Chapter 212: The New Avengers

"Thank me, Coulson. I've dealt with quite a bit of trouble for you," Daniel Davis remarked. Much of the trouble Coulson's team faced was orchestrated by HYDRA—Ward, Whitehall, and Malick had all taken turns harassing them. Now, those figures were all out of the picture.

However, this didn't mean that Coulson's team wouldn't encounter HYDRA trouble in the future. Daniel had taken down HYDRA's top brass, but plenty of mid-level operatives remained, like James, the Banker, the Chief, and the Baroness. This Baroness wasn't the wife of Baron Strucker but shared the same title.

Even though Daniel now had access to nearly all their information, completely eliminating these individuals was no easy task. Besides, Daniel didn't want to waste time dealing with them; he preferred to relax or even wander around rather than engage in such thankless work.

After all, Daniel wasn't a government official or a peacekeeping S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, nor did he receive any salary. Why go to the trouble? He wasn't aiming to be a superhero like Spider-Man. And even if these threats were dealt with, it wouldn't be long before new ones emerged, just like how Kingpin always bounced back in Hell's Kitchen.

The government surely knew that Kingpin was the biggest crime boss in New York; they just needed him to keep the smaller criminals in check. If Kingpin were taken down, there would be a turf war for the top spot among the lesser criminals.

This was why Daredevil couldn't take down Kingpin—especially now. Due to the aftermath of the Battle of New York, the government was planning to redevelop the Hell's Kitchen slums, demolishing and rebuilding them.

The Battle of New York had devastated the city, especially Manhattan, but for the upper echelons, this was an opportunity. Normally, halting Manhattan's activity for renovations would be impossible, but now they could even expand into Hell's Kitchen. However, evicting such a large number of residents was not something the government could do openly. If they did, the opposition and media would have a field day. But with Kingpin involved, it was different.

Compensation for demolition and relocation was always an issue. Typically, the funds allocated for relocation were significantly reduced by the time they reached the affected people. Under Kingpin's control, it's not uncommon for people to receive no compensation.

But due to Daredevil Matt's actions, the redevelopment had stalled. Some things could be done behind the scenes, but once exposed, the game changed, just like HYDRA's downfall when brought to light.

In cases with undeniable evidence, even Kingpin would have to face jail time. Daniel admired Daredevil Matt's actions but didn't agree with them. The growth of someone like Kingpin was a societal issue; without addressing this, targeting individuals like Kingpin wouldn't solve the problem.

It's like in the world of pirates: without resolving the issue of the Celestial Dragons, all other claims of justice are hollow. Underground forces are never a match for official forces. Look at how powerful HYDRA was, yet now it's nearly dissolved.

The authorities refrain from action not because they can't, but because of economic interests. Capital needs these underground forces to serve them.

Even the U.S. President helped cover up Roxxon Oil's offshore spill, so what wouldn't they cover up?

If Daniel had been in his previous country's position—or even in the East of this world—someone like Kingpin would have been swiftly brought to justice.

The saying "The U.S. is a paradise" isn't entirely wrong, but it needs a qualifier: it's a paradise for the wealthy.

"Too bad there's no one worth grooming," Daniel thought, looking at the ion generator and gravity stabilizer. He didn't have any close allies despite having his own forces.

He recruited people under his control but was unwilling to use mind control or hypnosis, like HYDRA, to build his team unless necessary.

"Maybe it's time to visit Xandar and perhaps even the Knowhere," he thought. Previously, he didn't have much to sell, but now things were different. Gravity stabilizers were valuable in the universe, and the Collector in Knowhere prized rare items, regardless of their intrinsic value.

Earth might not have anything the Collector wanted, but other worlds did—like the magical creatures from Harry Potter's world, such as phoenixes, bowtruckles, mooncalves, and thunderbirds.

He would never engage in human trafficking, but selling creatures like transponder snails and various birds was acceptable.

The rarer the item, the more valuable it was to the Collector. Even crows from the world of "Demon Slayer" were considered rare.

"Have you thought it over, Agent Hand?" Daniel asked the temporarily detained Agent Hand in an FBI office.

The U.S. might be a paradise for the rich, but even the FBI couldn't prevent Daniel from openly visiting and recruiting Hand.

Hand, an eighth-level S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, had many options, as several organizations and major corporations wanted her skills. Daniel was able to meet her in advance due to his connection with Stark, highlighting his limited connections with the U.S. government.

"I'm afraid I have no choice," Hand said, signing the contract on the table.

"Then I'll leave the rest to you," Daniel said.

Hand had many options, including offers from the FBI and CIA. This situation was a prime opportunity for countries and corporations to recruit S.H.I.E.L.D. talents, especially from S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. Even HYDRA sought these individuals, though their academy suffered minimal losses during the recent chaos because Pierce planned to recruit them post-takeover.

Many wanted to recruit Fitz and Simmons, but they were with Coulson and May. After the central S.H.I.E.L.D. battle, Coulson fled with his team, who were now wanted.

Hand agreed to join Daniel's side partly because of the internal HYDRA upheaval within S.H.I.E.L.D., which made her tired of fieldwork. Daniel's generous offer also played a part.

"Rebecca, I'm here to vouch for her," Daniel said, meeting Rebecca, an old acquaintance from Raccoon City.

All S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel were under review to ensure they weren't HYDRA agents. Due to the large workload, low-level agents had little hope of freedom unless vouched for by someone influential.

Rebecca's appearance hadn't changed much, thanks to Daniel's help. She and Jill had access to items unavailable on the market, courtesy of Daniel. Chris, however, looked noticeably older due to his frontline work.

"Rest for a few days, then I'll take you to the lab."

With S.H.I.E.L.D. disbanded, Rebecca needed a new position, and Daniel's lab was a perfect fit. What was once a money-draining project was now profitable, thanks to Dr. Zhao Helen's successful research in nanotechnology. This breakthrough meant Daniel no longer had to sell the technology on Xandar.

Dr. Zhao Helen was now focusing on using nanotechnology in the cradle of life. Nanotech has vast applications, but due to cost, its use in basic industries like construction is limited. Theoretically, nanotech could build a skyscraper in a day, but the costs are prohibitive, even for Daniel.

Currently, nanotechnology is still confidential, known only to Daniel, Dr. Zhao Helen, and a few others.

With nanotech, Daniel could more easily switch Ant-Man suits or carry Iron Man suits, which was more convenient than using Pym Particles. Despite his improvements, Daniel still found the Iron Man suit necessary.

"Fury's clever, handing over the Avengers to Stark," Daniel mused. With S.H.I.E.L.D. dissolved, the Avengers' status was uncertain until Stark took charge. After negotiations, they began building the Avengers base, similar to the one seen in the third and fourth Avengers movies, located in a remote area provided by the government.

The government might not like the Avengers for not following orders, but the team was necessary, especially after the Battle of New York. Daniel's intervention prevented the creation of Ultron, so the Sokovia Accords hadn't happened, and tensions with the government were lessened.

"Only Stark could privatize the Avengers, but this won't last," Daniel thought as he watched Stark entertain guests at his seaside villa.

Even without the Sokovia Accords, the government wouldn't allow a powerful group of superhumans to remain unchecked. Discussions about the Avengers' allegiance were already circulating online, though they hadn't yet become a major issue. Any incident, even smaller than Sokovia, could prompt the government to act.

If the Avengers were called into action, significant casualties were inevitable, leading to public blame on the superheroes rather than the terrorists.

"It seems Civil War can be avoided, but a split is inevitable," Daniel thought. Government intervention would likely cause a rift, with Captain America's side opposing it.

Ironically, Stark, usually a government critic, would be the first to compromise, while Captain America, the supposed government representative, never would.

This reflects their backgrounds—Stark as a capitalist and Captain America as a regular person.

"Are you joining us?" Stark asked, dressed in beach attire and holding a glass of wine.

"You guys have it covered. I'm too lazy, but I can handle logistics. By the way, what's the official stance?"

"Don't worry, that's all taken care of," Stark reassured confidently.

"By the way, I know a couple of talented individuals. Can I recommend them for the team?"

"Oh, sure, let them come over," Stark replied.

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