After three days and two nights of intense work, Qingshui was utterly exhausted from expending so much mental energy on crafting artifacts. Even with the Mind Stone's power to replenish his spiritual strength, he yearned for a good night's sleep.
He slept straight through until noon the next day.
At the dining table, Qingshui sat with a fork and knife, wearing a napkin, enjoying a freshly prepared French meal while watching a news program projected holographically by Watos.
"Sources indicate that recent suicide bombings orchestrated by the terrorist organization Ten Rings in the Middle East have caused severe damage to downtown Los Angeles. Happy Hogan, the head of security for the Stark Group, was injured in the attack and is currently receiving treatment at New York Presbyterian Hospital…"
The news program quickly cut to reporters interviewing Tony Stark.
Happy Hogan was Tony Stark's confidant, serving as his personal bodyguard for years, making their bond incredibly strong.
"If you're man enough, remember my address: 10880 Malibu Lane, zip code 90625. I'll be waiting for your challenge anytime…"
After eating a piece of springy, tender foie gras, Qingshui swiped his hand across the virtual projection, beginning to search for Mandarin's Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.).
He then saw the Osborn Corporation's investment in A.I.M.
A billion-dollar investment, making them the second-largest shareholder of the group abbreviated as A.I.M.
The largest shareholder was Aldrich Killian, A.I.M.'s ostensible founder.
As for why he was merely "ostensible," Watos's search revealed that Killian had previously worked at a research institute at a certain California university, and many of his team members were from that institute, which had disbanded five years prior.
After that, Killian founded A.I.M., recruited many people from that institute, and received secret funding during its early stages.
There must be others behind him, but Watos's investigation hit a dead end halfway through.
Someone had intervened.
Perhaps not even a person.
In the cyber world, the only AI that could compete with Watos was a peer-level AI like J.A.R.V.I.S.
However, the identity of the person behind this was now quite clear.
Who else could possess such network capabilities besides Tony Stark?
It was the same entity that had intercepted Watos during the previous investigation into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s network.
It must be Hydra's Zola.
Qingshui's actions had undoubtedly attracted Hydra's attention, and they must be taking it extremely seriously.
But…
Why wouldn't Hydra want to recruit a top-tier scientist, a super-rich individual, a leading entrepreneur like me?
Such short-sighted fools.
If I joined Hydra, it would be another way to gain Fortune.
With my influence and abilities, I might even become a Hydra head.
Imagine how much Fortune that would be!
"Young Master, a Mr. Phil Coulson is here to see you."
Just as lunch concluded, Jorge pushed open the door and sought him out.
"Please show him to the living room; I'll be right there."
Qingshui wiped his mouth and rose from his chair.
"He said it's extremely urgent and suggested we immediately deploy all defensive measures at the manor."
"Hmm? I'm going now."
Qingshui put down his napkin and turned to leave instantly.
As Jorge closed the door behind him, the news program cut to a new live broadcast.
Several missiles, trailing exhaust plumes, launched from helicopters flying over the ocean, streaking towards a mansion built on the coast.
...
...
"Coulson, long time no see. Did you switch hair growth products recently?"
Qingshui entered the living room and said to Coulson.
"How did you know? Has my hair gotten thicker?"
"No, your hairline is receding faster, so I figured you switched brands."
"This isn't the time for jokes." Coulson shook his head helplessly, his expression serious.
"The director is dead."
"So, should I applaud?"
"It's a fake death."
"I suddenly don't feel like celebrating anymore."
Even the usually good-natured Coulson was starting to lose his composure.
"I've noticed your mouth is starting to evolve in Tony's direction."
"Alright, enough with the chatter. Jorge just said you recommended I mobilize maximum security for the manor?"
"That's right, but I'd recommend you evacuate immediately. I imagine you, like the Director, have uncovered something. Those people have already moved against the Director, and you or Tony might be next. They're very secretive and powerful. I'm even worried they might have infiltrated your manor. If it's an overt attack, you might be able to stop it, but what about covert ones? Poison, assassination—even if you have superpowers that let you discharge electricity, you're still flesh and blood, and you can die."
Coulson said earnestly.
This was both for Qingshui's own sake and because Nick Fury had been attacked and was officially dead, greatly reducing the available forces. They needed Qingshui's powerful combat abilities and abundant financial support.
Qingshui wasn't too concerned about poison or assassination. Even without the Perfect Demonization of his main body or his Airflow Manipulation ability, Qingshui, relying on Ninjutsu, magic, and Breathing Style, didn't face many threats on Earth even without his Puppet Armor. Not to mention, as a top-tier ninja and the League of Assassins' second-in-command, Qingshui's research into assassination and poison was extraordinarily deep. If he were poisoned or injured, as long as it wasn't instantly fatal, he could heal himself with Medical Ninjutsu—though he didn't have the vast Chakra reserves of his main body's Perfect Demonization, he had the Eye of Watt. With the Mind Stone, he could enter a perfect flow state, and his Chakra would be enhanced by the Mind Stone's energy, improving its quality and the effect of his enhanced Chakra.
"So, what have you found out so far? Who's Hydra and who isn't? Have you figured that out yet?" Qingshui leaned back in his chair, addressing Coulson.
"How do you know it's Hydra?" Coulson asked, surprised.
"I know more than you imagine."
"Alright." Coulson looked into Qingshui's eyes, assuming Qingshui had uncovered this with his own abilities. After all, their Director was always an excellent judge of character. In his assessment, Qingshui was a classic schemer and ambitious individual, always vigilant, good at protecting himself, fond of keeping secrets, and creating information asymmetry to set up his plans. A personality similar to Nick Fury's, which explained it perfectly. Both the ability and the motivation were there.
"Do you know about Project Insight? It's..."
"A plan to monitor and prepare to strike all threats worldwide via sub-orbital Helicarriers."
"You even know about that?" Coulson was stunned. Project Insight was something only high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel knew about; even he only learned a fraction of it after being promoted to a Level 8 agent. Truly, he's a schemer and ambitious person with a deep mind, just like the Director!
"Go on," Qingshui waved his hand.
"Alright, we currently have very few ways to determine who is or isn't Hydra. We can only use the process of elimination, like Project Insight. They plan to activate it in three days, and the Director believes they might directly launch airborne weapons to strike."
"So you think anyone on the Project Insight list isn't Hydra?" Qingshui took a sip of tea.
"Yes, and Mr. Watt, you're ranked second on the Project Insight list of tens of thousands."
"Second? Who's first?"
"Mr. Stark."
These damn Hydras, they really have no vision, thinking my threat isn't as big as Tony Stark's?
Just then, Coulson's phone rang. He picked it up and glanced at the number. "One moment." With that, Coulson took his phone and walked into the hallway outside the room.
Watos spoke up at the same time: "Sir, a call from Ms. Pepper."
"Connect it."
Pepper's tearful voice soon filled the speakers. "Watt, help me! Save Tony!"
In the hallway, Coulson frowned deeply, his face showing shock. "What? Tony was attacked and is missing, his life unknown?"
A few minutes later, Qingshui hung up a call from Pepper, and Coulson also ended his call, walking back into the living room.
"Watt, I think we need to move quickly. They must think Tony's existence will throw a wrench in Project Insight, so they made their move early!" Coulson said urgently.
"I know, I know." Qingshui made a downward gesture at Coulson, signaling him to calm down. "I'm perfectly safe, you can rest assured about that. For now, let's continue discussing Project Insight and Tony. Watos, if you still haven't reached J.A.R.V.I.S., set that aside for a moment and search for relevant information on the internet first. Coulson, can I have your personal account for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intranet? Your Level 8 agent clearance will make it easier for me to break into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s deeper network for high-level information. Hydra definitely has high network access within S.H.I.E.L.D. too, which is why my previous searches were blocked."
Coulson: ???
This isn't good, is it?
Letting your artificial intelligence into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intranet and even gaining Level 8 high-level agent clearance, second only to the Level 10 director and Level 9 deputy director…
After that, would this still be S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intranet, or would it be your, Qingshui Watt's, private network?
But what he said also makes a lot of sense. This clearance is for an extremely important and legitimate matter!
"Um… I'll need to consult the Director about this," Coulson replied.
Before Qingshui could say another word, there was a knock on the living room door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and a server entered. He looked about thirty, carrying a tray with two steaming cups of tea.
"Sir, Jorge the butler anticipated your and your guest's tea might have gotten cold, so he sent me to bring two fresh cups." The server walked to the table, holding the tea with a smile.
Qingshui felt the Mind Stone, concealed by Genjutsu on his chest, stir.
"Oh, your butler is really thoughtful," Coulson said enviously. The balding, middle-aged working man also yearned for this decadent capitalist lifestyle.
Qingshui said nothing, but suddenly turned sideways, leaned back in his chair, and kicked out at the server.
At the same instant.
*BANG!* A gunshot snapped Coulson out of his shock. He quickly stood up from his chair, threw his cup at the server, then unpinned the brooch from his chest, activated the small switch on it to generate an electric current, and lunged at the server. He was there to see Qingshui, so his personal handgun had been confiscated by security when he entered Watt Manor. He could only use these small gadgets that S.H.I.E.L.D. agents carried.
Qingshui's eyes were calm as he watched the assassin lying on the ground, trembling, with Coulson. Sure enough, there were Hydra operatives ambushed inside Watt Manor.
When did this person get in? I think it was last year?
The moment the server entered, Qingshui had noticed the micro-modified pistol hidden under his sleeve through the Transparent World. The gun was tiny, with only one bullet, so it was well-concealed. And before he even made his move, the Eye of Watt had identified the malice of the person before him through the Mind Stone. If it could guard, read, modify, and manipulate the minds of others, it could naturally sense their thoughts.
"Coulson, fall back!" Qingshui suddenly called out.
Coulson quickly took a step back at his words, and Qingshui simultaneously formed a hand sign with one hand.
"*Wind Release: Wind Blade!*"
A thin, disc-shaped wind blade flew out, instantly severing the assassin's hands. He didn't kill him directly, giving him a Gekko Hayate-style death, because Qingshui believed he needed a live captive.
Coulson gasped, watching the assassin, whose hands had been severed, now glow red as he reattached them. His face was filled with shock. He can reattach his hands after they've been cut off, and his body is radiating intense heat. This…
"Still not very stable, huh?" The server stood up from the ground and sneered, then Qingshui slapped him across the face, sending him sprawling. At the same time, layers of black incantations flowed from Qingshui's hand, crawling all over the server's body, immobilizing him and suppressing the energy within him, causing his temperature to drop rapidly.
"Tsk, in front of me, who are you trying to show off for?" Qingshui snapped his left fingers, and as the illusion created by the Mind Stone vanished, the Eye of Watt slowly emerged, glowing with a soft yellow light.
Just then, Jorge, having heard the gunshot, arrived belatedly with the manor's security personnel.
"Young Master Watt, are you alright?" Jorge jogged over, holding a handgun. He wasn't like the other butler, Alfred, who had served in special forces; he was just an ordinary butler with excellent management skills.
"I'm fine, but some people aren't." Qingshui extended a finger and flicked out a few more wind blades, instantly killing two bodyguards who were secretly making small movements.
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