Cutting off one head of Hydra was one thing, but this time, nine heads were cut off together.
Based on the phone calls Pierce had received moments ago, it appeared that at least over half of the underground bases around the world were simultaneously under attack. The initial estimates hinted at unimaginable losses; thousands, if not more, lives had been ruthlessly wiped out.
And behind this assault, the mastermind himself was sitting in front of Pierce on a guest chair, casually crossing his legs, enjoying the spectacle.
It was too audacious, ruthless, and cruel; it was downright heartless.
Pierce's mind went blank. He was overwhelmed by shock and anger, and his body trembled slightly. He had no words to describe this situation.
Hydra, an organization that excelled at subterfuge and wickedness, was now experiencing a day when it was crushed and humiliated.
The phones on the office desk stopped ringing and then started again, showing no sign of stopping.
"Why aren't you answering the phone? Didn't expect this, did you? Your family's bases are gone," Kyle couldn't resist the opportunity to taunt, his face bearing an expression of "Should I be surprised or not."
Pierce clenched his teeth and asked, weakly sighing, "When did you start preparing for this?"
"I got the idea after obtaining the address files of many of your bases from the scientist's storage device in the old military base," Kyle said, shrugging. "But at that time, it wasn't the best time for an attack. The best time was when this Helicarrier took off, and Project Insight was initiated."
"I see," Pierce immediately understood. He smiled bitterly. "Against you, Hydra really couldn't do anything."
Once Hydra placed their hopes for a comeback on the Helicarrier and Project Insight, their defenses and vigilance for their own bases would temporarily reach their lowest point. This was a logical blind spot in their thinking.
After all, anyone would prioritize focusing their efforts on stopping the imminent threat of Project Insight.
Only Kyle had the audacity to divide the forces he could gather into multiple parts, concentrating only a few of them, including Steve and his team, to stop the Helicarrier and dispatching the majority of the forces to raid and assault Hydra bases.
"It doesn't matter. The heads of your Hydra organization will grow back even if they're cut off," Kyle said with a smile.
"Do we have to keep talking about the heads?" Pierce's mouth twitched as he looked at him in despair. What was once a propaganda slogan had now become a meme.
This devastating blow to Hydra was comparable to their disastrous defeat in World War II. After Red Skull's disappearance, Hydra had withdrawn from the world stage, losing its power to threaten the Earth.
The remnants had been hiding and growing in the shadows for over half a century until they finally made some progress, thanks to SHIELD.
But just as they were beginning to stand up again, they were knocked back to their original state. This time, the Hydra organization had truly reached the end of the road.
Pierce was increasingly bitter as he thought about it, and his face turned red. He finally sighed and said, "It's a shame. In 1944, Schmidt should have killed you one way or another. He could have just dropped a nuclear bomb on your boot camp and buried you and Captain America."
Who would have thought that the Hydra organization, which had caused worldwide panic and had infiltrated extensively, would be destroyed by two rookies who grew up in military camps?
"You're talking about Schmidt, the guy I chased for dozens of kilometers with a sword? As for the nuclear bomb, I seem to have really experienced that," Kyle said nonchalantly, rising from the chair.
He looked down at Pierce and strangely said, "Do you still have an ace in the hole? Since I have come to your doorstep, why not use them?"
Pierce's face changed, and he didn't hesitate. He pressed the hidden button under the desk.
The mechanism clicked into action, and a section of the smooth floor cracked open. Pierce and his chair were lowered into the recess.
At the same time, a series of gunshots rang out from outside the door.
In the blink of an eye, the office's large door had been riddled with holes. A barrage of bullets covered everything in the office, intent on eliminating any lifeforms within.
Kyle sneered, and his golden pupils shimmered. Nearly transparent golden flames rose from his body, exuding an aura of majesty, sanctity, and extreme heat!
A wave of scorching heat swept in.
The hot wind twisted, sending countless sheets of paper flying, turning them to ashes.
Indoors, the temperature skyrocketed. Tables and chairs nearby burst into flames spontaneously.
Countless bullets, not even within half a meter of Kyle, melted into molten metal, sizzling as they splashed onto the floor.
"Stop him!"
With a deafening crash, the office door shattered, and a large group of SHIELD agents and armed personnel stormed in. They wielded various advanced technology and firearms, occupying almost half of the office area, all gazing at Kyle, ready for confrontation.
The only enemy was also the most formidable one!
"Don't overestimate yourselves," Kyle sneered, realizing that Pierce had set up SHIELD's undercover agents to buy himself time to escape. But he didn't care.
Today, every Hydra member who appeared was destined to die. The more, the better!
Kyle ignored the armed men's threats, and with a heavy step, he walked towards the doorway, a move that caused numerous individuals on the field to pale.
"Stop right there!" The leading Captain shouted in horror.
"Stop me?" Kyle chuckled and took another step forward, wielding his powers of the Fire God and gravitational manipulation. "All of you, kneel!"
The terrifying aura of a high-dimensional life, combined with a force field ten times stronger than Earth's gravity, created an effect that no one could have predicted when these seemingly unrelated abilities were used together.
*Buzz...*
From the center of the room, an invisible domineering aura emanated like a transparent ripple, abruptly sweeping across in all directions. The entire office came to a momentary standstill as everything inside it was affected.
*Shua, Shua, Shua!*
A dozen armed men all knelt on the ground, their heads, elbows, and knees heavily pressed against the floor. They trembled, unable to rise. They emitted fearful cries of confusion and dismay.
Kyle continued to move, not even sparing a glance at them until he passed through the crowd and left.
This pressure was powerful enough to disrupt one's mind and body. It was equivalent to his personal domain. However, this pressure only affected ordinary people.
Once Kyle walked out the door, a few seconds later, the dozen armed men finally collapsed in exhaustion, sweating profusely. They gasped for breath, their eyes still filled with fear.
He was not on the same level as they were!
"Wait, I'm on fire on my back. Can someone help me extinguish it?" One of the armed men panicked as flames ignited on his combat suit's back.
He rolled frantically on the floor, but the more he rolled, the more the golden-red flames flared up until he turned into a human fireball.
"My clothes are on fire too!"
"Stay away from me; don't come over here!"
They only realized when they noticed that everyone was actually on fire. The golden flames consciously clung to their bodies, and it was clear that they wouldn't be extinguished until their very bones were incinerated.
"If you're going to burn, then burn thoroughly."
Kyle walked down the corridor, hearing the faint cries of agony behind him. His face remained impassive, and he continued towards the elevator.
The fire had only just begun to burn.
(End of this chapter)