A choice between boundaries and personal desires, the head of the Mutants Management Committee

Ten minutes.

A cold, purely data-driven timeframe.

It hovered above the three leaders, heavier than the city that was slowly rising into the air.

The wind has stopped.

Or rather, in this airspace shrouded by invisible forces and enormous shadows, the wind can no longer be felt.

Only deathly silence.

Hela's knuckles were slightly white as she gripped the Night Sky Sword.

Her gaze shifted between the slowly ascending Sokovia and her two other "colleagues," and finally, she let out a cold snort of extreme impatience.

"Is it worth wasting time on the ramblings of someone who Tin Can?"

She spoke, breaking the suffocating silence.

"Then crush the entire city along with it."

Hela's tone left no room for negotiation, as if stating an established fact.

This is the modus operandi of the head of the Asgard Stability Affairs Office, and also the instinct of the Goddess of Death.

When a problem arises, address the root cause of the problem.

As for any incidental losses... they were never within her consideration.

"What the master wants is results." She looked at Wanda, her eyes sharp as knives. "He wants Ultron to be completely destroyed, and for us to clear our names of previous negligence. As for the process, as long as it's efficient enough, he won't care."

That's what they say.

But Hela knew in her heart that the "collateral damage to people's livelihood" that Lynn had deliberately added to the performance evaluation criteria was a shackle around her neck.

Her proposal at this moment seems more like a form of pressure.

A probe into the stance of the other two responsible persons.

Wanda's body trembled violently.

Her gaze could not leave that familiar land.

Crush?

Will she turn her homeland, the only remaining ruins holding all her memories, along with that damned robot, into cosmic dust?

Anger and sorrow surged within her like two torrents.

But what could she do?

Let Ultron leave, and let Lynn's secret sink without a trace?

No.

She needs to know the truth.

She needs to know whether the figure who shielded her from the laser beam was a unique act of salvation or a cheap performance that can be replicated endlessly.

Should we allow Ultron to release that "dirty information" to the public?

That won't do either.

That belonged to her; it was the unforgettable bond between her and Lynn.

Even lies and deceptions should never become fodder for gossip around the world.

That was blasphemy against him.

It is also the ultimate humiliation for her feelings.

Wanda is in a dead end.

Her Chaos Magic became extremely unstable due to the intense inner conflict; Scarlet energy dissipated around her, yet she could find no outlet to release it.

Protect our homeland.

Upholding the dignity of the master.

To uncover the truth about selfish desires.

You can't have all three.

Hela took in Wanda's struggles, a barely perceptible smile curving her lips.

very good.

The main attacker has lost his basic judgment due to personal emotional factors.

Her gaze shifted to the last person, who had remained absolutely silent from beginning to end.

Jean Grey.

Head of the Mutants Affairs Management Committee.

This subordinate, who had always been the master's favorite, now stood quietly on another pile of ruins, his expression as aloof as ever.

It was as if the two choices Ultron presented to her did not pose any problem whatsoever.

"What's your opinion?" Hela asked.

Qin did not answer immediately.

Her Psychic Network, like an invisible giant net, has long since enveloped the entire area.

She is analyzing.

Using a thinking speed far exceeding that of humans, they deduced the pros and cons behind each option.

Option 1: Destroy by force.

As Hela said, erase the city along with Ultron.

The risk is extremely high. This action will inevitably trigger the highest penalty clause of "collateral damage to people's livelihoods." The "steady and reliable" image she has painstakingly built in front of her master will completely collapse.

Not feasible.

Option 2: Let them go.

Let Ultron leave safely with its database, thus preserving the planet.

From a broader perspective, this is the safest option.

From a personal standpoint, this means she will forever lose the opportunity to uncover the truth. That "anonymous report" will become a thorn in her heart, making it impossible for her to maintain pure loyalty and love when facing her master.

More importantly, she will lose her only chance to close the information gap.

She will forever live in jealousy and suspicion towards that "Gwen Stacy".

This is equally unacceptable.

Option 3: Stand by Ultron broadcast globally.

Let the whole world see Lynn's secret.

This is the most foolish choice.

This would not only enrage the master, but also expose the three women's internal competition and selfish desires to the light of day.

At that time, they will no longer be high-ranking faction leaders, but a group of pathetic women fighting over each other.

It was a devastating blow to her status.

Therefore, all three options are dead ends.

Ultron's open scheme was flawless.

unless...

Deep within Jean Grey's emerald eyes, a wisp of Dark Gold flame quietly ignited.

Unless, you jump out of this poker table.

Don't do multiple-choice questions.

Instead, we redefine the problem.

What she wanted was never the safety of the world, nor the success or failure of any mission.

What she wanted was that data.

It was that complete, unedited record of Lynn's memories of dying for different women...

Only by obtaining it can she understand exactly where she went wrong.

Only by obtaining it can she find the weaknesses of her competitors and reclaim her unique position.

Once this thought arose, it spread like wildfire, like Phoenix Force.

At this moment, the so-called organizational bottom line and the so-called principles of action all seem so pale and powerless.

In order to win in Shura Field, rules are meant to be broken.

I have a suggestion.

Qin finally spoke, her voice so calm that it was completely unwavering.

Hela and Wanda's gazes both fell upon her.

"What?"

"We'll make a deal with it," Qin said slowly.

Hela frowned. "A trade? And a pile of scrap metal?"

"Yes." Qin's gaze was fixed on the center of the floating city. "In exchange for sparing its life, we'll obtain that data."

Wanda looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with disbelief.

This is a blatant violation of the rules.

It is a secret peace agreement with a hostile target.

"Are you insane?" Wanda's voice trembled slightly. "This is betrayal!"

"No." Qin shook her head, her tone remaining calm. "This isn't betrayal; it's about cutting losses. It's also to better complete the task assigned by our master."

Her rhetoric was rife with the bureaucratic evasion and pretense of officialdom.

"Think about it, once we obtain the data and confirm it's fake, we can completely dispel any doubts and carry out our master's will with the utmost resolve. That's what our master wants to see most."

"As for letting Ultron go... I believe the master can distinguish between an Artificial Intelligence that can be erased at any time and an internal threat that could shake the stability of our core team."

These words sounded very dignified and proper.

Hela narrowed her eyes; she sensed a familiar undertone in Qin's words—a scramble for credit.

Qin wanted to keep this information for herself.

But she didn't expose it immediately.

Because she also wanted to know the truth about that "whistleblower report."

"How do we trade?" Hela asked. "Of the three of us, who will go to negotiate? And who will get the data?"

That's the crux of the problem.

A faint smile finally appeared on Qin's face.

That's exactly what she was waiting to hear.

"Of course... no one can have it all to themselves."

As she spoke, she closed her eyes.

The next second, a vast and hidden spiritual energy quietly spread from her body.

It didn't alert anyone.

It bypassed Hela's Death Force protective range and avoided Wanda's raging Chaos Energy.

Like an invisible, finest Silk, it precisely and silently traverses vast physical distances, connecting to the deepest part of that floating city.

Connect to that cold, rapidly processing core consciousness.

She stopped wasting time talking to Hela and Wanda.

She chose to cross the line.

She wanted to unilaterally engage in a secret deal with a hostile target, a deal known only to herself.

Just as Jean's spiritual tendrils were about to touch Ultron's core code.

Negative Zone.

On that Throne made of countless white bones.

Lynn, who had been resting with his eyes closed, twitched his eyelids slightly.

Meanwhile, in Sokovia, in Ultron's dark command center.

The cold, synthesized voice sounded again, but this time it carried an unprecedented, data-driven fluctuation resembling "confusion."

"An unknown, high-privilege Mind Link request has been detected..."

"Request source: Jean Grey, head of the Mutants Affairs Management Committee."

"The request... is it an exchange of benefits?"

"... This anomalous behavior should be prioritized as the highest priority variable. The tactical model should be re-evaluated."