In Marvel With Guild System

Chapter 20: Proactive Measures & The Winter Soldier's Trail

Adam had absorbed all the intel. He knew the enemy, he knew their plans, and he knew they were already far along. There was no time for subtlety or passive information gathering. It was time for a surgical strike. He had to hit Hydra where it hurt, disrupt their plans, and hopefully, free their ultimate weapon.

His attention first turned to the Winter Soldier. Yelena's expertise was invaluable here. She knew the shadowy world of assassins, the cold, clinical methods of those who were made into weapons.

"Yelena," Adam initiated a direct comm link. "Your Red Room files mentioned the Winter Soldier. The Asset. Anything else that could give us a lead? Old safe houses, former handlers, anything that wasn't immediately apparent?"

Yelena's avatar nodded grimly. "There was a fragmented file. A series of numbers. Not coordinates. Not a date. Possibly a cipher for a specific location, or a pattern of movements. And a name, barely visible: 'Vasily Karpov'. An old Soviet handler. Long dead, I thought. But maybe… his assets are not."

Adam mentally logged the name. Vasily Karpov. A ghost from the past, connected to Bucky Barnes's programming. This was a direct lead, however faint.

[New Mission Created: 'Ghost in the Machine: Winter Soldier Hunt'] [Objective: Utilize Yelena's unique Red Room expertise and any recovered intel to track the Winter Soldier's operational patterns, safe houses, or handler remnants. Focus on identifying his current status and location. Avoid direct engagement unless absolutely necessary for intel gathering.] [Reward: High GP based on accuracy and value of intel. Adam's cut: 55%.] [Assign to: Yelena Belova? Y/N]

Adam assigned the mission immediately. "Yelena, this is priority one. Find anything you can on the Winter Soldier. Use that Karpov lead. Use your network. But be incredibly careful. He's not just an assassin; he's a highly dangerous, unstable weapon. Your life is paramount."

"Understood, Adam," Yelena's voice was sharp, professional. "Consider him tracked."

Next, Adam focused on Hydra's financial backbone. Darcy had done excellent work exposing their shell companies, but he needed deeper access, transaction logs, personnel lists. That was 'Ghost's' domain.

"Ghost," Adam sent an encrypted, anonymous message through the system. "Darcy identified a primary shell corporation, 'Worldwide Acquisitions LLC'. It's a key conduit for Hydra's Project Insight funding. I need you to infiltrate their central server, their financial hub. Get everything: ledgers, employee lists, communication logs, anything that details their funding streams and their true beneficiaries."

[New Mission Created: 'Hydra's Hidden Purse'] [Objective: Infiltrate 'Worldwide Acquisitions LLC' central server. Extract all financial data, employee lists, communication logs, and details of Project Insight funding. Identify key financial operatives.] [Reward: Very High GP based on comprehensiveness and sensitivity of data. Adam's cut: 55%.] [Assign to: 'Ghost'? Y/N]

The 'Ghost' avatar's reply was swift, a single terse word: Acknowledged. The loyalty might be low, but the motivation was high when GP was involved.

Adam also decided to invest a little more GP for his two primary proactive assets.

[Guild Master Store – Item Purchased: Advanced Tracking Kit (Yelena) – 30 GP] [Guild Master Store – Item Purchased: Digital Infiltration Toolset (Ghost) – 25 GP] [Adam Stiels – Guild Points (GP): 266 (approx) - 30 - 25 = 211 GP!]

"New gear coming your way," he sent to both. "Use it well. This is how we begin to peel back the layers of this conspiracy. This is how we save the world, one hidden enemy at a time."

He looked out the window at the bustling New York street below, the everyday lives continuing, oblivious to the shadowy war being waged beneath their feet. He had initiated the counter-attack. The calm before the storm was officially over.

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