Hydra, an underground base.
In a closed room deep in the base, Alexander Pierce was silently observing the bald agent lying on the machine in front of him—Sitwell!
At this moment, Sitwell looked panicked. He stared at former Director Pierce and said anxiously, "Director, what are you doing?"
"I have always been loyal to SHIELD."
...
Seeing Sitwell tied to the machine, his expression full of fear, Pierce said calmly, "Sitwell, relax. You participated in a confidential mission before, and after completing it, your memory was sealed. Now, I need to restore your memory."
After hearing this from Pierce, the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Sitwell relaxed slightly, but his expression remained tense.
"Okay, Director."
Then...
In an instant, Sitwell, who was tied up, felt a sharp sensation as if his back was being pricked by countless needles, followed by a rush of some liquid.
Severe pain spread from his brain to his limbs. Sitwell trembled violently and couldn't help but scream out loud.
But soon, his voice faded, and his eyes became dull.
At the same time, two energized cloth patches, seemingly connected to a circuit, were pressed tightly against his temples.
Zhi! Zhi! Zhi!
The electric current stimulated his temples in a rhythmic pattern, seemingly awakening the hidden memories in Sitwell's mind.
However, it was evident that Sitwell's body continued to twitch, his eyes dull, with foam forming at the corners of his mouth.
After a while, his eyes began to focus.
Next to him, a Hydra staff member wearing a white coat, who looked like medical personnel, picked up a notebook.
He began reciting softly: "Train, glasses, cans, mineral water."
Soon, the recitation ended, and at that moment, a large amount of information flooded into Sitwell's mind, and his expression kept shifting.
After a brief moment, his eyes regained clarity.
Pierce, watching from the side, stepped forward and asked directly, "Tell me your identity. Who are you loyal to?"
"Sir, I am No. 16758. My current name is Jasper Sitwell."
"I am loyal to Hydra and was sent to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D."
...
"My allegiance is to Chief Pierce, and I am willing to dedicate my life to Chief Pierce and the new world."
"Hail Hydra!"
After hearing Sitwell's response, Pierce nodded in satisfaction.
He then gestured to the Hydra agent in the white coat beside him.
The agent took out a bottle of transparent liquid and injected it directly into Sitwell's arm.
After a few moments, Sitwell fell into a deep sleep.
The Hydra agent in the white coat respectfully said, "Sir, you only need to wait two or three hours for this person to fully recover his memories."
"This mission is now complete."
Pierce nodded slightly at this, then ordered, "After Sitwell wakes up, have him continue his mission—controlling SHIELD's intelligence system."
With that, Pierce turned and left.
At the same time, Sitwell, who was asleep, seemed to sense something from the pale golden dragon magic mark deep in his mind.
As it flickered, the memory seal that had just been opened slowly began to close.
A flood of memories started to resurface.
New York City, Vientiane Book Café.
Looking at the vast space in front of him, Lockhart nodded in satisfaction.
As expected of the Sorcerer Supreme. Though the micro-dimensional space is called "micro," it's only in relation to the one-dimensional world. Its actual area is comparable to a small or medium-sized street.
The Sorcerer Supreme had easily integrated it into the Vientiane Book Café.
From now on, the location of the Vientiane Book Café would be more secretive and safer.
Unless someone possessed space capabilities, they couldn't enter without an invitation from the café.
Although the Vientiane Book Café remained in its original location, it now existed in another dimension.
In other words, even if a missile exploded at the front door, the café wouldn't be harmed at all.
With a wave of his wand, Lockhart opened a red-flame portal with a slight flick.
On the other side of the portal was a bedroom, where a black-haired woman sat cross-legged on the bed, seemingly meditating and adjusting her breath.
"Elektra, come here and take a look," Lockhart called, waving to Elektra.
At the same time, Elektra opened her eyes and, seeing the portal in front of her, leapt up and walked through it in two or three steps.
"Boss, is this where I'll be working in the future?" Elektra asked, looking around curiously.
"Yes, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the surroundings. In the future, you and my apprentice Vera will be in charge of the all-encompassing Vientiane Book Café," Lockhart said with a smile.
Although Elektra had been brainwashed and treated as a puppet when she was Black Sky, her combat strength was undeniable. Without the teamwork of Lockhart and the basilisk, it would have been impossible to defeat Elektra quickly.
As for Lockhart, his top-level combat power had always been relatively scarce. Aside from his strong combat capabilities with the basilisk, the rest of his forces were merely average.
Therefore, Lockhart wasn't about to let go of Elektra, a top-tier fighter who could be used for free.
"Elektra, explore the place and get familiar with it. The café will reopen in a few days. If you have any questions, you can reach out to Vera using the golden dragon magic mark on your arm, or you can contact me directly."
"Got it, boss," Elektra nodded, then continued to look around curiously.
Seeing this, Lockhart paid it no mind. He waved his wand and opened another portal.
He needed to return to the world of Harry Potter, and there were a few things he had to take care of in advance.
For example, Peter's blood.
Magic suitcase space, Sunny's exclusive exercise room.
"Sunny, there are 10 minutes left before the session ends. Come on, I believe you can do it," Peter encouraged while running on a treadmill, glancing at Sunny, who was on a smaller treadmill next to him.
Peter had put a lot of thought into Sunny's exercise regimen. At first, Sunny had been lazy, and Peter had tried many methods, but none worked.
No matter how much Peter encouraged him, or even bribed him with delicious treats, the results were short-lived.
Just like a child, Sunny would try hard at first, but then gradually become lazy again.
Peter felt a little helpless. Eventually, he asked Aunt May for advice on how to get a child to exercise regularly.
He had only asked out of curiosity. Since Aunt May opened her new business, she'd been busier and chatted less with him. Sometimes, she didn't even cook and just ordered takeout.
Although Peter had more free time and even more pocket money, he felt a little lonely for some reason.
So, whenever he had time, Peter would chat with May, sharing interesting stories from school and venting his frustrations.
Sunny's laziness naturally came up in conversation.
Peter didn't expect May to give him a suggestion that actually worked.
Well, as expected of May, who had evolved into a CEO, her method was effective.
Peter summarized the core of the method as: Lead by example!
If Sunny was going to exercise, Peter—Spider-Man—had to do the same, but at a higher level of difficulty.
By setting an example, Peter could motivate Sunny to take action.
And the results were...
Gu! Gu!
After hearing Peter's encouragement, Sunny glanced at him and chirped.
"Yes, Sunny, I believe in you. After we finish, we'll head to my place. I've got some fun stuff at home."
Gu! Gu!
"Don't worry, I'll buy milk tea in advance—your favorite iced one."
Gu! Gu!
Hearing Peter's response, Sunny squealed in delight and continued running.
At that moment, a portal quietly opened, and Lockhart stepped out.
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