Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 855 Loyalty Above All Else (First Update)

"What is this?" General Hale asked, pointing to Ruby's waist.

Ever since Ruby returned from the White House, she went straight to her room at the youth training camp. She seemed like a different person, not immediately looking for something to eat. General Hale initially thought it was just the restlessness of a teenage girl, until she saw Ruby take a folding long hunting knife, a large-caliber pistol, and a folding crossbow for silent assassinations from her briefcase and hang them on her waist. These three items all had exquisite brass decorations and reliefs, with a strong steampunk style, but this was just a facade to hide the technological content they contained.

The long hunting knife is crafted using advanced Martian metallurgical techniques and features a small motor on its shaft, allowing it to automatically open and pop out in the blink of an eye. The large-caliber pistol has a shock-absorbing system on its grip, enabling it to fire continuously with specially made .50 caliber explosive ammunition. As for the silent folding crossbow, it can be used for mid-range assassinations and also for three-dimensional maneuvering by firing a high-strength carbon fiber composite cable connected to a motor, helping the user overcome obstacles and even perform high-altitude descents.

There was another set of clothes in the suitcase, but it wasn't for covert operations; it was a black evening gown.

“This is a gift, Mom,” Ruby replied with a smile. She knew how to use these things; they were what she needed for her upcoming mission. Salomon had given her a hunting knife and a pistol, and once she was familiar with their use, she could wield these specially made weapons and equipment with incredible speed. She hung the weapons and equipment on her specially made belt. “I think I should join some projects. I’m sure Malik told you,” she said. “Whitehall is dead; I saw his brain. The Lord of the Immortal City believes I shouldn’t be idle; only then can I undertake the more difficult work in the Immortal City later.”

General Hale stared into Ruby's eyes until Ruby's expression became somewhat unnatural, at which point she nodded.

"Ruby, you have to understand, I'm the only one in this world who truly cares about you." General Hale sighed. "Cooperating with the Malik family is just mutual exploitation. I never imagined there was another massive organization behind the Malik family, but that doesn't mean we have to work for them. It's just cooperation, Ruby. Cooperation is about mutual exploitation."

"I know," Ruby said, "but it's just limited cooperation."

“No, you don’t understand.” General Hale looked into Ruby’s eyes, pursing his lips, the wrinkles at the corners of his mouth quite pronounced. Her hair was tightly coiled at the back of her head, her eyes pulled upwards, giving her a serious and rigid air. This was a byproduct of her years in the military, and also her consistent image. However, she quickly changed her expression, adopting a more natural one, the kind of expression she used when communicating with family.

General Hale had blond hair, while Ruby's hair was a nearly white platinum blonde. In General Hale's heart, Ruby was her most precious possession. Even though conceiving Ruby wasn't voluntary, she was her daughter, and no one could take her away. Over the years, General Hale had long wanted to keep Ruby from Whitehall, especially after learning about the Immortal City. "The Immortal City, or rather, the mysterious master of the Immortal City, is very powerful. This is information I obtained through secret channels; he hasn't revealed his secrets to us." General Hale stroked Ruby's soft, long hair. Ruby didn't speak, but silently sat on the edge of the bed, playing with the long hunting knife in her hand.

She learned from intelligence that what had happened at Mount Finnbowent that day was shot down by an unknown force. Even so, a Standard Oil employee on vacation took a photograph; though extremely blurry, the general appearance of the subject was still discernible. However, chillingly, the photograph was later deleted from the archives, and the agent who discovered it died alone in the intelligence room from oxygen deprivation. This further unsettled General Hale—she couldn't understand what the person in the photo was. She immediately deleted the photo and threw away her computer, fearing a horrific end would befall her and Ruby. However, none of this happened, but General Hale remained uneasy.

"We must hold back. If we're not careful, he'll completely drain us of our value." General Hale asked very seriously, "Ruby, what does it mean for a person to have no value?"

"Death," Ruby answered without hesitation.

This was a principle she had learned in her childhood; the word "value" had even been implanted in her mind before the concept of death. However, even earlier than the concepts of value and death was obedience. Obedience to superiors, obedience to her mother, and obedience to power—this was a relationship that gradually intensified. Like Stephanie, she was a Hydra agent, and like Stephanie, she understood the meaning of value and obedience from a young age; they both understood that power had the highest priority.

Stephanie's unwavering confidence in Ruby stemmed from Hydra's survival strategy: might makes right. Just as Salomon's storming of Malik Manor and subjugating the Malik family wasn't a shameful act, but rather an honor, it was seen as a sign of value. Because the Malik family was valuable, Salomon spared no expense to subjugate them, a compliment to the Malik family and all traditional Hydra. Gideon Malik had even begun writing his memoirs, intending to tell the story of Salomon and the Malik family to their descendants—of course, in Gideon Malik's writing, Stephanie and Salomon had a child, and this memoir was intended for that child.

Ruby also submits to power, and that power comes from only one person.

That person who fills the air with presence wherever they go, that dignified and beautiful person.

"That's it," General Hale said. "Everything I've done is to keep us alive, Ruby."

"I understand, Mom. I'll be careful of those people, don't worry."

"Very good." General Hale looked around, glancing at Ruby's room. There weren't many items that suggested it was a teenage girl's room. This made her feel somewhat guilty towards Ruby, because initially, her idea was to raise Ruby as a tool. Even after her idea changed, she hadn't been able to take good care of Ruby's life due to her work, instead focusing her remaining energy on Ruby's education. "Perhaps you'd like a record player or a game console?" General Hale said. "Cooperating with the Immortal City at least has one advantage: the investigation into me is over, and we can relax for a while."

"What is the backup plan?"

"My lord, I have already arranged for assassins to infiltrate the training camp before General Hale and Ruby returned," Stephanie said. "The training camp's surveillance equipment is now being handled by our information security personnel. My lord, do you really need to worry about General Hale? Even if Ruby defectes, she won't know the true location of the Immortal City, much less your identity."

"Let me put it this way, Stephanie, General Hale is connected to our lunar war plan. No, she's not an Inhuman spy; she has no direct contact with the Inhumans. She's connected with another race, an alien race we'll almost certainly face when dealing with the Inhumans—the Kree."

Stephanie raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"But she's not a Kree spy either, not at all," Salomon said. "I admire her, that's the truth. She may not be as smart as us, but she has always remained loyal to humanity."

My bad, the Dyson Sphere is just too much fun.

(End of this chapter)