Marvel: Awakening the Universe.

Chapter 196 Viper Lady Ophelia (Third Update!)

Yes.

The caller was none other than Anna.

Anna of Hydra.

After exchanging greetings, Anna's voice came through the phone, tinged with apology: "I'm sorry, I just received the message, Hawke. Please believe us, we have no intention of being your enemy, you know that."

Hawke chuckled, and just as he was about to speak, he glanced at Victoria Hand and the SHIELD female agent who were listening intently not far away. He didn't speak immediately, but instead looked at Commander Hand.

"Since everything's alright here, I'll be going now."

"You're welcome."

After Hawke finished speaking, before Victoria Hand could react, he turned and disappeared into the underground base of the New York SHIELD Operations Command Center.

When he reappeared, he was already in the sky.

Hawke drifted slowly toward the New Amsterdam Hospital, talking to Anna, with whom he was still on the phone.

“John Garrett is not one of yours.”

"No."

"Whose people are they?"

“Arnim Zola”.

Anna, on the other end of the phone, said Dr. Zola's name without any hesitation, and then said in a series of excited chatter, "Because New York City is close to New Jersey, that area has always been Dr. Zola's sphere of influence."

really.

Hawke thought to himself.

at this time.

Several gunshots rang out from Anna's direction.

Hawke raised an eyebrow.

"Where are you now?"

"Island country."

As Anna spoke, accompanied by another series of shrill screams, several crisp gunshots rang out: "I've been transferred to the island nation, remember?"

Hawke had already pictured this scene in his mind.

Facing the smiling Anna, he was just like a ruthless black leather queen standing in front of the island nation's floor-to-ceiling window, with a group of island nation S.H.I.E.L.D. agents behind him who did not intend to submit and be executed one by one.

Anna's life is over with a single shot.

This picture——

It's beautiful.

After Anna finished speaking, she seemed to think of something else: "By the way, Hawke, I went to New York City a few days ago, but you didn't seem to be there, and I couldn't get through to you on the phone. I was planning to wait for you to come back in New York City, but, you know, I have to come back."

Hawke also remembered his promise to Anna that they had made half a month ago.

He subconsciously patted his forehead.

"Sorry, something came up and I had to go out for a while."

"It's alright. I'll go to New York City after I've finished dealing with things in the island nation."

"Okay."

Hawke said with a smile, "It doesn't necessarily have to wait until I'm done. If things don't look good, just come find me in New York City."

He never considers political affiliation when making friends.

Sharon is his friend.

Anna was also his friend, and compared to Sharon, Anna was more like an old friend who understood him very well.

and so……

If Sharon dies, her soul goes to the underworld; if Anna dies, her soul does the same.

However, if he could save Sharon's life, he could certainly save Anna's as well.

Anna also understood Hawke's unspoken message.

But she seems to have misunderstood.

“Hawk, this has nothing to do with us. Mr. Pierce also scolded Dr. Zola when he first found out about it.”

"Oh, what then?"

"Dr. Zola said he would find a way to solve it himself."

"Ah."

Upon hearing this, Hawke immediately laughed.

Dr. Zola did find a solution himself, which was to have John Garrett take all the blame in order to get away with it.

pity……

He's not an idiot.

Hawke thought to himself, then said to Anna on the other end of the phone, "John Garrett is just a nobody. I was just wondering if Alexander Pierce was the mastermind behind this."

Anna's voice was urgent.

“Absolutely not. When Mr. Pierce discovered that he had sided with Dr. Zola, he immediately kicked him out of the Three Flying Ornaments headquarters.”

“I know, that’s what Commander Victoria Hand of S.H.I.E.L.D. in New York just said.”

Hawke said this, then changed the subject, "But, no matter who's behind John Garrett, it's Hydra, so I was just thinking of taking action against the entire Hydra if no one steps forward to take responsibility."

There is something to say.

Overcorrection must be overcorrection.

Better to kill ten thousand innocent people than to let one guilty person go free.

So that's really what he was thinking. Since Hydra chose to test him, they had to pay the price.

John Garrett, a nobody who was so unknown he'd never even heard of him, was trying to quell his anger.

What sweet dreams are you having?

"But now, Anna, you are my friend."

"I can give you face and not let my anger spread."

"only……"

"Are you really going to use the favor I promised you to get me to stop?"

Hawke asked Anna in a serious and earnest tone.

Anna answered without hesitation.

"Yes."

“Okay!” Hawke chuckled and gave a definite answer without hesitation: “I promise you, I won’t extend my anger to you and Alexander Pierce’s faction.”

Anna breathed a sigh of relief on the other end of the phone.

"Thank you."

"I've already agreed to everything, so shouldn't you give me something in return? Anna, I came here with a belly full of anger. Can you understand how I feel when I finally came back from outside and then saw three blind Hydras trying to break into my house?"

"clear."

"Good to know. So, find a way to help me vent my anger on that Yasukuni latrine in the island nation."

Hawke smiled and made his request: "I need to see video footage of the latrine engulfed in flames within two hours. Once I see it, I will remain uninvolved, just like before, and will not care whether you or S.H.I.E.L.D. win in the end. How about that?"

Anger doesn't disappear, it just shifts.

After all, Zola is an inanimate object, so even if Hawke killed him, he wouldn't feel any pleasure.

But killing is definitely necessary.

However, this anger still needs to be redirected to something tangible.

Anna just happened to be in the island nation.

Then let's use the Yasukuni latrine.

Anna was taken aback at first, but after she realized what was going on, she nodded in agreement without any hesitation: "No problem, I'll arrange for someone to do it right now. You'll see the fire raging within two hours, I promise you."

Hawke hummed.

"There's one last thing. I was planning to ask for your help when you come to New York this time, but since we're talking now, I might as well say it all at once."

"……you say."

"The Scepter of the Soul!"

After destroying Wakanda in Africa, Hawke originally planned to bring up the matter two weeks later, when Anna returned to New York City.

result……

He went to Skull Island. Although it only seemed like he was there for two days, due to the flow of time, a full seventeen days had passed outside.

Upon emerging, he immediately encountered Hydra again.

So when Anna said that she returned to the island nation because she couldn't wait for Hawke, to oversee the Hydra operations there, Hawke had no doubt.

First, Anna is a Hydra agent; second, she is his friend.

Hydra is a job.

Friends are personal relationships.

Hawke wasn't the type to get angry if Anna didn't wait for him in New York City.

He had originally planned to call Anna the next day or the day after.

Anna just happened to call, so he decided to tell her about it all at once, lest he forget about it again tomorrow or the day after.

Anna paused slightly on the phone after Hawke mentioned the Mind Scepter.

But it recovered quickly.

"The Scepter of the Mind?"

"Yes."

Hawke didn't mince words and said directly, "I know the Mind Scepter is with you. I need to use it for something. But don't worry, I'm not asking you to give it to me for free. I just need to borrow it for a bit. If you're not comfortable with that, I can come over and use it in person. I'll leave right after."

This time, Anna didn't agree without hesitation. Instead, she thought about it for a moment, and her tone wasn't so certain: "I don't want to lie to you, Hawke. I can't make the decision on this matter, but I will report it."

Hawke was not surprised by this.

"Okay, that's all for these two things, nothing else."

"Okay, I will arrange it."

"Well, hung up."

Hawke listened to Anna's assurance, said nothing more, and then hung up the phone.

After all, everyone is very busy.

He rushed to take Gwen home first, then ran to New Jersey to find Zola and pulled the switch on Zola's cyborg.

Anna should be busier.

She not only had to deal with the island nation's S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, but also figure out how to burn down that latrine.

and so……

If we want to catch up, we can do it later.

As Hawke pondered this, he glanced at the New Amsterdam Hospital that had appeared below him, and with a thought, he vanished into thin air.

at the same time.

Alexander Pierce, in his detached villa on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., picked up another phone and called Ophelia Sarkissian, who was in an island nation and known within the organization as the Viper Lady.

The call was answered quickly.

A woman's voice, exuding a seductive and languid charm with a hint of danger, came from the other end of the phone.

Good morning, Pierce.

"Ophelia, do me a favor."

Alexander Pierce took a deep breath and then said in a deep voice, "The Yasukuni latrine was burned down within two hours."

Lying languidly and alluringly on her bed, Lady Viper blinked and sat up.

"why?"

"Damn Zola."

Alexander Pierce cursed and then revealed that Zola, for some unknown reason, had somehow gone wrong and tried to send someone to test Hawke, only to be caught red-handed by Hawke.

Ophelia immediately laughed.

“Pierce, I told you long ago, what intelligent life? It’s just a broken computer program, and a broken program that can’t be moved and is tied to a bunch of outdated electronic devices. It’s a wonder you guys listen to him.”

"Stop talking nonsense. I need time now. Just stall until the Insight mothership takes off. Burn down the Yasukuni latrine within two hours. Is that alright?"

"Row."

Ophelia chuckled and nodded, saying, "No problem, I'll have someone take care of it right away. But Pierce remembers you owe me a favor."

Pierce breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, I remember."

"Hang up first."

"it is good."

"..."

(End of this chapter)