Washington, D.C..
An unassuming coffee shop.
In the corner by the window, a refined-looking man wearing gold-rimmed glasses was stirring his coffee.
He is Michael, Senator Robert Kelly's most trusted chief investigator and a former federal agent.
Known for his suspiciousness and caution.
Across from him sat an Asian woman dressed in a business suit and with impeccable makeup.
Ada Wong.
Her job is a risk consultant for a Europe conglomerate, a role that grants her access to many dark secrets.
" Senator Kelly's courage is admirable."
Ada Wong's voice has a convincing power.
"But courage needs weapons, not just hot blood. Especially when challenging a behemoth like Vought International."
Michael leaned back slightly, remaining alert.
Who are you? Who is your employer? What do you want?
"An investor who disapproves of Vought International's monopoly and wants to reintroduce competition to the market."
Ada Wong smiled; the reason was impeccable.
"As for what I want... I hope Senator Kelly's investigation will be more precise, rather than like a headless fly pointing the finger at an unshakeable behemoth."
"You mean you have evidence of Vought International's wrongdoing?"
Michael pressed for an answer.
"No."
Ada Wong shook her finger, her smile tinged with mystery.
"Attacking Vought directly will only lead to your destruction. What I'm giving you is something far more valuable—a perfect enemy, a target that can make Senator Kelly a hero."
She wrote an address and a password on a napkin and gently pushed it over.
"The entrance to an abandoned website. What's inside will tell you the true source of this crisis. Of course, whether you believe it or not is up to you. My boss believes that a clever hunter knows how to use the hounds provided by others."
After saying that, she stood up, straightened her skirt, and turned to leave.
The sound of high heels clicking on the ground was crisp and distant, quickly disappearing into the crowd at the street corner.
Michael stared at the napkin for a full three minutes.
He summoned his men, and only after confirming that Ada Wong had completely left and had not left any surveillance behind did he put the note in his pocket.
An hour later, in the senator's office.
After layers of technical troubleshooting and virtual line redirection, they finally managed to access the website.
Robert Kelly's breathing became increasingly rapid as he looked at the shocking information on the projection screen.
The contents far exceeded his expectations.
That's not direct evidence regarding Vought International.
Instead, it was a series of secret research reports about the remnants of Hydra's power!
The photo shows a gloomy underground laboratory, with deformed biological tissues soaking in culture tanks.
The document details the development process of a substance called " Inhuman Gene Activation Serum," and its described side effects are strikingly similar to the symptoms of "SOMS"!
There was even an incomplete list of experimental sites, one of which had coordinates in the suburbs of Chicago, less than 50 kilometers from the leaking chemical plant!
Everything is connected!
It's not some damn "industrial leak"!
This was a premeditated biological attack targeting the entire United States!
The organization that launched this attack was Hydra, a terrorist group that should have been completely eradicated after World War II!
"Found it!"
Kelly slammed his fist on the table, his face filled with barely suppressed elation and excitement.
"We've found the enemy! Michael! A real enemy that no one can deny!"
His previous accusations were too vague for the public.
Attacking a giant corporation that provides them with heroes, entertainment, and now promises protection?
It's too difficult.
But attacking Hydra is a different story!
That's an evil symbol etched into the very bones of United States!
Prepare for a press conference immediately!
Flame called ambition burned in Kelly's eyes.
"I want to establish Congressional Special Investigation Committee! I want to request the highest investigative authority! I want all United States to see who is spreading the plague on our land!"
He could already picture himself at the hearing, uncovering a shocking conspiracy and becoming a national hero under the watchful eyes of the entire nation.
He wasn't unaware of how suspicious the source of this "perfect" evidence might be.
But he knew even better that in political struggles, the truth was far less important than a useful weapon.
It doesn't matter who the hunting dog is; what matters most is that it can kill its prey.
Chicago.
The piercing alarm shattered the city's tranquility.
An out-of-control bus tumbled through the air and crashed into a roadside shop.
In the middle of the street, a boy wearing a hoodie floated half a meter off the ground.
All the metal objects around him—streetlights, fire hydrants, car wrecks—were violently deformed.
Another "SOMS" awakener.
The ability is... magnetic control.
The National Guard's lines of defense were easily torn apart.
The bullet hovered mysteriously in mid-air just before it reached his body, then fell to the ground powerlessly as if it had lost its momentum.
Panic is spreading.
Just then, three figures descended from the sky.
Starlight, Guardian, and the azure.
"Hey kid! Had enough fun yet?!"
Wei was the first to rush forward; her style is always so simple and direct.
The Hextech Gauntlets slammed down on the boy.
But her fist froze in mid-air.
An invisible, immense force gripped her Iron Fist, preventing her from moving forward even an inch.
"Metal?"
The boy's bloodshot eyes fixed on Wei's boxing gloves, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
"Thank you for the toy!"
Wei's expression changed drastically as she was forcefully thrown away, crashing into a nearby building!
This scene was clearly transmitted to the world through ubiquitous live streaming cameras.
In Times Square, a girl wearing the same jacket as Wei's had her fervent adoration turn into blankness and fear.
The support sign in her hand fell to the ground with a "bang".
People gasped.
That pink-haired girl who could send monsters flying with a single punch... was actually defeated in a single exchange?
Just how powerful is this newly appeared monster?
"His abilities are a counter to Vi!"
The Guardian spoke in a deep voice to Starlight, his metal armor making movement difficult, each step feeling like sinking into mud.
"I'll keep him occupied!"
Without hesitation, Starlight shot out a dazzling beam of light from her palm.
The boy let out a painful scream; the control of the magnetic force had become disordered.
The Guardian seized the opportunity and charged forward, ramming into the opponent.
The battle reached a stalemate.
Vought Tower, top-floor office.
Lynn watched the "difficult" battle on the screen.
" Senator Kelly's press conference will begin in ten minutes."
Motoko Kusanagi's voice rang out from the side.
"The media hype is complete; he has successfully drawn everyone's attention to Hydra."
Lynn picked up her black tea and took a small sip.
Everything is within the script.
Senator Kelly thought of himself as a dragon slayer.
What he didn't know was that the "dragon" was drawn by Vought, and the "sword" in his hand was also given to Vought.