"You don't need to worry. Captain America is fine. He's absolutely loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D.," Lu Yi said to Coulson with a mix of amusement and concern.
The power of an idol was truly terrifying.
Still, if Coulson ever learned that Captain America would one day fall under Red Skull's control and betray everything he believed in, Lu Yi wondered how he would react.
Of course, that was something for the future—not now. For the moment, Captain America was still that naïve, overly idealistic fool who believed the world was far kinder than it actually was.
This wasn't just Lu Yi's personal opinion—countless Marvel comic fans shared that view, regardless of the fact that Captain America once ran for president.
What?
Unbelievable, but true. He did run, and he was wildly popular.
As for the outcome… well, that goes without saying.
He was an outstanding soldier—but he was not a politician. He was far too naïve, unfit to lead a nation, let alone make difficult political decisions.
Just like what Lu Yi was about to explain next.
"So why do we need to watch out for Captain America?" Natasha asked, frowning slightly.
She was clever. She didn't ask how Lu Yi knew the Captain had already been found and rescued.
That might be a secret to others—but not to Lu Yi.
Natasha didn't particularly like Captain America; she was more rational. She simply wanted to understand why Lu Yi raised the concern.
"Captain America is a great fighter, I'll admit that. And he's done a lot of good. But one thing about him is undeniable—he's too naïve. So naïve it's irritating."
"What does that have to do with watching him?"
"Everything. Because once he realizes how deeply HYDRA has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., he'll conclude that S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA are inseparable. He'll believe S.H.I.E.L.D. has lost its purpose. And under his influence, S.H.I.E.L.D. will be destroyed."
Captain America had a powerful personal charisma—enough to influence the people around him without them realizing it. In the original storyline, when S.H.I.E.L.D. fell, he played a crucial role.
Destroying S.H.I.E.L.D. might look good from the outside, but it went directly against Lu Yi's interests. If S.H.I.E.L.D. were destroyed when the plot demanded it, that would be fine—but not now. That was why Lu Yi had prepared in advance.
S.H.I.E.L.D. might be hypocritical and constantly scheming, but Lu Yi needed that hypocrisy, that secret cooperation. Because of S.H.I.E.L.D., he enjoyed a life free of surveillance and interference. They played a critical role in maintaining that balance.
If S.H.I.E.L.D. collapsed and Nick Fury went into hiding, that peaceful lifestyle would come to an end.
Yes, Lu Yi could respond with a massive slaughter and terrify every government into silence—but the stability he currently enjoyed would vanish. And the world would never be peaceful again.
Lu Yi had no interest in ruling the world. He simply wanted to become the strongest and enjoy life. If the world descended into chaos, enjoyment would be impossible.
In the DC Universe's future timeline, Superman once fell into madness after a devastating loss and nearly ruled the world through fear. The world became a nightmare—full of unrest, violence, and despair.
But even then, Superman himself was miserable. His heart was filled with rage.
This proved one thing: ruling the world through force was not happiness.
Lu Yi had no desire for world domination. It was meaningless. A whole, functioning world offered a better quality of life.
Becoming stronger through violence was far more fulfilling than ruling a broken world soaked in blood.
That was why Lu Yi wanted S.H.I.E.L.D. to remain intact.
Without S.H.I.E.L.D. as a buffer, he feared he might lose control, slaughtering anyone who dared provoke him.
Nick Fury was a clever man. Under his leadership, S.H.I.E.L.D. acted as a stabilizing force—a buffer. This was good for Lu Yi.
"I'll keep that in mind," Natasha replied.
She didn't understand Lu Yi's entire plan, but she remembered every word he said. She had never met Captain America, but from what she heard from Coulson, she knew enough.
He really was a naive, idealistic man.
Lu Yi's judgment was correct.
For the sake of S.H.I.E.L.D., she had to remember that.
Coulson didn't like hearing criticism of his idol, but he knew Captain America's nature. Even though he felt defensive, he still kept Lu Yi's warning in mind.
"By the way," Natasha suddenly added, "the two breakthroughs you mentioned earlier—both relate to people. Who are they?"
"Alexander Pierce…"
"What?!"
As soon as Lu Yi spoke the name, both Natasha and Coulson couldn't help shouting.
Alexander Pierce—former S.H.I.E.L.D. director, mentor to Nick Fury—was a HYDRA member. The revelation shook them to the core.
Even with their self-control, they couldn't stop themselves from reacting. It was simply too unbelievable.
"Don't mistake it—yes, it's the same Alexander Pierce you know."
"…"
Can we not joke about this? This is serious!
But if it was him… then it explained why Nick Fury never uncovered HYDRA.
Nick Fury was incredibly intelligent—fooling him wasn't easy.
Without someone of Pierce's status shielding HYDRA, S.H.I.E.L.D. would have found clues long ago.
"We remember him," Coulson said, suppressing his shock. "Then who's the other one?"
"The other one looks a bit like Nick Fury. They're both bald. But one is a boiled egg, and the other is a hard-boiled egg."
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