"So?"
After reading the assessment report Coulson had handed him, Oaks casually set it on the table.
"Goose had been missing for over a decade without causing any chaos. Now that someone is watching her, you're getting nervous instead?"
"So, what do you mean?"
Coulson breathed a sigh of relief. At least the other man was still willing to talk.
Still, he secretly marveled at whether scientists were all this big-hearted.
"It's like this, Dr. Lin. The threat posed by the Flerken... Goose, is actually closely tied to you, her current owner.
Our investigation found no issues with you personally, of course. But the degree of control you have over Goose... that is the key point we needed to discuss with you in person."
Oaks raised an eyebrow. S.H.I.E.L.D. had completely missed the point...
But that was fine too. At least it would let him stay undisturbed for a while longer and build up a few more trump cards.
Still, standing before an organization as powerful as S.H.I.E.L.D., relying solely on his identity as "the Flerken's owner" could easily put him in a very passive position.
The Flerken listened to him? Wonderful. Whenever the agents encountered a mission they couldn't handle, he could come help out, right?
He wouldn't go? They couldn't take on the Flerken, but couldn't they handle one harmless scientist?
She had connections and backing. Did he?
For all the Flerken's ferocity, S.H.I.E.L.D. at least had Motherfucker-Man, who counted as an acquaintance of hers. Putting a muzzle on her would be easy, wouldn't it?
A muzzled Flerken was just an ordinary cat.
At worst, they could call her former owner back to take her away. But he was just some minor scientist. No matter how environmentally friendly his research results were, if he offended S.H.I.E.L.D., what the hell did environmental protection matter?
They could pin any charge they wanted on him, take his research results, and take him away too.
Don't think an organization as lofty-looking as S.H.I.E.L.D. was incapable of that. In terms of operating style, they and Hydra really were two sides of the same coin. That was no exaggeration.
"Let me put it this way. As a biologist, I have a few special... research results."
A faint smile appeared on Oaks's face, making Coulson feel that something was amiss.
"You know about my accomplishments in plant research, don't you?"
Coulson glanced back at the green plants on the shelves and nodded cautiously.
"Yes. They are truly remarkable research results. It's just a pity the Nobel Prize has no biology category."
"Plant improvement is my field of research, but I am a biologist. I have achieved a little something in animal research as well."
Oaks placed Goose on the table between himself and Coulson.
"Goose, lie down."
Goose licked her lips and lay down.
"Oh? You're a skilled animal trainer too?"
Coulson was somewhat dismissive. Even his own dog could do that.
"Is this research into animal training?"
"Goose, who planted the listening device here last time?"
Coulson's eyes widened as Goose lifted a paw and pointed at him!
"Where was that listening device placed?"
Goose jumped off the table, went over beside the sofa, and pawed at the bottom edge—that was exactly where Coulson had placed the listening device last time!
"Does this agent have anything on him that isn't environmentally friendly?"
Goose jumped onto the sofa and burrowed toward Coulson's lower back. Coulson immediately covered his lower back with one hand...
"All right, all right, Dr. Lin. I believe Goose can understand what you're saying!"
With a sigh, he removed a gun holster from his lower back.
"Little one, you can't touch this carelessly."
Given Coulson's status, carrying a gun was perfectly normal.
"But Flerkens are naturally very intelligent."
"Hmm, that's true. Goose has even been able to read the news lately. In that case..."
Oaks shrugged.
"Show Goose some information, anything you want. I won't look."
He turned around. Coulson blinked. If that was the case...
Taking out his phone, Coulson showed Goose a message.
"All right," he said.
Oaks turned back around, and Goose meowed at him several times.
"Dear Mr. Philip, your good credit history qualifies you for this five-thousand-dollar line of credit. Please click the link below within twenty-four hours to verify your credit card number and ID. Failure to do so will affect your credit record."
"Wow, I didn't know your name was Philip. Should I say that's what I'd expect from a senior agent?
And five thousand dollars? You need a loan for that? Your pay is way too low!"
"Uh... my name isn't Philip. I don't know this person. It's just a scam text."
Coulson instinctively defended himself, then realized it in the next instant.
"You can really understand what Goose is saying?!"
"Other animals work too, but only animals. Humans are animals too, but humans are too complicated."
"Sorry, Dr. Lin, but I need to treat this matter with caution."
Coulson's expression turned grave as he made a call.
"That's right, May. Find a few animals, anything will do. No, no, no, fish don't count."
After hanging up, Coulson knew he had to reassess the young man before him.
"Dr. Lin, you should understand the importance of this research result of yours."
"Actually, I think it would be more appropriate to call it an 'ability.'"
Oaks shook his head, rejecting Coulson's description.
"It was an accident during an experiment, an unrepeatable scientific miracle."
"..."
Coulson's expression grew even more solemn. In other words, the value of this "ability" had shifted from research results that could be obtained to Dr. Lin himself!
What did the ability to communicate complex information with animals mean?
Animal trainer? Circus master? Pet rescue specialist? Top veterinarian?
No. As a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, he knew very well that this ability's greatest value was intelligence!
Even in this technologically advanced age, vast intelligence blind spots remained that technology could not solve.
Since ancient times, humanity had never given up on training animals for various purposes.
But those were merely operations that required immense effort and yielded meager results—hardly successes.
S.H.I.E.L.D., however, had seen just how powerful real animal spies could be.
A former S.H.I.E.L.D. member, the genius physicist Dr. Hank Pym, who once bore the title of Ant-Man, had invented a helmet capable of commanding ants through brainwaves.
With that unique device, even without Pym Particles, Dr. Pym could provide incredibly powerful intelligence support during missions.
But after he fell out with S.H.I.E.L.D. and left the organization, neither the miraculous Pym Particles nor the Brainwave Helmet remained in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s possession.
That helmet could only command ants.
And now, Dr. Oaks Lin could communicate with animals and even transmit complex information!
Think about it. Most mission targets would be on guard against electronic equipment and human spies.
But how would they react to stray cats and dogs that spent their days fighting and sleeping outside the door?
They might even give them some food because they looked cute!
Coulson slowly closed his eyes and let out a long breath. At that moment, someone knocked on the shop door.
Level 7 Agent Melinda May had arrived with the test subjects.
Before you continue