Sky City, Central Castle, Tactical Command Room.
The thick stone walls of a European castle seamlessly merged with modern, giant holographic projection screens.
Icy blue light was the dominant color, reflecting off a series of grim faces.
Logan, puffing on a freshly lit cigar, paced irritably around the heavy oak conference table, ash flaking onto the mirror-smooth floor.
Erik, Magneto, stood before the huge curved floor-to-ceiling window, his back to the others, his metal cape fluttering without a breeze, gazing at the rolling sea of clouds below, his aura as heavy as lead.
Psylocke leaned against a metal pillar in the shadows, arms crossed, purple neon energy silently flowing at her fingertips, like a quiet ghost.
Angel Warren leaned elegantly back in his chair, metal wings folded behind him, a slight frown on his brow.
Storm Ororo stood not far from Erik, tiny electric sparks dancing between her fingers, betraying her equally restless mood.
On the other side of the conference table sat the core of the Red Room: Commander Melina, in a crisp dark uniform, her golden hair meticulously coiled at the back of her head, her eyes sharp as a surgeon's scalpel.
Beside her was the bear-like Red Guardian Alexei, wearing his signature red and black striped uniform, arms crossed, his brows furrowed into a knot.
Yelena Belova, in a pure white, form-fitting combat suit, sat a little further away, expressionlessly wiping a tactical dagger, her gaze occasionally flicking towards the entrance of the conference room.
The air was so heavy it could be wrung out.
Logan savagely extinguished his cigar for the third time, sparks dancing in the ashtray.
He looked up, his scruffy face screaming, "I'm really pissed off!":
"Where's that kid Chen Tian?! Did he die in the hot springs?! It's been two hours! If he doesn't get his ass here, I'm going to go drag that Gunrunning Queen out myself and tear her to shreds!"
Melina rubbed her temples in exasperation: "Yorha reported thirty seconds ago, Commander... he's on his way."
She emphasized the words "on his way," clearly feeling helpless about her boss's procrastination.
"On his way? He should have crawled here by now, damn it! When I was fighting those knockoffs, he..." Logan was about to unleash a full-blown tirade.
"Yo, old wolf, so much fire? Who stepped on your tail this time?"
A voice filled with sunny cheerfulness abruptly came from the entrance of the circular conference room, breaking the stagnant air.
Everyone looked in that direction.
Chen Tian leaned casually against the doorframe, wearing a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, like a student just back from university break.
He wore his characteristic nonchalant smile, his hair still slightly damp, a few strands of bangs falling across his forehead.
Meeting everyone's gaze, especially Logan's almost murderous stare, he sauntered to the giant conference table and plopped down into the spacious Commander's chair at the very center.
He completely ignored the explosively heavy atmosphere in the room, and with a 'clunk,' his sneaker-clad feet were propped directly onto the smooth tabletop.
"Phew," he exhaled comfortably, raising his chin towards Melina, his smile unchanged, "Everyone's here? Aunt Mei, let's begin."
His posture was exactly like that of a profligate CEO returning from vacation to hear reports from his subordinates.
Logan's eye twitched violently, and he nearly bit through his cigar.
Yelena's dagger-wiping motion paused, her gaze sweeping over the scratches on Chen Tian's neck, a meaningful smile playing on her lips, and she let out an almost inaudible snort.
Alexei let out a low grumble, likely complaining in Russian about a "young punk."
Melina took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to complain, and swiped a finger across the control panel in front of her.
Buzz!
The giant central holographic screen instantly lit up, blinding blue light filling the entire command room!
The incredibly clear image was fixed on Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's cold and arrogant face, alongside her S.H.I.E.L.D. encrypted file, the yellowed report cover of HYDRA's "Winter Soldier Project," the molecular structure diagram of the new "CSSS Compensatory Serum," and the destructive scene of the mine shaft completely blown into a huge pit by burrowing missiles!
"Situation briefing," Melina's voice was like an ice pick, clear, fast, and without any wasted words, "Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, former S.H.I.E.L.D. Level 9 Agent, 'Gunrunning Queen.' She used her authority and network to steal Dr. Erskine's original serum data and Baron Strucker's improved 'Winter Soldier' serum samples."
Data streams cascaded across the holographic screen, molecular formulas spinning wildly.
"She integrated the two, creating the 'Compensatory Super Soldier Serum (CSSS).'
The theoretical peak strength surpasses all known super soldier serums, including Erskine's original and the Winter Soldier modifications."
The screen switched, showing alternating images of muscular bodies soaking in rows of cultivation tanks and "Silver Shield Soldier" combat footage with them holding shields.
"Core, fatal flaw: Injectors will completely lose their independent consciousness, becoming absolutely obedient biological weapons, with a degree of humanity annihilation far exceeding the first-generation Winter Soldier serum."
Melina's voice held a chill, "'Silver Shield Project,' the chain of evidence points to deep involvement and support from the U.S. government.
It is speculated that the purpose should be to mass-produce a completely controllable super soldier army."
The final image froze on the flattened ruins of the mine pit.
"The mine shaft was a crucial hub and experimental site.
Valentina has evacuated with the original serum samples and core data.
Our burrowing missiles destroyed the Base, but failed to prevent her escape.
Target's whereabouts... unknown."
A deathly silence fell over the command room, broken only by the faint hum of the holographic projection.
"Tsk," Logan was the first to break the silence, spitting fiercely, his eyes vicious, "A bunch of brainless living dead!
Carrying knockoff shields, do they really think they can imitate Rogers?"
He slammed a hand on the table, the alloy surface making a loud bang, "Find her! I'm going to shove her serum bottle down her throat!"
"Imitate?" Erik finally turned around, his metal cape rustling against the floor.
His sharp gaze swept over the image of the Silver Shield Soldier on the holographic screen, revealing a cold and mocking smile.
"They imitate the appearance of strength, not the core of spirit.
Rogers' shield is belief; theirs... is just mass-produced scrap metal."
An invisible magnetic field subtly rippled, causing all metal objects in the command room to hum faintly.
Storm Ororo lowered her voice, with a hint of bewilderment: "A super army without thought... What does Valentina want? What does the U.S. government want? This is more dangerous than the Mutant threat theory!"
"Dangerous?" Angel Warren adjusted his cuff, "It's a disruptive reboot of the existing order.
Silver Shield Soldiers won't question, won't resist, they'll just execute.
Perfect War Machines."
Psylocke's figure slid silently from the shadow of the pillar, stopping a step behind Chen Tian's chair, like a purple shadow.
She didn't speak, but her cold purple eyes swept over Valentina's face on the holographic screen.
"Leave the information war to us," Melina looked at Chen Tian, "Valentina's network traces cannot be completely erased, Katyusha is already tracking.
We need time."
Alexei grunted heavily, his Russian accent thick: "Time? That woman has a formula that can create an army!
Once she sells the serum to every lunatic who can afford it, the whole World will be full of these tin cans!"
His thick arm muscles bulged.
"Quiet!" Chen Tian suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but like a judge's gavel in a courtroom, it struck down all arguments with a 'bang.'
The conference room instantly fell silent, all eyes fixed on him.
That earlier nonchalance was gone.
He lowered his feet from the table, leaned slightly forward, elbows propped on the table, fingers interlocked and resting on his chin.
The sunny smile on his face had vanished, replaced by a look of intense focus.
"Katyusha," his voice was clear as shattering ice, "Retrieve all records of Valentina's interactions with former S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury.
Key point: After S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Council disbanded, did the two maintain covert contact?"
"Command confirmed, Commander.
Correlated data retrieval in progress."
Katyusha's Slavic accent responded.
Buzz—!
The giant central holographic screen split!
A dozen smaller holographic windows exploded simultaneously above the conference table like a barrage!
Dense data streams, encrypted communication fragments, and blurry satellite trajectory maps refreshed and scrolled like a waterfall.
Occasionally, new windows would 'pop, pop, pop' out of nowhere, appearing so fast it was dazzling.
"Damn it, I knew it!" Logan slammed his hand on the alloy tabletop, making his own ashtray jump!
He pointed at the frantically scrolling windows, spittle almost spraying onto Melina's face opposite him, "Nick Fury!
That one-eyed man who's always shouting about threats, he's definitely involved in this!
We have to drag that old fox out! I'm going to take his..."
As he was in full rant, Chen Tian turned his head, not even raising an eyelid, just giving him a faint glance.
That look was devoid of any emotion, like an ancient well, yet it instantly choked the rest of Logan's sentence, "...one-eyed eyeball and stomp on it like a grape," in his throat.
The old wolf's roar abruptly ceased, as if his throat had been squeezed, and he let out a frustrated gurgle, then sullenly sat back down, grabbing the half-extinguished cigar from the ashtray and sucking on it forcefully, as if it were Fury's neck.
Katyusha's calculations were silent and efficient.
The dozen frantically flashing windows were swept away by an invisible broom, one by one extinguishing and disappearing.
Finally, suspended directly above the conference table, only five holographic images remained, emitting a faint blue glow.
First image: A screenshot of an old internal communication record.
Sender: Nick Fury_Official.
Recipient: Valentina_D.
The content was largely blacked out, with only a few irrelevant daily greetings and mission codenames visible.
But the sending frequency... was a bit unusually dense.
Katyusha noted: "High-frequency encrypted communication fragments, repeatedly mentioning vague codenames such as 'file archiving' and 'asset clearing.'
Time span covers five years after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s disbandment."
Second image: A covertly taken photo from a hidden angle—inside a dimly lit safe house.
Nick Fury's signature black leather coat and single eye were clearly visible; he was pushing a thick manila envelope across the table.
A woman sat across the table, wearing a crisp black trench coat, her head bowed, her side profile vaguely showing Valentina's cold, hard lines, but the photo was blurry, as if seen through frosted glass.
Katyusha noted: "Highly suspected offline handover between Fury and Valentina.
Location: Brooklyn Safe House X-7.
Time: Three months before S.H.I.E.L.D. disbanded.
Contents of the envelope unknown."
Third image: An extremely brief surveillance video clip, heavily pixelated with static.
The background appeared to be a passage in an underground parking lot; three figures quickly walked past the camera.
The first was Alexander Pierce, in a suit, with a serious expression.
In the middle was Fury.
The last figure wore a hooded sweatshirt, the brim pulled low, her figure slender and agile, clearly female.
She kept her head down almost the entire time; the surveillance only captured a fleeting moment when she raised her wrist to look at a watch, the line from her chin to her lips flashing by, blurry.
Katyusha noted: "Three seconds of effective footage.
Pierce, Fury, and unknown female target (highly suspected Valentina).
Location: An underground transportation hub in New York.
Time: Unknown."
The fourth photo suddenly became much brighter—the Iraq battlefield, an abandoned oil refinery in a sandstorm.
Valentina, wearing an oil-stained tactical vest, stood side-by-side with Erik Killmonger, who had not yet become "Killmonger."
Killmonger still had special forces camouflage paint on his face, and he was toying with a Vibranium bullet casing in his hand.
Katyusha noted: "Confirmed contact between target and Erik Killmonger in Iraq.
Time: Six months before T'Challa's ascension."
"Clap!"
Chen Tian's fingers tapped on the alloy tabletop, the crisp sound like a bullet drilling through the deathly silence of the conference room, giving everyone's taut nerves another sharp tug.
The ash from Logan's cigar flaked down.
This kid, when he wasn't lazy, his movements were always so sharp.
The blurry photos on the holographic screen glowed faintly blue—Fury, Valentina, and Killmonger toying with a Vibranium bullet casing in the battlefield dust.
Chen Tian's gaze swept over each frame like a scanner, but the gears in his mind were spinning at high speed, pulling those fragmented memories from his "previous life" out of the dusty archives.
Valentina...
This name, in his impression from before his transmigration, was just a fringe character.
At most, she'd pop up after the credits of "Black Widow," informing Yelena, who had just lost her sister, that Natasha's death was related to Hawkeye; or near the end of "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," giving a new business card to John Walker, the knockoff Captain America who had lost his shield.
Oh right, in "Black Panther 2," she even arrested Agent Ross, an old acquaintance from Wakanda...
Fragments, all fragments.
This woman was too deep!
The comics seemed to mention she was a triple Agent?
S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA... and what other organization was it?
The name was blurry, too little information, he hadn't looked closely at the time.
She was just a backdrop, lubricant on the plot's gears.
The only point that confirmed her increased importance was the trailer for "Thunderbolts"... Damn it, he transmigrated too early, hadn't seen the actual movie!
Chen Tian's fingers unconsciously drew circles on the table, his eyes a bit unfocused.
No one in the conference room spoke, everyone watching him, waiting for the Commander to utter the next objective, or an order that could punch a hole in the sky.
Time crawled forward frame by frame in the congealed air.
Chen Tian suddenly leaned back into the spacious Commander's chair, the leather groaning heavily.
The groan of the leather seemed to flip a switch.
Logan shot up, the wooden chair legs scraping the floor with an ear-piercing sound: "Figured it out yet? My claws are getting rusty!"
Melina seized the opportunity, her voice cold and hard: "Commander, time is short.
Valentina's network ghost trail is being captured by Katyusha, but the window of opportunity is very brief.
We need an entry point, a place where she or the 'Silver Shield Project' behind her will feel the pain and jump."
Yelena's dagger spun in a beautiful flourish between her fingers, a cold glint flashing, then stopped steadily.
A subtle, yet bloodthirsty, curve formed at the corner of her lips, her voice drifting lightly into Chen Tian's ear: "Big brother, time to strike.
To the heart, or... just bleed them out a little first?"
In those grey-blue eyes, the desire for battle burned like a flame, undisguised.
Chen Tian did not answer the other questions, but instead asked himself, "Why would Valentina want to build a super soldier army?
To help the U.S. conquer other countries? Or does she want to form another superhero villain organization?"
Chen Tian took a breath, "No, none of these are right.
The 'Silver Shield Project' has too many flaws, because no matter how many 'knockoff Captain Americas' there are, they can't be a match for the Arbitrators and Adjudicator."
"Then why is she still doing this?" Chen Tian murmured to himself.
Everyone dared not speak again, only waiting for Chen Tian to come up with an answer himself.
Chen Tian stood up and looked at the photos provided by Katyusha.
Finally, his gaze locked onto one person, "Nick Fury..."
Chen Tian's mind instantly cleared.
In Chen Tian's mind, fragmented information from two Worlds churned, collided, and merged as if by invisible magnetic force.
Movie fragments:
That one-eyed Director, always hidden in the shadows, speaking in riddles.
"You never know what I have in my pocket." (Iron Man 1) — A threat? No, it's control. He formed the Avengers (Avengers 1), but then used the Insight Project to aim the Sky Carriers' cannons at every potential threat (Captain America 2)…
Nick Fury, he only trusts the trump cards in his hand. The biggest one, gleaming with golden light, capable of destroying a cosmic battleship — Captain Marvel Carol Danvers.
After Thanos's snap, she was the only one he called for help using the pager (Avengers 3 post-credits scene).
Comic Fragments (Darker):
Nick Fury's shadow runs deeper.
His attitude towards super-powered individuals? It's far more than simple "cooperation." He operates with a cold, surgical logic: those who can be controlled are used by him; those who cannot are deemed threats; and those who are a sufficiently large and uncontrollable threat… must be eliminated or a countermeasure found.
This is the true "duty" of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director — to maintain "order" by any means necessary.
He established the "Howling Commandos," which included monsters; he monitored every hero, collecting their weaknesses; he would even, if necessary, not hesitate to act against former comrades (countless comic plots can attest to this).
He isn't like Batman, whose precautions are tinged with tragedy and moral shackles; Fury's precautions are the cold logic of a ruler, the innate vigilance and crushing instinct of a superior against uncontrollable power.
Snap!
An invisible current surged through Chen Tian's mind!
Key Point 1: Trump Card Invalidated!
The Thanos battle… he completely crushed that purple potato monster and his army, even intimidating Captain Marvel Carol Danvers, who came to save the day, as if she were facing the abyss of the Universe!
Carol isn't foolish; she must, and will, inform the only person she trusts on Earth, or rather, the only person who can restrain her — Nick Fury — about this existence "capable of disrupting the Universe's balance"!
Fury's biggest trump card, the one he relies on to maintain Earth's "order" on a cosmic scale… its deterrent power has collapsed before him!
Key Point 2: The Uncontrolled "New Variable"!
The Arbitrators Alliance isn't the Avengers. While the Avengers are powerful, most members are on Earth, have attachments, moral codes (most of the time), can be predicted, and can even be integrated into Fury's "system" framework for balanced management through various means (favors, the bigger picture, threats).
But what about the Arbitrators?
Chen Tian doesn't believe that after all this time, Fury wouldn't have investigated and found out that Chen Tian was behind the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Council. Just this point alone would make Fury consider Chen Tian the biggest threat.
What's more, the current members of the Arbitrators are not primarily Marvel heroes.
Tony, Captain America, Falcon, and recently joined 'interns' Spider-Man, Ant-Man, and other native Marvel heroes.
But the top-tier combat power among the Arbitrators is Chen Tian's team!
Dante, Vergil, 2B, Madara, Bayonetta, Goku, Saitama.
These guys, except for 2B and Madara, if any of them were taken out individually and placed in the Marvel Universe as villains, they would be the kind of beings that would require the assembly of multiversal powerhouses to contend with.
And these guys are all members of Chen Tian's team!
From Fury's perspective, this is ten thousand times more dangerous than ten thousand Thanos combined!
This isn't a hero group; this is a completely out-of-control Sword of Damocles hanging over Earth (or rather, over the "order" that Fury wants to protect)!
How could he possibly sleep?!
Key Point 3: "Countermeasure" is Instinct!
Batman's research into countermeasures stems from his pessimism about human nature and his fear of losing control, and more deeply, to "protect" everything he cherishes when necessary (though his methods are extreme).
But Fury's countermeasure… is the instinct of a ruler! It's "how can others snore beside my bed" (meaning, I tolerate no threats near me)! It's the cold creed that "power must be controlled, and loss of control must be eliminated"!
He doesn't need to understand you, he doesn't need to sympathize with you; he just needs to ensure that you don't threaten the "order" structure he wants to maintain.
If there's a threat… then find the chains, or… find the knife!
Boom!
Chen Tian felt his temples throbbing faintly. All the clues instantly connected, pointing to the target hidden beneath layers of mist, lurking like a viper in the shadows!
"Heh…" A low, suppressed chuckle, filled with bone-chilling coldness, escaped Chen Tian's throat, breaking the suffocating silence in the command room.
Everyone's nerves instantly tensed at that laugh!
Chen Tian suddenly looked up, his eyes no longer showing any confusion or laxity, only a sharp, knife-like, icy gleam that seemed capable of piercing the netherworld!
"I really didn't expect it, Nick Fury, you bald man, you're still not giving up."
"But relying solely on a 'knock-off Captain America' won't be a countermeasure."
"There's only one reason: the so-called 'Silver Shield Project' is just a smokescreen, a decoy placed before us to attract our attention."
The command room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; everyone was fixated by Chen Tian's final, bone-chilling yet astonishing conclusion.
A smokescreen?
Melina's lips parted slightly, her eyes wide with astonishment. She was about to speak—
"Melina!" Chen Tian's voice cut through the air, carrying a strong, commanding tone. He gave her no time to question, the order already delivered:
"From now on, the entire Red Room, vanish from the surface! Cut off all unencrypted communications, activate the highest-level 'Shadow' protocol! You have only one mission—"
Chen Tian's index finger tapped heavily on Valentina's cold and blurry face on the holographic screen.
"Like clearing HYDRA files, drag her out of the darkness for me! I want her serum samples, I want her core data, and I want all the true secrets in her mind about Fury and that so-called 'Silver Shield'!"
"Don't just capture her; eradicate all her hidden nests, all her contact points, all the maggots helping her hide, root and branch! Make her a true 'ghost,' a ghost that can only scream in our cage! Understand?!"
"Understood, Commander!" Melina instantly straightened her back, the astonishment in her eyes replaced by a murderous resolve, the sharpness of the Red Room Commander fully revealed.
"Yelena!" Chen Tian's gaze shifted, locking onto the figure toying with a dagger.
"Here, big brother." Yelena's voice was light, with a hint of excited tremor, her grey-blue eyes like a cat spotting its prey.
"You'll assist Melina." Chen Tian's tone was unwavering. "Use your best methods to ensure our Gunrunning Queen surrenders the information we need in despair. Remember, I want her to speak, and even more, I want her to regret being alive."
Yelena's lips curved into a sweet smile that sent shivers down others' spines, the dagger transforming into a silver blur at her fingertips: "Understood. I'll make sure she… remembers it forever." She even extended the tip of her tongue, lightly licking the sharp blade.
"Alexei!" Chen Tian looked at the bear-like Red Guardian.
"Roar?!" Alexei suddenly stood up, his massive body almost blocking the light from the projection behind him, a low growl rumbling in his throat, his fists clenching with a cracking sound.
"You are the iron hammer that smashes cages." Chen Tian's words were concise. "When they find the nest, all you need to do is make that place… completely disappear. Not a single tile left. Any resistance, crush it!"
"Hahaha! I like this job!" Alexei grinned, revealing his stark white teeth, and a wild aura of destruction permeated the air.
"Psylocke!" Chen Tian's gaze turned towards the direction of the purple energy flow in the shadows.
A silent shadow coalesced, outlining a graceful, cold figure: "Coordinates?"
"The Vibranium weapons and other equipment that flowed out when Black Panther was in power." Chen Tian's voice carried a chilling coldness. "I want you to investigate thoroughly whether all that equipment has been recovered by Wakanda, or if Black Panther and his confidantes have buried any 'landmines' in those countries. As for those 'landmines…" He paused, his eyes icy, "You can deal with them as you see fit. But the primary objective is intelligence!"
"Understood." Psylocke's voice was like an echo from a deep valley, her figure slowly retreating, hiding herself in the darkness, leaving only a wisp of floral scent.
"Logan," Chen Tian looked at Wolverine, who was chewing on a cigar and whose claws had already scratched shallow marks on the table, "You go with Psylocke. Your nose is better than any detector. I want you to sniff out clearly what 'treasures' are hidden in that place besides Vibranium and the smell of Earth! Don't be impulsive, listen to Psylocke's command. But if there's a chance to make Valentina and Fury's darlings bleed a little… don't hold back."
Logan took a deep drag from his cigar, the crimson spark reflecting the fierce light in his eyes: "Just waiting for you to say that!"
"Other Adjudicators," Chen Tian's gaze swept over Magneto, Angel, and Storm, "Act immediately! The Adjudicators' operations cannot be exposed to sunlight; go from the darkness, return from the darkness. Your mission is: one, ensure Psylocke and Logan's retreat is clear; two, eliminate any tails that might track the Red Room's movements; three, if you discover that any of the things I just mentioned are clearly related to Fury, expose them without hesitation."
"Katyusha!" Chen Tian finally looked at the central holographic screen.
"Command awaiting, Commander, sir."
"Full-time lock on the Arbitrators and Red Room operational paths, with maximum encryption! Ensure their 'disappearance'!"
"Command confirmed. 'Shadow' protocol activated, encryption overlay complete. Operational trajectory uploaded in real-time to an independent dark web server."
With the commands issued, the entire command room felt as if it had endured a silent hurricane, filled with a murderous aura.
Everyone had already departed like arrows from a bowstring, disappearing into the unknown darkness and battlefield.
Chen Tian stood in place, his gaze sweeping over the suddenly much emptier conference room. The previously boiling killing intent on him quickly settled and receded, finally transforming into a profound, abyss-like coldness.
He took a deep breath, and the sharp aura of the "Adjudicator Commander," tinged with the smell of blood and rust, receded like a tide.
He raised a hand and casually brushed aside his still slightly damp bangs. The lingering tension on his face also vanished, and he even rolled his eyes slightly at the air, muttering softly, "Tsk… wearing a suit, such a hassle."
This small complaint, coupled with his instantly slumped shoulders and the reappearance of his lazy expression, seemed to flip a personality switch. The Adjudicator Commander who had just been issuing ruthless orders, his eyes sharp as knives, ready to uproot the former S.H.I.E.L.D. Director along with his secret minions, seemed to have been shut down with a single click and stuffed back into the depths of his consciousness.
Inside that skin, there seemed to be only a workhorse who had just pulled an all-nighter and now only wanted to go home and collapse — if one ignored those occasionally fleeting, impossibly deep eyes.
He turned around, a sunny, easygoing, harmless standard smile already on his face, and said to Melina: "Auntie Mei," he grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth, his tone as relaxed as if asking "What's for dinner?" "I'll leave things here to you. I'm going back to be your 'Arbitrator'."
Melina: "…"
Looking at the face before her, which had instantly switched from a cold, iron-blooded battlefield Commander to a sunny boy next door, and listening to this incredibly natural "handover" statement, even the battle-hardened, iron-willed Red Room Commander felt an indescribable… speechlessness for a moment.
She understood Chen Tian too well.
This kid, when planning and executing the most ruthless, most deadly operational plans, his meticulousness, his foresight, his ruthlessness, could make even the most seasoned Red Room instructors feel inferior.
In '95, he had already quietly laid out that ingenious "Blood Bag Project"—utilizing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA's surging undercurrents and mutual attrition, he turned the vast financial flows and resource networks of these two behemoths into a continuous, secret, and safe blood transfusion pump for the Red Room!
This operation, buried deep under the dust of history, was nothing short of playing the World's two largest intelligence giants in the palm of his hand!
Every step was precisely placed in the cracks, ultimately and silently strengthening the Red Room itself, laying an unimaginable material foundation for the later Adjudicators.
Therefore, Melina wholeheartedly agreed with and resolutely executed the commands he issued, which were enough to make any informed person's scalp tingle— "disappear," "eradicate root and branch," "regret being alive," "crush," "shut up completely."
She knew that behind these seemingly insane orders was Chen Tian's direct and most effective counterattack, having already seen through the entire situation and anticipated Fury's deadly threat. He made him completely convinced.
But! This very mastermind, who could turn the tables in the shadows, who one second was coldly ordering the elimination of a top secret Agent network and the life of a veteran spy chief, could seamlessly switch the next second into this "Oh, I'm so tired, I just want to go home and lie down" weary demeanor!
This drastic contrast always gave Melina a sense of cognitive dissonance.
It's like watching a top surgeon who has just elegantly dissected a corpse, then the next second throws off their gloves, grabs a burger and soda, and devours it without any regard for appearance.
"Commander, sir," Melina took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of exasperation in her heart, forcing her voice back to its usual cold and rigid tone, "'Shadow' protocol has been fully activated, and the Red Room is now in silent mode. Subsequent progress will be reported to you by Katyusha via the highest encrypted channel."
"Mhm, good, I'm a hundred percent confident leaving it to you." Chen Tian waved his hand with a smile, an expression that seemed to say, "No need to report such minor matters."
A soft blue light began to emanate from him, and space rippled slightly.
"I'm off, Auntie Mei!" Before his words finished, the blue light suddenly brightened, and Chen Tian's figure instantly vanished.
Melina watched the disappearing light spot, silent for a few seconds.
Finally, she simply said to the empty command room with a blank expression, as if to herself, yet with a hint of ultimate judgment on Chen Tian's "split" personality:
"He's truly… a monster."
Then, her eyes sharpened, and she transformed back into the Red Room Commander in control of everything, her cold voice ringing out:
"Katyusha, activate 'Shadow Veil,' full silence!"
Malibu, Arbitrator Tower rooftop, private helipad.
Chen Tian's figure had just appeared from the blue light when a flash of lightning crossed his mind.
Standing on the helipad of the building, his brows furrowed again.
'Fury wouldn't be that stupid. The report Katyusha found is just what Fury wants others to see. What's truly behind the knock-off Captain America? Am I missing something…?'
"Chen Tian!!!"
While Chen Tian was still pondering all this, a piercing roar, filled with suppressed Fury that had been building for who knows how long, erupted violently in his ears!
-----------------------
Completed English PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
Guys, I've uploaded some High Quality english translated fanfic on my Patreon shop! Feel free to check it out-if you're interested, you can grab a copy and support me there.
Here are a few titles of recently uploaded fanfics:
New Addition
"Marvel Automatic Humanoid Girl"
"Marvel DC: Become Aquaman from Black Robe"
"The Marvel World Filled with Heroes"
"American Comics: Multiverse Simulation"
"Living in Marvel, Starting by Marrying the Scarlet Witch"
"Traversing the Myriad Worlds, Starting by Obtaining the Marvel Ten Ring"
"Marvel's Multiversal Magic Controller"
"Marvel: The King's Descent"
"Marvel: Randomly Load a Protagonist Template"
"Living in Marvel: Starting by Building 2B Missy (18+"
" Marvel: Glory of the Sun God (18+) "
many more are available 63+
Your support means a lot-thanks in advance, legends!
patreon.com/SuperTL
(End of Chapter)