Thea watched this scene with a cold eye but did not intervene. A.R.G.U.S. had a habit of collecting mystical items from all over. They maintained a secret underground vault called the "Black Room," which housed every supernatural artifact found on Earth—items like the Orb of Ra, the Spear of Destiny, and even Pandora's Box, which would one day trigger a massive war.
The trove of artifacts inside likely rivaled the treasuries of the gods. Although Thea wanted to take a look, the Black Room was heavily guarded. Over the past century, mystics recruited by the government had constantly added protective wards and barriers. She didn't want to set foot in there without complete preparation.
After the corpses were carried out, Chato Santana—El Diablo—was brought out next. He had only one breath left. Half his body had been blown away by the lightning breath, leaving a charred mess. Amanda frowned as she looked at him; was this man even worth saving?
Fortunately, A.R.G.U.S. had never been stingy with money. Although the unconscious Chato Santana couldn't grab Amanda's hand to beg for treatment, Amanda made the decision. Regardless of his utility, they would save him first. She instructed her subordinates to bandage him up before transporting him to the rear for treatment.
She wired payments to Deathstroke and Deadshot separately. Both were mercenaries; Deathstroke had lost an eye, and Deadshot had turned in the witch's severed arm. Amanda added a compensation bonus to their originally agreed-upon fees. They were the first to leave. Thea waited a while, and seeing no further business for herself, she also took her leave.
Shortly after she left, Lyla approached Amanda with a tablet to report. "Report, Director. The city's central square is severely damaged with traces of a tornado passing through. The tornado moved from the city center toward the northwest corner before leaving the city and dissipating. Along the path and in the square, we have found over one thousand one hundred bodies, and thousands more are comatose. Missing persons cannot be tallied yet. Property damage is..."
Amanda waved her hand dismissively, indicating she understood. There were no missiles bombing the White House or the Pentagon; these civilian losses were within acceptable limits. The city government would handle condolences for the bodies found; those not found would be treated as missing persons. The federal government would send a spokesperson to put on a show, fly flags at half-mast, and observe a moment of silence.
"Record this: tell the news media it was a city gas main explosion. Wasn't there a tornado path? Just say the pipeline along that route blew up. That is the truth. Next item."
Lyla recorded it silently. She had grown accustomed to this life; the female soldier who once fought for her country in Afghanistan had long since vanished.
"At a market in Massachusetts, ten minutes ago, many people witnessed a deep blue portal open. A straw doll fell out of it. Agents say the doll bears a strong resemblance to Enchantress... Our people are investigating locally, but witnesses claim a gang has already acquired it." Lyla pulled up an image on the tablet and handed it to Amanda.
The image was blurry, clearly taken in haste with a shaking camera, but Amanda's attention was instantly captivated. "That creature didn't die? Thea said her soul was annihilated..."
Lyla remained silent; these mystical matters were far removed from her worldview.
"Secure it first. Wipe out the gang if necessary. Handle it according to Article 5 of the Supernatural Affairs Management Regulations. What about the search in the cave where Dr. June Moone fell?"
"We searched ancient texts and found a key item—a green heart. However, ten minutes ago, the team leader reported that the heart's original vitality rapidly drained away. It is now as stiff as a stone." Lyla stood straight, reporting meticulously.
Amanda gave a noncommittal nod. "Collect them all. The arm, the straw doll, and that heart—send them back to headquarters for testing. If there are no signs of life, seal them in the Black Room."
"Understood."
"Search for Bronze Tiger with full force. Task Force X needs a new leader. Go handle it; I'm returning directly to Washington." Amanda finished speaking and left the scene with her guards. She had just received news that Steve Trevor had the devil's own luck; he had actually managed to escape from under the noses of over thirty elite criminal soldiers. Amanda needed to return to the Department of Defense immediately to smear his name thoroughly before the generals!
Leaving aside Amanda, who was plotting to tear into Steve Trevor, Thea left the A.R.G.U.S. group. Following certain markings, she arrived at a civilian house and pushed the door open. Slade Wilson was waiting for her, his right eye covered in gauze that was still seeping blood.
"So, have you considered it? I can give you power, and your lost eye back," Thea said straightforwardly.
"You can hire me for a job." Slade still didn't want to lose his autonomy. "Loyalty" implied too much subservience; he strongly disliked the concept.
"Of course I can hire you..." Thea paused. A glint appeared in Slade's left eye, but her next words made his gaze flicker incessantly.
"If you accept my power, you will automatically be loyal to me. This has nothing to do with your subjective will; it is the effect of the magic. If you want to consider that a form of 'employment,' I don't care. It's just different phrasing." Thea chuckled, her laughter sounding like a devil bewitching a mortal.
On one side was power; on the other was freedom. Which was more important? Beads of sweat formed on Slade's forehead.
Thea had a pile of things to do at home and didn't bother wasting time with him. She flicked her finger, and a replica Yellow Power Ring fell onto the table. "This ring is the source of power. I'm leaving it with you. If you don't put it on, it will return to me in three days. Take your time to think about it."
With that, Thea vanished from the room like a wisp of smoke, leaving a grim-faced Slade behind.
"Why leave so soon?! You could have at least tried to persuade me a bit more!" Slade stood alone by the table corner, staring at the gleaming yellow ring. Several times he reached out to grab it, only to pull back.
This invisible psychological pressure was even more testing than if Thea had stayed to persuade him. At least there was no requirement for a humiliating ritual like kneeling. Subconsciously, his heart was already leaning toward the power.
To wear it or not? Slade paced around the small round table like a caged beast. Images flashed constantly in his mind: scenes of him speeding freely, scenes of him beating enemies until they scrambled for their teeth. Both choices had their merits, and he couldn't make up his mind.
He grabbed a bottle of strong liquor from the kitchen, trying to stabilize his emotions, but the more he drank, the more depressed he became. In a fit of anger, he went to sleep!
This was a man who could usually sleep soundly amidst the roar of cannons, but after lying there for ten minutes, he found he wasn't sleepy at all. The burning pain from his blinded right eye made sleep impossible.
"If I die, I die. Let's do this!"
His thick arm shot out, grabbing the ring, and he jammed it onto the middle finger of his right hand with savage force.
A ceaseless torrent of emotional power poured into his heart. Slade Wilson didn't even utter a groan before he collapsed straight to the floor, unconscious.