What Did This Black Guy Say?

May looked at Nick expectantly, waiting for him to give the order to apprehend personnel.

But to her surprise, Nick rested his chin on his hands, a thoughtful look on his face, yet gave no order.

"What is it? Is there a problem?"

"May, you said the key to getting started was willpower?"

"That's right, it is." May was somewhat confused, but she still answered Nick's question honestly.

"Then how many people in S.H.I.E.L.D. do you think can get started?" Greedy starlight flickered in Nick's single eye.

"Uh, you aren't thinking of..." May guessed what Nick had in mind and was utterly shocked by the way he thought.

"That's right, May. I'll select agents from within S.H.I.E.L.D. and organize a Martial Artist Squad. Then I need you to teach them everything you've learned. Any problem with that?"

"Of course not. In fact, Zhan Liu didn't hold anything back and explained everything in great detail. And as you know, I have a habit of carrying recording equipment with me."

As she spoke, May proudly took a small data storage device from her person, held it between two fingers, and handed it over.

"Haha... excellent, May." Nick laughed heartily and reached out to take the storage device.

"You may need to remain undercover for a while longer. Just treat it like a vacation."

"A vacation where you get stronger? I'm sure plenty of people would be desperate for that." May smiled, got to her feet, and left Nick's office.

Over the next few months, May went to the Martial Arts School during the day to receive Zhan Liu's instruction, then sent the recordings to S.H.I.E.L.D. at night. S.H.I.E.L.D. would compile the Martial Artist Squad's difficult questions and send them to her, and she would ask them during the day.

Zhan Liu valued his first official disciple greatly and answered every question she had.

Although Zhan Liu had seen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents before, he had spent more than a decade in the Martial God World and had long since forgotten most of the plot. He only retained some impression of a few familiar protagonists.

If Tony Stark had come, he definitely would have remembered him. But May... heh.

Under Zhan Liu's guidance, May progressed rapidly. The arcs of electricity at her fingertips grew longer and stronger, their voltage steadily increasing until it quickly broke through the ten-thousand-volt threshold.

Watching herself improve every day was a happy thing.

May became hopelessly immersed in the process of growing stronger, but a problem arose on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s side.

"This is impossible." May sat across from Nick's desk again, her face full of disbelief.

"That's the fact. It has been three months now, yet not a single agent in the Martial Artist Squad has managed to develop a superpower."

"But I handed over every recording. What I learned is exactly the same as what they learned."

"I believe you, May. I think something must have gone wrong somewhere."

In fact, Nick had discovered this problem a month ago. Then... he had sent someone else in with another listening device.

He compared the recordings obtained by the two listening devices, confirmed that May had not secretly withheld any information, and only then called her in to discuss the matter.

"How have you been these past few months? Has your electrical current improved?"

At the mention of her progress, May could no longer hide the smile on her face.

"I think you'll be stunned when you see it, Nick. Let's go to the training ground. I'll show you."

The two arrived at the training ground. When Nick saw May standing amid a hail of gunfire and blocking every bullet in front of her with a wave of her hand, his jaw nearly hit the floor.

But that was not the end. Next, May demonstrated overwhelmingly powerful offensive abilities. Targets capable of withstanding tank fire shattered one after another beneath her fists and kicks.

"These are the Ultimate Endless Palm and Ultimate Emperor Leg, techniques that complement Qigong. But these techniques require Qigong to support them, so ordinary people can't practice them."

"Also, I've heard that the stronger your realm, the more power these techniques can unleash. At their limit, they can even split heaven and earth."

"Of course, that is probably just exaggerated language, but it's still incredible, isn't it?"

It took Nick quite a while to put his jaw back in place.

It was not as though he had never seen anyone stronger than this. He had even seen people like Captain Marvel, so normally he would not have been this shocked.

But the problem was that three months ago, the electrical current in May's hands had barely been enough to light a cigarette, much less use in actual combat.

"It seems we severely underestimated this man named Zhan Liu."

Nick fell silent for a moment. "May, find a way to ask Zhan Liu exactly why these agents can't get started."

"Alright, I understand."

May said goodbye to Nick, left S.H.I.E.L.D., drove back to the Martial Arts School, and went straight to see Zhan Liu with her question.

Of course, she did not dare ask directly and instead took a roundabout approach.

"Master, why does my cultivation seem so slow whenever I practice at home? It feels as though I can barely sense any improvement at all. Did I practice something incorrectly, or is there something I failed to notice?"

Zhan Liu burst into laughter.

"This is perfectly normal."

"Ultimate Limit Qigong is an unparalleled divine art. Its cultivation difficulty is actually very high."

"Under normal circumstances, no ordinary person could get started within three months, no matter how steadfast their willpower was."

"But cultivating here at the Martial Arts School can act as an accelerator, making it thousands of times faster than cultivating outside."

"Because every inch of space in this Martial Arts School is filled with the essence, energy, and spirit of my Martial Dao, and that essence, energy, and spirit helps people weaker than me cultivate."

"And the weaker a person is, the better this acceleration works."

"To a certain extent, this compensates for the shortcomings of those born with deficiencies, poor talent, or old and frail bodies, giving them the chance to begin competing alongside others on the same starting line."

What Zhan Liu did not say was that it was not merely his Magnetic Field Rotation Realm at work. To a great extent, it also relied on the system's acceleration effect on registered disciples.

Only then did May understand. She took her leave from the Martial Arts School, sent over the recording first, and then called Nick after a while.

"Nick, my understanding is that there is some kind of magnetic field around him that accelerates Qigong cultivation. It is thanks to this magnetic field that I have progressed so quickly."

"What the S.H.I.E.L.D. Martial Artist Squad lacks is precisely this magnetic field. Perhaps you can send some scientists over to test it."

After hanging up, May returned to the Martial Arts School and resumed her cultivation.

Before, she had not known that an acceleration cheat existed, so May still went home to rest every day. But now, even if they tried to drive her away, she would not leave.

She had thought the matter could simply be handed over to the scientists, that the rest would have nothing to do with her, and that she could cultivate in peace.

But early the next morning, she discovered that Nick had suddenly appeared in front of the Martial Arts School.

"I consulted the scientists, but they said they can measure magnetic fields only if they install a great deal of equipment here at the Martial Arts School."

May rolled her eyes and sighed helplessly.

"I really don't think he'll agree to let that bunch of bookworms turn the Martial Arts School into a laboratory."

"I thought so too, which is why I came. I need to speak with him. His combat power may be very high, so we should resolve this peacefully if possible."

"Alright, I understand."

May led Nick into the Martial Arts School and into the main hall, where Zhan Liu was answering the registered disciples' questions.

Nick did not go over to interrupt him. Instead, he patiently waited until Zhan Liu finished explaining before stepping forward to speak.

"I am from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, S.H.I.E.L.D. for short. I am Director Nick Fury. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Nick smiled and extended a hand of friendship to Zhan Liu.

Zhan Liu turned to glance at May. "What did this Black guy say?"