The Savior of American Comics? I'm the Subspace Evil God!

Chapters 566, 1048, and 1049: A Reminder from Frank (Part 2)

"However... about a few days ago, we did complete a transaction involving vibranium."

Under the intense gazes of Captain America and Black Widow, Frank took a thin, portable tablet computer from a Thunder Soldier beside him.

His fingers swiped quickly across the screen, bringing up the relevant records, then he looked up at the two people opposite him and said in a light, quick voice:

"The counterparty is... Dr. Cho Ha-lun, the head of the Eugene Genetic Research Laboratory in Seoul."

He deliberately provided only the two of them with the most basic information about the buyer.

He remained silent on deeper questions such as the quantity and amount of vibranium involved in the transaction, and why the Subspace Group would sell vibranium to a genetic laboratory.

These are all trade secrets and internal affairs of the [Subspace Corporation], and there is neither the need nor the inclination to explain them to the [Avengers].

[Eugene Genetic Research Laboratory]?
Dr. Zhao Hailun?
Captain America and Black Widow immediately memorized these two key names.

This is undoubtedly a crucial breakthrough and new clue in the search for Ultron's whereabouts.

"Oh, right……"

Just as Captain America and Black Widow were quickly processing the information and secretly noting it down in preparation for an immediate investigation, Frank, who had already turned halfway around, seemed to suddenly remember something, stopped, and added a sentence.

The content of that sentence instantly plunged Captain America and Black Widow, who had been slightly relaxed, into an icy abyss, sending chills down their spines!
Frank's voice remained calm, as if he were talking about something trivial, "Just a heads up... the [Ultron] you're hunting is acting more aggressively than you think."

"In fact, at least a week ago, it had already successfully infiltrated and locked onto part of the control system of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and several of its strategic missile silos."

He paused deliberately, as if wanting the chilling words to settle in their minds for a moment, before continuing:
"If it weren't for our [Subspace Group] cybersecurity department 'coincidentally' discovering it and continuously interfering with its cracking process, constantly helping the military reset and upgrade the firewalls and launch command passwords of those outdated systems..."

It's likely that by now, New York City, Washington D.C., and several other national capitals, including Stark Tower, have already been completely wiped off the map by its remotely controlled intercontinental ballistic missiles equipped with H-warheads.

Before leaving, Frank glanced one last time at Captain America and Black Widow, who were practically frozen in place, his eyes carrying an indescribable meaning—a warning, or perhaps pure contempt.

"Therefore, you [Avengers] had better hurry up and get rid of this big problem that you created as soon as possible."

"Because my boss has never liked cleaning up other people's messes for free... and he especially dislikes doing this kind of 'after-sales work' without any 'compensation'."

Then, Frank gave Captain America and his companion, whose faces had turned deathly pale, a look that said, "You'd better watch yourselves." He then led the two Thunder Warriors straight back to the lifelike "mountains" behind the primitive village.

The surface of the massive mountain wall, disguised by optical technology, rippled with water-like patterns once again. After Frank and his companions were completely swallowed up, it quickly returned to its previous unremarkable, primitive 'mountain' appearance.

Even the swarm of drones that had been hovering above Captain America and Black Widow vanished as mysteriously and silently as they had appeared, as if nothing had ever happened.

Only Captain America and Black Widow remained, like two completely frozen statues, standing stiffly in the scorching sun, unable to move for a long time.

call……

A gentle breeze swept by, stirring up large swaths of red dust and waves of heat from the ground, but it couldn't bring any warmth to the two people's hearts.

They felt as if they were enveloped in a bone-chilling cold, their entire bodies shivering with cold.

Frank's 'revelation' was like a bombshell, almost freezing the blood in both of their bodies on the spot!
They simply couldn't imagine that while they were frantically searching for Ultron, a nuclear apocalypse capable of destroying human civilization was so close to them!

If it weren't for the Subspace Group's covert intervention, what a hellish scene this world would be right now!

Mushroom cloud?
A burning city?
The cries of hundreds of millions?

A regression of civilization...

The lingering fear that came from the depths of their souls made both of them, seasoned veterans, feel waves of palpitations and goosebumps.

"call……"

After a good ten seconds, Captain America finally let out a long sigh of relief, exhaling the breath that had been catching in his chest. He then raised his hand and vigorously wiped the fine beads of cold sweat from his forehead, whether from the heat or lingering fear, and said to Black Widow with feigned ease:
"Natasha, this might be the best news we've heard in a while..."

He forced a smile that wasn't too stiff, and said in a composed manner:

"At least now we know that we have a solid 'ally' in the shadows who can stop Ultron from causing trouble online and pushing the situation to an irreversible point. This will undoubtedly give us ample time to retaliate."

Black Widow nodded with a sigh of relief, her full breasts rising and falling slightly beneath her black combat suit, clearly still shaken by the news she had just heard.

But then, a bitter and sarcastic smile appeared on her pale face as she quipped:

"However, I believe that if Director Fury knew that his most feared 'opponent' had actually done us a favor without making a sound and helped the world avoid at least one nuclear disaster... his expression would be absolutely priceless."

“I bet he’d rather this had never happened than admit he owes Karl Mara such a huge favor… because he seems to really dislike our ‘new ally’.”

Captain America couldn't help but smile upon hearing this.

During his time at S.H.I.E.L.D., he had heard a little about the feud between Nick Fury and Karl Mara.

The former's wariness and aversion to the [Subspace Group] were almost ingrained in his bones.

But right now, he has no time to consider these power struggles and disagreements among the higher-ups.

For him, the most urgent task was to seize the valuable clue provided by the [Subspace Group] and stop [Ultron].

Now that they have received concrete information, there is no need for them to stay here any longer.

"Let's go, Natasha."

Captain America turned around, his gaze regaining its firmness and sharpness. "We need to return to Barton's private ranch immediately and inform everyone about the Eugene Genetic Research Lab and Dr. Helen Zhao... Ultron's plans must be stopped, and the sooner the better!"

The two exchanged a glance, then turned in unison and strode towards the Quinjet parked not far away. Soon, the hatch slowly closed, the engine started, and a deep roar filled the air…

The Quinjet took off again, soaring across the skies of the East African plateau and speeding toward the farm, leaving behind a vast land that, while seemingly ordinary, actually concealed astonishing secrets.

Captain America sat in the cabin, his gaze fixed on the scenery rushing past below through the porthole, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

Frank's final warning, "My boss doesn't like working for free," resonated deeply within him, serving as another stark reminder of his unease.

Is the "helping hand" from the [Subspace Group] truly out of "selflessness," or does it conceal some other intentions that they are not yet aware of?
However, Captain America couldn't figure it out at all, so he simply shook his head and put all these distracting thoughts aside for the time being.

Right now, they must come up with a strategy to deal with Ultron as soon as possible.

…………

……

Forest Hill, Queens.

Hawkeye's secret farm.

The last rays of the setting sun filtered through the dense woods, casting dappled light and shadow on the winding country road.

Captain America and Black Widow, piloting the Quinjet, landed silently, like a black phantom, on a lush lawn behind the farm.

laugh--

The hatch opened, and Captain America and Black Widow stepped out of the cabin one after the other.

Both men wore expressions of fatigue and weariness from their long journey, but the seriousness in their eyes remained undiminished.

In the living room, Tony Stark, Hawkeye, and Bruce Banner, who had been notified in advance, had been waiting for a long time.

Tony Stark, dressed in a black T-shirt, was lounging lazily in a slightly worn leather sofa, his fingers interlaced in front of him, forming a tower shape. His eyes held both anticipation and nervousness.

Bruce Banner sat on the other side of the sofa, holding a steaming cup of coffee. His complexion was noticeably better than before, but a lingering worry still hung between his brows.

Seeing that Black Widow immediately turned to look at him with concern after entering the room, Bruce Banner felt both warm and ashamed.

He pushed up his glasses, met Black Widow's gaze, and forced a slightly awkward smile onto his face.

Hawkeye, dressed in a loose plaid shirt and jeans, looking like a real rancher, leaned against the fireplace at the far end with his arms crossed, his gaze becoming somewhat complicated the moment Captain America walked into the room.

It was mixed with worry, hesitation, and an indescribable guilt, as if hesitating whether to tell the other person something now.

Captain America clearly didn't notice the subtle change in Hawkeye's expression. He walked straight into the restaurant and casually placed the Vibranium Shield on the table.

"Looks like we're not late, we'll still make it for dinner." Black Widow took off her leather jacket and casually draped it over the back of her chair, speaking with feigned ease.

"Had a pleasant journey, you two?" Tony Stark raised an eyebrow, asking with his characteristic, slightly sarcastic humor, "So, did you bring back any 'specialties' from Wakanda?"

Captain America ignored the other person's tone, took a deep breath, and scanned each of his companions present. Without any pleasantries, he cut straight to the point and said in a deep voice:

"Gentlemen, the situation is far more complicated than we had anticipated... but fortunately, we have made some progress this time."

With just one simple sentence, he instantly drew everyone's attention.

Even Tony Stark subconsciously sat up straight, and the nonchalant expression on his face softened slightly.

Captain America then recounted, in as much detail and objectivity as possible, what he and Black Widow had seen and heard in Wakanda, the speculation that the Subspace Corporation had already established deep connections with Wakanda and taken over... no, to be precise, monopolized the vibranium resources there, the astonishing news that Ultron was trying to obtain the H-bomb launch code, and Frank's final warning.

The living room fell into a deathly silence, with only the occasional crackling of the burning wood in the fireplace.

"Oh, damn it, I actually guessed right."

[Hawkeye] was the first to break the silence. He rolled his eyes with a look of utter despair, rubbed his temples, and let out a helpless sigh:

"So, the good news is, we've inexplicably gained a 'solid ally' who can stop that madman Ultron from randomly launching H-bombs on the internet, but is unwilling to offer any further assistance?"

"The bad news is that the reason that bastard Ultron framed Banner and stirred up this storm of gossip... was actually to drag us, the Avengers, into the mire, distract us, and buy himself enough time to build that damn vibranium body?!"

"Damn it, I wish I weren't a secret agent right now, but just an ordinary farmer."

He practically choked out the last sentence through gritted teeth.

Captain America shrugged helplessly upon hearing this, a hint of weariness showing on his resolute face: "It seems... to be the case for now."

"Captain, I advise you not to rush to award the 'Best Ally' certificate to [Subspace Group]."

Tony Stark's eyes turned cold and wary. He stood up, walked to the liquor cabinet, and poured himself a glass of cheap whiskey. The amber liquid swirled in the glass, but after searching around, he couldn't find any ice. So, holding the glass, he said in a low voice:

"Although the Subspace Corporation intervened to prevent Ultron from obtaining the H-Bomb launch code, it does not mean that they are on our side."

"In my opinion, this is more like Ultron's actions touching some kind of interest or bottom line for them, and..."

He took a sip of his drink, the slightly unpleasant taste causing him to frown slightly, but then his gaze sharpened as he looked at Captain America. "They concealed the details of the vibranium deal, and even hid their presence in Wakanda from the entire world... This isn't the kind of honesty a normal 'ally' should have!"

"Most importantly, if the Subspace Corporation has indeed managed to monopolize all of Wakanda's vibranium through some means, then for the Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., and even the entire world... it could be a potential crisis no less severe than Ultron's!"

Clearly, Tony Stark's prejudice against the Warp Space Corporation has not diminished with the passage of time and the accumulation of positive word-of-mouth; on the contrary, it has become increasingly intense.

(End of this chapter)