Targeted by S.H.I.E.L.D.

"At 2:00 PM yesterday, a bank robbery occurred on First Street in Brooklyn. Four suspects have been apprehended, while two remain at large..."

The television news was reporting on yesterday's heist. Having arrived in the Marvel world only two days ago, William had already dealt with a stolen bicycle, a pickpocket, and now bank robbers.

He felt he might be the most miserable of all the countless transmigrators.

In all his years, this was the first time he'd ever encountered a bank robbery. At first, he was terrified, worried that one wrong word would lead those thugs to put a bullet in him.

A love for gossip, indifference, and a "not my problem" attitude had been his norm before crossing over. In his old world, playing the hero rarely ended well.

But in this brand-new world, he had gained the mysterious Overwatch System. When he saw lives being threatened, he couldn't just stand by. His head grew hot, and he rushed out.

The transformation time for Soldier: 76 was only two minutes, so in the end, William could only watch helplessly as the robbers escaped. He checked his pockets, only to remember that his phone, wallet, and bank cards were still at the bank. If he went back for them now, they'd surely be gone.

Furthermore, he understood that he must never let anyone know his true identity.

"The robbers were extremely cunning. Before the heist, they hacked the bank's alarm and surveillance systems, so we haven't been able to recover any security footage," a bearded police officer said on TV. "According to witness accounts, one individual stepped forward and defeated the robbers..."

William took a deep breath. It was fortunate the robbers had disabled the cameras, or his identity would have been exposed. He shuddered to think what would happen if he were discovered—would S.H.I.E.L.D. capture him and subject him to rigorous interrogation?

Or worse, would Hydra find him and brainwash him into a killing machine?

Neither was a fate he wanted. William was still far too weak; he didn't want to be entangled with any organization. Neither S.H.I.E.L.D. nor Hydra was something he could contend with right now.

"He is our savior. Even though I don't know who he is, I still want to say thank you. Thank you for stepping up; you are a true hero." Beyond the police interview, they also spoke to the hostages, and William saw the familiar face of the bank manager.

"A hero, huh..." William muttered, unable to help but glance at the Overwatch emblem on the back of his hand.

Early this morning, William headed out. He wasn't going to work early, of course, but was instead visiting a second-hand market. Ever since his bike was stolen, William had been on edge, terrified of being found out by his boss.

As the saying goes, he didn't check the almanac before heading out.

William felt that was exactly his luck. He had gone out to withdraw money, but not only did he fail to get the cash, he had run into bank robbers.

Where was the justice in that?

With no other choice, William had to ask his boss for a half-month salary advance and grit his teeth to buy a bicycle.

A second-hand one, of course.

After buying the bike, William hurried toward the fast-food restaurant. He noticed a car parked on the side of the road—a classic vintage convertible with red paint and a retro style.

Such antique cars were a collector's dream and rarely seen on the streets. Moreover, William felt the car looked familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

When he arrived at the restaurant, he found his boss, Jonathan, waiting at the door. William froze. He wasn't late, so what was going on? Had the stolen bike incident already been discovered?

"Why are you just getting here? Someone is looking for you." Jonathan's reply made him breathe a sigh of relief. At least the bike issue hadn't been found out. When he walked into the restaurant, he saw the man sitting at a booth.

He wore a crisp black suit and polished leather shoes, holding a newspaper while sipping coffee.

"I heard you were looking for me. Do we know each other?" William walked over and asked curiously.

"We don't," Coulson said, setting down his coffee. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Lister."

"FBI? CIA?" William asked. Judging by the man's attire, he was either a salesman or a government agent, though he leaned toward the latter.

"No, we are a more independent department." Coulson produced his credentials. "I am Agent Phil Coulson, from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division."

"Has anyone ever told you that your department's name sounds like a tongue twister?"

"I know," Coulson shrugged. "We're working on it."

William's expression remained calm, but his heart was already in turmoil.

The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division was the famous international military and intelligence organization of the Marvel world. Of course, it had a name people knew better—S.H.I.E.L.D.!

S.H.I.E.L.D. was a line of defense standing between this world and more bizarre realms, preventing people from learning things they weren't ready to know and maintaining global peace and freedom. For the sake of humanity, S.H.I.E.L.D. guarded the world, dedicated to building a better future.

"So, Mr. Coulson, what can I do for you?" William asked, knowing he was now on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar.

Phil Coulson, a Level 6 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and one of Nick Fury's most trusted subordinates, possessed formidable operational and organizational skills, and was a master of firearms and combat.

Though he was a normal human, he played a vital role in the Marvel world, having recruited numerous superheroes to eventually form the Avengers.

Coulson was the symbol of S.H.I.E.L.D. Since he had found William, it meant William had drawn the agency's attention. Still, it was fortunate that it was S.H.I.E.L.D.; if it had been Hydra, it wouldn't be as simple as sitting here for a chat.

"Do you have any impression of this news?" Coulson picked up the newspaper. William glanced at it; the paper was reporting on yesterday afternoon's bank robbery, with details similar to the TV broadcast.

"No impression. I haven't even seen it." William rolled his eyes. He certainly couldn't tell the truth now.

Ignoring William's reaction, Coulson pressed, "Where were you yesterday afternoon?"

"Where else would I be? Delivering food."

"You spent the entire afternoon delivering food?" Coulson clearly didn't believe him.

William spread his hands helplessly. "You government officials don't understand us bottom-tier laborers. You get paid to sit in offices with air conditioning and drink coffee, unlike us, who are out in the wind and sun every day. If we're one minute late, we get a complaint from a customer."

"Our work isn't as simple as you think," Coulson said, staring into his eyes. "This world is dangerous, and there are many unknown secrets. Crises are stirring in the dark, and we are the last line of defense for the people. If we collapse..."

"What happens then?"

"The world is finished," Coulson said solemnly.

"You're overthinking it. The Earth will keep spinning regardless of who is here," William said, looking at Coulson with a provocative gaze. "And why do I feel like this world would be better off without you people?"