A man's promise is worth a thousand pounds.
If he says he will repay a kindness, he will repay it.
If he says he will kill their entire family, he will definitely kill their entire family.
Hawk was clear about his grievances.
He had given Namo a chance; if he handed over Shuri, the Wakandan remnant, he could pretend nothing had happened.
But Namo not only rejected his proposal but even attacked him.
This was not Hawk's fault.
Since that was the case, let Namo and his underwater kingdom, Talokan, follow in Wakanda's footsteps and be destroyed together.
But... Hawk only remembered that Marvel's Aquaman, Namo, and his underwater kingdom, Talokan, should be somewhere deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean.
However, he couldn't recall the exact location.
If Namo hadn't been injured by him, he would have directly rushed to the Atlantic Ocean and conducted a carpet search at the bottom of the sea.
But now Namo was injured by him, an injury that wouldn't heal for at least a year.
So... Hawk thought of the Five Great Benefactors.
He believed that once the Five Great Benefactors learned that Talokan also had Vibranium veins and some magical herb that allowed people to adapt to Water after drinking it, they would definitely be interested in Talokan and even take the initiative.
As long as the Five Great Benefactors made a move, he could just wait.
There was no direct conflict between him and the Five Great Benefactors, and their cooperation in Wakanda was very pleasant.
Hawk got what he wanted: Wakanda was destroyed.
The Five Great Benefactors also got what they wanted: they divided Wakanda's Vibranium veins.
Now, Talokan was just another Wakanda.
The Five Great Benefactors would be responsible for finding Talokan, and Hawk would be responsible for destroying it. Then, the Five Great Benefactors would pay Hawk for his efforts and take over the aftermath of Talokan.
Perfect.
After Sharon heard Hawk reveal that Talokan also had Vibranium veins and some magical herb, she instantly understood Hawk's plan.
The next second.
Her expression turned a bit strange as she looked at Hawk: "You're probably the first person in the world to order the Five Great Benefactors around like this."
Hawk looked at Sharon and said with a smile, "Just tell me if they will listen to me."
Sharon nodded almost without hesitation: "They will!"
Without a doubt.
As soon as she reported the existence of Vibranium veins identical to Wakanda's at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, the joint fleet formed by the Five Great Benefactors would immediately head to the Atlantic Ocean.
Even if they knew Hawk was using them for help, they couldn't refuse.
After all, Hawk offered too much.
In a word.
Hawk wasn't interested in Vibranium, but the Five Great Benefactors were very, very interested in Vibranium.
So—
Sharon took out her satellite phone and first reported the Vibranium at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to Director Hill and Commander Hand. After hanging up, she looked at Hawk.
"The Director has already contacted the Security Council."
"Good, once you find it, tell me immediately."
Hawk smiled slightly, looking at Sharon: "Anything else you want to ask?"
Sharon nodded.
"Merrick..."
"Dead."
"So, the one we caught was really a clone?"
"Yes."
"But didn't you say clones couldn't have souls? Then..."
"Look."
Hawk opened his right Hand and once again summoned his trophy, the red apple that looked like it had been bitten, from the Underworld into his palm.
Sharon looked at the red apple that appeared in Hawk's palm and blinked.
"An apple with a bite taken out of it?"
"Here's a hint."
Hawk said with a smile, "Guess in the direction of mythology."
Upon hearing this, Sharon thought about Hawk's hint while intently staring at the red apple in Hawk's palm.
What could a red apple with a bite taken out of it represent in mythology?
Sharon's thoughts raced, and various myths quickly flashed through her mind.
The next second.
Sharon seemed to realize something; her pupils instantly widened, and she involuntarily covered her mouth with both Hands, her gaze moving back and forth between Hawk's face and the red apple in Hawk's Hand.
"You mean this bitten apple is from Eden..."
"Yes."
"Hiss!"
Upon receiving Hawk's confirmation, Sharon instantly gasped.
Hawk, meanwhile, returned the red apple to his Underworld.
Sharon was a professional S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, so after a momentary shock, she quickly regained the composure essential for a professional S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
"But that's not right. What does this have to do with the clone's soul? This apple is the fruit of wisdom."
"Where does wisdom come from?"
"Consciousness?"
"Where does consciousness come from?"
"Soul..."
Upon hearing this, Sharon's expression showed sudden realization, then she frowned again: "But where did Merrick get this thing?"
Hawk smiled slightly.
"From S.H.I.E.L.D."
"What?"
"Merrick said it. He said he found this thing in a warehouse while helping you identify a strange creature in something called a sandbox."
Hawk omitted the part where Merrick found it under God's guidance.
After all—
Sharon wore a cross around her neck.
He was kind-hearted, and Sharon was his friend, so he didn't want his friend's faith to collapse.
For example, God wasn't a good person.
Mephisto, at most, treated Earth as his soul farm, while God wanted to turn Earth into his broiler chicken farm.
"The sandbox... indeed stores many magical and unknown things, but I haven't been there."
Sharon, hearing Hawk mention the name 'sandbox,' frowned and said thoughtfully, then added: "When I go back, I'll request the sandbox's entry records to see when this red apple was brought in."
Hawk hummed, then stood up from the deck.
Sharon followed closely.
After standing up, Hawk stretched, preparing to return to New York City, but before leaving, he looked at Sharon again.
"Any more questions?"
"Yes."
"Speak."
"What about the many clones found after the explosion on Molokai Island?"
"Burned them."
Hawk looked at Sharon, who seemed to want to speak but hesitated: "You know me, I've never cared about these clones. If you want to clone, go ahead, really, just don't let me know."
Upon hearing this, Sharon quickly waved her Hands: "No, no, no, we won't. Burning them is good, burning them is very good."
Hawk laughed heartily: "Don't be nervous, Sharon, I'm just kidding. I know that with you, Maria Hill, and Commander Hand around, you wouldn't try to clone me."
Sharon breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thanks. So, the clone crisis is resolved?"
"Yes."
"That's good."
Sharon nodded, then seemed to remember something and looked at Hawk: "Last question, when you were in Georgia, after Natasha confirmed that the Merrick you caught was a clone, you said it had something to do with a dimensional war."
Upon hearing this, Hawk looked at Sharon and said nothing.
Sharon saw a gradually appearing strange expression on Hawk's face, her heart skipped a beat, and then she cautiously said: "Can't I ask? You just said I could ask anything."
Hawk shook his head: "Don't be nervous, Sharon. Again, we are friends. You can ask me anything, and if I know it, I can answer. But for this question, I'm just considering whether you truly want to know the answer."
From Sharon's first appearance until now, although Sharon hasn't given him as much timely help as his first friend, Anna.
But undeniably, Sharon was very earnest.
Even if Sharon had an ulterior motive, trying to build a good relationship with him.
But one judges by deeds, not by intentions.
Sharon's phone number was already stored in the contact list of his phone, which he barely used.
No last name, just the first name.
So... Hawk looked at Sharon: "This answer might be a bit hard for you to accept, so, think carefully. If you truly want to know, ask again, and I will tell you truthfully."
Sharon listened to Hawk's words, her eyes flickering, but she didn't think much further. She looked at Hawk and nodded.
"Yes, I want to know."
"Alright, then ask."
"Dimensional war..."
"Heaven Dimension and Hell Dimension."
...Wait."
Sharon's eyes widened: "Heaven, is it that Heaven, the Heaven I think it is?"
Hawk nodded.
"Yes."
"Hiss!"
Sharon again gasped.
Hawk looked at Sharon, whose pupils were once again wide with shock, and said with a smile: "Are you sure you want me to continue? What comes next might shatter your faith. I remember you're a believer."
Sharon's expression returned to calm; she took a deep breath and looked at Hawk.
"My faith has nothing to do with my work. Besides, aren't you a believer too? I remember you even participated in the church's youth choir."
"My voice was pretty good, and I got fifty U.S. dollars for singing once at a baptism ceremony."
Hawk shrugged.
Again.
Although he was adopted by the church in this life and bore the church's surname for seventeen years, his faith had not wavered.
In a word.
His soul came from the East; he was a pragmatic believer in deities.
Sharon looked at Hawk, who so bluntly said he joined the choir for money, opened her mouth, then shook her head, bringing the conversation back to the dimensional war.
"So..."
"The war between Heaven and Hell."
"Yes."
"What does this have to do with my faith? I don't understand why it would shake my faith."
"Unless..."
Sharon frowned, then seemed to realize something, but looked at Hawk with some disbelief, her pupils rapidly contracting again: "Heaven is not Heaven, and Hell is not Hell."
Hawk met Sharon's gaze, his expression calm.
"Yes, Heaven is not the Heaven you think it is, and Hell is not the Hell you understand."
"What's going on?"
Sharon took a deep breath, then looked at Hawk, her gaze firm and filled with a longing for the truth.
"Please, tell me."
"That would have to start from the birth of Earth."
"..."
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