All of Them Are Ignorant

Nick Fury knew exactly what Oaks was implying.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s operations weren't environmentally friendly? That was bad—very, very bad.

Sure, S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't common knowledge, but as a global organization, its existence wasn't a secret.

And in the eyes of the uninformed public, they were just a slightly special security agency—they had no idea how vast S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority really was.

So, as a worldwide organization, how could your environmental awareness be this low?

Look at Stark Industries—because of our environmental protests, they immediately produced an environmental impact report, specially developed an air purification system for their own factories, and even invested in setting up an environmental foundation.

Not only that, they also spent money on environmental advocacy—a true environmental pioneer!

If a military contractor can lead by example on environmental protection, how can a massive global organization like yours lack even a shred of environmental consciousness?

Let's tally it up—how much damage and pollution do your operations cause every year?

How many years have you been around, and how much of the environmental foundation humanity relies on have you destroyed?

Are you protecting the world, or are you tearing down our home?!

Extremists fear nothing.

They charge into battle like crusaders against whatever they've deemed heretical, using insane performance art to harass you until you can't find a moment's peace.

Especially in America.

So how do you prevent something like that?

Accepting a nominal affiliation with an environmental nonprofit is a solid choice.

Especially when that nonprofit's founder and president is a well-known environmentalist in academia and a partner in Stark Industries' environmental fund.

What does that prove?

It proves S.H.I.E.L.D. has proactively recognized its own problems and is willing to take some remedial measures.

With just that one move, in the eyes of fired-up extremists, they'd transform from heretics causing massive environmental destruction into paragons on the moral high ground.

But...

"Not a single dollar of our budget is going to your Benevolence Society!"

Nick Fury felt he should have sent Coulson today—then he could have kept his hands clean and used this opportunity to dump this seemingly honest but actually devious biologist onto his most capable subordinate for full handling.

Without missing a chance for S.H.I.E.L.D. to boost its reputation.

But he was still the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Nick Fury took three seconds to recover his composure.

Having the Benevolence Society under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s banner was beneficial and harmless.

And with no financial ties, if the Benevolence Society stirred up any trouble, S.H.I.E.L.D. could just issue a statement and wash its hands of responsibility in no time.

Nick Fury also understood that Oaks was after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s global organizational background and its ubiquitous network—

Once affiliated, how could the director refuse to extend a few conveniences?

For a behemoth like S.H.I.E.L.D., often just a name alone could easily solve problems that would drive a civilian organization to its wit's end.

But still—using his own secret to trade for something like this...

Even Nick Fury, the cold-blooded guy who claimed he trusted no one, couldn't help wondering.

Was this Oaks Lin really some kind of saint on earth, ready to push environmental philanthropy worldwide?

Was he aiming for the scale of the UN Environment Programme?

He'd sooner die than believe it!

There was no way someone that noble existed in this world... well, except maybe Captain America, but he'd never met the man in person—that was mostly propaganda doing the heavy lifting.

"We have our own profit plan—we don't need your funding."

Oaks's tone immediately warmed, and he even personally refilled the coffee for the stone-faced Nick Fury:

"So the director agrees? See, I told you—this is a win-win deal."

"But right now, I think this deal is unbalanced."

Nick Fury picked up his coffee cup and snorted coldly:

"So, show me your cards. Let me see if 'you' are worth me making such a ridiculous decision."

"Hey, buddy, relax—if he dares to back out, I'll run the ad tonight!"

Tony clapped his hands, for once in rare agreement with Nick Fury:

"Give us something amazing... whoa!"

Tony's eyes slowly bulged, his mouth hanging wide open, nearly jumping out of his seat:

"My God! Am I dreaming? Huh? You're telling me this is science? Ha?"

He pointed at the massive cheetah that had suddenly appeared on the couch, shouting like he was about to faint:

"Is this a zoo? Since when do pet stores sell beasts this big?! Oh shit, what am I even saying? Is that you, buddy? Oaks? Did you not notice the couch is about to collapse?!"

"Slap!"

Nick Fury's coffee cup hit the floor, shattering into pieces.

Only the seemingly unremarkable exchange student Zhang remained calm.

"I suppose I'm used to it—no matter how I look at it, I can't muster any surprise. Gazing at the scene before me, this sense of superiority comes from nowhere—can't escape the Seventy-Two Transformations, after all. Two big shots beside me, one black and one white foreigner, yet one is inexperienced, and the other is also inexperienced—it almost makes me feel a bit of pity."

The massive leopard shot him a glare, baring dagger-sharp fangs.

If I could actually do the Seventy-Two Transformations, would I still be keeping such a low profile?!

Zhang stood up shakily: "Boss, I'm going to the restroom."

The atmosphere fell into an awkward silence for a good ten seconds.

"Isn't anyone going to say something?"

Tony clutched his chest, his heart still racing: "Oaks?"

"Mhm, don't look so surprised—this is just one transformation form. That energy you discovered can achieve this."

The leopard stretched, jumped off the creaking sofa, nudged the happily bouncing Moco and Coco onto the couch, patted Goose who had hopped onto its head, then bared its teeth at Nick Fury, who seemed to have calmed down:

"This is what you wanted to see. Also, compensation for contaminating the store environment and breaking the cup—that'll be 100 bucks."

"Just a talking leopard. I thought it was something special."

Nick Fury let out a deep breath, barely forcing a "I've seen it all" expression:

"Special energy? Instant transformation from human to beast—reminds me of the Hulk."

"Fundamentally different. The Hulk is a completely separate consciousness; I am not."

Oaks plucked Goose from its head and sent her off to find Zhang, who had just come out of the restroom:

"If Director Fury thinks this is nothing special..."

The leopard flashed a smile no wild leopard could ever make, and in the midst of two gasps... vanished!

"Oh shit!"

"Motherf—!"

Nick Fury shot to his feet. If turning into a beast, even a fierce leopard, posed no real threat, then this—was it invisibility?

"Holy crap!"

Tony's exclamation came from across the room, and Fury suddenly felt a chill at his neck—

A claw with razor-sharp talons was silently resting beside his throat!

"Director Fury, how do you feel now?"

The claw withdrew, then slashed down in a single motion—

"Boom!"

The sofa Fury had been sitting on split cleanly into four pieces, like butter under a sharp knife.

"That'll be 1000 bucks for the sofa, Director Fury."

Oaks reappeared across from Fury, completely unnoticed, slowly materializing:

"I've been wanting to replace that sofa for a while."

"Mother—"