Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 511 The Shadow Crown (Second Update)

"Am I authorized to carry out this operation?" Agent Victoria Hand adjusted her glasses. "You know my style, I don't care about casualties. Especially when those special operations teams aren't S.H.I.E.L.D. teams, they're Hydra."

"Hydras capable of being modified, especially those in the factories. Their armed personnel cannot be wasted." Salomon was referring to the Hydra workers currently toiling away on the Skycarrier modification project. Once their hard work washes away the Hydra imprint on their minds, they will become another special operations team under the command of Hand agents.

The same applied to the Hydra's lower-level managers; Salomon was eager to infiltrate the administrative system to alleviate the administrative burden on the Immortal City. Even with his artificial intelligence, Salomon still hadn't implemented paperless offices. He knew full well that paperless offices would lead to artificial intelligence taking control of the Immortal City, something absolutely unacceptable—the special operations teams' first mission was to move the Samaritan's servers to the receiving location, so Agent Victoria Hand's statement about the "first mission" was inaccurate; it wasn't the first job the conservative Hydra special operations teams had taken on.

Agent Victoria Hand wasn't very knowledgeable about artificial intelligence either; she only knew that the Immortal City had a decent command system.

“We need him alive. Such lucky ones are rare, and the bio-lab needs him.” Salomon forwarded the shadow creature files to Agent Hand on the holographic projection table and headed out; other work awaited him in the Immortal City. But he suddenly stopped and turned back to Agent Hand. “I don’t mind if you help Agent Coulson, really,” he said. “Even though we’re not on the same side, help him as much as possible if necessary, and save his life.”

"Why?" The blue light from the holographic projection tabletop reflected off Agent Hand's glasses, obscuring his eyes.

"Humanity's future needs him," Salomon said truthfully, though these words were interpreted differently by different people. Agent Hand was among those who could understand part of it. She asked, "Is this a prophecy? Is it 100% certain to happen, like you predicted my death?"

Salomon nodded.

"I understand." Agent Hand accepted the order.

Meanwhile, Stephanie, having secured the secret legislation, moved on to her next task. She was preparing to launch an attack on Whitehall, another formidable figure within Hydra. She consulted her father about this, but the cunning Gideon Malik advised his daughter against acting rashly. Whitehall was a thoroughly Nazi Hydra, knowing the entire organization inside and out. While the conservative Hydra's intervention to protect some agents was understandable, if Whitehall discovered the conservatives' intention to target him, no one would be safe.

Gideon Malik couldn't help but recall a conversation he had with his brother when he was young, a conversation he shared with Whitehall, who was imprisoned. Whitehall was a venomous snake in a gentle mask, a memory that sent chills down Gideon Malik's spine. He hadn't expected Whitehall to know so much about the Malik family's secrets, even the cheating methods his father, the previous patriarch of the Malik family, had used in the ceremony.

When Nazi Hydra gained the upper hand, many conservative Hydra members sided with Whitehall and Red Skull. It was likely around that time that the emerging Nazi Hydra faction discovered the ancient secrets of Hydra. Gideon Malik didn't know how much Whitehall truly knew, and he dared not completely sever ties with that monster. The chipped white stone hidden in *Paradise Lost* remained a constant thorn in his side. Gideon Malik hated his own weakness, hated that his brother had died because of cheating. But whenever he considered betraying Whitehall, that stone would bring him back to his senses with its cold, merciless power, forcing him to admit that he truly feared Whitehall.

“This is the master’s order, Father.” Stephanie was somewhat dissatisfied with her father’s weakness and hesitation. “He wants to take over the biological research results in Whitehall’s hands. I went with him to the Nazi Hydra’s youth training camp, and we also discovered the products of Whitehall’s eugenics. Clearly, this old man Whitehall, who has regained his youth, has many plans.”

Gideon Malik sighed. His daughter had witnessed Salomon's power and, after being persuaded to abandon the ancient Hydra faith, had immediately become a fanatical convert. He had watched helplessly as his daughter helped Salomon build and expand his influence. Yet, he still dared not reveal the truth about the Malik family to Stephanie, for it would only make her more disgusted with the ancient Hydra faith and more devoted to the organization Salomon had established.

"You're now officially in charge of the Congressional Gray Team operation, and there are some things you need to know," Gideon Malik said earnestly. Taking the glass of wine from his daughter, he smiled with satisfaction. No matter what, his daughter still cared about him. Looking at his well-behaved daughter, sitting upright, he said, "What's that saying? 'Cut off one head, and two grow back.' That's the truth. Hydra won't die. In the information released by Black Widow, many of the so-called Hydra agents are just idiots who are very close to Alexander Pierce. They're Hydra when necessary, and not when not. Do you understand?"

Stephanie nodded; she understood her father's meaning—those nominally Hydra officials were merely extensions of Hydra, officials who had taken bribes, not core members. However, even so, it didn't mean Hydra could be easily eradicated. The Malik family's early, covert disassociation had worked, allowing the conservative Hydra to remain unscathed in this turmoil.

"Hydra is America," Gideon Malik said, making a startling statement. He laughed and said, "Don't be so surprised. After so many years of operation, Project Paperclip's influence has spread throughout the entire country. We... no, Hydra people are in every industry, even the military. Important figures in this country have all received political donations. If Hydra is completely destroyed, it means destroying America's economy, military, medicine, politics, and every other field. So don't think the government will spare no effort to destroy Hydra. Only a small group of people will do so, and these people being used as knives are only targeting those who have been used and haven't been completely cut off. Sometimes, you don't even need agents; those unfortunate people will commit suicide with important intelligence. Anyone can be Hydra if needed."

Stephanie indicated that she understood.

Who is Hydra is is not important; what matters is who is suspected of being Hydra. This is good news for politicians. As long as they question their political opponents, all their efforts will be in vain. Next time, there won't be any absurd suicide attempts involving being shot eight times in the back; Hydra will be the perfect excuse.

"If you're going to offer him the crown in the shadows, then you have to learn how to be a disruptive force in the system," Gideon Malik, as a presidential advisor, instructed his daughter. "If you're going to become indispensable to him, then you have to demonstrate your irreplaceable value; this concerns the future of the Malik family. The chaos caused by Alexander Pierce's death won't end anytime soon, and everyone in the administration is on edge—this is a great opportunity for advancement. Do things well, then you can be promoted. Only then will you be able to unravel the complexities of Hydra within the government, and that crown in the shadows will be yours."

"And I will become queen," Stephanie said with a smile, imagining the future.

"I'll pick a target for you first, my old friend, Baron Wolfgang von Struck," Gideon Malik said. "He's close to Whitehall and is destined to be a discarded pawn."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)