Everyone present was stunned by what Tony Stark said, caught completely off guard.
But upon closer reflection, Tony Stark's words actually made a lot of sense.
So much so that they were left speechless.
Even if all the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were killed, and Hydra personnel were running the entire organization, S.H.I.E.L.D. would still be S.H.I.E.L.D.!
"If that's the case, then it's Director Fury's second hypothesis, a situation we simply can't analyze," Hawkeye Barton said, scratching his nose.
"No, that was before. Now that I've clarified the meaning of 'destroy,' this problem can be analyzed," Tony Stark said to everyone with a serious expression.
"Stark is right." Captain America nodded, surprisingly agreeing with Tony Stark's point of view.
"Hydra would never allow S.H.I.E.L.D. to be disbanded. They are an organization that operates in the shadows; they need S.H.I.E.L.D. as a cover."
"They might kill S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, they might take over S.H.I.E.L.D. completely, but they would never disband S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Hydra, in fact, can be ruled out."
"Then, on the contrary, the original S.H.I.E.L.D. members, Captain or Natasha, now have this possibility!" Hawkeye Barton interjected emphatically.
"If S.H.I.E.L.D. has been completely controlled by Hydra, and the situation is beyond repair, then the only option left is to completely destroy S.H.I.E.L.D."
It must be said that the analysis of this question was full of twists and turns. Initially, everyone ruled out A and B, unanimously believing the answer was among C and D.
But who would have thought that at the moment the answer was about to be settled, there would be a complete 180-degree turn?
The most likely options, C and D, suddenly became impossible, while the originally impossible A and B suddenly became possible!
"So the question is," Tony Stark continued, picking up the conversation, "whether it was the Captain or Romanoff, what exactly did they do that led to S.H.I.E.L.D. being disbanded?"
A slight silence fell over the scene, as everyone present fell into thought.
But no matter how much they thought, they couldn't come up with a clear answer.
After all, the relevant information was simply too scarce.
"It's possible they handed over intelligence about Hydra's infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D. to the Security Council, or it could be other things."
"We currently have too little information to analyze," Hawkeye Barton said seriously after a moment of thought.
"No, Barton, everyone, we don't need to analyze those things at all." Black Widow, however, stared at the big screen, her eyes gleaming slightly, "The question says S.H.I.E.L.D. was destroyed within the Triskelion!"
"Natasha, what are you trying to say?" Hawkeye Barton didn't immediately understand Black Widow's meaning, so he couldn't help but ask her.
"Barton, no matter what either the Captain or I did in the Triskelion, S.H.I.E.L.D. was quickly disbanded, right?"
"Everyone should remember that the Captain once tricked Sitwell out of his scepter, and was subsequently declared a S.H.I.E.L.D. fugitive, right?"
"When the Captain and I disrupted Project Insight, we were also fugitives, and the disruption of Project Insight happened after the Captain tricked him out of the scepter."
"This means that ever since we became fugitives at that time, our status as S.H.I.E.L.D. fugitives would continue indefinitely!"
This was a natural consequence.
After all, Hydra already knew that Captain America had seen through their identities, so they would naturally use their maximum resources and power to prevent Captain America from returning to S.H.I.E.L.D.
And judging by the extent of Hydra's infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D. at that time, the possibility of Captain America "clearing his name" and returning to S.H.I.E.L.D. was indeed slim.
The reason for Black Widow's fugitive status was unknown.
But the timing of her fugitive status could be determined: it was after Hydra completely turned against Captain America.
Not to mention, she was also working with Captain America in that state to disrupt Project Insight.
So even though the reason was unclear, Black Widow would undoubtedly be hunted by Hydra through S.H.I.E.L.D. for a long time, just like Captain America.
"So…"
"So when you destroyed S.H.I.E.L.D., you went to the Triskelion as fugitives!" Hawkeye Barton interjected, finishing Black Widow's sentence.
This timeline was also very easy to determine, after all, this was the end of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Captain America and the others being fugitives naturally happened before this.
As the analysis reached this point, everyone present's eyes lit up, feeling as if they had finally seen the moon after the clouds parted.
From being at a loss initially, to now meticulously dissecting and analyzing layer by layer, they were gradually touching upon the answer!
Indeed, with the analysis reaching this point, the answer was practically on the tip of their tongues, as infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters as a fugitive was not something everyone could do.
It was a strong filtering condition.
"Romanoff!" Nick Fury immediately made his judgment, "The answer is Romanoff! Perfectly infiltrating the Triskelion as a fugitive, that's a spy's skill, not a soldier's skill!"
The Triskelion was heavily guarded, with checkpoints and patrolling special agents everywhere, and electronic eyes and cameras covering the entire building.
If it came to a forceful intrusion, of course, Captain America, being a super soldier, would have a greater advantage.
But perfect infiltration?
Captain America truly had no advantage there.
Because what was needed wasn't powerful combat ability, but exquisite and perfect disguise and infiltration skills; in short, spy skills. In this aspect, Black Widow naturally had a greater advantage.
Specialization was applicable here too.
"What a brilliant discussion. It seems you've solved this problem." Loki, who hadn't been able to get a word in, now made his presence known to everyone.
Unfortunately, no one present paid any attention to Loki.
"Director, this question is about S.H.I.E.L.D., so why don't... you answer?" Black Widow suggested at this point, glancing at Hawkeye Barton.
Hawkeye Barton naturally had no objections. He gestured to Nick Fury, indicating that Nick Fury should answer.
Nick Fury didn't stand on ceremony with everyone. He directly faced the big screen and stated his answer: "I choose B, Black Widow Natasha Romanoff!"
"Correct answer!"
Nick Fury remained outwardly calm, showing no reaction, but inwardly, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
He got it right!
"Congratulations to the answerer Nick Fury for receiving the reward: one Force Awakening Seed!"
"Reward has been issued, please check!"
With the system's announcement, a crystal seed, full of both technological and magical flair, immediately appeared in Nick Fury's hand.
The crystal seed shimmered with a faint purple light, radiating an indescribable beauty and an equally indescribable sense of mystery.
Although no one knew what this so-called "Force Awakening Seed" actually was, just by its appearance, everyone knew it was definitely not something simple.
"This seed…" Loki, on the side, also showed a hint of surprise and curiosity on his face. "I feel a magical power from it. Excuse me, may I see it?"
"What are you trying to do?" Hawkeye Barton immediately warned Loki with a serious expression, "Loki, no tricks!"
"Easy, warrior! If I were to snatch your reward now, then you would likewise snatch mine. Am I such a shortsighted person?"
Loki said to Hawkeye Barton with a look of intellectual superiority.
His words did sound reasonable, but Loki didn't know what he looked like in everyone's eyes at that moment.
No one dared to believe his words.
Nick Fury immediately adopted an extremely vigilant stance, turning his body slightly to the side, guarding against Loki.
Not only that, but just like Tony Stark eating the Yellow Spring Fruit earlier, he opened his mouth and hastily swallowed the Force Awakening Seed.
Buzz!
A gentle power, like a stream, immediately flowed through Nick Fury's entire body, bathing every corner of his being and nourishing every cell.
Nick Fury immediately felt that a magical power he hadn't possessed before, the Force, had appeared within him.
Not only that, but besides himself, Nick Fury could also feel that the same power was surging in the surrounding world.
According to the memories instilled in him by the answering system, the Force was an energy field created by all living things, a supernatural, omnipresent power!
That seed didn't bring Nick Fury any power; it merely awakened the Force that already existed within Nick Fury but had been dormant!
"How amazing, this is the Force!"
Nick Fury felt the omnipresent power in the surrounding world and nodded in satisfaction.
The only regret was that even though Nick Fury had awakened the Force, it didn't mean he would become powerful in the future.
This thing also depended on talent and subsequent training.
The Force existed perfectly fine in the world, but how much one could use it, and to what extent, depended on the bald man's own aptitude.
"The Force? Nick Fury, what kind of power is this?" Tony Stark couldn't help but ask curiously from the side.
Judging by Nick Fury's reaction, it must be something extraordinary.
"Stark, everyone, I'll share the relevant information with you after the answering session is over." Nick Fury said, sweeping his one eye over Loki.
"Excuse me, Nick Fury, are you guarding against me?" Loki immediately asked, staring at Nick Fury.
"Excuse me, Mr. Loki, yes!" Nick Fury made no attempt to hide it, admitting it directly.
"That's quite hurtful," Loki said with an intentionally exaggerated tone.
"Cut it out, Loki, that won't work here!" Nick Fury said to Loki unceremoniously.
"Answering session concluded. Now playing the answer analysis!"
Following the system's prompt, the corresponding text on the big screen disappeared, and a video clip then appeared before everyone.
The first thing that caught everyone's eye was none other than Director Nick Fury.
He was seen in a very dim, simple room, with one hand bandaged, and the other holding a photograph.
And that photograph was of Alexander Pierce.
"This man refused the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, peace is not an achievement, but a responsibility!"
"See, it's people like him who make me afraid to trust anyone!"
Nick Fury said, then tossed the photograph onto the table as if it were trash.
As Nick Fury spoke, the figures of a few other people in the room also appeared on screen: Black Widow, Captain America, Falcon Sam, and Agent Hill.
"We have to stop it from taking off!" Black Widow said with a serious expression at this point.
What "it" was, everyone had a natural guess: the Insight Helicarriers, after all, Captain America, Black Widow, and Sam were the core team for stopping Project Insight.
And this place was clearly not any S.H.I.E.L.D. base, which also aligned with the fact that Captain America's operation was independent of the S.H.I.E.L.D. system.
"I don't think the council will take my call." Nick Fury spoke again, then opened a box.
Three silver "circuit boards" appeared before everyone.
"When the helicarriers reach 3,000 feet, they will triangulate with the Insight satellites and become fully weaponized!" Agent Hill explained to everyone at this point.
"We have to attack those helicarriers," Nick Fury's voice continued, "and swap out the targeting blades with our own."
The targeting blades clearly referred to those three circuit boards.
And Nick Fury's words also clearly laid out the timeline: the eve of the operation to disrupt Project Insight!
"Swapping one or two won't work. We need to connect all three helicarriers! Even if only one helicarrier remains operational, it could kill countless people." Agent Hill said solemnly to everyone at this point.
"We have to assume everyone on board is Hydra. We have to break in and insert the server blades." Nick Fury spoke again, "Maybe, and I mean maybe, we can still save…"
"We're not saving!" Captain America suddenly interrupted Nick Fury, "We're going to destroy the helicarriers and S.H.I.E.L.D.!"
Both those on screen and those in front of the screen were stunned, stimulated by Captain America's decision.
That was destroying S.H.I.E.L.D.!
But soon, everyone present vaguely began to understand what Captain America on screen meant.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has nothing to do with this!"
On screen, Nick Fury immediately argued.
"If you give me the mission, that's what I'll do!" Captain America, however, made his decision, leaving no room for argument.