Assessing vulnerabilities in the underlying structure, the Technology Integration Department's techniques
The air in the Core Zone of Chaos Furnace carried a scorching, sweet, and metallic smell.
The Scarlet energy flow was no longer steady; it stirred restlessly at Wanda's fingertips, sometimes contracting, sometimes expanding, reflecting her inner anxiety and excitement.
A report floated in front of her.
It is neither paper nor a pure Data Stream. It is an energy crystal forcibly compressed and solidified by Chaos Magic, its surface covered with complex and orderly Scarlet patterns, while its interior shimmers with a faint light interwoven with orange and Scarlet.
Preliminary Report on the Underlying Structure and Feasibility Assessment of Countermeasures to TVA's "Time Paradox Prohibition"
Wanda gave this report a very long and formal title.
Under immense pressure, she crossed the safety line set by Lynn: "Only analyze the structure." This was a violation, a gamble.
After witnessing Gwen Stacy gain core authority over the Mutants Management Committee without lifting a finger using only an incident report, Wanda deeply felt the crisis. Following the established order was no longer an option for her to regain a favorable position within this power structure.
She needs a unique credit.
Now, the credit is in hand. But along with it comes the potential for severe accountability for any violations.
She took a deep breath, gathering all her pent-up energy, and held the report crystal in her palm.
The crystallization temperature was quite hot to the touch.
The White Bone Hall remained as empty and deathly silent as ever.
Wanda stood alone, fifty paces from the Throne. This distance was one she had carefully chosen after much deliberation—a position that showed sufficient respect without appearing overly distant.
Lynn's gaze fell on the crystal she presented.
He didn't go to get it immediately, nor did he say anything.
The atmosphere in the hall seemed to decrease inch by inch as he fell silent.
Wanda could feel Lynn's gaze shift from the crystal to her. That gaze was devoid of any emotion, yet it sent shivers down her spine more than the turbulent energy currents deep within the Chaos Furnace.
"Technology Integration Department, Wanda Maximoff."
Lynn's voice was flat.
"Yes, sir," Wanda replied softly.
"My orders were to analyze the restrictive structures on the prisoners' corpses," Lynn said flatly. "The title of this report seems to be beyond the scope of the mission."
They've arrived.
Wanda's heart sank. Her biggest fears were laid bare by the top leader.
She didn't dare to look up, and could only lower her head even further.
"I accept your criticism, sir." Her voice was slightly strained. "During the structural analysis, I discovered that the restriction is not absolutely closed. It possesses an Underlying Logic... that exchanges data with real-world physical coordinates. I believe this discovery has extremely high tactical value, and therefore I have taken the liberty of conducting in-depth analysis."
She did not offer any explanation, but directly admitted to the characterization of "unauthorized".
At the same time, she subtly highlighted her own contributions by using the term "tactical value."
Lynn finally reached out and made a gesture from a distance.
The report crystal rose steadily and landed in his palm.
He didn't examine it immediately, but instead ran his fingers along the intricate patterns on the surface of the crystal.
"Tactical value is for me to judge," Lynn's voice remained expressionless, "Not for a department head to decide based on their own subjective wishes. That's the rule."
"Yes, I broke the rules," Wanda admitted again.
She knew that in the face of absolute power, any explanation was futile. Admitting her mistake was the only option.
Lynn stopped talking.
He turned his gaze to the crystal in his hand. A wisp of his own Psychic Power, extremely fine, probed into the crystal.
Instantly, a massive flow of information flooded into his consciousness.
That wasn't dry data, but a dynamic logical model reconstructed by Wanda using the Chaos Magic.
At the heart of the model is TVA's cold, ruthless "Timeline trimming" mechanism. But at the bottom of the model, Wanda marks a crucial vulnerability in striking Scarlet.
TVA's cross-sector enforcement is not a miracle.
It's like a vast wireless network, and those incredibly powerful "reset bombs" and "Adjudicators" are just terminal devices. To make these devices work in different "rooms" (Timeline), signal base stations must be pre-installed in each room.
These base stations are the hidden physical coordinates that TVA has set up on Earth.
They are "Time Anchor".
It is the "Data Interface" through which TVA projects the power of its own rules into the Real World.
Without these Anchor, TVA law enforcement officers are like phones without internet access—powerful hardware but unable to connect to the server. Their Pruning and resets will be ineffective.
Lynn's Psychic Power swiftly traversed the model, verifying every logical node.
Wanda's analysis is precise, insightful, and deadly.
She not only found the loophole, but also reverse-engineered some of the physical characteristics and energy frequency bands of the "Time Anchor".
This means that, in front of Lynn, TVA is no longer the mysterious organization that is high above, incomprehensible, and impossible to resist.
It has become a physical enemy with weaknesses that can be attacked.
The entire strategic situation will be fundamentally reversed because of this report.
Lynn slowly raised his head and looked down at his subordinate below the hall, who was still bowing his head and with his body tense.
This woman, eager to gain credit and reclaim his attention, defied orders and ventured into the forbidden area.
But what she brought back was of immeasurable value.
This kind of reckless obsession and madness, when used for internal strife, is a hidden danger, but when used for external affairs, it becomes the sharpest knife.
"Was this report you submitted completed independently by the Technology Integration Department?" Lynn asked.
Wanda's body trembled slightly, and she immediately replied, "Yes, sir. From data analysis to model building, everything was done independently by the Technology Integration Department, without any information exchange with other departments."
She specifically emphasized "completed independently".
This is a message to the top leader that this credit belongs entirely to her alone.
Lynn nodded and didn't continue discussing the attribution of credit.
He stood up and walked to the center of the hall.
With his will, a huge three-dimensional image of the Earth, composed of light and shadow, slowly unfolded in the air.
He crystallized the report in his hand and gently tossed it into the air.
The crystal floated above the image of Earth, shooting out billions of Scarlet Data Stream that poured down like a torrential rain, merging into the blue planet.
The next second, the surface of the Earth's image began to change.
North America, Europe, Asia... one red dot after another is marked on the map.
These red dots are the coordinates of what appear to be "Time Anchor" derived in reverse from the Wanda Report. They are mostly located in densely populated metropolitan areas, disguised under various inconspicuous buildings.
Wanda looked up at the spectacular scene and her breathing became rapid.
She knew that her work had received the highest level of recognition.
The top leader is using this method to demonstrate the value of her report to her and to the entire Negative Zone.
"This report points us in the right direction for our next steps." Lynn's voice echoed in the empty hall, no longer as cold as before. "Passive defense cannot solve the fundamental problem. Only by taking the initiative into our own hands can we completely break free from this constraint."
He turned around and looked at Wanda.
"The work of the Technology Integration Department has been very effective. Merit is merit, and demerit is demerit. This violation will be recorded. If it happens again, no matter how great the merit, it will all be investigated and punished."
Wanda's heart finally settled back into her stomach.
It should be recorded in the file, not punished.
This means that the top leader reprimanded her, but also protected her.
"Thank you, sir," she said sincerely.
Lynn's gaze had returned to the enormous three-dimensional map. His eyes were like a hunter surveying his hunting grounds.
His fingers traced across the air, brushing over the flashing red dots.
Finally, his fingertip stopped on an extremely sensitive coordinate on the east coast of North America.
New York.
More precisely, it's an abandoned subway station in Queens New York City.
Lynn tapped that area heavily with his finger.
The red dot was instantly magnified, and all the detailed parameters were displayed beside it in a waterfall-like format.
"Let's start here."
Lynn's voice was calm and cold.
"Since they enjoy fishing, let's dig a bigger pond and see who the real fisherman is."