Ch. 272 The Unpredictable Punishment, The Unmeasurable Authority!

Although the high-ranking members of Hydra hadn't spoken yet, Russell and Gideon could tell what they were thinking.

Before they could say anything, Gideon, sitting on Russell's left, stood up and spoke first, "Ladies and gentlemen, no need to be nervous. Things are not as you think."

Although Gideon had spoken, it was clear that his words had no effect.

"Gideon, what do you mean by this?" one of the high-ranking Hydra members, roughly the same age as Gideon but with a head full of white hair, asked in a cold tone.

"I've said that things are not as you think!" Gideon continued, "I have already reached an agreement with Mr. Bradley to lead my subordinates under Bradley's command. Besides me, Bakshi, who inherited most of Whitehall's power, has also joined Mr. Bradley's camp."

Gideon continued to explain.

"Joining his side? Gideon, have you lost your mind!"

The high-ranking Hydra member with white hair continued, and at the same time, he pointed at Russell, who was sitting in the main seat.

After he finished speaking, the other high-ranking Hydra members also nodded in agreement, with expressions full of mistrust.

Just as Gideon was about to continue speaking, Russell waved his hand toward Gideon, indicating that he should sit down again.

Seeing Russell's gesture, Gideon nodded respectfully and sat down.

After Gideon had sat down, Russell looked at the high-ranking Hydra member with white hair and said calmly, "I don't like being pointed at, and I certainly don't like people displaying hostility in front of me."

As soon as he finished speaking, his eyes flashed with a red light.

The next second, a laser-like beam of heat shot out from his eyes and appeared in front of the high-ranking Hydra member like lightning.

Sizzle!

Without any suspense, the heat beam instantly struck the high-ranking Hydra member's head.

The heat beam, which could easily melt steel, effortlessly pierced through his head, ending his life in an instant.

Thud!

The high-ranking Hydra member with the pierced head fell backward, making a dull thud as he hit the ground.

"Why did you gather us here? Stephanie has already explained it very clearly; I won't repeat it a second time."

"I will say it once: if you are unwilling to acknowledge my position, then there is no need for you to remain in Hydra."

Russell calmly scanned the high-ranking members of Hydra.

Although these high-ranking Hydra members had significant power and vast networks and resources, they were not indispensable to him.

With or without them, it wouldn't affect his position as the sole master of Hydra.

"You..."

These high-ranking Hydra members had not expected Russell to start killing people without a word, and one of their own members, no less.

Bang!

Gunshots rang out!

Bullets instantly struck one of the high-ranking Hydra members.

"I've said it before; I don't like it when people show hostility in front of me."

The person who fired the gun was none other than Russell himself.

Seeing him kill another person, one of the high-ranking Hydra members, who appeared to be in his early forties, said to Russell, "Mr. Bradley, if you want to become the sole leader of Hydra, we..."

Bang!

Another gunshot!

This time, a high-ranking Hydra member with no expression of hostility or anger on his face fell to the ground with an incredulous expression.

"I'm not negotiating with you, nor am I seeking your opinion."

"This is just a notification, understand?"

Russell said calmly.

Although this unconventional and ruthless behavior might cause some unnecessary misunderstandings, he chose to do it.

In simple terms, if the punishment is unpredictable, then the authority is immeasurable!

Only in this way could he keep these high-ranking Hydra members who had submitted under constant fear due to the pressure of death.

Otherwise, given their personalities, it wouldn't take a day for them to have rebellious thoughts as soon as they left the tent.

Moreover, Russell had decided long ago that he wouldn't fully accept all the members of the legitimate Hydra.

By eliminating a few in advance, it would also facilitate the redistribution of benefits later on.

The threat of death, coupled with the lure of benefits, was the complete process of subjugation.

Of course, even if he did this, these high-ranking Hydra members would not genuinely acknowledge him, let alone offer him loyalty.

However, Russell wasn't particularly concerned about this.

Aside from the fact that he possessed a brainwashing plan, which was not very humane, if these high-ranking Hydra members really harbored thoughts they shouldn't have, he could simply eliminate them and promote their subordinates to take their place.

He could let Bakshi inherit Whitehall's position and power, and he could do the same with the subordinates of these high-ranking Hydra members.

In the face of an absolute difference in strength, it wasn't very difficult; it would just take some time.

"Now that you all have no objections, please take your seats!"

Russell put his Colt M2000 pistol back into his system space and addressed the remaining high-ranking members of Hydra.

As soon as he finished speaking, these high-ranking Hydra members quickly stepped forward, one by one, and took their seats.

Yes!

People who could rise to high positions were not generally foolish.

Whether they had risen due to their family background or some other reason, the fact that they could secure their positions at the top proved that they were not hotheads who would recklessly fight with others.

"My purpose is clear to you all, so I won't waste time repeating it."

"Recognize my position, and I can guarantee your safety, at least to ensure that you won't be locked up in a S.H.I.E.L.D. prison."

"Furthermore, the Hive, who you worship as a deity, has already been killed by me. You don't need to fantasize about him coming back to life."

Russell swept his gaze over these high-ranking Hydra members and continued calmly.

After he finished speaking, the high-ranking Hydra members remained silent, nodding in agreement without speaking.

"Very well! Now that you all understand the current situation, I hope that you will carry out the following orders one hundred percent."

"Let me make it clear in advance, if anyone secretly uses tricks to deceive me, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

After warning them, Russell began to issue orders to them.

Over half an hour later, the remaining five high-ranking Hydra members first bowed to him and then left the tent, leaving the castle in their luxurious vehicles.

"Sir, are you really not worried that they will go against you in secret?" Stephanie, sitting next to Gideon, asked Russell.

"Don't worry, they don't have the guts!"

"More importantly, I won't give them that opportunity."

When Russell issued orders to these high-ranking Hydra members, he used the "Absolute Command" mental connection of the King's Serum to connect with the nearest White Zetsu Soldiers in England and secretly gave them instructions.

Starting tomorrow, each of these five high-ranking Hydra members will have a White Zetsu Soldiers assigned to them as a "bodyguard."

In addition, he sent instructions to Grendel, the guardian of the Temple of the Atlantic Ocean, to split several second-generation symbiotes.

These second-generation symbiotes will come with the White Zetsu Soldiers and eventually possess these high-ranking Hydra members.

Twenty-four hours of constant surveillance by White Zetsu Soldiers, combined with the second-generation symbiotes inside them, if these high-ranking Hydra members can still go against him in secret, Russell doesn't mind giving them a chance to perform.

After issuing orders to these high-ranking Hydra members, Russell also had no intention of staying in this castle.

He instructed Gideon to arrange for his subordinates to completely destroy the castle and, along with Skye, he boarded Gideon's luxury car to head to Gideon's estate in England.

Although it wasn't very late now, Russell had already informed Diana, so he had no intention of returning to New York tonight.

Moreover, he had some things to take care of.

For example, having a heart-to-heart talk with Skye and, in the meantime, obtaining some information from Gideon's beautiful daughter, Stephanie.

On the way to the estate, Skye didn't say a word.

Although she hadn't experienced real combat today, she had witnessed a very different side of Russell than what she had imagined.

If this had been in the past, she would have definitely thought of Russell as a pseudo-gentleman who was a superhero on the surface but a terrorist in secret.

However, now that she had witnessed Russell's methods of handling things, she had some different thoughts.

Especially when she heard about Russell's arrangement for the high-ranking Hydra members.

From a worldly perspective, Russell wasn't a good person by any means.

But he also couldn't be considered a completely irredeemable villain.

He had his own principles and bottom line.

Thinking this, Skye couldn't help but glance at Russell, who was sitting beside her.

"What's wrong?" Although Russell had his eyes closed, he keenly sensed Skye's gaze.

"Nothing!" Hearing Russell's words, Skye quickly replied and turned her head to pretend to admire the night outside the car window.

Although Skye didn't say anything, as an experienced people-reader, Russell keenly sensed Skye's change and couldn't help but curve a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.

Although Skye wasn't young, and she had plenty of experience living at the bottom of society, she couldn't hide her true thoughts very well.

In simpler terms, Skye was the kind of young person who wasn't very good at hiding her true thoughts.

This was also a common problem among many young people!

Although Russell sensed Skye's change, he didn't say anything and continued to rest with his eyes closed.

After driving for about an hour, the convoy finally stopped.

Compared to the estate in Germany, the estate in front of them was clearly a step lower in terms of size.

But as an occasional residence, it was quite good.

"We'll stay here tonight, and I'll take you back to New York tomorrow!"

After entering the estate, Russell said to Skye.

"Okay!"

Skye didn't refuse and quietly responded.

Afterward, witnessing Russell taking Stephanie upstairs to the study on the second floor, Skye was left with a sense of curiosity.

Stephanie had been brainwashed, but Russell still needed to ask her some questions.

Besides, he would give Stephanie a very important task.

To monitor and balance Gideon!

Even though Gideon had already been brainwashed now, Russell still didn't trust him completely.

More importantly, Gideon was too old and didn't fit Russell's criteria for recruitment.

If it weren't for the fact that he still needed Gideon to stabilize the situation temporarily, Russell wouldn't have bothered arranging for No. 3 to brainwash him.

Second-floor study.

After Stephanie closed the door behind her, Russell didn't use conventional questioning methods. Instead, several octopus-like white tentacles emerged from his right hand.

The question-and-answer method would waste too much time, so he planned to directly read the information from Stephanie's mind.

Under Stephanie's gaze, the white tentacles quickly approached her and wrapped around her like an Amazonian python capturing its prey.

In the blink of an eye, the white tentacles had successfully parasitized Stephanie.

Russell didn't waste any time and immediately began to read the information from Stephanie's mind.

Time passed little by little.

Five or six minutes later, Russell released the parasitism of the white tentacles.

"In a few days, I will arrange for a White Zetsu to be assigned to you. When I'm not around, you will be in charge of Hydra's affairs."

Russell said as he moved to the sitting area in the study.

"Yes, sir!"

Stephanie quickly replied.

Sitting on the sofa in the sitting area, Russell said to Stephanie, "Bring Skye here; you can leave."

Stephanie nodded and quickly left the study.

A few minutes later, Skye, dressed in her formal uniform, arrived at the study.

"Do you need me for something?" Skye, unlike Stephanie, wasn't as respectful and asked Russell as soon as she entered the study.

"Sit down before we talk."

Russell pointed to the sofa opposite him.

When Skye sat down with a puzzled expression, Russell continued, "Now that you know that your mother is Jia Ying, the leader of the Inhumans, what are your thoughts on this?"

While they were at the estate in Germany, Russell hadn't talked to Skye about this topic because there were outsiders present.

Now that they had some time, he wanted to see what Skye thought.

"I don't have any thoughts."

Skye replied calmly, "I mean it; I really don't have any thoughts right now. In fact, I'm starting to regret knowing that Jia Ying is my mother."

Skye shook her head.

"I don't know; I really don't know."

"In fact, I'm starting to regret knowing today that Jia Ying is my mother."

Skye shook her head.