Among the files on Ulysses Klaue and Wakanda, Chen Mo found a specially marked document. When he opened it, a photo of a black man with fierce, ruthless eyes appeared on the screen.
This was Erik Killmonger, a top mercenary who collaborated with Ulysses Klaue to steal and plunder vibranium around the world. He had graduated from MIT with a master's degree, joined the Navy SEALs, and was deployed to Afghanistan. There, he engaged in extensive killing with the detachment of someone playing a video game, earning him the nickname "The Butcher." He was also a member of the US Joint Special Operations Command—a powerful warrior with top-tier combat skills, physical prowess, and a brilliant tactical mind.
But Erik Killmonger's identity did not end there. His real name was N'Jadaka, and his father, N'Jobu, was the younger brother of the current Wakandan king, T'Chaka. As a young man, N'Jobu was sent to the United States as a spy on an assassination mission. While there, he fell in love with a woman and had a son with her. He subsequently settled in the United States, living with his wife and child in a bustling slum.
There, he witnessed his black compatriots suffering from oppression and discrimination, most living at the bottom of society and enduring great hardship. The radical N'Jobu wanted to arm them with vibranium weapons, lead them to overthrow all nations, and have Wakanda rule the world. Knowing his brother, King T'Chaka, would never support him, he sought out Ulysses Klaue. He revealed the secret of Wakanda and vibranium to him and helped him infiltrate the nation to steal a large quantity of the precious metal.
Unbeknownst to N'Jobu, his most trusted subordinate, James, was actually a Wakandan spy named Zuri, sent by King T'Chaka to monitor his progress. Ultimately, N'Jobu's plan was exposed. When T'Chaka personally arrived to take him back to Wakanda for trial, N'Jobu tried to shoot Zuri for his betrayal but was accidentally killed by T'Chaka. Afterward, T'Chaka did not bring N'Jobu's wife and son back to Wakanda but abandoned them in the American slums.
From the notes his father left behind, Erik Killmonger learned of his own lineage and came to understand N'Jobu's beliefs and past actions. The notes contained many details about Wakanda and the Black Panther. From the panther claw mark on his father's chest, Erik deduced that the one who had killed him was the Black Panther—T'Chaka.
Erik's heart filled with hatred for the man who had killed his father and abandoned him and his mother to fend for themselves in the slums. He constantly sought revenge. Through his own unremitting efforts, Erik Killmonger rose from a fatherless child in the slums to become a highly educated, intelligent, and powerful warrior, allying himself with Wakanda's greatest enemy, Ulysses Klaue.
However, what truly surprised Chen Mo was that Erik Killmonger was actually a Hydra spy!
It turned out that Hydra had long since discovered Wakanda's existence and had been conducting comprehensive surveillance on the nation. They had also uncovered N'Jobu's true identity and his cooperation with Ulysses Klaue. However, before Hydra could take further action, T'Chaka arrived in a Wakandan high-tech spaceship and accidentally killed N'Jobu while trying to save Zuri. So, Hydra simply recruited the abandoned Erik Killmonger, training him from a young age until he ultimately became a warrior loyal to their cause.
In the movie, Erik Killmonger snatched the throne from T'Challa, became the new king of Wakanda, and consumed the Heart-Shaped Herb, gaining immense power. Seeing this, Chen Mo had a thought, but also a concern: would the Heart-Shaped Herb negate the brainwashing effect, restore his original consciousness, and cause him to betray Hydra?
So, Chen Mo called Old Albert over, and his words dispelled Chen Mo's doubts.
"No, it won't," Albert shook his head and said with certainty. "Erik Killmonger was trained by Hydra from a young age. Our brainwashing is a subtle influence—not a simple overwrite of his original consciousness, but a complete cultivation and shaping of his ideology." At this point, Albert looked at Chen Mo. "His loyalty to Hydra has permeated his very soul, and no matter how powerful he becomes, that will not change."
Hearing Albert's explanation, Chen Mo finally felt completely at ease.
Seeing Chen Mo relax, Albert took the opportunity to explain Hydra's current brainwashing methods. The type of cultivation performed on individuals like Erik Killmonger from a young age requires a significant amount of time and effort. Therefore, only those selected from a young age who possess excellent talent and are groomed as core members are eligible. They are initially sent around the world as spies and intelligence agents. After accumulating merits and completing complex, rigorous evaluations that prove their abilities and absolute loyalty, they are allowed to enter top-secret bases and officially become internal core members of Hydra. There, they undergo enhancement with the Super-Soldier Serum. Afterward, depending on the circumstances, they either remain at the base or return to the outside world to execute more confidential missions. At the appropriate time, they are recalled to the base, frozen, and become Winter Soldiers.
Erik Killmonger was currently in the observation period, but his evaluation was largely complete. His performance in all aspects was perfect: his loyalty, strength, intelligence, and ability to handle events were all exceptional. Soon, he would qualify to enter the top-secret base and receive his enhancement.
Additionally, Crossbones, Brock Rumlow, was also at this stage and performing equally well. However, one had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. as a special forces captain—essentially a cop—while the other associated with arms dealers, helping him steal vibranium weapons—a mercenary who had killed countless people, essentially a criminal. Under Hydra, there were many others like them. They operated under various identities, hidden within governments, organizations, and gangs worldwide, providing a wealth of important intelligence to Hydra while carrying out their distinct missions. Currently, they were merely Hydra's recruits; in the future, they would become its backbone.
Besides this foolproof method of cultivation, Hydra also employed simpler, more brutal brainwashing techniques. Using specialized equipment and hypnotic techniques, targets could be brainwashed in a short period. However, the drawbacks were obvious: after brainwashing, their mental faculties were affected, preventing them from completing complex tasks, and they could only be used as soldiers. This reminded Chen Mo of the Winter Soldier from the movie, who, after brainwashing, became disoriented, only knowing how to carry out orders and having lost all his past memories and emotions.
Furthermore, this method was not foolproof. As with the Winter Soldier, a sufficiently strong stimulus could cause their original memories and sanity to return, breaking the control. Regular maintenance brainwashing was required to maintain the state. Of course, Hydra was also researching more efficient and stable methods that could brainwash targets quickly with stable, lasting effects. A further goal was to preserve the subjects' memories and thoughts, enabling them to complete more complex tasks rather than just being killing machines.
Since Erik Killmonger's loyalty was unquestionable, Chen Mo's plan could proceed.
Later that day, Erik Killmonger and Ulysses Klaue had just successfully stolen an ancient vibranium weapon from a small museum. As Erik was driving away from the scene, the phone in his pocket rang. He pulled it out while driving, and the caller ID on the screen made his eyes narrow. He glanced at Ulysses Klaue beside him, who was engrossed in his new acquisition and paid no attention to the phone.
Seeing this, Erik answered, feigning nonchalance. A low, cold voice, devoid of emotion, came through the receiver, inaudible to Klaue. "Target, Ulysses Klaue. Mission, eliminate!"
The caller hung up immediately. Erik continued driving, putting his phone away as if nothing had happened. However, the look in his eyes grew cold, and a hint of killing intent flashed and was gone. Ulysses Klaue, still happily toying with the vibranium weapon, noticed nothing amiss.
Erik drove at breakneck speed to their temporary hideout, a secluded warehouse. "We're going to be rich! Let's celebrate properly!" Klaue said, grinning as he got out of the car and walked toward the warehouse, clutching the weapon.
Erik got out behind him but did not follow. Instead, he slowly drew the pistol from his hip holster and aimed it at Ulysses Klaue's back.
Bang!