The next day, before Hill could knock, the gatehouse called.
Jack slid Wanda aside, scooped up Helen Zhao, lifted Mei off the floor, and headed to the hall to answer the phone.
"Master, people are at the gate again, saying they've come to arrest you. Their attitude is very aggressive, and the gate is wired with a lot of C4."
Senju Tobirama's cool voice came through the line.
Jack: "Tell the Widows to pull back immediately—get everyone into the shelter. I'll be there soon."
"Understood."
The call ended. Tobirama relayed the order to the Widows, and the entire Base sprang into motion.
Inside the house, the three women began getting dressed. Helen Zhao and Mei stepped forward to kiss Jack.
"Stay safe," they said, before leaving with the Widow escorting them to the safe zone.
Wanda was already very strong. To avoid the worry she'd felt last time, she chose to stay with Jack.
"Keep your shield up the whole time, got it?" Jack reminded her.
Wanda nodded obediently. "You too."
Jack carried Wanda to the gate, fetched a chair from the guard booth, and set her down.
He'd gone a bit wild last night; Wanda's legs were probably still jelly.
Jack leapt onto the high wall to survey the scene outside.
The three-lane road was packed with green armored vehicles. The moment he appeared, hundreds of soldiers aimed cannons and rifles at him.
Unfazed, Jack even pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.
"Jack, surrender General Ross and all remaining weapons immediately, or this compound will cease to exist."
At the head of the convoy, a white-bearded, middle-aged general shouted up at him, his voice trembling with rage as he stared at the armor-piercing holes in the gate.
Jack chuckled.
"You've got two choices. One: drop your weapons and go home. Two: stay here permanently."
"Jack, this is your last chance! Don't even think about resisting. Today's force and missiles are enough to flatten your Base!"
Jack shouted, "Tobirama—do it."
The middle-aged general roared back, "Open fire!"
War erupted instantly.
The moment Jack gave the order, he transformed into the Red Hulk, jumped down, and wrapped Wanda in his arms, letting the depleted armor-piercing rounds slam into the north wall.
After all, he was the Hulk. Spent AP rounds couldn't hurt him—especially with Wanda using Chaos Magic to drain even more of their energy.
The bullets that finally reached him simply bounced off. He only had to endure this single volley—they wouldn't get another chance to reload.
"Detonate the charges!" the lead general ordered.
Hearing that, Jack cursed, vaulted skyward with Wanda in his arms, and cleared the C4-laden gate. He'd forgotten about it.
"Earth Release: Great Rock Slab!" ×10
Tobirama's voice rang out as ten-meter-thick rock walls shot up on both sides of the road, trapping the hundred-meter-long column.
The middle-aged general and his men swallowed hard as the towering slabs rose beside them.
Before they could react, the slabs began tilting inward.
"R-run!"
"There's an exit up front—move!"
"No time—under the tank!"
The quick-witted were already sprinting before the shouting started; only a few dozen near the front escaped.
Those near the tanks scrambled underneath.
Soon, the tank bellies overflowed with bodies as others dove beneath different vehicles.
Some stunned stragglers never moved and were crushed beneath the collapsing stone.
The entire sequence took less than five seconds.
A handful near the far exit escaped—Jack had left that gap deliberately. Everyone else was simply unlucky as hell.
Those who survived watched from afar, their legs turning to jelly.
Then the same voice rang out again.
"Earth Release: Ground Fissure!" ×10
The earth split open into a hundred-meter chasm, swallowing everyone still on the road.
"No!"
"Help!"
"Mama, save me!"
"I don't want to die!"
Tobirama ignored the screams and slammed the fissure shut.
"G-General, I think I saw vehicle wreckage down there—maybe General Ross's group from last time."
The middle-aged general snapped, "I can see that—shut the hell up!"
Electricity flashed for an instant. The survivors convulsed as current surged through them, then collapsed.
Crack!
Thunder followed a moment later, and a breeze carried the stench of burnt flesh.
Five helicopters had been locked on. Dozens of Gatling barrels spewed rounds, taking down all but one that had lagged behind due to mechanical issues.
"Master, should we chase it?" Tobirama asked, appearing beside him as the lone chopper fled.
Jack reverted to normal, still holding Wanda.
"No need. Nine die, one lives. That one's lucky."
Tobirama was about to admire the remark when Jack's next words shut him up.
"I'm going back to put on some damn shorts. Take the cleanup crew and tidy this place up—I've got guests coming."
Back in his room, Jack called Pierce.
"Grand Marshal, what are your orders?"
Pierce had saved Jack's number the moment he received it, despite never having met him.
"I scrapped a few hundred soldiers today. Work your Military contacts so they don't bother me again anytime soon."
Pierce hesitated. "Grand Marshal, we only have one voice inside the Military. I can't guarantee they'll listen."
Jack frowned. "Aren't you people everywhere? You're telling me there's only one person in the entire Military I can talk to?"
Pierce gave a bitter laugh. "You overestimate us, Marshal. We can infiltrate small fry like S.H.I.E.L.D., but the Military is controlled by major clans. There's barely any room for outsiders."
"That single asset took us over forty years and mountains of money to place."
Jack shrugged. "Fine. Let me know whether they want war or talks. If they don't want to negotiate, Sebastian can stretch his legs."
Pierce replied, "Marshal, we might turn this into an opportunity—get them to supply us with weapons."
Jack yawned. "Discuss it with Sebastian. But if they plan to hit my park again, inform me immediately."
"Understood."
Pierce set the phone down and began figuring out how to help the Military save face without dragging the Grand Marshal into the mess.
Losing two generals was no longer the core problem—generals could be replaced.
But face? Once lost, that shit was gone forever.
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