​​Chapter 54: The Titan's Scheme · Submit or Annihilate​

Aurora‌
Shackled by the energy-draining collars, the heroes were踉跄地押出 (liàngqiàng de yā chū -踉跄地押出) the冰冷的囚牢 (bīnglěng de qiúláo -冰冷的囚牢), stumbling through the grand yet oppressive metal corridors of Sanctuary II. Each step aggravated their injuries; the hum of the energy shackles was like a death countdown, relentlessly eroding their remaining willpower.
The end of the corridor opened into a vast, cavernous bridge. Thanos was not seated upon his高高在上的王座 (gāogāo zàishàng de wángzuò -高高在上的王座). Instead, he stood with his back to them before an enormous viewport, gazing down at the blue planet suspended in the black void—Earth. The Power Stone and the newly acquired Mind Stone on the Infinity Gauntlet glowed with a心悸的微光 (xīnjì de wéiguāng -心悸的微光) in the dim light.
The members of the Black Order—Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, Ebony Maw, Cull Obsidian, Supergiant—stood like冰冷的雕像 (bīnglěng de diāoxiàng -冰冷的雕像) on either side, their gazes森然 (sēnrán -森然) fixed upon the captured heroes.
The air was thick with a近乎凝滞的沉重压力 (jìnhū níngzhì de chénzhòng yālì -近乎凝滞的沉重压力).
Thanos turned slowly. His gaze was calm, yet carried an authority that seemed to pierce through souls, sweeping over this group of battered, yet still defiantly upright "trophies."
"Your world," his voice was低沉而富有磁性 (dīchén ér fùyǒu cíxìng -低沉而富有磁性), echoing in the空旷的大厅 (kōngkuàng de dàtīng -空旷的大厅), not激昂 (jī'áng -激昂), but imbued with不容置疑的力量 (bùróng zhìyí de lìliàng -不容置疑的力量), "is full of vitality, and also... chaos. Unrestrained proliferation, greedy consumption—it will inevitably lead to self-destruction. I have seen too many such cycles."
His eyes lingered on Captain America, Iron Man, and the others.
"You are the most powerful individuals on this planet. You possess strength, yet use it to维护一个注定崩溃的秩序 (wéihù yīgè zhùdìng bēngkuì de zhìxù -维护一个注定崩溃的秩序)." He shook his head slightly, as if in regret. "It is futile."
Tony Stark attempted a冷笑 (lěngxiào -冷笑), but it triggered his internal injuries, causing him to cough. "Cough... So? Are you here... to give us a lecture,哲学老师 (zhéxué lǎoshī -哲学老师)?"
Thanos showed no anger. Instead, he took a step forward. "I bring order. Balance. Not utter destruction. Your planet, your people, still have a future—within a new, more efficient system."
He raised the Infinity Gauntlet. The Mind Stone emitted a柔和却致命的橙黄色光芒 (róuhé què zhìmìng de chénghuángsè guāngmáng -柔和却致命的橙黄色光芒).
"Resistance is futile. Sacrifice is meaningless. Submit to me. Assist me in governing this planet. Guide your people... to willingly integrate into the new order." His words were like a恶魔的低语 (èmó de dīyǔ -恶魔的低语), full of诱惑与威胁 (yòuhuò yǔ wēixié -诱惑与威胁). "This will minimize unnecessary casualties and preserve the seeds of your civilization."
"Willingly?" Steve Rogers, Captain America, lifted his head sharply. Despite his pallor, his eyes were sharp as an eagle's. "Your idea of 'willingly' is to control their minds with that?" He stared at the Mind Stone.
"Control is for guidance. For the greater good," Thanos replied calmly. "It is better than allowing them to face utter annihilation in chaos and rebellion. You are their protectors, are you not? Then, choosing the path that allows the most to survive... that is the true act of 'heroes'."
"Bullshit!" Thor roared, straining against his枷锁 (jiāsuǒ -枷锁), faint sparks of electricity flickering across his body. "Asgardians never yield to tyrants! Not to you, nor to that monkey!"
"Monkey?" Thanos's brow furrowed slightly,似乎捕捉到了 (sìhū bǔzhuō dàole -似乎捕捉到了) this interesting word. "Your previous injuries... came from another powerful being?" He had indeed sensed the残留的强大能量 (cánliú de qiángdà néngliàng -残留的强大能量).
"None of your concern!" T'Challa, the Black Panther, said沉声道 (chénshēng dào -沉声道). "Wakanda kneels only to freedom!"
Thanos's gaze swept over their累累伤痕 (lěilěi shānghén -累累伤痕) and能量枯竭的状态 (néngliàng kūjié de zhuàngtài -能量枯竭的状态),似乎明白了什么 (sìhū míngbáile shénme -似乎明白了什么).
"I see," he nodded. "So you have already endured a艰苦的战斗 (jiānkǔ de zhàndòu -艰苦的战斗),耗尽力量 (hàojìn lìliàng -耗尽力量). This only proves the hopelessness of your resistance. As you are now, you cannot even withstand the smallest fraction of power from a single stone on my gauntlet."
He slowly raised the Infinity Gauntlet. The purple light of the Power Stone began to intensify.
"Submit. Or..." his voice turned冰冷 (bīnglěng -冰冷), "I will strip you of your power, crush your will utterly, and build the new order directly upon your ruins. That will be... far more painful. And the outcome... will not change."
A恐怖的威压 (kǒngbù de wēiyā -恐怖的威压) descended like a physical force. The light of the Power Stone锁定 (suǒdìng -锁定) each hero, as if ready to annihilate them, body and soul, in the next instant!
Corvus Glaive's blade pressed against Captain America's back.
Proxima Midnight's spear pointed at Iron Man's forehead.
Ebony Maw's telekinetic grip tightened around Thor's throat.
Cull Obsidian's massive axe hovered over Black Panther's head.
Supergiant's psychic power, like venomous snakes,钻入 (zuān rù -钻入) the minds of Scarlet Witch and Vision.
Life or death. Freedom or奴役 (núyì -奴役). Dignity or survival... The残酷的选择 (cánkù de xuǎnzé -残酷的选择) was laid bare before the heroes.
Tony Stark's face was铁青 (tiěqīng -铁青),纳米战甲的残片 (nàmǐ zhànjiǎ de cánpiàn -纳米战甲的残片)不安地流动 (bù'ān de liúdòng -不安地流动) beneath his skin.
Steve Rogers gritted his teeth, muscles trembling against the枷锁 (jiāsuǒ -枷锁).
Thor's eyes crackled with lightning, but his divine power felt死死压制 (sǐsǐ yāzhì -死死压制) by the宝石的力量 (bǎoshí de lìliàng -宝石的力量).
T'Challa, Natasha, Clint... each faced unprecedented煎熬 (jiān'áo -煎熬).
To surrender meant背叛信仰 (bèipàn xìnyǎng -背叛信仰), leading their people into slavery.
Not to surrender meant immediate death, and the possibility of an even more残酷的统治方式 (cánkù de tǒngzhì fāngshì -残酷的统治方式) under Thanos.
Thanos waited patiently, like a spider俯瞰着猎物 (fǔkàn zhe lièwù -俯瞰着猎物). He sought not only to conquer their bodies but to break their will, to make them "willingly" become tools of his rule.
"Choose," he said finally, his voice like the final judgment.
The reflections and不甘 (bùgān -不甘) born in the prison cell were once again replaced by残酷的生存抉择 (cánkù de shēngcún juézé -残酷的生存抉择) in the face of absolute power and冰冷现实 (bīnglěng xiànshí -冰冷现实). The heroes fell into the deepest silence and struggle.