Mr. Mara, first, thank you again for your help to my father.
If you need funds or certain special materials, I will do my best to help you solve it."
Zemo's face revealed a complex expression, and he politely refused, "But regarding your invitation, I'm afraid I cannot help."
"I don't want to be involved in the war between you and Hydra, and I don't think this decaying and declining country has any need to be saved."
"I just want to spend time with my family and watch my children grow up day by day…"
Kindness is kindness.
But that doesn't mean he would put himself in danger because of it.
However.
Karl seemed to have anticipated his refusal.
With a mysterious smile on his face, he spoke softly:
"Baron Zemo, if I told you that in the near future, you will lose your beloved family, how would you choose?!"
"Mr. Mara, can I interpret this as a threat?"
Regarding the safety of his family, Zemo's entire demeanor suddenly changed.
From being refined and gentle just now, he instantly became as sharp as a drawn sword.
He stared at Karl with extremely sharp eyes.
"No, I'm just stating a fact… a fact that will happen in the future!"
Karl, like a charlatan, mysteriously enticed him:
"If you don't believe me, I can let you 'see' for yourself."
As soon as his words fell.
One of his fingers was already pressed against the other's forehead.
"You…"
Before Zemo could react, a memory that didn't belong to him already appeared in his mind.
Familiar streets, familiar faces, the strange and powerful Avengers, terrifying robot legions, a city spiraling into the sky, a disaster like a meteor shower, a destroyed homeland, and three bloody corpses in the ruins…
"Ah, no!!!"
Zemo, deep in the memory, let out a painful roar.
In just a few breaths, it was as if he had lived his entire life.
It wasn't until Karl withdrew his finger that he was able to break free from the endless pain.
At this moment, cold sweat had already soaked his back, and his sturdy body trembled slightly from fear and pain.
Zemo was not afraid of death.
But he could not bear to see his loved ones die tragically.
Because that was his only bottom line and inverse scale, a taboo that no one could ever touch!
"I wonder if the Mind Manipulation ability will also improve after the 'Strength' increases?"
"Otherwise, if it's always like this, I might be seen as gay…"
Karl had just "projected" part of the plot from Avengers 2: Age of Ultron into Zemo's brain, completely intact.
For talents like Zemo.
He still preferred to have them voluntarily surrender.
Because for those with strong wills, the chance of breaking Mind Manipulation is much higher than for ordinary people.
Hawkeye, who was transformed by Loki using the Mind Stone in Avengers 1, is the best example.
Otherwise, if Professor X wore the Cerebro, the World would have achieved great unity directly!
"You… are you sure those scenes just now will really happen?"
Zemo forced himself to calm down.
Although he didn't know how Karl had done such an astonishing thing just now.
But one thing he was absolutely certain of.
That is… if his family truly suffered such an unfair fate, he would definitely be like "another self."
He would decisively destroy the instigator of all this.
Even if the enemy was the Avengers, an ace team composed of various overpowered individuals!!!
"Yes."
Karl's lips curved slightly upward, and he said with anticipation:
"But… now you have an opportunity to change your destiny, and the destiny of your family!!"
Facing the olive branch extended once more, Zemo did not refuse this time.
"Mr. Mara, you've given me a reason I simply cannot refuse."
For Zemo, his family was his only weakness and taboo.
To prevent the tragedy in the vision from happening, joining Karl's faction became his best choice at the moment.
Because this ambitious young man opposite him.
Had already proven his strength with his actions.
This undoubtedly piqued Zemo's curiosity.
He really wanted to see what heights the other party could reach in the future!
The gears of fate began to turn.
Zemo's life also underwent earth-shattering changes because of his decision.
"From now on, just call me Boss!"
Karl didn't mind the reason for the other party's joining.
As long as he worked for him wholeheartedly, he was a good comrade…
He slowly stood up, his eyes burning as he said:
"Next, it's time to bring some positive changes to this turbulent country!"
"Boss, what are you going to do?"
Zemo consciously entered his role, his eyes full of curiosity.
"As a Baron, I presume you should be able to gather all the current members of the Sokovia Holding Group's board of directors, right?"
Karl smiled mysteriously, "Help me gather all those parasites together.
I want to persuade them to transfer all their shares to me!"
Zemo: "???"
… … … …
… …
Sokovia Holding Group Headquarters.
In the luxurious conference room.
Board members representing various forces gathered here.
At this moment, they looked with confusion at the young man sitting in the main seat, currently meditating with his eyes closed.
And Zemo, who stood respectfully behind him like a servant.
"Does anyone know who that kid is?"
"He looks like a new face, but for someone to be treated like this by Baron Zemo, his identity must be quite extraordinary, right?"
"Heh heh, this kid isn't here to cause trouble, is he?
He actually dares to sit in Prime Minister Jafar's seat.
There's going to be a good show later…"
Although Zemo had previously been ostracized from the center of power.
But considering his exceptionally ruthless methods and style of doing things when he was in charge of the intelligence department.
And the fact that he likely held a lot of their dirty secrets.
So these shrewd directors, even though their hearts were full of questions, still dared not be too presumptuous in front of him.
And just as everyone was whispering.
The conference room door was pushed open again.
Then, a pot-bellied, bald middle-aged man waddled in from outside.
"Hmm?!"
Upon seeing Karl sitting in the main seat, the middle-aged man was first stunned.
Then a look of anger appeared on his face, and he coldly looked at Zemo and questioned:
"Baron Zemo, did you bring this person, who is unrelated to the board, in?"
The speaker was Jafar, the Prime Minister of Sokovia's cabinet.
He also had another identity: the spokesman and front man personally groomed by Baron Strucker.
After the Sokovia royal family was almost completely massacred.
After the redistribution of power, Jafar publicly controlled over ninety percent of Sokovia Holding Group's shares, as well as the company's actual control.
As for the remaining ten percent, it was divided among the other people in this conference room.
Don't underestimate that ten percent…
That was at least hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in dividends every year.
If it was given to you for free, wouldn't you want it?
And this was also one of Hydra's methods of winning people over.
A carrot in one hand, a stick in the other.
Just obey me, and it's all over!!!