Eve of Departure

New York, Brooklyn District, Harlem Street.

As the hometown of the Symbol of Peace, coupled with the arrival of a Stark Industries branch, Harlem Street had become one of the fastest-recovering and most prosperous streets in New York City within mere months after the complete end of World War II. Every day, countless visitors also gathered outside the walls to view the former site of Kyle’s old home.

Amid all this, a vast vacant lot in the district had recently undergone intensive development. Protected by high-voltage electric fencing, a towering skyscraper brimming with technological flair had been built within. Rumor had it that a mysterious, state-recognized department had moved in. Military officers and government officials frequently entered and left the building, and their transportation consisted of military aircraft, bulletproof cars, and the like.

Before the entrance to the skyscraper grounds stood two five-meter-tall metal statues: Kyle, the Symbol of Peace, holding a sword on the left, and Captain America Steve bearing a shield on the right. They stood tall side by side.

This was S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.

At that moment, on the twelfth floor of the building, inside a tightly sealed break room.

Through the soundproof, bulletproof glass door, it could be seen that three people happened to be resting inside: a middle-aged senior executive, a secretary in a black suit, and a security officer assigned to that floor.

One was smoking, one was making coffee, and one was chatting on a phone. They sat scattered apart, seemingly minding their own business.

Yet if someone were to open the break room door and hear the undisguised conversation among the three, they would surely be shocked beyond words.

"The surveillance in this break room has been altered. No one will come in during this period, so if you found anything, say it quickly."

"Of course I found something. Something extremely important! About Kyle…"

"The Symbol of Peace?"

The executive and the security officer’s expressions changed slightly. Though they knew it would be bad if passing colleagues outside saw them like this, they could not suppress the fear and shock in their hearts.

To them, the man known as the Symbol of Peace was a taboo among taboos. They generally never mentioned his real name.

The secretary took a deep breath and said gravely, "This morning, the director went out alone. He claimed he was visiting an old comrade, but he was actually visiting that man at an estate. He also brought back Black Widow, who had defected from the Soviet Red Room."

"After he retired, he practically vanished without a trace. A few months ago, he seemed to have done nothing but wreak havoc at the Soviet Red Room."

"Why bring him up? Since Ivan died, we have absolutely no ability to touch him now."

The executive and security officer murmured with slight dissatisfaction. Even if they knew the Symbol of Peace’s whereabouts, dealing with that godlike, powerful man was simply impossible.

Hydra’s Red Skull, Ivan, and the others were proof enough—one had vanished, while the other had been kicked to death on the spot.

"Perhaps… we do have the ability." The secretary narrowed his eyes and spoke softly. His words made the executive and security officer instinctively look at him, unable to understand what he meant.

Lowering his voice, the secretary continued, "I also obtained a major piece of information from the director, concerning the Symbol of Peace’s physical condition—apparently, he did not entirely escape the radiation damage from the nuclear bomb. He is now bedridden at that estate."

"What did you say?!" Shock appeared on the security officer’s face, but he quickly forced himself back into calmness.

"Wait." The executive remained composed and asked in a low voice, "How likely is this intelligence to be true? Also, have we sent anyone to watch and investigate that estate?"

"Whether it is true or not is beside the point. The point is that in less than three days, that man will move away from the estate. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." The secretary grinned, madness gleaming in his eyes. "If we can kill the Symbol of Peace, perhaps we can stir the world into chaos once more."

"Besides, judging from all the director’s behavior, there is a fifty percent chance that this intelligence is real!"

Afraid that the two would back down, the secretary added another sentence.

The security officer and executive exchanged glances. It was undoubtedly a colossal gamble, but if they won, Hydra could use it to achieve its revenge.

"Are we gathering all the surviving armed forces we have around the world? Gambling Hydra’s future on this?" The executive still felt lingering fear as he recalled the miserable fate of the organization’s members in the past.

"Of course not. Sending just part of Hydra’s armed personnel would already be more than enough."

The secretary gave a gloomy smile and suggested, "Don’t forget, with the slaughter that man carried out during the war, we are not the only ones who want him dead."

"That’s right. We can pass this intelligence to certain organizations and try cooperating with them."

"Killing the Symbol of Peace! If it succeeds…"

Three S.H.I.E.L.D. employees of different ranks openly discussed killing the Symbol of Peace in the break room of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s newly constructed building. It was perhaps something even Fury would never have dared imagine.

Yet Hydra’s spies had naturally stuck their heads into this trap, simply waiting for the rope to be drawn tight.

As undercurrents surged across Earth, two days swiftly passed.

The time Kyle had planned to leave Earth drew near.

On the day before departure, at the site of the old family estate on the outskirts of New York.

It was afternoon, and the sun had yet to set. Golden sunlight draped itself like a thin garment across the estate building and the dense woods around it, where elongated shadows intertwined in dazzling patterns.

Kyle stood before a curtained window. Behind him, in the conference hall, Yutong sat in a chair wearing a hooded black trench coat, swinging her fair legs in the air. As she maintained Mind Control, her eyes flickered faintly with silver light.

"Boss. There are two people hiding in the forest within a hundred meters around the estate. They’re too far away—I can’t read their thoughts."

Yutong’s reply was cold yet childish.

"They should be scouts. Ignore them." Kyle shrugged indifferently.

"BOSS." Logan entered the room from the hallway and reported, "All the new trainees and servants from the original estate have been secretly transferred away through portals. Only the three of us remain here."

"Good. If they really intend to attack, they will likely choose nighttime."

Kyle glanced at the clock on the wall. There were about two hours left before nightfall, so he said, "I’ll go meet someone first. You two guard the estate. Kill anyone who comes in. Leave no survivors!"

"Okay. Anyone foolish enough to try assassinating the boss, I’ll string their corpses together with Murasame." Yutong nodded obediently. The Japanese blade on her back slowly floated from its sheath, controlled by her Mind Control as it spun back and forth above her head.

"I hope they come in sooner." Logan’s face was cold as he leaned against the wall beside the door. His right hand slowly clenched into a fist, and three gleaming, sharp metal claws extended from it, like three blades embedded in the end of his fist.

With the Karl family’s two greatest combat forces standing guard, anyone who entered this house tonight would learn just how great the surprise was.

Kyle trusted Yutong and Logan completely. He opened a portal and stepped through it, his figure vanishing from the estate conference hall as he crossed space.