The wealthy and elites had no other options in the face of such a situation.
They were too worried about an attack from the sky carrier to even dare take a helicopter. So, reluctantly, they returned to their luxury cars, joining the long line of traffic.
Ironically, their actions helped calm the gradually agitated minds of the ordinary citizens.
Some people climbed onto their car roofs to get a look at the endless line of cars ahead, then turned to see the luxury cars of the wealthy lining up in the back.
A few people even happily cracked open beers to drink.
After all, with the possibility of a nuclear bomb dropping at any moment from above, anyone could go online to get a quick reminder of what it meant to be hit by one—if school hadn't covered it or they hadn't bothered to pay attention.
It was as if each person could hear the ticking of their own life's countdown.
But as they glanced back again and gave it more thought, they realized something: at least they'd be dragging some high-profile people to hell with them. If they were all going down together, they didn't mind so much; it felt like, in some twisted way, they'd made a bit of a gain.
In the flow of traffic, there were men and women, young and old, all occasionally glancing back when their anxiety got the better of them.
Whenever they spotted a few well-known political figures they'd seen on TV trailing behind them, often with their families in tow, they couldn't help but smack the sides of their cars with loud bangs, laughing and shouting things like, "Damn it all! If we're going to die today, so be it—at least we're not alone!"
And this was only one corner of the city of Warsaw.
As a densely populated metropolis with hundreds of thousands of residents, Warsaw's already limited infrastructure was now practically nonexistent. People were fleeing the city en masse on their own initiative.
Throughout the city, traffic jams, cries, and the sounds of smashing and looting filled the air.
This was just the scene half an hour after Pierce's video had been uploaded online.
If hours passed without intervention, the city would likely descend into chaos and destruction—even if it avoided a nuclear strike.
When Lyon flew over Warsaw, the sights and sounds were of flames rising everywhere and car horns blaring relentlessly.
After taking in the scene for a few moments, he ascended straight upward, catching up with Agent K, who had just dropped off Nick Fury and the others.
When they met, Lyon and Agent K exchanged nods in silent acknowledgment.
Lyon continued flying toward the helicarrier, while Agent K stopped and began recording using the equipment integrated into her suit.
The video feed was relayed through a satellite and streamed directly into the airborne fortress. Another agent, Agent M in the fortress immediately added the "Rising Tide" watermark to the video and sent it to various websites and app homepages, setting up a live broadcast window.
It was like a trial run for the agents, testing their skills in running a "superhero management company."
And it turned out that once they got the hang of new media, the agents became versatile pros at managing it. They mastered everything from editing to finding catchy headlines to redirecting blame.
In fact, it wasn't even Lyon's idea to let the Rising Tide take the fall; it came from an agent who'd recently joined Rising Tide. She suggested it herself, confidently asserting that the organization could bear the burden without a hitch, leading to the final decision.
…
After half an hour, the internet had descended into chaos.
Some people were reveling in the drama, some were condemning HYDRA, and others were cheering for HYDRA, saying they'd done a great job.
But the majority of voices online were from the residents of the affected cities.
They documented their entire experience on social media—from the initial panic to leave the city, to the frustration of traffic jams, to the despair of realizing they might not escape by nightfall.
Some even started posting public farewell letters online, while others livestreamed themselves kneeling and reciting the Bible, praying for God's protection.
In this crisis, people from all walks of life emerged.
However, one particular group stood out: a collective of internet users from the Middle East and Afghanistan.
They identified themselves as followers of the "New Church of Superman" and comforted the residents of these cities across various posts. (People he had saved from the 10 ring's goons)
They assured them not to panic, reminding them that Superman was still there and would surely defeat the evil HYDRA and save them.
Through their relentless efforts and words of encouragement, the internet—after a month of forgetting amid Superman's absence—suddenly remembered that such a formidable figure still existed.
This was the guy who had once taken a Jericho missile head-on without a scratch!
People started thinking that if someone like that existed, weren't they naturally destined to be a savior?
Soon, more and more posts began analyzing Superman and calling for him to appear.
Some attractive women even uploaded their photos, promising they'd keep him company through the long night if he could defeat HYDRA. There were also men offering their bodies.
And at that moment, as if responding to everyone's hopes, a live stream titled "Superman Descends," marked with the "Tide" watermark, suddenly popped up.
As soon as countless users realized, they flooded into the stream.
The first thing they saw was Superman, in his uniform, flying toward the Helicarrier!
"Superman! Oh my god, it's really Superman—he heard us and is coming to take down HYDRA?"
"Even though he's not wearing red trunks, he's way cooler than in the comics!"
"Uh…who's filming this? A local drone, maybe?"
"Are you guys getting too optimistic? For all we know, he might be HYDRA too!"
"HYDRA? Not likely, but can he really save that whole city? That's a nuke…isn't he afraid of getting blown up?"
Discussions exploded online.
Meanwhile, the live feed followed Superman as he reached the bottom of the Helicarrier.
His cape was lifted by the high-altitude winds, revealing a physique like an ancient Greek statue.
With what seemed like effortless strength, he pressed his hands against the bottom of the Helicarrier.
The next moment, the camera clearly captured the ship trembling slightly, then it began to ascend as Superman pushed it higher!
The camera stayed on him, showing Superman lifting the massive vessel and accelerating until he vanished into the clouds. Only when he was a distant black dot did the camera quickly zoom up to follow.
"Holy crap! He just moved the Helicarrier! It was right over Warsaw, and now it's already in the clouds!"
"God! He's basically God! We're saved!"
"Damn it, why didn't he come to San Francisco first? What if we're the ones getting nuked first?"
"Heh, you're all too optimistic! Sure, he can push the Helicarrier, but so what? When that nuke explodes, we're still done for!"
"Not necessarily! He just moved a carrier weighing tens of thousands of tons! I can't even imagine how dense his body must be!"
"He'll still be contaminated with radiation, and death won't be far behind!"
…
It wasn't only the internet in an uproar. Hydra's ranks were in chaos, especially at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, where Pierce was losing it.
"Idiots! Rumlow, you and your team are complete idiots! You only just now figured out we've declared war on the entire world, and you let Nick Fury escape!"
Pierce had likely kicked through more than a few chairs.
"And this Superman—where does he think he's taking our Helicarrier? Kill him! Kill that fucker!"
In front of him were a set of holographic screens, each showing the commanders of various Helicarriers.
Rumlow, centered on one of them, kept his mouth shut, understanding all too well that a mistake meant taking responsibility.
Standing stiffly, he replied, "Sir, Superman took a Jericho missile head-on without a scratch. We have no effective means to injure him at this time!"
__________
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