5000 words today.
Please, since I've been working so hard, those of you who are following my updates, please urge me to update more.
Orz, thank you so much.
Inside the safe house's ward, the soft hum of the medical equipment flowed gently, easing the awkward atmosphere of the previous confrontation and revelation.
Steve, Natasha, Coulson, Hill, and Sam stood there, listening to Fury's complete account of his faked death. For a moment, no one spoke. The exhaustion and frustration accumulated over the past few days of running away, racing against time, being overwhelmed by intelligence, and being repeatedly thwarted, left them all without the energy to argue.
Scenes flashed through everyone's minds: the missile bombardment of the Wheaton underground base, the citywide manhunt in Washington, the life-or-death standoff on the rooftop, and the blind groping like headless flies. Everyone struggled to survive with all their might, only to discover in the end that someone had foreseen and secretly planned the entire crisis from the beginning, and they were just pawns being pushed forward passively.
This sense of loss and helplessness caused the air to fall silent once again.
Fury leaned against the soft cushions of the hospital bed, his single eye slightly narrowed. Looking at the silent and weary faces of the crowd, a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes. He had suffered a severe blow from this near-death experience, and his body was still weak. Thin IV tubes were still connected to his arm, and the medicine dripped slowly through the transparent tubes, continuously repairing his damaged bodily functions.
"Alright, stop standing there."
Fury spoke first, his tone losing its previous teasing and helplessness, replaced by a more composed one, "My IV drip will take a while to finish. You've all been on the run for days, constantly on the run, dodging pursuers, and breaking through Extremis; you're all exhausted, both physically and mentally."
He gestured towards the rest area outside the door, his tone calm and easygoing. "There's a private rest room outside, fully equipped. You can go and rest for a while. After I finish my IV drip and recover, we can sit down and discuss our next steps to resolve this impasse."
No one objected to this.
After days of tension, everyone's nerves were on the verge of breaking down, and physical exhaustion permeated every part of their bodies. The perilous escape from Washington and the long journey to Ohio had left everyone physically and mentally exhausted, and they definitely needed a moment to catch their breath and adjust.
The group nodded slightly, turned and left the ward without a word, closed the soundproof door, and entered the clean and simple rest room outside.
This rest area is an emergency rest area attached to the safe house. It is simply furnished but fully equipped with sofas, drinking water, and basic supplies. The lighting is soft and not glaring, isolating it from all the dangers and noise of the outside world, making it quiet and safe.
Everyone took their seats, and the fatigue accumulated over the past few days instantly swept over them, allowing them to relax completely.
After a brief silence, Sam, who had been following the entire process and experiencing firsthand the S.H.I.E.L.D.., finally broke the silence, his voice tinged with a mix of quiet complaints and doubts.
"Seriously, is this the highest-ranking official in your S.H.I.E.L.D.."
He scratched his head, his expression straightforward and honest, completely lacking the awe the others showed towards Fury. His tone was full of incomprehension. "I'm Black myself, and I'm not prejudiced, but no matter how I look at him, he just doesn't seem very reliable."
This straightforward complaint accurately hit the nail on the head regarding everyone's frustration over the past few days.
Steve, Natasha, and the others exchanged glances, all offering wry smiles, but no one responded. They couldn't refute Sam's complaint, because Fury's meticulously planned scheme, including the feigned death of everyone, was indeed outrageous and beyond arguing against.
Just as the atmosphere in the lounge was becoming slightly relaxed and delicate, a crisp cell phone ringtone suddenly broke the brief tranquility.
Everyone's eyes turned to the source of the sound, where Natasha's personal cell phone was vibrating and lighting up continuously, with two familiar words standing out on the screen: Lynn.
It's him again.
Without the slightest hesitation, Natasha reached out and took out her phone, deftly pressed the answer button, skillfully turned on speakerphone, casually placed the phone on the table in front of her, and waited for the other party to speak.
The receiver immediately picked up Lynn's relaxed, nonchalant voice, tinged with a confident smile, as if he had already foreseen everyone's current situation.
" Natasha? Looks like you've successfully found Fury."
His tone was extremely confident, without the slightest doubt. He then chuckled and continued, "Judging from what you're making over there, you seem to be taking a break and resting? Aren't you in a hurry to hold a meeting to review the situation and discuss countermeasures?"
Steve frowned slightly, unwilling to let the other party control the pace of the conversation any longer, and interrupted directly, his tone calm and decisive. " Lynn, there's no need to test me. Just say what you have to say, there's no need to beat around the bush and waste time."
A low, silly laugh came from the other end of the phone, tinged with a smug, irresistible air.
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Listen to the captain."
Lynn toned down his teasing tone, becoming more serious, and slowly said, "Since you haven't formally discussed the follow-up plans yet, I'm not in a hurry to disrupt your pace. But the longer this drags on, the higher the risk becomes, and we can't keep this stalemate going on like this."
"I'm letting you know in advance that when you're ready to formally discuss the strategy and finalize the action plan later, just give me a call. I'll be listening in and helping you analyze the situation."
At this point, his tone became tinged with helplessness and resentment again, and he bluntly stated, "To be honest, I'm genuinely worried about the average intelligence and adaptability of your group. I'm afraid that in a moment of impulsiveness or hot-headedness, you'll create a situation that's impossible to control."
This blunt disdain left everyone speechless, both amused and exasperated, and a wave of rebuttal arose in their hearts.
Before anyone could offer an explanation or rebuttal, a crisp, clean hang-up came through the receiver.
Beep--beep--
The phone call ended abruptly, leaving everyone in the room speechless.
This person is always like this: they complain and then run away, never giving anyone a chance to refute them, and they control the initiative the whole time.
The group exchanged helpless glances, their hearts filled with a mixture of frustration and amusement, yet they had to admit that Lynn's prediction and foresight far surpassed that of everyone present.
In the quiet lounge, the group rested for a while, and before long, the door to the sanatorium was slowly pushed open.
Nick Fury walked out with a steady gait. The IV line in his arm had been removed, and his face still had a pale complexion from recovering from a serious illness. However, his eyes had regained their former sharpness and depth, and his aura was calm and powerful, completely shedding his sickly appearance.
He walked straight to the table in the center of the lounge, sat down, his gaze swept over everyone, and with a serious tone, officially began the review and planning.
"I know you have grievances and doubts in your hearts, so let's resolve everything at once today."
Fury tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, a complex mix of self-reproach and helplessness flashing in his eyes, as he slowly revealed the root of the crisis. "When Lynn gave Coulson advance information about Hydra's infiltration and the hidden dangers of the Project Insight, I received word of it immediately."
"But because I've been at the helm of S.H.I.E.L.D.. for many years, I've witnessed too much factional infighting, false intelligence, and internal betrayal, which has created a deep-seated crisis of trust."
"I dared not easily believe intelligence that appeared out of thin air, much less rashly launch a full-scale purge. So during that period, instead of immediately ordering a thorough internal investigation and eradicating hidden dangers by following the clues, I spent a lot of time and mobilized countless resources to conduct a comprehensive and covert investigation into Lynn's background and the authenticity of the intelligence."
His tone was heavy, filled with regret. "It was my brief hesitation and excessive caution that gave Hydra the perfect time to lay low, lay out their plans, and wrap things up, directly leading to this crisis that has engulfed the entire country."
"If I had been more decisive back then and directly ordered Coulson to conduct a thorough internal investigation and follow the clues, I might have been able to nip the problem in the bud and prevent Hydra's plan from progressing to this irreversible point."
After a thorough review, he frankly admitted his decision-making mistakes and explained the causes and consequences of all the events.
Everyone listened quietly, their doubts resolved, and the pent-up frustration of the past few days eased somewhat. It turned out that the root cause of the entire passive and Extremis lay in Fury's cautiousness, suspicion, and hesitation in making decisions.
Before anyone could express their feelings, Natasha suddenly raised her hand and interrupted the self-reproachful debriefing.
"Let's stop with this nonsense about assigning blame after the fact."
Her tone was calm and decisive, without any hesitation. She picked up the phone on the table, skillfully dialed Lynn's number, turned on speakerphone again, and placed the phone steadily in the center of the round table to ensure that everyone, including Lynn on the other end of the line, could hear the conversation clearly.
After the faint sound of the receiver connecting came through, Natasha looked up at Fury, whose expression was grave, and spoke clearly, word by word. "There's no point in dwelling on who's right and who's wrong, or whose decision-making went wrong."
"Our only core objective right now is to dismantle the Helicarrier, completely prevent Project Insight from launching, and avoid a large-scale, targeted global Carnage."
As soon as he finished speaking, Fury took a deep breath, bent down and reached under the table to pull out a precision black alloy briefcase. The briefcase was tightly locked and covered with the highest level of encryption patterns, making it a strategically classified container exclusively for S.H.I.E.L.D..
With a click, the latch popped open, and Fury slowly lifted the lid of the box.
Inside the enclosure, there were no heavy weapons or classified documents, only three intricately designed and complexly patterned core intelligent chips, quietly embedded in shockproof slots, gleaming with a cold metallic luster.
"At this point, S.H.I.E.L.D..'s entire communications network, security system, and command system have been completely compromised."
Fury stared at the chip inside the box, his voice low and bitter, filled with helplessness. "Now, no matter if I contact the World Security Council, the field division, or any of my direct combat units, no one will take my orders anymore."
Around the round table, everyone remained calm, no one surprised. Having reached this point, they had long since seen through the S.H.I.E.L.D..
Sam, looking at the unfamiliar, sophisticated chips, couldn't help but ask, "What are these? What are they used for?"
Fury raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and began to dissect the ultimate operational logic of the Project Insight point by point, each word heavy and hitting the nail on the head.
"This is a replacement for the core computing chip, and it's our only chance to turn things around."
"The three second-generation Helicarrier of Project Insight are all equipped with Stark's improved anti-gravity engines, giving them suborbital extended endurance. Once they take off and reach an altitude of 3,000 feet, Project Insight can be activated."
"The three motherships, numbered IN-01, IN-02, and IN-03, operate independently, locking onto targets independently, while also coordinating with a satellite network to form an unsolvable global hunting system. They will simultaneously connect with the Insight Satellite and, relying on the Zola Algorithm, instantly lock onto all pre-set threat targets worldwide."
"To completely stop the Carnage, simply destroying the command system or paralyzing a single mothership is useless. We must infiltrate the three Helicarrier and replace the three core positioning and computing chips one by one."
His tone suddenly became more serious, filled with extreme solemnity. "I must remind you that the three motherships operate completely independently, and their computing systems do not interfere with each other. Even if only one or two are replaced, the remaining motherships will still execute the hunting orders. Even if only one mothership is functioning normally, hundreds of thousands of innocent people around the world will be wiped out instantly."
"Therefore, we must replace them all, leaving no one behind. My initial plan is for you to infiltrate and maximize the preservation of S.H.I.E.L.D..'s remaining forces of justice, to save this unit..."
"We can't save anything!"
A calm and firm male voice suddenly rang out, forcefully interrupting Fury's words.
Steve Rogers suddenly looked up, his eyes showing no hesitation, only unwavering resolve and determination. He stood tall and imposing, his words ringing out with conviction.
"We have never fought to save a corrupt S.H.I.E.L.D.."
"In this war, we must not only stop Hydra's Carnage plot, but also completely overthrow S.H.I.E.L.D.., which has long been hollowed out by Hydra, and utterly destroy this terrifying system that relies on Helicarrier and controls the fate of humanity."
In short, it was earth-shattering.
Fury's pupils contracted sharply, and he instantly became anxious. Leaning forward slightly, he retorted urgently, " S.H.I.E.L.D.. did nothing! The fault lies with the lurking Hydra, with the rebellious schemers, not S.H.I.E.L.D.. itself! Countless righteous agents are holding their posts, protecting peace. We cannot let a lurking cancer destroy the entire organization!"
"The fault never lies with the organization, but with the people hiding in the shadows!"
Steve frowned, about to refute this sophistry, when Lynn's clear, sharp, and incisive voice suddenly came through the speakerphone on the table, forcefully intervening in the confrontation.
" Fury, haven't you come to your senses yet?"
Lynn's voice, devoid of any playful joking, carried a rare hint of seriousness and anger, clearly echoing throughout the lounge.
"I warned you about the dangers of Hydra before, and your hesitation, observation, internal strife, and self-examination made me very frustrated. But it's too late now, and dwelling on the past is pointless. However, your continued protection of S.H.I.E.L.D.. is your biggest mistake."
" The S.H.I.E.L.D.. did nothing is itself the biggest mistake."
" The Hydra could lurk under your nose for decades, take root, grow, and quietly seize core authority and advance its destructive plans, all without anyone noticing or checking it, is S.H.I.E.L.D..'s greatest dereliction of duty and culpability."
"An organization whose security is completely ineffective, whose oversight is a mere formality, and whose internal structure is utterly corrupt has no value whatsoever."
His tone was resolute, his logic clear, and every sentence cut to the heart of the matter, leaving no room for rebuttal. "The captain is absolutely right. You can't control S.H.I.E.L.D.., nor can you completely eradicate the Hydra remnants lurking within. Even if you protect it today, it will still breed new cancers and create new disasters tomorrow."
"Institutions are inanimate, people are alive. As long as those who protect are still alive, and the belief in justice remains, any department or system that collapses can be rebuilt and reconstructed. Only human life, once lost, cannot be regained."
These words completely shut Fury down any room for defense, leaving him speechless and his face turning ashen.
Before Fury could calm down, Lynn abruptly changed the subject, switching from a serious lecture to a sarcastic tone, precisely targeting the silent Steve, his voice tinged with helplessness and mockery.
"Having talked about Fury, I have to have a word with you, Captain."
"It's good that you're righteous and hate evil, but can you please stop being so stubborn? Are you just one-track-minded?"
"These three second-generation Helicarrier, integrating Stark anti-gravity technology, beyond-visual-range hunting systems, and a comprehensive defense system, cost a fortune and embody cutting-edge military technology. You think you can just destroy them like that? Did you even ask the taxpayers for their consent? Aren't taxpayers' money protected by law?"
Steve was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, clearly not expecting Lynn to approach the matter from this angle.
Lynn continued quickly, his points clear and his plan comprehensive. "My suggestion is simple: a compromise that achieves the best of both worlds."
"Your mission to infiltrate the mothership is simply to stop Hydra's plot to Carnage, replace the algorithm chip, and eliminate internal rebel forces. There's no need to destroy the Helicarrier outright."
"Once things calm down and the crisis is over, we'll sell all three Helicarrier to Stark after the war. Tony is a top-tier arms supplier and a leader in military technology; these highly destructive weapons are nothing he can't handle."
"Instead of wasting enormous resources by bombing things, it would be better to turn waste into treasure, preserve the huge sums of money invested by taxpayers, and use it to protect humanity, deal with unknown crises, and do something useful. That is the optimal solution."
He paused, then added the complete and meticulously planned operation, "You are responsible for infiltrating, controlling the situation, thwarting the conspiracy, and eliminating the Hydra forces within. Tony has about a hundred suits of armor on standby, ready to take over the Helicarrier at any time."
"We won't enter prematurely; too much noise could easily affect innocent low-ranking agents on board, causing unnecessary casualties. We'll enter to clean up and eliminate the enemy once you've completely taken control of the mothership and stabilized the battle, perfectly avoiding the risk of casualties."
"It can prevent Carnage and eliminate hidden dangers, preserve strategic equipment and avoid wasting public resources, and save the lives of innocent people to the greatest extent possible—a triple win."
"Don't always think about destroying everything; don't always use extreme methods to solve problems. Learn to be more flexible."
After he finished speaking, the entire lounge fell into complete silence.
Steve, Natasha, Coulson, Hill, Sam looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and agreement.
Lynn's plan was comprehensive, prudent, and maximized benefits, taking into account justice, human lives, resources, and subsequent arrangements. It perfectly resolved the dual deadlock of Captain America's extreme annihilation and Fury's desperate defense of S.H.I.E.L.D.., and was impeccable.
All eyes finally fell on Fury.
At this moment, Fury's face was ashen, his single remaining eye twitched slightly, and the pressure around him was terrifyingly low.
He was filled with resentment and frustration, wanting to refute and defend himself, but every word Lynn said kept replaying in his mind, each word hitting the nail on the head precisely, logically closed, and irrefutable.
He couldn't protect S.H.I.E.L.D.., couldn't argue with them, and couldn't deny that this plan was indeed the best solution at the moment.
After a long while, Fury exhaled a deep breath, the struggle and resentment in his eyes fading away, leaving only a helpless compromise.
He looked up at Steve, his voice low and hoarse, conveying a sense of complete relinquishment and relief.
"That's enough."
"Since you are leading this ultimate mission, all subsequent actions will be entirely decided and ordered by you."
"I will no longer interfere or argue; you can do as you please."