Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 496 I am the Hydra (Part 8)

Even Salomon himself couldn't remember when he started plotting against S.H.I.E.L.D.

Perhaps it was when he saw the eagle shield symbol on Leonardo da Vinci's manuscript, or when he first entered the ruins of the Immortal City and was awestruck by the magnificent architecture that embodied the wisdom of countless sages, or when the Venerable handed him the Holy Sword and appointed him as the spokesperson of the Earth Mother, the Lord of the Earth, and the legitimate ruler of mankind, that he had the idea of ​​completing his mission at all costs.

Initially, he planned to establish a system to eradicate dark magic creatures from Earth, allowing Kamar-Taj to better cope with the pressures of outer dimensions. As his ideas evolved, they became more refined, and he gained a deeper understanding of the threats facing Earth and humanity as a whole, leading to the birth of a grand plan. All plans are still young, have time to be perfected, and possess ample room for error and improvement, such as the artificial intelligence Samaritan.

Salomon had originally intended to use that machine to operate the Sky Carrier, but now he had a better option.

Just as Sam went to talk to Steve Rogers, Salomon got up to say goodbye.

Natasha Romanoff, feigning needing some fresh air, followed him outside. No one present was more heartbroken than Natasha Romanoff, but she knew she couldn't stop S.H.I.E.L.D.'s destruction. Maria Hill might learn about the next steps from Nick Fury, but Natasha knew nothing. All she knew was that her new home was about to be destroyed, and she would be the first to lay a handful of dirt at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s grave.

This feeling suffocated her, and she thought of the Avengers. This organization relied on the legitimacy of S.H.I.E.L.D., and if S.H.I.E.L.D. disappeared, what would become of the Avengers?

"What are your plans after this is over?" She looked up at Salomon's face. She remembered when she first met Salomon, he looked like a tall student. Now he was even taller than Captain Rogers, with soft stubble on his lips and his features becoming more angular.

In the blink of an eye, he had grown up. Only his obsidian-like eyes always flickered with complex thoughts. Natasha Romanov could never quite grasp his thoughts. It was as if the sorcerer's brain was an enormous computer, and the thoughts revealed in his eyes were just a few small files. She could even hear the hard drive spinning.

Natasha couldn't help but marvel at how fast time flies. "I'm not talking about continuing my studies or anything like that, you know what I mean."

"I plan to raise a few ostriches and a few horses, right here in Whitchurch on the banks of the Thames." To someone unfamiliar with him, this would seem like an expression of his aspirations for the future. "I've spent a lot of money, but the renovations on the estate are progressing too slowly. Everything costs money, but it hasn't been a waste."

Salomon tried to picture Bayonetta and Joan of Arc in their riding attire, strolling across the lawn in the morning sunlight, or Pegasus frolicking with other horses in the woods. He squinted, as if the vibrant green light reflected from the woodland meadows shone directly into his eyes. "Every morning we could ride horses or ostriches in the meadows, and in the afternoon we could row a boat on the Thames. Do you remember your boat ticket, madam? That ticket allowed us to depart from the manor's little dock."

His subtext was clear: he was asking Natasha Romanoff if she wanted to join this lifestyle, away from S.H.I.E.L.D. and the subsequent political turmoil. He had the ability to ensure she was out of that mess, the accountability from the U.S. Congress was no big deal for him, and he also needed to use her to uncover the S.H.I.E.L.D. information that Nick Fury had hidden.

While S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't possess many world-destroying supernatural artifacts (those are stored in Kamar-Taj), they are still a major source of trouble for the agency. Furthermore, Salomon has long suspected Nick Fury of knowing the whereabouts of all the Skrulls, and in order to eradicate those alien shapeshifters, he intends to search for clues in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files—even during the recent deal, after Salomon's combination of coaxing and blackmail, Nick Fury vehemently denied sending the Skrulls to Earth to serve S.H.I.E.L.D. or himself.

Agent Romanoff understood, but she simply smiled and didn't reply. She knew about Salomon's purchase of the estate in Oxfordshire, but she wasn't Nick Fury and didn't intend to dwell on Salomon's unusual income and strange relationships. As a key surveillance target, she also knew that Salomon had recently purchased huge quantities of pure silver, pure gold, and jewels, but she wasn't in the mood to inquire about the reasons; that wasn't part of her mission.

"What would your girlfriend think?" She deliberately brought up the witch.

As expected, Salomon's face immediately showed a troubled expression. The female agent smiled, patted his shoulder, and then turned and walked back. "You know how to contact me," Salomon said, turning back, the troubled look on his face instantly disappearing. He said in a deep voice, "And I need you, I desperately need you. You won't regret it."

Natasha Romanov waved her hand and disappeared into the dark passage without looking back.

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After the violent explosion, a huge crack appeared in the building disguised as an abandoned structure; the sturdy reinforced concrete was utterly powerless against the giant cannon. Then another shot followed, and the giant tank, like a hammer slamming into the earth, shattered the flat asphalt road.

Vibranium can indeed absorb kinetic energy, but there is a limit to this absorption. By channeling the energy to other locations, vibranium can repeatedly absorb kinetic energy. Therefore, Shuri channeled the kinetic energy from the vibranium to the outside of the tank, forming a protective shield that could be released when necessary to push away enemies approaching the tank.

After receiving the signal, Aura led five other androids in power armor, braving the risk of the building collapsing, to break inside. The air filtration system of the power armor had already filtered out the dust, and thermal imaging cameras revealed all those hidden in the dust, allowing the androids to easily locate their targets.

Even after the shelling, many people survived in the building. The shells didn't directly hit people; most casualties were caused by the building's collapse. This was a base of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, now loaned to an intelligence security contractor. In a country where everything can be bought with money, national security can also be measured in monetary terms. If needed, a system capable of monitoring the entire society's online activities can be contracted out to a private company.

What Salomon wants is right here. The artificial intelligence in the Immortal City has provided the address, and the Sisterhood will launch a surprise attack.

As they blasted open a large door, they heard the machine guns on the tanks outside suddenly fire, followed by an explosion. The behemoth-like tank rolled over the rubble and moved to the other side. Aura clicked her tongue; she had just received a report from her crew.

"Hurry up!" she messaged her sisters via the helmet's communication system. "The troublemakers are here!"

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(End of this chapter)