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"Who?!"
Sif's body tensed, her eyes filled with vigilance, as she abruptly turned. Facing her was a dark-skinned female deity dressed in a black robe.
She stood silently in the dim shadow cast by a giant stone pillar.
If she hadn't spoken first, even a battle-hardened warrior like Sif wouldn't have noticed her presence immediately.
It was as if she had merged with the shadow.
What amazed Sif even more was that even in the dimly lit environment, the dark-skinned female deity's eyes remained exceptionally bright, shimmering with a strange, cat-like glow, like two burning will-o'-the-wisps from afar.
In addition, she wore a string of special golden amulets around her neck, with leopard-shaped patterns subtly visible in the faint light.
"Hm?"
Sif looked closely, and with her extensive knowledge, she quickly discerned that the other party was likely a deity from the Egyptian Pantheon.
And most likely an 'Animal God'!
"May I ask who you are...?" Sif frowned slightly, her tone laced with confusion and wariness.
"Don't be nervous, I mean no harm."
The dark-skinned goddess spoke softly, her voice gentle yet with an undeniable steadiness, "I am Bastet, the Black Panther Goddess from the Egyptian Pantheon... This is not the place to talk, follow me!"
The two hurried along and soon arrived at a secluded terrace.
The terrace was surrounded by exotic flowers and plants, gently swaying in the breeze, making rustling sounds.
Sif gave a look to the accompanying Asgardian warrior, who immediately gripped his weapon and vigilantly walked to a distant spot, surveying the surroundings and always guarding against potential dangers.
The Black Panther Goddess Bastet's expression was grave, her brows tightly furrowed, and complex emotions surged in her eyes. After a brief moment of contemplation, she slowly began to speak:
"Regarding the Warp and the Four Chaotic Gods you just mentioned... I suspect that the sudden disappearance of the deities of the Egyptian Pantheon not long ago might be related to them!!"
"What did you say?"
Sif's face was full of surprise, her eyes wide, looking at the other party in disbelief, "All the gods of the Egyptian Pantheon... have disappeared?!"
"Yes." Bastet nodded heavily, her expression extremely serious. "Not many people know about this yet... A few months before the incident, Osiris, the King of the Underworld, sent someone to the Hall of All Gods to request aid, saying that Khepri, the Scarab God, had died without warning in his own temple."
At this point, a hint of regret flashed uncontrollably in Bastet's eyes. "But unfortunately, My Lord Zeus ultimately rejected Osiris's request..."
"Who would have thought that not long after, I would discover that my mental link with Celestial Heliopolis seemed to have been completely severed by a powerful force... And it was from that moment that I completely lost contact with all the Egyptian gods."
Bastet's voice was very low, making it very easy to hear the deep worry in her words.
Sif looked incredulous, shaking her head repeatedly. "But... the Eye of Fear has only just appeared, do you have any evidence to prove that the disappearance of the Egyptian gods is related to the Warp?"
"You're right."
Bastet shook her head slightly, somewhat dejectedly, the light in her eyes dimming a bit. "I don't have any yet, it's just my personal intuition... However, I have already sent my Agent on Earth to conduct a detailed investigation into this matter, and I believe the truth will come to light soon."
As she spoke, Bastet raised her hand and slowly took off the golden amulet she wore around her neck, handing it to Sif.
Her movements were gentle, and her eyes held sincerity and expectation. "But even if it's eventually confirmed that the disappearance of the Egyptian gods is unrelated to the Four Chaotic Gods, I am still willing to provide you with help at a crucial moment when you, Asgard, are fighting the Eye of Fear."
"It seems at least some people in the All-Powerful City understand the gravity of this matter..." Sif extended both hands and solemnly took the amulet.
The moment her fingers touched the amulet, she felt the powerful divine power contained within it, just like the magic runes Odin had imbued on her longsword years ago.
Sif said with gratitude in her eyes, "Thank you, Goddess Bastet, I and Asgard will not forget this kindness!!"
Afterward, Sif and the accompanying Asgardian warrior left the All-Powerful City together.
...
Upon returning to Asgard, Sif went directly to the Hall of the Heavenly Palace and meticulously recounted everything that had happened in the Hall of All Gods to 'Odin,' who was impersonated by Loki, on the throne.
"Hmph, they won't shed tears until they see the coffin. I already guessed that arrogant fellow would refuse."
On the throne, 'Odin' heard this, and the corner of his mouth curled slightly, revealing a somewhat sinister sneer.
However, he did not appear particularly angry about this outcome; instead, a hint of schadenfreude subtly emerged between his brows.
Then, he waved his hand towards Sif below the hall, his voice tinged with weariness and a touch of certainty, saying:
"You've worked hard on this trip, Sif. Now, go back to Thor's side!"
"Since Zeus is unwilling to send troops, then let him be..."
"I believe it won't be long before those fools in the All-Powerful City pay a heavy price for their arrogance today!!"
...
...
In a silent cosmic space.
In a dark region of space approximately several million kilometers from Earth, a spaceship with the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo painted on its fuselage was slowly approaching an asteroid.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Blue flames continuously spurted from the spaceship's bottom thrusters, tracing a bright trajectory in the dark expanse.
Finally, the spaceship successfully made a soft landing on the surface of an asteroid, kicking up a cloud of dust upon touchdown.
Moments later, the heavy hatch slowly opened under the propulsion of the hydraulic system, and six S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents, wearing specialized spacesuits and holding some kind of specialized weapons, cautiously emerged from the spaceship.
Their steps were small and light, as if they were afraid of disturbing this strange and dangerous place with every step.
After all... if Eddie Brock was right, this was the lair of those Alien Symbiotes!
The lights on their spacesuits and their tactical flashlights appeared particularly dazzling in the dark environment.
Black Widow, walking at the forefront, her eyes sharp, vigilantly surveyed the surroundings.
On the barren ground, apart from countless meteorite impact craters of various sizes, there was no other place to hide that could obscure the view.
Her brows furrowed slightly, a hint of suspicion rising in her heart. She turned to look at Eddie Brock, who was following closely behind her with an excited expression, and spoke through the communicator, with a hint of doubt:
"Are you sure you didn't get the coordinates wrong? Are those Alien Symbiotes on this asteroid?"
"How could I get such an important thing wrong?" Eddie Brock raised an eyebrow slightly, appearing very calm in the face of the doubt.
He looked up, gazing into the distance, and patiently explained to Black Widow: "Anti-Venom once told me that, based on the memories it inherited from Venom, this Planet should be the 'only' Planet where Symbiotes can survive freely without possessing other creatures."
"So, without external help, they simply cannot actively leave this Planet..."
Eddie Brock looked around, paused, and then added, "It looks like those Symbiotes must all be hidden underground?!"
Black Widow did not continue to ask questions. Instead, she raised her hand and lightly pressed the Hand Control Unit Panel embedded in the left arm of her spacesuit.
Her movements were practiced and swift, and then she entered a series of complex passwords.
As the password input was completed, the radar-like energy signal search device mounted on the outside of the spaceship slowly activated, emitting a buzzing sound.
"According to the energy readings, the target group should be located about 5 kilometers away from us... But the magnetic field here is very chaotic, and the readings are intermittent, so we need to act quickly."
Black Widow said, while staring at the data on the Hand Control Unit Panel.
Soon, she confirmed the exact location based on the holographic electronic radar projected on the Hand Control Unit Panel, and then unhesitatingly gave the order:
"Before we officially set off, everyone, please check if your Symbiote Containment Devices are functioning properly. Once confirmed, begin the operation!!"
Upon hearing this, Eddie Brock pretended to check the Symbiote Capture Device, which looked like a vacuum cleaner, with his two mechanical hands.
His eyes occasionally darted towards Black Widow, but in his mind, he was working on his own little scheme.
This capture device, specially made by the S.H.I.E.L.D. Technology Development Department, was said to be able to instantly suck Symbiotes into a special sealed container connected to its tail.
However, Eddie Brock had already made his own plans in his heart; he wasn't going to foolishly obey Nick Fury's orders.
What he wanted to do was not to contain the Symbiotes, but to fuse with them once again!
Ever since he lost Anti-Venom, the immense emptiness caused by the craving for superhuman power had been tormenting his body and mind like a drug addiction every moment.
Therefore, from the moment he agreed to join S.H.I.E.L.D. in the prison van, his true goal had been and only ever been one: to re-possess a Symbiote and make himself powerful again!!
As for whether doing so would provoke Nick Fury's suppression and targeting, Eddie Brock stated that he simply didn't care what that Black man would think!
Because as long as he achieved his goal, whether he continued to stay in S.H.I.E.L.D. afterward was completely irrelevant to him.
At that point, the choice would instead fall into his hands.
Beep, beep, beep—
With the help of the jet propulsion devices on the back of their spacesuits, the six individuals reached the target location in less than twenty minutes.
The low-power energy signal receivers they carried all emitted urgent warning sounds, the sharp noise particularly piercing in the silent environment.
However, when Black Widow looked at the electronic radar again, her brows couldn't help but furrow.
Because the signal source displayed on the electronic radar had already split from the original 'large area' into 'three small areas,' and they were also in different directions.
Black Widow bit her lip slightly, thought for a moment, and immediately ordered:
"Everyone, split into two groups and head in different directions to search for the Symbiotes' whereabouts... Any discovery must be reported immediately!!"
With that, she naturally stood beside Eddie Brock.
"Yes."
The other four S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents automatically divided into two groups upon seeing this, and then, under the watchful eyes of Black Widow and Eddie Brock, they set off in two completely different directions for their search mission.
However, perhaps due to the influence of the abnormal magnetic field, the two small teams had only walked a few hundred meters when a "hissing and crackling" sound came from their communicators.
"Let's go, we should move too."
Black Widow urged impatiently, her voice carrying a hint of inexplicable tension and worry.
"Natasha, it's an honor to be chosen as your teammate. This should be my first mission since joining S.H.I.E.L.D...."
Eddie Brock deliberately put on a fawning expression, the corner of his mouth slightly upturned, revealing a seemingly naive smile, but his shifty eyes were carefully observing Black Widow's facial expression.
"You can call me Romanoff or Black Widow, but please don't call me Natasha anymore... Our relationship doesn't seem to be close enough for that kind of familiarity."
As a top Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and someone who had performed various infiltration and undercover missions for years, Black Widow naturally saw through his true intentions at a glance—he merely wanted to confirm if she was intentionally monitoring him.
So, as she walked forward, she said mercilessly without looking back:
"Also, the only reason I chose to team up with you this time is simply because you are the one among us who understands Symbiotes the most, nothing more."
"Uh... alright then, Agent Romanoff."
Eddie Brock met with a soft rebuff and couldn't discern any "flaw" on Black Widow's face.
He couldn't help but let out an awkward chuckle, trying to cover up his embarrassing situation with laughter.
However, luckily, they soon discovered a faintly visible dark opening at the bottom of a large crater ahead.
"..."
Perhaps influenced or summoned by something, Eddie Brock's heart suddenly began to beat much faster for no reason, pounding in his chest as if it would burst through, and even his body trembled slightly uncontrollably.