Thump, thump.
As Peter unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, the HYDRA Agents who had been putting up a desperate resistance, one by one, rolled their eyes back and fell like harvested wheat.
In the blink of an eye, the chaotic meeting room, which had been in an uproar, returned to calm once more.
The several hundred HYDRA Agents were easily taken down by Peter in less than a second.
Having accomplished all this, Peter simply looked at Black Widow and the others as if nothing had happened, and spoke with a smile:
"Maria, Phil, Natasha... what are you all waiting for? Do you want me, the Director, to personally clean up this trash?"
The genuine S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents whose names Peter had called finally snapped out of their shock.
"Wait, Peter!"
Nick Fury, who had regained his senses, was the first to speak, instinctively trying to stop Peter.
It wasn't that he cared so much about the lives of these former subordinates... rather, this blame was big and round, and Nick Fury felt his small frame simply couldn't bear it!
Although the truth was that a large number of HYDRA Agents had already infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. long before Nick Fury took office.
But now, under Peter's deliberate guidance, there was no doubt that the perception of everyone present, including the President, was:
Nick Fury, this incompetent fool, had been holding a sinecure, allowing HYDRA to flourish and nearly turning S.H.I.E.L.D. completely into a HYDRA front.
Once this dirty water was firmly splashed on him, Nick Fury would absolutely be the first scapegoat pushed out to take the fall.
Just like, when A Certain Island incident was first exposed, Epstein, the mastermind, immediately died mysteriously in prison.
To save his own life, Nick Fury had to try to wash black into white:
"I think there might be some misunderstanding here, how could so many people possibly be..."
Bang!
Before he could finish his sentence, a gunshot rang out in the meeting room.
Everyone instinctively looked towards the source of the sound.
Their gazes collectively fell on that beautiful and sexy woman—"Black Widow" Natasha Romanoff.
She ignored Nick Fury's defense and was the first to respond to Peter's order.
Drawing a gun from the holster strapped to her thigh, she fired a single shot directly into the forehead of a comatose HYDRA Agent beside her.
Black Widow made her choice with action.
This gunshot was a pledge of allegiance, and also a point of no return.
Following closely was "Hawkeye" Clint Barton.
He wasn't familiar with Peter, but instinctively chose to trust Black Widow, his old friend with whom he had faced life and death numerous times.
Then came Coulson and Hill.
They unnaturally avoided Nick Fury's stunned gaze, but still firmly pulled their triggers.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Instantly, gunshots in the meeting room linked together... Although it was HYDRA Agents who died, Nick Fury felt as if every bullet fired was blasting a hole through his heart.
He looked in disbelief at those S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents coldly pulling their triggers.
The vast majority of these people had been promoted by him personally.
But now, they didn't even give him a chance to speak, firmly standing on Peter's side.
For the first time, Nick Fury, who had manipulated people's hearts all his life, felt what it meant to be betrayed and abandoned by all.
He looked at the young man on the podium who still maintained his smile and felt a chill that went deep into his bones.
One week!
Only a single, short week had passed since he lost his authority!
He couldn't understand why everything he had built over more than a decade had completely collapsed in just these seven days?
But in fact, Nick Fury had made a serious mistake.
The result of taking sides has never been about personal feelings!
It's only about... strength!
When an invincible powerhouse, with overwhelming force, single-handedly uncovered a cancer that had been hidden for decades.
And the person who once sat in that position not only lost his power but was also proven to be an incompetent fool holding a sinecure.
Who is the hero, and who is the mediocrity, is clear at a glance.
In this situation, who would choose to stand behind a doomed failure destined for reckoning?
The gunfire gradually subsided.
A strange smell mixed with gunpowder and blood spread through the air.
The meeting room once again fell into a suffocating silence.
Even the President on the other end of the video call didn't dare to breathe too loudly now.
In the prolonged silence, Peter finally spoke:
"Former Director Nick Fury, due to severe dereliction of duty, has caused S.H.I.E.L.D. to be almost completely subverted."
His voice was cold and authoritative, carrying a tone akin to judgment:
"Therefore, I declare that from today, he is stripped of all his positions and authority, to be handed over to Congress and the Supreme Court for handling."
"All in favor? All opposed?"
No one spoke.
Although Nick Fury desperately looked to Hill or Coulson with pleading eyes, they each simply pretended to be absorbed in their own thoughts, eyes downcast.
In despair, Nick Fury's hand unconsciously reached for the Pager he always kept on him.
His finger hovered over the send button, wanting to press it again and again but letting go each time.
At that very moment, Peter's voice sounded again:
"Nick Fury, do you have anything to say?"
"I... have nothing to say."
Nick Fury ultimately gave up resistance and did not press the Pager.
It wasn't that he had decided to give up and wait for death.
Rather, he felt it wasn't the right time; having Peter and Captain Marvel confront each other face-to-face was definitely not a good idea.
To save his own life, he had to stay far away from this damn monster!
"Very good."
Peter nodded with satisfaction, then turned his gaze to the trembling President on the screen:
"Mr. President, I'll hand the man over to you."
Hearing this, the President finally snapped out of his shock, muttering dryly:
"Director Peter, you... you have done very well. Thank you for your important contribution to this country."
Hearing this, Peter couldn't help but show a harmless, gentle smile on his face:
"Then... how will you reward me for all this hard work?"
"I..." The President was speechless for a long moment.
He had never seen such a straightforward request for credit.
After a long time, he tentatively asked:
"Double S.H.I.E.L.D.'s funding next year?"
Hearing this, Peter couldn't help but smile slightly.
Not bad, this President's brain isn't too dull, just... a bit stingy!
"Triple it! Furthermore, I demand that from now on, our S.H.I.E.L.D. enjoys the highest law enforcement authority during operations."
"Whether it's the FBI, CIA, or the Military, none have the right to interfere or inquire!"
The President's face instantly turned extremely ugly.
In his heart, he cursed Peter's ancestors for eighteen generations, but he didn't dare to utter a single word of rebuttal.
And those S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents who had originally viewed Peter with a mix of awe and fear due to his thunderous methods couldn't help but glance at each other.
In their eyes, the original awe and fear were rapidly being replaced by another emotion.
Hiss~ If they really got triple the salary and the highest law enforcement authority... When they looked at the young man on the podium again.
For some reason, they suddenly felt that this ruthless new Director... the more they looked, the more heroic and brilliant he seemed?