Lord of Cinder in American Comics

"Then I really thank you!"

The voice beside him reached Steve's ears, though it sounded somewhat like he was gritting his teeth.

Steve turned around and saw Frank, who hadn't been able to escape from the ATS armor, standing next to him with a control device in his hand.

"You! You? You're not?"

Frank handed the device to his entourage and said, "The director came up with this enhanced version sometime ago. It can be remotely controlled and even has built-in holographic imaging and vibration sensors to simulate the operator's physiological activities."

Frank looked at Steve, who seemed somewhat taken aback, but his attitude towards him had changed slightly.

Having lost the entire building, capturing prisoners was no longer an option, and Frank had already ordered his team to evacuate.

Seeing the dazed Steve, Frank said, "Oh, by the way, remember to submit the apartment bill to the control department; we can reimburse the losses..."

Steve instinctively refused, saying, "No need, I have money... I have a lot of money."

"A lot? Do you know how much the Control Bureau's annual budget is? Please help us out, otherwise we'll have to find another place to drop bombs for fun. The Alameda Rocket Test Range has already refused our bombing training."

Frank shoved an accountant's business card into Steve's hand, wondering to himself how he'd ended up as a salesman.

Yeah! It's all Anderson's fault for crying and complaining to him all the time. Faced with the threat that Anderson would come back to haunt him wearing a prison guard mask if he didn't find a way to get a large sum of money, Frank still seized the opportunity and successfully destroyed two ATS armored vehicles.

Steve looked at the business card in his pocket. It was the same one that the accountant Kassel had given him, and he couldn't help but have a new understanding of this bookkeeper.

'As expected, even the accountants in this kind of organization are superhuman! Otherwise, how could they manage so much work!'

When the two Skrulls died, the real Nick Fury, far away on the other side of the world, also sensed something was amiss.

Constantly monitoring the discrepancies in the Skrull population, Fury summoned the Skrull leader and asked, "Talos, your people have quietly left again!"

“Fury, they are free men, not your slaves. We are just partners!”

Talos bluntly rejected Nick Fury's questions, after all, Fury was now a pariah, while the Skrulls could change their appearance at will.

Only he knew that his people were using Fury's appearance to do bad things again. This had become a regular tactic for the Skrulls ever since Nick Fury was exposed for collaborating with aliens. After all, Nick Fury didn't care about getting a little more dirty laundry.

Nick Fury's tone carried a hint of warning as he said, "You'd better behave yourselves! This is Earth!"

"Earth? A desolate wasteland in the universe!"

The Skrulls no longer respected Fury. Their purpose had been exposed, and further pretense was futile. Only Fury, relying on Captain Marvel's name, dared to confront them.

But now? Talos thought of the woman who had single-handedly taken on the Kree fleet, and felt a deep disdain for that amazing power.

'A manufactured weapon, even abandoning its own planet to maintain so-called peace in space? Yet in her eyes, we Skrulls are the weak, the ones who need saving!'

Talos didn't care about Captain Marvel at all. After all, over the years, only the Skrulls had been able to keep track of news from the universe. No matter what Captain Marvel did, it couldn't escape their eyes. Giving Captain Marvel a psychological assessment was just a piece of cake.

As for Nick Fury, only his pager could pose a threat to the Skrulls, since they were kin before the Marvel clearly took sides.

Nick watched Talos leave and realized that he had lost his former power and status, and more importantly, he was broke.

With funding from the World Security Council, he could freely mobilize vast sums of money, and even with just a little manipulation during the process, he could create several more safe houses for himself.

But now, the Skrulls are not obeying his orders at all, and even the research of the Monarchy has come to a standstill.

Touching the pager in his pocket, Fury began to doubt whether taking in these refugees was the right thing to do.

Talos, having left Fury's side, looked at his two tribesmen who had lost their life signals and said somewhat displeasedly, "Go and set up those Titan call devices made by humans. Earth needs to learn a lesson..."

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Chapter 392: Refusal

"Steve Rogers requests to return to the team!"

Steve stood in front of Ash and handed her the completed document.

After reading through the Bureau of Control's series of secret intelligence reports and watching the aliens being blown up before his eyes, Steve's old battlefield passion returned.

Hoping to find his place, Steve decided to return to the army, which he knew best, hence his report to Ash.

Steve is ready. He's not going to rise through the ranks before making a name for himself; he's going to be at the forefront!

"disagree!"

"Thank you, sir. I will definitely... what?"

"I disagree! Do I need to repeat myself?"

"But...but..."

"But what? But you're Captain America, Steve Rogers? But you want to join Control? Why should I agree?"

Ash's words ruthlessly disrupted Steve's preparations. After experiencing so many days of daily life, he already knew how much influence his identity had on military propaganda.

Compared to all other branches of the military, only the Bureau of Control had the authority to open fire independently and handled the vast majority of supernatural combat, which gave Steve a clear direction for his efforts.

He had even made preparations similar to those made during World War II to sell bonds, just so he could participate in frontline combat.

But Ash rejected him? Who could refuse Captain America's application!

"First, your military rank remains with the Army, even in the former Strategic Science Corps. If you want to return to the military, the Army's combat ranks and S.H.I.E.L.D. are your first choices."

Steve said, "No, sir, I want to fight on the front lines. I can start as a private!"

"But the Control Bureau doesn't have privates. The lowest combat rank in the Control Bureau is sergeant."

"Gunner" is not a sergeant rank, but a term used within the military. Its actual rank is equivalent to a second-class sergeant major in a combat unit, which is sufficient to serve as a commander in close-quarters combat.

When the Bureau of Control incorporated 141, the overall rank system was already overstaffed. Furthermore, with the acquisition of Fran Hammer's Marine Corps, the entire command structure and operational units experienced explosive growth. As a result, everyone's rank is now being promoted at breakneck speed.

Ash said, "And you're still using tactics from seventy years ago, Steve. Times have changed!"

"I can learn!"

Ash looked at the persistent Steve, shook his head, and said, "Steve Rogers, you've been preserved in ice for seventy years, and the military has portrayed you as a hero for seventy years. But what's the reality?"

The main reason you're being publicized is because you've 'disappeared.' The military isn't responsible for your personal propaganda. After you return, who will need you?

Only the recruitment propaganda department and those aliens hoping to make a big splash in your name.

In terms of group combat capability, you've only led irregular combat units like the Roaring Commando. In terms of individual combat capability, you can't even beat Peter Parker in the outer guardhouse with your bare hands.

"You're not that useful to other people right now..."

Steve kept his mouth shut. He knew Ash was right, but he didn't expect Ash to be so blunt.

Ash closed Steve's file and handed it back to him, saying, "If you want to go to war, go to S.H.I.E.L.D.; they're your old unit. You can lead S.H.I.E.L.D.'s combat forces, and I'm sure they'll welcome you..."

Having said that, the meaning of the refusal is beyond dispute.

Steve looked at Ash with a forlorn expression, gave a military salute, and left.

After Steve left, a wave appeared on the open ground next to Ashe, and Stark, wearing armor, emerged from stealth.

The Mark 27 armor, with its striking blue and orange color scheme, features internal circulation and excellent sealing. In stealth mode, even a superhuman like Steve cannot detect its presence.

Stark removed his armor, sat on the sofa, and asked, "You really don't want him? You know he's a symbol; as long as he exists, your position in the military is unshakeable..."

Ash looked at the somewhat agitated Stark and asked, "Do I need it?"

Stark finally calmed down, looking at the drafty office. The training slogans coming from outside made Stark think about the current state of the Bureau of Control.

For Ash, the Control Bureau was enough; he also had Lothric, and even his own dimension. Adding Steve Rogers would change the significance of the responsibility he bore.

If the number of people increases further, or if their appeal grows stronger, the control bureau will become the next target.

Stark shrugged and said, "Okay, you've convinced me..."

Ash looked at Stark's 'I already know what you're planning' expression, shook her head, and started looking at the documents in her hand.

Steve is no problem for Ash; there's only one reason why he won't take Steve in!

That is, Bucky killed Stark's parents, although he was under the control of Hydra. The scene of Bucky strangling Howard and Maria to death during that operation is still preserved to this day.

Furthermore, during the Civil War, Stark, with a hoarse voice, asked Steve for an explanation and an apology, but even after Steve escaped with Bucky, he did not make Bucky apologize.

These two are destined to become adversaries. If Steve joins the Bureau of Control, things will become much more complicated.

Stark is a brother who has gone through thick and thin with him, as are everyone in the Control Bureau. As the head of the Bureau, Ashe simply cannot separate this conflict.

So they simply sent Steve to S.H.I.E.L.D., since Hydra was already taking the blame and they didn't care about being blamed anymore.

Stark watched as Ash's hand, already a blur, finished signing, and asked, "Are you in such a hurry today? Pepper's out shopping with the Fire Keeper; Jarvis's calculations suggest they won't be back for at least seven hours..."

Ash, without looking up, said, "Shanalot has already emerged from the cocoon. I need to go back and keep an eye on her just in case..."

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and Ash sighed.

Stark laughed and said, "Looks like you're out of luck..."

As soon as Anderson opened the door, he saw Ashna's resentful gaze.

Anderson involuntarily swallowed hard and hurriedly said, "Sir, highest level alert, codename 'Broken Arrow'!"

"Broken Arrow" is a fixed designation that only indicates one situation: the nuclear weapon has been damaged or lost.

Judging from Anderson's tense appearance, it certainly wasn't damaged; damage would be handled by the NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) defense forces.

Ash rubbed his temples and said helplessly, "Okay, tell me, whose is it? Where is it?"

"No one's weapons are lost. The nuclear weapons storage facility in the Las Vegas desert was invaded by unknown creatures, and the entire storage warehouse was lost..."

Upon hearing this, Ash crushed the pen in her hand. An entire nuclear weapons storage warehouse? Earth is indeed not safe!

Ash threw down the broken pen, hurriedly stood in front of the 'window,' and said, "Just pretend I didn't come to work today!"

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Chapter 393: The Broken Arrow and an Unexpected Turn of Events

In the end, Ash was unable to escape the investigation mission.

The entire control bureau knows that as long as the matter is explained quickly, their superiors will not shirk responsibility.

Anderson handed the document to Ash, who was standing at the window. The strong airflow from the high-rise building blew the document away, but Ash still reached out and took it.

The satellite images in the document show the devastation of the nuclear weapons depot. Located inside a mountain, the depot had been completely breached, with even meters of reinforced concrete failing to stop it.

Even after the rapid response team inspected the entire warehouse, they could not find any signs of nuclear leakage, and the Geiger counter did not even register a response.