Chapter 18 Mysterious Organization
At the same time.
Near the coastline of Los Angeles.
There is a luxurious Villa covering a very large area here.
This is the private residence of Obadiah Stane.
At this time, Obadiah was sitting on the sofa in the center of the living room.
The decoration in the living room was extremely luxurious, with expensive carpets laid on the floor and huge chandeliers overhead.
But the Villa appeared exceptionally desolate.
Obadiah was holding a glass of red wine in his hand.
He gently swirled the wine glass, and his expression was extremely ugly.
He was recalling everything that happened today.
At the press conference this afternoon, Tony Stark announced in front of all the media that he was shutting down the Military orders of Stark Industries.
Lucas Stark went even further by directly issuing a harsh threat, saying that he would thoroughly investigate the company's internal accounts and find the mole.
He felt that the two brothers must have noticed something.
They must have found clues about weapon smuggling in Afghanistan, which was why they targeted him immediately upon their return.
Damn it!
Obadiah drained his wine in one gulp and heavily placed the glass on the glass coffee table.
Ever since he started letting his imagination run wild, the unwillingness and anger in his heart grew stronger and stronger.
He had worked hard for decades, dragging the giant ship of Stark Industries forward.
Ever since Howard Stark died, it was he who stabilized the company's stock price, and it was he who ran all over the World to win over Military orders.
When Howard was alive, he was the one doing the work.
After Howard died, he was the one who single-handedly propped up the company!
Tony only knew how to hide in the laboratory tinkering with those pieces of junk, and Luca was even more of a good-for-nothing who only knew how to waste company money chasing women!
In all fairness, did he not have any merit?
On the contrary, his contributions were still huge.
It could even be said that without him, there would be no Stark Industries of today.
At least that was what he thought.
But the point was, why should Tony and Luca, two kids who only knew how to eat, drink, and make merry, casually decide the fate of the company?
Just because their last name was Stark?!
This was simply a huge joke.
But he had to admit that the facts were indeed so.
With a single sentence, Tony cut off the company's most profitable business.
Luca didn't take him seriously at all and embarrassed him in public.
At that time, he was almost so angry that he laughed, and he hadn't wanted to endure it for a long time.
Why weren't they killed when they were in Afghanistan!
That's right, the kidnapping case two months ago was secretly planned by him.
He spent a large sum of money to bribe that group of Terrorists.
There was only one goal, and that was to kill Stark!
It was just a pity that that group of useless fools actually failed, letting the Stark Brothers run back alive.
Now, he had to find a way to get rid of them and completely control Stark Industries.
The more Obadiah thought about it, the angrier he became.
But fortunately, he was a shrewd businessman, and anger had not clouded his mind.
He began to carefully recall the reactions of Tony and Luca at the press conference, as well as Luca's remarks.
"Could they have extracted any clues from the mouths of those Terrorists? Fuck!!"
Obadiah had a sense of crisis that the matter was about to be exposed.
If the Stark Brothers really found out that he hired people to kidnap and assassinate them, then he would not only lose everything, but he would also spend the rest of his life in prison.
This was not what he wanted, and he must never let such a thing happen!
Just at this moment, the doorbell of the living room rang.
Obadiah frowned.
So late at night, who would come to visit him?
After a while, the nanny led a few people into the living room.
These few people were wearing identical black suits and wearing black ties.
What was strangest was that all of these people's faces wore featureless White masks.
This outfit appeared extremely eerie in the middle of the night.
Moreover, in the middle of the night, several masked men in black broke into his home; anyone would feel creeped out by this.
Obadiah put down his wine glass, stood up, not understanding who on earth they were.
But he guessed this was the group of people who contacted him this afternoon.
He waved his hand and told the nanny to withdraw.
That's right.
This group of people inexplicably started contacting him this afternoon.
Not long after the press conference ended, his phone suddenly rang.
He originally thought it was the head of some junk project company promoting business.
But the other party told him directly on the phone: "If you want to get rid of the Stark Brothers, let's talk in your Villa tonight."
Obadiah was so startled that he broke out in a cold sweat on the spot, and immediately developed the intention to kill.
These few people actually knew his plan? And they knew that Luca and the others' kidnapping was planned by him!
Without a doubt, this was definitely his fatal weakness.
Obadiah immediately wanted to send assassins over to find the person who made the call and wipe them out.
He wanted to lose his temper on the phone at that time, but the other party said very calmly:
"I know what you are thinking. Our leader is very interested in this idea of yours. Do you understand? You certainly wouldn't want the Stark Brothers to know about your plan, would you?"
The other party was threatening him.
Obadiah instantly calmed down.
Since the other party could know his plan of hiring murderers, and also knew his secret number.
This could only explain one thing: the other party's intelligence capability must be very formidable.
If the other party published this evidence, he would be done for.
Thus, the scene where the nanny led people in just now happened.
"Gentlemen, dressing up like this to visit in the middle of the night is not a polite behavior."
Obadiah crossed his arms over his chest, trying to maintain his dignity, and asked coldly.
"Speak, who are you? What on earth do you want to do?"
Among those four people, the leader standing at the very front took a step forward.
A low and confident voice came from under the mask.
"Good evening, Mr. Obadiah. Who we are is not important. What's important is that we are here to help you achieve your wish."
The leader unceremoniously sat down on the opposite sofa, his tone full of the composure of controlling everything.
"Tonight, Lucas Stark and Tony Stark had a party together on a luxury yacht, called dozens of women, and drank a lot of alcohol. They have now gone to a hotel suite in the downtown area. I guess they will definitely let down their guard tonight."
The leader stared into Obadiah's eyes.
"Tonight is the best time to strike. We can completely get rid of them. And you, Mr. Obadiah, you will become the sole ruler of Stark Industries. Isn't this what you've always dreamed of?"
Obadiah was stunned.
He didn't react for a moment.
What does it mean to completely get rid of them? Could they be planning to assassinate Tony and Luca tonight?
This is too crazy! That is the place with the best security in all of Los Angeles!
But Obadiah had been rolling around in the business World for so many years, and he was definitely not a fool who would jump up just upon hearing empty promises.
He knew very well that there was no such thing as a free lunch in the World.
The other party possessed such a terrifying intelligence network, and even dared to directly assassinate the Stark Brothers.
And for them to go to such great lengths to help him, it must be driven by interests.
As long as there are interests, everything can be negotiated.
Chapter 19: Farewell, Stark Brothers
Obadiah maintained a calm facade as he questioned doubtfully,
"That does sound like a very tempting offer. However, there's no such thing as a free lunch."
"What do you actually want? Why help me?"
The leader laughed contemptuously.
"Our request is very simple!"
"From today onward, Stark Industries will be at our beck and call. You will cooperate with us to produce the weapons and equipment we need. You will become one of our organization's liaisons to the outside World."
Obadiah froze for a moment, then let out an amused laugh born of anger.
Was that even a serious proposal?!
I've worked hard for decades, and you want to redefine everything with a single sentence?
He stood straight up, resting his hands on his hips.
"What kind of joke are you playing? Isn't this just turning me into a string puppet?"
"I worked so hard to control the company so I could call the shots myself, not to be a dog for you! Do you really think I'm an idiot?"
"Fuck!!"
Obadiah pointed his finger at the leader.
"And what the hell is this organization you keep talking about? A few nobodies wearing Halloween masks dare to come and annex Stark Industries?!"
"I'm telling you, this is absolutely impossible, and it will never happen!!"
"I, Obadiah, will never be a slave!"
The leader sat on the sofa, remaining motionless.
Even in the face of Obadiah's rage, he paid it no mind whatsoever.
"You don't have the right to choose, Mr. Obadiah."
"We know everything about you. Yes, everything you've done."
"Including the invoices of weapons you secretly sold to Middle East warlords, and the wire transfer records of you hiring assassins to kill the Stark Brothers. All this evidence is in our hands right now. Do you understand the consequences of refusing us?"
Obadiah's face instantly turned pale.
Damn it, these people really knew everything.
Ignoring his reaction, the leader continued to press him.
"Besides, regarding the organization, I can only tell you that we control the governments and key forces of most countries in the World. Our influence spans every corner of the globe, and we are fully capable of getting rid of the head of a mega-corporation without anyone being the wiser."
The leader stood up, walked slowly over to Obadiah, and lowered his voice.
"It's merely a minor issue of changing leaders."
The leader leaned closer, his tone dripping with menace.
"But if you refuse our offer tonight... I imagine you certainly wouldn't refuse tomorrow's Sun rising as usual, right? After all, dead people can't see the Sun."
This was a death threat.
Obadiah's face was terrifyingly dark.
His mind raced at breakneck speed.
If it really was as the other party said, and they possessed such immense power and evidence,
then he truly had no right or room to choose.
Damn it! Who on earth were these people?!
When did such a secret organization pop up in the World?!
Obadiah remained silent for a long time.
He weighed the pros and cons repeatedly in his heart.
If he didn't agree, he might die tonight, or go to prison tomorrow for murder.
If he agreed, although he would be a puppet, at least he would get Stark Industries in name.
Well, to stay alive, some unnecessary bottom lines could seemingly be abandoned.
A few minutes later.
Obadiah sat back down on the sofa.
As it turned out, he compromised.
"I have one more question," Obadiah asked, staring at the leader reluctantly.
"If you insist on finding a proxy, why choose me instead of the Stark Brothers?"
"As everyone knows, both brothers are rare geniuses. The technology in Tony's brain is twenty years ahead of the World. Although Luca is a bastard, his achievements in biology and chemistry are equally number one in the World. Wouldn't controlling them be more suitable and far more lucrative for you?"
The leader seemed to have long anticipated that Obadiah would ask this.
He also sat down, his tone growing lighter.
"We thought about this long ago. But you know the Stark Brothers' personalities better than we do. They are people who will absolutely never obey orders."
"Tony Stark is arrogant, and Lucas Stark is a bastard with zero sense of morality. They will never obediently comply. So do you think it's necessary for us to waste time on them?"
Obadiah nodded and took a deep breath.
With the other party putting it like that, what else could he say?
He had to admit that they saw through the weaknesses of human nature with extreme clarity.
He acknowledged this reasoning; that pair of brothers truly were uncontrollable lunatics.
And they had always been that way.
"Fine."
Obadiah said no more and chose to accept reality.
"So what do you plan to do tonight? And what am I supposed to do?"
The leader stood up and adjusted his suit.
"We will send professional assassins from the organization to the hotel to eliminate them. Our assassins are extremely professional and won't leave any traces."
"You just need to stay quietly at home and take over everything at the company after it's done. When the time is right, our people will naturally find you."
Having said that, without waiting for Obadiah's response,
the several masked men turned together and walked toward the door.
Reaching the doorway, the leader paused and glanced back at Obadiah.
"Enjoy your evening, Mr. Obadiah. Remember to open a bottle of fine wine to celebrate. Starting tomorrow, you will no longer have to care about that pair of brothers' moods."
With that, they pushed open the door and disappeared into the night.
Obadiah sat alone in the living room.
Once they had really left and he confirmed there was no sound,
he suddenly grabbed the wine bottle on the table and smashed it violently against the wall.
The bottle shattered instantly, red wine trickling down the wall like a pool of blood.
"These damned bastards! How dare they threaten me!"
Obadiah cursed bitterly with a dark face.
He thoroughly hated the feeling of being held by the throat.
However, after venting his anger, he gradually calmed down.
In his mind emerged the arrogant expressions Tony and Luca had shown at the press conference today.
Obadiah smiled—a very confident smile.
He thought that actually, this wasn't bad either.
Since someone was willing to do the dirty work for him, why shouldn't he be happy to sit back and profit?
"Damned Luca, damned Tony."
"So what if you're geniuses? So what if you're billionaires? Even if you were lucky enough to escape from Afghanistan, tonight you will still die in a woman's bed. Your end has come after all."
Hearing the sound of something breaking, the housekeeper hurried in.
Obadiah waved his hand, signaling the housekeeper to quickly clean up the glass shards on the floor.
After waiting for the housekeeper to finish cleaning up and exit the living room,
he walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a full glass.
He then raised the glass and offered a toast to the air.
"Farewell, Stark Brothers."
Obadiah smiled happily.
He downed the liquor in his glass in one gulp, finding that it tasted sweeter than usual.
He was already starting to fantasize about taking over the company tomorrow morning.
That would be the most wonderful scene in the World—and, of course, a scene belonging solely to him.
Chapter 20: Advanced Technology
Looking across the vast ocean and halfway around the Earth, we arrive in hot, dry Afghanistan.
This was a desert region filled with endless yellow sand.
The Sun hung high in the sky, its scorching light baking the Earth.
Deep in this desolate, uninhabited place, a massive Base had originally been hidden.
But now, it had been reduced to a pile of ruins.
Scattered across the scorched Earth were rubble and scrapped weapons.
Firearms melted into molten iron, vehicles torn apart by brute force, and wreckage burned to charcoal.
All of this silently attested to how terrible a battle had taken place here.
The heavy stench of gunpowder and charred remains still lingered in the air.
At this moment, atop a high sand dune near the ruins, a squad of people stood silently.
This group numbered about twenty people.
They were all dressed in uniform black combat gear, holding sophisticated weapons.
Windproof masks covered their faces, revealing only pairs of cold eyes.
They stood straight like emotionless killing machines, vigilantly watching their surroundings.
Standing in front of these fully armed soldiers was a person completely out of place with the surroundings.
This was a middle-aged man.
He wore a black suit, his hair meticulously combed, and his expression as calm as still water.
The middle-aged man had his hands casually behind his back.
Looking closely, one would notice ten strangely shaped rings of various colors on his fingers.
Under the scorching Sun, these ten rings flickered with a faint yet heart-palpitating light.
Red, blue, green, gold... each ring seemed to contain unknown power.
He was the supreme leader of Advanced Technology, the Mandarin.
Standing at the highest point of the sand dune, the Mandarin looked down coldly at the ruined crater below.
His expression was extremely grim.
This bunch of useless fools.
They can't do a single thing right. What good are they?!
He had invested a vast amount of funds, weapons, and equipment into the Afghanistan branch to build a fortified outpost.
The goal was to secretly collect materials here and expand the organization's influence.
But look at it now.
These fools had given him quite a surprise.
Overnight, this place had turned into a smoking junkyard.
The entire Base had been leveled to the ground, leaving not a single survivor.
The moment he heard the news, he was almost incensed to the point of laughter.
Listen to this—is this something human beings could do?!
The Mandarin adjusted his breathing, suppressing the fury in his heart.
"For God's sake, can someone explain this to me?"
The Mandarin's tone was calm, devoid of visible anger, yet no one dared to take it lightly.
"Why has the Base branch turned out like this? What on Earth happened here?"
As soon as he spoke, a subordinate standing behind him immediately stepped forward.
This subordinate was the Mandarin's trusted intelligence Officer.
Despite having served the Mandarin for many years, cold sweat broke out on his forehead the moment his master spoke.
The intelligence Officer swallowed hard, lowered his head, and tremblingly began to report the gathered information.
"Officer, based on intelligence pieced together from surrounding informants and our investigation of the residual marks at the scene, we have roughly pieced together what happened."
The intelligence Officer paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, terrified that a wrong phrase might cost him his life.
"Continue." The Mandarin did not turn around, staring quietly at the ruins below.
"Yes, Officer." The intelligence Officer wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"The cause of the incident dates back to two months ago. Benjamin, the head of this Base, took on an external assassination mission behind headquarters' back."
Hearing this, the Mandarin's brows furrowed slightly.
Subordinates making side money behind his back was not uncommon in the organization.
Many people did it, and it even saved him a huge amount of expenses.
So generally, as long as it didn't affect the overall situation, he turned a blind eye.
"Benjamin led his men to ambush a U.S. military convoy," the intelligence Officer continued.
"But instead of killing the target as requested by the client, he took interest in the target's identity and value. He captured the target alive and locked them in the Base's cave."
"Who did he kidnap?" the Mandarin asked faintly.
The intelligence Officer took a deep breath and uttered two names.
"He kidnapped the Stark Brothers. Tony Stark and Lucas Stark."
Hearing these two names, the Mandarin's hands suddenly clenched. He whipped around and stared intently at his subordinate.
"Say that again. Who did Benjamin kidnap?"
Terrified by the Mandarin's gaze, the intelligence Officer backed up a few steps, his legs giving way, nearly falling to his knees.
"It... It's the Stark Brothers, Officer. Tony Stark and Lucas Stark."
"Benjamin wanted to force them to build missiles for us inside the cave."
"Damn it! If I remember correctly, these two are Howard Stark's children, right?"
The Mandarin's complexion changed, his breathing growing hurried.
The answer was already clear, but he didn't want to admit it.
"Yes, Officer. They are the biological sons of the former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Howard Stark," the intelligence Officer quickly nodded to confirm.
Upon receiving the confirmed answer, the Mandarin's face turned extraordinarily ugly—or rather, a shade of livid green.
Howard Stark.
A goddamn man!
This name reawakened humiliating memories hidden deep within his heart for twenty years.
That was twenty years ago.
At that time, the Mandarin was in his prime, full of ambition and vigor.
He had just obtained ten rings possessed of magical power, mastering a formidable strength far surpassing Earth's technology.
Given to anyone, such power would render them extraordinary.
He was naturally no exception.
Thus, full of grand ambitions, he built an army equipped with the most advanced technological weapons of that time.
He named the organization Advanced Technology.
He thought he could easily conquer the World, bringing everyone to their knees before him.
Leading his army, he arrogantly launched a secret war.
He thought it would be a one-sided Carnage.
But he was wrong.
Egregiously wrong.
Just when he thought victory was at hand, a group of Agents appeared before him.
The name of that organization was S.H.I.E.L.D.
And Howard Stark at that time was one of the co-founders and Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Naturally, he was also the core brain providing S.H.I.E.L.D. with the latest weapons and logistical support.
The Mandarin could never forget the scene of that day to this day.
S.H.I.E.L.D. dispatched several Superpower individuals.
And they were monsters that completely defied human common sense.
That battle was fought until the heavens turned dark and the Earth turned dim.
The Mandarin's Advanced Technology forces were easily defeated in front of those Superpower individuals.
Advanced energy weapons fired at those monsters had absolutely no effect.
And although the Mandarin had the empowered strength of the ten rings, he barely managed to keep his life.
Severely injured by S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Superpower individuals, he fled the battlefield in disgrace like a stray dog.
That failure was the greatest humiliation the Mandarin had ever experienced in his life.
The foundation he had painstakingly built was destroyed in an instant, forcing him to hide in the dark corners with his remaining subordinates to lay low for twenty years.
During these twenty years, not a moment passed without the Mandarin thinking of revenge.
But he also knew very well that as long as S.H.I.E.L.D. remained and those monsters were still around, he could not recklessly expose himself.
He had to endure and wait until he became even stronger.
Only through strength could he wipe away his past disgrace!!
But now, that goddamned Benjamin had actually gone behind his back to kidnap Howard Stark's two sons!
One must know that the Stark Family was a core ally of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Provoking the Stark Family now was equivalent to directly provoking S.H.I.E.L.D.
And he had no desire to pay the price of provoking S.H.I.E.L.D. a second time.
Chapter 21: Go, the Goddess Will Bless You
A thousand thoughts swirled through his mind, but ultimately dissipated into thin air.
Mandarin snapped back to reality, murderous intent flickering in his eyes.
"And then?"
"They were imprisoned for two months, but escaped yesterday. They destroyed this Base on their way out as well, didn't they?"
The intelligence Officer quickly lowered his head and continued his report.
"Yes, Officer. According to our hidden camera footage, Tony Stark built a suit of heavy armor out of scrap parts inside the cave and destroyed most of the supplies with a flamethrower. But the stranger one was Lucas Stark."
A hint of fear appeared on the intelligence Officer's face, as if imagining the scene.
"Our perimeter informants reported seeing Lucas Stark become a completely different person. He possesses inhuman strength and could flip a fully armed pickup truck with his bare hands."
"He could also fire some kind of energy beam from his hands. The Base's outer defenses were almost entirely leveled by him alone."
Hearing this, Mandarin's brow furrowed even deeper.
Flipping cars with bare hands? Firing energy beams?
This sounded almost like those Superpower monsters S.H.I.E.L.D. sent out back then.
These clearly non-human individuals were always so annoying.
Sure enough, how could Howard Stark's sons be just ordinary wealthy playboys?
They must be hiding some kind of unknown, mysterious power.
Mandarin took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
Since it had already happened, getting angry now was useless.
As a leader, he had to make the right call.
"Officer, it was our negligence at the time for failing to notice Benjamin's unauthorized actions in time. We are deeply sorry, Officer. Please punish us."
Seeing Mandarin silent, the intelligence Officer quickly dropped to one knee on the sand to admit fault.
Mandarin didn't bother saying much and just waved his hand dismissively.
"Forget it. Get up."
"Benjamin only has himself to blame for his death. His head was filled with salad dressing, yet he had to mess with the Stark Family."
"He was simply courting death!"
"Even if he hadn't been blown up yesterday, I would have snapped his neck with my own hands."
Mandarin glanced at the still-smoking ruins, his eyes regaining their composure.
"It's just a branch office; so what if it's destroyed? As long as our core strength remains, I can rebuild ten more of such Bases anytime."
"However, don't think I am to be trifled with. I will remember this debt. Now is not yet the time for an all-out war with S.H.I.E.L.D."
Mandarin raised his right hand, pointing into the distance.
"Everyone, hear my order! Return to headquarters immediately. Once back, speed up the progress in the lab! Focus all your energy on those stones!"
Speaking of this, a fanatical light gleamed in Mandarin's eyes.
"Those stones are our true trump card. As long as we unlock the secrets inside those stones and master their energy, the Stark Family and S.H.I.E.L.D. will all turn to ash beneath our feet!"
"Our plan must be completed before S.H.I.E.L.D. realizes what's happening! Do you understand?!"
"Understood, Officer!!"
Over twenty subordinates answered in unison.
The group then turned around immediately and climbed into several off-road vehicles parked behind the sand dune.
Mandarin took one last look at the ruins.
He then pulled open a car door and sat in the frontmost off-road vehicle.
The convoy's engines roared, kicking up clouds of yellow sand, and soon vanished into the end of the desert.
...
Silence returned to the area once more, broken only by the whistling of the wind blowing through the ruins.
About ten minutes after Mandarin and his men left...
In the cloudless sky, an anomaly suddenly occurred.
A dazzling meteor abruptly appeared in the sky.
Trailing a long tail, the meteor plummeted rapidly toward the ruins.
Normally, a meteor falling to Earth would create a massive sonic boom and result in a violent explosion and impact upon landing.
Curiously, however, this meteor was extraordinarily quiet.
There was neither a deafening roar nor blinding flames.
Instead, it fell silently into a deep crater at the very center of the Base's ruins.
At this moment, at the bottom of the crater struck by the meteor...
An object that looked like a charred meteorite lay quietly.
Suddenly, the surface of the meteorite began to change.
It was a liquid-like substance.
Within the Base's ruins, a spot at the bottom of the crater began wriggling continuously.
A second later, a viscous, black pitch-like substance seeped out from the meteorite.
As if alive, this mass of black pitch rapidly spread and converged on the ground.
It devoured the surrounding sand and absorbed moisture from the air.
Soon, the black pitch gathered into the outline of a human silhouette.
Standing at the bottom of the crater, the shadow's body kept wriggling and shapeshifting.
It rapidly constructed bones, muscles, blood vessels, and finally skin and hair.
The process of constructing the body looked extremely uncanny, like plasticine being quickly molded into a living person.
In less than a minute, the black shadow had completely transformed into a human appearance.
A naked, burly man stood quietly amidst the ruins.
If Mandarin were still here, he would surely be filled with shock.
Because in every aspect, this man looked identical to Benjamin, the former head of this Base!
However, this bald man was him, yet not him.
The bald man's eyes became cold and mechanical, devoid of any human emotion.
His gaze was like that of a machine, scanning the surrounding environment.
Then, he slowly raised his right hand.
A fissure suddenly split open in his palm, and a sci-fi-looking communicator squeezed out from his flesh.
Holding the communicator, the bald man pressed several buttons on it.
A faint blue light lit up on the communicator.
Soon, a voice came from the other side of the communicator.
"Arulu, how is the situation? Was the landing smooth?"
As it turned out, this guy's name was Arulu.
Arulu opened his mouth and reported into the communicator in a stiff manner.
"Officer, I have arrived safely on Earth. Body reassembly complete, encountered no resistance. Surrounding environment is safe."
"Very good," the voice on the communicator continued.
"This secret operation must proceed."
"Do not draw the attention of those superheroes and special organizations. Act according to plan, lurk in hiding, find a suitable target, and by no means delay our master plan!"
"Go, the Goddess will bless you!"
"Understood, Officer," Arulu answered expressionlessly.
The blue light on the communicator went dark, and the call ended.
Arulu pressed the communicator back into his palm, and the skin on his hand healed instantly.
Then he turned his head and looked at a pile of charred remains not far away.
Resting there were the charred bodily remains of Benjamin, the real Bald Leader.
Though burned beyond recognition, some brain tissue and cells still remained.
Arulu walked over to the pile of remains and squatted down.
His right hand suddenly turned into a mass of black substance again, covering the remains directly.
As the substance wriggled, Arulu began to absorb the remaining biological information and memories from the corpse.
This was an innate ability of their race.
As long as even a tiny bit of residual brain cells remained, they could read the deceased's memories in life.
As the absorption progressed, countless images flashed through Arulu's mechanical, cold eyes.
Those were the memories belonging to Benjamin.
Arulu saw how Benjamin established the Base here, how he traded arms, and how he kidnapped the Stark Brothers.
Finally, the images froze on the massive explosion that happened yesterday.
In the memory footage, he clearly saw the faces of Luca and Tony.
Memory extraction complete.
Arulu retracted his right hand, the black substance turning back into a human arm.
He then slowly stood up and stretched his body.
A stiff, twisted smile suddenly tugged at the corner of his mouth.
He had found a perfect prey, a target possessing immense unknown energy.
As long as he could devour that person, his mission on Earth might be completed quickly.
"Stark, is it?"
Arulu looked up at the distant sky and murmured in a bizarre tone.
In the next second, his legs bent slightly, and he kicked off the ground.
"Boom!"
The sandy ground beneath his feet instantly cratered under the force.
Arulu shot into the sky in an instant, stirring up a blast of wild wind.
He adjusted his direction in midair, then turned into a black stream of light.
Immediately after, he flew towards the other side of the ocean.
Sunlight bathed the ruins once more, as if nothing had ever happened here.
Chapter 22: Happy Hogan
On the other side.
Downtown Los Angeles.
That is, near the hotel where Luca and Tony had checked in with several models.
It was already late at night.
Sparse vehicles still drove through the streets of Los Angeles.
However, in a secluded alley behind the hotel, it was pitch-black and dead silent, without a single streetlight lit.
In the next second, an abnormal breeze suddenly whipped up inside the quiet alley.
A figure, moving so fast that it didn't even leave an afterimage, appeared out of thin air beside a trash can in the alley.
This was a tall man.
He wore a black tight-fitting combat suit from head to toe, with a black tactical hood fully wrapping his face, revealing only a pair of eyes filled with cold murderous intent.
He stood in place, motionless like a statue blending into the darkness.
Immediately after, the muffled sound of breaking wind came from between the skyscrapers above.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
A burly figure was leaping repeatedly between the outer walls and rooftops of the skyscrapers.
Every single jump spanned a distance of tens of meters.
Finally, with a heavy boom, the figure dropped from the sky, landing heavily beside the first man.
He cracked the ground beneath him into two distinct fissures.
He wore the same style of black combat suit, exposing only a pair of wild eyes.
Just a second after this burly man landed,
a strange surge suddenly occurred around the manhole cover beside them.
An inconspicuous puddle of dirty water seemed to boil.
Immediately following that, a thick jet of water slowly rose from the ground.
This water column continually reshaped itself in mid-air, eventually converging into a clear human shape.
As the water receded, a third man wearing a black combat suit appeared.
These three men had silently infiltrated downtown Los Angeles.
The man who arrived first turned his head, casting a cold look at the other two.
"How are you feeling?"
Filtered through his mask, his voice sounded somewhat deep and raspy.
The remaining two stood in place and loosened up their bodies.
The burly man who had jumped down from the rooftop patted his chest to indicate he was good.
"In good shape, ready to snap the target's neck anytime."
The man who had emerged from the water shook the droplets off his hands and nodded as well.
"In good shape, no problem."
The man who arrived first nodded in satisfaction.
"Very good. Listen, guys. We endured so much pain in the lab and were injected with those damned serums just to gain powers beyond ordinary men."
"Now, it's time to prove our worth to the higher-ups."
Lowering his voice, he began laying out the mission.
"The codename for this mission is: Stark's Doomsday."
"I am the Captain for this operation, codename John. Big guy, you are Jack. Water guy, you are Mark. Does everyone understand their codenames?"
Jack and Mark nodded at the same time.
John nodded and continued.
"The targets are Tony Stark and Lucas Stark. According to intelligence, they are right in the hotel ahead. What's more, they drank a lot of alcohol, so their guard is extremely low."
"However, do not let your guard down."
"This mission must be carried out in secret. We absolutely cannot cause a big scene, let alone reveal our Superpowers in public."
"The higher-ups gave explicit instructions. We are to infiltrate disguised as Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents, eliminate the targets, and make the scene look like an accident or a gang hit. Got it?"
Jack curled his lip with a bit of disdain, but under John's stern gaze, he answered obediently.
"Understood."
Mark nodded as well. "Understood, Captain. Disguising as Agents is easy."
As John looked at his two teammates, confidence surged in his heart.
They were just two playboy rich heirs. No matter how wealthy they were, in the face of overwhelming power, they were merely pieces of meat waiting to be slaughtered.
John raised his right fist to his left chest and spoke with fanatical eyes.
"Mission starts. Hail HYDRA!"
Jack and Mark immediately dropped their casual attitude, their eyes burning with the same fanaticism.
They made the same gesture, placing their fists over their chests.
"Hail HYDRA! x2"
Afterward, the three straightened their clothes, stepped out of the alley, and strolled boldly toward the hotel's main entrance.
It was already past three in the morning.
Outside the hotel main entrance, lights blazed brightly, and a fountain was tirelessly spraying water.
This hotel was famous throughout California, ranked among the top luxury hotels.
John walked in the lead, with Jack and Mark following behind.
They pushed open the revolving door and stepped into the magnificent hotel lobby.
However, as soon as he stepped into the hotel lobby, Captain John froze.
He quickly scanned his surroundings, sensing that something was wrong.
The lobby was far too quiet.
It was quiet enough to give anyone the creeps.
Although it was late at night and most guests had already retired,
this was a five-star hotel!
Under normal circumstances, there should be at least two security guards patrolling the lobby!
There should be doormen at the entrance, and perhaps a few drunken guests or staff cleaning up in the lounge area.
Yet right now, not a single soul was in sight in the lobby.
The surroundings were eerily quiet.
So quiet that the only audible sounds were the splash of the fountain and the footsteps of the three men.
John knitted his brows tightly.
As a rigorously trained killer, he sensed the aura of danger.
The three exchanged glances, all recognizing the abnormality of the lobby.
Jack clenched his fists while droplets of water began seeping from Mark's fingertips, ready for combat at any second.
"Captain, something's off," Mark whispered.
John didn't speak, gesturing for them not to act rashly.
Then, he shifted his gaze toward the deepest part of the lobby.
The only lit area in the lobby, and the only place with a person, was the hotel's reception desk.
Standing there was a stout, round-figured man.
John signaled, and the three slowed their pace, creeping slowly toward the front desk.
As the distance narrowed, John finally got a clear look at the fat man's face.
However, the moment he saw that face, John froze.
John recognized who the fat man was at a single glance.
"Damn it..."
Walking up to the front desk, he stared at the fat man who appeared to be sorting something out and asked in surprise,
"Happy Hogan? What are you doing here? Aren't you the personal bodyguard and driver for the Stark Brothers?"
That's right. The person standing at the front desk was none other than Happy, the most trusted bodyguard of Tony and Luca.
Chapter 23: May God Bless You All!
Hearing someone call his name, Happy raised his head.
He glanced at the three of them, his expression instantly souring with deep resentment.
"Oh, looks like I'm pretty famous. Even freaks who like playing cosplay in the middle of the night know me."
Happy sighed and spoke in a dejected tone.
"Let me correct you, buddy. That was in the past. Just this afternoon, I stopped being their bodyguard."
"Do you know what I'm saying?! I got fired by my damn bosses."
Happy patted the counter and gave a bitter laugh.
"This is my brand-new job. Night receptionist at a hotel. Although the pay is only a tenth of what it used to be, at least I don't have to take any crap anymore."
"But that doesn't matter. What you should be asking right now is, why are you here in the middle of the night? Are you getting a room or looking for someone?"
Hearing this, John and the other two looked at each other in astonishment.
The three of them were completely baffled, utterly confused about what was going on.
The personal bodyguard of the Stark Brothers, a confidant who had been with them for years, actually got fired this afternoon?
And then ran off to a hotel in the middle of the night to work as a night receptionist?
Does that make any sense?!
Like hell it does!!
John took a deep breath, feeling that things might not be so simple.
He looked at Happy tentatively, expressing his doubt.
"Fired? How is that possible? Haven't you been together for years?"
John stared fixedly into Happy's eyes, trying to spot any flaws that would reveal a lie.
When Happy heard him ask about this, his already aggrieved face instantly flushed bright red, and he immediately grew agitated.
"Do you have to ask?! Do you really have to pick at my wounds?!"
Happy suddenly shouted out loud, waving his hands in the air, looking like he had suffered an enormous injustice.
"Fine! Then I'll tell you why I got fired! Because those damn Starks have the absolute worst tempers! They didn't even treat me like a human being!"
Happy leaned over the reception desk, spittle flying as he began pouring out his grievances.
"You have no idea how painful it is to be a bodyguard for those two brothers! They are practically two oversized babies!"
"Take food, for example. That guy Tony is a hardcore cheeseburger fanatic. He has to eat a double cheeseburger from Burger King every single day! And it has to be hot!"
The more Happy talked, the angrier he became.
"And Luca? He hates cheese! He insists on eating the spicy chicken burger from Wendy's! And the lettuce in the burger has to be fresh!"
"Do you know how tormenting that is?! Every time they say they're hungry, I have to drive through several blocks in that damn morning rush hour in Los Angeles just to buy two different kinds of burgers for them!"
"And if it gets even slightly cold, that bastard Luca ruthlessly ridicules my driving, saying I drive like an old grandma! Then Tony says he's going to dock my pay!"
Happy continued talking incessantly, spouting bad things about Tony and Luca.
"That's nothing! Do you know what happened after the press conference this afternoon? That damn bastard Luca actually changed his clothes in the car!"
"He threw his perfume-soaked shirt right into my face! I protested just one sentence, and that bastard Tony actually told me to get lost right then and there! Saying I don't understand what 'Stark Family humor' is!"
Happy's eyes turned slightly red, looking thoroughly heartbroken.
"After all these years! Even if I didn't have great achievements, I still worked hard! Just because of one complaint, they kicked me out! What a bunch of heartless capitalists!"
Faced with Happy's several minutes of angry roaring...
John and the other two were bewildered once again.
They originally thought there would be a fierce battle or some kind of scheming plot.
Instead, here they were, listening to a fired bodyguard complain about how his bosses ate burgers?
The vibe was bizarre to the absolute extreme.
However, the three of them didn't think it was impossible.
According to their intelligence, Tony and Luca were originally reckless playboys anyway.
Firing a bodyguard over a trivial matter was completely in character for the Stark Brothers.
John coughed awkwardly, his tense nerves relaxing slightly.
It seemed that there was no one in the lobby simply because the hotel management was lax, and this receptionist just happened to be Happy, who had just been kicked out.
It was all a coincidence.
It had to be!!
"Alright. I'm sorry to hear that," John replied perfunctorily.
"Good luck with your new job. Hope you find a good boss who doesn't eat burgers."
Happy sighed and waved his hand, looking like he had lost all will to live.
"Thanks for your concern, buddy. Honestly, I don't want to see anyone named Stark for the rest of my life! Every time I hear that surname, my head hurts!"
John froze for a moment.
Then he smiled and said meaningfully,
"Don't worry. You'll be able to fulfill that wish very soon."
Happy blinked, asking foolishly, "Why? Are they moving out of California?"
John had no intention of wasting any more breath on this useless bodyguard.
Time was pressing, so he intended to proceed according to the original plan.
Thus, John pulled out his badge holder and flashed it quickly in front of Happy.
"We are with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Agents," John said, switching to an official tone.
"We are currently on a classified mission, tracking down several dangerous fugitives. We need to check the hotel guest information immediately, especially the guests in the penthouse suites."
Under normal circumstances, if a hotel receptionist encountered this situation, they would definitely request a careful inspection of the badges or even call the manager to confirm.
But Happy didn't.
Upon hearing that the FBI wanted to check the penthouse guests, he smiled and immediately offered a warm welcome.
"Feel free to check! Officer! I'll cooperate anytime!" Happy pointed to the elevator hallway nearby.
"The penthouse suites, right? Those two damn Starks are up there! They brought five women inside, definitely up to some shady illegal business! You must inspect them thoroughly! It'd be best if you threw them in prison!"
Happy eagerly showed them the way.
"See that elevator? That's the private elevator. No keycard needed, just press the top floor button to go up. Officer, do you need me to take you up?"
John and his team were stunned yet again, failing to react for a moment.
Why was Happy being so cooperative? He practically couldn't wait for them to arrest the Starks?!
Things were going a bit too smoothly—so smoothly that it left them dazed.
However, in order to complete the mission as quickly as possible, John put away his badge and shook his head.
"No need. What follows is classified. Just stay here."
With that, John signaled Jack and Mark with a look.
The three paid no further attention to Happy and turned directly toward the private elevator.
Behind them, at the reception desk...
Happy stared at the backs of the three walking away, watching them enter the elevator area.
The next second, he breathed a sigh of relief, an expression of pity appearing on his face.
After thinking about it, he still lowered his head and made the sign of the cross on his chest.
"May God bless you, and good luck."
Without further hesitation, Happy immediately dragged out a large duffel bag he had prepared beforehand from under the desk.
"I need to hurry outside and drive the car to the back door to wait for the bosses. It's definitely going to be dangerous up there in a bit. These idiots have no idea what kind of monsters they've provoked."
Happy muttered to himself as he swiftly slipped out of the hotel lobby.
Chapter 24: What the Hell! There Really Is a Missile!
Meanwhile...
Jack and his two companions stepped into the magnificent elevator.
John pressed the button for the top floor.
The elevator doors slowly closed.
The elevator began to rise smoothly, the push against their backs quite noticeable.
Melodious, soothing music played inside the elevator.
However, the atmosphere inside felt somewhat somber.
The three stood together in silence.
As the elevator climbed floor by floor, the numbers on the display kept changing.
Floor 10... Floor 20... Floor 30...
For some reason, a strong sense of unease suddenly surged in John's heart.
He felt like something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
As an Agent, he didn't think such absurd things would happen one after another.
But facts told him that they indeed had.
Otherwise, who could explain to him why Stark's bodyguard was working as a receptionist here?
Damn it, just look at his build—shouldn't he be working as a security guard?!
If he ever had the chance to be a manager, he would definitely fire the recruiters.
This was complete misplacement!
Finally, John couldn't help but break the silence.
Glancing at his two teammates, he spoke with some concern.
"Guys, don't you feel like something's wrong?"
"Tonight's operation went way too smoothly. Especially that Happy—why did he happen to show up here at this exact time? Even if he got fired, it shouldn't be such a coincidence, right?"
Hearing the Captain's doubt, the hot-tempered Jack shrugged.
This was their first mission, and though it felt a little too smooth...
...wasn't that a good thing?!
However, seeing his teammates' silent expressions, Jack thought for a moment and added:
"Captain, even though I also feel something's off—after all, that fat guy talked way too much—regardless, we're here to complete the mission, not to ponder coincidences."
Jack paused, glanced at the two of them, then clenched his fists and smiled with confidence.
"Besides, we possess Superpowers!"
"I mean, look at our strength now. Are we really afraid of two drunk rich kids? Even if they have bodyguards up there, I could blow their heads off with a single punch!"
Mark also nodded in agreement with Jack's statement.
They were Superpower wielders, why would they fear ordinary people?!
That was ridiculous!
"Maybe we're just overly anxious to finish the mission, so we're a bit jumpy, Captain."
"According to the intelligence department's psychological profile, the Stark Brothers don't act like normal people in the first place."
"They're arrogant and act on whims. Firing a long-time bodyguard on the spot over a minor issue—such an absurd thing would be impossible for others, but it's completely like them."
"Happy obviously held a grudge, which is why he was so cooperative with us."
Hearing his two teammates' analysis, John was silent for a moment.
What they said made sense.
In the face of power, schemes and tricks were futile.
Perhaps he really was being overly cautious.
What if all of this really was just a coincidence?!
The three didn't argue any further on this matter.
The elevator had reached four floors from the top and was about to arrive at the top floor.
Seeing that the two still looked serious, Jack grinned, revealing a cruel smile.
"Relax, Captain. This mission definitely won't fail!"
"With my physical constitution, unless Tony Stark fires a missile at us, a few handguns couldn't possibly take us down!"
"But how could that be possible? Unless he's God, predicting the future and moving a missile into the hotel hallway ahead of time to wait for us."
Hearing this, John and Mark both started laughing along.
Yeah, that was too absurd.
Who would put a missile in someone else's hotel hallway?
For a moment, the atmosphere in the elevator relaxed considerably.
Just as the trio's laughter was still echoing in the elevator...
"Ding!!"
A crisp chime sounded.
The elevator reached the top floor.
The number on the display stopped at the highest floor.
The elevator doors slowly opened to both sides.
The three immediately pulled back their smiles, their eyes filled with murderous intent.
The mission had begun.
Fully prepared, their bodies tensed, ready to rush out at top speed to execute the assassination.
But...
The instant they stepped out of the elevator...
...the three froze on the spot, eyes wide like brass bells.
Simply because...
...about ten meters away from the elevator entrance in the hallway ahead of them...
...there was a bracket extending out from the wall.
And resting quietly on the bracket was a miniature, shell-like object!
Printed on it was the codename of Stark Industries.
Without a doubt, this was a genuine miniature high-explosive missile!
At the front of the missile, a red indicator light was flashing.
At the exact moment the three stepped out of the elevator and spotted the missile...
...the countdown timer above the missile hit the very last second.
"5, 4, 3, 2... 1..."
Zero!
The next second...
...blinding flames erupted from the tail of the miniature missile.
"Swoosh!!!"
With a deathly screech, the missile detached from the bracket and shot right towards the three!
The distance was about 50 meters, but such a short time was nowhere near enough.
Jack was completely dumbfounded.
He only felt his scalp go numb as the blood throughout his body rushed backward.
"What the hell!! There really is a missile!!!"
What kind of madman was that damned Stark?!
He actually installed a missile in a hotel hallway!!
But at this moment, they had no time to hesitate or ponder what was going on.
Facing the missile right in front of them, human survival instincts erupted in an instant.
John, possessing Super Speed, had the fastest reaction.
"Whoosh!"
His figure instantly vanished from the spot, turning into a blurry black streak that bolted toward the corner at the end of the hallway.
Mark wasn't slow either.
He directly transformed into a large puddle of water, rapidly seeping into the cracks and underlayers of the carpet.
Relying on their abilities, the two escaped the center of the explosion at the critical moment.
As the saying goes, when disaster strikes, every man for himself.
The fastest runners were gone, leaving behind only the unlucky one.
At this moment, only a bewildered Jack remained at the elevator entrance.
His abilities were Super Strength and a hardened body.
So he couldn't run that fast, let alone turn into water.
Damn it!!
They abandoned me!!
In desperation, Jack's eyes turned blood-red, and he let out a beastly roar.
Using all his strength, he slammed a fist into the adjacent wall.
"Boom!"
The solid wall was smashed into a large crater by his punch.
Jack ripped out a huge chunk of the wall and held it in front of himself as a shield to soften the impact.
The very next second after he placed the wall section before him...
...the miniature missile slammed hard against the slab of wall.
"Bang!!!"
A deafening boom exploded throughout the hallway!
An explosion instantly erupted!
Chapter 25: Hail HYDRA!
The blinding Fire was like a roaring fire dragon, instantly devouring everything!
The terrifying Impact carrying high temperatures swept in all directions.
Everything in the corridor was instantly torn into pieces.
The entire building shook violently from the explosion.
The corridor at the center of the explosion instantly collapsed, the pipes on the ceiling ruptured, and Water and sparks flew everywhere.
Jack, who bore the brunt of it, could no longer be described as merely miserable.
The chunks of wall he had just been holding up had already been blasted into powder.
The power of the explosion slammed viciously against his body.
Even after enhancement, with a body as hard as iron, he still couldn't resist this weapon specifically designed for slaughter.
Jack screamed as he was blown backward through the air.
He heavily smashed through the wall behind him, crashing into another corridor.
Jack's entire body was a bloody mess, and his combat uniform was blasted into shreds.
It was unknown how many bones were broken, and blood sprayed wildly.
Right now, he was lying motionlessly in the ruins, his life or death unknown!
But strangely enough,
Although the explosion looked terrifying and destroyed a corridor,
aside from a single shudder, the building didn't suffer any structural collapse.
In other words, the explosion radius of the missile had been designed long ago.
It just happened to blow up the area around the elevator entrance without harming the core of the building.
This was using the minimum payload to inflict a fatal blow.
Without a doubt, this must have been designed by someone in advance.
And it was specifically designed to target them!
The other party intended for them to die right here in the first step.
The Firelight in the corridor gradually dimmed, and thick black smoke filled the air.
The fire sprinkler system began to operate, continuously spraying down Water.
Anyone who didn't know better would have thought a war had broken out here.
Soon, amidst the chaos,
John's figure reappeared at the edge of the collapsed corridor.
His combat uniform was covered in some dust, and his eyes were filled with shock.
Shortly after, a puddle of accumulated Water on the corridor floor slowly surged.
Mark also emerged from the Water, transforming back into human form once more, but his expression was equally terrible.
The two stood at the edge of the ruins, observing everything around them with solemn expressions.
"Damn it! Damn it!!"
John forcefully tore off his hood, revealing an angry face.
"What on earth is going on?! How could a civilian hotel have missiles from Stark Industries?! This makes no logical sense at all! We've been played!"
"Captain, all of this is a trap. That damn Happy was acting! The Stark Brothers must have known long ago that we were coming to assassinate them, so they deliberately set up weapons here!"
Mark pointed at the wall smashed through by Jack, looking furious.
"Let's go check on Jack's condition first; that hit just now was too heavy."
John gritted his teeth and nodded.
The corridor ahead of the two had collapsed, turning into a large pit spewing black smoke.
But this couldn't stop them.
John accelerated with a jump, and Mark transformed into a puddle of Water to cross the pit.
The two easily jumped across, arriving in the opposite corridor.
Beneath a pile of broken bricks, they found Jack.
Seeing Jack's miserable state, John and Mark simultaneously gasped.
Jack's appearance at this moment could only be described as too ghastly to look at.
There wasn't a single piece of good flesh left on his entire body, and his pale white bones could be seen inside.
His left hand was blown right off, and a large patch of his face was charred, completely not looking human anymore.
However, his body was indeed powerful.
Having suffered such a heavy fatal injury, Jack surprisingly wasn't dead yet.
Relying on his strong physical fitness and resilience, he was still breathing weakly, but he was already on his last breath.
Mark squatted down to check Jack's injuries, and finally shook his head.
"His internal organs are basically shattered; being able to stay alive is already a miracle. He won't be able to stand up." Mark looked at John and reported with a solemn expression.
"Captain, the difficulty of the mission has increased. The targets not only are prepared, but are also extremely dangerous."
"What on earth is going on here? We haven't even seen the targets yet, and we've already lost a teammate right in the corridor."
Mark was backing down a bit.
After all, assassinating the President wasn't this dangerous; at least the other party would only shake their head in place to disrupt shooting.
But assassinating Stark might genuinely cost them their lives!
What decent person installs missiles in a hotel?!
"Captain, should we retreat first? Report to higher-ups and reformulate the plan?"
Hearing Mark's suggestion, John's gaze flickered uncertainly.
What should they do? Should they go back?
The answer was definitely no.
This was their first mission out; if they declared failure without even seeing the target individuals,
then he could already foresee their ending.
Aside from death, it was just death.
Thinking of this, he glanced at the corridor behind the elevators leading to the suite.
There was nothing there, terrifyingly quiet, as if some monster was waiting for them in the dark.
John hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to choose.
But still, to repeat what was said before:
Retreating without a fight and returning to HYDRA would definitely mean cruel punishment awaiting them.
They belonged to the category of manufactured mutants, and in the eyes of those above, they were merely expendables.
"No. The mission continues."
John took a deep breath, and his gaze turned fierce.
Pride made him unable to accept a shameful failure.
The great HYDRA cannot fail!!
"No matter what tricks they pulled, they are ultimately just ordinary people!"
"The missiles have run out, and they must be shivering in their rooms right now. I'm going to drag them out and make the Starks wish they were dead!"
John made his decision.
Afterwards, he coldly lowered his head to look at the dying Jack.
"Your mission has ended, Jack."
"You are a burden now. To the organization, you no longer have any value. Staying here will only expose our whereabouts."
Hearing these words from John,
Jack instead revealed a fanatical smile.
Then staring closely at John, he said with incomparable firmness,
"Hail... HYDRA."
After saying these words,
Jack used his remaining right hand to grab a piece of steel rebar from the ground and pierced it into his throat without hesitation!
"Squish!"
Fresh blood gushed out.
Jack twitched twice, his head tilted sideways, and he completely stopped breathing.
He committed suicide.
John and Mark watched Jack commit suicide with expressions as calm as usual.
They didn't feel there was anything wrong with this.
Jack had done everything he could do.
He had already dedicated his life to the organization, which was supreme honor.
"Let's go. To Stark's room."
John said coldly, turning around and walking toward the depths of the corridor.
Mark transformed into a stream of Water, closely following behind.
No matter how dangerous it would be later, they were already prepared!
The organization will remember their contribution!
Hail HYDRA!!!