Chapter 25

"Boss, are we really letting him go?" Li San asked, puzzled as they headed back to Building Eight. In his view, they should have just killed the agent to serve as a warning.

Leo smiled. "Let him go. Hydra has many agents. Killing one won't make a difference, and this way, he can deliver a message to Garrett and throw him off balance."

Leo hadn't explicitly mentioned Hydra in their conversation, only giving subtle hints. His goal was to make Garrett suspicious and uncertain about his true capabilities, preventing him from making any rash moves for a while. 

As for the future, once Leo grew stronger, he planned to eliminate Garrett himself to remove the threat completely.

"So, when you said you knew Tony Stark, that was just to bluff him?" Li San scratched his head.

Leo laughed. "Not entirely. I don't know him yet, but that will change soon enough. How's the investigation on Obadiah Stane going?"

"The intelligence team is working on it. It should take a few more days."

As they reached his apartment door, Li San finished his report and withdrew.

"Seems like I'll need to find a way to get the Mind Stone to enhance Wanda and Pietro's abilities," Leo thought as he carefully slipped back into bed. Initially, he hesitated to use the Mind Stone on them, thinking Wanda preferred a normal life. But in the dangerous world of Marvel, having some self-defense capabilities was crucial.

Despite his efforts to protect Wanda, there was always a chance things could go wrong. If Wanda and Pietro's abilities were enhanced by the Mind Stone, they would be safe from threats like Hydra.

He didn't need them to fight for him; he just wanted them to have the ability to protect themselves in dangerous situations.

"Darling," Wanda murmured in her sleep, sensing his return. She wrapped herself around him like an octopus.

"Thanks to that Hydra agent, I'm wide awake now," Leo thought, his martial artist stamina allowing him to pull the blanket over them and take control of the situation. Soon, Wanda's hand gripped the bedsheet tightly.

Meanwhile, a limping Grant carried a bag of bread and milk back to his Chevrolet in the parking lot and drove off in a hurry. This had been his most humiliating mission failure, compounded by the "courtesy" of being sent off with milk and bread.

---

Back at the Hydra base, Garrett looked at the battered Grant with a serious expression. "Even you failed. Looks like Leo is hiding more than we thought."

Grant, still analyzing the situation, said, "He claimed to know Tony Stark. Could there be a connection to Nick Fury?"

"Though the records show no interaction between them," Garrett pondered, "even if he does know Stark, it shouldn't involve Fury. To my knowledge, Fury hasn't approached Stark yet. Until we know more about him, let's hold off on making any moves."

Garrett frowned, still uncertain whether Leo's knowledge was genuine or a bluff, and what other secrets he might be hiding. The enhancement pills were helpful for his Death Warrior project, but not crucial. Moreover, Garrett was trying to acquire the incomplete Super Soldier Serum from General Ross, which was his priority.

---

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window, Leo opened his eyes. As a martial artist, he wasn't accustomed to sleeping in. He drew the curtains to prevent the light from waking Wanda and quietly left the bedroom.

After a busy day of traveling and setting up their new home, followed by being up half the night with Leo, Wanda needed her rest. 

Leo prepared breakfast in their new kitchen, ate his portion, and left Wanda's in a warmer with a note. His cooking skills far surpassed Wanda's, capable of making both Western and traditional Chinese dishes. Although his wealth meant he rarely needed to cook, he felt that now they were married and had a home, they should have a semblance of normalcy, including homemade meals.

After breakfast, he headed to the outdoor parking lot, where Xiao Liu was waiting in the car.

"Boss, here's today's schedule: meet with all employees at the new company at 9:30 for a speech, a press conference at 10:30, and an afternoon appointment at 2:00..." Xiao Liu began briefing him as the car started.

As chairman of the Li Corporation, Leo spent most of his time training and enhancing his strength, rarely dealing with company affairs. Research was handled by Dr. Smith, while Jack managed publicity, production, and sales. Xiao Liu took care of covert operations, and Uncle Li oversaw everything.

However, certain occasions required his presence, such as charity events, important press conferences, and significant award ceremonies. With the new company established in New York and two new products launching, he would need to focus on these activities for the next week or two.

As for the side mission to rescue Dr. Yinsen, there was no rush. Tony Stark had spent over two months from capture to escape, and only a few days had passed so far. Moreover, his intelligence team in New York was newly formed and needed time to gather information on Obadiah Stane.

For now, his plan was to establish the new company in New York, complete the side mission to acquire Mystical Palm Jutsu, and then continue training in the small world to enhance his strength.