Using the gentlest tone to say the most terrifying words.
Especially with Chen Lin's calm and casual manner, the three people inexplicably felt an absurdly ridiculous sensation, almost suspecting that today was April Fool's Day.
One had to know that the last alien invasion war had not even happened three months ago.
Yet those horrifying memories mixed with painful suffering were still engraved deep within every human's mind to this day. Among them, many who had participated in the London battle and survived that veritable flesh grinder were still suffering trauma in both mind and body.
Humanity needed peace, and Earth needed peace.
Yet the man before them was telling them that Earth and humanity were once again about to face disaster.
"Hoo... you're not joking with us, right?" Sam took a deep breath, his heart beating wildly in disgrace as he wanted to confirm it once more. Looking at the two people beside him, he said: "Today also isn't April Fool's Day, so he's serious, right?"
"As far as I know, he never jokes."
Natasha shrugged. Recalling her previous unpleasant experience with him, she said: "Last time he said he would make me lie in the hospital for three months, and he really did make me lie in the hospital for three months."
That move was called Tendon and Bone Dislocation Hand.
If possible, she never wanted to experience it again in this lifetime. Every bone in her body had been dislocated, leaving her like a puddle of mud lying in a hospital bed for three whole months. Eating, drinking, and even using the bathroom had required someone else's help.
This matter had practically become a stain on her record, a humiliation in her professional career. If not for the seriousness of the situation, Natasha would rather die than reveal it herself.
"..."
The corners of Sam's eyes twitched.
"I can testify."
Steve's expression was complicated as he said: "He probably isn't lying to us."
Sam already believed more than half of it in his heart, but he still clung to the final trace of hope: "If Earth really is about to be destroyed, then why is your tone so relaxed? It's like the old lady next door asking me in the morning whether I'd like some apple pie."
"Saving Earth and humanity isn't that just the daily routine of superheroes?" Chen Lin crossed his legs and raised his brows slightly, saying in surprise: "I thought you all were already used to this sort of thing."
"..." *3
There was not a single problem with those words.
The three superheroes present could not even find a reason to refute him.
"What's this?"
Natasha discovered a document on the table. After curiously picking it up and flipping through it twice, her eyes swept across the text and her face drastically changed. Shocked beyond belief, she said: "T-This is the Insight Project. HYDRA plans to use it to rule the world?!"
"Let me see!"
Steve's expression changed slightly as he snatched the documents from Natasha's hands. After rapidly browsing through them once, he said in shock: "So this is their plan? Using three Helicarriers and the Zola Algorithm to target everyone who intends to resist their rule, then cleansing the entire world all at once?!"
The Insight Project, originally intended to prevent crime and strike terrorists in advance, had actually become an evil tool for HYDRA to eliminate dissidents and rule the globe!
After reading the entire plan, Steve wanted nothing more than to grab Fury by the collar and question him whether this was what he called protecting world security.
Again and again, Fury had crossed his bottom line, violated freedom and justice, and countless times done things threatening the safety of the entire world under the excuse of protection.
This matter fully proved one truth: politics absolutely must never be linked with justice. Otherwise, it would only become a tool for rule and oppression in someone's hands.
Steve tightly gripped the documents, anger visible in his eyes: "Fury hasn't changed at all. If this continues, sooner or later he'll get us all killed!"
"Wait, how did you obtain such confidential project documents from HYDRA?"
Sam discovered the blind spot and suspiciously said: "It's not that I don't trust you, I just... think it might be a trap?"
"I'm also very curious where you got this kind of classified project document from."
Natasha likewise looked toward Chen Lin.
"Oh, actually it's very simple. It can roughly be divided into three steps." Chen Lin counted on his fingers: "Walk into S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, find the classified files in the Director's office, take them, then walk back out."
"..." *3
The strangely familiar answer left Natasha wanting to speak yet stopping herself, her expression extremely complicated.
"I just remembered a joke."
Sam fully displayed the characteristics of a Black man, waving his hands and shrugging as he said: "Someone asked how many steps there were to put an elephant into a refrigerator?"
"I understand what you mean..."
Steve held his forehead and sighed: "It's just that hearing it phrased like this makes me... want to curse someone."
"I understand you, Captain."
Natasha patted the Captain's shoulder in agreement: "I feel the same way right now."
If they were capable of defeating him, they would have already punched that bastard in the face long ago.
S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters had layer upon layer of protection, with security measures considered among the world's best. Stealing a classified document from there was no less difficult than plucking hair from Thanos's head without him noticing.
"Set the Insight Project matter aside for now."
Steve placed the documents down and asked: "Now please explain in detail about this crisis that might destroy Earth. What exactly is going on?"
"I don't know."
Chen Lin shook his head.
Hearing this sentence, the faces of all three people turned green.
Although agents generally had good tempers, Natasha was still angered enough that she now even wanted to stuff a gun barrel into this bastard's mouth and properly ask whether he was screwing with them.
"You..." Steve finally managed to suppress his anger and asked: "You don't know, so why did you say Earth is about to be destroyed?"
"Instinct."
Chen Lin could not even be bothered to raise his eyes toward them as he indifferently said: "It's too troublesome to explain. In short, the global earthquake from some time ago is related to this crisis that will destroy Earth. A very terrifying existence is about to awaken, and the price is that Earth will be destroyed."
Steve fell silent.
It was not that he did not believe Chen Lin's words. It was simply that if even a guy as arrogantly lofty as Chen Lin used the word 'terrifying' to describe something, then could the few of them truly resolve it?
"Should we... gather the Avengers?" Natasha proposed from the side.
"Good idea, but the problem is... they all seem to be tied down by HYDRA, right?" Sam frowned and said: "And without solid evidence, and with no Fury presiding over things, it'll be very difficult for us to convince those politicians to believe Earth is about to be destroyed."
"So..... the result is obvious."
Natasha sighed deeply and gloomily said: "If we want to unite everyone to save Earth, then first we have to crush HYDRA's conspiracy and let Fury return to power to keep those damned idiots in check, right?"
"After going in circles, we still have to deal with the Insight Project first."
Sam speechlessly said.
"The Insight Project matter can be left to me."
Chen Lin slightly raised his eyelids and indifferently said: "As long as the three Helicarriers are destroyed, the project will naturally terminate."
"..." *3
Natasha awkwardly laughed once and said: "If possible, we'd still prefer to preserve the three Helicarriers and stop HYDRA by other means. After all, this is all that remains of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s assets."
"There's another point. We need to find Fury."
Regarding Chen Lin's approach, Steve neither agreed nor disagreed, merely saying: "Although I don't like Fury's methods, at this kind of critical juncture, only he can gather everyone together and deal with those politicians."
"That's also the reason I came looking for you all."
Chen Lin sighed and said: "Fury came looking for me before, but he was abducted by some bastard. I don't know what his objective is, but at such a crucial moment, I suspect... it's connected to the global earthquake."
"So you want us to find Fury?" Natasha asked.
"Correct."
Chen Lin slowly stood up and said: "You all are responsible for finding Fury. I'm responsible for dealing with HYDRA."
Seeing his confident appearance, Sam could not help asking one extra question: "How do you plan to deal with HYDRA?"
"Kill my way through."
Chen Lin glanced sideways at him and indifferently said: "Kill until not a single person dares to call themselves HYDRA anymore."
Schemes were only useful when the two sides' strengths were equal or not too far apart.
But before overwhelming strength, all conspiracies and tricks were worthless.
If you could bulldoze straight through, who would still bother playing conspiracies with you?