Nick Fury, on the other end of the phone, fell into a long silence.
William didn't rush him.
He leaned back in his chair patiently.
His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest.
It was as if he was providing a calm and unhurried beat for the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director's inner struggle.
He knew Fury had no choice.
"Rodriguez..." Finally, Fury's voice rang out again, hoarse and tired, yet with a hint of desperation, "You got what you wanted. Now, make your monster stop. Before they tear Stark Tower into pieces."
"Of course, my pleasure."
William's tone was light.
"Customer service is our motto."
With that, he decisively hung up the phone.
William redirected his gaze to the screen.
On the top floor of Stark Tower, the inhumane "mixed doubles" was still ongoing.
Loki had been pummeled into unconsciousness by the two monsters; his Asgardian physique prevented him from dying on the spot, but the humiliation stemming from the depths of his soul was probably more unbearable than death itself.
"Enough!"
Thor let out a thunderous roar.
Hulk and Abomination paused their movements simultaneously, the two behemoths turning their heads in unison, glaring at Thor with an expression that said, "Who are you, daring to interrupt our fun?"
In the end, it was Abomination who first let go.
He wasn't afraid, but because William's concise command came from the communicator on his wrist: "Off work."
Bronski snorted, glanced at Loki, who had completely turned into a puddle of mud on the ground, then looked at the still furious Hulk opposite him, a hint of lingering desire in his eyes.
He turned, leaped, and his massive body disappeared into the city's steel jungle.
He had to rush back to the dock, take a boat home, and enjoy his paid leave after the battle.
As Thor, carrying the bound Loki and the Tesseract, returned to Asgard via the Bifrost Bridge.
The Battle of New York, which had shaken the entire World, finally drew to a close.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s follow-up units began to enter Manhattan, clearing the battlefield, rescuing the injured, and, in the name of national security, sealed off all core areas, systematically recovering the Chitauri technological wreckage.
Of course, the two-tenths of the wreckage with the highest value had already been tagged with "Rodriguez Risk Management Company" and shipped to an untraceable offshore dock.
The dark side of the World was also quietly changing.
In Japan, within an ancient manor.
Several high-ranking members of The Hand, dressed in black ninja attire, were kneeling before a screen.
"The commotion in New York was too great. Gods and demons ran wild, exceeding our control."
An aged voice came from behind the screen.
"Elektra's situation... put it aside for now. That Daredevil... let him live a bit longer."
"Before the World order stabilizes, we must hide our claws and bide our time."
"Yes!"
The ninjas below responded in unison, their figures merging into the Shadow and disappearing.
Meanwhile, within S.H.I.E.L.D., a more covert undercurrent was accelerating.
In the highest-level office of Triskelion Headquarters, Alexander Pierce looked at the tragic scene of New York displayed on the screen, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Fury played too big this time."
He said to the Agent beside him, "Alien invasion, Super Heroes... The public is afraid; they crave a stronger order, a'shield' that can completely eliminate all threats."
"The Insight Project can officially be put on the agenda. Have Sitwell handle it; tell him we need a perfect reason that can convince all Council members."
In Pierce's eyes, the Fire of ambition flickered.
This disaster, for HYDRA, was not a crisis but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
In the face of the grand game of the "Insight Project," which concerned the future of the World, any personal grievances could be temporarily set aside.
Compared to the turbulent outside World, William's private island was a scene of bustling construction.
Ms. Ophelia Sarkissian's enormous inheritance in a Swiss bank had now transformed into a continuous supply of rebar, cement, and various high-precision experimental equipment, transported to the island by cargo ships.
Lei Ling, the genius builder, now stood proudly before a newly constructed alloy framework, holding a holographic tablet and directing a group of engineering robots.
"All of B5 in Zone A will be converted into biological laboratories!"
"I want the highest-spec gene sequencers and cell culture dishes!"
"For the energy center in Zone B, install the latest Arc Reactor technology. If the power isn't enough, parallel them! I want the entire island's energy supply to be able to light up half of New York!"
"And the defense system!"
"That electromagnetic railgun array Mr. Bronski mentioned last time, cover the coastline with it!"
"Use Vibranium armor-piercing shells! Money is not an issue!"
Her face was radiant with the happy glow of dreams becoming reality.
Nothing makes an engineer happier than a client with an unlimited budget.
William, meanwhile, lay leisurely in the medical laboratory, resting with his eyes closed.
He was carefully experiencing the astonishing changes in his body.
The near-death experience triggered by the potent poison was like a tempering, a metamorphosis from cocoon to butterfly, which completely squeezed out the potential of the Super Soldier Serum within him and created a wonderful chemical reaction with "Toxin Resistance," ultimately generating a brand new ability—[Adversity Evolution].
As its name suggests, the core of this ability lies in "adversity."
When he is injured or faces a fatal threat, his body enters an accelerated adaptation state, not only quickly analyzing and generating targeted resistance but also, after recovery, gaining a permanent, slight increase in a certain bodily function.
"The more severely I'm beaten, the stronger I become..."
William silently savored the description of this ability in his mind.
This was simply the ultimate insurance policy tailor-made for an insurance salesman like him, who walked a tightrope. His survival rate, at this moment, was infinitely increased.
It felt great.
"Boss."
Lei Ling bounced in, handing him the tablet.
"As you instructed, the final bill for S.H.I.E.L.D. has been drafted. Please take a look."
William took the tablet, and as he looked at the densely listed terms, the corners of his mouth uncontrollably curled upwards.
"Detailed Expense Report for Mr. Abomination (Emil Blonsky) in the Battle of New York":
Base Appearance Fee: $50,000,000
High-Risk Environment Work Allowance (Alien Combat): 100% increase
Overtime Work Fee (exceeding estimated combat duration by 2 hours): $20,000,000
Equipment Wear and Tear Fee (tactical vest damage): $5,000
Emotional Distress Fee (due to witnessing inhumane treatment of a colleague): $10,000,000
Team Building Fee (friendly interaction with Mr. Hulk): $5,000,000
Post-Battle Psychological Trauma Counseling Fee (PTSD prevention): $2,000,000
Total: $137,005,000
"Hmm, very professional, very reasonable."
William nodded in satisfaction.
"Especially the emotional distress fee and team-building fee, they truly reflect our company's corporate culture. Send it to Fury just like this and have him make the payment as soon as possible."
He could already imagine how wonderfully expressive Nick Fury's dark face would become when he saw this bill.
Having eliminated a major hidden danger, his body had super-evolved, his company's reputation soared, and he had even extorted a sum from S.H.I.E.L.D. in passing.
William felt that his transmigration life had finally gotten on the right track.
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