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

Chapters 592, 1100, and 1101: Death Trap (Part 2)

"We all know very well that in this complex and dangerous world, besides the high-sounding rhetoric in diplomatic settings, the fragile cooperation of backstabbing among high-level officials, and the old-fashioned grand pronouncements by politicians to fool the public..."

To truly build a safer and better new world, sometimes it means breaking down old, outdated frameworks and systems.

Alexander Pierce's gaze seemed to pierce through the clouds, looking into the distance, as he continued his passionate speech with a world-weary, insightful tone:
"But that also means that we have to resort to some... well, not so honorable, but absolutely necessary tough measures."

He slowly turned his head, giving Captain America a deep look. He seemed somewhat agitated, but his tone was incredibly sincere and righteous:
“Fury and I both know very well that as long as you want to make changes, you are bound to encounter resistance, anger countless vested interests, and make countless enemies… Sometimes, your enemies will even use dirtier methods to frame you and smear you!”

He pointed at Captain America, then at himself, as if to suggest their current situation, “But in my opinion, it’s just because you have the courage to put your hands in the dirt, undaunted by the filth, and try to create something better, something more solid from it.”

"Even now, I am no longer the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., but just thinking about those terrorists who threaten the world's security, and those enemies who hide in the shadows and whose whereabouts are unknown... thinking about how they might be living comfortably now, taking advantage of the loopholes left by the old order, and even possibly planning the next attack, makes me feel angry... Believe me, Fury feels the same way!"

"so……"

Alexander Pierce waved his hand forcefully, as if to sever all previous hesitation and doubt, "That's why Fury chose to create Project Insight. It's the ultimate solution that can prevent problems before they arise and nip all threats in the bud!"

“And I…” He straightened his back, his face bearing a sense of responsibility that said, “I will do everything in my power to help him persuade those stubborn, short-sighted, and difficult members of the Security Council to secure as much funding as possible for him and S.H.I.E.L.D. for every single application… That’s hundreds of billions of dollars!”

"This is not just about money; it's also an investment in our future security."

“I know that Fury being attacked in the street is definitely not a coincidence. It is very likely a targeted, massive conspiracy to stop Project Insight!”

"However, I cannot yet be certain whether this matter is related to those who oppose Project Insight, or the enemies we are trying to 'see'..."

After a pause, Alexander Pierce changed the subject, pointing to the document on the coffee table. His expression shifted to a highly convincing struggle between 'justice' and 'personal feelings,' and he said in a helpless tone:

"But as you just saw in that document, now all the clues, all the visible evidence, all point to you, Captain, as the perpetrator of that attack..."

"So, Captain, please understand, even though I know perfectly well that someone of your character would never commit such a heinous act, I have no choice but to order an internal manhunt for you within S.H.I.E.L.D. until I find conclusive evidence to clear your name. This is a necessary procedure..."

"With Fury out of the picture, I really have no other choice in order to maintain the credibility of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Security Council!!"

Alexander Pierce's long and impassioned speech, delivered with meticulous logic, almost portrayed himself and Nick Fury as tragic heroes who endured humiliation and were willing to bear infamy for a higher goal.

Furthermore, they cunningly placed Captain America in a position where, although he was framed, he needed to consider the bigger picture and understand their 'painstaking' arrangement.

"Sir."

Captain America was clearly unmoved by this 'righteous' speech; his brow furrowed, and he directly expressed his disagreement:

“Thank you for your explanation, but… I’m not clear on what specific considerations Nick Fury had in developing Project Insight, nor do I understand the trade-offs of your so-called ‘realists’…”

He took a deep breath, slowly stood up, a resolute flame burning in his blue eyes. Even in handcuffs, he exuded an undeniable aura of righteousness, and spoke with a firm and powerful voice:

"But as far as I know, it is unacceptable to launch weapons directly from the air and sentence hundreds or millions of people to death based solely on a so-called 'threat prediction list' generated by an algorithm, without trial or any opportunity for defense. I am sorry to say that I cannot agree with such practices and ideas."

"In my view, this violates the most basic principles of fairness and justice. This is no longer protection, but outright murder! It is tyranny! I will absolutely not stand by and watch such a tragedy unfold... absolutely not!!"

Alexander Pierce subtly raised an eyebrow, a fleeting, chilling killing intent flashing in the depths of his eyes, too quick to catch.

But he maintained that patient, understanding expression on his face, and asked calmly, even with a hint of curiosity, "Oh? So what do you want to do, Captain?"

"I will stop Project Insight."

Even knowing that his words would anger the old man in front of him, Captain America showed no fear, his voice firm and unwavering, leaving no room for negotiation:
"If, Chairman Pierce, you are unwilling or unable to stop this dangerous plan due to procedures or other reasons... then I will publicly announce to the world, in my own way, the plan that S.H.I.E.L.D. is currently undertaking!"

"I believe that when people learn the truth about this plan, more people who uphold justice and conscience will stand up and join me in preventing this tragedy from happening."

These words were practically a threat from Chiroro.

Once Project Insight is made public, the ensuing uproar and international pressure will be enough to plunge S.H.I.E.L.D. and the UN Security Council into an abyss of no return.

Upon hearing this, Alexander Pierce gave Captain America a deep look, his gaze complex and unfathomable, as if he were seriously weighing something.

The air in the office seemed to freeze, so tense it was almost dripping with moisture.

Just when Captain America thought that the other party would get angry and order him to be locked in the dark cell, Alexander Pierce suddenly broke the deadlock with a hearty laugh.

"Captain, believe me, if Fury were here and heard you say that, he would definitely slam his fist on the table and yell, 'Anyone who dares to block my way, I'll make them regret it!'"

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Alexander Pierce's face regained its seemingly understanding expression. He walked up to Captain America, patted him on the shoulder, and said somewhat awkwardly:

"However, since you've already made up your mind and are so determined, I won't force you to stop... After all, you've always had your own beliefs, and I respect that."

“But Captain, you have to understand that stopping such a massive project as Project Insight isn’t something I can do on my own… It requires the consent of all members of the Security Council and goes through a lengthy hearing and debate process.”

He spread his hands, a helpless expression on his face: "After all, the Security Council has already invested hundreds of billions of dollars in this project. This isn't child's play; we can't just stop it because you say so... Nobody can afford the losses and chain reactions that would cause." "So, Captain, how about this..."

Alexander Pierce's eyes darted around, and he feigned a troubled expression, as if he had finally come up with a 'compromise' after much deliberation, and suggested:

"Tomorrow, I will send someone to take you to the Supreme Court for a public trial. We must resolve the charges against you first; this is our top priority and a necessary step to demonstrate our procedural justice to the public."

He secretly observed Captain America's reaction and continued 'heart-to-heart':

"Then, after you have completed the legal procedures and the suspicions have been initially cleared, I will personally take you to the Security Council headquarters to meet face-to-face with the council members and formally discuss the termination of Project Insight."

"I can arrange an opportunity for you to give a public presentation... What do you think of this arrangement?!"

Alexander Pierce said this not because he was actually scared by Captain America's 'threat' or because he suddenly had a change of heart.

This was nothing more than a carefully designed delaying tactic, a deadly trap.

He only needs to keep Captain America in check for one night. As soon as Captain America steps onto the steps outside the Supreme Court tomorrow, exposed to the pre-set sniper positions, the Winter Soldier, who has been lying in ambush there, will use a large-caliber sniper rifle to completely eliminate this troublemaker along with his stubborn and outdated ideas.

After all, once a person dies, the contents of the "Insight Project" can no longer be disclosed to the public.

He had even begun to anticipate what a beautiful sight it would be when the bullet pierced Captain America's heart and bloomed into a crimson flower.

However, Alexander Pierce, who was feeling quite smug at the time, was unaware that Black Widow held a potentially fatal 'insurance' in her hands.

That was a 'confession' video that Hitwell was forced to record, detailing the inside story of Project Insight.

Previously, Hitwell was afraid that if Alexander Pierce found out about this, he would not hesitate to eliminate him.

So, hoping against hope, he didn't tell the other party about the existence of this potentially dangerous video.

When Captain America heard that Alexander Pierce had not directly refused his request to stop Project Insight, but instead offered a seemingly reasonable solution, a look of surprise appeared on his face.

Things seem to be progressing a little too smoothly?

But the other party's attitude seemed very 'sincere'.

So he had no choice but to suppress the few remaining doubts in his mind and focus his attention on Alexander Pierce's other suggestion, asking with some skepticism:
"Going to the Supreme Court for a public trial? Sir, you mean... the street attack on Nick Fury?"

"Yes."

Alexander Pierce nodded noncommittally, while giving a 'this is all for your own good' look. "Captain, you have to understand... Although I used my authority to get S.H.I.E.L.D. involved immediately after learning of Fury's attack, and tried my best to control the spread of related information and minimize the impact."

He sighed, his expression quite helpless: "But you know, this is the information age, and the news is still being spread like wildfire by those eyewitnesses and certain media outlets with ulterior motives who are eager to stir up trouble... In short, Yu Lun is currently in a very unfavorable position for you."

Alexander Pierce's performance was spot-on; he cleverly downplayed the controversy surrounding his order to arrest Captain America by blaming the media and the public, thus reducing Captain America's resistance.

"While I personally am very willing to believe in your innocence, the public is unaware of the complex and hidden circumstances involved. They need to see a fair process and they need to hear your voice..."

"Therefore, Captain, for your innocence and for the reputation of S.H.I.E.L.D., I have proactively applied to the Supreme Court for a public and transparent trial of you."

He paused deliberately, and then, as Captain America cast his gaze toward him, offered an even more tempting offer.

"Furthermore, this hearing will be broadcast live online through official channels...so that the whole world can see the process."

He slowly walked up to Captain America, looked at him earnestly, and said in a heartfelt tone:

"At that time, whether you can successfully clear your name and clear your name in court, in front of hundreds of thousands or millions of viewers, will depend entirely on your own statement and evidence, Captain."

"But I always believe that justice will always be on your side..."

However, Alexander Pierce did not tell Captain America the whole truth.

He deliberately concealed the fact that, fueled by the Daily Bugle, the news that 'Captain America was arrested on the street by S.H.I.E.L.D.' had already exploded on the internet and successfully sparked huge public questioning and anger among ordinary people.

He also concealed the fact that Secretary of State Ross personally called S.H.I.E.L.D. to pressure them into a public trial to quell public anger...

Whether it was his deliberate mention of his past role in promoting Nick Fury or his subsequent attribution of the credit for the 'public trial', Alexander Pierce's actions were merely a carefully crafted attempt to disguise the public trial as a well-intentioned act to help Captain America clear his name and restore his reputation.

As it turned out, he did achieve his goal.

Unaware of this, Captain America was completely moved by Alexander Pierce's honesty and outspokenness.

Listening to the other party's seemingly completely considerate arrangement, the doubts and suspicions in my heart about the other party ordering my arrest gradually wavered and melted away as quickly as ice and snow under the sun.

In his view, how could someone who acts so "upright and honestly," who proactively seeks legal recourse to resolve issues, and who is even willing to withstand pressure to arrange a public statement for himself, possibly be deliberately framing him, or the mastermind behind the bloody "Operation Insight"?
Perhaps Alexander Pierce really is just a 'realist' who uses tough methods but, like himself, always adheres to certain bottom lines?
Perhaps my previous wariness and suspicion were a misunderstanding of him?
A complex mix of gratitude and apology welled up in Captain America's heart.

(End of this chapter)