Chapter 905: The Skrulls' Bad Luck (Part 1)_2

He intended to use the resources Nick had accrued over the years to develop the Skrulls' own bases and weapons. Yet, just two days into his tenure, bases across America started to explode one after another.

Hydra, remembering that S.H.I.E.L.D. is their irreconcilable enemy, rekindled their past glory. This time, they planned to achieve something more glorious than ever before - invading the American Continent.

Within just two days, over 80 of the 120 bases nationwide were attacked. The destruction rate exceeded 40% in a single day, with the lost resources amounting to a fortune and measured in astronomical figures.

The real Nick stored these resources for strategic reserves. Despite the vigorous solar system development and construction projects, he never felt compelled to utilize these hoarded materials and equipment.

He was not in a rush, but the imposter Nick was.

The impostor Nick was eager to use these materials and equipment for new production, providing support for the revival of the Skrull. He had assumed that his first task upon assuming office would be inventorying all resources and channelling them to practical use. However, he did conduct an inventory, only to find that it was a tally of losses.

Simultaneously, this incident plunged the imposter Nick into profound self-doubt. Nick Fury's memory informed him that Nick was the sole one aware of approximately half of the base locations. Furthermore, authorization from Nick himself was necessary to open almost half of the bases.

This was not gleaned from intelligence he heard, but rather directly from memory retrieval, which should thus be wholly reliable.

So how were the bases, known only to Nick and never authorized for anyone else, found and destroyed by Hydra?

Any intelligent life form, once trapped in the whirlpool of self-doubt about its memory, can hardly ever escape. Once they notice a lacuna in their recollection, doubt permeates everywhere.

Moreover, this Nick, aware of his counterfeit nature, was even more apprehensive.

This was the problem faced by other impersonating superheroes. Their disguises were flawless in appearance and abilities, yet the only flaw lay in their psychology.

Knowing that they are fakes is the greatest shortcoming of counterfeits.

If one recognizes themself as an imposter, they will invariably feel insecure. Their behavior pattern would then be compelled to incorporate a mandatory command, that is, 'attempt to prove oneself as genuine'.

In the game of Werewolf, the werewolf's greatest weakness is the knowledge of one's own identity as the werewolf.

Human memory and thoughts invariably drive their actions. Knowing that their identity must not be revealed, they are compelled to perform many actions to mask their identity.

However, these actions are contrary to normal behavior. Most normal people don't need to prove who they are. Unless they are in a game where everyone has to prove themselves, this anomaly becomes more apparent.

As a result, superheroes must act as superheroes, otherwise they would feel guilty and anxious about being exposed.

Therefore, in the following days, the other imitating superheroes encountered significant troubles.

The Spider-Man imposter's biggest problem was that the original Spider-Man, played by Peter, died in public view. Neither S.H.I.E.L.D. nor the government could possibly announce to the public that someone can be resurrected. Hence, the imposter Spider-Man naturally became Spider-Man II.

Everyone knows that unattainable love is unbeatable. While it's out of reach, it will always be the most beautiful moon suspended in the night sky. However, if the individual is alive, it becomes a grain of white rice, appearing mediocre and ordinary, and certainly not pleasing everyone.

It is in human nature to yearn for what one cannot possess.

Spider-Man is not a perfect superhero; even during his lifetime, criticism abounded.

On online forums, some questioned his combat style, criticized his words and actions, and maliciously speculated about his background.

Yet, once Spider-Man died, he instantly became an exemplary superhero.

In the descriptions of some forum-goers, he was a very admirable young man, intelligent, wise, kind-hearted, and strong, capable of heavenly feats and subastral exploits, combating criminals and kicking evil forces. He seemed versed in every weapon but living.

In contrast, the currently existing so-called Spider-Man II was despised universally.

Some argued he had to design a new outfit different from the first generation Spider-Man. Otherwise, it was simply leveraging the original Spider-Man's popularity cashing in on the dead.

Spider-Man's fans also strongly resisted this. They couldn't accept someone looking identical to their idolized hero, yet was incomparable to him. After criticism for several days in newspapers and streaming media, the imposter Spider-Man finally compromised.

He changed into a new battlesuit, different from the previous Spider-Man while still stylish. The original blue changed to black, the red deepened, presenting a sharper charm.

However, soon, this suit invited fresh critiques. Many commented that such colors were too wicked, not matching Spider-Man's youthful and vibrant image.

Hence, the imposter Spider-Man had to adjust his image again. He turned the blue lighter, leaving the red as it was, making it look sunnier.

Yet soon, others assailed this image as frivolous and exaggerated, akin to toys in a toy store, producing a sense of unreliability.

Beyond the suit and image, his actions were also constantly attacked.

Imitating the original Spider-Man's lively and talkative style made him quickly labeled as tactless, greasy, and nauseating. However, if he were to portray a silent, aloof image before the camera, people would accuse him of losing Spider-Man's former affable image.

Within merely a few days, this imposter Spider-Man was on the brink of collapse.

He was originally just a young military officer with little societal experience. Age-converted, he was approximately the same as the current Peter. Almost all of his time on Earth was spent working in S.H.I.E.L.D., never interacting with regular society.

He never knew that humans could be such terrifying creatures.

He failed to fathom human nature's duplicity. When they despise someone, whatever they do is wrong.