Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 852 The Dark Side of the Moon (Second Update)

Aside from the new energy deal regarding the Arc Reactor, Stark got what he wanted to know, Salomon got the technological support he desired, and no one lost out. Stark's question was actually quite simple: "What kind of weapon can wipe out a mountain?" And then he got the answer he had been longing for and worrying about.

At first, he was somewhat pleased to learn that the mountain had been toppled by magic, as it meant Salomon didn't possess any highly lethal weapons. However, he quickly became worried due to Salomon's growing power. To obtain this answer, he also had to agree to attend an academic seminar and take on some project optimization work.

After leaving the bar, Salomon immediately returned to the Immortal City and called Stephanie to discuss with Gideon Malik via conference call how to seize resources from the current tycoons.

The Malik family, due to past superstitious practices, has had a small but sparsely populated household, remaining merely an influential and prestigious family, far from being a true tycoon. Previously, some of the Malik family's funds came from military-industrial complexes, but these were not their own assets; rather, they were bribes given under the guise of political donations—official, politically motivated deals—their lifeline held by others.

Now that the Malik family itself is becoming part of the military-industrial complex, Gideon Malik is already grateful to Salomon for barging into Malik Manor and threatening the Malik family with force to join. As the meeting was about to end, Gideon Malik subtly hinted to Stephanie to quickly give birth to an heir, completely disregarding Salomon's presence, making Stephanie blush deeply. After all, even large corporations need direct descendants to carry on the legacy, and Gideon Malik believes that his generation's efforts are laying the groundwork for the family's future.

"My lord, please don't mind..." Stephanie abruptly ended the video conference. "My father is old, and now he only cares about whether the family has an heir."

“It’s alright.” Salomon wasn’t oblivious to Stephanie’s hint, but he chose to put the matter aside for now. “I need you to send someone to pick up Ruby, but don’t tell General Hale about her mission until then,” he said. “We need to start with the military, control Ruby first. I’m worried General Hale has other ulterior motives. General Hale is a protégé of Dr. Whitehall; I don’t believe she would submit so easily.”

"What do you plan to do to Ruby?" Stephanie asked cautiously.

"I don't have any other ideas for now. It would be even better if I could find out General Hale's little secret through Ruby."

"Using her as a tool to control General Hale, turning her into an assassin is a waste of her talent," Stephanie said with a smile. She swept the documents off the table, turned to Salomon, and said with a very serious tone, "Ruby's mind and body have never been tempered. I think it's necessary for us to bring Ruby to live in the Immortal City to reduce General Hale's influence on her. Only in this way can we proceed with our subsequent plans to control General Hale. For parents, nothing is more troublesome than a child who disagrees with their ideals but is also capable of resisting."

"You mean, you're going to put Ruby under your care?"

“That’s right,” Stephanie said. “While General Hale is also Hydra, she’s merely an extension of the Red Skull faction. During World War II, Hydra’s young men were just insignificant greenhorns; they had no idea of ​​Hydra’s true capabilities. That faction’s success today is due to the conservative-driven Paperclip Project, not their own abilities. No one is better at overthrowing regimes than Hydra, my lord. Leave this to me.”

"Very good." Salomon nodded. "Catherine... damn it! Aura, send a small team to assist Stephanie's operation. If General Hale is prepared, it will be dangerous for you to meet with her alone. Try to avoid meeting her at the Department of Defense, and then investigate the military bases controlled by General Hale. Also, this document... intelligence from our satellites and probes on the dark side of the moon."

"As a branch of the Inhumans, their expertise in genetic science is unparalleled." Salomon rose from his seat, the curtains covering the window slowly parted, and the screen displaying pastoral scenery reappeared. He felt a surge of disgust at the thought of those in the Inhuman base on the moon who had completely lost their human form due to genetic mutation. According to the intelligence he had gleaned through his Arcane Eye, three of the five Inhuman Matriarchs were no longer recognizable as human, resembling reptiles and amphibians instead. More importantly, the Inhumans generally harbored a hatred of humans, and some even believed they had already conquered humanity. Jia Ying knew about the Terrigen mutation through a message from that faction of Inhumans on the moon.

Although Jia Ying's memories of this part of her life were later faded and erased, everything that exists leaves a trace. While Kamar-Taj wasn't particularly skilled in mind magic, it was far superior to the Inhumans' crude methods of mental control. Even things erased by the Inhumans were no match for the arcane sorcerer.

"As the price for interfering with the Inhumans on Earth, they have only two choices: submission or destruction." Stephanie Salomon was referring to something else entirely; she possessed evidence and research records of Jia Ying's mental remodeling. Most of the remaining Terrigen on Earth were in laboratories in the Immortal City, where many scholars had already begun researching, attempting to uncover the true secrets of the Inhuman mutation. "Start the next phase of training; we must begin the lunar war. I don't want a bunch of hybrids disrupting my plans in the future."

"Yes, my lord." The Hydra's daughter squinted her eyes with delight.

Stephanie had witnessed Salomon rebuild the Immortal City from ruins to become a top warlord with an alien foundry and spaceships. She knew Salomon's ruthless methods and far-reaching schemes. But it was precisely these qualities she admired. While both were protecting the world, Salomon wasn't like those indecisive, long-winded superheroes. Hydra appreciated those who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals, and even from the Malik family's perspective, serving such a person wasn't unjust. Since Salomon declared he would wage war against the Inhumans on the moon, Stephanie believed this war would be unwinnable and profitable for the Immortal City. She prioritized this part of the plan and began to arrange related training and weapons upgrades.

Examples include the development of spacesuits for ordinary soldiers, improvements to the airtightness of tanks and armored vehicles, and experiments on the effects of thin atmosphere on ammunition. With the orders issued, the Immortal City quickly emerged from the post-war somber atmosphere and plunged back into a flurry of activity. Engineering teams began constructing an anti-gravity training ground and a vacuum environment testing ground capable of accommodating large weapons systems within the Immortal City. Everyone from Sophia's people, the intelligence department, and even the Sisterhood were required to participate in this lengthy pre-war preparation. Meanwhile, Stephanie, using the pretext that "the Immortal City needs you," naturally began her plan to control General Hale.

Ruby was thus brought before Salomon, completely unaware of the trap she had fallen into.

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(End of this chapter)