S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent

Zhang stared blankly for a moment, then let out a silly chuckle.

Tony Stark's environmental charity fund, and Oaks is a partner?

Since he hadn't mentioned it, it must have been Mr. Stark's own decision, but this would certainly cause Mr. Oaks's reputation to skyrocket.

And as his only employee at the moment, wouldn't I reap the benefits as well?

Indeed, this is a golden thigh—I must hold onto it tightly!

Ding-a-ling~

The shop door opened, and another customer arrived. Zhang quickly put on a smile and went to greet them.

Time back to fifteen minutes ago.

A red convertible vintage car swerved in an emergency, narrowly missing a taxi that was honking frantically.

Not long after, it had to make a sharp turn to avoid a motorcycle driving against traffic, and finally, at a dilapidated intersection, it yielded to a group of hip-hop teenagers on skateboards before finally reaching a relatively normal stretch of road.

"When I get back, I'm sending the footage of these brats' traffic violations to the police station. If they don't arrest them, I'll go do it myself!"

The white man driving the car glanced at his furious Asian female colleague with a wry smile:

"Melinda, it's only been a few months since you've been on field duty. You're the most veteran of veteran drivers; are you really not used to this little bit of chaos?"

"My specialty is flying planes!"

The Asian woman in the passenger seat rolled her eyes indignantly:

"Coulson, don't you think the traffic situation in Brooklyn is absolutely outrageous?

If those idiots at the police station think the Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management is unnecessary, they shouldn't be wasting taxpayers' hard-earned money!"

"I thought you'd become more refined after a few months of desk work."

Coulson opened his mouth, but he didn't dare say the words, "The Cavalry is still the Cavalry."

Otherwise, he probably wouldn't be able to drive for the rest of the day, and he'd likely be on medical leave for the next month.

"Alright, this stretch of road is relatively safe now. We'll be there in ten minutes."

Coulson had no choice but to change the subject. His excellent colleague didn't seem to have recovered from the failure of her last mission, and letting her vent was probably for the best.

"Coulson, you don't need to focus so hard now, so there are some things we need to discuss."

Melinda looked left and right at the street, which was a world apart from the one they had just left; there were hardly any cars on this road.

She crossed her arms, tilted her head, and glared at Coulson, who seemed to be maintaining his signature smile:

"I have already transferred to a desk job, approved by the Director himself. Why did I have to come out for this field mission?"

Seeing Coulson move his lips, Melinda immediately added:

"We need to talk openly and honestly, not with some nonsense like 'it's an order.' I've been hearing that for over twenty years."

"...Alright, Melinda."

Phil Coulson, a Level 6 agent of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division—no need to go into his background.

Melinda May, although she held a higher clearance level than Coulson, had transferred from field duty to a desk job following a heartbreaking mission a few months ago.

So, in reality, she shouldn't have been on this field mission at all.

But because the two were very close friends, Melinda was "interrogating" Coulson after letting off some steam—because, strictly speaking, this was also a breach of protocol.

"Strictly speaking, this is a breach of protocol."

Coulson thought so too, but seeing Melinda already clenching her fists, he hurried to continue:

"Since we aren't far from the target, let me give you a brief mission briefing—

It's not that I didn't want to say it before, but this mission is Level 7."

"Level 7?!"

Melinda was surprised. She knew that while both Level 6 and Level 7 were top-secret, Level 7 was the true watershed.

Missions below Level 7 were generally classified, but Level 7 could already be considered "Top Secret" in the general sense.

For instance, tasks involving national security, counter-terrorism, top-secret intelligence, and other highly sensitive classified missions, or those involving high-level researchers and medical personnel, fell into this category.

"No wonder it required both of us."

Even in an organization as talent-rich as S.H.I.E.L.D., Level 7 agents were rare. Just getting Level 7 clearance took at least 3-6 months to approve, and in most cases, it took 6-18 months.

A veteran Level 6 agent like Coulson had the opportunity to handle Level 7 missions, and she, having just transferred to internal affairs, seemed to be the most suitable partner.

"Fine, Coulson. It seems this operation is very important. Can you give me the details now?"

Melinda's expression turned serious.

As an elite agent carefully trained since the age of seven by one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D. (they didn't call it that yet), Peggy Carter, she understood exactly how important a mission requiring both of them would be.

In other words, this was an extremely dangerous mission.

Foreign spies? Terrorist organizations? Kidnapped officials? Wait, if they needed her, could it be because of her experience fighting superhumans?

"Well, actually, the person we are going to visit is a young biologist."

Coulson raised an eyebrow, pulled open a hidden storage compartment, and took out a file folder:

"This is the mission briefing."

"Level 7 mission files are actually allowed to be printed?"

A smile tugged at the corner of Melinda's mouth. She was extremely curious; this Level 7 mission was truly extraordinary.

"Hmm..."

Opening the folder, Melinda scanned the contents and nodded slightly:

"A young genius scientist, and of Chinese descent too. Tsk, he's quite handsome."

"So, this Level 7 mission involves high-level research personnel? What did this guy do? He isn't another Hulk, is he?"

Although she had breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the target was a scientist, Melinda immediately remembered that scientists these days were hardly harmless academics.

If they really stirred up some trouble, it would be catastrophic—

Bruce Banner was such an easygoing person with a good temper, yet look at the mess the Hulk had caused; the military had nearly blown a fuse.

She heard that General Ross had paid a significant price to ask S.H.I.E.L.D. for help in tracking down the Hulk, but there had been no leads so far.

"Not at all. The evaluations regarding Dr. Oaks Lin are all positive."

Coulson chuckled, his tone filled with admiration:

"However, his research capabilities are in no way inferior to Dr. Bruce Banner's. Just look at what he has invented."

"Recovery Serum?"

Melinda had already flipped to a page featuring a photograph, which focused on describing this very item.

"Rapid wound healing, scar removal..."

Melinda's eyes widened:

"This effect is too exaggerated! Could he be bragging? Many scientists love to pull stunts like this to attract investment!"

"No, someone has already tested it."

"Who?"

"Our colleague, Natasha Romanoff."