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Chapter 178: A.R.G.U.S.'s New Employee
by Great Demon Spirit
Star City.
Malcolm Merlyn wore a pained expression after receiving Scarecrow Crane's request. For this major figure from the League of Shadows, the man at the helm of a local financial conglomerate, another troublesome matter had just been added to his plate.
First, there was that bastard calling himself Green Arrow, who constantly opposed him. The entirety of Star City had become a battlefield for two master archers. The garishly green-clad Green Arrow and he, the Black Arrow, spent their nights in the second-rate metropolis of Star City, shooting arrows at each other through every street and alley.
“You shoot an arrow at me today? Fine. Tomorrow, I'll shoot two back at you, no matter what.” This archery duel had become a daily routine for the two masters.
Malcolm was at his wit's end.
Now, Scarecrow had come knocking, bluntly asking him to get involved in something even more troublesome.
Could anything involving a troublemaker like Tony ever be easy?
Fortunately, it was just a matter of finding someone, not rolling up his sleeves and getting his own hands dirty. Malcolm could simply give the order and have his subordinates handle it. If anyone investigated, he could easily pass it off as establishing a business partnership with Tony.
Wayne Enterprises and Stark Industries had also dispatched personnel to search for their mutual shareholder. Under Harry Osborn's instructions, Oscorp refused to mention the search for Tony.
But behind the scenes, it seemed Harry Osborn was also making some moves.
The A.R.G.U.S. that Tony had hastily established, though still in its infancy, was already beginning to bare its ferocious fangs. The biggest difference from S.H.I.E.L.D. was that this organization wasn't yet bogged down by a mess of conflicting interests, especially when it came to the mission of finding its founder, Tony.
Crane was now in charge of A.R.G.U.S.'s daily operations, with his workplace unceremoniously set up in a mobile two-story building.
As a member of A.R.G.U.S., Oscorp had already secretly dispatched people to search for any trace of Tony.
Crane's office was well-appointed. Most importantly, the window placement was meticulously planned, allowing it to receive ample bright sunlight while also providing a clear view of the ground below.
In case of an attack, enemies could be spotted easily, and the layout prevented him from being easily shot.
Crane held a cup of hot water, gazing at the scenery outside. Puffy white clouds drifted idly across the sky, slumbering lazily under the azure expanse. The spotless horizon held a certain magical charm that drew one in, inducing an ethereal state of mind. Watching this, Crane fell silent for a moment.
A.R.G.U.S.'s recruitment had begun. For now, they were only hiring a few elites—experts in various fields. Even someone without combat abilities, but who possessed top-tier hacking skills, would be considered among the elite.
Crane could roughly guess the bold thinking that allowed Tony to be such a hands-off manager.
This was exactly how Tony operated in Gotham City. He didn't care if people were loyal to him; as long as they could get the job done, it was enough. As for traitors? It was simple. Tony wouldn't care what kind of background they had; killing them on the spot was the most normal course of action.
A very crude philosophy: betray me and you die.
It didn't matter if you weren't loyal to Tony, but you had to consider the consequences of betraying him and being hunted down relentlessly.
Under this philosophy, it was better to recruit only a few elites, so the backgrounds of these individuals naturally became less important. That guy Tony really took pragmatism to the extreme.
As long as Tony possessed strength that surpassed the vast majority of people, an overwhelming power to dominate life itself, he wouldn't care if those around him betrayed him. Traitors would simply be killed.
Ordinary politicians, being ordinary people, constantly engaged in all sorts of conspiracies. But in Tony's eyes, no matter how heaven-defying one's schemes, if they joined A.R.G.U.S., they were still the type to die from a single punch. They were easy to deal with, no matter what.
On a clandestine website, the recruitment notice had been sent to several notorious underground figures. However, only one person had responded to Crane's message and was scheduled to meet with him today.
The moment the office door opened, even Crane, who had little interest in women, was truly stunned.
She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful, most sensual, and most seductive woman he had ever seen in his life.
Her wine-red curls fell to her waist. Her eyes were captivating, and every blink exuded an astonishing charm. Everything about her radiated a breathtaking allure.
Crane mentally scored her. First impression: a perfect score. She knew exactly how to use her physical advantages.
“Natasha Romanoff. I've seen your resume. Proficient in hacking skills. Very impressive.”
Crane smiled and poured a cup of coffee for his visitor. Even he felt his mouth go dry as he watched the stunning woman slowly approach.
It had nothing to do with willpower; any normal man would be interested in a woman like this. Even other women would steal a second glance, full of awe and envy.
“Thank you.”
Natasha gracefully pulled out a chair and sat down. Her husky voice, different from mere hoarseness, had a hazy quality that made one's heart itch. It made you want to pounce on her, to tear away that outer veil and see what lay beneath.
Crane watched her with a smile, not blinking, but internally, his guard was raised.
*A dangerous one.* This was the conclusion Crane reached after just a few seconds of direct contact.
“If you don't mind my asking, why do you want to join A.R.G.U.S.?” Crane asked.
“Of course. I'm proficient in hacking skills and I need a stable, high-paying job. I've looked into you. You have the means to provide me with a secure environment.”
Natasha's eyes were alluring; her every expression seemed to carry a natural seductiveness. Her unblinking gaze gave one the strange illusion: *This impossibly beautiful woman is interested in me.*
The natural-sounding vulnerability in her tone, in particular, made you want to agree to anything on the spot, then pull her into your arms and ravage her.
Crane felt a headache coming on. This woman, who had appeared out of nowhere, was damn dangerous, but her skills were undeniably solid. After Natasha used a computer to breach a major local corporation's firewall in just a few minutes, Crane made up his mind.
“You're hired, Ms. Romanoff. At the same time, I have a mission for you,” Crane said with a smile, looking like an inscrutable fox.
(end of chapter)
by Great Demon Spirit
Star City.
Malcolm Merlyn wore a pained expression after receiving Scarecrow Crane's request. For this major figure from the League of Shadows, the man at the helm of a local financial conglomerate, another troublesome matter had just been added to his plate.
First, there was that bastard calling himself Green Arrow, who constantly opposed him. The entirety of Star City had become a battlefield for two master archers. The garishly green-clad Green Arrow and he, the Black Arrow, spent their nights in the second-rate metropolis of Star City, shooting arrows at each other through every street and alley.
“You shoot an arrow at me today? Fine. Tomorrow, I'll shoot two back at you, no matter what.” This archery duel had become a daily routine for the two masters.
Malcolm was at his wit's end.
Now, Scarecrow had come knocking, bluntly asking him to get involved in something even more troublesome.
Could anything involving a troublemaker like Tony ever be easy?
Fortunately, it was just a matter of finding someone, not rolling up his sleeves and getting his own hands dirty. Malcolm could simply give the order and have his subordinates handle it. If anyone investigated, he could easily pass it off as establishing a business partnership with Tony.
Wayne Enterprises and Stark Industries had also dispatched personnel to search for their mutual shareholder. Under Harry Osborn's instructions, Oscorp refused to mention the search for Tony.
But behind the scenes, it seemed Harry Osborn was also making some moves.
The A.R.G.U.S. that Tony had hastily established, though still in its infancy, was already beginning to bare its ferocious fangs. The biggest difference from S.H.I.E.L.D. was that this organization wasn't yet bogged down by a mess of conflicting interests, especially when it came to the mission of finding its founder, Tony.
Crane was now in charge of A.R.G.U.S.'s daily operations, with his workplace unceremoniously set up in a mobile two-story building.
As a member of A.R.G.U.S., Oscorp had already secretly dispatched people to search for any trace of Tony.
Crane's office was well-appointed. Most importantly, the window placement was meticulously planned, allowing it to receive ample bright sunlight while also providing a clear view of the ground below.
In case of an attack, enemies could be spotted easily, and the layout prevented him from being easily shot.
Crane held a cup of hot water, gazing at the scenery outside. Puffy white clouds drifted idly across the sky, slumbering lazily under the azure expanse. The spotless horizon held a certain magical charm that drew one in, inducing an ethereal state of mind. Watching this, Crane fell silent for a moment.
A.R.G.U.S.'s recruitment had begun. For now, they were only hiring a few elites—experts in various fields. Even someone without combat abilities, but who possessed top-tier hacking skills, would be considered among the elite.
Crane could roughly guess the bold thinking that allowed Tony to be such a hands-off manager.
This was exactly how Tony operated in Gotham City. He didn't care if people were loyal to him; as long as they could get the job done, it was enough. As for traitors? It was simple. Tony wouldn't care what kind of background they had; killing them on the spot was the most normal course of action.
A very crude philosophy: betray me and you die.
It didn't matter if you weren't loyal to Tony, but you had to consider the consequences of betraying him and being hunted down relentlessly.
Under this philosophy, it was better to recruit only a few elites, so the backgrounds of these individuals naturally became less important. That guy Tony really took pragmatism to the extreme.
As long as Tony possessed strength that surpassed the vast majority of people, an overwhelming power to dominate life itself, he wouldn't care if those around him betrayed him. Traitors would simply be killed.
Ordinary politicians, being ordinary people, constantly engaged in all sorts of conspiracies. But in Tony's eyes, no matter how heaven-defying one's schemes, if they joined A.R.G.U.S., they were still the type to die from a single punch. They were easy to deal with, no matter what.
On a clandestine website, the recruitment notice had been sent to several notorious underground figures. However, only one person had responded to Crane's message and was scheduled to meet with him today.
The moment the office door opened, even Crane, who had little interest in women, was truly stunned.
She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful, most sensual, and most seductive woman he had ever seen in his life.
Her wine-red curls fell to her waist. Her eyes were captivating, and every blink exuded an astonishing charm. Everything about her radiated a breathtaking allure.
Crane mentally scored her. First impression: a perfect score. She knew exactly how to use her physical advantages.
“Natasha Romanoff. I've seen your resume. Proficient in hacking skills. Very impressive.”
Crane smiled and poured a cup of coffee for his visitor. Even he felt his mouth go dry as he watched the stunning woman slowly approach.
It had nothing to do with willpower; any normal man would be interested in a woman like this. Even other women would steal a second glance, full of awe and envy.
“Thank you.”
Natasha gracefully pulled out a chair and sat down. Her husky voice, different from mere hoarseness, had a hazy quality that made one's heart itch. It made you want to pounce on her, to tear away that outer veil and see what lay beneath.
Crane watched her with a smile, not blinking, but internally, his guard was raised.
*A dangerous one.* This was the conclusion Crane reached after just a few seconds of direct contact.
“If you don't mind my asking, why do you want to join A.R.G.U.S.?” Crane asked.
“Of course. I'm proficient in hacking skills and I need a stable, high-paying job. I've looked into you. You have the means to provide me with a secure environment.”
Natasha's eyes were alluring; her every expression seemed to carry a natural seductiveness. Her unblinking gaze gave one the strange illusion: *This impossibly beautiful woman is interested in me.*
The natural-sounding vulnerability in her tone, in particular, made you want to agree to anything on the spot, then pull her into your arms and ravage her.
Crane felt a headache coming on. This woman, who had appeared out of nowhere, was damn dangerous, but her skills were undeniably solid. After Natasha used a computer to breach a major local corporation's firewall in just a few minutes, Crane made up his mind.
“You're hired, Ms. Romanoff. At the same time, I have a mission for you,” Crane said with a smile, looking like an inscrutable fox.
(end of chapter)
