Clues in the energy report, the Technology Minister overstepped

Laboratory Zero of the Technology Integration Department was so quiet that only the continuous low hum of the server cooling fans could be heard.

Wanda wasn't sitting in her minister's office, but standing in front of a huge data wall. What flowed on the wall wasn't a complex Chaos Energy model, nor Phoenix Force signature analysis, but a basic, dry energy consumption report that had just been retrieved through internal procedures.

Her gaze was fixed on the inconspicuous 117th line of the report.

Entry Name: ' Night Owl ' Standalone Hangar.

Timestamp: 37 minutes ago.

Peak energy consumption: 9.7 x 10^18 joules.

Note: Normal standby power consumption fluctuates.

Wanda extended her finger and gently tapped the peak data. A red curve was instantly highlighted, like a sharp needle suddenly piercing the horizon, appearing extremely incongruous in the otherwise smooth Data Stream.

She was all too familiar with that number.

This is not routine standby, nor is it a technical test. This is the minimum energy threshold required for a standard-mass Ghost-class Assault Ship to perform a single, ultra-long-distance space jump under full energy load.

The line in the remarks column that reads "normal standby power consumption fluctuation" is like a poorly written lie, lying there quietly, exuding an air of trying to cover up the truth.

Wanda shut down the data wall.

She didn't go back to her office or pick up her Communicator. She simply straightened her Technology Minister uniform, making sure there were no wrinkles, then turned and walked straight out of Laboratory Zero.

The corridor lights were a constant, cool white, reflecting off her calm, expressionless face.

Her pace was neither fast nor slow, and her direction was clear.

Liaison Office.

Gwen Stacy finished processing a supplementary statement regarding the staffing of the TVA Coordination Office and was about to pick up her glass for a sip of water when she saw the glass door to the office being pushed open from the outside.

Wanda walked in.

"Minister." Gwen Stacy stood up, a professional smile on her face, perfectly conveying both respect and slight surprise at the unexpected visit of a department head of equal rank.

"Director Stacy," Wanda addressed her in the same standard way, but her voice was devoid of any warmth.

She didn't walk to the guest sofa area, but stopped directly in front of Gwen Stacy's desk. This distance exceeded the safe boundaries of social interaction, carrying an undeniable sense of pressure.

"I have some data that I'd like you to confirm." Wanda handed over her personal Data Pad, which displayed the energy consumption report and the highlighted red spike on the screen.

Gwen Stacy's gaze lingered on the Data Pad for two seconds.

"Regarding the energy consumption of the ' Night Owl ' hangar," Gwen Stacy looked up, her smile unchanged, "I've seen it. The Minister's keen eye for data is indeed a model for all our departments. However, according to procedure, shouldn't an official letter be sent first for cross-departmental data inquiries?"

This is the most standard response: using procedure to transform the other party's aggressive approach into a routine, official communication.

"The potential security risks behind this data are too great to wait for the official documentation process to be completed," Wanda said. "I need to know the mission designation for the high-energy jump that occurred 37 minutes ago on the ' Nibelung '."

She directly named the warship.

The air in the office seemed to freeze instantly.

"The ' Nibelung ' belongs to the Stability Maintenance Office," Gwen Stacy gently pushed the Data Pad back, her tone remaining calm. "All its operations, as well as related energy logs, are classified as S-Level Classified. The Liaison Office is only responsible for archiving and sealing them; it has no authority to access or interpret them."

She built a wall, a wall built with the highest Confidentiality Regulations of the Management Committee.

"I don't need to access the mission details," Wanda pressed closer. "I only request verification of whether this jump was reported. The Department of Technology is responsible for the energy security audit of the entire Negative Zone. An unreported S-rank jump is enough for the system to classify it as the highest level of energy abuse, or even... defection. Director Stacy, you're in charge of the Liaison Office; you should understand how heavy that responsibility is."

"Of course I understand my responsibilities, Minister." Gwen Stacy met her gaze without backing down. "My responsibility is to ensure the absolute security of all S-Level Classified and to ensure that no leaks or violations occur. The actions of the Director of the Stability Maintenance Office have the highest priority for execution, and her action reports can only be submitted directly to the Director herself. The Liaison Office has no right to interfere."

She kicked the ball precisely to the only person who wasn't present at that moment.

Lynn.

Wanda fell silent.

She looked at Gwen Stacy, whose face, which always maintained a polite smile, now resembled an impenetrable wall. She knew that, procedurally, she had lost. Every word Gwen Stacy uttered was perfectly within the rules, flawless.

But she didn't believe it.

She didn't believe Lynn was unaware of this operation. She also didn't believe Gwen Stacy was unaware.

"So," Wanda's voice lowered, tinged with a cold sarcasm, "Director Hela sailed her private warship on a long journey that spanned several Dimension, while we, the other core members of the Management Committee, could only sit here, looking at a fake report labeled 'normal fluctuations,' pretending we knew nothing?"

"I know nothing about any false report, Minister." Gwen Stacy picked up her water glass, took a sip, a gesture that gave her a brief moment to avoid his gaze. "All I know is that everything I saw was in accordance with regulations. If the Department of Technology believes there are problems with the energy audit, the correct procedure is to submit a formal risk assessment report to the Director of the Management Committee. I think the Director will give you a reasonable explanation."

She pushed the question back to her.

Wanda gave her a deep look, her eyes swirling with emotions powerful enough to tear space apart. But in the end, she simply nodded.

"Good."

One word.

She turned and left the office.

Gwen Stacy watched her figure disappear through the doorway before the smile on her face slowly faded. Her fingers, gripping the water glass tightly, turned slightly white from the force.

In the distant void, long forgotten by time.

The ruins of Asgard, like a colossal tomb, float silently in the darkness. Fragments of the Bifrost, like shattered glass, are scattered everywhere.

The Nibelung, entirely black, hovered silently above the ruins, its perfect cloaking coating blending it seamlessly into the vastness of space.

On the Bridge, Hela stood in front of the Control Console.

Instead of wearing the uniform that symbolized the authority of the Director the Stability Maintenance Office, she changed into the dark green War Armor she wore when she was still Asgard Executioner.

"Full-area scan, energy feature comparison, target: Appendix-03 sample from the Assistance Investigation Notice." Her voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Command confirmed. Scan starting."

On the main screen, countless eerie blue scanning beams emanated from the ship's hull, combing through the vast ruins below like a comb. Data Stream cascaded down, the vast majority of which were meaningless Cosmic Background Radiation.

Time passed by, second by second.

Just as the scan was about to complete and the system was about to display a "No matching target found" message,

"Beep--"

A piercing alarm broke the deathly silence of the Bridge.

In the center of the main screen, at the very core of the Bifrost's fracture, a tiny, almost negligible point suddenly lit up with a glaring red light.

A line of cold, system text then appeared.

[WARNING: An abnormally high concentration of residual energy has been detected.]

[Energy composition analysis in progress...]

[Analysis failed.]

[WARNING: This energy signature does not belong to any known laws of the universe.]