When Shen He addressed his Servants, it was no different from a declaration of war.
Yet, among those present, only Jeanne was an orthodox Servant. The rest were different—and that difference was clear in their expressions.
Jeanne alone grew serious.
"Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. have merged," Lelouch spoke first, cutting straight to the heart of the issue. "That gives us the perfect justification for war—but in reality, S.H.I.E.L.D. has always been nothing more than a well-trained attack dog."
His tone was dismissive.
"And when an organization like this plays by the wrong rules, winning becomes easy."
For Lelouch, war was nothing but a game of life.
To win an unfamiliar game, one must first master the rules. Then, one must bend those rules to their advantage.
And by now, Lelouch had already mastered the rules of this world.
"…Continue." Shen He leaned forward slightly.
Lelouch's lips curled.
"From its very inception, an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. has thrived on lies. Its purpose is a lie. Its actions are a lie. Its entire existence is built upon deception." He crossed his arms. "And all we need to do—is expose that lie."
Because in the rules of this world—
Losing the veil of deception was equivalent to losing the trust of the people in power.
Even if Lelouch hadn't finished his thought, Shen He understood perfectly.
Without trust, an intelligence agency like S.H.I.E.L.D. would collapse overnight.
The world itself would purge it.
"You already have a plan, don't you?" Shen He asked, his curiosity piqued.
Just how easy was "easy" in Lelouch's mind?
Lelouch wordlessly pulled a white report book from his bag and placed it in front of Shen He.
Even though he had gained new power, he knew one truth:
The world contained even greater power.
And gaining Shen He's trust was a crucial step toward his ultimate goal—
The downfall of the Holy Britannian Empire.
Shen He flipped open the report and began reading.
It wasn't a long document—just a preliminary strategy report.
Twenty minutes later, Shen He put it down and let out a slow breath.
"…Saiki, what do you think?" Shen He turned to Saiki Kusuo, who had been listening silently.
"You already know my answer." Saiki's telepathic voice rang in everyone's minds. "You wouldn't have me do something like this."
Because Lelouch's plan was ruthlessly efficient.
Every task was meticulously assigned—each Servant had a specific role.
But the entire strategy carried the unmistakable signature of a mastermind in the shadows.
And some of its methods?
Unacceptable.
One step, in particular, stood out—an event designed to manipulate public opinion by sacrificing innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.
A calculated loss to push their narrative to its peak.
And Saiki Kusuo was supposed to ensure that loss.
A task he refused to do.
It was classic Lelouch.
"…I think the plan isn't bad." Shen He smiled as he handed the report back. "But Lelouch—you need to understand us better."
Because whether or not he could accept it, the real question was:
Would Jeanne accept it?
And beyond that—if Chaldea became known for such tactics, the entire world's heroes would turn against them.
Even Tony Stark, who was on relatively good terms with Shen He, wouldn't ignore something like this.
"Benevolence? Justice? Morality?" Lelouch muttered, his face unreadable.
"In short—your plan has merit. But I will be leading the next battle." Shen He stood up, stretching slightly. "You'll be assisting me."
Lelouch remained silent.
"Oh, and one more thing—don't let Jeanne see this plan. Unless you want a Saint's righteous fury to come crashing down on you."
Lelouch exhaled lightly. "Noted."
"What was that, Master?" Jeanne suddenly puffed out her cheeks. "Did you just say something behind my back?"
"Hahaha!" Shen He laughed openly, waving his hand dismissively.
Then, clapping his hands together, he spoke in a lighter tone.
"Well, let's work hard. Once Hydra is gone, we can finally enjoy ourselves—shopping, sightseeing, and a proper feast."
Because as long as Hydra remained active—
Chaldea would remain under constant surveillance.
Even within their own headquarters, spies could already be lurking.
…Elsewhere.
At the start of this mission, only Shen He and Tony Stark were involved.
No one else could be trusted.
Even then, Tony's role was limited—he was already preoccupied with multiple projects:
The expansion of his virtual reality company
The construction of Stark Tower
The development of the Iron Legion
Not to mention…
His personal life.
Pepper had finally taken a break from work, and Stark wasn't about to waste that chance.
"Sir, the files have been compiled."
That day, while Shen He was tutoring Violet and Jeanne, Jarvis' voice echoed through the room.
"…Really? Well then." Shen He's tone remained casual, but his gaze sharpened.
"The Zero Plan officially begins."
"Understood, sir."
Jarvis' voice disappeared.
Jeanne, who had been carefully practicing her Chinese characters, lifted her head.
"…It's starting?"
"Yes." Shen He nodded. "Everything is in place."
Then, he suddenly chuckled.
"Why do you have ink all over your face?"
"Eh—!? Really!?" Jeanne panicked, immediately grabbing the mirror from the drawer.
Sure enough, a long streak of ink ran from her nose, curving around her cheek to the edge of her lips.
"…T-This pen is hard to control…" she mumbled.
Her cheeks flushed red.
Especially when she noticed Violet silently watching her.
"You're holding it wrong," Shen He sighed. "Didn't I teach you this already…?"
"…Ahh… I'm sorry, Master." Jeanne pouted, correcting her grip.
It was a small thing, but Shen He didn't mind.
He'd teach her a thousand times over if he had to.
For a moment, the weight of the war disappeared.
As if the Zero Plan was nothing more than a trivial errand.
But elsewhere…
Someone's entire worldview was being shattered.
"…Oh my god."
A woman sat in front of her computer, her hands trembling.
An email had popped up on her screen.
The contents?
Shocking.
Within the files were classified documents, pictures, and videos—revealing the hidden truths buried by S.H.I.E.L.D..
The secrets of Mexico.
The truth of Asgard.
The existence of gods and extraterrestrial beings.
And at the very bottom of the email…
A signature: Zero.
Along with a single sentence:
"They have hidden the truth. They use their power to fabricate lies. They keep the people ignorant—until the moment disaster strikes."
"If there are aliens threatening our safety, then we—
have the right to know."
The recipient?
Skye.
A hacker of the Rising Tide organization.
And now—
The first domino had fallen.