Covert probing by peripheral agencies, buck-passing in interdepartmental coordination

Rockefeller Center, Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

The glass curtain wall of the Roxxon Energy Group reflects a blinding light under the midday sun.

Gwen Stacy Stacy stood across the street, looking at the building. She wasn't wearing her familiar Black-and-White Suit; instead, she had changed into a dark gray uniform, with an inconspicuous badge made of pure black bone material pinned to her chest.

The badge has no text or design.

This is the identity identifier of the "Cross-Dimensional and Special Threat Liaison Office".

"Boss, all external monitoring points are in place. No abnormal energy fluctuations have been detected." The report came through the earpiece from a subordinate, a technical agent she had personally selected from the data vault handed over by S.H.I.E.L.D..

"Proceed according to plan," Gwen Stacy whispered.

She stepped across the road, followed by two agents in similar uniforms.

Stepping through the building's revolving doors, a wave of cold, air-conditioned air mixed with a luxurious fragrance hits you. The marble floor gleams like a mirror, and the employees, dressed in suits, hurry by, each bearing the stereotypical, formulaic expression of Wall Street elite.

Everything seemed so normal.

A well-dressed middle-aged man with a "Security Supervisor" badge on his chest, accompanied by two security guards, approached us directly.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. How can I help you?" His smile was standard, but his eyes held a scrutinizing gaze.

Gwen Stacy didn't waste any words and took a document from her briefcase.

"The Cross-Dimensional and Special Threat Liaison Office is tasked with conducting a routine fire safety inspection of your company."

The header of the document bears the pure black bone badge.

The security supervisor's smile remained unchanged, but his Deity narrowed. He reached out and took the document, carefully examining it twice. He clearly didn't recognize the organization, but the document's air of authority from a higher level made him wary.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. We haven't received any relevant notification." He handed the documents back, his tone still polite. "Furthermore, our fire protection system just passed the New York City Fire Department's annual inspection last week, and all reports are complete."

"We are not the New York City Fire Department," Gwen Stacy said. "Our scope of inspection is different from theirs."

"I understand," the security supervisor nodded. "But according to company policy, any unauthorized external inspection requires approval from the Legal Department and headquarters. This process may take some time."

This is a standard delaying tactic.

Gwen Stacy looked at him. "Our regulations stipulate that we have the authority to conduct unannounced surprise inspections under specific risk warnings. I hope you will cooperate; otherwise, any obstruction of law enforcement will be recorded."

Her words were calm, but the phrase "obstructing law enforcement" carried an undeniable weight.

The security supervisor frowned almost imperceptibly. He looked Gwen Stacy over again, seemingly assessing her confidence.

"Please wait a moment." He didn't argue further, but turned and walked to the side, picked up the Internal Communicator, and whispered something.

Gwen Stacy.

She knew very well that the clues Nick Fury had given her were not unfounded. The more the other party tried to obstruct her, the more it indicated that something was wrong.

A few minutes later, the security supervisor returned.

"Madam, I have reported this to headquarters. The response is that we can cooperate with your inspection of the office areas on floors 1-35. However, the underground energy laboratory and the top-floor data center involve the group's core business secrets and are protected by the highest security protocols. They are not open to any external agency without special permission from the World Security Council."

His attitude hardened.

Gwen Stacy knew in her heart that the real secret must lie in those two places he had mentioned.

"Is this your final decision?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's company policy." The security supervisor gestured for him to proceed. "My team will accompany you throughout the inspection of the office area."

Gwen Stacy didn't move.

She turned around and said to the operative behind her, "Activate Plan B."

"Yes."

The agent immediately moved to a corner and activated an encrypted communication device.

Gwen Stacy needs physical support. According to internal procedures, such cross-departmental coordination requires an application to the Asgard Stability Affairs Office.

The application was sent to Hela's terminal with the highest priority.

Negative Zone, Stability Maintenance Office.

In the cold, metallic hall, Hela stood in front of a massive tactical light screen, reviewing the Undead Legion's deployment map in the New York subway station.

On the terminal, a support request submitted by Gwen Stacy popped up.

Request for Physical Support for Mandatory Security Inspection of Roxxon Energy Group.

The reason for the application is clearly stated: the target unit refused to cooperate with the Liaison Office's routine inspection on the grounds of "trade secrets," which constitutes obstruction of law enforcement. The application requests the Stability Maintenance Office to dispatch a small team to provide physical enforcement support.

Hela looked at the application, a cold smile slowly curving her lips.

That new guy has already run into trouble so quickly.

She recalled her commando team, which had been wiped out without a trace at the Manhattan Clock Shop, and also the accountability meeting where Wanda had kicked her while she was down and Lynn had been indifferent.

Now, this new person in charge wants her to use the power of the Stability Maintenance Office to fight for a "routine inspection"?

"Commander?" The adjutant beside her awaited her instructions.

Hela didn't reply immediately. She zoomed in on the application form and read it word by word.

The procedure was compliant, and the reasons were sufficient.

But she didn't want to approve it.

She wanted to make this new Liaison Office experience what it's like to be isolated and helpless. She wanted them to understand that in this system, simply having a high-level appointment is far from enough.

"Reply." Hela's voice was completely flat.

"This application, after assessment, falls under the category of routine operational friction. As a newly established independent department, the Liaison Office should prioritize resolving it through coordination methods within its own authority. The current core task of the Stability Maintenance Office is to ensure the absolute physical blockade of the 14-B subway station in Queens New York. All mobile forces are on high alert and should not be redeployed at this time."

She paused, then added one last sentence.

"This application is outside the scope of my current job responsibilities. Rejected."

Without any questions, the adjutant immediately converted the instruction into a standard official document format and sent it out.

Hela turned around and looked at the defense map again.

She could almost picture Gwen Stacy Stacy's grim face as she received the rejection notice downstairs at the Roxxon Building.

Lobby on the first floor of the Roxxon Building.

A slight vibration came from the Communicator on Gwen Stacy's wrist.

She raised her wrist and saw the carefully worded, watertight rejection statement.

As expected.

She turned off the Communicator, her face remaining expressionless.

The security supervisor standing nearby had obviously also learned of the result through some channel. A subtle, relaxed smile appeared on his face.

"Ma'am, if you're going to inspect the office area, we can begin."

Gwen Stacy ignored him.

Hela's evasiveness, in fact, confirmed her judgment. This Roxxon Energy was indeed a tough nut to crack, so tough that even Hela was unwilling to touch it easily.

How did a secular energy company end up like this?

The answer is self-evident.

This is the hornet's nest Nick Fury mentioned. A hidden data Anchor established by TVA on Earth.

Just as Gwen Stacy was about to order her associates to change tactics and look for a breakthrough from a secular perspective.

She felt another extremely subtle, unusual vibration in her wrist.

This is not a communication request.

It was the highly sensitive environmental scanning module that came with the intercosmic life support system she brought that was triggered.

A tiny line of characters, almost blending into the background, flashed across the edge of the screen.

[Directed energy scanning wave detected...]

[Scan source: 27th basement level.]

[Scanning features: anomalous time particles, logic locks, existence verification...]

[Scanning target feature matching: Lynn.]

Gwen Stacy's pupils contracted sharply.

This scanning wave was extremely stealthy. It didn't use any conventional form of energy, but instead conducted a kind of "existence" comparison directly at the bottom layer of the rules. If her equipment hadn't come from a different physical rule universe, it would have been impossible to detect this trace.

Deep inside the Roxxon Building, something is scanning.

They are looking for Lynn.