Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1312, Chapter 1308: The Emblem of Glory (Second Update)

In the hall with its warm fireplace, the Emperor spoke softly to General Hale about some news.

Regarding the size of the alien fleet that approached Earth, its relationship with the Chitauri, and the infamy and attacks its leader had in the galaxy, General Hale remained restless upon hearing the news, even though the luxurious sofa beneath him was so comfortable it could make him doze off, the aroma of burning wood in the fireplace was cozy, and the sherry in his hand was exquisite.

She is not optimistic enough to believe that the U.S. Navy can counter attacks from orbit.

Latvia's current military advantage lies in its orbital strike capability, which alone is enough to make the entire Earth wary and desperately try to control its orbital military scale through a UN resolution. Now, the alien fleet possesses even greater advantages in this area, rendering the UN resolution ineffective. "There will be many surrenderers," General Hale immediately recognized the social situation after the alien fleet's arrival. "If, as you claim, the alien fleet only needs to eliminate half of Earth's population, then there will certainly be people willing to slaughter that half for the aliens in exchange for their own survival. Even if they realize that cooperation is necessary to fight the aliens, human nations will still go to war with each other. At that time, the alien fleet will only need to deploy a small number of soldiers to achieve its goal."

"Very astute." The Emperor nodded approvingly. "Judging from the Dark Order's past conquests, this has happened more than once. After that, some human nations cooperated to fight against aliens while also fighting against their own people. Global supply chains were disrupted, food production decreased and distribution was uneven, industrial production facilities were destroyed, and diseases that were originally easily treatable became deadly due to supply chain problems... This is a catastrophe, General Hale. The death toll will definitely be more than 35 billion. You can think of it as the entire Earth becoming Afghanistan or Syria. All human civilization and scientific progress will be destroyed in a short period of time, and the human race must survive in the face of this catastrophe."

"And what about Asgard?" General Hale straightened her back. The Emperor's description revealed some particularly useful information, such as the potential for increased monopolies in pharmaceutical and food companies, and the reduced influence of railroad and oil conglomerates due to shortened supply chains. However, these were not General Hale's current concerns, nor did she foresee a future of warlordism and corporate monopolies. "Thor claims the Asgardian Empire is the protector of Earth. If an alien fleet were to invade the solar system on a large scale, would they stand idly by? According to S.H.I.E.L.D., the Asgardian Empire is the most powerful force in the galaxy..."

"The destruction of Asgard is imminent, and no one can stop it. They have already failed in their fight against fate." The Emperor interrupted General Hale's rosy fantasies. "We will inherit the legacy of the Asgardian Empire, and I have made many preparations for this."

"Your influence extends to the Asgardian Empire? How did you manage that? We don't have the Rainbow Bridge." General Hale asked incredulously. "And I don't understand what calamity Asgard is facing. Are they unable to resist the alien fleet, or is it internal strife?"

"The Rainbow Bridge is actually the Asgardian name for some ancient interstellar transportation system. The Asgardians can use it, so can we, and I've already mastered many of its secrets. However, building humanity's own Rainbow Bridge will take a very long time; it might not be effective for hundreds of years. Of course, with our technology, an ordinary person could live to see that day." The Emperor took a sip of the sherry Gideon Malik had given him. The old man had been silent since the meeting began, simply sitting on the sofa beside him, drinking glass after glass. The blood filter cleansed away the effects of the alcohol without hindrance, allowing Gideon Malik to savor the pleasure of drinking. "Asgard, like Latveria, is a nation built and maintained by personal authority. The disappearance of the leader means the disappearance of deterrence; the disappearance of deterrence means the destruction of the nation. The Asgardian colonies beyond the Nine Realms will soon launch an independence movement. Whether Asgard can survive this catastrophe or not, they are destined to become a nation without a home planet and technology."

"Very straightforward." General Hale looked at him with newfound respect. "Not every dictator is aware of his own shortcomings."

"Let's return to Asgard," the Emperor said. "In any case, when the alien fleet arrives, Asgard cannot help Earth; we must rely on ourselves. But I know what the Black Order wants, I know its internal factions and secrets, and dragging them onto the ground battlefield shouldn't be difficult. This war is a reshuffling of power in human society. I am confident I can defeat the Black Order, but it can't be just Latvinia and me who pay the price. Do you understand what I mean?"

"You want to gain the upper hand."

"That's right, I want to establish a human federation with the galaxy as its goal. The lifespan of ordinary humans is too short, and their will is too fragile. No matter how beautiful their ideals are, they will be corrupted by time. This is either due to the fear of death caused by old age, or the arrogance and impracticality that come from holding power for a long time. Only a monitoring system established and maintained by people with long enough lifespans and long enough vision can drive the human race out of Earth. You can describe this process as... forced weaning."

"Very humorous," General Hale said with a laugh, "but also very idealistic."

The emperor did not present any substantial evidence to refute the claims, nor did he need to; time would tell.

He looked around and found that Stephanie Malik was not there, and she had not returned yet.

She pulled Ruby away from the hall, ostensibly to give the inexperienced Ruby a walk, but in reality to implant a tracking chip in her, ensuring that the Guardians and the Emperor could know her situation and location immediately. At the same time, Stephanie Malik would also tattoo a very small numbered tattoo on the skin of Ruby Hale's gluteus medius (the outer thigh), ensuring secrecy while also marking Ruby Hale's ownership—Stephanie Malik also had a similar tattoo in the same location, but its number and insignia were much more complex than the tattoo Ruby Hale would receive, representing a much higher meaning and status.

In fact, Ruby was the second Hydra woman to receive a similar tattoo; Diana Lister did not. The insignia of the Sorority androids was more complex and ornate than Stephanie Malik's, with iris or rose tattoos on the outer thighs being common base designs, and carrying a stronger religious connotation. Due to the difficulty in removing tattoos, in ancient times they were used by individuals to express absolute loyalty to a particular tribe or power. Even if a tribe was defeated and annexed, young men with tattoos would never survive, not even having the chance to become slaves, because they represented not only loyalty but also bravery. Although the Emperor himself did not enforce tattoos, Stephanie Malik still advocated using tattoos as a symbol of submission, and Gideon Malik's objections were futile.

"What does this mean?" Ruby squinted at the Roman numeral two on her skin and the ancient Egyptian religious symbols surrounding it. "Why the number two?"

“Because I am Number One.” Stephanie Malik put down her tools, her expression cheerful. She first explained the origin of the tattoo and the meaning and power it represented. She deliberately lowered her voice so Ruby would take it seriously. “Now you are a member of this secret organization. Only you and I can gain the Emperor’s complete trust. Before, although you accepted the mission, you were not one of us, and we wouldn’t do much for you. Now it’s different. When you are in danger, we will do everything in our power to rescue you, regardless of the cost. There is a room for you on the orbital space station, and a special operations team of genetically modified warriors will be ready to serve you at any time.”

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)