Ch: 176-185
Chapter 176 Return to Earth
United States, New Mexico.
A dazzling, rainbow-like beam of light shot down from the sky, landing directly on the ground.
A moment later, the light dissipated, and a muscular man with long golden hair emerged from it.
"Hmm? Where did Ghost go? I remember he was just with me, wasn't he?" Thor wondered, confused, seeing that Ghost, who had been by his side, was now gone.
"It should be fine; judging by the recent teleportation, it seems we separated only after arriving on Earth. He might have landed somewhere else."
"Perhaps it was his first time summoning the Bifrost Bridge for teleportation, and he was a bit rusty. But it's good that he landed on Earth and wasn't teleported to another star."
Thor carefully recalled the timing of their separation and confirmed that Ghost should not have landed on another star, but merely in a different location from him.
Having figured this out, Thor put away his thoughts and stepped away from the area.
The place he landed was uninhabited. He needed to find a populated area quickly to see where he was.
"According to the coordinates Ghost mentioned, this should be where we left from."
"Once I find someone, I'll ask where this is. I hope it's not too far from the town where Jane and the others are."
Thor pondered as he hurried in one direction.
At the same time, in Flora, Norway, a dazzling rainbow-like light had just dispersed, and Meng Ran's figure emerged from it.
"Hmm? What's going on?"
Meng Ran looked at the magnificent ocean before him and the lush green grass beneath his feet, feeling utterly bewildered.
"Since when did New Mexico have an ocean? And such fresh, tender grass."
"Emmmmm, it must have been an operational error, teleporting to the wrong place. I just don't know if Thor was teleported to New Mexico."
After analyzing his situation, Meng Ran couldn't help but think of Thor, who had also been teleported back with him.
He carefully recalled the scene of the teleportation, analyzing whether Thor's current situation might be problematic.
"There should be no problem; only my teleportation destination had a slight error."
"Thor should have arrived in New Mexico as expected."
Meng Ran carefully recalled the teleportation process, then communicated with Qieyun, finally confirming that Thor should be fine.
After thinking this, Meng Ran's worry for Thor subsided, and he now had to consider his own predicament.
"Xiao Bai, now that we're on Earth, you should be able to connect to the base's information system, right?"
Meng Ran asked Xiao Bai.
Although Xiao Bai could directly connect to Meng Ran's brain, once outside Earth's range, it couldn't cross the cosmic star river to connect to the Six-pointed Star Alliance's base on Earth.
So, during this space journey, Xiao Bai in Meng Ran's mind was like an offline entity, unable to maintain synchronized information exchange with its counterpart in the Six-Point Star Base on Earth.
Upon hearing Meng Ran's question, Xiao Bai quickly provided an answer.
"Connected to the base. Our current location is Flag, Norway."
Hearing Xiao Bai's reply, Meng Ran understood their current location.
"It seems I still need more practice. I thought this place should be not far from New Mexico, one of the coastal areas in the United States."
"Oh, and Xiao Bai, how many days have we been away from Earth?" Realizing he didn't know how long he had been gone, Meng Ran asked Xiao Bai again.
Xiao Bai immediately replied, "We were gone for two and a half days. We left Earth two days ago in the morning."
Upon hearing Xiao Bai's answer, Meng Ran was slightly surprised; he hadn't realized that more than two days had passed.
After all, there was no day or night in Nidavellir, only a burning star constantly emitting heat.
Coupled with Meng Ran and Thor's strong physical fitness, they didn't feel tired or exhausted, so they weren't particularly clear on exactly how much time had passed.
"More than two days have passed. I wonder how Peter and the others' investigation into the monster is going."
"It seems I can only fly back to the United States," Meng Ran mused to himself.
Then he ordered Xiao Bai, "Xiao Bai, book me the soonest flight to New York, United States."
"Received!" Hearing Meng Ran's command, Xiao Bai immediately replied.
After eradicating Blackwater last time, Meng Ran gained the ability to create illusions from that unlucky "director."
This ability essentially uses his mental power to influence the target person's senses.
Using this ability, Meng Ran could influence the people around him with his mental power, so he wouldn't leave any impression in the minds of those around him when flying.
As for surveillance and imagery, that would be handled by Xiao Bai.
With this two-pronged approach, Meng Ran's whereabouts would leave absolutely no trace.
After having Xiao Bai book the flight, Meng Ran prepared to leave. He had also shed his Ghost disguise, taking off his combat suit, and transforming into an ordinary but handsome, sunny young man.
He turned his back to the sea and slowly walked towards a place where a town could be seen.
"The scenery here is beautiful, isn't it?"
Just as Meng Ran stepped towards the town, a slightly aged, magnetic voice suddenly came from behind him.
Upon hearing the voice, Meng Ran immediately turned around, alert.
He saw a silver-haired old man dressed simply, facing the sea, admiring the view.
"Don't be afraid, child, come closer to me." Although the old man had his back to Meng Ran, it was as if he had eyes on his back, able to see his actions and expressions.
Hearing the old man's words, Meng Ran paused slightly, then walked towards the old man.
Although he didn't know what the old man was up to, Meng Ran didn't mind going up to probe him, especially since with his current strength, he certainly had the capital to do so.
"The scenery is indeed nice, but I have other things to do, so I'm a bit eager to go home."
Meng Ran now stood beside the old man and said softly.
The old man smiled faintly upon hearing Meng Ran's words, then continued, "The last time I was here was many, many years ago."
"Many years have passed; although the rocks and cliffs here have changed a bit, the sea breeze and scenery here are still intoxicatingly beautiful."
Meng Ran listened to the old man's words while observing him with his peripheral vision.
After observing for a few seconds, Meng Ran already had an answer in his mind regarding the old man's identity.
Chapter 177 Odin
It was clear that the one-eyed old man in front of him was Odin, the All-Father, who had been exiled to Earth by Loki.
Although Meng Ran had guessed Odin's identity, he couldn't just expose it directly.
Because sometimes, such cleverness would not only fail to impress people but might also bring trouble.
After all, he couldn't explain the source of his information and intelligence analysis, so it was better not to pretend to know everything.
Moreover, while Meng Ran already knew Odin's identity, Odin didn't know that Meng Ran had guessed his identity.
This situation was actually beneficial for their upcoming conversation, as knowing each other's cards would give him a bit more initiative.
However, more than anything else, what Meng Ran was most concerned about at this moment was how Odin knew his true identity.
He was currently presenting himself as an ordinary person, but since Odin was able to call out to him, it meant he definitely had something to discuss with him.
If there was something to talk about, then Odin must have something to discuss with 'Evil Spirit', not just a random young man.
This situation indicated that Odin must know his identity as 'Evil Spirit'; otherwise, why would Odin, with nothing better to do, stop a passing young man for a casual chat? Was it just because he was handsome?
Meng Ran's mind was currently brainstorming, and in response to Odin's conversation about the scenery, he merely responded with normal pleasantries.
Finally, after a while of small talk and lengthy setup, Odin finally got to the point.
He no longer looked at the sea view but turned his head, curiously examining Meng Ran with his one eye, then said, "Want to know how I knew your identity? Evil Spirit."
Meng Ran narrowed his eyes after hearing Odin's words, then softly said, "Not only do I want to know how you knew my identity, but I also want to know who you are."
Hearing Meng Ran's question, Odin smiled and said, "Let me introduce myself first. My name is Odin. You should be familiar with that name."
Meng Ran nodded after hearing Odin's words and said, "Of course I'm familiar. The All-Father in mythology."
After hearing Meng Ran's words, Odin continued, "That's right, it's that person from the myths."
Then he turned to look at Meng Ran again, and with some curiosity, he said, "It seems you're not surprised by this, are you?"
After hearing Odin's words, Meng Ran secretly cursed in his heart, "This old man is quite sensitive."
Although he was complaining internally, he continued to speak calmly on the surface, "Just some guesses. After all, there aren't many people whose depths I can't fathom, especially in terms of strength."
Odin just smiled softly after hearing Meng Ran's explanation. He didn't press further but said softly, "I know you're curious how I knew your true identity. You don't need to rush; I'll tell you now. After all, honesty is the prerequisite for cooperation, isn't it?"
Hearing Odin's words, Meng Ran also nodded, waiting for his explanation. He was indeed quite curious about how his true identity had been exposed.
After seeing Meng Ran nod, Odin continued, "In terms of your human time, the first time I became aware of your existence was more than 20 years ago."
"I have a good friend named Ancient One, who is the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth."
"It was during a conversation with her that she mentioned your existence to me."
"She told me that a supreme treasure had suddenly appeared in our universe."
"And with the emergence of this treasure, a variable would be born in the universe, a variable that might affect our future."
"In the time that followed, we conducted detailed tracking and observation, and through observation, we finally discovered that the variable was you."
"Because of your appearance, the predetermined future that could originally be observed began to fluctuate."
"At that time, we still didn't know whether these fluctuations were good or bad, or what kind of impact they would have on our universe."
"However, after much thought, Sorcerer Ancient One still decided to observe first, to see what changes your growth would bring to our predetermined future."
"So, over these 20 years, Sorcerer Ancient One often observed your growth and the changes in your future."
"In the first decade or so, Ancient One told me that your impact on the future was surprisingly negligible; this universe had not changed compared to before."
"It wasn't until a few years ago that she told me our future had become blurred, and the trajectory of its development could no longer be observed."
"Or rather, our future has deviated from its original predetermined path, and everything is once again filled with possibilities."
"All of this is because of you, because of your appearance, because of your growth."
As Meng Ran listened to Odin's narration, his astonishment never ceased.
He hadn't expected that from the very first day of his rebirth, he had been constantly monitored by two powerful figures.
Moreover, the time a few years ago when Ancient One said the future had become blurred was precisely when he acquired the Venom system and began to gradually grow stronger.
Odin, seeing the thoughtful expression on Meng Ran's face, continued, "It seems you've already figured out what happened when the changes began."
"That little guy inside you is truly extraordinary."
Meng Ran had never felt so completely exposed before, but facing Odin now, he truly felt it.
However, it was a good thing that only Odin and Ancient One knew; after all, these two powerful figures weren't evil villains, and this was the last bit of comfort Meng Ran could offer himself.
Meng Ran shook his head, cleared his scattered thoughts, and then said to Odin, "So you and the Sorcerer Supreme knew of my existence a long time ago."
"So what do you want to tell me, or rather, what is this cooperation you mentioned earlier?"
Odin did not answer immediately after hearing Meng Ran's words, but instead looked at the sea with a worried expression.
He sighed, then said in a deep voice, "Since you know those myths about us, you must know about the prophecy of Ragnarok."
"When Ragnarok comes, Asgard will be engulfed in a sea of Eternal Flame."
"In an effort to change this prophecy, I went through countless hardships and finally found the Eternal Flame, brought it back to Asgard, and placed it in the treasure vault."
"But even after I did all that, the future in the prophecy did not change at all because of my actions."
"Finally, I understood that this future was unchangeable and unavoidable, so I ceased my struggle."
At this point, Odin withdrew his gaze from the distance, then turned to Meng Ran and said in a deep voice.
"But it wasn't until your appearance, until Ancient One told me a few years ago that our future had become blurred and full of infinite possibilities because of you, that the flame in my heart to change the predetermined future of Ragnarok reignited."
Chapter 178 Odin's Advice
Hearing Odin's words, Meng Ran's expression also immediately turned thoughtful.
He hadn't expected that Odin's reason for seeking him out was to change the outcome of Ragnarok.
In his past life's memories, although Odin knew the prophecy of Ragnarok, he had no way to stop it.
Once Odin's life reached its end, his divine power would completely dissipate.
Hela, the Goddess of Death, who had originally been bound and controlled by his power, would break free from her seal and see the light of day again.
As soon as this smokey-eyed big sister appeared, she crushed Thor's hammer, then followed the Bifrost Bridge back to Asgard, throwing both Thor and Loki onto Sakaar along the way.
Odin had said that Asgard was Hela's source of power; if Odin's strength was at the peak Skyfather level, then Hela's strength was completely on par with his.
It was precisely because of this formidable strength that even Thor, who later awakened his bloodline and barely stepped into the Skyfather threshold, couldn't defeat her.
Because he couldn't defeat Hela, Thor ultimately had no choice but to combine the skull of the fire giant Surtur with the Eternal Flame, allowing Surtur to return to his strongest state and perish with Hela.
In the end, all of this unfolded as foretold by the prophecy of Ragnarok: Asgard turned to ashes in endless flames.
Now, with Meng Ran's appearance, the originally predictable fate and future had changed.
It was because of this situation that Odin spoke of wanting to cooperate with Meng Ran to reverse the outcome of Ragnarok.
After a moment of thought, Meng Ran looked at Odin solemnly and asked, "So the cooperation you mentioned is to change the outcome of Ragnarok?"
"Exactly," Odin nodded upon hearing Meng Ran's words, then continued, "I hope you can help Thor fight his sister, Hela, the Goddess of Death, after I die."
"Oh, I apologize, I imagine you might not be aware of their relationship, that was my oversight."
After saying this, Odin suddenly remembered that he hadn't told Meng Ran who Hela was, so he apologized and then continued to explain to him.
"Hela is my eldest daughter; she once fought alongside me, establishing Asgard's current position as protector of the Nine Realms."
"But after establishing order in the Nine Realms, she wasn't satisfied with the current situation and still wanted to continue conquering the universe."
"Her idea at the time was too radical, and she completely disregarded my advice; in the end, I had no choice but to imprison her."
"Because the power that imprisoned her came entirely from me, the day I die will be the day she breaks free."
At this point, Odin's eyes grew sorrowful again; he sighed and then continued to Meng Ran, "Over these long years, I can feel her hatred for me."
"I often wonder if I also made some mistakes, but reality is like this; even if I realize my mistakes, there's no way to change what has already happened."
"Hela, she will not forgive me; she will unleash the anger and hatred she has accumulated against me upon Thor, Loki, and the people of Asgard."
"I know that with her personality, she will absolutely not tolerate anyone who defies her, and she wouldn't care about a massive slaughter of the people of Asgard, so she must be stopped."
"And as long as she can be stopped, the outcome of Ragnarok can be changed."
"I understand," Meng Ran said after listening to Odin's narration.
He understood Odin's meaning; although Thor's strength, guided by him, should be stronger than in his past life's memories.
However, that alone wouldn't be enough, because the gap in strength between Thor and Hela couldn't be closed in just a few years.
So in the future, when Thor faced Hela, he might be able to exchange a few more blows with her, endure a bit longer, but ultimately, he still couldn't change his fate of being utterly defeated.
"Then what do I get for doing this?" After understanding Odin's meaning, he asked Odin directly.
Thor was his friend, yes, but dealing with Hela was not an easy task.
Although his strength had greatly improved now, he could be considered to have just entered the Skyfather level, and that's without even including the divine artifact Cutting Cloud, which could rival the Eternal Spear.
But Hela's power source was Asgard; her restored peak strength could almost rival Odin's, and even the current Meng Ran didn't have absolute confidence in completely eliminating Hela.
Only Odin in his prime could imprison her; if it were the current aging Odin, the outcome of a fight between him and Hela would indeed be difficult to predict.
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Odin was not surprised; cooperation, of course, must have conditions; cooperation without conditions is not solid.
Everyone was smart; although he knew Meng Ran and Thor were friends, friends were not fools; you couldn't expect them to work for nothing, especially taking such a huge risk, without giving them any reward.
It was true that Meng Ran and Thor were friends, but what did the lives or deaths of other Asgardians, besides Thor, have to do with him?
"I know about that little thing on you, and I know his abilities," Odin said with a smile after looking at Meng Ran.
"So the condition for our cooperation is that I will help you enhance your strength."
Meng Ran quickly reacted to Odin's words, opening his mouth in disbelief, "So... you want Venom to possess me!"
Odin nodded upon hearing Meng Ran's words, then continued, "Exactly, and after the possession, I will also leave my divine power within your body."
"This divine power can help you increase your strength; it will completely transform into your power before Ragnarok arrives."
"That way, when you face Hela later, you'll have more confidence, won't you?"
"I can sense your current power level; although you cannot completely defeat Hela now, once you have fully assimilated my gift to you, you will possess the power to defeat her."
Hearing Odin's explanation, Meng Ran nodded; Odin's assessment of his strength was entirely correct.
His mood was very complex now; although he was indeed happy, facing Odin, who seemed to be giving his last words, he felt it would be strange to appear too happy.
"I accept this cooperation," Meng Ran said solemnly, looking at the kind Odin before him.
Hearing Meng Ran's reply, Odin smiled with relief.
"Finally... the prophecy of Ragnarok finally has a chance to be changed."
Chapter 179 Possessed Odin
From the moment Odin learned of the Ragnarok prophecy, he never stopped trying to fight it.
He made many efforts, but they were all in vain; it was as if all his efforts were part of a predetermined future.
His actions not only failed to change the future of Ragnarok's arrival but further cemented the trajectory of events.
This development made Odin feel despair and powerlessness; he didn't know what he should or shouldn't do.
He pondered this question for many years, eventually giving up the struggle and deciding to let nature take its course; the powerful inertia of fate and the future left him helpless.
Regarding this matter, his good friend, Ancient One, saw things much more clearly than he did.
Because she possessed the Time Stone, Ancient One also knew and understood the future's trajectory.
It was precisely because of Ancient One's guidance that he was able to let go of his obsession.
But now, Meng Ran's appearance had shown him a way to change this predetermined fate.
According to Ancient One, ever since Meng Ran began to grow a few years ago, the originally stable future had started to become blurred and unclear; even she, who controlled the Time Stone, could not see the precise future of those connected to Meng Ran.
The problem that had plagued him for countless years finally had a potential solution; the smile Odindisplayed at this moment was the most relieved and relaxed he had shown since learning of Ragnarok.
"Then let the little guy inside you come out," Odin said to Meng Ran, a hint of ease in his voice.
Meng Ran nodded upon hearing Odin's words, then extended a hand and placed it on his chest.
As Meng Ran moved, a slightly viscous black liquid seeped from his hand, then instantly drilled into Odin's body.
Odin closed his eyes at this moment, waiting for the symbiont to finish attaching.
Seeing Odin close his eyes, Meng Ran stood by, slightly nervous, quietly waiting for the symbiont to finish attaching.
Finally, after a moment, the attached symbiont seeped out from Odin's chest again.
Meng Ran quickly extended his right hand to catch the seeping symbiont, allowing it to return to his body.
Odin was indeed Odin; this time, the symbiont's attachment lasted longer than any previous time.
As the symbiont returned to Meng Ran's body, he felt a sudden surge of immense power within him that urgently needed to be digested.
Odin had already opened his eyes at this point; after Meng Ran said a word to him, he immediately sat cross-legged and began to digest this immense power.
Seeing Meng Ran sit cross-legged, Odin was not in a hurry; he stood quietly by, looking at the distant sea, a calm smile on his face.
Meng Ran sat cross-legged and, after immersing his mind, truly felt the sudden surge of immense energy within him.
At this moment, the system's electronic voice also sounded in his mind.
"Congratulations, host, you have gained a new ability."
"Obtained Super Godly Physique! (Increased based on all aspects of the original Godly Physique.)"
"Obtained Odin Force! (Weakened Version: Although it does not have as many functions as Odin's own Odin Force, it also eliminates the side effect of needing to undergo Odin Sleep periodically.)"
Meng Ran's heart immediately filled with excitement upon hearing the system's broadcast; while the physical enhancements were good, the most important thing was that he had actually obtained the Odin Force.
Upon obtaining the Odin Force, Meng Ran also learned its detailed effects and descriptions from the system.
In short, the Odin Force is a unique power belonging to Odin, and this power possesses extremely powerful effects.
Manifestations of the Odin Force include energy projection, reality manipulation, creation or resurrection of life, decomposition or repair of objects, enhancement of physical constitution, time travel, opening dimensional portals, casting spells and blessings, mind-reading, telepathic communication, creation of force fields or shields, and telekinesis, among others. (From Baidu)
Based on the data (though in reality, it's not fully achievable, or achieving it would come at a great cost), the Odin Force possesses not only numerous but also extremely powerful effects.
Blessings and spells are among the most common applications of the Odin Force, for example, mjolnirbears blessings and spells left by Odin.
It is precisely because of these blessings and spells that mjolnir can exert even greater power.
Just like Hela crushing Thor's hammer with one hand, as seen in his past life's memories.
One explanation for this phenomenon is that because Odin had passed away, the Odin Force attached to mjolnir had also dissipated.
And it was because it lost the blessings and spells of Odin that mjolnir was crushed by Hela with a single hand upon her appearance; this phenomenon also indirectly demonstrated the powerful effects of the Odin Force.
However, while the Odin Force is extremely powerful, it also has certain side effects.
Its side effect is that those who possess the Odin Force must undergo Odin Sleep within a certain period to restore the Odin Force.
If they do not undergo this slumber, the Odin Force will gradually decline.
But even with this weakness, the Odin Force is an extremely powerful force.
That's why Meng Ran was so excited when he learned he had obtained the Odin Force.
Although he received a weakened version, it also eliminated the weakness of Odin Sleep.
After perceiving the abilities he had gained, Meng Ran circulated his cultivation technique a few times to calm the power within his body.
After a moment, he stabilized his breathing, then opened his eyes and stood up.
Seeing Meng Ran stand up, Odin also withdrew his gaze from the scenery, then turned to Meng Ranand smiled, "How do you feel?"
Hearing Odin's question, Meng Ran also smiled and replied, "I feel great; I feel much stronger again."
Odin nodded upon hearing this, then said, "Did you obtain that peculiar energy through this attachment?"
"I wonder if your little guy can achieve this step."
"Are you referring to the Odin Force?" Meng Ran replied after hearing Odin's words.
Odin's eyes widened slightly upon hearing Meng Ran's words, then he said with a hint of surprise, "Perhaps I underestimated that little guy; it seems you have indeed obtained this energy."
After hearing Odin's words, Meng Ran realized that although he knew about the symbiont's abilities, he didn't have a clear understanding of the intensity of those abilities.
Odin smiled contentedly after speaking, then continued to Meng Ran, "Since you have obtained this power, you must use it well. Although it has some side effects, compared to its powerful effects, these minor side effects are completely tolerable."
Meng Ran nodded upon hearing Odin's instructions; he did not tell Odin that he had obtained a weakened version of the power, nor did he mention that he did not have the side effect of Odin Sleep.
As his own abilities and weaknesses, he didn't need to reveal all these details to Odin.
Moreover, these unknown details could sometimes become mistaken weaknesses that others falsely believed they had grasped.
Chapter 180 Return to Base
"Then, the last step is next," Odin said, extending his hand to Meng Ran.
Meng Ran saw this and did not resist, but stood there quietly, waiting for Odin's action.
Odin placed his palm on Meng Ran's chest, then transmitted an extremely pure golden energy from his palm into Meng Ran's body.
Meng Ran only felt a pure energy slowly accumulating in his body, then gathering in his dantian, forming a golden energy aggregate.
This transmission did not last long; after a moment, Odin withdrew his hand.
At this time, a deep look of exhaustion appeared on his aged face; after all, he was nearing the end of his life, and such an energy transmission would indeed consume a lot of his energy.
"The final step is complete; it will slowly integrate into your body, helping you master the Odin Force."
"When it completely dissipates, and you have fully mastered it, the Odin Force will no longer be called the Odin Force. According to your wishes, you can call it the Demonic Force or the Meng Ran Force," Odin said, winking at Meng Ran and smiling.
Although Odin did look very tired, his tone still conveyed happiness.
Hearing Odin's words, Meng Ran also smiled knowingly and said, "Let's just call it the Odin Force. The other two always feel a bit strange."
"Whatever you wish, child," Odin replied softly after hearing Meng Ran's response.
Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly said to Meng Ran, "Oh, right, remember our cooperation must be kept secret, especially from Thor."
"I hope he can gain some experience and understand some things during this final period."
"Although he didn't really act like a king before, he is at least working towards and approaching that direction now."
After hearing Odin's instructions, Meng Ran was not surprised; he knew Odin had high hopes for Thor.
He nodded, then replied to Odin, "I will keep it a secret from Thor."
Through possessing Odin and the pure energy Odin left behind waiting to be digested, Meng Ran's strength had indeed almost entered the ranks of the top-tier Skyfather level.
When he has completely digested all this energy, that is when he will truly become a top-tier Skyfather.
All of this did not even account for Qie Yun's state; if Qie Yun was added, Meng Ran's strength would increase significantly again.
Once everything was done, Odin's purpose for this trip had been fully achieved.
He continued chatting with Meng Ran for a moment before bidding farewell.
"Then, we shall meet again if there's a chance, child," Odin said, looking at Meng Ran and smiling at him.
Meng Ran also immediately replied after hearing Odin's words, "I will definitely fulfill my agreement with you, but how do I determine if that time has come?"
Hearing Meng Ran's question, Odin continued to smile and said, "Don't worry, you will naturally know when the time comes."
"Well then, goodbye," after answering Meng Ran's question, Odin did not linger and bid farewell to Meng Ran again.
Accompanied by a flash of golden light, Odin's figure instantly disappeared from the spot.
Meng Ran looked at Odin, who had disappeared immediately after speaking, and a strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart.
"When I suddenly disappeared before, did Nick Fury also feel this way?"
A similar encounter suddenly reminded Meng Ran of the director, Nick Fury, whom he had treated this way countless times.
Presumably, every time the Demonic suddenly disappeared, Nick Fury must have been even more exasperated and speechless.
Meng Ran shook his head, dispelling the scattered thoughts in his mind, and then hurried towards the airport along the route Xiaobai had previously planned for him.
He had not expected to suddenly encounter Odin just now, delaying him for this period of time.
The originally scheduled flight had already taken off, but fortunately, Xiaobai had analyzed the situation in time and booked him the next available flight.
Thus, Meng Ran released his mental energy all the way, and in a completely "unnoticed" state, boarded the plane and returned to New York.
Meng Ran's return allowed the other members of the Six-pointed Star Alliance to put down the worries they had harbored for the past few days.
Although they knew Meng Ran's strength was very strong, this was not an ordinary mission but interstellar travel, and who knew if any unexpected situations would occur.
Moreover, during these few days, because of the vast galaxy separating them, they were completely out of contact with Meng Ran, a state that inevitably led them to some wild speculation.
Especially for Gwen, since the two confirmed their relationship, they had never been out of contact for such a long time.
After all, even when they were separated before, it was still within the confines of Earth, and they could communicate via mobile phones or other means, never falling into a state of complete disconnection.
The result of this was a passionate scene of "absence makes the heart grow fonder" for Gwen and Meng Ran.
Before Meng Ran could thoroughly understand the internal situation of the base for the past two days, Gwen, who missed him too much, directly pulled him into the lounge for a deep exchange.
Today, besides Gwen who was on duty, there was no one else at the base; even Mary Jane had gone home to rest.
This situation perfectly avoided any awkwardness for the two of them, and Meng Ran and Gwen, reunited after a long separation, could properly pour out their hearts to each other.
Compared to Thor and Jane, one a god and one a mortal, Meng Ran and Gwen both possessed superhuman physiques, so their mutual interactions were even more harmonious and pleasant.
This could be well proven by Venom, who was left outside the door.
Because three hours later, he saw Meng Ran and Gwen both emerge with satisfied expressions and showed no signs of discomfort.
If there was any difference, it was that Gwen, who had been fully nourished, looked even more radiant and charming.
Soon after Gwen and Meng Ran's deep exchange, the other members of the Six-pointed Star Alliancealso returned to the base one after another.
Although Xiaobai had sent them a message as soon as Meng Ran returned to the base.
However, because the others were more or less busy with tasks at hand, they only now had time to return to the base.
Once everyone had arrived, they chatted for a while before stopping and heading to the conference room to discuss their next plan.
Through the recent casual chat, Meng Ran had already told everyone in the Six-pointed Star Allianceabout his experiences over the past few days.
At the same time, Mary Jane also told Meng Ran an important piece of news: there had been significant progress in the search for information related to the monsters.
Chapter 181 Monsters and Hydra
In the conference room of the Six-pointed Star Alliance base, Mary Jane was reporting the important intelligence she and Xiaobai had gathered over the past few days.
Mary Jane operated the computer, displaying images and information on the large screen.
As the images scrolled on the screen, Mary Jane announced, "After reviewing the internal data of Blackwater and the information displayed in some of the Monster Company's loopholes over the past few days, we have discovered a historically famous organization that has close ties with the Monster Company."
At this point, a black and blood-red symbol appeared on the conference room's large screen.
The symbol was circular overall, with a black skull in the center, and several curved tentacles extending from below the skull.
At the same time, Mary Jane's introduction continued as the image was displayed.
"This symbol represents the historically famous organization I mentioned—HYDRA."
"Captain America destroyed HYDRA's headquarters back then, laying a crucial foundation for the Allied victory in World War II."
"With the destruction of their headquarters, the disappearance of their leaders, and the failure of the war, this organization should have gradually disintegrated and vanished into the annals of history."
"However, for unknown reasons, this organization, which should have been history, became active again and successfully disappeared from public view, completely going into hiding."
Upon hearing this, Meng Ran immediately spoke, "So, the HYDRA organization and the Monster Company have a very close connection, right?"
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Mary Jane nodded and continued, "That's right, and their connection is not only very close, but they even have a superior-subordinate relationship."
Meng Ran's eyes widened upon hearing this. He had initially thought they had a cooperative relationship when he heard about their close connection.
But he never expected HYDRA and the Monster Company to have a superior-subordinate relationship, which was a huge deviation from the HYDRA he remembered.
The others weren't as surprised as Meng Ran because they didn't know much about HYDRA before.
As the screen changed, Mary Jane's narration continued.
"In reality, the Monster Company is a part of the HYDRA organization."
"HYDRA is a very large organization, and the Monster Company is the part responsible for their military force."
"Due to the special nature of the military force, they have grown stronger and stronger over time. This is also why everyone completely failed to grasp their true relationship, because the Monster Company's strength is simply too powerful."
Having explained the most crucial aspect of their relationship, Mary Jane then proceeded to explain the division of labor and connection between HYDRA and the Monster Company.
A moment later, the intelligence report was complete, and the entire conference room fell silent.
With new developments, everyone was contemplating corresponding countermeasures.
"After hearing the intelligence just now, I think we can also analyze some potential problems they might have."
After a brief silence, Meng Ran continued to speak.
"As Mary Jane just said, with the Monster Company's strength being so formidable, would HYDRAremain completely indifferent to it?"
"Although we haven't delved that deeply yet, based on the current situation, I believe there must be very intense internal conflicts within them."
Hearing Meng Ran's analysis, everyone nodded in agreement.
It was indeed as he said; no one had expected HYDRA and the Monster Company to have a superior-subordinate relationship.
The most important reason for this was that the Monster Company's strength was too great, not at all like an entity that would be controlled or subservient to others.
If even they knew how powerful the Monster Company was, how could HYDRA not know?
The Monster Company's growth, for HYDRA, was like a person who originally had coordinated limbs.
But one day, his right hand suddenly began to grow, becoming unique, even affecting the coordination of his limbs.
Such a powerful right hand had both advantages and disadvantages for this person.
The advantage was that this powerful right hand could help him clear obstacles and eliminate enemies he wished to destroy.
The disadvantage was that this right hand would not only grow stronger and stronger but would also gradually develop its own ideas, becoming uncontrollable.
For a strict organization, when such a situation occurs, it is difficult for the organization's leaders not to wonder if this "right hand" might one day break away and establish its own power.
Or, whether this "right hand" might one day become too powerful, thereby shaking and threatening their own position.
Seeing that everyone understood his thoughts, Meng Ran continued.
"We need to continue investigating the Monster Company and HYDRA more deeply to see if such a situation exists. I believe their intelligence will surely give us the answer."
"Also, because this matter involves HYDRA, I plan to go find Nick Fury."
"They should have more information about HYDRA than we do."
"And before the Battle of New York, I shared some intelligence with him about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s situation, and I wonder how his investigation is progressing now."
"The results of this part of the investigation will also greatly help us better investigate HYDRA and the Monster Company."
Hearing Meng Ran's analysis and explanation, the others also nodded.
After the meeting, Meng Ran began to ponder what he needed to discuss with Nick Fury.
He was considering whether or not to tell Nick Fury some intelligence and news about the Monster Company.
Given the presence of so many HYDRA agents within S.H.I.E.L.D., would telling him about the relationship between the Monster Company and HYDRA alert the enemy, thereby affecting their subsequent plans for HYDRA and the Monster Company?
After a moment of thought, Meng Ran still hadn't made up his mind. He decided to wait until he met Nick Fury and then decide based on the situation.
After thinking about this, Meng Ran called Xiaobai and gave him an order.
"Xiaobai, contact Nick Fury using a special method and tell him I have some matters to discuss with him."
"Oh, and remember to remind him to come alone, preferably without any 'little tails'."
"Received!" Upon hearing Meng Ran's command, Xiaobai quickly replied and then arranged it as soon as possible.
After doing all this, Meng Ran called Liu Xiu, and together they went to the prison at the base where Blackwater and the Monster Company's people were held.
Meng Ran had been thinking for a long time about how to deal with the chips in their brains over the past few days.
He and Liu Xiu planned to find an unimportant minion to test their recent research on, to see if it had any effect.
Chapter 182 Intelligence Exchange
Night fell, and New York was exceptionally bright with lights today.
On the roof of a tall building, a black bald man, wearing a long black trench coat and an eye patch, stood by the edge, looking down at the brightly lit streets.
A long time had passed since the Battle of New York, and the new year was approaching; it was currently winter.
However, no matter the season, Nick Fury's black trench coat seemed to be a part of him, never changing.
He had received the message Meng Ran sent through Xiaobai and arrived at the agreed location.
"You're sure no information about your whereabouts has leaked, right?"
Just as he was gazing into the distance, a hoarse voice came from behind him.
Hearing the voice, Nick Fury showed no surprise; he was already accustomed to Ghost's unpredictable appearances.
He continued to look straight ahead and said softly, "Don't worry, no one knows I'm here now."
Listening to Nick Fury's reply, Meng Ran walked up beside him from behind.
Meng Ran could fully sense whether anyone was around, but he was more concerned about whether Nick Fury's departure had revealed his movements.
Under the cover of night, the two quietly observed the distant scenery and began their secret exchange.
Meng Ran said to Nick Fury in a deep voice, "Before the Battle of New York, I told you about a piece of intelligence regarding HYDRA. A considerable amount of time has passed since then; Christmas is almost here. Have you found any leads?"
Hearing Meng Ran's question, Nick Fury organized his thoughts and replied, "Ever since I learned about that intelligence, I've been investigating it thoroughly."
He then took a deep breath and said gravely, "The situation is indeed astonishing. According to my current investigation, many HYDRA agents have infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Besides many high-ranking agents who are also spies, I've even found that there seems to be someone with even greater power who is also a spy, but I can't confirm his identity yet."
"I don't know who to trust anymore."
Hearing Nick Fury's account, Meng Ran pondered for a moment before saying, "Prepare yourself mentally; what you uncover in the future might exceed your imagination. I can only warn you this much."
Meng Ran actually wanted to directly tell him that HYDRA's biggest spy was Alexander Pierce, his former director whom he had always trusted implicitly.
However, he knew that given Nick Fury's suspicious and cautious nature, directly stating it would not achieve the desired effect.
Compared to himself, Nick Fury would definitely trust Alexander Pierce more.
After all, they had a deep relationship both in the past and present, and Pierce had always cooperated with Nick Fury, diligently managing the current S.H.I.E.L.D.
All Meng Ran could do was make his words as clear as possible and let Nick Fury find the answers himself.
For someone like Nick Fury, he would only fully believe the truth if he uncovered it with his own hands.
Hearing Ghost's words, Nick Fury's heart sank. Although his interactions with Ghost weren't extensive, everything Ghost had said so far had always been based on facts.
Although Nick Fury somewhat wanted to press Ghost for more details, his cautious and suspicious nature ultimately kept him from speaking.
After a moment of silence, Meng Ran did not forget the purpose of his visit. He said to Nick Fury, "Regarding the HYDRA spies, you can continue to investigate, even intensify your efforts."
"However, the main reason I came to you today is to obtain all the information you have on HYDRA."
"All the information on HYDRA? Why do you suddenly need these things?" Nick Fury asked, looking at Meng Ran with some confusion.
Meng Ran did not answer Nick Fury's question but chuckled, "Haha, why have you forgotten an agent's habit at a time like this, suddenly having so many questions?"
"This information is not enough for me to explain for half a day here, Agent. Don't forget, I helped you get Tony Stark back before."
Nick Fury shrugged at Meng Ran's words and said softly, "No need for such a strong reaction, Mr. Ghost. I just want to know if there's anything I can help with."
"After all, we've cooperated a few times and established a good relationship, a solid foundation for cooperation, wouldn't you say?"
Hearing Nick Fury's words, Meng Ran grinned, though his stretched mouth looked somewhat terrifying.
How could he not know what kind of person Nick Fury was? Although he spoke eloquently and with apparent sincerity,
in reality, he was merely curious about what Ghost intended to do.
His strong curiosity and desire for control made him want to grasp all this information himself.
"Drop the act. How could I not know what you're thinking?"
"But you're right, there are some things you can indeed help with."
Hearing Nick Fury's words, Meng Ran thought for a moment and decided it would be better to tell him about the Monster organization and its connection to HYDRA.
After all, he was an experienced agent; perhaps he could uncover some interesting things. However, he still needed to caution him to be careful and not alert the enemy.
Meng Ran looked into Nick Fury's single eye and said to him in a deep voice, "I need HYDRA's information primarily because of a mercenary organization called Monster."
"I believe you should also know something about them, but what you know might only be superficial."
Nick Fury's interest was piqued when Ghost mentioned the Monster organization.
Indeed, as Ghost said, their understanding of Monster was entirely limited to it being a mercenary organization.
Because they had no dealings with Monster, and Monster's information defense system was very strong, it was perfectly normal for them not to know much about it.
Meng Ran continued to explain to Nick Fury, "The Monster mercenary group is not as simple as you imagine; their subordinates are all very powerful."
"They also possess a method that allows ordinary people to have various abilities. People who undergo this mutation are called Inhumanss by them."
"Although you don't know this information, you must have discovered clues they left behind, such as some unsolved mysteries and cases."
Meng Ran then went on to describe in detail to Nick Fury the different types of Inhumanss within the Monster organization and just how powerful they were.
After explaining these basic facts, Meng Ran moved on to the most crucial information: the relationship between HYDRA and Monster.
Chapter 183 Christmas
Meng Ran's introduction took a considerable amount of time, and Nick Fury, listening to his words from the side, felt his astonishment grow with each passing moment.
He had never imagined that the HYDRA organization harbored such a powerful and violent department.
This monster, hidden in the shadows of S.H.I.E.L.D., was not only secretive but also possessed sharp fangs.
It was fortunate that the number of these Inhumanss was not large; otherwise, with their formidable abilities, the HYDRA organization could have completely dominated.
"So, your team has actually been looking for trouble with the Monsters recently, is that right?" After listening to Meng Ran's account, Nick Fury sorted out his thoughts and then asked him.
Hearing Nick Fury's question, Meng Ran didn't hide anything; he just nodded and continued, "Due to certain circumstances, it can be said that we and the Monsters are in a life-or-death situation."
"I've already given you the answer to the question you were curious about. I hope you can also find out something, but remember not to make too big a move, don't alert the enemy."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Nick Fury also nodded. It must be said that the intelligence exchange tonight had truly opened his eyes.
Because he controlled S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury had always been very confident in his intelligence capabilities.
However, the information about the Monsters that Meng Ran mentioned today completely touched upon his blind spots of knowledge.
In fact, this alone could not deny S.H.I.E.L.D.'s strength in intelligence, but the Monsters were a rather special existence.
Their information defense system was backed by a super AI that was on par with Xiaobai, so S.H.I.E.L.D.'s lack of intelligence in this area was normal.
If Meng Ran hadn't gotten into a conflict with the Monsters because of Liu Xiu, he probably wouldn't have even noticed this unique mercenary organization.
After their intelligence exchange was complete, Nick Fury also softly said to Meng Ran, "I'll compile the information you requested when I get back. We'll discuss the handover method later."
Meng Ran nodded after hearing Nick Fury's words, having no objection to this method.
After a few more casual chats, the two left the rooftop separately.
Perhaps because he had just experienced Odin's sudden departure, Meng Ran did not leave silently this time.
This situation made Nick Fury a bit unaccustomed. On his way back, he kept wondering why things felt strange at the end, and finally realized it was for this reason.
In the time that followed, Meng Ran's life briefly returned to calm. This situation mainly occurred because their current information investigation and research had hit a bottleneck.
Not only had further investigation into the Monsters stalled somewhat, but even Meng Ran and Liu Xiu's chip removal research had encountered obstacles.
The direct result of the chip removal research being hampered was that several more unfortunate Monsters and Blackwater individuals said goodbye to their heads.
Seeing such results, Meng Ran and Liu Xiu had no choice but to temporarily halt their experiments on these individuals, shifting from practical research to theoretical research.
After all, the number of these people was limited, especially the useless small fry; one less meant one less, so it was better to use them sparingly.
Just like that, the first Christmas after the Battle of New York finally arrived.
Many things had indeed happened during this time. Meng Ran and Gwen also stole some leisure time, taking Liu Xi, who was off school, and a group of people went out to have a good time.
For Meng Ran's family, while Christmas was lively, it wasn't a traditional New Year, so their emphasis on this day wasn't particularly strong.
For Gwen's family, Christmas was indeed the most important day of the year.
However, this year's Christmas was a bit different for Meng Ran compared to previous years because Gwen invited him to her house for dinner.
According to Western family customs, inviting someone to have Christmas dinner at home on Christmas Day is a significant event.
Its importance is like an Easterner inviting their significant other to go home for the New Year, carrying a special meaning.
Meng Ran, of course, understood this, so on Christmas Day, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
From breakfast to lunch, he remained distracted.
Meng Ran's demeanor was, of course, noticed by Meng Huo, Zhao Li, and Liu Xiu.
Meng Huo and his wife were not as nervous as Meng Ran, but they were filled with emotion about him going to Gwen's house for Christmas dinner; their son had grown up.
At the dining table, Meng Ran's family was eating lunch.
Meng Ran chewed a mouthful of rice, looking pensive. He didn't know how many times he had chewed, but the rice was still in his mouth, not yet swallowed.
Meng Huo, seeing his son so distracted that he couldn't even eat properly, said to him loudly, "Son, relax a bit. It's just meeting your future father-in-law and mother-in-law. You need to maintain a good mindset so you can act naturally."
Liu Xiu nodded upon hearing Meng Huo's words, then picked up a few spare ribs and placed them in Meng Ran's bowl, saying, "Brother, thinking so much is useless. Eat first; look, the spare ribs are getting cold."
Before Meng Ran could say anything, the Venom inside him was already howling, "Big Brother! Spare ribs! If you don't eat, I can't eat either! At least let me have a couple of bites!"
After Venom's barrage, Meng Ran finally snapped back to reality.
Looking at the spare ribs in his bowl, he picked them up and put them in his mouth. He ate one himself and gave the rest to Venom.
There were many reasons for his distraction. On one hand, it was nervousness, and on the other, it was not knowing how to face George.
For some reason, whenever he thought of George's face, he couldn't help but feel nervous, far from his usual composure when wearing the Venom suit.
Just moments ago, he even thought about what would happen if George one day discovered that he was Venom.
Shaking his head vigorously to clear his jumbled thoughts, Meng Ran decided to eat first, to eat more so he wouldn't be hungry at night.
When it was time to go to Gwen's house for dinner in the evening, he certainly wouldn't be able to eat much.
Seeing that Meng Ran finally had an appetite, Meng Huo smiled reassuringly, "That's the spirit, calm like your old man back in the day."
"You know, back then, I chatted and laughed with your grandparents, and we had such a good time that your grandpa held my hand and wouldn't let me go to sleep."
Hearing Meng Huo's boastful nonsense, Zhao Li rolled her eyes at him, then mercilessly pricked his bubble.
"Don't listen to your dad's bragging. Back then, his legs were trembling from nervousness just walking there."
"After meeting your grandparents, he didn't say anything proactively except for introducing himself."
Hearing their mother's words, Meng Ran and Liu Xiu also chuckled impolitely.
His bragging ruthlessly exposed, Meng Huo couldn't help but give a few embarrassed laughs, then glared at Meng Ran and Liu Xiu with wide eyes.
"Is the food not good?" he asked softly, looking at the two giggling fools.
Meng Ran and Liu Xiu immediately stopped laughing upon hearing Meng Huo's nonchalant words, then obediently buried their heads in their food. Even for the sake of this meal, they couldn't be too presumptuous.
Chapter 184 Dinner
Meng Ran chatted with his family for a while after dinner.
By around four in the afternoon, Gwen sent him a message, indicating that he could set off.
After receiving the message, Meng Ran informed his family, then went to the garage, got into his little black car, and drove towards Gwen's house.
Perhaps because it was Christmas Eve, there weren't many people on the streets, and many shops had already closed early.
However, even though the shops were closed, their external decorations and the various ornaments on the road created a festive atmosphere.
Most shop windows displayed a Christmas tree, adorned with twinkling lights, colorful ribbons, and candies, looking very beautiful with their red and green glow.
Some commercially astute merchants didn't miss this opportunity either; advertisements were placed next to the Christmas trees in their shops.
This made anyone who stopped to look at their Christmas tree also inadvertently notice their advertisements.
Meng Ran's driving skills were excellent; he smoothly drove to Gwen's house in no time.
Upon arrival, he saw that Gwen was already waiting for him at the door.
Gwen wore a red sweater to match the Christmas atmosphere, and against the sweater, her delicate skin appeared even fairer.
"Come in quickly, we're making Christmas pudding and Christmas cookies right now."
"I just finished shaping a little deer cookie; I'll give it to you when it's baked."
Seeing Meng Ran get out of the car, Gwen eagerly ran over, linked her arm through his, and led him inside.
Feeling the soft touch on his arm, Meng Ran pinched Gwen's cheek and smiled at her, "Don't rush, I have gifts for your family in the car."
After that, Meng Ran led Gwen to the little black car and opened the trunk.
Upon opening the trunk, Meng Ran first handed Gwen a bouquet of flowers, then smiled gently, "Merry Christmas, my princess!"
Gwen's face lit up with surprise at the sight of the large bouquet prepared for her.
She accepted the flowers with a radiant smile, then stood on tiptoe and kissed Meng Ran on the lips.
Feeling the soft touch, Meng Ran also smiled happily, then turned and retrieved several beautifully wrapped gift boxes from the trunk; he had prepared a gift for everyone in Gwen's family.
Since Gwen was holding a large bouquet, Meng Ran carried all the gifts by himself.
The gifts were stacked high, and Meng Ran could only poke his head out from behind them.
And so, he steadily carried the gifts with both hands and entered Gwen's home.
At this time, Gwen's house was decorated in various colors, creating a very festive Christmasatmosphere.
Next to the warm fireplace were two Christmas trees, each as tall as a person, adorned with colorful light strips and multicolored baubles, and two sprigs of mistletoe were taped to the wall behind them.
In the legend of Christmas, two people standing under the 'mistletoe,' regardless of gender, must kiss, as this brings good luck and love.
Although Meng Ran also wanted to be romantic, he didn't dare to act rashly in Gwen's house at the moment.
Kissing his girlfriend in front of her parents, while exciting to imagine, was best left to imagination and not put into practice.
At this time, Gwen's mother, Helen, and his younger siblings were at the dining table making pudding and cookies, while George was arranging the tableware and seats nearby.
Seeing Meng Ran enter, Helen greeted him warmly, and George, though not overly enthusiastic, maintained politeness and a smile.
After helping Meng Ran put down the gifts, Gwen eagerly pulled him to the dining table to join in the making of Christmas pudding and Christmas cookies.
At Christmas, everyone must participate in making pudding and cookies, symbolizing happiness and harmony.
Meng Ran's participation in these activities with Gwen's family also signified her family's acceptance of him.
After arranging the tableware and chairs, George also joined in the making activities.
In this way, Meng Ran and Gwen's family chatted and made pudding and cookies, and the initially somewhat unfamiliar and awkward atmosphere became harmonious and lively under his humor and wit.
George had been somewhat reserved and serious when Meng Ran first arrived, but after some casual conversation, his expression softened.
He still remembered having a good impression of this young man when he first met Meng Ran.
His current seriousness was partly to maintain a father's dignity and solemnity, and partly because he still had a small grievance against this 'pig' who was 'snatching' his 'cabbage'.
Although every father with a daughter knows this day will come, no amount of mental preparation, no matter how early it begins, can prevent the current feeling of discomfort.
Since the discomfort was unavoidable, Meng Ran's behavior became the only thing George could use to comfort himself.
As of now, George felt very good about his performance, which also helped Meng Ran, who had been nervous, relax.
Every time Meng Ran saw George's face, he couldn't help but recall some past evenings, the sight of the other man by the window, flashlight in mouth, looking at intelligence.
Coupled with the natural pressure of being his girlfriend's father, Meng Ran's nervousness when facing George was unavoidable.
However, now seeing George's demeanor and expression begin to soften, Meng Ran gradually became less nervous, and his heart slowly relaxed.
After finishing the cookies and pudding, it was almost dinner time, and Helen entered the kitchen to start cooking the dinner she had prepared earlier.
Not long after, a sumptuous Christmas meal was successively placed on the dining table.
Gwen's family prepared a very traditional Christmas dinner, with roasted beef ribs, Christmas ham, sea bass, smoked salmon, and some cranberry sauce.
The sea bass, however, was not a particularly traditional Christmas dish; it was a specialty dish that Gwen's mother, Helen, was particularly good at.
After all the dishes were on the table, dinner began, and after the earlier preparations and conversations, the atmosphere was quite lively, without the awkwardness and silence that Meng Ranhad been worrying about.
Although Meng Ran felt very good, the Venom inside him was not so happy.
Because he was a guest at Gwen's house, Meng Ran didn't have much appetite, so although the dishes were plentiful, he didn't put much on his plate, just enough to not be too much, but also not so little as to seem unappreciative.
So, although the Venom was quite interested in the roasted beef ribs, Meng Ran only gave it half a piece and didn't add any more food.
The Venom, which hadn't eaten enough that afternoon, was full of resentment, constantly muttering for Meng Ran to buy lots of meat to eat when he returned home later.
And so, in a harmonious and warm atmosphere, Meng Ran's first visit to Gwen's house concluded successfully without any unpleasantness.
Chapter 185 Ship Hijacking
After Christmas, life returned to peace, and the members of the Six-pointed Star Alliance each returned to their respective duties, busy with their own work and research.
While the Six-pointed Star Alliance was busy, Nick Fury was not idle.
One day, more than a month after Christmas, Nick Fury, who was tracking HYDRA spies within S.H.I.E.L.D., finally found some clues; a ship caught his attention.
This ship was a mobile satellite launch platform, and the satellite it launched was called the lemuria star.
This satellite was related to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s very important recent plan—Insight Project.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had newly built three next-generation Helicarriers, and they were synchronized with the satellite network just mentioned, called the lemuria star.
These three Helicarriers utilized new anti-gravity engines, which allowed them to perform continuous sub-orbital flights, meaning they would not need to land once they flew into the sky.
They worked in conjunction with the lemuria star, which was launched into space; the lemuria starcould instantly read the DNA information of terrorists and criminals.
This powerful positioning system, combined with the Helicarriers' new weapon systems, could eliminate threats before they even appeared.
This plan had been approved by the World Security Council, and in the coming period, it would be implemented step by step.
Once all steps were completed, the plan could begin, and by then, these three Helicarriers would become the nightmare of all criminals.
Nick Fury was meticulously reviewing the arrangements and information regarding this satellite launch platform; his intuition, honed by years as an agent, always made him feel there was something in the arrangements and plan that he didn't know.
He closed his single eye, pondering quietly.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, picked up a phone, and began to arrange his plan.
Two days later, Washington, S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters Triskelion.
At this moment, Nick Fury was drinking coffee in his office, but a sudden communication interrupted his leisure time.
Agent Hill's voice came through the communication: "Director, one of our ships has been hijacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean; it was carrying out the mission to launch the lemuria star."
Upon hearing Agent Hill's voice, Nick Fury immediately sat up straight and asked seriously, "How is the satellite launch proceeding?"
Hearing Nick Fury's question, Agent Hill quickly replied, "The satellite launch is fine; the last satellite was successfully launched just before the hijacking."
"Those pirates are also demanding 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in exchange for the ship."
After reporting the situation, Agent Hill sent some detailed information about the pirates to Nick Fury's desk.
Nick Fury looked at the information on the desk, thought for a moment, and then quickly arranged through the communication: "Have Romanoff find Steve; the two of them, plus a special operations team, will go to execute the rescue mission."
"Understood!" Hearing Nick Fury's order, Agent Hill immediately responded and began to quickly contact Natasha.
Half an hour later, Nick Fury picked up his phone from the desk again and dialed Natasha's number.
"Director, any other instructions?" Natasha quickly answered the phone and asked Nick Fury.
Clearly, she had just received the mission from Agent Hill.
Hearing Natasha's voice, Nick Fury said to her in a deep voice, "Are you clear about the mission Hill gave you?"
"Clear," Natasha replied succinctly after hearing Nick Fury's question.
"Very good," Nick Fury continued after hearing Natasha's reply, "Now forget that mission; that mission is Rogers's mission. Your mission is now arranged by me."
"Understood." As a professional agent, Natasha had no objection to Nick Fury's arrangement.
"Once you get on that ship, go to the information database. You need to back up all the files on the ship and bring them back to me," Nick Fury told Natasha the details of her mission.
"Understood," Natasha replied immediately after listening.
After giving Natasha her mission, Nick Fury hung up the phone.
He leaned back in his chair and then turned the chair to look at the scenery outside; through the glass, he could see the general architecture of the Triskelion headquarters.
At this time, Washington was clear, and the wide lake outside reflected the warm winter sun, sparkling.
When the temperature warmed up again after a while, the various trees and flowers planted along the roads below would bloom, and the scenery would be even more beautiful then.
Although the weather outside was very clear, Nick Fury was not in the mood to care about these things at the moment.
What he was thinking about now were the HYDRA spies and the monsters.
He hoped that on that satellite launch ship, he could find some clues; he desperately needed such clues to break the deadlock.
Meanwhile, on the other side, after receiving Natasha's message, Steve, who was exercising, said goodbye to his newly made friends.
Afterward, he got into the sports car driven by Natasha, and the two then quickly headed to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s airport to carry out the mission.
The mission went rather smoothly; after they flew to the target location in the Atlantic Ocean on a Quinjet, Captain America and the special operations team quickly dealt with all the pirates and rescued all the hostages.
The reason Natasha's name is not mentioned here is because she did not follow Rogers's command during the mission.
Upon arriving on the ship, she rushed to the information database and completed the mission Nick Furyhad given her.
Rogers was very dissatisfied with this; he strongly disapproved of Nick Fury's actions.
In the recent operation, because he didn't know Natasha had a hidden mission, there were some oversights in his operational arrangements.
Due to the absence of Natasha's combat power, Rumlow's special operations team did not receive timely support, and if Rogers had not arrived in time, the mission would have almost failed.
This was also the reason Rogers was now standing in Nick Fury's office, arguing with him.
"Soldiers trust each other; that's how they become an army, not a mob that just knows how to shoot," Rogers stood in front of Nick Fury's desk, looking at his single eye and speaking loudly.
Hearing Rogers's words, Nick Fury also stood up, looked at him, and said in a deep voice, "The last time I trusted someone else, I paid the price of an eye for it."
"Captain, I didn't ask you to do anything that crossed your bottom line."
"But these things always need to be done, so I sent Agent Romanoff."
Rogers did not agree with Nick Fury's words; he continued to say seriously, "If all team members have their own missions, then I simply cannot lead this team well."
"This is called compartmentalized management; no one knows all the secrets, so no one will leak them," Nick Fury retorted after hearing Rogers's words.
Hearing Nick Fury's words, Rogers sneered disdainfully, "Except for you, right?"
Hearing Rogers's words, Nick Fury straightened up and said to him seriously, "You've misjudged me; I know how to share."