Ch. 237 Information About the Apples of Eden

"Ancient aura? Are you sure?"

Diana didn't doubt Russell, but his current extraordinary abilities leaned more towards the physical side. Although he possessed god-like powers, he hadn't yet mastered the correct way to use them.

Diana had thought of some ways to help Russell, but their effectiveness wasn't very promising.

"Of course, I'm sure. Besides meeting Callum from the Assassin Brotherhood today, I also met the Sorcerer Supreme,  the Ancient One."

Russell briefly explained his meeting with the Ancient One and the offer to become her student.

Afterward, he took out the four thick, brick-like magic books from the system space.

Diana received the magic books Russell handed her and quickly glanced through them.

"It seems like you had quite an eventful day!"

Diana closed the "Universal Compedium" she had been reading, gazing at Russell with a soft voice.

"It was alright," Russell replied with a smile.

He didn't mention his game of chess with his secretary, Ellie, and Gwen. If Diana found out he had played chess with more than one woman in a single day, even if she tolerated him having tea with others, there might be some jealousy involved.

"I might not know the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, but from your description, it doesn't seem like she has any ill intentions towards you."

"Otherwise, as someone not proficient in magic like you, it would be difficult to leave the Sanctum Sanctorum."

Diana's tone became serious.

"Since she's willing to be your magic mentor, it's not a bad thing for you."

"I agree with that."

Russell nodded.

"As for the Ancient One, I don't think there will be any major issues there. How do you plan to handle the Assassin Brotherhood and the Piece of Eden situation?"

Diana continued to ask.

While Russell had only briefly mentioned the Assassin Brotherhood and the Piece of Eden Diana knew that Russell had developed a significant interest in the matter. Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought it up.

"I don't have a specific plan yet, but I intend to help Winston secure a seat at the High Table first. Then, I'll see if I can use the name of the High Table to get involved in the matters between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order."

"This matter isn't convenient for the League to intervene in directly, so I'm considering using the High Table's name."

Russell looked at Diana's flawless face and spoke slowly.

"Intervening under the High Table's name seems more appropriate. You're now a well-known superhero, and using the League's name might cause complications."

Although Diana didn't have much interest in the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order, she did have some interest in the Piece of Eden that Russell mentioned. Even though these pieces weren't related to the god of mythology, they were related to human culture and archaeology, which intrigued her.

If these Piece of Eden were truly created by the Precursors, as Russell mentioned, as tools to control humanity, it would be a little-known and highly valuable piece of history.

"Alright, I'll get involved in this matter under the High Table's name for now, and see if I can find these so-called Piece of Eden."

Russell replied calmly.

After discussing these matters with Diana, they engaged in normal couple conversations in the living room for over ten minutes.

Then, they began their nightly workout.

After playing a game of back-and-forth chess with Diana and enjoying their intimate moments, another day had come to an end—a day filled with satisfaction and contentment.

...

The next day.

After enjoying a breakfast prepared by Diana in the apartment, Russell, as usual, flew directly from the apartment's balcony to the headquarters of the Octopus Monster.

"No. 3, investigate which company developed and published the Assassin's Creed game. I want to know who is behind the scenes."

"Also, contact Bakshi. I have some questions to ask him."

Sitting in his boss's chair, Russell instructed No. 3.

"Yes, sir!"

No. 3 promptly responded.

In the next moment, a holographic projection screen appeared in front of Russell, displaying a screen showing a call in progress.

After waiting for more than twenty seconds, the call was answered.

Bakshi's face appeared on the screen, showing a respectful expression.

"Sir, did you call me for something?"

Bakshi spoke with utmost respect.

"Yes, I want to know if the Hydra has a seat in the High Table of the Continental Hotel."

"If they do, whose seat is it?"

"And if they don't, investigate whether there are any allies of the Hydra among the current representatives of the High Table."

Russell instructed Bakshi.

"Very well, sir, I will start the investigation immediately."

Bakshi replied promptly.

"That's all for now."

After ending the call with Bakshi, Russell picked up the phone on his desk and dialed an internal contact number, summoning his secretary, Ellie.

While it wasn't yet time for him to handle the chairman's daily affairs, he wanted to check if Ellie had indeed changed her hairstyle to golden twin tails, as she had promised yesterday.

Shortly after putting down the phone, Ellie, dressed in a gray office lady uniform and black stockings, entered the office. She walked in on high heels.

When Ellie pushed open the office door, Russell didn't immediately appraise her outfit. Instead, he focused on her hairstyle.

Golden twin tails!

Although golden twin tails weren't the most alluring hairstyle for Ellie, she had obediently replaced her big waves with twin tails.

This secretary was very ambitious!

Once inside the office, Ellie approached Russell directly and asked, "Is there anything you need me to handle, sir?"

Although they were the only two in the office, Ellie demonstrated her professionalism by not making any seductive moves. She exhibited the demeanor expected of a secretary.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see your hairstyle today."

Russell said slowly.

While he could have used his X-ray vision or telescopic vision to directly see if Ellie had changed her hairstyle to twin tails, he chose not to. Although he could see her hairstyle with his abilities, inviting Ellie in person was more respectful and less intrusive.

Upon hearing Russell's words, a faint blush appeared on Ellie's fair and delicate oval face. It was unclear whether this shy blush was genuine or just a portrayal of her inner thoughts.

However, it had to be said that the blush on her face made Ellie look even more enticing. She seemed like a ripe apple, tempting someone to take a bite immediately.

Nevertheless, Russell had good control over his instincts at this moment.

He had just exercised with Diana this morning, and his worldly desires were currently at their lowest.

"Sir, you specifically instructed me yesterday, so I changed my hairstyle to twin tails today."

"Satisfying your requests is part of my job description."

Ellie replied in a soft, alluring voice.

"Alright, there's nothing else. You can leave now."

Russell's response might have surprised even himself, but Ellie didn't pay much attention to it. She quickly replied, "Yes, sir."

After Ellie left the office, No. 3's voice rang out.

"Sir, here is the information about the development team and publisher of Assassin's Creed."

As soon as No. 3 finished speaking, he projected the collected information onto a holographic screen.

Russell quickly skimmed through the information that No. 3 had found and said slowly, "Hire a private detective to investigate the backgrounds of these key personnel and the owners behind the publishing company."

"Yes, sir!"

No. 3 promptly responded.

After instructing No. 3, Russell picked up a gaming controller and began replaying the Assassin's Creed game, starting from the first installment. This time, he didn't intentionally suppress his reaction time and control abilities. He played it like a speedrunner aiming for a fast completion.

While he focused on speedrunning the game, he didn't neglect the possibility of hidden information within it, especially regarding the information about the Piece of Eden—the Apples of Eden.

Although it was unlikely that the person who developed the game knew about the enmity between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order, Callum's presence indicated that the content inside the game was likely genuine.

While he still didn't know who was behind the development studio that created this game, he was sure that the hidden figure had ulterior motives.

It was possible that this individual possessed the Apples of Eden or other Piece of Eden.

Time passed bit by bit.

Because he no longer suppressed his reaction speed and control abilities far beyond those of ordinary people, Russell completed all three released Assassin's Creed games in just one morning.

After putting down the game controller, he compared the information obtained in the game with the information in his mind one by one.

As for the game's plot and storyline, there weren't significant differences from what he remembered. Except for a few character names being different, everything else was more or less the same.

His focus wasn't on the plot or characters; instead, he compared the information about the Apples of Eden revealed in the game with the information in his mind.

Looking solely at the information about the Apples of Eden from the game, there wasn't much difference from what he remembered.

However, since only three parts of Assassin's Creed had been released in this world, he couldn't be certain if the Piece of Eden in this world were identical to what he remembered. He could only say that it was likely the same based on the current situation.

After comparing the information about the Apples of Eden in the game with the information in his mind, he casually had lunch in the company's cafeteria.

Afterward, he returned to his office to enjoy some sunshine and continue his journey of learning magic.

Though he called it learning, it was more about gradually comprehending the magic knowledge he had memorized.

At present, he wasn't in a position to practice this magic knowledge, and the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, couldn't guide him as closely as Doctor Strange did. However, for him, understanding these concepts wasn't particularly challenging. After all, it was merely a matter of not treating this world's science as science.

That wasn't difficult at all, especially for someone who often did unscientific things.

While basking in the sun to enhance his Kryptonian physiology and delving into the magic knowledge in his mind, three hours slipped by unnoticed.

Just as Russell was considering lying down on the sofa for a nap, a knock suddenly echoed through the room.

"Come in!"

Russell sat up and called out directly.

In the next moment, Ellie, with her twin tails, entered the room, carrying the documents to be signed today.

Once in front of Russell, Ellie handed over the documents with both hands.

Then, she flashed a charming smile and asked in a seductive tone, "Sir, you seem a bit tired. Would you like me to help you relax?"

Ellie was showing her eagerness.

"Sure, just give me a shoulder massage."

Russell wasn't planning to repeat what they did yesterday. He responded to Ellie.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ellie came behind him and gently massaged his shoulders with her delicate and white hands.

While Ellie employed her practiced massage techniques, Russell browsed through the documents and signed where necessary.

In less than ten minutes, he had completed his duties as chairman for the day.

Once done, he didn't have plans to play another game of chess with Ellie. He allowed her to leave the office.

Although Ellie wouldn't mind continuing what they did yesterday, Russell remembered something while signing the documents.

If Piece of Eden had appeared in recent history, the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization, which had a penchant for collecting magical artifacts, would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to collect these pieces.

Thinking about this, Russell had No. 3 contact Bakshi once again.

Soon, Bakshi's face appeared on the holographic screen.

"How far have you progressed in dealing with Pierce's faction?" Russell asked directly.

"I've only contacted a few mid-level operatives among them. They aren't very willing to be assimilated into our ranks. I'm still working on it," Bakshi quickly replied.

"Finish dealing with Pierce's faction as soon as possible. If that doesn't work, have Bucky and White Zetsu visit them," Russell instructed.

"Understood, sir. I know what to do."

Although Russell's tone was calm, Bakshi sensed his dissatisfaction. Among the three individuals subjected to mind control, Bakshi was the one whose conditioning was the most effective. While Natasha and Bucky had also been mind-controlled, they still retained some of their original personalities. In contrast, Bakshi had been completely reprogrammed, making him incredibly loyal.

"Also, deal with the succession of Whitehall and Pierce's leadership," Russell reminded.

"Of course, sir!"

After the reminder, Russell disconnected the holographic screen.

With no current reliance on Bakshi, he would need to gather information from Natasha. However, Natasha had been out of contact for some time now.

To avoid arousing suspicion within S.H.I.E.L.D., Russell hadn't placed any hidden measures on Natasha apart from the mind control.

Unless Natasha initiated contact herself, he had no straightforward way of locating her.

Although he didn't know where Natasha had been assigned by Nick Fury, if Piece of Eden had appeared, the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization would undoubtedly continue its pursuit, especially given its operatives still in New York.

"No. 3, find a way to infiltrate the database of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York branch as discreetly as possible."

"If necessary, you can collaborate with hacking groups like Rising Tide. Use the funds you need directly from my account."

Russell instructed No. 3.

"Understood, sir!"

No. 3's synthetic voice responded promptly.

While Russell hadn't previously asked No. 3 to perform such audacious tasks, it was well within his abilities. With the establishment of Octopus Monster Industries and the influx of substantial funds, No. 3 had access to abundant resources.

Apart from his core program still residing within the symbiote, No. 3's subprograms were scattered throughout Octopus Monster Industries' various industries.

For No. 3, this was an opportunity to showcase his hacking skills in a field he excelled at.

After giving the instructions to No. 3, Russell didn't stay in the office to bask in the sun. Instead, he flew off toward the headquarters of the League.

Both Gwen and Perkins were currently in the League's headquarters.

In less than a minute, he arrived over the League's headquarters.

Before landing, he observed Gwen and Peter sparring in the training area. Afterward, he headed directly to Perkins' residence.

Without Russell's permission, Perkins had stayed in her room since returning to the League's headquarters last night, avoiding going anywhere.

Even her meals for breakfast and lunch had been arranged by No. 3's robots.

Now, Perkins was lying idly on the sofa in her room, watching television. She wasn't a fan of television, but it was the only way she could pass the time in her current situation.

"It seems like you've settled in quite comfortably here," Russell remarked.

Perkins hadn't noticed Russell's arrival until his voice echoed from the balcony. When she finally realized, she quickly stood up.

"You've finally come," Perkins said to Russell.

"No need to be so formal. Have a seat," Russell replied.

Once Perkins was seated, he continued, "While the arrest order from the High Table hasn't been lifted yet, you don't need to worry too much. If there are any developments from the High Table, Winston will contact me."

Perkins nodded, indicating her understanding. Knowing that Russell intended to help Winston secure a seat at the High Table made Perkins feel safer. She realized that Winston wouldn't send anyone to apprehend her now.

However, even though Winston wouldn't act against her, it didn't mean that the High Table wouldn't continue its pursuit. The assassins dispatched by the High Table were still in New York, and there was no guarantee they wouldn't receive new orders.

"But I still have the possibility of being attacked, don't I?" Perkins asked.

"True, as long as the High Table's orders remain in effect, you'll be at risk of encountering an attack," Russell acknowledged.

"So, how do you plan to handle me? Will you keep me hidden away like a canary, or do you want me to work for you?" Perkins inquired.

"Whether as a canary or as my subordinate, you're missing something right now," Russell stated.

"My trust, right?" Perkins guessed.

"Exactly."

Perkins understood that even though they had known each other for a while, Russell still didn't fully trust her.

"So, here's the deal. If you're willing to undergo a small experiment, I'll agree to have you as my subordinate and offer you my protection," Russell proposed.

"If you're not interested, I won't hold it against you. You can choose to leave," he added.

"With your abilities, as long as you're willing to live incognito, you'd probably be able to evade the High Table's pursuit," Russell pointed out.

Russell was straightforward in his approach. He left the decision to Perkins.