{Chapter: 315 The Possibility of Transcendence}
Ada whispered, a faint blush coloring her cheeks, "No way… don't talk nonsense. I haven't changed at all compared to before."
Alice glanced sideways with a smirk. "Don't deny it. We've all seen the difference. You used to be as cold as a Siberian winter. Now look at you—smiling like a teenager in a romance movie."
"How dare you say that to me! Haven't you changed too?" Ada shot back, crossing her arms, feigning indignation but failing to suppress her smile.
The White Queen rolled her eyes with theatrical flair. "Don't argue. Honestly, if any of us could remain unchanged after being around that pervert down there, we wouldn't be human. Or in your case, Ada, we wouldn't be women."
---
On the ground—
"Lord William," Sitwell called out reverently, stepping forward with a hopeful gaze, "won't you return with us to Hydra headquarters? Hydra needs your guidance now more than ever. Only you can lead us—not just to reclaim past glory, but to forge a future even greater than before!"
William exhaled slowly, brushing dust off his sleeve as he looked out into the distance. "No... it's not time yet. I still have things to take care of."
"Lord William…" Sitwell and the two other agents said in unison, their voices thick with emotion.
"You don't need to try and persuade me," William said, raising a hand to silence them. "I've made up my mind. I'll return when the moment is right—and not a second earlier."
The three Hydra agents looked disappointed but quickly regained their composure. "Since Lord William has decided, we will follow your will without question."
William's expression shifted into a more amused one. "Don't look so glum. I wouldn't let you leave empty-handed." He raised his hand. A flash of shimmering blue light pulsed briefly, and then a sleek glass tube filled with glowing azure liquid appeared in his palm.
Sitwell leaned in, curiosity mixing with awe. "Lord William… what is that?"
William's smile twisted into something darker. "This little thing? It's a gift. A potent one. I once used it to bring an entire dimension to its knees. Its name… is the T-virus."
Sitwell's eyes widened behind his glasses as he carefully accepted the tube. "The T-virus… it sounds dangerous. Is it a biological agent?"
"Dangerous?" William chuckled darkly. "That's an understatement. Just a single drop will turn a man into a reanimated corpse. A walking plague. A zombie. And worse—it spreads. Like wildfire. A nation could collapse in days if it's released in the wrong place."
Sitwell was practically trembling with excitement, clutching the vial as if it were a sacred relic. "Incredible. We will treat this with the highest reverence. Lord William's work will not go to waste, I swear it."
William raised a finger. "Hold your horses. This isn't something you just toss into the wind and hope for the best. I want you to refine it. Adapt it to regional biological systems—DNA structures, immune profiles—create a version that only affects specific countries. Make it a scalpel, not a bomb."
Sitwell's face lit up. "Brilliant! Of course—this way, we can hold any country hostage. If they resist Hydra, we release the strain adapted just for them."
William nodded, his eyes narrowing. "Exactly. But remember—don't use it unless I say so. If the world burns too fast, there won't be anything left for us to rule."
"Understood completely, Lord William." Sitwell held the virus like it was the Ark of the Covenant. "We will guard it with our lives."
"Oh, by the way…" William tilted his head. "What's your name?"
Sitwell nearly choked. "You… you asked for my name? I'm Sitwell, Lord William. Jasper Sitwell. I can't believe you'd even remember someone like me. I'm truly honored!"
William scratched his head, slightly uncomfortable. "Alright, Sitwell… You're that agent who infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., right?"
"Yes!" Sitwell stood straighter, pride surging in his voice. "I currently serve within S.H.I.E.L.D. as a liaison, but my true loyalty has always been to Hydra. I monitor their activities, undermine their structure from within, and I've already turned several key personnel. I take great pride in my covert service."
William chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. "Not bad. Maybe one day I'll drop by S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. If I do, you better not be slacking off."
"Yes, sir!" Sitwell saluted with trembling fingers. "I won't let you down."
With a small smirk, William turned away and disappeared into thin air, vanishing like a phantom into the breeze.
"Lord William…" the two Hydra agents whispered, staring at the fading shimmer in awe.
---
Back in the balcony—
Alice sighed and shook her head, watching the whole exchange below. "I don't know what's more ridiculous—William acting like some twisted demigod or those three morons treating him like the Second Coming of Christ."
The White Queen scoffed. "They're all delusional. And William? Please. He's enjoying the worship way too much—."
Ada laughed softly. "I mean, that Sitwell guy is kind of entertaining—it's hilarious."
"You've definitely changed," Alice teased.
The White Queen gave Ada a sideways glance, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "You used to be this cold, calculating assassin. Now you're binge-watching comedy and smiling like a schoolgirl. I'm telling you, love turns even the deadliest into softies."
Ada crossed her arms, cheeks flushed. "You're both imagining things…"
"Sure, sure," Alice replied, chuckling. "But I'm going to keep a count of how many times you smile per mission from now on."
Ada groaned. "Can we please just focus on the next step? Preferably something that isn't embarrassing?"
---
Sitwell laughed heartily, his glasses slightly askew from the force of his joy. "Haha! Did you see that? Lord William spoke to me! He said he might come find me one day! What an incredible honor. I—I'd lay down my life for Lord William without hesitation!"
The two Hydra agents beside him exchanged glances, visibly impressed and clearly envious.
"You're unbelievably lucky," one muttered. "To be personally acknowledged by Lord William? That's not something you hear every day."
"You're just jealous," Sitwell snorted proudly, adjusting his tie. "That's what this is—pure envy. Hahaha! Just wait, once Lord William takes his rightful place leading Hydra again, everything will change."
"You'll be swimming in money," one of the extras said with a sour expression, folding his arms. "And probably women, too."
Sitwell gave a smug chuckle, "Well, you know how it is. I eat meat, you drink soup. Stick with me, and there might be leftovers."
He turned serious for a moment. "Alright, enough joking around. Let's get this T-virus sample back to headquarters immediately. Lord William didn't hand this over lightly."
One of the agents glanced at the glass vial with the eerie blue liquid. "You think it really works? I mean, you saw how casually he handed it over. Why don't we… test it on something? Or someone?"
"Are you nuts?" Sitwell snapped. "Didn't you hear what Lord William said? A single drop of this could turn you into a walking corpse—a zombie. We're under orders. We carry out his will, not play with fire. We're to develop regional strains of the virus—weaponized and controlled."
They quickly boarded their transport, the vial safely encased in a secure container.
---
Up in the sky, Alice stood near the window, arms crossed as she gazed out thoughtfully at the clouds.
"Was it really wise to just hand them the T-virus like that?" she asked quietly. "If they mishandle it, or let it leak… it could cause global devastation."
William leaned back, nonchalant. "Honestly, I'm not even sure the virus will behave the same way in this world. This isn't Resident Evil. It's Marvel. Different laws, different energies. You saw how things work here—people get shot with gamma rays and become green monsters instead of dying."
Alice's eyes narrowed, "Still... you're playing with a biohazard that once brought contories to their knees."
William smiled faintly. "If something does spiral out of control... well, we've got the White Queen, don't we?"
Across the room, the White Queen reclined in a hovering chair, filing her nails with mild disinterest. "Oh no. Don't drag me into your mess. You're the one sowing chaos. Don't expect me to clean it up."
William smirked. "Is that so?"
She looked over her shoulder with a teasing smile. "If you get on your knees and beg like a good boy, maybe I'll consider helping."
William cracked his knuckles, his voice mock-serious. "Hmph, I have a better idea. Sounds like someone's getting a bit too bold. Maybe I should spank that attitude out of you."
The White Queen's face turned red. "William! If you hit my butt again, I swear I'll never speak to you ever again! And stop treating me like a kid! I'm not some toddler you can tease!"
William's grin widened. "Oh? So you're not a child? Does that mean you're an adult?"
With a huff, she crossed her arms and looked away. "Don't let my appearance fool you. My intellect far exceeds that of any so-called adult you've ever met. You might've created this body, but I've evolved past you." White Queen said unhappily, "You guy, you always treat me as a child and bully me. When my strength exceeds yours, I will pin you to the ground and beat you up."
Alice chuckled softly from the side. Ada, who had remained silent until now, smirked. "We're rooting for you, White Queen. But do you really think you can surpass William's power?"
William stretched his arms behind his head, his tone calm but laced with confidence. "You underestimate the weight of experience. My strength didn't come overnight—it was forged through countless battles, experiments, and pain, a shit ton of pain. You don't just catch up to that by wishing for it. You can surpass it just by saying it. In that case, I might as well die."
The White Queen narrowed her eyes. "Don't be so sure. This body... it was formed from your own genetic code, wasn't it? Every cell engineered to be stronger, faster, more adaptable than yours. I have the foundation—you gave it to me. All I need now is time."
William tilted his head, intrigued. "You're getting bolder. I like that. But remember this—every creation that dares to challenge its creator has to be prepared for the consequences."
"My body was born from your cells and has all the qualities of your body. Whether in theory or practice, this body has all the conditions for fusing T cells and deformed meta-cells." ..
The tension in the air thickened—but it wasn't threatening. It was a dance, a familiar exchange of fire between strange companions who had long ago accepted the blurred lines between ally, rival, lovers, and something else entirely.
*****
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