Infiltrate, Boy!

The roar of the plane's engines gradually faded, finally coming to a stop beside a remote stretch of coastline in Cuba. Dawn was just breaking, waves crashed against the reefs, and the air was thick with the salty dampness of the sea breeze.

The cabin door slowly opened. Dreykov stood on the tarmac with a genial 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, carrying an oddly bewitching force. "Welcome home."

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

Melina stood nearby with a perfect 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 clutched each other's hands tightly as they cautiously walked down the gangway.

Natasha swept her gaze over the surroundings—more than a dozen agents in black uniforms stood silently along the shore, their eyes sharp and indifferent, as though appraising prey. Yelena shrank farther behind her sister, her small hand unconsciously tightening around Natasha's clothes.

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 girls instantly went rigid.

Those eyes—deep, cold, as though they could see through the deepest fears in one'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 their bodies. "Welcome to your... new home."

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

Dreykov seemed to notice her reaction, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "Interesting child."

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

Melina nodded and took the 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 from time to time.

That was definitely not a kind look.

Natasha and Yelena were taken away by Melina, while Dreykov's gaze continued to follow them until they vanished into the black military truck by the shore.

Chen Tian remained hidden in the plane's cargo hold, his breathing steady but his eyes as sharp as blades.

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

Chen Tian did not answer immediately.

His mind was racing at high speed as countless possibilities collided within his thoughts—

Rescue Natasha and Yelena? Of course. That had been the original objective. 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 unnoticed and take his head with a single strike. But the Red Room would not collapse just because its leader died. It would only go underground and wait for the next person to take power.

Take control of 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 structure is complicated. Direct control will take time. But if you decide to do it, I will assist you with everything I have."

Chen Tian narrowed his eyes, lightly tapping 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, and the agents on the shore were beginning to withdraw in an orderly fashion.

The opportunity would vanish in an instant.

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

"My lord." Madara responded.

"If I want Dreykov to 'willingly' hand over control of the Red Room, how much can your genjutsu accomplish?"

Madara's Sharingan flickered faintly within the Summoning Space.

"Anything. So long as you desire it, anything can be accomplished." Madara's voice carried a hint of chill. "But genjutsu is still genjutsu. If his will is strong enough, or if someone notices something unusual, the plan may be exposed."

A faint smile tugged at Chen Tian's lips.

"Then make him 'willing.'"

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

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

In the window's reflection appeared a pair of scarlet eyes.

Sharingan.

Dreykov's fingers stiffened, and his pupils abruptly contracted. But in 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 sounded in Chen Tian's mind.

Chen Tian stood in the shadows and watched the sedan disappear into the distance, a cold smile curling across his lips.

"Very good."

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

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

Dreykov himself sat across from him, his expression calm and his eyes hollow, like an exquisitely crafted puppet.

"My lord, the genjutsu is stable." Madara lowered his voice. "His consciousness has been completely suppressed. You may now issue any command you wish."

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

"Dreykov." He spoke calmly, but his tone allowed no doubt.

Dreykov slowly raised his head. His gaze was dull, but his voice remained steady. "Yes."

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

Dreykov nodded. "Understood."

"Second command—seal their information with the highest authority. No one is to contact them."

"Yes."

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

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

In the end, he lowered his head. "...As you command."

The plane landed at a hidden private airport outside Budapest. This complex, known by locals as the "Red Room," was cleverly concealed among the tangled buildings of Budapest's old city. It looked like an ordinary government office building from the outside, blending perfectly with the surrounding neoclassical architecture.

Dreykov walked ahead, with Chen Tian and Madara following close behind. The three passed through an arched gateway decorated with exquisite reliefs and entered an ordinary-looking elevator. When Dreykov pressed the B3 button, Chen Tian noticed that his fingerprint left an almost invisible fluorescent trace on it.

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

The elevator descended soundlessly. These security measures were perfectly integrated into the everyday protection systems of the Budapest government building, and even the local police would not become suspicious.

"Can you crack it?" Chen Tian asked in his mind.

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

The elevator stopped on the B3 level. Beyond the doors was a corridor covered in carpets patterned with traditional Hungarian designs. 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 the day for a routine inspection."

Dreykov revealed a gentle smile. "A special mission, comrade. By order of the Supreme Council."

The guard hesitated before stepping aside. Chen Tian noticed the guard's pupils dilate slightly—a sign of hypnosis. It seemed the Red Room had even placed local government personnel under 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 displays on the walls flickered with real-time surveillance feeds from across Europe.

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

Dreykov nodded mechanically and walked to 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 descending below.

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

"Master," 2B's voice sounded in Chen Tian's mind, "the surveillance system has 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 alterations can only be maintained 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 glowed with a deep blue light. Dreykov pressed his palm against the scanning area while aligning his right eye with the iris scanner.

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

The door slid open silently, revealing a circular space the size of a basketball court. A massive quantum computer stood in the center, with countless fiber-optic cables spreading from the mainframe to hundreds of terminals along the walls like blood vessels. Dozens of technicians were working, but they 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 and will only focus on their current work."

Dreykov led them through the busy technicians and straight toward the central console. A middle-aged woman wearing gold-rimmed glasses looked up and immediately rose to her feet when she saw Dreykov.

"Sir! We did not receive notice that you would be coming..."

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

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

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

"My lord," Madara said quietly, "someone is resisting the brainwave interference."

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

The main display on the console lit up, showing a three-dimensional holographic projection resembling the Hydra emblem.

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

Chen Tian's pupils shrank slightly. No wonder Dreykov had been able to establish such a massive spy network during the Cold War. Hydra had been backing him all along.

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

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

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

Chen Tian looked toward Madara, who nodded almost imperceptibly. The Sharingan's genjutsu was still functioning perfectly.

As 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 while actually allowing 2B's nano-interface to make contact with the system.

"Beginning intrusion..." 2B's voice sounded in 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 seemed casual, but his rhythm was perfectly synchronized with 2B's infiltration. The nanoscale interface established a connection with the system's core at the molecular level, and 2B's algorithms surged into this era's supercomputer like a flood.

"Second encryption layer cracked." 2B's voice carried a trace of excitement. "Creating 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 reached 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 announced. "Highest authority has been transferred."

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

Ivanova blinked blankly, then sat back down as if nothing had happened.

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 had become his personal arsenal.

He summoned 2B. She looked at Chen Tian and smiled, because she saw the young man from Arbitrator Tower, full of spirit as he described his plans to Arbitrators like Tony Stark.

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

"Executed," 2B replied.

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

"The order has been issued."

"Third command..." Chen Tian looked toward the blank-faced technicians. "Activate the Puppet Protocol, and let these lovely comrades... continue their usual work."

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

The afternoon sun of Budapest shone down on 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 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. "Very promising prospects."

Chen Tian looked toward the sightseeing 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 his hand to usher Chen Tian's group inside.

Inside the room, Natasha was arranging bread crumbs on the table into Morse code, patiently teaching Yelena how to recognize it. Hearing movement, she abruptly looked up and reflexively shielded her sister behind her—until she clearly 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. In the next second, two tiny figures slammed into her embrace like cannonballs.

"I knew you would come!" Natasha buried her face in 2B's neck. Her voice was muffled, yet she sounded more relaxed than ever before. Yelena had already cried herself into a mess, her little hands gripping the hem of 2B's combat uniform tightly.

Chen Tian stood in the center of the room, calmly scanning the surroundings. Dante leaned lazily against the wall, spinning Rebellion around his fingertips like a windmill. Vergil stood with his arms crossed, Yamato humming faintly in its sheath. Madara's Sharingan swept through the room soundlessly, confirming the safety of every corner.

Dreykov stood nearby with a respectful posture, though his eyes were slightly hollow—his consciousness was still firmly controlled by genjutsu. At this moment, he was nothing more than a puppet in Chen Tian's hands.

"All right, little ones." Dante suddenly bent down closer, his red coat sweeping across the floor. "Time to come with us. This place doesn't even have a vending machine with cola."

Yelena timidly raised her head from 2B's embrace, then suddenly widened her eyes. "Y-you... your sword is glowing!"

Vergil gave a cold snort, though the corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly. With a flick of his wrist, Yamato cut a brilliant blue arc through the air, precisely slicing apart the surveillance camera on the ceiling without damaging a single wire.

"Cool!" Natasha's eyes lit up, but she immediately looked warily toward Dreykov, still seeming 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. Her tense shoulders finally relaxed a little.

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

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

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

Dreykov nodded. "It will be done immediately."

Natasha and Yelena exchanged a glance, their tiny hands clasping tightly together. This time, they had finally seen the dawn of freedom.