Coulson Arrives

"Mm!" Tony took his advice. He picked up a piece of high-density bulletproof glass from the side and, with the mechanical arm's help, quickly cut it into a circle that could fit in his chest. Then he placed it inside.

"This is the only way to guarantee your safety. You were ambushed this time, which means you can't trust anyone around you. If someone close to you wanted to kill you, all they'd have to do is remove this thing!" Fang Bie said.

"You'd better keep the Golden Apple I gave you. A lot of the time, it could save your life!"

"Fine, fine!" Tony raised both hands in surrender. "We'll do it your way. As for now, we can finally get some rest!"

"I'm afraid not, sir." Jarvis's voice sounded as they were speaking, and several screens appeared, projected into the air.

"These are events that occurred during the hour after you arrived at the villa. A team of unidentified agents surrounded the property and requested to speak with you."

"Agents? Are they from the CIA, the FBI, or the Department of Defense? Surely they aren't from the Department of Homeland Security?" Tony asked, puzzled.

"I don't know, sir. There's no information about them in the database," Jarvis replied.

Fang Bie frowned as he studied the figures on the screen. He recognized the man at their head all too well.

Phil Coulson, the best-known chief agent in the Marvel Universe, was also a favorite in all kinds of Marvel fanfiction—the village chief of the newbie village, as the saying went: village chiefs came and went, but the chief agent stayed the same. Everyone might encounter different characters in the Marvel Universe, but those who met S.H.I.E.L.D. usually met this man.

Fang Bie kept quiet. It wasn't his place to step forward yet. Even though Tony had announced that he was shutting down his company's weapons business, he was still one of the richest men in the world. An organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't pose any real threat to him.

Fang Bie was still just watching from the sidelines. He couldn't afford to take on a behemoth like S.H.I.E.L.D. at this point. He wasn't Tony; he had neither a vast business empire nor powerful connections. He couldn't possibly stand against an organization that seemed to control the world's entire underbelly.

Fang Bie had thought things through, but even so, he had run into them without the slightest warning.

Tony got dressed and headed to the sitting room. Fang Bie and Yinsen weren't going to stay in his lab, of course, so they went with him.

A team of agents in black slowly approached the entrance. They were dressed neatly and sternly, all wearing sunglasses and special gear to conceal their faces. Only the man at the head had his face uncovered.

They stood silently at the door, waiting for it to open.

"Jarvis, open the door. Let the first man in, and leave the rest outside," Tony ordered casually. He wasn't about to cater to these people.

"Understood, sir," Jarvis replied. As the glass doors opened, the group started to file in, but a mechanical arm blocked them firmly. They could only watch as their leader walked ahead.

Coulson was a top agent who had seen every kind of situation. He gestured to the others behind him, then walked lightly into the villa alone.

"Jarvis, scan him for anything he's carrying. Block the cameras and lock on to his handgun," Tony continued. A faint electromagnetic field filled the space, while a weak current flowed slowly across the floor.

"Mr. Tony Stark, I mean no harm, and I'm not carrying any firearms. There's no need to be so tense," Coulson said. He knew exactly how to earn someone's trust. He raised both hands gently, walked over to the three of them, and sat down.

"Sir, he's carrying no electronic devices and no firearms," Jarvis reported, easing some of the tension in the room.

"All right, Agent..." Tony sat on the sofa with his legs crossed and raised one hand. "What brings you to my home?"

"Hello, Mr. Tony Stark. My name is Phil Coulson. I'm an agent." He took an identification card from inside his jacket and held it out to the three of them.

A mechanical arm reached down and took the card, placing it in front of Tony.

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division? Since when did the United States have a department with such a long name? Jarvis?" Tony asked.

"Sir, there's no department by that name in the present-day United States. However, it is mentioned in your father's notes. You—" The mechanical voice was interrupted by Tony.

"What a mouthful. May I ask what you want with me and my father?" Tony shifted into a more upright position and asked.

Anything involving his father demanded his attention. This proud young man might claim not to care, but his actions had already revealed how much he loved his parents.

"Mr. Stark, this matter has nothing to do with your father. If you'd like to learn more about our department, you could look through your father's notes. You may find something useful. I'm here today mainly because of the person beside you..."

Coulson pointed at Fang Bie. "This unfamiliar man from China!"

"What? I can't invite a friend over without reporting it to you?" Tony asked, displeased as he looked up at him.

"Of course you can. Mr. Yinsen has a complete file with our agency, so there's no problem there. But your friend has no records anywhere on Earth. That poses a serious threat," Coulson said with his usual smile.

Only then did Fang Bie understand. Unlike the S.H.I.E.L.D. in Iron Man, which seemed so clueless, he remembered seeing the Captain Marvel movie in his previous life. He knew S.H.I.E.L.D. had actually been in contact with aliens for a long time.

He had appeared on this planet out of nowhere, with no records or background. The agents probably thought he was a Skrull or a Kree from outer space, didn't they? (Note 1)

"This is none of your concern. I'll look into your department myself. Now get out of my house!" Tony cut off the conversation and tried to send them packing.

But Fang Bie stood up just then and held out his hand. "Hello, my name is Fang Bie. I'm a human who just arrived on Earth."

He made no attempt to hide who he was. In truth, there was no point hiding anything from S.H.I.E.L.D.

From the moment they learned he had arrived, this vast and tightly organized agency would be able to uncover everything about him.

Fang Bie simply wanted to talk to them normally. Living in this world, he couldn't avoid dealing with a powerful organization like S.H.I.E.L.D.

Rather than let them become enemies lurking in the shadows, he might as well try to befriend them first. At least with Tony on his side, S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't dare do anything to him openly.

(Note 1: Skrulls and Kree are both alien races in the Marvel Universe. They had contact with Nick Fury and Captain Marvel on Earth in the 1970s, so S.H.I.E.L.D. in this timeline had already been dealing with aliens. This is just a brief introduction.)

P.S. The new book has been signed, and the contract is on its way. I'll most likely sign it after National Day. Those of you who've invested can get ready. Also, I'm rolling around on the floor begging for follows and recommendations!