Event Fermentation

Facing the harassment and assassination tactics of the Lickers, the Hydra assassins' minds and bodies began to suffer severe damage.

The leader of the Hydra assassins was also absent. The fighting in the hallway had already caused him to become severely dehydrated.

The only fortunate thing was that the hallways of this top-tier hotel weren't the kind that were tucked away in a corner. This allowed both the Lickers and the Hydra assassins to fight with their full capabilities.

Throughout the hotel, countless ordinary people lay dead on the ground.

The rescue that was so long awaited did not come, which made one suspect something was amiss. After all, Ivan Vanko had been broken out of prison by Justin Hammer using Hammer Industries' resources, and the capabilities of Hydra's European branch could only be described as even more formidable.

Covered in wounds, the Hydra assassins were now left with only their tenacious leader.

He slowly blasted open Nathan Hawke's hotel room with his weapon, seeing a man in a long black trench coat with someone on his back.

The remaining Hydra assassins, regardless of who was in front of them, opened fire.

Bullets flew rapidly, and the man's body began to tear apart. The assassin's heart trembled instantly; his intuition told him the other person was now behind him.

With a thwip.

The sole Hydra assassin slowly fell, and before he died, Wesker noticed the other person had left with a smile, but Wesker didn't care, moving towards his target unhurriedly.

The incident had escalated.

"Director."

Maria Hill was in Nick Fury's office, holding a remote control and manipulating the multimedia screen in front of her with intelligence.

Nick Fury picked up a mug with a cat pattern, took a sip of his Americano, and said, "Let's wait for Coulson to get here."

"Beep."

Coulson, dressed in a neat suit, walked in, nodded at Hill, then looked at Nick Fury, his expression seemingly pleased.

"I'm not late, am I?"

Nick Fury looked up, gesturing for Coulson to find a seat anywhere.

After sitting down, Coulson glanced at Hill and then at his dear Director.

"Hawkeye and Natasha are on a mission, so it's just the three of us for the meeting," Maria told Coulson.

Coulson nodded and immediately got into work mode.

"First, these two pictures."

One was a skull with an open snake mouth, emerging from the center of a red circle. The snake's mouth was fierce and sharp, with pointed teeth, exuding an aura of evil and brutality. The snake's body coiled around the red circle, its patterns clear and lines smooth. The overall design of the logo was simple yet unique.

The other was an umbrella-shaped pattern composed of red and white. The top of the umbrella was a red circular pattern, symbolizing power and determination. The main body of the umbrella was made of alternating red and white lines; the red lines outlined the umbrella's shape, and the white lines filled it in, creating a sharp contrast. The overall design of the logo was simple yet powerful.

"Hydra!" Coulson immediately stood up, his face turned towards Nick Fury, his eyes filled with countless questions.

"Coulson."

Hearing Maria, Coulson turned back and apologized, "Sorry, I got too excited all of a sudden." Coulson sat back down, but his inner calm began to heat up abnormally under the gaze of this image.

"Last night, a major death incident occurred at a top-tier restaurant in Monaco. These two photos were left at the restaurant. According to multiple investigations, this might be someone's way of revealing a major conspiracy to us. The Hydra symbol indicates their involvement in this incident."

"What about the other picture?" Coulson asked.

"Umbrella Corporation. They operate in the pharmaceutical industry in the United States. According to agent investigations, before this company was established, there were multiple incidents involving violence, extortion, robbery, and assassination. However, under agent investigations, crucial evidence could not be found."

"Well, that's just great," Coulson scoffed.

Nick Fury listened quietly, his expression grave. He knew Hydra was a notorious terrorist organization, and their existence meant chaos and danger.

"What is the nature of this incident?" Nick Fury asked, his eyes revealing concern for the situation.

"Preliminary investigations show that the people inside the restaurant suffered an extremely brutal violent attack, causing heavy casualties. We are still further analyzing the scene and collecting evidence, but it's clear this was a meticulously planned assassination," Maria Hill replied.

"Assassination? Who was there at the time?" Nick Fury frowned.

"Nathan Hawke."

Nick Fury's pupils contracted, and he immediately said, "I remember Stark was sent to the hospital. How is his condition?"

"He's fine. Natasha already sent me the message; I was planning to tell you after this meeting," Maria said.

"Mm." Nick Fury nodded, signaling Maria to continue.

"According to the bureau's intelligence experts, we have reason to suspect that someone, possibly Hydra or remnants of Hydra, intended to eliminate Nathan Hawke, and Umbrella Corporation, with whom Nathan Hawke has no connection, protected him."

Nick Fury pondered as he listened to Maria's report. The suspicion of Nathan Hawke colluding with Umbrella Corporation was enough, as long as the suspicion existed.

"Tell me the basis for that," Nick Fury said, although he already had a guess in mind, he still wanted Maria to elaborate.

"That would be this." Maria switched the screen to a photo of several superheroes posing together.

"Translucent, Super V, Electro. Three superpowered individuals, or rather, superheroes. We have sufficient reason to suspect that their creation was the work of Umbrella."

At this point, Coulson interjected, "I remember hearing about Nathan Hawke being assassinated. So, in Monaco, it was the remnants of Hydra assassinating Nathan Hawke to take control of the Hawke Group, thereby secretly changing the world?"

Nick Fury quickly said, "No, no. Then who is the leader of Umbrella Corporation? I'm more inclined to believe Nathan Hawke is just a figurehead. Perhaps they considered killing Nathan Hawke and having someone impersonate him."

Coulson's back immediately broke out in a cold sweat because he thought of the Skrulls. He then looked at the Director, who noticed his gaze but ignored him.

Hearing this, Maria's expression turned grim.

"According to an agent who previously went undercover in Umbrella, the leader of Umbrella is a person named Wesker."

"Wesker," Coulson murmured the name.

Nick Fury slapped the table and said sternly, "Coulson, you'll go to the Umbrella Corporation and meet their chairman. Maria, have Melin (Iron Cavalry) get a permit from the Safety and Fire Department and go to the Hawke Group."

"Yes." Nx2

Umbrella Corporation Tower.

Glancing at the security guards at the entrance, Coulson walked in. The first thing that caught his eye was a spacious and modern lobby. Tall marble columns supported the ceiling, exuding an atmosphere of solemnity and stability.

The reception area was located in the center of the lobby, formed by a large glass countertop that allowed visitors to see the activities within the building. Exquisite plants and high-end decorative items were placed on the counter, giving a luxurious and professional impression.

Behind the reception area was a spacious waiting lounge, equipped with comfortable sofas and coffee tables for visitors to rest and wait. The Umbrella Corporation's logo hung on the wall, showcasing its authority and strength.

The reception staff wore neat professional attire, greeted visitors with smiles, and were professional yet friendly. They skillfully handled various tasks, including receiving visitors, collecting identification, and providing information.

"Hello, sir, how can I help you?" the receptionist asked with a smile as she looked at Coulson approaching.

Coulson presented an ID and a written statement, "Hello, I am Coulson from XXX. Is your company's chairman, Wesker, available?"

The receptionist paused for a moment and then said, "I'm sorry, let me make a call first."

Coulson nodded and smiled, "Of course, please do."

The receptionist made a call and, after explaining the situation, said, "Someone will be here to escort you up shortly. You can rest in our waiting lounge for now, sir."

"Okay, thank you. I won't disturb your work then." Coulson nodded in thanks and headed to the waiting lounge.

About 20 minutes later.

A man in security uniform approached Coulson and asked, "Are you Mr. Coulson?"

"Yes, hello." Coulson stood up.

"I am the company's security chief, and I will escort you up now. By any chance, do you have any weapons on you?" the security chief asked Coulson.

"No problem, please keep them for me." Coulson took out the handgun from his jacket and handed it over.

The security chief took it and put it in a white plastic bag. He then said, "Sir, you can claim it at the security department's claim counter at the front desk when you come down." With that, he led Coulson through the employee entrance and straight to Wesker's office.

"Sir, my secretary will guide you from here."

After escorting Coulson to Wesker's office floor and seeing the waiting secretary, the security chief said.

"Okay, thank you." Coulson said with a smile, simultaneously sensing the strictness of the Umbrella Corporation's procedures for outsiders.

On the way, Coulson had already noticed numerous hidden cameras, patrolling security personnel, riot gear, and hazard eliminators...

He also made a comparison between the Umbrella Corporation and the Hawke Group.

He became even more eager to meet Wesker.

Beep!

The secretary smiled at Coulson, "Please come in, sir. The chairman is waiting for you inside."