The Truth Nick Fury Represents

"Mr. Fury." The Professor recognized the man who had appeared before him.

Nick Fury greeted him like an old acquaintance: "It's been many years, Professor. You've hidden yourselves well all this time."

"Isn't that exactly what your S.H.I.E.L.D. hoped for?" the Professor replied calmly. "To keep mutants in line."

"But there are always those who refuse to stay in line, aren't there?"

The Professor's expression turned serious: "But that is not entirely the fault of mutants, and you know that just as well."

Nick Fury certainly knew. A large part of the emergence of radical mutant factions was due to illegal research conducted by the military and secret agencies, the culprit being Dr. Trask, who had died of old age in prison.

The X-Men had destroyed many illegal facilities conducting mutant research and had witnessed countless cruel experiments that lacked any moral bottom line; S.H.I.E.L.D. had also participated in many of the subsequent cleanup operations. Fury himself had met the Professor during one of those processes.

Among the current radical mutant groups, many core members had histories of being illegally detained and persecuted; even Wolverine Logan, a member of the X-Men, was one such victim.

If there hadn't been a lack of evidence proving that S.H.I.E.L.D. had conducted similar research experiments, Nick Fury would likely have been sliced into charcoal-grilled pork chops the moment he walked through the door.

"We are different from them." Nick Fury spoke with righteous indignation. "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s goal is to maintain world stability, and we are equally unwilling to escalate conflicts with mutants."

The Professor watched the performance quietly: "And what can your S.H.I.E.L.D. actually do?"

"We can provide Jimmy with a security protection program, similar to the FBI's witness protection program," Nick Fury said smoothly. "Of course, our plan is more thorough and offers a higher level of confidentiality."

"Under our protection, no one will be able to find Jimmy."

The Professor remained noncommittal toward Fury's guarantee and asked in return: "Are you asking me to hand Jimmy over to S.H.I.E.L.D., a secret agency?"

Nick Fury's expression remained unchanged, but his heart skipped a beat. The X-Men had seen too much of the dark side of secret agencies and had suffered too many losses, leading to an instinctive resistance toward people like him.

"I said, S.H.I.E.L.D. is different from them. We report to the World Security Council and are not accountable to any single national government. We have no political bias; we are absolutely neutral." Nick Fury tried to salvage the impression. "The fact that I am willing to appear here openly—doesn't that show our sincerity?"

A detestable voice came from the side: "It would show much more sincerity if you could turn off the Cerebral Wave Disruptor in your pocket, Director."

Nick Fury glared coldly at Xiang Qian, who toasted him with a beaming smile.

The Professor finally realized how his whereabouts had been leaked.

When he had first entered the hotel, the Professor had done as he always did: frozen everyone's thoughts before walking in with a swagger. In the past, he had used the same method to break into the CIA's Langley headquarters to see an old flame, moving through without a single obstacle.

However, a certain little bastard had invented this thing called a Cerebral Wave Disruptor.

"James, you have your own plan, don't you? Let's hear it." The Professor looked at Xiang Qian.

Xiang Qian spread his hands: "I've already said everything that needs to be said. I just want to emphasize one point: the X-Mansion can no longer protect Jimmy. Leaving him in the public spotlight is actually safer than handing him over to some shadowy so-called protection program."

"As for the rest, I strongly suggest that you and Magneto find an opportunity to talk, and share my thoughts with him as well."

The Professor was skeptical: "Erik is very stubborn."

Xiang Qian sneered: "Yes, we all know that. Magneto treats everyone as an enemy, and in the end, he has become everyone's enemy."

While echoing the Professor's criticism of Magneto, Xiang Qian didn't stop there; he continued.

"But Professor, you have your own flaws as well. Unlike Magneto, you always think too well of others and always pin the future of mutants on the hope that the world will one day find its conscience. That is equally ridiculous."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, let's be pragmatic and focus on the problem at hand, shall we?" Nick Fury watched as he seemed to be forgotten, while Xiang Qian and the Professor were preparing to discuss sociology.

"The problem at hand is that we don't trust you, so you can leave." It was Wolverine Logan who spoke.

The Professor had a good temper and disliked harsh words, and Beast was also a kind-hearted man; Cyclops remained stone-faced, ignoring everyone.

As for Xiang Qian, he was sipping his wine with satisfaction, watching the scene with a smile.

"I may be an agent, but we have never sought political gain," Nick Fury was still trying to recover. "Motherfucker, what is your problem? Would you rather trust a profit-driven businessman, or a businessman with government backing?"

Xiang Qian watched Nick Fury's performance with interest; the crude image he intentionally cultivated would give his interlocutors the illusion that he was "vulgar but straightforward," making his sowing of discord seem less like a conspiracy.

The basic tricks of the King of Spies!

In the past, Xiang Qian's interactions with Nick Fury had been purely formal, but he had occasionally heard Zheng Xian mention this man's capabilities, and today he had finally seen it for himself. No wonder Uncle Zheng held this black charcoal in such high regard and vigilance.

Logan nodded, looked at Xiang Qian, and said: "This little bastard is an arrogant, self-righteous, and profit-driven playboy—a total asshole."

"But, if I absolutely have to choose between the two of you..." Logan turned to stare at the black-skinned director, "I don't trust you!"

Nick Fury looked at Logan, then looked at the Professor and Beast with lingering hope, only to find that the latter two seemed to agree with the sentiment.

Don't let Logan's reckless behavior fool you; based on the experience gained from his painful life, he had immediately ruled out the option of cooperating with S.H.I.E.L.D.

As for the Professor and Beast, no matter how much the situation deteriorated, they reasoned that, at the very least, Worthington Industries was a legitimate company operating in the open. With Xiang Qian as a shareholder who held neutral goodwill toward mutants, there could be a certain level of transparency regarding the use of mutant genes.

If Jimmy were handed over to an intelligence agency whose very profession was secrecy, heaven knows when a pile of genetic weapons might suddenly be pointed at mutants.

As for Scott, while he was hostile toward Xiang Qian, he wouldn't go so far as to oppose the Professor's decision. The X-Men had all experienced years of secret struggles and understood the principle of choosing the lesser of two evils; they certainly wouldn't fall into the trap of an intelligence organization.

Having seen enough of the performance, Xiang Qian finished his drink in one gulp, set down the glass, and applauded loudly, cheering: "Congratulations, Logan; you have inadvertently discovered a universal truth about this world."

"And that is—distrust of Nick Fury is a universal consensus that transcends all differences in race, bloodline, interest, and class."