Wolverine was pulling out the remaining senbons from his face while cursing loudly in both English and Japanese.
Natasha could understand it all, but she had no intention of responding. Right now, the clues were all in these dolls, and she wanted to find something from them.
As for the mission environment being too noisy, it didn't matter. The essence of agent training is to enable an ordinary person to handle information rationally in any environment.
Her black boots crunched on the snowy ground as she checked once more and confirmed there were no traces of where these dolls had come from.
These doll robots weighed about ten kilograms and moved using tracks under their small sleeves. If they really went over the snow, they would definitely leave traces.
Natasha could identify the tracks of all tank and armored vehicle models in the world, both in service and many secret ones, but she'd never heard of these toy-like things.
She flipped her wrist and pulled out a tiny tool from the Widow Sting, quickly dismantling one robot. Sure enough, there were very precise instruments and circuits inside the wooden shell, and there was no record of such things in the Spider Web's intel database.
She thought she might have discovered a new force in the world, one that possessed a technological line different from mainstream world technology.
"When did this snow fall?" Natasha asked Logan, still thinking from a practical standpoint, considering magic and spatial teleportation only as a last resort.
"It stopped just this morning, damn it! XX, X!"
Logan angrily threw the senbons to the ground, the poison making him irritable.
He had been bitten by all kinds of venomous insects and snakes before, but this time felt different; this thing seemed to be eating away at his superpower, greatly slowing his self-healing speed.
Tiny holes on his torso were still oozing blood.
But being a tough guy, he didn't say a word, even though a large area of the snow was stained red.
Natasha turned back to look at him, and seeing his miserable state, couldn't help but click her tongue: "You should go check on your wife. I'll handle things here."
"Oh! Right! Faker!"
Only then did Logan remember that Ah Yi was still lying in the bedroom. If it was a strategy to lure him away, it would be disastrous!
He clumsily got up and stumbled toward the bedroom. When he opened the door, he saw Ah Yi still sleeping deeply, and he jumped in to check frantically.
No problems, thank goodness.
Seeing the wide-open bedroom door in the dead of winter, Logan nonchalantly lifted the entire quilt to check on his wife. The woman's skin reflected a snow-white under the dim light, and Natasha sighed, shaking her head.
She once thought self-healing ability might affect intelligence, but after meeting Deathstroke and Deadpool, she no longer thought that.
The principal, Deathstroke, didn't need to be mentioned; his schemes were almost indecipherable to anyone. Even Deadpool, who she had met a few times, though annoying and disgusting, had no issues with intelligence.
It seems that intelligence has nothing to do with superpowers. Whether this intel is useful to the Spider Web, better note it down first—never blindly trust superpower users again.
She had to admit she'd taken another step closer to becoming a qualified agent, a delightful progress.
....................
"What's Howard up to lately?"
Sitting on the cloak, Su Ming inquired of Gin about the situation. If not Nagasaki, then Hiroshima—it gave Su Ming a bizarre feeling.
Both are places hit by nuclear bombs. Let's hope we're not dealing with some environmental organization this time, like that bunch of freaks 'Prince of Contamination'?
"According to the Spider Web's intel, he and Dr. Nathaniel, and Dr. Tesla together withdrew from the Holy Shield Brotherhood but still retain their advisory roles with the Strategic Science Corps."
The intel from the Spider Web was processed by Dotti and others, passing on what they deemed important to Gin.
And intel about the Holy Shield Brotherhood, as well as the Divine Spear Bureau, are currently top-priority; any news gets reported.
Su Ming pondered for a moment and used the stars in the sky to discern direction: "Any specific intel? What projects are they working on recently?"
"Howard, along with a Fur Bear scientist named Vanke, is researching a new type of energy device. It's said that the scientist is persecuted by Leviathan and doesn't dare return to his country, so the SSR is pushing him hard, and Howard, to avoid work, has handed over many research tasks to him."
Gin clutched Su Ming's arm. She enjoyed the feel of flying in the cold wind, just like in the past.
"Huh? Dumped everything on Vanke, so what's he doing himself?" Su Ming scratched his eyebrow.
"He spends most of his time in Hollywood... teaching actresses to play mahjong, if you catch my drift." Gin shrugged, knowing that's just Howard's nature.
Ever since Howard boasted about inventing strip mahjong in a newspaper interview, a few attention-seeking flies eagerly buzzed around him.
Perhaps having been disheartened by the Brotherhood incident, he's completely let go now. He was always a carefree person, even more so now.
"What about Dr. Nathaniel?"
Su Ming had nothing to say about Howard's behavior; he just liked that stuff.
Gin extended her hand asking for the liquor, knowing there was always some in the Mystical Belt he wore:
"That doctor is currently researching the computers you mentioned alongside Dr. Zola, but our intel indicates progress is not fast. Clearly, two physicists aren't top-notch in mathematics."
Su Ming took out a good bottle of liquor for her, trusting only the drink he brought: "And what about Dr. Tesla?"
"Ever since you recruited his son into the New York Temple, we have effectively gained control of him. He is currently in Colorado, in charge of a secret military-led operation, the Pegasus Plan... But he's isolated, and our people can't infiltrate, so no updates."
Gin happily downed the bottle, tossed the empty one off the Flying Carpet, and extended her small hand again.
Su Ming simply pulled her hand into his silk pouch, letting her take what she wanted: "Pegasus Plan, hmm... I think I know what it is, but there's no rush. If the Pegasus Plan is already underway, the other two military plans should also have started."
Gin pulled out a bottle of wine, took a look—Shanjing Town wine? Where is that from?
But she didn't dwell on it, knowing all he had was good liquor: "How do you know? I haven't told you yet."
"Haha, why else would I be your boss?" Su Ming didn't answer directly, just looked at the road ahead.
"Yes, and a genius child named Henry Jonathan Pym has joined SSR. His project has just begun with no progress yet, called the 'Goliath Plan.' Another high-security plan hasn't been infiltrated by our people yet, only known as the 'Escape Plan.'"
Su Ming nodded in satisfaction. Recruiting Little Rose Lorraine back then was truly a wise decision. With her recommendation as 'Dean of Academic Affairs,' numerous 'Spiders' have already infiltrated the SSR.
She's still in the dark, and, instead, because Mr. Wilson owns the Zhongsi Academy and these girls are orphans, she finds them particularly reliable.
Students graduated, came to her to discuss their future aspirations, not wanting to sit in an office or stay as teachers.
Seeing the distressed looks on their faces, Lorraine softened. These girls received training not just to be agents, but good enough to even be the Queen of England, and sitting in an office seemed like a waste.
So she suggested to the military to recruit some new blood from Zhongsi Academy.
And Su Ming, utilizing his military connections, maneuvered this group of girls into the still military-governed SSR.
And now, any significant move within the SSR, Su Ming is likely to know even before Hydra.