Recruiting Zemo; Convening the Board

"Mr. Mala, first of all, thank you again for helping my father. If you need funds or certain special supplies, I'll do everything in my power to get them for you."

A complicated expression appeared on Zemo's face as he politely declined. "But I'm afraid I can't accept your invitation."

"I don't want to get involved in the war between you and Hydra, nor do I think this rotten, decaying country is worth saving."

"I only want to spend time with my family and watch my children grow up day by day..."

A favor was a favor.

But that did not mean he would risk his life because of it.

However.

Carl seemed to have expected the rejection long ago.

With an unfathomable smile on his face, he said lightly:

"Baron Zemo, if I told you that, in the near future, you would lose the family you treasured more than anything, what would you choose?!"

"Mr. Mala, may I take that as a threat?"

With his family's safety at stake, Zemo's entire demeanor abruptly changed.

The refined gentleman from moments ago instantly became as sharp as an unsheathed sword.

His piercing gaze locked onto Carl.

"No, I'm merely stating a fact... a fact that will happen in the future!"

Like some charlatan mystic, Carl deliberately spoke in a mysterious, bewitching tone:

"If you don't believe me, I can let you see it for yourself."

As soon as he spoke.

One of his fingers was already pressed against Zemo's forehead.

"You..."

Before Zemo could react, a memory that did not belong to him appeared in his mind.

Familiar streets, familiar faces, unfamiliar yet powerful Avengers, a terrifying army of robots, a city spiraling into the sky, a catastrophe like falling meteors, a destroyed homeland, and three mangled corpses amid the ruins...

"Ah, no!!!"

Trapped in those memories, Zemo let out a pained roar.

In the span of a few breaths, it felt as though he had lived through his entire life.

Only when Carl withdrew his finger was he able to break free from the endless agony.

By then, cold sweat had already soaked his back, and his burly body trembled slightly from fear and pain.

Zemo did not fear death.

But he could not bear to witness his loved ones dying so horribly.

They were his sole bottom line and forbidden scale, an absolute taboo that no one could touch!

I wonder whether Mind Control will improve as well once my Strength increases?

Otherwise, if this keeps happening, people might mistake me for a gay guy...

Carl had just implanted part of the plot from [Avengers: Age of Ultron] into Zemo's mind exactly as it had happened.

When it came to talents like Zemo,

he still preferred to make them surrender willingly.

After all, for people with strong wills, the odds of breaking free from Mind Control were far greater than for ordinary people.

Hawkeye, whom Loki had converted with the Mind Scepter in [The Avengers], was the best example.

Otherwise, once Professor X put on Cerebro, the whole world would have become one big happy family!

"You... are you certain those scenes will really happen?"

Zemo forcibly calmed himself down.

Although he had no idea how Carl had accomplished something so astonishing,

there was one thing he knew with absolute certainty.

That was... if his family were truly subjected to such injustice, he would undoubtedly become just like that "other self."

He would destroy the people responsible for it all without hesitation.

Even if his enemies were the Avengers, that trump-card superteam packed with every kind of overpowered freak!!!

"They will."

The corners of Carl's mouth lifted slightly as he looked at him expectantly.

"But... now you have been given a chance to change your fate, and your family's fate!!"

When the olive branch was extended once more, Zemo did not refuse this time.

"Mr. Mala, you've given me a reason I simply cannot refuse."

To Zemo, his family was his only weakness and taboo.

To prevent the tragedy from those visions, joining Carl's camp had become his best choice for the moment.

Because the ambitious young man before him

had already proven his strength through his actions.

That undoubtedly stirred Zemo's curiosity as well.

He wanted to see just how high this man could climb in the future!

The gears of fate began to turn...

And Zemo's life underwent earth-shaking changes because of this decision.

"Just call me Boss from now on!"

Carl did not care why the man had joined him.

As long as he worked for him with all his heart, he was a good comrade...

He slowly rose to his feet, his gaze blazing as he said:

"Next, it's time to bring some positive change to this turbulent country!"

"Boss, what do you intend to do?"

Zemo consciously settled into his role, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"As a baron, I assume you have a way to gather all the current members of Sokovia Holding Group's board of directors?"

Carl smiled mysteriously. "Gather all those parasites for me. I want to persuade them to transfer every last share in their hands to me!"

Zemo: "???"

Sokovia Holding Group headquarters.

Inside the luxurious conference room.

Board members representing various factions had gathered there.

At that moment, they all looked on in confusion at the young man seated in the chairman's seat with his eyes closed in rest.

As well as Zemo, who stood respectfully behind him like a servant.

"Does anyone know who that kid is?"

"He looks unfamiliar, but anyone Baron Zemo treats like that must have quite an extraordinary identity, right?"

"Hehe, isn't this kid here to stir up trouble on purpose? He actually dared to sit in Prime Minister Jafar's seat. Looks like we're in for a show later..."

Although Zemo had previously been pushed out of the center of power,

considering the exceptionally ruthless methods and conduct he had displayed while overseeing the intelligence department,

as well as the possibility that he held plenty of dirt on them,

these shrewd board members did not dare act too recklessly in front of him, no matter how many doubts they had.

Just as everyone whispered among themselves,

the conference room doors were pushed open again.

Then a pot-bellied, balding middle-aged man came waddling in from outside.

"Hm?!"

The moment he saw Carl sitting in the chairman's seat, the middle-aged man froze.

Then anger appeared on his face as he coldly questioned Zemo, "Baron Zemo, did you bring this person, who has nothing to do with the board, in here?"

The speaker was none other than Sokovia's Prime Minister Jafar.

He also had another identity: the spokesperson and front man personally cultivated by Baron Strucker.

After Sokovia's royal family had been completely slaughtered,

following a reshuffling of power, Jafar openly controlled more than ninety percent of Sokovia Holding Group's shares, as well as the company's actual authority.

As for the remaining ten percent, it was divided among everyone else in this conference room.

Do not underestimate that ten percent...

It meant dividends of at least several hundred million dollars every year.

If it were handed to you for free, would you refuse it?

And that was precisely one of Hydra's methods of winning people over.

A carrot in one hand, a stick in the other.

Just obediently submit to us, damn it!!!