"Justin Hammer shows no abnormalities—no unusual personnel activity, no irregular financial transactions. Qin, your suspicion was correct; this matter has nothing to do with Hammer."
"Alright! I understand. Looks like Justin Hammer doesn't need any further attention on this issue."
"All agents in France have been deployed. If they move anyone out of the country, we'll know immediately! The enemy this time is highly professional and ruthless; they won't give us any room to act. Be extremely careful!"
"You too. Complete your mission and return as soon as possible. See you in New York!"
See you in New York!
Qin Xiao hung up the phone from Black Widow. The scale of this incident was enormous. He and Tony both suspected it wasn't Justin Hammer. Still, Qin Xiao had Black Widow confirm—sure enough, Hammer's side was completely normal.
Then who was it?
Qin Xiao frowned.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Qin Xiao stood and went to open it.
Tony strode in, poured himself a large glass of water, and drank it in one gulp.
Then he exhaled and said:
"A police officer who woke up said there were five intruders: three white men (one of them a woman), one black man, and another black man. They were incredibly fast and extremely strong. He fired four shots but couldn't hit a single one."
"Based on his description, the person they faced looked like you! Five super soldiers, Qin—remember what happened in Mexico last time? That man with the metal arm? I suspect they're all part of the same group, a powerful secret organization with drug dealers, super soldiers, and maybe even a team of elite scientists!"
The moment Tony mentioned five people, Qin Xiao immediately recognized the pattern. Now, when Bucky's name was brought up, he recalled everything clearly.
Five super soldiers, Hydra, a base stationed in Siberia.
They activated five super soldiers in Siberia but didn't send Bucky. Could it be that Alexander Pierce wasn't the mastermind after all?
Like the name Hydra suggests, the Hydra organization has many branches.
Former S.H.I.E.L.D. director Alexander Pierce was merely the leader of one of them.
Qin Xiao remembered that Pierce had used the Mind Stone to create Wanda Maximoff and Baron Pietro, who had been stationed in Europe for a long time. Could it be him?
Qin Xiao felt confused. No matter how high his current combat power was, it wouldn't help in this situation.
Even though you've learned a lot from watching the movies, you still wouldn't know where these Hydra bases were hidden.
And finding them? Forget about it.
…
Washington, World Security Council.
Alexander Pierce's office.
"Francis, that bastard secretly activated the Siberian base—one of our trump cards! Damn him! Now all of Europe is crawling with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. He's going to kill us—you'd better be careful, Stickle!"
Alexander Pierce was unexpectedly furious, completely abandoning his usual calm and composed demeanor.
"Don't worry, old friend. You are the head of the World Security Council, and most of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents are under your control. What do I have to fear?"
Baron Stickle's voice sounded calm.
In truth, when you think about it, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s greatest threats mostly came from within, and there was no oversight organization like the Avengers keeping an eye on them.
At the moment, Hydra had no natural enemies.
"Do you think Nick Fury is a fool? I know him. He's not easily deceived. I don't even know what other cards he has. Last time we planned the 'Insight Project,' the most critical task at hand. If we are exposed now, the world will turn against us."
"At that time, all I can do is calmly fulfill my role as Chairman and wait for the next opportunity. Do you understand? We've waited so many years; finally, we have a chance to achieve our vision. We cannot afford exposure now!"
Perhaps the way Alexander Pierce slammed the table and reasoned left a deep impression on Baron Stickle.
His tone also became more serious, no longer casual.
"I understand the gravity of the Arc Reactor situation. Honestly, it's very tempting. I admit I was swayed, but now is really not the time. I'll have my men lie low, not provoke S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. We will do everything possible to find Francis and resolve this issue, ensuring our safety!"
Baron Stickle's assurance calmed Pierce considerably. He took a deep breath and said:
"If his identity is exposed, I will eliminate him immediately. For everyone's safety, for the glory of Hydra—Hydra forever!"
"Hydra forever!"
…
New York, a golf course.
Justin Hammer stood on the grass, pouting, furiously shaking his fists.
He was extremely frustrated after a giant duck named Ivan Vanko ran off.
What made it worse, he had coordinated with police and prison personnel ahead of time, spending a lot of favors and money to ensure that Ivan Vanko would be released immediately upon entering prison.
In the end… the plan failed.
"Relax, Justin. Golf is an elegant game. You can't treat it like it's Tony Stark's head. Sometimes, too much force will get you nowhere."
A middle-aged man slowly approached Hammer.
"Senator Stern, I remember just a week ago you were biting your teeth demanding I speed up the armor development. Why do you seem so calm now?"
Justin Hammer was in a bad mood. He was no longer friendly toward the senator he had once worked closely with.
"I've worked in the Senate for many years and realized one truth: today's world is about win-win cooperation. For example, our cooperation and the 'War Machine' project are like this. Anger solves nothing. Let me introduce a friend, Mr. Francis Soubrie!"
Senator Stern stepped aside, revealing the man behind him.
A man in his fifties, well-dressed, hair neatly combed.
"Francis is one of Europe's purest aristocrats. He wields unimaginable influence across Europe, including in stocks, political elections, and major energy projects. Whatever you need, he will find a way—yes, even rescuing someone in Monaco. Truly a genius from Siberia!"
Senator Stern grinned, showing his small yellow teeth.
Note at the end:
"I got home late, so I'll finish this chapter first, then eat, and plan to finish the next chapter before midnight. If you go to bed early, don't wait—let's read it together tomorrow!"