Agents Dumb as Bricks

If you cast aside restless distractions and focus on the truth, you would find that although the City of Immortals possessed vast quantities of high-tech weapons, well-trained soldiers, and continually trained more troops while conducting genetic modification experiments, it was essentially a military organization, with Salomon as its warlord. Warlord was not a flattering term, and he knew that perfectly well. But he also knew that sooner or later, he would have the chance to replace that title with something loftier.

After all, the world was full of idiots who called themselves gods the moment they gained a little power, or dreamed of ruling the world after earning a little money. No matter what, he was better than those fools. Stephanie harbored grand ambitions for the future, and her loyalty was beyond question. Hydra blood carried a lust for power, and it had taught her exactly what she should and should not do.

For example, she had chosen to ignore the message from Agent Coulson after answering it, because she could make this decision herself.

S.H.I.E.L.D. and the City of Immortals had taken two completely different directions in their research into The Monolith. S.H.I.E.L.D. was desperately tracing The Monolith's whereabouts after the Napoleonic Wars, while the City of Immortals had gone to the Middle East in search of ancient legends. Salomon had set this research direction, and Stephanie believed in it without the slightest doubt, because she had never seen her sovereign make a mistake. However, since the City of Immortals did not have a professional archaeology department, Stephanie had specifically contacted the adventurer and archaeologist Salomon knew best, Laura Croft, asking this woman—who had already undergone at least two thrilling archaeological expeditions—to lend her assistance.

"Paintings, sculptures, books—these are all works of art created by people of the past