You Can Go. I Don't Kill Women

[Greater Caucasus Mountains] Hydra base, deep in the western mountains.

Half an hour earlier...

Escorted by base commander Girard and a large number of soldiers, Baron Strucker strode quickly toward the helipad, where a helicopter had long been waiting.

He had originally intended to wait here for 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 itinerary 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 over an hour, immediately take your men and evacuate this base."

"I have a bad feeling... If the operation fails, Experiment 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 possibly use to fight against six superpowered hunters?

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. guys could not find this place. How could that brat possibly find it?

Was there really any need to make such a big fuss?

Girard thought this 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 just abandon it?

Most importantly.

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

So, after Baron Strucker left the base.

He resumed his usual behavior as the local tyrant.

While having his little secretary crawl beneath the desk to demonstrate her many talents, he waited for the capture results.

Time slowly passed.

Even when the capture team had been completely out of contact for nearly two hours, he still had not realized that danger was approaching.

Finally, before the sun set.

A golden meteor-like ball of light came racing across the dusky horizon.

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

Boom...!!!

The enormous impact was like a nuclear explosion.

The surging energy currents swept in every direction with the fury of a flood.

The buildings close to the center collapsed with a thunderous crash.

More than a dozen helicopters on the helipad exploded instantly.

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

The ground beneath the entire base shook violently.

"Enemy attack, enemy attack..."

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

However.

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

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

[Collectible souls detected. Warp Soul count +1, +1, +1...]

"It's over. This is completely over..."

Watching the extraordinarily bloody slaughter on the screen, Girard looked as though his parents had died.

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

He had never expected Baron Strucker's words to come true.

That damned Experiment Number 380 had really found this base.

Crash...!!!

A light sound of shattering glass suddenly came from above the base building, accompanied by a man's despairing howl.

Bang...!!!

Girard slammed headfirst into the ground.

His shattered, misshapen 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.

"S-Sir, your whiskey."

The little secretary, still badly shaken, struggled to steady her trembling hands as she placed the glass before Carl and cautiously probed:

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

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

Carl said without even raising his head.

The little secretary immediately felt as though she had been granted a pardon.

But when she turned around, a flash of resolute malice crossed her previously pitiful face.

Heh, self-righteous men are always like this. They always love going easy on women!

Did he not know that Hydra soldiers, regardless of gender, were never afraid of death?

But since this man was already so powerful that ordinary attacks could not harm him in the slightest.

Then she could only choose to perish with him!

As long as she detonated the armory beneath the base.

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

I refuse to believe that he can emerge unscathed from an explosion with that much TNT equivalent?!

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

[Hail Hydra]!!!

However.

Just as one of the woman's feet stepped out of the office door.

A laser beam suddenly flashed from behind her, directly slicing her body into two halves.

[Collectible souls detected. Warp Soul count +1]

"Heh, women..."

A cold smile curled at Carl's lips, but he did not take this minor incident to heart.

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

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

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

Although nothing seemed unusual.

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.

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

That basically ruled out the possibility that someone had tipped him off.

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

But while searching Girard's memories, Carl had not found any superpowered individuals or mutants with such abilities.

Of course!

It was also possible that this guy's rank was too low and he simply did not know those people existed.

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 materials from this base before leaving.

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

There was no way they would not feel the pain of it.

"Fine, I'll let you escape this time!"

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

Carl believed that after such a painful lesson, Hydra would not dare set its sights on him again anytime soon.

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

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

Let them bite each other like dogs for now!!!