Shadow of the Beautiful World

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Kohler snapped his eyes open.

What caught my eye was a beautiful woman with long wine red hair. She was holding a syringe in her hand, as if she had just injected something into his body.

Who are you! What are you doing?

Kohler struggled subconsciously, but his hands and body were firmly held down by Merlin and Barton on both sides, and he couldn't break free at all.

What are you going to do? I am your chief! Bastard! Let me go! I order you! Let me go!

Khloe screamed, panic in his voice.

He vaguely remembered that his secretary brought him a cup of coffee. After drinking the coffee, he didn't remember anything until he woke up here.

Calm down, Kohler.

A familiar voice sounded in front of Kohler's eyes.

Kohler panted violently, and he looked at the person sitting opposite him.

It was Alexander Pierce in pajamas, holding a glass of wine, looking at him with a controlling gaze. The haze in that gaze made Kohler a little frightened.

He knew very clearly what kind of outrageous things those people behind him had planned for this guy in front of him.

Now that he fell into Pierce's hands, as long as his IQ was higher than his feet, he would be able to guess that there would be no good end for him.

Only at this moment of life and death can one clearly see a person's true nature.

Kohler's struggle became violent at this moment, and he was afraid, but soon, he stopped struggling again, as if all the strength in his body had been drained.

What do you want to do, Pierce?

Kohler gritted his teeth and asked:

Do you want to murder a public official in your home? Are you finally unable to bear the temptation to reveal your nature and kill your opponent with your own hands? Once and for all, huh? Are you crazy?

Adversary? You?

Pierce laughed dumbfounded, and even Merlin who was beside Kohler also laughed.

Kohler is indeed a person who thinks highly of himself but lacks ambition and talent. Under such circumstances, he still can't see his identity clearly.

Stop kidding, Kohler!

Pierce put down his wine glass. He took a stack of photos from Agent Hitwell, threw them in front of Kohler, and waved his fingers to signal Merlin and Barton to let him go.

Kohler picked up the photo, just glanced at it, and then his eyes widened.

The photo in the first chapter is a group photo of him in a coma with a green alien.

The second photo shows him with a serious face, directing the agents around him to rush into a seemingly important military base.

In the third photo, he is shooting at the base guards at close range.

But that's not him!

Cold sweat dripped down Kohler's forehead. He could swear that the person in the photo who looked exactly like him was not him!

Kohler, you are suspected of making a secret deal with the alien spies who infiltrated the earth, leaking the secrets of the highly classified Pegasus Project and the Pegasus base to the Skrull spies, and causing the secrets to be leaked.

Pierce said coldly:

Because of your incompetence and stupidity, 57 of our agents were injured, and the archives of the Pegasus base were almost completely destroyed! The indirect losses caused by you are at least 30 billion U.S. dollars! The losses caused by the leakage of confidential information , is even more immeasurable! You have completely exposed us to the eyes of alien invaders.

I'm going to send you to a court-martial! And this time, you won't be able to escape with rhetoric!

this is not me!

Kohler screamed in cold sweat:

I am innocent!

Oh, really?

Pierce picked up a floppy disk on the table and said to Kohler:

The surveillance video of the Pegasus base probably won't agree with your defense! Kohler, how stupid do you have to be to be stunned by the aliens who infiltrated the base? How incompetent do you have to be to Let our secret service academy be treated like a garden by aliens to come and go?

I don't want to either.

Facing the iron-like evidence that Pierce continued to produce, Kohler's lips moved, but he only uttered a weak argument. His face was getting paler, and he knew he couldn't deny it.

Although he could argue that the bad things were done by aliens masquerading as him, he is the head of an intelligence organization.

When something like this happened, his own embarrassment was already the most insignificant loss, which completely proved that he was not qualified for the position of leader.

Kohler was sure that Pierce would seize this opportunity and wipe out him and all his influence in the Strategic Crisis Intervention and Espionage Logistics Service.

But Pierce didn't do that right away.

On the contrary, he is still receiving him in his private mansion, does this mean that

Pierce is actually giving him a choice?

Maybe, to give him a way out?

Kohler is a person who is good at speculation, otherwise he would not be able to recover in the 1990s after making such a big mess in the 1960s. In the current situation that has reached a dead end, Kohler's thinking is running wildly, trying to find a way to escape his bad luck.

Kohler raised his head and looked into Pierce's eyes. After a few seconds, he seemed to have made up his mind. He couldn't help but carry a flattering voice in his tone, and he said:

So, what should I do?

Look, Merlin, this is the real wise man.

Pierce put down his glass and gave a compliment. He stood up and walked to Kohler. He patted Kohler on the shoulder and said softly:

Of course you can exit this vortex safely, Kohler, just need a little 'pay', let us see your sincerity.

Let's talk, talk about things we are really interested in, such as some plans of our old friends in the Ministry of Defense, cia, National Security Agency, etc., the secrets you know that can help us turn the tide of the war.

Pierce's tone was very soft, like an invisible hand, stirring Kohler's flustered mood, he said:

You want to quit this circle, right? Kohler, this circle is so dangerous. You are also in your 50s. Why don't you go back to your hometown in Ohio, put aside these disgusting trivial matters, and spend time with your family? But I'm sure you also know that people like us who keep secrets in our hearts can never really quit.

Pierce put his finger on Khloe's shoulder, and he, like a shove behind Khloe, said:

Share the secrets, and let us bear the weight of those secrets for you. After everything is over, I can guarantee that you will definitely live to see your little granddaughter grow up.

You know me, Kohler, I'm a very emotional person, and I don't have a bottom line like those behind you. I can protect you like I protect Fury, as long as you show your worth, as long as you are willing to be my friend!

The problem is, Kohler

Do you want to?

I

Kohler felt his lips were dry, his throat felt as dry as if it was on fire, and he desperately needed a glass of wine.

His needs seemed to be sensed, Merlin stepped forward, said a glass into Kohler's hand, and then poured him a glass of wine.

Kohler drank the glass of wine with trembling hands. He reached out to unbutton his collar and said:

I don't know much.

It's okay, just talk, you will be truly free after you say it.

Pierce chuckled. The old agent knew that Kohler's defenses had collapsed, and he would soon get all the secrets in Kohler's mind.

The Ministry of National Defense, I heard from some friends that they have been trying to find a strange mechanical life since the 1990s. Those lives are hidden in our world, there are more than one and many.

I have worked with some agents inside the cia. They control the distribution channels of certain controlled products by subverting the regime of small countries. In Afghanistan, there is one of their organizations

National Security Agency, I really don't know about this, their internal organization is very tight, but I heard that they have secretly supported a project since World War II, since President Truman's time

Kohler looked up, looked at Pierce, and said:

That project, called

Emperor's plan.

—

That night, Kohler said a lot of things that shouldn't be said, and Agent Hitwell, who was in charge of recording, recorded everything he said.

A boss like Pierce disdained to know those little secrets, so in the second half of the conversation, the boss took the agents to enjoy a midnight snack in the restaurant next to the hall.

This can be regarded as the chief's comfort to the loyal agents who were born and died.

But he and Merlin still have some things to say, and these things are not suitable for everyone to know.

Sir, what exactly is the Tianma Project?

Merlin stood outside the restaurant and asked Pierce:

If Fury wants to draw Foss into our camp, he must produce some convincing evidence. But the documents they found at Pegasus Base are all fringe information. I heard that the Tianma Project is It is hosted by Mr. Howard and is maintained by the Strategic Science Corps, so do you know some inside information?

You're asking the wrong person, Merlin.

Pierce lit a cigar, and while he was smoking, he lowered his voice and said to Merlin:

You have never worked with Howard. That gentleman has a wild and unruly personality, and he has always maintained a sensitive perception of other people. The specific content of the plan he presides over will naturally not be known to anyone other than him.

But I know where you can find the answer.

Pierce let out a puff of smoke, and he said to Merlin:

Before you set off to support Fury, visit Ms. Carter for me. With the seriousness of the current situation, you should be able to get the answer from her. She and Howard have been friends for many years. After the end of World War II, they exchanged Supporting her through the most difficult time, it is said that Howard will not hide anything from her.

Also, Merlin, after you see Fury, tell him. Let him use all methods to maintain the situation.

A solemn light flashed in Pierce's eyes, and he said in a deep voice:

Although we have an alien in our hands, it will not only take time but also luck to persuade the Congress and the Pentagon to face up to the threat of a possible alien war. There's nothing else, and it's going to be hard to convince them to face the cold reality.

The tough old man seemed a little lost at this moment, he said softly:

This world is always like this. There is always a moment of life and death crisis. Only at the worst moment, they will jump up and bite like a desperate rabbit. It can't go on like this. This world needs protection, it is too fragile. Whether it comes from the stars or from the power of darkness, it can easily overturn the existing order.

Pierce clenched his fists, like an idealist.

He turned to look at Merlin, who looked at him with a gratified gaze, then reached out and patted his shoulder.

You are a truly outstanding young man. In the new order of the future, an outstanding young man like you is bound to have a great future. And that new order, the new order that protects the earth and civilization, will also be formed by you and Fury. Such an excellent fighter to complete it! I believe you will definitely be able to do it!

You're flattering, sir. I just, always wanted to do the right thing.

Every time Merlin saw Pierce, the old man would praise him severely, which made Merlin very embarrassed. But I have to admit that being appreciated by such a big man really satisfies the young man's vanity.

Merlin was not a superficial person, but he could feel that Pierce valued him, not only because he was recruited into the organization by Ms. Carter, but also because Merlin had personally gone to danger to rescue Pierce.

Perhaps, as Pierce said, in Merlin, he saw the hope of a new order.

But that is the future after all, and now they have more important things to do.

It's almost time.

Pierce looked down at his watch, and he said to Merlin:

It's time for you to visit Ms. Carter, and it's time for me to set off for the Senate. I hope those old stubborn people will face reality this time, the threat from the stars.

Barton, Natasha, and the newcomer Coulson, they will wait for you in Fury's safe house. I will equip them with everything they need, and I only have one request, Merlin.

Do your best to avoid conflict!

Pierce said in a deep voice:

If conflict is inevitable, let's wait until we're ready, understand?