Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1677 Business is Business

Gideon Malik picked up a hamburger from the table with a strange expression and stuffed it into his mouth, wondering if the exquisite dinner that should have been served here, prepared by a Michelin three-star chef, had already been thrown in the trash. He didn't think these hamburgers, fries, milkshakes, sodas, and donuts could be considered proper hospitality, especially when the guest was an important person; such paltry food only seemed stingy.

It wasn't until he saw his daughter, Stephanie Malik, sharing more food with the bodyguards alongside those being entertained, and then sitting on a bench in the courtyard to eat and talk, that he finally understood. He glanced at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his dining room overlooking the courtyard and could only shrug in acquiescence. The soldiers who served as Malik's bodyguards were absolutely loyal to him, Hydra, a loyalty far exceeding that of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s former operations department to Alexander Pierce—a force cultivated by the Malik family from childhood. Judging from the king's aloof demeanor as he sat on his throne, he had absolutely no need for such manipulative tactics.

Do not!

Dean Malik looked at his daughter's smiling face in the yard and deeply suspected that this action was not so simple.

The man sitting next to Stephanie was a complete conqueror, an absolutely cold-blooded tyrant, possessing unparalleled ambition to devour the entire world. To him, there were only two kinds of people in the world: those of value and those of worthlessness, treated differently. He had absolutely no intention of engaging in trivial posturing; even the Hydra Origin Worship deity was caged and sent to a laboratory by him. There must be a reason for his actions—perhaps it was a warning born of distrust towards the Malik family? Perhaps it was to test the brains of those bodyguards, ensuring their loyalty? Or perhaps some hostile force he didn't understand had begun infiltrating the Malik family's security, and he was completely unaware?

This thought reminded Gideon Malik of the previous dinner party when he introduced the man to a Supreme Court justice, a former British and American representative to the World Security Council, and a former Hydra banker with deep roots in Swiss banks and the Wallenberg family—people who could help his biotech company operate and secure orders from the White House, the Pentagon, and the European Union. The man had not shown any particular enthusiasm.

Clearly, that man hadn't come to America to do business. Hydra feeds on secrets, and Gideon Malik instinctively wanted to know that secret. That man's arrival certainly wasn't for the Malik family's continuation, even if Stephanie wanted to.

I won't stay tonight.

Upon hearing Salomon's words, Stephanie Malik's smile froze instantly, though she maintained basic composure. The bodyguards discreetly left to avoid overhearing any inappropriate conversation.

"Please persuade your father not to overthink things. I need Stark Industries' new energy contracts, and I also need Stark Industries' licenses for some of the powered armor technology patents. Tony Stark will agree; Pepper Potts knows how to do business. As agreed, Tony Stark will be stationed at the Pentagon, and the pressure from the Department of Defense will force him to agree to these patent contracts. Secretary Ross's current predicament is making the Pentagon very tense; the country lacks a sense of security from top to bottom. Only when there is a clearly defined enemy can a country unite. The Avengers can't solve this kind of security need."

"So you are creating a need for security."

"I just don't want to waste any resources. The Regent desperately needs foreign exchange to develop industry and the economy; I can't dump all the work on him," he sighed. This completely privately owned enterprise was exactly what the US government desperately needed, and he had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. The Malik family's primary task was to oversee this future behemoth, expand it globally, and replace S.H.I.E.L.D.'s former functions—when certain individuals with special abilities appeared, these dangerous individuals, possessing capabilities far exceeding those of local security organizations, would randomly scatter across various settlements within the United States, making it difficult for local police or even the National Guard to act in a timely manner. Even mobilizing troops within the country required extensive approval processes, hindering rapid response; therefore, a rapid reaction force obeying government commands was crucial. S.H.I.E.L.D., which had once consumed a large portion of the US defense budget, was capable of rapid response, while the now-partied Avengers were entirely under the command of Stark Industries and not affiliated with any official agency.

Since the destruction of S.H.I.E.L.D., the US government has tried many ways to address this issue, such as rebuilding a S.H.I.E.L.D. exclusively for the United States. However, without superheroes, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s credibility among the public is significantly lower—this security area is now completely blank, and the US government cannot promptly establish a new department to replace S.H.I.E.L.D.'s former functions, nor can it delegate this work to any intelligence agency, causing an imbalance between the severely conflicting intelligence empires. When an organization capable of solving the problem emerges, the US government will flock to it like a thirsty traveler in the desert finding crystals, signing contracts under the persuasion of numerous financial magnates and political brokers. Solving the problem while sharing the wealth generated by the flow of dollars and taxpayers' money with all participants is what Salomon hopes to see, and it was also his initial motivation for trying to use Hydra to control the Belgrade Group on Wall Street. The Balkans now require substantial foreign investment to purchase food and industrial raw materials; otherwise, relying solely on Martian resources, a geostationary space elevator would be impossible to build.

This future monopoly will not be without competitors.

However, before competitors could even manufacture their own competing products, Gideon Malik had already consolidated the relevant resources. After lengthy negotiations, alliances, and deals, the Malik family finally reached an agreement with other American conglomerates, securing a substantial investment and attracting enough allies to join the project. The spokesperson for this project was Tony Stark, the future Secretary of Defense. Almost any company attempting to compete in bioweapons, super soldiers, and prosthetic limbs would become a target, even if they were innocent. Under the political lobbying of monopolistic corporations wielding public power, they were nothing more than easy prey. Stark Industries, in order to maintain its technological advantage, would also use commercial means to compete for the Emperor's company.

Regardless of whether a Democratic or Republican candidate becomes president, Tony Stark will become Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon's most beloved and lively "bond boy," bringing power and money to the Pentagon and credibility to the White House. After all, events like S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra, New York, Captain America, and the Avengers have made the White House appear extremely incompetent in the realm of superhumans. The Democratic and Republican parties, supported by the plutocrats, and encompassing all mainstream societal opinions, have failed to resolve the crisis of trust facing society; a new issue is needed.

In a country where currency is privately owned, defense and security can naturally be entrusted to private enterprises, making the establishment of a monopoly organization unsurprising. This country is essentially a monopoly organization composed of numerous large enterprises from different economic sectors—a vast and complex form of capitalist monopoly. Centered around the most powerful monopoly enterprise or bank, it comprises numerous enterprises from various economic sectors, ranging from ten to hundreds in mining, industry, trade, banking, insurance, and transportation. It represents the highest organizational form for financial oligarchs to achieve their economic dominance. Especially given the increasingly tense global security situation, the emergence of a private security organization is not unexpected.

"Biotechnology and powered armor—these are all projects that will secure future US defense contracts. We can provide the US government with bio-tech mercenaries and special operations services for anomalies, just like Lockheed Martin provides F-35s. Other countries around the world will also need these services, and we, having consolidated S.H.I.E.L.D.'s North American and European forces, will be the best choice. The Malik family will control this business, so your father can relax a bit. He's so insecure; he'll scare himself to death sooner or later. I worry that if I told him that all the unspent budget funds the US government gave to S.H.I.E.L.D. are in my hands, he might have a heart attack." He shrugged. "But unfortunately, I spent a lot of money buying food before the food embargo took effect. Compared to that, it's more important that my people are fed."

"You are a monarch, not a businessman; glittering praise and extravagant displays of power are not suitable for you."

"Therefore, I need the Malik family to select a suitable person to take control of this company."

“Bakshi, you’ve already chosen him, haven’t you?” Stephanie Malik said with a smile. “He comes from the slums, is handsome, charming, and has military experience. After training, he can adapt to the order and etiquette of high society and is absolutely obedient to orders. Such a person can win the favor of both the upper and lower classes. I really didn’t expect that the training you conducted for him so many years ago was for this moment. If Dr. Whitehall had known that you were so shrewd when he was alive, he might have surrendered immediately.”

Salomon glanced at her.

"There will be no evidence whatsoever that company is connected to you or the government you established." Stephanie assumed he was worried about the details of the project, unaware that he was simply reflecting on how much flattery Gideon had taught her. "Tony Stark will only ever be our clown, willingly performing for all of us. However, I still need to arrange a product showcase for the Pentagon… I fear that after witnessing your Guardians and Knights, the Pentagon and the White House won't be content with the byproducts of those genetic labs. Due to confidentiality regulations, I cannot tell my father the details of those genetically modified soldiers. I assure you, my lord, that my father has absolutely no doubts about you."

Salomon could guess with his toes that Old Hydra's caution about the future and its fear of him kept him on edge.

"Gideon's concerns are not unfounded, and that's fine. If he doesn't have doubts, I'll have to consider changing partners," he said. "Tomorrow, the first batch of super soldiers will land at the Hell's Kitchen docks with Dr. Lingenfeldt (a scientist under Daniel Whitehall), where he can witness the capabilities of those products firsthand. We won't show the U.S. government super soldiers powerful enough, but I think those things... are powerful enough, obedient enough, and we have some nice stuff too, which is good for both us and the U.S. government."

He believed that it was better for the bioweapons and super soldiers used to handle anomalous events to lack independent thought. Not every prisoner captured from the battlefield was willing to submit to him, and he felt no remorse for creating those war dogs and clones into super soldiers with no self-awareness and a height of nearly three meters. However, he still believed that the future project would need some "superheroes" who could appear on screen, and the beautiful armor provided by the Immortal City was prepared for them.

Doing business also requires considering social impact. Super soldiers in stylish armor are far more acceptable than bulky bio-soldiers who look like the epitome of evil. Even Steve Rogers had to wear his ridiculous uniform when on a mission. Bucky manages those who wear nice clothes and help the company win public opinion and official favor. This former Hydra agent must ensure that the products are as attractive as his face.

"Can I come along? What kind of mission is it?"

Stephanie immediately stood up, her expression innocent and naive.

She still remembered the small-scale armed conflict against the Skrulls who parasitized the Earth; it was the first time she had experienced wearing power armor and feeling blood splattered on it. The thrill of killing was an irresistible stimulation for this well-behaved girl who had received years of elite education. Violence was the most visceral form of power—a lesson she had learned through observation. The Hydra, worshipped by the Camarilla, the ancient Hydra that had formed a party that had lasted for millennia, was nothing more than a pet to the current king, especially given his unparalleled ambition and power. All Hydra members were entitled to pledge their loyalty to him. Stephanie Malik believed that having been the first to pledge her loyalty, she deserved to be the leader of Hydra; only she had the right to stand by his side.

"I've taken excellent care of the equipment; I can offer assistance!"

"Parallel world interference. To be precise, it's about preventing parallel world interference; this is one of my research topics." Salomon knew Stephanie hadn't understood. "In any case, you're not suitable to appear with me in front of the people involved in this mission. As agreed, General Hale will arrive here at 11:00 AM tomorrow. I'll return to the manor before 11:00 AM; I need to have a good talk with General Hale."

"General Hale is not of much help to the monopoly we are about to establish."

"There's more than one plan. The arrangements for General Hale have changed. Her daughter Ruby is still part of the plan, but now is not the time to activate her. Let me speak with your father now; he's been observing this place for a long time."

Stephanie Malik was filled with shame and indignation as she watched her father shrink back into the restaurant, her face turning bright red.

(End of this chapter)