"So he agreed?"
The moment Ivan Vanko accepted all three conditions, Sarah relayed the news to Evenson through their mental link.
"He agreed to everything," she replied. "Hatred has completely consumed him. Someone like that won’t reject any chance at revenge."
Evenson nodded thoughtfully.
"And do you think he can actually do it?"
Accepting the job and finishing it were two very different things.
"The first two conditions won’t be a problem," Sarah said after a moment’s thought. "He seemed confident about those."
She hesitated.
"But the third..."
"He couldn’t promise he’d succeed."
"I figured."
The technological gulf between worlds wasn’t something that disappeared just because someone possessed blueprints. The design originated from a race whose biology was fundamentally different from humanity’s. Their nervous systems, their tolerance for neural stress, even the way they processed sensory information far exceeded human limits.
Recreating that technology for a human body would never be simple.
"Then all we can do is hope he succeeds."
Of the three conditions Sarah had presented, the third mattered most to Evenson.
The plasma whip’s schematics were useful, but not irreplaceable.
If he ever swallowed his pride and simply asked Tony Stark for help, Tony could probably build something similar. Better, even.
Hammer Industries’ assets were valuable as well.
Justin Hammer looked ridiculous only because Tony Stark existed.
People tended to forget that.
Those dozens of armored drones Ivan had modified each represented an investment worth well over a hundred million dollars. Hammer Industries possessed enormous wealth.
Rather than watching the government seize those assets after Hammer’s inevitable downfall, Evenson intended to redirect them into Umbrella’s future.
Even then...
The money wasn’t essential.
Sarah had already extracted several hundred million dollars from Hammer under the guise of research expenses.
That was enough to establish Umbrella’s foundation.
Besides, no legitimate global corporation appeared overnight with a single mysterious investor funding everything.
That attracted questions.
Far better to bring in outside investors eventually.
As for shareholders trying to interfere with management...
Evenson wasn’t remotely concerned.
The two executives he’d recruited had more than enough experience keeping troublesome board members firmly under control.
The third condition, however, was irreplaceable.
The neural integration system would become one of Umbrella’s flagship technologies.
A company couldn’t conquer the world by loudly proclaiming itself the greatest.
Eventually, it had to deliver something no one else could.
This technology would be that breakthrough.
Which was precisely why Evenson refused to let outsiders participate in its development.
Living outsiders, anyway.
Ivan Vanko was almost uniquely qualified.
He possessed the necessary engineering talent.
His obsession with revenge guaranteed he would push himself beyond his limits.
And once his revenge was complete...
He would almost certainly be dead.
No loose ends.
No leaks.
Perhaps best of all...
He was doing the work for free.
Actually, he was paying Umbrella for the privilege.
Labor that cheap was difficult to find.
"Oh, Boss."
Sarah stopped him before he ended the mental connection.
"That corporate philosophy you wrote..."
"I think it could use some revision."
Evenson blinked.
"What?"
"Not dramatic enough?"
He had spent days piecing together Umbrella’s grand vision, digging through both the Old and New Testaments looking for inspiration.
It had style.
It had scale.
It sounded impressive.
Anyone with even a hint of dramatic flair should have loved it.
"It was definitely dramatic."
Sarah laughed.
"Ivan looked completely stunned."
She paused.
"The problem is..."
"...he seemed convinced we’re all religious fanatics."
Evenson chuckled.
"Isn’t that exactly what we want?"
Sarah frowned.
"I don’t see how."
"You know who we’re ultimately trying to win over?"
"The military?"
"That’s only the first step."
"They’re important."
"But they’re not the real objective."
He leaned back.
"The people we truly need are the ones at the very top."
"The ones who already control the world."
"And if we want their complete support..."
"...this is exactly the story they need to hear."
Sarah remained unconvinced.
"Why?"
"Because we’re appealing to what they actually desire."
"What do people like that still lack?"
"Money?"
He shook his head.
"To them, money stopped being meaningful years ago."
"Power?"
"They already influence governments."
"They don’t need more authority."
"What they’re missing..."
"...is purpose."
"They need something that exists beyond themselves."
People often imagined absolute power as the end of ambition.
Evenson disagreed.
Once someone reached the summit...
There was nowhere higher to climb.
The routine repeated endlessly.
Every day looked the same.
Without a greater purpose, even success became hollow.
"So we give them one."
His smile widened.
"Imagine being told you could reshape humanity’s destiny."
"Lead civilization into its next stage of evolution."
"Grant mankind immortality."
"Turn humanity into something greater."
He spread his hands.
"How many people could resist becoming the architect of a new age?"
"And even if they couldn’t care less about humanity..."
He shrugged.
"They certainly care about themselves."
"Immortality."
"Power beyond human limits."
"Freedom from death."
"History is full of emperors who spent fortunes chasing those dreams."
"If we offer them a path..."
"...they’ll come willingly."
Sarah considered his reasoning for a long moment.
"...I hope you’re right."
"So do I."
There was a brief silence.
Then Evenson spoke again.
"You should start preparing."
"The curtain’s about to fall."
"Don’t let the final act disappoint."
Sarah smiled knowingly.
"I’ve been ready."
"My final dance with that beautiful woman..."
"I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time."
The New York Sanctum
The meeting had just ended.
As the senior sorcerers dispersed through the halls, a young woman hurried after the Sanctum’s master.
"Master Olifan!"
The elderly mage turned.
"Oh?"
"It’s you, Clea."
"What is it?"
His smile remained warm.
Only someone paying close attention would notice the faint hesitation hidden behind it.
Clea folded her arms.
"What happened to my field training?"
"I submitted the request over a month ago."
"You approved it."
"So why haven’t I been allowed to leave yet?"
Olifan sighed inwardly.
As expected.
This again.
"You’ll have your chance."
"Just be patient."
Clea puffed out her cheeks.
"You said that last time."
"And the time before that."
There wasn’t much conviction in his reassurance anymore.
He rubbed his forehead.
"The outside world isn’t safe."
He finally decided to explain.
"The Black Mage incident inside New York still hasn’t been resolved."
"Then Clark and Jonas disappeared."
"We still haven’t found them."
"How can I send you out under circumstances like these?"
"You already promised."
Clea refused to back down.
"And even if I leave the Sanctum..."
"That doesn’t mean I’ll encounter danger."
Olifan’s expression became serious.
"Clark and Jonas have been missing for far too long."
"I believe they’re dead."
He paused.
"The last magical recording we recovered showed them investigating an unusual surge of mystical energy."
"I visited the location afterward."
"There was nothing."
"No trace."
"The scene had been meticulously cleaned."
He met her eyes.
"Someone set a trap."
"And whoever did it was targeting sorcerers."
"Sending you outside now would be reckless."
Clea bit her lip.
"I know you’re trying to protect me."
"But the rules are still the rules."
She wasn’t giving up.
"During field training, my magic will be temporarily sealed."
"I’ll just be an ordinary apprentice."
"No one would know I’m a sorcerer."
Traditionally, field training was conducted before students officially became full-fledged sorcerers.
The purpose was to let them experience ordinary life.
Clea had already advanced beyond that stage.
To preserve the spirit of the exercise, the Sanctum temporarily sealed her magic before sending her into the outside world.
From anyone else’s perspective...
She would appear to be nothing more than an ordinary young woman.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter