Steve Rogers firmly disagreed with Kaecilius's methods.
The atmosphere grew tense again; the girls in powered armor even began squeezing their triggers. Steve knew that if he made even the slightest move, none of the agents behind him would survive. Solomon's private forces were absolutely loyal, irrationally so—these girls were magically created androids, each possessing strength far beyond that of a super soldier. They carried out their master's commands with unwavering and fanatical resolve, meaning they would execute orders without the slightest hesitation. Kamar-Taj's mages could at least be reasoned with, but those girls would never listen to anyone else.
Even under the threat of gun barrels and buzzing sword blades, Steve Rogers refused to compromise. He would never allow the agents behind him to be harmed. He believed that even if they had been tainted, the Avengers should be the ones to detain and treat them. Thus, the situation reached a stalemate.
"Too many agents have died today," he said. "A fully staffed special ops team sacrificed for nothing. I won't let it happen again."
"You realize the consequences of your choice, don't you?" Kaecilius asked curiously. "Some of the agents behind you are untainted. They would survive, because we only seek the corrupted ones. Steve Rogers, when you denounce Kamar-Taj's tyranny, why don't you look at your own hypocrisy? Evil deeds save lives, while good deeds squander them. Don't you find that amusing?"
Captain Rogers turned back to glance at the agents. His weary blinking seemed to reveal a soul that bore the true weight of his age. This constant distrust drained him. He had already abandoned part of his original plan, but he still needed to bring back Tony Stark—for the sake of both the Avengers and Stark Industries. Falcon clapped his shoulder in silent support. The agents who had followed them aboard the sky carrier also nodded in agreement.
It was well known that America treated its veterans as a growing liability. Despite numerous departments and policies to protect veterans' rights, the government always found ways to withhold their rightful benefits. Veterans made up 10% of the death row population; over 1.2 million out of 21 million veterans lacked health insurance; and more than 50,000 were homeless. Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars had a suicide rate 50% higher than civilians, often linked to substance abuse.
The veterans recruited into the Avengers were the elite. Screened by Agent Maria Hill, few were unqualified; their physical, mental, and professional standards were top-notch. Some had even been courted by the CIA.
Though many were drawn by Captain America's name and the salaries offered by Iron Man, seeing their commanding officer, the righteous hero of their childhood, standing up for them so fiercely moved them deeply. They had grown up on tales of Captain America. Now that he was embodying the very virtues they had idolized, it stirred a loyalty so fierce it was palpable. If not for the guns pointed at their heads, some might have thrown punches in his defense. Even so, their expressions showed they were ready to die with Captain Rogers, most of them at least.
"I admit it's hypocrisy," Captain Rogers said, seemingly encouraged. He turned back to Kaecilius. "But I believe it's something you'll never understand, mage."
"You have one last chance to accept inspection. If you walk away, we will find the corrupted ones in their sleep."
"Don't even think about it. We won't abandon a single person. That's what soldiers do. And life is not something that can be quantified."
"I've had enough of these philosophical debates. And frankly, I don't care what you think. The rules must be enforced," Kaecilius said with a shrug, stepping back to avoid the blood he anticipated. He turned to the helmeted Sisterhood officer and said, "Begin."
Solomon, meanwhile, was unaware of the escalating situation aboard the sky carrier—his work had already temporarily concluded. He believed Agent Victoria Hand and Stephanie could handle the aftermath. If every little mess still needed him, he thought, he might as well not have recruited any subordinates at all. Of course, he wasn't completely hands-off. After the battle, he approved a few documents via smartphone, including the method for handling the monster's remains.
Until now, the Eternal City had no experience dealing with large organic matter. The only remotely relevant experience came from recovering Chitauri remains after the Battle of New York. Compared to the relatively harmless Chitauri, the devouring worm's biomass was far more dangerous.
Agent Hand's method was blunt: she planned to encircle the contaminated area with fire-resistant buoys and flood the area with fuel, then ignite it to destroy the biomass completely. This method was far more efficient, thorough, and harder for the U.S. government to challenge compared to Shuri's proposed method of using oil tankers for environmentally friendly cleanup.
During a conference call, the intelligence and scientific departments argued fiercely over the approach—Solomon even heard what sounded like fists connecting. Ultimately, he chose Hand's method without hesitation. It was the only way to burn everything and retreat before U.S. military aircraft arrived. The three sky carriers then activated stealth mode and slipped through a portal, returning to their patrol routes.
Now was not the time to go to war with America—Solomon didn't even have the manpower to activate a cosmic battleship, let alone fight a superpower.
Solomon's hurried return to New York with Wanda wasn't just about retrieving the barefoot prophetess who had fled Kamar-Taj's sanctuary—that was just a side errand. The vampire corpse mutations had already confirmed that another cult had been involved. James Boone's copy of the Secrets of the Worm was full of errors; Solomon's real purpose was to investigate the cults recorded in Kamar-Taj's archives—specifically those specializing in the "Worm Summoning Technique"—to determine if they had revived.
There was also the alarming possibility that someone had deliberately revived a cult just to manipulate James Boone into acquiring that corrupted book.
Researching these records required massive effort and the help of experienced mages capable of reading ancient and dangerous grimoires. Until they found answers, Solomon worried that the enemy might target Wanda directly. Thus, he had specially arranged for her to stay in a secure room inside the New York Sanctum, festooned with enough protective charms to ward off long-range curses.
"I just went out to get some orange-peel duck! How was I supposed to know the crazy woman would run off on her own!"
"You go find that prophetess yourself. If you lose someone, you go bring them back—I have more important things to do." Without even turning around, Solomon threw Wong out of the deep archive chamber of the New York Sanctum. The lower edge of Solomon's deep crimson relic robe had turned ashen after brushing against the dusty stacks. This archive was a secret place, sealed off from junior stewards.
To protect every page inside, powerful magic was permanently cast over the towering, multi-story bookshelves. Solomon sneezed—not just from the dust. The temperature in the archive was cold enough to freeze a normal person in minutes. Apprentices could only access books here through the librarians.
"And you brought back a girl too!"
"Shut up!"
"I'm going to tell the Sorcerer Supreme! The Elder will tell the witch!"
------------------
If you're enjoying this novel, please check out my new work: I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS ⚡
Your support means a lot! Reading, commenting, or voting with Power Stones helps the story grow and reach more readers. 🙌
------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!
Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]