You're Sick, I've Got the Cure

As Natasha straightened her rumpled clothes, she couldn't help rolling her eyes.

Are you implying that the Kunlun Iron Fist has lived for over a hundred years? That he lived through Captain America's era?

Besides, judging by your exaggerated acting, you probably know the Iron Fist. You're most likely his disciple. What are you pretending for?

And praising your master like that is seriously shameless!

Skye's hands kneading his shoulders grew a little heavier.

Heh.

Old Wang, the way you keep finding roundabout ways to praise yourself is really shameless!

Still, you're telling the truth, because I think so too.

"Unfortunately, that Grandmaster left after saving me. My external injuries are completely healed, but the internal injuries to my heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and so on are still quite serious. Without that Grandmaster's help, even the best hospital would need at least a month to heal me, and there'd be aftereffects."

Natasha looked at Old Wang with tear-filled eyes, looking as pitiful as could be. "Master Wang, there can't be many Grandmasters like that, right? Do you know him? Could you introduce me to him? Don't worry, money isn't a problem."

"I don't... Besides, is a Grandmaster someone greedy for money? That isn't what people like him pursue!"

Wearing an expression that said, I want to know a Grandmaster too, Old Wang spread his hands helplessly. "A Grandmaster is like the divine dragons of Eastern legend. They can hide or appear, grow large or small. It isn't as though you and I can meet one whenever we want. But I can ask around. Our group... circle is fairly well informed. We might be able to find him."

Natasha blinked.

Master Wang, are you implying that it isn't easy for you to meet the Iron Fist either?

And you have an organization too. It should be K'un-Lun, right?

Although you can't see the Iron Fist whenever you want, you can contact the other people of K'un-Lun. Is that it?

K'un-Lun... It seems quite powerful!

And there are quite a few people!

Also, if you want to meet the Iron Fist, money is useless. You need to offer something money can't buy!

After thinking for two seconds, Natasha bit her lip. "But I'm afraid I can't wait that long. Master Wang, can you heal my injuries?"

She still wanted to test this Master Wang.

Master Wang's words seemed to suggest that he wanted to cooperate with S.H.I.E.L.D. That most likely came from the Iron Fist or K'un-Lun.

What was their goal?

There were no backup plans without reason, and no unprovoked gestures of goodwill.

Why would a mysterious organization that had likely existed for hundreds or even thousands of years suddenly do something like this?

S.H.I.E.L.D. knew far too little about K'un-Lun.

Perhaps this Master Wang could help them see through the mist surrounding K'un-Lun.

Whether they became enemies or allies, they first needed to gather enough intelligence.

An imbalance of intelligence would put them at a disadvantage!

"Your injuries are too severe. I can treat them, but the results might not be any better than a major hospital." Old Wang shrugged.

Natasha fell into thought.

Doesn't he want to reveal too much?

If he's telling the truth, then Master Wang really has mastered qi, though he's far inferior to the Iron Fist.

That's still terrifying.

I wonder how many people like him K'un-Lun has.

A few? Dozens? Or hundreds?

Natasha was somewhat disappointed.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s technology division couldn't heal her injuries in just a few days either. She wasn't Captain America; she didn't have such powerful regenerative abilities.

The director had decided to deal with Hydra.

Yet at such a critical time, her strength had declined because of her injuries.

How could that be acceptable?

Just then, Old Wang spoke.

"Even if I can't do it, that doesn't mean medicine can't. You're sick, and I've got the cure. It can heal your injuries, though it's a little expensive."

Old Wang snapped his fingers. "Skye, bring over that jar of seventy-two-year-aged Azeroth Signature Essence Wine."

"Huh? Okay!"

Skye stopped massaging him and walked to the very back.

She took a wine jar down from the top shelf.

It had an antique elegance.

High-end, classy, and impressive.

"Drink as much as you like. There's no limit. Once you finish it, your injuries should be more or less healed."

Old Wang glanced at the label on the jar. "That'll be..."

"One million."

Skye hugged the jar tightly as though it were a glittering gold ingot, afraid Natasha might snatch it away. "Payment first, goods afterward. Small business, no bargaining!"

Natasha glanced at the label.

There was clearly one "1" followed by five "0"s.

Beauty, can't you count? That's obviously one hundred thousand!

Was one million a lot?

It was!

Although she was a legendary S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, her monthly salary wasn't all that high. Benefits were based on rank, not legendary status. She wasn't the director, and she had no opportunity to embezzle or skim funds. Over all her years in S.H.I.E.L.D., the money she had saved didn't even add up to one million.

Of course, one million definitely wasn't much to S.H.I.E.L.D.

The director would probably approve it, right?

One of his hairs was thicker than her waist!

The question now was...

Could this stuff really heal her injuries?

If it could, it would actually be worth it. She was important right now, and there was a huge difference between being healed and being injured. The effect it would have on the upcoming operation was worth more than ten million.

Besides, such miraculous medicinal wine had to be taken back so the technology division could study some of it. Maybe they could analyze its chemical composition and figure out the brewing formula. If they succeeded, then mass production in the future would be worth at least a hundred million, perhaps even a billion.

That was what mattered most.

But what if it couldn't?

No matter how rich S.H.I.E.L.D. was, it couldn't be a sucker. Hydra would laugh at them!

At that moment, Natasha hesitated.

But after thinking it over, she felt it probably wasn't a big deal. In most cases, the losses from a single operation, or the cost of paying for the damage caused, exceeded one million. The Kunlun Iron Fist was so important—would the director really care about a mere million?

If they could successfully invite the Iron Fist to join S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Avengers Initiative that was about to be formed, then even a hundred million would be worth paying!

"I'll make a call. The transfer will be completed within ten minutes." Natasha didn't bargain. She didn't want to create conflict with Master Wang or leave a bad impression over a mere million.

It wasn't her money anyway.

She didn't even ask for Master Wang's account number. If S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't find out something that simple, it would have been shut down long ago. How could it have held its current position so securely?

Old Wang was very satisfied and glanced at Skye.

What "seventy-two-year-aged"?

It was actually just Erguotou diluted with boiled water, and the ratio was truly outrageous.

Then he added one-tenth of a drop of Essence Wine.

Yes, one-tenth of a drop.

Back then, Old Wang had dripped one drop into a bottle of Erguotou, shaken it up, then poured it into ten jars and filled them with water.

Old Wang wasn't a dishonest merchant, nor was his goal to sell wine for money. This was merely a method—a method of dealing with S.H.I.E.L.D.

He hadn't expected Skye to turn one hundred thousand into one million in the blink of an eye, forcibly increasing the price tenfold!

That was too much...

Old Wang promptly jumped up from the recliner and pointed at the jars piled up at the very back, beaming. "Come again if you like it, but be quick, or they'll be gone soon. This is limited edition—there are only ten jars in total."

Ten jars...

Only...

Natasha was on the phone reporting to Egghead when she heard that and immediately sensed something was off.

Medicinal wine marked at one hundred thousand but sold for one million, and you casually had ten jars? Why did it feel like you weren't selling premium medicinal wine, but wholesale canned beer?

Could this really be a scam?

Who would have thought that Old Wang's voice was so loud? Egghead on the other end had sharp ears and actually heard him. His deep, magnetic voice followed. "Buy them all. Tell him to give us a fifty percent discount!"

Five million in a single move. Director, you're really rich. Did you win the lottery...? Natasha didn't ask why and turned to Old Wang. "Master Wang, if you can give me a sixty percent discount, I'll take all of this Essence Wine."

"Are you planning to pocket that other ten percent to buy cosmetics?" Old Wang asked curiously.

Natasha: "..."

The director deliberately lowered his voice. I practically had my ear pressed against the phone just to barely hear him. How did you hear that?

Are you wearing hearing aids at your age?

"Fine, fifty percent."

Natasha had originally wanted to save S.H.I.E.L.D. one million, part of which would probably become her year-end bonus.

Black Widow needed food, clothes, housing, and transportation too. Didn't Coulson say there was scarless treatment available now? She needed to start saving up—for her bikini.

But forget it now. Winning over the Iron Fist was more important.

Skye still wanted to raise the price, but Old Wang had already extended his left hand. "Deal."

He couldn't be greedy. He had to know when to stop.

Only by casting a long line could he catch a big fish.

There would be plenty of business opportunities in the future. He couldn't let this small amount of money affect the bigger business.

Old Wang wasn't short on money.

A few million? What the hell was that?