190

Chapter 190: New Possibilities

The island prison was less of an island and more of an underwater fortress surrounded by vast amounts of water.

Avengers like Hawkeye were imprisoned here due to their resistance to the Sokovia Accords.

As the facility housing the world's most powerful group of heroes, security here was tighter than anywhere else.

Today, an unexpected visitor arrived at the prison.

"Why did you flee from Airport only to show up here now?" General Ross sneered as Steve entered.

"Enough," Steve replied curtly. "The bill was fraudulent from the start. The bombing in Vienna was a setup—we were all framed."

Ross remained unmoved. "Don't try to use those excuses on me. I'm not some hot-headed youth. The Avengers, those imprisoned inside, may not be guilty, but they destabilize everything."

"Even if you're the captain, I'm taking charge today!"

General Ross signaled, and a squad of heavily armed soldiers stormed in, guns trained on Steve.

"Alright, I'll persuade you otherwise."

"Boom..." The Hulk smashed through a wall, grabbed General Ross from behind, and threw him to the ground.

The soldiers were startled and stepped back, turning their guns on the Hulk.

"Don't shoot!" Steve shouted urgently. "Otherwise, no one will be able to stop the Hulk."

General Ross, now on the ground, grit his teeth and shouted, "Hulk!"

The Hulk spat in his direction, "Foolish General."

Ross, unfazed, turned to Steve. "See? The Avengers are a threat—a threat to world stability!"

Steve whispered, "You're mistaken. As a soldier, the most important duty is to uphold justice, not just maintain stability."

He looked around at the soldiers and asked, "Can anyone tell me where the Avengers are being held?"

The soldiers exchanged puzzled glances. Just as Steve was about to search on his own, a commanding officer lowered his gun and spoke.

"I know where they are..."

As Steve and the Hulk departed, General Ross glared at the officer. "Sergeant Mike, why did you tell him?"

"Because... I believe in the Captain!"

*****

The isolated island prison was breached, and General Ross contacted Stark immediately. However, Stark was in Wakanda, accompanying his friend Rhodes for surgery, leaving no time to address the situation.

General Ross angrily reported the breach to the council, demanding the capture of the fugitive Avengers.

At this time, the country was preoccupied with more pressing matters. A conflict triggered by a few videos had exposed the darker side of the nation, previously hidden behind a facade of freedom and civilization.

Externally, as the mask of pretense was torn away, many countries grew wary of the United States, including its so-called allies.

Domestically, the streets were ablaze with unrest. Despite Washington's efforts to suppress the riots, the public's anger grew, with many officials expressing support for the protests.

High-level officials in Washington turned on each other, accusing and exposing each other's misconduct in a desperate attempt to salvage their positions.

Originally, they understood the strategic importance of unity. The problem was that, whether four years ago or recently, it was the same ruling party responsible for dropping a nuclear bomb on New York. With both sides seeking to undermine the other, mutual blackmail became the norm.

Legally, the videos could not be used as evidence, as they were obtained through illegal means. However, at this moment, who cared about legality? The public needed to believe the narratives fed to them.

Thor's intention was not to pursue legal trials but to ignite a public frenzy and erode confidence in the government.

He succeeded. Many insightful individuals felt a deep sense of despair. What had become of this country?

People began to wonder if there was any hope left for salvation.

Some sensitive individuals began to consider new possibilities...

There are about 130 political parties in the United States.

Apart from the major parties, around 30 other parties are notable, with nearly 100 remaining largely unknown.

In theory, these lesser-known parties could nominate candidates for the presidency. However, they usually forgo this opportunity due to the fierce competition, which makes their chances slim from the start.

Now, with both major parties in disarray and their reputations at their lowest due to the exposure of past misdeeds, many saw an opportunity and began to make their moves.

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