I sparked a mythological frenzy in Marvel.

Chapter 18 Building a Superpowered Army

"Chief, here's the thing: Tony Stark has recently been paying attention to a book called 'The Revelation of Gorgias,' and it seems he's been collecting something and is studying it."

After obtaining this information, Natasha immediately found a safe place after Stark left work and reported to Xia Ling via a special phone.

"So, has he figured anything out?"

"It is not yet possible to determine the specific results of Tony's research, Director. His laboratory has an extremely high security level, and the confidentiality measures taken to keep it from the outside world are watertight."

However, according to him, he had no clue.

Xia Ling was silent for a moment, then said, "In that case, you continue to monitor. I have other things to take care of."

Xia Ling hung up the phone and turned her gaze to Alexander, who was walking towards her. Seeing him beaming, she guessed that something interesting must have happened to make the big boss of Hydra so happy.

"Secretary Alexander, you seem so happy. Is there some good news to share? I'm guessing it's because of Nick Fury?"

Alexander's lips twitched, as if he was about to burst out laughing.

"Ahem, Xia Ling, let's leave it at that regarding Fury. I've already bailed him out. Stop targeting him like this."

"Is it targeting him? How come I didn't know?"

Xia Ling spread her hands, looking bewildered and innocent.

"I gave him a new job, and when his best friend attacked me, instead of killing him outright, I repaid evil with kindness by sending him to the hospital."

Even when Fury was practicing asceticism, he helped pay for her medical expenses. There aren't many kind-hearted people like me these days.

Upon hearing this, Alexander's lips unconsciously curled up, clearly amused by Xia Ling's words, but he still tried his best to maintain the dignity of a Hydra leader.

"Let's not talk about that. What are you going to say about the Security Council's inquiry?"

"They're just a bunch of bureaucrats; a few words from them will do the trick."

Xia Ling patted the snakehead on the shoulder and strode into the conference hall, where four projectors greeted him.

Upon seeing Xia Ling enter, the Security Council President, without engaging in lengthy pleasantries, went straight to the point: "Director Xia, this recent incident has drawn widespread attention and concern globally. As the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., what are your views on these issues?"

"Sir, I think this incident is a dangerous sign. It means the world is about to change drastically, and the old ways of dealing with it are no longer appropriate."

Xia Ling stated this conclusion, but the expressions on the faces of the Security Council members were not very good.

"Director, do you mean we need to re-examine and adjust our strategies and tactics to cope with this increasingly complex and volatile world? If so, what approach do you intend to take?"

Security Council President Mars's voice carried a hint of skepticism; clearly, he and other members were uneasy about Xia Ling's assertion that "the world will change dramatically."

Xia Ling nodded and continued, "We need a force of individuals with special abilities to deal with potential superpowered wars in the future."

"Excuse my bluntness, Director, you have the world's most elite agents, you don't need those freaks at all. I don't know what the former director said to you."

But I really don't think a narcissist, a few thieves, or a monster—oh yes, he's a complete monster now—could protect the world.

A female representative, Liana, raised objections again, saying that a group of uncontrollable freaks was a ticking time bomb, and that using them could hurt her at any moment.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I meant a unit of superpowered individuals, not a squad of superpowered individuals."

Xia Ling's gaze swept across the projections of each Security Council member on the conference table, and he could clearly see the worry and suspicion in their eyes.

Having a superpowered squad and a superpowered army are two completely different concepts, and to put it bluntly, what if that actually happened?

Whoever controls this force will have the most influence, and who knows who might be chairing the Security Council meeting in the future.

"I understand everyone's concerns, but please allow me to elaborate on my concept. The threats we face go far beyond what traditional military and intelligence agencies can handle."

I'm sure everyone has seen what happened to the Red Giants; a modern army was defeated in such a short time.

Even if the enemy's losses are so minor as to be negligible, in this situation, besides using dirty bullets, do you have any better ways to deal with the enemy?

Moreover, I have a feeling that such incidents will only increase in the future. At that time, ordinary troops will not be able to play a significant role. No matter how many troops there are, they will only cause the corpses to pile up higher, and there will be no other results.

The main force in the war will be those with superpowers.

As Xia Ling finished speaking, the representatives exchanged glances, and it was Security Council President Mars who spoke first.

"Chief, I understand what you mean, but what should we do if those superpowered individuals get out of control?"

"How do we ensure the controllability of these individuals with superpowers? We will establish a strict screening mechanism to ensure that each member has a high sense of responsibility and mission. At the same time, we will keep them under the light of the Lord to ensure that they do not abuse their superpowers."

In addition, we will develop specialized monitoring and suppression technologies, just in case.

Ms. Liana frowned, clearly still hesitant: "But such a plan requires a huge investment of resources, and the results are unpredictable. How do we explain all this to the public? How do we avoid causing panic?"

"Ladies and gentlemen, times have changed. The threat of the Red Giant is just the beginning. The Blood God behind him is no easy deity to deal with."

"If we don't hurry and build up a powerful superpowered force, are you all confident you can engage the warriors of Chaos in hand-to-hand combat and gain the favor of the Blood God?"

A brief silence fell over the meeting room as Security Council members exchanged glances, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

Finally, Chairman Mars slowly nodded: "Director Xia, your proposal is indeed worthy of our deep consideration. We will include this issue on the agenda of the next formal Security Council meeting for more in-depth discussion and decision-making."

Xia Ling bowed slightly to express her gratitude: "Thank you all for your understanding and support. I believe that as long as we are united, nothing can stop us from moving forward."

The world needs a villain, or rather, it needs more villains. The Red Giant could be one, but he's not big enough. We need a new big shot to join us.

Perhaps the Ancient One would be a suitable candidate?

Only when the world is in chaos can the resulting faith be truly devout!

(End of this chapter)