Inside the newly-established Shocker organization base, after arranging the modification experiment projects, Dr. Zola walked into a dark conference room and connected to a transmission line.
The screens arranged in the conference room lit up one by one, and the other leaders of Hydra appeared on the displays—Shocker and Hydra were holding a video conference.
It was unknown if these secret organization leaders simply liked this kind of atmosphere, but whenever they held video calls, the conference rooms were always pitch black, with only the screens showing participants' faces glowing in the darkness.
Maybe in such darkness, with only illuminated faces visible, the attendees could appear more imposing? Or perhaps they simply liked this kind of mood?
"Dr. Zola, do you intend to completely ignore the execution of the Insight Plan? Don't forget how much manpower and resources our organization invested into it, and you are still one of the main architects of this plan."
In the central screen, one of Hydra's supreme leaders—the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Alexander Pierce—questioned coldly.
Dr. Zola, seated in the chair at the center of the room, replied with a blank expression:
"The program algorithm for the Insight Plan has already been completed, and I have handed the program over to you.
As for the subsequent stages—the actual construction of the Helicarriers—your Hydra agents infiltrated within S.H.I.E.L.D. are fully capable of completing it.
We only need to wait for Nick Fury to finish the engineering, then seize control and execute the Insight Plan.
That was the original plan from the beginning. I provide the algorithm; the actual operation is always your responsibility.
Pierce, as the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and a member of the World Security Council, surely you can handle that much?"
After witnessing the modification and enhancement technologies Shocker received from the mysterious Foundation, Dr. Zola was already losing interest in Hydra's so-called Insight Plan.
Using algorithmic prediction to identify threats to Hydra, then wiping them out with Helicarrier bombardment to establish world domination—If it had been earlier, Zola might have been full of enthusiasm.
But after contacting the mysterious Foundation and building the Shocker organization with their technological support—
Zola felt as if a new world had opened before him. His mind was now filled with the knowledge delivered by the Foundation, striving to elevate the level of life itself.
Within the vast data transferred from the Foundation, Zola saw the infinite possibilities of biological evolution. He was no longer satisfied with his current mechanical prosthetic body.
He wanted something stronger, more advanced—reform beyond all current understanding—to surpass all known life, to achieve sacred evolution, to become an existence akin to a true god of legend.
"Hmph. Even so, as one of the original founders of the Insight Plan, you should at least offer some support rather than washing your hands of it," Pierce said discontentedly.
Mechanical light flashed in Zola's artificial eyes, and he shook his head dismissively:
"The original purpose of the Insight Plan was always to borrow the strength of S.H.I.E.L.D.—to use their vast resources to build the Helicarriers, then use my program to take control.
My responsibility was always just the program."
"But as one of the founders, shouldn't you at least support it?" Pierce continued.Of course, his real intention was to extract benefits, not to argue.
"What do you want?" Zola asked calmly, unsurprised. He knew this old fox must want something if he brought this up.
"I have an exceptionally capable assassin—The Winter Soldier. He has been one of our most powerful assets, eliminating countless obstacles over the past decades.
I want you to perform enhancement and modification on him with the most advanced technology available. With an upgraded Winter Soldier, the execution of the Insight Plan will be guaranteed."
"That is acceptable," Zola agreed without hesitation. He currently required a test subject to verify new theories, and Hydra's famous assassin seemed like an excellent experimental sample.
"Since we're discussing the Insight Plan, Pierce, why don't you brief everyone on the current progress?"
Zola had little interest in the Insight Plan now, but the other Hydra leaders were still very optimistic about what could theoretically eliminate all threats to their rule.
Pierce nodded and said,
"The primary bottleneck previously faced in building the Helicarriers was the lack of sufficient power. Nick Fury has already contacted Tony Stark.
He intends to use Stark's Arc Reactor as the power source, and he has also invited Stark to participate in the design and construction of the Helicarriers.
Once this final piece is in place, nothing will obstruct the Insight Plan anymore."
"Tony Stark? Howard Stark's son?" someone asked.
"Yes—same genius talent, same arrogance and indulgence," another voice said with deeper meaning.
"Rumor has it he has developed a new generation exoskeleton combat suit—far ahead of anything existing—a top-class single-operator combat system," another added.
"He is currently under close observation by Nick Fury. We should not act rashly, nor is it necessary.
Both the U.S. government and military are after his technology. We don't need to take the risk. Let them pressure him instead," Pierce said calmly.
Hydra just needed to stay hidden in the shadows and watch as the U.S. military squeezed Tony Stark. If Tony handed over the technology…
"That is acceptable. Let the U.S. military acquire it for us," the man replied, nodding.
If the military obtained the technology first, Hydra could simply steal or copy it later.
"Tony Stark is just a self-indulgent child. Since we already control most of S.H.I.E.L.D., we should be more concerned about that mysterious Foundation X. Who are they, and what do they want?"
Baron Strucker asked sharply.
Zola shook his head:
"I've already said this before. They suddenly contacted me, extracted my consciousness from old computing hardware, then provided me with biological and mechanical enhancement technologies, instructing me to build an organization called Shocker.
Every time they deliver information, it's directly transmitted through the network."
Although Zola uploaded his consciousness to machinery in order to survive after developing cancer, technological limitations of the late 20th century meant he was far from a true free-roaming AI; he could not move freely within the internet.
It was completely different from beings like Ultron or JARVIS.
This was simply the limitation of the era—just like Howard Stark discovering levitation technology during WWII but only managing a prototype that could float for a few seconds.
He even discovered the structure of a new element, but lacked the technology to synthesize it—leaving the blueprint for Tony Stark.
"And besides that, they made no demands?" someone asked.
"None at all. That is what is strange. This Foundation provides us with advanced technology yet asks for absolutely nothing in return."
The mechanical voice contained no tone, but everyone could hear the confusion behind it.
There could be no such thing in the world as pure selfless charity.
If they asked for nothing now…
they must be waiting for something much greater later.
"If they truly have ulterior motives, we could eventually trace them. But currently, they appear to ask for nothing at all. Could they simply want to see their technology realized?" someone speculated.
It was unlikely, but there were always mad scientists obsessed only with their research, caring nothing for fame or profit—for such people, seeing their technology implemented was the greatest reward.
"Regardless, the technology has greatly strengthened us. The mechanical and biochemical soldiers produced by Shocker will soon allow Hydra to surpass even America's WWII super-soldier forces," Baron Strucker said with restrained excitement.
"That is not a problem," Zola replied calmly. "Unit-01's enhancement is nearly complete. Once the first experimental subject combining biochemical and nanomechanical systems is finished, its performance will far surpass the so-called Super-Soldier Serum."
"Unit-01 is almost complete?" The Hydra leaders showed great interest. They had been waiting for this project for a long time.
The first experimental subject—code-named Unit-01.
"Once Unit-01 succeeds, I demand the same procedure for the Winter Soldier," Pierce said immediately.
"Pierce, always seizing opportunities," Strucker laughed.
"The Winter Soldier does not belong to me alone. He is Hydra's bioweapon. Making him stronger benefits Hydra," Pierce stated calmly.
"That is fine," Zola agreed. Unit-01 was only the beginning, far from his final goal.
"If we could absorb the Foundation's researchers into Hydra, then world conquest would be within our grasp," someone suggested.
Many believed the Foundation must be hiding due to insufficient strength; if Hydra found them, they could devour them and take everything.
But Foundation was actually an administrator-level presence in a game-like system, its strength far beyond anything these "players" could imagine.
And the Consortium did not have researchers—every technology came from Dan's Kamen Rider Chronicle system.
"We must remain cautious. We do not know what kind of technological power they possess. What they have already given Shocker is far beyond this era," Pierce warned.
"That is why we performed a small test—to observe their reaction."
Zola's eyes flickered. He personally disapproved of testing the Foundation. Every interaction gave him the impression that their power was unfathomable.
They handed over advanced modification technologies as casually as billionaires dropping loose change to beggars.
But the decision was made collectively. As long as it did not interfere with his experiments, he would let them try. Who knew—they might actually learn something.
(End of Chapter)