A new chapter is up.
Come in, get comfortable, and let’s see what kind of trouble waits this time ❤️ ✦ “A missile?” “Down!
Everyone down!” The shout came from behind Natasha.
Every surviving agent had professional training, and all of them understood modern weapons well enough to recognize the danger.
The moment the missile screamed past, they threw themselves to the floor.
Natasha did the same.
Even with the Licker attacking, her instincts told her this strike had not come from an enemy.
It felt more like support.
“Heh.” “Looks like I didn’t miss the party after all.
Right on time.” Tony Stark’s familiar, arrogant laugh drifted through the smoke, drawing closer with every step.
“Huh.” “Didn’t expect a long-legged beauty down here.” “How about you stop by my room tonight for a drink?
Call it repayment for saving your life.” The teasing voice made it obvious what kind of man had arrived.
Normally, if someone flirted with Natasha like that in the middle of a fight, she would have made sure he regretted every syllable.
This time, she did not.
“You’re…” “Tony Stark?” Natasha’s eyes sharpened as the armored figure stepped out of the smoke.
She recognized him instantly.
“Well, well.” “Didn’t expect you to know me.” “Looks like my reputation with gorgeous women is still intact.” The armor hissed as the helmet opened, revealing Tony’s face.
Iron Man.
Tony Stark.
“No way.” “It really is Iron Man?
What kind of movie has the budget to get Iron Man for a cameo?” “Are you people seriously still calling this a movie teaser?” Someone online sounded smug, as if they had seen through the truth before everyone else.
“Stop being cryptic.
Say what you mean.” “Idiot.
That’s Tony Stark, the man controlling Stark Industries.
Even after leaving the weapons business, his influence reaches across half the country.
What studio could possibly hire him for some random promotional cameo?” “Wait…” “So this is real?” Tony’s appearance sent the online comments into chaos again.
…
“Tony?” “He was pulled in too?” “Then this so-called invasion game is real.” Batman’s expression hardened.
He knew plenty about the genius who resembled him in uncomfortable ways.
With Tony’s arrogance, he would never cooperate with anyone on a cheap supernatural publicity stunt.
“I need help.” Bruce’s expression turned severe.
Already dressed in the Batsuit, he strode into the distance.
There were people who could assist him.
Tony’s arrival shattered a lot of viewers’ doubts.
Batman was far from the only one taking action.
But the turmoil outside had no effect on the invaded world.
On the screen, heavy fire roared through the corridor.
The sustained barrage shredded the Licker into scattered chunks of flesh.
No matter how strange the mutation was, it remained a body of meat and bone.
It could not withstand concentrated firepower.
The zombies were forced back.
For a moment, the situation seemed to be turning.
Then another change erupted.
“Wait.” “Gunfire.
That isn’t right.” “Careful.
People are coming from the far side.” Natasha’s eyes sharpened.
While fighting beside Tony, she immediately retreated, opening distance and searching for cover.
Zombies had no minds.
Humans with weapons did.
In a dangerous apocalyptic environment, human beings could be more dangerous than the dead.
“Are those other summoned participants?” Fury stared at the screen, his expression grave.
A group of armed figures rushed in from the bend at the end of the corridor.
They wore black tactical assault gear and carried enough weapons and tools to make them far more dangerous than ordinary thugs.
Yet compared with a regular military unit, something about them felt off.
“Mercenaries?” Fury’s eyes narrowed.
Only people who lived on the edge carried themselves like that.
But since when did mercenaries have equipment that advanced?
While Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.
scrambled to identify them, the broadcast changed again.
After several scattered zombies were driven back, the different groups closed the distance warily.
“You…” “You’re the handoff team the company arranged?” “I’m James ‘One’ Shade.” “Captain of this special task force and overall commander of the operation.” A man holding an assault rifle stepped forward from the unfamiliar group.
His presence made him the obvious leader.
The threat in his posture was sharp enough to make it clear he was not someone to provoke.
At the same time, the system notification returned.
[Ding.] [Key plot character encountered: James “One” Shade.
Main storyline unlocked.] [Reward acquired: Identity Rationalization x1.] [100 points awarded.] “How bad is the virus leak inside the Hive?” Shade walked toward them with practiced familiarity.
The hostility from a moment ago vanished, replaced by the ease of a longtime teammate lowering his guard.
“The system?” Tony and Natasha exchanged a glance.
Both of them saw the shock in the other’s eyes.
At almost the same moment, they thought of the reward the system panel had just displayed.
[Identity Rationalization] “A power that can alter human perception this easily?” Tony’s evaluation of the system climbed several levels.
Whatever he and Natasha felt, Shade’s attitude toward them had clearly softened.
He treated them like real operational partners, while Natasha and the others answered smoothly according to the prompts on the system panel.
After a few exchanges, the atmosphere eased.
The tense mercenaries relaxed as well.
It was as if a perfect field handoff had just taken place.
Until Shade spoke again.
“So that’s the intelligence on the facility…” “Understood.” “We’ll handle it from here.” Shade nodded after summarizing the information they had exchanged.
Then he gestured toward Black Widow’s group as if preparing to lead the mercenaries forward alone.
“The nearby zombies have already been cleared.
You can wait here.” It sounded considerate.
Tony’s heart sank.
Natasha frowned.
They had not forgotten why they were here.
[Assist the Umbrella Corporation team in entering the Hive and shutting down the Red Queen.] The unknown force had not sent them to this world for a vacation.
Waiting at a safe point while someone else finished the job looked comfortable.
It was almost certainly a death sentence.
After everything Natasha had lived through, she was not naive enough to place her life in the hands of luck.
“No.” “I’m joining the next phase of the operation.” Natasha looked at Shade with a cold expression, her short blade angled toward a vulnerable spot and catching the light.
If he insisted on refusing, she had no problem using force.
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS AuroraVale Thank you for reading.
I hope this chapter pulled you a little deeper into the story.
Stay close, because things are only getting more interesting.