A New Choice: S.H.I.E.L.D. and Black Widow's Probe

Transforming into a bolt of lightning that tore through the sky, Lin Ye experienced an unprecedented sense of freedom and power.

The wind howled past his ears, yet it was not carried through the air, but through a more fundamental perception belonging to the electromagnetic realm. The endless desert below sped backward like a flowing golden sea. With a thought, his speed surged again, even leaving bursts of sonic boom clouds in the air, only for them to be easily dissipated by the lightning field around him.

"So this is what flying feels like? This is the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit? This is awesome!" Lin Ye could not help laughing out loud. The power of thunder stirred slightly with his emotions, causing subtle resonance within the clouds.

A few minutes later, he landed on a secluded rocky hill. His body returned from its elemental state, and his feet touched the scorching rocks, but he felt no heat at all. Lightning energy instinctively shielded him from the harsh effects of the outside environment.

He spread his hand and watched the arcs dancing in his palm, as tame as pets. His excitement was hard to suppress. It was not just flight and discharging electricity—he could feel currents racing through his body, constantly enhancing his neural reactions, physical fitness, and even his brain's processing speed to an unbelievable degree.

"Mind Network..." He closed his eyes and tried combining Observation Haki with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's abilities. Buzz—! A strange perception spread outward from him. It was neither sight nor hearing, but an ultimate awareness of electromagnetic fields and life signals.

One kilometer, five kilometers, ten kilometers... The terrain within range, the crawling sand scorpions, the soaring vultures, even the ringing camel bells and hushed conversations of a desert caravan farther away—all of it was projected directly into his mind like high-definition footage, every detail crystal clear!

"Damn!" Lin Ye exclaimed again. This was practically an all-encompassing radar and wiretap with no blind spots! Enel had used this trick to monitor the entire Sky Island. His range might still be small, but his potential for growth was limitless.

He placed the blueprints he had casually swiped from the Ten Rings, along with the miniature Arc Reactor emitting a soft blue glow, on the ground. The blueprints were the original design for Mark I—crude, yet full of genius ideas. And that Arc Reactor...

Lin Ye could clearly sense the immense, stable energy contained within it. This thing was not only Tony's lifeline, but also a compact clean-energy engine.

"Good stuff. I'll keep it for now." He could not think of a use for it yet, but Tony Stark's black tech was definitely valuable.

Just then, the system prompt sounded again right on cue:

[Ding! It has been detected that the host has initially adapted to the new ability and successfully escaped the initial danger.]

[New stage selection issued. This will affect the direction of subsequent events and the pace of development. Please choose carefully:]

[Option One: Travel to New York and make preparations in advance. Use known intelligence and power to establish influence or fame before Iron Man officially appears. Reward: [Basic Artificial Intelligence Chip (Blank)], [New York Luxury Apartment Deed].]

[Option Two: Travel to Kamar-Taj in Nepal. Seek the mysterious sorcerer, The Ancient One, and attempt to learn magic to make up for shortcomings in energy manipulation techniques. Reward: [Magic Energy Affinity Physique], [Kamar-Taj Portal Access (One-Time)].]

[Option Three: Travel to America to search for traces of mutants, such as Xavier's School or the Brotherhood. Make contact with X-gene powers and attempt to merge different systems. Reward: [Mutant Gene Stabilizer], [Low-Level Regeneration Factor].]

The three options appeared once more.

Lin Ye rubbed his chin and weighed them carefully.

Option Two: magic was tempting, and The Ancient One was a true powerhouse among powerhouses. But going off to learn magic now? The process would take too long, and Marvel magic always came with a hefty price. It did not quite fit the lightning-powered power fantasy he had going. Pass.

Option Three: mutant abilities came in all varieties, but the X-gene was unstable, and the mutant community came with a mountain of trouble. It was too early to get involved. The regeneration factor reward was useful, but it was not the top priority.

Option One: New York! This was the central stage of the Marvel universe! The upcoming Battle of New York—the Chitauri invasion—and nearly every major future event revolved around that place. Getting there early and making use of his information advantage and strength would definitely let him seize the initiative. The AI chip and property reward were also highly practical, immediately solving his identity and logistical problems.

"System, I choose Option One. New York!"

[Selection confirmed. Rewards have been distributed to the system space and may be retrieved by the host at any time. New York's coordinates have been marked.]

A virtual arrow appeared in Lin Ye's perception, pointing toward the distant east. At the same time, he sensed two additional items in the system space.

"Nice and straightforward!" Lin Ye grinned and stopped wasting time. His body turned elemental once again, becoming a streak of lightning as he sped toward New York. He was faster than before, and his mastery of his abilities was improving rapidly.

S.H.I.E.L.D., Triskelion Headquarters.

Inside the director's office, Nick Fury stared solemnly at several massive screens with his one eye.

The screens displayed an extremely blurry, violently shaking satellite recording, along with reports of anomalous radar data from a U.S. military base in Afghanistan.

In the footage, all that could be seen was a blinding blue-white flash streaking through the desert, followed by multiple heat signatures disappearing in an instant. Radar data showed an unbelievably fast movement trajectory, one that completely surpassed any known aircraft.

"Can you determine what it was?" Fury asked in a low voice.

Beside him, senior agent Phil Coulson operated the console and shook his head. "Sir, the energy signature is extremely unusual. It does not belong to any known energy system. The burst lasted only a very short time, but its power was astonishing. It instantly destroyed a small Ten Rings convoy and escort unit."

"What about survivors?"

"Only two: Tony Stark and Dr. Yinsen. According to Mr. Stark's extremely... ah... excited description, a 'man' capable of controlling lightning saved him and took some of his research materials, along with a reactor. Mr. Stark calls him... the 'Lightning Dharma King.'" Coulson's expression was somewhat strange as he read out the name.

"Lightning Dharma King?" Fury narrowed his eye. "Can we confirm whether he's a mutant? Or some kind of enhanced individual unknown to us? Or perhaps... an alien visitor?"

"Unable to determine. But we can confirm that he is an individual with an extremely high threat level—and potentially tremendous value." Coulson answered cautiously.

Fury fell silent for a moment, tapping his fingers on the desk. "Find him. Use every resource we have. Before he causes bigger trouble—or before another organization, such as Hydra, finds him first—I want to know who he is, where he came from, and what he wants."

"Yes, sir."

"Have Natasha handle it. Her recent mission just wrapped up, and she's best at dealing with... 'special' people like this."

Several hours later.

New York, Manhattan, at an upscale restaurant's outdoor seating area.

Lin Ye had already changed into a neat casual outfit—he had used lightning to "borrow" a little money, while also clearing out a small gang's stash—and was leisurely enjoying his first proper meal since crossing over. The keys to the luxury apartment and the AI chip rewarded by the system were in his pocket.

With strength, a system, and foreknowledge of future events, he felt incredibly relaxed.

Observation Haki, or Mind Network, spread like an invisible radar over several surrounding blocks. An immense flow of information poured in, then was effortlessly filtered by his rapidly processing brain, leaving behind only what might interest him. This godlike perspective was addictive.

Suddenly, an exceptionally unusual "signal" entered the range of his Mind Network.

This signal's life electromagnetic field was far stronger and more stable than that of an ordinary person. It also carried a finely honed sharpness, concealed extremely well, like a blade sheathed in its scabbard. More importantly, the signal was approaching his location along a clear and professional route.

"Oh? They found me this quickly?" Lin Ye raised an eyebrow, unsurprised. The commotion he had caused in the desert had not been small. With S.H.I.E.L.D.'s capabilities, finding him was only a matter of time. He simply had not expected them to be so efficient.

Without revealing anything, he continued cutting the steak on his plate.

A few minutes later, a figure appeared beside his table.

"Sorry to disturb you." A slightly husky yet extraordinarily alluring female voice sounded.

Lin Ye looked up.

Before his eyes was a head of romantic wine-red curls, like the finest silk. Her breathtakingly beautiful face, fair skin, and green eyes resembled the deepest lakes, carrying the faintest hint of a smile while concealing an imperceptible vigilance and scrutiny. She wore a simple black dress, yet it perfectly outlined her graceful, curvaceous figure. Her aura was complex and dangerous, like a red rose with thorns.

Natasha Romanoff! Black Widow!

Even though he had known these characters would exist in this world, seeing the real Natasha still stunned Lin Ye for a moment. The impact was far greater than seeing her through a screen.

"Need something?" Lin Ye set down his knife and fork, leaned back in his chair, and wore an amused smile. His Mind Network clearly sensed the concealed weapons in her body, the tension in her muscles, and the intense alertness beneath her flawless disguise.

"My name is Natasha." She extended her hand, her smile impeccable. "Perhaps we could have a talk? About... some interesting happenings in the desert?"

Lin Ye did not shake her hand. He merely looked at her. "Are S.H.I.E.L.D. agents always this direct? Or is this Ms. Romanoff's personal style?"

Natasha's smile stiffened for a split second, and genuine surprise flashed through her green eyes. Her identity and purpose had been completely exposed in the first sentence of their meeting! Even with her experience, this wholly unexpected situation felt somewhat troublesome.

She naturally withdrew her hand and brushed back her hair, concealing that brief lapse. "It seems you know far more than we imagined, Mr. 'Lightning Dharma King'?"

That final form of address was clearly a probe.

Lin Ye smiled, picked up his napkin, and wiped his mouth. "That name doesn't sound bad, but I don't really like it. You can call me Lin Ye."

He stood up. Slightly taller than Natasha, he looked down at her faintly. An almost imperceptible arc of electricity seemed to flash around him, bringing with it an invisible pressure.

"Tell Nick Fury that if he wants to talk to me, he should show some sincerity. Sending his best agent to test me is not a very good habit."

With that, he walked around the somewhat stunned Natasha and headed toward the street.

Natasha remained where she was, watching his retreating back with an unreadable expression. That fleeting pressure just now had definitely not been an illusion. This target was far more dangerous and mysterious than every assessment report had suggested!

She pressed the miniature communicator in her ear and spoke softly. "Sir, target confirmed. He... he knows us. He knows me. I recommend an assessment level of... extreme danger. And he appears to possess some kind of... mind-reading or precognitive ability."

On the other end of the communicator, Nick Fury's single eye grew even deeper.

As Lin Ye reached the street corner, his Mind Network sensed that Natasha had not followed him. The corner of his mouth curved upward.

"Running into Black Widow right at the start... this Marvel world is getting more and more interesting."