S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, that's a really long name. The Triskelion stands by the river, covering a vast area.

Alexander Pierce stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of his ministerial office, gazing at the massive base. He pondered who to send. He had promoted Nick Fury to Director, and his own current responsibility was merely liaising with the World Security Council. While he could still control things from here, it would be too obvious. He needed to remain hidden, and Nick Fury was no simple man.

After some thought, he decided he couldn't skip Nick Fury on this matter. It would be best to have him send someone. If they found the target's talent or technology, it wouldn't be difficult to recruit them within S.H.I.E.L.D. or to take the technology, all while he could continue to hide.

With that in mind, he stood up, took the elevator down, and entered Nick Fury's director's office. "Nick!"

"What brings you here?" Nick Fury asked, surprised.

They were only separated by a few floors, but Nick Fury never went to see Alexander Pierce easily, always maintaining a distance. Although Pierce had promoted him, the diligent Nick Fury didn't want to close the gap between them; a professional relationship was sufficient.

"Heh, if you don't come up, I'll come down!" Alexander Pierce said with a smile, then got straight to the point. "Actually, something has come up. The Mayor of New York knows me, and they've run into a problem there, so they asked for my help. I had no choice but to come to you."

"What kind of problem requires our assistance?" S.H.I.E.L.D.'s duty wasn't to handle minor issues, but rather those strange and dangerous matters that threatened Earth, all while ensuring ordinary people remained unaware.

"A bank in New York was robbed. The method of operation currently appears very unusual. They suspect someone used computer technology to control the bank's security system and also the New York traffic monitoring center. Tony Stark is there right now. He couldn't find a way to infiltrate silently and leave without a trace. The NYPD also believes human capabilities wouldn't be enough for such a feat; it's very likely the work of artificial intelligence," Alexander Pierce said.

"Artificial intelligence? Has true artificial intelligence been born?" Hearing the term, Nick Fury couldn't help but take it seriously. He knew the terrifying potential of artificial intelligence better than the NYPD, though currently, it was only theoretical.

"I'm not sure, which is why I believe we should intervene. If such technology truly exists, then S.H.I.E.L.D. must obtain it. The world right now cannot handle the side effects of such technology," Alexander Pierce stated righteously.

Nick Fury nodded, then said, "Indeed, if such technology truly exists, the Earth today truly cannot bear its side effects." Artificial intelligence isn't entirely good. If true artificial intelligence were born, the Earth as it is now couldn't handle it. Capitalists would do everything they could to acquire it, then lay off a vast number of workers, leading to widespread unemployment that would endanger social stability.

Furthermore, S.H.I.E.L.D. had always possessed the most advanced technology in the world. Artificial intelligence wasn't something that could be developed with current technology. Nick Fury knew about Tony Stark's Jarvis; that wasn't true artificial intelligence. Therefore, Nick Fury suspected this might be alien technology. Alexander Pierce wasn't wrong about this matter; S.H.I.E.L.D. should be deployed.

"I understand. I'll arrange for someone to go," Nick Fury agreed with a nod.

"Good, I'm leaving. Oh, and come visit me sometime. It's just a floor up!" Alexander Pierce left with a smile, showing no sign of any issues.

Nick Fury considered it for a moment. For this operation, he planned to send two individuals he was currently grooming. As for technical support, S.H.I.E.L.D. would naturally provide it; there was no need for technical personnel to go directly.

With that thought, he picked up the phone. "Have Melinda May and Phil Coulson come to my office." These were two Level 5 agents, precisely the individuals Nick Fury was cultivating. He hadn't been Director for long, and after reviewing the files of many agents, he naturally selected a few to groom into his trusted confidants.

Melinda May's talent was discovered by Peggy Carter when she was young. At only 25 years old, she had already been an agent for many years, excelling in combat, assassination, driving, and shooting, making her an outstanding field operative.

Phil Coulson possessed strong organizational and operational capabilities, showing immense potential for development, especially since his actions strictly adhered to agent protocols without the slightest deviation. Even as a Level 5 agent, his demonstrated abilities were incredibly impressive, making Nick Fury very eager to cultivate him.

For this mission, Melinda May would serve as the muscle support, while the primary decision-maker would be Phil Coulson, as Nick Fury had implicitly decided.

"Knock, knock," came the sound of knocking at the door. "Come in!"

A man and a woman entered, both dressed in suits. They stood before Nick Fury's desk. "Director!"

"Mm, I have a mission for you. The mission level is currently undetermined..." After speaking, Nick Fury looked at them with his one good eye.

Melinda May frowned slightly, showing a subtle resistance to an undefined mission. Phil Coulson, on the other hand, had a constant smile on his face since entering the office, exuding approachability. Even with an undetermined mission level, he showed no fluctuation, as if smiling was his usual expression.

"For the specifics of the mission, you two will go to NYPD headquarters and get the details from their Chief, Ken Martin, and the lead detective on the case, George Stacy. You also need to pay attention to one other person, Tony Stark, who is also there. You don't need to test him; just observe. Understood?"

"Yes, Director!" The two accepted the mission. Melinda May turned to leave immediately, but Phil Coulson asked, "Director, what identity should we use to go?"

Nick Fury remained expressionless and casually replied, "Just use our department's name!"

"Understood!" Phil Coulson then turned and followed Melinda May. After they left the office, Nick Fury finally revealed a satisfied smile.

The mission details were unclear, and Nick Fury had no intention of elaborating, making the mission identity a key point. S.H.I.E.L.D. held significant authority, allowing them to assume any identity and providing genuine credentials. Only Phil Coulson noticed this, indicating he was indeed worth cultivating and would surely be able to handle things independently in the future.