Death Only Arrives Late, Never Absent

Soon.

Karen let Lake go.

For some reason, Karen knew very well that Lake still had some secrets he hadn’t told her. But with just this one secret, Karen felt she would need at least a month to process it. Moreover, Karen also knew very clearly that Lake had always respected her, so she believed Lake would tell her when the time was right.

As for Lake and Emilia, and then Rachel?

Karen didn’t ask about it.

This was Lake’s private matter. Just as Karen hadn’t intervened after learning about Betty and Bruce, the two children had grown up. How they acted and what they chose was their own story.

As for Karen?

The only thing Karen could offer was to stand at the door, just like years ago when Lake would come home for comfort after every breakup, and give her returning children a hug that felt like home.

Evening.

In Rachel’s apartment.

Lake had returned from Texas. With the cloning base destroyed and federal Homeland Security agencies actively pursuing them across the country, Daniel Whitehall’s influence within the federal government was diminishing at a visible rate.

As for the rest of Hydra?

Heh.

Alexander Pierce had likely slammed what Daniel Whitehall and Dr. Merrick had done at the cloning base onto the table for the other Hydra leaders to see.

At this point, Daniel Whitehall had probably been unilaterally removed from Hydra.

In fact.

Just as Lake had guessed.

Alexander Pierce was almost driven mad, and at the same time, he was somewhat secretly relieved that he hadn’t followed Daniel Whitehall down that path. If he had, he probably wouldn’t have known when Daniel Whitehall eventually chopped him up.

And so.

Alexander Pierce directly revealed Daniel Whitehall’s shady dealings to the other Hydra leaders and, at the same time, ordered Hydra agents operating outside to kill Daniel Whitehall.

The other Hydra leaders exchanged glances.

Alexander Pierce approached them one by one, saying, "Either I get rid of him, or we all go down together." The federal government already knew that Hydra had resurfaced, but he had successfully shifted the blame to Daniel Whitehall. Moreover, Alexander Pierce told everyone that Daniel Whitehall’s plan had completely failed. He then asked them to guess whether the furious Lake Edwin knew about Daniel Whitehall’s existence.

Therefore.

The others chose to sacrifice a pawn to save the king.

And so.

Although the situation within the federal government appeared calm on the surface, outside the federal government, Hydra’s secretly accumulating strength continued to exert its influence. After all, the ones most eager for Daniel Whitehall to die right now were not Lake, but Hydra itself.

In short.

Since they had decided to abandon Daniel Whitehall, Hydra would not give him any opportunity to speak carelessly, lest he say something he shouldn’t.

After all, Daniel Whitehall now symbolized all of Hydra.

As long as Daniel Whitehall died, Hydra could completely distance itself from Tony Stark’s mess and its conflict with Lake Edwin, quietly lie low, wait for the opportune moment, and raise the banner of rebellion.

Thus…

While the federal government appeared calm on the surface, outside the federal government, in Europe, both openly and secretly, actions were being taken against Daniel Whitehall.

A swarm of Hydra assassins was scattered across the European continent. Daniel Whitehall had already fled his private estate in Paris after the first wave of assassination attempts and was now afraid to even show his face.

His businesses were also suffering devastating blows.

There were operations targeting his businesses every day.

Even Emilia received an invitation.

Lake, on Rachel’s balcony, glanced at the sleeping Rachel and smiled as he listened to the voice on the phone, "They’re attacking my businesses without holding back, and then giving them to me for free. Is this their way of asking me to calm down?"

Or perhaps…

Was it a way to tell him to stop while he was ahead?

Heh.

Emilia smiled, "They don’t know that the Black King is you. They intend to ask you, the Black King, to act as an intermediary to mediate this themselves."

Lake shrugged, "It’s clear they also know that Lake Edwin isn’t simple. Perhaps they think that the Black King, while claiming not to interfere, has been helping him behind the scenes."

"Did you?"

"I swear to God, I didn’t!"

Throughout this trip to Texas, Lake had basically not gone all out. He had used his influence, his overt power, to crush them, without using the Black King’s strength at all.

He meant what he said.

Since Lake had stated that the Black King would no longer protect him, at least in this matter, Lake had not broken his promise.

"Should I agree?"

"Let me think about it."

Lake stroked his chin.

When attacking the clone base, he was furious, but for some reason, after seeing the group of S.H.I.E.L.D. clones at the clone base, Lake suddenly felt his anger diminish a little.

But…

Daniel Whitehall and Arnim Zola must die.

This is a non-negotiable condition.

No discussion!

If these two don’t die, Lake’s mind cannot be at peace.

Of course.

Arnim Zola is an electronic lifeform. Although Lake is confident that this guy won’t die that easily, at the very least, Lake has no evidence of him being alive.

But…

This doesn’t affect Lake’s threat.

Lake directly said to Emilia, "Tell Hydra that Daniel Whitehall and Arnim Zola must die. They can handle Arnim Zola themselves, but if they dare to harbor Daniel Whitehall, as a price, as long as I know Daniel Whitehall is still alive, even if it’s a clone, I will make the entire Hydra pay!"

If Daniel Whitehall isn’t killed, Lake’s mind cannot be at peace.

Not directly involving the entire Hydra was already a concession Lake made out of consideration for the compensation Hydra provided this time. But, as he always said, people can provoke me, and whether they do is their problem. Just don’t cry when it’s time to pay the price.

Emilia said, "They can’t wait for you to deal with Daniel Whitehall for them."

Lake smiled without speaking.

If this ultimatum isn’t given, believe it or not, once the heat dies down, Daniel Whitehall will reappear.

Hydra has never been a problem for him.

From the beginning, Lake simply didn’t want to waste his time on this. But if Hydra courts death, Lake wouldn’t mind personally composing their funeral dirge.

Changing the timeline?

Ever since Lake changed Karen’s timeline when he was ten, this timeline has already changed. Again, in the original timeline, was Hydra that difficult to deal with?

"Oh, right."

Lake remembered his promise to Karen, "Has Little Cotton-padded Jacket gone home yet?"

Emilia hummed, "What, do you want to talk to your Little Cotton-padded Jacket?"

Lake recounted his conversation with Karen and then said, "Find a time to mention it to Little Cotton-padded Jacket."

"Heh heh."

"…What?"

"Are you sure you want your Little Cotton-padded Jacket to know?"

"What’s wrong?"

Emilia shrugged, shifted into a languid pose on the sofa, and smiled, "Are you sure that when your Little Cotton-padded Jacket realizes she’s not your only Little Cotton-padded Jacket, you can guess if she’ll just explode and, when you’re not paying attention, prematurely bite to death your adopted daughter and that female reporter’s unborn children?"

Lake’s brow twitched, "My Little Cotton-padded Jacket would never do something like that."

Emilia chuckled, "Is that so? You don’t really think your Little Cotton-padded Jacket is the same as she appears to be in front of you, do you?"

Katherine is very smart.

After all, Lake only visits three to four months a year, but Emilia has been paying attention the whole time. If Emilia could use Chinese terms to describe her actions.

Then, without a doubt.

Just as Lake calls David a rebellious son, Emilia’s evaluation of Lake’s Little Cotton-padded Jacket can be summed up in two words.

Scheming!

Lake shook his head, "Emilia, I think you’re saying this because I dote on Katherine. What, you can’t stand my attitude towards that rebellious son?"

Emilia smiled, "Your Little Cotton-padded Jacket has completely charmed you to the point where you can’t see her true nature. But it’s up to you. You want me to tell her, right?"

Lake stroked his chin, "Forget it, I’ll tell her myself. When is she returning to Fox?"

After Emilia’s words, Lake actually felt a bit uneasy.

My daughter is so cute, how could she not understand her dad?

It must be a lie.

No matter how you describe my daughter, it won’t change my affection and doting on Little Cotton-padded Jacket. Similarly, it won’t change my view of that rebellious son. When he turns twenty-one, I’ll kick him out of the house to get him out of my sight.

Emilia told Lake that Katherine had been packing her things for the past few days and planned to return to Fox soon. Then, she said with some curiosity, "What do you plan to do? They still haven’t found Daniel Whitehall."

The corners of Lake’s mouth curved upwards, "Those who have been notified by me that they have received a one-way ticket to hell have, to this day, not survived."

Once the intention to kill arises, one is invincible.

Emilia yawned lazily, "Alright, then I’ll inform Hydra of your decision."

Lake hung up the phone.

Still the same room.

But…

Two more positions are open.

Yesterday, Alexander Pierce, whose authenticity was just confirmed by Dr. Tempra Brenna’s bone age assessment, rushed back to S.H.I.E.L.D. Before the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. had finished their examinations, he temporarily sought out the mole within S.H.I.E.L.D.

As for the others?

They’re waiting in line, undergoing the "true and false Monkey King" test one by one.