You Can Leave, I Don't Kill Women

Hydra base deep in the western mountains of the Greater Caucasus Mountains.

Half an hour earlier...

Under the protection of base commander Girard and numerous soldiers, Baron Strucker strode quickly toward the helipad, where a helicopter had long been waiting.

He had originally intended to stay and await the final results of the capture operation.

But Dr. Fritz suddenly called midway through, saying that the Undead Project had made major progress, forcing Baron Strucker to change his plans at the last minute.

Before boarding, Baron Strucker specifically called Girard over and instructed him:

"If this capture operation is obstructed, or if communications are lost for more than an hour, immediately take your men and evacuate this base."

"I have a bad feeling... If the operation fails, Subject Number 380 may very well find this base!!"

However.

Although Girard solemnly agreed to it in person.

He did not take those words seriously at all.

What a joke. How could this operation possibly fail?

That brat had only gained superpowers a few days ago. What could he use to fight against six superpowered people hunting him down?

His life?!

And even if the capture failed, there was no need to evacuate the base, was there?

Even those S.H.I.E.L.D. people could not find this place. How could that brat possibly find it?

Was there really any need to make such a fuss?

Girard thought that way partly because he looked down on Carl.

The other reason was that he had painstakingly managed this base for more than a decade. How could he abandon it just like that?

Most importantly.

If he left this place, how was he supposed to remain base commander?

So, after Baron Strucker left the base.

He resumed his usual manner of acting like a local emperor.

While having his young secretary crawl beneath the desk to put on a performance, he waited for the results of the capture operation.

Time slowly passed.

Even after the capture team had been completely out of contact for nearly two hours, he still did not realize that danger was about to descend.

Finally, just before the sun set.

A mass of light resembling a golden meteor streaked across the dim horizon.

Carrying boundless, terrifying power, it crashed heavily into the base.

Boom...!!!

The massive impact was like a nuclear explosion.

The surging energy torrent swept in every direction like a raging flood.

Buildings near the center collapsed with a roar.

More than a dozen helicopters on the helipad instantly exploded.

The soldiers stationed in the nearby guard posts, along with the scattered soldiers conducting drills on the parade ground, were directly blown apart into crimson clouds of blood, vanishing amid the turbulent currents.

The ground beneath the entire base began to shake violently.

"Enemy attack, enemy attack..."

After a brief moment of stunned silence, someone finally sounded the alarm.

However.

When squads of fully armed Hydra soldiers poured out of the passageways.

They were greeted by a pair of Death's Eyes gleaming with destructive light!!

[Detected collectible souls. Warp Soul count +1, +1, +1...]

"It's over. It's all over..."

Watching the exceptionally bloody slaughter on the monitor, Girard looked as if his parents had died.

Like a deflated balloon, his entire body went limp as he collapsed into his chair.

He had never imagined that Baron Strucker's words would come true.

That damned Subject Number 380 had really found this base.

Crash...!!!

The sharp sound of shattering glass suddenly came from above the base building, accompanied by a man's desperate scream.

Bang...!!!

Girard smashed headfirst into the ground.

His shattered, deformed skull and neck were instantly crushed into his chest cavity.

Inside the office from which he had been thrown.

Carl sat imposingly on the sofa, frowning as he pondered something.

"Sir... the whiskey you requested."

The young secretary, still badly shaken, tried her best to steady her trembling hands as she placed the glass before Carl and cautiously tested the waters.

"May I ask, can I leave now? If you need service, I can help you..."

"You can leave. I don't kill women!"

Carl said without even raising his head.

The young secretary immediately felt as though she had been granted a reprieve.

But when she turned around, a flash of resolute hatred passed over her previously pitiful face.

Heh, ordinary guys with too much confidence were all like this. They always liked to go easy on women!

Did he not know that Hydra warriors, male or female, were all unafraid of death?

But since this guy was already so powerful that ordinary attacks could not hurt him at all.

Then she could only choose to perish with him!

As long as she detonated the arsenal beneath the base.

The vast stockpile of ammunition sealed inside would be enough to instantly reduce the entire base to nothing.

I refuse to believe that he could emerge completely unscathed from an explosion with that much TNT yield?!

I would be the one to end this powerful enemy threatening the organization today...

Hail Hydra!!!

However.

Just as one of the woman's feet crossed the office doorway.

A laser beam suddenly flashed from behind her, directly splitting her body in two.

[Detected collectible souls. Warp Soul count +1]

"Heh, women..."

A cold smile curled across Carl's lips. He did not take this minor interruption to heart.

Instead, he continued frowning as he considered his earlier question.

"Was Baron Strucker's departure really just a coincidence?"

Earlier, Carl had used Psychic Perception to search Girard's memories and find the scene of Baron Strucker's departure.

There did not seem to be anything unusual about it.

But what truly concerned him was what Strucker had said before leaving.

Was it merely a coincidence?

Or had someone warned Baron Strucker during that phone call?

After thinking it over, Carl still felt the former was more likely.

Judging by the timing, that call had come half an hour before the battle began.

That basically ruled out the possibility of someone tipping him off.

Unless the other party possessed some kind of precognitive superpower...

But while searching through Girard's memories, Carl had not discovered the existence of any such superpowered individuals or mutants.

Of course!

It was also possible that this guy was too low-ranking to know they existed.

But under normal circumstances, if Baron Strucker had known the outcome in advance, he would most likely have ordered his men to urgently transfer the personnel and important supplies from this base before leaving.

After all, the fall of every base was an extremely serious loss for Hydra.

It was impossible not to feel the pain of that.

"Fine, I'll count this as you getting away!"

Although he had failed to kill Baron Strucker as he wished.

Carl believed that after this painful lesson, Hydra would not dare target him again anytime soon.

Besides, as long as the United Nations meeting on Zemo's side proceeded smoothly.

Then both S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers would surely keep a close eye on Hydra's movements.

For now, he would let them tear each other apart!!!