"Well, you and Ajie continue to keep in contact with Tony. Based on your subsequent interactions, I'll decide if it's necessary to bring in those individuals again," Qi Yun said, glancing at Qiqi as he spoke.
"Yes, sir." Qiqi raised her head proudly, her tone firm.
After Qi Yun left, Qiqi gave Ajie a slap and said, "Can't you be more careful when talking to adults? I saw you and Tony Stark talking as if it were a casual conversation."
"You need to think a little when talking to outsiders, but you don't need to think too hard. It's just too exhausting," Ajie replied with a smile, clearly unconcerned.
Qiqi couldn't help but smile at Ajie's carefree response.
"Alright, alright, you continue with your practice. I want to observe Alice. I feel like her inclusion in our group will yield great results."
Meanwhile, Tony, now back in the Marvel world, resumed his work, first contacting Pepper and then reviewing the footage of the time he'd spent in the Lord God Space with Jarvis.
After watching the entire video, Tony felt a rising sense of anxiety. Though he had experienced the power of the Lord God Space firsthand, the video made the potential dangers more palpable.
"Jarvis, run a full diagnostic on the network. I need to know how many people around the world have been selected by the Lord God Space," Tony ordered, his voice tinged with concern.
Having come from the world of Resident Evil, Tony recognized the immense threat posed by qualified people. If one of them were to acquire the T-virus and release it upon returning, the fallout could be catastrophic.
While the Marvel universe might have a better chance of surviving such a crisis due to its advanced technology and infrastructure, there would still be massive casualties. Tony knew that without precautions, the fallout could be catastrophic.
He also couldn't yet determine if the Lord God Space imposed any restrictions on weapons of mass destruction, as he didn't possess such a weapon himself. However, Tony was certain that planning for every possibility was crucial.
Meanwhile, a similar concern weighed heavily on Pierce, the head of Hydra's branch within S.H.I.E.L.D.
One of Pierce's agents had been selected by Qi Yun to join the Lord God Space. Upon returning, the agent—who had been brainwashed by Hydra—immediately reported everything he had encountered.
The agent faced severe consequences for his actions. All the rewards from his mission were stripped, and his next mission was marked as a punishment task, with its difficulty increased by 200%, and the mission time advanced to only seven days from then.
This punishment stemmed from the agent's decision to report the events to Pierce alone, a violation of protocol.
After much deliberation in his office, Pierce stood and left S.H.I.E.L.D. He had already sent Sitwell out into the field, realizing there were some things that could not be done within the confines of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Pierce knew Nick Fury all too well. Though he had promoted Fury within the organization, he knew that Fury was extremely cautious and suspicious of everyone. Pierce was certain that if he did anything inconsistent with his cover, Fury would notice and begin to suspect his true intentions. If that happened, the secret of Hydra's branch would no longer be safe.
Arriving at a Hydra safehouse, Pierce, disguised, knocked on the door in a specific pattern.
After a brief wait, he repeated the knock, and the door opened.
Inside, Sitwell was sitting on the couch.
"Sitwell, how are you holding up?" Pierce asked, sitting down across from him.
Sitwell shook his head. "I still can't control the sudden increase in power well."
The tattered quilt wrapped around him testified to the struggle he was facing.
Pierce leaned in. "Can you explain more? What are you experiencing?"
"The sudden surge in strength creates a sense of empowerment," Sitwell replied slowly. "But after testing it, that sensation fades quickly. I can only squeeze a cup with my bare hands now, and I still can't manage anything tougher."
Pierce nodded. "Have you discovered anything about the next mission?"
Sitwell thought for a moment. "No. I believe it's because I don't have the clearance for that kind of information. In the Lord God Space, most of the people I meet are newcomers. I haven't heard anyone else mention a 'punishment mission.'"
"According to the standard timeline, I should receive my punishment mission info in about three days."
Pierce's mind raced. So far, he had not identified any other individuals who had entered the Lord God Space. As a result, Sitwell was still of vital importance. He couldn't afford to lose him yet.
"Don't worry," Pierce assured, placing a supportive hand on Sitwell's shoulder. "I'll back you up fully on this. If you hear anything, contact me immediately. During this time, don't mention the Lord God Space to anyone, or the difficulty of your mission might escalate further."
"I understand," Sitwell replied, though he hesitated.
"What's wrong? Any doubts?" Pierce inquired, his gaze fixed on Sitwell.
Sitwell nodded solemnly. "After some inquiries, I've uncovered some concerning news. It seems someone obtained the T-virus during their mission."
"What?!" Pierce frowned, his mind quickly processing the implications.
"How reliable is this information? Is it from our world?" Pierce demanded.
"I don't know," Sitwell answered, shaking his head.
An unsettling silence fell over the room. Although Hydra's ultimate goal was world domination, Pierce and Sitwell weren't inclined toward total human annihilation. The news that someone could unleash the T-virus was alarming for more reasons than one.
As the days passed, both Tony and Pierce were left to wrestle with their concerns.
The world remained relatively calm, with no signs of a Resident Evil-style outbreak in the Marvel universe. The only major event that drew attention was Tony's recent press conference.
Rather than shuttering the weapons manufacturing division of Stark Industries, Tony proposed a much stricter purchase restriction order. This new measure not only limited the number of weapons that could be bought, but also placed heavy scrutiny on the identity of the buyers.
Despite the positive momentum that Stark Industries had gained recently, the stock began to plummet again after the announcement—falling further than it had during Tony's mysterious disappearance.
Inside Stan's office, the sound of objects crashing to the ground echoed loudly. The employees outside the office took great care to avoid the scene. This situation had persisted for days. Tony's decision had caused significant financial losses for Stan, and what made it worse was that Tony had made the decision without consulting anyone, except Pepper.
"I'm actually less important to the company than a little girl?!" Stan raged after smashing a few more things.
After sitting silently for a few moments, Stan seemed to make a decision. He retrieved a silver box from beneath his desk and stared at it intently.
After a long pause, he slammed his fist onto the table, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Tony Stark! You've forced me to do this!"