"How is that possible?!"
Gideon was a veteran of the World Security Council, but at this moment, he still couldn't hide his shock.
"Why wouldn't it be? This was seen by someone with their own eyes, and I found a photograph of absolute significance."
Saying this, Pierce pulled a photo from his pocket, placed it on the table, and gently pushed it toward Gideon.
Gideon picked up the photo somewhat impatiently and began to examine it closely. The background of the photo was a blue sky with a few white clouds drifting in the corner. In the center of the photo, an extremely bright, pale golden light stretched from the bottom left corner to the top right, looking like the trail left in the sky after a Rocket launch.
However, when Gideon focused his gaze on the very front of the light, he couldn't help but suck in a cold breath instantly. Although it looked a bit blurry in the photo, the human form was very distinct. Gideon suddenly looked up: "Who is she?"
"I don't know," Pierce shook his head.
"But by synthesizing the background of that time, narrowing down a certain range of activity, and looking for things that happened back then, we obtained a sketch based on the oral accounts of 73 people. Searching based on that sketch, we found a highly probable individual."
He pulled out another photo, looked at it himself first, then handed it to Gideon, while also smiling: "It's hard to imagine that an ordinary person could suddenly become like a god from legend."
Gideon took it. Pierce said: "Carol Danvers, born in 1968, Air Force pilot. In 1989, the fighter jet she was flying crashed while testing a light-speed engine. Her companion was Mar-Vell, one of the primary scientists of Project Pegasus. The record at the time said she was dead, but after disappearing for six years, she appeared in 1995 in a small town near the site of an alien spaceship crash."
Gideon fell into deep thought as he looked at the square-faced woman in the photo.
"The core of Project Pegasus was the Tesseract, which had been kept at S.H.I.E.L.D. for a long time. Back then, Mr. Schmidt washed Norway's Tønsberg in blood to find the Tesseract, but later his plan was sabotaged by Captain America. At that time, we didn't know how to better utilize it, so we let it be kept in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody. It wasn't until 2012 that we understood just how powerful its true purpose was. Unfortunately, it no longer belongs to us now."
Pierce's tone was full of lamentation.
"Are you sure it's this person?"
"Certain. When so many coincidences appear at the same time, it can only prove that we have found the truth. Besides, isn't that a woman in the first photo?"
Gideon repeatedly examined the two photos, swapping between them. After a long while, he said: "I see. You want to provoke a war between this person and the Dragon King, which is why you kept proposing that we agree to invite the Dragon King to join HYDRA? Even at the cost of temporary exposure?"
"You could say that. A certain amount of exposure is necessary, otherwise we can't gain his trust. So I say whether he is sincere or intends to be an undercover agent, it doesn't matter. As long as he comes, are we afraid we won't have a way to make it all stick? When the time comes, I just need to inadvertently reveal a piece of information, and Fury will definitely find that woman."
Gideon thought for a moment: "What if the Dragon King agrees? I mean, if he really wants to join."
"Heh, can you rest easy? Can the others rest easy? Besides, after we are exposed, Fury might find that woman to deal with us. So the best way is to make them kill each other in advance. No matter who dies, it's good for us. Maybe we can take the opportunity to solve all of them at once."
Gideon nodded slightly, but at this moment, his wariness of Pierce suddenly rose to the extreme. This old fellow is indeed terrifying. At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Stephanie pushed the door open: "The Dragon King has arrived."
Pierce and Gideon immediately stood up. The two shook hands, and Pierce patted his arm warmly: "The rest will be hard work for you."
Gideon nodded: "Don't worry, the discussion just now has made me more confident. But you still have to be careful of Nick Fury; he is not a simple man."
"I understand. I have always been careful, and even more so now."
The two parted ways, and Pierce sat back down. He picked up the two photos on the table to look at them again, and a playful smile soon appeared on his face. Downstairs. When Hong Fei arrived, there was a sudden burst of noise at the banquet.
People stared at his face with varying expressions, and it fell silent a moment later. He was arranged to go to a lounge. After a short while, Stephanie led Gideon inside. Just as they reached the door, looking at each other from across the room, Gideon's face was already filled with a bright smile: "Mr. Hong, welcome. I have been waiting for this day for a long time."
Hong Fei sat where he was, motionless: "I think I've seen you on TV."
Gideon's smile remained unchanged: "I occasionally accept interviews from the media, but they are all minor news. If Mr. Hong were willing to make an appearance, I think you would definitely be more photogenic than me, and it would surely become news that sweeps the World." Hong Fei smiled but said nothing.
After the pleasantries, Gideon said: "Mr. Hong, that Mr. Frank you sent out has already finished receiving all the supplies. I wonder if you have any other needs after looking them over?"
Hong Fei hadn't looked at them at all, and Frank hadn't mentioned them either. They didn't care at all about what HYDRA had given. Whether it was fixed assets or cash wealth, weapons and ammunition or high technology, in short, it was all stuff that Hong Fei didn't lack at this stage. So he just treated it as if he had picked up a large-denomination bill while walking on the street. After verifying its authenticity, what else was there to see? Just spend it!
"If I have needs, will you still give?"
Perhaps because Hong Fei was too direct, Gideon's words faltered.
"Haha, of course. No matter what needs the Dragon King has, we will satisfy you to the best of our ability."
"Alright, then I'll wait until I go back and tally things up before saying anything."
"No problem." A moment later, Stephanie said again: "Father, everyone has arrived."
Gideon looked at Hong Fei: "Mr. Hong, shall we move?"
Hong Fei nodded. The two stood up and, under guidance, took the elevator directly to the basement. After several twists and turns, they entered a secret room. Unlike the gloom in the corridors, the light inside the secret room was bright, as if it were broad daylight. Even the air seemed to waft with a calm and pleasant fragrance.
But Hong Fei only felt that this group of people was being far too pretentious. After entering, a round table was placed in the center, and people were already seated around it. When Hong Fei appeared, they all stood up.
Gideon introduced from the side: "Everyone, let us welcome the new member and new leader of HYDRA, the greatest hero of the Battle of New York, the terminator of the dark invasion—the Dragon King!"
As his words fell, enthusiastic applause immediately rang out in the secret room. Conversely, however, the gazes and expressions of these people were all different. In short, not a single one belonged to a true "warm welcome."
After Gideon pulled Hong Fei to sit down, he then turned to introduce the people present to Hong Fei. John Garrett, an old man, was likely there in place of Pierce. Daniel Whitehall, a frenzied scientist and conspirator, and a key figure who could lead to the Inhumans side quest.
Madame Hydra, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine—better known as "Viper"—carried herself like an unassuming aristocrat. Beside her stood Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, Hong Fei's former Sokovian neighbor, his gaunt frame accentuated by the gleam of his monocle. With Gideon Malick, the gathering numbered just five.
If Hong Fei slaughtered them all now, his physical conditioning—whether slightly behind or ahead of schedule—would quickly catch up to his energy reserves, perhaps even surpass them. Pity they were all fakes. Holographic projections, flawless enough to fool the naked eye. And of course, he himself wasn't real either.
Just a phantom. His true body remained in Sokovia, diligently cultivating. This was, in essence, a meeting of illusions. Their caution bordered on paranoia. Even if they'd come in person, Hong Fei wouldn't have struck—not yet. The timing wasn't right.
He wasn't one to sacrifice long-term strategy for momentary satisfaction, even if wiping them out required nothing more than a flick of his wrist. Besides, their deaths would plunge HYDRA into chaos. And Pierce—who knew Hong Fei was aware of his existence—would seize the chance to devour the other branches whole.
Who could say Pierce hadn't already been nursing such ambitions?
"Mr. Hong," one of them said, "others couldn't attend due to prior commitments, but the true leadership is represented here tonight."
Hong Fei gave a curt nod.
"Though HYDRA's branches may clash," Gideon continued, "we leaders ensure such conflicts remain contained. Our resources and interests are intertwined. When one requires aid, the others answer without hesitation..."
He launched into HYDRA's doctrine, a manifesto that sounded more like indoctrination.
Hong Fei feigned attention while studying the others. These figures bore little resemblance to their comic counterparts. Madame Hydra was undeniably middle-aged, lacking the exaggerated allure of fiction. Her poise couldn't mask the calculating mind beneath—exactly the kind of woman best dealt with swiftly.
Baron Strucker, far from the martial powerhouse of the pages, specialized in administration and research. Hong Fei could end him with a finger. But if he meant to claim HYDRA, peaceful coexistence with Strucker was impossible. Killing him would be simple, yet Wanda and Pietro hadn't awakened. Better to preserve his research team—let them continue their work.
Though keeping the twins in labs felt wrong. It might strain their relationship. Perhaps he should extract them now, test the Mind Stone's effects directly, or hand them over to Big Head and Dr. Helen Cho. If Strucker could manage it, Master Hong certainly could. Science and magic demanded no less.
John Garrett—a criminal. The comics painted him as a rapist. This universe's version might differ, but he was no saint. Best put down like a rabid dog.
Whitehall, the mad scientist, brilliant but monstrous. His Inhuman dissections pushed boundaries, yielded breakthroughs. Useless. Put him down too.
Gideon Malick, a somewhat complicated old man, but who in this world wasn't complicated? Put him down.
Pierce—skulking about, plotting assassination? Put him down.
Master Hong sighed inwardly. Surveying the room, he saw only walking targets—each one a stepping stone to greater strength.