There Isn't Much Time Left for You

"No offense, Baron..."

Sitwell stepped forward again and questioned him:

"We can discuss compensation later. While I deeply sympathize with the suffering of the Sokovian people,

this is a matter of great importance. How can you prove that the situation regarding Hydra isn't merely your own speculation?"

"Proof?"

Zemo narrowed his eyes and asked in a hostile tone:

"I don't understand what further proof is needed. The tragedy that befell the Sokovian people already explains everything!"

"But if you insist on evidence, this USB drive contains a list of the rebel forces' covert Hydra funding over the years.

It also contains footage related to the human experiments Hydra secretly conducted inside Sokovia Base..."

A staff member hurried over, took the USB drive from Zemo, and connected it to the projection equipment.

There were four files stored on it.

One was an Excel file, while the other three were all video files.

When the first Excel file was opened, a detailed list of supplies and weapons spanning hundreds of pages appeared before everyone.

It clearly recorded every transaction, from the start of the civil war more than a decade ago to just a few days earlier.

The personnel involved, locations, and dates of the transactions were all extremely detailed.

Without exception, every transaction pointed directly at the "peacekeeping force" stationed in Sokovia.

The staff member then opened the second video.

It recorded human experiments conducted on living people.

On either side of a brightly lit underground passage, nearly a hundred corpses lay carelessly arranged on metal morgue beds that gleamed with a cold sheen.

Four fully armed soldiers, working in pairs, dragged two civilians toward the testing chamber at the far end.

The two civilians had clearly been frightened out of their wits by the corpses around them. They struggled and begged nonstop along the way, only to be shot dead on the spot when they tried to escape just before entering the testing chamber.

"Test subjects No. 210 and No. 211 died unexpectedly before testing began. Proceed with the next group..."

The white-coated researcher waved a hand expressionlessly.

Before long, more civilians escorted by soldiers were led into the testing chamber.

However.

Only a few minutes later, the civilians' corpses were carried out and roughly tossed onto the morgue beds on either side.

The conference hall had long since fallen completely silent.

Even Sitwell, who had been questioning Zemo incessantly earlier, obediently shut his mouth.

Because the combat uniforms worn by those soldiers all came from the "peacekeeping force" stationed in Sokovia.

And once their facial data was extracted, their real identities could easily be found.

Besides, could he really not know whether these people were Hydra?!

The staff member then opened the final two video files.

But unlike before, both videos were about battles... battles between Carl and Hydra forces.

When everyone saw the golden-glowing figure single-handedly wipe out two Hydra units with exceptional tactical training, highly advanced weapons, and even six superpowered individuals—

Everyone was stunned!!!

"Baron, may I ask who this superpowered individual is..."

A trace of nervousness flashed through Sitwell's eyes.

He had clearly been intimidated by Carl's domineering performance in the footage.

To everyone's surprise, Zemo did not answer the question. Instead, he gave a mysterious smile.

"Just as I said before, Sokovia now has the strength to maintain peace, so it does not need anyone's protection."

"As for information regarding this person... I'm afraid I cannot disclose it!!"

With that, he sat down leisurely, looking as though he were enjoying a show.

Hydra or not Hydra, who cared?

The only question was, were you afraid now?!

If the first two files confirmed and condemned Hydra's crimes,

then the latter two served as a powerful deterrent against them... no, against the entire world.

Carl wanted to openly tell everyone one thing.

Sokovia now had superpowered individuals. If you had the guts, come at them!!

As for why Carl did not take the opportunity to reveal her true identity?

The reason was simple...

Maintaining a proper degree of mystery in the early stages would attract more curiosity and attention!

"Baron, this is a matter of great importance. We must report it to our superiors immediately. Please rest in the VIP lounge for the time being..."

Sitwell immediately gave several guards a meaningful look, and they promptly surrounded Zemo.

Although they absolutely did not dare lay a hand on Zemo within the United Nations General Assembly compound,

there was no problem with temporarily restricting his freedom.

Zemo seemed to have expected this all along.

He raised his hand to check the time and said meaningfully:

"Fine, but you'd better hurry, because... there isn't much time left for you."

Meanwhile.

New York.

Carl appeared in front of the Daily Bugle Building on 39th Street in Manhattan.

A few minutes later, led by a female clerk, she successfully met the cigar-chomping owner, John Jameson, whose face was full of indignation.

"Young lady, I can only give you five minutes..."

Before he could finish, Carl got straight to the point. "Mr. Jameson, I'm here to acquire The Daily Bugle!"

John Jameson: Black guy question-mark face.jpg

The entire negotiation lasted less than five minutes.

John Jameson readily agreed to transfer The Daily Bugle to Carl's Warp Group.

He had no choice. The terms offered by the latter were simply too generous!

Not only was Carl offering twice the market price, but she was also retaining his position as editor-in-chief and all the associated authority...

Simply put, The Daily Bugle would still ostensibly remain under John Jameson's management.

Only the owner behind the scenes had become Carl.

And what had truly played the decisive role in the negotiation

was actually the "warning" Carl had thrown in regarding his son.

Using Mind Control, Carl "placed" the opening segment from the film Venom, concerning the Life Foundation spacecraft crash, into John Jameson's mind.

That's right.

The sole astronaut who survived the spacecraft crash was John Jameson's son, Little John Jameson.

However.

Little John Jameson had not survived because he was particularly lucky.

Rather, the alien symbiote Riot had parasitized his body at the time.

But the two had never been compatible.

So after Little John Jameson was carried into the ambulance by the search-and-rescue team, Riot abandoned him and chose a female nurse inside the vehicle instead. After killing everyone else, it calmly left...

And that plot had not yet occurred.

The Life Foundation's project to launch an alien exploration spacecraft was currently being prepared in full swing.

If John Jameson wanted to save his son, there was still time!

This was also the fundamental reason Carl had chosen The Daily Bugle.

After all, money alone was nowhere near enough to ensure a subordinate's loyalty!!!