William felt like an anomaly that had stumbled into an ant's nest. The will of the entire nest had coalesced into a sharp thorn, aimed squarely at him.
Danger Prediction was like a thermometer plunged into boiling water; the needle immediately shot to the top.
Malice? None.
Threat? Not specific.
Potential risk? The entire swamp!
This was a collective rejection from the entire ecosystem.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down William's forehead.
He quickly ran through all his abilities in his mind.
Resilient Skin, Superhuman Strength... these seemed laughable and powerless in the face of nature's immense power, capable of devouring everything.
Palm Arc Pulse?
Discharging electricity into the swamp—was he trying to die faster?
Phase Shift?
Perhaps he could phase through one tree, but could he phase through an entire living forest that was hostile to him?
He forced himself to calm down.
He was a risk manager, not an explorer.
The more dangerous the situation, the clearer the mind needed to be.
Why?
He wasn't the first person to set foot in this swamp, so why was this anger directed only at him?
He began to examine himself.
Had a certain ability triggered the swamp's defense mechanism?
Electrical Energy Absorption?
Bio-static Adhesion?
Neither seemed likely.
These abilities were too weak to cause such a grand reaction.
Then... was it an item?
William's gaze unconsciously fell on the paradox briefcase he was carrying.
A creation from another dimension!
A thought flashed through his mind like lightning.
If the legends were true...
Then this swamp itself was a dimensional anchor point.
And he was standing here, brazenly carrying a 'dimensional illegal construction' from another dimension.
The swamp wasn't angry at him personally.
It was angry at the 'dimensional laws' represented by the paradox briefcase!
Having figured out the problem, William felt even more troublesome.
Should he throw away the briefcase?
Impossible.
This item was a symbol of his identity and one of his trump cards for survival.
His thoughts fell into a temporary dead loop.
Anger, fear, anxiety... all sorts of negative emotions began to grow uncontrollably.
Just then, he noticed that as his inner emotions fluctuated, the surrounding swamp's anger seemed to intensify.
Bubbles began to rise from the murky Water, and rotten vines slowly writhed like snakes.
He suddenly woke up.
This creature reacts extremely strongly to fear... So that's it!
This thing not only repels extradimensional items but can also perceive and amplify emotions!
His anxiety and tension were fueling the swamp's rage.
He had to control his emotions immediately.
William took a deep breath, emptied his mind, cleared all those cluttered thoughts, leaving only one pure thought, most in line with his instincts.
I'm not here to fight.
I'm here to... do business.
In front of others, he was the CEO of Rodriguez Risk Management Company. So, in front of this swamp, he was also the CEO.
He released his tight grip on the briefcase and gently placed it on the muddy ground in front of him.
Then, with extremely standard business etiquette, he bowed slightly towards the empty swamp.
"Good afternoon, esteemed swamp... sir? Or madam? Or perhaps, should I address you as, the aggregate will of this unique ecosystem?"
His voice carried a hint of respect.
"I know my arrival has caused you some trouble. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am William Rodriguez, CEO of Rodriguez Risk Management Company. I come here with no ill intent."
"Splash—"
His response was a violent churning of the Water ahead.
A colossal mass of mud, decaying plants, and twisted vines slowly rose from the murky Water.
It coalesced into a blurry humanoid shape, over two meters tall, with thick 'limbs' formed by gnarled tree roots.
It had no facial features on its body, only two deep red lights glowing in the position of its 'head'.
Man-Thing. It had finally appeared.
Those two red lights were locked onto William.
William's smile did not waver.
"I know what you are angry about."
He looked directly into those burning red eyes and spread his hands, indicating he was not a threat.
"It's this, isn't it?"
He pointed to the paradox briefcase on the ground.
"It truly does not belong to this World. Its existence conflicts with the laws you Guardian. This is a 'risk event'. And my job is to handle such events."
William did not touch the briefcase; instead, he stepped back, creating distance.
"As a professional risk management company, we understand that every unique asset faces various risks from both internal and external sources."
"For example, you, this sacred swamp. The risks you face are far more than you imagine."
"For instance, secret organizations like HYDRA that covet your power. Or official agencies like S.H.I.E.L.D. that want to dissect and analyze you under the guise of research."
"They will bring guns, fighter jets, and various technological creations that can pollute your ecosystem. They will try to control you, use you, and even... destroy you."
The Man-Thing's two red lights flickered.
"And I, William Rodriguez, can offer you a perfect 'risk solution'."
His tone became impassioned, full of infectious energy.
"We can provide you with intelligence support, allowing you to know in advance of any conspiracies against you. We can provide you with armed deterrence, keeping out those ill-intentioned invaders. We can ensure your 'existence' is undisturbed by the outside World, allowing you to peacefully Guardian this cornerstone of reality."
"I am not an invader, esteemed Guardian. I am a messenger, a partner, an insurance agent who brings you 'peace and security'."
He bowed slightly again, making an inviting gesture.
"Now, are you willing to sign a 'policy' with me, become our company's highest-level VIP client, and let us jointly maintain this swamp?"
The swamp gradually quieted down.
The anger receded like a tide.
The Man-Thing stood still, unmoving.
Its burning red eyes seemed to pierce through William's flesh, looking directly into his soul, examining the absurd yet logically consistent 'business law' he represented.
However, just as he was about to say the next step and take out a contract from the briefcase, the sound of the contract suddenly rang out!
"Multiple armed units detected approaching at high speed! Confirmed to be HYDRA Rapid Response Team via satellite imagery comparison! Estimated arrival at your current location in thirty seconds!"
HYDRA? How did they find this place?!
He suddenly looked up at the Man-Thing in front of him.
The curiosity in those red eyes was rapidly fading, replaced by anger towards the incoming 'invaders'.
And he, William Rodriguez, was standing squarely in the middle of the Man-Thing and an elite HYDRA unit.
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