บท 172: Chapter 167
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However, Nick Fury didn't pay much attention to the Ten Rings matters, or rather, he didn't prioritize them. After quickly browsing through some related information, he began to search for other more significant data. What kind of data? Naturally, it was the information concerning the Extremis soldiers. That was what Nick Fury truly cared about.
Fortunately, Tony Stark was indeed reliable. He sent Nick Fury some information regarding the Extremis soldiers. With a few rapid keystrokes, Nick Fury soon had several relevant videos playing before him.
In a very rudimentary, basement-like secret location, a one-armed individual was securely restrained to a metal frame. Beside him, someone who looked like a researcher injected an unknown liquid into his body.
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
Soon, the one-armed man began to show signs of severe agony, struggling and crying out incessantly. As he struggled, a mysterious energy surged within him, making his body heat up like a red-hot iron rod, a harrowing sight to behold.
Especially the area where his arm had been severed—it turned bright red, as if the abundant energy within was about to burst forth. And amidst this surge of energy, something astonishing happened. The man's severed arm began to regrow! Yes, it grew back!
Even someone as composed as Nick Fury was left stunned, thoroughly shocked by what he saw. What exactly had Killian injected into that "test subject"? It had such miraculous power that it could even regenerate severed limbs!
"My hand! My hand, it grew back! This is fantastic!" The man with the newly regrown arm excitedly examined it, his face beaming with overwhelming joy. "Successful, absolutely perfect!" Killian, who had been observing the scene, couldn't help but smile. He enthusiastically instructed his subordinates to release the man.
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
But the very next moment, the man began to moan in agony again. The energy within him seemed uncontrollable, causing large areas of his body to turn red. "Quick, everyone, evacuate immediately! Quickly!" Killian's face changed slightly as he issued the urgent order.
The staff, all dressed in white lab coats, did not dare delay and began to retreat as quickly as possible. The man at the center of the video screen turned even more crimson, and within mere seconds, his body reached an extreme level of redness.
Boom!
He exploded.
Nick Fury almost let out an expletive in shock. A perfectly healthy person just blew up? So this was the process of creating Extremis soldiers? He had initially thought of acquiring the method from Killian to replicate a batch of Extremis soldiers but now realized it wouldn't be that simple.
Nick Fury further scrutinized other relevant data, gaining a broader understanding of the Extremis soldiers. The situation was indeed less optimistic than he had envisioned. The serum Killian developed did grant immense power, enabling individuals to "heat up" their bodies at will, greatly enhancing their destructive capacity.
The records weren't wrong—these soldiers could tackle Iron Man's armor bare-handed with ease. After reviewing all the data, Nick Fury finally understood why the Iron Legion was necessary to deal with these Extremis soldiers. Their combat capabilities were extraordinary, even perverse, surpassing Nick Fury's expectations completely.
However, the technology was far from perfect. Success relied heavily on luck. A few fortunate test subjects survived, turning into super soldiers with immense strength and near-invulnerability. But they were a minority. Most of the test subjects couldn't withstand the process and exploded.
Though problematic, this wasn't an insurmountable issue for Nick Fury. If the technology was imperfect, allocate resources to perfect it. If he could master the technology to create Extremis soldiers, he would effectively control a secret superhuman squad. Unlike the Avengers, who required delicate handling and didn't always follow orders, this would be Fury's own secret power.
Currently, Nick Fury did have a Whiplash squad at his disposal, but he was far from satisfied. The Whiplash squad couldn't compare to an Extremis Legion. Although perfecting the Extremis soldier technology would be costly, that wasn't a significant issue for Nick Fury. His mind started to buzz with possibilities.
In the following weeks, Nick Fury became engrossed in busy work. Despite the detailed information provided by Tony, Fury still assigned agents to verify everything, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of the intelligence. He also aimed to uncover as much additional information as possible, given that he was up against the highly dangerous Extremis Legion.
This process lasted for more than half a month. Nick Fury gathered every detail about Killian, even knowing the color of Killian's underwear. Fury felt the timing was right to move against Killian.
However, planning the operation proved slightly challenging. The Extremis soldiers were simply too powerful. Each one was strong enough to confront Iron Man's armor and nearly indestructible. Dispatching regular SHIELD agents would be a futile sacrifice. Even the Whiplash special operations team seemed inadequate.
"Avengers!" The name instantly came to Nick Fury's mind. Without a doubt, facing such a superhuman legion required deploying superhumans in return.
Yet the current Avengers lineup comprised only Captain America, Red Guardian, and Iron Man—three superhumans against ten Extremis soldiers. And Killian himself was far more powerful than any of his Extremis soldiers.
This was tough. Despite his disappointment and frustration, Nick Fury had to face the reality of the situation.
With the current Avengers, they're no match for Killian's Extremis soldiers, facing a high risk of failure. But then again, if the Extremis soldiers were so easy to deal with, would Iron Man in another universe need to deploy the Iron Legion? Even with the Iron Legion, they couldn't defeat Killian without some serious help from Pepper Potts.
So, what to do?
"Looks like we're going to need some heavy artillery again," Nick Fury decided after some contemplation, feeling a slight headache coming on.
What decision? External aid! Independent contractors. Or to be blunt, Satan!
Given Fury's current network, the only person who could handle the Extremis soldiers was Satan. Though he's incredibly expensive, Satan always delivers results—his name is essentially a golden guarantee. Especially since their last collaboration was so smooth; Satan easily handled even the terrifying Hulk, bolstering Fury's confidence significantly.
Additionally, Satan is Zhou Cheng, the holder of the diary. He knows all of Fury's secrets and possibly even more. So, there was no risk of any secrets being leaked.
No matter how he looked at it, Satan was the perfect choice for this mission.
Having made his decision, Fury wasted no time. He donned his trademark trench coat and swaggered out the door. Soon, he reached Zhou Cheng's place and knocked on his door.
Creak!
The door opened quickly, revealing Zhou Cheng's impossibly young face. "Fury?"
Zhou Cheng was a bit surprised to see him. He hadn't expected Fury to show up in front of him again. So, what did Fury want this time? Another attempt to recruit him into the Avengers, or another commission?
The former wasn't welcome, but the latter? Zhou Cheng was all ears.
"Mr. Satan, I hope my unannounced visit hasn't disturbed you," Nick Fury's voice interrupted Zhou Cheng's thoughts.
"Whether it's a disturbance depends on your business," Zhou Cheng said bluntly, blocking Fury at the door, "State your purpose so I can decide if I should invite you in."
"Do you have to be so direct?" Nick Fury was slightly speechless. As the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., he wasn't used to being treated so casually. But facing someone of Zhou Cheng's caliber, he had to keep his cool.
"But, you'd better prepare some coffee for me. I've got a big deal for you this time," Fury quickly changed his tone and got straight to the point.
It seemed like he wanted to hire him. Zhou Cheng's attitude shifted instantly. He stepped aside, making a welcoming gesture: "Come in."
He pointed to the coffee machine in the living room as they walked, casually telling Fury, "Help yourself if you want coffee."
Fury: "…"
Not that he was really looking forward to coffee, but Zhou Cheng's attitude was quite dismissive. He was there to make a transaction! Weren't customers supposed to be treated like gods? Why did he feel like this god was getting no respect?
"Satan, I'm here to ask for your help in dealing with some people," Fury said seriously, "Specifically, people with special abilities."
This piqued Zhou Cheng's curiosity. The Battle of New York hadn't even started. Strictly speaking, the true Marvel era hadn't begun. What kind of extraordinary forces could be troubling Fury at this stage?
Fury didn't beat around the bush. He took out a tablet and played a video. It showed a person with "burned" hands and face lifting a car effortlessly and throwing it at another.
Bang! The other car was crushed. The fate of the unlucky person inside was not shown, but they probably didn't make it.
"This is... an Extremis soldier!" Zhou Cheng maintained a calm exterior, but inside, he was confused. Why were the Extremis soldiers appearing before the Battle of New York? That was supposed to be the storyline of Iron Man 3.
So the universe differs greatly from the Marvel 199999 movie universe?
Zhou Cheng didn't bother to dig deeper. As long as the price was right, why worry about deviations?
"As you've seen, this time our targets are biologically enhanced individuals. They possess strength comparable to Captain America, can generate extreme heat capable of melting steel, and their bodies can self-heal rapidly, making them resistant to fatal injuries," Fury detailed, even though he knew Zhou Cheng likely knew all this, to avoid giving himself away.
Zhou Cheng listened carefully, even asking some detailed questions to maintain the facade.
"There are eleven targets. I've assembled a team, but they're clearly not enough for this," Fury said, straight to the point. "So, Satan, what do you say?"
"Fifty million dollars," Zhou Cheng stated without blinking, "Pay me that, and these eleven won't see the light of day tomorrow."
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