Chapter 135: SHIELD Leaders' Creative Ways to Fake Their Deaths

**** 

It seemed his godson had indeed turned out exactly like in the movies—a playboy through and through. 

**"What about Huang Quan and Wang Kun?"** 

Chen Mo was genuinely concerned about his subordinates. 

**"Huang Quan, Han Qing, Luo Zhen, and Bucky Barnes are now core members of SHIELD. They've all received serum enhancements and take turns in cryo-sleep with Steve's group, serving as deputies and special ops commanders. Currently, Huang Quan is partnered with Howard."** 

Chen Mo nodded slightly. Given Howard's unreliable nature, having the steady Huang Quan overseeing him was a wise move—undoubtedly Colonel Phillips' arrangement. 

**"Wang Kun's Ten Rings organization has expanded rapidly across the U.S. and neighboring countries. New York, their stronghold, is practically impenetrable. However, he never underwent cryo-sleep and aged noticeably—now looking about my age."** 

Chen Mo couldn't help but chuckle. Back at the martial arts school, Albert had been a white-haired man in his sixties, while Wang Kun was a thirty-something youth. Seventy years later, their roles had reversed—Albert rejuvenated, Wang Kun aged, the two now appearing as contemporaries. 

**"His great-grandson is already in his twenties. Following your earlier instructions, I provided him with enhancement serums. His entire family has been augmented. Now, his son manages the Ten Rings while he spends his days drinking tea at the dojo, teaching martial arts to his descendants."** 

Chen Mo laughed outright. 

**"So he's playing the retired centenarian already?"** 

A faint smile crossed Albert's face before he continued. 

**"Additionally, sixteen years ago, during Steve and Carter's tenure leading SHIELD, they had a daughter—Sharon Rogers. A lovely girl."** 

This news pleased Chen Mo immensely. His interference had altered their fates, bringing them together—and now they even had a child. The thought was deeply satisfying. 

Chen Mo looked up expectantly, eager for details. 

Sensing his interest, Albert elaborated. 

**"Ten years ago, Steve and Carter re-entered cryo-sleep. Since Sharon was too young for the serum, she was placed with guardians."** 

**"She's currently in high school."** 

Chen Mo frowned. 

**"Why didn't they stay awake to raise her themselves?"** 

Albert explained patiently. 

**"Fifty years ago, after their SHIELD term ended, they faked their deaths during a mission for the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. Reappearing publicly would've been impossible—they wanted Sharon to grow up normally among civilians, planning to reveal the truth when she came of age."** 

Here, Albert's tone shifted slightly. 

**"SHIELD children need tempering!"** 

**"That's definitely something stupid Steve would say,"** Chen Mo muttered. 

Albert smiled but didn't deny it. Then, hesitating, he added, 

**"Though... in choosing Sharon's guardian, they may have made a mistake."** 

Now intrigued, Chen Mo wondered who the notoriously rigid Steve would have deemed suitable. 

**"Who?"** 

Albert met his gaze, equal parts amused and apologetic. 

**"Tony Stark."** 

Chen Mo facepalmed. 

**"That idiot!"** 

He glared at Albert disbelievingly. 

**"Steve's brains must've short-circuited, but Carter wouldn't have agreed to this!"** 

Albert gave him a knowing look. 

**"At the time... Tony was still a decent young man."** 

Chen Mo shook his head, unable to fathom how a twenty-something Tony could've cared for a six-year-old. 

*I'll have to check on her myself. With Tony involved, who knows what chaos ensued.* 

Two children abandoned by their fathers, now bound together as makeshift family. Chen Mo could only imagine the fireworks when they eventually reunited with their parents. Tony would probably throttle Howard. 

*You fake your deaths, dump a six-year-old on me, and vanish? I don't know the first thing about kids—I've got dates to attend to!* 

Though without his Iron Man suit, Tony stood no chance against Howard. Perhaps a serum enhancement was in order—Chen Mo would pay good money to watch Howard get pummeled by his son. 

--- 

Meanwhile, at SHIELD Headquarters in New York... 

**"A—CHOO!!"** 

A massive sneeze rocked Howard Stark as white smoke erupted from his latest experiment. The ruined components represented hours of wasted effort. 

**"Damn it! Back to square one!"** 

--- 

Back in Norway's HYDRA base, Chen Mo set down his coffee cup, deep in thought. 

From Albert's briefing, this world—despite his alterations—still largely aligned with *Iron Man*'s original timeline. 

Tony remained a weapons prodigy, "orphaned" young, with Obadiah Stane, Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan, and James Rhodes all playing their expected roles. 

It was as if an unseen force had corrected deviations. 

Chen Mo theorized that in cinematic universes, while major changes persisted (Steve's altered fate, HYDRA's rise), smaller details tended to revert to script—unless the divergence exceeded the world's capacity to adjust. 

This worked in his favor. His foreknowledge wouldn't be completely nullified by prior interference. 

*Unlike *Underworld*, which I derailed entirely. Its future's anyone's guess.* 

Suddenly curious, Chen Mo asked, 

**"How exactly did Steve and Howard fake their deaths?"** 

Albert seemed puzzled by the question but answered readily. 

**"Howard staged a car accident, perishing alongside his wife."** 

A pause, then a smirk. 

**"As for Steve... to honor you, he recreated your disappearance—plane crash into the ocean."** 

Chen Mo could only stare. 

*Honor me? More like he couldn't brainstorm a better exit strategy.* 

*That brat even copies how I fake my death!* 

The mental image of SHIELD's leadership competing over creative "deaths" was almost worth witnessing. Colonel Phillips, he guessed, had taken the boring route—passing peacefully in bed. No theatrics required for the old soldier. 

With coffee finished and intel digested, Chen Mo confirmed *Iron Man*'s plot hadn't yet begun. He had ample preparation time. 

The story's inciting incident—Tony's Afghanistan demo-gone-wrong—was still pending. HYDRA intel showed no upcoming trips for the Jericho missile presentation. 

Albert added, **"Every name on your pre-departure list has been recruited into HYDRA. Their loyalty is absolute—just as you predicted, they're exceptional talents."** 

**"Good."** Tracking down those individuals couldn't have been easy. 

**"Shall I awaken Dr. Zola and Colonel John?"** 

Chen Mo nodded. 

**"Proceed."** 

---