Over the past few days.
Through the partially decrypted secret documents left behind by Hydra.
Carl had gained a deeper understanding of Sokovia's current situation.
On the surface, Sokovia had originally been nothing more than a small European country with a population of less than five hundred thousand, perpetually shrouded in civil war.
But before the civil war broke out, the country had been neither poor nor backward. On the contrary, it had been filthy rich!
Moreover, among the few European nations that still practiced constitutional monarchy, it had been the only "miniature nation" to successfully join the ranks of developed countries.
Sokovia possessed extremely abundant oil reserves.
Its proven oil reserves alone had reached nearly 2.8 billion tons, ranking fifteenth among the world's oil-producing nations.
Its gross domestic product had reached a staggering sixty-nine billion dollars!!
In this country, the king was the supreme head of state, the highest judicial authority, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and supreme spiritual leader, wielding absolute and unshakable power!
Meanwhile, key sectors such as oil, technology, education, healthcare, and transportation.
Were almost entirely controlled by a company called Sokovia Holding Group.
The king owned 99.67% of the company's shares, while the remaining 0.33% was distributed among the rest of the royal family, the nobility, and senior cabinet officials.
Although no one had ever calculated the company's market value.
Its total assets definitely exceeded one trillion dollars.
It was truly rich enough to rival a nation!
On top of that, Sokovia Holding Group also possessed a well-equipped armed security force.
Its total personnel numbered around six hundred.
Most of its members were retired domestic soldiers, mercenaries, and a small number of former special forces operatives hired from around the world for hefty salaries.
It was no exaggeration to say that controlling this company with royal backing meant controlling Sokovia's lifeblood—and the entire country itself!
However.
A man might be innocent, yet become guilty for possessing a treasure...
What had once been oil resources that benefited the country and its people.
Ultimately became the source of chaos that plunged the entire nation into turmoil!!
After Baron Strucker set his sights on Sokovia.
He first secretly funded the rebellion of the opposition force known as the Monthly Liberators.
Then, under the banner of the Security Council Peacekeeping Force, he successfully moved in.
From that point onward, this once peaceful and prosperous nation fell into endless warfare.
The king and members of the royal family were soon assassinated by Hydra as well.
Baron Strucker took the opportunity to collude with senior cabinet officials and other oligarchs.
Seizing control of crucial resources such as oil and mining areas.
He became the hidden hand behind Sokovia Holding Group.
And turned it into one of the major sources of secret funding for the Hydra European Division!
Right now, if Carl could take control of this company, it would mean possessing nation-rivaling wealth, technology, and manpower.
At the same time, he could save himself a tremendous amount of time and effort building his own forces.
He would be skipping several lifetimes' worth of detours!!!
Even if he had to face Hydra head-on in the future, he would have a few more cards up his sleeve!
Rather than tuck his tail between his legs and flee to the perilous New York to start from scratch.
He might as well stay in Sokovia, build himself up, and forge a glorious future!!!
Then he could take the opportunity to raise the Warp's Dimension Strength above Lv3.
That way, before long, he could live carefree as a decadent and extravagant king!
Once he got tired of it all.
He could "retire" back into the Warp and continue being his Dimensional Demon.
This life plan was simply perfect!!!
996, 007, overtime being a blessing, becoming a mortgage slave, sucking up to clients, respecting supervisors... all of it could get the hell out of his face!
As for superheroes...
Ptooey!
Who the hell would even want to be a superhero? Not even a dog would!!!
However, Carl also understood that roads had to be walked one step at a time, and meals had to be eaten one bite at a time.
So, the first step of his plan was to seize control of Sokovia Holding Group before Hydra's next wave of attacks arrived.
With his current strength, ending Sokovia's civil war through force would be as easy as turning his hand over.
All that remained was figuring out how to "persuade" the directors who nominally controlled the company.
But for Carl, who possessed Mind Control, that would be equally effortless!
Because as long as his fist was hard enough, every problem would be solved.
Before officially putting his plan into action.
Carl intended to speak with someone first...
Someone worth personally recruiting!!!
Outside the city.
A private estate.
In the living room, Carl sat opposite a middle-aged man with an upright posture and neat, capable short hair.
The middle-aged man wore an expensive suit and had an elegant, profound air about him, giving off the impression of a refined gentleman.
But if anyone was truly deceived by his appearance, they were destined for disaster.
Because his name was Helmut Zemo!
He was Sokovia's former intelligence chief, held the rank of colonel, and commanded a secret assassination squad known as the Echo Scorpions!
He also held the title of Baron...
That's right.
This man was Baron Zemo from the movie Captain America 3, who, seeking revenge for his innocent family members' deaths, had played the entire Avengers like fools all by himself,
And ultimately drove them apart from within, turning Captain America and Iron Man directly against each other!!!
He had methods, strategy, and execution. He acted decisively and ruthlessly, could see through people's hearts, and would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
In this bizarre world where "the poor relied on mutation while the rich relied on technology."
Zemo had accomplished through his own power what other villains, far stronger than him, had never managed to do!
That alone was enough to prove his worth.
And that was precisely why Carl had come here!
If he wanted to build himself up, he needed top talent like this under his command!!
At this moment.
The two silently assessed one another.
However.
Compared with Carl's calm composure.
There was clearly far more vigilance and hostility on Zemo's face.
As the former head of the intelligence department, Zemo naturally knew much that ordinary people did not.
This included the upheaval that had occurred at Summit Base a few days earlier.
So he knew exactly who Carl was.
As well as what this young man had done over the past few days!
Precisely because of that.
He had no desire to come into contact with someone so dangerous and bring unnecessary trouble upon himself and his family!
The reason Zemo had allowed Carl inside was that among the volunteers Carl had released from the base earlier, there happened to be his old father, who had become bitter and resentful after being excluded from the new interest group and losing all his privileges...
After all, turning a benefactor away at the door would bring retribution!!!
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