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

Chapters 567, 1050, and 1051: Trouble Never Ends
“I completely agree with Tony’s point of view.”

Black Widow frowned, nodded seriously, crossed her arms, and calmly analyzed:

"Judging from the fact that the Subspace Corporation was able to intercept Ultron's covert operations so quickly and accurately, they most likely knew about Ultron's existence a long time ago. I even suspect that they may have been secretly monitoring Stark Tower or the overall movements of our Avengers all along, otherwise their reaction would never have been so fast..."

She paused, a chill flashing in her eyes, her voice growing more serious, "And what's most unsettling is that even S.H.I.E.L.D. was completely unaware of the Subspace Group's activities in Wakanda before this..."

"As Tony just said, the importance of vibranium is self-evident... And now, all of Wakanda's vibranium resources have fallen into the hands of the Warp Corporation. Whether this is a blessing or a curse for the world is too early to say..."

"Yes."

Tony Stark seemed to have thought of something, and a smug look appeared on his face as he swirled the wine in his glass and said:
"If Wakanda really is taken over by the Subspace Corporation without anyone noticing, I really want to see what Nick Fury's expression will be when he hears the news... Oh, I think that scene will be quite interesting, won't it?"

He could almost picture Nick Fury's furious yet helpless breakdown upon hearing the news.

However, his joke was not funny.

A heavy silence fell over the living room once again.

The air seemed to be frozen.

The mere fact that Ultron, who intends to exterminate humanity and is seeking a vibranium body, is enough to give them a major headache.

Now, another even more mysterious and unpredictable entity, the [Subspace Group], with unfathomable technological prowess, has emerged and has also been unexpectedly drawn into the fray.

The situation is like a game of chess that has suddenly become extreme and complex, and the pieces in the hands of the Avengers seem so limited.

An invisible pressure loomed over everyone.

Of everyone present, only Tony Stark still harbored a competitive spirit; the others probably didn't want any direct conflict with the Warp Space Corporation.

It's not that they were cowardly, but rather that they knew deep down that they were truly no match for their opponent!

A moment later, a slightly hesitant voice broke the silence.

It's Bruce Banner.

He had already put down his coffee, his hands nervously twisting together as he tried to steer the conversation back to something more pressing:
"So that means... based on the current clues, does that mean we only need to find Dr. Zhao Hailun to trace back to Ultron and disrupt his plans?!"

A mixture of hope and unease lingered on his face. After all, the birth of Ultron was directly related to him, so he didn't want to see anyone else die because of Ultron.

That would give him the illusion that his own hands were stained with the blood of innocent people.

Black Widow glanced at Bruce Banner and continued, incisively stating, "Although there is currently no direct evidence to prove that Dr. Helen Zhao is the agent that Ultron is using to purchase Vibranium... it is clearly the most likely explanation at the moment."

"Moreover, I did a simple background check on her identity on the way back, and found that it was probably not accidental that Ultron chose her... because not long ago, Dr. Zhao Hailun's research team had just successfully developed a nanomolecular technology device called the Cradle of Life. Its 'nanoscale biological tissue directional printing capability' is exactly the ideal choice for Ultron to create the 'vibranium body' at present."

"So, she may very well already..."

“No, she would never do that,” Tony Stark suddenly interrupted, his tone unusually certain.
“I’ve known Zhao Hailun for a long time. She is a principled and ambitious scientist, an idealist, who has always been committed to using technology to save lives, not destroy them…”

"Believe me, I know her better than anyone else. She is definitely not the kind of person who would willingly aid and abet evil and help Ultron destroy the world."

However, as soon as he finished speaking, he noticed that the atmosphere in the living room suddenly became a little awkward, and everyone was looking at him with an extremely strange and unusual gaze.

That look in her eyes clearly said: "So eager to protect Zhao Hailun? Their relationship must be something else. Could she be one of your old flames too? By the way, does Pepper know about this?"
Tony Stark felt extremely uncomfortable under their gazes, rolled his eyes in exasperation, and then spread his hands towards the crowd:
"Please, everyone, put away your gossipy imaginations, okay? Zhao Hailun and I are just purely scientific friends... limited to academic exchanges, understand? Can't you guys keep your minds pure for once?!"

"I just think her character and talent deserve respect, and I believe she must have been coerced by Ultron... Oh well, never mind!!"

Seeing that his explanation was useless, he coughed twice: "Ahem, but now that we've identified this lead, I'll go find her myself to confirm it... That's right, I'll go talk to her!"

When Captain America saw Tony Stark volunteer, he nodded in approval and immediately said, "In any case, Dr. Helen Zhao is the most crucial lead right now, so we must find her as soon as possible."

He then looked at Tony Stark. "Stark, now that you know her, know her job and where she might go, the task of contacting and confirming her situation is entrusted to you."

Tony Stark nodded, his expression serious, and said, "Leave it to me. I will find her."

“Okay.” Captain America swiftly began assigning tasks. “Without further ado, Stark, while you negotiate with Dr. Helen Zhao, Natasha and I will provide support from the outside. If we discover any trace of Ultron, or if Dr. Helen Zhao is in danger, we will intervene immediately.”

"Dr. Banner, Barton, you two stay here and use the available resources to search for any other clues that might be related to Ultron's hiding place. He may have already begun mass-producing the Iron Legion... Everyone, keep communication open at all times!!"

However, just as Captain America was about to turn and leave, Hawkeye, who had been standing silently behind him, suddenly spoke:
"Wait a minute, Captain, you're probably not in a good position to appear in public right now."

"Huh?" Captain America stopped and looked at the other man with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong, Barton? What do you mean by that?"

Hawkeye's face showed a conflicted expression, and his lips moved as if he was thinking about what to say next so as not to cause Captain America to misunderstand.

He glanced at Captain America, then at Tony Stark and the others who were also casting questioning glances, and finally, as if having made up his mind, sighed helplessly:
"Well, I really can't think of a way to describe this strange thing to you in a tactful way... You should just see for yourself, Captain."

After saying that, under the puzzled gazes of everyone, he picked up a tablet computer from the table behind him, found a video in the encrypted files, opened it, and handed it to Captain America.

Captain America took the tablet with a blank expression, while Tony Stark and Black Widow also curiously came over.

However, after just one glance, the expressions on their faces froze instantly, and they stood there dumbfounded.

The video playing on the screen was clearly filmed by a passerby with a mobile phone; the footage was somewhat shaky and blurry. The location appeared to be a busy street in Washington, D.C., with the Capitol Building's dome visible in the distance in the background.

But the content of the video sent chills down everyone's spine...

The footage shows a burly figure wearing a Stars and Stripes combat suit and wielding a vibranium shield, attacking a black SUV... It is clearly footage taken by a passerby a few days ago in Washington, D.C., showing Captain America assassinating Nick Fury in the street.

Although the footage wasn't high-definition, the group could still clearly see that the 'fake Captain America' was exactly the same as the familiar 'real Captain America' in terms of appearance, physique, and fighting habits.

If it weren't for the solid trust built up over a long period, they would definitely suspect that the person was Captain America himself.

The video has finished playing.

A deathly silence fell over the living room.

You can hear a pin drop.

Captain America stood frozen in place, his hands gripping the tablet tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The color drained from his face, turning it pale, and his deep blue pupils contracted to their limit in extreme shock and disbelief.

He stared intently at the frozen image on the screen, as if trying to discern any trace of forgery in the still frame.

Even in his own eyes, that figure looked just like himself!

"Ah this..."

Tony Stark's mouth dropped open. He first looked at the Captain America in front of him, then looked down at the 'fake Captain America' in the video, going back and forth several times, his face completely bewildered. After a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence:
"WTF? Don't tell me you and Natasha didn't actually go to Wakanda, but instead secretly went to Washington... to try and kill Nick Fury?"

He seemed to be trying to ease the shock in everyone's hearts with such a joke, but it sounded rather dry and unconvincing.

"Tony, stop talking nonsense."

Black Widow sharply interrupted the inappropriate joke, her eyes fixed on the screen. She then looked at Captain America beside her, her expression unusually grave, and said:
“I can guarantee that the person in the video is definitely not Captain Rogers… We were on a Quinjet flying to Wakanda at the time, and we have a complete flight log.”

"So, no matter how well that guy in the video imitates Captain America, he's a fake!!"

Captain America ignored their conversation, his entire focus was on the tablet.

His brows were furrowed into a deep frown, and his blue eyes were filled with shock, anger, and immense confusion.

He opened the video and watched the brief attack clip several times, not missing a single detail. But the more he watched, the more he felt as if a needle was pricking his sensitive nerves.

Captain America slowly raised his head, his gaze sharp as he looked at Hawkeye, and asked in a deep voice, "When did this happen? Fury... how is he now?"

"The assassination occurred approximately 49 hours ago." Hawkeye, facing Captain America's gaze, shook his head with a complex expression. "Although S.H.I.E.L.D. activated its highest emergency response immediately after the attack, sealing off the scene and searching for Director Fury with all its might, but..."

"As of now, Chief Fury's fate remains unknown... All that was left at the scene was a large amount of blood and the totaled car."

Captain America clenched his fist tightly, the edge of the tablet making a slight cracking sound in his hand, and an unnamed rage burned fiercely in his chest.

This is clearly someone trying to frame him.

"Where is the assassin?"

Captain America's face had turned incredibly grim, and he fired off a barrage of questions: "Have you figured out his real identity? Why did he impersonate me to assassinate Fury? What was his purpose in doing this?"

However, faced with this series of questions, Hawkeye could only shake his head helplessly, a wry smile on his face, and shrug:
"I'm sorry, Captain, I only just got this video and some scattered information from an acquaintance within S.H.I.E.L.D., so I don't actually know more about many details and inside information than you do. And right now, S.H.I.E.L.D. is in complete chaos..."

"However, what is certain at present is that they have used all their resources, but so far they have not found any reliable clues about the guy who impersonated you. He has disappeared like a ghost."

"Also..."

At this point, a look of conflict and guilt appeared on Hawkeye's face, as if it took immense courage to say what he was about to say.

He avoided Captain America's gaze, hesitated for several seconds, and finally mustered the courage to continue speaking with difficulty:

"Captain... Under the direct instruction of certain high-ranking members of the Security Council, S.H.I.E.L.D. has officially issued an internal arrest warrant for you."

"The charge is... suspected murder of Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.!!"

The last few words, like a bolt from the blue, exploded in the living room, and the air instantly froze.

"what?!"

"This is impossible……"

"Are they crazy?!"

Everyone, including Tony Stark, was stunned by this sudden news.

Captain America is wanted by S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Are you sure you're not joking?
This is absolutely a fantasy, utterly absurd!

(End of this chapter)