Ch: 196-205
Chapter 196 Return to the Reservoir
After seeing Zola's transmission complete, Meng Ran immediately grabbed the black box and stood with Rogers and Natasha.
Once they were together, a dazzling golden light erupted from Meng Ran's body.
The golden light enveloped the three of them, then instantly vanished from the underground space.
In a blink of an eye, the group had arrived at a location very far from the dilapidated base, with only fifteen seconds remaining until the missiles landed.
Looking from where they stood towards the direction they had come from, the missiles, which had been flying at high speed through the air, had now become tiny, faint black dots.
"One missile would be enough to destroy that base, but the power of eight missiles will definitely affect other people in the surrounding area," Natasha said, looking at the distant missiles with some concern.
"We can only try our best to save more people, but we can't save everyone.
We are already very lucky to have survived this attack," Rogers comforted her after hearing what Natasha said.
As an experienced veteran, he had seen too many such incidents.
He used to think that way often, but now he had come to terms with it.
As a person, the most important thing is to recognize the limits of one's abilities.
If one constantly worries about things beyond their capability, they might not even be able to do what is within their power next time.
Just as the two were speaking, the eight small black dots of missiles in the distance suddenly changed direction again, shooting towards the sky.
Seeing this familiar scene, Natasha and Rogers couldn't help but turn their heads to look at where the Evil Ghost had been standing moments before.
Sure enough, the Evil Ghost had already disappeared from beside them.
Realizing that this was another one of the Evil Ghost's methods, Rogers and Natasha focused on the distant sky.
In the distant sky, the eight missiles shot straight up, like satellite rockets.
Just as they reached a very high altitude, a gray, bright blade light, like a crescent moon, shot out from mid-air and flew towards the eight missiles.
When the blade light touched the eight missiles, the anticipated explosion did not occur.
In their view, the missiles seemed to have suddenly vanished into the sky without a trace.
The moment the missiles disappeared from their sight, the Evil Ghost's figure suddenly reappeared beside them.
Meng Ran had just repeated the trick, kicking the eight missiles into mid-air like soccer balls, then using "Moon Cutting"'s decaying power to unleash a '"Moon Cutting"', sending them back to dust and earth.
Seeing the Evil Ghost suddenly reappear beside them again, Natasha and Rogers felt no surprise.
They had been astonished at first, but after seeing it so many times, they were now numb to it.
"OK, things here are done.
Next, I'll take you to see an old acquaintance; I'm sure you miss him too," Meng Ran said, turning and walking to one side.
He had already sensed a car nearby that they could borrow.
Hearing the Evil Ghost's words, Natasha and Rogers were curious about who the acquaintance was, but they didn't ask further, simply following his steps.
After walking for a few minutes, they arrived at a nearby parking lot, where many vehicles of all sizes were parked.
Meng Ran planned to choose a lucky car from here to be their mode of transport for the journey ahead.
After observing the parking lot for a moment, he finally picked a decent-looking SUV.
Once the car was chosen, the group didn't waste any time.
Meng Ran sat in the driver's seat, extended a finger which transformed into a black key, inserted it directly into the ignition, and after a few twists and adjustments, started the car.
Under the navigation guidance of Little White, the group headed towards the abandoned hydropower station where Nick Fury was hiding.
At the same time, in the parking lot, a bald middle-aged man holding a soda and a hamburger stared blankly at the empty parking space where his car should have been, with only a brick lying on the desolate spot.
The bald middle-aged man looked at the brick on the ground and stepped forward, then gently nudged it with his foot.
Underneath the brick was a stack of green banknotes, quite a substantial amount, probably enough to buy two cars like the one he had parked there.
After a period of speeding and traveling, Meng Ran, Rogers, and Natasha finally arrived at the abandoned hydropower station where Nick Fury was located.
Meng Ran looked at the hidden camera at the entrance and then waved to the people inside.
He then led Rogers and Natasha straight inside, easily cutting through the chains on the dilapidated iron gate once again.
This time, before Meng Ran even reached the innermost elevator, Agent Hill came walking towards them with several other agents.
"He's already waiting for you inside," Agent Hill told the group, then led them further in.
Rogers and Natasha exchanged glances, then followed Hill and Meng Ran deeper inside.
Agent Hill wasn't surprised by Meng Ran's appearance; after all, it was because she had sent a message to Nick Fury that the Evil Ghost had found this location.
Meng Ran once again entered the elaborately operated elevator.
After a few seconds of descent, they reached the underground space.
The elevator doors opened again, and the group followed Agent Hill out, the orange-yellow lights above providing the only illumination for this underground space.
After several turns, Meng Ran and the others entered a room and came to a hospital bed.
Less than a day had passed since Meng Ran's last visit, and Nick Fury's condition remained the same.
He was lying in bed, looking at Rogers and Natasha as they entered, and greeted them with a somewhat hoarse voice: "Captain, Agent Romanoff, I'm glad to see you're both alright."
"I thought you were dead," Rogers said, looking at Nick Fury on the hospital bed.
"We watched those doctors operate on you, cut you open," Natasha said, frowning as she looked at him.
"I'm sorry, but I had to do it.
I used a little bit of pufferfish toxin to feign death."
"Why was it so secretive, even from us?" Rogers sighed, sitting wearily on a nearby chair.
The continuous pursuit and escape had left him physically and mentally exhausted.
Hearing Rogers' question, Agent Hill answered for Nick Fury: "Actually, it wasn't intentional to hide it from you, but rather to make people believe that the director was truly murdered."
After Agent Hill finished speaking, Nick Fury added: "After all, a dead man cannot be killed again."
"And after something like this happened, I didn't know who to trust."
Chapter 197 Action Plan
Hearing Nick Fury's explanation, Natasha and Rogers also fell silent.
The events of the past two days were simply too many and too complex, leaving both of them a bit overwhelmed.
After a moment of silence, Rogers looked up and said, "We've figured out what's on that USB drive."
"Oh? How did you manage that? Have you already found clues so quickly? What exactly is on the USB drive?" Nick Fury had the person next to him raise his bed, and he leaned back against the bed as he asked them.
"It's mainly thanks to Meng Ran. Both the contents of the USB drive and our ability to survive smoothly were because of his help," Rogers said to Nick Fury. Meng Ran was indeed a big reason why these things were successfully completed today.
Hearing Rogers's thanks, Meng Ran waved his hand, indicating it was fine; after all, he had gained a lot from this operation too.
Then, Rogers recounted to Nick Fury the true nature of Insight Project and HYDRA's real objective.
Listening to Rogers's account, Nick Fury's face grew increasingly grim. He hadn't expected that Insight Project's true purpose was to serve HYDRA's evil goals.
If he hadn't noticed that something was amiss and Insight Project had been implemented as scheduled, how would he have faced the deaths of millions of people?
The more Nick Fury thought about it, the more he felt afraid. Fortunately, he had sensed that something was wrong beforehand, and now there was still a chance to stop Insight Project.
Otherwise, if he only discovered it after the events had occurred, he would be powerless to reverse it, no matter how much he wanted to.
Thinking of this, he closed his eyes and then pondered the specific actions to sabotage Insight Project in his mind.
A moment later, he opened his eyes again and said something to Agent Hill. Agent Hill also walked out of the ward after hearing Nick Fury's instructions.
Natasha glanced at Nick Fury, who was sitting on the bed, and then said in a deep voice, "We have to stop the Helicarriers from taking off."
"You're right, but I don't think the council will take my call," Nick Fury said, looking at the ceiling and rubbing his rough face.
At this moment, Agent Hill, who had just left, returned carrying a box.
Nick Fury took the box from Agent Hill's hand, opened it, and showed its contents to them.
"What is this?" Rogers asked Nick Fury, looking at the thin cards inside the box.
Nick Fury explained, "When the Helicarriers fly to 3,000 feet, they will form a triangle with the Insight satellites and become fully weaponized."
"So we have to infiltrate those Helicarriers, then replace their targeting blades, and make them lose their targeting control capabilities."
"These three are the targeting blades that should be placed on each of the three Helicarriers."
Seeing the targeting blades Nick Fury produced, Meng Ran also said, "As expected of you, Nick Fury. It seems you had already prepared a backup plan even before you knew what the real Insight Projectwas."
Nick Fury laughed at Meng Ran's words, "Speaking of that, I even admire myself. Leaving a backup plan at the time was just a precaution, to be prepared for any eventuality. I never thought there would really be a day when it would be used."
Agent Hill then added, "We must place these three targeting blades on the three Helicarriers respectively and connect them."
"Because even if only one remains operational, many people will still be killed when they launch their attack."
"We have to assume everyone on board is HYDRA. We have to fight our way through them and plug in the blade servers," Nick Fury said, rubbing his forehead, looking a bit annoyed. "Only then can we control the Helicarriers."
At this point, Meng Ran, who had been listening to Nick Fury's plan, also voiced his opinion: "Actually, it doesn't have to be so troublesome. I can just blast through all those Helicarriers, rendering them inoperable."
"Your plan is also very good, but it's quite laborious to implement. I've never liked overly complicated approaches; a direct approach suits my taste better."
Hearing Meng Ran's blunt statement, Nick Fury was momentarily choked, and the entire room fell into a brief silence.
Just as Nick Fury was about to speak, Rogers said loudly, "That's right, we don't need to control those Helicarriers; we just need to destroy them, and S.H.I.E.L.D. too."
Hearing Rogers's words, Nick Fury's eyes widened, and he said loudly, "S.H.I.E.L.D. has nothing to do with this."
"You give me the mission, and I'll do it," Rogers said to Nick Fury in a cold voice.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has betrayed us, you said it yourself. HYDRA grew right under your nose, but no one ever noticed."
"Why are we meeting in this dilapidated cave? Isn't it because I discovered it?" Nick Fury retorted, listening to Rogers's questioning.
"How many people sacrificed their lives for nothing before you? Can you remember clearly? How many people were targeted and killed by HYDRA's plans? Do you still want to manage it in segments?" Rogers said, somewhat angrily, after hearing Nick Fury's rebuttal.
"S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA, I won't leave either standing."
Hearing Rogers's words, Nick Fury was instantly at a loss for words, just staring at him with wide eyes.
"He's right, S.H.I.E.L.D. is indeed corrupt," Agent Hill said, looking at Nick Fury and nodding her head slightly.
Nick Fury then looked at Natasha, who was on the side.
When Natasha saw Nick Fury's gaze turn towards her, she didn't speak, but just leaned back against the wall and looked at him with a resolute gaze.
Looking into her eyes, Nick Fury understood her meaning.
Next, Nick Fury turned his gaze to Meng Ran. Natasha and Hill's actions made him feel a sense of betrayal.
Seeing Nick Fury's gaze directed at him, Meng Ran shrugged and said, "Don't look at me, this is your internal affair. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s existence has nothing to do with me."
"However, I still think it's more convenient to just destroy those Helicarriers directly; your method is really too slow."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Nick Fury shook his head. He knew that Rogers and the others had made up their minds, and he couldn't change their thoughts.
A moment later, he finally sighed and said, "Alright, then we'll follow your orders now, Captain."
Chapter 198 News about Bucky
After finalizing the action plan, everyone began their preparations.
Meng Ran looked at Rogers, who had a serious expression, and patted his shoulder, saying, "Something just came to mind. I think it's better you know about it sooner rather than later, otherwise, it might affect our future actions."
Rogers was a bit confused by this, but seeing Meng Ran, who had already turned and walked away, he followed. He had a premonition that this matter seemed very important.
Meng Ran took Rogers into an elevator, then brought him outside the reservoir.
Looking at the vast forest outside, the two took a deep breath of fresh air and then exhaled.
After the deep breaths, their somewhat troubled mood immediately lightened.
"What is it you wanted to tell me?" Rogers leaned against a somewhat rusty water pipe behind him and asked Meng Ran.
Meng Ran tidied his thoughts and then said in a deep voice, "It's about your friend, James Buchanan Barnes, also known as Bucky."
"He's still alive, but he's been brainwashed by HYDRA into a top assassin and operative—the Winter Soldier. For years, he's been carrying out assassination missions for them, including the attack on Nick Fury."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Rogers' eyes widened in disbelief, and he murmured, "Bucky, he's still alive? What happened?"
In that instant, Bucky's handsome face from his memories involuntarily surfaced in Rogers' mind. He seemed to suddenly transform back into that scrawny little guy from Brooklyn.
Bucky was his only friend. They grew up together, sharing joy and sorrow. After Rogers' mother passed away, Rogers, all alone, only had Bucky as a brother.
He had returned more than once in his dreams to that train speeding along the snowy mountain cliff, desperately trying to grab Bucky as he fell into the abyss before him.
But dreams are just dreams. He never succeeded even once; each time, he could only watch Bucky fall into the abyss again.
Seeing Rogers lost in thought and memory, Meng Ran was in no hurry. He simply stood quietly, waiting for him to adjust his mindset.
A moment later, Rogers composed himself. "Sorry, suddenly hearing about Bucky made me lose my composure a bit. I always thought he died after falling off that cliff."
"I understand. After so many years, it's normal to be a little emotional when you suddenly hear your good brother isn't dead," Meng Ran said, looking at Rogers, understanding his feelings.
"You just said Bucky was brainwashed by HYDRA and trained as an assassin." After his emotions settled, Rogers finally grasped the key point Meng Ran had just mentioned.
"I remember now. When I first destroyed a HYDRA base to rescue him, that experiment seemed to have already begun."
"It might even be because of that reason that he didn't die after falling off the cliff."
After hearing Rogers' analysis, Meng Ran continued, "Regardless of how it happened, the result now is that he no longer remembers you at all."
"And as HYDRA's top assassin, he will definitely try to stop us during our operation tomorrow. So I hope you can adjust your mindset in advance and not be careless when the time comes."
"I don't want anything to happen to our action plan or our personnel tomorrow, do you understand?"
Hearing Meng Ran's warning, Rogers nodded solemnly and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, I will stop him."
"Then I'm relieved." Meng Ran finished speaking, patted Rogers' shoulder again, and then turned to walk back into the underground facility.
Seeing Meng Ran leave, Rogers did not follow him back. He remained standing outside, watching the sun slowly sink into the vast forest before him.
The sunset was beautiful, but at this moment, his figure looked a bit desolate, a bit lonely.
The next morning, Washington, S.H.I.E.L.D. Triskelion Headquarters.
"We are entering the final launch sequence."
"All relevant departments, prepare. All relevant personnel, please proceed to the launchpad."
As the announcements continued to sound over the broadcast, S.H.I.E.L.D. staff moved busily according to their work assignments.
Today was the official implementation of Insight Project, and also the day the three Helicarriers would take to the sky. At such an important moment, everyone was nervously preparing, striving to avoid any mistakes.
At this time, in the main hall of the plaza, Pierce was walking inside with several World Security Council members and their bodyguards.
"Was the flight enjoyable, gentlemen?" Pierce asked as he walked forward with them.
"The flight was very good, but the journey from the airport to here was not," a middle-aged woman in a blue business suit said to Pierce.
Pierce smiled at her words, "My apologies, S.H.I.E.L.D. can't control everything."
A bald middle-aged man nearby scoffed at Pierce's words, "Indeed, that also includes Captain America."
After hearing the middle-aged man's words, a cold glint flashed in Pierce's eyes, but he said nothing more, merely maintaining his smile to prevent the atmosphere from becoming awkward.
The group continued to chat indifferently, and soon they reached the elevator.
At this moment, a staff member approached Pierce and opened a box for him.
Inside the box were several rectangular badges, not particularly large, perhaps less than a centimeter in size.
"This device is controlled by biometrics. Wearing it will allow you to move freely here."
The Council members took the badges Pierce offered and pinned them to their chests.
Afterward, Pierce led the group into the elevator and then to his office.
His office was over 100 square meters, bright and spacious. The air conditioning on the ceiling quietly blew air, regulating the humidity and temperature inside, keeping the entire office in an optimal environment.
Besides a huge projection screen, the office also featured high-tech transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, offering views of the clear sky and beautiful scenery outside.
In the office, Pierce and the Council members raised their champagne glasses and spoke.
"I know there have been many bumps along the way, and some of you even wanted to kick me off the bus."
"But it doesn't matter, because now we are finally reaching our destination."
"The whole world should thank us, because the successful implementation of Insight Project will make it impossible for any criminals in this world to hide."
Pierce held his champagne glass, speaking eloquently to the Council members. For Insight Project, he and these individuals had argued for an untold amount of time.
Especially that bald middle-aged man, who always confronted Pierce with a strange sense of superiority and arrogance.
Now, Insight Project was essentially complete, the Helicarriers were about to ascend, and HYDRA's grand plan was on the verge of success.
Thinking of this, Pierce felt the champagne in his mouth taste even more mellow than usual.
Chapter 199: S.H.I.E.L.D. in Chaos
Just as the people in the office were enjoying champagne, Rogers' voice suddenly came over the S.H.I.E.L.D. broadcast.
"Attention all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, this is Steve Rogers."
"I'm sure you've heard a lot about me these past few days, and some of you have even been ordered to pursue me."
"All of this is a malicious lie, and now it's time for you to know the truth."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is no longer merely S.H.I.E.L.D.; it has been completely taken over by HYDRA, and Alexander Pierce is the leader of HYDRA."
At this moment, the council members in the office were also listening to the broadcast, and when they heard the revelation that Pierce was the leader of HYDRA, they all looked at him in disbelief.
Upon feeling their gazes, Pierce merely chuckled and shrugged, his expression unchanged.
However, as he paced in front of the table, he silently picked up his phone and discreetly tapped on the screen.
Meanwhile, on the broadcast, Rogers' revelations continued.
"Besides him, the Strike Team and the Insight Project team are all also HYDRA."
"I don't know who else is, but they are in this building, possibly standing right next to you."
"Their plan is close to succeeding, about to gain absolute control, and to achieve these goals, Nick Furywas also brutally assassinated by them."
"If you launch these Helicarriers into the sky today, then HYDRA can kill anyone who stands in their way."
"To prevent such a tragedy from happening, we need to stop them. I know it's difficult, but from ancient times to now, the price of freedom has always been high."
"I am willing to pay that price, and if I am the only one willing to pay the price, that's fine, but I believe I won't be the only one."
Although the broadcast ended here, the turmoil within S.H.I.E.L.D. had only just begun with Rogers' call to action.
The staff, who had been busy at their respective workstations, now stopped what they were doing and looked at their colleagues with some confusion.
They didn't know whether the person sitting next to them was a S.H.I.E.L.D. employee or a HYDRA spy agent.
Rogers' words made them waver in what they were doing.
For a time, all work came to a halt, and the planned launch was also suspended.
At this moment, in Pierce's office, several World Security Council members were coldly staring at Pierce, who stood with a detached expression, arms crossed over his chest.
The bald middle-aged man had a quick temper, and he looked at Pierce in front of him and directly cursed, "You son of a *bitch!"
"How dare you deceive us like this, using the pretext of maintaining world peace to do such sordid things."
Pierce just looked at him coldly, not even bothering to speak.
Just then, a team of armed special forces entered the office doorway.
Seeing these men, a middle-aged male council member with thick hair and slightly dark skin quickly pointed at Pierce and said, "You've come just in time, quickly arrest this bastard."
No sooner had the man finished speaking than the leading special forces member had already raised his gun, but the muzzle was not aimed at Pierce, but at him.
Looking at the bewildered and frightened middle-aged male council member, Pierce lowered his crossed arms and put his hands in his pockets.
He looked at their faces indifferently, then said with a sharp gaze, "I'm sorry, but this floor is my domain."
Meanwhile, in the control room preparing for launch, Rumlow quickly walked in through the door, intending to take control of the situation inside.
He directly said to the staff controlling the launch in a cold voice, "Initiate launch sequence, send the Helicarriers into the sky. Any problems?"
The staff member sitting in front of the computer, upon hearing Rumlow's words, shifted uncomfortably in his chair, as if the seat he was on had thorns.
He looked back at Rumlow, and seeing his fierce eyes, he quickly shook his head to indicate there were no problems, then pursed his lips and typed on the keyboard.
After a few seconds, he became conflicted again, and his hands on the keyboard stopped, as if he had made some decision.
"I said, any problems?" Rumlow shouted again when he saw this.
Hearing his shout, the staff member flinched, then swallowed and nervously shook his head.
"S-sorry, sir."
"I cannot launch the Helicarriers, this is the Captain's order."
The staff member said, taking deep breaths and trembling, as if these two short sentences had drained all his strength.
Hearing the staff member's words, Rumlow also lost his patience. He directly pulled out the pistol from his waist, pressed it against the staff member's head, and loudly said, "Launch the Helicarriers!"
Feeling the cold touch on the back of his head, the staff member's body began to tremble uncontrollably.
The moment Rumlow drew his gun, the female agent standing next to the staff member also instantly drew her gun and aimed it at Rumlow.
"He already said, this is the Captain's order," the female agent said sharply to Rumlow.
"Heh, Captain? I can only say you're on the wrong side, agent," Rumlow sneered.
As the female agent drew her gun, it was as if a switch had been flipped in the entire control room; everyone with a firearm drew their pistols and confronted each other.
"Put down your gun!" the female agent continued to say sharply, pointing her gun at Rumlow's head.
Rumlow slowly lowered his arm and threw his pistol to the ground.
Just as the female agent thought he was surrendering and let down her guard, Rumlow instantly pulled out the small knife from his thigh and quickly slashed the agent's wrist.
After her wrist was injured, the female agent reflexively let go of her gun, and the falling gun was instantly caught by Rumlow, who had been prepared.
After grabbing the pistol, Rumlow instantly fired several shots at the female agent, but the agile female agent had already anticipated this; the moment the gun left her hand, she quickly ducked behind a nearby table.
After Rumlow fired, the people confronting each other in the entire control room also began to fight.
For a time, the sounds of "Bang! Bang! Bang!" of gunfire were incessant.
Rumlow also bent down at this moment, dodging stray bullets in the air while rapidly typing on the computer in front of him.
As his operation was completed, the shallow pool outside the S.H.I.E.L.D. building revealed its true form.
The bottom of the pool slowly opened, revealing the massive object beneath.
Chapter 200: The Angry Winter Soldier
As the bottom of the pool slowly opened, three massive Helicarriers gradually revealed their menacing forms.
Sunlight streamed through the opened pool bottom, illuminating the behemoths made of dark gray steel.
Besides countless planes and fighter jets on their decks, these steel beasts also had numerous gun muzzles and cannon barrels beneath them, perfectly blending cutting-edge technology with violent aesthetics.
The bottom of the pool in the plaza was now fully open, and the Helicarriers were on the verge of breaking free, ready to ascend at any moment.
Inside the hangar where the Helicarriers were docked, some crew members, understanding Steve Rogers's call, shouted loudly, urging those at the control panel to quickly close the pool bottom and prevent the Helicarriers from taking off.
Just as the people at the control panel heard their shouts and prepared to initiate the closing operation, a burst of gunfire suddenly erupted.
Accompanying the gunfire, the control room's glass shattered, and all the staff at the control panel inside were riddled with bullets, collapsing to the ground, spitting blood.
It turned out that several special forces teams had arrived in the hangar under orders; they were following commands, using their machine guns to eliminate anyone hindering HYDRA's plan.
The special forces cleared out all non-allied personnel in the hangar, ensuring no one could stop the Helicarriers from taking off.
The bottom of the pool slowly opened as planned, and there was no longer any obstruction to the Helicarriers' ascent.
Meanwhile, Steve Rogers was also descending through the S.H.I.E.L.D. building, clearing out small fry as he went.
"Whoosh!"
Steve Rogers flung his Vibranium shield, and the flying shield, after smashing into the chests of three or four HYDRA agents, flew back into his hand.
With the sound of cracking bones, these HYDRA agents had their sternums crushed by the shield and fell unconscious to the ground.
Steve Rogers glanced at these agents, then continued his descent.
Just then, a figure crashed through the glass partition of a floor and attacked him.
This figure wore a black mask, his cold gaze fixed intently on Steve Rogers.
He clenched his fist, swinging his silver mechanical arm rapidly towards Steve Rogers, the arm cutting through the air with a sharp whooshing sound.
Steve Rogers heard the sound and knew this punch carried immense power; he quickly raised his shield, placing it in front of him in a defensive stance.
"Bang!"
The mechanical arm violently struck the shield, producing a fierce collision sound.
Drawing on his extensive combat experience, Steve Rogers perfectly neutralized the sudden punch.
However, the attack wasn't over; the masked man quickly pulled out the pistol tucked into his waistband, then aimed at Steve Rogers's exposed head and rapidly pulled the trigger.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Several bullets roared out of the gun, flying swiftly towards Steve Rogers's eyes.
Steve Rogers had already anticipated what would happen next the moment the masked man made the move to draw his pistol.
So, as the masked man pulled the trigger, he simultaneously raised his shield and ducked his head.
"Clang! Clang!" All the bullets struck the shield and then ricocheted, with one even bouncing back towards the masked man's own head.
The masked man raised his metal arm to block all the bullets, and at the same time, he lifted his foot and kicked hard at Steve Rogers.
Because the shield had moved up to block the bullets, Steve Rogers's waist and abdomen were momentarily exposed.
The masked man's kick landed squarely on Steve Rogers's abdomen, sending him flying.
Steve Rogers was already facing the glass wall of the building, and this kick sent him directly crashing through the glass, causing him to fall from the building.
From a height of 27 stories, if he were to fall directly without any protection, even a super-soldier with a super physique would not escape severe injury.
Steve Rogers knew this, so he quickly adjusted his position in the air, curling his body like a shrimp and placing the shield on the side of his body that was about to hit the ground.
"Thud!" Steve Rogers landed squarely on the ground, and with the shield beneath him as the center, the ground cracked and shattered like a spiderweb.
Steve Rogers clutched his side and stumbled to his feet; although the shield absorbed most of the impact, his side and abdomen still sustained some injury.
However, compared to falling and being severely injured, this outcome was extremely fortunate.
Just as Steve Rogers stood up, the man in the black mask also jumped down from the building, gripping the wall with his left hand.
Seeing the relentless masked man, Steve Rogers quickly raised his shield, adopting a combat stance.
"Bucky, isn't this greeting a bit too heavy-handed?" Steve Rogers breathed heavily, adjusting his state while softly speaking to the man in front of him.
Although he wore a mask, after the ghost's reminder, Steve Rogers knew the man in front of him was Barnes.
"Who is Bucky?" the masked man asked, somewhat bewildered, upon hearing the name Steve Rogersspoke.
He only felt that the name seemed very familiar; in his chaotic memories, it seemed different people had constantly called that name.
Seeing Barnes react to his name, Steve Rogers pressed his advantage, continuing, "You are Bucky, James Buchanan Barnes."
"I am Steve Rogers, we were the best of brothers, have you forgotten?"
"We grew up together, played together, fought side-by-side, and after my mother passed away, you were always there to comfort and stay with me."
"Bucky, remember, don't let those evil people control your body; you are free, you are not some Winter Soldier, nor some top assassin."
"You are yourself, you are James Buchanan Barnes, you are my good brother."
The more Steve Rogers spoke, the more agitated he became, and the more Barnes listened, the more confused he grew.
Under Steve Rogers's constant stimulation, Barnes felt a stinging pain begin in his head, and the increasingly intense pain made him involuntarily clutch his head.
Seeing Barnes in pain, Steve Rogers rushed to his side.
"Bucky, are you remembering something? Don't give up resisting, fight against those things in your head that don't belong to you, make them get out of your mind."
"Ah!" Barnes clutched his head, howling in pain. "Get away!"
The intense pain combined with Steve Rogers's persistent voice made him increasingly agitated.
He suddenly swung his mechanical left arm again, sending Steve Rogers, who was watching his condition with concern, flying.
"Crash! Crash!" Steve Rogers once again smashed through glass, punched into the building.
Chapter 201 Lightning and Blade Lightning from the Sky
While Rogers was fighting Bucky, outside in the plaza, three Helicarriers had already flown out of their underground hangar and continued to ascend into the sky.
The four new anti-gravity engines on the side of the Helicarriers were emitting a faint blue light, adding a touch of technological beauty to these steel behemoths.
Inside the office, Pierce stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the ascending Helicarriers.
He watched the Helicarriers successfully take off, then turned to the slightly dark-skinned middle-aged council member and said, "Let me ask you a question."
"If terrorists attack South Asia tomorrow, and you know about it, you know they will drag your daughter into a stadium and execute her in front of everyone."
"And all you need to do at this moment is pull a trigger or press a button to instantly eliminate these terrorists and prevent all of this from happening. What would you choose?"
"What would you all choose?" Pierce asked, handing a glass of champagne to the dark-skinned middle-aged council member while also looking around at the others.
"If that were your switch, I would absolutely not press it," the dark-skinned middle-aged council member said coldly, staring at Pierce, then threw the champagne in his hand to the ground.
"Crack!" Accompanied by the crisp sound of shattering glass, the delicate champagne flute broke into pieces on the ground, and the mellow wine inside spilled onto the floor.
"Tsk~ Such good wine, wasted just like that," Pierce said, looking at the shattered champagne flute on the ground, shaking his head with a hint of regret.
Then he extended his hand to the special forces operative next to him.
The special forces operative understood his gesture instantly, then immediately drew the pistol from his waist and placed it in Pierce's hand.
Pierce toyed with the pistol in his hand, then smiled playfully at the middle-aged council member in front of him, "I gave you a choice; you just didn't value it."
"Since that's the case, don't blame me." After speaking, Pierce raised the pistol in his hand and aimed it at the middle-aged council member in front of him.
Seeing this situation, the middle-aged female council member in a blue suit, standing next to the central council member, instantly sharpened her gaze.
Just as she was poised to act, a violent roar suddenly came from outside the window.
Pierce's attention was also drawn by the sound at this moment; he watched what was happening outside the floor-to-ceiling window, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Outside the window, the once clear sky had become overcast with dark clouds at some point.
Facing the gloomy sea of dark clouds, the three Helicarriers that had already risen halfway into the sky began to sway, like lone boats navigating a storm.
"Crack!"
"Boom!"
Just as the Helicarriers continued to ascend, three thick purple lightning bolts suddenly struck from the dark clouds, completely piercing them through.
The purple lightning did not disappear after piercing the Helicarriers; it enveloped these colossal objects, unleashing all its power.
Accompanied by the lightning strike, the anti-gravity engines next to the Helicarriers, which were emitting a faint blue light, also stopped working.
Having lost power and suffered heavy damage, the Helicarriers were now on the verge of being scrapped; their remaining offensive power might only be the impact from their massive bodies falling to the ground.
It's no wonder Pierce was so flustered; anyone who witnessed such a divine attack would be utterly stunned.
"W*** F***!" Pierce, who had always been composed, couldn't help but curse after seeing the scene outside the window.
As he spoke, new developments occurred outside.
A black figure suddenly appeared above the Helicarriers, which had lost power and were rapidly falling.
This figure was Meng Ran, and the purple lightning strike earlier was his doing.
After he had blasted these Helicarriers into steel wreckage with lightning, he immediately teleported above them again.
Meng Ran flipped his hand, took out "Moon Cutting", then gripped the hilt with both hands, concentrating his energy.
As he moved, some grayish-black mist immediately emanated from "Moon Cutting"'s blade.
""Moon Cutting" - Three Crescent Moons!" With a low shout, Meng Ran wielded "Moon Cutting" in his hand, rapidly slashing out three massive crescent moon-shaped blade lights downwards.
Three gray crescent moon-shaped blade lights fell onto the three descending Helicarriers.
After the blade lights struck, the expected roar did not come, because the three blade lights dissipated in the air after passing through the Helicarriers.
The moment the blade lights disappeared, the three Helicarriers were quickly dyed with a lifeless layer of gray.
Logically speaking, no matter how many layers of gray were applied to the black exterior of the Helicarriers, it would be futile, as they were already grayish-black.
However, the gray enveloping them now was different from ordinary gray; it was a color of withered decay.
Amidst the colorful sky, the gray-shrouded Helicarriers stood out like a black-and-white image suddenly appearing in a colorful picture.
Like fading colors, the Helicarriers gradually withered and disintegrated, slowly turning into grayish-black powder, like a clod of earth being crushed, and then dissipated into the air.
At this moment, Pierce was so shocked that he was completely speechless. What kind of powerful and terrifying ability was this, to instantly turn three such massive Helicarriers into ashes?
As the leader of HYDRA, he naturally knew about the existence of Inhumanss, but as far as he knew, even an S-class Inhumans couldn't achieve such a feat.
Just as everyone in the office was looking out the window, horrified by the devil's powerful attack, the middle-aged female council member in a blue uniform began to act.
She instantly snatched the pistol from Pierce's hand and then kicked him away.
At the same time, she also pulled out a small device and threw it onto a special forces operative.
The small device immediately activated after landing on the special forces operative.
It suddenly emitted blue electric arcs, shocking the special forces operative until his whole body was numb, then he trembled and fainted on the ground.
At this moment, the special forces operatives standing a little further away from her also reacted, and they all drew their pistols and aimed them at her.
Although the special forces operatives were fast, the middle-aged female council member was even faster; she had already raised her gun before they could raise theirs.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" After three gunshots, the only three remaining special forces operatives in the office also fell to the ground.
After dealing with these troubles, the middle-aged female council member raised her pistol again and aimed it at Pierce, who was rubbing his stomach.
Chapter 202 Office Confrontation 1
Pierce endured the pain and straightened up. He looked at the middle-aged female councilor holding a gun in front of him, took a deep breath, and said, "Well, to have such skill at your age, show your true face."
Hearing Pierce's words, the middle-aged female councilor, still holding her gun, removed the high-tech disguise from her face and said aloud, "As you wish."
Sure enough, after the woman removed her mask, a beautiful and charming face was revealed, it was Natasha Romanoff, disguised as a middle-aged female councilor.
"I'm sorry, did I spoil your fun?" Natasha looked at Pierce, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
At the same time, she also took off the short blonde wig she was wearing, revealing her original red shoulder-length hair.
Looking at Natasha in front of him, Pierce's face showed an awkward expression, and at the same time, his hand behind his back was slightly bent.
His fingers subtly moved a few times, as if giving someone a secret signal and gesture.
Natasha picked up the special forces' pistols from the ground and handed them to the several councilors nearby, instructing them to point the guns at Pierce to control his movements and prevent him from making any rash moves.
"You damn bastard, why aren't you so smug now?" The dark-skinned middle-aged male councilor glared at the unarmed Pierce and cursed in a low voice.
This damned HYDRA had just tried to shoot him dead. If Natasha hadn't reacted quickly, he would already be out of the picture.
Thinking of this, the male councilor wished he could put a few holes in Pierce right now and make him suffer a bit.
Perhaps sensing his intention, Natasha, while typing on the computer keyboard next to the screen, reminded him, "Although I understand how you feel, your job right now is to keep an eye on him. Don't do anything unnecessary, understand?"
Hearing Natasha's voice and recalling her sharp skills just now, the dark-skinned male councilor quickly nodded and said, "I know. I'm not like him; I'm a respectable person."
Hearing what the dark-skinned male councilor said, Pierce couldn't help but sneer.
Pierce's demeanor immediately made the male councilor feel insulted again.
Although he really wanted to teach Pierce a lesson, he couldn't do it right now. He could only glare at the other party a few times to vent his anger.
Watching Natasha furiously typing on the keyboard, the bald male councilor, who liked to find fault, couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
Natasha, hearing the question, merely looked up at him but didn't speak.
Instead, Pierce, at this moment, enthusiastically explained to the bald male councilor, "She is disabling the security protocol, trying to send all the confidential information online."
"That's right, including HYDRA's secrets," Natasha said, glancing at Pierce.
"And S.H.I.E.L.D.'s," Pierce immediately added as soon as Natasha finished speaking.
"You know, if you do that, all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets will also be leaked."
"Including your previously unknown past, which will no longer be able to hide."
Natasha remained unmoved by the words, merely glancing up at him again while continuing her work.
Seeing that his words seemed to have no effect, Pierce was not discouraged. He continued, "Are you ready for the world to see your true self?"
"Those experiences of yours are not something people like."
"If they're not exposed, you're still a respected Avenger."
"Once exposed, you'll become a rat crossing the street, despised by everyone, a cold-blooded spy scorned by the world."
"Are you mentally prepared to endure all of this?"
As Pierce finished speaking, Natasha's fingers, which had been typing on the keyboard, stopped.
Pierce's words seemed to have no effect on her. She still looked at Pierce indifferently and then said coldly, "Good eloquence, but you'd better worry about yourself."
"Your ugly true face is about to be exposed to the sunlight. Are you ready?"
After speaking, Natasha didn't wait for Pierce's answer but raised her finger and heavily tapped a key on the keyboard.
This keyboard was not physical; it was just a high-tech glass connected to a sensor system.
Nevertheless, Natasha's finger still produced a crisp tapping sound on the glass.
It seemed that she was not entirely unaffected by Pierce's words. Although she appeared very calm, it was clear that she had been provoked.
However, this provocation was not fear or panic about her past being exposed, but rather a hidden anger.
As Natasha's finger landed on the key, nothing happened on the large screen in the office.
Only four large characters appeared on it: "ACCESS DENIED."
"Disabling encryption requires an executive order. At least two A-level members must be present to grant authorization."
"Although I'm sorry, it seems your plan won't be completed today."
Pierce had long anticipated this scene, so he remained completely calm just now. Now, he spoke with composure.
Natasha showed no reaction to this, merely continuing to smile at Pierce, "Don't worry about that; your partner has arrived."
At this moment, the sound of a helicopter landing came from the helipad outside the office.
Pierce looked in the direction of the sound and saw a familiar figure wearing a long black trench coat leap from the helicopter.
Nick Fury's one arm was still in a cast, so his trench coat was actually draped over him today.
On the rooftop not far away, Meng Ran, who was watching the show, also curled his lips in exasperation at Nick Fury's entrance. "Is this black egg's trench coat attached to him? He probably has a whole wardrobe full of black trench coats."
After his Make complaints, Meng Ran continued to watch the developments in the office. The office drama here was much more interesting than the wrestling between friends downstairs.
Pierce's recent small movements had been seen by him, and he also knew that this cunning HYDRAleader had a backup plan.
With Meng Ran's powerful perception abilities now, all hidden things had nowhere to hide from him.
Nick Fury walked into the office with a grim face, his single eye staring coldly at Pierce.
Perhaps because of his unpleasant expression, Meng Ran felt that Nick Fury's dark face had become even darker at this moment.
"Did you receive my flowers?" Pierce was indeed the leader of HYDRA. Even with Nick Fury, who should have been dead, appearing before him again, he could remain calm and converse casually.
"It's good that you could make it, Nick."
"Is that so? But weren't you the one who tried to kill me?" Nick Fury said to Pierce with a cold face.
Chapter 203 Office Confrontation 2
Pierce also raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips when he heard Nick Fury's words, then chuckled, "Well, you know how these things are. For people like us, it's just a normal tactic, isn't it?"
"If that's the case, why did you make me the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Nick Fury continued to ask in a deep voice, his face dark.
He truly couldn't understand this question. He wasn't a HYDRA agent, so why would Piercerecommend him for Director?
Hearing Nick Fury's question, Pierce looked at him and said earnestly, "Because you are the most outstanding and ruthless person I have ever met."
"People like you are born to be agents, and in this life, you can only be a good agent. That's why I chose you."
"But everything I do is to protect people," Nick Fury said solemnly to Pierce.
"Our enemy is your enemy, Nick."
"Chaos, war, this disordered world is our greatest enemy," Pierce said to Nick Fury, his expression serious.
"If things continue to develop like this, we will sooner or later perish under nuclear bombs."
"All political and diplomatic means are useless; they are just for stalling and coping. I learned these things from you, don't you remember?"
"In Bogota, the capital of Colombia, you acted directly as you saw fit without consulting me."
"You know the final outcome; no accidents occurred, your idea was completely correct, the rebels were smoothly dealt with, and the hostages in the embassy were all rescued."
Listening to Pierce's words, Nick Fury pursed his lips tightly, his expression serious.
Seeing Nick Fury's serious expression, Pierce continued without pause, sharing his views and insights on peace.
"Nick, today's situation is like that day; by sacrificing only 20 million people, we can establish a new order for the remaining 7 billion people in the world."
"A world without war, without chaos, without nuclear threats, such an orderly world, isn't that what we are all striving for?"
"This is our next plan. Do you have the courage to execute it with me?"
After listening to Pierce's insights, Nick Fury shook his head and said in a deep voice, "A brilliant speech, Pierce, but have you forgotten who I am?"
"I am Nicholas J. Fury, and your words can only be used to deceive ignorant common people."
"What order, what no war, what no nuclear threat, what creating an orderly new world."
"These are just decorations you use to gloss over your ugly intentions."
"The implementation of the HYDRA plan will only bring dictatorial rule and oppression without freedom or breathing room."
"And you! Alexander Pierce, you do not want to be the founder of a new world, a new order."
"You merely want to become a dictatorial ruler by threatening the lives of everyone on Earth."
"I do not have the courage to execute the upcoming plan with you, but I have great courage to stop your plan."
After Nick Fury finished speaking, he grabbed Pierce's arm and pulled him towards the large screen in the office.
Just then, several muffled thuds of "Bang! Bang! Bang!" suddenly came from behind Nick Fury and Pierce.
As the sounds rang out, the three council members representing different countries and regions, who had been idly observing, fell to the ground.
It turned out that the badges they wore on their chests had exploded, and the immense heat released from them had completely pierced through their chests.
Seeing this sudden change, Natasha and Nick Fury simultaneously raised their guns and aimed them at Pierce.
"If you don't want a two-inch hole in your chest, then put down your guns obediently." Facing the two pistols aimed at him, Pierce merely said calmly while holding his phone.
"Sorry, the moment you pinned them on, they were already activated. With a flick of my finger, your life will be over."
"Want to try? Let's see if your trigger finger is faster or my 'trigger finger' is faster?"
Faced with such a sudden situation, Nick Fury and Natasha looked at each other.
Finally, after a brief exchange of glances, they both somewhat dejectedly lowered their raised pistols.
"Well done. Now throw the pistols to me."
"Remember to slowly squat down and then hand them to me. You are both agents; you should still have this basic professionalism, right?"
Pierce waved to the two, signaling them to slowly hand over the pistols.
Nick Fury and Natasha slowly squatted down as instructed, then pushed the pistols over.
"Very good." Pierce picked up one of the pistols from the ground and continued to speak to the two.
"Councilwoman, we should leave now. You will fly me away in that helicopter."
Pierce aimed the pistol at Natasha and led her towards the door.
"You know what? I was once even willing to take a bullet for you, Pierce," Nick Fury said in a deep voice, watching Pierce threaten Natasha as he continued to move forward.
Pierce was once one of his most trusted people; they had many years of friendship, and S.H.I.E.L.D. had prospered through their combined efforts.
"You already have, Nick, and if necessary, you might have to again," Pierce said to Nick Fury, pointing the gun at Natasha as he moved towards the door.
Just as Pierce was speaking to Nick Fury and turning his gaze towards him, Natasha immediately seized the opportunity and began her counterattack.
She quickly squatted down, then kicked away the pistol Pierce was holding. At the same time, her right hand gripped a small device.
Natasha pressed the device with her thumb, and the small instrument instantly emitted blue electric arcs, enveloping her body.
The current emanating from the device made her lose control of her body, and she convulsed and collapsed to the ground.
The moment his pistol was kicked away, Pierce frantically pressed his phone. He wanted to control the badge on Natasha's chest, to make it emit energy and burn through the damned woman.
Although he kept pressing his phone, due to the electric current, Natasha's chest badge had already short-circuited and lost contact with Pierce's phone.
In that brief moment, Natasha had already kicked away Pierce's pistol and rendered her chest device ineffective.
As an experienced agent, how could Nick Fury possibly miss such an opportunity?
As Natasha acted, he also drew another pistol from behind his waist and aimed it at Pierce.
Remember, the most important thing when confronting an agent is never to assume they only have one gun.
Because you never know how many guns and knives they can conceal under their limited decorations and clothing.
Chapter 204 Chameleon
"Bang! Bang!" Accompanied by two gunshots, bright yellow bullets spewed from the barrel, shooting towards Pierce's chest.
"Clatter! Clatter!" The bullets, which should have hit Pierce's chest, strangely stopped in mid-air and fell to the ground.
The front end of the bullet was dented, as if it had hit something hard.
But at this moment, there was nothing between Pierce and Nick Fury.
Seeing this, Nick Fury's eyes widened. Without hesitation, he quickly pulled the trigger of the pistol in his hand again, firing all the remaining bullets.
"Clatter! Clatter!" The scene from just now repeated itself. All of Nick Fury's bullets, just like before, seemed to hit something non-existent in the middle and fell to the ground.
"Oh, Nick, I really wish I could make you look in a mirror and see your expression right now."
"Do you really think everyone is under your control?" Pierce dropped his now useless phone and said coldly to Nick Fury, who still didn't understand what was happening.
"It seems I understated my assessment of you just now. Besides being ruthless, you also possess some arrogant stupidity."
"Do you really think that you and a female agent alone can take me down?"
"I am Alexander Pierce, the head of HYDRA, and a World Security Council minister. Do you think I wouldn't have my own means and security?"
"Don't think everyone is as foolish as you, Nick Fury."
After speaking, Pierce raised his right hand and wiggled his fingers.
Following Pierce's movement, Nick Fury's abdomen suddenly suffered a heavy blow. The intense pain made him involuntarily bend over, like a cooked shrimp.
Then he seemed to be kicked, flying backward and directly crashing into the office wall.
Although Nick Fury received very advanced treatment, allowing his assassination wounds to recover quickly.
However, not much time had passed since he was injured, and he still had many internal injuries that hadn't healed. So these few attacks directly made him spit out a large mouthful of fresh blood again.
Nick Fury staggered to his feet. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, still looking at Piercewith icy eyes.
Although he looked disheveled now, his aura was still very strong. "Cough, cough, you damn bastard."
"Still have the strength to curse, it seems your lesson isn't enough." After Pierce spoke, he wiggled his fingers again.
Following his movement, Nick Fury suddenly felt a sense of crisis envelop his heart. If he couldn't dodge the next attack, he might truly die.
Although he already had such a premonition, Nick Fury was helpless, because his opponent was the air, an invisible unknown entity.
He also didn't know what was happening; not only were the bullets he fired blocked by an invisible air wall, but he himself was being beaten to a pulp by an unseen entity.
Even with death approaching, Nick Fury stared with his one eye, his gaze cold, fixed on Pierce.
"Bang!" Accompanied by the sudden appearance of a black figure, a black hand stopped next to Nick Fury's head.
The hand was half-clenched, as if grasping something.
Nick Fury looked up at this moment and realized it was the demon who had been watching the show from the opposite rooftop earlier.
"You came just in time. Half a second later, you might have met me in hell." Nick Fury complained when he saw the suddenly appearing demon.
This man was clearly overly strong, capable of taking care of everyone here in an instant, but he just wouldn't do it, insisting on waiting until he was half-beaten to death before appearing.
"Sorry, the performance here was too exciting, I couldn't bear to interrupt." Meng Ran shrugged, hearing Nick Fury's slightly complaining words.
"And you, little mouse, do you think I can't see you?"
As Meng Ran spoke, he raised his foot and directly kicked the empty air.
"Bang!" With a loud crash, a spiderweb-like crack immediately appeared on the opposite wall.
Pierce, who was nearby, also realized that things were not good. He picked up the fallen pistol from the ground and quietly retreated towards the door.
"Excuse me, sir who is about to run away over there, I haven't allowed you to exit yet."
As the hoarse voice sounded, a thick, long black tentacle suddenly shot in front of Pierce, shattering the glass at the doorway.
The broken glass splattered, leaving a shallow cut on his face.
But even so, Pierce didn't dare to move, because the black tentacle in front of him had now turned into a sharp blade, pressing against his forehead.
"Let's deal with this little minnow first." Meng Ran said, extending another tentacle towards the broken wall.
The black tentacle seemed to wrap around something. Its front section coiled in circles, then slowly rose, suspended in the air.
"Still not showing yourself? Then let me see how long you can last."
As Meng Ran's words fell, the front end of the tentacle suspended in the air slowly coiled tighter.
As the tentacle tightened, a figure slowly emerged from the seemingly empty air.
He was wearing a black combat suit with a metallic sheen. His hands were tightly gripping the tentacle wrapped around his neck, trying to get some relief for his already beet-red head, to buy himself a little breathing room.
After the mysterious Inhumans's figure emerged, Meng Ran gently waved his hand, causing countless black tentacles to wrap the Inhumans into a large black cocoon.
"Congratulations, host, you have gained a new ability!"
"You have gained the ability 'Chameleon', which allows your figure to completely blend into the current environment."
Because the Venom had undergone a great deal of possession and evolution, its speed in possessing Inhumanss and extracting abilities was also getting faster and faster.
For example, for this A-grade "Chameleon" Inhumans in front of him, Venom only took less than 10 seconds to extract its ability.
After extracting the ability, Meng Ran retracted the rest of the tentacles, leaving only the one wrapped around the Inhumans's neck.
This tentacle then branched into countless tiny tentacles, drilling into the Inhumans's head through his seven orifices to extract memories.
Three seconds after these tentacles drilled into his head, a muffled thud came from inside the Inhumans's head, then his neck tilted, and he lost his breath.
Meng Ran was accustomed to such a scene, but this time he still discovered something different from before.
Chapter 205: Retrieving Memory
"The chip in this Inhumans's head seems a bit different from the ones in Blackwater and Kaiju's," Meng Ran mused inwardly.
It seems Pierce indeed has many tricks up his sleeve. Not only does he have an A-Class Ability User as a bodyguard, but he also possesses his faction's unique chip implantation and removal technology.
"Mr. Pierce, I must commend you; you actually have an A-Class Ability User as your personal bodyguard."
"It seems my intelligence had some errors. Perhaps your control over Kaiju isn't as low as the intelligence suggested, and your infiltration of them has exceeded my expectations."
Hearing the Ghoul's hoarse words, Pierce's pupils suddenly contracted, and he was startled.
Due to the rift and clashes between Kaiju and HYDRA, Pierce's understanding of the Ghoul's intelligence wasn't as extensive as Meng Ran's understanding of him.
This is also why Pierce was so surprised by what Meng Ran said.
The Inhumans Meng Ran had just dealt with was indeed his personal bodyguard.
The unique nature of the Chameleon ability made this Inhumans naturally suited for disguise and stealth. It was precisely because of this special ability that Pierce chose him as his personal bodyguard and kept it a secret from everyone.
This Inhumans was like his shadow; wherever he went, this Inhumans followed. When danger appeared around him, this Inhumans was his greatest trump card and ultimate weapon.
One must know that even within Kaiju, an A-Class Ability User is extremely valuable and powerful. Therefore, Pierce had invested a great deal of effort and energy to acquire this Inhumans.
He began making contact with this Inhumans early in his successful transformation.
After that, no matter if this Inhumans was on a mission for Kaiju or living his daily life, Pierce infiltrated him from various angles.
He first gradually lured this Inhumans, making him slowly recognize his pursuits and ideas, and then, through subtle brainwashing, made this Inhumans completely subservient to him.
Before this Inhumans became Pierce's personal bodyguard, Pierce had also learned a lot of secret intelligence about Kaiju through him.
Furthermore, Pierce had successfully infiltrated some of Kaiju's Inhumanss and high-ranking officials, using this Inhumans as a central figure.
It can be said that this Inhumans not only possessed an extremely rare and powerful ability, but he also made a tremendous contribution to Pierce and HYDRA.
But even such a powerful A-Class Ability User was as vulnerable as a clay chicken or tile dog before the Ghoul.
"Ghoul, why do you know so much about Kaiju?" Pierce asked Meng Ran.
Due to the threat of the sharp tentacles in front of him, he still stood by the doorway.
"It's a long story. You just need to know that Kaiju and I are irreconcilable."
"It is precisely for this purpose that I am still sparing your life for now. I hope you won't disappoint me later and can provide me with more useful intelligence."
"Oh, right, I'm very curious how you removed Kaiju's chip and replaced it with your own without triggering the original chip." As he spoke, Meng Ran suddenly remembered something and asked Pierce.
"How about we make a deal? As long as you let me go, I'll tell you all the intelligence I know and everything you want to know." Hearing Meng Ran's question, Pierce also brought up his conditions.
Since the Ghoul wanted to know some intelligence from him, it meant he was still useful. Facing such a situation also meant he had the right to negotiate terms with the Ghoul.
"Are you negotiating with me?" Meng Ran asked Pierce with some doubt.
Pierce opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but before he could speak, Meng Ran couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, I'm sorry, I'm not mocking you. It's just been a long time since anyone tried to negotiate terms with me."
"Never mind, never mind. I should have known not to ask you; it caused such a misunderstanding."
"But it doesn't matter. Soon you'll realize how ridiculous your current thoughts are."
After Meng Ran finished laughing, he paused, then continued to speak to Pierce: "Well then, in return for you telling me a joke, I can provide you with a piece of intelligence about myself for free."
Pierce was initially angry at the Ghoul's mockery, but when he heard that the Ghoul was about to reveal intelligence about himself, he collected his thoughts and listened quietly.
The Ghoul's long, pale eyes looked at him, then suddenly lowered his voice and said, "This intelligence is that I don't need your permission to know what's in your head."
"How about that? Surprised? Unexpected?"
After hearing the Ghoul's hoarse words, Pierce immediately lost his previous nonchalant attitude.
The Ghoul actually possessed such an incredible ability, able to directly read the other person's memories. No wonder he laughed when he heard him negotiate terms earlier.
"Wait! I…" Pierce shouted loudly, still wanting to say something, but Meng Ran didn't give him a chance.
He was directly wrapped by Meng Ran's tentacles and dragged to his side.
"Well then, now let me see what you know, shall I?" After Meng Ran finished speaking, he raised his right hand.
Under Pierce's terrified gaze, Meng Ran directly inserted the tentacle transformed from his right hand into Pierce's mouth, then permeated his brain with venom, reading his memories.
As Meng Ran expected, as the head of HYDRA, there was no chip in Pierce's head.
Perhaps it was because he wasn't a Inhumans, or perhaps there was a chip in his head before, but he had removed it using special methods.
Meng Ran didn't know the specific situation yet, but since there was no chip, he could freely and boldly read Pierce's memories, acquiring the intelligence he needed.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot about you two." Meng Ran was in the middle of reading Pierce's memories when he suddenly remembered Nick Fury, who was still slumped against the wall, and Natasha, who was still unconscious beside him.
Thinking of this, Meng Ran condensed a small ball of golden light on his finger, then flicked it into Nick Fury's body.
After he was done here, Meng Ran repeated the process, flicking an even smaller ball of golden light to the unconscious Natasha.
After all, Natasha was only unconscious; her injuries were not as severe as Nick Fury's.
Therefore, Meng Ran gave Nick Fury a slightly larger amount of Odin Force, which would also help his internal injuries recover.