I Became a Knockoff Arms Dealer in the Marvel World

Sharon Carter took the report, glanced at it, and responded with a serious expression, "Understood. I'll investigate thoroughly."

Nick Fury's eyes showed a look of reassurance. He had full confidence in the abilities of the former director's descendant, and Sharon was serious in her work. However, he still expressed some concern, "I believe you can complete the task, but it's best to finish this investigation quickly. The White House is getting impatient, and you should understand what I mean."

Without hesitation, Sharon Carter made a firm commitment.

"A month. I'll provide you with a report that will satisfy you."

Nick Fury nodded in approval. He was sure that Sharon Carter, with her capabilities, would not be stumped by a small arms company. But, he still needed to ensure the success of the mission.

"I'll assign a special operations team to assist you in the task. They'll be stationed in Sokovia, on standby 24 hours. If things can't be done covertly, then we'll handle it openly."

Sharon Carter now understood her superior's resolve. It seemed that the Umbrella Corporation would most likely be sacrificed as a scapegoat for the White House.

"Understood. I'll handle it."

After confirming the assignment, Sharon Carter left Nick Fury's office.

Once he had arranged the most pressing matters on his agenda, Nick Fury finally relaxed.

He stood by the transparent floor-to-ceiling windows and looked at the beautiful lakeside scenery outside. He couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. "This beautiful yet fragile world... it's up to me to protect it."

The crisis surrounding Iron Man's poisoning was making waves, and the news in America was flooded with headlines about Tony Stark donating vast amounts of his wealth.

However, far away in the Sokovia Hive Base, Carl was not concerned about the news from America at all.

He was currently on a video call with some important clients.

On the holographic screen in front of Carl were three Middle Eastern sheikhs dressed in traditional white robes. These were his biggest clients to date. The previous shipment of Jericho missiles had earned Carl a whopping $100 billion.

Now, these fat cats were once again seeking his services, and Carl knew exactly what they wanted.

Although the last deal had stirred up a huge commotion, Carl was still willing to accommodate these clients, who always paid up promptly, as long as the money was right.

The three sheikhs had anxious expressions. While their side had made significant gains in the war, the conflict was far from over.

Even though the military bases set up by the U.S. in the Middle East had been severely damaged, the U.S. was unwilling to retreat from the region. After all, oil was the lifeblood of America, and with the Rockefeller oil consortium at the forefront, there was still pressure on the U.S. military to continue fighting.

The "oil war" would never end unless the result was what the American financial elites wanted.

The three sheikhs were nervous because they had received intelligence, or perhaps, the U.S. had been brazen enough to publicly announce a war mobilization, planning a large-scale counterattack next month.

"Mr. Carl, we need more advanced weapons. Not just Jericho missiles, we need weapons to ensure victory in next month's war!"

Hearing their urgent request, Carl responded slowly, "Of course. No problem. Whatever weapons you need, I have them. The most decisive weapons in a war are intercontinental missiles. I have the Tomahawk series, Minuteman series, and Trident series. Which one would you prefer?"

Hearing Carl's extensive arsenal, the three wealthy sheikhs were momentarily stunned, but after some consideration, they decided to go big.

"Do you have intercontinental missiles with nuclear warheads?"

Carl was taken aback at the request. These sheikhs actually wanted nuclear missiles?

Nuclear weapons were no joke. If Carl dared to sell them, he feared the sheikhs might actually strike the U.S. homeland in a fit of rage.

If a nuclear bomb exploded on American soil, the consequences would be dire.

At the very least, Carl would be exposed. Smuggling nuclear warheads would certainly lead to a relentless pursuit by S.H.I.E.L.D., and he had no confidence in being able to fend off the combined might of all the world's major powers.

Unless they were ready to go all out and engage in nuclear warfare, Carl's thousands of armed soldiers were no match for the entire world.

After considering the risks, Carl decided not to sell intercontinental missiles with nuclear warheads.

"We don't have nuclear warheads, but you can purchase more intercontinental missiles with conventional warheads. As long as there are enough missiles, a barrage of firepower will ensure that no amount of U.S. military forces can survive."

The three sheikhs were somewhat disappointed, but they understood that Carl, the biggest arms dealer on the black market, was either telling the truth or simply unwilling to sell nuclear weapons.

"Do you have anti-aircraft missiles?" one of the sheikhs asked.

The reason for wanting anti-aircraft missiles was clear: the sheikhs feared that the U.S. military might target them with intercontinental missiles, especially since the U.S. military favored using missile strikes to target enemy command centers.

Carl, of course, had anti-aircraft missiles, and with a broad smile, he began to present the options:

"The Patriot medium-range air defense system—$20 billion for a set."

"The THAAD air defense system—$50 billion for a set."

"If those are too expensive, I also have the Chinese Red Flag-9 air defense system. Great quality, low price—only $10 billion for a set."

Upon hearing the prices, the three sheikhs were visibly taken aback. Even as wealthy Middle Eastern oil magnates, the exorbitant prices of these advanced air defense systems were difficult to bear.

The three sheikhs conferred for a moment before deciding to purchase three sets of the THAAD system—the most expensive option—to ensure their own safety.

They also bought 500 Tomahawk intercontinental missiles, and Carl graciously threw in the ground launch vehicles as a bonus. After all, a $300 billion order deserved some extras.

Carl enthusiastically suggested, "Would you like to purchase fifth-generation fighter jets? Considering the upcoming war, the U.S. will surely deploy their F-35s."

The sheikhs all shook their heads.

"No, Mr. Carl. Even if you give us fifth-generation fighters, we wouldn't be able to find pilots trained to fly them. It's better to just use the missiles."

Carl understood the issue—flying fifth-generation fighter jets was not something any pilot could do. Without proper training, the G-forces involved would be too much for most pilots to handle.

The sheikhs then turned their attention to the payment arrangements.

"Mr. Carl, we'll split the payment into three parts. One-third in gold as a down payment, which will arrive on your territory tomorrow. One-third in U.S. dollars, transferred to a Swiss anonymous bank account, payable upon completion of the transaction. The remaining third will be paid in personnel, with 'funds' arriving in Sokovia starting tomorrow."