American Comic Book: Reincarnated As Homelander, Shocking the Beautiful Female Neighbor
Chapter 63: The Conspiracy of Pierce and Stern
"Bucky!"
Steve finally arrived, but Bucky's figure was already far away and impossible to catch. He couldn't help but look at Clark beside him with a hint of blame and said,
"Why didn't you stop him, Clark?"
"Seeing your reaction, I thought he was a comrade from S.H.I.E.L.D. and that I'd hit the wrong person."
Seeing this, Clark also realized he had made a mistake and said somewhat awkwardly.
How was he to know that Steve would know a criminal? If he had known, he would have acted sooner.
"Sigh..."
Steve sighed, his eyes filled with worry.
He definitely hadn't seen wrong; that was his best friend Bucky. Why was Bucky here? Wasn't he dead?
Had he been saved back then? Why did he still look like this now?
Had he also been injected with the Super Soldier Serum?
Steve's heart was full of questions.
Just then, several SUVs drove up to them, and then Rumlow and a group of fully equipped special forces soldiers stepped out of the vehicles.
"Hey, Captain Rogers, where are the people here? Why are there only the three of you left?"
Rumlow looked around and then asked Steve with some confusion.
He had just received word from his team that Fury was escaping, so he brought his men over, intending to kill him directly. He didn't expect everyone to be gone when he arrived, which gave him a bad feeling.
"Captain, there's a hole here. Director Fury must have escaped through it."
A team member reported, pointing to the hole under the car.
Rumlow frowned when he saw this.
"I just arrived as well. Director Fury should have escaped, but I don't know where he went either."
Steve was a bit distracted, his mind still on Bucky, but knowing the importance of the situation, he forced himself to speak.
"Alright then, Captain, please be sure to notify us once you have news of Director Fury."
Rumlow thought for a moment and then said. Seeing Steve's state, he knew they didn't yet know that they were the ones who had carried out the attack. This way, Stevecould still be used by them, which was for the best.
"Okay. Clark, you guys come with me too. I need to understand a few things."
Steve quickly replied and then turned to leave. With Fury's whereabouts still unknown, he needed to find him first; the matter with Bucky wasn't urgent yet.
Hearing Steve's words, Clark and Thor hesitated for a moment but still followed.
Rumlow watched their departing figures with a meaningful gaze.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Just then, Rumlow's communicator rang.
"Hello! Mr. Pierce."
Seeing it was a call from Pierce, Rumlow quickly answered.
"What's the situation, Rumlow?"
Pierce's voice came through.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Pierce. Fury escaped, but I ran into Rogers. I told him to let us know if he has any news, and I'll go and kill him then."
Rumlow was a bit nervous, fearing Pierce would blame him.
"I see. Come back first, and we'll make a plan."
Pierce hesitated for a moment before hanging up.
Rumlow thought for a while, then withdrew his team and headed back.
...
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, in a meeting room.
Sitwell and Stern were in a meeting, while Pierce was nearby contacting Rumlow.
Hanging up the phone, Pierce's expression was grim.
He hadn't expected that kid Fury to escape. As sharp as he was, he must have realized by now that this matter was related to them. With just a little deployment, that troublesome group of agents under him would surely cause great difficulties for Insight Project.
No, Insight Project must be accelerated. The sense of urgency in his heart made Pierce reach a decision.
Stern and Sitwell looked at each other, quiet as cicadas in winter, not quite understanding why Pierce's face was so grim.
"Fury has already sensed that something is wrong with our plan. Not long ago, he proposed to me to postpone the execution of Insight Project."
After a moment of silence, Pierce suddenly spoke.
Sitwell and Stern looked at each other, their expressions turning sour. Now that Nick Fury, the powerful Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., had sensed something was wrong with Insight Project, it wouldn't be easy for their plan to proceed on schedule.
"I sent Rumlow and the others to eliminate Fury, but the news just came back that Fury has escaped."
At this point, Pierce's face couldn't help but darken.
Hearing this, Sitwell and Stern finally understood why Pierce's expression was so grim. After all, having sent out such a strong force and still letting Fury escape—potentially affecting the subsequent Insight Project—anyone would find it unbearable.
"Then next, we..."
Stern asked tentatively. Insight Project certainly couldn't be canceled halfway; it all depended on how Piercehandled the Fury situation.
"Since Fury has already noticed something, we must be on guard. However, that fellow Fury won't be easily dealt with, so I believe we should accelerate Insight Project. Once the Helicarriers are airborne, whatever Fury and the others do will be meaningless."
Pierce stated his plan expressionlessly. The most important thing now was the progress of Insight Project. They couldn't afford to be overly fearful because of the hidden threat of Nick Fury; they could only speed up the plan.
Seeing Stern and Sitwell nod in agreement, he nodded with satisfaction and then asked Sitwell.
"By the way, how is Hammer's progress? The miniature nuclear reactor technology is vital to the progress of Insight Project."
"Please rest assured, Mr. Hammer is fully prepared and just waiting for us to begin."
Sitwell adjusted his glasses and said seriously.
"Then notify everyone to speed up the progress of Insight Project with all our might, at all costs." Tianlai Novel Network
Pierce made the final decision. As long as Insight Projectproceeded smoothly, they would be the ultimate victors.
Sitwell and Stern glanced at each other and then nodded heavily.
...
Stark Industries Tower.
On the top floor, in Tony's private laboratory.
Messy mechanical components were scattered on the floor. On the test bench, Tony, wearing gloves, was carefully conducting research while the surrounding robotic arms operated continuously; he looked very busy.
"Jarvis, analyze the technical composition of the part in my hand for me. Let's see what this thing actually is."
Tony picked up a fragment and instructed Jarvis.
The fragment in his hand was a piece of Destroyer that Coulson had sent over after they returned. To study its technical composition and create a new Iron Man Suit, he had been researching tirelessly for several days.
But the technology within still hadn't been cracked, which made Tony even more excited. He believed that as long as he unlocked its mysteries, his technology would rise to a new level, and at that time, he would be unstoppable.
Chapter 64: Fury's Final Entrustment
"Sir, Mr. Nick Fury is calling you. Should I connect?"
Jarvis's voice suddenly came through, causing Tony to pause for a moment.
"Fury again. Every time that guy calls, it's never anything good."
Tony was a bit reluctant. Every time Fury called him, it was to assign a mission, and every mission was fraught with danger. It had reached the point where he didn't even want to answer the phone anymore.
Despite these thoughts, Tony still connected the call.
"Hello. Stark."
As soon as the call connected, Nick Fury's incredibly weak voice came through, sounding like someone on the verge of death.
"Hmm? Fury, what's wrong with you? Usually, you're always bragging about how robust you are, but now you sound like you're dead."
Hearing that voice, Tony couldn't help but mock him.
He was usually the one being lectured by Fury, so having finally caught an opportunity, he didn't want to let it go easily.
Upon hearing this, Fury surprisingly didn't snap back at Tony as he usually would. Instead, he gasped several times and then spoke weakly.
"Yeah, I really am dying. It looks like you're going to get your wish, kid."
"What happened?"
Tony's expression changed as he finally realized something was wrong. The fact that Fury didn't talk back was clearly abnormal; something must have happened.
On the other end, Nick Fury panted for a few moments, not answering for a long time.
"Jarvis, pull up all recent accidents in the city and sort them by severity."
Tony couldn't wait any longer and hurriedly ordered Jarvisto investigate.
"Certainly, sir. All information has been placed on the screen."
Jarvis responded and then projected the information onto a virtual screen.
Tony glanced at the screen, and his expression immediately shifted.
The very first piece of news stated that a major traffic accident had occurred in a residential block, accompanied by a gunfight.
Tony was all too familiar with the image of the overturned vehicle; it was the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle that Nick Fury often drove.
"Fury, where exactly are you right now?"
Tony's expression became more tense than ever before. Although he and Nick Fury argued constantly, in his heart, he considered the man family. No matter how much friction there was between them daily, he did not want to see Furyin danger.
"I'm in the hospital."
Fury was silent for a moment before speaking in a weak voice.
"Fine, wait for me. I'm coming right now."
Tony finally confirmed that the person in the news was indeed Fury and immediately decided to go help.
Since someone dared to attack him, there would likely be more attacks to follow. What Fury needed most was help, and he had to be there.
"Jarvis, equip the Mark 7 and track the location of Fury's phone."
"Yes, sir. Mr. Nick Fury's location has been determined."
The call ended, and Tony didn't hesitate, immediately donning the Mark 7. He ordered Jarvis to open the roof and charged at full speed toward Fury's location.
...
A specialized S.H.I.E.L.D. hospital.
Inside the intensive care unit, Nick Fury was lying on a hospital bed, covered in tubes and hooked up to an IV. His entire body was wrapped in bandages, looking incredibly weak.
Putting down the communicator, Nick Fury struggled to shift his body and sighed.
Now that Tony knew the news, he would surely arrive in a while.
Although they usually didn't get along, he knew Tony's character—he was someone who valued relationships. Since something like this had happened, Tony would definitely not stand by and do nothing.
Another reason for notifying Tony was the Iron Man Suit he possessed.
His life was hanging by a thread, and there was bound to be more danger ahead. Tony, with his Iron Man Suit, was the only one who could ensure his safety in a multi-person battle, which was why he had contacted him.
But that wasn't enough. Tony alone could only protect his safety, but he couldn't completely resolve the entire issue. Therefore, others were needed.
Just as he was thinking, the ward door opened, and Natasha's figure walked in.
"Why are you moving around again? Didn't the doctor say your injuries mean you shouldn't move carelessly?"
Seeing the communicator placed by Fury's bedside, Natasha spoke in an annoyed tone.
At the same time, there was a hint of worry in her eyes. When she first found Fury, he was covered in wounds and on the brink of death.
It had taken a lot of effort to save him after getting him to the hospital; he had almost died.
This made her very worried, and at the same time, she felt some anger toward the people behind the attack on Fury.
She had been working with Fury for many years, and the two had long since become like family. Now that Fury had nearly died, she found it intolerable.
"I'm fine. The injuries aren't important; what's most important now is resolving that matter."
Fury waved his hand weakly, then thought back to the matter at hand and asked,
"Where is Rogers now? We need to get him here."
That's right, the next person he needed to find was Steve. This soldier with strong physical capabilities and a penchant for following orders was the most suitable person to entrust with the task of investigating the truth.
"The news here has already been told to him. He should be arriving soon, so don't worry."
Natasha told Nick Fury truthfully, wanting to put his mind at ease.
Meanwhile.
In the corridor outside, Steve, Clark, and Thor hurried over. Not long after they had left the scene earlier, Steve had received Natasha's message and then quickly led Clark and Thor toward the hospital.
"Which ward is it exactly?"
Steve looked at the patients in each ward one by one. Natasha had only told him which hospital but hadn't specified which ward, leaving Steve and the others to search one by one.
Just then.
A figure wearing an Iron Man Suit appeared ahead, also looking through the wards one by one. It was Tony, who had also just arrived.
"Stark?"
Steve noticed the figure ahead and was clearly taken aback.
"Yo, isn't this the gentleman dressed in the national flag? And the reporter gentleman who gained powers before, and that... what was it, the prince who calls himself a god?"
Tony noticed Steve's group and insulted them without mercy; he really didn't get along with the Steve before him.
"What are you doing here, Stark?"
Steve walked over, his brow furrowing as he spoke to Tony.
Tony's presence was clearly at Fury's suggestion, but he didn't think an impulsive person like Tony could be of much help here; it would be good enough if he didn't cause trouble.
"Maybe Fury was afraid you wouldn't be up to it, so he called me."
Tony obviously knew that Steve being here was also because of Nick Fury, and he snapped back without hesitation.
"You..."
Steve was visibly angered. He didn't know why, but he just couldn't get along with Tony; they had to argue every time they met.
Chapter 65: Is Fury Dead?!
Nearby, Clark and Thor were both a bit confused, not knowing why the two of them had started arguing.
However, they knew both sides but weren't very close to either, so they had no way to choose a side and could only watch.
"What are you arguing about here?"
Suddenly, Natasha's voice rang out.
Everyone turned to look and saw a furious Natasha walking out of a hospital room, frowning at them.
She was a bit annoyed; she had been in the patient room when she suddenly heard the shouting outside and wondered who it was.
She hadn't expected to see Steve and Tony arguing the moment she stepped out, which made her very angry!
What time did they think it was? Fury was lying inside with serious injuries, and they actually had the heart to argue here.
"Well, it's not like I wanted to argue. He started it."
Tony shrugged upon hearing this, speaking with feigned helplessness.
"You..."
Steve was clearly angered by the remark, but thinking of Fury, he held back his temper.
He decided not to lower himself to Tony's level; dealing with Fury's situation was more important.
"Hurry up and come in. Fury has something to say."
Natasha glared at them before turning back into the room.
The group looked at each other and followed her inside.
"Rogers, Tony, you're here."
As soon as they entered, Fury's weak voice drifted over.
"Director Fury, are you alright?"
Seeing Fury's heavily injured state, Steve's expression changed, and he hurried over.
He hadn't expected Fury to be hurt so badly. Those thugs were far too brazen.
"Who did this?"
Tony's expression was also unprecedentedly grim as he asked in a low voice.
Although he had seen the news, he hadn't expected Furyto be injured to this extent, which made him very angry.
"That's not important. Resolving the issues involved is what matters most."
Nick Fury waved his hand; finding the culprit wasn't the priority right now.
Since the other side was so desperate to kill him, their plan must involve a great deal. Solving that was the key.
Thinking of this, Fury picked up a flash drive from the side and tremblingly placed it in Steve's hand.
"Rogers, there aren't many people I can trust. I'm leaving this flash drive to you. You must uncover what's behind this."
Steve gripped the flash drive tightly, his expression shifting. This was clearly the reason for the attack on Fury.
By giving this to him, Fury was entrusting him with this responsibility. He could not fail those expectations.
Just then, the blood pressure monitor beside Furyfluctuated wildly, and a look of pain crossed Fury's face.
Natasha's face paled. She quickly ushered everyone away and notified the doctors.
The doctors checked his condition and immediately began surgery.
Steve, Tony, and Natasha stood outside the glass window, looking at the unconscious Fury inside with worried expressions.
"We have to settle this. Stark, we need to cooperate."
Steve said in a low voice, looking at the flash drive in his hand.
Now was not the time for infighting; only cooperation could resolve the issue.
"I agree. We can save the arguing for later. I'm very unhappy with the people involved in this."
Tony also nodded with a grim face.
Suddenly, Natasha's eyes narrowed. She saw Fury's EKG inside turn into a flat line!
After a while, the lights of the emergency room went out, the door opened, and the doctor stepped out.
"I'm sorry. Director Fury has passed away."
Looking at Steve, Tony, and Natasha—who seemed to know already but still held a glimmer of hope—the doctor shook his head.
At those words, the three of them fell into a deep silence, their last shred of hope completely extinguished.
They slowly walked into the room. Looking at Nick Furylying on the bed with his eyes closed, Steve seemed to make a decision.
He gripped the flash drive tightly and held it out to Tony, then stared into Tony's eyes and said solemnly.
"Stark, although we've had many conflicts in the past, I think we need to work together on this. I'm giving this flash drive to you. I believe you can crack its contents."
Fury's death was like the straw that broke the camel's back. Steve had no other thoughts now; his mind was filled only with Fury's entrustment. He had to—and would—complete this task.
Even if he and Tony had their differences, Tony was the one most likely to crack the data on the flash drive. So, Stevechose to place all his hope in Tony, trusting him completely.
Tony was genuinely stunned by Steve's gesture.
It wasn't surprising he was shocked; after all, they had argued for so long, and it was clear that Steve was just as stubborn as he was. He hadn't expected Steve to swallow his pride and yield because of Fury's death.
Since Steve had done this—and Tony was already furious about Nick Fury's death and intending to intervene but felt awkward bringing it up—he naturally wouldn't refuse now that Steve had asked.
"Since you're willing to trust someone you've had conflicts with and chose to yield to me, then I'll show you what a genius can do. A crappy flash drive like this is a piece of cake for me."
With that thought, Tony nodded and took the flash drive from Steve's hand. Looking at Steve as if he were only agreeing because he was asked, he said:
"Fine, leave it to me. Don't worry, given their level of technology, I'll have this cracked in less than half a day."
Steve and Tony exchanged a look. It seemed Stark wasn't someone who couldn't distinguish between what was important and what wasn't; he could be trusted in a crisis. Unknowingly, Steve's opinion of Tony improved slightly.
Natasha, grieving for Fury's death, nodded as she saw Steve and Tony join forces. In this situation, it was undoubtedly best for them to set aside their differences and unite.
'Fury, seeing them like this, you can rest easy. I'll give it my all too,' Natasha thought silently as she gazed at Fury's face.
"Then it's settled. Tony, you go back and crack the password first. Natasha will go with you. I'll go investigate elsewhere."
Having made up his mind, Steve began walking out while coordinating with Tony.
Tony and Natasha both nodded without objection. Having made their decision, they prepared to set off.
Just then, a group of agents in suits approached from down the hospital corridor, led by Agent Sitwell.
"Agent Sitwell? What are they doing here?"
Seeing the aggressive-looking group, Steve frowned. They clearly hadn't come to visit Fury. What were they up to? Steve was puzzled.
"Captain Rogers, what's the situation? Is Director Furyalright?"
Sitwell hurried over and asked quickly. There was no concern in his eyes; instead, they held an unreadable look.
Natasha stepped forward first and said dejectedly:
"Agent Sitwell, Director Fury passed away a few minutes ago."
Chapter 66: Sitwell Wants to Catch a Turtle in a Jar
Sitwell was stunned for a moment, a strange look in his eyes, before he quickly adjusted his glasses and said in a feigned heavy tone.
"What? This... this is truly a pity."
In his heart, it was indeed different from what he said; although he was somewhat surprised by Nick Fury's death, he was more secretly delighted.
One of his missions here was to confirm Nick Fury's status and find an opportunity to eliminate Fury for good.
Now that Nick Fury was dead, one of his tasks was directly completed. How could he not be pleasantly surprised?
Although he quickly restrained his expression, Steve still clearly noticed something was wrong.
No news had been sent to S.H.I.E.L.D. yet, so why did Sitwell receive word, and why did he arrive so quickly?
Moreover, Fury was attacked right after leaving S.H.I.E.L.D.This was a bit too coincidental. Was there a problem within S.H.I.E.L.D.?
With doubt in his heart, Steve fixed his gaze on Sitwell and asked tentatively.
"Agent Sitwell, may I ask what you are doing here?"
"Ah..."
Sitwell noticed Steve's suspicion and panicked slightly, but he quickly calmed down and said seriously.
"Right, it's Director Pierce. Pierce said he has some matters to discuss with you, so he sent me to notify you. Captain Rogers, can you come over now? Is there anything else?"
As he spoke, Sitwell looked at Steve inquiringly; he was asking whether Nick Fury had revealed any information to him. If there was a problem, Steve could not be allowed to stay.
"Oh, I see. I don't have anything else."
Steve nodded, having made a decision in his heart.
Even if Sitwell and his group weren't the problem, the issues within S.H.I.E.L.D. could not be underestimated. Fury's mission could not be revealed; it was best to proceed in secret.
Thinking of this, Steve gave Natasha and Tony a subtle look.
Both Tony and Natasha were clever; they had already suspected Sitwell was problematic. Upon receiving Steve's look, they immediately understood that they were to handle the mission first.
"Ah, since Steve has been invited by the Director, I should head out too. I have some Stark documents that need signing."
Tony spoke as if he were in a hurry. Even though Pepperhandled all the Stark documents, he made himself sound incredibly responsible.
"I can't stay much longer either. I have an unfinished mission from before, so I should be going too."
Natasha spoke calmly. Of course, she wasn't going to finish any mission; she just needed to ensure Tony's safety so they could find out the contents of the USB drive.
"Ah, Clark, and Thor, why don't you two come with me?"
Steve thought of Clark and the other, signaling to Clark. He had witnessed Clark's abilities before and they were not to be underestimated; since he didn't know if there would be danger where he was going, bringing them along served as insurance.
"Um... okay."
Seeing Steve's look, Clark hesitated for a moment but agreed. Steve clearly had something going on, so it was best to go and help him out.
Clark agreed, and Thor, though somewhat reluctant, nodded and followed along.
Sitwell was a bit unwilling when he saw Clark and the other following. He had heard Pierce talk about Clark's combat power, and his presence could very likely ruin things.
But seeing the determined look in Steve's eyes, he knew that further refusal might be perceived as suspicious, so he could only nod in agreement.
...
S.H.I.E.L.D., outside Director Pierce's office.
Sitwell walked hurriedly to the office with Steve in front, followed by Clark with a plain expression and Thor, who was looking around as if he had never seen anything like it.
They had accepted Sitwell's invitation and rushed over.
"We're here, Captain Rogers."
Sitwell stepped aside and gestured an invitation, speaking to Steve behind him.
"Alright, Agent Sitwell."
After Steve spoke, he stepped forward and knocked on the door. Tianlai Novel Network
Knock! Knock!
"Come in!"
Pierce's voice followed.
Steve straightened his appearance and then opened the door to enter.
Seeing this, Sitwell breathed a sigh of relief; his task was finally complete.
Seeing this, Clark exchanged a glance with Thor and also stepped forward, preparing to enter.
But Sitwell's face changed when he saw this. Good grief, why were these two trying to join in? He quickly reached out to stop them and said,
"Sorry, Mr. Pierce only asked to speak with Mr. Rogers. You two cannot enter."
He looked at the two of them with a firm gaze, as if there were no room for negotiation.
He knew that Clark's Mjolnir was the source of his power; if it were Clark carrying the hammer, he might be a bit afraid, but he wasn't afraid of a Clark who wasn't carrying anything.
Hearing this, before Clark could say anything, Thor glared at Sitwell and said angrily,
"Hmm? Do you know who is standing before you? It is the Prince of Asgard, and you dare to blo—"
Before he could finish, Clark awkwardly covered Thor's mouth, fearing he would continue to make a scene. This was S.H.I.E.L.D., a government department; speaking recklessly could have major consequences.
"Why are you stopping me, Clark? Didn't you see that human's attitude? It really infuriates me."
Thor broke free from Clark's restraint and looked at him somewhat complainingly.
He was the Prince of Asgard; when had he ever suffered such a slight? To have a human dare to use that attitude with him—how could he endure it?
"Thor, didn't we agree to listen to me for everything? Do you still want to be able to lift the hammer?"
Clark frowned and brought out his trump card; Tony was most afraid of the matter regarding Mjolnir.
"I was just feeling indignant for you too,"
Thor said resentfully, then stopped moving. Mjolnir was his eternal weakness, and he had to listen to Clark's words.
"How about this, you two? It's useless for you to wait here. Why don't you go downstairs and wait for Captain Rogersto come out, alright?"
Sitwell found it a bit of an eyesore for the two of them to be standing there, so he couldn't help but suggest.
"Fine."
Clark nodded upon hearing this and pulled Thor, who was still glaring at Sitwell, over to the elevator.
Meanwhile.
Steve entered Pierce's office and saw Pierce sitting in his chair.
"Ah, Rogers, you've finally arrived. Please, sit."
Seeing it was Steve, Pierce very happily invited him to sit on the sofa.
Steve sat down, his mind still on the mission, and asked directly:
"Mr. Pierce, may I ask why you called me here?"
Chapter 67: Pierce and Steve Part on Bad Terms
"Oh, it's like this."
Pierce frowned slightly, then let out a sigh.
"Regarding the hijacking of the ship not long ago, we've investigated and found that it might have been Fury. So, I wanted to ask if you've noticed anything unusual about him, or if he gave you anything."
After Pierce finished speaking, he looked at Steve with a meaningful gaze.
He wanted to know exactly what Fury had found out and whether Steve knew anything about their secrets.
Steve frowned upon hearing this. The thought that Piercewould actually suggest Fury was the culprit behind the hijacking was impossible; he admired Fury's loyalty to the country more than anyone.
"If you knew Director Fury, you would know he's incapable of doing such a thing, Mr. Pierce."
Steve stared into Pierce's eyes and spoke firmly.
Hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Pierce's eyes. He hadn't expected Rogers to be so ungrateful and so loyal to Nick Fury.
It seemed that pulling Rogers into Insight Project was impossible, but he couldn't be allowed to obstruct the plan either.
Thinking of this, Pierce took a deep breath, stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the scenery outside, his voice turning cold.
"Like Fury, I want to build a better world, Rogers. But if anyone stands in my way, I will make them pay the price."
At this point, Pierce turned around and looked at Stevewith a ruthless gaze, his eyes full of threat. These words were meant to warn Steve not to get involved in this matter.
Steve didn't say anything in response. Instead, he picked up his shield, stood up, and left.
He was right; from Pierce's words, it was clear that Fury's situation was definitely connected to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Pierce watched Clark's retreating back with a cold glint in his eyes, then pressed his communicator and spoke.
"Rumlow, take out that Rogers fellow. He's about to head down now."
"What? He brought two people with him? Well, since they're here, deal with them all together."
After speaking, he looked out the window with a profound gaze. Since you intend to obstruct my plan, don't blame me for not warning you, Rogers.
On Steve's side, after leaving Pierce's office, he stopped in his tracks, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts.
Judging by what Pierce said, he was definitely involved in Fury's situation. This implicated far more than expected, meaning the matter needed careful consideration.
The only lead now was the USB drive Fury left before he died. Since Fury chose to give it to him, it must contain critical information that they needed to secure immediately.
He still needed to find Tony first. He wondered how the decryption was going on his end and if he had already accessed the information.
Meanwhile, on Thor and Clark's side, the elevator was about to arrive.
"Honestly, if you hadn't stopped me just now, I would have taught that man a lesson, Clark."
Thor was still somewhat indignant, complaining to Clarkbeside him from time to time.
"Sigh, Thor, try to be a bit more mature. They probably have confidential things to discuss that we shouldn't hear. He was just doing his job."
Clark was somewhat helpless. He hadn't expected that after all this time, Thor would still be fixated on the Sitwellincident. He had no idea how many times he'd heard him mention it by now; it was driving him crazy.
Hearing this, Thor turned away petulantly, as if he no longer wanted to acknowledge Clark.
At the same time.
Ding!!!
The sound of the elevator arriving rang out.
In the next second, the elevator doors slid open.
"Alright, Thor, stop sulking. The elevator's here. I'll buy you a drink later if that's what it takes."
Seeing the elevator arrive, Clark quickly patted Thor's shoulder. During this time, he had already figured out Thor's temperament; he was like a child, and in situations like this, a little coaxing was all it took.
"Fine."
Hearing this, Thor's eyes lit up as he turned back, his previous mood completely gone.
Seeing this, Clark's eyelid twitched, but he didn't say much, turning to lead Thor into the elevator.
Just then, two agents suddenly appeared outside the elevator, rushing toward them. Upon seeing Clark and Thor, their eyes clearly lit up, as if they had found what they were looking for.
Seeing that the two agents were about to miss the elevator, Clark kindly held the door for them. After all, there were only two of them in the elevator, so adding two more wouldn't be a squeeze.
"Thank you, sir."
After the two agents entered, they thanked Clark, but gave him a very strange look, as if they were looking at an idiot. Clark probably didn't know that they were under orders to eliminate these two; they hadn't expected Clark to actually hold the elevator for them, as if he were eager for his own demise.
Clark noticed their strange looks but didn't say much, assuming they just hadn't seen him and Thor before and were curious why they were at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
Meanwhile, the two agents pressed the elevator buttons, the doors closed, and it began to descend slowly.
Seeing that nothing else was happening, Clark and Thor waited quietly for the elevator to go down.
But strangely, the elevator only descended one floor before stopping again. Outside were two more agents. They looked at Clark and Thor inside, and after seemingly confirming something, they walked in and pressed the elevator button again.
With their entry, the elevator became slightly crowded, though not significantly. Clark also sensed something was wrong. How could it be such a coincidence? They were entering floor after floor, always in pairs. Would it stop again on the next floor? If so, there was definitely a problem.
Sure enough, on the next floor, two more agents boarded, performing the same actions. This continued floor after floor, and before long, the elevator was filled with agents.
As the elevator became packed, it felt more crowded than ever before. Yet the agents remained silent, and the entire space was filled with an unusual atmosphere.
"It's so crowded. Couldn't you guys just wait for the next elevator?"
The slow-witted Thor pushed the agent next to him and spoke with some resentment. When had the Prince of Asgard ever been treated like this, having to squeeze into an elevator with these humans?
Su Cheng, inside Clark's body, watched this scene and was lost in thought.
Good grief, looking at this, isn't this the scene from Captain America 2 where Steve is ambushed in the elevator? This time it's actually Clark's turn. It seems that fellow Pierce is losing his patience; he's planning to take out Clark and Thor together.
But he won't get his way. Clark isn't a weakling to be slaughtered at will. Thinking of this, Su Cheng sent a mental suggestion to Clark's mind that something was wrong here.
Chapter 68: Could that hammer fly over by itself?
"Thor, don't talk for a moment."
Clark's expression was somewhat solemn. Once or twice was fine, but happening repeatedly made him realize something was wrong.
Every person who entered glanced at them first; they were clearly coming for them. This was going to be difficult to handle.
At the same time, the agents looked at each other, exchanging glances.
Clearly, they felt the time was right; they were all here to eliminate Clark and Thor.
They had received news long ago that Clark only possessed the Power of Thor because he held the hammer.
Now that Clark didn't have the hammer, he was just an ordinary person. With so many of them attacking together, how could he possibly win?
As for that Thor, he was a useless person with no strength; they didn't take him seriously at all.
Thinking of this, one of the agents made a gesture, and the eyes of all the agents changed.
The next second.
The agents in the elevator swarmed forward, attacking Thor and Clark.
"What are you doing? I am As..."
Thor reacted and tried to resist, but having lost his divine power, he was clearly no match. He was instantly grabbed by two agents and couldn't move.
His face turned red as he tried to break free, but there was no response.
As a Prince of Asgard and the God of Thunder of the Divine Realm, he was being suppressed by humans and couldn't even fight back. This filled Thor's heart with shame and indignation, but he was helpless.
On Clark's side, he first relied on his extraordinary reaction speed to knock down two agents, but was then pinned down by the remaining agents and forced to the floor.
Clark's face was dark. He wanted to directly knock them all down, but he held back and didn't make a move, allowing himself to be suppressed on the ground.
Currently, he didn't have Mjolnir and couldn't use the Power of Thor. To deal with these people, he would have to use his Superman powers.
But with so many agents present, his identity as Supermanwould definitely be exposed!
Therefore, he couldn't act. He only hoped these agents didn't intend to kill them.
However, things didn't go as hoped. One of the agents pulled out a handgun and pressed it against Clark's head, looking ready to fire.
Su Cheng, inside Clark's body, panicked when he saw this.
Why isn't Clark fighting back? He's going to die at this rate.
Wait, I can understand Clark not using his Supermanabilities, but why not use the Power of Thor?
Does he not know that Mjolnir can be summoned? Yes, that must be it.
Thinking of this, Su Cheng quickly sent a hint to Clark that Mjolnir could be summoned.
At that moment, Clark, with a gun pointed at him, remembered Thor saying earlier that Mjolnir could be summoned. With a thought, he summoned Mjolnir.
"Let's finish him off quickly. In case he has some hidden ability to use the Power of Thor."
One agent said with some concern.
"What Power of Thor? He didn't even bring the hammer, how could he have it?"
"Unless that hammer flies over by itself..."
The agent holding the gun waved his hand, speaking dismissively.
The next second.
Bang!!!
Mjolnir crashed through the glass and flew directly into Clark's hand.
Under the terrified gazes of the agents, accompanied by glass shards, a flash of lightning erupted inside the elevator.
Ding!!!!
The elevator doors opened, revealing agents lying scattered and twisted inside.
Clark, holding Mjolnir, lifted Thor and hovered in the air outside the broken elevator glass.
Clark's expression was not good as he stepped out; after all, no one would be happy about a sudden attack. Thor's face was even redder; this was the first time he had been treated so miserably by humans.
"No, if there's a problem on our side, there must be a problem on Steve's side too."
Clark said with a grave face. This attack was clearly not just aimed at them. Otherwise, Steve would have noticed by now. Since Steve hadn't come over, he must have encountered danger as well and couldn't get away.
Just then, Clark noticed another elevator descending from the floor above.
In that elevator, Steve was currently being restrained by several people and couldn't break free, looking very much in danger.
Seeing this, Clark's expression changed. It was obvious Steve couldn't handle this situation. Steve had left a very good impression on him during their recent interactions, and they were partners in the same plan. Professionally or personally, he didn't want to see Steve get hurt.
"Thor, quick, let's go support Steve."
Clark quickly grabbed Thor and used Mjolnir to fly towards Steve's direction.
"Huh? What for?"
Thor, beside him, hadn't reacted yet before he was carried into the sky by Clark, rushing towards Steve's elevator.
...
Just a few minutes ago.
At the door of Pierce's office.
Having made up his mind to find Tony first, Steve no longer hesitated. He walked directly to a different elevator from the one the other two took and pressed the button.
Ding!
The elevator arrived quickly. Steve stepped inside and pressed the button for the first floor.
But after descending only one floor, it stopped. The doors opened, and the figures of Rumlow and a group of agents entered Steve's view.
"Captain Rogers, you don't mind if we catch a ride, do you? It's a bit crowded here."
When Rumlow saw Steve, his eyes were like a wolf seeing prey, but he still spoke with a smile.
"Of course I don't mind."
Steve frowned, because although Rumlow said he was asking for permission, he immediately led the agents into the elevator, filling it up!
They even squeezed Steve into the very back, surrounded by agents.
It looked like they came with ill intent. They were probably the people Pierce called, right?
He didn't expect them to be so impatient, taking action before he even left the building. Steve was secretly on guard.
He wasn't as slow-witted as Thor after all. Rumlow's gaze and behavior clearly told him they were coming for him.
And since he had just parted ways with Pierce on bad terms, it was obvious Pierce sent them to deal with him. However, he was no sheep waiting to be slaughtered!
Steve's eyes narrowed slightly, and his muscles tensed, ready for combat at any moment.
The surrounding agents and Rumlow all knew Steve was not easy to deal with; their muscles were tense and they were incredibly nervous.
No one initiated the fight first; they were all secretly on guard. For a moment, the entire elevator became silent.
Seeing how nervous the people around him were, Steverelaxed slightly.
These people were nothing more than a disorganized mob.
Since you won't take the initiative, I will!
Thinking of this, Steve coughed lightly, ignored their sudden tensing, and said calmly:
"Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?"
Chapter 69: Fierce Battle in the Elevator
Steve's words were like the starting gun of a race, igniting the atmosphere!
Suddenly, Rumlow, who was beside Steve, threw a punch at him, but Steve blocked it with his shield.
He then kicked Rumlow, and Rumlow was sent flying by the immense force, knocking over a row of agents.
Following Rumlow's move, the other agents seemed to receive a command; they stopped standing around and swarmed toward Steve.
Relying on his immense strength, Steve sent the agents in front of him flying.
However, this gave the remaining agents an opportunity to attack. Seizing the moment before Steve could react, they closed in on him.
Several agents grabbed Steve's neck, while others restrained his arms and legs.
They all knew Steve was a Super Soldier, so they used every ounce of their strength to hold onto him tightly.
Steve was caught off guard, and for a moment, he couldn't break free from their restraint.
"No, I can't let them drain my stamina like this. I must break free," Steve thought, feeling anxious.
But the more anxious he became, the harder it was to break free, and he couldn't help but think of Clark and the other person.
He was barely holding his own, so those two must be in mortal danger too!
"Captain Rogers, you'd better stop struggling and just stay put."
Seeing Steve restrained, Rumlow stood up, rubbing the spot where he had been kicked, and said sternly.
Seeing Steve still struggling fiercely with an unconvinced look, Rumlow lost his patience, pulled out his gun, pointed it at his head, and said.
"Looking at you, you must be thinking about those two people, right? They've probably already gone down. Don't worry, I'll send you to find them right now."
Just then.
Bang!!!
A loud noise came from the adjacent elevator shaft, causing everyone present to freeze, confused about what had happened.
The next second.
Bang!!!
The elevator glass shattered, and Clark flew in, holding Mjolnir and carrying Thor.
"How... how are you guys...?"
Rumlow looked as if he had seen a ghost; he had no idea why Clark wasn't dead and had even retrieved Mjolnir. Wasn't it said he hadn't brought it?
"How are we alive? You'll have to ask your accomplices lying over there."
Clark said coldly, then swung the Hammer at Rumlow, knocking him directly to the ground.
Seeing Rumlow fall, the agents restraining Steve couldn't hold back anymore; several of them released Steve and rushed toward Clark.
Clark frowned, raised the Hammer, and in no time, easily knocked down all the attacking agents.
With fewer people restraining him, the pressure on Stevelessened significantly, and he regained the strength to fight back.
With a powerful struggle, he broke free from the remaining agents' hold.
Taking advantage of their surprise, Steve took them out one by one, easily dealing with the remaining agents.
After finishing them off, Steve walked over to the fallen Rumlow, smiled slightly, and said.
"Thanks for sending them to see me."
Having said that, seeing Rumlow still trying to struggle, Steve didn't hesitate; he punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious.
"Thanks, Clark. If it weren't for you guys, I wouldn't have known what to do."
After doing all this, Steve said sincerely to Clark and the other person.
If Clark and the other person hadn't arrived at the critical moment, he might have actually been killed by Rumlow, so he was truly very grateful.
"No need to thank me, Steve. Aren't we partners?"
Clark shook his head and said.
"That's true."
Steve laughed upon hearing this, but immediately thought of their current situation and added.
"We need to leave here quickly; their reinforcements will be here soon."
Clark nodded and followed in Steve's footsteps to leave.
...
Inside Pierce's office.
Sitwell arrived and stood in front of Pierce's desk, holding a file in his hand.
"This is all the information collected from Nick Fury. Please take a look, Mr. Pierce."
Sitwell handed over the file, which Pierce had ordered him to search for in Fury's office after learning of Nick Fury's death.
Now that Nick Fury was dead, they didn't intend to let these things go; after all, Fury held quite a bit of information.
"Very well, Sitwell. Thank you for your hard work."
Pierce smiled, took the file, and opened it to read carefully.
His eyes were burning with intensity. He didn't know how many arrangements Fury had made behind his back over the years, but now that Fury was dead, he could finally see them.
"No, this is what I should do, Mr. Pierce."
Sitwell replied modestly, then stopped talking and stood aside to wait for orders.
Pierce flipped through the file page by page until the information on one page suddenly caught his attention.
"This is..."
Pierce narrowed his eyes slightly; the page contained the detailed plan for the joint development of the Tesseractwith Dr. Erik.
Seeing this plan, he remembered that if Fury had found Captain America, he must have also found the Tesseractthat Hydra once possessed.
The Tesseract was a powerful object. They had once used its energy to develop countless powerful weapons, but unfortunately, that guy Steve destroyed them.
Now that it had fallen into Fury's hands, he had coveted it for a long time, but due to Fury's caution, he hadn't had the chance to intervene.
Now that Fury was dead and he saw this again, Piercecouldn't help but hatch a new plan.
Now that Insight Project needed to accelerate, if he could develop the energy of the Tesseract and combine it with Hammer's miniature nuclear reactor, Insight Project would certainly receive a huge boost. Pierce felt his heart heat up.
Since Fury had already reached a cooperation agreement with Dr. Erik, why shouldn't we take over this plan and become the beneficiaries?
Thinking of this, Pierce couldn't sit still and immediately ordered Sitwell, who was beside him.
"Agent Sitwell, prepare yourself. We are going to Dr. Erik's place; I have something to discuss with him."
"Dr. Erik? Very well, I will go prepare now."
Sitwell was stunned for a moment, slightly confused about why Pierce wanted to find Dr. Erik, but he didn't ask further, responded, and left the office.
Pierce watched Sitwell leave, then looked at the file on the desk with burning eyes, already impatient to see the Tesseract weapons wreaking havoc.
A few minutes later, Sitwell returned.
"Mr. Pierce, the vehicle is ready, and we can depart at any time."
Sitwell said respectfully.
"Good, then let's go."
Pierce, who had long been impatient, quickly followed Sitwell out and headed to Erik's residence.
Chapter 70: Pierce Plans to Have Erik Join Insight Project
Erik had his own house in New City, which wasn't far from S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, so the two of them arrived quickly.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Sitwell stepped forward and knocked on Erik's door.
"May I ask, is there something I can help you with?"
The door opened, and Loki, playing the role of Erik, saw the two men standing outside. His face showed a look of vigilance. He recognized one of them as a human S.H.I.E.L.D. agent he had met before, but he didn't know the other smiling human. However, he could sense ill intent from that man; clearly, the two hadn't come here just for a chat.
"Ah, Dr. Erik, do you remember me? I'm Sitwell, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."
"We've come because Mr. Pierce, a S.H.I.E.L.D. official, would like to have a word with you. Is it convenient for you?"
Hearing this, Loki frowned and looked at Pierce behind him. Pierce smiled and gave a greeting in turn.
Since both of them had said as much, it would seem unnatural if he continued to decline, and he might expose a weakness. In that case, he could only let the two of them in.
Thinking of this, Loki forced a hypocritical smile, stepped aside to open the door, and said:
"Of course it's convenient. Please come in, gentlemen."
Seeing Erik's attitude, Pierce nodded and then entered with Sitwell.
Leading Pierce and the other man to the living room, Lokiquickly invited them to sit before sitting down himself and asking directly:
"I wonder what business brings you two here."
As he spoke, he looked at the two of them with an inquiring gaze.
Sitwell looked at Pierce beside him, and Loki followed his gaze.
"Well, it's like this, Dr. Erik. We know you reached a collaborative plan with Director Fury to research the Tesseract, but there is one thing you don't know: Director Fury met with an accident and was killed."
Pierce fell silent for a moment, then pretended to be deeply grieved as he explained. Dr. Erik had a collaboration with Fury, so first, he had to break that partnership.
"What?"
Loki's expression changed, and he fell silent. Of course, he wasn't feeling sorry about the news of that human Nick Fury's Death.
Rather, if that human was dead, wouldn't he lose his chance to access the Tesseract? This disrupted his plans, making it difficult for him to get close to the Tesseract. He felt somewhat troubled.
"We also know you feel sad about the news of his Death; I feel the same way."
Seeing Erik's silence, Pierce thought he was grieving and quickly offered consolation.
"Thank you for your comfort, Mr. Pierce. I'm fine."
The misunderstood Loki's eyes twitched. Who would grieve over the Death of a human? But to avoid exposure, he still pretended to be sad.
Seeing that Erik, possessed by Loki, had recovered, Piercecouldn't wait any longer and quickly said:
"Although Director Fury has passed away, the Tesseractproject cannot be shelved. We at S.H.I.E.L.D. want you to continue researching the Tesseract and combine it with a miniature nuclear reactor to speed up our Insight Project."
"Insight Project is a plan to use three Helicarriers combined with satellites to monitor all of humanity and eliminate potential threats."
"I wonder if you are interested in accepting my invitation."
After Pierce spoke, he looked tentatively at Erik. To be honest, even if Erik didn't agree, Hydra had plenty of ways to force him. So Pierce wasn't worried at all; instead, he looked confident.
When Loki heard this, he was stunned for a moment.
"What? There's such a good thing?"
Not only would this plan allow him to access the Tesseract, but it might also throw the entire world into chaos.
His original goal was to bring the Chitauri over; he couldn't wait for Earth to get more and more chaotic. This plan was exactly what he wanted.
...
Thinking of this, Loki couldn't help but smile, but remembering that Fury had just died, he quickly resumed a heavy expression and said to Pierce:
"I am very happy to join this project, Mr. Pierce. It can be considered fulfilling Mr. Fury's wish."
"I'm glad you can join, Dr. Erik. I think this is also the outcome Fury would have wanted."
Pierce also nodded, feeling very happy in his heart. This Erik really knew how to adapt to the situation, so he didn't need to rush to threaten him.
Just like that, two people who had no feelings for Fury at all reached a cooperation, seemingly facilitated by Fury.
At that moment, the communicator at Pierce's waist suddenly began to beep.
Seeing it was a call from Rumlow, Pierce quickly connected.
"Hello, Mr. Pierce... Hiss... our mission here failed. All three of them escaped."
When the call connected, Rumlow's somewhat weak voice came through.
"What? How is that possible? With so many of you, you couldn't restrain one Steve?"
Pierce frowned, somewhat displeased. He knew that of the three, only Steve had combat power; the other, Clark, didn't even have his hammer and was just an ordinary person. For them to be unable to catch them, Rumlow and the others were simply too useless.
"It wasn't just Steve. I didn't expect that Clark could summon Mjolnir. He summoned Mjolnir directly, took out all the agents, and destroyed the elevator before rescuing Steve. We couldn't stop them at all."
Rumlow explained with a somewhat terrified voice. He knew Pierce's methods for punishing people and didn't want to be seen as having neglected his duty.
"Clark?"
Because the communicator's volume was high, Loki, who was nearby, naturally heard everything clearly. Hearing Clark's name, he frowned, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
He was certainly no stranger to this name. It was that lowly mortal who had taken Mjolnir and ruined his plans.
"Dammit, why is it this human again? Why do I hear his name everywhere? Last time he ruined my plan, saved Thor, and even got me banished by that old fool Odin. This time, I finally manage to return and reach a deal with them, and you're coming to interfere again?" Loki thought, extremely annoyed.
Because he was so angry, Loki didn't pay attention to his facial expressions. Sitwell, seeing the angry look on Dr. Erik's face right after they had reached a cooperation, was a bit baffled. What was going on?
Hearing this news, Pierce's face also darkened visibly. He hadn't expected that Clark could actually summon Mjolnirdirectly. This was truly troublesome. They really hadn't anticipated it, and it wasn't really Rumlow's fault; after all, he had witnessed the power Clark wielded with the hammer.
...
"Alright, I know about this. You go and recover first; I'll handle the rest."