huge spaceship that appeared at the end was the Tiangong Society, right? But I heard that the Tiangong Society is an organization founded by aliens..."
Why would an alien organization come to find me?
Wanda was confused.
Bant said: "To aliens, humans are also aliens, and the universe should be a big family."
"At that time, the space fleet that came to Earth was from the Tiangong Association headquarters. In fact, there was also a branch of Tiangong Association on Earth. I was the security officer of the Tiangong Association branch on Earth, and the person in charge."
Bant briefly explained the situation.
Then he decided to give Wanda something practical.
“I sincerely invite you and your brother Pietro to join the Tiangong Association. The current salary is one million US dollars a month.
"We can arrange a villa for you in Queens...We will work three days a week from 2pm to 6pm...We will provide free employee meals, all at the highest standard...We will pay for five insurances and two housing funds...We will allocate cars..."
Bant directly told Wanda about the employee treatment of the Tiangong Association. The list of benefits that came out of Bant's mouth made Wanda's brain crash.
A monthly salary of one million US dollars?
Allocate villas and anti-gravity cars?
Working 12 hours a week to learn about your superpowers?
Wanda glanced at Bant and wondered, is he speaking human language?
Why do I feel like I don’t understand something?
For her, who lives in Sokovia and whose income with Pietro is barely enough to support her life, one million dollars is probably more money than she can earn in several lifetimes.
And now, Bant put these benefits directly in front of her. She could get them immediately as long as she nodded.
"I...I need to discuss this with my brother." Wanda said, scratching her head.
"Of course, can you let me in and sit down?" Ben Te nodded.
Then Wanda opened the door with her eyes blank, as if she had lost her soul, and let Bant in.
Only at this time did Bant see Wanda's outfit clearly.
She was wearing a white shirt, but the color of the shirt was a little yellow. Bant followed her to the worn-out sofa. In front of him was a black and white TV that was even older than the one in Uncle Ben's house.
After Bant sat down, a mouse on the sofa jumped out as if startled and quickly slipped under the sofa.
The environment here is much worse than Hell's Kitchen. In comparison, the old houses in Queens are like mansions.
After a while, Wanda came over with a glass of slightly turbid water. She was counting on her fingers and muttering to herself as she handed it to Bant.
"How many zeros are there in a million? Five, six?"
"You have to change it into Sokovia's currency first," Bant reminded.
This made Wanda feel even more suffocated.
How could she understand this?
It was evening when Pietro came back.
As soon as he got home, he found a stranger in his house and immediately became as nervous as a hedgehog.
So Wanda briefly explained to him Bant's identity and purpose.
"Is everything you said true?"
He seemed more excited than Wanda.
To them, Sokovia was like a quagmire, trapping them, suffocating them, and unable to escape.
If they could really join the Tiangong Association, it would be a good choice for them.
But he still had a problem.
"If we want to deal with Tony Stark in the future, who will you help?"
When hearing this question, Bant always felt like the Captain and Iron Man had asked him separately who he supported.
Bant: Why do I always have to do multiple-choice questions?
(End of this chapter)