American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

217. Red Skull’s Judgment Proclamation!

Old Barton paused his actions when he heard the voice. He glanced at the barely breathing Zemo, then turned and walked over to Melissa.

"Did you find anything useful?" Old Barton curiously leaned in. After everything they had been through, he wondered what could still surprise Melissa. "Is it about Hydra?"

"Actually, it's a message Red Skull sent to the entire world," Melissa replied, her brows furrowed with concern. She looked at Barton with a complex expression before pressing the play button. "I think you need to see this."

The dim screen, filled with static, suddenly came to life. After quickly flashing through a few blue screens, the grand stage of a press conference appeared, and Red Skull's figure emerged on the screen.

Like most villains, time had left its mark on Red Skull as well. His posture wasn't as straight as it used to be, but judging by his overall condition, he seemed to be in better shape than most criminals.

"Is this live?" Barton asked.

"No, from the timestamp, this just finished as a news conference," Melissa answered, then added a warning. "…Pay attention, this part is important."

Sure enough, the next moment, Red Skull slightly prepared himself and then began to speak. His somewhat raspy voice echoed through the dim room as it came from the speaker.

"My people, greetings."

"Today is an interesting day. I don't know how many of you have heard about the 'Justice League.' Perhaps many of you deny the existence of those guys, but I want to tell you, they do exist."

As Red Skull spoke, the large screen behind him quickly displayed several video screenshots from Osborne City. Although blurry, everyone watching could clearly see those few individuals in strange costumes.

"They call themselves the 'Justice League,' under the guise of justice, they murdered Osborne, and attempted to create chaos in my territory. I know some call them heroes, but in fact, they are far from so-called heroes."

At this point, another photo appeared on the screen. It was of a detained criminal. Due to the camera angle, the viewers couldn't see his face clearly, but beside him, they could see a neatly placed suit and a blood-red hood.

"My dear people, what you're seeing now is a terrorist from an 'alternate world,' just like those three from the Justice League—they're all criminals from another universe."

Old Barton's pupils shrank as he suddenly leaned closer to the screen, hoping to get a better look at the image. At that moment, he could hardly believe what he had just heard. Melissa wasn't surprised by Old Barton's reaction because she had felt the same shock the first time she saw it. After all, this kind of thing seemed almost fantastical in the wasteland. The video continued, and Red Skull's speech went on.

"I am merciful, but I cannot tolerate these villains from another world rampaging on my turf. So, I am issuing an immediate bounty on these people. Also, in ten days, I will conduct a live public trial of this criminal in front of the Capitol."

"To all who harbor rebellious thoughts and repay kindness with enmity, I hope you will watch and see what happens to those who dare oppose me!"

"At the same time, I also wish to tell those who hide behind the guise of justice—if you truly consider yourselves just, then you'd better have the courage to face me directly, rather than skulk around like sewer rats."

Even long after the video ended, Old Barton stood there quietly, unable to shake off the weight of what he had just witnessed.

The announcement from Red Skull wasn't long, but it was packed with significant information. The average person might not grasp its full implications, but to Old Barton and Melissa, who had survived the old days as 'heroes,' no one understood the importance of this matter more than they did.

"Clint, if there really are portals to other worlds," Melissa spoke with some concern.

And Barton quickly understood what Melissa was hinting at. "Red Skull won't let this go, nor will the other villains. They've been dormant for too long. If they find out there's an unknown world waiting to be conquered, they won't miss the chance."

"But it could also be a trap, right?" Melissa was skeptical.

"I hope so too… But the sad truth is, there really are beings from another world in this world," Old Barton muttered as he stared blankly at the static on the screen.

At that moment, Hawkeye suddenly recalled the scene when he exchanged information with Alex. He remembered Alex asking him about the bat-shaped boomerang. At the time, he didn't think much of it, but now, recalling the man Red Skull had imprisoned, Barton's heartbeat quickened instinctively.

This had to be it—the reason why a hero suddenly disappeared in the wasteland for three years, neither dead nor alive. Apart from falling into Red Skull's hands, there seemed to be no other possibility.

And since Barton was one of the few who knew the truth, he clearly understood that the Osborne City incident had nothing to do with any Justice League. It was entirely resolved by Alex, who had teamed up with his daughter.

Thinking of this, Old Barton's breathing became rapid.

"No, I need to contact the Crow immediately!"

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Outside the map, deep in the wasteland—

Bishop's Sanctuary.

This was a hidden paradise within the wasteland, a sanctuary built deep in the mountains. Here, all evils were shielded by towering walls, and people led relatively peaceful lives. Compared to the chaos of the outside world, the people here lived much more stable lives—they worked hard, were self-sufficient, and led idyllic lives. Their only real concern was the wild beasts in the forest.

The leader of this place was Kate Bishop, the second Hawkeye from the old days. Having survived the superhero apocalypse, Kate had long since gone into hiding, leading a group of people to retreat into the mountains.

As a former superhero, Kate Bishop deeply understood the importance of remaining vigilant even in peace. She trained an all-female squad based on her superior archery skills, known as the Hawkeye Squad, specializing in the sanctuary's defense.

Typically, Bishop's Sanctuary did not interact with the outside world because, in a world where villains divided the land, if they knew such a peaceful place existed, they would never let Bishop's Sanctuary be. But things tend to have unexpected twists.

Watching the signal television receive Red Skull's judgment proclamation, Kate Bishop's face grew dark. Then, the next moment, she turned to the blonde woman beside her.

"I guess this must be someone you know, right, Lance?"

..........

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218. The Eagle and the Sparrow.
219. Neck and Neck.
220. The Next Step.
221. The Manipulated Agatha.
222. The Eerie Town.