Karl's demonstrated speed meant he could appear almost anywhere on Earth instantly.
Against someone like that—
Nuclear weapons were meaningless.
Even if they attempted to launch one, Karl could likely appear beside them and twist their heads off before the missile even detonated.
Much of the government's information about Karl had been retrieved directly from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s classified archives.
Those files contained records of many of Karl's previously displayed abilities.
After analyzing the data, the U.S. government reached an unavoidable conclusion.
If they could not defeat him—
Then their only option was to show goodwill.
Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. itself was undergoing a massive internal purge.
Nick Fury's entire faction was under investigation.
Every subordinate connected to Alexander Pierce had already been arrested.
The organization was being completely reorganized.
And the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. had already been decided.
Peggy Carter.
She had been reinstated and directly appointed as director.
Few people knew the truth.
During World War II, Peggy Carter had also received an injection of the Super Soldier Serum.
However, this information had been kept highly classified.
Even Steve Rogers himself never knew.
Only a handful of top-ranking military officials were aware of it.
There was another reason the secret had never been exposed.
One of the five-star generals during that era had been Peggy Carter's uncle.
After Steve Rogers disappeared, no one dared touch Peggy Carter.
They knew very well that the value of the Super Soldier Serum was enormous.
But they also understood the value of their own lives.
Although Peggy Carter's uncle had eventually retired—
His influence remained deeply rooted within the military.
His former subordinates and family members had all risen to the rank of general.
Even General Ross had once been promoted through that network.
While the old general could no longer control everything in modern America—
His connections still spread throughout the highest levels of the armed forces.
Because of that—
No one ever dared attempt to capture Peggy Carter and extract her blood to reproduce the serum.
Since Peggy Carter had once been one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders, and had even served as its director decades earlier—
Her sudden return to leadership faced almost no opposition.
Even the World Security Council remained silent.
As for the elderly Peggy Carter that Steve Rogers had visited in the hospital—
That had been a decoy.
Back then, Peggy Carter had indeed loved Steve Rogers.
She had even searched tirelessly for him after his disappearance.
But seventy years was a long time.
Time erodes everything.
Even love.
Eventually, Peggy Carter withdrew from the military and government.
She returned to her hometown and lived quietly.
For seventy years.
If not for the news of Steve Rogers' return—
She might never have revealed herself again.
Even then—
She chose not to meet him personally.
Instead, she arranged for a fake Peggy Carter to appear before him in the hospital.
Only after witnessing the massive battle between Karl and Carol Danvers did Peggy Carter finally decide to step back into the public eye.
For many years, she had been seeking redemption.
During her tenure as director of S.H.I.E.L.D., she had ordered the deaths of countless enemies.
The number far exceeded the enemies Steve Rogers had killed during World War II.
After leaving S.H.I.E.L.D., she had spent decades living quietly.
Praying in a small church in her hometown.
Seeking atonement.
She never married.
She never even had a boyfriend.
After living for seventy years with the Super Soldier Serum, how could she possibly develop feelings for an ordinary man in her small hometown?
Especially when she herself carried so much blood on her hands.
So she lived alone.
For seventy years.
Meanwhile—
The citizens of New York had naturally witnessed the enormous battle that took place at Karl's manor.
The incident quickly became the most discussed topic on the internet.
Many people had even managed to photograph Karl during the battle.
In particular—
One image spread across the internet at incredible speed.
It showed Karl wearing the Sagittarius Gold Cloth, gripping Carol Danvers by the hair with one hand.
Some people quickly identified him.
They claimed that the mysterious warrior was Karl Auguston Zhang.
The same mysterious figure who had redirected the nuclear missile during the Battle of New York.
Public opinion changed almost instantly.
Criticism against Karl disappeared overnight.
Instead, people began praising him as the hero who had once again protected Earth.
Some mythology enthusiasts even analyzed the patterns on Karl's armor.
They traced them back to Greek mythology, identifying the symbol of Sagittarius.
Soon, a new title began spreading across the internet.
"The Gold Saint."
Some hackers even dug up information about the fictional Saint Seiya warriors.
Descriptions of their duties and responsibilities spread online.
Karl's popularity exploded overnight.
His fame quickly surpassed Tony Stark, Thor, and the other Avengers.
In public opinion—
Karl had become the most powerful, most respected, and most famous superhero on Earth.
The authorities made no effort to suppress the trend.
In fact, they quietly encouraged it.
Appeasing Karl was now considered a strategic necessity.
Meanwhile—
Organizations like Hydra and the Hand remained completely silent.
Hydra even went underground.
They were terrified Karl might come looking for revenge.
Within Hydra's ranks, Pierce was being cursed constantly.
Even in death, he had dragged them into disaster.
Peggy Carter's sudden return also shocked Hydra deeply.
In their internal records—
Peggy Carter had once been considered Hydra's most dangerous enemy.
They had believed she was long dead.
Yet she had suddenly reappeared.
Meanwhile—
Karl's convoy of Rolls-Royce cars continued moving through New York under police escort.
Eventually, the vehicles arrived at a beautiful estate.
The gates opened.
The convoy drove inside.
Soon, the vehicles stopped in front of the mansion.
Karl and the others stepped out.
They immediately noticed that this new estate was even more luxurious than the one Tony had previously given him.
Karl nodded in satisfaction.
Then he turned toward Madame Gao's subordinate.
"After you return, tell the Five Fingers to come see me."
"You may leave."
Since the Hand had shown such loyalty—
Karl intended to reward them.
And organizations like the Hand were extremely skilled at handling relationships.
"Understood, Mr. Karl."
The man bowed respectfully.
"These Rolls-Royces are also a gift."
"The bodies have been reinforced with special bulletproof and impact-resistant materials."
"The glass has also been modified."
"Each vehicle has been customized."
After explaining, he took the drivers and association members with him and departed.
Tony looked around the estate with a smug expression.
"Not bad."
"But it's still slightly worse than my place."
Karl rolled his eyes.
He ignored Tony and led everyone inside the mansion.
"Everyone, get some rest first."
"We'll talk after we eat."
Then Karl glanced toward Thor.
"Thor, do you want to bring some food to Jane?"
Thor shook his head.
"She's busy with experiments lately."
"I'd rather not disturb her."
After Tony made a phone call, Happy Hogan arrived shortly afterward with several professional chefs and a truck full of ingredients.
The chefs immediately began preparing a massive meal.
Soon, everyone gathered together around the dining table.
Karl also released Bruce Banner.
He didn't make things difficult for him.
Tony even extended an invitation.
He wanted Banner to rejoin the Avengers.
After taking a sip of his drink, Tony looked toward Karl.
"Karl."
"What do you think about our Avengers?"
"Why don't you join us?"
Tony chuckled.
"You have no idea what people are saying about you online."
"Gold Saint."
"Protector of love and peace."
"Guardian of Earth."
"Strongest superhero on the planet."
Tony shrugged.
"You've completely overshadowed the rest of us."
Everyone at the table turned to look at Karl.
They all wanted to hear his answer.
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