"Well, you and Ajie continue to contact Tony Stark. Based on the subsequent communications, I will evaluate whether it's necessary to bring those individuals in again." Qi Yun looked at Qiqi and nodded with resolve.
"Yes, sir." Qiqi raised her head, her voice tinged with pride.
After Qi Yun left, Qiqi slapped Ajie on the shoulder and chided, "Can't you be more careful when talking to adults? I saw you chatting so casually with Tony Stark."
"You have to use your brain when dealing with outsiders, but you don't need to overthink it. It's too exhausting," Ajie smiled and shrugged.
Qiqi's stern expression softened, and a smile appeared on her face.
"Alright, alright, continue practicing. I also want to observe Alice. I feel like bringing her in will be quite effective."
Meanwhile, back in the Marvel Universe, Tony Stark, having returned from the chaotic events, resumed contact with Pepper Potts and started analyzing the videos he had watched with Jarvis.
After reviewing the entire footage, Tony felt a sense of unease. While he had already experienced the power of the Lord God Space firsthand, watching the video made the threat feel more immediate and real.
"Jarvis, run a full scan of the global network. I want to know how many people across the world have been selected by the Lord God Space," Tony commanded.
From the Resident Evil world alone, Tony recognized the horrifying potential of those who might be selected by the space. If a qualified person were to return with the T-Virus and release it into the world, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Although the Marvel Universe, with its vast resources and superior technology, might withstand a biological crisis, many would perish in the process. Even the Avengers, with their combined might, couldn't guarantee survival for everyone.
Tony wondered whether Ziya's population-reduction plan might eventually skip Earth, assuming a biological disaster wiped out a significant portion of the population. At the same time, he couldn't yet determine whether the Lord God Space had restrictions on weapons of mass destruction—especially since he had no such weapon at his disposal.
Still, it was always best to plan ahead.
Meanwhile, in S.H.I.E.L.D., Alexander Pierce, the head of the Hydra faction, was facing his own concerns. One of his agents had recently been selected by Qi Yun to join the Lord God Space.
Upon returning, this agent, who had been brainwashed by Hydra, immediately reported everything to Pierce.
As a result, the agent was severely punished. All the rewards from his mission were revoked, and his next assignment was classified as a punishment mission, with the difficulty increased by 200%. The mission was also advanced to seven days later.
This punishment was primarily because the agent had only reported the matter to Pierce.
After contemplating for a while in his office, Pierce stood up and left S.H.I.E.L.D.
Sitwell, one of his trusted agents, had already been sent into the field through a discreet maneuver, as there were things that could not be done within the confines of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Pierce knew Nick Fury well. Even though Fury had been promoted by him, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was notoriously paranoid and suspicious of everyone. Pierce was certain that any suspicious activity outside his established role would trigger Fury's distrust.
Arriving at a Hydra safe house, Pierce, in disguise, knocked on the door with a precise rhythm. After a brief wait, the door opened.
Pierce stepped inside, and Sitwell was sitting on the couch.
"Sitwell, how are you feeling now?" Pierce asked, sitting down across from him.
Sitwell shook his head, "I still can't control the surge in power very well."
The disheveled quilt around him confirmed his words.
Pierce looked at him with concern. "Tell me in more detail. How do you feel?"
"The sudden increase in strength is overwhelming," Sitwell responded slowly. "But after some testing, I realized that the sensation of expansion fades quickly."
"At this point, I can only squeeze a cup with my bare hands. I still can't handle anything harder."
Pierce nodded thoughtfully. "Have you uncovered any information about the next mission?"
Sitwell thought for a moment. "No. It's likely because I don't have the necessary clearance. In the Lord God Space, most of the people I encounter are newcomers. I haven't heard of anyone undertaking a mission like mine—a punishment mission."
"According to the timeline, I should receive the mission details in about three days."
Pierce's mind raced as he processed Sitwell's words. So far, no other individuals from Hydra had entered the Lord God Space. It was imperative that Sitwell not die—he was the only link to their next move.
"Don't worry, I'll fully support you in this matter," Pierce assured, patting Sitwell's shoulder.
"As soon as there's any new information, contact me immediately. And in the meantime, don't mention anything about the Lord God Space to anyone. We don't want to raise the difficulty of the mission further."
"I understand," Sitwell replied, though there was hesitation in his voice.
"Is there something wrong?" Pierce asked, noticing Sitwell's unease.
Sitwell nodded, his face grim.
"I've come across troubling news. Apparently, someone obtained the T-Virus from the mission."
"What?!" Pierce frowned deeply.
"How reliable is this information? Is it from our world?"
"I'm not sure," Sitwell replied, shaking his head.
Both men fell into silence. They were members of Hydra, seeking global domination, but that didn't mean they wanted to annihilate humanity entirely.
Time passed without any of the major concerns Tony and Pierce had been fearing. The Marvel world remained calm, and Resident Evil's outbreak had not occurred.
The only notable event was Tony's recent press conference. Instead of closing Stark Industries' weapons division, Tony imposed a much stricter purchase restriction. This new policy not only limited the quantity of purchases but also imposed restrictions on who could purchase weapons.
Following this announcement, Stark Industries' stock, which had recently rebounded, plummeted again, even further than when Tony had mysteriously disappeared.
The sound of objects crashing to the ground echoed from Stan's office.
Employees quickly began avoiding the area. This situation had persisted for days, as Tony's decision had caused significant financial losses for Stan's interests.
However, what made Stan even angrier was that Tony had made this decision without consulting anyone except Pepper.
"I'm actually less important to the company than a little girl?!" Stan yelled in frustration after venting his anger.
After sitting in silence for a while, Stan seemed to reach a decision and pulled out a silver box from beneath his desk.
Staring at the box, Stan remained still for a long time, then slammed his fist onto the table.
"Tony Stark! You've forced my hand!"
That night, Tony was alone at his home, surrounded by piles of designs and materials. He had been working tirelessly on a new suit of armor that was portable, adaptable, and equipped with a variety of offensive capabilities. Not every mission would be as brief as the last one, and wearing full armor constantly could be exhausting and energy-draining.
Over the past few days, Tony had made an important realization: the biggest difference between his creations and the equipment available in the Lord God Space was durability. Durability was, essentially, a mark of the equipment's certification by the Lord God Space—once durability ran out, the equipment would fail.
"Tip: Mr. Stan is approaching," Jarvis's voice interrupted Tony's thoughts.
"Stan?" Tony looked up, confused. "Did I make an appointment with him today?"
"No," Jarvis responded succinctly.
Tony scratched his head and straightened his clothes. Despite no prior appointment, Stan had been a longtime colleague and confidant. It was impossible to turn him away.
However, when Stan got close, Tony felt a sudden twinge at his waist. He instinctively looked down and saw it.
The Savior!
Tony realized the weapon's special effect and quickly looked up.
Stan hadn't knocked on the door. Instead, he stood in the yard, holding a silver box.
Jarvis zoomed in on the footage, and Tony's eyes widened in shock.
"Shit!" Tony leaped to his feet.
Stan was holding the T-Virus! Tony was certain of it.
With a casual motion, Stan opened the vial containing the virus and tossed it into Tony's yard.
"Stan! Stop!" Tony shouted, rushing toward the door.
Stan saw Tony's furious expression and froze. At that moment, he realized something crucial: Tony was also a member of the Lord God Space.
The T-Virus hit the ground and shattered, the blue light rapidly spreading across the yard.
Tony didn't hesitate. He rushed into the viral zone, knowing that if the situation wasn't dealt with quickly, things could spiral out of control.
The badge Tony wore on his chest began to glow faintly.
Information about immunity flashed across his combat panel.
This was happening much faster than the usual T-Virus infection.
Stan, too, was infected, as he stood within the radius of the virus. However, he had prepared for this with a vial of antidote in his silver box.
As Tony sprinted across the yard, his enhanced strength made him a blur. He grabbed Stan's wrist with surprising force, forcing the antidote to fall from his hand. Tony caught it effortlessly.
He then kicked Stan to the ground.
"Give it to me!" Stan yelled from the ground, desperate.
Tony glared coldly at him. "You did this, and you want to survive? You're a monster."
"No, no, it's not as bad as Raccoon City!" Stan begged, squirming under Tony's foot.
Tony's grip tightened, the weight of the situation bearing down on him.
"The Lord God Space is limited. The virus can only infect people within its bounds once."
Tony pulled the Savior from his waist and aimed it at Stan's head. "Tell me everything."
Stan's eyes began to turn red. "The virus... it's fast. I just wanted to kill you!" he snarled.
Tony paused, considering the situation. He wasn't sure if Stan was telling the truth, but he didn't trust him.
At that moment, Stan activated a hidden ability.
"Cold Rationality: In your opinion, probability is paramount. After using this ability, within one minute, everything about your body will shift according to the original probability."
The virus in Stan's body mutated at an alarming rate, and his immune system collapsed.
Within moments, Stan's skin swelled and blisters formed. It was as if he had been burned.
Tony, feeling the urgency of the situation, moved to retreat.
But in his rush, he broke his leg and fell hard.
He gritted his teeth and carefully held the antidote, his only hope, as he limped back toward the house.
Stan, his body now grotesquely enlarged, grew to the size of a van, the virus twisting him into something monstrous.
Back inside, Tony, still limping, activated Jarvis' support system, and the two of them worked together on an emergency treatment.
But despite all of Tony's precautions, Stan's transformation showed no sign of slowing down.