Silver Shield Program?

Sky City, Central Castle, Tactical Command Room.

The heavy stone walls of a Europe castle blend seamlessly with a modern giant holographic projection screen. Cold blue light dominates the color scheme, reflecting on solemn faces.

Logan, with a freshly lit cigar dangling from his lips, paced restlessly around the heavy oak conference table, ash falling softly onto the gleaming floor.

Erik (Magneto) stood in front of the huge arched floor-to-ceiling window, his back to the crowd, his metal cloak fluttering even without wind, looking down at the rolling sea of clouds, his aura as heavy and solid as lead.

Psylocke leaned against a metal pillar in the shadows, arms crossed, purple neon energy flowing silently from her fingertips like a quiet ghost. Angel Warren leaned back elegantly in his chair, his metal wings folded behind him, his brows slightly furrowed.

Storm Ororo stood not far from Erik, tiny sparks of electricity dancing between her fingers, revealing her equally turbulent emotions.

On the other side of the conference table sat the core of the Red Room: Commander Melina, dressed in a sharp dark uniform, her blonde hair neatly pinned up, her eyes as sharp as a scalpel.

Beside her stood Alexei, the burly Red Guardian, dressed in his signature red and black striped uniform, arms crossed, brows furrowed in worry.

Yelena Belova, dressed in a pure white, tight-fitting combat suit, sat a little further away, expressionlessly wiping a tactical dagger, her eyes occasionally glancing towards the entrance of the conference room.

The air was so heavy you could wring water out of it.

Logan stubbed out his cigar for the third time, sparks dancing in the ashtray. He looked up, his unshaven face screaming, "I'm furious!"

"Where's Chen Tian?! Is he dead in the hot spring?! It's been two hours! If he doesn't come soon, I'll go drag that 'Arms Dealer Queen' out and tear her to pieces myself!"

Melina pinched her brow helplessly. "YoRHa reported thirty seconds ago, Commander... is on his way." She emphasized the words "on his way," clearly feeling powerless against the BOSS's procrastination.

"On the way? He should have crawled there by now! When I was beating those knock-offs, he..." Logan cursed, about to unleash his full power.

"Hey, old wolf, why are you so angry? Who stepped on your tail again?"

A cheerful, sunny voice suddenly broke the silence from the entrance of the circular conference room.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

Chen Tian leaned against the door frame, wearing a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, looking like a student who had just returned from university on vacation.

He wore his signature nonchalant smile, his hair was still slightly damp, and a few strands of hair fell across his forehead.

He walked leisurely to the huge conference table, facing the gazes of everyone, especially Logan's almost murderous look, and plopped down in the wide commander's chair at the very center.

Completely ignoring the incredibly tense atmosphere, he slammed his sneaker-clad feet onto the smooth tabletop with a loud thud.

"Phew," he let out a comfortable sigh, nodded his chin at Melina, his smile unchanged, "Everyone's here? Aunt May, let's begin."

His posture was just like that of a spoiled CEO who had just returned from vacation and was listening to his subordinates' reports.

Logan's eye twitched violently, and he nearly bit off the cigar in his mouth.

Yelena paused in wiping the dagger, her gaze sweeping over the scratches on Chen Tian's neck. A meaningful smile appeared on her face, and she let out a barely audible hum.

Alexei let out a low grumble, probably complaining in Russian about the "young punk."

Melina took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to complain, and swiped her finger across the control panel in front of her.

Buzz!

The massive central holographic screen lit up instantly, filling the entire command room with a blinding blue light!

The crystal-clear image was frozen on Valentina's cold, arrogant face, alongside her S.H.I.E.L.D.. encrypted files, the yellowed cover of Hydra's "Winter Soldier Program" report, the molecular structure diagram of the new "CSSS Compensation Serum," and the devastating scene of the mine being completely blasted into a crater by a bunker-buster missile!

"Situation briefing," Melina's voice was like an ice pick, clear, fast, and without a single wasted word, "Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, former S.H.I.E.L.D.. Level 9 agent, 'Arms Dealer Queen'. She used her privileges and the internet to steal Erskine's original serum data and Baron Strucker's modified 'Winter Soldier' serum sample."

Data streams cascaded across the holographic screen like a waterfall, and molecular formulas spun wildly.

"She combined the two to create the 'Compensated Super-Soldier Serum (CSSS).' Its theoretical peak power surpasses all known Super-Soldier Serum, including the original Erskine and the Winter Soldier modified version."

The scene shifts, alternating between images of muscular bodies soaking in incubation tanks and combat footage of "Silver Shield Soldiers" wielding shields.

"Core, fatal flaw: Injectees will completely lose their autonomy, becoming absolutely obedient biological weapons, with a level of Oblivion of humanity far exceeding that of the First Winter Soldier serum." Melina's voice was cold. "'Silver Shield Program,' the chain of evidence points to the deep involvement and support of the United States government. It is speculated that the goal was to mass-produce a fully controllable Legion of super soldiers."

The final shot freezes on the flattened ruins of the mine.

"The mine was a crucial hub and testing ground. Valentina has evacuated with the original serum samples and core data. Our bunker-buster missiles destroyed the base, but failed to prevent her escape. Target's whereabouts... unknown."

The command room was deathly silent, save for the faint hum of the holographic projection.

"Tsk," Logan was the first to break the silence, spitting out a curse, his eyes fierce. "A bunch of brainless undead! Carrying knock-off shields, do they really think they can imitate Rogers?"

He slammed his hand on the table, the alloy surface making a loud crash. "Find her! I'm going to shove her serum vial down her throat!"

"Imitation?" Erik finally turned around, his metal cloak scraping against the ground. His sharp gaze swept over the image of the Silver Shield Soldiers on the holographic screen, revealing a cold and mocking smile.

"They are imitating the appearance of power, not the core of spirit. Rogers' shield is faith, theirs... are just mass-produced scrap metal." An invisible magnetic field rippled slightly, and all the metal objects in the command room resonated subtly.

Storm Ororo lowered her voice, a hint of confusion in her tone. "A mindless super- Legion... What is Valentina planning? What is the United States government planning? This is more dangerous than the Mutants threat theory!"

"Danger?" Angel Warren adjusted his cuffs. "It's a complete overthrow and reset of the existing order. The Silver Shield Soldiers won't question, won't resist, they'll only execute. A perfect War Machine."

The Psylocke silently slipped out of the pillar's shadow and stood a step behind Chen Tian's seat, like a purple shadow.

She didn't speak, but her cold, purple eyes swept across Valentina's face on the holographic screen.

"Leave the information warfare to us," Melina said, looking at Chen Tian. "Valentina's online traces can't be completely erased; Katyusha is already tracking her. We need time."

Alexei snorted heavily, his Russian accent thick. "Time? That woman has a formula to build an army! Once she sells the serum to every madman who can afford it, the whole world will be full of these Iron Man!" His thick arm muscles bulged.

"Quiet!" Chen Tian suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but like a judge's gavel in court, slamming down on all the arguments.

The meeting room fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on him.

The carefree attitude from before vanished. He put his feet down on the table, leaned forward slightly, rested his elbows on the table, and interlaced his fingers on his chin. The sunny smile on his face disappeared, leaving only a focused expression.

"Katyusha," his voice was as clear as shattered ice, "Retrieve all records of Valentina's interactions with former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury. The key point: after S.H.I.E.L.D.. and the United Nations Security Council were dissolved, did the two have any covert dealings?"

"Command confirmed, Commander. Retrieving related data," Katyusha's Slavic accent rang out.

Buzz--!

The massive central holographic screen split! A dozen smaller holographic windows exploded simultaneously above the conference table like a barrage of bullet comments!

A dense stream of data, encrypted communication fragments, and blurry satellite trajectory maps refreshed and scrolled like a waterfall.

Occasionally, new windows would pop up out of nowhere with a "poof poof poof" sound, at a speed that was dazzling.

"Damn, I knew it!" Logan slammed his hand on the alloy tabletop, making his own ashtray jump!

He pointed at the frantically spamming chat windows, spitting almost onto Melina's face across the table, "Nick Fury! That one-eyed bastard who's always yelling threats, he's definitely involved! We have to find that old fox! I'm going to get that..."

He was in the middle of his rant when Chen Tian turned his head away, not even lifting his eyelids, and merely glanced at him indifferently.

That look in his eyes was devoid of any emotion, as still as a deep well, yet it instantly choked Logan's next words, "Gouge out the one-eyed dragon's eyeball and use it as a bubble to step on," stuck in his throat.

The old wolf's roar abruptly stopped, as if it had been choked. It let out a frustrated gurgling sound from its throat, sullenly sat back down, grabbed the half-extinguished cigar from the ashtray, and puffed on it vigorously, as if that thing were Fury's neck.

Katyusha's calculations were silent and efficient. The dozen or so frantically flashing windows were swept away one by one by an invisible broom, extinguishing and disappearing. Finally, only five holographic images emitting a faint blue light remained suspended directly above the conference table.

The first screen shows a screenshot of some old internal communication records.

From: Nick_Fury_Official. To: VALENTINA_D.

The content was largely blacked out, with only a few insignificant daily greetings and task codes visible. But the frequency of sending them... was abnormally high.

Katyusha's annotation. "High-frequency encrypted communication fragments, repeatedly mentioning vague codenames such as 'file archiving' and 'asset disposal.' The time span covers five years after the dismantling of S.H.I.E.L.D.."

The second scene: a secretly taken photo taken from a dimly lit, secure room.

Nick Fury's signature black leather coat and one eye were clearly visible as he pushed a thick brown paper document bag across the table.

A woman sat across the table, wearing a sharp black trench coat, her head down. The profile of her face vaguely revealed Valentina's cold, hard features, but the photo was so blurry it looked like it was covered with frosted glass.

Katyusha's caption. "Highly suspected to be a face-to-face handover between Fury and Valentina. Location: Brooklyn safe house X-7. Time: Three months before S.H.I.E.L.D.. disbanded. Contents of the file folder unknown."

The third scene: an extremely short surveillance video clip with severe static and noise.

The background appears to be a passageway in an underground parking lot, with three figures quickly passing by the camera.

At the front was Alexander Pierce, dressed in a suit and tie, with a serious expression. In the middle was Fury. The last figure was wearing a hoodie, the brim pulled low, with a slender and agile figure, clearly a woman. She kept her head down almost the entire time; the surveillance only captured a fleeting, blurry glimpse of her chin and lips as she raised her wrist to check her watch.

Katyusha's caption. "Three-second valid video. Pierce, Fury, and an unknown female target (highly suspected to Valentina). Location: An underground transportation hub in New York. Time: Unknown."

The fourth photo suddenly becomes much brighter—the battlefield of Iraq, an abandoned oil refinery amidst a sandstorm.

Valentina, wearing a tactical vest stained with oil, stood side by side with Eric Killmonger, who was not yet "The Killmonger." Killmonger's face was still covered in special forces paint, and he was toying with a Vibranium casing in his hand.

Katyusha's annotation. "Target confirmed to have made contact with Eric Killmonger in Iraq. Time: Six months before T'Challa's accession to the throne."

"Smack!"

Chen Tian's fingers tapped on the alloy tabletop, the crisp sound like a bullet piercing the deathly silence of the conference room, jolting everyone's tense nerves even more.

The ash from the cigar Logan was holding fell in a flurry. That kid, when he's not being lazy, he's always making such a racket.

The blurry photos on the holographic screen glowed with an eerie blue light— Fury, Valentina, and the Killmonger playing with Vibranium casing in the battlefield dust.

Chen Tian's gaze swept across each frame of the image like a scanner, while the gears in his mind spun at high speed, pulling those fragmented memories from his "past life" back from the dusty memory bank.

Valentina...

In my memory before I transmigrated, this name was just a minor, insignificant one.

At most, he'd pop up briefly after the credits in * Black Widow * to inform Yelena, whose sister had just died, that Natasha's death was related to Hawkeye; or near the end of *The Falcon and the Winter Soldier *, to hand a new business card to the Bootleg Captain America John Walker, who had lost his shield. Oh, and in * Black Panther: Wakanda Forever *, he even captured Agent Ross, an old acquaintance from Wakanda...

Fragments, all fragments.

This woman is too cunning!

I think it was mentioned in the comics that she was a triple agent? S.H.I.E.L.D.., Hydra... what other organization was it? I'm not sure of the name, there's not much information, and I didn't look into it closely at the time.

She's just a background character, the lubricant in the gears of the plot.

The only thing that confirms her increased importance is the trailer for "Thunderbolts"... Damn, I'm in the movies now, I haven't even seen the actual film!

Chen Tian's fingers unconsciously drew circles on the table, his eyes somewhat vacant.

No one spoke in the conference room; everyone was watching him, waiting for the commander to utter the next target, or an order that could rip the sky apart.

Time crawled forward frame by frame in the frozen air.

Chen Tian leaned back abruptly into the large commander's seat, the leather groaning heavily.

The groaning of the leather sounded like the flip of a switch.

Logan jumped to his feet, the wooden chair legs scraping against the floor with a grating sound, "Got it? My claws are about to rust!"

Melina spoke up, her voice cold and hard. "Commander, time is of the essence. Valentina's cyber ghost trail is being tracked by Katyusha, but the window of opportunity is very short. We need a breakthrough, a place that will make her or the 'Silver Shield Program' behind her jump in pain."

Yelena twirled the dagger between her fingers in a beautiful flourish, a flash of cold light, and then came to a steady stop.

A subtle, yet blood-tinged smile curved her lips as her voice drifted lightly into Chen Tian's ears, "Brother, shall we make the cut? Stab the heart, or... bleed it out for fun first?"

In those grey-blue eyes, the desire for battle burned like a flame, undisguised.

Chen Tian didn't answer the other questions, but instead asked himself, "Why does Valentina want to build a super soldier army? To help the United States conquer other countries? Or does she want to create another superhero villain organization?"

Chen Tian took a breath. "No, none of this is right. The 'Silver Shield Program' has too many loopholes, because no matter how many 'Bootleg Captain America' there are, they can't possibly be a match for the Arbitrators and the Adjudicator."

"Then why did she even bother with this?" Chen Tian murmured to himself.

Everyone fell silent, waiting for Chen Tian to give them an answer.

Chen Tian stood up and looked at the photos Katyusha had provided.

Finally, it all came down to one person. "Nick Fury..."

Chen Tian's mind cleared instantly.

In Chen Tian's mind, fragmented information from the two worlds was being stirred, collided, and merged wildly as if by an invisible magnetic force.

Movie Fragments:

That one-eyed bureau chief always lurked in the shadows, speaking as if he were enigmatic.

"You never know what I'm carrying" (Iron Man 1) -- Threat? No, it's control. He assembled the Avengers (The Avengers), but used "Insight Plan" to direct the Helicarriers' guns at every potential threat (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)...

Nick Fury only trusts the cards he holds. His biggest card, shining brightly, is capable of destroying a spaceship— Captain Marvel, Carol Vers.

After Thanos the Snap, the only person he called for help on his pager (the post-credits scene of Avengers: Infinity War).

Comic Fragment (Darker):

Nick Fury's shadow is even deeper.

His attitude towards superpowered individuals is far more complex than simply "cooperation." He possesses a cold, surgical logic: those he can control are for his own use; those he cannot control are seen as threats; and those threats that are large enough and uncontrollable... must be eliminated or countermeasures must be found.

This is the true "duty" of the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. – to maintain "order" by any necessary means.

He established the "Howling Commandos," which is full of monsters; he monitors every hero and collects their weaknesses; he will even turn on his former comrades without hesitation when necessary (as evidenced by numerous scenes in the comics).

His defenses are not like Batman's, which are tinged with tragedy and moral constraints. Fury's defenses are based on a cold-blooded logic of domination, a natural wariness and crushing instinct of those in power towards uncontrollable forces.

Snap!

An invisible current surged through Chen Tian's mind!

Key point 1: The trump card has failed!

In the battle against Thanos... he completely crushed that purple potato monster and his army, and even Captain Marvel Carol Vers, who came to the rescue, was so shocked that she felt as if she were facing the abyss of the universe!

Carol isn't stupid; she will definitely, and inevitably will, inform the only person she trusts on Blue Planet, or rather, the only person who can restrain her, about this existence "powerful enough to overturn the balance of the universe"—Nick Fury!

Fury's greatest trump card, the one he relied on to maintain "order" on Blue Planet on a cosmic scale... collapsed before him!

Key Point 2: A "New Variable" Out of Control!

The Arbitrator Alliance is not the Avengers. Although the Avengers are powerful, most of their members are on Blue Planet, have attachments, and adhere to moral principles (most of the time). They can be predicted and even incorporated into Fury's "system" framework for balance and management through various means (personal relationships, the big picture, and threats).

But what about the Arbitrators?

Chen Tian didn't believe that after so much time, Fury wouldn't have failed to investigate whether Chen Tian was behind the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D.. and the United Nations Security Council. Just for that reason alone, Fury would consider Chen Tian the biggest threat.

Moreover, the current Arbitrators are not primarily composed of Marvel heroes.

Tony, Captain America, Falcon, and the recently added 'intern' Spider-Man and Ant-Man are all Marvel's homegrown heroes.

However, the top-tier combat force among the Arbitrators is Chen Tian's squad!

Dante, Vergil, 2B, Madara, Bayonetta, Goku, Saitama.

Aside from 2B and Madara, any one of these guys, if taken out individually and placed as a villain in the Marvel Universe, would be the kind of being that would require a combined effort of powerful figures from the Multiverse to defeat.

And these guys are all members of Chen Tian's team!

From Fury's perspective, this is 10,000 times more dangerous than 10,000 Thanos combined!

This is not a group of heroes; it is a Damocles' sword hanging over the head of the Earth (or rather, the "order" that Fury wants to protect) that has completely spiraled out of control!

How could he possibly sleep?!

Key Point 3: "Countermeasures" are instinctive!

Batman's research into countermeasures stems from his pessimism about humanity and his fear of losing control, but more profoundly, it's about "protecting" everything he cherishes when necessary (albeit in extreme ways).

Fury's counterattack... is the instinct of a ruler! It's "How can I tolerate another's snoring beside my bed!" It's the cold creed that "power must be controlled, and what is out of control must be eliminated!"

He doesn't need to understand you, he doesn't need to sympathize with you, he just needs to make sure you don't threaten the "order" structure he wants to maintain.

If there's a threat... then find the chains, or... find the knife!

Boom!

Chen Tian felt a throbbing pain in his temples. All the clues instantly connected, pointing to the target hidden beneath layers of mist, coiled in the shadows like a venomous snake!

"Heh..." A low, suppressed laugh, chilling to the bone, escaped Chen Tian's throat, breaking the suffocating silence in the command room.

Everyone's nerves tensed up instantly at that laugh!

Chen Tian suddenly looked up, his eyes no longer showing any confusion or indifference, but only a sharp, cold light that seemed to pierce through the depths of hell!

"I can't believe it, Nick Fury, you bald guy, you're still not giving up."

"But simply relying on 'Bootleg Captain America' is not enough to be a countermeasure."

"There's only one reason: the so-called 'Silver Shield Program' is just a smokescreen, a pretext placed in front of us to distract us."

The command room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was frozen in place by Chen Tian's final, chilling yet earth-shattering conclusion.

A cover?

Melina's lips parted slightly, her eyes wide with surprise; she was about to speak—

"Melina!" Chen Tian's voice cleaved through the air, carrying a forceful, commanding tone. He gave her no time to ask questions; the order had already been given:

"From this moment forward, the entire Red Room, vanish from the face of the earth! Cut off all unencrypted communications and activate the highest level 'Shadow' protocol! You have only one mission—"

Chen Tian tapped his index finger heavily on Valentina's cold, blurry face on the holographic screen.

"Like cleaning up the Hydra files, drag her out of the darkness! I want her serum samples, I want her core data, and I want all the real secrets in her head about Fury and that so-called 'Silver Shield'!"

"It's not about arresting her, it's about eradicating all her hideouts, all her contact points, and all the maggots who helped her hide! Let her become a true 'ghost,' a ghost that can only scream in our cage! Understand?!"

"Understood, Commander!" Melina straightened her back instantly, her astonishment replaced by a chilling aura, revealing the sharp edge of the Red Room Commander.

"Yelena!" Chen Tian's gaze shifted, locking onto the figure toying with the dagger.

"I'm here, brother." Yelena's voice was light and airy, with a hint of excited tremor, her gray-blue eyes like a cat eyeing its prey.

"You cooperate with Melina," Chen Tian said in a flat tone, "Use your best methods to ensure that our 'Arms Dealer Queen' hands over the intelligence we need in desperation. Remember, I want her to talk, and more importantly, I want her to regret being alive."

Yelena's lips curled into a sweet yet chilling smile, the dagger flashing silver at her fingertips. "Received. Guaranteed to leave a lasting impression." She even extended her tongue, lightly licking the sharp blade.

"Alexei!" Chen Tian looked at the Red Guardian was as strong as a bear.

"Roar?!" Alexei stood up abruptly, his massive body almost blocking the light from the projection behind him. He let out a deep, muffled growl, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"You are the hammer that smashes the cage," Chen Tian said succinctly. "When they find their lair, what you need to do is make that place... completely disappear. Leave not a single tile. Any resistance, crush it!"

"Haha! I love this job!" Alexei grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth, and a savage, destructive aura emanated from him.

"Psylocke!" Chen Tian's gaze shifted to the direction of the purple energy flowing in the shadows.

The shadows gathered silently, outlining a slender, aloof figure. "Coordinates?"

"When the Killmonger was in power, Vibranium weapons and other equipment leaked out," Chen Tian's voice was chillingly cold. "I want you to investigate whether all that equipment was recovered by Wakanda, or whether the Killmonger and his cronies planted any 'landmines' in those countries. As for those 'landmines'..." He paused, his eyes icy, "You can dispose of them as you see fit. But the primary objective is intelligence!"

"Understood." The Psylocke's voice echoed like a secluded valley. Her figure slowly retreated, hiding herself in the darkness, leaving only a wisp of floral fragrance.

"Logan," Chen Tian looked at Wolverine, who was puffing on a cigar and whose claws had already left shallow scratches on the Wolverine, "You follow Psylocke. Your nose is better than any Scouter. I want you to smell clearly what 'treasure' is hidden in that place besides Vibranium and the smell of earth! Don't be impulsive, listen to Psylocke's instructions. But if there's a chance to make Valentina and Fury's precious children bleed a little... don't hesitate."

Logan took a deep drag on his cigar, the crimson embers reflecting the fierce glint in his eyes. "That's exactly what I was waiting for!"

"The other the Adjudicator," Chen Tian's gaze swept over Magneto, Angel, and Storm, "Act immediately! The Adjudicator's actions cannot be exposed to the light of day; they must go into the shadows and return in the shadows. Your tasks are: 1. Ensure Psylocke and Logan's escape route is clear; 2. Eliminate all traces that may lead to the Red Room operation; 3. If you discover that everything I just mentioned is clearly related to Fury, expose it—don't hesitate."

"Katyusha!" Chen Tian finally looked at the central holographic screen.

"Commands awaiting your orders, Commander."

"Lock down the entire movement path of the Adjudicator and the Red Room, with the highest level of encryption! Guarantee their 'disappearance'!"

"Command confirmed. 'Shadow' protocol activated, encryption complete. Movement tracking uploaded to independent dark web server in real time."

Once the order was given, the entire command center seemed to have been swept by a silent hurricane, filled with a chilling atmosphere.

Everyone had already shot off like arrows, disappearing into the unknown darkness and battlefield.

Chen Tian stood still, his gaze sweeping across the conference room, which had suddenly become much emptier. The previously boiling murderous aura on his body quickly settled and subsided, eventually transforming into a cold and aloof demeanor like a deep pool.

He took a deep breath, and the sharp, bloody, rusty aura that belonged to the "Commander of the Adjudicator" dissipated like the receding tide.

He raised his hand, casually brushing aside the still slightly damp bangs on his forehead. The remaining tension on his face disappeared, and he even rolled his Byakugan slightly at the air, muttering under his breath, "Tsk... wearing a suit, what a hassle."

This small complaint, coupled with his instantly slumped shoulders and reappearing languid expression, seemed to have flipped a switch that changed his personality. The Adjudicator Commander who had just issued cold orders, with eyes as sharp as knives, and who was determined to uproot the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. along with his secret henchmen, seemed to have been shut down and shoved back into the depths of his consciousness.

Inside that body, there seemed to be nothing but a beast of burden who had just worked an all-nighter and now just wanted to go home and collapse—if you ignored those unbelievably deep eyes that occasionally flashed by.

He turned around, his face now sporting that signature sunny, carefree smile, and said to Melina, "Aunt May," he grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, his tone as casual as if he were asking, "What are you having for dinner?" "I'm leaving things here to you. I'm going back to being my 'Arbitrators' now."

Melina: "..."

Looking at the face that had instantly transformed from a cold and ruthless battlefield commander into a sunny, approachable boy next door, and listening to this incredibly natural "handover" speech, even the battle-hardened, iron-willed commander of the Red Room felt a moment of indescribable... speechlessness.

She knows Chen Tian too well.

This kid is so meticulous, far-sighted, and ruthless in planning and executing the most ruthless and deadly actions that even the most seasoned instructors in the Red Room would be ashamed of themselves.

In 1995, he had already quietly laid out the "Blood Bag Plan," a stroke of genius—taking advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of the S.H.I.E.L.D. and mutual infighting between S. H. I. E. L. D. and Hydra, he used the massive financial flows and resource networks of these two behemoths as a continuous, secret, and secure blood transfusion pump for the Red Room!

This operation, buried deep in the dust of history, was nothing short of manipulating the world's two intelligence giants with ease!

Every step was precisely placed within the cracks, ultimately silently strengthening the Red Room itself and laying an unimaginable material foundation for the later the Adjudicator.

Therefore, Melina wholeheartedly agreed with and resolutely carried out the orders he gave that would make any person in the know shudder—"disappear," "eradicate completely," "regret living," "crush," "shut up completely."

She knew that behind this seemingly insane order was Chen Tian's most direct and efficient counterattack, stemming from his comprehensive understanding of the situation and his anticipation of Fury's deadly threat. He had won him over completely.

But! This Blackhand, who manipulates events from the shadows, can switch seamlessly from coldly ordering the eradication of a secret network of top agents and the death of a veteran spy chief to this lazy, "Ah, I'm so tired, I want to go home and lie down" look in the next second!

This stark contrast always gave Melina a feeling of cognitive dissonance.

It's like watching a top surgeon who has just elegantly dissected a corpse, then the next second throws off his gloves, grabs a hamburger and cola, and starts munching away without any regard for appearances.

"Commander," Melina took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and forced her voice back to its usual cold and rigid tone, "'Shadow' Protocol has been fully activated. The Red Room is immediately placed under silence. Katyusha will report to you on any further developments through the highest-encryption channel."

"Yes, yes, very good. I have complete confidence in you." Chen Tian waved his hand with a smile, his expression saying, "No need to report such a small matter."

A soft blue light began to emanate from his body, causing the space to ripple slightly.

"Let's go, Aunt May!" Before the words were finished, a bright blue light suddenly shone, and Chen Tian's figure vanished instantly.

Melina stared at the disappearing point of light for a few seconds in silence.

In the end, she simply spoke softly to the empty command room, her face expressionless, as if talking to herself, yet carrying a final assessment of Chen Tian's "split" personality:

"What a... monster."

Immediately, her eyes sharpened, and she transformed back into the commanding commander of the Red Room, her icy voice ringing out.

"Katyusha, activate 'Shadow Veil,' complete silence!"

Malibu, top floor of the Arbitrator Tower, private helipad.

The moment Chen Tian's figure emerged from the blue light, a flash of lightning struck his mind.

Standing on the building's helipad, his brow furrowed once more.

' Fury wouldn't be that stupid. The report Katyusha found out is just what Fury wants others to see. What's really behind this Bootleg Captain America? Have I overlooked something?...'

"Chen--Tian!!!"

While Chen Tian was still pondering all of this, a powerful roar, filled with suppressed rage that had been building up for who knows how long, rang out in his ears!