Chapter 97

One hour later, in the suburban villa of Gordon, in the bedroom

Gordon: "Ah, I'm really getting old." —— After taking a shower, he stretched his muscles and got into bed to sleep.

"Ring ring ring" —— The phone rang, waking up Gordon who had just fallen asleep.

Gordon: "Hello? What's the matter?" —— Reluctantly getting up to answer the phone, his expression was listless.

Security Guard: "Director Gordon, you have a visitor."

Gordon: "What visitor would come at this time? They must be crazy! I won't see them!" —— He hung up the phone forcefully and fell back to sleep.

"Ring ring ring" —— The phone rang again.

Gordon: "Can't you understand human language! I said, I won't see them!!" —— He roared in anger.

Security Guard: "This... (hesitating whether to continue) ... The visitor says his surname is Bi, and by seniority, you should call him Grandpa. He has flown back from abroad overnight, and no matter how busy you are, you will definitely see him." —— He was already prepared to be scolded.

Gordon: "... Damn it, let him in." —— Despite his reluctance, he agreed to meet.

Security Guard: "Yes." —— He immediately hung up to prevent Gordon from taking out his anger on him.

In the living room, Gordon forced himself to greet the visitor surnamed Bi.

Gordon: "They say there are four great fortunes in a man's life: promotion, wealth, the death of one's wife, and taking a young wife. You've got all of them." —— Making small talk.

Bi Grandpa: "Thank you."

Gordon: "I'm not complimenting you! Why did you come from abroad in the middle of the night instead of going home to cuddle with your cat and disturb my rest?"

Bi Grandpa: "I was worried about you, so I came to see you first..."

Gordon: "I knew there was something wrong with your sexual orientation. You don't like beautiful women but you like me, an old man. I wonder if Bi De is really your son." —— Interrupting Bi Grandpa.

Bi Grandpa: "Nonsense, of course he is my son. I came to see if you have been completely eliminated by the assassins sent by the Illuminati through Daly. You always interrupt me before I finish speaking."

Gordon: "How... do you know who leaked the information?"

Bi Grandpa: "Do you think I rushed back through the night for nothing?"

Gordon: "According to the original plan, you were supposed to return at the end of the year, unless something major happened. Did those guys finally lose their patience and make a move?"

Bi Grandpa: "Yes, this time the opportunity was too good. Not only can it directly provoke a conflict between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Illuminati, weakening both sides, but it can also cause suspicion and discord within S.H.I.E.L.D. They couldn't resist the temptation, and I caught their tail." —— Handing Gordon a USB drive.

Gordon: "Is the evidence solid?" —— Immediately connecting the USB drive to his laptop.

Bi Grandpa: "If it wasn't solid, would I have come in person? It would be much easier to possess someone else."

I (narrator): "So Bi De's father is actually the evil god Loki? And he has a secret connection with Gordon? This, this, this is too much of a twist."

Gordon: "(Watching the information) Such important information does indeed require you to come in person. Thank you. By the way, are you hungry? I remember there are some frozen foods in the kitchen..."

Loki: "No need. I don't want to stay here any longer. I need to return immediately to continue my previous mission. Finding the Cosmic Cube is also urgent. If I need to act, I will possess the Cheshire Cat."

Gordon: "... Haven't your predictive abilities recovered yet?"

Loki: "Yes, my 'Future Sight' is still being interfered with. Those bastards don't want me to find the Cosmic Cube, so they used it to seal my most efficient means of finding things."

Gordon: "I've been meaning to ask you, are you sure it's the same group? Five years ago, you were misled by a false prophecy and lost your wife. Why didn't they continue to mislead you with the same method, but instead chose to interfere directly? It doesn't make sense." —— Suspicious.

Loki: "It makes perfect sense. After being tricked once, I became wary of all prophecies I saw with 'Future Sight.' The false prophecies they fabricated were easily exposed by my verification, making them ineffective. So they changed to interference."

Gordon: "Thank you for clearing that up for me. This makes sense. (Looking at his watch) It's already so late, I won't keep you. Take care, and don't die. In this matter, the only person I can fully trust is you." —— Sincerely.

Loki: "Same to you. Looking at your sickly appearance, don't die before I come back. In S.H.I.E.L.D., the only person I can fully trust is you. Goodbye."

Gordon: "Goodbye."

After Loki left

Gordon (thinking to himself): "Hmph, the only person in the organization you can fully trust? Isn't it because you cursed me to live no more than three years, and most people in the organization hate me, so they can't and dare not replace me...?" —— Holding the USB drive, he walked to a secret safe and opened it.

Gordon (thinking to himself): "But do you really think you've seen through all the false prophecies and haven't been tricked again?" —— Placing the USB drive in the secret safe.

Gordon (thinking to himself): "Do you think I'm just a monkey in your palm, unable to escape your control? Indeed, I was cursed to live no more than three years, but on the other hand, no one would suspect a man with only three years left to live could have any long-term plans or grand schemes, whether you are an elite of S.H.I.E.L.D. or an agent of the Illuminati." —— Taking out a crystal cube from the safe.

Gordon (thinking to himself): "Isn't that right, my treasure?" —— Activating the cube to remove the allergens from his body and restore his strength.

Gordon: "Hehehehe..." —— Smirking, he no longer looked tired, and his appearance was much more energetic.

I (narrator): "Wow, this scene... the great demon has regained his youth! Is this crystal cube the Cosmic Cube that Loki has been looking for? Has the old man been using it to prolong his life? Was the serum just a ruse? He already had a cure? By the way, who are 'they'? The third force created by Gordon? Is he the mastermind? I've seen something incredible again."

---

Prompt: The Last Son of Krypton, Season 21 ends, rolling credits...

Original: Earth 51

Director: Former

Inner monologue translation: Former (omitting a series of "Former")

...

..

.

The credits have finished rolling, and the Season 21 Easter egg begins...

In a side story, after Gordon and others returned from Paradise Island, in Gordon's office

Lei Xiaogu: "Is this the complete report you wrote? Where's the second half? It's missing?" —— Bursting into Gordon's office and throwing the report on his desk.

Gordon: "You burst into my office just to ask this? That's making a mountain out of a molehill. Why don't you ask your Cheshire Cat when you get home?" —— Casually.

Lei Xiaogu (thinking to himself): "Cheshire Cat? If I had known the 'Pigeon Operation' would turn into a combat mission, I would have sent Bane with you to Paradise Island; he's much stronger..."

Lei Xiaogu: "I've already asked her."

Gordon: "Then that's settled. She was almost with me the whole time..."

Lei Xiaogu: "Almost, but not entirely. She lost consciousness for a while, during which she developed new abilities. I want to know what happened during that time."

Gordon: "I've already told her, and she believes me. Why don't you believe me?"

Lei Xiaogu: "... It seems you won't tell me."

Gordon: "I don't want to repeat myself; it's a waste of words. Please leave quickly." —— Issuing an eviction order.

Lei Xiaogu: "Before I go, I have two more questions for you, and I hope you'll answer them." —— Refusing to leave.

Gordon: "Are you annoying me? You know the second half of the report was tampered with by the President. If I could say anything, I would have said it already."

Lei Xiaogu: "Don't worry, my two questions have nothing to do with the 'Pigeon Operation,' and you don't have to answer truthfully. I'll leave after I ask them." —— Staring at another door in the office.

Gordon: "... Really, what's wrong with you? Ask your questions quickly."

Lei Xiaogu: "First question: After Cheshire Cat returned, she asked for a long leave, saying she was going to find something called 'Heart Voice.' Do you know what it is?"

Gordon: "Heart Voice? What kind of mystical thing is that? You should ask Cheshire Cat herself."

Lei Xiaogu: "I've already asked her, but she couldn't explain it."

Gordon: "If she doesn't know, how can I give you an answer? You're just wasting my time. Ask your next question quickly and then get out."

Lei Xiaogu: "Second question: You know your department is responsible for suppressing all super-natural disasters caused by aliens, superhumans, people from the future, and people from other worlds within S.H.I.E.L.D.'s controlled areas, which is internal. My department is responsible for dealing with the superhuman agents of the Illuminati, engaging in espionage, which is external. Our two departments are known as the two most powerful departments in the organization..."

Gordon: "Why are you saying all this nonsense? Are you senile?" —— Interrupting Lei Xiaogu.

Lei Xiaogu: "Don't rush me, the question is coming. So, which department in the organization is responsible for dealing with threats in the realm of witchcraft, such as various gods, spirits, ghosts, and monsters, and the supernatural events they cause? I know it's neither your department nor mine. There is a powerful department in the organization that is almost unknown, on par with ours..."

Gordon: "Stop, stop, you don't need to say more. I have nothing to tell you." —— Interrupting Lei Xiaogu again.

Lei Xiaogu: "Thank you, I understand. Goodbye." —— Turning to leave.

After Lei Xiaogu left, a one-eyed man came out from the inner room.

President: "Lei Xiaogu is really persistent. Thank you for blocking him for me again."

Gordon: "You knew he was persistent, yet you appointed him as the head of 'Terror Shadows'? Every time I have to be the bad guy and make him unhappy. He came here to find you this time."

President: "He is a top-notch talent like you. 'Terror Shadows' can't be entrusted to just anyone, so I have to tolerate his personality, just like I do with you."

Gordon: "Like me? Then why didn't you let him see the complete report and keep the existence of 'Ghost Snake Spirit' a secret? Aren't you afraid that, like last time, due to a lack of information exchange, it will end up with Loki and him fighting each other, benefiting the enemy?"

President: "I wanted to tell him the truth, but I'm afraid he will continue to investigate the clues..." —— Stammering.

Gordon: "Is it related to the murder case that happened on 'Murder Path' years ago?"

President: "... Yes, you know he has been searching for the truth, determined to avenge his wife and friend, the Wei couple."

Gordon: "Then why did you seal the second half of the report? Aren't you pushing the suspicion onto me? He will keep an eye on me, and all our efforts to act as a double agent with Loki will be in vain."

President: "Hmph, you have the nerve to say that. Your acting skills with Loki are terrible. I can see through it with one eye. What else could I do but seal it?" —— Mocking.

Gordon: "That's because you already knew our relationship, so you could see through it. Our acting skills are fine, and Lei Xiaogu couldn't see through it. Do you think sealing it will bring peace? Now he is even more determined to find the truth and is more obsessed with the position of one of the Nine Elders. Your move is a blunder, fueling his ambition." —— Counterattacking.

President: "Fueling his ambition is fine. Giving him some motivation is good, and he shouldn't always think about personal revenge. Besides, even if he becomes one of the Nine Elders or even the President in the future, it doesn't matter. The Elder Council has its ways. Let the future take care of itself."

Gordon: "By then, you will have completed your term and it won't be your problem anymore. By the way, how did Lei Xiaogu know you were here? Isn't your schedule confidential? Who else knew about your meeting with me to discuss the daily surveillance of Kent? Did you intentionally leak it to him?" —— Suspicious, asking many questions.

President: "Don't worry, no one leaked my schedule. Although Lei Xiaogu is the head of the special task force, I didn't tell him."

Gordon: "Then why could he come to find you here?"

President: "(Handing Gordon a document) This is a new plan he submitted to me, written and printed with special ink that emits a certain chemical substance. He followed the residual traces to find me. I just discovered this."

Gordon: "I didn't expect even your security system to miss it. 'Terror Shadows' has quite a few new tricks... (Reading the document) 'Viewing the Sea and Listening to the Waves' plan? A forged Hawaiian birth certificate? This second prince of Wakanda (the current king's brother) is running for President of the United States?"

President: "Yes, the current Bush is a hardliner supported by the Illuminati, who likes to solve problems with force, a typical cowboy. Everyone (including the moderates within the Illuminati) can't stand it anymore, so they decided to push this neutral candidate to run for the 2008 U.S. presidential election."

Gordon: "It seems everyone is afraid of a full-scale war... But why him? Have the moderates given up on Hillary Clinton?" —— Flipping through the document.

President: "She had close ties with the hardliners in Washington back then, and people don't trust her. What do you think of this plan? Can we succeed?"

Gordon: "It's great, we can! (Yes, we can!)"

Postscript for Volume 2, the prequel has finally ended. Originally planned to be 30 chapters, it ended up being over 40. I deeply regret my inability to control the story, but I hope you can accept it.

In Volume 2, almost all the forces and characters have appeared, setting the stage for the big showdown in Volume 3. Gordon can finally step down from the role of the protagonist and transform into a hidden boss (sweat)...

PS:预告，周克在第三卷里也不会露面，但千万不要以为作者我把他给忘了，这是情节需要！！每次点开本书他的笑脸就会映入我的眼帘，我怎么敢忘了他？

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(Note: The last part of the text is in Chinese and contains a note from the author and some placeholder text for ads. I have translated the main content and left the placeholders as they are.)