Game Within a Game

Under George's forceful leadership, the battle against the Mexican Mafia was won smoothly.

In this operation, not a single NYPD officer died, though three officers were injured.

Thirteen gang members were shot dead on the spot, while the remaining dozens surrendered and were arrested. Of the thirteen who were shot dead, nine had fallen to George's heavy machine gun.

After the intense firefight, the Mars Armor had not only slaughtered enemies in every direction, but what astonished George most was that it did not even have a single bullet hole.

That was not to say the Mars Armor's plating was so thick that bullets left no marks. After all, it was individual combat equipment; it could not possibly be as thick as tank armor. The lack of bullet marks was entirely due to the Spider-Sense System. Whenever George was targeted, the system alerted him and guided the armor into evasive movements.

This guidance and feedback process did not force the armor to dodge. Instead, it felt like an instinct.

It was like certain athletes with exceptionally developed motor reflexes. In fields they excelled in, they could often make lightning-fast reactions without even thinking.

For example, when a basketball player faced a defender's block, he instinctively evaded in midair.

Or when a soccer player was hit with a sliding tackle, he instinctively avoided it to keep his leg from being broken, and so on...

The Spider-Sense System turned evasive movements in response to danger into the user's instinct, then used that instinct to drive the armor's dodging movements. It achieved the perfect fusion of man and machine. That was what made this system so remarkable, and why major organizations had still been unable to crack or copy it.

After the battle ended, George was still wearing the helmet when he noticed that it had roughly 70% power remaining.

"Dad, I told you so, didn't I? How could your daughter possibly trick you?"

Gwen ran over with a look of expectation. George removed the helmet, his face full of reluctance.

"Daughter, could you talk to President Wang and ask him to give this armor to us? After all, our precinct is responsible for maintaining order around Umbrella Corporation."

"Dad, I'm afraid that won't work. You don't know this, but this armor is only a prototype and is still in the testing phase. Its functions aren't fully developed yet. Our company can't give away an unfinished product."

"Unfinished? I don't think so. I already thought it was amazing."

Gwen snatched the helmet away and pointed at the visor.

"Of course it's unfinished. This armor still hasn't been fitted with the Compound Eyes Targeting System, and I participated in that system's development from start to finish."

"Yes, yes, my daughter is the best. So when will your Compound Eyes Targeting System be finished?"

"Well... I'm afraid it'll take another year and a half. So, Dad, you should stop thinking about it. At most, once the product is finished, I'll suggest that President Wang donate a few sets to you. Don't worry, your daughter won't forget her dad."

George had no choice but to reluctantly remove the armor. The expression on his face made it seem as though someone had stolen his lover, leaving Gwen quite speechless.

With George's matter temporarily settled, Wang Khan finished another impassioned speech inside Umbrella Corporation and adjourned the meeting.

The executives were all highly optimistic about the company's future and brimming with enthusiasm. Only Sharon Carter wore a deeply worried expression.

"Carter, stay behind."

Wang Khan stopped Sharon Carter. After all the other executives had left, he closed the meeting room door.

"Carter, you can rest easy now. That gang has been wiped out. I spoke with Commissioner George on the phone earlier. Once they find that video file, they'll send it over immediately. That way, you won't have to let a small mistake from your past affect the rest of your life."

"Thank you, President Wang."

Carter's inner actress came alive. Her eyes reddened at once, tears welling in them. With acting like that, it would have been a waste if she did not star in melodramas.

"If you hadn't helped me, those bastards might have driven me to death. President Wang, I really do thank you."

As she spoke, Carter walked over to Wang Khan and buried herself in his arms.

Wang Khan froze for a moment, then wore a strange expression.

"President Wang~~"

Carter raised her head slightly to look at Wang Khan, then closed her eyes. If Wang Khan still did not understand what was happening, he would truly be worse than a beast.

As he kissed her, he picked up the remote control and switched the meeting room glass into opaque mode, blocking the outside view...

The next morning, Wang Khan announced a new personnel appointment. Sharon Carter was transferred from the Smart Spider Marketing Department to become the director of the new Mars Armor Project, taking full responsibility for the Mars Armor's development and promotion.

The moment the executives heard it, they all understood what was going on. The male executives remained expressionless, while the female managers were highly displeased. Quite a few had already decided to visit beauty salons after work.

As someone who had participated in the Compound Eyes Targeting System's development from beginning to end, Gwen knew very well that the Mars Armor Project would be Umbrella Corporation's next major focus.

It would become the company's most profitable product. Compared to the Mars Armor, Smart Spider was far inferior in both profitability and social influence.

As the person in charge of this project, Sharon Carter had undoubtedly become a powerful figure beneath only one person and above everyone else.

"Is President Wang that kind of person too? Men... sigh~~~"

Gwen was somewhat disappointed. On the other side, Red Queen voiced a similar question.

"Guardian, you clearly saw that this was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scheme. Why did you still fall for it?"

"Red Queen, do you think I fell for it?"

"Wasn't that the case? Sharon Carter first gave you a chance to play the hero and save the beauty, then had a relationship with you beyond that of colleagues as repayment, all to gain your trust and obtain more power within the company. And you gave her everything she wanted."

Wang Khan wore a wicked grin.

"Even you saw through such a petty trick. Do you think I wouldn't? There's no reason not to enjoy S.H.I.E.L.D.'s cheap woman. I'm just relaxing my body. As for giving Carter greater power, I only want to use her to fleece S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Fleece S.H.I.E.L.D.? How?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has a mysterious warehouse that not only holds many superpowered individuals, but also stores a large amount of miraculous substances. There is one item among them that I must obtain. To get it, I have to let S.H.I.E.L.D. gain a little advantage for now, then pull the rug out from under them."

Wang Khan gave a cold laugh.

"Don't worry. Before long, I'll take back everything I've given S.H.I.E.L.D., with interest. Even Sharon Carter herself will become one of my most loyal followers in the future. By then, not only will she never betray me, she would not hesitate in the slightest if I told her to personally kill Nick Fury."

After running a high-speed calculation, Red Queen still could not determine what method Wang Khan could use to change Sharon Carter's way of thinking. In her view, human thoughts were extremely complex. Even relatives and lovers could betray one another; one hundred percent loyalty was simply impossible.

"All right, I know what I'm doing with Sharon Carter. Let her enjoy the spotlight for now. She can also conveniently take care of my physical needs. We'll continue developing Vibranium products on our side. Oh, how about I first make you a Vibranium Mainframe and give you a real body?"