From this point on, Fury became more cautious, one might even say paranoid.
S.H.I.E.L.D., once full of trust, was no longer trustworthy.
Now, Fury looked at everyone as if they were HYDRA or a Skrull disguise.
That logistics supervisor who was always smiling, was his friendliness just a disguise?
That highly efficient analyst, was she secretly working for some organization?
That new young Agent, was his impossibly clean resume carefully forged?
This suspicion was almost turning into paranoia.
But Fury had excellent professional qualities and was deep enough; he would not show these internal changes on his face, nor would he let anyone see them.
He remained the reliable Agent Fury, only now he would scrutinize signatures more carefully when processing documents, ask a few more questions when approving operations, and be more... selective when assigning tasks.
The Skrulls had been secretly transferred by Fury to a secret prison that only he knew about.
It was a facility converted from an abandoned Cold War nuclear bunker, buried deep underground, with an independent oxygen supply system and food reserves, and no external records.
Fury personally designed the security plan and personally selected the guards, all of whom were recruited through independent channels and had no connection to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Every time he went to that secret prison, Fury would take complex anti-surveillance measures, switching vehicles, changing routes, and even driving in circles around the city.
He could not take risks; he could not let anyone know about the existence of that Skrull prisoner, and even less could he let anyone know that he had taken this hot potato from Howard.
At the same time, Fury began his own investigation.
Using the access Howard gave him, he quietly reviewed S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal files, analyzed personnel turnover patterns, and audited abnormal project funding.
He built a completely independent database, existing only on a few non-networked encrypted computers, recording all suspicious clues and speculations.
This was a lonely war; Fury could not tell anyone, could not seek any help, and could not even show that he knew too much.
He was like someone walking in a minefield; every step had to be cautious, and every judgment could determine life or death.
But Fury did not back down; on the contrary, this huge responsibility and danger made him more determined.
He saw the fragility of this World, saw those threats lurking in the shadows, and he, Nick Fury, would do everything in his power to protect it.
Even if it meant suspecting everyone.
Within a month, Howard had completely handed over his work at Stark Industries and S.H.I.E.L.D.
Things at Stark Industries went relatively smoothly; although Tony complained, his actual actions were swift and efficient.
He convened the board of Directors, announced the handover plan, and then began to restructure the company.
Some old-school management was replaced, new R&D departments were established, and the company's strategic direction began to expand from simple weapons manufacturing to a broader field of high technology.
The situation at S.H.I.E.L.D. was more complex; he gradually reduced his involvement, distributed power to several deputy Directors, and quietly transferred key permissions to Fury.
He signed a series of documents, transferring the oversight of certain special projects to the "Special Investigation Office," a department Fury had just established that ostensibly handled routine internal audits.
This process consumed a lot of Howard's energy; there were meetings every day, documents to process every day, and he had to face those farewells, whether sincere or hypocritical, every day, but Howard persevered because he knew it was necessary.
Finally, on a Friday afternoon, Howard signed the last document, cleared out his personal items from the office, and then closed the office door.
When he walked out of the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters building, the setting sun was dipping in the west, dyeing the sky over Washington a brilliant orange-red.
Howard stood on the steps and took a deep breath; the air smelled of car exhaust, the aroma of fried food from a nearby fast-food restaurant, and the complex scent unique to a city, mixed with countless traces of life.
Having shed the heavy burden, Howard felt as if he had become a bit younger.
His shoulders were no longer so tense, his brow was no longer so furrowed, and even his steps were much lighter.
Now, he was just a retired Old man, an Old man who could finally enjoy life.
With nothing left to worry about, Howard prepared to take Maria out for a walk and travel around, to properly enjoy his later years.
He had conceived this plan for a long time; when he was young, he and Maria had been to many places: ancient cities in Europe, temples in Asia, and the savannas of Africa.
But those trips were always rushed, always accompanied by work calls and emergency meetings; they had seen many sights, but rarely had they truly and relaxedly enjoyed those moments.
Now, the opportunity had come.
They could go to the places they had always wanted to visit but never had the time for, could stay in places they liked for months instead of days, and could live at their own pace instead of being driven by a schedule.
Tony and Mavuika were very supportive of this.
"Should have done this long ago," Tony said, although his tone was still that teasing "the Old man finally got a clue," there was concern in his eyes.
"You and Mom have worked hard all your lives; it's time to enjoy it. Besides, money isn't an issue; go wherever you want, stay as long as you want."
Mavuika was more direct; before Howard and Maria set off, he again shoved a Fire Crystalize into Howard's hand.
This Crystalize was different from the last one.
"I made some slight improvements," Mavuika explained, placing the Crystalize in Howard's palm.
"It doesn't just notify me; it can also generate a divine power barrier to help you resist some DMG. Although it doesn't have an infinite limit, it's enough to withstand most conventional attacks, at least until I can arrive."
He looked at Howard with a serious expression: "Although you have stepped down from your position, there's no guarantee those people won't make a move on you again. HYDRA doesn't know how much you know, and the Skrulls might still have accomplices... it's always good to be careful."
Howard gripped the Crystalize, feeling its warm touch and the powerful energy contained within it.
He nodded: "Thanks, Mavuika, I will be careful."
The night before they left, Howard and Maria made a final decision: they gave this Villa to Mavuika.
"The Skrulls have been handed over to Fury, and we are going to travel the World, so this Villa will be completely empty," Howard said to Mavuika, handing the property documents to him.
"Instead of letting it sit empty and gather dust, it's better to hand it over to you."
Mavuika was a bit surprised; he looked at the documents, then at Howard and Maria, a trace of warm emotion flashing in his amber eyes.
"Thanks," Mavuika finally said, accepting the gift: "I will take good care of it."