" Pietro and Wanda said that their parents were killed by Jericho Missile manufactured by Stark Industries..."
"So they've decided that Mr. Tony Stark is their enemy..."
Adele said with distress, "This idea is deeply ingrained in their minds. I tried to persuade them, and they almost mistook me for being in cahoots with Mr. Tony Stark..."
Richard chuckled softly, " Wanda and Pietro weren't wrong either..."
"You and Tony are definitely in cahoots..."
Adele choked on her words, and blinked involuntarily:
"Uh, that makes sense. We just brought Tony Stark on board a while ago..."
"Then, what do we do?!"
Adele said with a conflicted expression, "We can't just... we can't..."
Her expression showed great reluctance.
Richard understood she meant to eliminate the root of the problem, and waved his hand, saying, "There's no need to do that..."
"Let Tony, the person involved, handle this..."
"He's always considered himself the smartest person in the world, so these two underage kids shouldn't be a problem for him."
Adele breathed a sigh of relief; that was great. She couldn't bring herself to hurt the two little ones.
Richard turned to Adele: "Is your father, Baron Strucker, dead?"
Adele's body stiffened. She pursed her lips and whispered, "No, boss..."
"He is, after all, my father. I simply cannot bring myself to kill him!"
Richard gently patted her thin shoulder and praised, "Well done. I don't want my subordinates to be cold-hearted."
Adele's eyes quickly welled up with tears. She felt wronged as well. After taking over the secret base, they had actually had a very unpleasant meeting.
Many people suggested killing Baron Strucker, since it was impossible to expect such a powerful figure to willingly submit.
But Adele firmly opposed the suggestion. He was her biological father, and no matter how harsh he had been to her in the past, he was still her blood relative.
If Baron Strucker isn't killed, he can only be imprisoned indefinitely, and if he's rescued by someone else due to carelessness, it will be a huge problem.
After a heated argument, neither side could convince the other, so they had no choice but to temporarily suspend the handling of Baron Strucker.
Richard laughed and said, "Take me to see him."
Adele nodded and gestured, "Please come with me."
Fine, let the eldest son decide our father's fate...
Secret base, Cell 3.
This is a fully enclosed cell constructed with bulletproof glass.
The confinement cells are ventilated using several thin pipes that extend into the air above the base.
The reason for choosing to imprison Baron Strucker here is to prevent the leakage of the terrible Death Virus Spore within his body.
Although Cell 3 is small, it is fairly well-equipped.
A single bed, a desk and a matching chair, with several books on the desk, including philosophy books and novels.
There's even a small, separate wet and dry bathroom inside, which is also transparent...
When Adele led Richard there, Baron Strucker was sitting in a chair reading a novel, dressed in a casual cotton short-sleeved pajama set.
Hearing the noise, he put down his novel and turned to look. After seeing Richard behind Adele, he got up and went to the glass wall.
"You're the one standing behind Adele?"
Baron Strucker looked at the imposing Richard with a questioning gaze.
Richard greeted him with a smile, "Hello, Mr. Strucker. My name is Richard, and I'm Adele's current boss."
" Richard?" Baron Strucker tilted his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly realized, "You're the genius Surgeon who earned his MD from Columbia University at the age of 20?"
"I remember your last information was that you were discharged from New York Presbyterian Hospital?"
Richard's face stiffened upon hearing this, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels fast!"
Damn it, go back and have Clea continue acquiring the Presbyterian Hospital. Set the acquisition price at $1!
I believe the justice that's pressing down on them will make those hospital board members realize the right choice they should make!
Richard's mind raced, but he maintained a nonchalant expression, shrugging and saying, "Ah~ I haven't been a doctor for a long time~"
"When did you join HYDRA?" Baron Strucker asked with interest. " Jennings Phillips invite you?"
Richard shook his head in denial. "No, I haven't joined HYDRA."
Baron Strucker was taken aback, his face showing confusion. "Then how did you manage to win over Adele? Your actions over the past twenty-four years have had absolutely no overlap with Adele's!"
Richard shrugged. " Nick Fury invited me to join S.H.I.E.L.D...."
Baron Strucker exclaimed, "Ah, it's Alexander Pierce!"
"No," Richard denied again, "Mr. Alexander Pierce has never sent anyone to contact me..."
Baron Strucker frowned, somewhat displeased. "No contact? What kind of business is Alexander Pierce doing?"
"When your information landed on my desk, I wanted to extend an invitation to you. A top-tier Surgeon in his twenties isn't someone you come across easily!"
"But after the investigation, I and the other HYDRA leaders gave up. You are Jennings Phillips's student, and according to the rules, we assume you belong to his camp..."
"That's not surprising at all," Richard chuckled. "The current Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Nick Fury, is quite sensitive and suspicious. Sometimes even Mr. Alexander Pierce has to be very careful with his actions."
"Besides, I was invited to join S.H.I.E.L.D.. by someone sent by Nick Fury. Perhaps in Mr. Alexander Pierce's eyes, my background is quite suspicious."
"Hmph~ These HYDRA descendants are getting more and more cowardly!" Baron Strucker couldn't help but sneer.
He changed the subject, saying, "So, kid, what brings you here? Are you trying to persuade me to surrender, or are you planning to kill me?"
Richard casually shrugged, "That's your choice. For Adele's sake, you have three months to consider..."
"During this time, no one will disturb your peace..."
Adele looked at her boss gratefully and said emotionally, "Thank you, boss!"
Baron Strucker, inside the confinement room, sighed, his daughter's pathetic performance was truly unbearable to watch.
"Baron, do you remember Johann Schmidt?" Richard suddenly asked.
" Red Skull?" Baron Strucker was taken aback. "A man who's been dead for decades, nothing to be nostalgic about..."
"Dead? He's not dead!" Richard smiled knowingly. "He's living a very comfortable life now."
"Not dead?!" Baron Strucker exclaimed in surprise. "Then why..."
He suddenly realized halfway through his sentence: "Oh... it seems he's not on Earth!"
"You guessed right, he was transported to another planet in the universe by the Space Stone... what you call the Cosmic Cube."
Richard then changed the subject, saying, "I once promised Adele and the others that their future wouldn't be confined to Earth; their future lay in the stars."
"Maybe one day you'll be able to see an old friend again~"
After saying that, Richard casually opened a Portal.
He turned to Adele and said, " Adele, take good care of those two little ones Wanda and Pietro."
Adele nodded quickly. "Yes, boss!"
The eldest brother always mentions his sister Wanda's name first, which shows how much he values Wanda's superpowers...
Richard nodded to Baron Strucker eyes were wide open. "Goodbye, Baron."
After saying that, he turned and walked into the Portal.
Baron Strucker watched the Portal disappear, he couldn't help but ask, " Adele, just who is this Richard?!"
"Did he teach Shay and Kenneth their Magic?!"
"The boss's identity?" Adele raised her rounded chin and said slowly and clearly in an aria:
"He is the great Lord of Crimson!"
"A true, living Deity!"