American comics start with asking Iron Man a question.

That's not in line with Hydra's usual practices; there must still be other Hydra agents lurking within S.H.I.E.L.D.

It's just that Nick Fury didn't know who he was.

More importantly, there was one question that Nick Fury really couldn't figure out: with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s current level and size, how could they not have detected even the slightest trace of Hydra?

This is unreasonable!

S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't just sitting around doing nothing!

How could we not notice any traces?

[This round of questions is now complete!]

The system notification sounded at this moment, and the large screen that had been floating in front of them disappeared completely, as if it had never existed.

Chapter 070 You Don't Understand Your Father

"So... this round of questions is over?"

Captain America looked around at the empty surroundings and subconsciously began to mutter something.

Only at this moment did he truly understand how Nick Fury and the others had learned that he was frozen in the Arctic Ocean through the quiz system.

“Yes, Captain, the quiz is over.” Nick Fury nodded emphatically. “However, our business is far from over, Stark!”

At this point, Nick Fury turned his gaze to Iron Man, "Since you're here too, why don't we discuss our next plan?"

Iron Man thought about it and didn't refuse further.

The future predicted by the quiz system is known only to them, the "quiz users," and some topics really do require discussion among a few of them.

"I have nothing to say, we definitely need to find Bucky first," Captain America said, expressing his opinion first.

"Captain, don't worry about that. When we get back, I'll use my clairvoyance to find Bucky," Nick Fury said emphatically to Captain America.

"Then I'll leave it to you," Captain America replied seriously.

"Stark, what about you?" Nick Fury then turned his one eye to Iron Man. "What are your plans next?"

“Ivan Vanko, he’s not exactly troublesome, but he’s quite annoying. I’ll look into him first.” Iron Man shrugged.

Neither Nick Fury nor Captain America was surprised by this.

“Stark, my next task is to investigate Hydra,” Nick Fury said solemnly to Iron Man and his companion after a moment of contemplation. “However, I need your help.”

The only thing Nick Fury is certain of now is that Hydra has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., but he doesn't know the extent of that infiltration.

But since S.H.I.E.L.D. has been completely unaware of Hydra's activities over the years, Nick Fury has to come up with a terrible conjecture: Hydra may have become a force to be reckoned with within S.H.I.E.L.D.

It has developed to a considerable scale.

That's why Hydra's traces were completely hidden from S.H.I.E.L.D., because someone inside S.H.I.E.L.D. was helping them cover it up!

Even more shockingly, Hydra's undercover agents are using the guise of S.H.I.E.L.D. to carry out missions openly and legitimately.

S.H.I.E.L.D. thought it was a mission for S.H.I.E.L.D., but in fact, it was a mission for Hydra.

In this situation, Nick Fury dared not casually use S.H.I.E.L.D. resources for investigation, as that could very well alert the enemy.

In other words, Nick Fury no longer trusts the people in S.H.I.E.L.D.

He was beginning to understand why, in the video of the quiz system, he had told Captain America not to trust anyone.

"Nick Fury, is it really that bad?" Iron Man couldn't help but ask from the side.

"Although I hate to admit it, things are really that bad. I can't use S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources to investigate, so I need your help."

At this point, Nick Fury glanced at Captain America again, "And your Captain, I need you too."

Right now, the only people Nick Fury can truly trust are Captain America and Iron Man.

"It's my duty to do this," Captain America agreed without hesitation.

“Nick Fury, I really want to help you, but I may not have that much time. I’ve been trying to synthesize a new element that can replace palladium, but I haven’t made much progress.”

Iron Man looked helpless.

This wasn't an excuse; the palladium poisoning was a matter of life and death for him, and he had no time to worry about anything else until it was perfectly resolved.

"I think I can help with this," Nick Fury said meaningfully.

Iron Man scoffed at this, saying that he was the world's top scientist and had made no progress so far, while Nick Fury was just an intelligence chief and what could he possibly do?

“Nick Fury, I appreciate your kindness, but I think I still need to go back. I really don’t have much time left…”

“Stark, that thing on your chest is actually an unfinished piece of technology,” Nick Fury suddenly stood up and said out of the blue.

"What are you talking about?" Iron Man completely disagreed. "It's a finished product. I shrunk the Arc Reactor and it started working."

"No, your father Howard said that the Arc Reactor was just a springboard to a greater technology. He was planning to start an energy race that would leave all his rivals far behind."

Nick Fury began to explain to Iron Man, and started to talk at length.

"He has figured out a clue to a super energy source, and a nuclear reactor would be like a 3A battery in comparison."

Iron Man slowly turned around, a little bewildered: "You know my father too?"

"You hacked into S.H.I.E.L.D., how come you didn't know that?" Nick Fury asked rhetorically, shrugging his shoulders.

Iron Man really didn't know.

He hacked into S.H.I.E.L.D. simply to find the information he wanted, not to crack all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets like a voyeur.

He really didn't know the true relationship between Howard and S.H.I.E.L.D.

“Stark, your father was one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” Nick Fury said seriously to Iron Man.

Iron Man was taken aback; this was truly beyond his expectations.

“Peggy Carter was also one of the founders,” Nick Fury added, glancing at Captain America beside him.

"Carter was also a founder?" Captain America was equally surprised.

However, after learning this, he suddenly felt much more affectionate towards S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury.

This is also why Nick Fury told Captain America and Iron Man the news—simply to bridge the gap and bring everyone closer together.

“Stark, Howard left you some things. He said that only you have the resources and wisdom to carry out the plan he started.”

Nick Fury then looked at Iron Man with a serious expression and said...

“You must have misheard. He’s definitely not talking about me.” Iron Man shook his head.

Howard didn't care about him at all, was always indifferent to him, and never said anything praising him like that.

“Stark, you really don’t understand your father,” Nick Fury sighed.

"You sound like you know him better than I do," Iron Man said dismissively.

"In fact, to some extent, you could say that."

Nick Fury shrugged. "I'll have someone send the stuff over to you right away. Once you've resolved the palladium poisoning issue, we can discuss the Hydra problem."

Chapter 071 Synthesis of New Elements

"Let's talk about it after I've really solved the palladium poisoning problem."

Iron Man didn't take it too seriously. After saying goodbye to Nick Fury, he left the secret base.

Back at Stark Tower.

"Sir! Welcome back!"

Jarvis was as warm and polite as ever, like a loyal servant.

Iron Man ignored Jarvis and eagerly took out a Mark 7 suit of armor.

Then, based on the information in his mind, he tried to put the Mark 7 armor into the universal capsule.

Swish!

In a flash, Iron Man found that the Mark 7 armor in front of him had disappeared.

Iron Man's eyes lit up slightly. After taking a deep breath, he picked up the capsule and threw it on the ground.

boom!

A cloud of dust appeared, and the steel armor reappeared before him.

"Amazing!"

Even top scientists like Iron Man couldn't help but marvel at the technology involved in this capsule, which was far beyond Iron Man's current capabilities.

Now that the capsules had proven to be effective, Iron Man didn't waste any more words and immediately put a Mark 7 suit into the capsules.

Just as I had envisioned, I made the multi-purpose capsule into a pendant and wore it around my neck; it was perfect.

In this way, the problem of carrying steel armor on one's person, which was previously impossible, is perfectly solved.

"Sir, someone has come to visit. It's an agent from S.H.I.E.L.D. who has been here before, Agent Hill."

After playing with the capsule for a while, Jarvis suddenly spoke up to remind him.

"Let them in," Iron Man ordered without turning his head. Clearly, this was Nick Fury delivering something.

Iron Man was also very curious about what Howard had left him.

Soon, Iron Man saw it; it was an old-fashioned briefcase with Howard Stark's name printed on it.

Inside, there were some design blueprints for the Arc Reactor, as well as other related documents.

Stark glanced at it expressionlessly, not paying much attention to it; he had already mastered the knowledge in those documents.

Finally, Stark began playing the videotape that was in the box.

It was all Howard's introduction to the Stark Expo, and Iron Man was just as sleepy reading it because it was completely useless.

Just when Iron Man had given up hope, a voice suddenly caught his attention: "Tony!"

That was Howard's voice from the video, and Iron Man couldn't help but look up and gaze at the video again.