Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 937 This fills you with confidence (First Update)

The sight of cats, winged horses, phoenixes, and a bunch of bear cubs playing together was indeed adorable, but such words shouldn't come from the mouth of the king of the Immortal City. At least, that's what Stephanie thought. Even before Salomon donned the crown, she had little interest in hearing about bear cubs sharpening their claws in trees or Pegasus and the phoenix racing. She believed Salomon was best suited to project the dignity of a dictator, a sentiment shared by Gideon Malik. Joking or telling stories with his subordinates was unsuitable for his role as a feudal monarch, a ruthless ruler.

"If he can't fight for the interests of Hydra or the Malik family, then prevent him from being manipulated by any interest group," Gideon Malik told his daughter. Even with the bodyguard's blood still fresh, Gideon Malik sat in his study imparting wisdom to his daughter. "I tried to persuade him to accept it, but he refused, which shows he's not someone we can control. He's a king, not a greedy politician or businessman; a king cannot be manipulated. So you must follow his every step, ensuring his interests align with the Malik family's, while eliminating any forces that might manipulate him. My daughter, you must make us one with him."

Stephanie kept her father's teachings firmly in mind. Now it seemed her father was remarkably farsighted; the Malik family's power was indeed much greater than before, even capable of manipulating Congress's investigation of Hydra to suppress those who refused to submit. Stephanie wanted Salomon to maintain his feudal monarchical attitude; closing the distance would only cause him to lose respect and also undermine the Malik family's position around him.

Salomon's formidable strength made this mission seem like an after-dinner stroll, and Stephanie even had the chance to personally kill Skrull sentries. But it was still far from a relaxing time. The kind of conversation that could unfold in the warm afternoon sunlight and gentle summer breeze blowing from the riverbank was clearly inappropriate for the scene filled with smoke, excrement, blood, screams, and charred flesh. Any ordinary person would feel a chill run down their spine upon seeing her current state. She wanted to hire a professional to clean her black bearskin cloak; the beautiful cloak looked utterly wretched.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you wanted to hear this."

Even the bloody scene around them couldn't hide Salomon's friendliness and gentleness.

“No, it’s just a bit out of place,” Stephanie said, frowning. Although the Skrull blood had been evaporated by the electricity on the claws, she still couldn’t shake the stench of burning flesh. To be honest, she was starting to hate killing. It wasn’t that she had suddenly changed her attitude towards aliens and intended to present a benevolent facade; it was that she didn’t want to do it herself anymore. Although her father constantly talked about how important strength was, killing with one’s own hands was exhausting and disgusting, and even power armor and a fully enclosed helmet couldn’t change that.

No creature smells pleasant when facing death, and it would be best if someone else could do it for her. She really disliked the sight of her enemies dying in a mess of excrement, even if it was unavoidable. The skills she had learned so far were more than enough for self-defense, and she didn't think anyone could harm her while she was with Salomon. Even Salomon hadn't expected to provide such a sense of security, which surprised him somewhat as he read through Stephanie's surface emotions.

Since he finalized his plans and parted ways with the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D., his behavior has been, in some ways, indistinguishable from that of a comic book villain. The only difference is that he won't utter idiotic declarations of hostility, nor will he show mercy for the sake of monthly magazine sales. None of his subordinates can be persuaded by so-called superheroes; even someone like Natasha Romanoff, knowing she's being used, has no choice but to continue working for him and even proactively provide him with intelligence. Furthermore, through the Venerable One's connections, he has contacted a former Kamar-Taj sorcerer, one of the few surviving defectors, who is living in seclusion in Eastern Europe, and intends to have this former Gypsy sorcerer work for him.

After this purge is over, he will travel to Eastern Europe to personally visit the defector whom the Sorcerer Supreme was unwilling to kill. He is confident he can persuade him, as their ideals are almost identical, except that Salomon has a broader vision and has thought things through more deeply. Frankly speaking, Salomon is even more intelligent and composed than the other, less susceptible to emotional influences. If the candidate for Sorcerer Supreme hadn't already been chosen, he would have preferred to persuade the other to take over the title in his place.

"To me, it makes no difference. Killing a few Skrulls is as easy as eating dessert," Salomon said. The Skrulls he and Stephanie killed were soldiers on reconnaissance missions, intertwined and infiltrated with the Immortal City's surveillance network. His arrival was like a dinosaur trampling through the bushes, easily crushing the delicate balance of all the squirrels scrambling for nuts among the branches.

I'm tired.

Although the Skrulls' Gauss weapons struck her several times, the protective magic cast upon her somehow manifested as brilliant blue and orange sparks upon impact, and the electromagnetic shield on her back always managed to deflect the high-speed metal at opportune moments. Under this multiple layer of protection, even the paint on her power armor remained intact. The adrenaline-draining thrill of harmless killing gradually faded, and eventually, Stephanie became too lazy to even lift a finger.

"Then let's take a break. Tita sent a message. The Sisterhood's mission is complete. They've destroyed the radar station, hangar, and runway, blocking US air support within a thousand kilometers. Now we just need to wait here for the transport ships to enter the atmosphere, and the assault transport ships will intercept any US aircraft attempting to approach." Salomon shrugged, looking up as if he could see the fighter jets roaring across the horizon.

Stephanie retracted her claws. "Aren't you worried about the Skrulls in the Immortal City?"

"Why should I worry? I'm always the winner, always." Salomon walked ahead, his boots stained with the foul-smelling blood of the Skrull corpses, but he didn't care what kind of grime clung to them. He didn't even exude the intense confidence that should have been present in his words, as if he were simply drinking water rather than conducting a brutal cleansing and counter-espionage operation.

"Our mission is complete, Stephanie. We can sit on that cliff over there and watch the whole battle unfold; it's sure to be spectacular."

As the transport ship's ablative armor violently rubbed against the atmosphere like a giant meteorite falling from the sky, Salomon took out his small flask and clinked it against the water dispenser on Stephanie's power armor, earning her a glare at the sorcerer. The sorcerer, however, remained all smiles. "I've always loved the roar of these war machines. As long as humanity stops pointing guns at its own kind, killing each other for the wealth of politicians and businessmen, I'll have faith in humanity's future."

The battle has begun, and Salomon awaits victory.

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)