Following the special congressional hearing.
The entire United States political and business world experienced an unprecedented upheaval.
The headlines of major mainstream media outlets and the trending topics on social networks have exploded.
The entire scene was dominated by images from the hearing.
General Ross was the first to be hit.
He illegally conducted human experiments in the laboratory, personally creating a top-secret video that Abomination and led to the Harlem massacre, which has been viewed over a billion times across the internet.
Under unprecedented public pressure.
On the afternoon the hearing concluded, the Pentagon had the military police directly detain General Ross in a military prison.
What awaits him is a military court trial that will last for several years.
Senator Stern and several other congressional leaders became the target of criticism from the entire American public.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation froze their private accounts overnight.
As Senator Stern was handcuffed and escorted Capitol, he was also pelted with rotten eggs by angry citizens.
In stark contrast to the disgrace and ruin of politicians, Stark Global Defense Group has achieved legendary status!
After the White House signed and enacted the Superman Security Outsourcing and Authorized Law Enforcement Act, Wall Street went completely crazy.
Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Miami...
The mayors of the top 20 cities in the United States started fighting almost the instant the bill was passed.
They waved municipal checks and lined up to call the office of Stark Industries president Pepper Potts.
Then they cried and begged to buy Stark Industries's insurance services.
Money, like a flood bursting its banks, poured into the Stark Family's pockets.
In a secret Hydra bunker deep beneath the Potomac River in Washington, D.C..
The atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.
Pierce stood in front of the main screen, staring intently at the television news footage of Stern being shoved into the prison van.
His back was soaked with cold sweat.
"Minister..."
Sitwell stood behind him, reporting silently.
" Stern has been arrested. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of the Treasury are investigating his bank accounts."
"Although Stern, out of fear of death, hasn't implicated Hydra yet, only admitting to taking bribes... his network of connections in Congress, cultivated over a decade, is truly ruined."
Sitwell wiped the cold sweat from his brow and asked cautiously.
"Do you think it was a coincidence that Luca Stark singled out Stern as a target at the hearing? Could he already know that Stern was one of our men?"
"Coincidence? Do you think anything related to Luca could be a coincidence?!"
Pierce suddenly turned around, his eyes bloodshot, his face contorted with fear.
"What did I say before?! I said that Fury blowing up the base and releasing the news of aliens stealing the Tesseract was definitely a staged act with Luca Stark, designed to lure us out!"
Pierce pointed at the news on the screen, his fingers trembling violently.
"Look! This is the evidence!"
"When Luca saw that we were feigning inaction at our bases around the world and that we weren't falling for his tricks, he immediately changed his tactics!"
"Then, in front of the whole world, he chopped off my most important right-hand man on Capitol Hill!!"
Pierce felt increasingly terrified as he thought about it, and his voice became hoarse.
"This is a warning shot! It's an ultimatum to us!"
"He's using this method to tell me that he knows who our political pawns are, and that he knows we're hiding in the shadows."
"If we don't show up soon, he'll definitely go one step further!"
Upon hearing this, Sitwell was so frightened that his legs went weak and he almost knelt on the ground.
Fuck, am I going to lose my head?!
"Damn it... First they set us up with aliens, and when we didn't move, they immediately launched a political campaign to eliminate us..."
"Minister, Luca Stark's scheming is dangerous!"
"So what should we do now? Should we send someone to break him out of prison and silence Stern?"
"Silence us? Don't you think we've been exposed fast enough?!"
Pierce slammed his hand on the table and growled hysterically.
" Stark Industries surveillance is now everywhere in Washington, D. C."
"Anyone who dares to touch Stern at this time will have the Punisher appear in their house!"
Pierce took a few deep breaths, suppressing his inner panic, a ruthless determination flashing in his eyes.
"Since Luca wants to force me out of the cave, then I'm not going to!"
"Pass on my orders! Cut off all communication with any of our government agents! Silence them completely! Even if Luca buys the White House, we'll be waiting at the bottom of the river!"
"All resources must be allocated to the shipyard! The mothership's recharging must be brought forward by another week!"
"Only when the mothership takes off and locks its main guns onto Luca Stark's head can I finally get a good night's sleep!"
Meanwhile, off the coast of New York.
Justice League base, inside the strategic command center.
If Pierce's side was gripped by a chilling sense of dread...
So, for Nick Fury, it's about breaking through the defense.
"Bang!"
Fury kicked over the trash can, trembling with rage.
"Fuck you! That shameless robber! That complete vampire!"
Fury launched into a tirade, spitting everywhere.
Coulson, standing to the side, was speechless and silently took two steps back, afraid of being accidentally injured by the director who was on the verge of exploding.
No wonder Fury was so angry.
A few days ago, in order to get Luca to help him find Loki and the Tesseract, Fury reluctantly handed over the remaining backdoor to S.H.I.E.L.D..'s database.
And the result?
The video of General Ross creating Abomination in the lab was retrieved from S.H.I.E.L.D..'s archives!
Senator Stern's financial records were also S.H.I.E.L.D.. agents spent several years secretly gathering.
This was originally Fury's trump card to use in lobbying Congress for a budget!
Luca Stark, on the other hand, took the dirt Nick Fury had painstakingly gathered and went to the congressional hearing to put on a spectacular show!
Not only did they send Thaddeus Ross and Stern to prison, but they also shattered the credibility of the government and the military.
Ultimately, this forced the White House to sign the Authorized Law Enforcement Act!
"Chief, calm down..." Coulson forced himself to step forward and persuade him.
"At least, that Stern, who was always using the committee to cut our budget, has fallen, which is a good thing for us..."
"Good thing my foot!"
Fury roared helplessly at Coulson.
"Haven't you figured it out yet, Coulson?!"
"Once the Authorized Law Enforcement Act takes effect, all special security and paranormal incident handling authority in the United States will legally fall into the hands of Stark Industries!"
"In the past, when the government encountered problems it couldn't solve, its first thought was to allocate funds to S.H.I.E.L.D..! And now?! Mayors all over United States are lining up to give Stark money to buy him insurance!"
Fury felt his heart bleeding; a deep sense of powerlessness and regret overwhelmed him.
"It was me... it was me who personally handed the knife to Luca, not only helping him eliminate his political enemies, but also personally placing the crown of the uncrowned king on his head!"
"From today onwards, officially, the purpose of S.H.I.E.L.D.. has been superseded! We've become completely unregistered!"
Fury slumped into a chair, his hands covering his shiny bald head.
He schemed and maintained a balance of power his entire life.
In the end, not only was their headquarters destroyed by Hydra, but their entire base was also taken over.
Even the political legacy that S.H.I.E.L.D.. had accumulated over decades was completely devoured by Luca in just a few days.
Luca, of course, didn't care what others thought.
The base's conference room was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.
Luca sat in the main seat and casually tossed a stack of documents onto the table.
"Come on, everyone."
"These are the special independent law enforcement credentials that the White House just expeditedly delivered. One for each person, keep them safe."
Luca picked up his coffee, took a sip, and said with a smile.
"From this moment forward, as long as you are wearing the company uniform and carrying out counterterrorism and supernatural threat elimination missions throughout the United States, you will have legal immunity from the use of force."
"Simply put, if you encounter disobedient scum, just take them out. No need to write a self-criticism, and no need to go to court."
Frank picked up his identification documents.
He opened the document; inside was his photo, and below it was a joint seal from the United States Department of Justice and the Department of Defense.
The job title section clearly states "Stark Global Defense Group Top Cleanup Specialist".
Frank stared at the stamp, rubbing his fingers over it repeatedly.
For some reason, his eyes reddened slightly, and his breathing became heavy.
Once upon a time, he wanted to avenge his dead wife and children.
He was forced to be wanted by police across the United States like a stray dog, bearing the stigma of a serial killer.
Now, Luca Stark has not only given him the best weapons in the world, but has also handed him a perfectly legitimate license to kill!
This transformed him from a wanted criminal into a national guardian revered by thousands!
"Boss."
Frank stood up and tucked his ID into the inside pocket of his vest, close to his chest.
"From now on, your word is my command. Anyone who dares to stand in the way of Stark Industries, even the president, I will shoot him dead."
"That's enough, Frank. Sit down, don't be so serious." Luca smiled and waved his hand.
Murdock, on the other side, also picked up his identification.
He gently touched the raised Braille stamp and authorization number on the document with his finger, a wry smile appearing on his face.
As a lawyer, he never dreamed of this.
One day, someone will actually be able to force a government to relinquish the power of life and death that only sovereign states possess, through a completely legal process.
Luca not only broke the rules, but also reshaped the United States judicial system with capital and public opinion!
"I'm completely convinced, boss." Matt shook his head and put the ID away.
"Looks like I won't need my law license anymore. With you, we are the law itself."
"That's what you call vision, Mr. Murdock."
Luca stood up and glanced at his watch.
"Alright, all the documents have been distributed. Everyone, go back to what you were doing."
" Peter, go to the training room and get used to your new Silk formula. Gwen Stacy, Wanda, come with me to the helipad."
"We have a guest arriving from London today. As the host, we need to showcase our company culture."
One hour later.
A private plane landed on the base's helipad.
The hatch opened.
Sersi, wearing a beige trench coat, nervously descended the gangway.
The sea breeze ruffled her hair.
She looked up and saw the base, her eyes filled with shock.
After Luca left the apartment, she thought about it for a long time.
Finally, after hearing about Luca's masterful manipulation of the situation at the Washington hearing,
Driven by intense curiosity and anxieties about the future of the planet, she boarded a flight to New York.
"Welcome to New York, Ms. Sersi. I hope you have a pleasant trip."
Luca, with Gwen Stacy and Wanda in tow, went to greet them, a gentle and gentlemanly smile on his face.
"Very pleasant, Mr. Stark."
"Your private jet... is more comfortable than any other mode of transportation I've ever been on."
Sersi responded politely, but her gaze inadvertently swept over her surroundings.
As Eternals, she had visited the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and witnessed the sinking of Atlantis.
But the steel marvel before her still left her in disbelief.
Just call me Luca.
"Let's go. Since this is an academic exchange, I'll first show you around our company's core R&D department."
Luca gestured for her to enter and led Sersi into the inner passage.
For the next two hours, Luca began to show her around.
His first Sersi was the base's life sciences center.
Through the sterile glass, Sersi saw the gene-editing agents being mass-produced.
"Throughout the past few millennia, humanity has always been so vulnerable to disease."
Luca stood before the glass, speaking as if he were a compassionate saint.
"But now, we have the genetic code."
"In less than ten years, Stark Industries will eradicate intractable diseases from the earth, allowing everyone to live a healthy life."
Seeing this, Sersi covered her mouth, her eyes filled with emotion.
She has lived for seven thousand years and witnessed the Black Death in the Middle Ages claim the lives of tens of millions of people, but she was powerless to do anything about it because of the principle of non-interference.
And now, Luca has used human technology to achieve a gift that even the gods have never bestowed upon humanity!
For their second stop, Luca took her to the Vibranium and New Energy Joint Laboratory.
Sersi saw the Arc Reactor and the simulated applications of Vibranium in medical and civil construction.
"Unlimited clean energy, plus safe materials."
Luca's deep gaze met Sersi's eyes.
" Sersi, I know that you friends hiding in the shadows have always thought that humanity is a naive and inferior civilization that only knows how to kill each other."
"But I want to tell you, humanity is evolving."
"Under my leadership, the Earth is consolidating its resources at an unprecedented pace."
"We don't need lofty gods to judge or guide us; we ourselves can build this planet into a dazzling jewel in the universe."
boom!
Sersi stared blankly at the other person.
For the past seven thousand years, Arishem has told them that human reproduction is only to provide the energy of wisdom to incubate the Tiamut inside the Earth.
Humans are merely consumables, nutrients.
But looking at human civilization conquering disease and energy with its own hands...
Is it really right to destroy such a great civilization in exchange for the birth of a god?!
At this moment, Sersi's resistance to the Emergence Project reached its peak!
She had a bold idea.
If everything is revealed to Luca, given his wisdom and power, is it truly possible to find a way to resolve the crisis Emergence without destroying the Earth?
" Luca... you are truly amazing."
Sersi exclaimed sincerely.
His gaze toward Luca was filled with deep admiration and tenderness.
"Let's go, our tour is over."
"Let's go for afternoon tea and chat about your history."
Luca smiled slightly, knowing that the time was right.
However, neither Sersi, who was still in shock, nor Luca, who was all smiles, could see the truth.
They were all waiting for another uninvited guest.
Oh no, to be precise, Sersi didn't know.
But Luca's super-sensory perception, covering the entire skies above New York, had already detected something amiss.
At this very moment.
High in the clouds above the New York offshore base.
A man clad in dark blue and gold armor floated silently in the raging wind.
This is, Ikaris!
The most powerful warrior among the Eternals.
Possesses flight, superhuman strength, and the ability to fire Cosmic Rays from both eyes.
At this moment, his gaze was fixed on the base below.
" Sersi did indeed come looking for this mortal."
Ikaris's face was terribly grim.
He saw Luca Stark's performance in Washington on television.
He saw that this human had managed to seize power from the human government using just a few videos.
They even formed an army of superpowered individuals who were wildly worshipped.
A murderous intent rose within Ikaris!
As a die-hard supporter of the Celestials, Arishem.
Ikaris knew the truth about the Emergence better than anyone else.
To ensure Tiamut's successful awakening, human civilization only needs to mindlessly reproduce and increase its numbers.
There must never be a leader who can unify the military power of all mankind!
If Luca continues to develop, what if he discovers Tiamut in the future?
Given this guy's inflammatory and destructive tendencies, he could very well bring unpredictable trouble to the Emergence!
" Ajak is too sentimental, and Sersi is blinded by her compassion for humanity."
Ikaris clenched his fist.
"A human who gained a little power through genetic mutation actually dares to try to control everything?"
"Since Ajak won't give the order, then I'll personally eliminate this variable!"
"As soon as Luca Stark dies, the empire he built will instantly crumble, and Sersi will completely lose hope!"
"Human, it is your honor to die at the hands of the Eternals!"
Without further hesitation, Ikaris leaned forward slightly and swooped down towards the base below!
On the top floor of the base, on the sunny viewing platform.
A gentle sea breeze blows, and afternoon tea is served under a parasol.
Luca was chatting and laughing with the three women.
Sudden.
Luca's hand paused slightly.
Almost at the same second, Sersi also sensed that familiar energy fluctuation in the sky!
Sersi suddenly looked up at the sky and exclaimed in surprise.
"This energy... it's Ikaris?! How did he follow me here?!"
Before the words were even finished!
"Boom!!!"
A deafening explosion resounded from high above!
Ikaris hovered directly above the balcony.
He looked down at Luca with a blank expression.
They didn't even bother with an opening remark or a warning.
In his eyes, killing Luca was as simple as crushing a slightly stronger ant.
Buzz!!!
Ikaris's eyes lit up instantly!
The next second.
Two Cosmic Rays tore through the air and shot straight toward Luca!
" Ikaris! No!!!"
Sersi was terrified and jumped up from her chair to try and stop him, but it was too late!
The Cosmic Rays was incredibly fast; it reached Luca in an instant!
Gwen Stacy and Wanda's expressions also changed drastically, as red light began to emanate from Wanda's palm.
However.
Luca simply smiled.
"Good timing."
Luca casually raised his right hand.
"Hiss!!"
A mass of black substance instantly covered Luca's right arm.
And a swirling, ferocious dragon's maw opened in his palm!
"Boom!!!"
Two beams of light struck Luca's right palm!
Under the horrified gazes of the three women.
The Cosmic Rays were absorbed directly by Luca's right-hand dragon head.
In just two seconds, the Cosmic Energy contained within the ray was completely absorbed!
The light faded.
Luca slowly lowered his right hand, and his battle suit quickly disappeared.
The next second, a warm energy flowed from his arm into his limbs and bones, causing his cells to vibrate joyfully.
"Belch!!"
Luca let out a burp and licked his lips, seemingly still wanting more.
Then, he picked up his black tea, took a sip, glanced at the petrified Ikaris, and spoke slowly.
"These are the Cosmic Rays that will turn me to ashes?"
Luca swirled his teacup, his smile radiant.
"It tastes a bit like lemonade, but the temperature is just right; it's perfect for heating my tea."
"Why did you stop, Smurf? Keep shooting! I'm not full yet."