Chương 117: Chapter 117: S.H.I.E.L.D... Or Rather, H.Y.D.R.A.'s Mobilization 

Just as Luke began preparations for his grand global summit, every single national government that had authorized surveillance operations on his apartment was in a state of absolute, frantic chaos. 

They weren't panicking simply because their covert operatives had been discovered. They were panicking because their operatives had been captured, mutilated, and deliberately released, carrying a terrifying message: Luke possessed a highly detailed list of exactly which nations had targeted him. 

Furthermore, upon learning that a mere handful of these mysterious 'Shadow Ninjas' had effortlessly, violently dismantled a heavily fortified, tier-one American black-site military base, Luke's image in the minds of the global superpowers shifted from 'annoying cosmic wildcard' to 'terrifying, unstoppable deity.' 

"DAMN IT!" A high-ranking European defense minister roared furiously, slamming his fist on his mahogany desk. "The Americans completely withheld critical intelligence regarding the target's actual combat capabilities!" 

It suddenly made terrifying sense why the U.S. government hadn't bothered to diplomatically protest or obstruct their covert surveillance teams operating on American soil. The Americans had intentionally used the foreign operatives as expendable cannon fodder to test Luke's reaction! 

However, realizing that the U.S. had ultimately suffered the most catastrophic losses—an entire classified military installation completely destroyed, hundreds of elite personnel hospitalized, and dozens of modern main battle tanks reduced to scrap metal—the other nations suddenly felt significantly less panicked. 

They decided to cautiously observe how the Americans would handle the fallout before making their own moves. 

Meanwhile, inside the Pentagon, the heavily scrutinized U.S. Secretary of Defense was currently engaging in a highly volatile, encrypted video conference with S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury. 

"THIS IS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT, FURY!" the Secretary roared, his face purple with rage. "If S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't deliberately withheld your updated threat-assessment profiles on Luke, we wouldn't have been forced to conduct our own reconnaissance! And now look at the absolute disaster! We lost a multi-billion dollar classified installation, over a hundred highly trained elite soldiers, and nearly an entire battalion of M1 Abrams tanks!" 

Fury, sitting comfortably in his office, stared back with his single, unimpressed eye. He patiently waited for the politician to finish screaming before responding calmly. 

"I have explicitly, repeatedly informed this committee that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s initial, preliminary psychological and power-scaling profiles on Luke are entirely obsolete and possess absolutely zero tactical value," Fury stated coldly. "Furthermore, I explicitly advised the Pentagon against initiating any unauthorized, unilateral surveillance operations. Your administration's sheer, blinding arrogance and profound lack of basic diplomatic courtesy are the sole reasons this situation escalated to extreme violence!" 

Fury had absolutely zero intention of acting as a scapegoat for the military's monumental stupidity. He forcefully threw the blame squarely back onto the Secretary of Defense. 

The Secretary glared at Fury, his voice dropping to a dangerous, threatening growl. "We cannot simply absorb the catastrophic loss of a tier-one military installation without retaliating! The entire geopolitical landscape is currently watching us!" 

Fury leaned forward, his single eye narrowing aggressively. "Then go retaliate. You are the Secretary of Defense. You possess the absolute authority to order a full-scale military strike. Launch everything you have at him." 

Fury paused, watching the Secretary suddenly freeze, realizing the absurdity of his own threat. 

"From the very beginning, S.H.I.E.L.D. provided you with a single, highly explicit piece of advice: Do not aggressively provoke him. Our current, highly updated psychological profile clearly indicates that Luke is fundamentally a pragmatic, apathetic individual who prefers to be left completely alone. However, he also possesses a terrifyingly vindictive streak and will absolutely, disproportionately retaliate against anyone who crosses his boundaries. His one saving grace is that his retaliation is highly surgical; he generally avoids civilian collateral damage." 

Fury took a slow breath, emphasizing every single word. "Therefore, if you choose to launch a military retaliation against him, he will undoubtedly, effortlessly annihilate your entire command structure. However, the rest of the world will remain perfectly safe. So... I sincerely wish you the best of luck with your retaliation, Mr. Secretary." 

Without waiting for a response, Fury abruptly terminated the encrypted connection. He slumped back into his leather chair, exhausted, and aggressively rubbed his temples. 

"It appears dealing with the newly appointed Lord of the Earth is causing you significant distress, Nick?" Alexander Pierce chuckled softly, swirling a glass of expensive red wine as he casually walked into the Director's office. 

"No, Pierce. I'm profoundly distressed by dealing with these absolute, arrogant morons!" Fury sighed heavily. "They still haven't fundamentally grasped the new reality of our universe! In the cosmic arena, absolute power dictates the rules!" 

Recalling the sheer, overwhelming, universe-shattering military might and cosmic entities he had witnessed in Asgard, Fury felt a deep, crushing sense of anxiety. 

Why do these politicians refuse to feel fear? Do they honestly still believe their primitive nuclear arsenals make them the masters of the universe?! 

Pierce placed his wine glass on the desk and reassuringly patted Fury's shoulder. "Relax, Nick. The world has always been populated by arrogant fools. S.H.I.E.L.D. exists specifically to manage them and prevent them from causing catastrophic, global chaos." 

Seeing Fury slightly relax, Pierce smiled warmly. "So, how do we proceed? Should we attempt to diplomatically pacify Luke?" 

"No," Fury shook his head. "Previously, S.H.I.E.L.D. maintained a mutually beneficial, transactional relationship with Luke. But now... frankly, S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer possesses the sufficient political or cosmic standing to negotiate with him as equals." 

Fury frowned, his mind shifting to internal matters. "More importantly, I need to focus on internal security. I just returned from Asgard and reviewed the deployment logs for the past three days. Our elite S.T.R.I.K.E. teams have somehow been deployed for active combat operations thirteen times in just forty-eight hours! That is practically our entire operational quota for a month! I need to initiate a full internal audit immediately." 

Pierce's warm smile instantly froze, though he quickly masked it. 

He knew perfectly well what the S.T.R.I.K.E. teams truly were. They were almost entirely composed of deep-cover Hydra sleeper agents. 

Damn it! Thirteen active deployments in two days?! Are they actively trying to expose our infiltration to the most paranoid spy on the planet?! 

"That is highly irregular and deeply concerning," Pierce agreed, adopting a perfectly serious, professional tone. "We absolutely cannot afford any disciplinary or operational lapses within S.T.R.I.K.E." 

"Exactly," Fury nodded in agreement. "In a world increasingly dominated by superhumans and cosmic threats, S.T.R.I.K.E. is our primary, conventional tactical asset. Furthermore, the fact that you successfully convinced Captain America to actively lead the S.T.R.I.K.E. teams has astronomically increased our operational capabilities and public legitimacy." 

Fury genuinely smiled, still slightly amazed that Pierce had managed to convince Steve Rogers to integrate so quickly. Captain America wasn't just a soldier; he was an absolute, unassailable cultural icon. If the President of the United States ordered Rogers to do something unethical, and Rogers simply said 'No' on national television, the President would likely face immediate impeachment. 

Because the government had spent the last seventy years relentlessly propagandizing Steve's heroic legacy to bolster national morale, his geopolitical influence was practically limitless. And now, thanks to S.H.I.E.L.D. finding him alive in the ice, that propaganda had suddenly become a living, breathing reality. 

Pierce raised an eyebrow, maintaining his humble facade. "I can't claim all the credit, Nick. The Captain simply possesses an incredibly strong desire to aggressively re-integrate into active duty and continue fighting for a better world. I merely provided him with the most efficient platform to do so." 

After a brief, tense exchange of pleasantries, the incredibly busy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. hurried out of the office to manage the ongoing global crisis. 

The absolute microsecond the heavy office doors clicked shut, the warm, grandfatherly smile instantly vanished from Pierce's face, replaced by an expression of cold, murderous fury. 

"Summon Jasper Sitwell to my private office. Immediately." 

Pierce sat rigidly in his leather chair, his face so dark and furious he looked like he might actually spawn a Shadow Ninja himself. 

Within minutes, Agent Sitwell hurried into the office. 

Pierce calmly reached out and pressed a hidden button under his desk, instantly activating the room's highly advanced, soundproof security countermeasures. 

The moment the green 'Secure' light illuminated, Pierce violently sprang to his feet, grabbed his heavy crystal wine glass, and aggressively hurled it directly at Sitwell's head! 

CRASH! 

Sitwell possessed the reflexes to dodge, but seeing the sheer, unadulterated fury in his supreme commander's eyes, he forced himself to stand completely still. The heavy crystal shattered violently against his bald head. Jagged shards sliced his scalp, and thick drops of blood began slowly trailing down his face. 

"YOU ABSOLUTE, INCOMPETENT MORONS!" Pierce roared, his voice trembling with rage. "How dare you authorize thirteen active S.T.R.I.K.E. deployments in forty-eight hours?! Are you deliberately trying to hand Nick Fury the evidence he needs to expose us?! And more importantly, WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED?!" 

Pierce was furious. He had just executed a masterstroke of psychological manipulation, successfully integrating Captain America into the S.T.R.I.K.E. team, intending to use the undercover Hydra operatives to slowly, subtly manipulate the Captain's worldview and eventually recruit him to their cause. 

And now, his absolute idiot subordinates had wildly overplayed their hand, instantly drawing the intense, paranoid scrutiny of Nick Fury directly onto the S.T.R.I.K.E. teams! 

Are they actively trying to sabotage my grand strategy?! 

Sitwell didn't dare interrupt, nor did he dare wipe the blood from his eyes. He stood perfectly still, waiting for Pierce to finish venting his volcanic rage. 

Once Pierce finally sat back down, breathing heavily, Sitwell spoke, his voice remarkably calm. "Sir, we were operating under the explicit, direct orders of Dr. Arnim Zola. He commanded us to deploy the S.T.R.I.K.E. teams to systematically eliminate several specific, highly classified Hydra outposts." 

? 

Wait. 

I leave for two days, and you idiots start a civil war?! 

Pierce stared at Sitwell in absolute, mind-boggling disbelief. He demanded a logical explanation, but Sitwell simply shook his head helplessly. 

"Before you departed for Asgard, you explicitly instructed us to follow Dr. Zola's directives regarding Project Insight algorithms. When Dr. Zola issued the deployment orders, citing internal security threats, we executed them without question." 

Sitwell didn't elaborate further. The absolute core doctrine of both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra was strict compartmentalization: Execute your assigned orders perfectly, and never ask questions above your clearance level. 

"Dismissed. Go to the med-bay. I will speak with Zola personally," Pierce ordered, his face a mask of cold fury. 

Sitwell breathed a quiet sigh of relief, quickly exiting the office before finally pulling out a handkerchief to press against his bleeding scalp. 

Pierce immediately established a highly encrypted, secure uplink to Dr. Arnim Zola's digitized consciousness, housed within the massive, antiquated server banks in Camp Lehigh. 

"Doctor Zola. I require a detailed, logical explanation as to why you unilaterally authorized thirteen consecutive S.T.R.I.K.E. deployments to annihilate our own highly classified outposts in two days." 

"Because my algorithms successfully identified several high-level operatives displaying strong indicators of disloyalty and potential sedition!" Zola's digitized, robotic voice echoed excitedly. "When confronted, they attempted to deny the allegations! Therefore, I efficiently deployed the strike teams to permanently eliminate the internal threat!" 

"And did we actually secure any concrete evidence of treason?" Pierce asked, desperately trying to suppress the urge to smash his encrypted terminal. 

"Well... no," Zola admitted, sounding slightly disappointed. "It appears they were not actually enemy spies. However, the operation was still highly beneficial! Those specific faction leaders frequently opposed our strategic methodologies regarding Project Insight. By eliminating them, we have successfully centralized command and ensured ideological purity within the organization!" 

Even though they hadn't caught a spy, actively purging political rivals within Hydra was always considered a net positive for Zola. 

"You completely fail to comprehend the catastrophic tactical error you have committed," Pierce sighed, rubbing his throbbing temples. 

"Error?" 

"You should absolutely never have deployed the primary S.T.R.I.K.E. teams that aggressively! Yes, we can easily hide minor operations from Nick Fury, but thirteen deployments in two days is a massive logistical footprint! You have officially drawn his direct, paranoid scrutiny!" Pierce yelled. 

Zola's digitized consciousness paused for a moment. He was a brilliant, unparalleled scientific mind and a master of algorithmic analysis, but he lacked the nuanced, human understanding of complex political maneuvering and espionage. He focused entirely on the raw data (eliminating rivals) and completely ignored the political consequences (alerting Fury). 

"I recently went through immense effort to integrate Captain America into S.T.R.I.K.E., which already put a spotlight on the team! Now, Fury is actively investigating them for irregularities!" 

"Is that not an optimal outcome?" Zola suggested innocently. "Since the Project Insight helicarriers are nearing final completion anyway, we should simply accelerate the timeline! Assassinate Fury immediately, launch the helicarriers, and initiate global pacification! Then, Hydra will be the sole, absolute voice on the planet! Oh, and since Captain Rogers is conveniently already within our ranks, we can simply transport him to the Siberian facility! I can personally oversee his brainwashing, providing us with the ultimate, compliant super-soldier!" 

Pierce aggressively grabbed a handful of his own hair in sheer frustration. He was convinced his rapidly receding hairline was entirely the fault of these absolute sociopaths! 

"Doctor! The geopolitical situation has fundamentally shifted! It is no longer that simple! There is now an entity on this planet who possesses cosmic authority and unimaginable, overwhelming power! I am talking about Luke! I severely doubt our conventional helicarriers will have absolutely any effect on him!" 

Recalling the footage of Luke casually, effortlessly intercepting a devastating orbital strike with a flick of his wrist, Pierce was certain the Project Insight targeting algorithms were completely useless against him. 

"Luke?" Zola's voice sounded confused. "But... our internal data indicates we are currently operating in a mutually beneficial, cooperative alliance with him! Does that not simplify our strategy?" 

"Cooperative alliance?!" Pierce frowned deeply. "What are you talking about?" 

"Yes. My algorithms detected that the supposed 'traitor' within our ranks was actually a highly sophisticated operative deployed by one of Luke's primary adversaries. Luke intentionally utilized our internal communication networks to manipulate us into eliminating his enemies for him!" 

"You completely failed to mention this crucial detail!" Pierce's mind began racing. 

If Hydra was already inadvertently cooperating with Luke... perhaps they could formalize the arrangement? What if Hydra actively, openly aligned themselves with the Lord of the Earth?! 

Luke possessed absolute, recognized authority over the planet and had established profound connections with highly advanced extraterrestrial civilizations. If Hydra swore fealty to him, they might rapidly gain access to alien technology! They could rule the moon by next year, and conquer the entire solar system within a decade! 

Terminating the connection with Zola, Pierce began frantically brainstorming strategies. 

However, a massive logistical hurdle remained: How exactly do I formally contact him? 

Luke was currently the most heavily monitored, scrutinized individual on the planet. Even if Pierce utilized highly encrypted backchannels or attempted to contact him through mundane methods like the video game companies Luke frequented, other intelligence agencies would inevitably intercept the communication. 

Stressed beyond belief, Pierce aggressively rubbed his scalp, wincing as he accidentally tore out a small clump of hair. 

"Sir?" 

Sitwell had just re-entered the office, a neat white bandage wrapped around his head. 

"What is it now?" Pierce snapped. 

"We just intercepted a highly classified global broadcast from Stark Industries. Luke has formally mandated a global diplomatic summit tomorrow on the deserted island he previously utilized. All recognized national governments are required to attend." 

The perfect opportunity! 

Pierce was so overjoyed he violently slammed his fist onto his desk in triumph! 

"Ouch!" 

He looked down at his hand, realizing he had accidentally slammed his fist directly onto the small clump of his own hair he had just torn out. 

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