"Director, here's the situation. Tony Stark has recently been looking into a book called The Gh'gth Revelations, and it seems he's gathered something to conduct research."
After obtaining this information, Natasha waited until Stark had left work, then immediately found a secure place and reported to Xia Ling over a special phone.
"Has he figured anything out yet?"
"We still can't determine exactly what Tony has discovered, Director. His laboratory has extremely high security, and he's done a flawless job of keeping his work secret from the outside world.
But according to him, he hasn't got a clue."
Xia Ling fell silent for a moment, then said, "In that case, keep monitoring him. I have something else to take care of."
Xia Ling hung up and turned to look at Alexander as he approached. Seeing him in such high spirits, Xia Ling figured something interesting must have happened to make this Hydra bigwig so happy.
"Minister Alexander, you look delighted. Got some good news to share? Let me guess—is it about Nick Fury?"
Alexander's mouth twitched, as if he were struggling to hold back a laugh.
"Ahem. Xia Ling, let's leave the matter of Fury at that. I've already gotten him out on bail. Stop targeting him."
"Targeting him? How would I know anything about that?"
Xia Ling spread his hands, looking so bewildered that he seemed completely innocent.
"I gave him a new job. When his close friend attacked me, I didn't kill him on the spot. Instead, I repaid his hostility with kindness and sent him to the hospital.
"I even covered his medical expenses while Fury was training. There aren't many great benefactors like me around these days."
At this, Alexander's lips unconsciously curled upward. Xia Ling's words had clearly amused him, but he still tried to maintain the dignity expected of Hydra's leader.
"Enough about that. What are you planning to say when the Security Council questions you?"
"They're just a bunch of bureaucrats. A few off-the-cuff remarks should be enough to fob them off."
Xia Ling patted the head of Hydra on the shoulder and strode into the conference room. Four projections appeared before him.
The Security Council chairman, who stood at their head, offered no small talk when Xia Ling entered. He went straight to the point. "Director Xia, this recent incident has attracted widespread attention and concern around the world. As the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., what's your view of these problems?"
"Sir, I believe this incident is a dangerous sign. It means the world is about to change drastically, and our old methods of dealing with things are no longer appropriate."
Xia Ling stated his conclusion, but the Security Council members did not look pleased.
"Director, do you mean we need to reexamine and adjust our strategies and policies to deal with an increasingly complex and unpredictable world? If so, what approach do you intend to take?"
There was a hint of skepticism in the voice of Mars, the Security Council chairman. Clearly, he and the other members were uneasy about Xia Ling's claim that "the world is about to change drastically."
Xia Ling nodded and continued, "We need a force made up of people with special abilities, to deal with the superpowered wars that may erupt in the future."
"With all due respect, Director, you have the world's most elite agents at your disposal. You have no need for those freaks. I don't know what the previous director told you.
"But whether it's a narcissist, a few cat burglars, or a monster—oh, right, he's a full-blown monster now—I really don't believe they can protect the world."
A female representative, Liana, once again voiced her opposition. A group of uncontrollable freaks was a ticking time bomb. They could easily end up hurting themselves.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm talking about a superpowered force, not a superpowered team."
Xia Ling's gaze swept over the projections of every Security Council member around the conference table. He could clearly see the worry and uncertainty in their eyes.
A superpowered team and a superpowered army were two entirely different things. To put it bluntly, if such a force were established—
whoever controlled it would wield the greatest influence. Who knew who would be presiding over Security Council meetings by then?
"I understand everyone's concerns, but please allow me to explain my vision in detail. The threats we face have already far exceeded what conventional military forces and agents can handle.
"You've all seen what happened with Red Hulk, haven't you? A modern army was routed in a matter of minutes.
"And the other side's losses were so negligible as to be almost nonexistent. In these circumstances, other than using dirty bombs, can any of you think of a better way to deal with them?
"Besides, I have a feeling that these incidents will only become more frequent. When that happens, ordinary armies will be useless. No matter how many soldiers we throw at the enemy, all we'll do is pile the bodies higher.
"The superpowered will be the main force in future wars."
As Xia Ling finished speaking, several representatives exchanged glances. In the end, it was Security Council chairman Mars who asked the question.
"Director, I understand what you mean. But if those superpowered people can't be controlled, what do we do then?"
"How can we ensure these superpowered people remain under control? We'll establish a rigorous screening process to ensure that every member has a strong sense of responsibility and duty. We'll also keep them under the light of the Lord, ensuring they don't abuse their powers.
"On top of that, we'll develop dedicated monitoring and suppression technologies, just in case."
Ms. Liana furrowed her brow, still hesitant. "But this plan would require enormous resources, and its results are difficult to predict. How do we explain all this to the public? How do we avoid causing panic?"
"Ladies and gentlemen, times have changed. Red Hulk's threat is only the beginning. The Blood God behind him is no benevolent deity.
"If we don't hurry and build a powerful superpowered force, are any of you confident you can engage the warriors of Chaos in hand-to-hand combat and earn the Blood God's favor?"
A brief silence settled over the conference room. The Security Council members exchanged glances, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
At last, Chairman Mars slowly nodded. "Director Xia, your proposal certainly deserves serious consideration. We'll add it to the agenda for the next formal Security Council meeting, where it can be discussed and decided in greater depth."
Xia Ling bowed slightly in thanks. "Thank you for your understanding and support. I believe that as long as we stand united, nothing can stop us from moving forward."
This world needed a villain—or rather, it needed more villains. Red Hulk could fill the role, but he wasn't important enough. They needed another big shot to join the fray.
Perhaps Master Gu Yi would be a suitable candidate?
Only when the world descended into chaos would the faith it produced become sufficiently devout!
Before you continue