After the Dragon-level monster crisis was resolved, Demon King Piccolo's corpse degraded naturally as usual. This phenomenon had already led some within the Sacred Sword Bureau to suspect that monsters might be a kind of disinfectant spawned by the Earth, and the virus they were meant to eliminate was, of course, humanity.
Zod Hess couldn't care less about this "humanity is harmful" theory. With billions of people on the planet, if a few idiots didn't pop up, you'd think you were living in paradise.
Five hundred meters beneath Umbrella Corporation's headquarters, a vast computer room hummed. Zod Hess had modeled the space after the "Hive" underground base, except this entire cavernous chamber was the private sanctum of the Black Queen.
Cold machinery cradled the Black Queen, a powerful artificial intelligence.
The value of a strong AI was incalculable. It could assist multiple top scientists in their research: compiling statistics, analyzing data, proposing optimal solutions, or calculating the success probabilities of various research directions. It merged the strengths of human thinking with the supercomputing power and knowledge storage of an AI, saving scientists time and shortening R&D cycles.
With its sheer processing ability, the AI could effortlessly support multiple projects at once.
As for growth, it could process and learn from vast amounts of information, then suggest optimizations in areas like construction, material selection, and more.
And, incidentally, it could develop web applications on the side to rake in cash.
Right now, the Black Queen was reading from her database a project labeled "Umbrella, One Umbrella Covers the Sky."
This "One Umbrella Covers the Sky" plan had existed in the Black Queen's database for a long time. Only recently had Zod granted the necessary authorization to activate it.
Data streams surged as the Black Queen managed personnel transfers within Umbrella and orchestrated arrangements for people across the globe.
For example, there was the Black Umbrella. This division handled Umbrella's armed forces and military affairs. On the surface, it operated as a mercenary and security company. In the shadows, it functioned as a private army, an assassination and elimination apparatus.
Once the Black Umbrella division was formally established, the Black Queen activated one of the artificial humans Zod Hess had created.
Silver-gray long hair, a face that screamed "not a good guy."
Gin!
The only conscience, enforcer, and trump card of the Black Organization. Zod figured he'd be perfect as the head of Black Umbrella.
When Gin awoke, memories automatically slotted into his mind.
"Director of Black Umbrella, huh."
Gin donned the black trench coat and hat the Black Queen had prepared for him.
Then there was White Umbrella, responsible for making money. Its focus was infiltrating everyday civilian life and accumulating wealth: investments, luxury goods, daily essentials, and all sorts of miscellaneous ventures fell under its umbrella.
Zod intended to hand the White Umbrella division's leadership to Urd.
Finally, there was Red Umbrella, in charge of cyber information and scientific research. On the surface, it was the operational engine behind Umbrella and its derivative systems, encompassing industrial and electronics R&D. Covertly, it dodged national surveillance to gather intelligence and pursued cutting-edge technology.
In simple terms, armed force, scientific research, and wealth were separated into three domains, yet each depended on the others.
Black Umbrella ensured security and provided military backing.
Red Umbrella supplied Black Umbrella with intelligence and advanced equipment, guaranteeing their combat effectiveness. Technologies that were phased out were tossed to White Umbrella to generate profit.
White Umbrella's affairs were more chaotic. Not only did it sell the tech cast off by Red Umbrella, it also ran numerous other moneymaking ventures: earn, earn, and earn again, providing ample financial support to both Red Umbrella and Black Umbrella.
Occasionally, it could do some philanthropy. Public relations and diplomacy were also White Umbrella's responsibility.
Once Black Umbrella, Red Umbrella, and White Umbrella were properly coordinated and running, the conglomerate's power would snowball, growing larger and larger.
Black Umbrella could establish a security company or buy an existing one, recruiting from retired soldiers and the dark net. It could even throw money at countries that permitted private armies to secure an identity and set up a military unit. A primary training base could be built there, too. As long as funding wasn't an issue, all this could happen simultaneously. From those recruits, suitable candidates would be selected to join Black Umbrella's true core.
After all, Black Umbrella's real core mission was to help the company clean up those who knew secrets the company couldn't afford to have exposed, as well as deal with traitors and the like.
Given Umbrella Corporation's and Zod Hess's current standing, this division wasn't afraid of recruitment shortfalls.
Red Umbrella and White Umbrella went without saying.
On Gin's very first day on the job, he requested personnel files from the Black Queen to conduct his own vetting.
At the same time, the Black Queen contacted a group of world-class mercenaries she'd been tracking for a long time. The plan catalogued every top-tier merc from the three biggest elite mercenary organizations.
Even before the plan officially launched, the Black Queen had been gathering dossiers on these elite mercenaries, watching them closely.
Over time, some were eliminated from the list as the plan evolved; others died in combat.
Yet more than a hundred survived.
In the world of Marvel, these individuals could be considered the peak of human capability. Of course, that excludes Captain America and his super-soldier serum.
"Among mercenaries, the best physical specimens are Black; they have innate advantages. If we buy out their lives outright, the price is too steep. Sign one-year contracts first, then gradually buy them out. Hmm, a hundred top-tier mercenaries, at current market rates, about 130 million per person per year. So, we need 13 billion total."
Once the Black Queen finished her calculations, she reported to Zod.
Zod approved the funds without batting an eye. He had no intention of brainwashing or hypnotizing these mercenaries. They were mercenaries, and the very best at that.
Many people know that mercenaries work for money. What they may not realize is that plenty of corporate bodyguards started out as mercenaries.
Because they understand: being a mercenary is about the money. And for money, they will take a bullet for you.
Once the finest mercenaries accept a mission, they will not flee until it's done, even if only a single one of them remains.
Montenegro, Afghanistan, Iraq… their shadows lurk in countless war-torn regions.
These are men who, if you pay them, will dare to clash with any army to save your life.
As long as you offer a high enough price, even if you want them to assassinate a nation's president, or topple a government, they'll dare to go.
Or you can buy their lives outright in a lump sum. Until the moment they die, their lives belong to you. You can have them shield you with their bodies in a firefight, or pull you out alive from the hands of cannibals deep in the jungle. But only true top-tier mercenaries can deliver that.
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