S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
The situation was like hesitating to hit a rat for fear of breaking the vase—actions were constrained by larger concerns.
Based on Senator Stern's confession during the interrogation, and under Nick Fury's command, a team led by Maria Hill, assisted by Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, and S.H.I.E.L.D. strike teams, arrested nearly forty people in a single afternoon.
These individuals were from powerful, influential departments: Congress, the FBI, the CIA, and more.
Training a HYDRA member to infiltrate these departments and rise to a mid-to-high-level position often took over a decade, even decades, and immense financial resources. Yet, the painstaking efforts of so many years were more than half wiped out in just one afternoon.
This dealt a devastating blow to HYDRA.
Many HYDRA leaders didn't even receive any warning or have time to react before they were captured by S.H.I.E.L.D.
Instantly, HYDRA was thrown into chaos.
But at this moment, Alexander Pierce didn't dare to make a move. Even though he was heartbroken, feeling like decades of effort had been ruined, making him want to vomit blood, he still didn't dare to act rashly. He didn't even dare to leak information.
He knew Nick Fury seemed focused on the captured members, but in reality, Fury's eyes were firmly fixed on S.H.I.E.L.D. itself. The slightest suspicious activity within S.H.I.E.L.D. would provoke a thunderous response from Fury. If that happened, HYDRA would surely lose.
Even if Pierce mobilized all the hidden HYDRA agents within S.H.I.E.L.D. and confronted Nick Fury head-on, the result would still be HYDRA's defeat. There was no other possible outcome.
Even if it meant destroying S.H.I.E.L.D. entirely, even if it meant killing Nick Fury... The events of seventy years ago were still vivid in his mind. Once HYDRA was exposed to the sunlight, it would become the common enemy of all forces worldwide. In that scenario, HYDRA would be like a rock striking an egg—utterly shattered.
This was why HYDRA had lurked for decades, why the Insight Plan was so crucial. Only with the success of the Insight Plan could HYDRA truly control the world.
HYDRA, which seemed powerful and omnipresent, was actually as fragile as a flower in the mirror or the moon's reflection in water—it could be shattered by the collective power of the world.
Therefore, Alexander Pierce was too afraid to act now. Not only did he not dare to make a move, but he also had to watch as Nick Fury used HYDRA's own operatives to arrest other HYDRA members. He even had to wear the same excited and angry expression as Nick Fury.
He was filled with such immense grievance it made him want to vomit blood, yet he had to pretend to be pleased.
This is murder! This is sheer murder!
Forget it... Losing some influence is losing some influence. As long as HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D. remains hidden, as long as the Insight Plan can continue, it will all be worth it.
By the way, the HYDRA base in Sokovia has been exposed too. It's probably going to be hit hard soon.
Sigh!
Heartache! This is so heart-wrenching!
But he was helpless. He truly didn't dare to warn them or let them fend for themselves.
Just as Alexander Pierce was suffering unbearable heartache, Nick Fury felt immensely satisfied with the afternoon's work.
Just looking at the list of names and their positions was shockingly eye-opening for Nick Fury.
These vermin breeding in the darkness are simply too terrifying!
Before the Black Gold Diary appeared, everyone thought HYDRA had been completely eradicated seventy years ago, with only a few stragglers left. But now, Nick Fury understood why Su Che didn't trust S.H.I.E.L.D.
Tsk, look at how many key departments HYDRA has infiltrated over the years. If I were Su Che, I wouldn't trust S.H.I.E.L.D. either.
Moreover, Nick Fury was certain that S.H.I.E.L.D. itself was not clean. He just wondered if the big fish he had set bait for would take the hook.
Returning to his office, Nick Fury opened the Black Gold Diary, hoping to see if Su Che had updated it today. Even though it was only past 5 p.m., and Su Che usually updated at night, what if he had updated earlier?
He flipped to the latest entry.
Okay.
Sure enough, Su Che hadn't updated.
Closing the Black Gold Diary, Nick Fury really wanted to call Su Che and ask what he was concerned about.
So, what was Su Che doing right now?
Su Che's Apartment
"The scallion oil is best made fresh; the store-bought kind just doesn't taste as good." Su Che removed the fried scallions from the hot oil, then added light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and other seasonings to the oil, simmering it over low heat to create a rich sauce.
"Smells amazing!" Steve Rogers, arms crossed, smiled as he inhaled the aroma. "Is this our dinner tonight? I'm so tired of pasta and burgers!"
Pointing at the fast food—burgers and pasta—that Steve had brought back, Su Che poured the prepared sauce into a bowl and smiled at Steve while dishing out noodles. "I thought we might have action tonight, so I bought some simple stuff, but I also prepared some proper food."
Leaning against the kitchen doorframe, Steve watched Su Che prepare dinner. "I didn't expect Natasha and the others to be making arrests, so..." He paused. "By the way, is there anything I can help with?"
"There sure is!" Su Che pointed towards the living room. "Stop Pietro from playing video games. Steve, can you help Wanda and Pietro with their homework? I checked; they don't have much today. They should definitely finish before dinner!"
"Alright," Steve nodded. "But I still don't like math. If I had a choice, I'd rather teach Wanda and Pietro art. Maybe we should get Tony to tutor them in math. Let's see if Wanda and Pietro are willing to accept Tony's help!"
With a smile, Steve turned and walked towards the living room.
Natasha Romanoff was out making arrests, so Wanda and Pietro were having dinner at Su Che's place. Even though Wanda and Pietro were fifteen, given the circumstances, Natasha felt it safest to leave them with Su Che while she was away.
Half an hour later
"Steve, Wanda, and Pietro, dinner's ready!" Su Che called out after placing the main dish—scallion oil noodles—and several other Chinese dishes on the table.
"Wow, dinner looks amazing today!" After washing his hands, Pietro looked at the spread and said to Su Che, "Su, this looks even more lavish than the birthday dinner Wanda and I had two months ago!"
"Just eat," Wanda said, handing Pietro a knife and fork, then picking up her own chopsticks and sitting down confidently beside Su Che.
"Hmm... I feel a bit left out," Pietro muttered, looking at his knife and fork, then at the chopsticks used by Su Che, Steve, and Wanda. He asked curiously, "I get that Su uses chopsticks, and Wanda just learned over the last two months, but Steve, how can you use them?"
"If you came here to eat every day like I do, you'd learn eventually," Steve replied, smiling as he held his chopsticks. "According to Su, using a knife and fork for delicious Chinese food means you're missing out on its soul!"
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(TL : More Chapters @)[1]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/c/Gooberilla