Infiltrate, Boy!

The roar of the plane's engines gradually faded before finally stopping beside a remote stretch of coastline in Cuba. Dawn had barely broken, waves crashed against the reefs, and the air was filled with the salty dampness of the sea breeze.

The cabin door slowly opened. Dreykov stood on the tarmac with a warm smile, like an old friend greeting someone after a long separation. He spread his arms and warmly approached Alexei.

"Alexei! My old friend!" Dreykov's voice was hoarse, as though it carried some bewitching power. "Welcome home."

Alexei froze for a moment, then quickly broke into a simple, honest smile and hugged Dreykov back tightly. "Comrade Dreykov! You really went to the trouble of coming to meet us yourself!"

Melina stood beside them with a flawless smile on her face, but her eyes were cold.

She gently nudged Natasha and Yelena, signaling for them to get off the plane. The two little girls tightly held each other's hands as they carefully descended the stairs.

Natasha's gaze swept across the surroundings—more than a dozen agents in black uniforms stood silently along the shore, their eyes sharp and cold, as though appraising prey. Yelena shrank behind her sister, unconsciously clutching Natasha's clothes tighter.

Dreykov released Alexei, turned to Melina, and kept his gentle smile. "Melina, the mission was completed exceptionally well."

Melina gave a slight nod, her voice calm. "Everything for the Red Room."

Dreykov nodded in satisfaction, then his gaze fell upon Natasha and Yelena.

The two little girls instantly stiffened.

Those eyes—deep and cold, as if they could see through the deepest fears in a person's heart. Natasha's breathing quickened slightly. She could feel Dreykov's gaze lingering on her, as though he were evaluating a weapon rather than a child.

"Natasha, Yelena." Dreykov's voice was gentle, yet it sent chills through them. "Welcome to your... new home."

Yelena's lips trembled slightly, but she stubbornly refused to cry. Natasha stared fixedly at Dreykov, a hint of vigilance in her eyes that did not belong to a child her age.

Dreykov seemed to notice her reaction, and the corners of his lips rose slightly. "An interesting child."

He turned to Melina, his tone casual. "Take them back to the Red Room. Training begins tomorrow."

Melina nodded and took the two girls' hands. "Come on, children."

Natasha and Yelena were led away, but Natasha could not help looking back—Dreykov was speaking quietly with Alexei, yet his gaze continued to follow them, seemingly absentmindedly.

—That was definitely not a benevolent look.

Natasha and Yelena were taken away by Melina, while Dreykov's gaze continued to trail after them until their figures disappeared into the black military truck by the shore.

Chen Tian remained hidden in the plane's luggage compartment. His breathing was steady, but his eyes were sharp as blades.

"Master, aren't we making a move?" 2B's voice rang out in the Summoning Space, carrying a trace of urgency.

Chen Tian did not answer immediately.

His mind was racing, countless possibilities colliding within his thoughts—

Save Natasha and Yelena? Of course. That had been the original goal. But now, he saw a greater opportunity.

Destroy the Red Room? Dreykov was right in front of him. Madara's genjutsu could let him approach without a sound and take his head in one strike. But the Red Room would not collapse simply because its leader died. It would only go underground and wait for the next person to take power.

Control the Red Room? The thought flashed through his mind, then took root.

—If he could replace Dreykov, the Red Room's vast intelligence network, agent resources, and even those undiscovered Black Widow candidates would all become his strength.

"2B, do you think... we should take over this place directly?" Chen Tian asked quietly.

2B fell silent for a moment before answering, "Master, the Red Room's system is complicated. Direct control will require time. But if you decide to do this, I will assist you with everything I have."

Chen Tian narrowed his eyes and lightly tapped his fingers against his knee.

Dreykov had already turned around and was walking toward another black sedan with Alexei. Melina had taken the two girls away, while the agents along the shore also began withdrawing in an orderly fashion.

The opportunity would vanish in an instant.

"Madara." Chen Tian called through their mental link.

"My lord." Madara replied.

"If I want Dreykov to 'voluntarily' hand over control of the Red Room, how far can your genjutsu go?"

Madara's Sharingan flickered slightly within the Summoning Space.

"Anything. As long as you desire it, anything can be done." Madara's voice carried a trace of chill. "But genjutsu is ultimately still genjutsu. If his will is firm, or if someone notices something unusual, the plan may be exposed."

The corners of Chen Tian's mouth lifted.

"Then make him 'volunteer.'"

Ten minutes later, Dreykov's private sedan left the coast and headed toward his private plane along a rugged mountain road.

Inside the car, Dreykov was reviewing the mission report submitted by Melina when his gaze suddenly froze.

A pair of scarlet eyes was reflected in the window glass.

Sharingan.

Dreykov's fingers stiffened, and his pupils abruptly contracted. Yet the next second, his expression returned to calm, as though nothing had happened.

Madara's genjutsu was weaving an invisible net, gradually eroding his mind.

"My lord, the genjutsu has taken effect. From here on, he is your toy." Madara's voice echoed in Chen Tian's mind.

Chen Tian stood in the shadows, watching the sedan drive away as a cold smile formed on his lips.

"Very good."

The door of Dreykov's private plane slowly closed, and the engines gave off a low hum. Chen Tian sat in a leather seat, lightly tapping the armrest with his fingertips as he gazed through the window at the receding coastline.

Madara stood beside him, his Sharingan slowly turning as he maintained control over Dreykov's genjutsu.

Dreykov himself sat opposite them, his expression calm and his eyes vacant, like an exquisite puppet.

"My lord, the genjutsu is stable." Madara spoke quietly. "His consciousness has been fully suppressed. You may now issue commands as you please."

Chen Tian gave a slight nod, his gaze falling upon Dreykov.

"Dreykov." His voice was calm but beyond question.

Dreykov slowly raised his head. His eyes were dull, but his tone remained steady. "Yes."

"First order—Natasha and Yelena are not to undergo any training for the time being."

Dreykov nodded. "Understood."

"Second order—use the highest authority to seal their information. No one is permitted to contact them."

"Yes."

"Third order—take me to the Red Room's core database."

Dreykov's eyes flickered slightly, as though instinctively resisting the order, but Madara's Sharingan suddenly deepened. The force of the genjutsu washed over his will like a tide.

In the end, he lowered his head. "...As ordered."

The plane landed at a secret private airfield outside Budapest. The complex locals called the "Red Room" was cleverly hidden amid the tangled buildings of Budapest's old city. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary government office building, blending perfectly with the surrounding neoclassical architecture.

Dreykov walked in front, with Chen Tian and Madara following closely behind. The three passed through an archway adorned with elaborate reliefs and entered an ordinary-looking elevator. When Dreykov pressed the B3 button, Chen Tian noticed that his fingerprint left an almost invisible fluorescent mark on it.

"Master," 2B's voice sounded in Chen Tian's mind, carrying a hint of caution, "the encryption system here is more advanced than S.H.I.E.L.D.'s from this era. Every corridor is filled with biometric scanners."

The elevator descended silently. These security measures were flawlessly integrated into the everyday protections of the Budapest government building, so even the local police would not become suspicious.

"Can you crack it?" Chen Tian asked mentally.

"I can try," 2B replied. "But the best method would be to directly access their core computer."

The elevator stopped at level B3. Beyond the opening doors was a corridor carpeted with traditional Hungarian patterns. Dreykov led them toward a room at the end marked "Archives," where two guards in Hungarian police uniforms stood outside.

"Comrade Dreykov," one of the guards said in Russian with a heavy Hungarian accent, "today is not a scheduled inspection day."

Dreykov gave a mild smile. "Special mission, comrade. Orders from the High Council."

The guard hesitated, but ultimately stepped aside. Chen Tian noticed the guard's pupils dilate slightly—a sign of hypnosis. It seemed the Red Room had even subjected local government personnel to mental control.

When the heavy oak door closed behind them, Chen Tian discovered that this so-called "archives room" was actually a futuristic control center. Huge screens on the walls flickered with real-time surveillance footage from across Europe.

"Take me to the core database," Chen Tian ordered.

Dreykov nodded mechanically and walked toward an ordinary-looking desk in the center of the room. He pressed a hidden switch beneath it, and the floor slowly split apart, revealing a spiral staircase leading downward.

The spiral staircase extended downward like steps leading into hell. Chen Tian followed behind Dreykov while Madara transformed into an epaulet fastened to Chen Tian's collar. Their footsteps were completely absorbed by the specially made floor. A faint scent of ozone filled the air, the unique smell of massive computers in operation.

"Master," 2B's voice sounded in Chen Tian's mind, "the surveillance system has already captured your image, but I am altering the footage in real time. However..."

"However what?"

"The Red Room's system uses a special encryption method. My modifications can currently only last for seventy-two hours. After that, the original data will automatically be restored."

Chen Tian narrowed his eyes. Seventy-two hours was enough.

At the bottom of the stairs stood a heavy alloy door. The biometric device on it emitted a deep blue glow. Dreykov pressed his palm against the scanner while aligning his right eye with the iris reader.

"Identity confirmed, Comrade Dreykov." A mechanical female voice spoke in Russian. "Welcome to the Data Sanctum."

The door slid open without a sound, revealing a circular space the size of a basketball court. At its center stood a massive quantum computer, countless fiber-optic cables extending from the mainframe to hundreds of terminals along the walls like blood vessels. Dozens of technicians were working, but all wore special headsets and showed no reaction to the outside world.

"Brainwave disruptors," 2B immediately analyzed. "These people are all in a semi-hypnotic state. They will only focus on the work in front of them."

Dreykov led them through the busy technicians and straight toward the central console. A middle-aged woman in gold-rimmed glasses looked up and immediately stood upon seeing Dreykov.

"Sir! We received no notice that you were coming..."

"Temporary inspection, Comrade Ivanova." Dreykov's voice was mechanical and steady. "Activate the highest authorization protocol, codename 'Holly.'"

Ivanova's expression instantly became vacant, and her fingers rapidly struck the keyboard. "Protocol confirmed. The system will enter administrative mode in thirty seconds."

Chen Tian noticed that a young technician beside the console seemed to have detected something wrong and was secretly glancing in their direction. Madara's Sharingan turned slightly, and the technician immediately lowered his head and resumed working.

"My lord," Madara whispered, "someone is resisting the brainwave disruption."

Chen Tian nodded without changing expression. The Red Room truly lived up to its reputation. Even ordinary technicians possessed such willpower.

The main screen of the console lit up, displaying a three-dimensional holographic projection resembling the Hydra emblem.

"Master," 2B's voice suddenly turned tense, "this is not an ordinary Red Room system... This is a special system jointly developed by Hydra and the Red Room!"

Chen Tian's pupils shrank slightly. No wonder Dreykov had been able to establish such an enormous spy network during the Cold War. Hydra had been supporting him from behind the scenes.

"2B, can you take complete control of this system?"

"I need physical contact with the core processor," 2B answered. "Do not worry. I will give it everything I have, Master."

Dreykov was already standing before the biometric terminal. "Please proceed with final authorization."

Chen Tian looked at Madara, who gave an almost imperceptible nod. The Sharingan's genjutsu was still operating flawlessly.

When Dreykov pressed his palm against the terminal, Chen Tian silently stepped up to the console. He pretended to adjust his collar with his right hand, but was actually allowing 2B's nano-interface to make contact with the system.

"Beginning infiltration..." 2B's voice rang through Chen Tian's mind, focused and intent. "The first firewall layer has been breached."

Chen Tian lightly tapped the edge of the console with his fingers. He looked absentminded, but his rhythm was perfectly synchronized with 2B's infiltration. The nanoscale interface established a connection with the system core at the molecular level, and 2B's algorithms flooded into this era's supercomputer like a tidal wave.

"The second encryption layer has been cracked." 2B's voice held a trace of excitement. "Establishing a data mirror... eighty-five percent... ninety-two percent..."

"Ninety-five percent... one hundred percent... 2B has completely taken control of all Red Room data, including the Red Room's intelligent AI." 2B's voice entered Chen Tian's ears. "Now the Red Room's 'Katyusha' is your servant, Master."

In an instant, every light in the control room went out. Only the indicator lights on the mainframe sparkled like stars.

"System update complete." The mechanical female voice sounded. "Highest authorization has been transferred."

The lights came back on. All the technicians put their headsets back on and continued working, as though the blackout had never happened.

Ivanova blinked blankly, then casually returned to her seat.

Chen Tian gently ran his hand across the console, feeling the pulse of data flowing beneath his fingertips. Now, the most powerful spy network of the Cold War era had become his private arsenal.

He summoned 2B. She looked at Chen Tian and smiled, because she saw the young man who had once stood in Arbitrator Tower, full of spirit, describing his plans to Arbitrators like Tony Stark.

"First order," he said softly. "Delete all abnormal records from the past seventy-two hours."

"Executed," 2B replied.

"Second order, remove all surveillance on Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova."

"The order has been issued."

"Third order..." Chen Tian looked at the bewildered technicians. "Activate the Puppet Protocol. Let these lovely comrades... continue their usual work."

By the time he turned to leave, the control room had completely returned to "normal."

The afternoon sunlight of Budapest shone over the three of them. Dreykov's expression had returned to normal, as though he had never been controlled.

"Comrade Dreykov," Chen Tian whispered to 2B, who translated it into Russian in real time, "take Master to see those two children."

Dreykov nodded slightly. "Of course. They are in the special observation area." A trace of cunning, deliberately preserved by Chen Tian, flashed through his eyes. "They are very promising material."

Chen Tian looked toward the boats on the distant Danube, and the smile on his lips deepened.

The door to the special observation area slid open silently. Dreykov stood respectfully to one side with a smile, extending a hand to invite Chen Tian's group inside.

Inside the room, Natasha was arranging breadcrumbs on the table into Morse code, patiently teaching Yelena how to recognize it. Hearing the sound, she abruptly looked up and instinctively shielded her sister behind her—until she saw who had come.

"YoRHa... sister?" Yelena's voice trembled with disbelief.

2B's silver-white hair glowed softly beneath the lights. She dropped to one knee, her eyes flickering faintly as she opened her arms to the two children. The next second, two tiny figures crashed into her embrace like cannonballs.

"I knew you would come!" Natasha buried her face in the hollow of 2B's neck. Her voice was muffled, yet carried a relief she had never felt before. Yelena had already cried herself into a mess, her tiny hands tightly clutching the hem of 2B's combat uniform.

Chen Tian stood in the center of the room, calmly sweeping his gaze around. Dante lounged against the wall, spinning Rebellion on his fingertip like a windmill; Vergil stood with his arms folded, Yamato humming faintly in its sheath; Madara's Sharingan silently scanned the room, confirming the safety of every corner.

Dreykov stood nearby, respectful in posture but somewhat vacant-eyed—his consciousness remained firmly controlled by the genjutsu. At this moment, he was nothing more than a puppet in Chen Tian's hands.

"Alright, little ones." Dante suddenly bent down, his red coat sweeping across the floor. "Time to come with us. This place doesn't even have cola in the vending machines."

Yelena timidly lifted her head from 2B's embrace, then suddenly widened her eyes. "You... your sword is glowing!"

Vergil snorted coldly, but the corners of his lips rose almost imperceptibly. With a flick of his wrist, Yamato drew a brilliant blue arc through the air, precisely slicing apart the surveillance camera in the ceiling without damaging a single wire.

"Cool!" Natasha's eyes lit up, but she immediately looked warily toward Dreykov, apparently still uneasy about his presence.

Chen Tian noticed her vigilance and spoke calmly. "Do not be nervous, Natasha. The Red Room belongs to me now."

Dreykov lowered his head slightly, his voice steady and mechanical. "Everything will be arranged according to your wishes."

Surprise flashed through Natasha's eyes, but soon her gaze returned to 2B, and her tense shoulders finally relaxed a little.

"So..." she asked quietly, "can we really leave this place now?"

2B gently stroked her hair, her voice soft but resolute. "Yes. From today onward, no one will ever hurt you again."

Chen Tian looked at Dreykov, his tone calm. "Arrange a vehicle. Take them to the safe house."

Dreykov nodded. "Executing immediately."

Natasha and Yelena looked at each other, their tiny hands tightly clasped together. This time, they had finally seen the dawn of freedom.