"Boom…"
The weather in September was as unpredictable as a child's moods. Just moments ago, the sky was clear with a bright moon, and now it was covered in dark clouds with flashes of lightning.
The sound of rain began to pour down heavily.
In an abandoned house on the outskirts of Tokyo, a figure stood by the window, looking out at the stormy night. Inside, his thoughts were as turbulent as the weather outside.
"Boss, Ozaki Yutaka hasn't returned yet," one of the subordinates reported nervously.
Tanikawa Masanobu simply nodded without saying a word. He knew deep down that Ozaki Yutaka had likely met his end.
A few moments later, he turned to the four remaining underlings behind him, noticing the fear and unease in their eyes.
Tanikawa understood that he had to say something to keep their morale from breaking.
"We..."
Just as he began to speak, there was a sudden loud crash.
"Bang!" The window shattered, and the head of the subordinate beside him burst like a watermelon, spraying red and white matter all over the floor.
Some of it splattered onto Tanikawa's clothes.
Reacting quickly, Tanikawa dove behind the couch, using it as cover to avoid further gunfire.
More gunshots echoed through the room. The remaining subordinates were shot down one after another, each meeting the same gruesome fate.
Tanikawa realized that no matter where he tried to hide, the bullets would find him.
"Thermal sensors!"
In modern warfare, hiding behind cover wasn't enough. Infrared sensors made it impossible to escape detection, and high-caliber bullets could easily pierce through obstacles.
Understanding this, Tanikawa immediately suppressed his body heat and lay motionless on the floor.
Sure enough, after a few moments, the gunfire ceased.
Soon after, footsteps could be heard approaching from outside.
His enemies were coming in.
Preparing for a counterattack, Tanikawa's hands morphed into tentacle-like shapes, ready to strike.
"Bang!" The door was kicked open, and a few objects were thrown inside.
Not good—his enemies didn't play fair!
Realizing this, Tanikawa sprang to his feet and dashed toward the window.
"Boom!!"
Several explosions went off simultaneously, but Tanikawa used the force of the blast to propel himself through the shattered window.
The cold rain poured down, drenching him completely and chilling him to the bone.
As he looked up, he saw a group of armored figures, all clad in black steel suits and wielding electromagnetic rifles, aimed directly at him.
These ironclad suits were unlike anything he had ever seen. Each one stood over two meters tall, imposing and formidable, their heavy black armor giving off an aura of immense power.
Knowing when to surrender, Tanikawa wasted no time. He raised his tentacle-like hands into the air and transformed them back into arms.
"I surrender."
Erika, dressed in a red ninja outfit, stepped forward with a playful smirk.
"Not running anymore?" she teased.
Tanikawa shook his head, "I don't dare."
"Then wait for our master's judgment," Erika commanded with a wave of her hand. "Take him away."
As she watched the Zeta Squad members in their newest combat suits, Erika couldn't help but feel a surge of envy.
These were Umbrella Corporation's latest creations—the Dawn Armor, symbolizing the first light of hope.
The Dawn Armor had solved the problem of energy supply, allowing for prolonged combat, flight, and the use of various heavy firepower while providing exceptional defense.
The only drawback was the cost—it was exorbitantly expensive.
Erika resolved that once she earned enough points, she would get her own set of Dawn Armor, and she'd paint it pink.
"Boss, what about me?" Ozaki Yutaka, the traitorous subordinate who had betrayed Tanikawa, asked Erika with a fawning smile.
"You're coming back with us to await judgment, but I'll report your cooperation," Erika replied.
"Thank you, thank you…"
So, it was Ozaki who had betrayed him.
Realizing this, Tanikawa Masanobu felt his heart sink into despair.
.......
Meanwhile, in New York, within Umbrella Corporation's skyscraper, Adam sat in his office chair, reading the latest updates.
The message came from Luna.
In Khabarovsk, local criminal organizations were causing trouble at the construction site, refusing to let the work proceed.
They claimed that their ancestral graves were on the land and that no one could lay the foundation without their permission.
Luna had tried approaching the local authorities, but even they refused to intervene, as they were in league with the criminal groups.
This was typical of the Far East region of Russia, where the central government's influence didn't reach. Local officials were often in cahoots with criminal syndicates.
Sometimes, dealing with these groups was more effective than going through official channels.
But Umbrella wasn't a company to be trifled with.
Luna had already thrown a number of troublemakers into the sea.
Adam thought it was a waste, though. He responded to Luna's message, instructing her to make use of the situation, especially given the recent increase in the price of test subjects.
She would understand his meaning.
Adam then turned his attention to another issue.
Rumors had been circulating online that Umbrella's advanced healing medication caused cancer.
It was obvious that the Osborn Group was behind this smear campaign.
After all, Osborn had recently launched its own line of advanced healing products, attempting to compete with Umbrella. But when their inferior results were exposed, they resorted to underhanded tactics.
Now that things in Japan had been settled, Adam could focus on dealing with the Osborn Group.
"Ring ring…"
A phone call interrupted his thoughts.
"Hello?"
"Is that so? Thank you very much."
"Oh, by the way, I've recently developed a drug that could combat cancer. I'll have someone deliver it to you soon. I hope it helps your loved one."
After hanging up, Adam's eyes gleamed with a knowing expression.
"Tanikawa Masanobu has been causing me some trouble."
"But S.H.I.E.L.D. won't expect that I have someone on the U.N. Security Council."
Just as Adam was about to return to his work, another phone call came in.
"Ring ring…"
This time, it was Erika.
"Master, we've captured Tanikawa Masanobu and one of his underlings."
"Good, bring them to New York."
"Yes, Master."
After ending the call, Adam returned his focus to the task at hand.
The Osborn Group had a market value of around $170 billion, making it a formidable multinational corporation with many industries under its belt. It wouldn't be easy to take down.
He wondered how old that little spider was now—was it time to make use of him?
"Red Queen, bring up the file on Peter Benjamin Parker."
"Yes, Master."
Soon, a detailed report on Peter appeared before him, outlining everything from his birth to his current situation.
"Still in elementary school, huh? Guess it's not time yet."
As Adam pondered his next move, Red Queen reappeared.
"Master, we've just received word that S.H.I.E.L.D. sent agents to the Middle East to locate Baru Village."
Adam's gaze grew cold.
"If they're so eager to die, let's grant them their wish."
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