Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 814 Minor Trouble (Second Update)

"I'm sending you my location. Can you see me, Catherine?"

"Yes, my lord." Catherine's voice was accompanied by the whooshing of the wind and the faint noise of various instruments. Salomon pictured Catherine sitting in the passenger seat with one leg crossed in his mind. He knew this lively android would never properly fasten her seatbelt, even after she hit her head during the transport ship's maneuvering, she showed no remorse. Salomon had absolutely no idea what was wrong with this android. She asked excitedly, "Do you need fire support? Our pilots are impatient!"

"Did I hear you talking about the artillery shelling again, Catherine?" the android piloting the aircraft said bluntly. "I won't act without the monarch's order, so forget about it. Catherine, don't touch the instrument panel, don't touch any buttons! Take your hands away!"

"Maybe the monarch will give the order soon, what's wrong with me touching it!" Catherine excitedly switched channels. "My lord, is artillery fire required? I'll be the gunner, I guarantee a hit!"

“No, I need vision and warning,” Salomon said. Catherine let out a frustrated whimper, a far cry from the dashing swordswoman she was when on missions. The arcane mage smiled knowingly; he knew Catherine's temper and didn't take her complaints to heart, knowing Tita would heal her anyway.

He had originally planned to take the Sky Carrier and Sky Battleship to Hell to broaden the horizons of the lower planes. But now it seemed the problems in the real world needed to be addressed first. He needed the Sky Carrier and Sky Battleship to ensure he and the Witch wouldn't be blocked after entering the passage. It didn't matter who they attacked, upper or lower planes were fine. He sent the command codes and order priorities to the satellite command terminal, so that once the others arrived in Noah'dune, they could proceed according to his plan. Meanwhile, at the airport in the Lost City, two fighter jets carrying missiles took off, piloted by members of the Malik family. Those two planes were on a suicide mission; only members of the Hydra family could possess such a death wish. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, who constantly talked about "free will," couldn't possibly assign such a brutal mission. Only the subordinates Victoria Hand recruited during the rebellion possessed the awareness to sacrifice their lives.

He watched the witch and boy walking ahead. The steps of the Bridge to Heaven had graceful curves, and the towering supporting pillars below were entirely constructed of stone bricks and flagstones, a testament to the advanced mathematical and physical knowledge of whoever built it. If possible, he didn't want the upcoming battle to destroy this crystallization of human wisdom; he wanted to entrust this relic to Laura Crawford and the scholars he would recruit in the future.

"Patience, my daughters," he said. "You will face your own battle sooner or later."

"Honey, hurry up and catch up!" Bayonetta waved. "We still have a long way to go!"

"Get a motorcycle ready," Salomon said to Catherine. "I'll use a portal to deliver it."

"A motorcycle?" Bayonetta circled the motorcycle the arcane mage had teleported through the portal a few times. This motorcycle was a Martian-made vehicle, specifically designed for those wearing power armor, and equipped with a twin-barreled plasma weapon on the front, powerful enough to melt any enemy in its path. Originally used by the Sorority, the jet-black motorcycle was adorned with golden rose and lily reliefs, perfectly reflecting Bayonetta's inherited taste from her witch clan.

She straddled it, twisted the throttle with satisfaction, and the mechanical beast immediately let out a terrifying roar.

"This road is so long, we can't possibly walk it." The sorcerer raised his hand, his thumb pointing across his shoulder armor to the jet engine on his back. "Besides, I don't want to be carrying this snotty-nosed brat."

"I'm not a snotty brat, man!" The boy rolled his eyes. "I've always felt like you wanted to fight me."

"Believe me, this isn't an illusion." The sorcerer grinned maliciously. "Hurry up, we're in a hurry."

"I need a mission report," Stephanie told Victoria Hand. "I know this is an order from the monarch, but I'm in charge of internal affairs and logistics. Even if the intelligence department can operate independently, the internal affairs department must be involved in matters concerning the monarch's security. I cannot allow him to be carrying out such a dangerous mission without my knowledge!"

"Calm down, I didn't say you couldn't know." Victoria Hand adjusted her glasses, continuing to stare at the holographic projection before her. Satellite maps of Noah's End, radar information on Catherine's assault team's gunboats, the Sky Carrier's engine power, fuel and ammunition reserves, carrier-based aircraft status, fighter flight paths, and the special operations team's readiness were all displayed, even including information about the Sorority that only Tita had the authority to access. She waved her hand, and the sensor array in her glove received the command, shrinking Stephanie's communication window to one side.

"According to the timeline, you should be at the U.S. Department of Defense right now, discussing matters with General Hale, and then bringing Ruby here for assassination training," Victoria Hand said expressionlessly. "You know the monarch's temperament; he just wants you to complete the mission according to plan, not to let emotions cloud your judgment and cause unforeseen complications."

"I've already spoken with the head of Kamar-Taj. If I hadn't done this, I wouldn't even know the course of the Sky Carriers and Sky Battleships!" Stephanie said in a deep voice. "Don't think I'm vying for power, Victoria. I'm not an agent. I don't care about the Immortal Cities; I only care about him. I'm loyal to him, not this organization or any ideal. As long as he's here, countless Immortal Cities can be built. He's the most important person. As for you, I don't care how many of you die."

"Hydra's nature is to only care about immediate, petty gains." Agent Hand chuckled coldly. "You'll learn what you need to know, Stephanie. You'll also learn how much the Monarch values ​​his ideals, for which life is merely a bargaining chip. Oh, and one more thing. Have you figured out how to deal with the Avengers? They seem to think the Monarch knows all the strange things, including the Christmas attacks."

"The monarch certainly knows."

"Yes, but those idiots in the Avengers can't know. The intelligence from Black Widow indicates that Tony Stark and Steve Rogers seem furious that the Monarch didn't report it—there's so much they don't know, they certainly don't know that the Hydra agents they captured were radicals we sent out—anyway, that damned Vision, that damned robot, seems to have seen an angel descend. We need to find an excuse to cover it up. Now that the Monarch is away, we must maintain the status quo of Immortal City's external relations and prevent them from discovering that Immortal City has already infiltrated the Department of Defense. This is your job, Stephanie, you're in charge of the Department of the Interior."

"Damn it!" The Hydra's daughter angrily shut down the communication. "How did the monarch manage to attract such a troublesome woman!"

"Sweetheart, what happened?"

“It’s nothing, Dad.” Stephanie stood up, picked up her briefcase, and said, “Just some minor troubles. I need to attend a regular meeting of the Council on Foreign Relations with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase about Immortal City’s strategic plans in the Middle East. And Rockefeller, that damned Rockefeller!”

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)