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As Kain finished reciting their detailed intelligence, he observed how the twins tensed, their bodies stiffening slightly.

He waved a hand dismissively. "Relax. If I didn't already know about your abilities, I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of inviting you here. Your powers are valuable, and if we can understand the underlying principles behind them, we might be able to replicate them—something that could be truly groundbreaking."

Wanda narrowed her eyes. "So... you want to experiment on us?"

Kain met her gaze evenly. 

"Only with your consent," he clarified. "Your abilities are still in their infancy. I can help you develop them, refine them—and in return, I'll pay you. I can also offer solutions to the problems that weigh on your minds."

Pietro's expression hardened. "You know what we want?"

"It's revenge, isn't it? Because of the Stark missiles?" Kain's tone was indifferent. "You hate Tony Stark. In fact, plenty of people in my company feel the same way—biologists, Soviet physicists, and their sons. Given Stark's personality, I'd say there are far more people who despise him than those who like him."

He leaned back slightly. "If you're looking for revenge on Tony Stark, I can offer some assistance—legal teams, strategic support. Whether you succeed or not is up to you."

At that moment, a tea tray in the distance began to move toward them—though it wasn't exactly floating. Beneath the tray, a serpentine tail slithered along the floor, carrying it effortlessly.

The green snake climbed onto the table in front of the sofa, carefully placing the tray down with its tail. 

Then, with precise movements, it hooked the teapot and poured black tea into cups for Kain and Betty.

Betty stared at the tea, momentarily wondering if she had been overworking herself lately. The Maximoff twins exchanged skeptical glances, as if they had just walked into some kind of bizarre taming zoo. 

Even dr. Dollitle wouldn't be able to pull off something like this.

Kain took his tea without a second thought. "Thank you. No dessert for now. Go rest, or head to the house next door."

The green snake hesitated briefly—Kain could sense it wanted to watch TV—but after a moment, it slowly slithered away.

The brief interruption shifted the atmosphere, and Pietro finally spoke. "Mr. Pent, can we think about it?"

"Of course. There are plenty of houses nearby—pick whichever one you like. Just don't go near the beach."

Kain readily agreed.

He could sense the Maximoff twins' hesitation softening. They had goals, but not many allies. They weren't afraid of Stark Industries, but they understood their own value.

There weren't many people in the world who could offer them real options. Kain was one. Hydra was another.

Right now, Pietro and Wanda didn't even have a high school diploma. If they didn't join Kain, they would have to rely on their own abilities to survive—and sooner or later, someone would find them. 

That path would inevitably lead to conflict with the government or a prison cell.

It wasn't a difficult choice.

After the Maximoff twins had settled in, Betty embraced Kain the moment they were alone. She had missed him deeply—it had been too long since she last saw him.

Later, Kain and Betty boarded a private jet to Los Angeles, heading to a military base to visit Betty's father, Thaddeus Ross. If he wasn't out on assignment, this was where he usually stayed.

This time, they weren't traveling alone.

Alongside Betty's assistant and bodyguards, they had also brought a team of weapon testers.

After several demonstrations, almost every high-ranking military official at the Military Base had their eyes locked on Pent Group's latest military weaponry—and they liked what they saw.

Power, convenience, and the accompanying auxiliary exoskeleton armor package—these enhancements allow an ordinary soldier to match the combat prowess and destructive capabilities of a super soldier. 

Additionally, they provide rear support and counter-offensive capabilities, ensuring that soldiers on the battlefield receive more assistance.

The cost? Only $120,000 per soldier. Even when factoring in space satellites and custom systems, the total expense wouldn't exceed $500 million.

Given the U.S. military's annual budget, this was a trivial sum. With this equipment, the American military's strengthwould advance to an entirely new level.

While the military officials debated and discussed the proposal, General Ross called Kain aside. 

His own opinion had already been made clear—the rest was up to the higher-ups to finalize and submit to the White House budget committee.

"Kain, what exactly are you after? Now you're selling new weapons to the military."

Kain smiled. "Why do you assume I have ulterior motives, General Ross?"

"It's just business—purely for profit. The Osborn Group's weapons division was thriving before I took over. Now that it's mine, I have no intention of letting it decline."

Ross studied Kain for a moment before speaking slowly. "I hope so. Just don't drag Betty into this—she doesn't like these kinds of things."

"What's your point?" Kain asked, feigning innocence.

Ross let out a cold snort before saying, "Aside from war, what else comes from advancing weaponry?"

Kain chuckled. "Of course, I understand. But there's one important detail—Betty may despise war, but she also loves me."

…

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