Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 694 A Chance for Atonement (First Update)

Salomon didn't blame Tita. Although he had instilled some knowledge in them during their creation, they were still somewhat inexperienced compared to Dr. Whitehall, the Hydra leader who had survived since World War II. Especially since that old man was a top expert in subversion and infiltration; not everyone could spot those subtle clues and trace the lurking traitors like a sorcerer or Natasha Romanoff.

This task required professionals, and Salomon entrusted the organization of a counterintelligence unit to agents Romanov and Victoria Hand. The unit consisted of brainwashed agents from the intelligence department, "purified" girls from the sorority, and some special personnel who joined later. They had the authority to arrest and kill people outside the sorority, the guards, and advanced research departments without reporting to the Ministry of the Interior. They were only responsible to Salomon.

Although Natasha Romanoff still holds a position in the Avengers and occasionally participates in missions to capture escaped Hydra agents, her main focus has shifted to Immortal City. In some ways, the Avengers have been infiltrated by Salomon; however, it's not just Immortal City that has infiltrated—intellectuals from various countries have also infiltrated and become employees receiving salaries from Stark Industries.

Anyone with a functional organ above the neck understands how dangerous a group of uncontrollable, highly destructive individuals are. No matter how morally upright these people are, they cannot be truly trusted; no one would gamble their life or property on them. To counter the Avengers, Agent Hand received assistance from Salomon—first, Salomon used alchemical simulants to attend classes for several days, disappearing without a trace along with Malbus and Phoenix. Then, a specialized assassination squad was formed without warning, with some members joining Agent Hand's counterintelligence team under the guise of support. These assassins were equipped with the latest technology, allowing them to silently bypass the security measures at the Avengers' base without alerting anyone.

No one knew where these assassins, clad in black, tight-fitting leather suits and wearing skull masks, came from, no one knew what they looked like, and no one heard a sound emanating from their throats. They were like walking corpses, silent and sinister; no sane person would believe they were still alive. Internal Affairs clerks would occasionally catch glimpses of their shadowy presence in the building's corridors, as if they might emerge at any moment from every vent, every window, every crack in the wall, and pierce anyone's neck with wrist blades made of alien technology. Almost every Immortal City felt something different; it seemed this small, damage-free rebellion had changed not only the working atmosphere within the Immortal Cities, but Salomon itself.

"This is the last one. I'm thinking of getting some ice-cold beer after get off work. Want to come along?" Agent David casually wiped imaginary sweat and dirt from his forehead, trying to lighten the mood. However, his colleagues ignored him, remaining focused on the mission.

Agent David, a former SAS sniper, later joined S.H.I.E.L.D. After S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse, he was forcibly discharged and placed under a lifelong electronic ankle bracelet for surveillance. The Immortal City intelligence department opportunely offered him and his family a chance to escape surveillance and disappear, thus making him a member of the Immortal City intelligence department's action team. He didn't mind working alongside former Hydra agents; for him, a fresh start was already something to be happy about.

He had participated in several operations led by the Immortal City, such as combating human trafficking organizations in Eastern Europe, cracking down on local warlords in West Africa, and clearing out gangs and politicians on the East Coast of the United States. He had even participated in a battle against monsters, which gave him a full understanding of the Immortal City's power. This wasn't his first assassination mission, but it was the first time he had worked with something that might not be human—a sniper wearing a skull mask was completely encased in some kind of high-tech composite material. Agent David had never seen "him" make any unnecessary movements, not even a finger. If it weren't for the almost imperceptible breathing, he would have thought it was a corpse, a legendary living dead.

These men, known as assassins, appeared abruptly on the cruise carrier aboard modified Quinjet fighters, carrying orders from headquarters to recruit agents for missions. The missions were typically extremely dangerous, with a high probability of casualties, but no one consulted Agent David, nor was their opinion required. He had heard that the assassins first appeared about a month ago, and then their presence became more frequent. Only the most elite action team members were allowed to work alongside them, providing services to help them successfully kill their targets. As for who the targets were, Agent David didn't care.

"No." The assassin's voice was muffled by the microphone of the skull mask. Before Agent David could even feel surprised by the response, the assassin pulled the trigger. With a barely audible gunshot, the sniper rifle's muzzle rapidly released an astonishing heat.

"Retreat," the assassin said calmly, then quickly got up from the ground.

Agent David complied; his lightweight exoskeleton armor allowed him to remain mobile even after lying prone in a muddy swamp for ten hours. According to the evacuation plan, they needed to leave the scene in a Quinjet, the same Quinjet they had used to arrive at the mission location. The aircraft, originally designed for ten people, was crammed full of weapons and equipment. For any gun enthusiast, the arsenal on that plane was practically paradise.

The assassin drew his pistol and fired a shot into Agent David's head. The agent collapsed silently against the rear door of the Quinjet, the pinkish mixture spreading across the floor in front of him.

"Mission accomplished," the assassin said softly. He closed the rear hatch, activated the aircraft, and removed his skull mask. If David were still alive, he would have been utterly astonished by the identity of the person before him. That all-too-familiar face was now deathly pale, with a sickly flush on his cheeks from the large doses of drugs. David's wife's eyes gleamed with fanaticism as she said gently, "You shouldn't have taken that money, darling. Fortunately, I still have a chance to atone."

"Generally speaking, we don't give traitors a chance to atone. But some people betray their families out of love for them, wanting to provide them with a comfortable life rather than for their own enjoyment, and are not satisfied with the enormous wealth offered by the Immortal City, greedily wanting more."

Stephanie offered her suggestions at the meeting. Regarding the issue of replenishing the assassination team, she proposed what seemed to be the best solution at the moment: "Therefore, I suggest conducting a thorough investigation first. Inform the families of the traitors of the full story, then outline the measures to be taken against the traitors, giving their families a chance to preserve all their relatives except the traitors, and to repay the debt owed to the monarch."

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(End of this chapter)