Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 495 I am the Hydra (Part 7)

The most important quality of a kind person is empathy; no kind person can remain indifferent to the loss of twenty million lives. But Salomon's indifference in this matter unsettled Natasha, who had known about his psychological issues from the beginning. She felt that the man before her was a colossal black hole devouring flesh and blood, his face bearing a mockery of life. But Agent Natasha Romanoff, in the next moment, abandoned her emotions and used her rational professionalism to understand the matter from a different perspective.

"You seem very confident about this operation. Won't you tell us what's still missing for it to succeed?" she said. "Is this a uniquely magical way of speaking, where you never speak your mind?"

She wouldn't suggest something as foolish as psychoanalysis to Salomon. She knew Salomon had always disliked such treatments, which were typically used only by the petty bourgeoisie or even white people. She also knew that Salomon believed he wasn't sick. Perhaps he knew he might be a little sick, but he didn't care at all—those were the most seriously ill people.

Sooner or later, Salomon would have to end up in a mental hospital. This was the conclusion Maria Hill reached during a private conversation with her. They were both qualified to access Salomon's file, and they both knew that Salomon's birth was accompanied by a series of absurd religious allusions. If S.H.I.E.L.D. had discovered Salomon at birth, or if they had contacted him earlier, perhaps they could have provided him with some treatment then.

If Salomon had been adopted by a normal family, his problems wouldn't be so severe. But now it's too late. The older he gets, the more resistant he becomes to treatment. Besides, Salomon is learning magic in a place nobody knows, a person completely ignorant of the world, learning only from books. By the time Nick Fury and Agent Coulson realized this situation, Salomon was already at Eton College and had even clashed with S.H.I.E.L.D.

Looking back now, those action team members must have been Hydra.

"You're incredibly clever, Natasha. But you're wrong this time. I was simply prepared," Salomon said with a smile. "This isn't a prophecy, but a proposal from an advisor's perspective, trying to find ways to minimize losses. The suggestion to use artificial intelligence to forcibly seize the Sky Carrier's operational system is a backup plan in case the operation fails. Fury agreed, and he has some computer talent at his disposal. If your operation fails, this plan will take effect immediately."

Salomon was certainly not telling the truth, or rather, every word he uttered was a lie. He did indeed possess artificial intelligence, but he wasn't referring to the one in the Immortal City's server room. As a heavy nuclear-powered tank with less mobility than an assault transport ship, Salomon was naturally placed in the most critical position. Now, a Sisters of the Blood combat team was heading to a hidden outpost to seize key items, preparing for Salomon's next plan.

Even micro-expression expert Agent Romanoff had to admit that while his expression wasn't entirely sincere, the logic was sound and correct. Salomon and Nick Fury were indeed the same type of person; they both liked to have multiple plans, except this time they had brought their backup plans into the open, making them readily visible.

"Do you know who attacked you on London's Highway 4?"

"Of course I know." Salomon blinked, revealing his fangs. "I knew from the very beginning."

"S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra, not a single one can be spared." These were Steve Rogers' exact words. S.H.I.E.L.D. definitely had problems; even Nick Fury didn't know how many loyal agents were still within the agency. Even Agent Maria Hill agreed with this idea; only through a complete purge could S.H.I.E.L.D. have a chance to be reborn.

Nick Fury feigned reluctance before agreeing to the plan. But apart from Agent Maria Hill and himself, no one knew what he had left for Agent Coulson, and even now, Nick Fury wouldn't reveal all his backup plans.

The only price to pay for doing this is moving from the forefront to behind the scenes.

Agent Natasha Romanoff glanced at Salomon, who was listening in. A chill ran down her spine when she saw the sorcerer raise his glass to conceal his smile. She wondered how many years Salomon had endured since the Highway 4 attack. Did he know Hydra would eventually emerge from the shadows? Did he already know S.H.I.E.L.D. would be destroyed? Was he waiting for Captain Rogers to utter those words?

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"Am I dead?" Agent Victoria Hand was still in a daze.

She was completely unaware that not long ago, the S.H.I.E.L.D. she served had completely disintegrated. Nick Fury intended to eliminate all unidentifiable S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to make room for those who were. But casualties were inevitable in this process, including Agent Victoria Hand and her loyalist faction.

“Yes, you’re dead,” Tita said coldly. Salomon hadn’t provided enough resurrection scrolls, so the Sisterhood could only treat patients according to their priority. “John Gatler was Hydra, and so was Grant Ward,” she said. “We found your body and then resurrected you.”

"Resurrected? You are...?"

"I am the servant and believer of the great master, and for your understanding, you may call Him Salomon Damonette."

Agent Victoria Hand took a deep breath, recalling the moonlit diners' ball that Salomon had shown her. That dreamlike scene sometimes appeared in her dreams, as beautiful as a childhood fairy tale. "What do you want me to do?" she asked absently. "What does your master want me to do?"

Tita opened a document, and the once dashing commander of the android combat squad suddenly became somewhat stammering. "Drawing...cartoon mouse heads on the aircraft carrier deck, and then waiting for Disney to launch an air raid? Oh, that was Master's joke! Master's order is for you to lead us in suppressing the mutiny on the aircraft carrier. From now on, this aircraft carrier belongs to Master."

"This is S.H.I.E.L.D. property! It's the property of the World Security Council!"

“No longer, Ms. Hand.” Tita put away the documents. “If we were to do it ourselves, it would take a very long time to quell the mutiny on the carrier, but we won’t distinguish who is Hydra; we’ll only leave corpses. You’ve seen how we treat our enemies—only minced meat and charred remains. If you want to save the lives of our loyalists, then you must do as we say.”

Inside Tita's helmet, a quest progress bar had reached its end, emitting a gentle notification sound.

The giant cannon barrel rose and was aimed at an abandoned house in the distant suburbs.

The heavy nuclear-powered tank has ample space to accommodate the crew. A passageway, large enough for one person to walk between the power compartment and the gun crew, connects the tank to the turret, with the entrance and exit located at the top. A heavy bolt-action machine gun is mounted on top of the turret. Even with an automatic loading system and vibranium shock absorption system, the recoil from the fired shell still caused the tank to move slightly backward. With a deafening roar capable of shattering buildings, the shell broke the sound barrier and crashed solidly into a civilian house.

The base, originally intended as a cover, immediately went on alert, and the armed personnel attempting to protect it were all run over by heavy tanks. No one expected that such an armed force would launch an attack in the suburbs of the United States. A fully armed android stood behind a heavy machine gun, ready to destroy the Homeland Security helicopters and National Guard helicopters that came to provide support.

Other members of the Sisterhood, clad in power armor and armed with explosive pistols and chainsaw swords, charged out of the tanks. Aside from the necessary aircrew and anti-aircraft fire, all the Sisters were to enter the ruins to complete a mission.

Searching for the Samaritan of artificial intelligence.

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)