Chapter 145: The Water Pipe

Kaisa asked, "Why hint to them to dig deeper? Do you really think those two can uncover anything?"

Michael smiled faintly and replied, "I just don’t want to personally deal with them. Let Hydra handle it for me."

He then shifted the topic. "Do you know how to stir up a school of sardines?"

"Introduce two catfish?" Kaisa guessed.

"Exactly. Only by muddying the waters can more fish come out."

...

Nick Fury was on his way home when he was suddenly ambushed.

Similar to the way they tried to handle Michael, men dressed as police officers surrounded him. Fury quickly sensed something was wrong and fought back.

This ruthless man had installed a Vulcan Gatling gun inside his car. Gripping the weapon, he unleashed a burst of gunfire and successfully escaped.

After notifying Captain America’s team, Fury feigned death and went offline.

Captain America was also attacked. Worst of all, the assailant seemed strangely familiar to him, prompting him to seek answers at S.H.I.E.L.D.

Michael learned of this as well. Hearing that Fury was forced offline, he expressed heavy sorrow and even suggested holding a funeral.

Yet, no one was in that mood; they all began their investigations.

Michael had already retired from the hero ranks and thus did not participate in this operation.

Originally, the events surrounding Captain America’s second saga should have followed Thor’s second and Iron Man’s third, occurring at least two years after the Battle of New York. But due to a certain butterfly effect, it happened earlier.

Therefore, Michael found it difficult to predict what would come next.

One thing was certain: Fury was definitely not dead. At this moment, he was recuperating at Michael’s place.

Michael couldn’t be bothered with him. As for Pierce, Captain America, Black Widow, and Falcon couldn’t handle him, let alone Tony’s investigative team. Michael wasn’t worried at all about the outcome.

Early that morning, Michael left his place.

From Susie’s point of view, she was the only living person left on the island. Seizing the opportunity, she slipped into Michael’s laboratory to search for evidence.

Curious about what Michael had been doing that morning, she soon found the secret chamber from which Michael had emerged. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t open it, so she began examining other things.

She didn’t find the special bullets Marcus had mentioned, but she discovered another item: a serum.

Susie stared at the vial containing Asgardian blood serum as the computer displayed Michael’s research on Asgardian data.

After hesitating for a moment, Susie loaded the serum into a device and then lay down inside a cultivation tank.

The tank quickly filled with a green liquid. Strangely, the liquid flowed continuously into her lungs, but she didn’t feel suffocated. Instead, she felt as if breathing had become freer.

As the machine operated, several tiny needles pierced her pulse, and the Asgardian serum was swiftly injected into her body.

Susie struggled in pain, though submerged in the strange solution, she made no sound.

A figure in black silently watched everything unfold, quietly observing Susie.

He had noticed this girl long ago. Michael wanted to keep his distance from her to protect her.

But the girl clearly didn’t see it that way; she stubbornly resented Michael.

Today, with Michael gone, Susie sneaked into his lab, and Fury followed her inside.

He wanted to see what the girl was up to.

He had already obtained all of Susie’s background information. She was inexperienced, mentally immature, and lacked foresight—like a headless fly.

Yet, it was exactly this kind of naïve and malleable person—easy to influence—that Fury favored.

After inspecting the lab, Fury found no other serum. He assumed this particular serum was prepared specifically for her.

He sighed. Who was he really guarding against? Why was the trust between them so fragile?

Distance grows when affection fades.

According to his investigation, although the two had lived under the same roof for over a decade, their relationship was far from warm.

Following the death of the Jack couple, they had nearly severed ties, with Susie even pointing at Michael and declaring, "I hate you."

If that was the case, then Michael, let me help you.

Fury had already devised a plan to use Susie.

Michael traveled to the New York Sanctum and met with the Ancient One.

She seemed to have been expecting him, patiently waiting there.

"You've come," she said.

Michael spoke, "Ancient One, have you seen the man I am today?"

"I have," she replied.

She studied Michael carefully before asking, "Do you lack confidence? Are you afraid of the desires within your heart?"

"A little," he admitted.

When his bloodlust surged, Michael felt as if he lost control, as though another self lurked deep within.

The Ancient One smiled and produced a water pipe, handing it to Michael.

"Now that you’re no longer a hero, take this time to examine yourself."

Michael toyed with the pipe and soon understood its purpose.

Crafted by some sorcerer, this device had the power to calm the mind and steady the spirit.

He packed the tobacco, took out a lighter, ignited the pipe, and took a deep drag.

"I don’t know why I suddenly wanted to be a hero. Maybe it was Gwen’s influence, or perhaps the justice inside me never truly vanished. But fate always loves to toy with people."

He exhaled smoke and continued, "The first time I realized how terrifying the human heart could be was when I discovered my foster parents were nothing more than the prison that held me captive."

The Ancient One regarded him and then said, "They gave you freedom through death, allowing you to truly soar. But have you thought about what the future holds?"

Michael gave a bitter smile.

"I don’t know."

A long silence followed before she suddenly asked, "Are you ready to face your destiny?"

"Destiny?"

"What destiny?"

Michael was stunned; he had no idea what she meant.

"Everyone who comes into this world has a mission, big or small. Even if someone approached you with ulterior motives and tried to control you, they still hoped you’d have a life of your own. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have taken their own life."

Michael remained silent for a long time.

"Perhaps one day, you will change the world," she said with a smile.

Michael felt certain the Ancient One had glimpsed a special future.

"The future will be chaotic. Do you know why?"

Seeing Michael remain silent, she continued softly, "Odin is dying. When he passes, a new chapter will begin. Every ambitious entity in the universe will make their move."

"The Angels, Surtur, Malekith—all crave dominion. And the hidden Olympus. Michael, if no just and courageous god stands up, the world will be in grave peril."

She went on, "The world needs a king. Before, it was Odin; who it will be in the future remains unknown."

"Perhaps you are still in pain and confusion now, but one day you will understand. It will be a task greater than being a hero. You may bear many sins along the way."

"Good luck, Michael."

He nodded in response.