When Fury, along with representatives from various agencies, hurriedly arrived at the evening party ballroom, what they saw was a scene of tranquility and harmony:
The spacious main hall was clean and tidy, and it was as if it had just been meticulously cleaned. Several terrorist corpses were piled up in a corner, resembling merchandise, and there was no sense of discord in any way, shape, or form inside the hall.
The handsome silver-haired young man was seated on a chair with crossed legs and sipping wine from a glass as if savoring it. Raina stood quietly behind him, ready to obey any commands.
On the chairs on both sides, Tony and Elle sat with heavy hearts, lost in thought.
The group appeared to be in the middle of a conversation, but when Fury and the others entered, they halted their discussion and all looked up.
"Fury, it's been a long time," The silver-haired young man raised his gaze and looked at Fury, who was at the forefront of the group. He nodded slightly with a faint smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Yeah. Kyle, it's really been a while," Fury shook his head in nostalgia as he looked at Kyle seated before him. He felt an overwhelming sense of unreality as he did so.
After all, it had been over sixty years since they last met, and Kyle appeared just as young as the day he joined the military, seemingly untouched by the ravages of time.
Meanwhile, Fury, despite the Infinity Formula and the age-suppressing genes in his body, was still just a regular human being. He had inevitably aged by about ten years, and he now had a weathered appearance that indicated he had entered middle age.
Rhodes, the representative of the military, and the other representatives from various agencies were even more astonished as they listened to the conversation between the two men.
They couldn't help but feel incredulous as they gazed at the legendary figure sitting before them, as well as that perpetually youthful face, which was identical to the one in the highest classified files from over sixty years ago.
"All right, everyone, feel free to take a seat. There are some things I can explain to you one by one," Kyle calmly spoke, being unfazed by the various looks he was receiving. He took another sip of red wine.
Fury didn't hesitate and walked over to sit in one of the chairs. He also picked up a bottle and poured himself a drink.
The other representatives from various agencies exchanged glances and, having made up their minds, took their seats in the ballroom.
The ballroom, which had previously been the scene of a terrorist attack, had suddenly transformed into a sort of national-level high-stakes council chamber, exuding solemnity and sanctity.
However, once the influential bureaucrats and officers had taken their seats, they all remained silent, not daring to speak. Everyone knew that tonight's protagonist was Kyle, and no matter who came, they couldn't steal his spotlight.
"A little late, but not too late, I hope?"
Just then, with a soft yet commanding female voice, a graceful figure entered through the ballroom's entrance.
Her dark red, lustrous hair swayed like waves, and she was dressed in a seductive black leather outfit that showcased her devilishly enticing figure. Her alluring curves were criminally tempting, and below the zipper, a pair of prominent peaks proudly stood.
"Natasha Romanoff, the newly appointed Deputy Director of SHIELD. I knew this woman would come," Kyle remarked.
"The Black Widow with a deadly touch in the shadows..."
The representatives of various agencies whispered to each other, their voices tinged with wariness.
"Please, have a seat," Kyle gestured with a nod. Natasha smiled faintly, elegantly making her way over and sitting beside Elle.
Elle shrunk back nervously, recognizing Natasha as the violent woman who had nearly thrown her to the ground just a while ago.
With everyone seated, the ballroom fell silent. Kyle spoke calmly, "I know that most of you here tonight are eager to understand where I've been for the past few decades, what I've been doing, and why I haven't been in the public eye until now."
The representatives of various agencies chuckled awkwardly. Indeed, they were very curious.
Not just them, but people from all over New York, the entire United States, and even the world were eager to uncover the answers to these questions.
"The answer is quite simple," Kyle said bluntly. "In 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, a few months after resigning my position as a General, I left Earth and ventured into outer space. I only returned recently."
He spoke with a calm demeanor, but it was like a nuclear explosion on flat ground. Except for Fury, Tony, and a few others, most of the people in the hall turned pale with shock.
Leaving Earth for interstellar travel in 1945? How was that even possible?! Even in today's technologically advanced age, humanity has only reached the stage of landing on the moon!
Yet, the person saying this was Kyle, the Symbol of Peace himself. He embodied authority and power, and his words carried an unquestionable conviction.
For a moment, though it seemed surreal, no one dared to voice doubts. They silently accepted this incredible fact.
"Mr. Kyle, I'd like to know how you left Earth and how you returned," Rhodes took a deep breath and cautiously asked, "And also, what's out there in outer space beyond Earth?"
These were the two key questions, and almost everyone in the hall, their eyes filled with anticipation, turned their gaze towards Kyle.
"The means I used to leave and return to Earth are not something an ordinary person can employ," Kyle said, clearly not wanting to reveal the existence of the Bifrost.
He paused and smiled, "As for what lies beyond Earth, Vis, show them."
Kyle snapped his fingers, and the sunglasses hanging on his chest button immediately emitted two bright beams of light, projecting a holographic image in 3D.
As everyone in the hall watched in breathless anticipation, the holographic image quickly swept past various alien-style skyscrapers on the planet Sakaar, powerful and exotic alien lifeforms, interstellar spaceships silently gliding through the low sky, an interstellar sports arena nearly the size of a small city, a desolate wilderness strewn with the bones of lifeforms on an ancient battlefield, a gigantic six-winged black dragon-like lifeform, and finally, the golden city of Asgard.
In less than half a minute, the video ended, leaving most of the people in the hall dazed, their mouths agape in astonishment, unable to snap out of it for a while.
"I merely set foot in a corner of outer space by chance, in just two or three different places," Kyle said indifferently, recounting the hard-to-believe facts. "From what I know, beyond Earth, within our galaxy alone, there are countless planets teeming with life. Some alien lifeforms closely resemble humans but possess far more advanced technological civilizations. Others have non-humanoid forms but are naturally better at combat and killing than us."
"Think about it for a moment, what if one day, extraterrestrial lifeforms invade Earth? What would we do?" Kyle shrugged, posing a thought-provoking question.
Upon hearing this question, most of the people present felt their scalps tingle and shivered in fear.
Fear sprouted from the depths of their hearts, enveloping every inch of their skin.
"So, my return is not the focal point here," Kyle stood up and looked down at the people in the hall and spoke in a cold voice. "I merely wish to remind you all that Earth is on the cusp of a new era, the beginning of a new era that will overturn all previous understandings!"
"The greatest enemy of humanity in the future will come from beyond Earth!"
(End of this chapter)