Solomon had no intention of blaming Tita. Although he had instilled her with knowledge at the time of her creation, she was still somewhat inexperienced compared to Hydra's ancient head, Dr. Whitehall, who had survived since World War II. Especially in matters of subversion and infiltration, that old man was a consummate expert. Not everyone possessed the sharp intuition of the Archmage or Natasha Romanoff to notice subtle threads and clues and trace them back to uncover hidden traitors.
This task required professionals. Solomon assigned the responsibility of organizing a counterintelligence division to Agent Romanoff and Victoria Hand. Personnel were selected from brainwashed agents within the intelligence department, "purified" girls from the Sisterhood, and a few specially recruited individuals. They were granted authority to arrest and eliminate anyone outside the Sisterhood, the Royal Guard, and the senior scientific departments, without needing to report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Their sole accountability was to Solomon.
Though Natasha Romanoff still technically held a position with the Avengers and occasionally participated in capturing fugitive Hydra members, her primary focus had shifted entirely to the Eternal City. In many respects, the Avengers had already been infiltrated by Solomon—but not only by the Eternal City. Intelligence agents from multiple nations had infiltrated as well, becoming salaried employees of the Stark Group.
Anyone with a functioning brain could understand how dangerous a group of uncontrollable individuals with immense destructive power could be. No matter how perfect their morals, they could never truly be trusted. No one would gamble their life or property safety on them. To counter the Avengers, Agent Hand received support from Solomon. First, Solomon used alchemical avatars to substitute for his classes for several days and vanished with Malbus and Phoenix. Then, without warning, a specialized assassination squad was established. Some of them joined Hand's counterintelligence unit under the guise of providing support. These assassins were equipped with cutting-edge technology, capable of bypassing the Avengers' base security undetected.
No one knew where these assassins—clad in tight black suits and skull masks—came from. No one knew what they looked like, and no one had ever heard a sound from their throats. They were like walking corpses: silent, grim, giving the impression to any sane person that they were no longer human. Occasionally, clerks in the Ministry of Internal Affairs would catch fleeting glimpses of them like shadows in the hallways, as if they could emerge from any vent, window, or crack in the wall, and pierce anyone's neck with wrist blades made from alien technology. Nearly everyone in the Eternal City sensed that something had changed. This small rebellion, which caused no losses, had altered more than just the working atmosphere—it had even changed Solomon himself.
"This is the last one. After work, I'm thinking of grabbing some cold beer. Want to come?" Agent David jokingly wiped imaginary sweat and dirt from his brow, trying to lighten the mood. But his colleague paid no attention and remained focused on the mission.
Agent David had once served as a sniper in the SAS, later joining S.H.I.E.L.D. After S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fall, he was forcibly discharged and permanently monitored with an electronic ankle bracelet. The Eternal City's intelligence department offered him a lifeline, helping him and his family disappear from surveillance. Naturally, he became a member of their operations team. He didn't mind working with former Hydra agents—what mattered to him was the opportunity for a fresh start.
He had participated in several Eternal City-led missions, such as cracking down on human trafficking rings in Eastern Europe, dismantling warlord factions in West Africa, cleaning up gangs and corrupt politicians on the U.S. East Coast, and even once fighting monsters. These experiences gave him a deep respect for the Eternal City's power. This wasn't his first assassination mission, but it was his first time working with something that might not even be human—a sniper in a skull mask, completely encased in some high-tech composite material. David had never seen "him" make any unnecessary movement—not even a twitch of a finger. If not for the faint sound of breathing, he would've thought it was a corpse, a mythical undead.
These figures were called Assassins. They arrived in modified Quinjet aircrafts with direct orders from headquarters, drafting agents for missions. The assignments were always dangerous, with high casualty risks, but no one asked David for his opinion—nor was it necessary. He'd heard the Assassins had first appeared about a month ago, and since then they'd become more frequent. Only the elite agents were allowed to accompany them, offering logistical support so the Assassins could complete their kills. As for the identity of the targets, David didn't care.
"No." The skull mask's voice modulator distorted the Assassin's voice. Before David could feel surprised at the response, the Assassin pulled the trigger. A barely audible gunshot released a sudden surge of heat from the sniper rifle's barrel.
"Retreat," the Assassin said calmly, then quickly rose from the ground.
David obeyed. His lightweight exoskeleton armor allowed him to remain mobile even after lying prone for ten hours in the muddy swamp. According to the retreat plan, they were to extract via Quinjet—the same modified aircraft they had arrived in. Originally designed to seat ten, it was now crammed with weaponry. For any firearm enthusiast, the jet was a paradise.
The Assassin drew a pistol and shot David in the back of the head. Without a word, the agent collapsed against the rear hatch of the Quinjet, pink matter splattering across the floor.
"Mission complete," the Assassin whispered. "He" shut the hatch, activated the aircraft, and removed the skull mask. If David had still been alive, he would have been shocked beyond belief by the identity of the person before him. That all-too-familiar face was now pale and lifeless, with a sickly red flush on her cheeks from heavy drug injections. David's wife's eyes glowed with fanaticism as she gently said, "You shouldn't have taken that money, dear. Luckily, I still have a chance to atone."
"Normally, we don't offer traitors a chance to atone. But some people betray for the sake of their loved ones—to give them a better life, not for their own indulgence. Unsatisfied with the vast wealth offered by the Eternal City, they greedily wanted more."
At a meeting, Stephanie presented her proposal. Regarding the replenishment of Assassin personnel, she offered what seemed to be the most viable solution at the time. "So I suggest conducting thorough investigations. First, inform the families of the traitors about the situation, then explain the measures to be taken against the traitors. Grant their families a chance to protect everyone except the traitor and repay the debt owed to the monarch."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS (Chapter 79)
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 391)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter][+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]