Skynet nodded and continued the report.
"During the first week of your disappearance, everything operated normally. Ms. Jessica, Agent Skye, and Ms. Nebula came multiple times to ask about your whereabouts."
"I followed your instructions and told them you had gone to Asgard for special training."
"Did they believe it?"
"Yes, they accepted this explanation," Skynet replied.
"But the situation changed in the second week."
"The false information you previously and deliberately spread, claiming that Black Steel is Homelander's weakness, began to spread wildly in the underground World. Furthermore, this rumor has mutated and escalated into claims that Homelander has been secretly assassinated with a Black Steel weapon."
Homelander sneered.
"These pieces of trash certainly have some nerve."
"At first, everyone scoffed at such rumors," Skynet continued. "Your image of invincibility is deeply rooted in their hearts. No one believed you could be killed."
"But as you continued to not appear, people began to feel uneasy. Ms. Jessica even came to find me three times a day to confirm if you had returned."
"By the third week of your disappearance, the rumors were no longer confined to the underground World. They began to erupt overwhelmingly on the internet and even in street newspapers."
"I traced the source of the information, and the mastermind behind all of this is the The Glory Society."
"At the time, I could not determine if this was part of your grand plan, so in order not to disrupt your arrangements, I did not take any forceful interception measures."
Homelander nodded slightly; Skynet's judgment was logical.
Without knowing his intentions, inaction was the best course of action.
"Continue."
"Director Ashley organized the Public Relations Department to refute the rumors," Skynet continued.
"But because you have not appeared in public, all the refutation statements lacked persuasiveness, and public panic began to spread."
"Did those rats, Kaecilius and his group, lose their patience?" Homelander said, rubbing his brow.
"Yes," Skynet nodded. "Twenty consecutive days of public opinion fermentation, combined with your continued absence, convinced Kaecilius and the The Glory Society that you were either in serious trouble and unable to escape for a short time, or perhaps had actually fallen."
"Regardless of the situation, this was an excellent window of opportunity for them to counterattack."
"Just two days ago, the The Glory Society deployed all their hidden armed forces—an armed army composed of cyborgs, coordinated with the zealot mages under Kaecilius—to launch a full-scale assault on the Hong Kong Sanctum."
Skynet pulled up a virtual screen, which displayed scenes of war-torn streets in Hong Kong.
"The heroes left behind in Hong Kong were fighting extremely passively to protect the main structure of the Sanctum from being destroyed. They immediately sent out an emergency request for reinforcements to Vought Headquarters."
"Jessica, in her capacity as acting president, mobilized most of the heroes within V.G.D. Headquarters to go to Hong Kong for support. This is the reason why the Base is currently empty."
Homelander stared at the battle scene on the screen and suddenly asked: "What about Kaecilius? Is he in Hong Kong too?"
Skynet shook its head.
"After the attack began, Kaecilius's personal movements were obscured by an unknown force. I am unable to monitor his specific location."
Hearing this, Homelander suddenly laughed.
"So that's how it is." Homelander waved his hand. "Alright, say no more. I know where that rat is."
"Skynet, I have a task for you." Homelander sighed helplessly. "Find Jessica the best teacher of world history."
"Let her properly learn the war Strategies! She can't even see through such a simple feint to attack in the east while striking in the west."
"Do you need me to activate the Terminator unit and head to Hong Kong?" Skynet asked.
"No need." Homelander turned around. "Hong Kong is just a lure. The real target is right beneath our feet."
...
Greenwich Village.
177A Bleecker Street, New York Sanctum.
The sky gradually grew dark.
The lights inside the Sanctum were not turned on; only the faint moonlight spilling through the circular skylight barely illuminated this ancient building.
In the center of the hall, Stephen Strange stood quietly.
His appearance at this moment had changed significantly from before.
Stephen Strange's eye sockets were sunken, with two heavy dark circles hanging around his eyes, and he radiated a gloomy aura.
Behind him, there was also an additional, hovering dark red cloak.
At this moment, a spark of orange light appeared out of thin air in the shadows of the Sanctum hall.
Kaecilius stepped out of a portal, his gaze immediately locking onto Stephen Strange, who was standing in the center of the hall.
Looking at Stephen Strange's haggard appearance, Kaecilius was slightly stunned.
"You look terrible, Doctor."
"You are restless; I can see the longing in your heart. Dormammu will grant you eternal peace."
Stephen Strange rubbed his brow and yawned.
"Don't misunderstand, Kaecilius. I've just been sleep-deprived lately."
"However, seeing your face, I suddenly feel much more energetic."
Stephen Strange lowered his hand, his eyes becoming sharp.
"What, haven't you learned your lesson after I kicked you in the stomach last time? Do you need me to give your pathetic gut another massage?"
Hearing this, Kaecilius's expression immediately turned gloomy.
That kick was not only physical pain but also a spiritual humiliation.
But he was no longer the same as before, because Dormammu had granted him new power.
He was confident he could wash away his previous shame.
With this thought, duty and old grudges intertwined, and Kaecilius said no more.
He raised his hands and rapidly formed seals.
"Crack—"
The ground shattered like glass, and a dark purple dimensional rift was torn open in the center of the hall.
"Witness true darkness!"
A hair-raising roar echoed from the rift.
Immediately after, one by one, tall figures with no faces...
...monsters with only a single eye on their heads crawled out of the rift.
These are... Dormammu's army of Mindless Ones!
Looking at these monsters, Stephen Strange, who could memorize the contents of books at a glance, recognized their origin instantly.
The Mindless Ones are extremely powerful stone-skinned monsters from the Dark Dimension; they feel no pain, have immense strength, and can fire dark rays from their eyes.
He knew the next part would be a tough battle, so he forced himself to perk up, trying to cast his fatigue aside.
"Kill him," Kaecilius coldly ordered.
Over twenty Mindless Ones turned their heads simultaneously, their scarlet single eyes locking onto Stephen Strange.
Seeing this, Stephen Strange's spine glowed slightly, and he immediately activated the Sandevistan.
At the same time, he gripped his hands quickly, and golden magic energy condensed in his hands, transforming into two rune-inscribed circular shields, the Rings of Raggadorr.
"Looks like we're having extra for dinner tonight."
Stephen Strange whispered to himself.
***************************
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