Placing Bets In Advance

The shield wasn't originally in the plan, but Fitz from the science duo suggested it to her. The curly-haired big guy thought it was a bit silly for her to make cold weapons in this era. What's the point of carrying a sword in the midst of gunfire?

Daisy couldn't say she could dodge bullets; people who didn't know the truth would find it horrifying. After thinking about it, she realised that there was still a considerable amount of the specially crafted alloy left by the old Nazis. So, she decided to make a shield.

Admittedly, adamantium alloy wouldn't be as good as vibranium for a shield, but it had sturdy properties. In test field, it could withstand direct hits from grenades, rockets, and armor-piercing rounds without any visible damage. Its only drawback was its weight. Fitz watched her effortlessly lift the nearly 60-pound shield and was amazed, but she brushed it off by attributing it to her innate superhuman strength.

The remaining Silver Samurai arm alloy was melted down to create armor, similar to the full-body armor of ancient times. Half-body armor was abandoned initially. Daisy added a considerable amount of titanium alloy to the mix, which lowered the density and hardness but increased malleability. A thin layer of armor that resembled light armor was made, capable of resisting most handgun and rifle bullets.

Unlike the risk-taking and skin-revealing style of the Black Widow, Daisy covered her critical areas securely. To showcase her identity as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent while highlighting her personal touch, she even had the logo of a majestic eagle, representing S.H.I.E.L.D., specially crafted on her chest.

Staring at herself in the mirror while striking a few poses, Daisy couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. Holding a long sword, carrying a shield, and wearing armor with the emblem of the eagle, she felt like she could pass for Wonder Woman if she added a pair of vibranium bracers...

With the equipment settled, the time moved forward to August 2007.

Daisy herself had become a senior agent and began to voice her opinions within S.H.I.E.L.D.

The first one to come out in opposition was Victoria Hand, the red-haired old virgin who seemed to naturally clash with Daisy. No matter what Daisy suggested, Victoria opposed it.

When Daisy proposed increasing vacation time for female agents, the older woman suggested relocating frontline female agents to rear positions. The implication was that they should all be under her leadership.

Daisy then suggested equal pay for S.H.I.E.L.D. agents from various countries. Victoria rambled on for a long time about the differences in material resources and living standards around the world. The underlying message was that it was a complicated matter, and Daisy Johnson should mind her own business.

Many other suggestions followed, such as increasing the ratio of medical personnel in the special operations team, emphasising cyber intrusion, reducing risky infiltration missions for agents, and changing the rotation mechanism for stationed agents from three years to two.

All were rejected without exception. Daisy was just a Level 7 agent, while Victoria Hand was Level 8, and many internal matters were still under her jurisdiction.

Initially, there might have been some valid points, but as time went on, it seemed to be more about maintaining appearances and opposing for the sake of opposing.

Victoria Hand, who wore business suits and high heels every day, seemed more like a politician in her actions and demeanour than a field agent.

"Should I just kill her?" Her maid, Maki, had become quite skilled in combat and had developed a strong inclination towards violence. One day, while Daisy was venting her frustration, Maki couldn't help but make the suggestion.

Honestly, Daisy was somewhat tempted, but it was just a passing thought. Killing wouldn't solve all the problems. She had learned to tolerate Hydra, so she had to tolerate the neutral faction as well. She couldn't just resort to violence every time she faced opposition; that wouldn't be mature.

Victoria Hand, this old woman, annoyed Daisy to no end, but considering the circumstances, she couldn't use extreme measures against her.

Upon careful analysis, Daisy realised that the reason Victoria Hand could establish a neutral faction within S.H.I.E.L.D. and rise to the rank of Level 8 agent was her close ties to the government. Her affiliation even bordered on being part of the Security Council

It was this aloof status that protected her from being targeted by various factions.

To defeat her, Daisy had to start with the government.

For her, who was well aware of the future political development, gaining an advantage was not difficult, especially since it was an election year.

Daisy called James Wesley: "Donate a sum of money to the Osborn Campaign Office in the name of Skye Data."

"How much?" The mob's advisor didn't ask why she suddenly joined the Democratic Party's camp. Business people choosing sides and making bets in this environment was quite normal.

She was used to embezzling money from others, and the idea of giving money to someone else made Daisy uncomfortable. After a moment's thought, she said, "Donate a hundred dollars."

The former mob advisor almost thought he had misheard. That was for a presidential campaign, not for a dormitory election, right? What could a hundred dollars do? He cautiously asked, "How much? Could you repeat that?"

Daisy repeated herself, "Don't worry, the other party knows my true identity and won't mind this amount of money."

Her calculation was astute; whether she donated more or less, the effect would be the same. Her status as a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was the key point.

Things unfolded much as she had anticipated. Three days later, the campaign office sent a warm letter to Skye Data, inviting them to a gathering in an internal circle.

"Does this mean I've joined the Democratic Party?" Wearing a suit and tie, James Wesley, dressed like a refined business elite, looked somewhat incredulous. Just last year, he had met Daisy while "washing cars". At that time, he was discussing "detergent" distribution with Russians. Now, things had changed drastically; he had infiltrated the Democratic Party's stronghold.

It was important to note that before making the hundred-dollar donation, he hadn't even looked at Osborn's campaign agenda. Now, stepping into the campaign office, he had to admit that things had changed rather quickly.

"Don't worry, it's just a meeting, a chance to chat. Make use of your skills," Daisy said. Today, she had put on an exquisite makeup, donned designer jewelry, and wore a beige skirt with a thin belt and high heels. She exuded an air of elegance and confidence, making quite an impression.

This time, it was just a meeting, so Daisy didn't carry a pistol in her handbag. Instead, her maid, Maki, had stuffed a bunch of cosmetics and tissue paper into her bag, the purpose of which Daisy hadn't quite grasped.

Exiting the car and entering the lobby, it was apparent that Osborn's gathering was not particularly large, at most it was a place for internal networking.

Daisy was led away by a waiter after less than a minute on the scene, leaving James Wesley, who was well-dressed and good at dancing, with a group of social elites.

"Miss Johnson, you look even more beautiful than in photos!" Energetic and amiable, Osborn, who appeared very affable, was specifically waiting for her.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Daisy briefly discussed a few points from Osborn's policy platform to show her appreciation before moving on to the main topic.

"Are you representing S.H.I.E.L.D. now? Or is this on a personal basis?" Osborn's expression turned serious.

As one of the candidates, S.H.I.E.L.D. was not a secret to him. A phone call had informed him of Daisy's true identity.

In Daisy's and Hydra's eyes, S.H.I.E.L.D. was like a super sieve, leaking information everywhere. However, in the eyes of the public who were unaware of the truth, including the council members and Osborn standing before her, they all believed that S.H.I.E.L.D. was still immensely powerful, the largest military organisation on the planet.

After receiving Daisy's money, Osborn had analysed and investigated for two days before deciding to meet formally today.