Chapter 276: Chapter 276 The good The bad

Leaving the small town in New Mexico, Jason and Harley were in no rush to get back. Instead, they hopped on a slow-moving train, turning the trip into a romantic getaway.

Their unexpected encounter with Thor hadn’t heightened their stress; if anything, it had relaxed them. They spent the entire journey smiling and laughing. Trading a single meal for such staggering intelligence was definitely worth a few days of celebration.

The couple played tourist for three days before finally returning to New York, where Jason immediately convened a video conference. Chloe spoke first, briefing the group on the meteorite incident in New Mexico.

Chloe: “The ’meteorite incident’ has concluded. It wasn’t a meteorite that fell from deep space, but a hammer. Curiously, no one can lift it—not even with heavy-duty industrial cranes.”

“S.H.I.E.L.D. eventually took over the site, and our people couldn’t infiltrate further. The only other lead is this man who appeared in town, appearing somewhat mentally unstable. Here is his photo.”

“Also, the weather in that town was bizarre today. There was an unexpected explosion this morning that caused casualties among nearly half the local residents.”

After hearing the report, Franklin was full of questions. “A hammer? Why would a hammer fall to Earth from outer space?”

John was focused on a different detail. “If it’s just a hammer, why can’t anyone lift it? Is it made of some ultra-dense cosmic heavy metal?”

Jason raised his hand, signaling them to pause the speculation, and then announced the results of his and Harley’s investigation.

Asgard!

The All-Father!

Thor, the God of Thunder!

One by one, names from ancient myths fell from Jason’s lips, leaving the other members jaw-dropped and stunned.

“To put it simply, it’s a case of gods fighting and mortals suffering the fallout. Thor screwed up, so Odin stripped him of his power and exiled him to Earth as punishment, tossing his hammer down after him,” Harley summarized.

Jason chuckled. “Is that really a punishment? It’s obvious Odin wants Thor to reform so he can prove himself worthy to lift the hammer again.”

Harley nodded in agreement. “A father’s love.”

The two chatted idly, giving the rest of the group enough time to process the information. It took five minutes before they could even begin to accept the reality that aliens had effectively invaded Earth.

A-Train let out a sigh of relief. “If it’s just Odin’s family drama, it shouldn’t affect us, right?”

Chloe shook her head. “According to my intel, S.H.I.E.L.D. has already made contact with Thor. As God of Thunder and self-proclaimed bringer of justice, do you really think he’ll just sit on the sidelines?”

Franklin’s expression darkened. “Great. We already have a pile of enemies on Earth, and now we’re tangling with gods. It’s just one disaster after another.”

Christine added, “Gods usually think highly of themselves. Would they really meddle in Earth’s petty affairs? There must be bigger threats in the universe; I don’t think Thor will necessarily set his sights on us.”

Chloe interjected again, “Normally, no. But Thor got himself a girlfriend on Earth. Based on her social media posts, she’s a woman with a very strong sense of justice. A bit of pillow talk, and Thor might just change his mind about us.”

A-Train was shocked. “It’s only been two or three days! How does he already have a girlfriend?”

Jason burst into mocking laughter. “The guy is a total amateur. His head is full of nothing but war. A woman with a little bit of cunning can hook him in an instant.”

Harley joined in the fun. “We only had one meal with him, and he was already eyeing me.”

Franklin frowned. “If you guys were that close to him, why didn’t you just kill him?”

David rolled his eyes. “Kill Thor? Odin and the Asgardians would level the Earth in retaliation.”

Harley: “Exactly. That’s why we didn’t dare move against him.”

Jason wiped the smile from his face and turned serious. “In short, a new enemy has appeared. He’s strong, and he’s a problem. Most importantly, he’s not alone; Odin and all of Asgard stand behind him.”

“Everyone, our time is running out. War could break out at any second. Stay vigilant and work harder.”

“The Africa project must be accelerated. I originally gave you six months; now, you have three at most.”

As the lead on that project, Chloe immediately nodded in agreement.

Jason: “Also, we need a contingency plan for everything. It might hurt morale to say this, but we have to consider what happens if we lose. We can’t leave ourselves without an escape route.”

Harley suggested, “I propose building secret safe houses across the globe. If we fall, our members can go underground and vanish.”

Christine: “I think the most important thing isn’t the rank-and-file members, but us in this room. As long as we survive, we have a chance to rise again.”

*

After the meeting, every member of the Joker organization swung into high gear. Under Chloe’s precise coordination, 30,000 members and massive amounts of heavy machinery were moved to Africa in just two and a half months—all without leaving a trace. S.H.I.E.L.D. didn’t even realize they were gone.

Meanwhile, crime rates worldwide hit new peaks. Governments and police forces were overwhelmed. The side effect of this rushed expansion was that many outposts and members were exposed, leading to raids and arrests by world governments. Fortunately, the organization had a mature recruitment system, allowing them to replenish losses almost instantly.

Jason and his inner circle knew their greatest enemy wasn’t S.H.I.E.L.D. or Asgard, but time. Danger could strike at any moment; they were in a race against the clock. If they could buy five years—no, even three years—of safe development, the Joker organization would fear no one. They would be ready to step out of the shadows and into the public eye.

But everyone knew the enemy wouldn’t grant them that time.

*

A year passed in this state of constant tension. The organization’s growth brought both joy and concern.

The Good:

Official membership had surpassed 200,000. Jason’s followers spanned the globe, with a dense network of bases and shelters capable of waging guerrilla warfare against any government.Financially, the organization monopolized global underground markets: narcotics, arms, vice… the daily net income was astronomical, truly wealthier than a nation.Technologically, while Alex’s Blacklight Virus remained impossible to replicate, Gamma and Arc Reactor technology had advanced rapidly. The first Titan Units and Armored Legions were officially combat-ready.The Inner Circle: Every member, including Jason, had reached Level 6 with their superpowers. Their combat effectiveness had multiplied. They no longer feared the military’s numerical superiority. Now, short of nuclear weapons, nothing on Earth could threaten them.

The Bad:

Despite 30,000 people working in Africa for a year, they still hadn’t found the Vibranium vein—only scattered shards. Harley and David were nearly losing their minds with frustration.

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