Chapter 402: Silence Is Tonight

Taking advantage of Arkham Sanatorium's temporary halt in accepting patients, Schiller applied for building repairs to the facility's structure; it was designated as repair rather than renovation or reconstruction because the building was a historically protected cultural site.

The old bank had indeed been around for a long time; before Wall Street became a thriving economic center, this ambitious banker had chosen it as his headquarters.

Over years of wind, rain, and snow, the skyscrapers of Wall Street slowly rose during dawn and dusk, foot and vehicle traffic increased, and during the golden age, the bank radiated the glow of prosperity like all other buildings.

But as the financial center shifted and Wall Street gradually declined, the old bank grew older and more dilapidated.

Schiller liked things with age, but that didn't mean he could accept nine out of ten faucets not working, and the tenth pouring nothing but rust-colored water.

This repair focused primarily on the internal water and power systems, as well as repainting and protecting walls and floors; after completion, Schiller returned to his office—nothing had changed on the surface, but the core was now different: he could finally use a higher-wattage bulb, and the small sink in the break room was finally functional.

Many other things were preserved, such as the vintage telephone from the last century; in the Kemengjing hard coin package, Schiller gave Strange a generous discount and obtained from him the technique "One Phone Connects All Realms," complete with a magical anti-tracking feature.

In the Huanghun office, Schiller stood before the phone desk and said into the receiver: "Yes, I'm the doctor."

"You don't need to be polite—I suspect you're fiddling with some strange machine trying to track my phone signal, but I'll tell you this: you're wasting your time."

"Don't mask your embarrassment with a stupid smile—turn and look at your other screen. Tell me what it shows."

A cold voice came from the other end: "Don't think this means we can't find your address..."

"Call me again when you've found my address."

Saying this, Schiller hung up—but he remained standing by the desk. Two seconds later, the phone rang again.

"Hello, this is the doctor," Schiller said, his opening line unchanged. The man on the other end sighed faintly and said: "Doctor, I admit you're a formidable man. I never expected Pierce, that conservative old fox, would produce someone like you—an extreme radical with ambition."

"That's the second funniest thing I've heard this year. Before calling me an extremist, could you fix your German accent first?"

The man on the other end showed no interest in following Schiller's lead; he ignored his provocative words and changed the subject: "Doctor, do you know that targeting key figures in your region has upset headquarters?"

"So?"

"Cease your actions immediately. Go silent and await headquarters' investigators."

"You have no authority to investigate me," Schiller bluntly rejected the proposal. "I'm merely purging corrupt parasites who occupy positions without contributing."

The man's tone remained unchanged, unaffected by Schiller's attitude; he spoke without emotion: "If you discover any violations, you must submit a report to headquarters for approval before specialized inspectors are dispatched to handle it..."

Schiller switched the phone to his other ear and said: "Would you like to hear what violations they committed first?"

"... hat?"

Schiller set the phone down, turned, and pulled a file from the nearby bookshelf. "Evan Brown, former U. . Congressman, senior official at the Treasury, Federal Reserve Board member, head of the IRS Collection Division..."

"He is also one of us, overseeing Hydra's entire financial operations in New York State."

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's a KGB agent—from the Soviet era."

The man on the other end fell silent.

Schiller turned another page. "Marbury Queto—I won't list his resume, but I don't understand how you dared recruit someone who graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge."

"Sophia Smith has twenty-five medical records in Moscow."

"Hans Todd took twelve vacations to St. Petersburg in one year."

"Dominic Johnson owns a Siberian forest cat..."

"Wait," the man finally snapped. "A forest cat counts?"

"I read in the surveillance manual that any clue linked to leftist tendencies must be reported. In December 1977 alone, Hydra's New York chapter reported sixty-seven suspicious cases involving cats and dogs. Sixty-six members' pets were confirmed to have Russian bloodlines—and all were eliminated."

The man fell silent again.

"You and I both know this is just internal infighting—a convenient excuse," the man finally laid his cards on the table. "I know you want to eliminate those blocking your rise, but this time you've gone too far. Losing so many key personnel will collapse the organization's structure."

"Has it collapsed yet?"

The man fell silent once more.

"This is the funniest joke I've heard this year. I eliminated over thirty key Hydra operatives hidden in New York State—and nothing happened."

"The organization's operations weren't affected in the slightest. On the contrary, after losing 67% of its personnel, New York State's expenditures dropped by over 40%, and efficiency doubled."

bidige.

Since his last silence, the man on the other end had said nothing. Finally, Schiller spoke: "I assume you called me without headquarters' approval."

"But as you said, we both know who's truly dragging Hydra down—those relics from last century clinging to their rigid rules, while the world has changed."

"They tell the new generation: 'You can't do this,' 'You can't do that,' 'You must do it our way.' But history proves they've never succeeded."

"Their proudest achievement was killing Captain America, the symbol of American spirit—but you've surely heard by now: Captain America is still alive. Not only that—he's joined by Spider-Man and Iron Man, who formed a superhero team and chased us into chaos."

"What do you want?" the man finally asked.

"If you're in Germany, mind your own business. Don't interfere with me."

"Do you know Hydra Lady?" the man suddenly asked. Schiller paused, then said: "Of course I do."

"You've threatened her interests. She'll soon come after you."

The man's tone turned serious: "I don't know if you've dealt with this kind of thing before, but I'll tell you this: Hydra Lady possesses power beyond human limits—not Captain America's physical strength, but a far more mysterious magical force."

"Some say she made a pact with a demon, granting her immortality. Worse still, she excels at poisoning."

"Don't think that just because we can't find you, she can't harm you. I advise you to be cautious."

"Don't beat around the bush," Schiller interrupted. "At first, you wanted to find my address because if you knew where I was, you could sell me to Hydra Lady for a hefty reward."

"But when you realized you couldn't find me, you thought I might defeat her—so you hedged your bets: pleasing her while appeasing me."

"If I'm not mistaken, you have another phone beside you—on your left side or just above your left hand. You've already dialed the number and are waiting to press send. The moment your screen displays my address, you'll immediately call and give it to her."

Schiller suddenly changed the subject: "Do you like Siberian forest cats?"

The man remained silent for dozens of seconds before answering: "No."

"I like them. I think they're adorable. If necessary, I can find someone who shares my taste."

Saying this, Schiller hung up—but he didn't move. Two seconds later, the phone rang again. The man finally lost his calm composure: "I advise you not to do that. You're hurting yourself without helping anyone. Do you think they'll spare you?"

"Will Hydra Lady spare me?"

The man had lost count of how many times he'd fallen silent—but Schiller's questions always left him speechless. He took a deep breath and said: "I'll speak with Ophelia..."

Schiller said calmly: "You can't speak with her. She won't even acknowledge you. You're just a pitiful beggar hoping for scraps from her table."

"You can't offer me advice. You have no right to warn me. Our victory or defeat means nothing to you. Whoever wins, you'll be swallowed."

"All you need to do now is hang up the phone, shut off the screen, abandon those distant, unreachable ambitions swirling in your mind, crawl back into your dark, narrow nest, and wait to die."

Saying this, Schiller hung up, then returned to his desk. After a moment, he pulled out his phone and called the Sanctum Sanctorum. The operator spoke politely: "Respected VIP Rodriguez, would you like me to connect you to the Sorcerer Supreme?"

"No. I'd like you to investigate a Hungarian woman named Ophelia, codenamed Hydra Lady or Viper. Who is her contract holder? Can she be contacted now?"

"Can you provide any basic information? Tracing her contract holder to a demon will be difficult—you may need to wait."

"It should be a demon associated with destruction, ruin, and darkness. Also, she is immortal and excels at poison-making."

"Please hold."

After a pleasant waiting tone, the operator spoke: "Hello, we've found it. Her contract holder is likely our recently contacted client, the Great Shadow, Siseon."

"You've signed Siseon too?"

"Only preliminary cooperation has been discussed. Details are being handled by Scarlet Witch Wanda."

"Where is she now?"

"The Empty Island in the Andromeda Galaxy. She's expected to return in one week."

"Connect me to her. I have a business proposition."

"Understood. Please hold."

After another waiting tone, a pleasant female voice came through: "Hello, this is Wanda."

Schiller said into the phone: "Miss Wanda, I'm Schiller Rodriguez, also the overall director of Hydra's New York State region."

"I have a business proposal for you."