American Comics: Tales of Cultivator

Chapter 172: Silencing, Butterfly Effect, True Target, Conspiracy (8000)

"Sir, you should come take a look, we found a live one!"

Phil Coulson and Agent Hill were discussing and speculating about the origin of these armed individuals.

Just then, a police car drove up to them. A burly white Police Officer leaned out the car window and called out to them.

Phil Coulson and Agent Hill exchanged glances, got directly into the Police Officer's car, and followed him to the Interstate Highway.

Just after the police car left, in a Depression on the Hillside, the gravel suddenly shifted. A mimicking humanoid lizard suddenly stood up. The color of its skin constantly changed with the surrounding gravel and vegetation, like a large chameleon.

The Card Soldier watched the group of Police Officers clearing the battlefield on the Interstate Highway in the distance. It immediately lowered its body, getting on all fours, and pounced towards the direction of the Interstate Highway.

"Officer, judging by his condition, he's barely clinging to life. There's absolutely no need for treatment!"

On Interstate Highway 66, two young Police Officers stared with resentful gazes at the white thug lying on the stretcher.

Both were SWAT Team members who had rushed from Albuquerque to provide reinforcements.

Albuquerque isn't very large; while they didn't know everyone in the entire Police System, seeing a group of familiar colleagues turn into corpses still made them feel a sense of shared sorrow.

Moreover, the SWAT Team's attack helicopter had just been shot down by the bandits, and they had lost four more teammates.

If someone hadn't stopped them, let alone lifting the stretcher, the two SWAT Team members would have wanted to put another bullet in the bandit's head right then and there.

"Listen to me, young men, only by saving him can we find clues about that group of thugs and get revenge for our dead colleagues!"

Phil Coulson, with a kind expression, soothed the emotions of the two young SWAT Team members.

He then bent down and examined the Gunman's body.

On the stretcher, the Gunman's body was covered in blood, and he kept spitting out bloody foam.

Fortunately, the bulletproof vest on his body blocked most of the damage. Currently, he was only suffering from excessive blood loss, and possibly a few ribs broken by the impact of bullets.

"Perhaps we can check the bulletproof vests on these people for clues. This kind of heavy bulletproof vest is contraband in the Federation, and not many people can get their hands on it!"

The white Police Officer standing next to Hill leaned towards Agent Hill, offering his opinion, his eyes occasionally darting over Hill's graceful figure.

This burly white Police Officer was a captain in the Albuquerque SWAT Team. He seemed to have a good impression of Agent Hill.

Agent Hill turned her head and glanced at him, ordering impolitely, "Officer, I need you to organize the rescue work. I need two rescue helicopters!"

The white Police Officer walked aside resentfully, took out his walkie-talkie, and began contacting the rescue helicopters.

Having sent away the bothersome Police Officer.

Agent Hill watched as the two young SWAT Team members carried the injured Gunman to an open area nearby, waiting for the arrival of the rescue helicopters.

"Where is Brock Rumlow? I need to immediately arrange for a Mind Reader to interrogate him!" she asked Phil Coulson.

Phil Coulson stood with his hands on his hips, watching the arriving rescue team carry out over a dozen corpses covered with white cloth from this Highway battlefield. "I've placed him in a temporary Safe House in Albuquerque. It's very secure! I'll take you there later!"

"Hill, these people are well-trained. They don't seem like ordinary bandits or Gang members. Do you think they're from their Organization!?"

Phil Coulson hesitated, thinking about the powerful firepower and tactics the thugs had displayed when they faced them just now.

He suspected they might be from Hydra.

"Doesn't seem like it!" Hill crossed her arms, pondered for a moment, and shook her head. "If the video really fell into their hands, they wouldn't have needed to launch this attack!"

"Unless this drug dealer is an important figure, but I checked his information, he's just a drug dealer who immigrated from Mexico. It's impossible for him to have any connection with Hydra!"

"But it doesn't matter. With the Mind Reader here, we'll soon know the identity and true purpose of this group!" Agent Hill said, looking at the Gunman in the distance who had been fitted with an oxygen mask.

What is that thing? Hill's gaze inadvertently swept past the stretcher, and she suddenly saw the sandy ground seem to move, approaching the Gunman's stretcher with a double image.

Not good!

Agent Hill reached for her handgun from her waist with a backhand motion. Bang bang bang—without a word, she fired several shots at the empty Space next to the stretcher with a backhand motion.

The gunfire startled everyone present. The Officers and Agents present quickly drew their handguns and looked in the direction of the gunfire.

"Enemy attack!"

"Next to the stretcher, that thing is invisible!" Agent Hill first shouted to everyone, then said to Phil Coulson, who had also drawn his handgun beside her.

Enemy attack? Several Police Officers and rescue team members standing near the stretcher watched as Hill pointed her gun at them, and they all raised their guns, looking around wary.

But the surroundings were an open Wilderness, with a clear view, and there was no shadow of an enemy.

A member of the rescue team wearing a firefighter's uniform, who seemed to have just arrived, clearly hadn't seen the scene where Agent Hill had just controlled the vulcan cannon to spray fire downwards from the helicopter.

He joked to his companion beside him.

"Looks like this rookie hasn't experienced this kind of bloody scene before, they're scared stiff!"

"Mon—Monster!"

His colleague next to him, who was pulling a fire hose, looked at the open area beside the Highway where the stretcher was placed, and suddenly screamed.

Monster!

The firefighter followed his colleague's gaze and saw a two-meter-tall humanoid lizard suddenly appear out of nowhere.

It began ruthlessly slaughtering the SWAT Team members next to the stretcher.

The lizard serum developed by Professor Connors used genes from various lizards. A part of the serum itself contained the chameleon's mimicry and invisibility genes.

The lizard-transformed Card Soldier used its mimicry form to infiltrate near the stretcher. It was as if it was wearing natural optical camouflage.

It evaded the nearby Police Officers.

He had originally intended to secretly silence the injured Training Camp Gunman and then quietly leave.

Unexpectedly, the sharp-eyed Female Agent discovered his tracks.

He simply deactivated his invisibility state, punched a SWAT Team member guarding the stretcher, sending him flying, and enduring the shooting from several handguns, he reached out his large hand towards the Training Camp Gunman's throat.

The Dark Demon Special Forces don't have a habit of abandoning teammates, and the Boss wouldn't casually abandon his Subordinates either.

However, the Mind Reader mentioned by the two Agents forced him to ruthlessly silence this Training Camp Gunman to avoid causing trouble for the Boss.

"Open Fire!"

"Bang bang bang—"

Facing the lizardmen who appeared out of nowhere, these Police Officers were also terrified and began shooting at the Card Soldier.

The lizard soldier blocked its eyes with one arm, letting the bullets hit its hard lizard skin. Its other thick hand grabbed the Gunman's neck. Snap!

...

"Bang bang bang..."

Agent Hill and Phil Coulson ran towards the direction of the Card Soldier while shooting, but they were clearly a step too late.

After silencing the severely injured Training Camp Gunman, the Card Soldier's thick lizard tail whipped a blocking SWAT Team member aside and immediately darted towards the Wilderness.

"Helicopters, quick, quick, quick, take off and surround this mutant monster!"

Seeing the green figure running towards the Wilderness, several Police Chiefs who had just reacted quickly waved their arms, signaling the helicopters to take off...

Agent Hill and Phil Coulson had now arrived beside the stretcher, holding their handguns.

Phil Coulson checked the Gunman's condition on the stretcher. Touching the neck that was almost broken in two, he shook his head helplessly at Agent Hill.

"Are you still..."

Hill was about to say something, but suddenly reacted and cautiously looked around.

Phil Coulson pointed to his mobile phone and gave her a knowing gaze.

...

In the Wilderness Jungle, the Eight of Hearts Card Soldier abandoned several jeeps and, taking six Training Camp Gunmen, moved through the Jungle according to the predetermined evacuation route.

This Dense Forest is connected to the Rocky Mountains. As long as they enter the Rocky Mountains, the Police won't be able to find them, no matter how much manpower they have.

...

New York Raccoon City Hive Base

On the newly constructed Laboratory floor in the lower level of the Base, thousands of square meters of area were divided into several Incubation Chambers.

Each Incubation Chamber, occupying hundreds of square meters, contained a brand new environment simulation system.

It was similar to the system Boss Tang had used when he interned at Oscorp, capable of simulating various natural environments.

However, these environment simulation systems were clearly larger and more comprehensive in function than the one at Oscorp Tower.

Naturally, the cost was also higher.

These several simulation systems, custom-ordered and purchased, cost a total of forty million US dollars.

Inside Incubation Chamber number 1, Tang Song wore a white coat and looked at the situation inside the Incubation Chamber through the transparent observation window.

This Incubation Chamber, from vegetation, temperature, to humidity, was designed to mimic the environment of the Borneo Rainforest.

In the simulated Swampland, several yellow-green patterned giant pythons were faintly visible in the water ripple, creating ripples.

However, Tang Song's attention was clearly not on these giant pythons. His gaze was fixed on the green vines on the rock wall.

"Boss, these are the vines of the blood orchid. We have simulated its growth environment, and we have tested it; the plants are currently developing well!"

When Boss Tang visited the Laboratory, Professor Connors naturally took on the role of explaining.

"How long is its flowering period?" Tang Song asked, looking at the expanse of green vines with no hint of red.

Professor Connors replied, "Seven years. The flowering period for this plant is seven years; it flowers once every seven years! However, your people have collected enough research samples, and the research is currently going smoothly..."

Leaving the Laboratory, Tang Song got into the car returning to the Manor. He had just personally experimented with the effect of the blood orchid's plant gene on Experiment Subject Zero's gene.

The effect was very obvious. After adding the blood orchid's plant gene, the cell division of Experiment Subject Zero was significantly alleviated.

Once the experiment is successful, a batch of gene warriors injected with serum zero can basically ensure that Tang Song himself can walk without fear on Earth! Tang Song sat in the back seat of the stretched Rolls-Royce, his feet resting on the seat, comfortably smoking a large cigar.

Unfortunately, the quantity of blood orchid is insufficient. The first batch of serum must definitely be injected into Kane, Lane, and the others.

The essence of god-demon transformation is to develop the divine demon gene within the bloodline. People in this world certainly won't possess ancient divine demon bloodlines.

But after being injected with King Ghidorah serum, will god-demon transformation be able to develop the gene of King Ghidorah, that titan giant beast?

God-demon transformation plus King Ghidorah serum, will the few of them ultimately transform into King Ghidorah's complete form! Smoking his cigar, Tang Song considered this possibility, but then thought about King Ghidorah's true body he had seen at the Monarch Organization in Antarctica.

Although the complete form of King Ghidorah might not compare to a skyfather level interstellar overlord like Odin.

Its destructive power wouldn't be far off...

If Kane and the others could possess the strength of King Ghidorah's complete form, it would be a good thing! At the same time, Tang Song was also calculating some other matters while smoking.

From that few minutes of video, it can be seen that the plot of the Marvel World is not set in stone.

As his influence grew, the Marvel plots in his memory might not be accurate anymore.

Who knows what kind of impact the butterfly effect he, this butterfly appearing in the world, would bring to this world.

Now, Nick Fury discovered the Hydra hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D. in advance. What if, due to his influence, the spatial gate opened in New York during Avengers Assemble didn't release the Chitauri, but instead Thanos? That would be a huge problem.

No, he still needed to expand his influence. The first step was to expand the Scale of the Training Camp. Although there were over three hundred elite Soldiers now, compared to those established and powerful security companies, Tang Security Company wasn't much in terms of manpower...

Money, money wasn't a problem. Li Wen had been busy for a while recently.

Another batch of fake euros was about to flow into the European continent.

The revenue from other businesses was also quite good. Money was not an issue.

Hmm, Kane is good at fighting wars, but he's quite hopeless at doing other things. He basically knows nothing and still needs a lot of training. Frank is the same; aside from fighting and killing, other matters still depend on Lane...

The Matters concerning the Subterranean World can't be delayed any longer. Once the matters in Washington have a result, he'll have to personally make a trip to Iceland.

Right, Kane went to Washington. I wonder how his talk with Storm Shadow went.

Strange, what was the Cobra Organization's intention in assassinating the King of Wakanda? Were they after the commission?

...

In a large Detached Courtyard in Washington, this was a temporary Base for Cobra.

Storm Shadow, along with the Ninja he had trained, was currently stationed in this Courtyard.

On the roof of the Courtyard, Storm Shadow and Kane sat on the edge.

Below, dozens of red-clothed Ninja were distributed throughout the Yard.

"According to intelligence, the King of Wakanda will arrive in Washington today. Has your Cobra Commander not arrived yet?" Kane asked, playing with the powerful revolver in his hand.

Storm Shadow, meanwhile, was gently wiping the adamantium katana in his hand with a piece of white cloth.

"This time, Cobra Commander didn't give precise information. He just told us to gather in Washington!" "I think, in Washington right now, besides the King of Wakanda who is currently making waves, what other target would require us to mobilize so much manpower?"

"Let's hope so! The Boss's order to me is to cooperate with you in assassinating the King of Wakanda, and while we're at it, help you take over Cobra!" Kane said in a deep voice.

"I'll handle my own matters!" Storm Shadow said. After a backhand swing of his blade, he sheathed the adamantium katana he had wiped several times.

Kane loaded bullets one by one into the cylinder of his large-caliber revolver, saying nothing.

Just then, the sound of car tires rubbing against the Ground came from outside the Yard.

The group of red-clothed Ninja all gripped their knife hilts and looked outside wary.

"Friendlies!"

Storm Shadow looked at the line of seven stretched black Lincoln cars parked outside and signaled to the Ninja in the Yard.

From each car, three to five tall men wearing black suits and neat ties stepped out.

The car door of the middle Lincoln car opened, and a man wearing black leather clothing, heavily wrapped up, and wearing a silver-white facemask stepped out.

"That is Cobra Commander!"

Storm Shadow whispered to Kane.

Kane flipped the revolver in his hand and said in a muffled voice, "I'll take him out right now!"

Seeing that Kane didn't seem to be joking, Storm Shadow quickly stopped him:

"The Boss is interested in one of his research projects. He can't die yet!"

Hearing Storm Shadow's words, Kane finally frowned and put away his handgun.

Storm Shadow jumped off the roof and, taking Kane and a few red-clothed Ninja, went out to greet them at the entrance.

Seeing Storm Shadow and the manpower he brought, Cobra Commander nodded at Storm Shadow with satisfaction. "Looks like you arrived just in time!"

His gaze lingered on Kane for a moment. After all, among a group of slender Ninja, stood a guy who looked even more burly than a brown bear.

It was hard not to attract his attention! "This is one of my capable Subordinates. You said the mission required some strong manpower, so I specifically brought him!"

Storm Shadow saw that Cobra Commander seemed interested in Kane and offered an explanation.

Cobra Commander grunted in acknowledgment. "Indeed, this mission does require some strong manpower!"

"Today I received information that the King of Wakanda has arrived in Washington! When do we make our move!?" Storm Shadow asked, raising his katana.

Cobra Commander burst into laughter. His voice was muffled through the silver-white facemask. "The King of Wakanda? No, no, our target isn't him!"

"Not the King of Wakanda!" Storm Shadow looked at Cobra Commander with doubt.

"I've named this plan 'Changing Heaven and Earth'..."

Cobra Commander had no intention of concealing his meaning from Storm Shadow at this point.

He shared his plan with Storm Shadow.

"I received information that after this secret meeting concludes,

the Federal President will personally go to the Hotel where the King of Wakanda is staying to meet him. Our mission target is him!"

The 'him' Cobra Commander referred to was naturally not the King of Wakanda.

Assassinating the Federal President.

Storm Shadow was somewhat surprised by Cobra Commander's plan.

His shock wasn't due to the act of assassinating the Federal President.

It wasn't just one or two Federal Presidents throughout history who had died from assassination.

What he couldn't understand was what benefit assassinating the Federal President would bring to the Cobra Organization.

"This plan is to help our allies get into the president's position!"

Cobra Commander seemed to see Storm Shadow's doubt and offered a brief explanation, but didn't say more.

A group of Cobra Soldier, under his instructions, began moving several sealed boxes from the cars.

...

Washington D.C., almost at the exact moment Cobra Commander arrived in Washington.

Over a dozen black official vehicles were parked outside Blair House.

A stern-faced short-haired man, accompanied by over a dozen members of the S.H.I.E.L.D. elite team, stood Guard beside the official vehicles.

A S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent wearing a black suit opened the Gate of an official vehicle.

A black elder in his fifties, escorted by several black women, got out of the car and walked into Blair House.

Blair House is located diagonally across from the White House. It's where the Federation holds summits, and where the president receives foreign heads of state and important politicians and celebrities.

Holding the meeting here shows that, although it was a secret meeting, the Federal government still placed considerable value on this meeting.

Of course, if it were the Wakanda of the past, as a poor small country in East Africa, it naturally wouldn't receive this kind of treatment.

Because of its previous disguise, in the eyes of the outside world, Wakanda was like other East African countries.

Poor, backward, a fourth-rate African small country living on United Nations relief funds—this was the stereotype all countries had of Wakanda, assuming they even knew about this obscure little country.

Wakanda's greatest use in the past might have been to serve as a headcount in United Nations votes!

When Boss Tang, hiding behind the scenes, exposed Wakanda's disguise, and the Allied Forces composed of the world's five major powers declared war on Wakanda, everything changed.

Leaving aside the outcome of the war that broke out between the Allied Forces and Wakanda, before the war began and during the stalemate phase, they were surprised by the technology and military level Wakanda displayed.

The UN Security Council launched a detailed investigation into Wakanda.

When the five major powers jointly investigated a country, they quickly found something! They discovered there was a reason for this country's low profile.

Wakanda not only possessed rare metal, high-tech weapons, and advanced education, but also its own intelligence agency, PRIDE.

According to the investigation results of the Central Intelligence Agency, the reason Africa didn't have a powerful country was all Wakanda's fault.

They secretly instigated wars, preventing the unification of Africa.

Cough cough, as for whether it was true or false, no one delved deeply into that.

In any case, this was one of the reasons the Federation declared war on Wakanda.

Just like the report provided by the French Agent, who suspected that global warming was related to Wakanda's secret research.

They just needed an excuse!

They had their reasons, but they didn't expect these people to be so capable in a fight. The war entered a stalemate phase, and the problems could only be resolved through negotiation.

...

At the Hotel entrance, the current Federal Secretary of State, Francis Underwood, saw T'Chaka walking over and quickly went to greet him, giving him a ceremonial embrace.

T'Chaka was momentarily taken aback by the Secretary of State's enthusiasm.

"Welcome, Your Majesty T'Chaka. I have a feeling your arrival will bring good fortune to the Federation!"

"It's also a pleasure to meet you, Secretary of State!"

Although surprised by Francis Underwood's enthusiasm, T'Chaka still showed the appropriate courtesy towards the Federal Secretary of State.

Francis Underwood, his face beaming, walked towards the interior of the Hotel after embracing T'Chaka, surrounded by a group of Security Personnel.

...

Inside the Hotel rooms, Natasha Romanoff, wearing a black tight combat uniform, was leading two Security Personnel with instruments, checking each room for potential eavesdropping and recording devices.

What the two S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent walking ahead of Natasha Romanoff with instruments didn't notice was that Natasha Romanoff's fingers traced along the Hotel wall behind them. Every time she passed a hidden Corner, she flicked her fingertip, and miniature listening devices and cameras would be embedded.

These eavesdropping devices were high-tech products she had confiscated from a hidden Laboratory in Western Europe during a mission. They were less than three millimeters in size.

Before being activated, they would remain in standby mode. Once activated, their energy would be sufficient to support operation for two hours.

Two hours, enough for these miniature listening devices to capture some important information.

...

Blair House, a small conference room. Photos of past Federal Presidents and celebrity oil paintings hung in the conference room, giving it a solemn atmosphere.

A contact that wasn't quite a formal meeting unfolded within this small conference room.

"Wakanda wants to become a permanent member of the World Security Council?!"

Francis Underwood looked at the stout black person sitting on the sofa. Although he had received this information from between England and France earlier, Francis Underwood was still somewhat shocked by T'Chaka's bold idea.

"King T'Chaka, you must know that there are only five permanent member seats on the World Security Council. It was like this when it was founded, and it will always be like this.

Wakanda's technological level is very high, but given your population and area and international influence, becoming a permanent member is absolutely impossible!"

"Nothing is absolute! Secretary of State, Country * and Russia will cast an affirmative vote in the vote for Wakanda to join the permanent member. Now only the Federation remains, and this is the reason for my visit."

T'Chaka spread his hands: "As long as the Federation also casts an affirmative vote in the World Security Council vote meeting, Wakanda's entry into the permanent member will become a certainty!"

As everyone knows, among the five permanent members of the World Security Council, there are actually only three.

Country * and Russia will both cast an affirmative vote. Hearing T'Chaka's words, Francis Underwood's heart trembled.

As a seasoned politician, he could already imagine the intricate political deals behind these two affirmative votes.

"What can Wakanda offer?"

Francis Underwood was calculating the investment Wakanda had made in the two countries, Country * and Russia.

If Country * and Russia obtained Wakanda's technology first, and the two countries surpassed the Federation.

Even if his plan succeeded, he could forget about reelection in the future.

What Francis Underwood needed to consider was the benefit he could gain from facilitating this matter.

"Wakanda will provide a portion of vibranium as a market quota to circulate within the Federation, and will also share some vibranium technology!"

T'Chaka adjusted his glasses. "At the same time, I also hope Secretary of State will lobby the Federal Congress for me to end this war as soon as possible,

This battlefield was not instigated by us Wakandans, but by a Mysterious Organization."

"We have already caught the trail of this Organization," T'Chaka said, looking meaningfully at Francis Underwood. "Speaking of which, there is someone in this Organization that Secretary of State must be familiar with!"

"Acquaintance?" Francis Underwood was somewhat in doubt.

"Does the name Bucky Barnes sound familiar, Secretary of State? Some time ago, Wakanda was invaded, and we captured someone unexpected."

"Mr. Barnes, a member of the Howling Commandos, Captain America Steve Rogers' close friend. He was brainwashed by that Mysterious Organization," T'Chaka said.

"We are in the process of waking him up. Once Mr. Barnes is conscious, we will be able to find the mastermind."

T'Chaka said, "Secretary of State, we and the Federation have a common enemy, don't we!"

Barnes? Francis Underwood wasn't very familiar with the name Bucky.

Hearing T'Chaka mention the surname Barnes, he suddenly remembered his young secretary.

"I will report this matter to the president!" Francis Underwood nodded, his expression solemn, appearing to attach great value to it.

"Your Majesty, considering the friendship between our two countries, I propose hosting a cocktail party at the Hotel after this meeting concludes!"

"A cocktail party!" T'Chaka was somewhat unclear about Francis Underwood's intention.

Francis Underwood explained, "Your Majesty should be familiar with our Federation's political system. At the cocktail party, I will invite some figures who can truly influence the Federation's landscape, such as the chairman of the Federal Reserve and some others..."

T'Chaka nodded in understanding.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Secretary of State!"

Francis Underwood chatted with T'Chaka for a while longer, exchanging opinions. Francis Underwood inquired about the Hotel's living arrangements for King T'Chaka before bidding T'Chaka farewell and leaving.

A secret meeting naturally couldn't be concluded so quickly. This meeting was merely a probing before the formal talks between the two sides began.

...

"Yes, Mr. President, King T'Chaka wants to host a cocktail party after the meeting concludes!"

"Secret meeting, I know. But Wakanda is very resolute. Country * and Russia have already reached a secret agreement with Wakanda. I think we cannot fall behind... Alright! I will definitely do a good job with the Security work!"

Francis Underwood, sitting in the back seat of a bulletproof sedan, put down the phone in his hand, a smile of successful conspiracy appearing on his face.

(end of chapter )