Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1311, Chapter 1307: The Puppet of Fate (First Update)

General Hale initially assumed the young man behaving intimately with Stephanie Malik was connected to the Malik family, and that Gideon Malik had brought him here simply to expand his network. This was common; marriages between established political families and conglomerates were as prevalent as marriages between new money and impoverished European aristocrats in the last century. Moreover, this was Washington, D.C., where every politician was backed by a vast industrial empire. The inclinations of these powerful conglomerates dictated the politicians' decisions, even giving rise to a street specifically for lobbyists.

She smiled and nodded to the young man as a greeting.

She was already a high-ranking four-star general in the Ministry of Defense, and there was no need for her to be overly enthusiastic towards a stranger, unless the Malik family members she associated with were replaced by that man. At present, that seemed unlikely; that old man, Gideon Malik, was getting younger and younger, and there were rumors that he had undergone rejuvenation surgery.

When Gideon Malik suggested the next meeting at the Malik family estate in Washington, General Hale readily agreed. It wasn't surprising that a four-star general had some dealings with a former Security Council president; even if the Department of Homeland Security investigated, it could be dismissed as "private interactions arising from national security"—not a major issue. It wasn't until she was seated in the extended armored limousine and asked to put her phone in her Faraday pocket, and when the young man subtly assumed the position of authority within the vehicle, that General Hale sensed something was amiss.

The car has already started moving; it's too late to leave now.

"What's going on, Gideon?" General Hale gripped Ruby's hand tightly, feigning composure as he asked. Stephanie Malik remained seated beside the young man, her demeanor more that of a secretary than a partner. "I need an explanation."

“If you can’t do as I say, I can’t explain,” Gideon Malik said calmly. He had already undergone the Immortal City’s rejuvenation surgery, with a blood filter installed in his body to ensure blood health. This was just the initial physical enhancement; subsequent services included stem cell cloning and organ customization—all to ensure he could live past one hundred. The old Hydra man glanced at the man sitting opposite him and General Hale, then at his daughter, before finally turning to General Hale and saying, “You’ve always wanted to see him, and now he’s here. He has something to say to you, so you must listen.”

"You can't expect me to betray America." Despite her resentment, General Hale complied. As a Hydra agent without powerful backers, she knew all too well the ruthlessness, selfishness, and pragmatism of the conservative Hydra. Dr. Whitehall was said to have nothing but his brain; there was nothing the Hydra leadership wouldn't do. "Even with our people holding many important positions, there are things we can't do. We almost got exposed when we covered up the USS Bush," she said. "I can only cover up some F-35 salvage numbers, that's all."

"What we want isn't that simple, General Hale." The young man's smile was very warm, which eased the tension in General Hale slightly. She was completely oblivious to the strange expression on her daughter's face sitting beside her; even when she gripped Ruby's hand too tightly, Ruby didn't react. "Let me ask you a question: do you think the interests of the human race are more important, or the interests of America?"

"Without a doubt, it's the human race." General Hale looked around. "Why do you ask that question?"

"You will become the savior of the human race, General Hale." The young man's voice was deep yet incredibly infectious. "This is your destined moment of glory. No one on this earth is more important than you now. You need to know a few things; it will help you."

General Hale was certainly not one of those easily fooled Ivy League interns in the White House, but the woman before her carried the weight of words that politicians or civil servants could only use to deceive interns. She was the most powerful human known to date, and the Department of Homeland Security believed she possessed the ability to fight Thor. She also possessed advanced technology; the CIA and the Pentagon had tried every means to obtain some of it for research, but all had failed. Furthermore, a year ago, she had used a machine built according to secret S.H.I.E.L.D. blueprints to contact aliens, who hailed her as humanity's savior. It was as if this title had become authentic after receiving alien certification, and General Hale immediately used her powerful imagination to fill in some of the inconsistencies.

"I think I'm ready to receive explosive intelligence." Although still somewhat wary, General Hale slightly changed her attitude. The aliens she contacted through the device warned her that an incredibly large alien fleet was approaching Earth, intending to kill all humanity on the planet and then take it for themselves. The man before her had issued a warning to the entire world, the content of which was almost identical to what the aliens had said. It could be said that it was because of the latter's statements that she chose to believe the alien council's claims. "But are you sure you want to announce this here?"

“Of course not, we can talk about it when we get to the manor.” The young man glanced at Stephanie Malik, who immediately understood and handed General Hale a gift box that was placed to the side. “Before that, we must establish a good relationship, only in this way can our long-term cooperation be facilitated,” he said. “So we must solve some tricky problems for you.”

General Hale wouldn't refuse this gift, as it represented a 15% stake in a real estate company acquired by Blackstone Group and a 2% stake in Lockheed Martin. The former's annual dividends exceeded the returns General Hale had earned from her Silicon Valley venture capital investments over the years, while the latter meant a smooth transition into a management position within the military-industrial complex. It's important to understand that not every four-star general can smoothly navigate the political-business revolving door of a large corporation; many retire to become real estate managers and fade into obscurity—a path that didn't align with the ambitious future General Hale had envisioned for herself and her daughter.

The former was money, the latter was power; General Hale could not refuse such a gift.

As for how the Malik family and Emperor Latvinia obtained these things, and how Emperor Latvinia entered the White House, she didn't want to investigate. When that man led his army to parachute into the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Pentagon and the United Nations had already lost face. Even if this situation indicated a problem with the US's defense system, even if it was a duty she, as a four-star general, had to fulfill—whether she joined Hydra or gave birth to Ruby, she had no choice. She was born a Hydra member, not an American, because she, like Ruby, was a product of Dr. Whitehall's eugenics program. To climb up Hydra's rigid hierarchy, she was willing to give everything. But at the same time, she was also a person with ideals, which was the quality the Emperor admired most. Whether her ideal of sacrificing everything for humanity stemmed from personal desires or some noble sentiment, the Emperor didn't care. Compared to other politicians, General Hale had already been incredibly dutiful.

And then there was her ambition, a quality the Emperor admired. Seeing General Hale's satisfaction and gratitude for the gift, the Emperor's smile softened further. "I believe our cooperation will satisfy both of us," the Emperor said, taking the wine glass from Stephanie Malick and raising it to General Hale. "To our cooperation."

"And the future of humanity." General Hale also took a glass, then expertly snatched it from Ruby's hand, since she wasn't yet 21. She added, "That's the most important thing; the safety of the human race is the foundation of our cooperation."

"Your sense of responsibility truly amazes me," the Emperor nodded. "You will see another gift at the manor, and I think Mr. Gideon Malik is quite qualified to speak on this. Only a healthy body can bear greater responsibilities, and that is the most important gift."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)