AHumanMadeMOFO

Chapter 220: Steve, why is there a green light above your head? (1)

Sorry for no chapter yesterday, had some viral fever.

------------------------------

Mar-Vell moved quickly, catching a flight back to the U.S. overnight.

With Josh's prior arrangements and the speed of the Boeing 707, she arrived in New Mexico in just seven hours.

She then found the spaceship she had hidden on Earth, traveled to the moon for reconnaissance, and returned directly to Austria—all in less than two hours.

She left Vienna at 10 p.m. and arrived at Neuschwanstein Castle at 7 a.m. the next day, just in time for breakfast.

Since she had traveled to Austria on a cruise ship, there was no time difference to adjust to. Aside from the two children, almost everyone was already up by 7 AM—Josh had maintained excellent daily habits ever since crossing over, except in a few special cases.

"It's confirmed. You were telling the truth!" Mar-Vell said as she sat down at the dining table, unfazed by everyone already eating breakfast. Without waiting for the servants to serve her, she grabbed a fresh baguette from the food cart and began munching while talking to Josh.

Despite being known as a weapon in the food world, a freshly baked baguette was actually quite fragrant and soft—something Josh rather enjoyed. (TL/N: Smooth~)

"What about your family? Have they said anything?" Josh asked with a grin.

"They did. They said what's lost is lost and there's no need to go out of your way to get it back. However, they also don't want outsiders to get their hands on it, so they told me to handle it as I see fit. If I can handle it, I should. If not, I should just pretend I never saw it. There's too much going on back home right now, and they don't have the manpower to send someone to deal with an old relic from the past," Mar-Vell said with a helpless shrug.

Josh immediately understood—right now, the Kree Empire was still engaged in a two-front war against both the Skrulls and the Nova Empire, while the powerful Shi'ar Empire loomed in the background. The Kree leadership simply did not have the resources to deal with the minor affairs of the distant planet Earth, so they left it to Mar-Vell to handle as she saw fit.

In fact, the fact that they had sent Mar-Vell—a half-scientist, half-reserve combat personnel—to carry out a bounty mission earlier was already a sign that the Kree Empire was stretched thin.

Their brief exchange left Carter and Margaret completely confused, although they could vaguely guess that it had something to do with Mar-Vell's civilization.

"So what are you going to do?" Josh asked.

"Nothing. Even though I confirmed their location, it's not the right time to take action without inside information," Mar-Vell replied with a shake of her head.

Josh studied her expression, deep in thought.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t take action—it was that she didn’t want to.

Of course, this woman wasn't stupid. She had probably figured out his intentions and had no intention of making a move.

Josh had told Mar-Vell of Attilan's existence with the intention of using her as a tool to deal with them.

If the Kree Empire wanted to eliminate Attilan, they had two options: either send a fleet to bomb it into oblivion or dispatch elite forces—perhaps even Mar-Vell herself—to handle it.

If it was the first option, Josh had no way of getting involved, though he wouldn't suffer any casualties either.

But if it was the second option, especially in a scenario where the Kree let Mar-Vell handle it, then he would have room to maneuver.

After all, the Inhumans had a wide range of unique abilities and possessed advanced Kree technology, making them difficult to deal with.

This gave Josh a perfect excuse to offer his "help"—which meant gaining an opportunity to infiltrate Attilan.

A high-tech city on the moon was an incredibly tempting prize.

If he could take control of it and turn it into the headquarters of Ouroboros, that would be an ideal outcome.

Too bad Mar-Vell didn't take the bait...

"Sorry, Josh, Margaret. I won't be able to wait until your wedding. I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow at the earliest," Mar-Vell said after finishing a glass of milk, just as Josh regretted their missed opportunity.

"So soon?" Josh was surprised.

Carter and Margaret also looked at her in confusion.

Carter, for one, had already overcome her initial doubts after several sparring sessions with Mar-Vell. Their relationship had progressed rapidly and was on the verge of breaking through the final barrier.

Well, it seemed a strong woman could bond even through a good fight.

As for Margaret, although she hadn't known Mar-Vell long, she had formed a good impression of this straightforward and bold guest.

Hearing that Mar-Vell was leaving so soon and would miss her wedding, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"Can't be helped. Things are urgent back home, and they're rushing me back!" Mar-Vell sighed. "Josh, inform your friend—we leave in three days!"

She didn't want to go back either. There were still so many delicious foods and fun things on Earth that she hadn't had time to enjoy.

But the orders of the Supreme Intelligence were absolute. She had no choice but to obey.

"Alright. How much cargo can your ship hold? I'll have my people get you some Earth specialties before you leave," Josh nodded. Since she was determined to leave, he had no reason to force her to stay. He might as well be generous about it—especially since Dracula was footing the bill.

"Thank you. My ship has about the same cargo capacity as your cruise liner, but it's not as comfortable to load. If you prepare about as much as your private jet can carry, that should be fine." Mar-Vell didn't refuse. To an ordinary human, that much cargo—even if it was just common food—was worth a fortune. But to a Kree elite like her, the value was insignificant. At worst, she could give Josh a few Kree gadgets before they left, like a shield generator.

Mar-Vell wasn't worried about handing over such technology because she believed the technological gap between the Kree and Earth was too great. Something like a shield generator belonged to an advanced civilization, and Earth's current level of technology would not be able to crack it—not for hundreds of years.

But what she didn't know was that Josh was an exception.

Chapter 219: Deal Made

"Josh, why are you looking for me so late?" About half an hour later, Mar-Vell was invited into Josh's study.

"It's nothing too serious. I just have a friend who needs a ride." Josh got straight to the point.

"A ride? What do you mean?" Mar-Vell frowned immediately.

"Exactly what you're thinking. He wants to take your ship and leave Earth. If possible, drop him off somewhere neutral—like Nova or Nowhere, anywhere works." Josh shrugged.

"Josh, I've told you many times..." Mar-Vell said impatiently.

"Don't be in such a hurry to refuse, Mar-Vell. My friend is different. You don't have to treat him like an human. He doesn't represent Earth, and he certainly doesn't represent humanity." Josh held up a hand to stop her. "And I'll even tell you a big secret as payment for taking him with you."

"A secret? Come on, Josh. I'm not interested in Earth's secrets." Mar-Vell scoffed.

"You're right, Earth's secrets mean nothing to you. But what if this secret has to do with the Kree Empire?" Josh said with a smile.

"Related to us? That's impossible." Mar-Vell frowned.

"Nothing is impossible. If I'm not mistaken, the official records of your Empire definitely have some information about Earth. It may not be detailed, but it exists, right?" Josh asked.

"Yes, Earth is on the star charts. Specifically, it's listed as planet C-53, although there's little information on it." Mar-Vell nodded. That was a fact.

"Then you should understand—if Earth is in your records, it means only one thing; the Kree have been here before, haven't they?" Josh smiled.

"True, but... the last update of Earth on our star charts was over five thousand years ago... Are you saying your secret is from then?" Mar-Vell looked doubtful.

Josh shrugged without answering.

"...Fine, I'll agree—as long as your secret is valuable enough!" After a moment's hesitation, Mar-Vell gritted her teeth and nodded.

After all, giving someone a ride wasn’t a big deal.

"There's a city on the moon." Josh said.

"That's impossible. I scanned Earth when I arrived - there were no signs of life or man-made structures... Wait, are you saying it's a Kree city?" Mar-Vell had been sure at first, but then realisation struck.

If it were human technology, the city would have been detected. Kree scanning technology wouldn't miss it.

But if the city itself was Kree...

Mar-Vell's own ship had cloaking technology. If the moon city was built by the Kree, it might have similar cloaking technology, making it undetectable.

"But that doesn't make sense. It’s been over five thousand years—how is it still operational? And how do you even know about it?" Mar-Vell couldn't figure it out.

"How I know isn't important. What matters is that this city was once an Inhuman outpost. And the reason it's still active is that a group of humans live there. They're not Kree, and they're not exactly human either. They are mutants created by Kree genetic experimentation."

Josh was, of course, talking about Attilan—the Inhuman city on the Moon.

In the comics, Attilan was a mobile city built by the Inhumans using Kree technology.

But in the MCU version, Attilan was originally a Kree research outpost, later taken over and modified by the Inhumans after they drove the Kree out.

Whatever the version, one thing was certain; Attilan's technology was based on Kree technology.

And if you're wondering why a powerful empire like the Kree would be driven out by their own experiments—

Well, in MCU lore, it wasn't the Kree High Command that conducted the genetic experiments on Earth, but a small group of radicals.

When the Kree leadership found out, they shut down the project and captured most of the Inhumans. Eventually, only two Kree operatives remained in the solar system... so the Inhumans, led by Hive, managed to drive them out.

And those two Kree? They probably never made it back home.

The idea of being part of the same race depends on mutual recognition.

For Inhumans like Jiaying, who grew up on Earth, Josh was willing to accept them. Most of them also saw themselves as human.

But for the Inhumans of Attilan, it wasn’t about whether Earth’s humans accepted them—it was about whether they even considered themselves part of the same race.

Biologically, they shared the same origins as humans, with only a little alien genetic modification.

But because they were originally Kree experiments, their civilization began thousands of years before normal humans. With their genetic advantages, they always saw themselves as superior and refused to associate with humanity.

That's why they chose to isolate themselves on Attilan rather than have any connection with Earth.

Had they ever recognised themselves as human, even by conquering Earth, human civilization might have reached the stars thousands of years ago.

And in times of crisis, have the Inhumans ever helped Earth? Not once.

It wasn't until Black Bolt's era, when Attilan was destroyed, that they were forced to reintegrate into human society (A/N: as seen in the Inhumans TV series finale).

At the time, Black Bolt probably hadn't even been born yet (A/N: he was born in 1982).

Therefore, Josh had no hesitation in betraying the Inhumans. He also wasn't sure if the Kree leadership would be interested in this information. After all, it was their project that they abandoned thousands of years ago. The chances that they would suddenly be interested now were slim.

If they were interested, they'd probably just send a strike team to wipe out Attilan instead of targeting Earth itself. And if they did, Josh wouldn't worry.

After all, Attilan wasn't under the protection of the Ancient One or the Asgard.

But Earth? If the Kree tried anything, they'd have a problem.

In Captain Marvel, the Ancient One didn't interfere because she knew Carol Danvers was there, so her involvement wasn't necessary.

But if there was no Captain Marvel, Josh doubted she'd just stand by and do nothing.

In the mirror dimension, a certain bald woman who loved to spy watched Josh betray Attilan without a second thought. Her face was one of disbelief.

Even though this man was the future of her universe, his ruthless capitalist mindset made him more of a bloodsucker than a vampire. She wasn't sure it was the right decision to place her hopes in him.

Mar-Vell, on the other hand, didn't think about all these complexities. Learning this secret made her restless—she couldn’t wait to go to the Moon and see for herself.

"Prepare a plane to take me back to New Mexico at once! I must go to the Moon and verify this. If it's true, I'll agree to your deal!" Mar-Vell declared without hesitation.

Her shuttle was hidden in New Mexico and her spaceship was cloaked in Earth's orbit. She would have to return to New Mexico before she could get to her ship.

As for flying into space with just her body? Even Thanos couldn't do that.

Sure, he was physically strong enough to fight his way across the universe, but like Groudon in Pokémon, MCU Thanos couldn't actually fly.

And he wasn't the only one. Thor, without his hammer or axe, couldn’t fly either—he just had an impressive jump.

"No problem, I'll arrange it. But be careful—don’t let the people in Attilan notice you." Josh picked up the phone while giving a warning.

"Don't worry, it won't happen." Mar-Vell shook his head.

As an elite Kree warrior, she was familiar with Kree technology.

She hadn't discovered Attilan before because she hadn't expected Kree technology to be there.

But now that she knew, she had many ways to investigate without exposing herself.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 218: The Sword of the King

"Uh... If I heard you correctly, Prince Vlad, you just said you wanted to order a spaceship that could travel beyond the solar system?" Josh couldn't help but confirm.

Even vampires are getting into space travel now? Is there any logic left in this world?

"That's right. I've lived too long and travelled to every corner of the earth. Everything here has become boring to me, so I want to see what's beyond this planet. Didn't your Boeing company successfully launch its first satellite last year, sending something from Earth into space? So I want to know if you can build a spacecraft that can leave the solar system. I'm very interested in space travel. And you should understand—I don’t need the complex supplies humans do. I can survive in space without them," Dracula said calmly.

"I see. Actually, for something like this, Prince Vlad, you could have just sent someone to inform the European division of Boeing. There's really no need to come all this way in person—this makes me feel quite overwhelmed," Josh said, nodding.

So this guy's just bored with Earth and wants to explore space.

To be fair, vampires would actually have an easier time with space travel than humans. They don't need food, water or waste disposal. If they reduced their activity, a little blood could keep them alive for a long, long time.

The only real problem would be exposure to ultraviolet light, but that could be solved with a UV-blocking suit and special coatings.

So if vampires were astronauts, the cost would be much lower than for humans.

And for someone like Dracula, it's even less of a problem. He could probably survive without drinking blood at all, and UV rays might not even affect him.

Still, for some reason, Josh felt that Dracula wasn't being completely honest with him.

Was it just his imagination?

Meanwhile, in a mirrored room where neither Josh nor Dracula could see, the Ancient One furrowed her brow and waved her hand, summoning a reflective surface. She looked at her own face—unchanged for centuries—and began to doubt herself.

"Am I really so terrifying? Another 'old friend' trying to run away...

But I've always been so nice!

Sigh, why do these people never understand me?"

Back in the study, Dracula explained, "I actually had someone check with Boeing's European division first, but their response was that it was impossible. So I figured I should come directly to you—the one who can actually make the decisions. As far as funding is concerned, don't worry. I've lived for so many years and have countless descendants. I can certainly afford a spaceship.

Great. The European division of Boeing, eh? You're finished!

In his mind, Josh had already condemned the head of the division to death. (TL/N: He's Just Joking don't worry he will not kill the head)

Technically, from Boeing’s current technological standpoint, interstellar travel really was impossible—practically a fantasy. Even in the Red Alert universe, Yuri could build a moon colony, but he still wouldn't claim to have mastered interstellar travel.

And given the technology of this world? Definitely out of reach.

So in that sense the European head of Boeing wasn't entirely wrong.

But wait a minute... Who is the European head of Boeing again?

"Prince Vlad, you are indeed wise. Under normal circumstances, building a spaceship capable of space travel with Boeing's technology would be extremely costly and unreliable. However, I do have a unique opportunity for space travel available right now, and the departure is soon!" Josh's mind was full of complaints, but his eyes lit up with an idea.

"Oh? Tell me more. If it's suitable, I won't hesitate to reward you," Dracula's eyes gleamed with interest.

"Among the guests I've brought is a woman named Mar-Vell. She comes from the Kree Empire, a vast interstellar civilization..." Josh smiled and immediately revealed Mar-Vell.

An alien acquaintance—though they'd known each other for some time, their relationship wasn’t deep enough for it to matter.

So there was no hesitation in throwing her into the mix.

Besides, it wasn’t like he was harming her—just arranging for Dracula to hitch a ride.

"Oh? So what are you suggesting?" Dracula was intrigued.

"I'll talk to her about it, but it probably won't be cheap," Josh said after a short pause.

He still had to think about how to handle this situation. Forcing Mar-Vell's hand was out of the question—the technological gap between them was too great, and he couldn't be sure if she had any hidden countermeasures. If that led to Kree retaliation, things would get ugly.

Earth did have powerful protectors like Odin and the Ancient One, but what if the Kree Empire targeted him alone?

Josh seriously doubted they would intervene to save a mere human like him.

Sneaking Dracula on board wasn't ideal either. Josh had no idea how powerful Dracula really was, or if he could evade detection by Mar-Vell's ship's sensors. Kree technology could even detect Flerkens--who was to say it wouldn't pick up a vampire?

The safest option was to get Mar-Vell to volunteer and take Dracula with him.

Technically, Mar-Vell could take people from Earth into space. There were no Kree laws against it—she just wasn’t inclined to do so. Otherwise, she wouldn't have invited Carter in the first place.

So the key was to offer her an irresistible deal.

A win-win situation was ideal.

But the reward couldn’t be too enticing—if it caught the attention of the Kree, and Mar-Vell reported it, Earth would be in trouble. She was still loyal to the Kree, after all.

"Money isn't an issue. If this works, I won't hold back. And when I leave Earth, my vast empire here will need a successor," Dracula promised without hesitation.

He had lived long enough to understand the complexities involved. He didn't even consider approaching Mar-Vell directly.

After all, he was still on Earth—it was best to follow the rules for now. He could do as he pleased once he was gone.

Josh was tempted by Dracula's words. Money was becoming just a number to him, but who would say no to more wealth? And considering how long Dracula had lived, his collection of treasures must be considerable.

"By the way, here's a little present for you—a wedding present," Dracula said with a wave of his hand. A long, ancient looking box appeared on Josh's desk.

"I'll be back tomorrow night at the same time. I hope to have good news by then."

With that, Dracula's voice faded and his figure disappeared from the study.

Vampires—true to their name—really did come and go like ghosts.

Josh muttered to himself as he reached for the box.

He wasn’t worried about traps—if Dracula wanted to harm him, there was no stopping it anyway.

The moment his fingers touched the box, a chilling sensation spread through his hand—it was made of solid stone.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed an inscription on the surface.

Excalibur? Broken Steel?

Josh's expression changed instantly.

King Arthur's legendary sword?

Could this be real?

With Dracula's status, it was unlikely he'd give a fake.

In Celtic mythology, Arthur wielded two famous swords.

The first was the legendary Sword in the Stone, which broke in a duel with King Pellinore in violation of the chivalric code.

Later, with Merlin’s help, Arthur received another blade from the Lady of the Lake—a sword known as Broken Steel. (TL/N: This is all AU)

Meanwhile, in the mirrored dimension, the Ancient One glanced at the box, her expression changing briefly in surprise.

Even she hadn't expected Dracula to offer such a significant gift.

Chapter 217: A Vampire's Night Visit (2)

Meanwhile, Josh had no idea that such an important guest was on his way.

At that moment, he had already arrived at the castle and was giving Margaret, along with Carter and Mar-Vell, a tour of its interior.

Margaret, in particular, was eager to explore. As the future mistress of this castle, it was her first time officially stepping inside—she had only ever seen photos before. Naturally, she wanted to familiarize herself with every detail.

However, Josh wasn’t actually the one leading the tour.

Not that he didn’t want to—rather, the castle had too many halls, too much history, and far too many art pieces for him to keep track of.

Or more precisely, he knew almost nothing about it.

Although he was a transmigrator, and with the help of his cheat, he had built up a huge business in the almost five years since he arrived in this world...

In his previous life, he was just an ordinary person. Though he had wanted to cultivate some cultured tastes, at the end of the day, all he could do was utter a heartfelt WTF!

So the real guide for the castle tour was not him, but Jiaying, the family's butler, who had flown in earlier to oversee the wedding preparations.

As the future head butler of the family, Jiaying had been exposed to Western culture much later than Josh. In fact, she could hardly be considered literate before.

However, as an Inhuman with extraordinary vitality, her ability to learn—and the intensity of her studies—was far beyond what any normal person could match.

While she might not yet be a true expert in art appraisal, she had already memorized every brick and stone of this castle.

Thus, her introductions to every corner of the estate were precise and thorough.

Still, the castle was enormous.

Even though they had arrived by cruise ship, and the flight portion of their trip had only taken about half an hour, making the trip not particularly tiring, it was still quite late by the time they had finished their tour.

So, according to Jiaying's arrangements, everyone had dinner and went to their rooms.

Of course, Carter and Mar-Vell, being the energetic types, didn't sleep.

But they didn't need any special attention from Jiaying either. Letting them wander around the castle on their own would suffice.

Josh, however, didn't go to bed right away.

Instead, he went to his study to check on some of his business partners.

But just as he closed the study door, he felt a faint breeze blow past him.

When he turned around, a young man dressed in a luxurious 17th century aristocratic suit was now sitting in the guest chair of the study.

...

Silence.

It was the silent kind of tension—the kind that made one question the very fabric of reality.

Where the hell did you come from, ..Man?

Had he picked the wrong target for his little flower-picking adventure?

But then, as he thought about Margaret, who was upstairs putting their child to sleep…

Josh decided—it’s better that he found me instead.

"Ah~ An unexpected guest. How should I address you?" Josh asked, forcing himself to remain calm.

He didn’t call for help—there was no point.

When he had first entered the study, it had been empty.

Which meant that this man had slipped in the moment Josh closed the door.

The fact that he had silently bypassed all the super-soldiers guarding the castle and appeared behind Josh in an instant meant that he could just as easily have killed Josh on the spot.

Such a powerful being... There was no point in calling for help.

However, the fact that the man hadn't made an immediate move meant that he probably wasn't here to kill Josh.

Which meant—they could talk.

For Josh, as long as no one snuck in and silently murdered him without a word, he wasn't afraid.

Still, while he was putting on a calm face, he had already prepared to activate his Teleportation belt at any moment.

Vlad Dracula. Just call me Dracula!" The young man smiled slightly as he introduced himself.

Hearing that name, Josh broke out in a cold sweat.

Oh no, why is it this monster now?

He had taken down that Ellen before, but shouldn't Nosferatu be the one to go after him? How did he end up provoking this guy instead?

When Josh saw the young man's clothes for the first time, he already had a vague idea.

After all, the only people he had offended in Europe who had power beyond that of super-soldiers and who also liked to walk around in pre-17th century clothes were those vampires.

But in his mind, even if someone came to take revenge, it would only be a group of moderately strong, high-ranking vampires—not much stronger than those Hugh Jones had wiped out in America. At most, it would be someone on the level of Nosferatu.

So why was it Dracula himself who showed up?

That makes no sense!

"Haha, it's an honor to have Prince Vlad visit! I apologize for not greeting you properly. Would you like a drink?" Josh wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced a laugh.

"I'll have the '29 Latour. I'm sure a man of your wealth, Mr. Kahn, wouldn't mind sparing a bottle," Dracula said with a smile, watching Josh's nervous expression with amusement.

Damn, after being intimidated by the Ancient One earlier, he had to regain some dignity somewhere.

"Of course! It's an honor that Prince Vlad took an interest in it!" Josh said as he walked over to the wine cabinet, searching for the bottle Dracula mentioned.

Why was he looking? Because Josh didn't really drink. The wines in his study cabinet had been collected from all over Europe by Ophelia and Lynden Schneider, then sorted by Jiaying. They were mostly for decoration or special occasions.

So Josh had no idea what was in the cabinet at all.

"Third bottle on the first shelf," Dracula smirked, clearly noticing this.

Josh immediately took out the bottle, opened it with the built-in corkscrew and casually poured the wine into a glass.

Dracula shook his head as he watched—what a waste.

A nouveau riche was still a nouveau riche. Aside from his youth, Dracula couldn't really see what made Josh so special. Who knew why the Ancient One valued him so much?

Power and wealth in the mortal world? As if the Ancient One cared about such things.

I don't get it.

"Prince Vlad, I think there may have been a small misunderstanding between us..." Josh cautiously tested the waters by placing the wine in front of Dracula.

"You're thinking too much, Mr. Kahn. I didn’t come because of that. I don't get involved in the squabbles of you younger folks. I'm here for something else," Dracula waved his hand dismissively.

Not because of Nosferatu? Josh was stunned for a moment and the tension in his heart eased considerably.

As long as he wasn't here to start a fight! See? A few low-level vampires had died, but was it really necessary to bring out this legendary figure over it? There were still plenty of mid-level bosses left.

"Ah, I see. That was my mistake. So, what brings you here, Prince Vlad?" Josh asked.

"Boeing is your company, right? How advanced is your space technology? If I wanted to commission a spaceship capable of leaving the solar system, could you make it?"

Dracula thought he had scared Josh enough. If he continued, who knew if the Ancient One would suddenly reappear? So he cut to the chase.

But this series of questions left Josh completely stumped.

Wait, what? Dracula wants a spaceship that can leave the solar system?

This is insane! Vampires don’t want castles, coffins, or beauties anymore—they’re into space exploration now?!

Chapter 216: A Vampire's Night Visit (1)

Dracula dismissed the patrol officer with a smile and prepared to find a place to have a drink.

He had to admit, this Josh Kahn had a great eye for locations. Neuschwanstein Castle and the surrounding mountain town were truly beautiful—far more beautiful than his own cursed fortress.

It was a shame, though. In his centuries-long slumber, he had missed the construction of the castle. Otherwise, he would surely have claimed it for himself.

But now...

As Dracula watched his surroundings suddenly change, he scratched his head in mild frustration.

"Long time no see, Sorcerer Supreme," he sighed before turning around with a smile to greet the bald woman in monk-like robes standing behind him.

At that moment, the scenery around him changed even more, the whole world flipped like a mirror.

This was the Mirror Dimension—one of the signature abilities of the Kamar-Taj sorcerers.

And in this world, only one sorcerer was capable of pulling Dracula, the progenitor of his kind, into the Mirror Dimension without him even noticing.

The Ancient One.

"Have you forgotten our agreement, Vlad?" The Ancient One asked calmly.

"Of course not, Sorcerer Supreme," Dracula replied, still smiling. "I have always honored our agreement. I even punished young Nosferatu and made him sleep for a hundred years, didn't I?"

"But I doubt that's why you're here, Vlad," she said.

"You need a reason?" Dracula feigned innocence and spread his hands. "Sorcerer Supreme, must I have a reason to be here? Have I harmed anyone?"

Back in the 16th century, a great war had broken out between vampires and humans.

While vampires had abilities far beyond ordinary humans, humanity had its own defenders—including the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj.

In the end, the war resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, with no clear victor.

To prevent further unnecessary bloodshed, an agreement was reached between Dracula and the then newly appointed Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One.

It was a highly complex treaty that ensured the coexistence of vampires and humans.

Though it contained many restrictions, it did not limit Dracula's freedom.

"There's no need for these little word games, Vlad. You and I both know exactly why you are here," the Ancient One said, unimpressed by his attempt at misdirection.

If Dracula was unwilling to cooperate, she was more than willing to break their old agreement and force him into a new one.

Five centuries ago, she had only recently become the Sorcerer Supreme and had yet to reach her full potential. Back then, Dracula was still a being to be wary of.

But now?

That was a different story.

"All right, all right," Dracula relented with a helpless smile. "No need to be so tense, Sorcerer Supreme. I'm just here to meet this Josh Kahn, attend his wedding, and deliver a gift. After all, he's a friend of my descendant in America. You remember him, don't you? Although, knowing that boy, he probably wouldn't even recognize me.

The "descendant" he was referring to was Hugh Jones.

But as Dracula himself admitted, despite the fact that Hugh's bloodline originated with him, the young vampire—who had gained power through forbidden means and gradually taken control of the American vampire clans—was unlikely to recognize Dracula as his progenitor.

The "forbidden means" he spoke of involved lower-ranked vampires consuming higher-ranked vampires to gain greater strength.

From the moment Hugh devoured Ellen Nosferatu's blood to regain his sanity years ago, to the many other vampires he had consumed to consolidate his hold over the American clans with Josh's help, no one really knew how many he had absorbed to climb to the top.

Today, although he had only been a vampire for a few years, Hugh Jones' strength was already approaching that of Nosferatu, an old and experienced vampire who had lived for nearly two centuries.

Had he been a member of a traditional European vampire clan, such actions would have earned him the punishment of death by sunlight.

However, Dracula himself wasn't particularly concerned about Hugh's methods. After all, he had once used the same approach to become the progenitor of all vampires on Earth.

Moreover, for certain unique reasons, no matter how many high-ranking vampires Hugh devoured, he could never pose a real threat to Dracula.

So while the European vampire elders were deeply dissatisfied with the situation in America, Dracula simply turned a blind eye.

If they were so bothered, they could go to America and clean up the mess themselves.

Why?

Because Dracula didn't want to deal with the woman standing in front of him.

America was one of Kamar-Taj's strongholds. If a few low-level vampires went there to make a living, the Ancient One might not care.

But if Dracula himself set foot there, she would undoubtedly come looking for him—just like she had now.

And unless absolutely necessary, Dracula had no desire to deal with the Ancient One.

The truth was, he couldn't defeat her anymore.

For centuries, this woman had neither aged nor weakened—in fact, she had only grown stronger.

The treaty he had once signed so casually, thinking it was just a means to prevent unnecessary losses among his kind, had now become his shield.

Who could he even complain to about this injustice?

That was precisely why he had waited for Josh to come to Europe instead of going to America himself—even though he could have reached America in mere moments.

What Dracula hadn't expected, however, was that even in Europe, the slightest interest in approaching Josh was enough to draw the Ancient One's immediate attention.

It seemed Josh Kahn had secrets that Dracula was unaware of.

Otherwise, the Ancient One would not be so cautious.

Dracula pondered the thought.

"Oh? Is that so? So you're just here as a wedding guest? In that case, I suppose you wouldn’t mind a companion, would you?" The Ancient One suddenly suggested, catching Dracula completely off guard. "I, too, am interested in witnessing this grand wedding. Why don't we go together?"

"…Uh, that won’t be necessary, will it?" Dracula suddenly felt a cold sweat forming—an odd sensation, considering vampires weren’t supposed to sweat.

"It seems that you have other ideas. No matter. Then let us part here. But if you change your mind, you can call for me. I'll stay in town until the wedding," the Ancient One said with a bright smile after studying Dracula for a moment.

Before Dracula could react, his surroundings shifted in an instant—he was back in the real world.

The scenery was just as beautiful, but his mood was far from pleasant.

Even though no battle had taken place, the Ancient One's message had been crystal clear—don't try anything funny, I'm watching you.

How annoying...

With a sigh, Dracula dissolved into a mist of black smoke and vanished.

Of course, he hadn’t actually left.

He truly did have business with Josh.

If all went well, it wouldn't be long before he would be free from the oppressive watch of the Ancient One. 

Chapter 215: World's Most Powerful Vampire (2)

Their group was quite large, so Austria had arranged a whole convoy for them.

Their next stop was the nearest airport, where they would catch a direct flight to Schwangau, home to Neuschwanstein Castle.

The distance was just over 500 kilometers, and with a private jet, the trip wouldn't take long.

Josh and his family shared a car, and Carter obviously wasn't going to squeeze in with them.

Mar-Vell, after being lectured by Carter, just shrugged and followed her into another vehicle.

No one noticed that just as the convoy started to move, a dark figure flashed by in the shadow of a tall tower that overlooked most of the port.

"Josh, what's going on?" Margaret asked curiously, noticing his furrowed brow in the car.

"I don’t know why, but I just felt like someone was watching me," Josh said.

"Really? Should we ask Vito and the others?" Margaret suggested after listening to him.

"I already did. Vito and the security team checked everything and found nothing unusual. Even Carter and Mar-Vell didn't seem to notice anything. Maybe I'm just overthinking it," Josh shook his head.

Josh was well aware of his own abilities. Like Margaret, he had drunk Elixir from the Pool of Eternity but apart from extending his lifespan, it did little to improve his physical strength or senses. It was much less effective than the Super Soldier Serum.

So if even he could sense someone following them, there was no reason Vito or Carter wouldn't notice.

What Josh didn't realize was that his Five Elemental Technique, even though it was only basic manipulation rather than true magic, had actually sharpened his awareness of his surroundings.

In terms of fighting ability, he was still no match for Vito or Carter.

But when it came to pure instinct, he was even sharper than them.

So his gut feeling had been right—someone had indeed been watching him.

However, the observer was so far away that he was completely beyond the range of normal human vision. All Josh could feel was a vague sense of being watched, but he couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from.

As the trip continued, until they boarded the plane, Josh never felt this presence again. Eventually he dismissed it as just his imagination.

The distance from Trieste to Schwangau was just over 500 kilometers, which meant a flight time of about half an hour.

Josh’s plane wasn’t some DC-3 or C-69.

Those were models made by other aviation companies. As the head of Boeing, flying a competitor's plane would be a joke.

And because he had introduced advanced second-generation fighters like the Mirage III and MiG-21 ahead of their time, global aviation technology had taken a giant leap forward.

While many companies were still developing better jet engines, they had also begun to adapt jet technology to commercial airliners.

With Josh's influence, Boeing was naturally leading the way.

A few months ago, Boeing had successfully test-flown its first jet airliner—the Boeing 707.

The plane they were now flying was a specially modified version of that model, officially named the Boeing C-137.

This plane was famous not only in Josh's previous universe, but also in the world of Red Alert.

The reason for its fame was closely tied to Raymond Loewy, who had a personal grudge against Josh.

It was Raymond Loewy who made the design of this plane the symbol of the U.S. presidential plane, "Air Force One".

Over the years, "Air Force One" had used many different models, but they all followed the design of the C-137.

However, in this world, Josh had introduced this plane ahead of time.

Not only did he have one for himself, but he also gave one to Truman—though not as a direct gift, since that would be bribery.

Instead, Boeing officially "donated" it to the White House, which made it perfectly acceptable.

"We've arrived! Look, it's Neuschwanstein Castle!" Josh pointed out the dreamy-looking castle perched atop a mountain as the plane began to land.

"It's beautiful! Even better than the pictures!" Margaret's eyes sparkled with admiration as she looked at the castle.

Even Carter and Mar-Vell couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at that moment.

After all, they were women as well.

"You can't see it clearly from here. There’s a helicopter at the castle—we’ll take it to get a closer view. It'll look even more breathtaking!" Josh smiled and put a hand on Margaret's shoulder.

Since the castle was hidden deep in the forested mountains, the best way to admire its full beauty was from the air.

Jet planes were too fast to get a proper view, but helicopters were perfect for the job.

To make travel easier and sightseeing more enjoyable, Josh had even built a helipad at the castle.

At the same time, a well-dressed figure appeared on the streets of Schwangau, watching "Air Force One" land from afar.

"Hey! Stop right there! Show me your ID!" A patrolling officer quickly noticed the stranger and stepped forward to question him.

Although Josh hadn't been in Austria much in the past two years, his growing influence through the Ouroboros organization had only deepened his control over the country.

To maintain security and privacy, he had designated the entire Schwangau area—stretching dozens of kilometers—as his private territory.

Instead of driving out the townspeople, however, he kept them there to provide services and a place for his castle staff to relax.

Local law enforcement had long since been taken over by Josh's people.

This officer knew everyone in the town well. With Josh's wedding still over a month away, guests wouldn't be arriving this early.

So when a new face appeared, it was bound to stand out.

Especially when that person looked wealthy, well-dressed, and strikingly handsome—there was no way he was a local.

"Officer, I'm just a tourist. Do I really need to show ID?" The stranger smiled calmly.

"A tourist? Ha! Schwangau is closed now. No one is allowed in without an invitation. And you say you're a tourist? Yeah, right. Come with me to the station!" The officer scoffed and reached for his handcuffs.

"Officer, look, I have an invitation." The man remained unfazed, pulling out what appeared to be an official invitation and handing it over.

"Prince Vlad Dracula... I see. My apologies, Your Highness. Welcome to Schwangau and enjoy your stay." The officer, suddenly dazed, nodded and stepped aside.

The mysterious visitor was none other than the world's most powerful vampire, Dracula.

It was he who had been watching Josh from Trieste.

Despite the hundreds of kilometers between the two places, this vampire had somehow arrived even faster than a jet plane—an unbelievable feat.

Even more amazing was that he was still standing while the sun was shining brightly in the sky!

And if an observer were watching from a third-person perspective, they would notice that what Dracula had handed the officer wasn't an invitation at all, just a withered leaf.

For the progenitor of the vampire, manipulating a mere human was child's play.

Chapter 214: World's Most Powerful Vampire (1)

'The Margaret' cruise ship departed from New York at the end of December, so by the time it reached Europe, it was already early 1948.

The story of Peggy Carter and Mar-Vell was but a small episode in the relatively long journey.

In fact, the two energetic women clashed no less than ten times during the nearly twenty-day trip. Fortunately, aside from the first intense fight, the rest were more restrained and they didn't break too many things.

However, no one found their actions annoying.

The cruise might have been interesting at first, but after a while it became a bit boring. Their sparring added some excitement to the trip.

In contrast, one of the main characters of this trip, Josh, was almost completely absent—except for a brief appearance when the two women had their first fight.

The only time he showed up was when the cruise passed Gibraltar, where he met Spain's dictator Franco.

The reason for his disappearance wasn’t that he had been sucked dry—though he was indeed tormented by Margaret for an entire night and had to drink a lot of Elixir the next day.

The real reason was that he had been hiding in his cabin, practicing the Five Elements technique.

In his previous life, he was from China, and with the automatic translation of the system and the help of the Elixir, which contained a small amount of magical energy, he managed to make some progress before reaching Austria—he had mastered the Water and Metal Elements.

On a huge cruise ship sailing across the ocean, these two elements were the easiest to train.

Of course, "mastered" only meant that he could barely control small amounts of water or manipulate an iron nail.

His control was still far less efficient than using his hands.

He still had a long way to go to reach the level of the Dragon Emperor, who could use these powers effortlessly.

But it was a promising start.

Toot!

With a long whistle, the cruise ship Margaret slowly entered the port of Trieste.

Trieste had once been the largest port of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but was taken over by Italy after World War I. It remained under Italian control in his previous universe.

During World War II, the city was first occupied by the Allies, and later divided between Italy and the Yugoslav Federation.

In this world, however, the rise of Austria changed the course of history. After Operation Return to the Eagle's Nest, Austria and the U.S. military took control of the port.

Italy had complaints, but as a defeated country, it had no bargaining power with the U.S. forces.

Later, Austria supported the creation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and took over Slovenia, using this as justification to jointly control the strategic port with the U.S. military under the name of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

After Austria demonstrated its overwhelming military strength in the war against the Yugoslav Federal Republic, Italy no longer dared to protest.

Thus, amid the cheers of the Austrian people, Trieste—once the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s number one port—officially returned to Austrian hands after nearly thirty years.

"Phew, finally back on solid ground! Cruising was nice, and the facilities were comfortable, but being away from land for too long just feels like something is missing!" Peggy Carter sighed as she stepped off the ship in her deep blue gown.

Her presence immediately drew the attention of those around her.

After all, a tall, strong woman like her was quite rare in all of Europe.

"This is nothing. One day I'll take you on a journey through space, and then you'll see. Compared to the endless ocean of the universe, your so-called Atlantic Ocean is no bigger than a small lake," Mar-Vell bragged, resting a hand on Carter's shoulder.

Just as she said, a mere twenty-day sea journey meant little to her.

She had once spent six months flying alone through space.

"All right, I get it, you're amazing. But could you be a little more mindful of the occasion?" Carter rolled her eyes at Mar-Vell's bragging, though deep down, her words stirred something in her—space travel did sound tempting.

"Peggy, why don't you come back to Hala with me? You're human, but the Kree are not closed-minded. With your abilities, the Supreme Intelligence would definitely accept you!" Seeing Carter's interest, Mar-Vell leaned in and whispered.

Most major space civilizations—whether the Kree, the Shi'ar, or the Nova Corps—were not made up of a single species. Instead, they were made up of one or two dominant races along with countless allied species.

Even Asgard, a powerful and unique realm, was home to both the Aesir and the Vanir—Queen Frigga herself was a Vanir.

On the other hand, empires like the Skrulls, which consisted of only one race, were extremely rare.

So even though Carter was from "primitive" Earth, Mar-Vell believed that as a super-soldier with a physique comparable to elite Kree warriors, she stood a real chance of being recognized by the Supreme Intelligence and becoming a Kree citizen.

"Sorry, but Earth is my home and I have no intention of leaving. There are still many threats here, and it's my duty to protect my home, not to fight for an alien civilization I know nothing about." Carter refused without hesitation.

As a British woman working for the U.S. since the war, she was already considered an outsider by many.

But at least Britain and America had always been allies. Both the Strategic Scientific Reserve and the CIA didn't care much about nationality, so her actions had always been justifiable.

But to leave Earth altogether to serve as a soldier for an alien empire?

Carter wasn’t ready to go that far.

Seeing Carter turn her down so firmly, Mar-Vell could only sigh in disappointment.

"What are you two standing around for? Get in the car!" Josh called from a distance, already sitting and waiting. He had no idea that someone had just tried to steal Carter away.

Not that he would have cared.

With Carter's personality, it would be difficult to recruit her. Besides, Super Soldiers were nothing special to him anymore. Losing one wouldn't make any difference.

"Alright, let's go. It's best not to discuss these things in public. If the wrong people overhear, it could cause unnecessary trouble," Carter said, nodding to Josh before looking at Mar-Vell. Without waiting for a reply, she got into one of the cars behind Josh's. 

Chapter 213: I Can Spend the Whole Day with You (2)

"Francesca, you look a little different tonight," Vito whispered as he leaned in.

"Don't ask. If you want to know, the boss will tell you when the time comes," Francesca shook her head and replied to her brother.

She hadn't had a chance to look in a mirror, so she wasn't aware of her own changes. But she wasn’t blind—she had clearly seen the transformation in Margaret after drinking that glass of water. Since she had drunk the same thing, the effects on her should be similar.

And such things weren't something she could discuss casually. Without Josh's or Margaret's approval, she wouldn't say a word—not even to her own brother.

As the Kahn family's head maid, Francesca understood the importance of secrecy.

Upon hearing her answer, Vito immediately understood and stopped asking questions, turning his attention to the duel in the training arena.

However, he couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

Both fighters were Super Soldiers, and it was clear that they were going all out.

One was a super soldier from Earth, the other was an elite special operative from the Kree Empire. Though neither used weapons, their punches and kicks landed solidly, making for an intense and exciting fight.

As Mar-Vell attempted to suplex Carter, Carter executed an incredible mid-air twist and countered with a powerful kick that sent Mar-Vell flying before landing gracefully.

But the moment Carter turned around, Mar-Vell did a quick aerial somersault and sent Carter flying in return.

Neither seemed to hold back in the slightest!

"This is what you meant by 'strange relationship'?" Josh couldn't help but tease Margaret as he watched the fight escalate.

Margaret sighed and rubbed her forehead, choosing to remain silent.

Of course, their conversation had no effect on the ongoing fight.

"Hey, sweetie, don't you ever get tired?" Mar-Vell grinned after landing a blow to Carter's chest, causing her to take a few steps back. She seemed to enjoy the unexpected bounce for a moment before asking.

"This level? I can do this all day!"

Carter retorted while rubbing her chest and taking a deep breath, internally wondering if it would bruise. But without stopping, she charged forward again.

"Oh, here it comes," Josh muttered.

"Huh? What?" Margaret asked, confused.

"Oh, nothing. Just a famous quote," Josh shrugged.

"A famous quote? Are you talking about what Carter just said—‘ I can do this all day’?” Margaret asked, intrigued.

"Wait, you heard that?" Josh looked at his lover in surprise. He didn't remember Margaret having enhanced hearing.

"Yes. After drinking the water you gave me, I feel more energetic and my senses have become much sharper. I could hear their conversation very clearly... But what's the story behind this line?" Margaret admitted before continuing her question.

"Steve Rogers, Captain America. That was his catchphrase,” Josh explained, but in his mind, he was contemplating something else—

The effects of the Elixir from the Pool of Eternal Life seem stronger than I expected... Perhaps I should have a glass myself?

He had only given it to Margaret and Francesca before, because once someone drank it, their appearance would remain largely unchanged for a long time.

This is an excellent beauty elixir for adult women.

Especially for Margaret, who is at the most attractive age of her life.

But Josh is different. He just turned 20 a few months ago. Although he is an adult, his face still looks quite young.

So he doesn't want to fix his appearance too soon—he wants to wait until he looks more mature.

However, if the Elixir from the Pool of Eternal Life really enhances the senses that much, then having a youthful face might not be a bad thing.

Looking at Margaret's radiant beauty, he now wonders if the elixir also strengthens the body.

If that's the case... will he get drained if he doesn’t drink it?

Before, they were evenly matched in that aspect.

But now, it's hard to say.

While Josh was lost in thought, a strong force suddenly pulled him away from where he was standing.

While he was distracted, the battle in the ring had reached its climax. Without the use of weapons, Mar-Vell, the elite Kree warrior, had slightly gained the upper hand and delivered a powerful kick that sent Carter flying out of the ring.

Coincidentally, Carter's landing direction was right where Josh was standing.

Had she landed on him, it wouldn't have been life-threatening, but it certainly wouldn't have felt good.

Fortunately, Margaret reacted quickly at the last moment and pulled him away.

His chair, however, wasn't so lucky—it was completely destroyed beyond repair.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't hurt you, did I?" Carter asked quickly as she got up from the floor.

"Uh, no problem, no problem. Good thing Margaret reacted quickly. But are you two going to keep fighting? If it continues, I'm afraid the whole ring will be torn apart," Josh said, brushing the dust off his clothes.

It was at this moment, that he made up his mind—he had to drink that elixir. Seeing how strong Margaret had become, there was no way he would survive when they got back to their room if he didn't drink it.

"Uh, sorry about that. If you think it's necessary, you can deduct the damage from my salary..." Carter looked at the ruined training area and blushed slightly.

Josh's mouth twitched. Deduct it from your salary? Lady, with the destruction you just caused as a super soldier, if I really charged you for it, your salary would be deducted for the next hundred years!

"Come on, do you think I care about such a small loss? But you've sparred enough. If you go on like this, no one on this ship will get any sleep. It's time to call it a day. Margaret and I are going to bed as well," Josh said, waving his hand.

"This round is my loss. Let's fight again next time!" Carter said, nodding reluctantly at Mar-Vell.

In truth, as a super soldier, she was far from reaching her limit. Like Captain America, she could have fought for an entire day.

She had only been at a slight disadvantage.

But since it was just a sparring match and not a fight to the death, and they had already caused so much destruction, it wasn't worth it to continue.

"Of course! I'd be happy to," Mar-Vell replied with a smile.

And so a battle between the super-soldiers ended abruptly, leaving the audience wanting more.

Back in their bedroom, Josh was just about to drink some of the elixir when Margaret pushed him onto the soft, spacious bed and pulled his tie.

"Honey, I can do it this all day with you, too," she said with a playful smile.

"Uh, wait, Margaret, I'm really thirsty. Let me get some water first!" Josh said quickly.

"Thirsty? Don't worry, I've got water right here," Margaret teased.

Of course, she knew he wanted to drink that special water. But over the past few years, as Josh became more powerful, she hadn't had the upper hand for a long time.

Now that she finally had the chance, there was no way she was going to let it go.

Oh no... Josh immediately understood her intentions and could only sigh helplessly.

Well, if he couldn't resist, he might as well enjoy it.

Sigh... looks like I'll be going to bed late tonight.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 212: I Can Spend the Whole Day with You (1)

Margaret and Francesca drank the Elixir from the Pool of Eternal Life, but nothing like the scenes in fantasy novels happened—no foul substances being expelled from their pores, no sudden urge to rush to the bathroom.

They just felt more refreshed, as if their bodies had undergone a deep rejuvenation. Their skin glowed and they even looked a few years younger.

"This is amazing! What kind of water is this? It tastes just like regular spring water, but I feel so much more energized after drinking it," Margaret said in awe, turning to Josh.

"It's nothing special, just a unique kind of water. As long as it makes you feel good, that's all that matters. I'll give you some every month, so don't ask too many questions," Josh replied with a slight smile, keeping things vague.

Although he trusted these two women, some things were better left unsaid—especially when it came to something as supernatural as the Pool of Eternal Life.

Actually, the name "Pool of Eternal Life" wasn't entirely accurate. "Pool of Agelessness" would be a better term.

Just drinking the elixir didn't grant true immortality—after all, even Zi Yuan and her daughter's immortality didn't come from the elixir.

If a single sip could grant eternal life, then when O'Connell was on the verge of death in the movie, Zi Yuan's use of the elixir should have made him immortal as well. But it didn't.

And if the elixir really did grant eternal life, then when Alex O'Connell was pursuing Lin, she wouldn't have had to say, "I don't want to watch you die. She could've just given him a cup of the Elixir.

Of course, neither of them gained immortality.

The Elixir was powerful, but not to that extent. Immortality wasn't something that could be obtained so easily.

Zi Yuan and her daughter's eternal life didn't come from the Elixir, but from the blessing of Shangri-La itself—much like Hela's immortality in Thor: Ragnarok was tied to Asgard.

As long as Shangri-La existed, Zi Yuan and her daughter remained immortal.

But this came at a price—they had to swear an oath to protect Shangri-La for eternity.

However, in the final battle, Zi Yuan sacrificed her immortality to awaken the vengeful spirits, breaking the oath and losing her eternal life.

As for the The Eye of Shangri-La, it was more like a physical manifestation of Shangri-La's power—a core part of its essence.

Its Elixir had miraculous healing properties, could restore youth and prolong life, but true immortality required long-term consumption.

Even the Dragon Emperor's immortality didn't come from the elixir itself. Instead, he used the Pool of Eternal Life as a medium to absorb the Source Energy of Shangri-La.

This is what the Dragon Emperor told Cai Lin after he gained a portion of Shangri-La's power.

Though he didn't violently destroy the source like in the movie, his extraction of its essence significantly weakened its effects. It would take at least a thousand years to recover.

Cai Lin, understanding the situation, didn't hide any of this from Josh. She even set a very low price for the elixir, as Josh's deep knowledge of her world made her cautious.

So she couldn't be sure if Josh had a way to verify the effectiveness of the Pool of Eternal Life. Although the benefits of the source seemed great, they were insignificant compared to Josh, the master of the dimensional trading system.

Cai Lin was smart. She knew that her ability to stay with the Dragon Emperor depended on the dimensional beacon she carried. If she lost Josh as a trading partner, she would become worthless in the eyes of the Dragon Emperor.

On the other hand, even if Josh lost her as a trading partner, he could always find others.

So she couldn't afford to offend Josh.

Josh didn't have much to say about this situation... What could he do? Go to the Mummy Universe and beat up the Dragon Emperor? That wasn't even possible.

Fortunately, the Pool of Eternal Life still worked, just not as powerful as before. According to the Dragon Emperor's advice to Cai Lin, drinking it once a month would still allow someone to live for several centuries.

By then, Josh would probably have found a better way to achieve longevity, so the weakened Pool of Eternal Life didn't really matter.

Besides the less effective elixir, Josh also received something else from Cai Lin—the Five Elements Technique that the Dragon Emperor had practiced in his early days.

Of course, the Dragon Emperor wouldn't share his personal technique.

Even if he did, Josh wouldn't be able to practice it.

It was a technique based on faith, where the ruler embodied the will of an entire empire—Qin is me, and I am Qin.

That's why when Zi Yuan cursed him, the entire Qin army was cursed along with him.

Josh had no interest in such things.

However, the Five Elements Technique seemed harmless enough.

However, the Five Element Technique in the mummy universe wasn't as powerful as those in cultivation novels. It only allowed the user to manipulate the five elements to a certain degree—it was control, not creation.

For example, with fire, if there weren't any flammable materials or oxygen, even if Josh mastered the spell, he wouldn't be able to create flames out of thin air.

The strength of control also depended on the progress.

It wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, but if used properly, it could still be quite effective.

Of course, Josh had just acquired the technique, and he was still far from mastering it. He also had to thank the system's translation function—without it, he wouldn't even dare to try to learn it.

The spells were all written on bamboo slips in ancient seal script. Without a translation, he wouldn't even be able to read them, let alone practice them.

-

Seeing that Josh didn't want to talk much about the elixir, Margaret wisely didn't ask any more.

And since Margaret didn't ask, her maid Francesca didn't dare either.

When Josh and Margaret followed Francesca to the training ground, the two fighters were already engaged in battle.

As soon as the onlookers noticed the arrival of their boss, they quickly made room, even bringing chairs.

However, many of them couldn't help but steal a glance at Margaret and Francesca.

There was no doubt that both women were stunning.

But they weren't new faces—everyone had seen them before, and over time they had become accustomed to their beauty. Since both were close to Josh, no one dared to stare for too long.

But tonight felt different.

For some reason, both Margaret and Francesca seemed exceptionally radiant, making it hard not to steal extra glances.

Even they found it strange.

Their outfits hadn't changed much from earlier in the day.

But as subordinates, they could only steal glances and didn't dare to comment or ask questions.

Only Vito was an exception.

As Josh’s most trusted bodyguard and assistant, Vito was naturally aboard the ship as well.

However, just like when they were back home, Vito didn’t stick to Josh’s side every second while on the private yacht.

Now that he saw his sister and the boss's wife suddenly looking so radiant, he couldn't help but be curious.

If it weren't for the fact that Margaret had also changed significantly, he might have suspected that his sister had spent the night with Josh—after all, in his experience, a woman's appearance only changed like that after receiving a man's "nourishment".

And if that were the case, Vito would actually be happy.

Not because he wanted to sell out his sister for personal gain—being Josh’s right-hand man, he had no need for that.

It was simply that after following Josh for so long and seeing so much, Vito felt that few men in the world were worthy of his sister. If nothing else, they had to be stronger than him, right?

If his sister was going to settle for some random guy in the future, she might as well just be with Josh.

The only problem was that her boss seemed to be too loyal.

Even though he was surrounded by beautiful women, not one of them had managed to move up the ranks. Compared to other big-shot bosses—especially someone like Howard Stark—Josh was practically the complete opposite.

Chapter 211: A Change in Relationship (1)

When Mar-Vell emerged from the bathroom, she was surprised to see Carter sitting on the bed, fully dressed in her Captain Britain battle suit, holding her shield and sword.

"Has something happened? Are we under attack?" Mar-Vell was confused. She went to the balcony and looked outside. The guards were still patrolling as usual—nothing seemed wrong.

"No, nothing happened. I just suddenly felt like working out. There's a training area on the ship. Get dressed, let's go test our skills," Carter said.

Although it sounded like a suggestion, her tone made it clear that refusal wasn't an option.

"Uh... okay..." Mar-Vell still wasn't sure what was going on, but since Carter had invited her, she had no reason to refuse.

Besides, although they had known each other for over a month and were aware of each other's strength, they had never actually fought. Mar-Vell was quite curious to know the full extent of Carter's abilities.

Soon they were both suited up and out of the cabin.

The night shift guards were startled to see the two suddenly armed to the teeth. They almost sounded the alarm, thinking there was an emergency.

But after learning that they were just out for a sparring match, the guards relaxed and escorted them to the ship's lower deck, where the security team's training arena was located.

Some of the night-shift security guards were still working out in the training area. When they saw the two women arrive, they immediately stepped aside and cleared the area.

To the outside world, Captain Carter, a senior CIA operative, remained a mysterious and unknown figure.

But to Josh's men, her reputation was well established.

After all, she was the CIA's ace agent, and that carried weight.

So everyone was curious to see if she was as strong as the rumors made her out to be.

As for Mar-Vell's background, they had no idea. But if she was about to spar with the legendary super-soldier, she was clearly no ordinary fighter.

Not only did they make room, but some even ran off to call others to watch.

Of course, there was another important reason—both of them were stunning women.

By Western standards of beauty, they were absolute head-turners.

Although, in Josh's opinion, aside from Carter's almost unfairly perfect figure, neither of them could compare to Margaret.

News of this unexpected duel reached Josh quickly.

It was late at night, but Josh and Margaret were still awake.

When their subordinates informed them through Francesca, Margaret had just finished tucking two exhausted little troublemakers into bed.

Meanwhile, Josh sat staring at a glass of water. It was an ordinary transparent cup, but the liquid inside glowed with a dazzling silver-green light.

It looked eerie, yet strangely beautiful.

"Why would they suddenly decide to spar in the middle of the night?" Josh was confused.

They had the whole day to do it, so why now?

Had Carter's energy level skyrocketed after becoming a super soldier?

"Honey, don't you think Peggy and this Mar-Vell woman have a rather... unusual relationship?" Margaret suddenly pointed out.

"Their relationship? Unusual? …Wait, are you saying—" Josh’s eyes widened.

"I can't say for sure about Peggy, but I have a feeling Mar-Vell might be interested in her," Margaret explained.

Josh was speechless.

He knew that in American comics, thanks to certain writers and directors, unusual pairings were not uncommon.

But he had never expected to see it first hand.

And with Peggy Carter, of all people—someone you’d least expect this from in this era.

Josh knew that in movies, TV shows, and comic books, Peggy's romantic partners weren't limited to Captain America.

And he also knew that she and Mar-Vell had struck up a solid friendship over the past month.

But the idea that their relationship could go beyond friendship had never occurred to him.

However, thinking back to Mar-Vell’s behavior earlier that day… it wasn’t entirely impossible.

Was this... friendship turning into something else?

He wondered how Steve Rogers would react if he ever returned and saw this—Josh suddenly found himself looking forward to it.

"Margaret, starting tomorrow, I think you should avoid getting too close to Mar-Vell," Josh said seriously.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Margaret found his words both amusing and annoying. Was this man actually jealous of a woman?

"Ahem, that's just a precaution. Right now she seems interested in Peggy, but what if that changes? Oh, and Francesca, you should be careful too!" Josh added, looking stern.

"Huh? Oh, okay, got it!" Francesca, who had been laughing quietly on the side, was taken by surprise. She hadn't expected to be involved in this, but she didn't dare disobey Josh, so she nodded quickly.

"Should we go watch?" Margaret asked, shaking her head at the absurdity of it all.

"Of course we should! We can't miss this!" Josh replied immediately.

A battle between Captain Carter and the first Captain Marvel from the comics? That was something worth seeing—and recording.

"Oh, before we go, you two should drink these first."

Before leaving, Josh grabbed another glass and, out of nowhere, produced a water jug, pouring the same silver-green liquid into two more cups. He then pushed them toward Margaret and Francesca.

"What is this?" Margaret asked, finally noticing the strange color of the liquid.

"Something good," Josh said mysteriously, without further explanation.

Since he didn't elaborate, Margaret didn't press the issue. She trusted Josh completely, so she took the glass and drank it in one gulp.

Seeing that her mistress had already finished hers, Francesca did not hesitate and did the same.

The cups weren’t large, and there wasn’t much liquid inside—just a few sips, and they were empty.

But the moment they finished drinking, both women felt something change inside them.

Chapter 210: A Change in Relationship (1)

At night, the cruise ship Margaret sailed smoothly across the Atlantic, like a giant beast moving silently through the darkness.

Since it was now privately owned by Josh and not open to the public, only close friends and family were occasionally invited aboard. The ship, originally designed to hold over a thousand cabins, had been reduced to less than a hundred.

This change greatly expanded the leisure and entertainment areas while improving the quality of the remaining cabins.

Of course, some of the extra space was used for more than just relaxation.

"Your boss sure has a lot of secrets," Mar-Vell said as she stood on the balcony of a luxury cabin, watching the guards patrolling the deck below. She was talking to Carter, who had just emerged from the bathroom.

From the moment she had boarded, Mar-Vell had used her scanner to discover some hidden surprises on the ship. While Josh had incorporated various high-tech features from the Red Alert world, they seemed no different from Earth's modern advancements compared to the technology of the Kree Empire.

"That's not surprising. Did you really think this was an ordinary cruise ship? Josh may have named it after Margaret, but beneath the surface, this ship also functions as a military intelligence platform. The lower decks contain classified military facilities," Carter said as she stepped out onto the balcony, shaking the moisture out of her hair.

There was a hairdryer in the cabin—this device had been around since 1890—but Carter preferred letting the wind dry her hair naturally.

Although it was winter and the Atlantic winds were freezing to most people, Carter's super-soldier physique made her immune to the cold. In fact, she found the cold quite refreshing.

Since becoming a super-soldier, Carter had lost many normal human experiences, such as getting drunk or feeling exhausted from exercise. But she also gained new experiences that normal people couldn't enjoy. It was a trade-off.

As a high-ranking CIA officer, Carter had been given limited information about the ship's special nature.

Just as Fury couldn't hide things from Captain America in the movies, Josh knew there was no way Carter wouldn't find out the ship's secrets if she spent time aboard.

So, he told her a little—just enough to satisfy her curiosity—while keeping the more classified details off-limits under the excuse of "military secrecy."

This approach worked well.

Because of Josh's consistent behavior, Carter had a high level of trust in him.

And as someone who had worked in intelligence for years, she understood that people in positions of power often had to make tough decisions.

Even if she didn't like some of these hidden truths, she could accept them.

So instead of prying further, she simply chose to ignore what she didn't need to know.

In this regard, Carter was quite different from Captain America.

"As long as you know, there's no problem," Mar-Vell said, dropping the subject. She had only brought it up to make sure Carter wasn't kept in the dark. Since Carter knew, there was no need to say more.

However...

"You really do trust your boss, don't you? You two wouldn't happen to be...?" Mar-Vell asked, looking at Carter with a sudden sense of unease.

"What are you talking about? We're just friends. And you’ve seen for yourself—he and Margaret are very much in love," Carter said, rolling her eyes.

After knowing Josh for so long and getting so much help from him, it would be a lie to say she felt nothing for him.

But as someone with a strong moral code, Carter knew where to draw the line.

Josh's love for Margaret and her own lingering feelings for Steve ensured that she would never cross that line.

"Sorry, I was just kidding!" Mar-Vell said quickly. For some reason, her tone suddenly felt lighter after hearing Carter's firm reply.

"That kind of joke isn't funny at all. If Margaret hears it, I won't be able to explain myself even if I jump into the Atlantic Ocean." Carter shot Mar-Vell an annoyed look, but that look made her realize something was wrong. Mar-Vell was looking at her in a way that felt different. She frowned and asked, "What are you looking at?"

At the moment, she was only wrapped in a bath towel, leaving much of her body exposed to Mar-Vell's eyes.

Of course, it wasn't a big deal since they were the only two people in the cabin, and after spending over a month together, they had seen each other in similar situations before.

But for some reason, she suddenly felt that Mar-Vell's gaze wasn't the same as before.

It seemed that being a super-soldier had not only improved Carter's body, but also her instincts.

The way Mar-Vell looked at her reminded her of the way some men stared at her on the street.

"Ah... it's nothing! I was just admiring your form. I'm going to take a shower!" Mar-Vell quickly looked away, let out a nervous laugh, and fled into the bathroom.

Watching her reaction, Carter felt something strange rise in her heart. Could it be...?

Even though same-sex relationships weren't very common in this era, they weren't unheard of either. There were even some books, movies, and comics about them.

For example, in 1931, there was a movie called Mädchen in Uniform, which told the story of a student and a teacher at an all-girls school.

Even the early Wonder Woman comics had some interesting implications. The character's creator, Dr. William Moulton Marston, had been in a polyamorous relationship—his wife had even welcomed his mistress into the family. After Marston's death, the two women stayed together for the rest of their lives.

Because of this, Carter had seen many things over the years, but that didn’t mean she could accept them for herself. She had always considered Mar-Vell a good friend—nothing more.

After all, in this era, such relationships were still very much on the edge. In fact, even wearing men's clothes as a woman was illegal in many states.

Even in Europe, several countries had "cross-dressing bans" that prohibited women from wearing men's clothing.

And most importantly... Mar-Vell was an alien.

That last thought sent a chill down Carter's spine.

Chapter 209: The Pool of Eternal Life (2)

"Mr. Josh, I know you're Carter's boss, but I still feel the same way—given Earth's current level of civilization, knowing too much about space is not a good thing," Mar-Vell began after they left.

In Mar-Vell's mind, Josh had sent Carter and Margaret away simply to ask them about things related to space.

As a member of the Kree Empire's StarForce, Mar-Vell had met many politicians and rulers, so she wasn't too surprised. She got right to the point.

"Ha ha, Lady Mar-Vell, you're wrong. That's not what I want to talk to you about. Also, you may not know it, but Earth isn't as ignorant and backward as you think!" Josh smiled slightly in response to Mar-Vell's remark.

"Oh? Mr. Kahn, what are you suggesting? I'm all ears!" Mar-Vell said, clearly not believing him, her face showing a somewhat mocking smile.

"Skrulls, Xandar, Thanos, Asgard... Is that enough?" Josh raised an eyebrow and mentioned several names directly.

Upon hearing these names, Mar-Vell's face immediately changed.

"That surprises me. It seems Mr. Kahn has encountered other alien civilizations before?" Mar-Vell asked with a more serious expression.

"Ha ha ha, looks like the things I mentioned do exist!" Josh pretended to laugh.

"Are you trying to fool me?" Mar-Vell frowned.

"No, no, no, it's nothing like that. I just used to know a friend who often talked about these things and said he was a god. I thought he was just talking nonsense, but seeing your expression, it seems he was telling the truth!" Josh lied gently.

"Oh? Really? What was your friend's name? Where is he?" After hearing Josh's words, Mar-Vell became curious.

An alien stranded on Earth? Calling himself a god? Could he be from Asgard?

How would Asgardians end up on such a remote planet?

Although Mar-Vell was a member of the Kree Star Force and held a decent position, she wasn't at the top. She knew about Asgard, a powerful civilization that ruled the Nine Realms, including Midgard, but she didn't know that Midgard meant Earth.

Had she known, she would have left immediately.

"I don't know his full name. I only remember that his name is Jason. He looked like a normal Earthling, only a little taller and stronger. I met him in Colorado." Josh shrugged and made up the story.

Well, it wasn't completely made up. This Jason in Colorado would probably come to Earth in the 1970s and meet a girl in Colorado with whom he'd have a child.

Yes, Josh was referring to Ego's Earth alias.

Actually, Josh couldn't remember Ego's exact alias, but he did remember Star-Lord's full name, Peter Jason Quill.

"Ah, I see. Then all I can say is that you were lucky, Mr. Kahn, to meet a relatively gentle alien. Earth's civilization is still too weak. Any significant civilization could destroy it." Although Josh was making things up, the details seemed credible to Mar-Vell.

Since Josh had "contacted" alien civilizations, Mar-Vell didn't hold back and began to talk about some of the civilizations she had encountered during her missions.

Although Josh knew many things that even Mar-Vell didn't, he understood that this universe was a mixture of different movie worlds and characters.

So, many of the things Mar-Vell shared were still helpful.

The conversation continued pleasantly until it was interrupted.

Josh received a message from the system, It was from Cailin.

They had found Shangri-La, which meant that the Pool of Eternal Life Josh was looking for was within reach.

He quickly found an excuse to end the conversation with Mar-Vell.

At the same time, Margret and Carter brought the children to the upper deck.

Mar-Vell, who seemed to enjoy children, didn't mind Josh's abruptness and immediately went to play with the children.

Josh then found an empty cabin and opened system.

As the system opened, a dragon appeared on the screen.

A black dragon with wings. Unlike the dragons in the movies, this one had only one head and didn't look like the western dragons, but had the shape of an eastern dragon.

As for the wings, that was normal. The dragon emperor was in the form of a legendary Yinglong, who of course had wings. (TL/N: Yinglong is a winged dragon and rain deity in ancient Chinese mythology)

Josh's heart skipped a beat. He hoped that the Dragon Emperor wasn't soaking in the pool of eternal life. He certainly didn't want to drink his bathwater.

Fortunately, Josh soon noticed a well-preserved pavilion nearby, with the glistening and radiant Elixir of Eternal Life inside.

"Your Majesty, how shall we deal with this demoness?" Cailin's voice came through the system as Josh breathed a sigh of relief.

"You deal with her. Make sure you keep her far away so she doesn't defile this holy place!" A burst of light appeared as the giant eastern dragon began to shrink and return to his human form. The Dragon Emperor now looked nothing like before, his presence was even more imposing.

The "demoness" Cailin was talking about was none other than Zi Yuan.

At that moment, Zi Yuan was pinned to a distant wall by two long swords, her shoulders pierced and her fate uncertain.

However, from their conversation, it appeared that she was still alive, though her death was likely imminent.

Finally, Josh thought, just like in the movies. The Dragon Emperor had regained his power, but he didn't waste time dealing with the situation. He dealt with the threat first, before resurrecting his army. He was no fool.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 208: The Pool of Eternal Life (1)

Josh is getting married!

This news spread quickly through high society in the U.S. and Europe, and it had a huge impact.

It wasn't just because of Josh's current status, but also because of some of the wedding details that were leaked.

For example, the wedding will take place in the newly renovated and officially completed fairytale castle–Neuschwanstein Castle.

The wedding dress is incredibly luxurious, adorned with thousands of diamonds and pearls.

The bride will have a full set of precious pink diamond jewelry.

And so on.

Almost everyone with connections or status was eager to get an invitation to the wedding.

The men wanted to make a good impression on Josh, and the women wanted to see the expensive wedding dress, the jewelry, and the castle. They also wanted to see what that enviable woman looked like.

However, this was not an easy task.

Although Neuschwanstein Castle is large, it can only accommodate about 3,000 guests at a time. This is because Josh had the throne room and banquet hall specially enlarged during the reconstruction. Originally, the castle was designed to accommodate King Ludwig II's lavish lifestyle, with an emphasis on luxury and grandeur rather than size.

To most people, 3,000 guests might seem like a lot, but to Josh, that number seemed small. Unless you were a high-ranking aristocrat or had a close personal relationship with Josh, you wouldn't get an invitation.

But that was exactly what Josh wanted–he didn't want his wedding to be a political show. If he had wanted that, he could have had the wedding at Schönbrunn Palace, which could easily accommodate tens of thousands of guests.

Of course, with such an extravagant event, much more luxurious than any royal wedding in Europe, it naturally caught the attention of some hot-headed individuals.

But Josh didn't care.

Not to mention that Austria was his domain, but the very location of Neuschwanstein Castle made it difficult for outsiders to enter.

Besides, security for the wedding would be provided by the most elite members of his personal guard, trained in the deadly art of gunfighting and enhanced by Yuri's super-soldier serum. These guards had received intense training in gun combat and had superhuman abilities due to the serum.

With such a setup, it was hard to imagine anyone being able to cause trouble at the wedding. If anything happened, Josh would simply accept defeat.

While the entire U.S. was abuzz with excitement over his wedding, Josh and his family had already boarded the Margaret, a luxury cruise ship, and sailed to Europe.

This time, in addition to Josh's family, there were two special guests on board.

"Welcome, Mrs. Mar-Vell! Long time no see, Carter!" Josh greeted the two strong women, who had been brought aboard by servants, as they stood on the upper deck of the ship.

Over the past month, Mar-Vell and Carter had toured many of the most important sites in the U.S.A., which might sound unbelievable to most people, but was no surprise to Mar-Vell and Carter.

Thanks to Carter, who was from the CIA, their travels in the U.S. had been completely cleared. They had special flights and cars to pick them up wherever they went, and their meals and accommodations were all paid for–this wasn’t to win favor; after all, they were guests, and Josh wasn’t short on money.

Besides, both Mar-Vell and Carter were no ordinary people. Their physical abilities were off the charts, so they didn't need to rest like ordinary tourists while they enjoyed fine food and views.

Also, there are only so many ways to have fun these days.

After doing it a lot, it naturally gets boring.

So I thought it would be nice to change things up and visit some different places.

Just then, Carter got the news that Josh was going to Europe to get married, and the mere mention of it immediately piqued Mar-Vell's interest.

So Europe became their next destination.

After Carter casually mentioned it to Josh, Josh quickly sent out an invitation, and the two of them boarded the Margaret, ready to head to Europe together.

"Long time no see, Josh, hello Mrs. Kahn!" Carter smiled and greeted Josh and Margaret. Since it was a trip, she wore a elegant long dress today.

"Hello, Mr. Kahn, I've heard so much about you from Carter. It's great to finally meet you in person. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Kahn!"

Mar-Vell also stepped forward to greet Josh, then handed Margaret a gift.

Unlike Carter, Mar-Vell wore a neat tuxedo. Even though she was a woman, she spoke and acted very masculine.

No wonder she could raise someone like Carol Danvers, who was such a tough woman.

However, the gift she gave Josh was a bit surprising.

It was a high-tech bracelet.

"What is that?" Margaret asked, looking at the oddly shaped bracelet, unsure if she should accept it.

"It's a shield activation device. Just press the button on top, it's really easy to use!" Mar-Vell shrugged.

Hearing this, Margaret looked at Josh.

"It's a little token from Lady Mar-Vell. You can accept it!" Josh nodded. The item was quite good and useful; this Kree woman seemed to be thoughtful.

As for whether there was anything suspicious about the bracelet, Josh wasn't really worried.

In the psychological evaluation Carter had submitted on Mar-Vell, the conclusion had been that this Kree warrior's character was actually quite good.

And with her situation, there was no need to hurt an ordinary Earth woman.

If the worst came to the worst, they could have Yuri check the bracelet later.

"Thank you then, Lady Mar-Vell!" Margaret nodded and took the gift.

"I also brought some presents for Mike and Carol. Where are they?" Carter asked, holding a box and smiling at Margaret.

"They're in the game room, follow me!" Because of Josh, it wasn't the first time Margaret and Carter had met. Of course, because of Carter's job, their interactions weren't frequent, but their relationship was still good. Margaret admired Carter's tough personality.

When she heard Carter's words, she immediately understood that Josh and Mar-Vell had something to talk about.

So she led Carter into the game room, leaving room for Josh and Mar-Vell.

Chapter 207: Marriage (2)

Linus was a great godfather to Josh's two kids, always bringing them presents on holidays. Mike and Carol both liked him very much.

But there was another reason Josh brought up the topic.

He was curious if Amberson Osborn was really Norman Osborn's father.

Amberson's company wasn't called the Osborn Group, but that didn't necessarily mean he wasn't part of the family.

As for the so-called genetic disease, that was just something added in the Amazing Spider-Man version of the story.

The Osborn family, like Spider-Man himself, had many different versions in different stories.

Most versions of the Osborn family never even mentioned a genetic disease.

However, for some reason, the genetic disease had become a hallmark of the Osborns in many of the fan fiction Josh had read in his past life.

The best way to confirm his suspicion was simple—he just had to wait and see if Amberson’s future child was named Norman.

Of course, even if the child was named Norman, it wouldn't necessarily mean that he would become the Green Goblin, but it would be an important clue.

Meanwhile, Linus seemed to react when Josh brought up kids.

He had always been focused on business and never paid much attention to relationships. But after becoming Mike and Carol's godfather, he realized that he actually liked children.

Subconsciously, his eyes drifted to Elizabeth.

At that moment, Elizabeth looked back at him.

Their eyes met briefly, like an electric shock, before both quickly looked away.

Seeing this, Josh and the others could tell that something was brewing between them.

"Well, we've been putting it off because of work, but recently Mary and I decided it's time to have a child," Amberson said at the right moment, showing his sharp instincts as a businessman.

Mary, however, was taken aback.

Did we really talk about this? she wondered.

Just last month, Amberson had said they should wait a little longer. Now he had completely changed his mind.

The clever woman quickly understood why her husband had said that.

Mary could only sigh in her heart. Her husband was generally good to her, but he was a little too practical.

She looked at Josh and Margaret again and felt a tinge of envy.

Not long after dinner, Linus and Amberson tactfully decided to leave.

They had accomplished their goal for the day, and staying too long might have had the opposite effect.

"Do you think Linus and Elizabeth will make it?" Margaret couldn't help but ask Josh as she watched the two cars drive away.

"I think there's a good chance," Josh said, taking a sip of tea and nodding.

"Let's hope so. Uncle John is already quite old, and this is probably his last wish," Margaret nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of which, instead of worrying about others, shouldn't you be worrying about your own situation?" Josh stood up, wrapped his arms around Margaret's waist and breathed softly into her ear.

"Ah! That tickles! We already have a child, and I'm wearing a ring. What's there to worry about?" Margaret laughed as she pushed Josh's head away.

"Hmm, that won’t do. Everything is ready in Europe and the children are big enough now. It's time for us to pick a date," Josh said, planting a soft kiss on her shoulder.

"Oh? So you're finally ready?" Margaret's eyes lit up.

They were talking about Neuschwanstein Castle, of course.

The main structure of the castle had been completed last year, thanks to the hard work of many workers, but the interior had taken much longer.

Josh had spent a fortune hiring famous interior designers from all over Europe.

Still, another year had passed, and now the project was finally nearing completion.

"Yes, and the Margaret is ready too. We can take her straight to Europe. I think it will be the perfect trip!" Josh said.

The "Margaret" he was referring to was the massive cruise ship Europa that he had purchased earlier.

After nearly a year of renovations, it had recently been completed and Josh had renamed it the Margaret.

Margaret wasn't happy. To have such a magnificent ship named after her was flattering, but it also made her feel strangely embarrassed.

However, Josh had made the decision without giving her a say, which left her both amused and annoyed.

"That sounds exciting. But what date did you have in mind? It can't be Christmas, can it? That's way too soon!" Margaret said.

It was already November, and Christmas was less than a month away.

"Of course not. But I think February 25th would be a great day," Josh said.

"February 25th?" Margaret thought for a moment. That was almost four months away, so they had plenty of time to prepare. But was there anything special about that date?

"Hmph, have you forgotten? February 25, 1943!" Josh playfully pinched her chin while pretending to be upset.

Hearing this, Margaret suddenly remembered.

Of course! February 25th, 1943 was the day they first met.

"I didn’t expect you to remember it so clearly!" Margaret was touched. She hadn't thought Josh would remember, and it made her feel warm inside. If nothing else, it showed that he really cared about her.

"Of course I remember. When I first saw you, I thought, 'Wow, this lady is so beautiful and elegant. When I get rich, I must marry a woman like her!'" Josh teased, making Margaret laugh.

"Oh, so you had your eyes on me from the start!" Margaret pretended to be angry.

"Heh, and can you honestly say that you weren't interested in me back then?" Josh grinned.

"I was not! Unlike you, who pretended to be a gentleman when you were really a wolf in disguise!" Margaret huffed, feeling embarrassed as she remembered the day Josh had suddenly pulled her into his arms.

"Hmph, it doesn't matter now. You're mine and the big bad wolf is about to eat the little lamb again!" Josh said as he scooped Margaret into his arms.

Ignoring the amused looks of the servants, he carried her upstairs despite her playful protests.

Well, a little exercise after dinner is always good.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 206: Marriage (1)

Josh was a little surprised to have guests at home, but he welcomed them warmly anyway.

He and Margaret had been together for almost four years. Although Margaret was very enthusiastic when they first met, in reality she was a complete shut-in with a very small social circle.

Before having children, she would occasionally go out and socialize, but after becoming a mother, she rarely wanted to leave the house.

Since it was rare for her to have close friends over, Josh naturally gave them the respect they deserved.

Especially seeing how warmly Margaret interacted with Mary Osborn—it was something Josh had rarely seen before.

Clearly, the two shared a deep bond.

After high school, however, Mary Osborn moved to Seattle with her parents. At that time, Margaret was also deeply in love with a certain scumbag, so the two lost touch.

Mary later met Amberson in Seattle and they were married in 1945, just two years ago. They didn’t have children yet.

Recently, because of Amberson's business, they decided to move to Chicago.

Since Amberson and Linus were high school classmates, and Chicago was the Leibler family's base of operations, it was only natural for Amberson to pay his old friend a visit.

During this time, Amberson also inquired about Josh. Although Josh kept a low profile compared to someone like Howard Stark, Josh Kahn and his Continental Group were already an undeniable force in the business world of the northern United States.

One of Amberson's core businesses was supplying parts to the aviation and automotive industries.

Although aviation and automobiles might seem unrelated, many modern car components actually originated from the aerospace industry. The two industries had a lot in common.

During this time, industries were not as specialized as they would later become.

Many companies simply produced whatever was in demand.

And the largest and most influential aerospace and automotive company in the U.S. at the time was Boeing, now almost entirely controlled by the Continental Group.

In simple terms, Amberson's business depended on Josh's.

But there were too many entrepreneurs like Amberson, and they were far from Josh's level. It wasn't easy to meet a business giant like him.

Through Linus, Mary discovered that Josh's wife, Margaret, was actually her high school classmate.

This brought the two families closer immediately.

It may seem like a roundabout connection, but that's how social networks are built.

Without Linus and Margaret as common links, Amberson might never have had the chance to meet Josh in person, let alone sit at the same table as an equal.

"Oh? You're going to settle in Chicago? That's great! We'll have more chances to meet in the future," Josh said at the dinner table when he heard that the Ambersons had decided to move to Chicago.

Hearing this, Amberson breathed a sigh of relief.

He had been a little worried about their unannounced visit today. After all, he had never interacted with Josh directly and wasn't sure what kind of personality this legendary tycoon had.

Fortunately, the young tycoon seemed to care deeply for his wife, so Amberson's decision to approach him through her was the right one.

"Has everything gone smoothly with the establishment of the company here?" Josh asked.

"With Linus' help, everything has gone well. The only problem is that hiring workers hasn't been easy. In order to keep production going, I've had to consider hiring more black workers. But I think you understand—they might be fine for farm work, but for anything more skilled, it gets complicated," Amberson replied honestly.

His tone made it clear that he wasn't happy about hiring black workers, which was a common sentiment among the upper class at the time.

Since the beginning of World War II, the U.S. economy had been growing rapidly. The only slowdown came right after the war, when returning veterans and a temporary decline in war industries caused a brief economic pause.

But as the economy boomed again, a serious problem arose—a shortage of workers.

Many industrial cities, especially heavy industry centers like Chicago, had no choice but to begin hiring black workers in large numbers.

As a result, many black workers from the South began migrating north in search of better opportunities.

That was the reality of the time. Josh didn't like it much, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

"By the way, you two have been married for two years now. Have you thought about having children? And Linus, when are you getting married? You and David aren't getting any younger, and you still don't have any children. Uncle John always complains about that when he visits Mike and Carol," Josh said, shifting the conversation away from the previous, less pleasant topic.

At that moment, the sound of Mike and Carol playing could be heard from the next room.

Since toddlers could be noisy, they had only met the guests briefly before Jiaying took them away to play. They even ate in a separate room to avoid any disturbance.

Hearing Josh bring up children, Amberson and Mary didn’t seem too bothered. They had been married for almost two years, but hadn't had any children yet.

Linus and Elizabeth, however, looked a little uncomfortable. Although they were considered a couple, they hadn't been together very long. Their families had introduced them through business connections, essentially setting them up through an arranged meeting.

Fortunately, they seemed to get along well enough. The only problem was that Linus was a bit slow when it came to relationships—nothing like the sharp businessman he was in the corporate world. This was a constant source of frustration to John Leibler.

He had already given up on his younger son, David. Linus was supposed to be the family's hope, but he just didn't seem to understand women.

So Josh’s mention of marriage wasn’t just casual talk—it was a bit of a push in the right direction.

Over the years of working with the Leibler family, Josh had developed a good impression of Linus.

Chapter 205: Promise of Empress Position (2)

"Good. I admire your honesty. When I regain my true form and unite the world, I will grant you the title of Empress. What do you say?" The Dragon Emperor looked at Cai Lin. Earlier, he had been too preoccupied with his resurrection and his clay body's lack of sensation to notice.

Now that he looked carefully, Cai Lin’s beauty and figure were truly exceptional—far surpassing Ziyuan.

It might not be a bad idea to have such an empress. He had never officially named an Empress during his reign, so this would be a convenient arrangement.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generosity... But we must act quickly. The little sorceress is dead, and Ziyuan will surely notice. We should move at once!" Cai Lin smiled in satisfaction at his promise and handed him the Eye of Shangri-La, which had transformed into a massive diamond. Although it had lost the nourishment of the Pool of Eternal Life, it still contained a great amount of magic, making it a valuable artifact. It would provide the Dragon Emperor with much-needed energy in his current state.

With their agreement in place, Cai Lin immediately boarded a plane with the Dragon Emperor and flew to the Himalayas.

Except for the pilot and two super soldiers, they brought no one else with them.

The entrance to Shangri-La was near the top of the mountain, an extremely harsh environment. At this time in history, there was no official record of anyone reaching the summit except for the guardians who had protected it for generations.

Under such conditions, bringing too many soldiers would only slow them down.

Instead, with only three super soldiers and the Dragon Emperor, they would travel light and move as fast as possible.

The Dragon Emperor's tomb was over 2,000 kilometers from Shangri-La, just within the one-way range of the DC-3 transport plane Josh had provided for Cai Lin. As for refueling for the return trip, Cai Lin had the trading system, so there was no need to worry. They could leave immediately without any problems.

However, such a long trip would take over ten hours at the speed of the DC-3, which would make for a rather boring trip.

Cai Lin didn't mind keeping the system's communications open and streaming the entire trip for Josh, but Josh had no interest in watching. He would much rather go home and sleep with his soft, fragrant wife than stare at a walking terracotta soldier for hours on end.

Besides, once they reached the Himalayas, it wouldn't be easy to climb to the top. Even if the Dragon Emperor and the three Super Soldiers were tireless, it would still take more than a day to reach the top.

So Josh told Cai Lin to contact him again when she arrived at Shangri-La. Then he ended the call and left work.

After almost two hours of watching the stream, night had fallen outside.

As he stepped out, Vito immediately appeared at his side.

As Josh's personal bodyguard, Vito was also registered with the CIA and had his own workplace—directly across from Josh's office. From there, he could monitor all activity outside Josh's door, making it easier to ensure his safety.

The moment Josh stepped outside, Vito was right there with him.

The CIA office was still bustling with employees—unlike other government agencies, intelligence work didn’t follow a strict clock-in, clock-out schedule. Even the Chicago office operated the same way.

When Josh left for the day, many field agents greeted him, some even joking about how rare it was for their "God of Wealth" to work overtime.

Josh had a free hand within the CIA, not only because he had created the agency and staffed it with his own people, but more importantly, because he controlled the agency's entire budget.

Every CIA officer knew that without him, the Agency would struggle financially. Funding from the White House alone would never be enough for the CIA's growing operations, and they would be left scraping by.

In the original timeline, the CIA had suffered exactly that fate in its early years, lacking proper funding and having to generate its own revenue. This had led to its transformation into a global crime syndicate, supporting warlords in Central and South America, Asia, and Africa, as well as trafficking in arms, drugs, and other illicit goods.

If ever there was a real-world "largest criminal organization," it was undoubtedly the CIA.

So-called "warlords" and "drug kingpins" were merely the CIA's leftovers.

But in this world, Josh refused to let the CIA under his control stoop to drug trafficking.

Not only was it unnecessary, it would be disgraceful.

So he made sure the Agency had generous benefits.

For any new CIA recruit, knowing the director’s name was optional—but knowing the Directorate of Administration was mandatory.

"Hmm? We have guests?"

Arriving at his estate, Josh immediately noticed two unfamiliar cars parked outside and turned to Vito.

"Uh... Sorry, boss, but I wasn't informed either," Vito admitted, slightly surprised. Normally, Francesca would notify him first if there were visitors, and he would relay the message to Josh, who would then decide if he wanted to receive them. Given Josh’s status, not just anyone could meet him—most required appointments.

Since Vito hadn't been notified, the guests probably weren't here for Josh.

And in this house, if they weren't visiting him, then they could only be...

Sure enough, when he entered the drawing room, he found Margaret talking to four guests.

Josh recognized two of them. One was Linus Leibler, his children's godfather and heir to the Leibler family fortune. The other was Linus's girlfriend, Elizabeth Tyson, daughter of a prominent southern plantation owner.

The other two were unfamiliar.

"Josh, you're back!" Margaret greeted cheerfully. "Let me introduce you. This is Mary Yellen—oh, I mean, Mary Osborn now. She's my high school classmate. And this is her husband, Amberson Osborn!"

Then she excitedly added, "You won't believe this, but Amberson and Linus were college classmates! What a small world!"

Josh raised an eyebrow.

Osborn?

Could it be that Osborn?

Chapter 204: Promise of Empress Position (1)

"What year is it today?" The newly awakened Dragon Emperor glanced at Cai Lin and her subordinates, pausing at the captured Lin for a moment before turning his gaze back to Cai Lin and asking her the question.

Although he had just awakened, his sharp eyes could immediately tell that Cai Lin was the one in charge. The Shangri-La Eye in her hand, now transformed into a large diamond, further confirmed that she was the one who had revived him.

"Your Majesty, the year is now 1927. It has been 2,137 years since Your Majesty fell asleep," Cai Lin replied respectfully.

The Dragon Emperor had fallen asleep in 210 BC.

"Who are you, and why have you awakened me?" the Dragon Emperor asked again.

"I am the head of the Cai Clan of the Han Empire. For nearly a century, the Han Empire has been in decline, suffering from repeated foreign invasions. To restore our nation's strength and regain our former glory, we need a true leader. For this purpose, I, along with my fifty thousand soldiers, pledge loyalty to Your Majesty!" Cai Lin declared without hesitation, making her allegiance clear. However, she did not immediately reveal her true intentions.

Since she was surrounded by her troops, she had to speak in a manner appropriate to the occasion. Any further requests could be discussed privately later.

"Han?" The Dragon Emperor frowned in confusion.

"After Your Majesty fell asleep, countless dynasties rose and fell. Among them, the Han were the most prominent, and the people began to identify themselves as Han. But now that Your Majesty has returned, it is time for Han to become Qin again," Cai Lin explained.

"Good, good, good! However, conquering the world will not be easy. My current form is weak, and my powers are limited—I cannot awaken my army of one million Qin soldiers," the Dragon Emperor stated directly, seeing through Cai Lin’s intentions but choosing not to question them further.

"Do not worry, Your Majesty. I have already made preparations. But this is not the place for such discussions. May I invite Your Majesty to a more suitable place? By the way, this woman is the daughter of the traitor Guo Ming and the vile sorceress Ziyuan. Why not sacrifice her to heaven to celebrate Your Majesty's return?" Cai Lin suggested with a sly smile, pointing at Lin.

"Oh? Hahaha! No wonder this girl's face resembles that of the traitor Guo Ming and that wretched woman Ziyuan! So she is their daughter... Very well! Let her be sacrificed!" The Dragon Emperor burst out laughing upon learning Lin's identity.

Had he been in his original body, he would not have hesitated to deal with her himself. However, in his current weakened form, he saw no problem in letting Cai Lin handle it.

Following Cai Lin's orders, the female lead of the original movie, Lin, was dragged out of the underground tomb by the soldiers.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, she was executed with a guillotine—one that Cai Lin had mysteriously acquired. At the exact moment the blade fell, far away in Shangri-La, Ziyuan, who was meditating, felt a sudden jolt of unease. She tried to divine what had happened, but found that she could see nothing.

With the resurrection of the Dragon Emperor, the fate of this world had already been thrown into complete chaos.

"Now that we're alone, let's talk about your true intentions," the Dragon Emperor said once the military tent was empty, leaving only himself and Cai Lin inside.

"It's very simple. Whatever Your Majesty desires is also what I desire—power, authority, and immortality!" Cai Lin said boldly, making no attempt to hide her ambition.

There was no point in lying to a ruler as formidable as the Dragon Emperor.

But as long as she could prove her worth, he would grant her everything she desired.

"Excellent! I appreciate ambitious people. But tell me, how are you going to prove your worth? Reviving me and offering fifty thousand soldiers is not enough," the Dragon Emperor replied, pleased rather than angered by her audacity.

"I understand, Your Majesty. But my true advantage is not just that—I have something far more valuable," Cai Lin replied.

Unlike others who might choose to keep such a thing a secret, she decided to reveal everything to the Dragon Emperor.

She told him about the existence of the Dimensional Trading System.

"A mysterious device that allows transactions between different worlds... Fascinating!" The Dragon Emperor was astonished by its capabilities.

"Aren't you afraid that I might just kill you and take this device for myself?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"The Dimensional Trading System chooses its host at random. I believe that Your Majesty, in all your wisdom, would not make the mistake of destroying the only link to such a powerful tool. With Your Majesty's strength and my trading system, conquering the world, even the universe, is only a matter of time. Does it really matter who owns the device?" Cai Lin smiled charmingly as she spoke.

She then told the Dragon Emperor what Josh had told her about Imhotep and the Egyptian Pantheon, making him realize that the supernatural powers in this world were not limited to the Han Empire.

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Emperor fell into deep thought.

If what Cai Lin said was true—that the Dimensional Trading System chose its owner at random—then killing someone to seize it would be pointless. Not only would he lose a powerful ally, but if the beacon ended up in the hands of another extraordinary being, even if he fully revived and awakened his million-strong undead army, his rule might still be unstable.

Although the Dragon Emperor was confident, he did not consider himself invincible. His Immortality was far from perfect, and he was well aware of that.

Cai Lin's mention of the Egyptian Pantheon made him even more cautious.

If the so-called "barbarians" had gods, then the gods of the Qin might also exist. The Dragon Emperor had never believed in Taoism or Buddhism—those did not exist in his time. At that time, only the gods of Qin were worshipped.

Much like the different schools of thought in the pre-Qin era, different states had their own beliefs.

For example, the supreme deity of Chu was Donghuang Taiyi.

Qi worshipped the Eight Divine Lords.

The belief in dragons came from Wu and Yue.

As for Qin, they revered the Four Emperors—Azure, White, Flame, and Yellow.

The theory of yin-yang and the five elements came from the Three Yi, not just from Taoism.

The Three Yi consisted of Lianshan from the Xia Dynasty, Guicang from the Shang Dynasty, and the Book of Changes from the Zhou Dynasty.

In other worlds, the first two were lost, but in this supernatural realm, they still existed—whether in Ziyuan’s possession or within the Dragon Emperor’s tomb.

Many ancient texts were not just historical records, but contained real, learnable spells.

The Dragon Emperor himself became an extraordinary being by mastering the Five Elements. His transformation was further enhanced by the Western Curse cast by Ziyuan. Unlike traditional Chinese magic, this curse originated from the Cheshi tribe of the western region (historically located in Turpan during the Qin-Han period). The secrets of Shangri-La were also discovered by Ziyuan in this region. (Tl/N: All this is pure insert, there was nothing like this in the og)

The Central Plains had been in contact with the Western regions long before the Han Dynasty—dating back to the Zhou era. The presence of golden camel figurines in the tomb of the First Emperor was proof that Qin had already interacted with the West.

However, the wars at the end of the Qin dynasty caused this history to be lost.

From all perspectives, the Dragon Emperor concluded that killing Cai Lin was not an option. Rather, he had to protect her. Torturing her for information was pointless—if the trading system could exchange life itself, then restricting the system's owner was nearly impossible.

Rather than risk the system falling into the hands of a hidden enemy, it was better to let Cai Lin keep it and make her his vassal. While he regretted not controlling the trading system himself, as long as Cai Lin was on his side, it was still acceptable.

But to ensure a stronger partnership, their relationship had to become even closer.

Chapter 203: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (3)

Cai Lin was ambitious, but also realistic about her own abilities. With Josh's help and some clever strategies, she had built a strong foundation in a short time.

But ruling the entire Han Empire—or even conquering the world—was beyond what she, along with a few super soldiers, could accomplish.

After all, she wasn’t living in a medieval fantasy like Game of Thrones—this was the modern age, where nationalism was awakening.

Even if she managed to take over the world, she would spend the rest of her life dealing with endless rebellions.

She had no desire to live that way.

But if someone powerful enough could handle these struggles for her, things would be much easier.

And the Dragon Emperor was the perfect candidate.

Especially now, with the Dimensional Trading System, she was no longer interested in the ordinary people of this world.

The Dragon Emperor had supernatural power, and she had the Dimensional Trading System.

In her eyes, they were a perfect match.

Josh was well aware of Cai Lin's thoughts, but he decided not to comment.

After all, everyone had their own path to follow, and he had no reason to interfere.

As long as he got what he wanted in the end, nothing else mattered.

Soon, the conversation ended. Cai Lin left the room and began gathering her people to prepare for the journey into the tomb.

The real Tomb of the Dragon Emperor was much larger than the one shown in the movie. It took over half an hour to reach the main burial chamber, and along the way Josh saw many corpses—some fresh, clearly Cai Lin's men, and others just skeletons, long dead, probably past tomb raiders who had fallen victim to the traps.

Deep inside the tomb, Josh finally saw the bronze carriage carrying the Emperor's mummified body, just as in the movie.

Just as Cai Lin took out the Eye of Shangri-La and walked towards the bronze carriage, a figure stealthily emerged from the shadows, avoiding the sight of the surrounding guards and sneaked up behind Cai Lin.

"Haha, I've been waiting for you for a long time!" Just as the other person was about to make a attack, Cai Lin suddenly turned around and smiled sweetly at the corner where the other person was.

The lurker could not help but be alarmed by this and immediately started to retreat, but behind the attacker were two figures blocking her path, the two super soldiers under Cai Lin's command.

It turned out that Cai Lin had indeed discovered the other party's presence a long time ago, but the terrain in the underground palace and the imperial tombs was complex, and the other party's ability to lurk was also very strong. Once the grass was disturbed, it was not easy to keep the other party in this complex environment. (Tl/N: This sentence means that once something or someone (referred to as "the grass") was disturbed or exposed, it became difficult to keep the opposing party (the other side) contained or under control in a complicated or challenging environment. It suggests that once a situation is disrupted, maintaining control becomes harder.)

Therefore, she waited until the intruder had entered the last chamber with only one exit. Only then did she strike, ordering her two trusted Super Soldiers to cut off any chance of escape.

If her guess was correct, this intruder belonged to the Guardian Josh had mentioned.

The infiltrator realized that she couldn't stop Cai Lin from taking the Dragon Emperor's mummified body today, so she tried to flee.

However, she had underestimated the strength of the super soldiers.

Cai Lin's two warriors had been with her family for over a decade, loyal protectors trained in battle. Now enhanced with Super Soldier bodies, they overwhelmed the intruder in an instant.

In less than ten moves, they subdued her.

They tore off her mask, revealing a young, delicate face.

"Well, well... If I'm not mistaken, your name is Lin, right? The daughter of Guo Ming, the disgraced general, and the so-called Demoness Zi Yuan." Cai Lin gently touched Guo Lin's face and smiled.

"Ptui! You're the demon! Your entire family is full of demons!" Lin spat angrily at the insult to her mother.

Cai Lin easily dodged and chuckled. "Such a sharp tongue. As soon as I resurrect the Dragon Emperor, I'll give you to him as a gift. I'm sure he'll be very pleased."

"Break the statue for me! But be careful, there's a terracotta warrior inside. Don't damage it!" Cai Lin turned away from Lin and ordered her soldiers to smash the bronze statue on the carriage.

Everyone, including Lin, was confused.

Instead of opening the mummified body, she was smashing a statue?

But when the bronze shell shattered, revealing an unusual-looking terracotta warrior, Lin suddenly understood.

The body inside the mummified was fake. This terracotta warrior was the real Dragon Emperor.

When the Han Empire fell, the Emperor's successors had hidden the truth to protect his fossilized body from being destroyed.

This secret had been so well kept that even the Guardians, led by Zi Yuan, only knew the general location of the tomb, not the details.

Without Josh's knowledge, Cai Lin wouldn't have known either.

The reason for breaking the outer shell was to avoid wasting the limited water from the Eye of Shangri-La.

In the movie, the Elixir contained in the Eye was accidentally spilled on the Dragon Emperor, but because of the bronze shell, much of it was lost.

Therefore, his resurrection was incomplete.

Now that the true terracotta body was revealed, Cai Lin took out a vial of blood and dropped a few drops on the Eye of Shangri-La.

The blood was Peggy Carter's.

In the movie, Evelyn translated the inscriptions, which said that only the blood of a pure-hearted person could unlock the Eye. So they used Evelyn's blood.

But Josh thought that was ridiculous. Looking at all three Mummy movies, Evelyn wasn’t particularly pure—just stubborn.

If sacrifice for a loved one counted as purity, then Josh thought Peggy Carter was far more qualified.

As expected, when Peggy's blood touched the Eye of Shangri-La, the seal immediately broke. A glowing light erupted, and the artifact opened like a blooming lotus, revealing a small amount of the elixir from the Pool of Eternaal Life inside.

Without hesitation, Cai Lin poured the elixir onto the terracotta warrior.

As the liquid seeped in, the Dragon Emperor's body began to move.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty," Cai Lin said with a satisfied smile as she bowed slightly.

"Welcome, Your Majesty!" her soldiers chanted in unison.

Kneel? No way! There was no such thing as kneeling rituals in the Han Dynasty! Sitting respectfully and kneeling were two completely different concepts!

Chapter 202: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2)

At this moment, it had only been a little more than half a year since both sides had established interdimensional trade. In Josh's world, it was the end of 1947, while in the Universe of 'The Mummy', the timeline had reached the second half of 1927.

In Josh's estimation, during that period of time, Cai Lin, being a woman, would not be able to accomplish her goals so quickly, even with his assistance in providing various military supplies.

But things went more smoothly than he expected.

Perhaps because she was the eldest sister in her family, Cai Lin showed a level of maturity far beyond what Josh had imagined.

Her father's former subordinates had been struggling due to political pressure from other warlords and authorities. Their situation was far from ideal.

So when Cai Lin rallied them in her younger brother's name, luring them with military supplies, she easily managed to gather a loyal force.

She then used the profits from selling canned dinosaur meat to purchase large amounts of grain, which allowed her to recruit more soldiers. In no time, her army grew to over 50,000 men, thanks largely to the abundance of dinosaur meat for which Josh had no other market. With his help, the meat could feed not only 50,000 soldiers, but 500,000 for several months.

In addition, she used Josh's three Super Soldier Serums to strengthen herself and two trusted family members. Through a combination of incentives and intimidation, she quickly gained full control of the military once basic training was complete.

Seizing an opportunity created by tensions between the Nanjing and Jiangcheng governments, she pledged allegiance to Jiangcheng. While the Sichuan warlords Yang Sen and Liu Xiang were preoccupied with military campaigns, she launched an invasion and quickly took over Sichuan before they could react, thanks to the overwhelming power of super soldiers and World War II-era American weaponry. (TL/N: Nanjing, Jiangcheng, etc. are names of places in China, so their names will remain in Chinese.)

Next, she allied herself with Zhang of the Fengtian clique. Before Feng in the northwest could respond, she launched a two-pronged attack and seized control of the Three Qin region.

In less than a year, she rose from nothing to become the feared Northwest King of the Cai Lin clique, shocking every faction in the Han Empire. (TL/N: To understand what a clique is, you can read this thread, as it's too much to explain in this chapter: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/zo8da/what_on_earth_was_a_clique_during_the_chinese/)

The governments of Nanjing and Jiangcheng, still basking in the partial victory of the Northern Expedition and already embroiled in political infighting, were completely stunned.

The combined strength of the Cai Lin clique, which controlled Yunnan, Sichuan, and Shaanxi, and the Zhang clique, which dominated Zhili and Fengtian, was far greater than theirs.

Even British and French military observers were alarmed by Cai Lin's firepower, not to mention the outdated warlords of the Han Empire who still relied on bolt-action rifles.

However, contrary to expectations, the Cai Lin clique didn't expand after consolidating their power. Instead, they shifted to a defensive position, focusing on developing infrastructure in the regions they controlled while searching for the Tomb of the Dragon Emperor's and the Eye of Shangri-La.

"Yes, half a month ago, my people stole the Eye of Shangri-La from the old Shanghai Museum. Now we're just waiting to open the tomb," Cai Lin nodded.

This 'Shanghai Museum' wasn't the modern one, but the old version from 1934.

In the Mummy movie, the Eye of Shangri-La was said to have been smuggled out of the Han Empire in 1940, but in reality, it had been stolen by the British military during their retreat from the Shanghai International Settlement.

Before that, it had been hidden in the old Shanghai Museum.

When Cai Lin discovered its whereabouts, she sent a super soldier to steal it.

"How's the excavation of the tomb going?" Josh asked.

"My people just found the main burial chamber. I was about to go down there, but I thought at such a crucial moment, you should be involved too, Mr. kahn!" Cai Lin explained.

The Dimensional Trading System was only visible to its user, which meant that no one else could hear Josh's conversations.

That was why Josh always chose to communicate in private—to avoid looking like a madman talking to thin air.

Others couldn't see his trading partners, but they could hear what he was saying.

However, as long as he remained silent, they wouldn't notice anything.

This allowed Cai Lin to livestream events for Josh without anyone knowing.

Hearing her words, Josh was intrigued. He wanted to see if the Dragon Emperor really resembled the martial arts legend from his past life.

The Dragon Emperor's resurrection was also crucial to his chances of obtaining the Pool of Eternal Life.

Some might think that finding Shangri-La and taking the Pool of Eternal Life was as simple as raiding it.

But they overlooked one key character—Zi Yuan.

In the movie, Zi Yuan's presence wasn't very noticeable, overshadowed by the O'Connell family.

But upon closer observation, it was clear that she was the real mastermind.

She single-handedly cursed the Dragon Emperor and his army of millions, burying an entire imperial city in the process. Her magical abilities probably surpassed even Imhotep's.

After the Dragon Emperor was resurrected, she raised a million undead warriors from beneath the Great Wall to fight his Terracotta Army.

With such a powerful guardian protecting Shangri-La, Cai Lin—despite Josh's support—stood no chance. Even if Josh personally led all the forces of his world, he might not survive the battle.

Only the supernatural could fight the supernatural... which made the resurrection of the Dragon Emperor essential.

As long as he didn't destroy the entire Pool of Eternal Life like in the movie, everything would be fine.

Besides, resurrecting the Dragon Emperor was crucial for Cai Lin.

Chapter 201: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (1)

"It's her!" Josh quickly checked the information Peggy Carter had sent over, and when he saw the name "Mar-Vell," he immediately understood.

The original Captain Marvel from the comics, the mentor to Carol Danvers in the movies.

Reading through Carter's report and the details of their conversation, Josh quickly realized that Mar-Vell had not yet become involved with the Skrulls, nor had she reached the point of betraying the Kree Starforce.

After all, Mar-Vell had helped those Skrull refugees escape to Earth, later going into hiding and becoming the head of Project Pegasus. That happened in the 1980s—at least thirty to forty years from now.

And judging by her attitude, she had no idea how dangerous Earth really was.

"Boss, don’t tell me you even know aliens?" Ophelia, who had come to deliver some documents, couldn't help but ask with a strange expression on her face as she looked at Josh's expression.

All she could say was that her boss had way too many secrets. And judging by his reaction, he wasn't even surprised by the arrival of an alien—nor the powerful civilization she might belong to.

"What's so strange about aliens? One day we might even meet gods," Josh said casually.

Ophelia's eyes widened at his words. Gods? Could it be...

"Don't make that face. Whatever Hydra worships doesn't deserve to be called a god. To be honest, that so-called God they believe in? It's actually just a failed bioweapon created by the Kree Empire," Josh added with a grin, watching her expression twist in shock.

And when she heard Josh's words, Ophelia felt her mind go blank for a moment.

She had never been particularly loyal to Hydra, nor was she entirely convinced of their so-called god.

But hearing Josh say that Hydra's God was nothing more than a failed Kree experiment still shook her to the core.

And looking at Josh, who seemed to be completely serious, Ophelia couldn't help but believe him—at least 80% of it.

After all, Josh had never lied to her since she had become his subordinate. And in this case, he had no reason to.

She wondered how the old men in the Council would react to this information... probably with outright denial.

"So what do we do about Mar-Vell?" Ophelia asked after a moment.

"Do? Nothing. She seems to like Carter, so let Carter entertain her. Think of it as a political assignment. All expenses go on the official account." Josh waved his hand dismissively, signing off on the approval and handing it to Ophelia.

Hmm... although for some reason, looking at the photos of Carter and Mar-Vell in the report, there seemed to be a hint of... chemistry.

Tsk... Could Mar-Vell be Cap's true rival in love?

"Boss, you really treat Carter well..." Ophelia heard Josh's command and couldn't help but feel jealous.

Sending Carter to accompany an alien was basically an all-expenses-paid vacation.

Meanwhile, she was stuck handling the affairs of several agencies, working herself to death. She couldn't help but feel jealous.

"Hah, how about I let you switch with Carter?" Josh asked with a fake smile.

"Uh... no thanks. I love my job. Working 24/7 is my blessing!" Ophelia straightened up immediately and replied energetically.

"Yeah, yeah. Now get back to work," Josh rolled his eyes and gave her a playful pat before shooing her away.

Ophelia just chuckled and left the office.

Her complaints were only half-serious anyway. Josh gave her so much responsibility because he really trusted her. If it were Carter, well... Carter might like it, but Josh certainly wouldn't.

And Ophelia knew that very well.

Besides, she had already used the advanced super-soldier serum from Josh’s secret lab—the safe, side-effect-free kind. She didn't need to take crazy risks like Carter did just to have a slim chance of success.

So a little extra work didn't bother her at all.

After Ophelia left, Josh decided to call it a day.

It was only three in the afternoon, but hey, he was the boss. Who was going to stop him?

Just as he was about to leave, a familiar feeling struck him—someone was contacting him through the system.

Josh locked the office door and sat back in his chair.

He opened the communication channel, and a dusty, battle-worn Cai Lin from the Mummy universe appeared on the system screen.

"Mr. Kahn, I’ve found the Tomb of the Dragon Emperor!" Cai Lin, dressed in full battle gear and looking a little dusty, said rather excitedly.

"Oh? You're faster than I expected. Does that mean you've found the Eye of Shangri-La as well?" Josh's eyes lit up. 

Chapter 200: Captain Carter and Mar-Vell (2)

"Mar-Vell," she replied without hesitation, shaking Carter's hand. She had no reason to hide her name—after all, she hadn’t betrayed the Kree yet.

As they shook hands, Mar-Vell instinctively applied a bit of pressure.

"Sounds like a boy's name," Carter remarked with a smile, feeling the strength in Mar-Vell's grip and responding in kind.

Who said only men competed in strength?

Strong-willed women like Carter and Mar-Vell were just as likely to do so.

After a brief test of strength, they quickly realized that neither had the upper hand.

The Kree were naturally stronger than humans, and while Carter was a rare super-soldier, the Kree Empire had been using genetic enhancement for years.

Though not as effective as the Super Soldier Serum, elite warriors like Mar-Vell were not far behind.

Without it, the Kree would not have been able to dominate a brutal galaxy for so long.

"It's a boy's name. My father always wanted a son," Mar-Vell shrugged nonchalantly.

The Kree were a warrior race, and like most species, their males were generally stronger than their females.

So even in the ancient and advanced Kree Empire, sons were still preferred over daughters.

"Hmm, I get it. I've been through something similar. But this isn't the best place to talk about it. How about a drink?" Carter offered.

"That sounds great!"

As a future "Kree traitor", Mar-Vell was naturally curious and outgoing, unlike the usual cold, ruthless Kree warriors.

Had it been any other Kree soldier, the streets of the city might have been drenched in blood by now.

But faced with a warrior like Carter—someone she could respect, Mar-Vell had no reason to refuse.

"Cheers!"

About ten minutes later, the two women were sitting in a local bar, clinking their large glasses of tequila together before downing them in one gulp.

If there was one thing New Mexico had in abundance, it was bars.

However, this particular bar had been cleared of civilians by the CIA before Carter and Mar-Vell arrived. Aside from the bartender, they were the only ones present.

And right now, that bartender was absolutely terrified.

Tequila, a strong liquor with over 40% alcohol content, was usually consumed in small shot glasses with salt and lime.

But these two women were chugging it out of beer mugs as if it were nothing more than light beer.

At first, the bartender worried that they might die of alcohol poisoning right in his bar.

But he soon realized that the situation was beyond his comprehension.

They had already finished several bottles of tequila, yet neither of them showed any signs of intoxication. No flushed faces, no shortness of breath—nothing.

It was as if they had been drinking water.

Doubting his own sanity, the bartender picked up one of the empty bottles and took a sip of the remaining liquor.

No doubt about it—it was definitely tequila.

Damn... these two aren't even human, are they?

His gaze toward Carter and Mar-Vell became increasingly strange.

And in a way, he wasn't wrong.

Both of them had bodies that had surpassed normal human limits.

The super-soldier serum and the Kree genetic enhancements both greatly accelerated their metabolism, making it extremely difficult for them to get drunk.

Even Dr. Erskine had once discussed this with Captain America.

But Carter and Mar-Vell paid no attention to the bartender's reaction.

Though they had just met and were not even of the same species, their conversation quickly revealed that they had much in common.

It was one of those rare moments when two people just clicked.

"Mar-Vell, you're not from Earth, are you?"

After a few rounds, Carter casually toyed with a coin in her fingers, finally bringing the conversation to the real issue at hand.

"This coin—does it come from your planet?"

It was the same coin she had taken from the fruit vendor.

Unlike the vendor, Carter's trained instincts had immediately sensed that this "coin" was unusual.

It was extremely light yet incredibly strong—not quite Vibranium-level, but definitely tougher than any Earth metal she had ever seen.

"No, this is not our official currency. The Kree Empire abandoned physical money a long time ago. We have an official credit system. This is a galactic trade currency—we only carry it during field missions for use in primitive civilizations. But since our supply lines are always well stocked, we rarely need to use it. If you wish, I can give you more."

Mar-Vell spoke without concern, casually revealing information about the wider universe.

After all, she had no reason to hide her identity.

She didn’t believe this planet’s inhabitants could pose any threat to her—not even the powerful woman sitting across from her.

After all, there was more to combat than raw physical strength. Equipment played an important role.

And in that regard, Mar-Vell had absolute faith in Kree technology.

"Oh? That sounds fascinating. Can you tell me more about the universe?"

Carter's heart was pounding, but she kept her expression perfectly composed.

Mar-Vell chuckled. "Sweetheart, I know you work for the government of your planet, but let me give you some advice—learning too much about the wider universe is not necessarily a good thing for a species that hasn't even reached Type I civilization."

She playfully draped an arm over Carter's shoulder as if they were old friends.

"Still, you don't have to worry too much. Your planet is in the farthest reaches of our Empire's territory. Other civilizations would find it difficult to reach this place. And according to our official records, Earth is just a backwater world. Since I like you, I won't bother reporting the progress of your civilization.

Mar-Vell genuinely appreciated Carter's personality, and she was willing to do her a small favor by keeping Earth off the Kree radar.

After all, from the Empire's point of view, Earth wasn't even worth the trouble. It hadn't reached Type I civilization status, and it lacked valuable resources.

"Your Empire... is it strong?" Carter asked.

"Of course it is! We are the strongest in the entire galaxy. At least a third of the Milky Way belongs to the Kree Empire!"

Mar-Vell declared proudly.

A third of the galaxy?

Carter's face remained calm, but inside her mind was in turmoil.

She had always been a determined, independent thinker. But this situation... this was far beyond her authority.

The fate of Earth's civilization could very well be at stake.

I must report this to Josh.

The first face that came to her mind was Josh's.

Chapter 199: Captain Carter and Mar-Vell (1)

"Thank you for your purchase, that will be two dollars!" The street fruit vendor handed Mar-Vell a bag of fresh cashews as he told her the price.

These cashews were not the dried nuts commonly found in supermarkets or grocery stores. Those are actually the seeds that grow on top of real cashew fruits.

Here, however, the cashews were fresh and whole, resembling wax apples in appearance. The flesh was juicy and smooth, with a flavor somewhat similar to pineapple—sweet and refreshing.

Because fresh cashews spoil quickly, they are mostly found in tropical regions where they grow. In most places, people can only eat the dried nut version.

In the U.S., fresh cashews are rarely seen except in some southern states like New Mexico.

After tasting one, Mar-Vell took an instant liking to the fruit.

However, she apparently had no U.S. dollars.

Of course, with her skills, it would be easy to get some money. But as a proud warrior of the Kree Starforce, the idea of stealing was beneath her. Instead, she handed the vendor a small metal ingot.

It was a unit of universal galactic currency—a Star Credit.

That small piece alone was worth 1,000 Star Credits.

Although Earth had never engaged in trade with extraterrestrial civilizations, it was possible to estimate its value using staple goods as a reference.

Roughly speaking, 1,000 Star Credits could be equivalent to about 10,000 U.S. dollars in this era—possibly even more, considering how much a small spaceship could be bought for with just a few hundred thousand credits.

For comparison, a Mirage III fighter jet cost several million dollars in 1970, and the U.S. dollar had even more purchasing power at this time.

However, Mar-Vell overlooked one important detail—Earth had not yet integrated with the wider galactic economy. No one here had ever seen a star credit, nor did they recognize its value, even if it was made of rare and precious metals.

So the merchant was completely baffled.

"What is this?" he asked, shaking the small piece of metal in his hand.

"It's money! That's a thousand dollars - enough to buy your entire stall!" Mar-Vell replied, munching on her juicy cashew fruit.

"Oh, honey, that's not funny. Judging by your outfit, you must be a foreigner. If you don't have any dollars, I'll take pounds, francs, liras, pesetas, or even escudos. But don't try to trick me with a piece of junk," the vendor said helplessly.

"This is not junk, this is a Star Credit!" Mar-Vell insisted.

"Hey, girl, are you messing with me?" The vendor's patience snapped, and he rolled up his sleeves in obvious anger.

Two dollars was no small sum for a small businessman like him.

Seeing this, Mar-Vell became annoyed as well. One thousand Star Credits was a full day's salary for her—enough to enjoy a luxurious meal at the finest restaurant in Hala, the Kree Empire’s capital.

As a high-ranking member of the StarForce, Mar-Vell earned one of the highest salaries in the Empire.

Were it not for the fact that Starforce covered all of her living expenses, she would not have casually handed over 1,000 credits for a piece of fruit.

However, having spent most of her life in the military, she was somewhat lacking in social awareness, which led to this awkward situation.

And now a native of this primitive planet dared to roll up his sleeves at her? Mar-Vell was furious and ready to teach him a lesson.

But just as tensions were about to escalate, a firm female voice cut through the air.

At the same time, a large, elegant hand placed a five-dollar bill in front of the vendor.

"I'll pay for it. Keep the change as a tip," the newcomer said.

Mar-Vell was surprised.

When did this person get so close to me?

She turned to look--

Tall. Strong.

That was her first impression.

Although the technology of the Kree Empire was far more advanced than Earth's, the physical differences between ordinary humans weren't that great.

Kree males averaged between 1.8 to 2.0 meters in height—slightly taller than Earthlings.

Kree females were similar, with an average height of about 1.7 meters.

As a member of the Starforce, Mar-Vell stood at 5'8", a fairly standard height.

But the Earth woman standing before her was over six feet tall and looked even more robust than she was. Beneath her seemingly ordinary outfit—a women's suit—was a body packed with explosive strength.

Mar-Vell, trained as a warrior, could see that at a glance.

And the woman's broad chest made Mar-Vell, despite being an alien, feel a slight sense of inferiority—after all, Kree culture also admired larger physiques.

Fortunately, as a Starforce soldier, Mar-Vell had a strong mind and quickly regained her composure.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Peggy Carter. You can just call me Peggy," the woman introduced herself, extending her hand.

Indeed, the newcomer was none other than Peggy Carter, who had been sent to Roswell by Josh to investigate the UFO crash.

After arriving with her CIA team, Carter's investigation of the crash site yielded results similar to the military’s—charred bodies and scattered metal fragments.

Aside from confirming to the government the existence of aliens, there wasn't much else of value.

Well, not completely worthless. The structure and composition of those metal fragments were of some scientific interest. While vibranium was shared among the world's nations, its limited supply meant that conventional metal research was still of great value.

Unlike the military investigators, who focused solely on the crash site and surrounding areas, Carter worked with the FBI and local police to expand the search to the surrounding towns and cities.

It wasn't long before Mar-Vell's unusual clothing caught their attention.

And so, this confrontation unfolded.

As for why a Kree Starforce warrior like Mar-Vell wasn't more cautious and didn't realize she was being followed, it was simple.

It wasn't that she lacked vigilance. From the moment she entered the city, she was the center of attention.

Being alert or not made little difference.

Besides, she didn't believe that this relatively primitive civilization could pose a threat to her.

At least not until Peggy Carter showed up.

Chapter 198: The Roswell Incident

Josh did not turn down the Army's Rebirth Soldier Project.

After all, the project didn't cost the CIA anything—just two super soldier corpses. Plus, it earned him a favor from the military, so why not?

As for whether the bodies would go rogue like in the movies, he wasn't worried. With his resources, he had nothing to worry about. And if anything went wrong, it would be the military's problem, not his.

Sure enough, within half a month, it was time for the military to return the favor.

"Josh, take a look at this case the president just signed!" One afternoon, Fletcher, the director, visited Josh at his home to "report" on work.

Although Josh effectively controlled the CIA from behind the scenes, he did so mainly to gain another source of information and to make things more convenient. He didn't want to sit in an office all day. Going in once every three days was a stretch.

Going to work felt like going to a funeral, and sitting in an office felt like being in prison. Why should Josh put himself through that every day?

Besides, the entire CIA was under his control from top to bottom. So what if he slacked off a little? If anything important happened, whether it was the Director, Ophelia, Carter, or any of the other department heads, they would all report to him.

Josh took the file from Fletcher and opened it. Next to the documents were several newspapers.

"The Air Force found a flying saucer in Roswell? And they even put it in the papers? Are they stupid, or is it the local government? Or is this just a prank?" Josh skimmed through the documents, speechless.

In his original timeline, the Roswell Incident had been a hot topic in the United States for decades. It referred to the alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947.

One day in 1947, the Roswell Daily Record suddenly published a report that the military had found a flying saucer in the area. (Tl/N; Still can't believe this is true)

The news was quickly picked up by the New York Times and other major newspapers, and spread worldwide through radio broadcasts. It caused a huge public uproar, but the U.S. government insisted that it was just a crashed military surveillance balloon.

Photos of alleged alien bodies and spaceship wreckage were widely circulated.

The event became one of the most famous UFO cases in history, with countless theories surrounding it.

However, the most reliable explanation came from a scientist who worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the late 1940s. In 2001, she revealed that the Roswell incident had nothing to do with aliens at all. Instead, the U.S. military had been conducting a series of secret high-altitude human experiments, including biochemical tests, medical research, and aerial experiments on human subjects.

The strange "alien" bodies found at Roswell were actually severely disabled humans used as test subjects in these experiments.

To prevent the truth from coming out, the government created an elaborate alien cover story to mislead the public.

Given the history of the U.S. military, this possibility is very likely.

However, in his past life, Josh was neither an American nor a UFO enthusiast, so he'd never heard of this incident.

Even if he had, he wouldn't take it lightly.

Maybe in his original timeline, the Roswell incident was just a cover-up for human experimentation. But in this Marvel-like world, things might be different.

"It's not a prank. Our intelligence agents have confirmed it, and the military has admitted it. It was indeed a UFO, and the bodies are real. But the explosion was so powerful that there is hardly any large debris left. Most of the bodies were burned to a crisp, making them almost worthless," Fletcher explained. "The President just wants us to go down there, do a formal investigation and write a report."

"In that case, let Captain Carter handle it. She's getting restless with all this free time," Josh nodded. New Mexico? Good thing the timing is off—if a hammer fell from the sky, that would be a real headache. He wasn't ready to deal with Asgard yet.

But if this was an alien incident, what race would it be? Kree? Skrulls? Certainly not Superman or Saiyans, right?Josh's mind began to spin.

- - -

New Mexico, Roswell.

A young woman, who looked to be in her twenties, walked down the street, curiously observing her surroundings. Her unusual presence caught the attention of passersby.

She was wearing a tight, full-body leather suit that seemed out of place for the time. While it covered her completely, it also accentuated her curves, making her stand out even more.

Fortunately, this was a white neighborhood, and in broad daylight, no one dared to cause trouble.

Of course, if someone did try, they would be the unlucky ones.

This beautiful young woman, who looked no different from an ordinary human, was actually an alien.

Her name was Mar-Vell, from Hala, a member of the Kree Starforce and a brilliant scientist.

Yes, she was the future mentor of Carol Danvers, the woman who would become Captain Marvel.

At the time, however, Mar-Vell was still young-only in her forties, which wasn't strange at all. The Kree had much longer life spans than humans, so forty-something still looked like twenty-something.

That's why even decades later, in 1989, when Captain Marvel was created, she still looked like a middle-aged woman.

Recently, she had been chasing fugitives wanted by the Kree Empire in the C-Sector of their territory. During the hunt, she had unwittingly followed them to this primitive planet, marked C-53 on the Empire's star charts.

Yes, the spaceship that crashed on a farm a few days ago—and the dead aliens—were the fugitives she had been after. She had been the one to shoot down their ship.

But these Kree refugees weren't Skrulls, just escaped slaves.

As one of the most powerful empires in the universe, the Kree had conquered and enslaved countless civilizations over the years—not just the Skrulls.

In the original story, for example, Star-Lord's adoptive father, Yondu, had once been a Kree war slave in his youth.

After eliminating the fugitives, Mar-Vell didn't leave Earth immediately.

The C-Sector was already a remote part of the Kree Empire, and Earth was on the very edge of it—practically outside their territory.

According to star charts, the last time the Kree officially visited this planet was thousands of years ago.

But after pursuing the fugitives here, Mar-Vell found that Earth had developed into a relatively advanced civilization. They even had man-made satellites.

This piqued her curiosity.

So she decided to stay and explore the planet for a while.

Chapter 197: Resurrecting Super-Soldiers (2)

Aside from Fritz’s secret stash, the Winter Soldier also smuggled out a batch of vibranium during the retreat—quite a significant amount.

Since Josh had greater control over the Winter Soldier's programming, this vibranium ended up in his hands as well.

In addition, the CIA, as the primary U.S. intelligence agency involved in the Wakanda operation, had played a crucial role in the war.

President Truman, ever the pragmatist, generously allocated the CIA a 5% share of the American vibranium haul—though that was only 5% of what the U.S. had acquired.

That number might seem small, but the U.S. military had already claimed half of the vibranium to begin with.

Then, considering the vast number of government agencies and private sector demands, the CIA getting 5% was actually a huge win.

In fact, it was enough to make FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover furious—since the FBI was only getting half of what the CIA was getting.

Truman's favoritism wasn't just because of his good relationship with Josh.

He also realized that the CIA would be a powerful tool in managing global affairs in the coming Cold War.

And, of course, Josh’s subtle hints along the way helped Truman realize that the FBI had become too powerful—and that Hoover had been in charge for too long.

From his appointment as director of the FBI's predecessor, the BOI, in 1924 to 1947, Hoover had been in power for 23 years.

This was almost unheard of in a country where government positions usually had short terms.

But dealing with Hoover was a long-term game, and Truman had plenty of patience.

With all these factors combined, Josh now had a considerable amount of Vibranium at his disposal.

At least he no longer had to struggle in his dealings with Yuri.

As for other trading partners, vibranium is completely unnecessary.

The third dimension of trade needs no explanation—the other party is just a child, about the same age as his own children, making proper communication impossible. To this day, Josh still doesn't know what kind of world this is, or even the child's name.

The fourth trade dimension, The Equilibrium, has Errol Partridge, and the fifth, the Mummy Dimension, has Cai Lin—both are broke. The huge trade imbalance has left them deep in debt, with no clear way to pay it off. Besides, they have no real use for vibranium, so there's no need to bother with them.

After sharing the vibranium with Yuri and Daenerys, Josh returned to his own world to get on with his busy work and daily life.

"Directorate, Major General Ledford from the War Office wants to see you, along with Dr. Woodward," his secretary reported one day as he worked in his office.

"The War Department? Ledford?" Josh frowned. He had never heard of this general, but that wasn't surprising. There were too many Major General to keep track of. Still, if the request had reached him, it meant that his subordinates had already verified their identities.

"Let them in," Josh nodded.

Soon, a forty-something Army Major General and a scholarly-looking man in a suit and glasses were escorted into his office.

'A Major General in his forties? A bright future,' Josh thought.

"Mr. Kahn, we're here today because the Army has a special project and we'd like to work with your organization," Major General Ledford said right after the introduction.

"Oh? What kind of project?" Josh asked curiously.

Instead of answering, General Ledford looked at Dr. Woodward who had come with him.

"Director Kahn, this project is an offshoot of Phase Two of the Rebirth Program. While researching the Super Soldier Serum, I accidentally discovered a unique substance that can keep a dead body active, essentially allowing fallen soldiers to be 'revived'. This is the initial goal of our project," Dr. Woodward explained as he adjusted his glasses. As he spoke, he pulled a folder out of his briefcase and placed it on Josh's desk.

Josh's expression became strange when he heard this.

Reviving dead soldiers? T-virus? Damn, are they trying to create a Resident Evil scenario?

Fortunately, after flipping through the documents, Josh realized that it wasn't a virus, but rather a chemical that kept the tissues active. It required continuous injections to maintain effectiveness and was not contagious.

That was a relief—no zombie apocalypse, at least.

But after reading some more, Josh frowned again.

This wasn't the T-virus. This was the Universal Soldier.

And considering the two dead super-soldiers, Luke and Andrew, it was hard not to think of certain Hollywood action stars. (TL/N: The Original Names were Luc and Andrew but I already translated Luc as Luke so I will keep it that way in the future.)

"Sounds like an interesting project. But I assume you've already done some preliminary testing? Does this substance really bring people back to life?" Josh asked after a long pause.

"You misunderstand, Mr. Kahn. This is not true resurrection. It simply reactivates the body. The revived corpses have no consciousness—at most, they retain a few scattered memories from before death," Dr. Woodward clarified.

Oh, that was fine then. If it really resurrected people, Josh would have rejected it immediately. He didn't want some supernatural being in charge of death knocking on his door.

"I see. But your main purpose isn't just to cooperate with us, is it? You want the two dead super soldiers, don't you?" Josh grinned.

It was obvious—the real reason they wanted CIA’s cooperation was for Luke and Andrew’s corpses.

"Yes, Mr. Kahn. Based on our initial studies, this chemical has limitations. When injected into normal corpses, the body temperature rises rapidly. When it exceeds a certain threshold, the body goes into a protective hibernation, like a coma. They will only begin to move again when the temperature drops. But super soldiers don't have this problem," General Ledford explained.

Josh immediately understood—they must have already experimented on some dead super-soldier.

"Since that's the case, I don't mind cooperating. But I have one question—if these revived corpses have no consciousness, how do you plan to control them?" Josh asked curiously.

In the original Universal Soldier timeline, the story took place in the 90s, when computer technology had advanced enough to use microchips to control the soldiers.

But it was still the 40s. How were they going to control them?

They weren't seriously going to implant full-sized radio transmitters in their heads, were they?

With the technology of this era...

"With vibranium, sir!" Dr. Woodward replied immediately. "Howard Stark discovered a new property of vibranium—it can store and transmit information. A vibranium bead the size of a marble can handle massive amounts of data storage and transmission."

Oh, so they were making something like the Kimoyo beads from Black Panther.

While this technology was far from what we saw in the movie, the basic concept was already taking shape.

Howard Stark really was a genius. Vibranium had only been around for a short time, and he had already discovered new uses for it.

If vibranium weren't so rare and expensive, with Howard's rate of research—even without Josh's interference—the world's technological progress would still be decades ahead of schedule.

But using vibranium for Universal Soldiers? That budget was going to explode.

Chapter 196: Resurrecting Super-Soldiers (1)

"Ah~ So this is raw vibranium? After hearing about it for so long, I finally get to see it for myself. Even though it's my first time, I can already feel the immense energy within it. I can’t wait to start researching it!"

On the system's communicator screen, Yuri held a piece of glowing blue metal ore, carefully examining it and sensing the energy inside.

Yes, raw vibranium contained incredibly powerful energy.

Previously, Josh had only known vibranium as a tough metal capable of absorbing kinetic energy, so he instinctively assumed it couldn't serve as an energy source.

It wasn't until he attempted to melt the vibranium spear taken from Wakanda that he realized his assumption was wrong.

Vibranium itself was just a metal—it didn’t generate energy on its own.

However, its ability to store energy made it function much like a rechargeable battery.

Of course, Josh wasn't the first to come to this conclusion. Even Wakanda, which had been using vibranium for over a thousand years, hadn't figured it out because their technology hadn't reached that level yet.

The one who figured it out was Yuri.

Last time, he successfully melted down the vibranium spear and reforged it into a shield and sword.

He was able to do this because of the massive amount of energy he supplied.

After discovering the energy storing properties of vibranium, he used dozens of large power generators to continuously recharge the spear Josh had sent him.

Once it had absorbed enough energy, the vibranium became brittle and malleable.

This led Yuri to conclude that vibranium could indeed be reshaped—it just required an enormous amount of energy, making the process extremely difficult.

To put it in perspective, the amount of electricity used to charge that single spear was enough to power New York City for several days in Josh's time.

From this, they concluded that raw vibranium was easier to smelt because it was already filled with an enormous amount of energy—its blue glow was a sign of this energy saturation.

However, this energy would dissipate during the refining process, leaving the final product with much less energy, making it incredibly durable.

As for why raw vibranium contained so much energy, the answer was simple—Josh had told Yuri that vibranium wasn't native to Earth. The entire vibranium mine was actually a massive meteorite.

This meant that the reason the vibranium ore contained so much energy was because it had absorbed the force of impact when it hit the Earth.

Otherwise, given the size of the vibranium meteor, which formed an entire mountain range upon impact, the shock wave would have wiped out all life on Earth many times over. The planet would have become barren.

Because it absorbed such an immense impact, raw vibranium became easier to mine and refine.

However, the fact that it contained so much energy also made it somewhat dangerous.

A fist-sized chunk of raw vibranium contained the energy equivalent of several hundred kilograms of TNT.

Of course, that danger was relative.

While the vibranium ore stored a lot of energy, it hadn't reached full saturation, meaning it would take a significant external force to trigger its release.

In the future, as Wakanda advanced its technology after learning from the outside world, it developed supersonic magnetic levitation transport for vibranium ore. That's when it became truly dangerous—at such high speeds, even without its energy storage, vibranium itself could be lethal.

It was then that Black Panther's sister, the genius scientist Shuri, invented the Sonic Stabilizer to keep the vibranium dormant and prevent accidents during transport.

As for this era... well, just the small piece of raw vibranium in Yuri's hand would require at least a few kilograms of explosives to set off an explosion.

If it were the entire vibranium mine, it would be even more impossible—without thousands or even tens of thousands of high-yield nuclear bombs, there would be no way to detonate the energy inside.

After all, when calculating the impact power of asteroids hitting Earth, "Little Boy" was merely a unit of measurement.

For example, the estimated impact force of the 10-kilometer-wide meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs was a staggering 100 trillion tons of TNT—the equivalent of 5 billion Little Boys exploding at once.

And calculations showed that the vibranium meteor wasn't much smaller than that.

Detonating the energy it contained was, of course, an almost impossible task.

If it weren't for that, the Wakandans could have easily destroyed the world by rigging the vibranium mine in case of defeat.

"Of course, do as you wish!" Josh had long expected Yuri’s reaction.

After spending enough time with him, he knew that this man was first and foremost a research fanatic. Conquering the world was secondary—scientific discovery was his true passion.

In the world of Red Alert, Yuri's ambition to unite the world by establishing the Yuri Army wasn't just about power—it was mainly because he was fed up with the endless war between the two factions after the death of Hitler and the constant meddling of bureaucrats trying to control him.

Of course, there was another reason now—revenge.

After suffering so much in the Cretaceous era, there was no way he wouldn't settle the score.

The time machine was ready, it was just a matter of gathering enough power.

After sending a batch of vibranium to Yuri, Josh also sent some to Daenerys in the Game of Thrones world, though in much smaller quantities.

It was just enough for a set of armor and a few weapons—about the same amount of Valyrian steel Daenerys had given him earlier. A fair exchange.

With Yuri, however, Josh had no choice. His trade debt with him was massive—in fact, he had run up a huge debt over the past few years. This shipment of vibranium was just a way to balance the books a bit.

Fortunately, the Wakanda war had left Josh with a considerable amount of raw vibranium.

Carter, being too upright, hadn't tried to take any vibranium for herself during the mission. Neither had her brother Michael or the other former Zodiac agents—obviously they hadn't even thought about it.

However, there was another person Carter rescued—Fritz Klaue.

Unlike the others, he was cunning enough to take advantage of the opportunity.

During the retreat, he managed to smuggle out an entire truckload of vibranium ore.

But before he could celebrate, he ran into a CIA extraction team.

That truckload of vibranium immediately became the property of the CIA.

And what belonged to the CIA, of course, belonged to Josh.

Of course, Josh wasn’t unfair to Fritz Klaue—he let him keep a tenth of the vibranium and even recruited him into the CIA.

After some investigation, Josh saw potential in him.

And then there was the name—Klaue.

It was hard for Josh not to associate it with Ulysses Klaue, Wakanda's future enemy.

He suspected that Fritz was most likely Ulysses Klaue's father.

Although Fritz wasn't happy about losing 90% of what he had rightfully taken, after understanding the current world situation, he wisely chose to join the CIA.

He never even considered reporting or seeking revenge against Josh.

He was smart—he knew that under Josh’s protection, he could still profit from his remaining balance of the vibranium.

Without Josh's protection, if the world found out he had vibranium, it wouldn't be long before he was buried in an unmarked grave.

Such a strategic resource was not something a former Nazi officer could control.

That’s right—before being captured by the Wakandans, he had been a low-ranking Nazi officer.

But after spending six years in Wakandan captivity, the world had completely changed by the time he was released.

Chapter 195: Ancient One v/s Bast

The council quickly decided how to deal with the aftermath of the turmoil.

For the First National City Bank Trust, as was the case when Malik's father died, most of the assets—aside from the direct property—were placed under the "temporary management" of the council members.

Thomas's family was left with nothing but dividends and became mere spectators.

This was still a good result.

Calvin Chadwick, who was the first to break the unspoken rules, had most of his personal assets confiscated by the judiciary and local governments. These assets were then sold at low prices to other council members, who completely dissolved them.

Fortunately, he was still young and had no direct heirs.

Otherwise they would have suffered as well.

Control of the Winter Soldier was given to Senator Vernon of New York to do the "dirty work" of the Council.

As for the vacant Council seats, no suitable candidates were found, so they were left unfilled—the original Council of Nine had now become the Council of Seven.

No one objected—after all, sharing power among seven was better than sharing it among nine.

Not long after the council meeting ended, Carter returned.

"It's not your fault. Even if it were, it would be my fault for misjudging the people. Stop standing around. I’m giving you a long break—go spend time with your brother!”

Inside the Area 51 lab, Josh looked at the two frozen Super Soldier corpses and patted Carter on the shoulder as he spoke.

It was cruel, but because of the special nature of Super Soldiers, Andrew and Luke's bodies couldn't just be buried. After the Wakanda war, the CIA, with the help of the U.S. military, had them transported and frozen for future use.

As for their families… Leaving aside whether Hydra-selected soldiers even had families, if they did, the solution was simple—burn some random body, send it to them, and give them a pension.

Of course, there was no need to tell Captain Carter about this—otherwise, she would definitely explode in anger.

Carter, unaware of this, silently left the cold storage after Josh's words, planning to follow his advice and spend some time with her brother.

Michael Carter had been rescued, and Josh had fulfilled his promise to Carter by erasing his name from the intelligence list, leaving only two Zodiac agents behind.

However, since Michael had originally been a Zodiac agent and had undergone enhancements, he still had to pass CIA evaluations before he could be fully released.

So he couldn't leave the USA for the time being.

Carter didn’t mind too much, but Michael was quite frustrated—after regaining his memories, he was desperate to see his wife and kids again.

"By the way, Josh, there's something else."

Just as she was about to leave, Carter spoke suddenly.

"What is it?" Josh asked curiously.

"It's about Wakanda. I don't think Wakanda was really destroyed," Carter whispered after looking around.

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Josh asked in surprise.

"When we infiltrated Wakanda, we saw some Wakandans evacuating..."

Carter then explained how she had witnessed the T'Pani siblings escape.

At the time, only three Super Soldiers had seen it. Now that the other two were dead, Carter was the only one who knew.

After some hesitation, she finally decided to tell Josh.

She understood how U.S. intelligence worked. If this information got out, the escaped Wakandans would certainly be hunted down.

But keeping it a secret would violate CIA regulations and betray Josh's trust after all his help.

Besides, Wakanda was gone anyway.

And if the Wakandans ever made a comeback, who knew what kind of chaos that would cause?

After careful consideration, Carter decided to share the information with Josh.

"I see... I understand. Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

Josh showed little emotion as he listened to Carter, but after sending her off, he fell into deep thought.

To him, Wakanda’s downfall had seemed too easy.

Because during the UN military's destruction of Wakanda, one key figure had never shown up.

The Wakandans, especially the royal family, worshipped a goddess named Bast, the Panther Goddess.

Most people would dismiss Bast as just a myth, a symbol.

But Josh knew she was real—she truly existed and had been protecting Wakanda.

So why hadn't the Panther Goddess intervened when Wakanda was destroyed?

A small sense of unease crept into Josh's heart.

But after hearing from Carter that some Wakandans had escaped before, Josh suddenly understood—perhaps because Wakanda hadn't been completely wiped out, Bast saw no need to act?

If that was the case, should he order a hunt for those who had escaped?

Josh thought again.

What he didn’t know was that Bast hadn’t remained idle—she had been stopped.

In a special dimension, a massive panther with sleek, jet-black fur was locked in a standoff with a figure clad in a simple yellow robe.

That figure was none other than Earth's guardian, the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj—The Ancient One.

And the giant panther was, of course, Bast, the panther goddess.

"Go back, Bast. This is not a place for you," The Ancient One said calmly, looking at the panther with an air of authority.

"...Ancient One! You know as well as I do—no universe dares to treat my children this way!"

Bast’s voice was sharp, yet unmistakably feminine.

"Oh? Is that so?" The Ancient One chuckled. "Strange, then, that when I meet my counterparts from other universes, I often hear stories of Wakanda's downfall. And yet nothing ever happens. So why now? Why did you suddenly appear just because Wakanda fell in my universe? Are you saying... you think I'm an easy target?"

Bast fell silent.

In other universes, when Wakanda had been destroyed, it was usually by forces beyond human comprehension. She had no choice but to accept those losses.

But in this case, mere human nations had wiped out Wakanda. That enraged her. She wanted to teach this world a lesson.

Only to be stopped by the Ancient One of this universe.

... She wanted to strike back and say, "Yeah, I guess you're easy to bully."

But she didn't have the courage.

Fighting The Ancient One on Earth—especially in such a unique place—was not a wise move. Just look at Dormammu. He was beaten down over and over and even used as a power source. It was an utter disgrace for a god.

Still, Bast wasn't going to back down so easily.

After all, Wakanda's existence in any universe directly affected her power. She wasn't detached enough to ignore the massacre of her own people.

The Ancient One saw Bast's reluctance.

Since you won't accept it, let me help you accept it.

As Bast eyed her warily, the Ancient One revealed a magical blade.

Moments later, the room echoed with the furious roar of the Panther Goddess.

"Ancient One, this is not over!"

After nearly half an hour, Bast left one last threat before vanishing into the endless void—defeated and humiliated.

"Come back sometime!"

The Ancient One grinned as she twirled a long, black whip in her hand.

Oh... wait.

That wasn't a whip.

It was Bast's tail.

Hmm, pretty sturdy.

But the Ancient One's relaxed demeanor didn't last long. After confirming that Bast was indeed gone, she took a deep breath, her expression showing exhaustion. A dark mark flickered across her forehead.

Clearly, the fight had been far more taxing than she had let on.

After a brief rest, she moved her hands, shifting the space around her. A scene appeared before her—it was Josh, sitting in his office, completely unaware that he was being watched.

This was only an illusion, not the real Josh.

"Do not disappoint me, child. Grow stronger... I can't hold on much longer."

The Ancient One looked at Josh with a mixture of expectation and concern before she sighed.

Considering her age, calling Josh child was perfectly reasonable—it wasn’t meant to imply any personal connection between them.

The reason she had secretly helped Josh and watched over him was because she had glimpsed something in the river of time.

A possibility.

A possibility that every version of herself across the multiverse had longed for.

Chapter 194: A New Situation for the Council

In the courtyard of a secret estate in Chicago, nearly two-year-old Mike and Carol were happily playing with several dogs.

However, Margaret, who was watching them from the side, had a worried look on her face.

Three days ago, after receiving a message from Josh, Jiaying and Francesca had brought Margaret and her two children to this new estate. She had never been here before, but the place was heavily guarded.

Margaret could easily guess that something had happened, but she had no idea what it was.

She had talked to Josh on the phone once during that time, but he had just told her not to worry and hadn't said much else.

She knew he was trying to protect her from unnecessary stress, but how could she not worry?

Thinking about it, she let out another sigh.

"Madam, Mr. Kahn is back!"

While Margaret was lost in thought, Francesca suddenly ran over from a distance, shouting excitedly.

Her enthusiasm surprised the nearby servants.

As one of the earliest members of Josh and Margaret's household, Francesca had long since become the head maid. While she was never harsh with new employees—on the contrary, she took good care of them—she was usually serious and rarely showed much emotion.

To see her so excited was unusual.

But Margaret understood why. If Josh was back, it meant that his personal bodyguard and assistant, Vito, was also back.

When she heard Francesca's call, Margaret quickly got up and walked forward, eager to ask where Josh was.

She didn't have to go far before she saw him approaching from the same direction Francesca had come.

At that moment, Margaret couldn't hold back any longer and ran straight towards him.

"Careful, careful! See? I'm back safe and sound," Josh said with a smile, pulling her into his arms to comfort her.

He knew she had been worried. And compared to words, a warm hug was the best way to calm her down.

"Is everything okay now?" Margaret asked after staying in his arms for a long moment.

"Everything is fine. It's a little late today, so let's stay here one more night. We'll go home tomorrow," Josh said, kissing her cheek.

Just as he had said, his safe return meant the matter was settled.

Aside from his usual problems with women, Howard had proven to be quite reliable.

The gamma ray emitter he had built worked remarkably well.

Using Hugh Jones as bait, the CIA set a trap to lure out Calvin and his enforcer, Wilkes, the scientist who had been controlling the Zero Matter.

With a single blast, Wilkes completely lost control of the Zero Matter.

After that, things were easy.

Wilkes was immediately taken by the military, turned into an experiment, and died the same day due to an accident.

As for Calvin Chadwick, he was mysteriously shot to death after being taken into FBI custody.

Yes, it wasn't the CIA, it was the FBI.

Hoover's FBI was formidable indeed. Josh had done everything he could to keep things quiet, but the FBI's nose was sharper than a bloodhound's—they had jumped in halfway and stolen the whole operation.

There wasn't much Josh could do about it, since the case technically fell under FBI jurisdiction. If anyone was overstepping, it was the CIA. Even with military support, that argument wouldn't change.

But the FBI had miscalculated one thing—whether this case officially belonged to the CIA or not didn't really matter to them.

The priority was to make sure Calvin didn't talk too much after his capture.

And Josh wasn't the only one who wanted Calvin silenced.

The rest of the big shots in the Council hated Calvin as well. He knew too many of their secrets, so keeping him alive was never an option.

So Vernon, a senator from New York and one of the leaders of the Council, used his connections within the New York office of the FBI to have Calvin take his own life.

Literally.

He 'ate' at least ten pounds of bullets.

They said his stomach even burst open.

This incident led to a bizarre legend in the FBI’s New York office—one about the "Gluttony" sin from the Seven Deadly Sins.

What? You think this explanation is nonsense? Well, if you don't believe it, ask him yourself.

This was 1947! In a time when newspapers and radio were the main sources of news, whatever the authorities said was the truth—believe it or not.

Once Calvin was taken care of, the rest was easy.

The CIA and FBI continued the investigation. Josh's Ouroboros and Hugh Jones' Red Guard cleaned up in secret.

The rest of the Council took care of the loose ends.

Josh didn't have to get involved anymore. Others would take care of the rest. For him, spending time with his wife and children was more important.

"It doesn't matter where we go. As long as you're here, this is home," Margaret said, leaning into him.

"You too," Josh replied with a smile.

"Daddy, I... hug!"

Just as Josh and Margaret were sharing a tender moment, two small voices came from not far away. The children, who had been happily playing, had spotted their father and were running toward him.

At the sound of his two little troublemakers, Josh's expression changed instantly.

At two years old, the children were in their most mischievous stage—annoying even the most patient of people and causing havoc wherever they went. Margaret, as their mother, could handle them with warmth and patience. But Josh? He was terrified of them.

He avoided them whenever possible.

Truth be told, he and Margaret were deeply in love, but these two little rascals? Total accidents.

"Haha! Come on, let's see who can catch Daddy first!"

Seeing Josh's reaction, Margaret couldn't help but laugh. Sometimes this man was more childish than the kids—it was adorable. She immediately encouraged the children to run after him, while giving Josh a deadly look, warning him not to run.

In the end, Josh had no choice but to pick up both children, one in each arm, and let them pull at his hair and tie.

Fortunately, they couldn't pull his beard—because he didn't have one. He had just turned 20 and wasn't particularly hairy, nor did he like to grow facial hair. His face was always clean shaven.

As she watched the three of them play together, Margaret's face lit up with happiness.

Josh, despite his earlier hesitation, enjoyed the moment as well.

But their peaceful days didn't last long.

News from Wakanda soon interrupted everything.

Wakanda had fallen.

The vibranium mines were now under the joint control of five nations. The U.S. and the Soviet Union each held 20%, three other nations held 10% each, and the remaining 30% was divided among other UN member states.

This didn't surprise Josh.

What shocked him was the fate of his Special Ops team.

Of the three elite soldiers he had sent, only Carter survived—the other two were dead.

Josh felt a headache coming on.

Why had the Winter Soldier teamed up with Andrew to target Carter and Luke?

Wait... what if Calvin had secretly taken control of the Winter Soldier? and Andrew had been working for Calvin all this time?

Oh. That explained it.

"Let's talk. What do we do with the Isodyne Group? Who gets control of the Winter Soldier? And with two vacancies on the Council, should we fill them?"

A few days later, before Carter even returned to the U.S., the Council gathered again in New York after a period of turmoil.

This time, however, the seat at the head of the table no longer belonged to Thomas—it now belonged to Hugh Jones.

And Josh? He had moved up from his previous position and was now sitting directly to the left of Hugh Jones.

As for Wilfred Malick, he had moved up only slightly, taking Calvin's old spot. But his overall standing remained low—he was still the weakest of the current Council members.

After all, his performance during the recent chaos had been rather disappointing. Even Senator Vernon had done better.

No one objected to this new Council structure.

No one dared to.

Chapter 193: Gamma Rays (2)

"That's simple—how to resist its harmful effects, or better yet, how to neutralize it," Dottie said.

The moment she spoke, Howard's expression turned serious. "What happened?"

Earlier, when Josh—acting under his CIA identity—had asked him about Zero Matter, it had been framed as a general research request. Howard hadn't thought too much about it and hadn't taken it too seriously.

But now Dottie was asking how to counteract its effects. That meant the situation wasn't so simple.

"I won't hide anything from you. Howard, you've heard of the Arena Club, right?" Seeing Howard's reaction, Dottie decided to speak plainly. (Tl/N: Arena Club was previously translated as Competitive Social Club)

"Of course I know about it!" Howard shrugged, though his expression was a little unnatural.

The Arena Club was the public face of the Council of Nine—Hydra's elite inner circle. It was an exclusive organization that sought to gather America's top elites from various fields. However, it wasn't about recruiting them into Hydra, but rather about networking and exchanging benefits.

The real Hydra was limited to the Council of Nine.

The club only accepted elite white males as members, and its membership requirements were extremely strict.

Howard, who fit all the criteria, had once been invited to join. This was also how he had met Hugh Jones for a while. Of course, he knew exactly what kind of organization it was.

Howard didn't really like the Arena Club, which was mostly made up of older men. So, after being a member for a while, he decided to leave.

But his reason for leaving wasn't just because he didn't like the atmosphere. His flirtatious nature also played a role—something that made him enemies, including Hugh Jones. Most of the club members were wealthy older men, and many of them liked to keep young women as companions.

Compared to these aging men, the young and charming Howard easily caught the attention of these wealthy men's mistresses.

In this situation, it was impossible not to make enemies.

"Yesterday, the CIA received a request for help from Mr. Hugh Jones. The reason was that one of the club members, Calvin Chadwick, president of Isodyne, had received a military research contract on Zero Matter—just like your Stark Industries. He recently made a breakthrough. But instead of sharing his findings, he weaponized Zero Matter yesterday morning, killing several club members. He is trying to take over the club by force and is threatening the members to submit to him. Howard, I'm sure you understand what would happen if Calvin succeeds, considering who those club members are!" Dottie explained everything that had happened the previous morning, although she changed a few details. For example, she avoided mentioning that Josh was also a member of the club, and instead framed the request for help as coming from Hugh Jones.

That way, it wouldn't seem like Josh owed Howard a personal favor. Instead, it would be a straightforward cooperation between the CIA and Howard to handle the case.

When he heard Hugh Jones' name, Howard's expression became uncomfortable. He liked to fool around, but he still cared about his reputation.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on his past scandals.

"I see. So Calvin has figured out how to control Zero Matter and use it as a weapon? That's really bad news. But you came at the right time—I have a way to deal with Zero Matter. The solution is gamma rays!" Howard nodded and explained.

"Gamma rays?" Dottie was a little surprised. She had never heard of them.

"That's right! Gamma rays produce powerful bursts of high-energy photons, and these photons can neutralize Zero Matter!" Howard explained.

"I see. Do you have the equipment to generate gamma rays?" Dottie asked.

"I do, but it's not powerful enough. I'll have to build a bigger one, which will take some time," Howard replied.

"How much time?" Dottie frowned.

"If I work fast, I can finish in 12 hours. But I have one condition!" Howard added. Just as his son would one day build a miniature particle accelerator in a single day, building a gamma ray emitter wouldn't take too long.

"What condition?" Dottie asked.

"I have to be the one who controls it!" Howard said.

"You mean, after you build it, you want to come with us?" Dottie frowned.

"Of course! Otherwise, who knows what you might do with my invention?" Howard shrugged.

"If that's what you want, then fine." Dottie agreed without hesitation.

"Okay, no time to waste. I'm going to the lab now. Jarvis, come with me. There are a few things I need you to prepare." Howard immediately went to his lab. Although he was a playboy, he, like his future son Tony, became completely focused when confronted with an interesting scientific problem.

"Right away, sir. Miss Underwood, excuse me." Jarvis apologized to Dottie before quickly following Howard.

...

"Understood, sir. I'll keep an eye on him!" Dottie smiled and touched her earring as she spoke.

Her conversation with Howard had been secretly monitored by Ophelia through a small listening device in her earring.

Ophelia quickly reported back to Josh.

When Josh learned that gamma rays were the best way to counter Zero Matter, he immediately used his system to contact Yuri. While Josh didn't doubt Howard's abilities, he wasn't the type to put all his eggs in one basket.

"Gamma rays? That's easy! I can do it in four hours tops!" Yuri replied after hearing Josh's request. His estimated time was only a third of what Howard needed.

Of course, this didn't necessarily mean that Yuri was smarter than Howard. The two worlds simply had different levels of technology.

In the Marvel Universe, gamma ray research was still in its infancy, understood only by top scientists like Howard. In fact, in Josh's original world, gamma rays weren't even discovered until almost the 1970s.

But in the world of Red Alert, gamma rays were nothing special.

Thanks to Josh's support over the years, Yuri's base in the Cretaceous era had already reached mid-war production levels from the U.S.-Soviet conflict. Since Yuri was personally handling this, rushing out a gamma ray cannon wasn’t a problem at all.

Chapter 192: Gamma Rays (1)

Sorry people for no chapter yesterday, I was too busy cause of Uni.

-----------

A DC-3 passenger plane slowly landed in Los Angeles.

Jarvis stood at the exit point, holding a sunshade umbrella, carefully watching the passengers stepping off the plane.

His gaze soon fell on a tall woman with black hair and sunglasses. His expression immediately twisted slightly.

"Oh, dear Mr. Jarvis, you don't look happy to see me," the woman teased with a smile as she approached him.

"No, I'm very happy. Welcome to Los Angeles, Ada Palmer... No, I should say Miss Dottie Underwood. I never expected the CIA to send you here," Jarvis greeted her, but his tone was clearly laced with sarcasm, contradicting his words.

Yes, the woman getting off the plane was once a Leviathan agent, Dottie. But now she was a senior CIA operative, reporting directly to Ophelia.

This time she had come to Los Angeles as Josh's representative to contact Howard Stark.

"Oh, dear Mr. Jarvis, are you still holding a grudge over what happened?" Dottie smiled, unfazed by Jarvis' sarcastic tone.

Jarvis' dislike for her was understandable, and the reason was tied to that name—Ada Palmer.

Over a year ago, when Dottie was still a Leviathan agent, she used that identity to get close to Howard Stark and extract a great deal of information from both him and Jarvis. She and her fellow Leviathan agents even stole from Howard Stark's private vault, setting off a series of Leviathan-related incidents and framing Stark as a traitor.

Eventually, however, she was recruited by the CIA and became a key witness in clearing Howard's name.

Of course, Howard still lost several inventions—and a small vial of Captain America's blood in the process. But in the end, he had no choice but to swallow his frustration... After all, it was his inability to control his lust that started it all.

Josh had sent Dottie to deal with Howard, not only because he couldn't meet him in person, but also because they knew each other well enough to handle the situation effectively.

"Heh, I wouldn't dare. Miss Underwood, please follow me," Jarvis said, motioning to the convertible behind him.

"Uh... Mr. Jarvis, I know Howard came to Los Angeles for a defense contract and plans to build a space launch center here. You're probably here to manage his properties... but..." Dottie looked at the car, a little confused.

Yes, Howard's presence in Los Angeles had a lot to do with Josh.

Josh's companies had secured several military contracts, especially in aviation and space projects through Boeing. While this hadn't caused much of a commercial disruption, it did spark Howard's competitive nature.

For example, he had recently partnered with Trans World Airlines, Lockheed, and the newly formed Air Force to build a new space launch center north of Los Angeles in Santa Barbara County. His goal was to enter the aerospace industry and compete with Josh's Boeing.

In 1947, the U.S. Army Air Forces officially separated from the Army and became the U.S. Air Force.

The new Air Force didn't want most of its contracts to remain under Josh's Boeing.

In addition, the Air Force was eager to expand into the space industry—after all, they felt that anything that flew should be under their control.

The Navy and the Army, however, being long-established branches, didn't agree.

Josh, for his part, wasn't about to give up his strong relationship with the Army to work with the Air Force. The scale of U.S. military contracts was too great—he couldn't afford to play both sides, nor did he want to.

So the Air Force turned to Howard Stark, who had been its trusted partner before Boeing's rise.

Both sides quickly reached an agreement.

The proposed launch site was none other than Vandenberg Air Force Base-the only other major launch site besides the Truman Space Center, which Josh had already reserved.

A project of this magnitude couldn't be kept secret from the CIA...not that they were trying to hide it.

So it wasn't surprising that Dottie knew what Howard was up to.

But what surprised her wasn’t that.

"Yes, I know what you're going to say. It's about the flamingo, isn't it?" Jarvis sighed with a hint of helplessness.

"Yes... a flamingo..." Dottie stared speechlessly at the large transparent display case in the back seat of the car containing a bright pink flamingo.

And yes, it was alive.

"I'm sorry to say that you're not the only guest Mr. Stark is expecting... Meet the newest member of the Stark Mansion zoo. His name is Bernard," Jarvis introduced with a deadpan expression. (TL/N: Lol, this had me cracking)

"Maybe this is just a common quirk among them..." Dottie muttered with a twitch of her lips.

"Them?" Jarvis raised an eyebrow at her remark.

"Yes, my current boss, Mr. Josh Kahn, has a white lion and a silverback gorilla in his backyard..." Dottie said with a sigh.

Actually, that was just the tip of the iceberg. She didn't want to tell Jarvis that Josh had dinosaurs on one of his estates...

But honestly, even without mentioning dinosaurs, the lion and the gorilla were enough to make Jarvis' face freeze.

Who in their right mind keeps a lion and a gorilla in their backyard?

By comparison, his own boss keeping a flamingo suddenly seemed... very tame.

"Lions and gorillas? Oh, Kahn's even more eccentric than I thought. Jarvis, remind me—on my next vacation I'm going to Africa. Hmm, since Kahn has a white lion, I can't get one of those... but maybe some cheetahs or leopards. Some zebras too... But no rhinos or elephants. Maybe some hornbills, ostriches... Yeah, that sounds perfect!" Howard muttered to himself half an hour later.

Meanwhile, Jarvis looked like he was about to faint. Why had he ever thought that his boss was the sane one?

"Ahem... Mr. Stark, shouldn't we discuss the main topic first?" Dottie asked, looking sympathetically at Jarvis as she interrupted Howard's enthusiasm.

"Ah, right. Never mind... Dottie, there's no need for formalities between us. Just call me Howard!" Unlike Jarvis, Howard had always been more tolerant of women. In fact, he seemed quite happy to see Dottie again.

As to why... well, some things didn't need to be said.

"All right, Howard," Dottie replied, fully aware of his little thoughts, but choosing not to confront him with them.

"Great! Now, what does the CIA want to know about Zero Matter?" Howard asked with a thumbs up.

Chapter 191: Response (2)

"Everything is arranged. Madam and the young master and miss are safe. Francesca is taking care of them," Jiaying answered Josh's question.

After Josh and Vito teleported out of the council meeting, they immediately contacted Jiaying and Ophelia.

Jiaying was tasked with relocating Margaret and the children—since Calvin dared to break the council’s rules and make a move there, it couldn’t be ruled out that he would resort to kidnapping.

As for Ophelia, her role was to prepare for retaliation.

Since Calvin had openly burned bridges, Josh wasn't going to hold back.

"That bastard is dead. Even Mephisto won't be able to save him! Mark my words!" Josh said angrily.

But this wasn't just Josh's fight.

"Have you contacted Hugh?" Josh asked Vito.

"Yes, I reached him. Mr. Jones is safe and is already assembling his Scarlet Guard. He's waiting for your signal to move against Calvin. However, he mentioned that the biggest challenge for both sides will be dealing with the man who controls Zero Matter. We know almost nothing about Zero Matter," Vito replied.

"Scarlet Guard? Why not call them the Scarlet Crusaders? What an ominous name!" Josh couldn't help but complain after hearing Vito's words.

Vito was confused by Josh's reaction. He found the name imposing, not unlucky.

But Josh only made a passing comment before quickly changing the subject to Zero Matter.

"To say that we don't understand Zero Matter at all is not entirely true," Josh remarked, his expression becoming strange. His memory was still sharp, and he remembered flipping through a report on Zero Matter when the Council assigned research responsibilities.

While the Council had acquired the rights to study Zero Matter through its channels, the War Department had retained a portion of it.

Coincidentally, after the CIA had been created, Josh had come across a research request from the Army Department submitted to the President's office. The applicant? Stark Industries.

With that thought, Josh struggled to his feet. Seeing this, Jiaying immediately stepped forward to help him.

With her help, Josh made his way to the phone and dialed a number.

"This is Stark Industries. Please state your name and purpose," a sweet female voice answered.

"This is Josh Kahn, Directorate of Administration for the Central Intelligence Agency under the White House. I need to speak with Mr. Howard Stark about a matter of the utmost importance," Josh introduced himself, deliberately emphasizing the connection to the White House.

The CIA, less than a year old, was not yet the globally recognized powerhouse it would become in later years.

Adding the authority of the White House made things much easier. And since the CIA reported directly to the president, there was no problem.

"Uh... I'm sorry, Director Kahn, but I'm afraid I can't connect you with Mr. Stark. He is supposed to be at the experimental facility in Santa Barbara County, California. However, I can connect you with his butler, Mr. Jarvis," the operator replied after a brief hesitation.

"Of course, but please make it quick," Josh said, not interested in making things difficult for a low-level operator.

After all, his revenge on Calvin was not so urgent that it couldn't wait.

Despite Calvin Chadwick's bold move to seize the Council by force, his immediate actions were limited.

At most, he could use the council's resources to hunt down Josh and Hugh Jones.

As for using similar tactics to seize the White House, the presidency, and ultimately the country? That was pure fantasy.

Josh has had plenty of time to prepare for Calvin.

And right now, dealing with Calvin seemed to depend on Howard Stark.

Since Stark Industries had applied to study Zero Matter, Howard must have gained some understanding of it.

As for whether Howard would get involved, Josh wasn't the least bit worried.

While Josh was trying to get Howard Stark involved in dealing with Calvin Chadwick, a crisis unfolded at the central building of the vibranium mine in Wakanda.

Peggy Carter, after rescuing her brother, two Zodiac agents, and the burden that was Fritz Klaue, headed for the floors that housed the lab and archives.

But when she arrived, Peggy was shocked by what she saw.

Andrew, one of the Super Soldiers, had twisted the neck of another Super Soldier, Luke, with the help of a man who looked suspiciously like Bucky.

"No... Andrew, why would you do that?" Peggy shouted in anger, her eyes wide with rage at the sight of Luke's lifeless body.

Though their time together had been brief, the three super-soldiers had forged a bond through shared life-and-death experiences, and Peggy had come to view them as comrades.

Now one of them had teamed up with an outsider to kill the other. How could Peggy not be angry?

"Oh, Captain Carter, you came at a bad time. But since you're here, I'm afraid you'll have to join Luke in death. And your friends too, of course," Andrew sneered as he turned his attention to Peggy and her group, his expression twisted and menacing.

"Not if I kill you first!" Peggy roared, her anger driving her forward with her sword raised.

But before she could strike, a Wakandan spear intercepted her.

The one wielding the spear was none other than the man who looked like Bucky.

No, not just looked like—he was Bucky.

Even with the mask covering his face, Peggy recognized her former partner from the Strategic Scientific Reserve. His lack of long hair made him even more recognizable.

"Bucky? Why?" Peggy asked, her voice full of disbelief.

But Bucky didn't answer. Instead, he launched a deadly attack on her.

Overwhelmed by her emotions, Peggy barely managed to block his blows with her sword and shield.

"Oh, so he's an old friend of yours, Captain Carter? Well, he's not Bucky anymore. He goes by another name now—the Winter Soldier. And by the way, he's just like us—a super-soldier," Andrew said mockingly, enjoying Peggy's struggle as he turned his attention to Michael Carter and the three others, who were momentarily frozen in shock.